Itinerary
- Day 1
Mai Chau
You'll head out of town toward Mai Chau, a valley where the White Thai people live. Before you arrive there, you can stop and see the Dao Son Dau and Muong hill tribe groups if you'd like. By evening you'll be settled in for the night in Mai Chau.
Included Activities
- Visit Dao Son Dau hill tribe group
- Visit Muong hill tribe group
Landmarks Mai Chau 
- Day 2
Son La
Leaving Mai Chau, you'll travel through villages on hilly terrain with ups and downs. In Xa Linh, there's a two-hour trek through villages where Hmong people live. You'll cross the Moc Chau Plateau where tea plantations cover the hillsides and you might see Black Thai hill tribe people before reaching Son La.
Included Activities
- Two-hour trek past Hmong hill villages in Xa Linh
- Visit Moc Chau Plateau tea plantations
- Meet Black Thai hill tribe people
Landmarks Xa Linh Moc Chau Plateau - Day 3
Dien Bien Phu
This morning you'll check out Son La's provincial museum and the old prison nearby. After that you'll head out through the winding Pha Din Pass to Dien Bien Phu. This town was the site of the 1954 battle that played a major role in Vietnam's independence. Once you arrive, you can walk around town, see the museum about the battle, and view the battlefield with old French tanks and artillery still there.
Included Activities
- Visit Son La provincial museum
- Visit Son La old prison
- Visit Dien Bien Phu Museum
- Visit Dien Bien Phu battlefield with war relics
Landmarks Pha Din Pass Dien Bien Phu Battlefield - Day 4
Lai Chau
You'll travel north to Lai Chau Town on back roads where you'll see the real Vietnam without many other travelers around. After checking in, a relaxed two-hour boat trip waits on the Da River. You'll float through mountain landscapes and get close views of how local people live.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Two-hour boat trip along Da River
Landmarks Da River - Day 5
Muong Te - Lai Chau
Starting early, you'll head to Muong Te upstream on the Da River. This area is home to Thai, Ha Nhi, Cong, Si La, and La Hu ethnic groups. The roads are really rough, but the green mountains and colorful local populations make it worth it. You'll stop at villages that don't see many visitors, which is great for photos, then return to Lai Chau.
Included Activities
- Visit Muong Te upstream area
- Stop at ethnic minority villages
Landmarks Muong Te - Day 6
Sin Ho - Tam Duong
You're heading to Sin Ho, where Red Hmong, Kho Mu, Mang, and Dao minorities live and keep their traditional culture alive. From Sin Ho you'll travel through hilly terrain to Tam Duong, a quiet town with mountain views all around and tea plantations covering the slopes.
Included Activities
- Visit Sin Ho
Landmarks Sin Ho Tam Duong - Day 7
Sa Pa
After breakfast you'll drive along the main trade road through the northwestern region on a bumpy route connecting many hill towns. Sa Pa sits at 1,500 meters elevation and was built in the early 20th century as a French hill resort. You'll explore the town and see the French colonial buildings still standing.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Wander around Sa Pa town
- Visit French colonial period legacies
Landmarks Sa Pa - Day 8
Sa Pa
Sa Pa Market is where Red Dao, Black Hmong, Tay, and Xa Pho ethnic groups come down from the mountainsides to trade. You'll walk through beautiful mountain areas, pass rustic villages, and see locals doing daily work like logging, herding buffalo, and farming.
Included Activities
- Visit Sa Pa Market
- Walk through mountain villages
- Observe local daily activities
Landmarks Fansipan Mountain - Day 9
Bat Xat - Lao Cai
You'll head out through mountain landscape toward Bat Xat. There's a short walk through villages with Phu La, Dao, and Giay people where you can learn about their culture and history. From there you'll continue to Lao Cai, a border town where this part of your trip ends.
Included Activities
- Short walk through Phu La, Dao, and Giay villages
Landmarks Bat Xat Lao Cai - Day 10
Muong Khuong - Bac Ha
After breakfast you'll drive about two hours to Muong Khuong to see the weekend market where Hmong, Dao, Thu Lao, Pa Di, Tu Di, and Phu La groups gather. You can wander around this colorful market, then head to Bac Ha in the early afternoon. There you'll visit the former Hmong King's residence and Ban Pho where locals make maize alcohol.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Muong Khuong weekend market
- Visit Hmong King's former residence in Bac Ha
- Visit Ban Pho maize alcohol production village
Landmarks Muong Khuong Bac Ha - Day 11
Sin Man - Hoang Su Phi - Ha Giang
It's a full day of driving from Bac Ha through Sin Man and Hoang Su Phi to Ha Giang Town. The rough, winding roads go up and down through dense jungle, but the views are worth it. You'll encounter Nung Ing, Tay, Red Dao, Dao Ao Dai, La Chi, and Co Lao hill tribe groups along the way.
Included Activities
- Travel through Sin Man
- Travel through Hoang Su Phi
Landmarks Sin Man Hoang Su Phi - Day 12
Dong Van - Meo Vac
From Ha Giang Town you'll head northwest to Vietnam's northernmost area where Dong Van and Meo Vac have rugged mountains and hill villages that have barely changed for centuries. The main thing to see is the former Hmong royal house at Sa Phin. You'll see colorful ethnic clothing mixed with big mountain scenery on this long, bumpy, but memorable journey.
Included Activities
- Visit Sa Phin Hmong royal house
Landmarks Sa Phin Dong Van Meo Vac - Day 13
Meo Vac - Yen Minh - Ha Giang
You'll explore Dong Van Town and watch ethnic minority people selling local textiles and handicrafts. Then you'll go to Meo Vac where Lo Lo and Pu Peo minorities live and keep their old cultural traditions, which you can see in their traditional dress. Experience the remoteness and simple way of life, then head back to Ha Giang using a shortcut route through Yen Minh.
Included Activities
- Visit Dong Van Town
- Visit Meo Vac
- Visit Yen Minh
Landmarks Yen Minh - Day 14
Ba Be National Park
You'll start early and drive through rolling hills with great views toward Ba Be National Park. The roads are very bumpy and zigzag a lot, but you'll pass through areas where Hmong, Dao, Tay, and Nung minorities live. You should reach Cho Ra by late afternoon or early evening after an interesting drive.
Included Activities
- Meet Hmong, Dao, Tay, and Nung ethnic minorities
Landmarks Ba Be National Park - Day 15
Ba Be National Park
You'll take a boat cruise down the Nang River, which is the main water source for Ba Be Lake despite its name meaning three lakes. You'll go through Poong Grotto, stop at hill tribe villages nearby, and see the scenic Dau Dang Waterfalls. This gets you off the main paths and into quiet countryside.
Included Activities
- Boat cruise down Nang River
- Visit Poong Grotto
- Visit hill tribe villages near Ba Be
- Visit Dau Dang Waterfalls
Landmarks Ba Be Lake Nang River Poong Grotto Dau Dang Waterfalls - Day 16
Cao Bang
You'll travel for half the day through spectacular mountainous areas with steep terraced rice fields and hill villages. Stop whenever you want to stretch and take photos of the scenery. The rest of the day is yours to either explore Cao Bang Town or just take it easy.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Explore Cao Bang Town
- Stop to photograph mountainous scenery and rice fields
Landmarks Cao Bang - Day 17
Pac Po - Lang Son
Heading north you'll reach Pac Po cave, where Ho Chi Minh organized the August Vietnamese Revolution headquarters in 1945. After seeing this historic spot, you'll pass hill villages and drive through the quiet towns of Dong Khe and That Khe. By late afternoon you'll arrive in Lang Son, a border town that was rebuilt after the Sino-Vietnamese war and is now an important trade center.
Included Activities
- Visit Pac Po historical cave
Landmarks Pac Po Cave Dong Khe That Khe Lang Son - Day 18
Ha Long
In the morning you'll check out Lang Son's busy central market and visit the legendary Tam Thanh Cave. Then you'll leave for Ha Long, one of Vietnam's most impressive scenic areas. The drive goes through mountain regions that can be difficult but shows some of Asia's best views. You'll meet Tay, Nung, and San Diu minorities along the way before arriving in Ha Long for relaxation on the beach.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Lang Son central market
- Visit Tam Thanh Cave
- Beach time in Ha Long
Landmarks Tam Thanh Cave Ha Long - Day 19
Return to Hanoi
You'll spend five hours on a sailing boat exploring Ha Long Bay with about 3,000 limestone islands rising out of clear water. You'll see limestone formations with beaches, grottoes, and caves scattered throughout. You'll anchor in a quiet cove for a swim and visit hidden grottoes under tall cliffs. There's a seafood lunch on the boat, then you'll return to Hanoi.
- Meals
- Lunch (Seafood lunch on board sailing boat)
Included Activities
- Five-hour Ha Long Bay sailing cruise
- Swimming in secluded cove
- Visit hidden grottoes beneath cliffs
- Seafood lunch on board
Landmarks Ha Long Bay
