Northern Vietnam Discoverer, 14 days

On arrival at Hanoi Airport, you are greeted  by our guide and taken to your hotel by private transfer. You may have free time to relax and catch your first glimpse of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. This treasured city is a fascinating blend of East and West, combining traditional Sino-Vietnamese motifs with French flair. The building boom has made Hanoi a rapidly developing city in Southeast Asia. However, it still retains an old charm brought from a thousand year of history, with many interesting cultural and historic monuments, beautiful lakes, shady parks, bustling street markets, funny shops and open air eating spots jostled in ancient houses, and historic temples adjoining colonial style structures. They offer both local and foreigner visitors an endless exploration. You can stroll through the fascinating old quarter containing many vibrant streets which are named after the specific goods once offered for sale at these places. The lively atmosphere in Hanoi old quarter runs from the early hours until late at night  with many street vendors calling, horns honking, and chaotic traffic with waves of motorbikes you’ve never experienced.

Today, we explore some major attractions of Hanoi with a drive past diverse streets encompassing a millennium of the city culture and evolution. The colonial influence  is apparent within trees lined boulevards until  the Ba Dinh Square. This lovely park setting contains the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (close on Mon. and Fri. and Oct. to Nov) and the Ho Chi Minh Residence. We walk past silent sentries of the mausoleum to pay a homage to Ho Chi Minh and  follow the walkway to his residence, a simple stilt house set in a well-tended garden. He has lived and worked in this place until his final days.  Nearby this complex is the One Pillar Pagoda, which rises from the center of a square lotus pond, ascending on a single pillar and resembling a blossoming lotus flower. We follow it with the Temple of Literature, which is now dedicated to the scholars of Confucius, but was once the first university of Vietnam. The record of successful candidates are still found in various stone steles set over giant stone turtles. We head towards the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology (close on Mon.) where display various documents, images and objects focusing on  54 ethnic groups in Vietnam in  both outdoor and indoor sections. Upon leaving this sight,  we drive back to the town center  and finish a round of city tour  with a fantastic water puppet show followed by a pleasant walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, one of the major scenic spots in Hanoi.

The modern comfort will be left behind as we venture into the remote north of Vietnam with the first stop being the Ba Be National Park. This remote park is set up to protect a freshwater lake along with surrounding limestone and lowland evergreen forests. Along the way, we enjoy the scenery through towns and villages, where the local population get  sparser in contradiction with the crowded streets of Hanoi. The paddy fields give way to tea plantations, offering the real beauty awaiting you further up.  We reach this day destination by mid afternoon and check in a local house in Pac Ngoy Village, a large community of the Tay ethnic minorities.  The local villagers  are mostly farmers living from  rice, corn plantation and fishing traditions. You have free time to relax and explore at your leisure. There are many options to choose from, some of which is  biking to visit the Hua Ma Cave, walking to catch a view of jungle or kayaking on lakes to see firshmen on afternoon catch. These optional activities are not included; however our guide are in hand to provide you with the valuation suggestion. Tonight we are toasted as honored guests of a Tay family and sample some of their homemade foods!. The accommodation is very simple and dormitory style, no western facilities but the experience is definitely unique.

Upon leaving the village of our previous night,  we embark on a private boat to explore the Ba Be National Park. This relaxed boat excursion gives us some interesting views from the clear water surface to the evergreen rising mountains, timeless hill tribe villages, and rich birdlife. We continue navigating towards the Dau Dang Waterfall,  series of spectacular cascades  created by the lake water  which  tumbles over multiple large rock levels  into the underlying river. These stunning waterfalls still make exploring these parts extremely rewarding, although it involves some downhill and uphill walking. We head upstream the Nang River and have a stop at the  Puong Cave. The erosion over millions of years has carved this 300 m long tunnel, which is now  home to thousands of bat residents. We walk over some rock formations, have a look from the magnificent  tunnel to the opposite jungle  or simply count the bat number hanging under the cave ceiling. The boat races against some rapid flows before arriving at  the terminal.  We meet up with our waiting driver and set off on our journey to Bao Lac. This back road is difficult at time, but it is still  a perfect way to explore the real Vietnam as  we see very few other travellers, mostly rural dwellers who are just as interested in finding out about our lives as we are of theirs. We arrive in Bao Lac Town before dark and check a simple local hotel.

The colorful local  market is a highlight of Bao Lac Town although the conditions are very basic. This  trade fair is held every five days in accordance with the lunar calendar. There are numerous hill tribe people, including  Hmong, Tay, Dao , San Chi, and Black Lo Lo who converge in a burst from the rugged mountains and green valleys to join this rural commerce. They sell every things from farming products, medicinal herbs, traditional incense, potent maize alcohol  to piglets as well as buffaloes, and buy electronic appliances and clothes. We depart Bao Lac Town  and drive almost uphill to  the Dong Van Geopark, a region of beauty and ethnic traditions. The rugged stone formations come in view, making for a significant sign of  this rocky plateau.  Upon arrival in Meo Vac, we make a stop to visit the Flower Lo Lo  hilltribe people, one of three Lo Lo sub-groups living in northern Vietnam. They follow similar cultural traditions and beliefs but have very different visual identities through the costumes. We keep on our journey  along the zigzag roads to Dong Van Town and enjoy the stunning views of  the Nho Que River, Tu San Canyon and Ma Phi Leng Pass. The panoramic breathtaking scenery, with a blend of twisting river in deep canyon, simple houses perched on high mountainsides, and winding pass in the far distance, makes you feel like jumping into photos of the National Geographic. The scenic drive will deliver us in Dong Van Town by mid or  late afternoon, depending on the roads and traffic conditions.

Today, we have time walking around to see the old quarter and the market place in Dong Van Town. This small urban area is crowded every Sunday when hundreds of  people representing every tribe in the region congregate for the week-end market. They  are mostly  the Hmong, Tay, Nung and Hoa ethnic minorities, who make the entirely local affair full of noise, colour and  hustle, and the bustle of commerce. The overland adventure continues into this karstic plateau, which is largely desert, rendering even more remarkable the hardy people who carve their lives on this barely arable land. The local villagers grow everywhere from roadsides to tiny ledges and between-rocks, making for a unique plantation technique. We break our journey in Sa Phin  to visit the Hmong King Palace,  which was built like a courtyard mansion with four double storied wings. The residence had all from water storage to ornate teakwood furniture, meeting room, opium storage, chambers, opium smoking space, firing ports and pillars chiseled with the shapes of globular poppy buds. Upon leaving this sight, we keep driving  along  a meandering path on undulating mountainsides through Yen Minh to Quan Ba Towns. The landscape erupted into a sweep of dazzling slopes, serrated ridges and hanging valleys  are appeared all at once after every hairpin turn.  We climb up to the Heaven Gate, a view point to admire the breathtaking scenery of mountains and rice fields. The rocky plateau will be left behind as we travel downhill to Ha Giang Town for an overnight stop.

The northern loop expedition continues to Bac Ha  via a long drive from Ha Giang Town. These back roads carve a meandering course over mountainsides  and river valleys, connecting Ha Giang and Lao Cai. They are  some of the most mountainous provinces in this remote north region. We travel through Hoang Su Phi and Xin Man, which nestle under the Tay Con Linh Mountain range and offer dramatic scenery, colorful  weekend markets, and lush farmland abound.  Along the way, we venture into small paths blasted out of the mountainsides to some seldom visited villages of the  Red Dao, Hmong, Nung and  La Chi hill tribe people. They have settled in place down centuries and still keep their old age culture and colorful traditions despite the glitz of modern life. These ethnic minorities  are mostly living in off the beaten track areas, involving us some downhill and downhill walks to discover their homeland. The simple lifestyle of hill tribe people is not only a highlight of travelling through this mountainous region.  Today we get a chance to admire many steep terraced rice fields running from deep valleys to high mountains. These rice fields have been formed by successive generations of  local villagers  over 300 years, making for  a must-see in Hoang Su Phi. We keep on our journey to Bac Ha Town,  a base for our next day expedition.

The lively local markets form the lifeblood of this mountain region, offering an interesting  look from a bygone era to present days. We start our trip in early morning and travel along the extremely mountainous roads connecting some small minority villages, remote army outposts and  Si Ma Cai Town. This sleepy town is usually animated on every Sunday when local villagers gather to the town market from nearby mountainsides and valleys after hard working days. This trade fair  named Si Ma Cai, locally meaning horse market in H’mong language, offers a colorful experience of the Flower H’mong, Dao, Phu La ethnic minorities. They come here to trade their goods, meet friends and relatives, enjoy eating and drinking, and gossip. On arrival in Si Ma Cai, we stroll around the market place, which is simply a large ground near the recently developed town and contains some thatched huts built to accommodate shops and food stalls. Upon leaving Si Ma Cai, we keep on our drive through Muong Khuong and Lao Cai Towns to Sapa. This hill town at an elevation of 1,500 meters  has some warm days and cool evenings. The evident vestiges of the French colonial era are still found in place as it was once a  summer retreat place for French administrators to escape the unbearable summer heat in the  plain regions. We stroll around to discover the quaint townscape brought from the prominent architecture styles, mountain peaks,  rice terraces, and colorful ethnic minority people.

The imposing mountain peak of  Phansipan lends an alpine feel to the surrounding hillsides and valleys. They are homeland to many ethnic minorities who are usually settled in off beaten track areas. We spend this day out, seeing some of them on a walking trip. There are many local track options to choose from, but we will opt for a trek from Sapa Town to Y Linh Ho and Lao Chai Villages in  Muong Hoa Valley.  These villages are inhabited by  the Black Hmong hill tribe people,  who are mostly farmers living from their slash and burnt tradition. The footpaths lead us from the valley floor to the steep mountain side, giving a chance to meet many mountaineers doing their daily works, such as logging, herding buffalo, and tilling the field.  We continue our walk on undulating terrains towards Lao Chai Village. The trekking is strenuous at times with some uphill and downhill walking; however, some physical preparation will enable you to maximize the enjoyment from this adventure. On arrival at Lao Chai Village, we have a stop to admire the beautiful scenery  of mountain backdrop and  steep terraced rice fields, and make friends with local ethnic minorities frequently seen along village lanes.  Perhaps they are Dao, Hmong or Giay people  who come on promenade or sell local textiles and handicrafts. The optional walk back to Sapa Town is available, but we also arrange a transport for anyone who prefers to stretch the legs on a scenic drive.

Today, we set forth Mu Cang Chai Town and travel along O Quy Ho Pass, one of the most challenging roads in northern Vietnam. We make stop at the Heaven Gate to catch the panoramic scenery of  winding roads and cloudy mountain peak in the far distance. The exciting journey continues with a downhill drive to Tam Duong, homeland of  the Lao and Lu hill tribe people. They have settled in place long time ago and are famous for both textiles and teeth dyeing techniques.  We venture into the local track to see the Lao ethnic minorities at Ban Bo village built in  tranquil setting of rough mountains, idyllic valleys and rice fields. The traditional house on stilts comes into view, making feels like we have stepped into a postcard. We see may Lao women weaving and wearing their traditional dress  on daily basis, smoke  billowing  from  top of  wooden stilt houses, and barefoot  children running around. The local villagers are very friendly and welcoming, but they  also attempt to sell their local textiles. We keep driving through Than Thuoc and Than Uyen on our way to Mu Cang Chai on foot of the Hoang Lien Son Range. The mountainous region of Mu Cang Chai recently becomes a famous destination among  domestic and international travellers. They usually come to discover the incredible landscape of rice field spots, some of which are in La Pan Tan, Che Cu Nha and Ze Xu Phinh. We spend this night in a traditional stilt house, as guest of Thai family  and enjoy some of  local foods prepared by villagers.

The scenery in northern region of Vietnam is unequalled although the conditions are very basic. We bid a farewell to our hosted family and make our way past many steep terrace rice fields and rustic villages, home to the Hmong ethnic minorities. These local people have reclaimed the undulating  mountainsides to make steep terrace rice fields down centuries. They are usually spectacular from May through early October while the seasonal rice is planted in flooded terraces and harvested. We climb over  Khau Pha Pass before dropping down to Tu Le, a scenic valley dominated by paddy fields and punctuated with stilt houses. The great pleasure of travelling through this region is  a view of green rice fields dotted with conic hats and  smiling face of  local people. The meandering road passes through Nghia Lo Town, which was once  the painful  battle field in the French war. This small urban area does not offer much to see; it is simply a stop to stretch our legs and have a quick look at the town market. There are some ethnic minorities who can be seen in place. Perhaps they are the White Thai, Dao Nga Hoang or Hmong, who converge from the nearby valleys or mountains to trade their goods and buy provisions. The paddy gives way to tea plantations, a main living source for local villagers. We can catch our  last photos of mountain and hill tribe villages  before we see again the chaos traffic of Hanoi City.  

The incredible limestone outcroppings form a spectacular seascape of Halong Bay, making it an incomparable natural wonder in Vietnam.  Heading out of the town, we make our way past  rice fields and idyllic villages to Halong City, a base for our sea excursion. On arrival, we are welcomed on board with refreshing drinks and get some information about the watercraft and the activity program. We check in our private cabin and unpack for a two-day cruise. The amazing time begins as our traditional style junk zigzags itself in Halong Bay. Along the way, we feast on a huge lunch (veg. meals also available on request), catching some beautiful views of the bay with a blend of the sky and limestone islets jutting out from the clear and emerald water. These rocky islands are usually named by their distinctive shapes and littered with tiny beaches and beautiful caves. We have time this afternoon, to do many sea activities, some of which are rowing boat excursion, swimming, or kayaking ( optional) within rock formations. Today we can improve our culinary skill while participating to the cooking class in the flavor of the sea. The master chef will show the guests how to make some traditional Vietnamese delicacies. We follow it with a sumptuous dinner and some evening entertainments at the dining room. There are also possibilities to try your hand at squid fishing from our boat.

The early light begins washing the night away, unveiling the marvelous beauty of Halong Bay. You can participate in a Taichi exercise on the sundeck and may get a chance to catch some wonderful photos of the sunrise over Halong Bay. The boat trip continues past many imposing  islands, giving us a new exploration of this beautiful bay.  We can spend our time at leisure or step onto a tender to visit Sung Sot, one of the many beautiful caves hidden beneath towering cliffs. The uphill walkway with nearly 100 steps is somewhat arduous; however, the panoramic view from nearby boat pier to rocky islands in the far distance, makes the hardship all worthwhile. We enjoy this splendid landscape before we start the exploration of Sung Sot Cave. This remarkable cave is naturally adorned with countless stalactite and stalagmite formations. They stretch amazingly from floor to ceiling, forming various pillars to support the cave dome. The illuminating spotlights of various colors within the stone formations add more enchantment to this beautiful cave. We come back to our cruise and weave our way through a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars towards Tuan Chau Marina. The wonderful time in Haling Bay is followed by a drive back to Hanoi. Along the way, we make stop at our pleasure, to stretch our legs and see many local villagers making excellent craft objects in traditional ways

There are no activities planned on this final day. You may have free time to continue your exploration of Hanoi City, do your last shopping or simply look back upon your trip images. The holiday comes to an end with a transfer to Hanoi Airport for your departure.