NORTHWEST & NORTHEAST LOOP - 15 DAYS 14 NIGHTS

08:00. Your guide and driver will pick up from your hotel in Hanoi for your scenic drive through the Red River Delta and the hilly area of Thai Nguyen Province. Time for photos on route, admire the stunning scenery of rice fields, mountains and stilt-house villages. 

By 12noon, arrive at Quynh Son village. Enjoy a traditional  Vietnamese lunch at a local stilt house, and a chance to chat with the friendly host.

In the afternoon, trek for 3.5 hours along the rural back roads. This gives a great chance for a closer look at local farming and local life. At the end of the trek, return by car to the homestay. 

Rest of the afternoon at your leisure.

Dinner with the homestay host family. Overnight in Quynh Son.
 

08:00. After breakfast, check-out of the homestay. Depart Bac Son in Lang Son Province for the northern mountain province of Cao Bang. The landscape and terrain changes from the midlands to highlands. View the wild beauty of the mountainous area, the rice terraces and the colorfully dressed ethnic minority people. 

Arrive Khuoi Ky ancient stone village.  Check-in and lunch at the local homestay.

In the afternoon, visit Nguom Ngao Cave (in the Tay ethnic language it means tiger cave). It is the most famous limestone grotto in Cao Bang Province thanks to its uniqueness, its size and a stunning stalactite environment. 

Back to the homestay.

Local dinner and overnight in Khuoi Ky.
 

After breakfast, check-out of your homestay. Take a private transfer to visit Ban Gioc Waterfalls, the largest waterfall in Vietnam. The top of the falls can be seen in three parts divided by rocks and trees. Enjoy the imposing scene and as the water cascades down the cliff and hits the sunlight you may be lucky to see a rainbow!

Lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, visit Phuc Sen forging village of the Nung ethnic people in Quang Uyen District. See the charcoal kilns burning, sparks splashing. The villagers will proudly share the history and stories of their village with you and demonstrate the age-old craft of traditional forging.

Depart the village for a short drive to Quang Uyen.

Check in your hotel. Rest of the day at your leisure.

Dinner and overnight in Quang Uyen.
 

08:30. After breakfast, check-out of your hotel in Quang Uyen. Travel through pristine, magestic terrain to Bao Lac, a rural district in Cao Bang Province, crossing mountain passes with great views of the rice fields.

Arrive Bao Lac town. Lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, visit the colorful local market, popular with many of the ethnic minorities who live in the area. Goods traded at the market include all kinds from clothes and textiles, food and drink, to farm equipment and household utilities.

Check-in to your hotel. Rest of the day at your leisure.

Dinner and overnight in Bao Lac town.
 

09:00. Check-out of the hotel and have breakfast at a local restaurant. 

Depart for Pa Vi Ha village in Meo Vac District, Ha Giang Province, located in a smallish valley surrounded by rocky mountains at the foot of Ma Pi Leng Pass with a total area of up to 46,000 m2. 

Arrive Pa Vi Ha and enter a world of peace and relaxation.  This area is one framed by majestic mountains and forests, and buckwheat fields, interspersed with small houses of the H’mong local ethnicpeople.

Check-in to your homestay. Rest of the day at your leisure to explore the village.

Dinner and overnight in Pa Vi Ha.
 

08:00. After breakfast at your local homestay, check-out and travel to Dong Van town, nestled in a valley in the heart of the Dong Van Stone Plateau in Ha Giang Province. On route, we will come to the Ma Pi Leng Pass, located between Meo Vac Commune and Dong Van, which is probably the most impressive mountain pass in Vietnam. 

Next comes a boat trip along Nho Que River at the foot of the Ma Pi Leng Pass. The river originates in the Yunnan mountainous region of China, and enters Vietnam at Seo Lung village, Lung Cu Commune, Dong Van District. The Nho Que River passes through Tu San Abyss Alley and runs along the Ma Pi Leng Pass, like a silk ribbon embracing Seo Lung village.

Back in the car, continue the journey to Dong Van town. Lunch at a local restaurant. 

Our tour in the afternoon takes us to Dong Van Old Quarter which dates from the early 20th century. Afterwards, visit Vuong Palace (also known as Vua Meo - King of the H’Mong)  and Pao's house. Pao's house was featured in a famous Vietnamese movie of 2006 and has now become a must-see destination in Ha Giang Province. It is designed in a typical upland architectural style, embodying the simple way of life of the ethnic minority people in the area. 

Next we travel to Thon Tha village, a beautiful sweet little village with a population of about 550 people. It is a great place to experience day-to-day traditional life of the Tay ethnic minority.   

Check-in to your homestay.
Rest of the day at your leisure to wander around the village.

Dinner and overnight in Thon Tha.
 

After breakfast, check-out of your homestay. Say goodbye to Thon Tha and set off on a full day journey through Hoang Su Phi and Xin Man to Bac Ha town, Lao Cai Province. The road between Ha Giang and Xin Man District features a unique and beautiful landscape. This is a challenging and stunning journey zig-zagging  up and down the winding roads. Along the way we may meet various etchnic minorities including the Nung, Tay, Red Dzao, Dzao Ao Dzai, La Chi and Co Lao, and many hill tribe groups who have settled in the region. 

We pass by Hoang Su Phi, an upland border district, located in Ha Giang Province, passing through spectacular mountain terrain. The Hoang Su Phi area  retains the cultural features and  traditional character of the local ethnic Tay, Nung, H’mong, Red Dzao, Dzao Ao Dai. 

The scenic drive between Hoang Su Phi and Bac Ha takes approximely 3 hours.

Arrive Bac Ha town, check-in to your hotel. Rest of the day at your leisure.

Dinner and overnight in Bac Ha town.
 

After breakfast, check-out of your hotel. Your private guide will take you to visit King Hoang A Tuong Palace, an imposing building designed in a combined Asian-European architectural style with a closed rectangular layout. It was owned by a tribal manderin and his son Hoang Yen Chao and Hoang A Tuong.

The next stop is a great area for walking. Ban Pho village of the Flower H’mong people is about 7 km from Bac Ha town. It retains the picturesque beauty of a highland village. Against a background of thick forest and mountainous terrain the homes of the H’mong ethnic look like birds’ nests clinging to the cliffs.  Trek through the beautiful valley with plum orchards and corn fields, meet the locals and enjoy their warm hospitality, including their famous alcoholic corn wine.

Lunch at a local restaurant.

After lunch, travel  to Sapa town. At an elevation of 1,500 m, Sapa was founded in the early years of the last century as a hill resort for French administrators keen to escape the heat of the Red River Delta area. 

Arrive Sapa town, check-in to your hotel. Rest of the day at your leisure.

Dinner and overnight in Sapa.
 

After breakfast, start the day with a 2-hour drive to the lowest valley in Sapa, passing through a beautiful landscape of huge rice terraces and fields of corn. Pass through Ban Ho village, ascend to My Son village and then Nam Cang village home to a number of ethnic minorities including the Xa Pho, Red Zao and White H’mong. 

Stop at Nam Than village to visit the home of an ethnic minority family before crossing a suspension bridge. Along the way you will see many waterfalls, stunning views of the lowest valley, rice terraces and buffalo houses on stilts.
     
This wonderful 2-hour trek ends with lunch at a minority stilt house in Thanh Phu village. 

In the afternoon, return to Sapa by private vehicle. 

Check in your hotel and rest of the day at your leisure.

Dinner and overnight in Sapa.
 

After breakfast, check-out of your hotel and depart for Lai Chau a few hours away. On route, stop off at the Silver Waterfall, and Heavens Gate (Tram Ton Pass) which at 2,047 m above sea level is the highest moutain pass in Vietnam. From here you can see Fansipan, the highest mountain in the Indochina Peninsula, as well as enjoy stunning views of Binh Lu valley. You will also experience how the dramatically the climate can suddenly change.

Continue our trip to Lai Chau via Phong Tho District and Sin Ho town. This small town is located on the highest peak of the Sin Ho Plateau in Lai Chau Province, over 2,000 m above sea level, and is surrounded by verdant mountain ranges enveloped in clouds. Sin Ho town looks like “the second Sapa” of Lai Chau Province but with a more stubborn and fickle climate than Sapa’s. 

Arrival Lai Chau town. Check-in to your hotel. Rest of the day at leisure.

Dinner and overnight in Lai Chau.
 

After breakast check-out of your hotel. Today our journey continues on to Dien Bien Phu - the site of the decisive battle in Vietnam’s fight for independence against the French in 1954. The long, wide valley that encloses the town of Dien Bien Phu was the scene of a fierce, 57-day siege on French positions that decisively ended French rule in Indochina.

Upon arrival, lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, visit the historical sites of the first Indochina war including the Dien Bien Phu Victory Museum and A1 Hill.

After the tour, check-in  to your hotel. Rest of the day at leisure.

Dinner and overnight in Dien Bien Phu.
 

After breafkast, check-out of your hotel. Say goodbye to Dien Bien Phu as we travel to Son La Province via Tuan Giao, a remote mountain town home to many ethnic minorities such as the White Thai and H'mong who retain their traditional style of dress. Drive across the amazing Pha Din Pass, which will be the highlight of the day. In local language, Pha Din means heaven and earth. At 1,000 m above sea level, the pass is full of twists and turns; one side is an upright cliff and the other is a steep drop. As the vehicle climbs up and  down the slopes along the many bends and deep gorges, this will definitely be one of the unforgettable trips during your travels in Vietnam.

Arrive Son La. Check-in to your hotel for a short rest. 
     
Lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, visit former Son La prison built in 1908 by the French; it was expanded in 1930 and 1940 to accommodate the growing numbers of political prisoners and revolutionaries of the Viet Minh liberation movement. Nicknamed 'the grinder', the prison was notorious for being the most miserable place in the country to be incarcerated. 

Return to your hotel. Rest of the day at your leisure.

Dinner and overnight in Son La.
 

After breakfast check-out of your hotel and depart for Mai Chau, a beautiful valley inhabited by the Thai ethnic people in Hoa Binh Province. This is an authentic hill tribe region and a fantastic base for treks and home stay adventures. On the way stop for photos and visit some local markets.

Arrive Mai Chau. Check-in to your hotel.

Lunch in the hotel's restaurant.

In the afternoon, enjoy a walking tour exploring the surrounding villages, meet local people and learn about how they tend their crops and raise livestock. 

Return to your hotel. Rest of the day at leisure.

Dinner and overnight in Mai Chau.
 

Breakst and a full day to relax and chill out. 

Overnight in Mai Chau.
 

After breakfast, check-out of your hotel. Meet your private tour guide and driver for your return to Ha Noi. Drop off at your hotel.

End of the tour.
 

Yes. A single supplement is available with a surcharge fee. If you're a solo traveller, please contact us for more information. 

Yes, all visitors to Vietnam must be covered by a minimum of travel medical insurance with a liability of US$10,000 or more for COVID-19 treatment. A more robust travel insurance policy for a trip to Vietnam is optional, but highly recommended due to the unpredictable nature of international travel.

Although the only travel insurance legally required to visit Vietnam is the medical coverage related to COVID-19, there are many other aspects of a trip overseas that can quickly become costly if things go awry. Travel insurance for Vietnam can be a great asset in unexpected situations, lessening the financial burden on a traveler in an emergency or otherwise difficult situation.

Vietnam trip insurance can include a variety of coverages designed to assist travelers in unforeseen situations. Travelers may choose between plans that offer specific coverage for their unique concerns, which may include airline delays or disruptions, sudden illness or injury while abroad, trip cancellation, and much more. These coverages do vary by plan, so be sure to review your policy carefully before purchasing.

Yes. Travel Health Insurance covering Covid-19 is mandatory. To enter Vietnam, you must show evidence of health or travel insurance that covers COVID-related medical care up to a minimum of US$10,000 for the duration of your visit. Failure to produce this may result in being refused entry to the country.

The price of Vietnam travel protection can vary depending on the age, health status, and number of travelers being covered, as well as the duration of the trip and type of coverage.
As risk involved with the trip increases, prices may also increase. For example, a trip to Vietnam that lasts one week may cost less than a two-week trip, even if the type of coverage is the same, due to the extended length of the trip. Additionally, a traveler with pre-existing health conditions can usually expect to pay higher rates than a traveler who does not have any diagnosed pre-existing conditions.