Beyond Bac Ha - Markets, Spice and Rice

In the evening, transfer to Hanoi station to board the overnight train to Lao Cai, the gateway to the Bac Ha region. 

Overnight on the train in a soft sleeper compartment (4 pax/cabin).

Inclusions:

📍 Lao Cai - Bac Ha (65 km): 1 hour 45 minutes

Early morning arrival in Lao Cai. Meet the guide for breakfast in a local restaurant before heading toward a regional market: Coc Ly (Tuesday), Lung Phin (Friday), Can Cau (Saturday), or Bac Ha (Sunday). These vibrant gatherings bring together Hmong, Phu La, and Tay hill tribes to trade local products and share news over steaming bowls of noodles.

After the market visit, lunch is served at a local homestay.

In the afternoon, begin a hike through the hills of Ban Pho village, passing terraced rice fields and plum orchards. The trail winds between wooden Hmong houses, where residents maintain traditional lifestyles of corn cultivation and distillation. Typical scenes of northern Vietnam unfold across the mountains, featuring wandering buffaloes and locals in traditional cost.

Notes:

• Bac Ha market is the largest and attracts a large crowd, while those in Lung Phin, Can Cau, and Coc Ly offer a more local and intimate atmosphere.
• Appropriate footwear must be worn on treks. 
• Note that if conditions are wet, programs may be changed. 
• Trekking route adaptable for fitness levels.

Overnight in Bac Ha
 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Bac Ha - Vinh Yen (80 km): 2 hours 15 minutes

Following breakfast at the hotel, morning departure for Vinh Yen to begin a hike in the valley of ‘Doi 9 village’, a region home to the Tay - the largest hill tribe group in Vietnam, with a population of about 1.85 million. The Tay  are one of the earliest inhabitants of northern Vietnam, with roots in the region dating back over 2,000 years. Unlike some other hill tribes who live at high altitudes, the Tày primarily inhabit the fertile lowlands and lush valleys.

The trail winds through cinnamon plantations and rice fields, offering a look at daily agricultural life against a mountain backdrop. See farmers toiling the fields and locals going about their everyday lives, a reflective scene that remained the same, in this area, for centuries.   

The walk includes a break at a hidden waterfall followed by a traditional lunch with a local family. Afterward, return to the lodge to enjoy the peaceful setting of the surrounding plantations for the remainder of the afternoon. 

Tonight, enjoy a ‘family style (shared)’ Vietnamese style dinner that focuses on the on regional / seasonal specialties.  

Notes:

• Appropriate footwear must be worn on treks. 
• Note that if conditions are wet, programs may be changed. 
• Trekking route adaptable for fitness levels.

Overnight in Vinh Yen

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

After breakfast, set off for a short trek through the surrounding countryside and cinnamon plantations. Depending on the season, paths may be lined with harvested cinnamon bark drying in the sun near traditional stilt houses.

After a local style lunch at the lodge, enjoy some free time. In the mid-afternoon, discover the secrets of the cinnamon harvest by learning traditional methods for cutting and preparing the bark. At the end of the day, watch the sunset from the viewpoint for a breathtaking view of the rice fields and hills.

Another ‘family style (shared)’ Vietnamese style dinner with new dishes to try.

Notes:

• Appropriate footwear must be worn on treks. 
• Note that if conditions are wet, programs may be changed. 
• Trekking route adaptable for fitness levels.

Overnight in Vinh Yen

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

📍 Vinh Yen - Hanoi (270 km): 5 hours

After breakfast at the hotel, leave the mountains for the transfer back to Hanoi - a 5-hour drive.  The mountains of Northern Vietnam will gradually be departed as the journey arrives in the Red River Delta. A stop for lunch will be made on the way. Arrival in Hanoi in the late afternoon,  

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast