Vietnam off the beaten track

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

Today, we discover the wonders of the capital of Vietnam, filled with timeless charm. Start by visiting 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 luck in love, especially for your future spouse.

After that, transfer to the Ethnology Museum (closed every Monday) which offers a deep insight into Vietnamese culture through traditional costumes, tools, musical instruments and traditional houses of many minority ethnic groups. Enjoy a special water puppet show in the museum garden.
Lunch is served in a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, discover the Ho Chi Minh complex including the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh's House on stilts and the fish pond. 

For those who are interested in visiting the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, it is only open in the morning and closed every Monday and Friday. Sometimes it is necessary to queue for a couple of hours to go inside the mausoleum.
Transfer to the old quarter to visit Hoan Kiem lake (Restored Sword Lake) and Ngoc Son temple in the middle of the lake.

Return to your hotel in the late afternoon.

Home to Tay people at Tay Con Linh mountain range.

Depart from your hotel in Hanoi to Ha Giang via the highway to Phu Tho. Stop to visit the Zao village at Ham Yen, Tuyen Quang. First, discover the houses on stilts, a typical style of ethnic groups in this undulating region.
Arrive in Ha Giang in the middle of the afternoon, beginning a trek to the Me - Lup – Tha Villages. Featuring serene beauty, these villages are made up of hundreds of houses on wooden stilts covered by palm leaves. In front of the houses, there are small ponds for raising fish and water hyacinth cultivations for pigs. You will be welcomed by big smiles from the villagers testifying to their legendary hospitality. Visit a typical house and discover the local daily life.

Arrive in Tha Village, a village on the palm hills with rice fields where you can rest in the serenity.
Check in at your home stay then take a walk around the village to catch the rhythm of daily life in the mountain before sunset.

Enjoy a delicious local dinner.
Overnight in Tha Village - home stay (basic comfort, house on stilts).
Driving time: 5hours – 280km
Walking distance: 5km – 1.5 hours.

Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark – home to Hmong ethnic people.

Depart to Dong Van with the magical landscapes of this region present along the route.
Before arrival at the Quan Ba pass, we will stop to visit a village of Bo Y in the Quyet Tien Commune. Their origin is from China. The Bo Y is a small community of 2000 people who populate in the mountainous parts of the north.
Reach the Quan Ba pass and take a short break to admire Quan Ba town with the famous twin fairy mountains (Nui Co Tien).

After Quan Ba, you will enter the Limestone rock plateau zone, considered as mountainous Halong Bay. This majestic natural treasure has been listed in the World Geological Park book.
On the way, you will discover “Nha Trinh Tuong” by a walking to the Lung Hoa Village. This is the typical house of Hmong people in the village which is built on sticky ground.

Next, visit the Palace of the Hmong King, Dinh Vua Meo. Dating back 100 years ago, far from the plain, the regions of Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Dong Van, Meo Vac created an autonomous zone with their own king.
They cultivated poppies and their economy was based on the opium business with China.

Arrive in Dong Van and check in at your hotel and relax.
Driving time: 5 hours – 150km

Grandiose Ma Pi Leng pass, the region of Black Lo Lo ethnic group.

In the morning, it's possible to visit Dong Van and Meo Vac market on Sundays.
After breakfast at the hotel, we will depart from Dong Van to Meo Vac by crossing Ma Pi Leng Pass which seduces you with the breathtaking view of limestone mountains, Nho Que River and Hmong Villages nested in the mountain.

Continue to Bao Lac. This is well known for the Black Lo Lo ethnic group. This region was highlighted by the French media, “The journey into unknown land”. This documentary was filmed in Khuoi Khon village of the Lo Lo people, 9km away from Bao Lac town, by the rugby player, Frederik Michalak

Lunch is served in Bao Lac town and check in to your hotel.

In the afternoon, we transfer to Coc Xa Village, in the Na Van commune. This village of the Lo Lo ethic group remains more authentic then Khuoi Khon village which became more touristic after the famous documentary. Walk through the rice fields and trails in the village, visit the local people's houses, and talk with the hosts to understand more about the local life as well as their traditional customs.
Go back to the town and stay overnight in your hotel.
Driving time: 3hours – 130km.

Into the Land of San Chi and Zao.

Depart to Cao Bang via Tinh Tuc. 30km from Bao Lac, in Hung Dao commune, there is a beautiful village of the San Chi ethnic group. Of course, we will stop to visit and discover the beauty of the village. You will be one of just a few travelers to visit this area because of its hidden location behind the hill.
The village with hundreds of houses on stilts is nested on the side of a mountain and has views of the stunning valley. To reach to the village, you will have to walk up a steep 2km incline. The higher you walk, the better the view you will get. Also, you can visit a family to understand the authentic life of this ethnic group.
After, continue to Cao Bang, where you will be in awe of the magnificent nature where the mountains gently meet the valleys of rice terraces so stop to film or take photos whenever possible.

Arrive in Cao Bang in the afternoon. Check in to your hotel and walk around the central market in the city.
Stay overnight in your hotel.
Driving time: 4 hour – 130km
Walking distance: 4km
 

Immerse into the Nung ethnic group. Discover the magical Ban Gioc Waterfall and Nguom Ngao cave.
In the morning, depart from your hotel to Ban Gioc waterfall located on the border between Vietnam and China. It is 30m in height and 208m in width and is the most beautiful waterfall in Vietnam.

After 2 hours of driving through the magical limestone region, you will arrive at Ban Gioc waterfall and be amazed by this beautiful natural masterpiece.
In the afternoon, transfer to Nguom Ngao cave, reached by walking a hundred steps. The cave is located in the maize valley and is 2km in length. It is filled with incredible stalactites and stalagmites. It was a shelter for thousands of local people during the Vietnam/China border war.

On the way to Cao Bang we will visit Phuc Sen, a blacksmith village, where you will have an opportunity to burn your name into your souvenir knife.
You will be one of just a few travelers who spend a night in the village. The comfort is limited; however, you will enjoy the friendly atmosphere and the legendary hospitality of the Nung ethnic group and their authentic lifestyle.
Have dinner and stay overnight in a homestay.

In the morning, depart to Ba Be. On the way, you will enjoy the magnificent landscape of the villages nestled in the flank of mountain.
Stop on the way to meet the natives and take photos wherever possible.

Arrive in Ba Be in the afternoon. Check in home stay in Pac Ngoi

Cycling through several villages of ethnic Tay people to Hua Ma cave ( 5km from the village). This is an attractive place with amazing formations of stalactites and stalagmites.
Go back to Pac Ngoi village for shower and relax

Dinner and overnight in the homestay.
Driving time: 4 hours – 140km.

Boat trip in Ba Be Lake and admire the wilderness.

In the morning, transfer from the village to Buoc Lom Pier to take a boat trip along the Nang river and enjoy the beautiful scenery of forests along the river. The boat will pass through Puong cave, home to thousands of bats, toward Dau Dang waterfall. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant by the waterfall.
Take the boat back to the lake, stopping at the fairy pond located in the middle of the primitive forest. Here, you will gently cruise around the lake and it's possible to swim if the weather permits.
Disembarkation is at 4.00pm. Walk from the pier to the village, have dinner and stay overnight at the home stay.

Dinner and overnight home stay.

Free in the morning to relax in the peaceful village by the lake. Then transfer to Hanoi.
Arrive in Hanoi in the late afternoon.
Check in hotel and free on your own.
Overnight in Hanoi.

Enjoy your breakfast at hotel.
08:00 - Meet our driver for a transfer to Halong via Bac Ninh and Sao Do. 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 the pier and take a transfer to Gia Luan port for a discovery trip to Cat Ba.

Overnight at Hotel in Cat Ba island.
Note: Cruise’s activities order will be depend on each cruises and tide. It is adjustable.

In the morning, transfer from your hotel to the gate of Cat Ba national park to begin your day of trekking through the park to Viet Hai Village, a great experience in the heart of the natural world biosphere reserve.

Trek 9km through the primitive forest, and spend a full day discovering the tropical biodiversity of the flora and fauna.  The trek will take you to Ao Ech (frogs pond) located 80m high, in the center of the park and covering an area of 3.2 hectares. This is the largest fresh water lake on the island and feeds all the surrounding wildlife.

Continue to conquer the path in the forest as you strenuously scramble over the rocks on the way.
At last, you will reach Viet Hai Village, inhabited by fifty Viet families. The natives live a simple life and will pleasantly surprise you with their exceptional hospitality.
Enjoy a late lunch in the village then continue walking or biking on the beautiful road to Viet Hai pier where our boat awaits for a cruise in to Lan Ha Bay. Whilst sneaking through the charming limestone islands, discover the fishing village and swim if time permits.
Arrive in Ben Beo pier and transfer to your hotel.

Free in the morning, transfer back to Cai Vieng port. Embarkation a ferry to Got port, our driver will pick you up back to Hanoi.
Check in hotel and relax.
Overnight in Hanoi.

Free till transfer to airport for flight home.

Tour ends.