OVERVIEW:
Destination: HANOI – HA GIANG – DONG VAN – LUNG CU – MEO VAC – LUNG PHINH – HA GIANG – HANOI
Duration: 5 days 4 nights


This 5-day tour will take you to the heart of the karst mountains: firstly around the city of Ha Giang, then in the far north on the Dong Van Plateau geo-park, and finally at the village of Meo Vac. Throughout your journey, you will encounter local ethnic minorities, whose lifestyle and ancestral customs are well-adapted to the harsh mountain conditions.


HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Vietnam’s best karst mountains landscapes
  • A journey off the beaten tracks
  • See ethnic minorities in the mountains and their traditional and ancestral lifestyle

QUICK LOOK ON THE ITINERARY:

Day 1: Hanoi – Ha Giang (L, D)
Day 2: Ha Giang – Dong Van (B, L, D)
Day 3: Dong Van – Lung Cu – Meo Vac (B, L, D)
Day 4: Meo Vac – Lung Phinh – Ha Giang (B, L, D)
Day 5: Ha Giang – Hanoi (B, L)


TOUR IDENTIFICATION CODEVAEX02

Day 1: Hanoi – Ha Giang (L, D)

After being picked up at your hotel in Hanoi, we will see beautiful hills filled with tea plantations, passing through Tuyen Quang province, before reaching our destination in Ha Giang.

Afterwards, we will stop to visit a village inhabited by Daos and H'Mongs.

We will arrive in Ha Giang later that afternoon. Then, we will visit a Tay village.

Overnight at a homestay.

Day 2: Ha Giang – Dong Van (B, L, D)

After breakfast, we will head to the extraordinary Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark. Covering an area of around 2,350 km2 and with an altitude ranging between 1,000 m and 1,600 m, this vast natural park offers breathtaking scenery.

We now begin a journey through time, across a region where ethnic minorities are in fact the majority. We will see hamlets of stilt houses and mud huts. In this very poor region, living conditions are very harsh – yet it has a unique charm, thanks to the fabulous roads winding through fantastic karst landscapes and to the people who kept their ancestral customs.

Later, we will visit the craft village of Lung Tam, a place where H'Mong practiced the ancient art of weaving linen.

Upon arriving in Dong Van, we will go on a walking tour of the Old Dong Van, and you will be able to have coffee at Cà Phê Phố Cổ, the oldest street of the village, located next to the market.

Overnight stay at a hotel.

Day 3: Dong Van – Lung Cu – Meo Vac (B, L, D)

Visit to Dong Van weekly market, which takes place every Sunday. There, you will see different minority groups. After selling their goods and buying what they need, people meet at the corner restaurant for a drink or bowl of "Thang Co". A local old saying says that if people got too drunk, they would grab the tail of their horse for it to bring them back home. After that, we will visit the old French fort at Pu Lo and enjoy a panoramic view of the area.

Then, we will drive to Lung Cu, at the Chinese border. From the flag tower of Lung Cu, you have a view over the region. Afterwards, we visit a village inhabited by the Flower Lolo ethnic group, before heading back to Dong Van for lunch. 

In the afternoon, we will go to Meo Vac via the “Happiness Road” and through the incredible Ma Pi Leng Pass. We will take a break at the top of the pass to admire the jaw-dropping view fantastic on Nho Que Canyon. Then, we will enjoy a nice walk to visit a remote H'Mong village.

Overnight stay in a hotel in Meo Vac.

Day 4: Meo Vac – Lung Phinh – Ha Giang (B, L, D)

If it takes place today, visit to Lung Phinh Market, held every 6 days. You will see different ethnic groups: Dao, H'Mong, Tay, etc.

Then, off to Bao Lac. We will stop in Cang Bac Me to visit the remains of a prison dating from the French colonial era. We will continue our road and go through Bao Lac district, driving on a road including zigzags. You will be able to observe beautiful landscapes. Later, we will reach Ha Giang.

Overnight stay at a hotel in Ha Giang.

Day 5: Ha Giang  Hanoi (B, L) 

Have a good breakfast and enjoy your free time to wander around Ha Giang before we head back to Hanoi. End of the tour.

Please contact us for more information about this tour or to customize this itinerary.

Included:

  • All transportation by private
  • Meals as mentioned in the itinerary (B for breakfast, L for lunch, D for dinner) 
  • Accommodation (twin room or double room, homestay) 
  • English-speaking guide
  • All entrances fees to sites mentioned in the itinerary
  • One bottle of water daily
Excluded:

  • Personal expenses
  • Insurance
  • Drinks
  • Supplement for single room
  • Visa to Vietnam




Other Tours:
VAEX03: Mu Cang Chai & the Road of Photographers – 5 days
VAEX04: The Northeastern Loop – 6 days
VAEX05: Essence of the North – 7 days
VAEX06: The Northwestern Loop – 7 days
VAEX07: Colors of the North – 10 days
VAEX08: Authentic Adventure in the Great North – 12 days
VAEX09: Grand Tour of the North & Ha Long Bay – 16 days
VAEX10: Vietnam Mosaic – 21 days