AD7: Exploring Northwest 9 days 8 nights

Itinerary in Brief:

Day 1: Hanoi arrival (D)
Day 2: Hanoi – Mai Chau (B, L, D)
Day 3: Mai Chau – Son la (B, L)
Day 4: Son La – Dien Bien Phu (B, L)
Day 5: Dien Bien Phu – Lai Chau (B, L)
Day 6: Lai Chau – Sapa (B, L, D)
Day 7: Sapa – lao Chai – Tavan village (B, L)
Day 8: Sapa – Hanoi night train back (B)
Day 9: Hanoi departure

Itinerary in Details:

Day 1: Hanoi arrival (D)
Arrival at Noi Bai Airport. Welcome and transfer to hotel by Asia View Travel guides with signboard. Short city tour to 11th century Temple of Literature - the first University of Vietnam, the Restored Sword Lake (Hoan Kiem Lake) and Ngoc Son Temple. Take a cyclo tour  around the 36 streets of the Hanoi old quarter to learn more about simple life of Hanoian. Enjoy water puppet show- a remarkable Vietnamese art form that combines traditional music, fireworks, underwater puppeteers, and elaborate puppets floating gracefully over water Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi. (The first da y’s programme can be re- arranged according to your arrival time in Hanoi).
 

Day 2: Hanoi – Mai Chau - about 200 km (B, L, D)

8:00AM pick up at your hotel in HaNoi we will be driving our own way through villages, valleys of Ha Tay and Hoa Binh province. Lunch break in Hoa Binh town, Visit HoaBinh Hydro power, the biggest one in Vietnam, then continuethe road up hills to Kun pass that offering spectacular views over the valleys and mountains. Arrive in Lac village of the Thai people in Mai Chau. Check in a still house then take a short walk around. After dinner You can have chance to join the traditional dance of the White Thai people, taste Ruou Can - the special wine of the local made from rice and a kind of tree leaves. Overnight in Thai’s house on stilts.

Day 3: Mai Chau – Son La - about 190 km (B, L)
After breakfast, we drive to Son La, a stop in Moc Chau with hundreds of giant grass farm for cows, You will know why this is the biggest milk centre in Vietnam, continue driving to Son La and enjoy the view of the Northern mountains, arrive in Son La at noon, check in hotel before visit “SonLa prison" in the French war. Walk around the town and overnight at in Son La.

Day 4: Son La - Dien Bien Phu - about 200 km (B, L)
Drive to Dien Bien Phu. Visit very primitive village of the Black Thai village that you can see the very basic conditions of life. Continue to biggest daily hilltribe market in ThuanChau, see different ethnic groups, local fruits, food, but it will be much more beautiful experience when reaching to the top of historical and amazing PhaDinPass, time for photos and stories especially about the French war, Visit another Green H’Mong village right there. Lunch in TuanGiao (on own). Continue our drive to DienBien. Overnight at hotel.
 

Day 5: Dien Bien Phu - Lai Chau - about 105 km (B, L)

Morning visit of the museum and sites of Dien Bien Phu. Drive to Lai Chau, Visit a village of the Black Dao People, if lucky, you will see an art of hair make-up of the old ladies-really something to admire, walk along Da River before getting to your hotel that located in very lovely quiet town. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 6: LaiChau - Sapa - about 200 km (B, L, D)
Drive to Sa Pa, during your way, you will see many different ethnic villages of the Lao, Lu, Black Dao, Tien Dao, Day, Red H’mong before driving up to the highest pass in Vietnam - HoangLienSon. Stop over on top that called “Heaven Gate” for a wonderful view down to amazing valley and FanxiPan - the highest mount in Indochina (Roof of Vietnam). You also visit “Silver Waterfall”- the nicest one in the area before getting to hotel in Sapa.

Day 7: LaoChai - Tavan village (B, L)
After Breakfast, we trek to LaoChaiVillage of the Black H’Mong people, it is yo ur time to enjoy the overall pictures of the village among terraces and mountains. Visit the H'mong living in wooden and bamboo houses, learn how they dye their cloth and make wonderful hand-made embroideries. You will cross an suppension bridge over the MuongHoa Stream, Lovely picnic Lunch can be arranged by this Stream (in summer, you can have nice swim). Contiue to Tavan village to visit the Dzay minority before taking the car back to Sapa. Overnight in a hotel.

Day 8: Sapa - night train back Hanoi (B)
Breakfast at hotel, all day free and easy to discover Sapa town by yourself. Transfer to the Laocai train station for the night train back Hanoi. Overnight on train.

Day 9: Hanoi departure (B)
The train arrive in Hanoi around 5:30Am. Pick up at train station, transfer to hotel for breakfast and freshen up . Transfer to the airport for your departure flight. End of tour.

Thank you for travelling with Asia View Travel.

Accommodation Options

Tour includes:
• All accommodation with daily breakfast at selected hotels
• 1 night at homestay in  Mai Chau
• 1 night on train 
•  All tours & transfers in private air-conditioned vehicle or Jeep as stated in the itinerary
• Private English or French  speaking guide
• Meals as indicated in the itinerary  at local restaurant with local foods (B = breakfast; L = Lunch; D = Dinner)
• Boat cruise as stated
• Train ticket with soft sleep 4 berth/cabin Laocai – Hanoi
• Entrance fees and permits for all sights visited
• Mineral water & towel
• Government taxes & Service charges

Tour excludes:
• International flights to and from Vietnam
• Vietnam visa arrangement (upon request visa on arrival at 15 USD, not including stamping fee at 25 USD)
• Meals not indicated in the itinerary
• All other services which are not mentioned above
• Personal travel insurance (Compulsory)
• Personal expenses such as  Telephone and Laundry bills
• Tips and gratuities

What to bring:
• Sun Block
• Wide brim hat
• Camera + Film
• Comfortable shoes
• Rain gear
• Warm clothes
• Insect Repellent
• Original Passport