The First Day: Hanoi Food Tour – Night Train to Lao Cai (B)
Pick up at hotel at 4PM we start Hanoi street food tour this afternoon. Hanoi street food is one of the best attractions to tourists. In 3 hours, we will walk along the narrow lanes of Vibrant Hanoi, explore its amazing cuisines at the local family-run restaurants. We will discover the recipe and taste traditional food of Hanoi. We also visit temples along the way. After the tour, go back to hotel pick up luggage and transfer to the Hanoi railway station for an overnight train to Lao Cai. We overnight on train.
The Second Day: Lao Cai – Sapa – Trekking to Ethnic villages (B)
What to do in Sapa?
– Walking & trekking along Muong Hoa valley and explore the most beautiful rice terraces in Sapa;
– Meeting local hill tribes living in Sapa such as Black Hmong, Red Dao, Giay and Tay people, visit their families and learn the way to make their traditional fabrics;
– Experience the local living styles;
– Entertain their culture and food;
– Great photography opportunities.
We arrive early this morning in Lao Cai city. Get on our private car for one hour uphill drive to Sapa, a former French hill station in the mountainous Northwest of Vietnam. Have breakfast at local restaurant and have a nice walk around the little town of Sapa. Start your adventure at 9:00 we start the day trekking through the beautiful Muong Hoa Valley to Y Linh Ho village, home to Black Hmong minorities. Weather permitting you will enjoy stunning views across the valley with mountains and rice terraces as far as the eye can see. Next on the route is a stop at Lao Chai, an established Hmong minority village which has been inhabited for centuries. Here you will have the opportunity to see the products of this minority at its best with hereditary rice terraces, homes and a vibrant community. Continuing on to Ta Van Village you will visit the Giay minority people. This group traditionally fished for a living and as a result established themselves close to rivers. They have mastered the art of fishing with bamboo sticks, and cook the fish inside bamboo. Nowadays however you are more likely to see the Giay working in fields planting or harvesting rice. Pick up at Ta Van village and drive back to Sapa. Stay overnight in hotel.
The Third Day: Sapa – drive Bac Ha Sunday Market – Hoang Su Phi (B, L, D)
Bac Ha is the largest market in the region. It is only on Sunday. This is worth a visit to see the local people trading their produces from farm products to livestock like Buffalo, cow, dogs, pigs and chicken…
After breakfast and check out hotel, we enjoy a scenic drive along the Chinese border to Bac Ha market. You will spend most of the morning stroll around Bac Ha Market to hunt some good pictures. This is the biggest hill tribe market in the Northwest of Vietnam alive with the bright colours and extravagant costumes of the local people, especially the Flower H’mong. Together with other minorities, they come from different villages at the surroundings to buy and sell a wide variety of goods and livestock. It is more common to see buffalo, cows, goats, horses and other livestock being traded. After the market, we make our way to Xi Man town for lunch at a local family restaurant. In the afternoon, continue on driving to Hoang Su Phi. Take about 1-hour hike to Ban Luoc village, a Tay ethic village for a homestay night on a stilt house. Stay at homestay with the Tay people. A hotel will be arranged for you if you do not prefer homestay.
The Forth Day: Hoang Su Phi – Ha Giang city
Hoang Su Phi – home to some of the most incredible terraced fields in the North Vietnam – gateway from Sapa to Ha Giang. The best terraces lay in between Hoang Su Phi and Xi Man along the main road.
Having simple breakfast and farewell to our host, we trek the scenic dirt trail up and down the rice terraces in Ban Luoc area. This is one of the national rice terrace heritage cores in Hoang Su Phi. The beauty of the landscape is at its best at the harvest season (September and October). Get picked up by our car for transfer to Vinh Quang town for lunch. In the afternoon, enjoy the beautiful drive to Ha Giang City. Stay overnight in Ha Giang City.
The Fifth Day: Ha Giang city – Dong Van Karst Geo-park (B,L,D)
We set out for early this morning to drive up to the remote highland of Ha Giang. The scenery is getting more stunning with high passes and mountains. The typical photo opportunities you can take at Quan Ba pass and Quan Ba Heaven Gate with some steps to a view point atop a hill. Have lunch break at Yen Minh town. The afternoon landscape is amazing, the driver will do his best for you to stop as often as possible for you to admire the scenery and taking photographs on the way as you are traveling thru’ the Karst Geo-park. Dong Van Karst Plateau is unique combination between Geo-heritages and cultural heritages. Up to 80% of the karst formations of Dong Van Plateau are limestone formed by environment conditions and geological development. The scenery is amazing and the local life and the culture of the hill tribes such as the H’mong is something that will be very memorable for your trip. One of the typical stops is the residence of the Vuong family, still called “Palace of Hmong King”. Arrive in Dong Van Town, check in your hotel and relax for the rest of the day. Dinner and overnight at Dong van.
The Sixth Day: Dong Van hiking – Meo Vac Geo Park
This morning, we will embark on a moderate hike to the rocky mountains on backroads which leads us to some hill tribe villages which is situated in between the grey rocks. After the morning hike, we get back to Dong Van town for lunch. In the afternoon, we will drive over the massive Ma Phi Leng Pass to Meo Vac. Have a break on the pass to admire the panorama over the huge abyss which is bottomed by the Nho Que River. Arrive at Meo Vac town, check in the hotel, dinner and overnight in Meo Vac.
The Seventh Day: Meo Vac – Ba Be National Park (Bac Kan)
Today we will spend the whole day driving downhill to Ba Be National Park. The topography is changing from the rocky plataeu to soil mountain with green vegetation and forests. We will have Lunch on the way at a local food restaurant. Arrive at Ba Be national park, check in your accommodation either at a homestay near the lake or at a guesthouse in the park centre. Dinner and overnight at Ba Be national park.
The Eighth Day: Ba Be National Park – Hanoi
After the breakfast, transfer to the boat dock and take the motor-boat ride through the emerald green lake of Ba Be and onward to Nang river. The scenery is very green with the rain forest covers the limestone mountain. Visit to Dau Dang small waterfall and then cruise upstream the Nang River through Puong Cave and finish the boat ride at Puoc Lom dock. Get back on you private vehicle and spend the afternoon drive back to Hanoi. Lunch on the way. Arrive in Hanoi late afternoon, check in hotel and relax.
The Ninth Day: Hanoi – Halong Bay (B, L, D)
Arrive at harbor on Tuan Chau Island around midday, and board your boat. Enjoy welcome drinks and listen to a quick briefing on the itinerary and safety information by the cruise manager before lunch is served while you cruise toward Cua Van floating village. Visit the village by row boat or kayak for about an hour, and then return to the boat, where you have about an hour to relax at your leisure on the sundeck, perhaps enjoy a spa service (own expense), or buy a drink at the bar. Then happy hour begins at the bar with a buy-one-get-one-free special. Next is a 1.5-hour cooking demonstration with traditional Vietnamese food on the sundeck (or in the restaurant in case of inclement weather) before sitting down to your set-menu dinner. After dinner, enjoy free time for squid fishing at reception or relaxing at the bar. Overnight in your on-board cabin
The Tenth Day: Halong Bay – Hanoi – Departure
In the early morning, begin the day with a Tai Chi demonstration on the sundeck. Tea and coffee are available. Then enjoy a light breakfast in the restaurant before visiting Surprise Cave, considered the most beautiful cave in the bay. When you return to the boat, check out of your cabin and place your baggage in the corridor. Brunch is served in the restaurant while the boat heads back to harbor. When you reach Tuan Chau Marina in the late morning, disembark to end your Halong Bay experience. Join up your driver and drive back to Hanoi airport to take your flight home. End of services.
You can extend your vacation to another cities in Central or South Vietnam.
Contact us at bookingvietnam365@gmail.com for more information.
