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Remote North Vietnam Tour

Highlights

  • Visit some lovely villages and hike to the upper reaches of Ba Be Lake.
  • Journey along a spectacular road with a series of long passes and deep valleys in Ha Giang.
  • Experience Ban Gioc Waterfall, Vietnam's most spectacular waterfall & visit Nguom Ngao Cave.
From £789 pp
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What you'll do

Overview

This tour takes you to the most stupendous remote regions of Vietnam. Including the markets of the indigenous people, the mountains of the Black H'mong of Dong Van and the Ma Pi Leng Pass, to the magic Babe Lake.

Hanoi – Ha Giang

You’ll depart Hanoi at 08:00 and travel via Road no.2 to Ha Giang. After stopping for a delicious lunch in Tan Quang Gardens, you will continue the journey, arriving in Ha Giang at 18:00. On arrival, you’ll visit a nearby Tay village where you’ll have dinner and spend the night in a family owned stilt house.

(Meals included:  lunch and dinner)

Ha Giang - Dong Van

After purchasing the mandatory permit at the Immigration Office, you’ll  journey along a spectacular road with a series of long passes and deep valleys leading to Dong Van. After enjoying lunch in the small mountain town of Tam Son, you will then travel through a pine forest to arrive at an extraordinary palace which belonged to a H’mong King. You’ll arrive in Dong Van at around 18:00 where you will have dinner at a local restaurant and stay overnight in the Hoa Cuong Hotel.

(Meals included: breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Dong Van - Ma Pi Leng - Meo Vac - Cao Bang

Today will begin with a trip to Dong Van Market where local people go to stock up on their daily supplies. You’ll then climb a pass up to the French Fortress of Pu Lo which was built in 1890 and vacated in 1945. As well as being of historical significance the fortress offers remarkable views of the region. You will then drive along one of the most astonishing roads in Vietnam, which climbs 15 km up to the top of the Ma Pi Leng Pass, through a gigantic maze of unique limestone peaks and canyons. You’ll then descend into the valley of Meo Vac, visiting Meo Vac Market before continuing on the snaking road through the mountains, crossing the river, and arriving in Cao Bang. You’ll have dinner and spend the night in Cao Bang at the Sunny Hotel.

(Meals included: breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Cao Bang - Ban Gioc Waterfall

You’ll make an early start along the mountain road from Cao Bang to Ban Gioc Waterfall  Ban Gioc Waterfall is the most spectacular waterfall in the country and sits directly on the border of Vietnam and China. Here you will have plenty of time to relax, enjoy the breathtaking sights and take photos. You will then visit Nguom Ngao Cave and explore part of the magical underground cavern. Afterwards you’ll travel down a beautiful road that’s certainly off the beaten track. The road winds through the mountains before reaching the Nung village of Quang Uyen. You will be welcomed by Mr. Hung Dao, an amazingly friendly blacksmith and you’ll learn about him, his life and his trade. You’ll have dinner and spend the night in a traditional Nung house.

(Meals included: breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Cao Bang - Ba Be Lake

Your day  starts with breakfast at the hotel followed by a three-hour drive to Cho Ra where you’ll stop for lunch. You’ll then take to the three lakes that make up the Ba Be Lake on a houseboat and take a trip through the  lakes which make up and up the Nang River to Puong Cave, a 300-meter long tunnel through the middle of a mountain. If it is hot, you can even have a dip in the cool water before you visit the stilt houses and meet the locals in Coc Toc, a Tay ethnic minority village. You’ll spend the night here in a Homestay where you’ll experience the amazing hospitality of the Tay community.

(Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

 

Ba Be Lake – Hanoi

The day kicks off with a relaxing stroll along the riverfront to visit some lovely villages and hike to the upper reaches of the lake, surrounded by massive limestone peaks and mountains. On the way, you will pay a visit Pac Ngoi Village where you can see more examples of the beautifully crafted stilt houses. You will then enter Hua Ma Cave which is famous for its thousands of stalactites and columns. Your guide will then take you through a pass which we call “Dog Flower Pass” where you can stop to take some amazing photos of the terraced fields. After lunch in a local restaurant, you will begin your journey back to Hanoi, arriving at around 18:00.

What's included

Included

  • Accommodation stated in itinerary
  • Expert local guide throughout
  • Transfers between locations
  • Meals stated in itinerary
  • All sightseeing tickets and passes
Your local host

Nguyen Tuan Linh

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I was born in Vietnam up in the rural areas of the tea country and growing up I developed a passion for the outdoors and just exploring the unexplored. I worked for my grandfather, in the rice fields in the Phu Tho province. And as I grew, so did my curiosity for the world, bringing the ambition of working to discover the world.

At 19, I took my first footsteps in following my dream, and travelled to Hanoi to study tourism at university and to learn English.

With a dream of becoming a professional tour guide, I continued studying tourism and spent three years working in the tourism industry as a tour guide for a number of travel companies in Hanoi. Responding to the travel aspira... Read All

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I was born in Vietnam up in the rural areas of the tea country and growing up I developed a passion for the outdoors and just exploring the unexplored. I worked for my grandfather, in the rice fields in the Phu Tho province. And as I grew, so did my curiosity for the world, bringing the ambition of working to discover the world.

At 19, I took my first footsteps in following my dream, and travelled to Hanoi to study tourism at university and to learn English.

With a dream of becoming a professional tour guide, I continued studying tourism and spent three years working in the tourism industry as a tour guide for a number of travel companies in Hanoi. Responding to the travel aspirations many international travellers seek, I sought out off-the-beaten-track places to show visitors, and approached many ethnic minority villages to arrange visits there too. I gained expertise in everything from giving travellers tips on how to get around the country, to itineraries ideal for business travellers.
The combination of volunteering, environmental protection and sustainable tourism development gave me the idea of forming my own tour company and have been doing this ever since.

What inspired you to work in travel? 

The one thing that sticks out as being the main inspiration has to be the country I grew up in, Vietnam.When I was working as a tour guide, I would ask people where they were going and it would always be the main tourists places. So I realised there was so much that people were not seeing and I wanted to change that.

I also love travelling myself, the people you meet, the stories you hear, and the things you learn are just fascinating. So I wanted to share this passion with others.

What makes your experiences special? 

Finding off the beaten path experiences has always been a passion of mine. I always make sure the experiences I offer are truly authentic, that you can’t find anywhere else.

All of our partners are local people living in and around the places that we visit. We make annual trips to all of our destinations to research and re-verify the quality of service provided, as well as spend time training and teaching the people how to best run accommodation and other services for visitors. When staying in luxury hotels, we always pick ones situated near nature, and the homestays we work with work exclusively through us, ensuring that we offer unique experiences through our partners that you can’t find with anyone else.

Nguyen Tuan Linh image
Sustainability Efforts

What Sustainability Efforts are we Taking?

At Not in the Guidebooks we’re committed to empowering the local communities in Costa Rica. We work closely with the local people and their businesses to make sure that they receive a fair percentage of the money you spend on your holiday there. By partnering with local guides and suppliers, we’re able to create meaningful, authentic experiences that directly benefit the people who call this incredible country home.

Learn More

Location

You will be picked up and returned to your accommodation in Hanoi.

What our travellers are saying...

From Sapa, to visiting Babe Lake, Ban Gioc water fall, I could not praise enough their professional and attentive service. They are knowledgeable about the various excursions, travel arrangements and accommodations they offer. They checked on me on daily basis with what’s app to ensure that I was having a pleasant and comfortable experience.

John

Going to Vietnam was our vacation, but it has turned out to be an "experience" instead. The driver and guide (Mr. Long and Mr. Long) were informative, enthusiastic, helpful and attentive in every way. The home stays were wonderful experiences. The host families were friendly and the food was great. We walked the mountain trails, through the valleys, met many villagers living in the remote mountain areas. We visited many villages, including the bl

Kim

My parter and I went on a trekking tour through the Ha Giang provence and Ba Be National Park with guide Mr Long and driver Mr Nam and had a fantastic time!! Firstly the scenery and views were spectacular whether we were on foot or driving in the car. Our guide Mr Long was excellent; he spoke good english, knew the area very well and took us to some excellent spots that not many others know about. Mr Long made sure the trip was personalised for u

Steve

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