With this Vietnam tour, you’ll enjoy a 11 days adventure in northern Tonkin, featuring short walks through hamlets nestled in the Hoang Lien Son mountain range, colorful multi-ethnic markets in Mu Cang Chai, Sapa, and Bac Ha. Spend pleasant nights hosted by local families, immersing yourself in authentic Vietnamese culture. Your journey will end with a magical night aboard a junk in Halong Bay known as the 8th wonder of the world.
Brief itinerary
Day 1: Hanoi arrival
Day 2: Hanoi city tour
Day 3: Hanoi – Mai Chau
Day 4: Mai Chau – Nghia Lo
Day 5: Nghia Lo – Tu Le – Mu Cang Chai
Day 6: Mu Cang Chai – Sa Pa – Ta Van
Day 7: Ta Van – Giang Ta Chai – Bac Ha
Day 8: Bac Ha market – drive to Hanoi
Day 9: Ha Noi – Ha Long Bay
Day 10: Ha Long Bay – Hanoi
Day 11: Hanoi departure
Highlight
The terraced rice fields of Mu Cang Chai and Sa Pa
The karst peaks of Halong Bay
Thai villages amid the limestone peaks of Mai Chau
The grandiose mountain range Hoang Lien Son
Nom village and its magnificent pagodas and typical Tonkinese houses
Meeting with the many ethnic minorities in Nghia Lo, Tu Le, Mu Cang Chai and Sa Pa
Full itinerary
B (Breakfast), L (Lunch), D (Dinner)
Open and close
Arrival in Noi Bai airport, you will be picked up and transferred to your hotel in the city center. The check – in will be available at 2 pm. The rest of the day is free to rest or discover the city at your own pace.
Car: 20km Night: hotel
You will be picked up at the hotel at 8:00 am, starting the day trip with a visit of the Ho Chi Minh Complex, including Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum (closed on Mondays & Fridays) and his former stilt – house residence. We will continue with the Temple of Literature constructed in 1070 to worship Confucius, which served as the first Royal National University in Vietnam. The site also honors 82 Vietnamese doctorates who passed a number of rigorous exams in the feudal ages. Their names, birthdays and birthplaces are engraved in 82 headstones perched on stone tortoises. It is widely believed that touching the heads of these tortoises will bring one luck. Its peaceful green compound and its neatly maintained lawns, gardens and lotus ponds make it a tranquil hideaway from the city’s bustle and heat. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, we will visit the Museum of Ethnology (closed on Mondays, the alternative being the History Museum), which offers informative and well – documented displays on the country’s 54 ethnic groups cultures, including elaborate and colorful hill tribe costumes. The display continues in the museum’s garden with fascinating examples of traditional houses of numerous minority groups, from the Kinhs to the ethnic groups of the Central Highlands. Then back to the Old Quarter for a one hour and a half walking tour to give you a deeper insight into local daily life. Head to Ngoc Son Temple set on a tiny island in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake. Ngoc Son Temple dates back to the 13th century, and the lake itself is the picturesque heart of Hanoi, frequented by tourists and locals alike. The day ends with a stroll around the HoanKiem Lake (Lake of the Restored Sword) before watching the traditional water puppet show.
Car: 30km Night: hotel
Depart at 8h00 am 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 hotel, then lunch will be followed by a short break. In the afternoon, we will take a nice bike ride to discover an authentic and uncharted country, unspoiled by mass tourism. You’re gonna be charmed by the traditional houses on stilts, the Thai’s friendly smiles and greetings, vegetable gardens, green rice and bamboo forests along the way, crossing many villages of different ethnic groups: Chieng Sai, Cha, Cha Long, Na Tang, Tong Dau ... Return to the lodge to admire its natural surroundings. After dinner, enjoy the traditional music show. Overnight at the hotel.
Car: 150km/3h Night: homestay
After a homemade breakfast, departure for the pretty Mai Chau valley. A short transfer by car will take you to the Moc Chau plateau, a region well known for its tea plantations, its temperate climate and its dairy cow farms (A tasting should be possible. If the water level is too low or if the river is too wild, we won’t be able to use the ferry, therefore we will have to use another road). The landscape is very wild. Along the way you will meet some Mong, Thai and Muong villages. We will cross one of the largest reservoirs of the country on a local ferry. Picturesque landscapes with terraced rice fields, rafts made out of bamboo used for breeding aquatic products, traditional wood houses... Take a small stroll in the valley of Phu Yen. In the afternoon, we’ll go to the Thai capital. Flooded rice fields, vegetable gardens, peaceful villages near the mountains will make for the perfect photo shoot. Arrival in Muong Lo at the end of the day. Night in Muong Lo.
Car: 230km/5h Night: homestay
Departure from Nghia Lo to Mu Cang Chai, the road winds its way through Hoang Lien Son Mountain chain, which has the highest peak of Indochina, Mount Fansipan. Stop at Tu Le for an easy hike. You walk through rice terraces to reach Thai and H’mong villages where people still dress in traditional costumes and H’mong women sit by their loom. Tu Le is a small hill tribe town surrounded by picturesque landscape and full of warmhearted people living in tiny wooden houses nestled at the foot of the mountains. Leaving Tu Le, you cross Khau Pha Pass (1550m). Dominating the entire area of La Pan Tan for a hundred years, the Mong still keep their morals and customs very well. Being always in traditional clothing, speaking their own language, refusing the invasion of modern life, they cultivate maize in plots of land embedded with rocks, they grow vegetables and especially rice in terraced rice fields. A new road will take you to the heart of the village where you can discover Mong culture and meet with villagers, a great opportunity for photo shoots.
Car: 100km/2h Night: homestay
After a 2-hour drive, the road begins to climb up the Tram Ton Pass, the highest pass in Vietnam at 2047 meters of altitude. Stop for photos opportunities and enjoy the fresh air. From here, you can see Mount Fansipan, “the Roof of Indochina” with its 3143m peak reaching the clouds. Arrive in Sapa at noon. Start your walk in the Muong Hoa River on your way to the Black Hmong village of Lao Chai. Past the colorful rice terraces, you will reach the village of Ta Van Giay. As you continue your trek along the Muong Hoa River, you will cross a small suspension bridge, roughly 2km from the settlement. Here you can discover a fascinating collection of rock carvings. These engravings depict some beautiful images of man, stilt houses and decorative patterns. Overnight in homestay.
Car: 150km/4h Nigth: homestay
The walk continues through a bamboo forest to Giang Ta Chai, a Red Dao ethnic minority village. Rest and refresh yourself near a waterfall, then climb uphill where a car is waiting to take you to Bac Ha. After lunch, leave the colorful market behind to follow a zigzag road along the mountain and visit Ban Pho 1 and Ban Pho 2 villages, inhabited by Flower H'mong people. Return to Bac Ha in the late afternoon.
Car: 90km/2h Night: hotel
This is the biggest local ethnic market of the region and it takes place every Sunday. Tribal people from surrounding villages flock here to exchange their products. Join the local ethnic people for about 2 hours to enjoy the exciting atmosphere as well as the activities of this weekly market. Walk from section to section, seeing and smelling different local products, spices, vegetables, farming tools, handicraft, even medicinal herbs… above all meeting smiling people everywhere. After spending the whole morning exploring the market, you will leave the market for lunch before driving back to Hanoi.
Car: 300km/5h Night: otel
After breakfast, depart for Halong Bay, passing through the typical peaceful countryside of Red River Delta with endless rice fields and winding rivers. We will arrive at Halong’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 indeed in your private cabin. Please note that the program may vary a little depending on the cruise you choose & weather conditions on that day.
Car: 160km/4h 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.
Car: 160km/4h Night: hotel
Free time to go shopping in the busy streets of the old quarter or rest at the hotel (room available until 12 noon). Transfer to the airport. End of our services.
Car: 30km
€ 935euro/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.
