Highlights:
Cyclo around Hanoi Old Quater
Ho Chi Minh Complex
Temple of Literature- Quoc Tu Giam
Duong Lam ancient village
Homemade meal
Beautiful passes and some panoramic views down to the valley
Workshop at the local handicraft house
Pa Co village & Pa Co Market
Mai Chau San Tuyet tea factory
Hill Tribe cultures and lifestyle (Hmong ethnic)
Explore your itinerary:
Day 1:
Hello Hanoi (D)
Our guide and driver will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to your hotel for check-in and drop off your bags and get some rest. If time’s permitted, we take a cyclo (Xich lo) ride for a short excursion through the bustling old quarter streets named after the specific goods once offered for sale at these places. A welcome dinner will wait for you at a local restaurant with their best Hanoi food.
(Our first-day schedule could be created and modified to meet your time of arrival)
Day 2:
Hanoi City Tour & Duong Lam ancient village (B, L)
Make our way to Ho Chi Minh Complex to check out Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum where preserved Uncle Ho’s corpse for people all over the country and international visitors to visit their beloved old father, and Ba Dinh Square where President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence on September 2, 1945. Another signature place in the complex is One Pillar Pagoda– a unique architectural style pagoda built in 1049. After that, we will visit the Presidential Palace and Ho Chi Minh’s Residence which was used as his workplace and home back in the old time respectively, and Ho Chi Minh Museum. After that, visit the Temple of Literature- Quoc Tu Giam which is one of the most iconic places in Hanoi. Drive out of the Centre, we get to Duong Lam ancient village. After having a homemade meal with a local family, we will get to know more about Vietnamese culture and history by visiting heritage sites. Then cycle around the village to see the surroundings. Return to Hanoi in the evening.
Day 3:
Hanoi- Mai Chau- Tribe’s Villages (B, L, D)
We begin our day with a 3.5-hour drive from Hanoi to Mai Chau. The short journey offers many beautiful passes and some panoramic views down to the valley. Arrive at Mai Chau around midday and head to a traditional stilt house where your lunch is served by local people. In the afternoon, we will cycle around the town, and visit small stilt houses of the Thai minority to learn about their cultures, customs, and lifestyles. There will be a workshop at the local handicraft house for you to observe and make one for yourself. Dinner will be served with “Ruou Can” which is made of fermented glutinous rice mixed with several kinds of herbs from local forests. We don’t drink Ruou Can with a glass or cup, we use slim bamboo tubes! How exciting!
Day 4:
Mai Chau and its best (B, L)
After enjoying our breakfast, we will make our way to Pa Co village which is the home of the mong ethnic. Walk around the village to experience the local culture & lifestyle and feel their warm hospitality. If it happens on Sunday, we will visit the Pa Co market where Hmong and other tribes gathered to trade their regional foods. Then head further north to Moc Chau plateau where we find ourselves diving into the greenness of tea hills and plum flowers. We also visit Mai Chau San Tuyet tea factory which is well-known for its best quality and special tea production method. In the late afternoon, we will cycle around the village, passing through rice fields and finding the best spot for a stunning sunset. Return to the homestay where we will have our delicious home-cooked dinner and stay the night.
Day 5:
Farewell Mai Chau – Hanoi (B)
Enjoy your last hearty breakfast and say goodbye to your friendly host before our driver and guide take you to Noi Bai International Airport for departure. If you would like to stay in Hanoi after the trip, we will take you back to the Old Town where the journey ends with a great memory.
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