Northern Vietnam: Hiking, Nature and Local Markets - 12 Days

Explore the charming city of Hanoi , nicknamed the Paris of the Orient , with its yellow colonial buildings, shaded boulevards, and picturesque lakes. Visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum , an imposing monument housing the remains of the revolutionary leader, and then the Temple of Literature , Vietnam's first university, a fine example of traditional architecture featured on the 100,000 dong note.

In the afternoon, discover the Museum of Ethnology (closed on Mondays), showcasing costumes and artifacts from the 54 Vietnamese ethnic groups, before strolling through the old quarter and its famous "36 streets of crafts," witnesses to ancestral artisanal know-how.

End the day with a water puppet show , a typical art form of northern Vietnam illustrating rural life and local legends, accompanied by traditional music.

Then vacate your room and transfer to the station for your overnight sleeper train to Lao Cai .

Night on board the train

Remarks :

1. Suggested time: 8:30 am
2. Duration: 8 hours
3. The mausoleum is closed on Mondays, Fridays, and mornings from June 15th to August 15th.
4. Museum closed on Mondays
5. Train departure: 8:00 PM

The night train arrives in Lao Cai at dawn, where you will be met and then transferred by car for an approximately one-hour drive to Sapa , a charming border town 350 km northwest of Hanoi, renowned for its stunning terraced rice paddies.

After breakfast at a local restaurant or hotel, hike to the villages of Sa Seng and Sau Chua , offering magnificent views of the Muong Hoa Valley. Then leave the main road for an approximately 2-hour walk through rice paddies, farmland, and along the stream connecting the hamlets.

Enjoy the beautiful scenery and meet the Hmong people in their daily lives. Visit some local houses before transferring to a Dzao village , where you can interact with the locals through your guide.

Overnight stay with a local family

Remarks :

1. Departure time: depends on the train's arrival time
2. Duration: 8 hours

Rise early to observe the lively morning activities of a traditional village. After breakfast, head to the Thành Kim Valley, located approximately 20 km southwest of Sapa. This valley is home to the Red Dzao and H'mong peoples, who have preserved their strong and unique customs for hundreds of years, despite the influence of modern life.

Follow the hiking trail that winds along the mountainside for an hour to reach the Thành Kim valley, then begin descending towards a river, enjoying the fresh air and splendid views along the way. Cross the river on an old stone bridge and continue along the paved road to reach the village of Lệch Dzao.

Take some time to relax in the village and chat with the locals to learn about their daily farming lives. Discover the embroidery techniques of the Red Dzao women, often seated on their doorsteps, working with their traditional looms. On your way back to your hotel, travel through magnificent terraced rice paddies that transform from green to yellow between May and early October.

Overnight stay with a local family

REMARKS :

1. Suggested departure time: 8:00 AM
2. Approximate duration: 4.5 hours
3. Total walking distance: 3 km

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to Bac Ha via Lao Cai, where two tour options are possible depending on the day of the week.

If it's a Sunday, visit the Bac Ha weekly market, one of the most colorful markets in northeastern Vietnam, where ethnic minorities, including the Flower H'mong, Phu La, and Dao Tuyen, gather to buy, sell, and trade local news.

On other days, visit the Hoang A Tuong Palace, an ornate mansion blending oriental and European architectural influences, built in the early 20th century.

Night in Bac Ha

REMARKS :

1. Suggested departure time: 8:00 AM
2. Tour duration: approximately 6 hours

Departure from Bac Ha to Ha Giang via the districts of Xin Man and Hoang Su Phi. This scenic route follows the Chinese border and crosses some of the most remote and spectacular landscapes in Vietnam, marked by magnificent panoramas, fascinating border towns, ethnic markets and verdant agricultural lands.

Throughout the journey, you'll see members of ethnic minorities walking along the roadsides, carrying goods from one village to another—a typical and captivating scene of local life. This northern region is primarily inhabited by hill tribes belonging to the Nung Ing, Tay, Red Dzao, Dzao Ao Dai, La Chi, and Co Lao groups.

Photo stops are planned along the way, as well as lunch. Upon arrival in Hoang Su Phi, check into the hotel, then explore the village of Nam Hong.

REMARKS :

1. Suggested departure time: 8:00 AM
2. Tour duration: approximately 9 hours

After breakfast at the lodge, begin your hike to discover the traditional process of wind paper making, then leave the paper to dry in the sun. Continue on to the village of Ban Giang, inhabited by the Ao Dai people, and pass by the Giang Ha waterfall for a scenic visit. A picnic lunch is planned at Giang Ha.

In the afternoon, cross through the village of Nam Nghi before returning to Nam Hong. Along the way, you will pass through numerous villages, terraced rice paddies, Vau tree forests, and ancient San Tuyet tea gardens.

Then return to Chiu's to collect the paper made in the morning, then head to the lodge.

Night in Hoang Su Phi

REMARKS :

1. Suggested departure time: 8:00 AM
2. Approximate duration: 8.5 hours
3. Walking distance: 5 to 12 km
4. Difficulty level: moderate

Departure in the morning for the town of Dong Van, a small border town located just 10 km from China. The 7-hour journey takes you to the Quan Ba ​​Pass and the “Heaven’s Gate”, offering magnificent views of the Quan Ba ​​Valley and its extraordinary row of uniformly formed hills.

The Sunday market in Quan Ba ​​is one of the largest in the region, attracting villagers from ethnic minorities living in the surrounding mountains, including the Bo Y, White H'mong and Dzao Ao Dai.

The rest of the journey crosses a region rarely visited by tourists, dotted with spectacular landscapes of deep valleys, fields and rock formations.

Night in Dong Van

REMARKS :

1. Suggested departure time: 8:00 AM
2. Journey time: approximately 8 hours

Spend the day exploring the secluded market town of Dong Van, nestled in a beautiful valley primarily inhabited by the Tay ethnic group. As Vietnam's northernmost border town, just 3 km from the Chinese border, Dong Van boasts a local market (open on Sundays), an old quarter lined with charming houses, and other interesting neighborhoods. With the help of your guide, enjoy moments spent interacting with local people working in the rice paddies.

Night in Dong Van

REMARKS :

1. Suggested departure time: 9:00 AM
2. Tour duration: approximately 3 hours

A full day begins with the ascent of a mountain pass to the French fortress of Pu Lo, built in 1890 and evacuated in 1945, offering spectacular views across the region. The route continues to the Ma Pi Leng Pass, where a breathtaking panorama unfolds, revealing winding roads carved into the mountainside at nearly 2,000 meters above sea level. The descent continues into the picturesque Meo Vac Valley before arriving at Bao Lac village, where lunch will be served. The road to Ba Be meanders through the mountains to the Tay village of Bo Lu, where you will visit a welcoming Tay family in their traditional stilt house. A nearby lake offers an optional swimming opportunity.

Night in Ba Be

REMARKS :

1. Suggested departure time: 8:00 AM
2. Journey time: approximately 10 hours

Embark on a boat trip to travel the entire length of the three interconnected lakes of Ba Be (meaning "Three Bays" in Vietnamese) and head up the Nang River to Dong Puong, a massive 300-meter natural tunnel carved by the river through a limestone mountain. The boat then continues downstream to the small, rustic village of Hua Tang. Enjoy lunch at a local riverside home before taking a short jungle walk to the magnificent Thac Dau Dang waterfalls, a series of spectacular cascades between steep rock walls. Return by boat to your local guesthouse.

Night in Ba Be

REMARKS :

1. Suggested departure time: 8:30 am
2. Total duration: approximately 8 hours

Departing from Ba Be, we took a scenic road that follows the river as it winds its way through the hills of northern Vietnam, a route rarely traveled by tourists. En route to Hanoi, we stopped to visit the relatively well-preserved remains of a French prison in Cho Chu, built in 1916 to hold Vietnamese patriots and revolutionaries. Due to its sturdy construction and isolated location, prisoners from all over the North were transferred there.

Arrived in Hanoi around 7:00 PM.

REMARKS :

1. Suggested departure time: 8:00 AM
2. Tour duration: 11 hours