Mai Chau – Pu Luong – Ninh Binh – Lan Ha Bay 8 days tour

Mai Chau – Pu Luong – Ninh Binh –  Lan Ha Bay

8 days highlight loop North Vietnam

Introduction

The Mai Chau – Pu Luong – Ninh Binh – Lan Ha Bay 8 days tour allows you to see the different beauties of North Vietnam in a short time.

First of all, the sublime Mai Chau valley and these small villages of the White Thai minority. Going by bike to explore the area is the best way to immerse yourself in the peaceful atmosphere that reigns there.

Then set off for the fantastic Pu Luong Nature Reserve. Called Little Sapa, the rice terraces are splendid and the friendliness of the local Thai Black minority is recognized throughout the country.

Then drive to Halong Bay on land in Ninh Binh. Change of scenery for an equally special place. The multiple sites to visit, from the most touristy to the lesser known, are all breathtaking.

End the tour with a peaceful cruise on a junk in Lan Ha Bay, the little sister of Halong Bay. Fewer boats use this route which gives a more authentic feel to the experience.

The Mai Chau – Pu Luong – Ninh Binh – Lan Ha Bay 8 days loop loop has the advantage of minimizing travel times while not missing any of the beauties of North Vietnam. 8 memorable days in breathtaking Vietnam!

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Mai Chau – Pu Luong – Ninh Binh –  Lan Ha Bay

8 days North Vietnam loop tour

Brief itinerary

• Day 1 > Hanoi – Mai Chau
• Day 2 > Mai Chau – Pu Luong Nature Reserve
• Day 3 >  Pu Luong Nature Reserve
• Day 4 > Pu Luong Nature Reserve– Ninh Binh
• Day 5 > Ninh Binh
• Day 6 > Ninh Binh
• Day 7 > Ninh Binh –  Lan Ha Bay
• Day 8 >  Lan Ha Bay – Hanoi

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Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Hanoi – Mai Chau

Early departure from the Old Quarter of Hanoi towards the Mai Chau valley. You will pass through the Tung Khe pass, one of the 10 most beautiful passes in Vietnam.

You will arrive at the homestay for lunch with the locals. In the afternoon, you will take a bike ride in the surrounding countryside to discover the charms of ethnic villages and the beauty of the countryside. Return to the homestay and free time before having a BBQ dinner.

Day 2: Mai Chau – Pu Luong Nature Reserve

After breakfast at the homestay, you will walk (around 20 minutes) to the local Mai Chau market, a central place of activities for the locals. Everyday products as well as foodstuffs are sold there. You will take the opportunity to buy the ingredients that will be used in the cooking class.

Back at the homestay, you can learn how to prepare dishes typical of the White Thai minority. You can then taste the dishes you have prepared while sharing lunch with the hosts.

After lunch, you will leave for the Pu Luong Nature Reserve, also called the “Little Sapa”

Arrival mid-afternoon, free time to enjoy the superb view from the swimming pool.

Day 3: Pu Luong Nature Reserve

After breakfast, you will begin a leisurely hike to the nearby Don village. Tourist epicenter of the Reserve, there are also beautiful rice terraces. You will walk on the road in the middle of these to go down to the villages of Uoi and Lan. These two villages specialize in crafts using traditional weaving equipment. You can try your hand at it.

You will then board the car to reach the village of Hieu. Then, you will go up to the village and will be able to see the different levels of the Hieu waterfall. Free time to swim if the weather permits.

You will then have lunch with a local family nearby

After lunch, hit the road again. You will stop at a suspension bridge to begin a hike passing through small hamlets and which will take you to the start of the bamboo raft ride on the Cham River. This will also be an opportunity to admire the bamboo water mills, a specialty of the Thai minority which has made it possible to improve the irrigation of fields in the valley.

You will continue the walk along the river until you arrive at another suspension bridge where the car will pick you up to take you back to the hotel.

Rest of the day at leisure

Day 4: Pu Luong Nature Reserve – Ninh Binh

After breakfast, you will be dropped off on the heights of the village of Bang and will begin hiking on small trails, passing isolated houses and superb viewpoints over the rice fields. You will arrive on the heights of the village of Kho Muong, an isolated village in a valley. Once you arrive at the village, you can take a tour and then go to the bat cave, the largest in the Reserve.

You will have a traditional lunch with the locals

In the afternoon, leave the Pu Luong Nature Reserve to reach the spectacular Land Halong Bay. Arrival at the Homestay, check-in and rest of the day at leisure

Day 5: Ninh Binh

You will take the car to reach Cuc Phuong National Park, an hour’s drive away. You can first visit the primate and turtle rescue centers before heading inside the park.

You will begin a hike that will take you to the prehistoric man’s cave and then to a thousand-year-old tree. The trail is winding and you can get a glimpse of the density of the jungle.

Lunch will be taken on the return.

In the afternoon you will take a bike ride in the Van Long Nature Reserve. Far from mass tourism, you can enjoy the tranquility of the place and admire local life. You will then leave for a ride of about an hour on a sampan (traditional boat) to relax in this idyllic setting.

Day 6: Ninh Binh 

08 a.m.: Departure by car to take a boat ride in the UNESCO-listed site, the Trang An complex. The ride, which lasts approximately 2.5 hours, will take you through magnificent viewpoints, pagodas and under caves. You will then go to the Bich Dong pagoda, an important Buddhist site with particular architecture. Situated on three levels, you will pass through a symbolic cave to reach the final level at the top.  You will then have lunch at a local restaurant in Tam Coc. In the afternoon, you will leave for the Hang Mua site. The approximately 500 steps to reach the summit are worth a physical effort, but the view from the top will be a great reward. The site which now includes two paths on the karst peaks, allows you to have a full panorama of the Tam coc site as well as the countryside. To end this beautiful day, you will go to the Bai Dinh pagoda, the largest in Southeast Asia. The immense site contains two long corridors decorated with hundreds of statues, two impressive bells and at the top the main temple and its giant statues. At the end of the day, you can stroll until sunset if the weather is favorable. If you wish, you can also take the elevator that goes up to the tower to have an even more beautiful view (ticket not included)

Day 7: Ninh Binh –  Lan Ha Bay

The driver and guide will take you to Cai Beo port. Meet your team at 12 p.m., say goodbye to the driver and guide, then board a junk for a 24-hour cruise on the bay. While you get to know your friendly crew, the junk will pass through the largest floating village in the Gulf of Tonkin, with over 400 floating houses between hundreds of stunning limestone islands. Stop for lunch and swimming on the beaches of Ba Trai Dao.

Relaxing on the upper deck, contemplating the beauty of the bay, the junk sails into Lan Ha Bay. The region is surrounded by extraordinary limestone karst landscapes. You can start your trip by visiting the Ba Trai Dao beach area and its islets by kayak, a wild and mysterious beauty in the middle of the world heritage. Then, enjoy a swim in the crystal clear waters of the Bay.

At the end of the afternoon, the junk will return to the center of Lan Ha Bay. You will have time to admire the landscapes and have an aperitif drink on the deck. While the crew prepares your dinner, you can swim further from the boat.

After dinner on board, trying squid fishing will be an excellent memory. Night on board.

Day 8:   Lan Ha Bay – Hanoi

On the second day of the cruise, while you have breakfast, the junk continues sailing towards the fishing village of Viet Hai on the Bay. Transfer by tender to visit the village of Viet Hai on Cat Ba Island and embark on a bicycle ride (electric car also available) through a rainforest tunnel that leads to a village nestled in a valley deep in a national park. Meeting, visiting a traditional house, greeting local inhabitants in their daily work, visiting their houses and the village school. Upon returning from the village, you will leave the cabin and then begin sailing towards the port, where lunch will be served. We will then return to Cai Beo port before noon. Transfer by limousine and return to Hanoi around 4 p.m. (note that activities may vary depending on the cruise chosen)

End of Mai Chau – Pu Luong – Ninh Binh – Lan Ha Bay > 8 days North Vietnam loop

Included / Excluded

Included

• Transportation by private car or tourist bus English-speaking guide
  Local guide
  Accommodation
  Entrance tickets
  The activities mentioned
  1 bottle of water/pax/day

Excluded:

• Visa
• Drinks
• Activities not mentioned
• Tips
• Travel insurance
• Personal expenses

Price : Mai Chau – Pu Luong – Ninh Binh –  Lan Ha Bay > 8 days tour

Contact us. Several options available with private car or tourist bus, French or English speaking guide, several types of accommodation.