Hanoi to Kunming

This panoramic journey will take you from Hanoi via Halong Bay and the mountains of Vietnam to the rice terraces and minority culture of Yunnan in the South West of China.

Begin in Hanoi with a city tour before enjoying an overnight Junk Cruise through spectacular Halong Bay.

Travel north into the mountains by train to enjoy some time discovering the hilltribe culture of the far north of Vietnam.

From here head to arguably the most beautiful rice terraces in China at Yuanyang.

See local minority groups and enjoy a half-day walk through the rice terraces.

Yunnan is one of China's most spectacular regions, with unique local cultures, Buddhist Monasteries and magnificent mountain scenery.

After Yuanyang, experience something of Imperial China at Jianshui before visiting a quiet part of the spectacular stone forest close to Kunming.

Fly to Lijiang for 2 nights to discover the local Naxi culture and spectacular views of Jade Dragon Mountain.

In Lijiang enjoy a morning visit to the Yak Meadow of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain with a cable car trip included before discovering Naxi culture in Naxi minority village.

Heading along the Tea Horse Road to Shaxi town, a traveller’s oasis that used to be a major stop on the Tea-Horse Road that ran through the region, forming a major part of its heritage and history.

This Yunnan tour finishes in Kunming from where you will fly back to the UK.

This comprehensive journey through northern Vietnam and Yunnan is best undertaken between April and October and uncovers two fascinating and intriguing destinations.

As with all of our Vietnam and China holidays, this one is entirely amendable to suit your interests, time and budget. So just let us know your preferences.

Day 1: Fly UK to Hanoi

Overnight flight UK to Hanoi

Day 2: Hanoi

On arrival in Hanoi transfer to your hotel by private car with the rest of the day at leisure.

Overnight Hanoi.

Day 3: Hanoi

Enjoy a full day city tour of Hanoi. Visit the Temple of Literature, one of the best examples of traditional Vietnamese architecture and the site of Vietnam’s first University.

Continue to One Pillar Pagoda and the Ho Chi Minh Memorial Complex. Visit Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, see Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House and visit the excellent Museum of Ethnology.

In the afternoon, visit Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple, and en-route pass colonial landmarks such as the Opera House and St Joseph’s Cathedral.

Overnight Hanoi. Breakfast included.

Day 4: Halong Bay

After breakfast transfer to Halong Bay and check-in for your overnight cruise of Halong Bay. Lunch will be served after departure. Today the boat visits Cua Van fishing village, a typical floating village on Halong bay.

Afterwards cruise to Tung Sau, a Pearl Farm area where there is a chance to enjoy swimming or kayaking. Back on board, a cooking demonstration will reveal some of the secrets of Vietnamese cuisine. As the sun goes down, cocktails are served on deck before dinner.

Note: Itinerary applies to Paradise Cruise. Other cruise operators’ itineraries differ slightly.

Overnight on-board. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included.

Day 5: Halong Bay - Hanoi

Enjoy a relaxing morning with an early morning Tai Chi session on deck, or enjoy swimming or kayaking. The cruise continues around the most beautiful parts of the bay with breakfast served on board.

A visit is made to spectacular Sung Sot Cave, one of Halong Bay’s most famous grottoes before returning to disembark shortly before 11 am.

Transfer back to Hanoi in the afternoon with the rest of the day at leisure.

Overnight Hanoi. Breakfast included.

Day 6: Hanoi - Lao Cai

After breakfast depart for the short drive to Bat Trang ceramic village to the east of Hanoi along the Red River were you can wander freely into any of the workshops or galleries inside the village.

Bat Trang was an important centre for ceramic production in Vietnam and the region as far back as the 15th century.

Head to But Thap Pagoda and along the way see everyday Vietnamese life, rice fields and simple villages.

Continue to Hanoi Railway station and use a day room at a hotel nearby to freshen-up before taking the overnight Express Train to Lao Cai.

Overnight Train. Breakfast included.

Day 7: Lao Cai - Sapa - Matra

On arrival in Lao Cai, meet up with your local guide and transfer to your chosen hotel in Sapa for breakfast (early check-in is included) then take a rest.

After lunch depart with the guide for a half-day trekking tour to Ma Tra – habitant of Black H’Mong.

Take a short walk through the town of Sapa and along a dirt trail to pass the beautiful gardens and lush pine forests.

Arrive at the small Hmong village of Suoi Ho where the houses are windowless to keep out the winter cold.

Continue the walk through rice paddy fields and spectacular scenery to Matra before heading to the church of Ta Phin, where the car and driver will be waiting for the transfer back to Sapa.

Overnight Sapa. Breakfast included.

Day 8: Sapa - Sa Seng - Hua Thau

After breakfast drive to Lao Chai to visit Mrs. Do (pronounced “zuh”) and her family.

They will show you how to spin hemp from bark into yarn, weave cloth on a loom, and dye cloth using natural, traditional methods.

Try your hand at each step along the way experiencing how the beautiful, traditional clothing of the H’mong are harvested, spun, and masterfully embroidered.

Afterwards, drive 30 minutes east of Sapa to Hang Da, the starting point for a hike to Sa Seng.

This walk is mostly downhill and takes you along a dirt road set in a narrow valley lush with greenery, a sparkling river, and in season, spectacular waterfalls.

Black H’mong homes are clustered along the way.

Stop at the river and enjoy a prepared picnic lunch.

In the mid-afternoon, a vehicle will transfer you to Topas Ecolodge.

Overnight Topas Ecolodge. Breakfast & lunch included.

Day 9: Sapa

Spend the day at leisure with the chance to enjoy the stunning location or explore Sapa independently.

Overnight Topas Ecolodge. Breakfast & lunch included.

Day 10: Sapa - Yuanyang

Set off in the morning towards the rice terraces at Yuanyang, with lunch en-route.

Cross the Chinese border at Hekou and head to Yuanyang (4 hours depending on the traffic) with your Chinese guide and drivers.

The Yuanyang rice terraces are a major highlight and are, without a doubt, the most beautiful in China.

Cascading down the mountainside through bamboo canals, the water transforms the mountain face into a truly wonderful sight.

Stop at the hotel and head to Laohuzui, literally “The Tiger’s Mouth”, to enjoy the sunset.

Here rice terraces continue as far as the eye can see, and the panorama is breath-taking.

Overnight Yuanyang. Breakfast & Lunch included.

Day 11: Yuanyang

Make a very early start to admire the sunrise at Duoyishu before returning to the hotel for breakfast.

Visit a local market in a Hani Minority Village. The Hani, otherwise known as the Akha in Southeast Asia, number around 1.5 million and are mainly to be found in Yunnan and are well known for their  art of rice terrace sculpting and drainage systems.

The busy market is to be savoured for its traditional hustle and bustle and its bright and vivid colors.

Continue with a 4-5 hour walk through the rice terraces, starting at Duoyishu and finishing at Bada in time for a stunning sunset over the terraces.

Overnight Yuanyang. Breakfast & Lunch included.

Day 12: Yuanyang - Jianshui

Begin with a visit to Jianshui's Confucius Temple, which, despite its remoteness from the heart of 'Classical China', is still considered to be one of the most beautiful in the country.

The surrounding Chinese parks are usually filled with the elderly chatting and playing Mahjong.

Visit two 19th century residences; The Zhang Family Estate and The Zhu Family Estate.

The Zhu Estate is located at the heart of the old town and is one of the most stunning examples of traditional housing in the entire country.

The Zhang Estate is located at Tuanshan, around 15km from Jianshui. This seemingly timeless village is an interweaving lattice of avenues that hide the stunning former residences of merchants, who made their money in the salt trade.

Before returning to Jianshui, visit the Twin Dragon Bridge, one of the oldest bridges in all of China.

Overnight Jianshui. Breakfast & lunch included.

Day 13: Jianshui - Kunming - Lijiang

Visit to the county of Lunan, to discover one of the major attractions of the region: Shilin or The Stone Forest.

Due to its proximity to Kunming, Shilin can become a bit of a tourist trap. However, only a small part of the 26,000 hectare site is crowded and it is easy to escape the hordes of package holidaymakers.

Head to the quieter and less frequented Black Stone Forest, which is roughly 10km away from the main site but just as impressive.

Afterward transfer to the airport for your flight to Lijiang where you will be met and transferred to your chosen hotel.

Overnight Lijiang. Breakfast & Lunch included.

Is this a Private Tour or a Group Tour?

All of our Vietnam & China tours are private tailor made itineraries, customised for you - we can amend things to entirely suit you.

You will have your own private car, driver and English-speaking guide on excursions. Your guide will change as you follow the itinerary from Vietnam into China.

What are the departure dates?

Let us know your preferred dates of travel and we will find the best and most suitable flights to fit your itinerary.

As this is a private tour, there are no set departure dates. We can advise you on the best times of your to travel, and some times to avoid.

This Hanoi to Kunming journey is best undertaken between April and October.

The trip can also be done in reverse if you wish.

Which Airlines do you use?

We work with all the major airlines flying to China and Vietnam.

Typically for this trip, Vietnam Airlines or Thai Airways would be our airlines of choice.

However, just let us know your preferred airline if you have one. We can organise flights from any regional destination in the UK.

There are direct flights from the UK to Hanoi with Vietnam Airlines.

Which Hotels do you use?

We're careful with our choice of hotels, but we're guided by our customers also. If you have some preferred hotels, just let us know.

We specialise in boutique hotels and so we will often suggest some of our favourite smaller hotels where we think these will be suitable.

China is a destination where large hotels predominate. These are geared for business and group travellers as the Chinese usually travel in groups. We try to suggest smaller more personal hotels where we can.