Day 1 Hanoi - Lao Cai - Bac Ha

Bac Ha is situated in a region of breathtaking beauty, known for its colorful Sunday market. Upon our arrival in Lao Cai railway station in the early morning, we drive to Bac Ha town (70 km by car). We head out for some exploration of the township.

In the early afternoon we follow the trail winding through the tiny tribal settlement of Tay and plum orchards and then proceed due north over hillocks and verdant farmland. When we have finished our hike we are the guests of a Flower H’mong family in Lung Phing village.

Overnight: Hotel in Bac Ha

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 2 Bac Ha - Viet Quang

From the Lung Phing, we take a 2-hour trek to Can Cau Market which is an open-air traditional market on Saturdays. We discover some of the area’s finest scenery marked by dramatic rice terraces and hill tribal villages scattered along the way. It is the best time for appreciating the market. This is followed by a drive to the downtown of Viet Quang for an overnight stay in a hotel.

Overnight: hotel in Viet Quang

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 3 Viet Quang - Ha Giang - Quan Ba

Ha Giang is one of the most remote provinces in North East Vietnam. The area is home to some of Vietnam’s most colorful hill tribe minorities. We arrive in Ha Giang for lunch. In the early afternoon, we head north of Ha Giang to Quan Ba District.

The area is populated by Dao ethnic people and encircled by truly awesome remote forested mountains. We combine a long, but gentle hike (about 3 hours) with an opportunity to stay with a Dao family.

Overnight: Hotel in Quan Ba

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 4 Quan Ba - Bao Lac

The beauty of the surroundings tempts us to follow the rugged trail setting off through verdant hills and tangled jungle growth. Eventually, the trail arrives at a tiny village perched nearby the township of Quan Ba. From there we board our vehicle and make our way to Bao Lac for an overnight stay in a guesthouse.

Overnight: hotel in Bao Lac

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 5 Bao Lac - Cao Bang

We take to the road again for a 90 km drive, arriving in Cao Bang around lunch time. In the afternoon we go to Tra Linh, an area far removed from everything industrial and loud. We hike up to some Tay traditional villages on the steep slopes. We find one of the few places in Vietnam that are blessed with unique landscapes featuring vast mountain complexes and spectacular valleys. The night will be spent in a hotel in Cao Bang town..

Overnight: hotel in Cao Bang

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 6 Cao Bang - Ba Be

About 150 km east of Cao Bang, we depart Cao Bang at 8 a.m and embark on a route up into mountain areas onwards to Ba Be Lake National Park. This is one of the largest natural lakes in Vietnam, home to many kinds of birds, scenic valleys, towering rocky outcrops, underground river tributaries, and a gigantic cave. All of the villages in the park are not necessarily ethnic Tay. Those located high up on the slopes are inhabited by Green H’mong and Red Dao hilltribal people. Following a relaxing boat trip and a hike along the riverfront, we stay overnight with a Tay family in a traditional house. .

Overnight: homestay in Babe lake

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 7 Ba Be Lake boating

The day begins with a morning hike in the park. Later, we descend into the scenic valley, home to the Tay minority people and encircled by rock formations. We cross the rolling hills and pass H’mong and Red Dao villages.  The scenery is extraordinary, with rural farmland and rugged mountains jutting out of the tangled jungle growth. After a short boat trip along the lake, we end our day in the park’s headquarters, where we spend the night at a comfortable guesthouse.

Overnight:  homestay in Babe lake

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 8 Ba Be Lake - Hanoi

We visit the thriving, local market of Chu and the Museum of the Cultures of Vietnam’s Ethnic Groups in Thai Nguyen province on our way back to Hanoi. Following lunch in a local restaurant, it is our drive back to Hanoi, arriving there at around 5pm.

Meals included: Breakfast and lunch

This tour is built upon our firsthand knowledge & experience, offering you the best choices available. The price of this trip varies depending on the number of people in your party, dates of departure, and availability of ground services.

Please click on CUSTOMIZE YOUR TRIPS and supply the required information, enabling us to send you your personalized quote within 24 hours!

Note: Amendments CAN be made to this tour to suite your requirements, but may incur price changes

 

WHAT'S INCLUDED?
• Accommodation with daily breakfast at selected hotels 
• Private Vehicles and Drivers
• Private English Speaking Guides (Other languages if available, upon request)
• Meals as mentioned in the itinerary (B= Breakfast, L= Lunch, D= Dinner)
• All domestic flights
• Airport Taxes and Fuel charges
• Entrance fees for all mentioned sights visited
• Drinking water available on the vehicles.
• Service Charge & Government Taxes
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED?
• Your International Flights
• Personal Expenses (such as laundry, telephone, drinks, etc.)
• Any bank fees or charges at your end
• Meals other than those mentioned in the itinerary
• Personal Travel Insurance
• Tips for tour guide and driver in each region
• Peak season or public holidays surcharge if any
• Compulsory Gala dinner on X-Mas or New Year if any
• Vietnam visa stamp fee 
• Other services not mentioned above

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HOTEL SELECTION:

The hotels listed below are our suggestions for the best value on this tour.  However, Asia Essence Tours offers many more options of hand-picked hotels, with different "star ratings", allowing you to customize the vacation to meet your taste and budget.

LOCATIONS	FIRST CLASS CATEGORY	SUPERIOR CATEGORY	DELUXE CATEGORY
Ha Giang	Hagiang Hotel	Hagiang Hotel	Hagiang Hotel
Caobang	Caobang Hotel	Caobang Hotel	Caobang Hotel
Babe lake	Homestay	Homestay	Homestay

ABOUT HOTELS:

We, at Asia Essence Tours, are aware that a good tour must have good hotels. As the hotel cost will be the major expense of your vacation in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, it is essential that all of the hotels chosen by us are the highest quality for the price paid. All of our prices are based on twin, double or queen shared rooms.

BELOW IS AN EXPLANATION OF THE HOTEL "STAR" RATINGS:

First Class/ 3 Star (from US$ 50 - US$ 80 per room/night)

The First Class/ 3 Star Hotels are good value and normally centrally located. They all have comfortable en-suite rooms, good amenities and public areas to relax in. They are usually family run hotels, so offer great personalized service for your enjoyment and comfort. Most first class properties offer an in-house restaurant, and some may even have a swimming pool!

Superior/ 4 star (from US$ 100 - US$ 150/ per room/night)

The 4* superior Hotels offer a wide range of services. Many superior hotels feature a choice of several in-house restaurants. In addition virtually all of them have a swimming pool. Some may even feature a spa or health club. This grade of hotel offers more for your enjoyment and comfort, while still remaining affordable.

Deluxe/ 5 Star (from US$160 - US$ 240++/ per room/night)

These 5* Deluxe hotels are usually owned by Worldwide, well known Hotel chains. The deluxe hotels feature excellent locations, offer the highest standards of service and facilities, and are known as the best hotels in each region. Facilities such as swimming pools and spas are the norm, and guest rooms are luxurious. These hotels offer first class service and amenities throughout.

ASIA ESSENCE TOURS™ BESPOKE STYLE SUITS EVERYONE

Flexibility: The sample itinerary can be modified to suit your interests, budget as well as your personal wishes including departure date, duration, accommodation used & how long you spend in each destination.

Tailor-Made Journey: This trip can be tailor made to create a unique holiday for your individual requirements by travel experts with intimate knowledge of the destination. It is a more individual trip that will suit those who enjoy immersing themselves in new cultures and environments, with the flexibility to plan a trip at your own pace. Quality and value are the hallmark of the trips, with most services being provided on a private basis.

Commitment to Excellence: We enjoys excellent relationships with all of the highly regarded hotels and finest properties in our destinations as well as with service suppliers so that we are able to negotiate the most attractive prices for our clients, which enables us to provide exclusive holidays and affordable special offers. We create one-of-a-kind vacations for groups and individuals. We love our destinations and do our best to make sure that our customers feel the same way. Our job is to make sure that everyone gets the right balance of comfort and excitement to enjoy the experience of a lifetime.