GLIMPSE OF HA GIANG AND MEO VAC TOUR
Best places to visit: Hanoi - Ha Giang - Dong Van - Meo Vac - Tay homestay - Bac Ha - Hanoi
7 days
Daily Tour
20 people
English & Czech
Our unique adventure trip in northern Vietnam takes place against a backdrop of endless lush green paddy fields and irregular tree-covered limestone mountains. Providing a fleeting insight into the traditional lives, friendly tribes and exotic landscapes of north-west Vietnam.
Itinerary :
Day 1: Hanoi – Ha Giang (320km) (-/L/D)
Day 2: Ha Giang – Dong Van (160km) (B/L/D)
Day 3: Dong Van – Meo Vac – Ha Giang – Tay Minority Homestay (170km) (B/L/D)
Day 4: Tay Minority Village – Trekking – Cycling (B/L/D)
Day 5: Ha Giang – Bac Ha (200km) (B/L/-)
Day 6: Bac Ha – Sin Cheng Market – Lao Cai – Hanoi by an Overnight Train (B/L/-)
Day 7: Arrive Hanoi (No meal)
Day 1 – Ha Giang Homestay Hiking Tour to Dong Van, Meo Vac, Bac Ha market : Hanoi – Ha Giang (320km) (-/L/D)
After a long journey from Hanoi, you will arrive in Ha Giang. Relatively undiscovered, this “off-the-beaten-track” destination is unique for its well-preserved traditions and local culture. Lunch will be provided en route to Ha Giang.
Upon your arrival, visit the Tay minority people at the Phuong Do Village which is dotted with stilt houses and surrounded by terraced paddy fields. You will have an opportunity to walk around the village to get a taste of very authentic rural daily life. Afterwards, observe the locals completing their daily work and making their way home by buffalo carts. Then take a bike ride during the peaceful twilight. You will return to Ha Giang in the late afternoon and check in to a hotel.
Overnight in Ha Giang.
Day 2 – Ha Giang Homestay Hiking Tour to Dong Van, Meo Vac, Bac Ha market : Ha Giang – Dong Van (160km) (B/L/D)
Drive on the undulating terrain, between 700m and 1,300m in height, through extraordinary mountainous landscapes and terraced paddy fields. You will stop at the Quyet Tien Market where the minority groups of the Nung, the White Hmong, the Po Y, the Dao Lanten and the Tay gather to trade their produce.
Proceed to the Heaven Gate and the Fairy Mountain before visiting a White Hmong village which specializes in flax weaving. This is a wonderful opportunity to stretch your legs and explore the village. There will be another visit to a village of the Zao Ao Dai (“Zao Long Traditional Dress”) before taking a lunch break.
After lunch, drive up to the altitude of 1,432m to visit an ancient village of the White Hmong; you will then proceed to Sung La to discover a LoLo house and its people (the LoLo minority is one of Vietnam’s least-common ethnic minorities and some are only found within this region). Afterwards, visit the impressive ancient Hmong King Palace before reaching Dong Van Town. Arrive in the late afternoon and check in to a hotel.
Overnight in Dong Van.
Day 3 – Ha Giang Homestay Hiking Tour to Dong Van, Meo Vac, Bac Ha market : Dong Van – Meo Vac – Ha Giang – Tay Minority Homestay (170km) (B/L/D)
In the morning, visit the Sunday Dong Van minority market (one of the most beautiful minority markets in Vietnam). Before reaching the peak of Ma Pi Leng, you will be able to admire the panoramic views of a rocky mountain, a river and paddy field terraces.
Visit Meo Vac Market where cattle are traded and then proceed to visit the village of Zao Ao Dai before lunchtime. Return to Ha Giang. Upon arrival, experience a warm welcomed from a hospitable Tay family who offers an overnight accommodation in their stilt house. Although the place only provides basic comfort, you will surely find the stay an unforgettable experience. Have a memorable dinner with a local Tay family. (Optional: indulge in a traditional herbal bath or simply have a relaxing foot soak using herbal remedies).
Overnight homestay in a house on stilts.
Day 4 – Ha Giang Homestay Hiking Tour to Dong Van, Meo Vac, Bac Ha market : Tay Minority Village – Trekking – Cycling (B/L/D)
Choose amongst three options:
Option 1: A full day trekking along the Tay Con Linh mountainside through terraced rice fields, a tea plantation, remote villages and the thatched-roof homes of the Tay minority.
Enjoy the scenery and have a picnic lunch on top of the hill before visiting a village inhabited by the Dao Lanten tribe. In the afternoon, trek down to the village and indulge in a traditional herbal bath or simply relax with a foot soak of herbal remedies. Enjoy dinner and an overnight stay at the Tay village. (Difficulty level: 4/5; distance: 15km; and duration: 7 hours trekking).
Option 2: Enjoy a full day trek from the Me Village through the paddy-fields and palm forest to visit the minority people at either Phuong Do Village or Phuong Tien Village. These areas support the oldest Tay community in Ha Giang and are surrounded by terraced paddy fields with big stilt houses. Enjoy a picnic lunch.
In the early afternoon, you will return by car to the village and indulge in a traditional herbal bath or simply have a relaxing foot soak with herbal remedies. Enjoy dinner and an overnight stay at the Tay village. (Difficulty level: 2/5; distance: 9km; and duration: 4 hours trekking).
Option 3: A full day of cycling and hiking. AM: Take a morning cycling trip around the Me Village to get a taste of authentic rural daily life and enjoy the peaceful and pleasant mountainous sceneries. Enjoy lunch at the village. (Difficulty level: 1/5, and duration: 2 hours cycling). PM: Drive to Phuong Do Village, the oldest Tay community in Ha Giang, which is surrounded by terraced paddy-fields with big stilt houses.
You will then return by car to the village and indulge in a traditional herbal bath or simply relax with a foot soak of herbal remedies. Enjoy dinner and an overnight at the Tay village. (Difficulty level: 1/5; and duration: 1 hour walking). Overnight homestay in a house on stilts.
Day 5 – Ha Giang Homestay Hiking Tour to Dong Van, Meo Vac, Bac Ha market : Ha Giang – Bac Ha (200km) (B/L/-)
Day 6 -Ha Giang Homestay Hiking Tour to Dong Van, Meo Vac, Bac Ha market : Bac Ha – Sin Cheng Market – Lao Cai – Hanoi by an Overnight Train (B/L/-)
Day 7 – Ha Giang Homestay Hiking Tour to Dong Van, Meo Vac, Bac Ha market: Arrive Hanoi (No meal)
- Rooms are twin shared based
- Entrance fees, permission fees
- Meals: Vietnamese food at local restaurant on the way as stated
English speaking guide.
- Visa
- insurance
- Drinks
- Personal expenses,
- Tips and others not mentioned in details
Hi,
I am planning to visit in April. Can I get a personalized tour of Ha Giang (Mainly Dong Van and Meo Vac landscapes, mostly for photographing. I dont want to visit villages or do any trekking).
Please let me know if it is possible. We are 2 people.