Discovery of Tonkin

Discovery of Tonkin

The discovery of Tonkin, or said North of Vietnam, will take you to the wildest destinations of the whole country, where exceptional landscapes of karst peaks proudly emerge in the middle of the rice fields. The inhabitants of the ethnic minorities will make you discover their native region with passion. From the small villages, you can go hiking around or get lost in the heart of the multicolored markets. A good way to discover Vietnam differently! And to end this trip to the North of Vietnam, nothing like a cruise, in a still protected part of mass tourism, Lan Ha Bay, in the no less famous Halong Bay.

Itinerary

Day 1: Hanoi

Stop At: Hanoi, Hanoi
We start a walk in the old trade district. Discovery of eternal sites such as the legendary lake of the restored sword (Hoan Kiem), the temple of Ngoc Son, Saint Joseph cathedral, the old merchant's house restored to its original identity, the old Dong Xuan market (built by the French), the East gate and some pagodas.

Then a car drops us off for a visit to the Temple of Literature, the first university in Vietnam, before enjoying lunch, a Hanoi specialty, cha ca, based on fish and basil.

Free afternoon.

Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Night at the hotel.

Day 2: Hanoi, Lao Cai

Stop At: Hanoi, Hanoi
We spend the day visiting the gardens of the palace of the former governor where the Ho Chi Minh house on stilts is located, the pagoda of the single pillar, then the site of the old imperial citadel. Discovery of the recently inaugurated museum, the flag tower, the relics of the Kinh Thien palace and the Great North Gate.

After lunch, visit the ethnographic museum where the lifestyles and cultures of the 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam are gathered.

Dinner in the city center and overnight train to Lao Cai (Northern Mountains).
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight on the train.

Day 3: Lao Cai, Sapa

Stop At: Sapa, Sapa, Lao Cai Province
Early morning arrival at Lao Cai station. This former resort health resort created by the French, now renowned for its valley, its ethnic villages and its breathtaking mountainside views.

Ta Phin (the village of the Red Dao) offers itself to our curiosity. Women, experts in making baths with medicinal plants, have the particularity of wearing red caps and shaving their eyebrows. We reach the Argent waterfall (100 m high), the village of Sin Chai with its local crafts, the waterfalls and the old hydroelectric station.

Walk in Sapa with its market, its church, and (if time permits), we have a breathtaking view of Fan Si Pan, the "roof of Indochina" culminating at 3143 m above sea level!
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Night at the hotel.

Day 4: Sapa, Thanh Phu, Nam Cum, Sin Chai B

Stop At: Sapa, Sapa, Lao Cai Province
Trek about 6 hours to remote villages marked by real authenticity of Thanh Kim, Thanh Phu and Sin Chai B. We descend into a narrow valley to a suspension bridge over the Muong Bo river. The numerous rivers, the rice terraces, the peasants in their daily life, constitute a magnificent spectacle in the middle of the mountains.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Night with the locals.

Day 5: Sapa, Bac Ha

Stop At: Bac Ha, Bac Ha, Lao Cai Province
During our second day of trek (about 5 hours of walking) we successively cross the villages of Nam Nhiu (red Dao), Nam Than (the only village inhabited by the white Hmong ethnic group) and My Son (from the Xa Pho ethnic group, few in number and living alone).

The ascent to Nam Toong allows us to admire a magical panorama of Sapa and its valley. Discovery of Ban Ho, of the Tay ethnic group, one of the most important villages in the valley.

Head to the Bac Ha region, near the Chinese border, to spend the night with a family of the Tay ethnic group in their traditional house on stilts.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Night with the locals.

Day 6: Bac Ha, Thong Nguyen

Stop At: Bac Ha Market, Bac Ha 330000 Vietnam
Visit the Bac Ha market. We find colorful tunics, fabrics, local crafts, tobacco, utensils and animals.
Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: Thong Nguyen, Thong Nguyen, Ha Giang Province
We take the small serpentine road towards the village Thong Nguyen crossing the territories of Hmong, Dao, and Phu La), then a succession of small villages of the Tay and Pa Then ethnic groups to spend the night at an idyllic place: Pan Hou Lodge . It is reached by a small wooden suspension bridge, the bungalows are nestled in the heart of nature in a beautiful garden and are equipped in an ecological manner.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at a lodge.

Day 7: Thong Nguyen, Nam Dam

Stop At: Nậm Đăm, Tp. Hà Giang, Hà Giang, Vietnam
Leaving Ha Giang, we continue our journey in the North of Vietnam while evolving through the mountains, the valleys, the winding roads, and we cross the "door of the sky" in the district of Quan Ba, one of the poorest regions of the country .

Arriving at the village of Nam Dam, hike through the rice fields and we follow the path along the river to the village of Tam Son.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Night with the locals.

Day 8: Nam Dam, Dong Van, Bao Lac

Stop At: Dong Van, Dong Van, Ha Giang Province
Visit the blue Hmong of Lung Tam where the craft activity of hemp weaving by the women of this village is a real delight. Continue to Pho Bang, a small village with houses with clay floors, typical of the place as well as its Sunday market.

We drive towards Dong Van in the middle of the mountains and the old Chinese houses with red tiles to reach the pass of Ma Pi Leng offering a view overlooking the valley and the karst mountains.
Duration: 8 hours

Stop At: Bao Lac, Bao Lac, Cao Bang Province
We cross Meo Vac and the villages Tay, Nung, Dao, and Lolo before arriving at Bao Lac.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Night at the hotel.

Day 9: Bao Lac, Ba Be

Stop At: Ba Be National Park, Ba Be National Park, Bac Kan Province
Departure to the village of the Lolo ethnic group at Coc Xa and discovery of their daily life and their ancestral customs which have remained on the fringes of modern society.

Ba Be is your next destination, this national park with its natural lake (the largest in North Vietnam) surrounded by karst peaks and typical lush vegetation reminiscent of Halong Bay. Its crossing in a boat at daybreak is truly magical.

Overnight in Pac Ngoi, the village of the Tay ethnic group living on agricultural and fish farming activity based on the land alluvialized by the lake. This hamlet consists of nearly 40 houses on stilts with a yin-yang tile roof.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Night with the locals.

Day 10: Ba Be

Stop At: Ba Be, Ba Be, Bac Kan Province
Next stop on our trip to North Vietnam: hike to the pier at Ba Be Lake to see its grand jungle, cliffs and other giant sugar loaves. Phuong Cave is home to an impressive colony of bats.

Visit the small hamlet Ban Cam and their small local restaurant as well as the Dau Dang waterfall. Boat to the An Ma temple, perched on a tiny islet, where many celebrations take place throughout the year. Back to Pac Ngoi, second night with the Tay family.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Night with the locals.

Day 11: Ba Be, Hanoi

Stop At: Ba Be, Ba Be, Bac Kan Province
Visit Hua Ma pagoda, Hua Ma cave, local market (according to timing). We will travel 250 km along the many brickyards and tea fields in the Thai Nguyen region. Upon arrival in Hanoi, free time to eat.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Night at the hotel.

Day 12: Hanoi, Ninh Binh

Stop At: Ninh Binh, Ninh Binh, Ninh Binh Province
A vehicle transports us to the region of Ninh Binh (Halong Bay on land) in Hoa Lu, the old capital with its temples dedicated successively to the emperors Dinh Tien Hoang (the Dinh - 968 to 980) then Le Dai Hanh (the Le - 980 to 1009).

Boat ride through vertiginous karst peaks that surround the rice fields in this peaceful atmosphere. Then by bike, we cross the rice fields to the Bich Dong pagoda (pagoda in the Jade Cave) which is located on the side of a steep mountain.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Night at the hotel.

Day 13: Ninh Binh, Lan Ha Bay

Stop At: Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba Vietnam
Ferry to Hai Phong to arrive on Cat Ba Island and embark on our junk at Ben Beo.

Immersion in Lan Ha bay through floating villages. We are at the heart of the life of these fishermen with their pantry well under their home. After a moment of relaxation on the deck of the boat (or in the lounges inside) and kayaking, we hoist the sails towards Ong Cam bay where the anchor is cast for the night.
Duration: 12 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight on board.

Day 14: Lan Ha Bay, Halong Bay, Hanoi

Stop At: Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba Vietnam
At sunrise over the bay, our junk sneaks through these innumerable small islets. Disembark at Hon Gai and visit the But Thap pagoda with its many Buddha statues and its unique architecture. Return to Hanoi for your return flight which marks the end of your trip to North Vietnam.
Duration: 6 hours

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.