Located at 110km from Sapa, Bac Ha mountain town is well-known by travelers with the most colorful market of the hill tribes in the North of Vietnam. This every-Sunday-market is attended by at least 8 ethnic groups and last from 9:00 AM until 2:00 PM. It is also chance for tourists to discover the H’mong King’s palace (old building built by the French & Chinese).
The Itinerary
Night 1: Ha Noi – Lao Cai (Saturday)
You will be picked up at hotel in Hanoi then transfer to the Railway station to take a night train to Lao Cai. Sleep on the train.
Day 1: Lao Cai – Sapa (B, L, D) ( Sunday)
Grade: easy 1/5
6 hours round trip transfer, 1 hour for lunch, 1 hour for a boat trip.
Train arrives at Lao Cai station, picked up by car driver and our local tour guide at the main exit. Breakfast at a local restaurant, then heading straight to Bac Ha market. The road is relatively flat form Lao Cai to Bao Nhai bridge. After crossing the bridge, we begin our journey up to Bac Ha to have beautiful views over the valleys. Located in the heart of Bac Ha small town, Bac Ha is the large one in the area. Every Sunday, the different and colourful ethnic minorities come all here to sell their homemade products or buy something for their family. They are Hmong, Phu La, Black Dao, Tay or Nung minorities. Some of these ethnic minorities can not be found in any other areas. Your lunch will be provided in a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, we drive downhill towards Lao Cai for about half an hour, we stop on the way (before reaching Lao Cai) to take a short walk to Trung Do village inhabited by Tay people. Tay villages are always built at the foot of a mountain or along a stream and are named according to the name of a mountain, a field or a river. Each village contains about 15-20 households. A large village is divided into many small hamlets. The houses are built on stilts or lever with the ground. Stop by a traditional Tay house for a cup of tea before taking a boat cruise downstream Chay river. The scenery is very beautiful on the both sides of the river. The boat trip will end at the boat wharf where our car will take you to Sapa. Dinner at a local restaurant and night at hotel.
Day 2: Sapa – Y Linh Ho – Lao Chai – Tavan – Lao Cai (B, L) ( Monday)
Grade: 3/5
Trekking road: 12km in 5 hours
Highlight of the trek
- Trekking through terraced rice fields
- Experience the mountainous fresh air
- Get understanding about the culture of 2 different hill tribe communities
Breakfast at hotel, check out and after that, our guide will meet you at hotel, take you to go trekking. Departing from Sapa town in the morning at the top of the market stairs follow the road down the hill. Views of the valley and magnificent surroundings of mountain and on terraced rice fields can be seen from this road. Along the road, people from many ethnic groups (H’mong, Zay, and Red Dao) are likely to be met, and there are stalls along the way that serve tea, fruits and sweets. Soon after turning off the main road and using local path, 10-15 minutes later you will arrive in the Black H’mong village of Lao Chai. Over here you explore and experience the daily life of the villagers. Then relax and have picnic lunch at lunch stop station.
Walk down from Lao Chai village and on terraced rice fields to Ta Van village of the Dzay minority. A highlight of the day is trekking through streams and terraced rice fields. Back to Sapa by car, collect your bags then you will be transferred to Lao Cai to take a night train back to Hanoi.
Day 3: Lao Cai – Hanoi (Tuesday)
The train arrives to Hanoi. End of services. You can catch a taxi in the platform to your hotel by yourself.
Included:
- Private transfers as mentioned in the program & 1 way transfer from hotel in Hanoi to Railway station.
- English speaking tour guide.
- Hotel accommodation in town with daily breakfast.
- Sightseeing fee and indicated meals in the program (B=breakfast, L= Lunch, D=Dinner), boat trip on Chay river.
Excluded:
- Emergency transfer, mini bar, laundry, phone call in hotel.
- Drinks on meals, other expenses, VAT invoice and tip for tour guide.
- Round trip night train ticket Hanoi – Lao Cai – Hanoi in a 4 berth sharing cabin.