Northern Loops Ha Giang and Ba Be 5 Days

You will be picked up at your hotel in Hanoi at 08:00 and start your drive northwards along Road No. 2. As the scenery changes around you, you’ll make a stop in Duong Lam Ancient Village, not far from Hanoi. This place is incredibly rich in history and features sites such as Mong Phu Temple and Mia Pagoda, which houses 287 statues and many centuries-old houses. Here, you’ll enjoy a local lunch before setting out again along the Duong Lam River, deep into the mountains. Once in Ha Giang Town, you’ll take a walk to the rice field villages and bring you to a local homestay for a home-cooked dinner and overnight stay.

As Ha Giang still requires a permit, your guide will assist you in obtaining one from the small office in town. You’ll then traverse a series of stunning passes over rolling mountains and valleys. You’ll stop for lunch in the small mountain town of Tam Son. Afterward, you’ll travel through an imposing pine forest to visit a Hmong palace that once belonged to the powerful Vuong family. The palace is infamous for its use as a store for opium and weapons and offers a glimpse into the life of Hmong royalty from a different era. After independence, the palace was abandoned in 1950, and the descendants of this influential family now live in France and Canada. You’ll continue off the beaten track along sweeping roads where many Black Hmong villages hide behind stone walls until you arrive in Dong Van around 18:00. You will have dinner at a local restaurant and spend the night in Dong Van.

After breakfast, you’ll climb up above the town to Pu Lo, a French fortress built in 1890 and well-preserved. After exploring the fortress and enjoying the incredible views it offers, you’ll hit the road to experience one of the most spectacular routes in Vietnam. At an elevation of 2,000 meters, the Ma Pi Leng Pass clings to the side of the undulating mountains, offering unrivaled views of the valleys and terraced hemp fields that adorn the mountainsides. You will zigzag down into Meo Vac Valley for lunch before heading to Bao Lac town on a winding road. We will then visit the Lo Lo ethnic village, where we will have dinner and spend the night in a Lo Lo house.

Today, your guide and driver will take you along a secret route, a small road winding through gorgeous valleys until it reaches Cho Ra, a Tay village, and continues on to Ba Be National Park. You’ll start with lunch at a local restaurant, then prepare to change clothes and go kayaking along the Nang River, passing through Puong Cave to the Tay ethnic village area and then to Ba Be Lake. If it’s hot, we recommend following the local kids and going for a swim in the lake! The day ends with a home-cooked meal and an overnight stay with your host family in the traditional Tay village of Coc Toc.

Your last day begins with a beautiful journey in Ba Be National Park from Bo Lu village. A guided conversation about local wildlife and plants will enhance your understanding of the unique Ba Be ecosystem as you walk through the lush jungle. Reach the Tham Khit pathways to explore an ancient cave, and wander around the lake to enjoy panoramic views of the ranger station’s animal observation huts. Continue your hike for another 2 kilometers to An Ma Temple, a sacred Tay temple dedicated to mountain gods, lake gods, and feudal generals. You will then return to Jungle Houses for lunch before packing your bags and heading back to Hanoi.