Best Vietnam Authentic 17 Days

Start your discovery with our special Impressive Vietnam tour in 17 days. From the ancient-yet-modern Hanoi with Old Quarters, Uncle Ho’s Mausoleum and a big culture to the beauty of the Northwest of Vietnam, discover and challenge yourself with many trekking trips to visit the friendly local people and breathtaking sceneries, such as Ba Be Lake and Ban Gioc - the most beautiful freshwater lake in Vietnam, Dau Dang waterfall... Moreover, experience the grand mountain range in the Northwest region with the winding roads, discover the renowned Sapa and finish your fantastic travel by cruising in Halong Bay – one of the seven natural wonders of the world with its enchanting beauty. Impressive Vietnam 17 days tour clearly brings you to the great pleasure with many famous locations and sites.

Day 1: Hanoi arrival (D)
Day 2: Hanoi – Cooking class – Hanoi (B, L)
Day 3: Hanoi – Ba Be – Hua Ma cave (B, L, D)
Day 4: Ba Be – Boat Cruise – Cao Bang (B, L, D)
Day 5: Cao Bang – Ban Gioc – Nguom Ngao (B, L, D)
Day 6: Cao Bang – Bac Me – Bao Lac (B, L, D)
Day 7: Bao Lac – Meo Vac – Dong Van (B, L, D)
Day 8: Dong Van – Yen Minh – Ha Giang (B, L, D)
Day 9: Ha Giang – Bac Ha – Hiking (B, L, D)
Day 10: Bac Ha – Bac Ha typical market – Sapa (B, L)
Day 11: Sapa – Lao Chai – Ta Van – Giang Ta Chai (B, L, D)
Day 12: Sapa – Than Uyen – Mu Cang Chai (B, L, D)
Day 13: Mu Cang Chai – Nghia Lo (B, L, D)
Day 14: Nghia Lo – Hiking – Hanoi (B, L)
Day 15: Hanoi – Hoa Lu – Halong Bay on land (B, L)
Day 16: Hoa Lu – Halong – Overnight on board (B, L, D)
Day 17: Halong – Hanoi – Departure (B, L)

Day 1: Hanoi arrival
Upon arrival at Noi Bai International airport, you will be welcomed by our tour guide before transferring to hotel for checking in. Have welcome dinner at local restaurant and stay overnight in Hanoi

Day 2: Hanoi – Cooking class – Hanoi
Breakfast is served at hotel in the morning. After that, explore the Vietnam cuisine with your first cooking class in Hanoi by going to the market with the instructing chef to buy the necessary ingredients. Then, visit a local family where the chef will instruct you how to prepare and cook the Vietnamese traditional dishes. Have lunch with your self-prepare dishes from the cooking session before visiting the Temple of Literature, and the Ethnographic Museum (closed on every Monday). Next, enjoy an hour rickshaw trip around Hoan Kiem Lake and Hanoi Old Quarters, or visit Ngoc Son temple. In the evening, enjoy a special Water Puppet Performance Show before having your own dinner. Stay overnight in Hanoi.

Day 3: Hanoi – Ba Be – Hua Ma cave
Have breakfast at hotel before departing for Ba Be Lake through green tea hills and beautiful palm trees. You may stop for a visit to the Tay, San Chi and Cao Lan ethich villages before having lunch at local restaurant. After that, continue the trip until arrival at the location, then check in at the traditional house on stilts for a welcome cup of green tea before visiting Hua Ma cave, the most beautiful and the largest cave in the region. Later, walk around the village to discover the daily life of the Tays ethnic and have dinner before staying overnight at homestay.

Day 4: Ba Be – Boat Cruise – Cao Bang
In the morning, have breakfast at homestay. You will then cruise on Ba Be Lake to discover many breathtaking and taciturn natural sceneries there. Continue the cruise on the Nang River, through the beautiful Poung cave to visit Dau Dang waterfall, the most beautiful and the largest waterfall. After that, have lunch at Ong Pirate before saying goodbye to the homestay. Travel to Cao Bang through its forests landscapes and surrounding ethnic villages. Upon arrival, take your time to discover the central market, then have dinner at local restaurant and stay overnight in Cao Bang.

Day 5: Cao Bang – Ban Gioc – Nguom Ngao cave
After breakfast, depart for Ban Gioc Waterfall (the largest waterfall in Vietnam) where you can walk or swim. Enjoy local lunch beside the waterfall, then return to Cao Bang. While on the way back, visit Nguom Ngao Caves – an enormous cave with two main entrances and one tunnel which follows all the way to the waterfalls where maintain a “secret” entrance. Have dinner at local restaurant and stay overnight at hotel in Cao Bang.

Day 6: Cao Bang – Bac Me – Bao Lac
After enjoying breakfast, depart for Bao Lac through its beautiful sceneries and colorful local markets of multiple ethnic minorities along the way (these markets are held for every 5 days, so this is by chance). You may also stop to observe beautiful karts mountains and valleys, as well as meeting with different ethnic minorities. Upon arrival in the late afternoon, transfer directly to local hotel for a check-in. Later, take a walk through the surrounding villages to discover the daily life of local people. Have dinner and stay overnight in Bao Lac.

Day 7: Bao Lac – Meo Vac – Dong Van
Have breakfast at hotel, then visit Khuoi Khon village – home of the Black Lo Lo ethnic people to discover their daily life. Later, have lunch at local restaurant before departing to Dong Van – an unique stone plateau in Vietnam, via Meo Vac. During transition, have a stop to visit the famous Gateway to Heaven, Fairy Mountains and its surrounding fabulous sceneries… Upon arrival at Dong Van, check in at a local hotel, then have dinner at local restaurant before staying overnight in Dong Van.

Day 8: Dong Van – Quan Ba – Yen Minh – Ha Giang
After having breakfast, you will visit the French colonial market and the old ancient house that have more than 400 years old. Then visit the Royal Palace of Vuong Chi Sinh – the King of Hmong, a famous historical location dating from the colonial era before having lunch at local restaurant. After that, continue the tour to Ha Giang and arrive there at the end of day. Have dinner and stay overnight in Panhou.

Day 9: Ha Giang – Bac Ha – Hiking
Have breakfast at hotel before leaving for Bac Ha through the most beautiful and adventurous road in North – East Vietnam with different ethnic minorities: the Nungs, the Tays, the Hmongs… After a few stops for taking photos at your leisure, enjoy a local lunch at restaurant before continuing the tour to Bac Ha for a check-in at the hotel. Later, hike along the ethnic villages around Bac Ha, then have dinner at local restaurant and stay overnight in Bac Ha.

Day 10: Bac Ha – Bac Ha typical market – Sapa
Enjoy your breakfast, then travel in the early morning to Bac Ha typical and colorful market – a beautiful and colorful market which is both for trading and dating to the young coupless. After lunch, travel to Sapa through a beautiful mountain road. Upon arrival in the late afternoon, take your time to discover this charming town and its central market. Have dinner on your own and stay overnight in Sapa.

Day 11: Sapa – Lao Chai – Ta Van – Giang Ta Chai – Sapa
Have breakfast at hotel. All day will be dedicated to a beautiful hiking in the most beautiful valley of Sapa through the terraced rice fields, schools, ethnic villages. It is time to visit Lao Chai and Ta Van villages where the Hmongs, the Daos, the Zays ethnic live. Have lunch at local restaurant. In the afternoon, hike through terraced rice fields, ethnic villages and bamboo forests to Giang Ta Chai village, our driver pick you up to Sapa. Have dinner at your own and stay overnight at hotel.

Day 12: Sapa – Than Uyen – Mu Cang Chai
Have breakfast at hotel. Depart to Mu Cang Chai village via Tram Ton pass, you enjoy a wonderful valley and mount Fansipan view … Continue the tour to Mu Cang Chai and take stops on the way to take photos. Have lunch at local restaurant. In the afternoon, walk in ethnic villages around Mu Cang Chai and discover the daily life of the H’mongs, the Thais… Have dinner and stay overnight at homestay.

Day 13: Mu Cang Chai – Nghia Lo
Have breakfast at homestay. Depart from Mu Cang Chai to Nghia Lo through fabulous sceneries, this road is known as its photographers. Stop at Khau Pha pass for a beautiful panoramic view. Continue the tour to Nghia Lo and arrive in Nghia Lo at noon, check in at the traditional house on stilt for a welcome cup of tea. Have lunch at homestay with locals. In the afternoon, cycle or walk in the surrounding Nghia An villages and meet with the Muongs and Thais. Have dinner and stay overnight at Thais homestay.

Day 14: Nghia Lo – Hiking – Hanoi
Have breakfast at homestay. Visit Muong Lo market where you will meet different minorities. Then, hike in the H’mongs, Thais and Muong villages… to discover their daily life. Have lunch at homestay. Then, return to Hanoi through beautiful landscapes, rural villages and vast rice fields. Arrive in Hanoi at the end of the day. Have dinner on your own and stay overnight in Hanoi.

Day 15 : Hanoi – Hoa Lu – Halong Bay on land
Have Breakfast at hotel. Depart to Hoa Lu, one of the most famous sites in Vietnam for its rich history and impressive limestone peaks which is known as Halong Bay on land. Visit two King temples of Dinh Tien Hoang and Le Dai Hanh dating from the 10th century. Then, take a sampan to discover the langue Van Long “Nature Reserve”, and enjoy karts rock and fishing activities. Have lunch with locals in Van Long. In the afternoon, it is time to cycle around Van Long with fabulous scenery. Return to homestay and learn Vietnamese cuisine. Have dinner with dishes prepared by yourself and stay overnight at homestay.

Day 16 : Hoa Lu – Halong – Overnight on board
Have breakfast at hotel, then depart for Halong Bay through many vast rice fields and arrive there at noon.
12h00 – 12h30: Get on the boat, followed by a short cruising brief.
13h00 – 15h30: Have lunch while cruising among the limestone islands.
15h30 – 16h30: Kayak among the hidden areas of the bay, which located around the Bo Nau Cave area, then return to the boat
16h30 – 17h30: Cruise to Soi Sim Island for swimming and relaxing at the beach of Soi Sim, or climbing up to the peak of the island for a panoramaic view of Halong Bay.
17h30: Return to the main boat for a shower. You may also relax or take photos as the sun starts to set.
19h00: Enjoy dinner on the boat while you meet and greet with other guests, fish for squid or just laze around. Stay overnight on board…

Day 17: Halong – Hanoi – Departure
06h30 – 07h00: Start your day with Tai Chi exercises or take part in a photo hunt.
07h30 – 08h30: Have breakfast.
08h30 – 09h30: Explore the amazing Sung Sot Cave – the nicest cave in Halong Bay.
09h30: Return to the boat to freshen up and check out of your cabin.
09h30 – 10h30: Continue cruising to explore the Bay, passing Ba Hang fishing village, Dog Islet, and more.
10h30 – 11h30: On the way back to the harbor, take part in a cooking class before enjoying traditional Vietnamese lunch.
12h00 – 12h30: Leave the boat and return to Hanoi through Phu Lang pottery village for a glimpse of the making processes of manufacturing pottery, ceramics and earthenware’s. After that, transfer to Noi Bai International Airport for the departure flight. Tour ends  

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: N/A