Itineraire in brief
Day 1 Hanoi - Arrival
Day 2 Hanoi - city tour
Day 3 Hanoi - Halong - CRUISE and NIGHT on board
Day 4 Halong - CRUISE - Hanoi - TRAIN - Lao Cai
Day 5 Lao Cai - Bac Ha market - Sapa
Day 6 Sapa - Y Linh Ho - Lao Chai - Ta Van
Day 7 Sapa - Binh Lu - Lai Chau
Day 8 Lai Chau - Dien Bien Phu
Day 9 Dien Bien Phu - Border Vietnam/Laos - Muang Khua
Day 10 Muang Khua - Navigation to Nam ou - Muang Ngoy
Day 11 Muang Ngoy - Nong Kiaw - Pakbeng
Day 12 Pakbeng - Trekking in villages Khamou
Day 13 Pakbeng - Kamu lodge
Day 14 Kamu Lodge - Luang Prabang
Day 15 Luang Prabang - city tour
Day 16 Luang Prabang - Departure
Itineraire in details
DAY 1: HANOI - ARRIVAL
Met and welcome by the Hanoi Voyages Guide upon arrival at the airport. Then transfer by private car to your hotel.
In the afternoon,
- We take a ride of exploration through the busy streets of the ‘Old Quarter’ (over 1000yrs old), by traditional cyclo, a tricycle ridden from the rear, giving an uninterrupted view of this historical district.
- Our day will finish with after a water-puppet show, a traditional and ancient art form, unique to Vietnam, where the puppets appear on water, manipulated from behind a screen.
Overnight in Hanoi
DAY 2: HANOI - CITY TOUR
This city tour gives a glimpse and an introduction to the history and highlights of the nation’s capital.
In the morning,
- Visit to Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum to see the embalmed body of the nation’s hero, affectingly known by the people as ‘Uncle Ho’, and view his former residence, built on stilts and preserved just as Ho left it.
- Visit one pilar pagoda
- Visit the Temple of Literature, a fine example of traditional Vietnamese architecture founded in 1070 by Emporer Ly Thanh Tong, and dedicated to Confucius to honor literary scholars. Vietnam’s first university was also established here in 1076.
- Continuing on, we will move to West Lake district to we shall discover the Tran Quoc Pagoda, one of the oldest in Vietnam, and Quan Thanh Temple situated on the Truc Bach Lake shore, established by the Ly dynasty.
In the afternoon
- We begin with a visit to the Ethnology Museum
- Then enjoy some free time to stroll through Dong Xuan market
Overnight in Hanoi
DAY 3: HANOI - HALONG - CRUISE AND NIGHT ON BOARD
Halong Bay, with its 1969 islands, is set in beautiful turquoise waters and was recognized for its natural beauty by UNESCO in 1994, and classified as a World Heritage Site.
Ha Long means “descending dragon” and according to legend, a dragon was lowered into the bay to harness the ocean currents. His violent tail movements disturbed and spread the mountain, and when he plunged into the sea the water level rose up, leaving only the highest peaks above the water.
Cruising in this spectacular seascape is mystical and magnificent!
Day 1:
On boarding receive a welcome drink
Installation in private cabins
Presentation of the crew by the captain
Start your cruise while enjoying lunch.
Lunch served in the elegant dining room or on the outside deck, enjoy a delicious seafood menu of dishes cooked with skill and perfection, decorated beautifully, and served by qualified personnel.
Admire the beautiful landscape that will impress every where you look. These islands with their striking shapes, allow your imagination to take over and “see” many different images amongst their formations, whilst cruising in waters the color of jade, so enchanting the view never tires.
Discover a number of natural caves, including the Cave of Surprise
- Visit the Isle of Titov
- Swim in the jade colored waters of Gulf of Tonkin around the Isle of Titov (Take a kayak: optional)
Deck chairs are available to admire the spectacle that unfolds before your eyes.
Coffee and tea are complimentary.
Diner is served indoor dining room.
Tasty seafood, from the excellent menu of dishes cooked with skill and beautifully decorated, served by the eminently qualified personnel.
Overnight on board
DAY 4: HALONG - CRUISE - HANOI - TRAIN - LAO CAI
Under the morning sun, surrounded by enchanting and astonishing beauty, your breakfast will be served.
In row boat, you will journey through the heart of a fishing village, to discover the floating houses and the lifestyle of its population, who live constantly on the water.
You will meet the village chief who will help you imagine the daily lives of the inhabitants of Halong Bay. You will also visit a floating school.
- Lunch on board the junk will close this beautiful cruise.
The whole crew will greet you and thank you for your patronage.
By early afternoon you will return to the port.
After disembarking from the junk, our driver will welcome you back to dry land, and the return journey to Hanoi begins. Stopover to visit the village of Dong Trieu.
After dinner, you will transit to the Hanoi Railway Station for the train journey to Lao Cai, the closest railway station to Sapa.
Overnight on board
DAY 5: LAO CAI - BAC HA MARKET - SAPA
After meeting your guide in Lao Cai. Transfer to Bac Ha market.
Sunday is market day in Bac Ha, and it is one of the largest markets in the mountainous north, and also the most colorful of all. Many tourists are attracted to this sprawling, authentic market, attracted by the many different ethnic minority groups who all gather at this great meeting point.
The ethnic groups often walk for many miles over mountains to get to here as it is their once a week opportunity to sell, trade and barter their goods, including handicrafts, handmade jewelry meat, vegetables, rice and corn wine, and live animals including water buffalo.
Your guide will assist you in understanding anything that needs explanation, so don’t be afraid to ask!
At lunch you may sample authentic dishes of this diverse region in small, local restaurants.
While in Bac Ha we will visit the palace of Hoang A Tuong, built in 1920, which has been restored to its former glory.
During the afternoon we will stop at Ban Pho Village to meet the H’mong and Tay people who reside there.
On the way we pass through beautiful scenery, pass many typical local homes and see the productive farms and many rice-fields of the area.
Overnight in Sapa
DAY 6: SAPA - Y LINH HO - LAO CHAI - TA VAN
Our hike begins in the village of Y Linh Ho, situated in the Muong Hoa Valley, and entails a gentle 6 kms hike to Lao Chai village, populated by the Black H’Mong ethnic group. You will wander through landscapes of terraced rice fields and be awe struck by the beautiful scenery of waterfalls, productive fields of rice, corn, bananas and sculpted hillsides. Along the way you will see the water buffalo working the fields, and meet many locals dressed in their traditional clothing, with whom many interactions take place.
After a break for lunch, we will continue our journey, walking approximately 2 kms to the village of Ta Van, populated by the Giay ethnic people.
The women of the village weave their own fabrics for the clothes they wear, and many looms will be seen along the way.
The people of Ta Van also engage in sculpture of both stone and wood, many of a very intricate nature.
Overnight in Sapa
DAY 7: SAPA - BINH LU - LAI CHAU
Our journey, by road, begins with a stop at the Silver Water Fall, a spectacular sight, with a loop track allowing for closer inspection and great photo opportunities.
We then continue on, through Tran Ton Pass, the highest mountain pass in Vietnam, and known as “Heaven’s Gate” to the locals, to Binh Lu. The minority groups that attend this market include Thai Lu, Thai Laos, White Thai, H’mong, Yao, Giay and Khomu peoples who come together to buy, sell, exchange their produce and products, and also to catch up on all the local gossip.
This market offers an opportunity to get an insight into the many differing groups, plus many great photographs
Overnight in Lao Chau
DAY 8: LAI CHAU - DIEN BIEN PHU
Depart foward to Dien Bien. Visit Dien Bien Phu Museum (closed on Mondays and Tuesdays), A1 Hill, Dien Bien Phu Cemetry, the bunker headquarters of the French Commander Colonel Christian de Castries and the Memorial dedicated to French soldiers.
Overnight in Dien Bien
DAY 9: DIEN BIEN PHU - BORDER VIETNAM/LAOS - MUANG KHUA
We cross the land border between Vietnam and Laos from Dien Bien Phu.
After passing our immigration requirements, we meet our Laotian guide and transfer by private car to Muang Khua, once there we are now in North-Central Laos, on the Nam Ou River.
Overnight in Muang Khua
DAY 10: MUANG KHUA - NAVIGATION TO NAM OU - MUANG NGOY
After breakfast, we begin our journey to Muang Ngoy, cruising down the Nam Ou River in a wooden boat. Along the way we pass splendid landscapes of limestone karsts and cliffs, in the heart of a spectacular wilderness area of unspoilt nature.
During the cruise we stop at a typical Laotian rural village to observe the locals going about their daily chores.
We will partake in a wonderful walk amid limestone karst cliffs and rice fields, enjoying lunch in the middle of the fields.
During our time in the village we discover the most popular sport in Laos, kataw, similar to volleyball, but the woven rattan ball is kicked over the net. It is a spectacular game to observe, and the players very talented.
We continue our cruise until we reach Muang Ngoy.
Overnight in Muang Ngoy
DAY 11: MUANG NGOY - NONG KIAW - PAKBENG
Enjoy breakfast, and then we take to the road, for our journey to Pakbeng.
Our road tour is punctuated along the way as we stop to visit several different villages and observe the locals going about their everyday chores.
We take lunch during our stop in Oudomxay.
Overnightl in Pakbeng
DAY 12: PAKBENG - TREKKING IN VILLAGES KHAMOU
Full day trekking to Khamou villages.
Overnightl in Pakbeng
DAY 13: PAKBENG - KAMU LODGE
In a classic, wooden slow-boat we take about 5 hours to reach Kamu Lodge. This laid-back river journey is enjoyable and relaxing, as it takes through landscapes of exquisite beauty.
The Mekong River is at the base of a valley, where dense rainforests are abundant.
These rainforests extend to the river banks and from time to time there are villages on the edges of this mighty river.
We break our cruise to stop at Ban Baw to observe the distillation of rice wine, a process generally undertaken by the women of the village.
- Lunch is taken on board the boat.
Continuing on, we reach Kamu Lodge.
Kamu Lodge is an eco-lodge on the edge of the Mekong River, in the heart of the Laotian countryside. Situated on a gentle slope, it has been constructed in total harmony with nature and the experience here is original and authentic.
You can participate (optional) in different activities such as planting rice, gold panning or fishing.
A guided tour of an ethnic “Kamu” village is also available.
Overnight in Kamu lodge
DAY 14: KAMU LODGE - LUANG PRABANG
After breakfast and a relaxing morning at Kamu Lodge; we begin the journey to Luang Prabang by boat.
Before arriving in Luang Prabang, we stop at the sacred caves of Pak Ou.
The caves of Tham Ting and Tham Cave Phoum are highly venerated caves in Laos and house thousands of statues of Buddha and other religious icons; left there by pilgrims who flock there to pray.
The caves offer a magnificent view over the Mekong, which in this place mixes its dark, murky waters with the transparent waters the tributary, Nam Ou River..
After your arrival in Luang Prabang, you have free time.
Stroll through the H’mong night market, which begins trading at 17 pm, and see the strong representation of local crafts available for purchase, also the many small shops that offer prepared meals, hot or cold, and discover the real local cuisine.
Evening: dance show at the Royal Palace
Overnight in Luang Prabang
DAY 15: LUANG PRABANG - CITY TOUR
Designated a UNESCO Heritage City.
Very early in the morning at sunrise, before breakfast, you have the opportunity to witness the everyday ritual of monks collecting alms. The monks, barefooted and dressed in their resplendent saffron robes, walk in single file through the streets, collecting food for the monastery. It is a wonderful, colorful sight!
After alms we will visit some small morning markets, selling produce from market gardens across the region. They also sell insects, bats and snakes for human consumption.
We visit a local food market to discover some typical local Laos cuisine.
After breakfast we travel by tuk-tuk, and enjoy an in depth discovery tour of this ancient capital of Laos.
We visit:
- Wat Xieng Thong, in the centre of a small religious complex built in 1560, considered the most beautiful - Buddhist temple in Luang Prabang, where we discover the chapel of the sacred Buddha Pavilion, the Royal
- Funeral Chariot and the Reclining Buddha Sanctuary contained in the complex.
- The temple of Wat Visoun, built in 1515, and the oldest temple in Luang Prabang, which houses numerous gold statues of Buddha.
- The That Makmo stone stupa
- Vat Aham, a major shrine in the city, dedicated to the ancestors of Laos.
- In the afternoon
- The National Museum (formally the Royal Palace) which displays a collection of artifacts that once belonged to the royal family.
- The temple of Wat Mai, the most richly decorated temple in Luang Prabang, and was the residence of the Buddhist patriarch before 1975.
- Then stroll through the Darat market, before climbing Mount Phousi to discover a magnificent panoramic view of the ancient capital and Mekong River at sunset.
- Relax with a massage provided by the Lao Red Cross
In the evening: we enjoy a traditional Baci ceremony and local dance spectacle.
Overnight in Luang Prabang.
DAY 16: LUANG PRABANG - DEPARTURE
Free time until transfer to the airport for your departure flight.
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