Remote North of Vietnam Adventure 14 Days

Arriving at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, you’ll be met and driven to your hotel. You’ll have time to relax after your journey. You’ll spend the night in Hanoi.

You will depart from Hanoi at 08.00 to Ba Be lake, the mountainous area which is nearly 250 kms from Hanoi to the northwest. You cross over the Red River on Nhat Tan Bridge; the suburbs quickly give way to the sprawling farm lands of the Red River Delta. Scenic driving in two and half – hours you will arrive in Thai Nguyen city where you can visit the Museum of the Cultures of Vietnam Ethnic Groups.

After visiting this lively museum, we will continue drive to Ba Be lake. Along this mountain road, you will have the opportunities to see the stunning scenery and nice stilts houses built inside the valleys. Early afternoon, we reach Mr. Huyen’s house in Pac Ngoi village located on the lakeside. Say xin chào (hi) to friendly host and enjoy a good lunch prepared by his family members.

Finish lunch and say cảm ơn nhiều (many thanks) to the host family, we have a short bicycle ride along the river bank to Hua Ma cave, the most amazing cave of the region. Bring the torches into then start exploring the incredible stalactite, stalagmite and a lot of stone slabs with other weird shapes which amaze you. Late afternoon, we ride the bicycles gently back to our homestay for staying overnight.

Overnight at Traditional house on stilts with friendly Tay People

Distance: 250 km; Driving Time: 5hrs

Ba Be National Park, surrounded by rugged limestone mountains, is Vietnam’s only natural mountain lake. Its important eco-system is best known for its over 330 species of butterflies, 233 species of birds, 43 reptiles and amphibian species. You will commence the day with a boat ride on Ba Be Lake. The lush forest clinging to the surrounding mountains is your backdrop as you explore the lake. You will then return to homestay for lunch. After lunch, you will have a transfer towards Cao Bang, passing many villages of Hmong, Dao, Tay and Nung Minorities. You will arrive in Cao Bang in the late afternoon. Strolling around the town and a busy market is also highlights in this afternoon before going out for dinner at local restaurant (at your own account). You’ll spend the night in Cao Bang.

Distance: 130km; Driving Time: 3.5hrs

Today, you’ll take an insightful day trip to the beautiful Ban Gioc waterfall and Nguom Ngao cave located in the north of Cao Bang province on the Vietnam – China border. This picturesque, cascading waterfall is 53 meters high and has an impressive span of 300 meters. The driving gives you great experience to admire unique landscapes, limestone mountains soaring from the verdant rice paddies interspersed with the villages of ethnic minorities. You will have some stops to visit the production workshops of knives, scissors and other agricultural tools for the farmers before arriving at the Ban Gioc Waterfall. You will spend time for taking photos here and then enjoy lunch at the local restaurant.

The sparkling seven-colored stalactites hanging from high stone cliffs, stone statues of which some look like human bodies, some look like forest plant, animals, a fairy is combing her hair or a lotus bulb, etc. You will be dazzled by the harmony between stone and water here. After the full day of exploration to the most amazing waterfall and cave in the northeast, we drive back to Cao Bang for dinner and staying one more night in this romantic town. You’ll spend the night in Cao Bang.

Distance: 180km; Driving Time: 6hrs (2ways)     

Get on Get on our vehicle for a ride along famous national way 34. The road winds its way through steep mountain passes where much of the land remains untouched, the scenery along the way is truly spectacular! So, you will have a lot of opportunities to make nicest pictures of your northeast trip. Stop for lunch at the local restaurant then continue drive to Meo Vac. You will arrive at your hotel in the late afternoon. You’ll spend the night in Meo Vac.

After breakfast, you’ll start to drive to Ma Pi Leng Pass arguably the most beautiful landscapes in Ha Giang and also in Viet Nam. Then going to Nho Que river to join a boat trip on the river to see the spectacular landscape of Ma Pi Leng alley.

After that, take a short walk to visit Lo Lo Chai which is a village of the Lo Lo people ( the Lo Lo people are one of Vietnam’s least-common ethnic minorities only living in this region). You’ll then do a short trek to Don Cao is an ancient fortress built by French people during the wartime to control the area before heading to visit Lung Cu Flag pole which is the top point of Viet Nam.

In the afternoon, you’ll call in at the infamous Vuong Palace, once the home of a high-ranking H’mong family during French colonial rule. The palace attracts architecturally minded visitors due to its unusual combination of European and Chinese styles. From there you’ll drive to Dong Van town where your guide will show you the charming ‘Old Streets’ near the market. You’ll spend the night in Dong Van.

Our guide will pick you up at your hotel in Dong Van then depart to Ha Giang. Drive on the undulating terrain, between 800m and 1 500m in height, through beautiful mountainous landscapes and terraced paddy fields. Have some stops for taking photo and visit the Heaven’s Gate, Bac Sum Pass, Fairy Mountain and especially a White H’mong village which specializes in flax weaving. Have lunch en route.

From there, you’ll travel back to Ha Giang, arriving in the afternoon. After checking into your accommodation, you might consider wandering around the city. You’ll spend the night in Ha Giang.

After breakfast at the resort, we start our new day with an hour drive on Highway 2 to Viet Quang town. Her m,m,m,m,m,m,e we leave the good road and make the turn right into the mountainous area. After long drive reach the town of Hoang Su Phi where we can have a rest before continuing steep hill up to Xin Man.

From Xin Man to Bac Ha town is just more than 30 km but the plum forests, the corn fields, ethnic Flower Hmong’s villages which, we have admired, could be the most interesting part of the journey.

In Bac Ha town, we have lunch and then visit Hoang A Tuong Palace (Hoang A Tuong was the Black Hmong man who was considered as the king of Hmong tribe in this region under regime of Nguyen dynasty in Viet Nam).

After visiting this palace, we continue to drive another 70 km in two hours to Lao Cai Town. Here we take an hour hard ascending drive to today’s last destination, Sapa. You’ll spend the night in Sapa.

Distance: 280km;  Driving Time: 6 hours

After breakfast at your hotel, you’ll be picked up to the cable car station to experience with cable car bring you strange feelings and that  is difficult to express, far away from the peak of Fansipan and hidden under clouds and forests being romantic Sapa town with the ancient villas, styled western … Whenever  you have chance to Sapa town. You’ll then visit the Thac Bac Waterfall which is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Vietnam. You’ll see the water flows down as silver so that people in here called the waterfall with the romantic name “Silver Waterfall”. Then you’ll return Sapa. You’ll spend the night in Sapa.

After breakfast at the hotel, you’ll start to walk down to Y Linh Ho, a village inhabited by the Hmong minority. This is a great opportunity to take photographs of hereditary terraces that are estimated around 100 years old. From Y Linh Ho, you will make your way to Lao Chai village where you’l visit the Hmong home town. You’ll stop in Lao Chai for lunch break around 1 hour.

You will then continue walking to Ta Van, an established Hmong and Giay village. In Ta Van village, we will then arrange a mini van to pick you up and take you to Sapa.

Get back to Sapa at around 15.00. You’ll check-in the room and have rest of day free to spend as you wish. Overnight at the hotel in Sapa.

This morning, you have free time to spend as you wish. At noon, you’ll be driven back to Hanoi. You’ll spend the night in Hanoi.

After an early breakfast, you’ll leave for Ha Long Bay, one of the most spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Areas and the world’s largest marine limestone ‘karst’ landscape. There you’ll board a deluxe junk to take you round the Bay before stopping off at a beach on an island. Weather permitting, you’ll be able to swim, fish, and climb a hill (not a mountain!) for an overview of the Bay’s remarkable seascape. From there, you’ll continue your cruise to visit a fishing village – you’ll also have an opportunity to investigate one of the bay’s sea level caves in a small sampan or a kayak. Back on board, you can enjoy cocktails while watching the sunset. Later, unwind with a lavish dinner before an overnight stay on the board. The route is designed to avoid the busy areas and includes a very quiet location for your overnight stay.

You’ll wake in the fresh air on the bay with a swim and/or a Yoga or Taichi session on the large sundeck (beginners welcome!). After a light pastry and a tea or coffee for breakfast, you’ll dock to visit one of the most famous caves in the Bay. You’ll return to the junk for a brunch while cruising back to dock around noon whereupon you’ll be picked up back to Hanoi for overnight accommodation.

After breakfast, you’ll be free until your driver arrives to take you to Noi Bai airport for your departure flight home. End of services.