NORTHERN VIETNAM GRAND TOUR

You will be picked up at your hotel in Hanoi at 8.00 AM by your private tour guide and driver. After getting out of bustle and hustle Hanoi, you will enjoy the countryside view through the windows while driving northwestward to Yen Bai province. Arrive at Nghia Lo town early in the afternoon, check in our homestay at a peaceful village nearby Nghia Lo. Lunch and rest on a traditional stilt house. In the afternoon, we embark on a bicycling tour to discover the daily life of the ethnic community in the area and enjoy the beautiful scenery of villages, rice fields an mountains. Dinner and overnight at the homestay. 

After breakfast, we bid farewell to the host family and head for Tu Le town. Tu Le is a little town located at beautiful valley at the foot of Khau Pha Pass. Upon arrival, we get ready for a soft trek to the rice valley and visit some villages. Taking photographs and meeting local people. Back to the town and having lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, we start our drive up the famous Khau Pha Pass. This mountain pass is known for terraced rice paddies. The scenery over the valley from the pass is so stunning at the rice reason, especially during the harvesting time. We will have some stops for photo opportunities on the way to Mu Cang Chai. Arrive in Mu Cang Chai town late in the afternoon. Check in another homestay by the town. After getting our baggage stored, we will end the day with a gentle walk to visit a village of the Thai ethnic minority at the foot of a mountain nearby. Dinner and overnight at the homestay. 

This morning, we will get a transfer to a trekking point for the whole day trek to enjoy Vietnam’s national rice terrace heritage. Our trek will start from Che Cu Nha commune to La Pan Tan Commune. It is around 13 km. This trek will definitely offer us a good opportunity to see the main spots and admire the beauty of amazing rice terraces that Mu Cang Chai has to offer. We will also be able to visit a few villages of the H’mong hill tribe scattered in the area. Get picked up by our private vehicle around 4.00 PM. Transfer back to the homestay for the second night.

After the breakfast, we will bid farewell to the host family and make our way to Sapa. We will have some stops on the way for photographing today such as Than Thuoc Tea Plantation, O Quy Ho Pass, Silver Waterfall... Arrive at Sapa, check in your hotel and spend the afternoon on your own. Overnight at a hotel in Sapa. 

This morning, together with your tour guide you will have a nice trek down the valley of Muong Hoa to visit the rice terraces and hill tribe village of the Black H'mong. Get back to Sapa town for lunch and drive to Bac Ha in the afternoon. Check into your hotel and relax. Overnight at a hotel in Bac Ha.

Spend most of the morning to stroll around the Sunday market of Bac Ha. It is an awesome experience of seeing colors, understanding traditions and feeling the atmosphere. Market here is not only places where people come to buy and sell but also the place to meet, to find friends and partners as well as to show their typical culture and color. After lunch, continue your drive to Hoang Su Phi with stops on the way for taking photographs and visiting hill tribe villages. Arrive at the homestay, dinner and overnight.

Spend the whole day for trekking to visit the hill tribe villages of Tay, Black Dao and Red Dao people. Along the hike you will also have a chance to view more marvelous the rice terraces. Arrive at Pan Hou Lodge around 4:00 PM. The rest of the day is at leisure or enjoy the optional traditional treatments (massage and herbal bath are optional). Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

​After breakfast, we check out of the lodge and start the morning stunning drive to Dong Van karst geo-park with stops on the way for taking photos and visiting local villages. Climb some steps to admire the beauty of Quan Ba area over the top of the Heaven Gate. You will have lunch at a local restaurant in on the way. In the afternoon, we continue driving to Yen Minh town with more stops on the way. Check in a hotel and if it is early enough, get a short transfer to a village for a walk around and learn the local life. Overnight in Yen Minh.

The drive today is spectacular as the entrance of the geo-park opens from here. The imposing grey limestone mountains and unbelievable life of the H’mong people on the rock will definitely amaze you. Visit the H’mong King Palace, Pho Bang ancient town whose lanes are filled with traditional Chinese-style houses, the last stop with breathtaking scenery at Ma Phi Leng Pass over Nho Que River is also a great highlight of the day. Check into a hotel and overnight in Meo Vac.

On Sunday, there is a big market in the town so we are open for this and see how our schedule could work it out. The long drive today will take you downhill to Ba Be National Park. Lunch on the way. Arrive at Pac Ngoi village of an ethic minority in the late afternoon. Dinner and overnight at a home stay.

After breakfast, spend most of the morning exploring the lake and Nang River. The activities will include a cruise though this Vietnam's biggest fresh water lake, a visit to Dau Dang water fall, Puong cave. Around noon, get back on your private vehicle to Cho Ra town for lunch at a local restaurant. After that, we will head for Cao Bang. Arrive in Cao Bang City and check into a hotel for the free evening and dinner on your own account. Overnight at a hotel in Cao Bang. 

After the breakfast at your hotel, we will embark the morning drive to the remote area, Trung Khach District. Have a short stop on the way to visit Phuc Sen village of the Nung people where you can learn how basically the local blacksmiths are making their farming tools such as knives, sickles, plough plates... Arrive at the Waterfall around 11.30. Take a short walk down to Quay Son River and get on a bamboo raft to visit the most beautiful waterfall of Vietnam. Have lunch at a local restaurant nearby. In the afternoon, continue on with a visit to Nguom Ngao limestone Cave, which is located about 2 km from Ban Gioc. Walking through this cool cave offers you a great chance to admire how wonderful the stalagmites and stalactites have been formed. Back to car and return to Cao Bang City. Overnight in Cao Bang.

Check out of the hotel after breakfast and get ready for the morning drive to Bac Son Valley in Lang Son province. The drive includes some stops on the way for you to take photographs whenever you want. Arrive at Quynh Son village of the ethnic Tay people and have lunch on a stilt house. This afternoon you will walk to visit the village and hike up to the top of the telephone-station mountain for a stunning scenery over the valley. This is a great point for those who love photographing. Dinner and chat chit with the host of our homestay tonight. However, you can choose to stay at a basic mini hotel or at a homestay of the Tay people (If you stay overnight at the homestay, you will be separated to different beds (for couple) as it is the culture of the local people for guests – men and women sleep separately)

​After the traditional breakfast, this morning we will embark on a 3,5-hour hike on a rural back road. Along the hike, you can have a close look at the local farming, enjoy the peaceful atmosphere in a good harmony of mountains, forests and local life. At the end of the hike we get picked up by our private transport and go for lunch. In the afternoon, we will head to Hanoi. Check in your hotel and stay overnight in Hanoi.

Embark on an exciting adventure at 7:30 a.m. where you will be picked up from your hotel in Hanoi. Enjoy a scenic 2.5-hour drive through the fertile lands of the Red River Delta to reach the Trang An boat operation place in Ninh Binh.
Upon arrival, indulge in a 3-hour sampan boat ride through the river and tunnel-like caves in the "Inland Halong Bay," a stunning area known for its karst formations. After this amazing experience, savor a delicious Vietnamese lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, gear up for a cycling journey on the back roads through the tranquil countryside to reach Hang Mua, where you will embark on a hike to the summit. Marvel at the panoramic views of the karst formations and capture some memories with your camera. Hike downhill and continue your bike ride to Tam Coc area before checking into your hotel to rest before dinner. Spend the night in Ninh Binh and relish in the memories of the day's adventure.

This morning, we will have breakfast at the hotel as usual, check out of our hotel and start the morning drive toward Nam Dinh coastal province. At the midway, we will call at a special Buddhist pagoda called Co Le. The special thing of this pagoda is that it is the integration of Vietnamese traditional architectural elements with ones of European gothic architecture. This is a Buddhist pagoda but takes on a Catholic cathedral. Thence, we move on driving to Giao Xuan commune of Xuan Thuy district. Upon arrival, we check in our homestay at a peaceful village. The village is just a few minutes from the coast but has fertile land of the delta. After getting acquainted with the host family and having your baggage stored, we get back on our private car and head for a small dock where we take a boat trip through a part of Xuan Thuy Mangrove National Park. The cruise in between the green mangrove takes us about 30 minutes before we are getting into a clam farming area. Stop by a clam stilt hut, climb up to the floor and enjoy our fresh seafood lunch. The breeze from the sea will absolutely makes your lunch break comfortable. Rest and learn about the local clam farming during your lunch. In the afternoon, cruise back to the shore and drive along the cofferdam to visit the afternoon fish market which takes place just on the dam side. Watch the trading and take photographs. Continue on our visit with a home-made fish sauce family and learn the traditional fish sauce making technique. End our day with a gentle bicycling tour to visit the national park’s bird garden. Dinner and overnight at the homestay.

Today, you may be woken up early by domestic roosters. Check out of the homestay, bid farewell to the host and go for breakfast. The morning drive through the Red River Delta will take us to Halong  Bay. Around noontime, you will begin your journey to explore the breathtaking scenery of this UNESCO-listed natural heritage site, which also happens to be one of the 7 wonders of the world.
As you cruise on a luxurious yacht, you will marvel at the sight of hundreds of limestone towers emerging from the pristine blue waters of the bay. You will have the chance to participate in various exciting activities, such as kayaking, swimming, visiting limestone caves, and even squid fishing. Your meals will be served on the boat, and your comfortable cabin will provide the perfect setting for your night out on the bay. This will be a truly unforgettable experience that will conclude your grand journey of northern Vietnam on a high note.

An overnight cruise in Halong Bay is a unique and unforgettable experience. Be sure to catch both the sunrise and sunset, watching as the sun ascends over the Gulf of Tonkin and sets behind the picturesque islands and limestone outcrops. The blue hour, the time between dusk and darkness, is also a breathtaking sight and is believed by locals to be the most beautiful time to view the bay. Don't miss out on the sunset the day before and wake up early enough to catch the morning views from the deck.
After an early lunch, the cruise will end around 11 a.m. and you will then be driven back to Hanoi. End of service.