From Thai to Muong ethnic villages

Our Authentik Travel’s tour guide and driver will welcome you at airport and transfer to Hotel in the city center.

Check in hotel (after 12.00 noon) or leaving your luggage at hotel and enjoy a walking in the old quarter called 36 streets. The city was built from the 10th century by the villagers by the Red River Delta. You could see the special architectural houses. They are narrow in width and deep in length. You cross to discover some typical streets such as: Ma May, Hang Ma, Hang Dong, Hang Bac and Hang Gai… and tourist sites stop: Dong Xuan market – the biggest market in the northern Vietnam, Bach Ma temple ( white horse temple) and the traditional ancient house at 87 Ma May street.

Enjoy our welcome dinner at a finest local restaurant and overnight in Hanoi.
Overnight in Hanoi.

Today, we discover deeply the capital of Vietnam, filled with timeless charms.

Start to visit the Van Mieu (Temple of Literature) the first University of Vietnam built from the 11th century by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong. Continue to visit Chua Ha (Ha Pagoda) known as a sacred place to pray for the luck in love, especially for the future spouse.

After that, transfer to Ethnology Museum (closed every Monday) which offers a deep insight into our Vietnam cultures through traditional costumes, tools, music instruments and real typical traditional house of many minority ethnic groups. Enjoy a special water puppet show in the museum garden.
Lunch is served in Cha Ca Thang Long restaurant (Grilled fish with vermicelli) a Hanoi specialty.

In the afternoon, discover the Ho Chi Minh complex included: Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh House on stilts, fish pond.
For those who are interested in visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum: it is opened only in the morning and closed every Monday and Friday. We have to queue up sometimes to a couple of hours to go inside the mausoleum.

Transfer to the old quarter to visit the Hoan  Kiem lake ( Restored Sword Lake) and Ngoc Son temples in the middle of the lake.
Overnight in Hanoi.

At 8.00am, meet our Authentik Travel tour guide and driver, then depart to Mai Chau where the Muong people live.
On the way, we will visit a Muong village at Cau Trong. Continue to the Thung Khe pass which offers a splendid panoramic view of the valley before arriving in Mai Chau town. 

Mai Chau is a beautiful valley, located 150km away from Hanoi. It is great place with harmonious landscapes, green mountain ranges, rice terraces, villages, White Thai ethnic people and their houses on stilts.
Arrive at around 12:00pm and enjoy lunch with delicious traditional food from the village. Relax then discover the valley by bike or on foot to Na Phon, through the rice fields and villages. Discover the local culture and the locals daily life. On the way, see the rural work on rice fields, weaving craftsman, encounter the locals, and visit a Thai family. All of these make up the authentic life of the locals in this region.

Go back to the village for dinner and enjoy a homestay at the village (stay at the house on stilts for a comfortable authentic experience with basic equipment.
Included: clean mattress, pillow, mosquito net, blankets, outside WC)
Option: you could attend a traditional dancing show while tasting local alcohol (On request)

Depart from Mai Chau to Pa Co. It is possible to visit a local market in Pa Co on Sundays.

Pa Co is located 35 km from Mai Chau, close to the Moc Chau plateau. This is a place home to the Hmong ethnic people living in the hills.
Start trekking from Pa Co to the Hang Kia commune through the green Hmong villages. This ethnic group previously cultivated poppies. However, nowadays they cultivate maize, manioc, and groundnuts.
Discover the local life in the Hmong village and visit a family, school and dispensary while surrounded by plum hills, primitive forests, and rice terraces.

Enjoy a picnic lunch then trek down the slopes to reach Cun Pheo Valley in the afternoon. Meet our driver and transfer to Mai Hich.
Overnight in Mai Hich homestay.

Enjoy your breakfast at the village and transfer to Eo Ken, 30km away from Mai Hich.
Arrive in Eo Ken where the Muong ethnic group lives. Walk down the slope and enjoy the spectacular view of Pu Luong Nature reserve, rice field terraces and mountains. Visit a Muong ethnic family in Eo Ken village and discover their authentic life.

Continue walking through this beautiful landscape and cross a stream to reach another village, Hang Village. Have lunch at a local family home or enjoy a picnic.
In the afternoon, transfer to Chieng Lau Village a beautiful rice field area with bamboo water wheels, and walk through the fields to the village and encounter the locals to discover their life, culture and customs.

Another highlight of the day is taking a bamboo raft along the river which will give you an exceptional moment of relaxation after walking.
Transfer to Don Village for dinner and stay overnight.
 

Have breakfast at the homestay then enjoy a day of trekking to discover the Pu Luong Nature Reverse and its inhabitants.

Start from Don Village and cross the rice terraces to Kho Muong village, the most remote village in Pu Luong, located in the valley and surrounded by the beautiful lime stone mountains and rice terraces. Kho Muong is home to a Thai ethnic group. Have your camera ready to capture the breathtaking scenery of rice terraces and encounter the locals en route.
Lunch will be served in the homestay at Kho Muong Village.

In the afternoon, continue following the trails in the forest and the manioc field to reach Uoi village, a beautiful village home to another Thai ethnic group who still preserve their thatched houses. Keep walking to Lan Ngoai Village before transferring back to your accommodation.
 

Enjoy breakfast before saying good-bye to the host, then walk down to the spectacular rice terrace valley. Hike through small paths and to reach four picturesque villages, Leo, Mo, Chu and Danh.

Don't forget your camera to capture these unforgettable moments. During the hike, you will enjoy the changing landscapes of rice terraces, villages, wild fields, ponds, streams and mountains.
Lunch will be at a local restaurant.

Meet our driver for a transfer to Hanoi On the way, visit the sacred fish stream in Cam Luong. This place is well known for a special kind of fish in the stream. It is called a sacred fish for the many mysterious stories created around this special creature..

Arrive in Hanoi in the late afternoon.
Overnight in Hanoi.

Enjoy your last minutes in the capital of Vietnam before transfer to airport for your flight to next destinations or flight home.

Tour ends.