Hanoi

Hanoi is the capital and second largest city in Vietnam.  Exuding an old charm of French colonial atmosphere,  the city is dotted with lakes and lovely parks.  The Son La Mountains lies on the west of Hanoi, famous for its sanctuaries, grottos and pagodas.   The ethnic minorities still survive in the northern province’s mountains retaining the traditional cultures of ancient Vietnam. 

Travel north to Halong Bay where a tranquil and magical bay is surrounded by more than a thousand limestone islands which arise from the water in dramatic rock formations and harbour extensive grottos and caves.  The most notable cave in Halong is Dau Go, an extensive cave that features magnificent stalactites and stalagmites resembling a menagerie of birds and beasts.