TIME: 9 days 8 nights
TRANSPORT: By car and train
ORIGIN: Hanoi
DESTINATION: Sapa
Highlights- Ha Noi city tour: Literature Temple, Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son Temple; pedicab ride around the Old Quarters; water puppet show – Explore the life in ethnic minority villages – Terrace rice fields in Hoang Su Phi – Xin Man Market, Sapa Market
Day 1: Arrival – Ha Noi (D)
Flight to Ha Noi. Arrive in Ha Noi. Car and guide pick up and take a city tour to visit Literature Temple, Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son Temple and take a pedicab ride in the Old Quarter. Enjoy an evening water puppet show. Dinner. Overnight in Ha Noi.
Day 2: Ha Noi – Ha Giang (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning, transfer to Ha Giang, the remote Northern province, located at the highest latitude in Viet Nam. On arrival, visit Tay village of Thon Tha. Enjoy an evening cultural show at the Tay village of Tien Thang (optional with surcharge). Overnight in Ha Giang.
Day 3: Ha Giang – Dong Van (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Dong Van via Quang Ba valley and Yen Minh district. On the way, stop to visit Dao village at Na Khe, Pho Cao village, H’Mong village of Lung Cam and the old palace of H’Mong King Vuong Chinh Duc. Overnight in Dong Van.
Day 4: Dong Van – Ha Giang (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a morning tour of Dong Van ancient town. Have a leisurely walk around the ancient streets with the H’Mong old houses, built in clay bricks and tile roofs centuries ago. Then visit the colorful Sunday Dong Van Fair. Drive back to Ha Giang over the spectacular Ma Pi Leng Pass, a perfect place for photo stop. Overnight in Ha Giang.
Day 5: Ha Giang – Bac Ha (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. Leave Ha Giang for Bac Ha. Along the way, stop to visit the terrace rice fields in Hoang Su Phi and the Xin Man Market. Overnight in Bac Ha.
Day 6: Bac Ha – Fair – Sa Pa (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. Drive on winding road to Tuesday Coc Ly Fair, or Saturday Can Cau Fair or Sunday Bac Ha Fair, one of the most exciting fairs of ethnic minorities in Lao Cai. Then, transfer to Trung Do village where you can observe the traditional lifestyle of Tay tribal people and their costumes and handicrafts. Take a boat trip along Chay River to marvel at spectacular valley scenery. Get off the boat at Bao Nhai. Transfer to Sa Pa. On arrival Sa Pa, explore Red Dao and the Black H’Mong villages at Ta Phin. Overnight in Sa Pa.
Day 7: Sapa – Lao Cai – Train (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning, take a trek along buffalo paths and trails and through several hill tribe villages of Lao Chai and Ta Van, home to Black H’Mong, and Dzay people. Once at Muong Hoa Valley floor, you can really appreciate the wonderful scenery that surrounds you. Afternoon, drop into Sa Pa Market, and then drive to Ta Phin visiting a Red Dao village. Transfer to Lao Cai Railway Station to catch a night train to Ha Noi. Overnight aboard the train.
Day 8: Ha Noi
Arrive at Ha Noi Railway Station early in the morning. Pick up and transfer for a full day tour of Ha Noi to visit Lake of Restored Sword, Ngoc Son Temple, the Temple of Literature, the Ethnology Museum (closed on Monday). Enjoy pedicab ride around the old quarters of Ha Noi. Afternoon, visit Vietnam Fine Arts Museum (closed on Monday) and then drive to the famous Bat Trang pottery village. Overnight in Ha Noi.
Day 9: Ha Noi – Departure (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. Spend last minutes shopping before checkout. Transfer to the airport for departure flight. End of service.
NOTE: The tour itinerary is sometimes subject to small modifications depending on weather and road conditions, train schedules, hotel room availability.
B – Breakfast / L – Lunch / D – Dinner
PRICE
Starting at $1113 /person (for a group of minimum 2 people).