IN THE NORTHERN UPPER TONKIN 15 DAYS

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.

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 of 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. 

Departure to Cao Bang via Thai Nguyen and Bac Kan by the national road 3. You will go through a mountainous region dominated by the Tay and Cao Lan ethnics groups, called ATK, capital of Viet Minh between 1946 and 1954. Passing Bac Kan, it is possible to see local tribes en-route: Tay, Nung, Dzao... Several stops will be planned to visit the villages, taste local fruits and take pictures. Arrive in the late afternoon in this beautiful region also called the Northern extreme of Vietnam.

You will head to the Chinese border to see the Ban Gioc waterfall, considered the most beautiful one of Vietnam. China is right on the other side of the waterfall. Picturesque landscape of limestone peaks, rainforest and villages nested in the foot of the mountains are the highlight of this area. Stop at the Phuc Sen villages to discover the traditional crafting technique of Nung ethnics. After visiting Nguom Ngao cave, return to Cao Bang where you will spend the night at the hotel.

Early departure for Ba Be. Ba Be Lake is 145m above sea level in the middle of a national park famous for its limestone rocks, impenetrable forest and authentic villages. Many ethnic groups live on its banks: the Tay, the H'mong, the Dzao... After lunch, discover Lake Ba Be and the surrounding mountains covered with thick forest. Crossing the lake aboard a local sampan to the Dau Dang waterfalls. Overnight homestay in a house on stilts by the water.

The morning is devoted to the discovery of Ba Be Lake and the surrounding mountains covered with wooded forests. You will follow the lake in a sampan to the famous Dau Dang waterfalls, before hitting the road towards Thac Ba. Crossing the province of Bac Kan and Tuyen Quang to join that of Yen Bai. Your guide will not forget to tell you about Viet Minh when you are in the ATK region - capital of Viet Minh between 1945 and 1954. Several stops are planned along the way to visit ethnic villages and take beautiful photos. Overnight homestay near Thac Ba lake.

In the morning, boat ride on the magnificent Thac Ba lake. A hundred inverted bowl-shaped islands stand in the middle of the lake and the banks are covered with dense vegetation. The local population lives from fishing and culture on these steep islets. Then, drive to Nghia Lo - the second rice granary in the North West and the capital of the Thai people. Crossing a region where the cultivation of tea is very important. Stop along the way to see the tea fields and watch the locals work with eucalyptus wood. Arrival in Nghia Lo in the middle of the afternoon. You will be warmly welcomed by Mr. Binh and his family. Short break to drink tea, then walk in the great valley of Nghia Lo. Opportunity to participate in the preparation of dinner with the family to discover Thai gastronomy.

Depart 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.

Breakfast with the locals, then you will have a short walk via Che Cu Nha. Meet the Hmong and panoramic view of huge rice terraces. Transfer by car to Son La by national road 279 which passes the unknown places of travelers. Pass over Pa Uon's bridge to admire a picturesque landscape with karst peaks, bamboo rafts and the life on the water of many Thai families. Arrival at Son La in the late afternoon.

Road to Dien Bien Phu, a small town in the middle of the Muong Thanh valley. The route will cross several historic sites such as Pha Din, Tuan Giao and Muong Ang, as well as authentic villages inhabited by the Thai, Hmong, Kho Mu, Dzao and Ha Ni ethnic groups. Arrival in Dien Bien Phu in the afternoon. Visit of Eliane 2 Hill, the military museum of Dien Bien Phu, the PC of De Castries and the historic bridge of Muong Thanh. Overnight in Dien Bien Phu.

Depending on the flight, visit the local market and transfer to the airport for the flight to Hanoi.

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 the program may vary a little depending on the cruise you choose & weather conditions on that day

Continuation of the cruise in Halong Bay in the middle of the countless islets. You will never tire of this magical landscape! Disembark and drive towards Ninh Binh. You will pass through the province of Nam Dinh, known for its pagodas and temples dedicated to the emperors of the Tran dynasty (1225 - 1400). The road will reveal a countryside landscape where rice cultivation predominates. Arrival in Ninh Binh in the late afternoon. Night at the hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, take a bicycle ride along winding roads passing lotus ponds, temples and cottages, typical of Vietnamese countryside, and stop at Bich Dong pagoda for a tour. After that, transfer to visit Hang Mua cave. Its name means “dancing cave” because this site was previously considered as the place where Tran king used to enjoy dancing & singing shows. At Hang Mua, walk around the park and explore the caves there, then we will challenge ourselves with 500 steps to the mountain top where we will be rewarded with the fresh air on the “rooftop of Ninh Binh”and a panoramic view.
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. Transfer to Hanoi. 
 Car:  100km/ 2h                       B          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.