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Tour of Hanoi starting with the West Lake District and the city’s oldest pagoda. Then One Pillar Pagoda and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum District. Visit of the ethnology museum, a good introduction to the trekking days to come. Finally, the temple of literature. Puppet show on the water, traditional art. Dinner and overnight.

Departure for the Cao Bang region with a very beautiful mountain road via the Bao Lac pass at the entrance to the border territories. The very complex relief constitutes a natural fortress based on the three points: Cao Bang, That Khé and Lang Son that we will discover. Overnight at hotel in Cao Bang.

We meet our local team, the liaison officer and the porters, before taking the bus to the Chinese border. After an hour and a half on the road, we arrive at a small village where we start our walk. The villagers come to see us with great curiosity! A small stage on a very flat path before joining the Nam La river. We enter more and more in the jungle, then follow the river to arrive at the hamlet of a few houses where we will spend the night … Homestay with Tay people. 5 hours of walking, elevation gain 750m.

The track climbs gently towards a beautiful waterfall then leads to a well-marked path. We encounter more and more sugar cane plantations. The afternoon is quiet along the river in the village of the Tay ethnic group, which will welcome us warmly for the night. Night in a house on stilts surrounded by a large banana garden by the river, swimming possible. 5h walk, elevation gain 450m.

Get up early with the rhythm of the household. We cross a suspension bridge then green hills. We discover life of a Vietnamese market and we have lunch in a small school. We are now entering a region specializing in planting sugar cane. On board a tractor we join Ta Lung. This town is an important border post between Vietnam and China. The visit to the border post is impressive (you imagine yourself being the actor in a spy film …). Night in a school. 5 hours of walking, elevation gain 500m.

After some fruit purchases at the market, visit of a cane sugar factory. The walk resumes, crossing the river in a raft. The path goes deeper and wilder. After a few pleasant “bumps”, then a passage through the jungle, the track leads to a huge basin invaded by rice fields. The peasants stare at us with curious eyes … Homestay with Tay people. 5 hours of walking, elevation gain 515m.

In the morning, we follow an easy track that crosses several Tay and Nung villages. After lunch, a path under the trees leads us to an impressive ridge which leads to a beautiful valley with sumptuous rice fields, surrounded by superb limestone peaks. We arrive at our destination in the late afternoon. The children run behind us shouting “Lien Xo” (Soviets…!). Homestay with Tay people. Hosts are very hospitable. 5 hours of walking, elevation gain 555m.

A 2 hour climb to reach the pass overlooking the Dong Khê basin. A splendid landscape awaits us. After a meal in a local restaurant in Dong Khê where there are some blockhouses built by the French army, we reach another pass overlooking Dong Khê. The path then descends to the small village of Daos where we will spend the night. 5h walk, elevation gain 630m.

After a 1/2 hour on an easy path under the trees, we follow down a torrent through a primary forest. This is the path that the French soldiers themselves took to escape the Dong Khê area… We then follow a small river before arriving at our stopover, a Tay village where the welcome is excellent. Unforgettable atmosphere for this last evening of the trek… Watch out for the rice alcohol… ! 5 hours of walking, elevation gain 435m.

A well-marked path along the river brings us around noon to the point where we find our vehicle. Departure for Lang Son, the most important Chinese border town, passage of most of the Chinese products which are imported into Vietnam. Visit of the central market. Night at the hotel. 5 hours of walking.

Charming cruise in Halong Bay. Road to Halong, boarding around noon and lunch on board. Beginning of navigation during lunch. Then, swim or sea kayak in the middle of the islands. Friendly evening on board and night in a comfortable cabin. This cruise takes a different route from the 500 or so other boats that sail the bay, ensuring you to have a peaceful cruise. This company is a local player in responsible tourism in the bay.

Last morning of cruise with a visit of a floating village. The majestic junk resumes navigation to bring you back to the port. Last lunch on the boat before disembarking. Return to Hanoi. End of the day free for some souvenir shopping. Dinner and overnight.

Free time until departure for the airport and international return flight.

Hanoi. Tai chi session by the lake to start the day well. The West Lake with visit to Tran Quoc Pagoda (the oldest in Hanoi). Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts, the grounds of the presidential palace, the one-pillar pagoda, the temple of literature. Puppet show on water, traditional Vietnamese art. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Old village of Duong Lam with traditional architecture. Lunch in an old house then explore the surrounding temples by bike through the countryside.

Charming cruise in Halong Bay, the mythical dragon bay and its thousands of islets…! Thien Canh Son island, swimming, sea kayaking. Delicious lunch and dinner of seafood. Friendly evening on board and overnight in a comfortable cabin.

This cruise takes a different route from the other 500 boats that ply the bay, ensuring you have a peaceful cruise. This company is a local player in responsible tourism

Last hours of navigation. Boat tour of a floating village. Lunch on the boat before disembarking. Road to Tam Coc. arrived late afternoon. Overnight stay.

Tam Coc, the “terrestrial” Halong bay. Bike and boat ride in the middle of rice fields and rocky peaks… Airport transfer and flight to Hue. Transfer to the hotel. Overnight stay

Visit of the city of Huê. Boat trip on the Perfume River. Visit of the pagoda of the celestial lady and the citadel. Walk to the Dong Ba market, the largest in the city, bustling and busy. Lunch then visit of the tombs of King Khai Dinh and Tu Duc. Dinner. Night at the hotel.

“Mandarin Route” southward via the Cloud Pass offering beautiful views of the sea. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, Hoi An is a testament to the ancient architecture that could be found in Vietnam in the past. Arrival in Hoi An, check in at the hotel. In the afternoon, bike ride through the countryside to a pretty gardening village where you can meet the peasants… Dinner in town and free evening, overnight at the hotel.

Visit of the old historic center of Hoi An including the Japanese bridge, the Tan Ky house museum, and the Chinese temple of Phuc Kien. Tour of the picturesque market, visit of an artisanal center for silk and embroidery. Free time in the charming village for some souvenir shopping. Airport transfer and flight to Saigon in the evening. Transfer to the hotel, overnight.

Departure for the Mekong Delta. Arrival at My Tho. Boat trip on the Mekong River with visits to islands and orchards. Continuation aboard small boats to discover a lush Arroyo, visit of a beekeeper farm and a coconut candy factory. Walk to visit the orchards and tasting of exotic fruits. Continuation towards Cantho. Orientation tour through the city. dinner and overnight at the hotel.

In the morning, boat for the Cai Rang floating market. Hundreds of boats meet to exchange agricultural products: fruits, rice, corn, sugar cane… Return to Saigon, arrival in the afternoon. End of the day free to stroll around town. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Visit of Saigon: Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel-style central post office, the facades of the Town Hall and the Municipal Theater, a lacquer factory, the war memorial museum, the Chinatown of Cho Lon with its temples where the locals express their fervor, its markets teeming with activity, its traditional herbalists and the Redemptorist cathedral. Transfer to the airport and return international flight.

Hanoi. The west lake with a visit to the pagoda of Tran Quoc (the oldest in Hanoi). Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts, the grounds of the presidential palace, the one-pillar pagoda, the temple of literature. Visit of the Ethnology Museum, a good introduction to the ethnic diversity of the country. Vietnamese traditional art water puppet show. Night train to Lao Cai.

Departure to the Hoa Binh mountains in the south of Hanoi. Stop at the muongs for lunch with the locals before embarking on a magnificent walk on the lake of the Black River. Visiting the pagoda and the cave of Thac Bo. Road for May Chau. Arrival to a charming lodge. Rest of the afternoon to enjoy the spa, sauna, swimming pool …

Mai Chau is a green valley where the Thai people live, a 3 hour drive from Hanoi. Walk in the surrounding villages, discovery of local crafts. The welcoming locals always leave great memories. Dinner with the locals in a house on stilts. Traditional dance and music show. Night at the lodge.

Way to Tam Coc, the “land” Halong Bay. Bike and boat ride in the middle of rice fields and rocky peaks … Visit of the pretty little temple of Bich Dong. Dinner and overnight.

Pleasant cruise in Halong Bay. The mythical Dragon Bay and its thousands of islets …! Island of Thien Canh Son, swimming, sea kayaking, barbecue on the beach … Delicious seafood lunch and dinner. Friendly evenings on board and overnight in a comfortable cabin.

This cruise takes a different route than the other 500 boats, ensuring you have a peaceful cruise. This company is a local player in responsible tourism.

Last hours of navigation.
Boat tour around a floating village.
Lunch on the boat before disembarking.
Flight to Huê at the end of the day.
Dinner and overnight.

Visit of Huê. Boat trip on the Perfume River. Visiting the pagoda of the celestial lady and a village of craftsmen specializing in bronzes. Walk to discover some little-known sites in the countryside, then a pagoda where a community of bonzes lives. Zen atmosphere … Lunch in a beautiful garden house.

Walk in an old quarter where many garden houses are and where you can find the true soul of the Hue city!

In the evening, traditional music show on the Perfume River, droping lanterns on the river … magical!

Visit of the imperial citadel. Stroll through the Dong Ba market, the city’s largest, bustling and well-stocked market. visit of the imperial tombs of Tu Duc and Khai Dinh. At the end of the afternoon, stroll through the Belvedere Park to admire the view of the Perfume River in the shade of the pines. Dinner and free evening. Overnight.

Lunch and drive to Hoi An via the Cloud Pass with beautiful panoramas on the way. free afternoon to stroll in town. Dinner in town and free evening, night in a charming homestay.

Visit of the old historic center of Hoi an including the Japanese bridge, the Tan Ky house museum, and the Chinese temple of Phuc Kien. Tour of the picturesque market, visit of an artisanal center for silk and embroidery. Boarding for a cruise on a beautiful traditional boat. herbal foot massage, followed by a cooking class on board while enjoying the view and the setting … Lunch with meals prepared on the board.

Hanoi. Tai chi session by the lake to start the day well. West Lake with visit to Tran Quoc Pagoda (the oldest in Hanoi). Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts, the grounds of the Presidential Palace, the One Pillar Pagoda, the Temple of Literature. Puppet show on water, traditional Vietnamese art. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Road to Mai Chau, a green valley, populated by small villages of the Thai minority, 3 hours drive from Hanoi. Walk in the surrounding villages, discovering local weaving crafts. The landscapes, the welcoming inhabitants always leave good memories. Dinner with the locals in a house on stilts. Traditional dance and music show. Night in a charming lodge.

Morning bike ride in the middle of the rice fields. beautiful panoramas … then, walk in the surrounding hills where the Hmong live, another ethnic group with a different way of life. Free time at the lodge to enjoy the spa, sauna, swimming pool… dinner and overnight stay.

Road to Tam coc, Halong Bay “land”. Bike and boat ride in the middle of rice fields and rocky peaks… Dinner and overnight in a charming resort.

Charming cruise in Halong Bay, the mythical dragon bay and its thousands of islets…! Thien Canh Son island, swimming, sea kayaking. Delicious lunch and dinner from seafood. Friendly evening on board and night in a comfortable cabin.

Last hours of navigation. Boat tour of a floating village. Lunch on the boat before disembarking. Airport transfer and flight to Hue. Transfer to the hotel, overnight stay.

Visit of Huê starting with the citadel. Walk to Dong Ba Market, the largest in the city, bustling and well-stocked. Lunch then visit of the tombs of King Khai Dinh and Tu Duke. At the end of the afternoon, climb to the Belvedere Park from where you can admire the view of the Perfume River. Dinner, overnight stay in hotel.

Hue from another perspective, by bike. You discover the quiet streets of the city to the surrounding countryside which hides some unusual places unknown to travelers. Lunch in a “garden-house” restaurant and visit of the neighborhood where there are many old garden-houses where you can find the true soul of the city of Hue! In the evening, traditional music on the Perfume River, drop of lanterns on the river … magic!

Peaceful boat ride on the Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda. Visit to a village specializing in bronzes and a pagoda where a community of bonzes lives. Zen atmosphere… lunch and drive to Hoi An via the Cloud Pass offering beautiful panoramas. Dinner in town and free evening, night in a charming resort overlooking the beach.

Visit of the old historic center of Hoi An including the Japanese bridge, the Tan Ky house museum, and the Chinese temple of Phuc Kien. Tour of the picturesque market, visit of an artisanal center for silk and embroidery. Free time in the charming village for some souvenir shopping. Dinner and evening free. Overnight.

Visit of the remains of My Son, ancient kingdom of Champa (6th – 13th century).
On the way back, we will go for a beautiful cruise on a traditional boat. Herbal foot massage, followed by a cooking class on board while enjoying the view… You will have lunch of delicious meals prepared on board. End of the afternoon free to stroll through the delightful village and do some shopping.