Secluded North Of Vietnam, 13 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 museum, we drive back to the town center  and  enjoy a fantastic performance of the water puppet. We 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  mountainous region in northern Vietnam boasts a dramatic variety of landscapes and an eclectic mix of many colorful hill tribes. Today we venture into the remote north and drive along the new highway to Lao Cai Town. The beautiful scenery changing from the delta region to the Tonkinese Alps will make for an interesting journey. Upon arrival in Lao Cai Town, we start our drive uphill to Sapa, one of  the most captivating places in this highland region. The roads zigzag themselves on mountainsides, giving us some fantastic views of  vertical rice terraces and towering cliffs. We arrive in Sapa by midafternoon and check in our hotel. This  hill station  set 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 round to catch our first glimpse of  this hill station. You have an option to take the cable car ride to explore the striking Indochina Rooftop of  Phansipan. The breathtaking  scenery of  undulating hillsides dotted with many villages,  green valley and mountain peak appears dramatically beyond your eyes. This cable ride offers a unique experience in the sky and clouds to all passengers. This optional trip is not included; however, our guide is in hand to provide you  with useful information.  

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. We complete our trekking  and stretch our  legs on a scenic drive back.

Upon leaving Sapa, we start our drive through the rugged region to Bac Ha. This mountain town is a world famous place for the week-end market. On arrival in Bac Ha Town, we enjoy a walk  around to explore the vibrant week-end market. This local trade fair is rather affected by the influx of mass tourism, but it still offers some colorful picture and a unique experience.  We see many different ethnic minorities including  the Flower Hmong, Dao, Phu La, Nung, La Chi, and Tay, and discover their amazing local trading ways. These hill tribe people come into the market on every Sunday for not only to trade but also enjoy some entertainments. We embark on a walk this afternoon, venturing into the rough land of Bac Ha. The local tracks pass by Thai Giang Pho and Na Lo Villages, giving us a panoramic view from  terraced fields, green valleys and undulating mountains to Bac Ha Town. Along the way, we have  stops to see the Phu La Hilltribe people at Nhay Phong Cho Village  and  the flower Hmong at Lau Thi Ngai Village. They are some of hilltribe people who have settled in place down centuries. Tonight we will be toasted as honored guests of a Hmong 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.

The exciting expedition continues with the next stop being  Ha Giang Town. These back roads carve a meandering course over mountain ranges and river valleys, connecting Lao Cai  and Ha Giang. They are some of the most mountainous provinces in this remote north of . We  make our way  through Xin Man and Hoang Su Phi, which nestle under the Tay Con Linh Mountain range and offer  dramatic scenery, ethnic minority weekend markets, and lush farmland abound.  Along the way, we venture into small roads blasted out of the mountainsides to some seldom visited villages, home to 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 tradition despite the glitz of modern life. 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 arrive at a Tay Village on the outskirts of Ha Giang Town and have time to enjoy a walk  around. This idyllic village is inhabited by the Tay minority people who are very friendly and welcoming. They will toast us as honored guests with their homemade foods and local alcohol. The homestay amenities are fairly basic, but you will be provided with clean and comfortable bedding, mosquito nets and a shared washroom facility.

The beautiful scenery and uniquely preserved tribal culture of Ha Giang make for a highlight of our overland adventure. Today  we set off on our journey past Ha Giang Town , venturing into  the Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark. The zigzag roads climb up the Heaven Gate before dropping down to Quan Ba Town, giving us the incredible panoramic view of  round shape mountains surrounded by  rice fields and local houses in the far distance. We continue our overland adventure  though Yen Minh  to  Dong Van Town . En route  we get a chance to explore the magnificent rocky plateau and see many local people doing their daily work. Perhaps they are the Dao, Hmong, Pu Peo,  Lo Lo or Co Lao, who are original from China but have migrated into this region a long time ago; no exact date on their settlement in Vietnam was figured out. They  consider  this rugged mountain region as their homeland  although  the living conditions are extremely hard in all senses. 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. The scenic drive will deliver us in  Dong Van by mid or late afternoon depending on the roads and traffic conditions.

Today, we have time walking around Dong Van Town to see the old quarter and the market place. 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. Upon leaving  Dong Van Town, we continue our journey  into the Dong Van Geo Park with the next stop being Lung Cu. The country road twists up into the mountains, cutting a path through rock and along thickly forested and river valleys to Lung Cu, the northernmost point of Vietnam.  We climb almost  300 steps to visit the flag tower, which dominates  this frontier area  and gives an interesting  view from the nearby village to the Chinese land.  The exploration of Lung Cu would not be complete without a visit to a typical village of the Red Lolo ethnic minorities,  one of the 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 travelling  through the Dong Van Geopark and enjoy  the stunning views of the Nho Que River, Tu San Canyon and  Ma Phi Leng Pass. The panoramic scenery is nothing short of spectacular as we can catch all in a shot, from twisting river in deep canyon  to simple houses perched on high mountainsides and winding pass in the far distance.  We arrive in Meo Vac Town and have a short visit to the flower Lo Lo hill tribe people at a nearby  village.

The northern loop journey brings a new look into the  Dong Van Geo Park  as we drive along  the back road  linking Meo Vac to Yen Minh Towns. We twist through rugged mountains, a large desert rendering even more remarkable the hardy people who carve their lives on this barely arable land. These mountaineers plant everywhere from roadsides to tiny ledges and between-rocks, making for a unique plantation technique. The landscape erupted into a sweep of dazzling slopes and serrated ridge, and hanging valleys are appeared all at once after every hairpin turn. On arrival at Yen Minh Town,   we  merge  the  old roads for our journey downhill  to Ha Giang Town. This urban center does not offer much to see as it is simply a base for travellers to explore the karst plateau. We keep driving to Ham Yen and  venture into a rugged and luxuriant area on our way to Thac Ba Lake. The local beauty is not in rice fields or jungle; it is the wide-eyed welcome of villagers since they rarely see passing foreigner tourists along this road. We arrive in Thac Ba Lake by late afternoon and  spend this night as guests of a Dao Quan Trang family ( White trouser Dao ) . These minority people are notably settled around Thac Ba Lake and earn their living from its waters. We enjoy their homemade foods in traditional stilt house and learn more about their lifestyle. The old women can be seen chewing betel and wearing white trouser, a reason to give this tribal subgroup a typical name. 

Upon leaving the village of our previous night, we embark on a private boat for a relaxed boat trip to explore this large water body regarded as Halong Bay in this high mountain. The countless islands and islets rising up in the dry season, beautiful hidden caves, and lush vegetation make for some interesting views. Along the way, we have a stop to visit the Thuy Tien Cave, which is adorned with colorful stalactites and associated with thrilling legends. They offer the  impression of being lost in the legendary world to escape the sorrows of daily life. We carry on our boat trip on Thac Ba Lake to see the  amazing scene of fishing boats gliding on the tranquil water and fishmen picking  their traps up.  These local villagers rely on this grand lake for their livelihood. We round off our boat excursion and begin our  walk on a local footpath fringed with simple stilt houses, lush gardens and cassava fields. The cultivation continues along the walkway right to the hill top, giving a beautiful appearance to the landscape of this region and reminding you that Vietnam is still a mostly agricultural economy. The rural life is an amazing scene rarely found in modern life as we see many locals doing their daily works, funny children on back of buffalo, and ducks grazing on roadsides. We leave  Thac Ba Lake this afternoon and make our way back to Hanoi City. The impressive drive will reach this day final destination by mid or late afternoon, depending on the roads and traffic conditions.

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 boat excursion. The cruise team will welcome us on board with refreshing drinks and provides 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.