Itinerary

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1. DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN HANOI

   Welcome to Hanoi – the capital of Vietnam. Upon arrival at Noi Bai International Airport, your tour guide and driver will meet you in the arrivals lounge and transfer you to your hotel in downtown.
   The rest of the day is yours to relax or do exploring the Old Quarter area at your own leisure.
   Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.
   Meals included: No meals.

2. DAY 2: HANOI CITY TOUR – LOCAL FOOD DISCOVERY

   In the morning, pay your respect to the nation’s founder at the Ho Chi Minh Complex and Ba Dinh Square, an important pilgrimage site of Vietnamese people, and learn more about the prewar history of the country.
   Next stop by the iconic One Pillar Pagoda - a unique Vietnamese architecture reminiscent of a lotus blossom rising from a pond and hear the legend of its construction.
   Afternoon, the city tour continues as transferring to Chợ Hôm market, mainly known as a fabric market, where you can buy wholesale fabric by the meter to make your own dresses and other things. The market is full of produce, meats, seafood, fruits and traditional Vietnamese foods. Enjoy your time at the market like a local and see how Hanoians buy foods.
   Move on to the famous Hanoi Train Street, a little area hidden amidst the hectic and narrow streets where trains pass every day, hurling through the residential street, mere couple steps away from blocks of houses on two sides.
   Sip a cup of Vietnamese coffee at a tiny café by the train track while your guide is present about the local culture & history.
   Continue the trip with one hour cyclo ride around the French Old Quarter, to immerse yourself in an old atmosphere of an area that perfectly captures the timelessness and nostalgia of Vietnam. This is a great introduction of the thousand-year-old city which helps you delve into a bygone time of Vietnam.
   The world famous water puppet has its roots in an art form that dates back to the 11th century. The traditional of water puppet stems from a time when rice paddy fields were flooded and villages would make entertainment by standing in the waist-deep water with the puppets performing over the water. The 45minutes show which is accompanied by folk song music, tells you about all aspects of local life in briefing.
   Next, enjoy a walking tour at Hanoi’s largest covered market, Dong Xuan. Along the perimeter of the market, dozens of street hawkers sell a staggering variety of produce from live seafood to exotic fruits and spices. Your local guide will give you an insight into the intricacies and traditions of Vietnamese food culture including details on ingredients and historical backgrounds of popular northern dishes.
   Walking through the maze of bustling streets that make up Hanoi’s Old Quarter, we tempt our tastebuds with the famed Hanoi dish Banh Cuon at a local eatery. Watch in awe as the skilled chefs demonstrate for you how this tasty dish is put together. Continuing into the atmospheric heart of the Old Quarter, we wander past street stalls and quiet residential lanes where you can observe local life that has changed little since Hanoi was founded over 1000 years ago.
   Our next stop is Banh My 25 shop “French Baguette”, a little food stall with a few typical tiny Vietnamese chairs on the sidewalk where we enjoy the delicious and fresh baguettes while observing the neighborhood.
   Move on to local restaurant, where we sample some Bun Cha consisting of vermicelli, herbs and grilled pork. At this Hanoi’s best kept secrets, a hidden café we will watch the demonstration and then try some egg coffee, a scrumptious local delicacy.
   Continue to other food stalls in Hang Bo and Ho Hoan Kiem Street where we try some dishes such Che “Vietnamese style pudding” - this specialty is one not to be missed!
   Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.
   Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner with streetfood.

3. DAY 3: HANOI - NGHIA LO TOWN (YEN BAI)

   After breakfast at hotel, check out hotel and get out of bustling Hanoi city, you will enjoy viewing the pleasant countryside scenes along the way to Yen Bai province.
   Arrive to Nghia Lo town early in the afternoon, you check into a friendly homestay at a peaceful village nearby Nghia Lo town. You then enjoy a home cook lunch and have a short rest.
   In the afternoon, you enjoy a walking/biking tour discover the beautiful villages of the ethnic minority groups, visiting rice fields.
   Overnight at homestay in Nghia Lo.
   Meals included: Breakfast.

4. DAY 4: NGHIA LO – MU CANG CHAI ((the most beautiful rice terraces in the world)

   In the morning, departure to Tu Le town. Tu Le is a small town located at the beautiful valley in the foot of Khau Pha Pass. Here you will enjoy a soft trek visiting to the beautiful rice field and some villages, taking stunning pictures and meeting friendly local people.
   Lunch at a local restaurant.
   In the afternoon, enjoy a drive to the famous Khau Pha Pass - one of the most scenic passes of Vietnam where heaven and earth meet. This pass is also wellknown for pictuesque terraced paddies. From here, you will feel the beauty of Cao Pha valley and some of hill tribe village from above.
   Arrive in Mu Cang Chai town later in the afternoon. Have a short rest in the homestay. And enjoy a walking tour of the village of Thai ethnic minority at the foot of the nearby mountain.
   Overnight at homestay in Mu Cang Chai.
   Meals included: Breakfast.

5. DAY 5: MU CANG CHAI

   After breakfast, you'll be transferred to a trekking point for a half day trekking to enjoy Vietnam’s national rice terrace heritage of Mu Cang Chai. Your trek starts from La Pan Tan commune to Che Cu Nha commune (It’s about 13 km). This trek will definitely offer us a good opportunity to see the main spots and admire the beauty of amazing rice terraces that Mu Cang Chai has to offer. We will also be able to visit a few villages of the H’mong hill tribe scattered in the area.
   In the afternoon, you can choose the option, hiking to see the sunset in Sang Nhu village or just relax at homestay. If the weather is good and the status of rice field, you will make a hiking trip to Sang Nhu village - where have the beautiful rice terrace field with Horse feed shape and amazing sunset. However, this hiking trip is quite steep.
   Overnight at homestay in Mu Cang Chai.
   Meals included: Breakfast.

6. DAY 6: MU CANG CHAI – BAN COI VILLAGE (XUAN SON NATIONAL PARK)

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7. DAY 7: BAN COI - DUONG LAM ANCIENT VILLAGE - HANOI

   After breakfast, the guide and driver will take you back to Hanoi. On the way, we will stop for visiting Duong Lam ancient village.
   Duong Lam Ancient Village is a remarkable monument to Vietnam’s social history. Spend the morning exploring this UNESCO award-winning destination in a small and intimate group, without the crowded buses and impersonal guides that are all too common on large group tours. See centuries-old homes and the well-preserved Mia Pagoda.
   In lunch, gets transfer back to your hotel in Hanoi.
   Overnight at hotel in Hanoi (on your arrangment).
   Meals included: Breakfast.