GREAT DISCOVERY OF VIETNAM NORTH, 18 days

A great exploration of regions and peoples specially ethnic minority staying in Vietnam North . A really authentic journey to find land of forgetfulness, isolated villages and of course scenic landscapes.
Day 1 HANOI arrival



On arrival, welcome by your guide at the airport and proceed to your selected hotel.

(For arrival in the morning, hotel room will be available only from 13h00).

Afternoon, enjoy a one-hour rickshaw tour of the capital and then spend some times in the old quarter with its antique shops.

Enjoy the water puppet show early in the evening.

Diner offer in local restaurant.

Overnight in Hanoi.



Day 2 HANOI (B/L)



After breakfast, spend your day touring the capital and visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, its former residence, One Pillar Pagoda, Tran Quoc Pagoda and Temple of Literature. In the afternoon, visit the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology (closed on Monday), Ngoc Son Temple.

Overnight in Hanoi.



Day 3 HANOI / HOA LU / NINH BINH (B/L)



Breakfast at the hotel. Travel through the countryside to Hoa Lu, the ancient 10th century capital of Vietnam. On arrival, bicycle ride or take a buffalo cart through a traditional village to Bich Dong Pagoda and then continue to Thung Nang pier. Board a small sampan for a spectacular 2-hour trip through one cave and numerous waterways and beautiful rural scenery of limestone cliffs and rice paddies. Return to have lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit Dinh Tien Hoang and Le Dai Hanh Dynastic temples.

Overnight in Ninh Binh.



Day 4 NINH BINH / HOA BINH / MAICHAU (B/L/D)



Depart to MaiChau by national road 12. On the way, visit Muong and Thai villages. Arrival in Mai Chau around noon. Lunch at Thai family then have a trek in different villages to learn about the traditional life of the local people.

Dinner and overnight in a stilt house.

Note: possibility to have a local music performance in the evening.

Day 5 MAI CHAU / SON LA (B/L)



After breakfast drive to Son La (200 km), home to Hmong, Black Thai and White Thai. Lunch en route and on arrival, visit the Old French Prison and its museum and the Lookout Tower. Later, stroll through villages in the south of the town.

Overnight in Son La.



Day 6 SON LA / DIEN BIEN PHU (B/L)

After breakfast, depart at 7h00 and drive to Dien Bien Phu (170 km, about 6 hours) through the Pha Din Pass with its beautiful scenery. On the way, stop at Thuan Chau market, 40km from Son La, where you will see Black Thai. On arrival, take lunch at a local restaurant and then visit Dien Bien Phu Museum (closed on Mondays and Tuesdays), A1 Hill, Dien Bien Phu Cemetry, the bunker headquarters of the French Commander Colonel Christian de Castries and the Memorial dedicated to French soldiers.

Overnight in Dien Bien Phu.



Day 7 DIEN BIEN PHU / PHONG THO (B/L)



After breakfast, drive to Phu Tho (190 Km) along the Nam Na Valley. On the way, 22 km from Dien Bien Phu, stop in Hoi Chan and then in Muong May and Lai Chau. Along the way, visit the hamlets of Red H’mong.

Lunch en route.

Overnight in Phong Tho.

Day 8 PHONG THO / SAPA (B/L)



After breakfast, visit the local market and then drive to the former mountains retreat of Sapa (80 km). On the way, stop at Tam Duong and the market and then enjoy a walk through the tea plantations. Visit Binh Lu market. Discover Thac Bac Waterfall before reaching Sapa and checking into the hotel. The rest of the day is at your leisure to explore Sapa town and its local market.

Overnight in Sapa.



Day 9 SAPA (B/L)



After breakfast, enjoy a full day of exploring in and around Sapa: Visit Ta Van village (Day community) and Lao Chai village (Mong) on foot and discover the traditional way of life of these welcoming people. With its rice paddies, wooden bridges and rivers, the area remains relatively unspoiled and offers magnificent scenery. Visit also Ta Phin (a Red Dao village) and there is also an optional 3-hour walk to Ham Rong Mountain with its orchid garden and the beautiful panoramic views of Sapa.

Overnight in Sapa.







Day 10: SAPA / HA GIANG (B, L)

After breakfast, transfer to a minority market, a small human-sized city located in the heart of a region populated by colorful Flower Hmong. Visit during the morning a colorful weekly market of ethnic minorities. Lunch and then transfer to Ha Giang through Xi Man and Hoang Xu Phi. Arrival in Ha Giang in late afternoon.

Overnight in HaGiang.



Note: the road via Xi Man is too bad. If the climat don’t allow, we have to use other road via Pho Rang and Viet Quang.



Day 11: HA GIANG – DONG VAN (B, L)



We start to clim-up, by road to reach Dong Van, a town in the blast - trays of the same name. Off to Quan Ba, a small town in a valley after the descent of Heaven Gate . " Possibility of a walk in the village that surrounds the city. Continuation of transfer by a road that meanders through the mountain landscapes. Several cases are possible along the way, the passenger demand and at the suggestion of the guide, to explore various sites including the palace of former H’mong King and villages composed of houses made of mud and thatch.

Nuit at Dong Van.



Day 12: DONG VAN-MEO VAC- BAO LAC- CAO BANG (B, L)

After breakfast, visit the local market in Dong Van.

Departure to Meo Vac to visit the Meo Vac market by walk before continuing by road to Cao Bang, passes through very steep stone dotted with forests and the Road of Happy and the impressive Ma Pi Leng Pass the abyssal valleys.

Local lunch . On the way, you can see H’mong, Dao, Tay , Nung, and San Chi ethnic minorities. Arrival in CaoBang at the end of day.

Overnight in Cao Bang.



Day 13: CAO BANG – BAN GIOC waterfall (B, L)

After breakfast, transfer to a local market of minorities (usually during the weekends or every 5 th - 10 th - 20 th day of lunar month) and visit the beautiful caves of Nguom Ngao before reach the famous falls Ban Gioc delimiting the border with China.

Picnic at the edge of the falls.

Return to Cao Bang in the afternoon and stop on the way to the village blacksmith Centennial Phuc Sen.

Overnight in Cao Bang

Day 14: CAO BANG – BA BE (B, L)



After breakfast, visit the central market of Cao Bang where the different ethnic minorities in the regions of CaoBang as Tay, Nung, Dao ... come to exchange their products.

Departure for Ba Be Lake (135 km) via Cho Ra.

Lunch at Cho Ra, then transfer to the Buoc Luom jetty to start the cruise on boat in Ba Be Lake. The boat follows Nang river to spend in Puong cave before reaching Dau Dang waterfall. Lunch at a local restaurant in a wilderness setting. Continue the cruise to BaBe Lake - a lake to 150 md elevation on limestone mountains- a Jura park of Vietnam.

Landing and walking in Po Lu and Pac Ngoi villages to see Tay minority who live around the lake. Overnight homestay in Pac Ngoi village or in the Guest house of National Park.



Day 15: BA BE – HA NOI

Back on the road in Hanoi, with stops in the road to visit some villages Tay people. Arrival in Hanoi in the afternoon. Check-in the hotel. The rest of the day free to relax or shopping.



Day 16: HANOI - HALONG (B, L,D)



Transfer to Halong Bay, the eighth wonder of the world. Journey through the rice fields and countryside. Arrival in Halong about noon; Lunch on junk with seafood. Navigating countless loaves of sugar in all shapes and sizes that they look like heavenly palace built on land between which we see, here, here and there, white spots and brown sails to and fro. The boat ride will plunge visitors into a magical world between heaven and sea, to witness the silent and eternal love that has made, since no one knows when, the mountains and waters are inseparable. Dinner and overnight on boat in comfortable private cabin.



Day 17: HA LONG – HA NOI (B, L)



Continuation of the cruise in the bay. Landing at noon and then return to Hanoi. On the way, stop visit But Thap pagoda. Return to Hanoi in late afternoon.

Night in Hanoi.





Day 18: Hanoi Departure ( B)

Free time until transfer to airport for your departure flight.



End of our services



Our prices include:

• Accommodation with twin or double room in hotels mentioned.
• Transfer by private car and conditioning as in the program
• Local speaking guide for day visits and receptions, transfers and transportation.
• Entries fees in visiting points as mentioned
• Double or twin cabin in the junk at Halong Bay.
• Meals not listed on Program: (B) breakfast, (L) lunch or (D) dinner.
• Government taxes (TAV, etc ...)

Our price does not include:

• The visa for Vietnam.
• The international flights and airport taxes.
• Drinks, tips, personal expenses and other services not clearly mentioned.

Contact us: Charm Asia Travel
N° 505 B4, batiment Cau Dien, Tu Liem, Hanoi.
Tel: +84.4.37633407
Fax: +84.4.37633407
Mobile: +84.983.358.568
email: info@charmasiatravel.com