Bac Ha Market and Hoang Su Phi trip - 5 days
Overview
Highlights
Homestay experiences at a typical Vietnamese family and others at different hill tribes in Vietnam's remote areas.
Learn interesting culture and local life
Admire the beauty of terraced fields in Hoang Su Phi
Enjoy the colorful Bac Ha weekend market.
Tour Itinerary
At 8:00 a.m. get picked up and set out for the morning drive to Bac Ha town, Lao Cai province. Bac Ha is well-known for its colorful tribal markets at weekend. Lunch is on the way. In the afternoon, take a short boat ride upstream a scenic river (about 20 minutes if the water level permits) and get off to take an easy walk to a hill tribe village, then get back on your private car to Bac Ha town. On arrival, you will check into a hotel. Rest for the remainder of the day. Dinner and overnight in Bac Ha.
- Included meals: Lunch, Dinner
If today is Sunday, Saturday or Tuesday, you will spend most of the morning stroll around Bac Ha Market to hunt some good pictures. This is the biggest hill tribe market in the Northwest of Vietnam. Alive with the bright colours and extravagant costumes of the local people, specially the Flower H'mong. Together with other minorities, they come from different villages at the surroundings to buy and sell a wide variety of goods and livestock. It is more common to see buffalo, cows, goats, horses and other livestock being traded.
After the market, we make our way to Xi Man town for lunch at a local food store. In the afternoon, continue on driving to Hoang Su Phi. Take about 1-hour hike to Ban Luoc, a Tay ethic village for a home-stay night on a stilt house.
- Included meals: Lunch, Dinner
This morning, after the breakfast at the family. We trek the scenic dirt trail up and down the rice terraces in Ban Luoc area. This is one of the national rice terrace heritage cores in Hoang Su Phi. The beauty of the landscape is at its best at the yellow season (early half of October). Get picked up by your car for a short transfer to Vinh Quang town. Lunch is at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, enjoy the beautiful drive to Nam Son commune where you will start another trek (2 hours) uphill to another home-stay of different ethnic minority. Dinner and overnight at a local house.
- Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
The breakfast is served at the home-stay. Bid farewell to the family and get ready for the whole day trek to admire the amazing rice terraces in Nam Khoa commune. The trek is moderate but there are some small challenges at times. It is about 6 - 7 hours. Picnic lunch is prepared at a local house on the way. Late in the afternoon, arrive your last home-stay of the trip in Nam Hong village. This village is of the Red Yao ethnic minority people. Check-in and rest.
- Included meals: Lunch, Dinner
Private A/c transportation per itinerary
English/ French speaking tour guide
Meals as indicated in the itinerary
Accommodation during the trip with daily breakfast
Entrance tickets and permits
Boat ride in Chay River (If the water level allows)
Bottled water on the vehicle.
Travel insurance
Drinks and other meals
International flights and visas
Tips and gratuities
Personal expenses and others not mentioned clearly above.
Average driving speed on the mountain roads is 35km per hour. The distances between the destinations are viewed as follows:
Hanoi - 320 km - Bac Ha - 85 km - Vinh Quang town (Hoang Su Phi) - 30 km - Thong Nguyen - 275km - Hanoi
