Remote far North Vietnam 9 days 8 nights
Remote far North Vietnam 9 days 8 nights
Remote far North Vietnam 9 days 8 nights
9 Days Starting and ending in Hanoi, Vietnam
Visiting: Nghia Lo, Mu Cang Chai, Sapa, Ha Giang, Cao Bang, Hanoi
Tour operator:
Tour code:
162159
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Age range:
10-
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
Embark on a 9-day, 8-night adventure through the remote far north of Vietnam, exploring regions close to the Chinese border. This tour offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the vibrant cultures of ethnic minorities, where traditional dress still signifies family and locality. Experience the stunning landscapes, from colorful rice paddies to dramatic mountain passes, and engage with locals through homestays in various villages. Highlights include visits to ancient villages, breathtaking rice terraces, and the majestic Ban Gioc Waterfall. Enjoy guided tours, local cuisine, and the serene beauty of Ba Be Lake, all while traveling comfortably with private transfers and an English-speaking guide.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Hanoi - Nghia Lo (L/D)
Location: Nghia Lo
Accommodation Name: Homestay with White Thai family
Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner
We leave Hanoi Old Quarter and travel for about 2 hours to Duong Lam, which is an ancient village with UNESCO protection as of 2006. The houses date back 100-400 years, and the temples and gardens are edged with laterite walls. This is an important historical site with temples in honour of two kings, national heroes, who defended the land against the Chinese about 1200 years ago.
We will have lunch in a local house here, before continuing our drive through the rural countryside, first surrounded by flat paddy fields, then, as we gain altitude we will begin to see tea plantations, and then finally corn or maize amongst the karst limestone outcrops. We will overnight with a delightful White Thai family in a traditional stilt house in Nghia Lo.
Meals: Lunch, dinner
Day 2 : Nghia Lo - Mu Cang Chai (B/L/D)
Location: Mu Cang Chai
Accommodation Name: Mrs Chon's Homestay
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We will rise early and take an early morning bike ride around the paddy and corn fields, enjoying the peaceful sight of ducks, chickens, pigs and buffalos, and observing the quiet manual labour of the villagers. Breakfast will be enjoyed in the open air, looking over the fields, before we check out and set out over the dramatic Khau Pha mountain pass.
The rice fields of Tu Le are spectacular and we stop at a local restaurant for lunch. We continue the drive to Nam Co village where we'll see the flower H'mong ethnic minorities in their lovely traditional costume, as well as the local market if it’s the right day. We drive to La Pan Tan and the Mam Soi terraced rice fields and take a short walk up the hill to a viewpoint. Then finally dinner and overnight at Mrs Chon's Homestay in Kim Noi village, another White Thai family home.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 3 : Mu Cang Chai - Sapa (B/L/D)
Location: Sapa
Accommodation Name: Dao's ethnic house
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast we will drive from Mu Cang Chai through Tan Uyen and then to Sapa. The road is very dramatic with many hairpins, each opening up a new vista of the mountains, and also crosses the Sin Ho pass. You will have lunch in Sapa and a chance to look around, before we trek to Giang Ta Chai village, where you will have dinner and overnight in a Dao's ethnic house.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 4 : Sapa - Bac Ha - Hoang Su Phi (B/L/D)
Location: Sapa
Accommodation Name: Hotel in Hoang Su Phi
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We set off bright and early with a drive to Bac Ha. If it is a Sunday we will make for the market, one of the most colourful markets in the north, where you can become expert in spotting the different ethnic costumes, and enjoy the antics of the livestock market. There are marvellous photo opportunities at these markets, and after lunch in a local restaurant, we will visit the palace of Hoang A Tuong, a curious mixture of baroque and oriental, built in 1920 with the aid of the French.
Then we will drive up a small mountain road with views of the most amazing rice terraces, with villages dotted here and there. We reach Ban Phung village and have a chance to see the La Chi ethnic people, their ladies in black knee length skirts and jackets, with a little delicate coloured embroidery, and their heads wrapped in a strip of cloth knotted about their hair. They have a truly hard life up in these mountains often carrying a heavy load in a bag from a band on their heads. We will descend to Hoang Su Phi for dinner and overnight at a hotel..
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 5 : Hoang Su Phi (B/L/D)
Location: Ha Giang
Accommodation Name: Stilt house of a Tay family
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Hoang Su Phi is also a very famous area for rice terraces which curl around the hills like contour lines. There are also beautiful tea plantations, some of which have been there for a hundred years. We continue via Tan Su Phin pass and Cong Troi pass, which are incredibly dramatic and the whole area is full of magnificent views with plenty of photo opportunities. We will have lunch on the way at a local restaurant, then continue north again to Ha Giang. We will overnight at a stilt house of a Tay family.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 6 : Ha Giang - Dong Van - Meo Vac (B/L/D)
Location: Ha Giang
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We set out in the morning for Dong Van, passing through Cong Troi Pass and then continuing on to Yen Minh. On the way we will also visit the King’s Palace in the H’mong village of Sa Phin, built in the early 20th century. The area is also notable for its many corn plantations, where the harvest is collected by hand.
As we pass reach Dong Van we disembark for a lunch break in the colourful old market. Here you can admire the Ancient houses and the local people in their traditional garments. After lunch we set off again and pass through the spectacular Ma Pi Leng Pass, on the way to Meo Vac. This road is justly considered one of the most beautiful in the country, and the views are appropriately stunning. Once we reach Meo Vac we settle in for an overnight stay.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 7 : Meo Vac - Bao Lac - Cao Bang (B/L/D)
Location: Cao Bang
Accommodation Name: Nung house
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Meo Vac is a small town, home to the ethnic groups Tay, Dao, H'mong and Lo Lo. If we are here on a Sunday we will visit the market, another fantastic riot of colour. There is a lot of clothing and fabric sold here, and sometimes men making the men's indigo dyed jackets on old sewing machines can be seen among the stalls. There is a livestock section which is a frenzy of squealing pigs, screeching birds as well as cows and horses.
We drive to Bao Lac for lunch with some stops in ethnic villages along the way. The road is again pretty mountainous with several passes. Then we visit the Nung ethnic village of Pac Rang, a traditional farming village which is known for its blacksmiths and their work in making farm tools. We’ll have dinner and overnight at a Nung house.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 8 : Ban Gioc Waterfall - Ba Be Lake (B/L/D)
Location: Cao Bang
Accommodation Name: Mr Linh's Homestay
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast we continue from Cao Bang and journey to the Ban Gioc waterfalls, a photo of which must be in every hostel and tour agent's office in Hanoi! The falls mark the border with China, so this is truly the frontier.
There will be time to appreciate the breath-taking sight of these falls before making our way to Nguom Ngao "Tiger Cave", with its amazing limestone formations, and stalactites of various shapes and sizes. This is the most famous limestone grotto in the province of Cao Bang, and you will be awestruck by its sheer size! We then drive to Ba Be National Park and feel the peace and serenity of the lake, before dinner and an overnight stay at Mr Linh's Homestay.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 9 : Ba Be Lake - Hanoi (B/L)
Location: Hanoi
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
After a breakfast on the terrace, we will walk a short distance between rice fields, through the village of Bo Lu to the boat station to embark on a 3 hour boat trip across the lakes of Ba Be. If you need to cool down, it's a great time to jump into the peaceful water. The boat takes you along a river with time to gaze up at the dramatic karst limestone outcrops which will have become quite familiar to you by this point.
 The park is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna so you are likely to catch sight of birds and butterflies, and you'll definitely be aware of the thousands of bats in Puong Cave which tunnels its way through the mountain and through which the river flows. We return by boat to Bolu and then you will have a chance to relax on the drive back to Hanoi, stopping on the way for lunch. We should arrive back in Hanoi about 5.30PM and you will be ped off at your hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
What's Included
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Private door-to-door pick-up-off services
Private door-to-door pick-up-off services are included.
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All private transfer and transportation
All private transfer and transportation are included.
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English-speaking guide
An English-speaking guide as per the program is included.
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Meals
Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), and Dinners (D) as mentioned are included.
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Sightseeing tickets and travel permits
All sightseeing tickets and travel permits are included.
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Accommodation
Accommodation at hotels/homestays as mentioned is included.
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No extra charge after confirmation
There are no extra charges after confirmation.
What's Not Included
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Personal expenses, tips and gratuities
Personal expenses, tips, and gratuities are not included.
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Travel insurance
Travel insurance is not included.
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International flight and taxes
International flight and taxes are not included.
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Beverage
Beverages are not included.
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Other personal expenses
Other personal expenses such as drinks and souvenirs are not included.
Requirements
- Pack essentials, including light comfortable clothes suitable for outdoor activities, comfortable walking shoes. Take a small day pack for hiking and trekking.
- It is essential to bring your passport on this trip. We also recommend packing: insect repellent, sun cream, raincoat and sun hat.
Please Note
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Infant seats available
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Mode of Transport
Enjoy private door-to-door pick-up and all private transfers and transportation throughout the tour, ensuring a comfortable and seamless travel experience.
Accommodation
Experience authentic Vietnamese culture by staying in homestays with local families in various villages and mountainous regions, including traditional stilt houses and ethnic homes.
Check out our Q&As
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What kind of accommodation can I expect during the tour?
You will stay in a variety of accommodations including traditional stilt houses with local families, homestays, and hotels. This will give you a chance to interact with the locals and experience their way of life.
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Are meals included in the tour package?
Yes, meals are included as mentioned in the itinerary. You will have breakfast, lunch, and dinner provided on most days of the tour.
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What kind of transportation is provided during the tour?
All private transfers and transportation are included in the tour package. This includes door-to-door pick-up and drop-off services.
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Will there be opportunities to interact with local ethnic minorities?
Yes, the tour includes visits to various ethnic minority villages where you can interact with the locals. You will stay in homestays with families from different ethnic groups, providing a unique cultural experience.
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What kind of physical activities are involved in this tour?
The tour involves various physical activities such as hiking, trekking, and biking. You will also have opportunities for short walks and boat trips.
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Is this tour suitable for children and elderly travelers?
The tour is not recommended for travelers with back problems, pregnant travelers, or those with serious medical conditions. Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level.
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What should I pack for this tour?
You should pack essentials including light comfortable clothes suitable for outdoor activities, comfortable walking shoes, a small day pack for hiking and trekking, insect repellent, sun cream, a raincoat, and a sun hat. It is also essential to bring your passport.
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Are there any specific health or safety considerations I should be aware of?
The tour is not wheelchair accessible and is not recommended for travelers with back problems, pregnant travelers, or those with serious medical conditions. Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level.
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What happens if the minimum number of travelers is not met for this tour?
If the minimum number of travelers is not met, the tour may be canceled. In such cases, you will be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
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Low Deposit
Mr Linh's Adventures requires a minimum deposit of 30% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 7 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of mr linh's adventures charges.
Up to 16 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 15 days before tour starts: Forfeit 55% of booking price.
At 2 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.