Northern Vietnam Highlights Tour: Ha Giang, Lung Cu, Ban Gioc Waterfall, and Ba Be Lake

Tour Itinerary

DAY 1: HANOI - HA GIANG - QUAN BA - YEN MINH (Meals: - / Lunch / Dinner)

6:00 AM: The bus and guide from TVT Travel will pick you up at the designated meeting point in the Old Quarter and near the Hanoi Opera House to begin the trip to Ha Giang. You'll have free time to rest and have breakfast on your own at the Kim Anh T-junction or on the expressway.

• Note: The bus can also pick up guests at Kim Anh T-junction (the start of the Hanoi - Lao Cai expressway, about 3km from Noi Bai Airport, near hotels in the Noi Bai area) at around 7:30 AM. Therefore, if you have a late flight arriving at Noi Bai, you may not need to book a hotel room in the Old Quarter to save time and taxi costs.

11:00 AM: You will have lunch in Tan Yen town (Ham Yen, Tuyen Quang).

2:00 PM: Stop to visit the sacred Doi Co Cau Ma Temple, located right on the banks of the Lo River.

3:00 PM: Arrive in Ha Giang City and take souvenir photos at Km0 of Ha Giang.

4:30 PM: Stop at the Quan Ba Heaven's Gate viewpoint to take photos of the Fairy Bosom Mountains (also known as Quan Ba Twin Mountains) and a panoramic view of Tam Son town from above.

5:30 PM: Arrive in Yen Minh, check into your room, and rest.

6:30 PM: Enjoy dinner. The evening is free for you to explore on your own. You'll stay overnight in Yen Minh.

DAY 2: YEN MINH - DONG VAN - MEO VAC - BAO LAC (Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)

6:00 AM: Have breakfast and depart to admire the majestic scenery of the Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark. Along the way, you will stop to visit:

• Pho Cao with its unique H'mong houses surrounded by stone fences.

• Lung La Village to visit the traditional H'mong ancient house with rammed earth walls, which was used as the setting for the 2006 film "The Story of Pao," directed by Ngo Quang Hai and adapted from the short story "The Jew's Harp Behind the Stone Fence" by writer Do Bich Thuy, which won 4 Golden Kite Awards. You will stop for a rest and take photos with the buckwheat flowers near the Nine-Turn Slope.

• The H'mong King's Palace - Vuong Chinh Duc's Mansion, located in a valley in Sa Phin commune. This was the richest and most powerful family in Dong Van in the early 20th century.

• Lung Cu Flagpole - the northernmost point of the country, the highest latitude on the map of Vietnam.

12:30 PM: Have lunch at a restaurant.

Afternoon: Continue the tour:

• Dong Van Old Quarter, which has existed for nearly a century. You can enjoy a cup of coffee at Cafe Pho Co (at your own expense).

• Conquer the Ma Pi Leng Pass on the way to Meo Vac, which is also the most beautiful section of the road known as the "Happiness Road."

• Take photos of the majestic beauty of the Ma Pi Leng Canyon, 800m deep - the most deeply dissected terrain in Vietnam. Then, continue through Meo Vac town to Bao Lac.

6:00 PM: Arrive at Bao Lac, check into your hotel, and have dinner. The evening is free. Overnight in Bao Lac.

DAY 3: BAO LAC - BAN GIOC - NGUOM NGAO - CAO BANG (Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)

6:00 AM: Check out and have breakfast before getting on the bus to depart for Cao Bang. Along the way, you will stop to take photos of the beautiful scenery.

11:00 AM: Have lunch in Quang Uyen. After lunch, you will continue by bus to Ban Gioc. In the afternoon, you will visit:

• Ban Gioc Waterfall, a 53m high waterfall divided into 3 tiers, considered the most beautiful waterfall in Vietnam and the largest in Southeast Asia. It is the 4th largest waterfall in the top 10 waterfalls in the world located on the border between two countries.

• Visit Nguom Ngao Cave (Tiger Cave), one of the most beautiful caves not only in Cao Bang but in the entire North of Vietnam.

• Visit Phuc Sen Forging Village with its famous knife-making craft in Quang Uyen.

6:30 PM: Arrive in Cao Bang City. Have dinner, then check into your hotel and rest. In the evening, you are free to explore and shop at the central city market, especially for chestnuts. Overnight in Cao Bang.

DAY 4: CAO BANG - PAC BO - BA BE (Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)

DAY 5: BA BE LAKE - HANOI (Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / - )

7:00 AM: Have breakfast at the stilt house, then relax and admire the view of the lake in the early morning mist. You are free to rest or walk around the lake before checking out and heading back to Hanoi.

8:00 AM: You will walk to the boat dock and board a boat to explore Ba Be Lake. You'll have time to relax, take photos, and visit the following sites:

• Fairy Pond: Covering over 3,000 m², the pond is surrounded by limestone mountains and old-growth forests. The water is clear and cool. Here, you can also see footprints on the rocks and hear the legendary story of the hunter and seven fairies.

• An Ma Temple: According to legend, during the feudal war between the Le and Mac dynasties, the Mac generals were defeated and committed suicide at Puong Cave. To honor their loyalty, the locals built a temple for the Mac family but changed the name to An Ma Temple to avoid being destroyed by the Le army.

• Widow Island: A small, charming island located in the center of the lake, connected to the legend of the lake's formation. The boat can stop at the island for the group to get off and take photos.

11:30 AM: Have lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, you will get back on the bus to return to Hanoi.

5:30 PM: Arrive back in Hanoi, concluding the tour.

Goodbye and see you again!