Charming Vietnam 16 days

Day 1: Hanoi arrival (D)
Arrival at Noi Bai International airport, welcomed by our guide and transfer to hotel for free at leisure. Welcome dinner at local restaurant and overnight in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi – Cooking class – Hanoi (B.L)
Breakfast at hotel. In the morning, explore the Vietnam cuisine, you go to the market with the chef to choose the necessary ingredients. Then, back to a local familly where the chef will teach you how to prepare and cook the Vietnamese traditional dishes. Lunch with dishes prepared by yourself. In the afternoon, visit the Temple of Literature “Vietnam first University” and the Ethnographic Museum (closed on every Monday). Enjoy 01 hour rickshaw trip around Hoan Kiem Lake and Hanoi Old Quarter. Visit Ngoc Son temple. In the evening, you enjoy the Water Puppet Show. Dinner on your own and overnight in Hanoi.

Day 3: Hanoi –Duong Lam ancient village – Yen Bai – Vu Linh (B.L.D)
Breakfast at hotel. Drive to Yen Bai via Duong Lam ancient village, walk through this charming village to visit the old houses built with laterite stones and visit Mia Pagoda, the most beautiful pagoda in the region. Lunch with the locals. Continuation to Yen Bai via beautiful countryside and fabulous sceneries. Arrival in Vu Linh village at the end of the day, check in the traditional house on stilt with welcome cup of tea. Dinner and overnight at white Daos homestay.

Day 4: Vu Linh – Nghia Lo (B.L.D)
Breakfast at homestay. This morning is delicated to trek around Yen Bai to discover the daily life of smiling, friendly and hospitable ethnic minorities, it’s a linking to the horizon. Lunch with the locals. Depart to Nghia Lo through the fabulous sceneries and arrival in Nghia Lo, check in a traditional house on stilt of white Thai for a welcome cup of tea. Cycling or walking around An Nghia et surrounding villages, home of the Thais and the Muong ethnic to discover their daily lives. Dinner and overnight at homestay.

Day 5 : Nghia Lo – Mu Cang Chai(B.L.D)
Breakfast at homestay. This morning is delicated to trek to Pa Lau village, home of Black H’mong to discover their daily lives and their culture. Back to Thais family for lunch. Depart to Mu Cang Chai through beautiful sceneries. Stops at Khau Pha and on the way for beautiful pictures and to visit ethnic villages. Mu Cang Chai is the most remote and secluded region in Vietnam which remains intact for the tourists. Arrival in Mu Cang Chai, check in your homestay and walk around Kim Noi village, your see vast rice fields, vegetables and potatoes. Dinner and overnight in Mu Cang Chai.

Day 6: Mu Cang Chai – Than Uyen – Binh Lu – Sapa(B.L.D)
Breakfast at hotel. Depart to Sapa via Than Uyen and Binh Lu which are the most beautiful provinces in Vietnam. Several stops on the way to see terraced rice fields, green hills of tea and many ethnic minorities : the Tay, the red Hmong, the Daos, the Lu… Lunch on the way. Continue to to Sapa via Fanxipan Mountain which is knowns as the highest moutain top in North, and Tram Ton pass, the highest pass in North. Arrival in Sapa in the end of the afternoon, check in hotel and  walk through small and charming streets of Sapa colonial town. Dinner at local restaurant and overnight at hotel in Sapa.

Day 7 : Sapa – Lao Chai – Ta Van – Bac Ha(B.L.D)
Breakfast at hotel. Start hiking through breathtaking sceneries in the most beaufiful valley of Sapa,  through Lao Chai and Ta Van villages where you can admire the terraced rice paddies and ethnic villages. You will meet smiling, hospitable and friendly people here, it’s a linking to the horizon. Lunch at local restaurant. Depart to Bac Ha through the moutain road, arrival in Bac Ha, check in local homestay and hiking in ethnic villages around Bac Ha to explore the lives of the Hmong, the Tay and the Phu La… Dinner and overnight in Bac Ha.

Day 8: Bac Ha – Bac Ha market – Ha Giang(B.L.D)
Breakfast at homestay. In early morning to visit Bac Ha typical and colorful market where you meet different ethnies such as : Hmong, Tays, Nungs, Phu La… who come from two countries Vietnam and China. Depart to Ha Giang via the mountain road. Lunch at local restaurant. Continuation to Ha Giang through fabulous landcapes and several stops on the way for the beautiful pictures and visits. Dinner and overnight in Ha Giang.
 

Day 9: Ha Giang – Yen Minh – Quan Ba – Pho Bang – Dong Van(B.L.D)
Breakfast at hotel. Depart to Dong Van “unique stone plateau” and “geopark”. Visit the Gate of Heaven Quan Ba Moutains and Fairy mountain. Lunch at local restaurant. Then, visit Pho Bang village with typical houses with thatched roofs and the Summer Palace of Vuong Chi Sinh, King of Hmong ethnic during the conolial period. Continue to Dong Van and visit the Dong Van ancient city and its colonial market. Dinner and overnight in Dong Van.

Day 10: Dong Van – Meo Vac – Bao Lac(B.L)
Breakfast at hotel. Depart to Bao Lac from Dong Van via Ma Phi Leng pass, stop at the pass for a panoramic view at Nho Que river et for beautiful photos. Continuation to Bao Lac and arrival in Bao Lac in early afternoon, walk in the surrounding villagse of Bao Lac to discover the life and daily activities of the Black Lo Lo, the Phu La, the Tay… This is the region where France 2 made the documentary film “Rendez-vous en terre inconnue”. Dinner and overnight in Bao Lac.

Day 11: Bao Lac – Ba Be lake (B.L.D)
After breakfast, depart to Ba Be through beautiful sceneries. Several stops on the way for beautiful pictures and visits. Continue to Ba Be via Na Ban and Na Phac. Lunch at local restaurant. Arrival in Ba Be in early afternoon. Check in the traditional house on stilt for a welcome cup of tea and walk around the village to discover the daily life of the Tays. Dinner and overnight at homestay.

Day 12: Ba Be – Ba Be boat cruise – Cao Bang (B.L.D)
Breakfast at hotel. Make a nice cruise in Ba Be lake which knowns as the most beautiful freshwater lake in Vietnam to discover the most beautiful and quite corners here. Continue the cruise on the Nang River through the beautiful grotto named Poung, visit Dau Dang waterfall, the most beautiful waterfall in this erea. Lunch at local restaurant. You say goodbye to the family where we spent an unforgettable night and depart to Cao Bang through forests landscapes and ethnic villages. Arrival in Cao Bang, check in hotel and discover the central market. Dinner at local restaurant and overnight at hotel.

Day 13: Cao Bang – Ban Gioc waterfall – Nguom Ngao cave – Cao Bang (B.L.D)
After breakfast, depart to Ban Gioc waterfall, the most beautiful waterfall in Vietnam where you can walk or swim. Local lunch beside the waterfall. Return to Cao Bang, on the way back and visit Nguom Ngao Caves, this enormous cave has two main entrances and one branch reaching almost all the way to the waterfalls where is a “secret” entrance. Dinner at local restaurant and overnight at hotel in Cao Bang.

Day 14: Cao Bang – Lang Son (B.L.D)
Breakfast at hotel. Depart to Lang Son from Cao Bang by colonial road no 4 ( the famous RC 4) built by the French. Visit the Dong Khe and That Khe historic battle. Lunch at local restaurant. Then, you will go to Coc Xa, historic place where the French army had a major defeat during the Indochina War (Battle of RC 4, October 1950). Arrival in Lang Son, border town with China, visit Tam Thanh cave and Ky Lua market. Dinner and overnight in Lang Son.

Day 15: Lang Son – Halong (B.L.D)
After breakfast, depart to Halong via Bac Giang and arrival in Halong at noon.
12h00 – 12h30: Embark on boat followed by a short cruise briefing.
13h00 – 15h30: Savor a delectable lunch as cruises among the limestone islands.
15h30 – 16h30: Kayak among the hidden areas of the bay, around the Bo Nau Cave area. Back to the boat
16h30 – 17h30: Cruising to Soi Sim island. Go swimming and relaxing at the beach of Soi Sim or climb up to the top of the island for a panorama view of Halong Bay.
17h30: Cruise back to the main boat for a shower. Relax or snap photos as the sun starts to set.
19h00: Dinner is served. Socialize with other guests, fish for squid, or just laze around. Overnight on board..

Day 16: Halong – Phu Lang village – Departure (B.L)
06h30 - 07h00: Start your day with Tai Chi exercises or a photo hunt.
07h30 - 08h30: Have breakfast at sunrise.
08h30 - 09h30: Explore the amazing Sung Sot Cave - the nicest cave in Halong Bay.
09h30: Return to the boat. Freshen up and check out of your cabin.
09h30 - 10h30: Continue your cruise exploring the Bay, passing Ba Hang fishing village, Dog Islet, and more.
10h30 – 11h30: While heading back to the habor, watch the cooking demonstration before enjoying a traditional Vietnamese lunch.
12h00 – 12h30: Disembark andreturn to Hanoi through Phu Lang pottery village where you can see the stages of manufacturing pottery, ceramics and earthenwares. Transfer to the airport for the departure flight. End of our  services.