Northern Vietnam In One Week

Day 1: Arrive in Hanoi and check in your hotel. Take a walk around the Old Quarter to see how life is unfolding in this booming ancient capital. Old houses stand still and stare at the flow of motorbikes passing by every day. For detailed description how your first day in Vietnam might look like, see Hanoi page.
Photo @minhminh_hd

Day 2 and 3: After some first glance into how Vietnam is like, your second and third day can be spent on visiting the country’s most proud world heritage- Halong Bay. The caves are magnificent and the best part is that you are cruising all through your trip. Besides walking up and down to discover the beauty of nature at these limestone caves, you will also have the opportunity to go swimming or kayaking. Many people report what a fantastic time they have at the local fishing village nearby. 2 days would be best to enjoy Halong Bay.  
Photo: Internet

Day 4: Resting day in Hanoi. You can visit Ho Chi Minh Complex, One-pillar Pagoda and Museum of Ethnology during the day. At night you can board the train to Sa Pa. Train tickets can be obtained from one of the tour companies in the Old Quarter. Most of them also offer Sa Pa package tour which might be a better deal than doing it yourself.  

Day 5 and 6: Anyone having been to Sa Pa can tell you a different story- from the wonder of nature to the meaningful friendship with ethnic minorities, from the calm and cool atmosphere to the intense trek to remote villages. Sa Pa is a place that can not be found anywhere else in Vietnam. On the night of day 6, board the train back to Hanoi.  
Photo: Internet

Day 7: Arrive early in the morning may make you feel very tired so take plenty of rest. As this is your last day, take your time enjoying the last bowl of Pho or finish up your shopping for your close friends.