Hanoi and Mai Chau: A Helicopter Escape

Arrive into Hanoi, a city of contrasts, at once modern and traditional, chaotic and serene, and always a little unexpected. Your guide will be waiting to welcome you and transfer you to your hotel, around 50 minutes from the airport. The rest of the day and evening are free to settle in. Overnight in Hanoi.

Spend the morning exploring Hanoi's Old Quarter with a guide, beginning at the Temple of Literature, founded in 1076 as Vietnam's first university and in use for eight centuries to educate the country's royalty and elite. Continue into the Old Quarter's tangle of narrow, privately shared alleyways for a deeper look at everyday life here, passing Guangdong Hall, a preserved relic of Hanoi's Chinese community, and family-run shops that have kept the same trade for generations, before a stop at a lively local market. Pause at a hidden coffee shop inside a century-old villa for a short workshop in ca phe trung, Vietnamese egg coffee, then return to your hotel to rest in the afternoon. This evening, stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake, the Lake of the Returned Sword, its waters tied to a legend of a magic blade and a golden turtle, then continue through the Old Quarter to a quiet, century-old French-style villa. Sip strong green tea, as the locals like it, and hear about the generations of family life this house has seen. Dinner tonight is at Madame Hien, a Hanoi institution set inside a beautifully restored French villa, serving Hanoi specialities from celebrated chef Didier Corlou. Finish the evening with a handcrafted cocktail at a hidden bar overlooking St. Joseph's Cathedral, a striking piece of French Gothic architecture at the heart of the Old Quarter. Overnight in Hanoi.

This morning, transfer around 20 minutes to Gia Lam Airport for a private helicopter flight to Mai Chau, around 70 minutes in the air. Soar over the plains of the Red River Delta before crossing into the mountains, with sweeping views the whole way. Arrive into the Mai Chau Valley, ringed by dramatic karst peaks and rice paddies and home to Thai and Muong hill tribe communities, then transfer around an hour to your retreat, its villas and bungalows set into the hillside and linked by electric buggy. Spend the afternoon settling into the surroundings, with a 60-minute spa treatment to unwind. Rest of the day and evening at leisure. Overnight in Mai Chau.

Set out from the retreat this morning on a trek into the mountains, climbing through forest to the summit of a quiet peak with sweeping views over the Thai hill tribe villages below. Continue along narrow dirt trails past cornfields, cassava fields, bamboo forest and paddy rice fields, passing farmers at work and the distant sound of buffalo bells, on the way to further villages. Finish with a visit to a local house, where residents share stories and insights into traditional life in the village, before a shuttle back to the retreat. Around 5 to 6 kilometres of easy walking today, roughly three hours, with the route adaptable to fitness levels. The afternoon is free to enjoy the retreat's amenities. Overnight in Mai Chau.

A free day to enjoy the retreat at your own pace, with Thai weaving, rattan weaving and scented candle workshops on offer, alongside yoga and meditation classes, a spa, sauna and outdoor pool. Overnight in Mai Chau.

After a leisurely morning at the retreat, transfer around three hours back to Hanoi for your onward flight, bringing your escape to Mai Chau to a close.