Name: Northern Vietnam
Brand: Far Reach Club
Price: 3795 USD
Availability: InStock

Hanoi to Hoi An

Hanoi comes first, with street food on the first night and a full day to find your own way around the city.

Then it’s Pu Luong, Ninh Binh and a night on Ha Long Bay before we fly south to Hoi An.

Twelve days, eleven nights, and enough time in each place to settle in a little.

days

places

travellers

Book your place

From US $3,795 per person

US $1,295 single supplement (additional)

US $500 deposit

The shape of the trip

Hanoi

Days 1–2

Eating our way through Hanoi. A street food tour in the Old Quarter on the first night, then a full day to wander with Ollie’s favourite spots in your pocket.

Pu Luong

Days 3–4

Into the mountains for two nights at Pu Luong Retreat. The big day here is on foot, through rice terraces and villages, with lunch at a local homestay along the way.

Ninh Binh

Days 5–7

Three nights at Jiva Hoa Lu Retreat. We take a sampan through Tam Coc. There’s private yoga too, and bikes if we feel like heading out.

Ha Long Bay

Days 8–9

An overnight cruise aboard the Bhaya Soul. An afternoon out on the water, then a night among Ha Long Bay’s limestone islands.

Hoi An

Days 9–12

Three nights to finish in Hoi An. We walk through the old town, then leave the last full day open. We come back together for a farewell dinner and start plotting the next trip.

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The days themselves

Day 1: Arrival, street food & first hellos

Hanoi

Arrive in Hanoi and settle in. We meet at 4pm for a welcome drink on the roof, then head into the Old Quarter for phở, bánh cuốn, bánh mì, and whatever else catches our eye. Plenty to eat, little chance of staying strangers.

Included: Welcome drink • Street food tour • Dinner

Overnight: Heritage Ham Long Hotel & Spa

Day 2: A day to wander

Hanoi

The day is yours, with ideas if you want them. Follow Ollie to a few of his favourite spots, or take Hanoi at your own pace. Hanoi rewards curiosity, especially when you’re not in a hurry. In the evening, we come back together for an optional dinner.

Included: Breakfast

Optional: Vespa tour • Train Street • Arts & crafts workshop • Hoa Lo Prison • Temple of Literature • Ngoc Son Temple • Group dinner

Overnight: Heritage Ham Long Hotel & Spa

Day 3: Into the mountains

Hanoi → Pu Luong

The city slips away. The air gets cooler, the fields open up. By afternoon, we’re in Pu Luong, looking out across the valley. Nothing ambitious today. Settle in, maybe wander a little. The pace changes here.

Included: Breakfast • Private transfer

Overnight: Pu Luong Retreat

Day 4: Villages and rice terraces

Pu Luong

This is the big walking day. The path takes us through rice terraces and villages towards Kho Muong and Bat Cave. Lunch is at a local homestay. We continue through Uoi and Lan villages and stop to see traditional brocade weaving. The walk ends at Don Village. There’s a spa treatment available back at the hotel. Just saying.

Included: Breakfast • Guided trek • Lunch • Village visits • Traditional brocade weaving

Optional: Spa treatment

Overnight: Pu Luong Retreat

Day 5: Water wheels to Ninh Binh

Pu Luong → Ninh Binh

One last morning in Pu Luong. We visit the ancient water wheels and a traditional stilt house, then return to the hotel for lunch. After that, we’re on the road to Ninh Binh. Three and a half hours later, the landscape changes again.

Included: Breakfast • Water wheels • Traditional stilt house • Lunch • Private transfer

Overnight: Jiva Hoa Lu Retreat

Day 6: Beneath the river caves

Ninh Binh

A traditional sampan carries us through Tam Coc, beneath limestone cliffs and into the three river caves. It’s a UNESCO site, and it deserves the fuss. Back at Jiva, the rest of the day is yours. Grab a bike, find a café in Tam Coc, or do absolutely nothing beside the pool. Hoa Lu Old Town night market is there after dark if you feel like heading out.

Included: Breakfast • Sampan boat • Bikes

Optional: Mua Cave • Hoa Lu Old Town night market

Overnight: Jiva Hoa Lu Retreat

Day 7: Your day

Ninh Binh

Nothing fixed today. That’s deliberate. Private yoga is included at Jiva. You can join Ollie for a few local temples and sites, or spend the day closer to the hotel. Plenty of options. No wrong way to spend the day.

Included: Breakfast • Private yoga • Bikes

Optional: Local temples and sites • Mua Cave • Bich Dong Pagoda • Bai Dinh Pagoda • Trang An boat ride

Overnight: Jiva Hoa Lu Retreat

Day 8: A night on the bay

Ninh Binh → Ha Long Bay

An early one. We leave Ninh Binh for Ha Long Bay and board the Bhaya Soul around midday. Lunch on board, then a herbal foot ritual. The afternoon is on the water, with kayaking available. After dinner, there’s meditation on deck or squid fishing off the back.

Included: Breakfast • Private transfer • Lunch • Herbal foot ritual • Dinner • Overnight cruise

Optional: Kayaking • Meditation • Squid fishing

Overnight: Bhaya Soul Cruise

Day 9: South to Hoi An

Ha Long Bay → Hoi An

We start the day on board. Early risers can join cave meditation before breakfast. Then we head out to the Cua Van Floating Culture Centre by kayak or rowing boat. By late morning, we’re back on land. From there, it’s Hanoi airport, a flight to Da Nang, then on to Hoi An.

Included: Breakfast • Cua Van Floating Culture Centre • Transfer • Hanoi to Da Nang flight • Private transfer to Hoi An

Overnight: La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa

Day 10: A day in Hoi An

Hoi An

A slow morning in Hoi An. If you’re thinking about having something made, this is the day to find a tailor. They need a little time. In the afternoon, we walk through the old town, past yellow facades and lanterns.

Included: Breakfast • Walking tour

Optional: Cooking class • Lantern making • Tailoring

Overnight: La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa

Day 11: One last day by the sea

Hoi An

The last full day is left open. If you started something with a tailor yesterday, this is usually when it’s ready. Ollie will be at the beach club if you want to join him. A day by the sea is a good way to finish. In the evening, we come back together for one last dinner.

Included: Breakfast • Farewell dinner

Overnight: La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa

Day 12: Until next time

Hoi An → Da Nang

One last breakfast, then it’s time to head out. Ollie will help sort airport transfers, whether you’re flying home or heading somewhere else.

Included: Breakfast

Optional: Airport assistance on departure

Book your place

Accommodation

Hanoi

Heritage Ham Long Hotel & Spa

2 Nights

Breakfast included

View hotel

Pu luong

Pu Luong Retreat

2 Nights

Breakfast included

View hotel

Ninh Binh

Jiva Hoa Lu Retreat

3 Nights

Breakfast included

View hotel

Ha Long Bay

Bhaya Soul Cruise

1 Night

Breakfast • Welcome drink • Lunch • Dinner

View cruise

Hoi An

La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa

3 Nights

Breakfast included

View hotel

HAN

Hanoi

DAD

Da Nang

Flights

Getting there

Fly into HAN

Home from DAD

You’ll fly into Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport (HAN) and home from Da Nang International Airport (DAD), so there’s no need to travel back to where you started. We recommend booking a multi-city ticket, which is often cheaper than two one-way fares. If you’re not sure what to book, send us a message and we’ll help.

Send us a message

These are the hotels we currently plan to use. Occasionally, availability or local circumstances mean plans need to change. If that happens, we’ll arrange accommodation of a similar standard or better.

What’s (not) included

Included

✓

Accommodation throughout: Hanoi, Pu Luong, Ninh Binh, Ha Long Bay and Hoi An

✓

Private ground transport throughout, and the Hanoi to Da Nang flight

✓

Breakfast daily, plus four lunches, three dinners, and a brunch on the bay

✓

Every experience marked included on the itinerary

✓

Ollie, the whole way

Not included

Additional accommodation before or after the trip

International flights and airport transfers

Visas, if you need one

Travel insurance. This is required for every guest

Meals left free

Optional experiences, spa treatments, and anything else you add along the way

Drinks outside of included meals

Laundry, and tips for local guides and drivers

Personal expenses

Good to know

Who comes on these trips?

A mix of solo travellers, mostly in their 40s and 50s, who’d rather not organise everything themselves. Different backgrounds, same instinct to travel well in good company.

I’m travelling solo. Is that OK?

More than OK. It’s how most people join us. Add the single supplement for a room of your own, or ask to share a twin with another solo traveller. By the second day, you’ll know everyone’s name.

Can I share a room with another traveller?

Yes. Ask to share a twin with another solo traveller of the same gender, and we’ll do our best to match you, though we can’t promise it. Sharing is how you skip the supplement. That said, if you snore, sleep lightly, or just like your own space, it’s worth paying for.

I’m booking with someone. How does that work?

Just add their name when you book, choose a twin or a double, and we’ll keep you together.

What’s the single supplement?

The price assumes two people to a room. Want your own the whole way? That’s US $1,295.

Will I know anyone?

Probably not. That’s why we keep the group small. One dinner together usually sorts that.

What if I need some time to myself?

Take it. Some people spend every meal together, others disappear for a few hours with a book or a camera. Both are completely normal. Join in as much or as little as you like.

Is everything planned?

Not every hour. Some of the best parts of travelling happen when there’s room for them. You’ll have recommendations, ideas, and plenty of company if you want it, but you’ll also have time to wander off on your own.

Why keep the group small?

Because that’s the size where everyone fits around one table. Big enough that every conversation feels different, small enough that nobody disappears into the background.

Who’s the host?

Ollie, Far Reach Club’s founder. He travels every route himself first, making sure the trip feels right before anyone else joins him.

How fit do I need to be?

Comfortable walking for a few hours, climbing the occasional hill, and carrying your own suitcase. Longer walks are optional, and there’s always a slower version of the day.

Is this an LGBTQ+ trip?

It’s a trip for open, curious people, whoever they are. Ollie’s gay, and Far Reach Club has always been a place where queer travellers and allies feel at home, alongside anyone else who shows up with respect. Gay, straight, queer, or none of the above, everyone’s here for the same reason: good places and good company.

What if something goes wrong?

Ollie’s on the ground the whole way, with local partners and a plan for the unexpected. You’re never left to sort it alone.

What do you do with guests who don’t behave responsibly?

We keep the group kind and easy-going. If someone repeatedly makes that harder for everyone else, Ollie will have a quiet word and, if it comes to it, ask them to step away.

Can’t see your question here?

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Vietnam

Hanoi to Hoi An

The shape of the trip

Hanoi

Pu Luong

Ninh Binh

Ha Long Bay

Hoi An

The days themselves

Accommodation

Heritage Ham Long Hotel & Spa

Pu Luong Retreat

Jiva Hoa Lu Retreat

Bhaya Soul Cruise

La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa

Getting there

What’s (not) included

Included

Not included

Trip Departures

Good to know

Not this one?