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Escape the bustle of the big city and set out on an adventure through
Northwest Vietnam’s stunning countryside. This 7-day itinerary takes you off the
beaten path on a tour through enchanting, deep valleys and towering mountains to
remote hill tribe villages, cascading waterfalls and quaint colonial towns.
Day 1: Ha Noi – Mai Chau (L,D)
Your driver and guide will meet you at the lobby of your hotel and take you
along highway No.6 to Mai Chau: a small town nestled in the midst of a lush
valley and surrounded by emerald-green rice fields. Enjoy picturesque views of
the scenic landscape, sown with pagodas and rural villages. Stop along the way
to visit the Muong tribe and then at Thung Khe Pass for a spectacular view of
Mai Chau Valley. Have lunch in Mai Chau then spend the afternoon trekking off
the typical tourist track, along the Song Ma River. Trek through terraced rice
paddies and small villages, discovering the natural beauty of the valley and
encountering the culture of the White Thai people, living in the region. Stop at
a Thai village for the night, having dinner with a local family and enjoying a
live dance and music performance in the evening.
Day 2: Mai Chau – Son La – Dien Bien Phu (B,L,D)
Start the day with a simple breakfast with your host family. Farewell to your
host of homestay drive to Son La. Let’s stop en route to visit villages of
various tribes including the H’mong, Thai, Muong and Dzao and an orchard and tea
plantation in Moc Chau plateau – Vietnam’s premier tea-growing region, before
reach Son La (200km from Mai Chau) for a late lunch. In the afternoon, continue
along winding mountain roads through North Vietnam’s stunning countryside. The
most picturesque scenery here is Pha Din Pass, well-known as a historical site
during the 1st Indochina War ended in 1954, and a charming but dangerous pass at
elevation 1,300m with breathtaking views. According to local legend, “Pha Din”
means the connection between Heaven and Earth. On arrival, check in your hotel
and spend rest of day at leisure.
Day 3: Dien Bien Phu – Lai Chau – Phong Tho (B,L,D)
Nestled in a heart shaped basin near the border with Laos, lies Dien Bien Phu,
the famous historical battleground, where the Vietnamese successfully defeated
the French, marking the end of French colonial occupation.
Start the day early with a visit to the local market where you will meet
charming Thai tribes in their traditional costume purchasing their farm
products.
Next, you will visit Dien Bien Phu Museum and A1 hill then continue to Dien Bien
Phu Cemetery to observe a minute’s silence in memory of the heroes who devoted
their lives to the victory of the historical Dien Bien Phu Campaign. Visit
General De Castries’s Bunker, Old Muong Thanh Bridge and Nam Rom river.
After the lunch, proceed to Lai Chau along a bumpy road, passing a series of
ethnic villages of Kho Mu (Xa), Huoi Chan, and Bung Giat. Continue to Phong Tho
on scenic roads, crossing the junctions of Da and Na rivers by the way of the
Chinese-built Hang Tom suspension bridge. From here, the road weaves its way
northwards through the picturesque and steadily more spectacular Na River
valley, past more ethnic villages of White Thai, Kho Mu and later Red and White
H’mong minorities. Arrive in Phong Tho and spend rest of the day to cycle around
the village.
Day 4: Lai Chau – Sapa (B,L,D)
This morning, leave Phong Tho for Sapa. The road is a bit bumpy at times, but
the rough route is quickly compensated by the magnificent scenery: yawning
valleys, winding rivers, and towering mountains – a photographer’s dream. The
drive to Sapa takes you up Tram Son – the highest pass in Vietnam – and views of
the Fansipan Peak, known as “the roof of Indochina”. Stop en route to visit
Heaven’s Gate and the Silver Waterfall. You arrive in Sapa in the afternoon.
Nestled in a sweeping valley near the Chinese border, Sapa is Northwest
Vietnam’s premier travel destination. Built in 1922 as a French colonial hill
station, this quaint town is now a trekker’s paradise, offering hiking routes
through terraced rice fields and enchanting hill tribe villages. Enjoy a free
afternoon to explore the colorful town on your own. Have dinner and stay
overnight in Sapa.
Day 5: Sapa Trekking (B,L,D)
Enjoy an entire day trekking through Sapa’s breathtaking countryside. After
breakfast at the hotel, begin your adventure, trekking down to the Muong Hoa
Valley, continue on one of Vietnam’s most beautiful trekking routes. Walk
through pine forests, terraced rice paddies and traditional Hmong villages.
Along the way you will visit a village school and have a picnic lunch along the
river’s edge. After lunch, trek through the Zay village. You conclude your
journey at Ta Van Bridge, where your driver will take you back to Sapa. Enjoy
the evening free at your leisure.
Day 6: Ha Giang - Hanoi (B,L)
After an early breakfast at the hotel, you leave Sapa for the long and beautiful
drive back to Ha Noi. Enjoy many stops en route to savor the beautiful
countryside as the landscape changes from arching mountains to the flat plains
of the Red River Delta. Arrive in Ha Noi in the late afternoon.
TRIP ENDS |
