Vietnam Northern Loop, 11 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 sights 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 water puppet show. The following activity s is a pleasant walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, one of the major scenic spots in Hanoi.

The northern loop journey begins as we leave Hanoi, being away from the vibrant streets to venture into the remote region of Vietnam. There are many sleepy villages linking to the roads which are the main artery of trade between the northern western region and the capital city. This first glimpse of rural Vietnam will set the tone for our days ahead.  Along the way, we make stops near Hoa Binh Town, to see the Muong ethnic minorities. They have settled in this rugged mountainous region down centuries and  make for the main local population. The winding roads take through looming mountains which are rising and falling endlessly in the distance. We continue driving  uphill on  Thung Khe Pass and capture a fantastic panorama of Mai Chau Valley, homeland of  the White Thai people. This idyllic valley is nestled between two towering cliffs and  surrounded by emerald green paddies. On arrival in Mai Chau , we check in a local house and spend  this afternoon  cycling along the village lanes in valley floor.  Along the way,  we have some stops to  explore the life style of  local villagers. They  are very friendly and welcoming, and can teach us  their rich weaving techniques.  We spend this night on stilts house  as honored guests of a Thai family and  sample some of their homemade foods and  local rice whisky!  The homestay amenities are fairly basic, but you will be provided with clean and comfortable bedding, mosquito nets and a shared washroom facility.

Upon leaving Mai Chau Village, we make our way uphill to  Xa Linh,  a rough mountain area inhabited by the Hmong People, who are mostly farmers living from their slash and burn traditions. The mountainous altitude offers  Xa Linh a pleasant climate throughout the year. On arrival in Xa Linh, we embark on an easy  walk along the beaten track from flat areas to high mountainsides. This mountain path runs through some rustic villages, fruit garden, tea plantation, and  corn fields where poppy may be grown in previous time. This pleasant walk lasts from two to three hours, depending on your physical conditions. We meet our driver again and continue  driving  across  Moc Chau Plateau. The main local industry is tea production; however, we can also see many orchards within tea fields and exotic cows grazing in undulating hills, making for a fantastic scene rarely found  in different places. En route we can make stop to view how local villagers to pick up the tea leaves and make the tasty green tea. The sinuous mountain roads will pass by Son La Town before going up Pha Din Pass, which legendarily means “Heaven and Earth Frontier”. This famous path  with many sharp twists and turns, uphill and downhill drives is a real challenge to most drivers. We descend to Tuan Giao Town and break our journey to  see the Black Thai ethnic minorities. They belong to the same Thai ethnic group but have their tradition and costumes different from the White Thai in Mai.  We arrive in Dien Bien Phu Town by late afternoon and check in our hotel. This hill town is famous for the decisive battle in Vietnamese struggle for the independence in 1954; we will see it in coming day.

The fast growing town of Dien Bien Phu is enclosed by  a long and  wide valley which was the scene of a fierce battle fields making the decisive end of the  French rule in Indochina. This valley is now at peace, but we still can see some war relics littered  behind the lush vegetation. They include old French tanks and artillery pieces.  We can dig out the gone by war vestige while seeing the large valley of Muong Thanh, dominant hill A1, and  Dien Bie Phu Museum built in round shape. Among  artifacts, maps, and diagrams are a number of trophy items, being shown off to prove how  was happened the painful battle  in place. Upon leaving Dien Bien,  we start driving into the most mountainous region of Vietnam  with the next stop being Lai Chau Town. The winding mountain roads are difficult at times, but the spectacular landscape, with a mixture of terraced fields and colourful local population, makes the hardship all worthwhile. Along the way,  we encounter some mountaineers  going about their daily business. Perhaps they are the Red Hmong, Kho Mu, Mang  or  Dao hill tribe people, who are distinctive from each other  by their traditional costumes. We keep on our journey along the rugged mountain range  through Sin Ho  to Lai Chau Town. This new urban area does not offer much to see as it is basically  an overnight stop to break our long journey. 

Today, we continue our drive which winds its way along the undulating mountain range of Hoang Lien Son. Upon arrival in Tam Duong Town, we venture into the local tracks and pass  stunning valleys, rice fields to  the homeland of  Lao and Lu ethnic minorities. These tribal people have settled in place long time ago and are very famous for both textiles and teeth dyeing techniques. No pre- arrangement, we can make stop as we please, to  see  villagers  weaving and wearing their traditional dress and learn more about their simple life style. We head up to   O Quy Ho Pass, one of the most beautiful and challenging roads in northern Vietnam. The panoramic views of zigzag roads, rugged mountains, cloudy peak in far distance are nothing short of spectacular. We make our way past  the Heaven Gate and the Silver Waterfall to Sapa. This misty 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 check in our hotel and  spend this afternoon at our leisure. You can soak up the fresh climate, admire the townscape that  brought from the prominent architecture styles, mountain peaks, rice terraces, and colorful hill tribe people.

The extremely beautiful region around Sa Pa is ideal for anyone seeking a true adventure and trekking expedition. We spend these two days trekking to explore the  mountain landscape and the hill tribe people who have been in this remote area down centuries. There are many local track options to choose from, but we will opt for a trek from Sapa Town to Cat Cat, Y Linh Ho and Lao Chai Villages in  Muong Hoa Valley.  They are inhabited by  the Black Hmong hill tribe people,  who are mostly farmers living from their slash and burnt tradition. The local footpaths lead us from the valley floor to the steep mountain side, giving a chance to admire the beautiful scenery  of mountain backdrop and  steep terraced rice fields, and make friends with local ethnic minorities. Perhaps they are Dao, Hmong or Giay people  who come on promenade or sell local textiles and handicrafts. We break our trek  on arrival at Ta Van Village and have some time free to walk around the village,  enjoy the splendid  view of unfolding valley and  as swim in the river nearby. Tonight we will be toasted as honored guests of a Giay 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 blaze the trail with our local guide and walk along the mountainside to Giang Ta Chai Village, home to the Red Dao People, who are one of the most colorful ethnic groups in Vietnam. They are still keeping their old age culture and colorful   traditions. We meet many women doing  their handmade embroidery and can try your hand at bargaining.  The undulating mountainsides will involve some uphill and downhill walking, however some physical preparation will enable you to fully appreciate the walk. We follow the local tracks to Su Pan  Village and encounter some mountaineers doing their daily works such as logging, herding buffalo and tilling the field. The great pleasure of trekking in this mountain region is a joy of exploring the scenic mountain scenery  and the different culture. We complete our trek at  Su Pan Village  and stretch our legs on a drive back  to Sa Pa Town. The ethnic minorities will be left behind as we leave Sapa for Hanoi  this afternoon, travelling  along the new high way. This journey can take everything between 5 to 6 hours; however, the scenery changing from the Tonkinese Alps to the delta region make for an interesting drive.

The incredible limestone outcroppings make Halong Bay an incomparable natural wonder in Vietnam.  Heating out of the town, we travel by road past rice fields and idyllic villages to Halong City, a base for our upcoming sea excursion. On arrival, we are welcomed on board with refreshing drinks. The cruise team provides some information about the watercraft and the activity program. We check in our private cabin and unpack for a two-day cruise in Halong Bay. 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.