Explore the most splendid off-the-beaten-track sites of Vietnam's northeast. It is an area where karst limestone mountains ranges and wonderful terraced paddy fields make up the geography. Suitable to those who love eco-tours, prefer untouched areas, and enjoy learning about the customs of the hill tribe people. Extremely attractive to picture-hunting travelers as well.
This exotic journey Vietnam's Northeast begins as we depart from your hotel at 7.00 am. We drive up and pass through the undulating terrain of tea plantations in Thai Nguyen city. We will make stop for a visit and break at the museum of Ethnology in Thai Nguyen town, then keep moving through many other rural villages along the way. This is our first glimpse of rural Vietnam and sets the tone for the days ahead. Depending on traffic conditions, we will arrive at Ba Be lakes at around 3:30 pm. After checking into our homestay in Pac Ngoi, we will have free time to walk around the village and meet some of the local Tay people. Dinner and overnight in Ba Be.
Start today at about 8.00 am. Today we will spend the whole day visiting the beauty of Ba Be lakes on the local canoes. Transfer to a boat dock, board our small boat, then glide along the river and and through the pretty cave. Lunch is served near a beautiful waterfall. After lunch, we canoe our hearts out navigating into the tranquility of Ba Be lakes. The rest of the afternoon can be spent swimming and / or trekking to visit some of the ethnic minorities. Dinner then free to learn about the local culture and customs. Overnight at the homestay.
Get up early for our long day. Say goodbye to Pac Ngoi village and en route by 6.30 am. We will take about an hour walk near the lake, then hit the road. A scenic 4 hour drive towards Cao Bang - here the ethnic people of Hmong, Dao, Tho and Nung live together in harmony. We will have lunch on the way then continue driving to visit the historical Pac Po cave (where Ho Chi Minh set up headquarters for the August Vietnamese Revolution in 1945), then back to Cao Bang town in the afternoon. Depending on time we could potentially arrive in Cao Bang town first. Nevertheless, we will be back to Cao Bang town late afternoon / early evening to overnight.
At 8.00 am we head out of town and start venturing into the most remote northern region of Cao Bang Province. The scenic roads traverse Trung Khanh before arriving at Ban Gioc Waterfall, which boasts the biggest waterfall in Vietnam (though not full of water in the dry season). There is an enormous cave that has two main entrances and one branch reaching almost all the way to the waterfalls where the ‘secret’ entrance hides. On the way back, we can make breaks en route as you wish to visit hill tribe villages and take pictures. Back to Cao Bang in the late afternoon to overnight at around 7:00 pm.
Inclusion:
Transfer, guide, entrance's fee, hotel, all meals.
This day is our last day, we leave at 8.00 am and will spend the whole day driving back to hanoi (on some of the same routes). We can stop for sightseeing en route anytime you wish. Arrive back in Hanoi around 5:00 pm. Our adventure ends at your hotel.
