My return to northern Vietnam came through the Northern Delights journey by Heritage Line, a route that blends time in Hanoi with a short cruise through Bai Tu Long Bay. I had visited the capital before, but this trip unfolded in the days leading up to Lunar New Year, a period that subtly shifts the city’s rhythm.
An Artistic Retreat in the Heart of Hanoi
The first two nights were spent at Capella Hanoi Hotel, located near Hoan Kiem Lake and the Hanoi Opera House. The location made the city easily walkable, while still offering a calm retreat from its constant movement. Inspired by Hanoi’s early artistic era, Capella Hanoi blends bold colour, theatrical flair and layered design. The result feels expressive rather than historic – unmistakably one of Bill Bensley’s most recognisable design in Vietnam.
As New Year approached, festive details appeared throughout the hotel. Red and gold accents softened corridors and shared spaces. The mood felt celebratory without excess, a quiet reminder that the city outside was preparing for something meaningful.
Days at Capella unfolded effortlessly. Mornings began with breakfast overlooking the street below. Wellness spaces offered moments to slow down at the spa, or joining small festive activities arranged during Tet.
Letting Hanoi Set the Pace
The Northern Delights program allows travellers to explore Hanoi freely, with optional excursions available for deeper insight. Choosing how to spend each day became part of the journey. Two guided experiences stood out, one culinary, one focused on sightseeing.
Food has always been the reason for returning to Vietnam. The culinary walking tour through the Old Quarter offered an immediate introduction to Hanoi’s everyday flavours.
The morning began with “phở gà”, the northern-style chicken noodle soup that defines daily life. A lively local market followed, where sound and movement blended seamlessly into routine. Along the way came “bánh đúc”, a soft rice dish seasoned with northern spices, and traditional cakes such as “bánh cốm”, closely tied to family gatherings and childhood memories.
A narrow alley revealed a typical “tube house,” stretching deep behind its modest façade. The walk continued with “bánh mì pâté” from a long-established shop before ending with “chè”, a sweet dessert soup, and end the day with “cà phê trứng” – famous northern Vietnam coffee.
The following day unfolded at a slower pace. Hanoi revealed itself as a city built for wandering, shaped by early twentieth-century planning that introduced leafy boulevards and open public spaces alongside older quarters.
The route led naturally to Hoan Kiem Lake, the symbolic heart of the capital. At its centre sat Ngoc Son Temple, reached by the bright red Huc Bridge — a brief pause of calm amid the surrounding traffic. The walk continued through the Old Quarter, where streets named after historic artisan guilds and narrow tube houses showed how trade, tradition and daily life still intersect.
Between guided experiences, time was intentionally left open. Wandering without direction often revealed just as much — a café filled with conversation, a temple courtyard momentarily empty, or a street briefly overtaken by flower sellers preparing for the New Year.
After two days, Hanoi felt fully immersed in the energy of Tet.
Beyond the Crowds: Bai Tu Long Bay
As the journey moved toward the coast, limestone shapes began to rise from the horizon. Bai Tu Long Bay, part of the UNESCO-listed Halong Bay region.
Here, the scenery felt expansive. Water stretched between karsts. Boats were few. The sense of remoteness was immediate. Spending three days in Bai Tu Long felt almost private.
The Northern Delights package offers a choice between Bai Tu Long Bay and nearby Lan Ha Bay, which follows a more active route with hiking and cycling. Bai Tu Long, however, suited what I was seeking: authentic, sightseeing and time to absorb the landscape.
Onboard Heritage Line ‘Violet’, the atmosphere shifted again. With only six suites, each inspired by one of the bay’s natural elements, the ship felt personal from the start. The Phoenix Suite at the bow offered uninterrupted views ahead, changing with every turn through the karts.
Activities unfolded gently. The first afternoon introduced the bay by kayak in calm waters. The following day brought a fuller rhythm, exploring a cave known locally as the “mountain of fairy land,” visiting a floating fishing village by traditional boat, and spending the late afternoon on a secluded private beach. The final morning was intentionally open, reserved for simply enjoying the bay drift by.
On the return route to Tuan Chau Marina, Bai Tu Long remained quiet behind us, while Halong Bay ahead grew visibly busier, two contrasting worlds separated by a narrow stretch of water.
A Journey in A Season of Renewal
Northern Delights brings together two distinct sides of northern Vietnam, the layered rhythm of Hanoi and the open stillness of Bai Tu Long Bay. Moving between city streets and open water, the journey allows space to wander, observe and slow down.
Experienced in the days leading up to Lunar New Year, it becomes a passage not only across landscapes, but between moments where one year gently gives way to the next.
Discover the full Northern Delights package here.
