Duration: 14 days/13 nights
Tour Code: MVAT14
Tour Valid: Until December 30th, 2013
Highlights: Stunning scenery - Stunning Pha Din Pass and Tram Ton Pass - Terraced valley of Sapa - Ban Gioc Waterfall - Babe Lake - Colorful ethnic minorities: Hanoi - Mai Chau - Son La - Dien Bien Phu - Sapa – Hagiang – Bao Loc – Cao Bang – Ban Gioc – Ba Be – Lang Son – Hanoi.
Day 1 - Arrival in Hanoi
Place Transport: Airplane
Meals: DinnerUpon arrival in Hanoi, you meet our guide at the airport and they will take you to your hotel for check-in in Hanoi. If time permits, we can have riding test in the afternoon. Welcome dinner with local delicacies. Tour briefing at the dinner time. Overnight in Hanoi.Day 2 - Ride to Mai Chau
Place Transport: Car
Meals: Breakfast - Lunch - DinnerIn the morning, we take a short bus drive to the starting point on the outskirt of Hanoi where we beginning our adventure journey. We will ride on Highway 6 passing extensive farming lands comprising a sea of paddy fields split by tree-lined and the roads punctuated by limestone karst scenery.
After a light lunch in Hoa Binh Town, the capital of Hoa Binh Province, we cross two short mountain passes then descent to the mountain valley settlement of Mai Chau. We ride straight to Pom Coong- a peaceful village of White Thai ethnic minority where we have lunch, dinner and spend our night in a traditional stilt-house of a Thai family. If time and weather permit, we will ride toward Ma River to enjoy a short boat ride upstream Ma Rive to a remote Thai Village. Relax and have interesting conversations with the villagers before we walk back to the dock. Return to Pom Coong Village to have dinner and stay overnight.Day 3 - Ride up to Son La
Place Transport: Car
Meals: Breakfast - Lunch - DinnerBreakfast at the home-stay before we embark on a beautiful ride up north to Son La. The road is in good conditions and the scenery is stunning. We may take frequent stops to visit minority villages of H’mong, Black Thai,… or to take photos. Lunch will be served in local restaurant en route. The highlight of our ride today could be the tea plantations in Moc Chau Plateau where you find the best green tea in Vietnam grown along the roads on hillsides. We go to Son La in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight in Son La.Day 4 - Descend valley of Dien Bien Phu
Place Transport: Car
Meals: Breakfast - Lunch - DinnerIt is true to say “the further you go up north the faster you heart rate”. Today, the ride is greater with more winding road, longer passes, more colorful minority groups and more stunning scenery. Like yesterday, we may have interesting stops to visit villages and take photos. Lunch en route in local restaurant. The highlight of today ride could be the impressive pass of Pha Din.
Pha Pin means Heaven-Earth, and according to local legend, it was the frontier between Heaven and Earth. Pha Din is some 1,000m above sea-level. Climbing and descending the slopes with their many bends and deep gorges is a really an unforgettable experience. We reach to Dien Bien Phu in the afternoon around 4pm. Upon arrival, we could ride around to explore the town. Dinner and overnight in Dien Bien Phu.Day 5 - Riding along Nam Na River to Tam Duong
Place Transport: Car
Meals: Breakfast - Lunch - DinnerAfter breakfast, we will start our 225 km ride along stunning gorges and Nam Na River. On the way, we will have interesting stops to visit H’mong and Dzao villages. Lunch in Lai Chau. We would reach to Tam Duong around 4.30 pm. Dinner and overnight in a hotel in Tam Duong Town.Day 6 - Ascending Sapa
Place Transport: Car
Meals: Breakfast - Lunch - DinnerThe ride today is the highlight of the whole trip. Climbing the highest pass in Vietnam, the Tram Ton Pass. Lunch in local restaurant en route. We will visit Sapa in the noon time. Sapa is the former hill station for the French colonists hundred years ago. Today, Sapa is the paradise for trekking lovers thank to its beautiful trekking routes, stunning terraces, colorful minority groups and the highest mountain in Indochina- the Mt. Fansipang. Free at leisure in the afternoon. Have dinner and stay overnight in Sapa.
Note: The weekend market (Sunday market) in Tam Duong is very interesting with lots of colorful ethnic minorities. If this day is Sunday , the market will be included in the program and we will go to Sapa around 3pm.Day 7 - Ride northeastward to Ha Giang
Place Transport: Car
Meals: Breakfast - Lunch - DinnerAfter breakfast in the hotel, we will head to Ha Giang 200km northeast of Sapa. First, we descend Lao Cai through a beautiful area of rice terraces on hill slopes. In Lao Cai, we will have a short ride along the border with China. The road is quite smooth and the traffic is not very busy. Lunch stop in small town of Yen Binh. We go to Ha Giang around 5.30pm. Tonight, we will stay overnight in a house of a Tay family. Dinner and overnight in the house.Day 8 - Riding to Bao Lac
Place Transport: Car
Meals: Breakfast - Lunch - DinnerBreakfast at the homestay. Riding east to Bao Lac Town. Today, the ride is shorter and easier; thus, we may have sometime to wander around the village before leaving for Bao Lac. The lunch stop is in Bac Me- a quiet town on the bank of Gam River. After lunch, we continue to Bao Lac. The ride in the afternoon is very nice since we ride along the Gam River. Arrive in Bao Lac around 5pm. Stay overnight in a mini hotel.Day 9 - Riding to Bao Bang
Place Transport: Motorcycle
Meals: Breakfast - Lunch - DinnerIn the morning, we head to Nguyen Binh through mining town of Tinh Tuc. The ride is quite peaceful with easy traffic and good road. Lunch stop in Nguyen Binh. In the afternoon, we ride to Cao Bang with a stop to visit Pac Po cave- the hideout used by Ho Chi Minh when he came back to Vietnam after 30 years of self imposed exile. It was here that he organized his resistance army against the French. After that, we continue to Cao Bang. Dinner and overnight in Cao Bang.Day 10 - Riding to Ban Gioc
Place Transport: Motorcycle
Meals: Breakfast - Lunch - DinnerBreakfast in Cao Bang. Ride to the beautiful waterfall of Ban Gioc. We will have an exploration of Nguom Ngao Cave before reaching to Ban Gioc. Have lunch in Ban Gioc and spend the afternoon to take photo and relax in the scenic nature setting of Ban Gioc Waterfall. We will ride back to Cao Bang on another road until we reach to Quang Yen. Return to Cao Bang around 5pm. Dinner and overnight in Cao Bang.Day 11 - Riding to Ba Be Lake
Place Transport: Motorcycle
Meals: Breakfast - Lunch - DinnerToday, we ride to the most beautiful lake in northern Vietnam, which is named “another Halong Bay”. The lunch stop is in Cho Ra. After lunch, we have a short ride to Pac Ngoi- a village of Tay ethnic minority on the bank of Ba Be Lake. Upon arrival in Pac Ngoi, we have a cruise on the lake. You can relax in the clean water of the lake if weather permits. Tonight, we will have dinner and stay overnight with a Tay family.Day 12 - Riding to Lang Son
Place Transport: Motorcycle
Meals: Breakfast - Lunch - DinnerHave breakfast at the home stay before heading to Lang Son. Today, we ride on quiet roads through an unpopulated area. The roads were built and used mainly during the border dispute with China in 1979. We will have lunch in Nari, a small town on the bank of Bac Giang River. We continue riding toward the border gate of Friendship Pass in Dong Dang and go to Lang Son where we stop for overnight.Day 13 - Riding back to Hanoi
Place Transport: Motorcycle
Meals: Breakfast - LunchToday, we head back to Hanoi. Before leaving for Hanoi, we visit Tam Thanh Cave. We ride on A1 National road. Have a stop for lunch in Kep. We will reach to Hanoi at 4.30pm. Stay overnight in Hanoi.Day 14 - Departure
Place Transport: Airplane
Meals: BreakfastYou'll have breakfast at the hotel and will be free at leisure until you are transferred to the airport for departure.Trip finishes. Thanks for traveling with Minmax.The Tour Inclusion:
- 13 Nights Accommodation with daily BKF.- Pick-ups and transfers by private air-conditioned vehicle as specified in the itinerary above (Please note: pick-ups will be by a guide and driver or, where a guide is not necessary, a driver only. All unaccompanied drivers will be briefed in advance, and will carry a mobile phone to ensure smooth transfer arrangements)- The services of experienced English-speaking guides as indicated in the itinerary (please note: guides will be on hand from pick-up until guests' return to their hotel or reaching their destination). Free days or part days will not include the services of a guide unless requested and included in the final itinerary.- Where necessary, entry fees for all visits as mentioned in the program- Meals (as specified in the itinerary) in the best local restaurants, or picnics where no suitable restaurant is available.The Tour Exclusion:
- International flight tickets and airport tax.Visas- Dinners, except as specified above.- Drinks, gratuities and personal expenses.- Surcharge for peak season (if any) & Other not mentioned in the above detail program.Additional Information
Importance note- The itinerary is just a sample of our Vietnam tours; we'll be pleased to design similar programs with dates and itinerary customized to your personal preferences in Tailor Made Tours section. Rates may vary frequently. Please contact us to get the best possible price based upon your travel period and specific touring needs.What to bring ?
- Sun Block, Wide brim hat, Camera + Film, Comfortable shoes, Rain gear, Warm clothes, original Passport...How to start ?
- MinMax Travel is a fully escorted tour and best-available all year round; the only thing you need to prepare in advance is the international air-ticket from/to your country.- If you don’t have enough time to complete visa before your departure, we will help you to obtain Vietnam Visa on arrival easily (getting visa at the airport, on your arrival).
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