Adventure mode

— Our guarantees —

ARRIVAL IN HANOI

• The driver and guide welcome you at the airport.
• You are taken to the hotel in the city center (rooms might be available from 2pm only).
• End of the day at leisure.

Fun fact

If you are adventurous spirited, you will probably like a night escape to the big wholesale market of Hanoi. It takes place every day from around midnight under the Long Bien Bridge. Make yourself tiny not to disturb people rushing around but this is worth a visit. In the upper North, there is the flower wholesale market as well.

Night at MK Premier – Luxury http://mkpremier.vn/

HANOI ON 2 WHEELS

• Meet the guide in the hotel lobby at 9am.
• Make sure you had a good breakfast; go for a 2-wheel sightseeing tour of Hanoi.
• Explore different routes and atmosphere of the capital.
• Cycle along the former colonial administration district, the Truc Bach peninsula, the West Lake circle, the micro farms of Nhat Tan, etc. The total ride should be about 30-35km but keep it flexible and may adapt depending on how you feel on the road.
• Visit en-route the temple of literature and any other place on the way that you would be curious about.
• Come back to the hotel in the afternoon.
• Enjoy an evening at leisure.

Fun fact

Not that long ago, in the 90’s and at the beginning of the 21^st Century, most Hanoians used bicycle as their sole mean of transportation. Then motorbikes arrived in the beginning of the years 2000 and now the era of cars is coming up.

Night at MK Premier – Luxury http://mkpremier.vn/

HANOI – PANHOU

• The guide will pick you up at the hotel at 8am.
• Reach the trekking ground in the far North of the country. The drive is quite long but beautiful sceneries and good road make the journey comfortable.
• Reach the premises of the Tay Con Linh mountain range in the afternoon.
• Drive down to the bottom of a deep valley and reach Panhou Village, a remote Eco lodge that serves as a base for trekking in the area.
• Enjoy a swim in the river next to the lodge.
• Go for a traditional treatment at the spa.

Fun fact

The founder of Panhou village is a fine botanist. All the plants and essences beautify the lush gardens of the eco-lodge. If you see the owner of the place around, feel free to question him.  It is passionate.

Night at Panhou Village – Standard http://www.panhou-village.com/en/

DAY 4 to DAY 6

TREKKING THE SINO-VIETNAMESE MOUNTAINS

• Depart for a 3-day trek in some of the most beautiful and wild mountain sceneries of North Vietnam.
• About 6 hours walking per day on single trails for an intermediate level. Along rice fields, cassava, sugar cane and tea plantations get remote and a real feeling of the big outdoors.
• Have lunch, dinner and spend the nights at some local homes for 2 nights.
• Halts at local homes is a great chance to interact with communities from various ethnic groups, that is, the H’mong, Hoa, Man Pa Tan, Tay, Dao and Nung
• On the 3^rd day of trek, return to the eco-lodge in the afternoon.
• Take rest and be comfortable.

Fun fact

In these mountains, land is distributed by ethnic group according to the height. For example, Tay and Nhung people usually live in the valleys. Dao people live on mountain side at mid-height. And H’mong people are the ones we often find at the top of mountains or higher altitudes.

DAY 7

PANHOU – HANOI

• As we came up, we must go back.
• Departure after breakfast for a drive across North Vietnam back to Hanoi.
• Make a stop en route for lunch.
• Arrive in Hanoi in the afternoon.
• End of the day at leisure.
• Make sure you get a good night of rest as it is planned to departure early tomorrow.

Night at MK Premier – Luxury http://mkpremier.vn/

DAY 8

HANOI – CAT BA

• Early departure, at about 6.30am, and road to the coast.
• Arrive in Haiphong around 8.30am and catch a local ferryboat to Cat Ba Island.
• Reach the island and take a quick taxi ride to the beautiful Cat Ba homestay.
• You are welcomed in a centuries old traditional house by a charming couple.
• It is time to refresh and take some lazy time in the lush garden before lunch is served.
• Get some rest in the early afternoon, and then go on a bicycle ride to explore the island a little further. Upon your preferences go to the entrance of the National Park, to the Hospital Cave or/and to the top of Cannon Fort for a beautiful panorama view over Halong archipelago.
• In the late afternoon come back to the house,
• You may take part in dinner preparation if you’d like to.
• Dinner and spend the night at the homestay.

Fun fact

If you prefer an easy-going afternoon, it is possible to skip the bike ride and just go to sunbath at the beach with an eventual sunset from Cannon Fort.

Night at Cat Ba Homestay http://catba-homestay.com

DAY 9

CAT BA, BOATING AND KAYAKING

• After breakfast, take a quick transfer to a little pier where the boat and kayak await.
• Hit the sea on kayaks and paddle across the large floating village of Beo. The amount of kayaking is your choice.
• Have the boat to support all the time, do more cruising or more kayaking. There are opportunities to explore lagoons and beautiful hidden beaches.
• Meals are served on the boat.
• In the late afternoon, reach the anchorage area, time for some swimming if you like.
• Spend the night on boat.

Fun fact

Mountains around Beo floating village are a sanctuary for Cat Ba Langurs. A project based on the island is fighting for their conservation as the specie is really endemic. On some lucky days, we may spot some of them, keep an eye opens.

Night at Cat Ba Sailing Junk http://www.catbajonques.com

DAY 10

CAT BA – HANOI – DONG HOI

• Cruise to the pier in the morning to disembark about 9am.
• Go for a quick visit of the seafood market before starting your way back to Hanoi.
• Arrival in afternoon.
• You will be dropped at a small hotel by the train station and book a room during one hour for you to have a shower.
• Then you have time to go for dinner on your own.
• You will be given the train tickets in advance, be at the station in time to catch the train SE1 to Dong Hoi departing at 7.30pm.
• Spend the night on the train in a shared 4-berth cabin.

Night in train.

Fun fact

Near the train station, on Pham Boi Chau Street, there is the QuanAnNgon restaurant. An old villa set in a huge yard where many street food stalls are gathered in a busy atmosphere. Get a seat and order your list of tasty dishes from a common menu (better be there around 5.30pm not to miss the train then).

DAY 11

DONG HOI – TULAN CAVE

• Early arrival in Dong Hoi, you will be picked you up at the station and driven to the entrance of PhongNha national park for breakfast.
• Between 7.30 and 8.00, join the group departing on the night tour for TuLan cave exploration.
• Plantations, jungle, caves and rivers; you will climb up, walk down, swim and enjoy a lunch in the Hung Ton Cave opening.
• Arrive at the campsite in the mid-afternoon, just next to a nice waterfall and its natural pool.
• BBQ dinner.

Spend the night in hammocks or tents.

Fun fact

The TuLan Cave system is the second biggest cave known so far in the world. The rivers continue to erode the mountain, carving new caves over millions years. Hence the river caves are at a lower elevation and are 2-million years younger than the higher and dry caves (5-million years old).

DAY 12

TU LAN – PHONGNHA

• After a hearty breakfast, start a new day of exploration and adventure.
• More trekking, more swimming, more stunning nature and a picnic lunch by a scenic waterfall.
• End the trek at about 4pm with a cold drink and be back at the entrance of the National Park by 5.30pm.
• You will be taken you to a farm stay few kilometers away to enjoy a nice evening at leisure.

Fun fact

The Chay Lap farm stay just opened few months ago. This is the development of a previous community project called Rustic Chay Lap. The local community is really involved into tourism development in the area.

Night at Chay Lap Farmstay – Superior http://chaylapfarmstay.com/

DAY 13

PHONGNHA

• Rest by the swimming pool and recover after an active holiday.
• Use available services at the farm stay to explore deeper this little piece of paradise.
• A number of options are available: swimming, kayaking to the Dark cave, walking an eco-trail, riding a bicycle around the national park, etc.
• Lunch is not included as it will depend on your program and where you will be at this time.
• Dinner and spend the night at the farm stay.

Fun fact

Explore several branches of the Ho Chi Minh road and go to Laos border in no time.

Night at Chay Lap Farmstay – Superior http://chaylapfarmstay.com/

DAY 14

PHONGNHA – HANOI – DEPARTURE

• Catch the only daily flight from Dong Hoi to Hanoi.
• A room will be booked at a hotel so you can let your luggage and take a shower before leaving. Rooms are available from 2pm.
• If you have a departure flight before 2pm, then no need to come back to Hanoi center. You can connect directly to the morning flight from Dong Hoi arriving in Hanoi at 9.50am.

Fun fact

If you have few hours in Hanoi, go to 6 Degrees, on the top floor of a building at 189 Nghi Tam Road. Beautiful view over the West Lake and the Red River, good wifi connection, good drinks, good food.