Discover Vietnam Mysterious Northeast

Welcome to Hanoi, Vietnam’s charming colonial capital. After clearing your immigration and picking-up your luggage, meet your driver and guide who wait for you outside the arrival hall. Transfer to your hotel in the city center for check-in and refreshments.

In the afternoon, take a walk around the center, visiting some of Hanoi’s main attractions: the famous St. Joseph Cathedral, Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake. In the evening enjoy a traditional Water Puppet Performance – a unique Vietnamese Art form hailing from Southeast Asia’s wet-rice culture – followed by a welcome dinner at one of Hanoi’s finest restaurants.

Today is a full day to explore Vietnam’s charming capital. Start with a visit to the Temple of Literature, which is well known as the first university of Vietnam. Follow it with one of the city's museums (a choice between the History Museum and the Ethnology Museum).

In the afternoon, transfer to the Ba Dinh Square where stands the Mausoleum of President Ho Chi Minh who led Vietnam to its independence from French colonial rule. This site has become an important city landmark and a perfect place to learn more about Vietnam’s rich history. From there, wander through the beautiful surrounding gardens toward the One Pillar Pagoda and Presidential Palace, where a replica of Ho Chi Minh’s simple working space is on display.

Later, hop on a cyclo, one of the most typical vehicles in Hanoi, is a human-powered transport with a seat at the front for passengers and the driver at the back. With this an hour leisurely ride, which is perfect chance for photos and slow-moving sightseeing, you will have a great local touch.

Finish the day with a traditional Water Puppet Performance – a unique Vietnamese Art form hailing from Southeast Asia’s wet – rice culture.

After breakfast, your guide & driver will meet you at the lobby of the hotel then leave Hanoi for Sapa on a six hour journey with a comfort stop at the half way.

Upon arrival, check in to the hotel followed by your lunch (your own account). In the afternoon, walk down streets for the orientation guided tour to get acquainted with the town. The tour includes all the key sites such as the Old Church, local market and the dining and shopping streets...

Then, continue to Sau Chua ethnic Black Hmong village. This village has been recently discovered and much less visited. It is located on the mountain summit, therefore, you can take the best photos of panorama Sapa Town & Muong Hoa Valley down there at sunset. Besides, you will have lots of interactions with the villagers who show their great hospitality and want to share their life so you’ll learn more about how they live.

Back to the hotel then and have the rest of day at your leisure.

After breakfast in the hotel, meet your local tour guide and follow him to descend down the valley on a trail through rice paddy terraces, enjoying the spectacular scenery on the way. Once reaching the narrow river running on the bottom of the valley, you will walk along its bank for a while and eventually arrive at the Black H'mong minority village of Y Linh Ho. You will get a first-hand look into their lives and traditions, hear stories, and enjoy a great social interaction.

Take a rest and then head to the Muong Hoa Valley. You will pass through Lao Chai Village of Black H’mong minority and Ta Van Village of Zay minority by following more rice terraces with spectacular mountain scenery.

Emerge on the main road to meet your driver for a transfer back to Sapa Town.

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel then set off on a full day journey to Hoang Su Phi. This day is a real challenge as you will travel by winding roads with many uphill and downhill drives.

After a long day exploring, and a total of five hours traveling, you’ll be ready for a relaxing evening in Hoang Su Phi. Scattered around the area are interesting Mong, Dao and Nung ethnic minority villages with vast beautiful rice terraces.

This morning is devoted to trekking in the heart of fabulous landscapes; you are really far from mass tourism. On the trail of hikes, visit century-old tea trees, rice terraces, waterfalls, bamboo forests and local minority people.

Lunch at the inhabitant. Then depart for Quan Ba via Ha Giang, the Bac Sum Pass and Tham Ma Pass, the Heaven Gate which offers beautiful views of the valleys and mountains. Arrival in Quan Ba, installation with a family of Zao and walks to Nam Dam community-based cultural village to discover the daily life of local people. Enjoy dinner and overnight in Nam Dam, Quan Ba.

After breakfast at the homestay, farewell the host for the next adventure. Departure for Lung Cu, the starting point of the territory of Vietnam, the land gate between Vietnam and China. Lung Cu is populated by the Flower Lo Lo, H’mong and Zao…

Today, lunch will be set up in a Lo Lo family nearby. Continue the road to Dong Van to discover H’mong King’s House, its old town, the colonial market and meet the smiling locals on the spot.

A journey brings you further to Meo Vac via the road of happiness. En route, stop at the Ma Pi Leng Pass, which offers incredible views of the Nho Que River and the nearby mountain range. On arrival in Meo Vac, check in to the homestay and spend the night here.

After breakfast, leave Meo Vac for Ba Be. The roads are very bumpy and zigzagging however you will have a chance to meet the ethnic minorities who make for the main population of the region. You are sure to attract their attention as this part of the country receive very few visitors. Upon arrival at Ba Be National Park, check in to a local homestay of Tay ethnic people. Have dinner and stay overnight in the village of Tay tribe.

After breakfast, take a 2-hour boat trip on Ba Be, an amazing green lake in the middle of a natural green forest, visiting Hon Ba Goa or Widow Island, An Ma Shrine, Fairy Pond and Puong Cave. Ba Be Lake is in fact three lakes linked by wide channels, about 8km long and 400m wide. The surface is always calm, making a boat trip a peaceful experience. Next, enjoy a nice trek in the forest to reach Dau Dang Waterfall, where the Nang River is broken with small rocks stacked hundreds of meters high, before visiting some villages of the Tay and Zao minority people.

Return to the village for lunch that prepared and cooked by your Tay homestay host.

In the afternoon, take a leisurely walk into the Hua Ma Cavern to discover the best scenery of nature. Surprise is what you get when casting an eye on mesmerized stalacmites and stalagmites in the out-of-this-world cave considered as most beautifull cave in Bac Kan Province. Continue to the dreamy Tat Ma Waterfall, or other-called Silk Waterfall because the downpouring water look like a soft falling silk. Enjoy a swim or meditation under the waterfall (weather permitted).

Ride back to your homestay after an adventure day.

After breakfast at the homestay, depart for Cao Bang - the Vietnam's northern border province with China. You will be introduced to the Nung ethnic people in Phuc Sen Village that is famous for the production of farming tools, and visit one of the hill tribe markets if it's on opening day. Take adventures on the fifty-kilometer journey to the Ban Gioc Waterfalls through some of Northern Vietnam’s most pristine pastoral terrain. Lush farmlands, stilt villages and crystal clear lakes are all on the itinerary. However, for driving enthusiasts, nature's creations might be outdone by a man-made wonder: the 3.5km-long Ma Phuc Pass, with its seven writhing bends offering gorgeous views of the terraced fields below.

En-route, explore Nguom Ngao Cave (Tiger Cave in Tay dialect). The cave system, formed about 300 million years ago, impressively measures 2,144 m in length and consists of a variety of stalactites and stalagmites.

Rest of the day, follow your guide to explore the village and visit Ban Gioc Waterfall that is considered as the 4th largest and among world's most beautiful waterfalls. These renowned falls of Ban Gioc are fed by the Quay Son River that marks the border between China and Vietnam. Swimming is banned here but there are small bamboo rafts that take you to the very edge of the falls on jade-green pool for some fantastic photos.

Tonight you will stay in a resort that located close to the Ban Gioc Waterfall.

Today you leave Cao Bang for 5 hours drive to Hanoi City passing Lang Son Province. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant on the way. 

Complete your trip and return to Hanoi's international airport. We can drop you off at a hotel in the city or take you straight to the airport for your onwards flight. This is where your trip with us will end. We thank you kindly for joining Incredible Asia Journeys and we would love to be able to host you again in the future.