12 Days - Treasures of the Tonkin

Day 01: Hanoi - Sapa Trekking ( Lunch and dinner included)
Enjoy a morning drive to Sapa town. We set off to discover Sapa and its nearby villages of Sa Seng and Hau Thao, set in a spectacularly beautiful valley and home to Black H'mong people. We have ample opportunities to see how they live and give wonderful insights into their way of life. 
 Along the way we stop at one of the friendly villages and enjoy a picnic lunch. Finally, we arrive in the village of Giang Ta Chai, nestled in a spectacular region. Tonight we spend a memorable night in the traditional stilt-house of a Zay family. 

Zay people are adept at rice cultivation and are responsible for tending to the manicured terraces that stretch as far as the eye can see.

Day 02:  Sapa Valley - Trekking and Homestay (Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
The beautiful Giang Ta Chai is surrounded by verdant hills and rice terraces. We enjoy a hike through lush rice terraces and along verdant hills, before we return to Sapa. In free time, why not wander through a local market and appreciate the laidback lifestyle in this beautiful township.

Afternoon finds us in the villages of Hau Thao and Thanh Phu, situated in a region of sculpted rice terraces and home to Black H’mong people, we walk around peaceful villages and farmlands at an easy and leisurely pace to suit everybody.

At night we stay over in a home stay in the village of Thanh Phu, home to Tay ethnic minority people.

Day 03: Sapa - Binh Lu - Phong Tho - Sin Ho (Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
The day begins by crossing hills and hiking through rice terraces, passing peaceful villages. This is followed by a short drive to Binh Lu. Here we take a delightful hike around villages and along towering stunning mountains. 

En route we meet local villagers going about their daily life. Arriving in Sin Ho, we explore the charm of the township and nearby villages. Tonight we spend the night in a hotel.

Day 04: Sin Ho - Dien Bien Phu (Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
After breakfast we take a hike along beautiful towering mountains, through lush rice terraces and around tiny villages. Later in the morning we walk to our waiting vehicle and make our way to Dien Bien Phu. The night is spent at a comfortable hotel.

Day 05: Dien Bien Phu - Son La (Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
We continue our journey due north to Son La province by car, viewing spectacular mountain scenery, we break our journey with some stops along the way to explore some beautiful villages, home to Black Thai and Hmong people. 

Arriving in Son La we enjoy this town's laid-back atmosphere and retire to a comfortable hotel for a good night's rest.

Day 06: Son La - Black River (Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
The day begins with a scenic drive from Son La to Black River. En route we take a beautiful hike through the tiers of splendid rice terraces and past several idyllic villages. This is followed by an enjoyable bicycle ride around a spectacular area, which features verdant hillocks, lush farmlands and beautiful mountains. 

Finally, we descend to the Xom Moi village, located by the Black River and home to the Muong people. Tonight we settle in with a Muong family in a traditional wooden house to experience their way of life.

Day 07: Black River - Pu Luong Nature Reserve (Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
The Pu Luong Nature Reserve is an area of outstanding beauty, cultural interest and high biodiversity value stretching from Mai Chau in the northwest to Cuc Phuong National Park in the south east. The region is blessed with rich forest, limestone panoramas, magnificent rice terraces and breathtaking scenery. 

We depart from Black River and hike along paths amid verdant hills and pictursque villages, before arriving at the reserve where we begin our hike to the Thai village of Kho Muong. We relax in the cool climate, enjoy their hospitality and culture over our dinner. We spend the night with a local Thai family.

Day 08: Pu Luong - Ninh Binh (Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
It is time for relaxation, as we wander around corn fields, an amazing fish stream and rice terraces. We see the villages and local people going about their day. Later in the morning we hike to our waiting vehicle and journey alongside the beautiful Ma river. We head out into the countryside to the very picturesque area around Tam Coc. 

Tam Coc is famed for its beautiful limestone rock formations. Upon our arrival we have some free time to explore the area and build an appetite for the fantastic local specialities. Here, we retire to a comfortable hotel for a good night's rest.

Day 09: Ninh Binh - Inland Halong Bay (Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
We depart Tam Coc and drive to to Ninh Xuan area, a firm favourite with walkers, we enjoy a wonderful boat ride along a scenic canal. This is followed by a delightful walk through spectacular scenery, and dramatic limestone peaks rising up from open rice fields. 

Those who are more interested in local cuisine than just sightseeing can settle in with a local family and learn how to make some authentic Vietnamese food. Dishes include succulent spring rolls, zesty sauce dips and sticky rice. We then enjoy the family’s gracious hospitality as they share lunch with us.

After lunch we cycle around several villages and witness the tight-knit community at work. We learn about agriculture, such as rice cultivation, and the growing of peanuts and assorted vegetables, There is plenty of time for us to experience the way of life in the delta.

We also observe the various steps required to make rice noodles, which are time-consuming and labour-intensive. The night is spent in the same hotel in Tam Coc.

Day 10: Ninh Binh - Halong Bay (Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
Lan Ha Bay of the submerged dragon, which boasts 3000 craggy and towering islets, is amongst the most picturesque places in Vietnam.
The fantastic beauty of the bays has given rise to many legends, some of them dating back to the ancient past. It is said that a dragon descended into the deep water spitting out gems as he did so. And thus the rocky islands were formed. 

Departing Tam Coc we journey to Hai Phong City. Upon our arrival in Catba island, we embark on a junk trip amongst some of the spectacular limestone peaks – time to relax and appreciate the sublime beauty of the bay. 

In the evening we indulge in the uniquely fascinating nature as we stay overnight on our traditional junk.

Day 11: Halong Bay - Cat Ba - Lan Ha Bay (Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
A morning cruise brings us to some of the bay’s truly awesome scenery – vertical and unusual rocks and islets emerge from the sea.  Enjoy a beautiful trip among the spectacular limestone peaks. Weather permitting, there is an opportunity to enjoy a kayaking ride through stunning rock formations, hidden caves and fishing villages.

 Tonight we stay overnight on boat.

Day 12: Lan Ha Bay - Haiphong - Hanoi (Breakfast, lunch included)
The Catba island is blessed with stunning beaches, scenic hills, sand dunes and surroundings sprinkled with tiny villages. 

After a quiet morning strolling around the picturesque village of Van Boi and watching the day unfold on the island, we board our boat to discover further northern reaches of Lan Ha Bay - time to appreciate the sublime beauty of the bay. 

This is followed by our journey back to Hanoi, arriving there at about 6pm.

What to take:

Pack essentials for 12 days, including light comfortable clothes suitable for outdoor activities, jacket for cool evenings, comfortable walking shoes. Take a small day pack for cycling, walking, hiking and trekking. It is essential to bring your passport on this trip. We also recommend packing: swimsuit, insect repellent, sun cream, raincoat and sun hat.