4 Days in North Vietnam. Hanoi's Soul, Halong Bay's Wonder.
Two full days in Hanoi — Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Temple of Literature, Ba Dinh Square — followed by a luxury overnight cruise through Halong Bay's UNESCO World Heritage karst landscape. More time. More depth. The same iconic North Vietnam, at a pace that lets it land properly.
RM1,786
From RM1,488
per person (twin sharing)
Save RM595 per couple
4 Days / 3 Nights
4 Days North Vietnam: Hanoi Fully Explored
This four-day package adds a proper Hanoi city day to the classic Halong Bay overnight cruise — giving you two full days in the Vietnamese capital before the bay. For travellers who want to understand Hanoi rather than just transit through it, those extra hours make a significant difference.
The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex anchors day two: the embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh in its marble hall, the One Pillar Pagoda beside it, the presidential palace and gardens, and the Ho Chi Minh Museum — a sequence of sites that explains modern Vietnam's founding more clearly than any book. The Temple of Literature, founded in 1070 and dedicated to Confucius, is Vietnam's oldest university and one of its most beautiful heritage sites: five walled courtyards, stone doctoral steles, and a central well reflection pool.
Halong Bay on days three and four provides the counterpoint: immense natural space after two days of dense urban culture. The luxury cruise format means a smaller vessel, better food, and more attentive crew — the kind of overnight that feels genuinely restful rather than simply a floating transfer.
Package Includes
- ✓Return airport transfers
- ✓Hotel accommodation (2 nights Hanoi)
- ✓Halong Bay overnight cruise (1 night)
- ✓Daily breakfast
- ✓All tours and sightseeing per itinerary
- ✓English-speaking guide
- ✓Air-conditioned private vehicle
Not Included
- ×International flights & airline taxes
- ×Travel insurance (ETIQA available from RM60)
- ×Vietnam e-visa (not required for Malaysians under 30 days)
- ×Optional tour tips
- ×Lunches and dinners not specified
- ×Personal expenses
- ×Items not stated under inclusions
Why This 4-Day North Vietnam Package Stands Apart
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex
The mausoleum where Ho Chi Minh has lain since 1975 is Vietnam's most visited and most politically significant site. The marble-and-granite structure on Ba Dinh Square is where he declared independence in 1945 and where his body now rests in a refrigerated glass casket. Adjacent are the One Pillar Pagoda — a lotus-shaped Buddhist temple on a single pillar above a pond, built in 1049 — and the Presidential Palace, a colonial governor's residence where Ho Chi Minh refused to live, preferring a stilt house in the garden. The complex is a complete education in Vietnamese modern history.
Temple of Literature — Vietnam's Oldest University
Founded in 1070 under Emperor Ly Thanh Tong, the Temple of Literature (Van Mieu) served as Vietnam's National Academy for over 700 years, educating the country's mandarin class in Confucian scholarship. Five walled courtyards open one into the next, each with its own character: gateways, gardens, ceremonial wells, and 82 stone doctoral steles mounted on stone turtles — the names of doctoral graduates from 1442 to 1779 still legible on the stone. The Great House of Ceremonies at the far end is the most intact Imperial-era structure in Hanoi.
Halong Bay Luxury Cruise
The overnight cruise format is the definitive way to experience Halong Bay — a limestone karst landscape that extends for 1,553 square kilometres and contains over 2,000 islands, most uninhabited, most unnamed. On a smaller luxury vessel, the experience is quieter and more personal than a large cruise ship. Kayaking lets you enter sea caves and lagoons inaccessible from the main boat. The squid fishing at night, off the back deck, is a ritual every crew member takes seriously. Sung Sot Cave — the Surprising Cave, its vaulted chamber 10 storeys high — remains the single most spectacular geological formation in the bay.
Hanoi Old Quarter Night Walk
After dark, the Old Quarter becomes its most intense version: mobile kitchens materialise on pavements, ba hoi (corner beer) stalls fill with office workers, and the street food activity reaches its peak around 7–9pm. Bun cha — grilled pork patties with vermicelli and a sweet-and-sour broth — was the dish Anthony Bourdain ordered when he ate here with Barack Obama in 2016. Banh mi, pho ga, and bun bo Nam Bo are all within walking distance. This evening food culture is one of the reasons Hanoi is consistently ranked among Asia's best cities for street food.
Your 4-Day Hanoi & Halong Bay Itinerary
Arrive Hanoi — Old Quarter & Hoan Kiem Lake
No meals (arrival day)
Arrive at Noi Bai International Airport, met by your Dhesu guide and transferred to central Hanoi. Afternoon walk through the Old Quarter — the 36 guild streets, Hoan Kiem Lake, and Ngoc Son Temple on its island, reached by the red lacquer The Huc Bridge. The late afternoon light on the lake is the best time to visit. Evening free in the Old Quarter for street food.
Suggested activities
- Noi Bai Airport arrival and hotel transfer
- Old Quarter walking tour
- Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple
- Old Quarter street food evening
Hanoi City Tour — Mausoleum, Temple of Literature & West Lake
Breakfast
Full day Hanoi city tour. Morning: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex (Ba Dinh Square, One Pillar Pagoda, Presidential Palace and stilt house, Ho Chi Minh Museum). The mausoleum itself requires modest dress and closed-toe shoes; photography inside the mausoleum hall is not permitted. Mid-morning: Temple of Literature (Van Mieu) — five courtyards, 82 doctoral steles, and the best-preserved example of traditional Vietnamese architecture in the capital. Afternoon: West Lake (Ho Tay) and Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest Buddhist pagoda in Hanoi, sitting on a small peninsula in the lake. Evening: Hoa Lo Prison Museum ('Hanoi Hilton') for a sobering account of both French colonial and Vietnam War history.
Suggested activities
- Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ba Dinh Square
- One Pillar Pagoda
- Presidential Palace gardens and stilt house
- Temple of Literature (Van Mieu)
- West Lake and Tran Quoc Pagoda
- Hoa Lo Prison Museum (optional)
Transfer to Halong Bay — Luxury Overnight Cruise
Breakfast, Lunch on cruise, Dinner on cruise
Morning transfer to Halong Bay (approximately 3.5 hours by private vehicle). Board your luxury overnight cruise vessel around noon. The boat moves out into the bay as you eat lunch on deck with the karst landscape unfolding around you. Afternoon: visit Sung Sot Cave (Surprising Cave) — the largest cave in Halong Bay, its vaulted chambers reaching 10 storeys high. Optional kayaking through smaller lagoons and sea caves. Sunset from the deck as the karsts turn amber. Squid fishing off the back of the boat after dark. Dinner on board; overnight on the bay.
Suggested activities
- Hanoi to Halong Bay transfer (3.5 hrs)
- Board cruise and welcome lunch
- Sung Sot Cave visit
- Kayaking through lagoons (optional)
- Sunset on deck
- Night squid fishing
- Dinner and overnight on cruise
Halong Bay Morning — Return Hanoi — Depart
Breakfast on cruise, Brunch on cruise
Early morning on the bay — tai chi on deck is offered by most cruise crews at sunrise. The bay at dawn, when mist rises between the karsts and the water goes glassy, is Halong Bay at its most photogenic. Brunch on board as the cruise returns to the harbour. Disembark and return to Hanoi (3.5 hours). Transfer to Noi Bai International Airport for departure.
Suggested activities
- Dawn on Halong Bay (photography / tai chi)
- Brunch on cruise
- Return to Hanoi
- Airport transfer and departure
Choose Your Comfort Level
All hotels are selected for location and quality. Halong Bay cruise tier can be upgraded. Pricing varies by season.
3 Star
Value Stay
Hanoi: Hanoi Elegance Hotel or similar | Halong: Standard junk boat cruise
- All SeasonRM1,488 per person
From RM1,488
per person
4 Star
Comfort Plus
Hanoi: Silk Path Hotel or similar | Halong: 4-star cruise (Athena/Heritage Line)
- Peak Season (Oct–Apr)RM1,888 per person
- Off-Peak (May–Sep)RM1,788 per person
From RM1,788
per person
Vietnam Arranged by the Agency Malaysians Have Trusted Since 1988
Dhesu has been arranging Vietnam journeys for Malaysian travellers since 1988. On Halong Bay specifically, we know which cruise operators maintain their vessels properly, which guides understand the geology and history of the karst landscape, and how to time the bay visit for the best conditions. Our guides in Hanoi know the city's history — colonial, revolutionary, contemporary — and can give context to the mausoleum, the Old Quarter, and everything in between.
MATTA & IATA Registered
Fully licensed Malaysian travel agency. Vietnam is one of our most booked destinations — we have arranged hundreds of trips and know every aspect of the logistics.
35+ Years of Vietnam Experience
Since 1988, we have been sending Malaysian travellers to Vietnam. Our guides and cruise partners are long-term trusted relationships, not anonymous contractors.
Flexible Departures
This package runs on your dates. No group minimums, no waiting. Your guide and Halong Bay cruise are booked for your specific dates.
Transparent Pricing
The price shown includes hotel, cruise, guide, vehicle, and transfers. No port fees, cruise surcharges, or hidden additions.
4 Day Hanoi and Halong Bay Tour from Malaysia
A 4-day Hanoi and Halong Bay tour from Malaysia adds a proper city day to the classic overnight bay cruise — making it the most popular North Vietnam package for Malaysian travellers who want both the capital and the UNESCO landscape. Two full days in Hanoi is enough to see the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex, the Temple of Literature, and the Old Quarter without rushing.
Halong Bay's UNESCO listing reflects both its scenic and geological significance: the karst landscape was formed over 500 million years through tectonic movement and ocean erosion, creating a sea field of 2,000 limestone towers that rise up to 200 metres above the water. The overnight cruise format lets you see the bay at different hours — afternoon arrival, sunset, dawn — which is the only way to properly appreciate the scale and atmosphere.
Hanoi City Tour: What to See in Two Days
Hanoi rewards two full days better than almost any capital in Southeast Asia. The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex (mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda, Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh Museum) takes a full morning and requires modest dress. The Temple of Literature takes another hour. West Lake and its ancient pagodas fill the afternoon. The Old Quarter is best explored on foot, ideally in the morning or evening when the light is softer and the street food is at its best.
What most visitors don't expect is how much of Hanoi's history is still physically present: the French colonial boulevards, the imperial-era citadel, the ancient guild streets, and the revolutionary museums are all within walking or cycling distance of each other. Your guide provides the context that turns a list of sites into a coherent story.
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Level 2 and 3, Wisma Dhesu, No. 5 Jalan Bangsar Utama 3, 59000 Kuala Lumpur.