Itinerary
- Day 1
Hanoi to Son La
Your driver picks you up from your Hanoi hotel and heads northwest toward Son La. You'll stop in Mai Chau along the way for a short walk through the valley and grab lunch before continuing on. The drive takes most of the day, and you'll settle into your accommodation in Son La for the night.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch in Mai Chau)
Included Activities
- Short walk in Mai Chau
- Lunch in Mai Chau
- Day 2
Son La to Dien Bien Phu
Start early with a walk to see the old French colonial prison and its museum in Son La, which gives you a sense of the region's history. After that, you'll drive toward Dien Bien Phu. The route takes you through villages where Black Thai, White Thai, Meo, and Muong people live, and the scenery shifts constantly as you climb and descend through the highlands.
Included Activities
- Visit Son La French prison and museum
Landmarks Son La French Prison and Museum - Day 3
Muong Lay to Lai Chau
This morning you drive through valleys with tiered tea plantations and rice terraces cut into the slopes. The landscape keeps changing as you make your way toward Lai Chau. If you're traveling on a Sunday, you can check out the local hill tribe market that morning before heading out. You'll arrive in Lai Chau (also called Tam Duong) by evening.
Optional Activities
- Sunday morning market visit at Lai Chau (if visiting on Sunday)
- Day 4
Lai Chau to Sa Pa to Ta Van
You'll drive from Lai Chau toward Sa Pa, passing through Tam Duong and then ascending the Tram Ton pass at 1900 meters, which is Vietnam's highest mountain pass. Sa Pa sits at over 1600 meters in the Hoang Lien Son Mountains. After lunch, you'll trek for about 3 hours down into a valley with steep rice terraces, finishing at Ta Van village where you'll stay overnight with a Dzay family.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch in Sa Pa), Dinner (Savoury food and hospitality of Dzay hosts at homestay)
Included Activities
- 3-hour trek to Ta Van village through rice terraces
- Homestay accommodation with Dzay hosts
Landmarks Tram Ton Pass Sa Pa - Day 5
Ta Van to Bac Ha
Today takes you to one of three hill tribe markets: Can Cau, Coc Ly, or Bac Ha, depending on what day you're traveling. The Flower H'mong people gather here in colorful traditional dress, and you'll also see Nhang, Dzao, Nung, Phu La, Thai, and other ethnic groups. After lunch at the market, you'll walk through nearby hill tribe villages and return to Bac Ha in the afternoon.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch at market), Dinner (Dinner at hotel in Bac Ha)
Included Activities
- Hill tribe market visit (Can Cau, Coc Ly, or Bac Ha)
- Lunch at market
Optional Activities
- Follow hill tribes to their villages
- Drive to further villages
Landmarks Can Cau Market Coc Ly Market Bac Ha Market - Day 6
Bac Ha to Ha Giang
It's a full day of driving through Sin Man and Hoang Su Phi on rough, winding roads that climb and drop constantly through dense jungle terrain. You'll head toward Ha Giang Town, meeting Nung Ing, Tay, Red Dao, Dao Ao Dai, La Chi, and Co Lao hill tribe communities along the way. The roads are bumpy but the scenery keeps changing throughout the journey.
Landmarks Sin Man Hoang Su Phi - Day 7
Ha Giang to Dong Van
From Ha Giang Town, you'll drive northwest toward Vietnam's remote northernmost area. The main stop is the former H'mong royal house at Sa Phin, which gives you a look at the region's history and culture. The trip itself is long and bumpy, but you'll see hill tribe people in colorful traditional clothing and the mountains that dominate this corner of the country.
Included Activities
- Visit H'mong royal house at Sa Phin
Landmarks H'mong Royal House at Sa Phin - Day 8
Dong Van to Meo Vac to Ha Giang
You'll spend time in Dong Van Town where ethnic minority communities live and local textiles and handicrafts are on sale. Then it's on to Meo Vac, where Lo Lo and Pu Peo people maintain their traditional ways of life and distinctive dress. To return to Ha Giang, you'll take a shortcut route through Yen Minh.
Included Activities
- Visit Dong Van Town
- Visit Meo Vac
Landmarks Dong Van Town Meo Vac - Day 9
Ha Giang to Ba Be National Park
An early start gets you on the road toward Ba Be National Park, driving through rolling hills and changing landscapes. The roads are rough and zigzag a lot, but you'll see Hmong, Dao, Tay, and Nung communities along the way. You'll pull into Ba Be by late afternoon or early evening and have dinner with a Tay family at a homestay in Bac Ngoi village.
- Meals
- Dinner (Dinner with a family of Tay at homestay in Bac Ngoi village)
Included Activities
- Dinner with Tay family at homestay in Bac Ngoi village
Landmarks Ba Be National Park - Day 10
Ba Be National Park
You'll take a boat down the Nang River, which feeds Ba Be Lake. The trip includes going through Poong Grotto and stopping at nearby hill tribe villages. Later you'll visit Dau Dang Waterfalls, which aren't on most tourist routes. Back at the homestay in Bac Ngoi village, you'll have dinner with your Tay hosts.
- Meals
- Dinner (Dinner with a family of Tay at homestay in Bac Ngoi village)
Included Activities
- Boat cruise down Nang River
- Visit Poong Grotto
- Visit hill tribe villages
- Visit Dau Dang Waterfalls
- Dinner with Tay family at homestay
Landmarks Ba Be Lake Nang River Poong Grotto Dau Dang Waterfalls - Day 11
Ba Be to Cao Bang
After breakfast, you'll drive toward Cao Bang Town in a half-day journey that takes you past dramatic mountains and steep rice terraces carved into the hillsides. You can stop whenever you like to stretch and take photos. The rest of your day is free, so you can either walk around Cao Bang or simply relax at your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Half-day drive to Cao Bang Town
Optional Activities
- Explore Cao Bang Town
- Relax in town
Landmarks Cao Bang Town - Day 12
Cao Bang to Lang Son
Heading north from Cao Bang, you'll stop at Pac Po cave, the historical site where Ho Chi Minh established his headquarters during the 1945 August Revolution. After that, you'll drive past hill villages and the quieter towns of Dong Khe and That Khe. You'll reach Lang Son, a border town that was heavily damaged during the Sino-Vietnamese war but rebuilt, by late afternoon.
Included Activities
- Visit Pac Po cave
Landmarks Pac Po Cave Dong Khe That Khe - Day 13
Lang Son to Ha Long Bay
You'll check out Lang Son's busy central market before heading to Ha Long Bay, one of Vietnam's most impressive coastal spots. Once you arrive in Ha Long City, you'll board a private junk cabin with air conditioning. You'll have fresh seafood lunch while cruising among thousands of limestone peaks rising from the water. The afternoon is yours to swim, relax on a beach, kayak, or check out the largest cave.
- Meals
- Lunch (Fresh seafood lunch while cruising Ha Long Bay), Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit central market of Lang Son
- Ha Long Bay junk cruise with private A/C cabin
- Fresh seafood lunch on boat
- Visit biggest cave in Ha Long Bay
- Swimming and beach relaxation
- Kayaking in lagoon
Landmarks Ha Long Bay - Day 14
Ha Long Bay to Cat Ba Island
After breakfast on your cabin, you'll continue cruising through Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay, sailing past thousands of limestone mountains. In the afternoon you'll head to Cat Ba Island where your vehicle is waiting. From there, transfer to your hotel and either relax or spend some time at the island's nice beach.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay exploration cruise
- Transfer from wharf to hotel on Cat Ba Island
Optional Activities
- Relax at hotel
- Spend time at beautiful beach on Cat Ba Island
Landmarks Cat Ba Island Lan Ha Bay - Day 15
Cat Ba Island to Tam Coc
You'll visit Cat Ba National Park and the Military Hospital cave, an old North Vietnamese Army site from the American war. Then head back to Cat Ba Township and take a speedboat for over an hour to Hai Phong, Vietnam's largest sea port and third biggest city. From there, transfer to Tam Coc in Ninh Binh province and check into your hotel with dinner at a local restaurant.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner at local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Visit Cat Ba National Park
- Visit Military Hospital cave
- Speed boat from Cat Ba to Hai Phong
Landmarks Cat Ba National Park Military Hospital Cave Hai Phong - Day 16
Tam Coc to Hanoi
After breakfast, you'll boat through Tam Coc, which locals call 'a terrestrial Ha Long Bay' because of its dramatic landscape. Following the boat trip, you'll explore Bich Dong on bicycle and grab lunch. Then drive to Hoa Lu to see Vietnam's first imperial capital with two old temples dedicated to King Dinh and King Le. After that, you'll drive back to Hanoi and finish with dinner at a local restaurant near your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel), Lunch (Lunch at local restaurant), Dinner (Dinner at local restaurant in Hanoi)
Included Activities
- Boat trip to Tam Coc
- Bicycle trip to explore Bich Dong
- Lunch at local restaurant
- Visit Hoa Lu first imperial capital
- Visit temples of King Dinh and Le
Landmarks Tam Coc Bich Dong Hoa Lu Temple of King Dinh Temple of King Le
