Description
Northern Vietnam Tour 11 Days is provided by Golden Trail Travel to the northern Vietnam. Start the tour by taking the overnight train from Hanoi to Laocai. Then travel to Cao Son, Lao Cai province where you will enjoy a half day hike to an local hilltribe villages before visiting the Cao Son market is open on the following day. The multi-sport trip continues with a 5- day trek to Sapa. You trek through local ethnic villages are inhabited by the Black H’mong, the Red Dzao, the Xa Pho…Sleeping at local home (homestay) to experience the real life. You then take the overnight train to get back to Hanoi then travel to Halong bay to enjoy the boat junk cruise tour. Optional water-sport including scuba diving, sea kayaking are also provided by the boat team.

Day 1: Hanoi – Lao Cai.
In the evening of the first day of Northern Vietnam Tour, transfer to Hanoi Railways Station for overnight train to Laocai. Departure at 21:00 (TBA).

Day 2: Lao Cai – Cao Son.
Arrive Lao Cai Railway Station early this morning. You will be met up by our local team and transferred to a local restaurant for breakfast. After few minutes resting, the driver will take you to Muong Khuong district, via tea plantation and forest of pine. You might encounter Giay tribe in their traditional dress in Ban Lau or Thanh Binh. Reaching Cao Son about 10.am. Check in Cao Son lodge and relax. In the afternoon you will commence your walk to the most secluded yet peaceful village – Tin Thang. In this village, people still distill the wine from corn, making bacon in the most basic way and offering special corn cake to anyone who drop by their house. Back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Cao Son – Sapa.
After having breakfast in the Cao son lodge, you will walk on a good paved road with local ethnic minority people to go to Cao Son market. Pine trees forests and villages surround the tinny market. Flower H’mong, Tu Di, Tay, Giay ethnic minorities come to buy and sell local products such as food and material for agriculture and fabric. People coming to the market not only for selling or buying something but also importantly to meet friends, relative and to sip some cups of wine until the dawn comes. No where else but here, Flower H’mong people greet you with a temptation of corn wine and endless hospitality. After exploring the market, you will be able to visit a village of Flower H’mong or a village of Tay people. You will then head back to Muong Khuong and have lunch in a local restaurant. After lunch, you get on the car for journey to Sapa. Overnight in Sapa.

Day 4: Sapa Trekking Homestay.
After breakfast, start your trek through the market and leave the busy town behind. After a couple of minutes, you follow a road going downhill to Cat Cat village. You will stop by a waterfall and a hydroelectric station for a while before you trek on a dirt trail through rice paddy terraces. You also will enjoy spectacular scenery while walking along a narrow river. You eventually arrive in Y Linh Ho village of Black Hmong minority, where you can take a rest while you are served lunch nearby the river. After lunch, you head Muong Hoa valley. You will pass through Lao Chai village of Black Hmong minority and then Tavan village of Giay minority by following a very popular trekking route. You will spend the night in local house of Giay minority. You will be able to take a walk to enjoy the valley view as well as swim in the river nearby.

Day 5: Sapa Trekking Homestay.
After having breakfast, you start today’s trek, which is mostly uphill until lunchtime. Whenever you stop for a rest, you will be able to enjoy valley view. Before noon, you stop again at a nice spot for lunch. The Sapa trek will be softer in the afternoon. But the scenery becomes even more beautiful. You pass by Seomity village of Black Hmong minority before you arrive in a campsite, which locates nearby a
river outside the village. While porters put up tents and cook dinner, you can take a walk to stretch the legs.

Day 6: Sapa Trekking Homestay.
The trek today takes you through beautiful rice paddies and over old suspension bridges. You will trek on small trail sneaking through rain-forest. You arrive in Den Thang village of Black Hmong by noon. Here you stop for lunch either nearby a river or in a local school according to the weather. After lunch, the trek will becomes tough on tinny footpath going up and down, which requires a lot of concentration. You will reach to Ta Trung Ho village of Red Dao minority where you spend the night in local house. Both the valley and the village have just received foreign visitors. The night will be even more interesting when you are in the wonderful hospitable atmosphere of the Red Dao.

Day 7: Sapa Trekking Homestay.
You are now at the fringe of the rain forest by the Hoang Lien Son mountain range. Fansipan, the highest peak in Indochina with its 3143 m, is located in this mountain range. You will start the trek today by ascending to Nam Toong village of Red Dao minority. Here your lunch will be prepared in a local school. After lunchtime, you descend to the valley where locates My Son village of Xa Pho minority, one of the smallest groups ethnic in Northern Vietnam. From there you take a short walk to Thanh Phu village of Tay minority. Here you spend the night in traditional house of the Tay. You can take a walk to explore local daily life while your dinner will be served with Vietnamese dishes.

Day 8: Sapa – Lao Cai – Hanoi.
Today’s trek is relatively short compared to other days. On the last day of the trek you will cross several suspension bridges. You will be able to stop by a waterfall and have time to swim in the river before arriving in Ban Ho village of Tay minority. Here you stop for lunch in a traditional Tay house. In the afternoon, you start climbing uphill. On the last hours you can enjoy the valley one final time while heading to Su Pan. Here your car takes you on the journey back to Sapa where you can have a short rest before travelling to Laocai to take night train back to Hanoi.

Day 9: Hanoi – Halong Bay.
Arrive in Hanoi in the early morning, transfer to a local restaurant in town for breakfast. Enjoy the journey through the rich farmlands of the Red River Delta and the scenery of rice fields, water buffalo and everyday Vietnamese village life. Arrive in Halong and board a traditional sailing junk for your Halong bay cruise tour. Whilst cruising the exquisite waters sample the regions fresh seafood. Visit the recently discovered Surprise Grotto with its great views, and on the next island see the yawning mouth of Bo Nau Cave. Alternatively journey to Dau Go Cave and nearby see the famous stalagmites and stalactites of Thien Cung Cave. Enjoy a swim in the emerald waters of Halong Bay at any spot that you wish to visit or take a kayaking trip to explore the Bay. Watch the sun set over the bay whilst enjoying a delicious dinner. Overnight on board junk.

Day 10: Halong Bay Kayaking.
Breakfast on board. Then we continue cruise. Lunch will be provided on board. In the afternoon, enjoy one more hour kayaking towards the Islands of Rocks or Ba Men temple (Paddling routes may change due to weather or other circumstances. Further details will be informed by our local guide before the trip). Dinner and Overnight on board.

Day 11: Halong Bay – Hanoi.
Wake up to fresh coffee and a wholesome breakfast before cruising back to Halong City. En route the junk weaves through strange-shaped rock formations that invite comparisons from fighting cocks to dragons. Disembark at the dock at Halong City at 11:00 and return to Hanoi. Northern Vietnam Tour is completed.