This is the classic first trip to Vietnam, now with a few extra days built in. You start in Hanoi, walking the Old Quarter and eating your way through it, then playing pickleball with local club players once the afternoon heat's eased off. From there you head south to Ninh Binh — limestone karsts, e-bikes out to Hang Mua, a rowboat through Tam Coc, and a night in a homestay close to the rock — before trading it all for the calm of Ha Long Bay on an overnight cruise. Real courts, real countryside, and a local team who handle every detail.
Everything below is a sample itinerary. We tailor the pace, the play, and the sights to your group before you travel — you tell us the vibe, we shape the days around it.
Every stop from the itinerary above, in one place.
Easy mornings finding your feet in the city, then the limestone country and the bay — pickleball and the harder stuff happen once the day's warmed up, in the afternoon.
Land at Hanoi's Noi Bai Airport and transfer into the city (about 45 minutes). Settle in, then head out for an evening orientation walk through the Old Quarter — an easy way to get your bearings, get used to the honks and the traffic, and find out where everything is before the week starts properly. Finish with your first proper Vietnamese meal at a local restaurant.
A morning walking tour through Hanoi's old streets — Hoan Kiem Lake, Train Street, a stop at St. Joseph's Cathedral, and the stalls of Dong Xuan Market, with a coffee break along the way. Lunch at a local favourite — pho, bun cha, or banh mi, whatever you're in the mood for. Then in the afternoon, your first pickleball session on indoor courts with local club players — a warm welcome into Hanoi's fast-growing scene.
Leave the city behind and drive south towards Ninh Binh, breaking the journey at Quang Phu Cau — a village where family workshops still make incense by hand, and courtyards fan out in circles of red, yellow and pink sticks drying in the sun. From there it's on into Ninh Binh's limestone country, checking into a homestay close to the karst for the night.
A full day in Ninh Binh, and it starts on two wheels. Pick up e-bikes after breakfast and ride out to Hang Mua, climbing up for one of the best views in the north — a panorama over Tam Coc's rice fields and the limestone karst beyond. Back down for lunch, then onto a rowboat through Tam Coc itself, gliding under cave arches and past the paddies you were just looking down on. Round off the day with a pickleball session in the afternoon — dinner's on your own tonight, with plenty of good local spots nearby.
Transfer from Ninh Binh across to the coast and board your overnight cruise through Ha Long Bay — thousands of limestone karst islands rising from emerald water. Kayak into a quiet lagoon, visit a cave, and watch the sun go down from the deck. Dinner and a night aboard.
Wake up on the water for a quiet bay morning — tai chi on deck, a last cruise through the islands, brunch aboard. Then it's back on the road to Hanoi, where we finish the day with a relaxed doubles round-robin on a Hanoi court before your last stretch in the city.
Your last full day starts on two wheels. Hop on the back with a local driver for a guided motorbike ride through Hanoi's backstreets — alleyways, markets and corners most visitors never find — wrapping up around lunchtime. The afternoon is free: wander back into the Old Quarter at your own pace, or if your legs want one more go, there's time for a last pickleball session. In the evening, a farewell dinner together before your last night in the city.
A slow last morning in Hanoi — a final egg coffee, any last-minute shopping in the Old Quarter — before we transfer you to the airport for your flight home. A longer trip this time, but you'll still leave wanting more.
No. Every trip is private: just you, your partner, your family or friends who booked together. There are no fixed departure dates. You choose when to travel and we build the trip around your dates.
Seven nights' accommodation (four in Hanoi, two at a Ninh Binh homestay and one on a Ha Long Bay cruise), three pickleball sessions with court fees, paddles and balls, five private transfers including the airport, e-bikes and a rowboat in Ninh Binh, the cruise with kayaking, an Old Quarter street-food walk, 15 meals and an English-speaking guide throughout. International flights, the e-visa, insurance and tips are not included.
No. All levels are welcome, from beginners to strong club players. We match your sessions to your level, and if someone in your party doesn't play, they can sightsee, rest or join a cooking class instead.
March to April and September to November are the most comfortable months in northern Vietnam. December to February is cool and often grey, and May to August is hot and humid, so we play early or indoors.
Message us on WhatsApp with your dates and how many of you there are. A 30% deposit holds your trip and the rest is paid on arrival. Cancellation is free, with a full deposit refund, up to 45 days before you travel.
Yes. This is a sample itinerary. We can add or remove days, swap hotels, change the number of pickleball sessions or add another region, and we price the final trip before you commit.
Tell us roughly when you'd like to travel and how many of you there are. We'll tailor the week to your group and answer anything — no deposit to ask a question.