North West Vietnam loop 15 days tour

Arrival at the airport and picked up by the driver to transfer you to your hotel. Rest of the day to rest and recover from jet lag

Full day on site to discover the city:

Early morning, taxi to Ngoc Ha market . Stop at Lake B52 for a fruit juice and see the plane wreck emerging from the lake, a vestige of the war with the Americans. Then, walk to Tran Quoc Pagoda . On the way back, walk to the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum. Then, stop at a Vietnamese canteen to taste traditional dishes. The walk then continues to the temple of literature . Discovery of the opera, building of the French colonial empire, the walk reaches Hoan Lake Kiem to visit the Ngoc Son temple and discover the legend of the sword and the turtle. After the visit, stroll through the streets of the Old Quarter and stop by the Train Street for a snack.

For the evening, a culinary tour to appreciate and try some local specialties.

If week-end, time to enjoy the pedestrian street around Hoan Kiem Lake , a place of gathering and activities for both tourists and locals and the Dong Xuan night market (Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening).

8 a.m. The guide and driver will meet you at your hotel in the Old Quarter. After the introductions, you begin the transfer to the Long Coc tea fields in Phu tho province . You will take a tour of the fields and learn about the manufacturing process. Tea tasting on site. You will then have lunch at a local homestay nearby.

Take the road back to Tram Tau . Arrival at the homestay Zoni Home. Check in and free time until dinner. Try delicious local specialties

7 a.m. – 8 a.m. > Breakfast to gain strength for an exciting day .

8 a.m. – 9 a.m. > Departure by car and start the adventure to reach the magnificent Hang De Cho waterfall . The asphalt road extends for around 40km to then arrive at Lau Camping, which overlooks the entire Nghia Lo valley. Break for a drink while admiring the view. Then, you will leave with motorcycle drivers by the road which joins a small path for the last 6 kilometers. Passage through an isolated village, a few wooden bridges and spectacular viewpoints. Arrive at the impressive waterfall, enjoy free time to swim and rest while the local team begins to prepare the fire for an on-site barbecue picnic.

After lunch, take the scooter back to the main road and continue the journey with a stop at Chi Lu village , inhabited by the H’Mong minority . Visit a local home to share tea with the owner. Then visit a second house where tea is prepared in the old-fashioned way.

Return to Tram Tau around 6 p.m.

8:30 a.m. > departure of the trek (7 or 15km of your choice) to the Ta Xua waterfall via the bamboo forest, the pine forest , crossing a stream along the rice fields. Arrival at the waterfall in the middle of the jungle for a break and a picnic.

On the way back, visit a H’Mong village and a local house. Participate in local activities depending on the season.

3 p.m > Return to the homestay to say goodbye to the hosts and continue the journey. You will take the road again to the Khau Pha pass , one of the most beautiful passes in Vietnam, also called the “Photographers’ Route”. Photographers from all over the world come there to photograph the rice fields during the golden period, in October.

Settling in with a local host family of the Thai ethnic group in It Thai village . Family dinner and quiet evening.

After breakfast, departure for a day trip by motorbike to discover the region ( Ngoc Chien and Muong La ). Visit less touristy villages and discover the local thermal baths of the Thai minority. Picnic lunch will be taken during the day . Passing through small paths, a gentle stroll through a resplendent countryside.

Return to the host family for a family dinner

8:30 a.m. > You will start trekking to the village of Xe Xang . Along the way, you will pass by H’Mong and Thai villages as well as a bamboo forest. Magnificent view of the rice fields and mountains. Visit a local Thai house and have lunch with a family.

Continue trekking to a H’Mong village where you will stop to visit the house. You will also participate with them in a traditional Batik workshop.

Return to the host family for check-out.

Then, departure by car for Mu Cang Chai , one of the rice granaries of Vietnam with its infinite terraces, and more precisely La Pan Tan

Dinner and free evening

Morning by motorbike taxi in La Pan Tan to visit the local villages inhabited by the H’Mong people . Head to the Dinosaur Backbone in Mu Cang Chai District, De Xu Phin , then visit the most famous place called “ Rasberry Hill.” Continue the walk passing some of the most beautiful viewpoints in North Vietnam until reaching the village of Che Cu Nha . Lunch will be taken en route at a local restaurant.

Return to the homestay early in the afternoon and free time to relax before hitting the road for Hua Tat, a small village of Moc Chau, in the east.

After breakfast, you will take a tour of the village before checking out. You will then take the road to see the Tat Nang waterfall. Far from mass tourism, a haven of peace. Enjoy swimming and relaxing before having lunch at a nearby local house.

You will then walk to the Bo Am hot springs, bordered by rice fields whose water is known for its therapeutic benefits.

You will then leave for the Mai Chau valley, inhabited mainly by White Thais. Check-in and free time until dinner. You can walk in the nearby village or take a bike ride.

Dinner will be taken with the hosts before a quiet evening.

After breakfast, set off with the guide by bike to discover the beauties of the Mai Chau valley. You will head towards Nam Meo which is home to the most beautiful rice fields in the valley, slightly terraced. You will pass through local villages and take a break on the way for a fresh juice.

Return to the homestay for check out and start the journey to Pu Luong Nature Reserve

Check in at Pu Luong Eco Garden and have lunch then you will leave for a walk in the middle of the rice fields which will take you to the hidden village of Kho Muong. Arriving from the heights, you will be able to see the superb view of the village and the mountains that surround it. You will go down to the village and go to the bat cave . Cave in its natural state where the vegetation takes over.

Return to the hotel to relax in your room or enjoy the infinity pool.

You will drive to the village of Don and see the magnificent rice terraces. You will hike leisurely before taking the road back to the village of Ui . Village surrounded by rice fields, you can observe and try your hand at the traditional way of sewing of the Black Thais, the main ethnic minority in the region.

The road will continue towards Pho Doan (possibility of visiting the local market on Thursdays and Sundays) and finally to the village of Hieu . Swim in its waterfall to cool off before having a local lunch in a restaurant in the village.

You will then take the road towards the village of Ba. You will start a hike by crossing a suspension bridge; Then you will cross a few villages until you arrive at the bamboo water mills, a particularity of the Thai minority, the most beautiful of which are in Pu Luong. After receiving information about this ingenious crop irrigation system, you will continue walking and then end with a relaxing bamboo raft ride on the Cham River.

After breakfast, take the road to Ninh Binh , the famous Halong Bay on land. You will arrive at your hotel for lunch. In the afternoon, you will cycle to the Trang An complex, classified by UNESCO, for a ride on a sampan, a traditional boat. The walk passes through magnificent landscapes in the middle of karst peaks, under a flooded cave .

Halong Bay on land and its fabulous landscapes. In the morning you leave by car to first visit the Bich Dong Pagoda, a magnificent pagoda on three levels passing through a cave. Very spiritual place for Vietnamese people . Then you will leave for the Mua cave. If the cave is not a major place, the climb of 500 steps to the “dragon temple” is well worth the effort. You will be rewarded with one of the most beautiful views of the Tam Coc site as well as the Ninh Binh valley .

On the way back, stop at a local restaurant to try the local specialty , sheep meat.

Return to the hotel to relax before leaving by bike to visit the first capital of the Vietnam, Hoa Lu. Former residence of emperors in the 10th century, the site is steeped in history and has original architecture. You can walk up to the pagoda on the heights to admire the view. Then return to the hotel and free time.

8:00 am: departure by car for the international port of Ha Long. Arrive for check-in in the waiting lounge, you will have some time to relax and enjoy a cup of tea/coffee. Then, registration and transfer in the annex to the junk

Once on board, enjoy a welcome drink and spend a few minutes in a safety briefing on the boat and the included activities, then check into the cabin.

A delicious Vietnamese menu will be served while leisurely sailing further into Bai Tu Long Bay.

3:00 p.m.: Arrival at the kayaking area – this is the island of Cap La . Enjoy kayaking through the karst and breathtaking nature, swim and relax.

5:30 p.m.: Return to the boat and enjoy our sunset evening as we cruise to the night anchorage.

7:00 p.m.: Delicious dinner on board.

8:30 p.m.: Free time to challenge yourself in Vietnamese puzzle games or to bring your group/family together for a board game; try your luck with squid fishing or just have a cocktail and enjoy the quiet night on the bay.

06:00: Start your day with a Tai Chi routine on the terrace or admire the morning view of the beautiful bay landscape with a cup of tea or coffee.

07:00: Breakfast will be served in a western style, familiar to fill your strength and ready for another day of exploration.

08:00: Explore the well-hidden Thien Cave Canh Son.

09:00: Back at the boat, you will have around 30 minutes to freshen up and finish packing.

10:00 a.m.: Attend a Vietnamese cooking demonstration. You can quickly learn a simple but delicious Vietnamese dish that Gordon Ramsey (a 2 Michelin star chef) used to make – Nem Cuon or challenge yourself to cut up fruits and vegetables.

11:00: Enjoy a traditional Vietnamese lunch on the boat.

12:00-12:30: Return to port and disembarkation at Ha Long cruise port then transfer back to Hanoi

3:00 p.m.: Arrival in Hanoi.