This Vietnam Northeast Loop Tour must be the highlights of your Vietnam adventure tour as it combines all the best destinations of Northeast Vietnam, including Ba Be Lake, the remote and beautiful areas of Ha Giang Province, Uncle Ho’s home along the border of China, a magnificent waterfall, the rustic life in villages in Cao Bang Province and Ha Long Bay as the perfect ending of the Vietnam Northeast Loop Tour.
Hanoi – Ba Be Lake – Ha Giang – Cao Bang – Lang Son – Halong – Hanoi
ITINERARY
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Brief Vietnam Northeast Loop Tour
Day 1: Hanoi Arrival
Day 2: Hanoi – Visit to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Thai Nguyen – Ba Be Lake
Day 3: Boat trip in Ba Be Lake
Day 4: Ba Be Lake – Ha Giang – Visit the minority and Ho Chi Minh museum
Day 5: Ha Giang – Dong Van – Visit to the Vuong Palace – Meo Vac
Day 6: Meo Vac – Bac Me – Bao Lac
Day 7: Bao Lac v Tinh Tuc – Pac Po Cave – Uncle Ho Museum – Cao Bang
Day 8: Ban Gioc Waterfall – Stop at giant irrigation water - wheels - Visit Cao Bang town
Day 9: Cao Bang – Dong Khe – That Khe – Dong Dang – Lang Son
Day 10: Lang Son – Nhi Thanh – Tam Thanh Caves and Mac Dynasty Citadel – Van Don
Day 11: Van Don – Boat to visit the remote outlying island – Hydrofoil to Ha Long
Day 12: Ha Long – Hanoi
Day to Day Vietnam Northeast Loop Tour
Day 1: Hanoi Arrival (G)
Upon arrival, our private Vietnam Tours guide and driver will welcome your Vietnam Holiday to Hanoi, a city where the exotic chic of old Asia blends with the dynamic face of new Asia. Where the medieval and modern co-exist. A city with a blend of Parisian grace and Asian pace, an architectural museum piece evolving in harmony with its history, rather than bulldozing through like many of the region’s capitals. Hanoi is where imagination becomes reality. Free at leisure. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 2: Hanoi – Visit to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Thai Nguyen – Ba Be Lake (B/L/D) (G)
We depart Hanoi early and are on the way north to Bac Kan Province, home to Ba Be Lakes. We stop in Thai Nguyen for a short visit to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology for a little background on the minorities of northern Vietnam.
We continue on stopping for lunch along the way in Cho Ra town and then the final short drive to the lake. Upon arrival at the lake, we meet our host family for the night and enjoy a short walk around the lakeside, possibly a swim. In the evening, we have dinner with our host family and learn about the daily life of the family. We sleep in a traditional stilt home this evening, far from the hectic pace of Hanoi and the sounds of crickets, frogs and fish jumping from the water lull us to sleep.
Day 3: Boat trip in Ba Be Lake (B/L/D) (G)
We spend the whole day exploring the lake. The boat trip is combined with trekking to a Tay village. The boat takes us to Dau Dang Waterfall, a series of spectacular cascades between sheer rock walls. Puong Cave is also visited and we enter the cave on one side of a small mountain and exit on the other side, making an interesting cruise. We journey by Widow Island and hear about the legend of this tiny islet in the middle of the lake. The day trip is very pleasant. Enjoy yourself!
Day 4: Ba Be Lake – Ha Giang – Visit the minority and Ho Chi Minh museum (B/L/D) (G)
We enjoy the fresh morning air lakeside while having breakfast and then depart for Ha Giang. The journey is along Highway 279 and we’ll pass many villages and photo stops are at your request but our goal today is to arrive in Ha Giang before 13:30 to get a permit to travel to Meo Vac. Lunch today is along the way, most likely in Viet Quang.
Upon arrival at the hotel, your guide will apply for the permits and you can visit the minority/Ho Chi Minh museum located on the banks of the Lo River. Ha Giang is located at kilometer marker 0 on Highway 1 and this is Vietnam’s longest road traversing the country over 2000 km to the deep south of the country.
Day 5: Ha Giang – Dong Van – Visit to the Vuong Palace – Meo Vac (B/L/D) (G)
After breakfast, we head toward the most remote part of the north. Northern Ha Giang Province has some of the most picturesque and varied scenery. Our drive will take us over high passes and we can view deep valleys along the entire journey. We’ll stop along the way at The Vuong Palace, the beauty of Chinese-style architecture. This was the seat of government for the Hmong during the first Indochina war. We continue on to the town of Dong Van, a small outpost, but won’t be disappointing as it the starting point to a wildly scenic road, one of the top 5 of Vietnam.
The road is only 22 km long but most of it has been simply cut into the side of a cliff face. Below, the Nho Quy river flows and above, the towering cliff rises to the clouds, a truly beautiful gorge below is completes one of the most spectacular natural sights in the country. Take your time and soak it up, as this is one journey to savor!
Day 6: Meo Vac – Bac Me – Bao Lac (B/L/D) (G)
Today we drive on one of the most remote roads in Vietnam from Meo Vac to Bao Lac via Bac Me. You may encounter various minorities along the ride. Besides stunning mountain scenery, the minorities dressed in colorful and unique costumes make the trip more interesting. Our simple lunch will be served along the road and we spend the night in a simple local guesthouse in Bao Lac.
Day 7: Bao Lac – Tinh Tuc - Pac Po Cave – Uncle Ho Museum – Cao Bang (B/L/D) (G)
Following breakfast, we continue to Cao Bang following the least traveled road. Arriving at lunch time, you check into your hotel and have lunch in a local restaurant.
After lunch, we drive northwest of Cao Bang to visit Pac Po Cave. Here, Ho Chi Minh re-entered Vietnam ready to lead the revolution after living abroad. It is a lovely, quiet spot and undeveloped. At the entrance to the cave, there is an Uncle Ho Museum to visit. We then return Cao Bang for the night. Cao Bang is high above sea level and has pleasant climate. We spend two nights in Cao Bang as the area attractions can be seen in one day and further travel completed.
Day 8: Ban Gioc Waterfall – Stop at giant irrigation water-wheels – Visit Cao Bang town (B/L/D) (G)
Today, we drive to Ban Gioc Waterfall, a very scenic spot directly on the border with China. Half the pleasure of the visit to Vietnam’s largest waterfall is walking across rice paddy fields to reach the base of the falls. On the way back, we may have time to stop at several giant irrigation water - wheels that lies along the road overlooking villages.
We return Cao Bang and stretch your legs with a walk to the market nearby. We make a climb to the War Memorial with an overview of the town.
Day 9: Cao Bang – Dong Khe – That Khe – Dong Dang – Lang Son (B/L/D) (G)
We continue our journey to Lang Son. The road is narrow passing undeveloped rural area as you will see by where we have lunch along the way. Some 13 km before Lang Son, we stop at Dong Dang to have a look at the ruins of town and the devastated frontier village. The town was rebuilt and little remains of the Chinese incursion of 1979, but the memory still lingers with the older residents.
We arrive in Lang Son, check into your hotel and stretch the legs by taking a walk to the market for a look.
Day 10: Lang Son – Nhi Thanh – Tam Thanh Caves and Mac Dynasty Citadel – Van Don (B/L/D) (G)
In the morning, we are off to visit some interesting sites around Lang Son. Close to Lang Son, there are a couple of impressive caves, Nhi Thanh and Tam Thanh Caves, deep in the surrounding limestone hills. We then continue to Mac Dynasty Citadel, a lovely remote spot with stunning views across the countryside. We return to town for lunch.
In the afternoon, we depart for Van Don Island. Van Don is the largest and most populated island of Bai Tu Long Bay. The bay is as enchanting as its famous neighbour and in some way it is even more beautiful as it is not visited by many tourists. We spend the night in Van Don Island. Just offshore there are stunning rock formations similar to those in Ha Long Bay. If we are lucky, the fishing fleet rigged for squid will set sail after sunset, truly a unique and bright site!
Day 11: Van Don – Boat to visit the remote outlying island – Hydrofoil to Ha Long (B/L/D) (G)
After breakfast, we get on a boat at Cai Rong pier to visit the remote outlying island. We try to take you to less visited areas as possible as we have done in the northern mountains! We then return to Van Don for a late lunch before taking the hydrofoil that leaves for Ha Long at 3pm.
On arrival in Ha Long, we embark again on the junk where we spend the night in the Ha Long Bay. The cruise passes various rock formations until sunset. You will then have dinner on board while watching sunset. Should you feel like taking another swim, there will plenty of time.
Day 12: Ha Long – Hanoi
You enjoy breakfast in the fresh air morning and serenity of the bay and the junk will continue its way among thousands of islets. You will then cruise through several beautiful views of Teapot Island, Chopstick Island, Horse Saddle and even Charles De Gaulle Island. You may wish for a swim before your lunch is served. The Junk will disembark Ha Long wharf at noon, where your bus is waiting to transfer you back to Hanoi airport for your departure flight. We hope that you have enjoyed your Vietnam Tours with us and look forward to your next Vietnam Tours. Vivutravel says goodbye and see you again!!!
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