OFF THE BEATEN TRACK NORTHERN IN 11 DAYS

Day 1 –Arrival – Hanoi

Our driver will meet you in Hanoi and transfer you to your hotel in the famous old quarter of Hanoi.

After check in you will have free time to take a rest or start exploring the area around the hotel and take a walk around the famous Hoan Kiem Lake.

Day 2 – Hanoi – Mai Chau (B/L/D)

0730h – Depart by private air conditioned vehicle and guide from your hotel and travel towards Hoa Binh province. After weaving your way through the busy Hanoi traffic, you will soon be out of town and able to admire the scenic Vietnamese countryside. Traverse a region of spectacular limestone mountains, passes and valleys, as you wind your way downhill to MaiChauValley of the Thai people. Spend the afternoon strolling around one of their picturesque villages learning more about the Thai people and experiencing their renowned hospitality. Enjoy a sumptuous dinner whilst watching traditional local dancing and don’t miss the opportunity to sample the local rice wine.

Overnight in Mai Chau.

Day 3 – Mai Chau – Moc Chau – Son La – (160 km) (B/L/D)

The driver and tour guide will pick you up from your hotel and together you will travel by road to Son La, passing many fruit orchards, tea plantations and towering mountains along the way. En route, you will have the chance to meet and talk to peoples of the black Thai, white Thai, Hmong and Muong hill tribe people as they journey to work or the local markets. In the afternoon, visit the PrisonMuseum in Son La, which presents one perspective on the former French colonial rule.

Overnight in Son La

Day 4 – Son La – Dien Bien Phu – (170 km) (B/L/D)

Starting early in the morning for the drive to Dien Bien Phu with your guide, you will stop along the way to visit some of the small villages and take photos.

Lunch will be in a local restaurant on the way.

The highlight of today’s ride will be the impressive pass of Pha Din Pass which has a length of 32Kms which makes it the longest pass in Vietnam. At 1,000m above sea level, climbing and descending the slopes with their many bends and deep gorges, the pass is a really an unforgettable scenic experience.

Arrive to Dien Bien Phu in the afternoon and after checking in there will be time for you to explore the town.

Overnight in Dien Bien Phu

Day 5 – Dien Bien Phu – Lai Chau – Tam Duong –  La Chau (B/L/D)

After breakfast it will be time to meet your guide and start off on your drive to Tam Duong which is located between Lai Chau and Sapa. Depending on conditions, the drive will take approximately 6 to 7 hours to complete. Along the way you will see many photo opportunities as you enjoy the breath taking and dramatic scenery of the Lai Chau valley. Hugging the rice terraced mountain sides, the road can be steep and often rugged and you ford turbulent rivers that cross your path. In addition to the visual spectacle, you’ll have a chance to meet the some of the most beautiful and friendly hill tribe people in North Vietnam, such as the Hmong, Black Thai, Black Dzao and Pazi.

Overnight in Son La

Day 6  – Son La– Sapa – (90km) (B/L/D)

Once you have enjoyed your breakfast, take a short walk with your guide around the peaceful town and the market before hitting the road once again.

As you wind your way through TramTonPass (Heavens Gate) which is the highest mountain pass in Viet Nam, you will be rewarded by truly magnificent views of the majestic mountains and valleys.

TramTonPass is the dividing line between two weather fronts, with Lau Chau side being the warmer of the two. As you approach Sapa you will notice a sometimes dramatic change of climate dramatic change of climate as Sapa is known as the coldest place in Vietnam.

Sapa which was not opened to International visitors until 1993 is now a busy market town for the regional minority groups and the town is encircled by towering peaks, often shrouded in cloud, and the air is cool and crisp. After checking into a comfortable hotel, you are free to explore this picturesque town until time for dinner.

Overnight in Sapa

Day 7 – Sapa – Lao Cai – Trekking – Train to Hanoi (B/L/D)

0800h – After breakfast and leaving your main luggage at the hotel, your guide will accompany you on a walk from Sapa towards Muong Hoa valley. There you will discover the wonderful scenery of the Hoang Lien Mountain Range and meet people of the Black H’mong tribes before Trekking through terraced rice paddies and minority villages along the MuongHoaRiver.

You will then meet your transport and travel back to Sapa where there will be time to take a shower in the hotel and have dinner before transferring to Lao Cai train station for the night train back to Hanoi.

Overnight is in a shared 4 Berth soft sleeper compartment on the train. Train departs 2115h.

Day 8 –  Lao Cai – Hanoi – Ha Long Bay (B/L/D)

0500h – Arrive at Hanoi train station and transfer to the hotel where you can have a shower and enjoy breakfast.

Between 0745h-0830h – Your transport will pick you up at your hotel and you will depart for |Ha Long Bay. You will stop for a short break at the Humanity center situated approximately half way to Ha Long and have time to stretch your legs or purchase some of the local specialties.

1200h – Arrive to Ha Long Bay and transfer by tender to your luxury Junk where the captain will welcome you on board the boat.

A delicious lunch will be served for you as the boat passes through many of the thousands of islands and islets within Ha Long Bay.

1530h – Spend an hour Kayaking around the hidden areas near Luon Cave which can only be accessed by Kayak or small boat. The cave is 60m long and has a ceiling height of between 2.5m and 4m depending on tide level. After passing through the cave you will reach a lake which is approximately 1 Sq km and enclosed by the surrounding lime stone mountains.

1630h – Return to your luxury junk and cruise Soi Sim Island where you can climb to the top of one of the hills to gain a panoramic view of Ha Long bay. After your climb you can enjoy swimming in the calm waters or relax on the beach.

1930h – Enjoy a dinner of local or western food and spend a romantic night on board the Junk.

Note: Please let your guide know if you would like to attend a Tai Chi session in the morning.

Day 9  – Ha Long Bay – Lan Ha Bay (B/L/D)

0630h – Start your day by enjoying the peaceful morning atmosphere of the bay from the sun deck or take the opportunity to capture the natural beauty on some photos.

0700h – 0830h – Enjoy a delicious breakfast on board 

0830h – Transfer to a Day Boat for a cruise to Lan Ha Bay and explore the Light and Dark Cave by kayak. Swimming and relaxing at the beaches.

Lan Ha Bay is part of the Cat Ba national park and contains 139 small picturesque islands surrounded by calm waters of the bay. The area is famous for its sandy beaches such Cat Dua and Bai Cat.

1200h – Explore the light and dark cave by Kayak. The light cave is quite short and always accessible but the longer dark can sometime tide levels are high.

1300h – Return to the day boat and enjoy a barbecue lunch which will be served on board.

After lunch you can continue Kayaking to explore more of Lan Ha Bay or just relax on the beach.

1400h – Visit a floating Pearl Farm and learn the technique for making high quality pearls and if the weather permits, you will continue along to Three Peach Beach for swimming.

1600h – Cruise back to the main boat.

1900h – A delicious diner will be served in the dining room.

Overnight on board

Day 10– Ha Long Bay – Hanoi (B/L)

0630h – Your new day will starts with joining the Tai chi class or simply enjoying the scenery.

0730h – 0830h – Enjoy a beautiful breakfast on board the boat.

0830h – You will visit the truly amazing Sung Sot Cave which is also known as Surprise Cave. The cave is reached by climbing approximately 100 stone steps and the journey up allows some excellent views of the bay below. 

0930h – Return to your cruise boat and time to freshen up before checking out of your cabin. 

1000h – Visit Ba Hang Fishing Village to experience the lifestyle of local people. After returning to the boat, it will be time to join the cooking demonstration in dining room and enjoy what you have cooked for lunch.

1200h – Disembark and transfer back to Hanoi.

1630h – Arrive in Hanoi and overnight in Ha Noi .

Day 11 – Ha Noi – Departure (B)

Free time until the driver will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your  flight home or extend the next destination .

Tour the end,