AUTHENTIC COLORS OF NORTH VIETNAM

DURATION

14 Days 13 Nights

DESTINATIONS

​Hanoi – Tuyen Quang - Hoang Su Phi – Ha Giang - Dong Van – Bao Lac – Ba Be – Cao Bang – Ban Gioc – Lang Son – Lan Ha Bay

RECOMMENDATIONS

  • This tour is suitable for active people under 70 years. 
  • Best time to go: This tour can be taken during the whole year, however, to see the ripe rice season, the best time is from late August to early September or the harvest season from September-October

✔ Discover the highlights of the capital city Hanoi  
✔ Experience making rice paper in the ancient Vietnamese village of Tho Ha
✔ Hike in Hoang Su Phi to visit the rice field terraces and meet the ethnic hill tribes 
✔ Visit the Quan Ba “Heaven’s Gate”, the adobe houses with typical thatched roofs, the H’mong King Palace in Dong Van
✔ Enjoy the panorama over the huge abyss from the massive Ma Pi Leng Pass to the Nho Que River
✔ Discover the lifestyle and daily work of Black LoLo ethnic tribe in Bao Lac
✔ Take a boat trip in Ba Be Lake to visit the Dau Dang Waterfall and Puong Cave
✔ Enjoy the spectacular beauty of the Ban Gioc Waterfall in Cao Bang.  
✔ Take a cruise in Lan Ha Bay among thousands of spectacular limestone islets rising from the clear emerald Gulf of Tonkin.
✔ Take a rowboat trip to explore the stunning wetlands of the Van Long Nature Reserve.
✔ Discover the highlights of the capital city Hanoi 
 
INCLUSIONS
 
✔ Accommodation with daily breakfast as mentioned or similar
✔ Transfer services in air conditioned vehicle with private driver
✔ Entrance fees, and boat fees where applicable
✔ Meals as listed in the program, pre-arranged at local restaurants based on local food
✔ Private local English/French/Spanish/Italian Speaking guide as itinerary indicated
✔ Shared local English speaking guide on boat in HaLong bay
✔ 01 night on boat in HaLong bay
✔ Domestic flight ticket: Hanoi – Hue for Extension,
including airport tax, 12kg of handbag and 23kg of checked luggage
 EXCLUSIONS
 
✘ Drinks and surcharge for special request on foods and meals
​✘ Entrance fees, guide service during free time & other personal expenses
​✘ Surcharge for public holidays (if any)
​✘ Travel insurance
​✘ Gratuities
​✘ Visa entry to VietNam (if any)
✘ All other services not mentioned in the program

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PROGRAM

Day 1 Hanoi arrival

Upon arrival at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, you will be welcomed by our guide and transferred to your hotel in the city center to check in. Relax after a long journey.
 
Overnight in Hanoi.
 
OPTIONAL: Ancient peaceful village – half day
Travel 45 minutes southeast of Hanoi to the hidden countryside. Stop at the most ancient bronze casting village, stroll through the village, and engage in a friendly chat with local artisans to understand more about the process of bronze casting as well as their efforts to keep this traditional craft alive. 
 
You will enjoy a leisure walk through lush rice fields and fruit farms to reach the hidden 300-year-old village that still retained its bucolic beauty, typical of the countryside villages of the Red River Delta.  Tour the peaceful village and immerse yourself in rural life and ancient Vietnamese architecture.  Visit an ancient house to chat with the friendly owners over a cup of tea, allowing you to appreciate the history of the village as well as the lifestyle of Northern people. 
 
Make a stop at the untouched village market which takes place only 12 times each month. Cap off your memorable cultural exploration today by stopping at an ancient pagoda built in the 1600s. Have a cup of tea and interact with the Head Monk. Then, enjoy a prayer ceremony for a good life, close your eyes while holding the candles and silently make a wish.

Day 2 Hanoi city tour

The day starts with a visit to the complex dedicated to Ho Chi Minh, the nation’s founder, containing the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (CLOSED on Monday and Friday afternoons), and his House on Stilts. This complex also comprises the One Pillar Pagoda, whose origins date back to the foundation of Hanoi city.
 
Take a short drive to visit the fascinating Museum of Ethnology, which is both a research center and a public museum, with exhibits of the 54 recognized ethnic groups of Vietnam.
 
In the afternoon, you will continue to visit Van Mieu- Quoc Tu Giam, the Temple of Literature and Vietnam’s first university, constructed in the 11th century:  the gardens and well-preserved architecture offer a serene glimpse into Vietnam's past.
 
You will then take a cyclo (rickshaw) ride around the Old Quarter streets, which were named after the specific goods once offered for sale at these places. Stop at Hoan Kiem Lake for photos.
 
Overnight in Hanoi.
Meal: Breakfast.
 
OPTIONAL: The Quintessence of Tonkin Show
The Quintessence of Tonkin Show is an outdoor spectacle that reaffirms Hanoi's position as the cultural capital of Vietnam. Showcasing traditional elements of Vietnamese culture in a contemporary and innovative way, the Quintessence of Tonkin Show delivers audiences a unique and memorable exploration of the Red River Delta — the beating heart of northern Vietnam.
Show schedule: Daily 20.00-21.00 (except rainy days)
Address: Da Phuc Village, Sai Son Commune, Quoc Oai District, Hanoi, Vietnam
Distance: 22km from downtown Hanoi ~50-60 minutes by bus due to busy traffic.
Dinner time: 18.00-20.00
Join-in Tonkin Show:  20.00-21.00
Return time to hotel: ~ 22.00

Day 3 Hanoi – Tho Ha Traditional Village – Tuyen Quang

This morning, you will take a short drive away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Hanoi and a short ferry ride across the Cau River to explore Tho Ha Village. Despite the influence of outside modern life, the village still retains its undeniable bucolic beauty, typical of the countryside villages of the Red River Delta where life is slow and simple with inhabitants living close to nature and culture. 
Upon arrival, you will see the colorful village market where villagers pick up all necessary items for daily consumption.
Stroll through the village’s narrow alleys which showcase rural life and ancient Vietnamese architecture of the late 1800s. See local villagers at work as your guide points out traditional rural activities such as making rice paper for spring rolls and pig farming. Notice the many bamboo racks filled with drying rice paper, speaking to the current trade of many of its inhabitants after the fading of the pottery industry.
 
Make a stop at a local family where you will enjoy a local rice wine or tea and have a friendly conversation with the hosts to gain insights into life in the village
You will then take the road to Tuyen Quang where you will arrive in late afternoon.
 
Overnight in Tuyen Quang
Meal: Breakfast.

Day 4 Tuyen Quang - Hoang Su Phi

Breakfast at your hotel, after which you will get on Highway 2 from Tuyen Quang to Hoang Su Phi. Hoang Su Phi is well known for its breathtaking landscapes of rice field terraces, decor for life of many mountain ethnic groups. On arrival, you will visit the rice field terraces of Ban Phung, Ban Peo, Ta Su Choong and the village of Nam Hong, country of the Red Dzao ethnic groups, nestled in a superb natural area.
 
Overnight in Hoang Su Phi
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Day 5 Hoang Su Phi – Dong Van

After breakfast, you will depart for Ha Giang. On the way, you will visit the Thon Tha Village of Tay people. Thon Tha Village is one of the cultural villages for community tourism promoted by Ha Giang Province in recent years. This greatly supports the lives of the inhabitants who make a living from rice growing and artisanal activities.
 
Continue the road to the Dong Van karst plateau, which is a member of the  UNESCO Global Geoparks Network. You visit the “Heaven’s Gate” of Quan Ba and the “Quan Ba Fairy Bosom” in Yen Minh, Pho Bang Village the “Mountains Breast Fairy” in Yen Minh, with its typical adobe houses and thatched roofs, the H’mong King, home of Vuong Chinh Duc, a H’mong wealthy and powerful man. Arrival in Dong Van by
 the end of afternoon.
 
Overnight in Dong Van
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 6 Dong Van – Meo Vac – Bao Lac

After breakfast, you will take the road from Dong Van to Bao Lac by way of the massive Ma Pi Leng Pass (known as the King of Vietnamese mountain passes). You will take a break on the Pass to admire the panoramic views over the huge abyss which is hemmed by the Nho Que River, which separates Vietnam from China.
 
Arrival in Bao Lac in the early afternoon, walk around the hilltop villages, on the border between Vietnam and China. Discover life and occupations of the LoLo Black Tribe; a documentary filmed by French TV presenter Frederic Lopez titled “Rendez-vous in an Unknown Region” features the small tribal community of Black LoLo and includes the famous French rugby player Frederic Michalak, who took part in the Black LoLo’s daily activities and discovered them to be "unique people who are fantastic and sentimental". He also learned about their tradition of planting rice that has been passed on for centuries. (You can see the film on YouTube)
 
Overnight in Bao Lac
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 7 Bao Lac – Ba Be

After breakfast, you will depart to explore the sublime Ba Be National Park. You arrive in this natural jewel by a beautiful mountain road crossing filled with many ethnic villages in the early afternoon.
Lunch at local restaurant or local house
Check out a large house on stilts.
You will then walk to explore the beautiful surroundings and visit the Hua Ma Cave (3-5km walk), featuring thousands of millions-year old stalactites and stalagmites. The rest of the day is yours to relax and enjoy the serene views.
 
Overnight in Ba Be
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 8 Ba Be – Cao Bang

After breakfast, you will take a boat trip down the Nang River to discover Ba Be Lake, Vietnam’s largest natural lake and the centerpiece of an extensive National Park. The park and surrounding areas are limestone country, so lakes, waterfalls, caves, and unusual rock formations abound. The whole area is richly forested and is home to many ethnic minority communities.
After the two-hour boat trip and visits to the Dau Dang Waterfall and Puong Cave, you will get back to the homestay for lunch and then check out.
 
In the afternoon, you will be back on the road to Cao Bang, and get there in the early evening.
 
Overnight in Cao Bang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 9 Cao Bang – Ban Gioc - Cao Bang

Our tour guide will pick you up and proceed to the Ban Gioc Waterfall via picturesque roads and scenery along the way. The falls, fed by the Quay Son River that delineates the border with China, is an impressive sight and in a highly scenic location. At 30 meters high and 300 meters across Ban Gioc, it is the widest – but not the highest – waterfall in the country.
 
Lunch at a local restaurant near the waterfall.
 
Returning to Cao Bang, you will visit the Nguom Ngao Cave on the way. This immense cave holds a series of majestic, jaw-dropping caverns, filled with delicate and intricate formations of stalactites and stalagmites. Later, visit the Phuc Sen Blacksmith Village, the Phia Thap Incense Village and the central market of Cao Bang.
 
Overnight in Cao Bang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 10 Cao Bang – Lang Son

Today, to get to Lang Son, we will take the famous colonial road of A4 or RC4 (Route Coloniale 4). This ancient route had a major strategic importance during the French Indochina War. Visit along the way the former French military posts that lined RC4 such as Dong Khe and That Khe.
 
Lunch at a local restaurant
Continue on the road to Coc Xa where over 5000 French soldiers were killed in one night during the French Indochina war, in September and October 1950. These battles ended in the defeat of the French troops.
 
You will arrive in Lang Son at the end of afternoon.
 
Overnight in Lang Son
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 11 Lang Son – Lan Ha Bay

Our driver and tour guide will pick you up at your hotel and head to Lan Ha Bay – where thousands of spectacular limestone islets and grottoes rise from the clear emerald Gulf of Tonkin. You will arrive at the port after about a two-hour drive, and proceed with check in.
Enjoy a welcome drink on board.
Followed by our cruise briefing when you will also be given safety instructions before checking into your cabins. While the ship is sailing, you enjoy a bon-appetite lunch.
Time to relax as the ship sails through many stone islets and floating villages.
Visit the Light and Dark Water Cave, where you can go kayaking or board a bamboo boat oared by local people.
Free time on your own on the sundeck.
Dinner would be ready at this time, as the ship anchors off at a quiet designated overnight area.
 
Note: Itinerary is subject to change according to weather conditions or local administration regulations and the ship’s availability.  
 
Overnight on board.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

Day 12 Lan Ha Bay – Ninh Binh

Wake up early to enjoy the dawn and start a perfect new day with Tai Chi exercise on the sundeck or enjoy the breathtaking views of the bay while the ship cruises leisurely in Lan Ha Bay.
Have a light breakfast in the restaurant.
 
You will then take a 20-minute bus ride from the Gia Luan Pier to visit a Cave in Cat Ba Island. During the trip, you will be immersed in the wild fresh natural scenery of Cat Ba National Park. Back to the ship.
 
Enjoy brunch on board while cruising toward the pier and disembarking around noon time. Our driver will transfer you to Ninh Binh.
 
Overnight in Ninh Binh
Meals: Breakfast, Brunch

Day 13 Ninh Binh – Hanoi

After breakfast, drive to the peaceful Van Long Nature Reserve in Ninh Binh, the largest wetland reserve of Northern Vietnam. Explore the Van Long area by cycling through peaceful and lush green villages, passing by rice fields, fishponds and the village market. Visit the home of a local farmer and share his daily farming tasks such as catching fish or crabs and bailing out water to the rice fields.
Enjoy a home-style lunch in a rustic, yet cozy, setting surrounded by rice fields and majestic limestone mountains.
 
After lunch, explore the stunning wetlands of the Van Long Nature Reserve via traditional rowboat.  Back on the road toward Hanoi.
Arrival in Hanoi in the late afternoon.
 
Overnight in Hanoi
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 14 Hanoi – Departure

Breakfast at your hotel,
Free time at your leisure until transfer to the airport for your flight back home.

Extension Hue – Hoi An : Day 14 Hanoi – Hue

After breakfast, you have free time until transfer to Noi Bai Airport for your flight to Hue. On arrival, our guide and driver will welcome you and transfer you to your hotel.
 
In the afternoon, you will visit the garden houses in Hue with their original architecture that are a great feature of a prosperous Vietnamese feudal dynasty from the 17th to the 19th centuries. Built with "Feng Shui" principles, the charming garden houses in Hue were the extensive living places of mandarins and royal relatives under the Nguyen Dynasty. An Hien Garden House was originally the residence of Emperor Duc Duc’s 18th daughter. The former home of Princess Ngoc Son is another great example of a garden house. Tour the house while the host will share with you some of its stories as well as its ancestors. After exploring the garden home, return to your hotel.
 
Overnight in Hue
Meal: Breakfast 

Day 15 Hue City tour

This morning takes you to most of the highlights and must-see attractions of the delightful city of Hue. Visit the Imperial City, which housed palaces, pavilions, civil and religious ceremonies, and official audiences with the civil mandarins. Continue your journey to Khai Dinh’s Tomb to admire a spectacular compound, idyllically located on the peaceful Chau Chu Mountain, a perfect architectural combination of European and Asian culture and between classic and contemporary features. 
 
This afternoon, you will enjoy a slow journey along the Perfume River on a traditional dragon boat. Visit the Thien Mu Pagoda, one of the most beautiful and well-preserved religious monuments in Vietnam, where you will gain a glimpse of Buddhism’s history in Vietnam. Then, continue the boat trip to the King Minh Mang’s Tomb on the left bank of the Huong River, which represents the perfect harmony between nature and architecture.
Onward to the Thanh Toan Village which has a tile-roofed bridge, one of the famous ancient bridges in Vietnam for its old architecture and historical and cultural values.
 
Overnight in Hue
Meal: Breakfast.

Day 16 Hue – Hoi An

In the morning, you will travel to the ancient town of Hoi An along one of Vietnam’s most beautiful coastal stretches and over the glorious Hai Van Pass (or the Pass of Ocean Cloud) which offers at its summit a superb panorama of the central coast and the beach of Lang Co – one of the most beautiful beaches of Vietnam.
 
Stop on the way to visit the Marble Mountain (Ngu Hanh Son), a group of five hills, made of limestone and marble. Located 9 km from DaNang, Ngu Hanh Son is a place of pilgrimage with caves, temples, tunnels and peaks.
 
Continue on the road to Hoi An and arrive around afternoon. Check-in and free at leisure.
 
Overnight at Hoi An.
Meal: Breakfast.

Day 17 Hoi An City tour – Go Noi Village

This morning, we will journey to the little-known peaceful village of Go Noi, located on the banks of the Thu Bon River and around 15km from downtown Hoi An. Learn the organic farming techniques and try your hand at some agricultural work such as raking the ground, sowing, watering and harvesting vegetables. Visit a wood carving workshop to learn more about the traditional techniques of making these beautiful handicrafts. Join a local family on a cooking demonstration featuring typical Central Vietnamese cuisine. 
 
After lunch, bid farewell to the host and drive back to downtown Hoi An. 
 
In the afternoon, you will do an easy walking tour to Hoi An ancient town, recently named as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Visit the Japanese covered bridge, the Chinese assembly hall, a typical Vietnamese merchant’s house, one of the more interesting museums and the local market. There are numerous art galleries, souvenirs, and tailor shops where you can get some express made-to-order clothes if you like.
 
Overnight in Hoi An
Meals: Breakfast, lunch 

Day 18 Hoi An – Da Nang – Departure

Breakfast at your hotel,
Free time at your leisure until transfer to the airport for your flight to back home.
 
-------End of our services -------

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