Best of Northwest of Vietnam 14 Days Soft Trek

For many travelers, the Northwest of Vietnam is a real feast for the eyes, not only because of its awe-inspiring nature, but also because of its colorful ethnic culture. This beautiful region is a superb mosaic of vibrant colors. Impressive mountains, amazing terraced rice fields, agricultural activity in rhythm with the seasons and fascinating ethnic markets make up a magnificent travel destination.  

Throughout this journey, you will meet Hmong living in the high mountains, Dao in flamboyant costumes, Lu women with sophisticated silver jewelry and lacquered teeth, and Thai in their elegant dresses.

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A journey into the heart of a region of exceptional natural beauty and exotic culture.

Walk from villages to villages to enjoy the fresh atmosphere and escape completely from city bustle

Spend a night in a local house and share your meal with your host

Admire spectacular mountainous landscape with ample opportunity for taking awesome photos

Meet ethnic minority groups in their colorful costumes and authentic culture

Welcome to Hanoi, Legend Travel Group`s car Driver will meet and take you to your hotel, check-in and today is free at your leisure to rest or explore, discovering your own first impressions of Vietnam.

Stay overnight in Hanoi.

Airport transfer is included.

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Accommodation: TK-123 Hanoi Hotel 3* or similar

08h30. Depart from Hanoi. Enjoy a scenic drive along one of the most beautiful country roads to the peaceful Bakhan Village, Mai Chau Valley via Hoa Binh City.

10:30: Take a short break for tea/coffee in the middle way.

12h00. Lunch at Bakhan Village Restaurant. Check-in room.

15h00. Afternoon walk around the Muong Village of Khan Ha and the village's West hill for a breathtaking view of the valley.

19h00. Dinner time at Bakhan Restaurant.

20h00 -21h00. Enjoy the unique traditional dance by Villagers (Optional)

Overnight in Resort

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Accommodation: Bakhan Village Resorts 3*

09h00. Take another great workout in nature with our East Mountain trek route. 11h00. Arrive at a local Muong house where lunch is prepared.13h00. Continue afternoon walking through the valley and the villages Khan Ho & Khan Thuong15h30. Back to the resort. Rest and relax.19h00. Dinner & overnight at Bakhan Village Resorts

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Accommodation: Bakhan Village Resorts 3*

After breakfast prepared by Bakhan Village Resort, you will drive toward Son La, the fifth largest province in Vietnam, located in the far north. Take a short hike to Pa Co village 30km from Mai Chau where you will meet the Black H’mong ethnic group. Continue the drive past lush tea plantations in Moc Chau. This is an incredible chance to shoot great photos. Cross a bamboo bridge to visit Na Ken village, 80 km from Son La, home to the Black Thai ethnic group. To this day, their houses are built in an ancient structure with thatched roofs shaped like a tortoise carapace and unique decorations called "khau cut" at each end of the ridge. Arrive at Son La in the late afternoon. Overnight in the hotel.

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Accommodation: Sao Xanh Son La Hotel 2* or similar

Today you travel to Dien Bien Phu crossing the Pha Din Pass, the highest and longest pass in Vietnam with an altitude of 1,500m. At the middle of the pass, stop to visit a multi-ethnic primary school and a village of the White H’mong hill tribe where children in colorful traditional costumes will welcome you with warm smiles. You then drive to Dien Bien Phu, site of the most legendary battle in Vietnam’s struggle for independence from the French in 1954. Visit famous sites of the Indochina War, the Ellianne Hill and the War Museum, which vividly describes the fight. Relics from the battle on display include old French tanks and artillery pieces, and most interestingly a reconstruction of the bunker in which the French commander, Colonel de Castries, surrendered to Viet Minh forces. Overnight at Dien Bien Phu Hotel.

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Accommodation: Muong Thanh Hotel Dien Bien Phu 3* or similar

Transfer to Lai Chau, a town due to be flooded when the plans for a large hydroelectric dam become reality in the near future. Continue the drive to Tam Duong along Nam Na River, a major tributary of the Black River. Visit a village of the Black Thai, Chan Nua Thai with its large wooden houses on stilts. You arrive in Tam Duong. Overnight in the hotel.

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Accommodation: Putaleng Tam Duong Hotel 2* or similar

Tam Duong is a frontier town situated in a beautiful valley amongst limestone peaks. This place is the home of many hill tribes such as the H'Mong, Man Tien, Lu and Cu Chu people. Authentic in lifestyle and colorful in costumes, most of these tribes have migrated from South China during the 17th - 18th century. A full day of trekking through their villages, nestled at the foots of the mountains and hills, enables you to discover the differences among these ethnic groups. Overnight in Tam Duong Hotel.

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Accommodation: Putaleng Tam Duong Hotel 2* or similar

In the morning, discover the most fascinating cultural activity of hill tribe people, at the local market held every Sunday. You will meet many different minorities from the surrounding regions of Tam Duong that come to exchange their goods, drink rice wine and meet friends. This is a great photo opportunity. En route to Lao Cai, you take a hike through Ban Hon, a village of the Lu ethnic group. Lu women take great pride in their shining lacquered teeth and traditional costumes adorned with metal jewelry. Arrive in Sapa, once a mountainous town during the colonization by the French. Check into the hotel. Free time to explore the little town with its market and remains of colonial architecture. Overnight in Sapa hotel.

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Accommodation: Chau Long II Sapa Hotel 4* or similar

9:30 am, start from Sapa Ethnic (04 Hoang Dieu Str) on the main road to go down to Muong Hoa valley. Beginning of the trip is the moment to admire the panorama view of the town and then the valley from the main road. After 4km on the main road, we start going down to the valley by the small trails through the terrace rice fields to get to Y Linh Ho hamlet, a small village of the Black Hmong people.From Y Linh Ho village, we go along the river to go to Lao Chai village (means "old village" in the local dialect). It is time for you to visit the local families, listen to your guide's explanation about the local culture: how they live, the way of building the traditional house, techniques of making clothes... or listen about the way of treatment for a sick person.Stop for lunch. Lunch is served in one of the local refreshment restaurants on the side of the river.In the afternoon, we leave Lao Chai to continue to Ta Van village, the Giay people's residence. The guide to bring you into some family: listen about their life, enjoy some green tea, learn about the differences of their culture from the other hill tribes even if they live close to each other.Quitting Ta Van, we head up to the main road where the car will pick up us to transfer back to Sapa. 

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Accommodation: Chau Long II Sapa Hotel 4* or similar

Trekking from Sapa to Cat Cat Village to see its waterfall and meet the H'mong family and learn more about their way of life.

Cat Cat is a small but bustling village situated at the foot of Fansipan Mountain. Here you will see traditional H’mong homes at their best, and you will be able to meet a H’mong family to learn more about their way of life. The village is also the perfect place to see traditional clothing being made, hemp being dyed and women weaving. From Cat Cat we will follow the Muong Hoa Valley for 3km through rice terraces and small dwellings to Sin Chai. This village is a little off the usual trekking route and less visited, but offers the opportunity to see traditional wooden homes built using the indigenous Pumu tree. Transport will be waiting in Sin Chai to take you back to Sapa.

15:30: Our car and guide will pick you up at the Sapa Tourism Information Center (inside) for departure back to Hanoi towards the new Noi Bai - Lao Cai Highway by luxury public Bus. There will be 2 stops on the way for restroom (max 20mins/stop)

Arrive in Hanoi at 8:30pm to 9:00pm. End of the trip with sweet memories about our Sapa and Hill-tribe villages of the north of Vietnam.

Check in hotel & overnight in Hanoi

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Accommodation: TK-123 Hanoi Hotel 3* or similar

At 9:00 am we will pick you up, by mini-van/bus, at the hotel and begin our journey to Halong city. After 3.5 hours driving and viewing the simple countryside, rice paddy life, you arrive at the port. Board your private boat, an authentic Chinese Junk, and start your amazing cruise through this World Heritage Site. Lunch is served on board, a selection of the freshest seafood. We visit “the amazing cave”, followed by a swim in the tranquility of Halong Bay and its emerald water. We will cruise further into a quiet area where we will anchor and stay overnight. Dinner and relax as the sun sets. Then you are free to swim in the phosphorus water, retire to your cabin, or fall asleep under the stars amidst the magic of Halong on the top deck. Overnight on Boat.

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Accommodation: MILA Cruises 3* or similar

Wake up early in the morning for a great sunrise and a breath of fresh ocean air. Breakfast served on the boat then we do a leisurely cruise through thousands of seemingly never ending islands. These are great opportunities to capture some amazing photographs, We stop to visit a floating fishing village and listen to some legendary stories of the fishermen’s daily life. Have lunch on the boat while cruising back to the Halong city pier, then return to Hanoi.

Check in hotel & overnight in Hanoi!

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Accommodation: TK-123 Hanoi Hotel 3* or similar

Depart at 9:00 am from your hotel by van. We will begin our day by visiting Uncle Ho, learning about his great life at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Presidential Palace, and his residential place. Next stop is the nearby Temple of Literature. The site of Vietnam's first University, built in the twelfth century, to teach Confucius’s theory to royals. Here we will also have a chance to see a traditional music performance. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant for a taste of authentic Hanoi Pho (noodle soup). In the afternoon, choose one from the numerous museums or temples around Hanoi (Museum of Ethnology, Women's Museum, History Museum or Quan Thanh Temple). In the late afternoon, walk around Hoan Kiem lake and Hanoi´s fascinating Old Quarter for some great fun, shopping, and street side traditional food, maybe to try one “Hanoi bia”. This is your chance to be part of typical Hanoian style and its traditional Vietnamese culture. We finish our relaxing but informative day by attending a Water Puppet Show, a favorite experience for all visitors to Vietnam.

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Accommodation: TK-123 Hanoi Hotel 3* or similar

Breakfast at your hotel, then transfer to the Airport for your International flight to back home!

End of services with great memories about Vietnam with us. Thank you so much and hope to see you again soon in your next adventures with Legend Travel Group!

Airport transfer includes.