Itinerary
Day 1: HA NOI LANG SON - QUANG UYEN (L/ D)
Stop At: Hanoi Opera House, 01 Trang Tien, Hanoi 100000 Vietnam
Our tour guide will pick you up by car at your hotel around 7:30-8:00am, transferring you to Lang Son. We will start by driving in the direction of the Chinese border for about 3 hours, before stopping at Chi Lang Pass - a 20-km-long gorge created from a narrow valley between two mountains. This place occupies an important position in Vietnamese history, being the place of many victories against various Chinese invasions over the centuries and millennia, as far back as 981AD. As such it bears the reputation of Vietnams strongest citadel and bastion. Here you will have roughly an hour to walk around and explore the area around the Quy Mon Quan Gate, which translates as The Gate of Monsters, named for the many invasion forces that would spill through the pass over the course of history only to be beaten back by stalwart Vietnamese defenders. After lunch at a local restaurant in Dong Dang, you will continue your trip into the pass, stopping to visit Mothers Temple and Dong Khe an important historical site where The Battle of Dong Khe was fought during the First Indochina War. In fact, this was the very first battle of the Indochina Wars, and the fighting here took place through September and October 1950, ending in a resounding victory for the Viet Minh. In the evening you will get to enjoy dinner and overnight rest in a local homestay owned and operated by a local Nung family.
Highlights and activities: Chi Lang, Quy Mon Quan Gate, Dong Khe Battle Site, Ethnic Villages, and a 3-5km walk.
Accommodation: Homestay of Nung ethnic people
Meal: Lunch and Dinner in local restaurant
Duration: 18 hours
Meals included:
Lunch
Dinner
Accommodation included: Sleeping at the nice homestay with sharing room (dorm)
Day 2: Cao Bang - Ban Gioc Waterfall - Ba Be Lake (B/L/D)
Stop At: Ban Gioc Falls, Trung Khanh, Cao Bang 22000 Vietnam
After enjoying breakfast at the homestay, you will depart for Trung Khanh which lies right on the border with China. Here you will have another chance to meet and interact with the local Nung people living in the village of Phuoc Sen, a mountainous village famous for its traditional blacksmithing. The farming tools made here are an integral part of the lifestyle which is evident in the surrounding rice paddies and fields. Nestled amongst these amazing landscapes is the breath-taking Ban Gioc Waterfall which spans over 300 meters, split half and half between Vietnam and China. Youll get some time here to simply take in the amazing atmosphere surrounding the falls, which presents an excellent opportunity for some fantastic photography. Once youve finished at the falls, its time to head over to Nguom Ngao Cave, for a very different, but no less impressive natural wonder. The cave stretches for 2,144 meters underground and is brimming with incredible stalactites and stalagmites. You will then return to Cao Bang town and head down the snake pass to Ba Be Lake, where you will stay overnight in a homestay constructed in traditional Tay fashion and owned and operated by a local Tay family. Here you can relax and unwind from the day and enjoy a delicious and authentic home-cooked meal.
Highlights and activities: Ban Gioc Waterfall, Nguom Ngao Cave, Ethnic Villages
Accommodation: Homestay of Tay ethnic people
Meal: Breakfast, dinner at homestay. Lunch in local restaurant
Duration: 18 hours
Meals included:
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Accommodation included: Sleeping at the Homestay in Ba Be
Day 3: BA BE LAKE HA NOI (B/L)
Stop At: Ba Be National Park, Bo Lu Village Ba Be district, Nam Mau 270000 Vietnam
After breakfast well kick the final day of the tour of by boarding a boat and setting off onto the lake. Its up to you how to spend your time on the boat, whether its relaxing and enjoying the views or going for a swim in the cool waters to refresh yourself. The views consist of stunning karst formations all around you covered with patches of wild vegetation and a rich wildlife. The boat will then continue along the Nang River, giving you a chance to explore the caves of Puong Grotto where you can marvel at the stalactites and stalagmites created through river erosion, as well as observe the thousands-strong bat colony that lives here. Now that youve reached the end of your tour, youll be driven the roughly 230 kilometres back to Hanoi, with a stop at a tea plantation nestled among rolling hills. Once we arrive in Hanoi it is time to say farewell, having made lifelong memories and connections.
Highlights and activities: Ba Be Lake, Puong Cave, Tay ethnic villages.
Accommodation: Not included
Meal: Breakfast at homestay. Lunch in local restaurant
Duration: 12 hours
Meals included:
Breakfast
Lunch
No accommodation included on this day.