With this tour, you will enjoy an in-depth discovery of beautiful Tonkin, featuring its hospitable inhabitants, landscapes of rare beauty, green countryside, and rich cultural assets. You will be able to explore the mountainous sceneries of Mai Chau and Pu Luong and the iconic karst peaks of Halong Bay and Tam Coc. Experience the essence of northern Vietnam with us!
Brief itinerary
Day 1: Hanoi – Duong Lam – Mai Chau
Day 2: Mai Chau, the heart of Thai culture
Day 3: Mai Chau – Pu Luong
Day 4: Pu Luong – Ninh Binh
Day 5: Ninh Binh – Lan Ha Bay
Day 6: Lan Ha Bay – Hanoi
Highlight
The green valley of Mai Chau
The sugar loaves and terraced rice fields of Pu Luong
Tropical forests
The karst peaks of Lan Ha Bay
The village of Duong Lam, its history and its ancient laterite houses
Discovery of Tonkin’s most famous pagodas
Full itinerary
B (Breakfast), L (Lunch), D (Dinner)
Open and close
We pick you up from your hotel and depart for Duong Lam Village which is about 60 km west of Hanoi. This village has been known as a museum of laterite with ancient houses aged up to 400 years old. It is also the only place in Vietnam where the two kings came from. King Phung Hung and Ngo Quyen – the two heroes who led resistance wars against China's Sung and Southern Han troops to recover national independence. Walk around the village, you will explore the special architecture, traditional culture and traditions of countryside of Vietnam which is still well preserved today. Then, head to Mia Pagoda, built during the Tran Dynasty before 1632 and still preserves many ancient artifacts. Mong Phu is the biggest and the most famous communal house of Duong Lam village. Here, you also can admire ancient houses made of laterite and mud, two materials that are abundant in the area, stroll in small lanes, and watch local people in their daily activities. A visit to Duong Lam fore sure will help you understand much about the origin of Vietnam.
Depart at 2h00 pm from Hanoi to Mai Chau, a picturesque valley, predominantly inhabited by the White Thai ethnic group. Arrive in Mai Chau around noon and transfer to your homestay.
Car: 150km/3h Night: homestay
After breakfast, transfer by car to reach the Cum village where you will have a short walk through the very authentic Thai villages seeing their stilt houses, their rice fields and their fish ponds. Meet the locals who are very friendly and welcoming. Your guide will tell you about Thai culture, the main ethnic groups in the region. The ride ends at the Hich suspension bridge where you will go on bamboo rafts. Descent of the Xia river follows a very gentle current. Discovery of the daily life of the Thai ethnic group. Return to Ban Van. In the afternoon, take a bicycle on the small peaceful paths of the Mai Chau countryside to explore the Chieng Sai, Cha, Cha Long, Na Tang, Tong Dau villages. This ecological mean of transport will allow you to go inland, discovering an authentic countryside. You will be charmed by the warm welcome of the Thai people who make their smiling faces go beyond their traditional dwellings on stilts, or by the surrounding landscapes made of vegetable gardens and bamboo forests. In the evening, after a delicious dinner of traditional dishes, enjoy a dance and folk music show. Try a straw tasting of a variety of typical Thai rice alcohol.
Car: 50km Night: homestay
After breakfast, you’ll be picked up and transferred to Pu Luong. You enter Pu Luong Nature Reserve via a breathtaking mountain pass giving you a panoramic view of the whole valley. You arrive at your accommodation in time for a delicious lunch, followed by some free time to explore the beautiful retreat, with its captivating panoramic views and tranquil setting.
In the afternoon, transfer to a place about 12 km from the Retreat, where you will start your walk to a suspension bridge over Cham River, afterward follow the river, walk from village to village looking for stunning water wheels. Get close to each wheel and discover how water is directed from the river to handmade bamboo aqueducts via simple constructions of all sizes. Arriving at Chieng Lau village, you can rest and enjoy a tranquil streamside scenery. Walk to the main road to be transferred back to Pu Luong Retreat for dinner.
Car: 50km Night: hotel
Car transfer to Tam Coc (Ninh Binh). In the afternoon, we will take the road to Tam Coc, where we will embark on a small rowing boat to discover the outstanding karst waterscape on Ngo Dong River. Tam Coc literally translates to « three caves» and is adorned with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites of all sizes shaped like gemstones. While rowing, enjoy the peaceful scenery of rice paddies lining the river bank. Then visit Hoa Lu, the ancient Royal Capital of Vietnam, and two temples: Temple of King Dinh and of King Le, where you can admire this unique architecture from ancient times. Overnight in Ninh Binh.
Car: 150km/3h Night: hotel
After breakfast, depart to Halong Bay via Thai Binh and Nam Dinh, passing a peaceful countryside typical of the Red River Delta with endless rice fields and winding rivers. We will arrive at Lan Ha’s tourist wharf around noon and embark on an elegant wooden junk. Lunch will be served while the boat gently cruises past numerous islands and limestone structures rising from the emerald water. A fresh seafood dinner will be prepared by an experienced chef and served on deck. A peaceful night on board in your private cabin.
Car: 170km/3h Night: on the boat
Awakening to the tranquil beauty of the bay, you have time for an early morning dip while the sun rises, followed by breakfast on board. We will sail through the bay all morning to explore more secluded areas. The junk will stay close at all times serving as a backup vessel for those who require it. Around midday we will return to the main harbor and drive back to Hanoi. End of our services.
Car: 120km/3h
€ 510euro/personneUSD
The price includes
þ Accommodation and breakfasts in hotels on the accommodation list
þ Meals clearly mentioned in the program: B = breakfast; L = lunch; D = dinner
þ The entrance fee to the sites
þ Competent English–speaking guides throughout the trip except the free days when it is mentioned clearly: without a guide
þ Private air – conditioned car for all land transport except free days when it is mentioned clearly: without driver
þ One litre of drinking water per person per day
þ All logistic services necessary for the program
The price does not include
ý International flights and airport taxes from/to your country
ý Bank commission
ý Means of transport not mentioned in the program
ý Meals not mentioned in the program
ý Tipping for services: local guides, crew members, drivers, porters…
ý Drink, telephone, linen or all personal expenses not mentioned in the "price includes" section
You need to know
Trip price
All prices mentioned in the quotes provided to clients are in US Dollars (USD). Euros are accepted, but the exchange rate will be determined by the international website https://www.xe.com/ on the date the payment is made. iLOTUS TOURS guarantees the rates mentioned in the quotes, invoices, or documents given to the client. Upon payment of the deposit or the full price, we guarantee the price of your trip (excluding changes made by you). However, certain force majeure situations may require us to adjust our prices to meet the travel conditions described in the quote. These force majeure situations may include: • An unpredictable and significant increase in the rate of our local providers (hotels, trains, planes, junks, boats, road vehicles...) • A significant currency fluctuation that has a considerable impact on the exchange rate • The introduction of a new tax imposed by the government Proof of these force majeure events will be provided to the client. In these cases of force majeure, even after the deposit has been paid, the client may refuse these increases and cancel their trip. We commit to refunding the deposit you have paid.
Reservation and Confirmation
All reservations must be sent to iLOTUS TOURS by email at: contact@ilotustours.com • Registration must be accompanied by a deposit of 25% of the total cost of the trip and 100% of the cost of international flights. • The deposit required for trips lasting less than one week is 50% of the total trip cost. • A larger deposit may be required in the case of last-minute bookings or depending on the specific requests of certain high-category hotels or airlines. • The balance must be paid upon your arrival, without any reminder from our side. • Upon confirmation of the booking, an invoice will be sent to the client by email.
Payment
The trip can be paid for in cash, by bank transfer, by credit card, or through an application (Wise, Revolut, One Pay...): • Cash payments must be made at the iLOTUS TOURS office located in Hanoi, and the client will not be charged any payment fees. • Credit cards: we accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and JCB. Any bank fees are the responsibility of the client. • Bank transfer in US dollars or euros.
Cancellation by the Client
In the event of trip cancellation, all cancellations must be confirmed by email. The client must pay cancellation fees corresponding to the following rates: • 25% of the total trip price, if the cancellation reaches iLOTUS TOURS less than 30 days before the trip start date. • 50% of the total trip price, if the cancellation reaches iLOTUS TOURS less than 10 days before the trip start date. • 75% of the total trip price, if the cancellation reaches iLOTUS TOURS less than 3 days before the trip start date. • 100% of the total trip price, if the cancellation reaches iLOTUS TOURS 2 days before the trip start date or in case of no-show. For trips to Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar, your travel advisor will provide you with all the information regarding the deposit and cancellation fees.
Cancellation by iLOTUS TOURS
iLOTUS TOURS reserves the right to cancel trips agreed upon with clients for reasons related to a force majeure situation: war or the threat of war, riots, a natural or nuclear disaster, a port blockade, looting, fires, and any terrorist activity, adverse weather conditions, an epidemic, quarantine, or any similar event. In all these cases of cancellation, iLOTUS TOURS will deduct the amount of these penalties from the deposit paid by the client but will refund the remaining amount to the client by bank transfer, with the client covering all bank fees.
