Ha Giang Cao Bang Ba Be Tour 8 days: Off the Beaten Path

Depart from Hanoi at 8.00 AM to begin Northeast Tour 8 days 7 nights. The drive to Ha Giang occupied most of the day. There are stops on the way for photo opportunities and having lunch. Once you arrive in Hoang Su Phi, check in Pan Hou eco-lodge for dinner and stay overnight.

After your breakfast at the lodge, we will spend the whole day for a further trek to explore Hoang Su Phi Mountain. This area is well-known for its dramatic rice terraces and also has been recognized as the national heritage. The highlights of the day also include the local hill tribes who you will meet on the way such as the Tay people, the Black Yao people or Yao with long tunic, the Red Yao people. Your picnic lunch will be served at a local family somewhere on the hike. Late afternoon get back to the lodge for the night. 

You may be woken up early by the domestic animals again. Inhale the fresh air from the mountains and sip a cup of hot tea or coffee. After breakfast, trek over an hour downhill to the paved road where we say goodbye to our local men and move on to our next destination by car. Lunch is at a restaurant in Ha Giang City. Lunch is at a local restaurant in Ha Giang City.

In the afternoon, the scenery is getting more stunning with high passes and august mountains. The typical photo opportunities are at Quan Ba Pass and Quan Ba Heaven Gate with some steps to a viewpoint atop a hill. Arrive at Du Gia, home of the Tay ethnic group, live on stilt houses. Check in a local homestay. Take an easy walk around the village and to the surroundings for the remainder of the day. Dinner and overnight at the homestay. 

The drive is one of the highlights of the trip with the drive through Dong Van Karst Geo-park so we will start our drive this morning at 8:00 AM, you can stop as often as you want to take photographs. Dong Van Karst Plateau is a unique combination between Geoheritage and cultural heritages.

Up to 80% of the karst formations of Dong Van Plateau are limestone formed by environmental conditions and different development stages of nature. The scenery is amazing and the local life and the culture of the hill tribes such as the H'mong is something that will be very memorable for your trip. The places of interest today include Pho Cao; Pho Bang and the residence of the Vuong family, still called “Palace of Hmong King”.

In the afternoon, on the way towards Meo Vac, the last stop is at Ma Pi Leng Pass. The scenery in Ma Pi Leng Pass is unique with majestic and wild beauty. From the Pass, you can see thousands of gray mountains concatenate to the horizon and next to the road is abyss and tiny Nho Que River bottoms the huge abyss. Check in you hotel in Meo Vac and stay for the night. 

If today is Sunday, it will be your colorful morning as there is a weekend market takes place right in the town. The market is not only where the locals living in the karst plateau trade cattle, it is also a gathering place for the Mong ethnic minority trading their domestic and farming products. 

This is a great chance to hunt beautiful photos of the local faces in their traditional dresses. After the market, we will set out for descending to Cao Bang Province. Lunch is on the way. In the afternoon, arrive in Cao Bang City, check in the hotel and relax. Dinner and overnight in Cao Bang.  

After the breakfast at your hotel, we will embark the morning drive to the remote area, Trung Khach District. Have a short stop on the way to visit Phuc Sen Village of the Nung people where you can learn how basically the local blacksmiths are making their farming tools such as knives, sickles, plough plates...

Arrive at the Waterfall and take a short walk down to Quay Son River and get on a raft to visit the most beautiful waterfall of Vietnam. Have lunch at a local restaurant nearby. In the afternoon, continue on with a visit to Nguom Ngao limestone Cave, which is located about 2 kilometers from Ban Gioc. Walking through this cool cave offers you a great chance to admire how wonderful the stalagmites and stalactites have been formed. Dinner and overnight at a homestay.

Check out and bid farewell to the host after breakfast. Get a transfer to Tra Linh District for a morning scenic trek to view Mat Than Mountain. Drive to Cao Bang City for lunch.

In the afternoon, we will continue the day with the drive to Ba Be National Park. Check-in your accommodation for the night. 

After the breakfast, transfer to the boat dock and take the motorboat ride through the green lake and onward to Nang river. The scenery is very green with the rain forest covers the limestone mountains. Cruise upstream the Nang River through Puong Cave and finish the boat ride at Buoc Lom Dock. Get back on your private vehicle and spend the afternoon drive back to Hanoi. Lunch on the way. Arrive in Hanoi, check in your hotel and finish your adventure.