DAY 1: HANOI – TUYEN QUANG – HA GIANG
The first day of the trip to North East Vietnam is mainly on bus as driving from Hanoi to Ha Giang. The seven hour trip goes fast with beautiful view of densely forested mountain ranges, steeping valleys with vast rice fields and plantations, the river with landscapes along the bank. The utmost is the township lying on the bank of the Lo River of residence by the Nung, Tay, Dzao, La Chi and Pa Then. Their house, their costumes, their life style and spiritual belief are the impression of the day.
Many stop en route for the conversation to the tribes, visit their houses with stories and observation, impression of the day will come.
Overnight in Ha Giang.
DAY 2: HA GIANG – QUAN BA – YEN MINH
Depart to Yen Minh via the spectacular Pak Sum and Quan Ba passes. The stunning view of the Quan Ba pass of mountain among the cloud ocean makes it known as Heaven Gate. The rice terraces around Quan Ba make great panoramic view under the vast mountain areas the view uniquely Vietnamese.
A little further drive takes you to some villages along the road where we can take a 2-hour easy trek to visit villages of Tay and Dzay people en route before having lunch and rest in Quan Ba town. In the afternoon, the visit to another village of the Hmong people at Ha Son village make the day full of meeting local tribes.
Overnight in Yen Minh.
DAY 3: YEN MINH – LUNG CU – DONG VAN
The North East Vietnam trip today is with less drive but more visitings. Spend 2 hours in the morning to attend the back-date market of hill tribal people in Pho Cao, down to Sung La valley to meet the H’mong, Dzao and Lo Lo ethnic peoples.
Further visiting can be the historical site of the Vuong family palace (H’mong King’s Palace) who ruled over the region and control opium production and trading until 1945, Lung Cu Flag Tower dividing point between Vietnam and China with spectacular scenery, Dong Van old corner.
The beautiful view along the short drive includes the rock plateau of Dong Van, which describes the farm and plantation of hill tribes on rock only.
DAY 4: DONG VAN – MA PI LENG – MEO VAC – CAO BANG
Leave Dong Van and drive over the Ma Pi Leng Pass to enjoy its magnificent and spectacular scenery en route. That’s the special views of roads simply cut into the side of a cliff face, the towering cliff rises to the clouds, the river along the drive with magnificent view of the banks, the zig zag road ways to the mountain top, etc.
Visit a H’mong village at Ma Pi Leng to understand how they cultivate and develop plantations on the rock land. Overnight in Cao Bang.
DAY 5: CAO BANG – BAN GIOC WATERFALL
Enjoy the excursion to Ban Gioc Waterfall, the best one in Northern Vietnam and the biggest one in Southest Asia. Take a raft along the stream to get close-up photos of the fall, or have a short walk upstream to see more incredible surrounding picture.
Overnight in Cao Bang.
DAY 6: CAO BANG – BA BE LAKE (130KM)
The drive of 3 hours take you to Ba Be which is famous for the national park, the beautiful view of the lake and Tay people living place. Ba Be lake is a fresh water lake 180m above the sea level with length of 8km and 1km wide. Babe lake is in the middle of a national park above a karst topography, making the big diversity and specialty of fauna and flora.
Meet your local host for a homestay of the Tay minority. Get welcomed and familiarized with the family, and have lunch. In the afternoon, enjoy a boat ride in this tranquil lake, which adds a peaceful taste into the impression so far by the stunning view of the North East Vietnam.
Dinner with the hosts.
Day 7: Ba Be – Hanoi (200km)
Enjoy the countryside ambiance with wake up call from the rooster. Take a short walk around the village or by the edge of the lake.
Make a drive back to Hanoi across endless tea plantation of Thai Nguyen province. Stop en route and have conversation with the local tea collector to understand why Vietnam can be the 6th biggest tea producer of the world.
Arrive Hanoi in the late afternoon.
