The beauty of locals and nature

Our Authentik Travel’s tour guide and driver will welcome you at airport and transfer to Hotel in the city center.
Get some first briefing information about our country and enjoy a welcome dinner in a finest local restaurant.
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)

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 Van Long. 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.
Continue to Van Long, an international nature reserve and stop again to visit Chau Son Monastery located in the romantic countryside of Nho Quan District, inspired by Gothic styles and built with red bricks in 1939. It is remarkable for its tranquility.

Arrive in Van Long in the late afternoon and check in to your homestay where you will meet a typical 3-generation rural family. Be welcomed to their home with a cup of tea and learn about their idyllic local lifestyles through intimate conversation.

After breakfast at homestay, enjoy a 15km bike ride ( or by car) and walk through the villages. A journey along the dyke will offer you gorgeous landscapes of rice fields, a river and limestone mountains. There are several stops for you to take beautiful photos or encounter the locals then walk to discover Thung La temple, dating back to the 11th century. Meet Mr Tuong, the temple guardian, and enjoy an authentic conversation as well as a 20 minute drum show. 

Later, take a sampan boat trip along the stream and among the limestone mountains to discover the beauty of Van Long Nature reserve. If lucky, you might get to see white monkeys and egrets on the cliffs.
After the boat trip, visit an embroidery village and take part in an embroidery course under the instruction of local craftswoman, Mrs Lam. She will proudly explain the techniques of her traditional craft. This will be a good opportunity for you to practice on fabric like a real craftsman.

Overnight at Hotel in Ninh Binh.

After breakfast, we will depart for Halong via Nam Dinh and Thai Binh province. These are famous for the extensive rice fields as far as your eyes can see will follow you along the way.
12:00 - Embarkation at Hon Gai port, relax with a welcome drink.
13:00 – Enjoy a seafood lunch on the boat while cruising in to the bay through the enchanting landscapes of Bai Tu Long Bay ( Small Dragon Bay).
15:30 - Take part in activities according to the boat such as: visit Thien Canh Son cave, go kayaking, take a bamboo sampan ride to the Vang Vieng fishing village or simply just relax on the boat.
18:00 - Return to the boat, shower and take a rest.
19:00 - Enjoy a delicious dinner on the boat.
Stay overnight in a private cabin (with air conditioner and shower)
 

You are advised to get up early to enjoy the fresh air and sunrise in the beautiful scenery of Bai Tu Long.
Breakfast on the boat.
08:30 - Enjoy activities. Either visit the cave or embark a small bamboo sampan to visit Vung Vieng Fishing village, one of the spectacular floating villages in Halong. Encounter the locals and fishermen’s farm as well as a floating school (depends on the boat’s activity schedule)
09:30 - Return to the boat and check out of the cabin.
10:00 - Cruise back to Hon Gai port. On the way back, we will enjoy lunch on the boat. Last look at the legendary bay where dragons once descended.
11:45 - Arrive at the pier and transfer back to Hanoi
Arrive in Hanoi in the afternoon.

Overnight in Hanoi.
Note: Cruise’s activities order will be depend on each cruises and tide. It is adjustable.

Free till transfer to airport for flight home.

Tour ends.