In the morning, drive to North Vietnam. After leaving the Red River Delta, we travel through a hill territory. Mountains and rice terraces will appear after a few hours of driving. In the afternoon, arrive in Bac Ha. Check in homestay in Bac Ha.

Visit Ban Pho village.

Dinner and overnight at homestay in Bac Ha

Night 1: Overnight in Bac Ha

This tour will allow you to trek to the most memorable and iconic villages of Bac Ha. Lasting roughly 5-6 hours, the tour features the stunning views and landscapes that the region is famous for, while also giving you up-close and personal experiences with the local people, learning about their culture, traditions and way of life.

Night 2: Overnight in Bac Ha

Option 1: If this day is Sunday – Visit Bac Ha Market.

Bac Ha Market is held every Sunday and is the biggest minority people market in Northwest Vietnam. Alive with the bright colors and extravagant costumes of the local people, here you will meet Flower Hmong (Red Hmong), Black Dao, Tay, Nung, La Chi, Phu La, and other minority groups who come from far and wide to buy and sell a wide variety of goods and livestock, to exchange news and to renew friendships.

In the past, the market was a centre for trading horses but now that motorbikes have replaced them it is more common to see buffalo, cows, goats, fish and other livestock being traded. The market opens at around 7.30am and closes mid-afternoon, so an early start is advisable. Take time to wander around the market, enjoy the atmosphere and have fun trying out your trading skills with the friendly local people.

Have lunch in a local restaurant where a variety of foods are available for your delectation and delight. You can even try the traditional local lunch of Thang Co (horse stew) and strong corn wine! After lunch, you will be driven to Ban Phung village. Sleep in homestay.

Option 2: If this day is Wednesday – Visit Sin Cheng Market.

Located in the center of Si Ma Cai districts more than 10km away, in the past, there have a lot of difficulties when traveling on this road, so Sin Cheng was almost separate from the outside. That barrier makes it difficult for Sin Cheng land and people to get rich as the lower, but also so that the value of a long tradition still preserved.

On Wednesday morning, starting at 8.30 am from Bac Ha to Sin Cheng market, it takes us about 1.30 hours. Opened only one time each week from 9.00 am to 1.30 pm. This market which is in the border area is far 40km from Bac Ha (in the Si Ma Cai district) so just a few people know this place. The market is almost untouched by modern life. Where you will be surprised by the way of living of the people here that you can find nowhere in the modern world.

After the market, we come back to Bac Ha for lunch. And then we go to visit some villages of the Mong and Tay ethnic minorities around Bac Ha town about 2 hours. After lunch, you will be driven to Ban Phung village. Sleep in homestay.

Option 3: If this day is Thursday – Visit Lung Khau Nhin Market.

Lung Khau Nhin is a small market very close to the border with China, close to Muong Khuong town. The Black Dao, Giay, Tay, and Flower Hmong (Red Hmong) minority peoples all attend this market.

Lung Khau Nhin market is held every Thursday starting around 7.30 am and closing in the early afternoon. The market is set in beautiful scenery and is very remote. It is a very ‘authentic’ market with few tourists visiting. The market mainly sells vegetables, seeds, and livestock for the minority peoples.

Drive to Lung Khau Nhin (67 km/2 hours from Bac Ha) Spend time walking around the market taking in the sights and sounds and perhaps trading with the local people. On the way back we will stop in Muong Khuong and pay a visit to pineapple and tea plantations. You can have lunch either in Muong Khuong village After lunch, you will be driven to Ban Phung village. Sleep in homestay.

Option 4: If this day is another day in the week – Free time to explore Bac Ha Town – Ban Phung village.

After breakfast, you will have free time to walk around the town. You also can visit Hoang A Tuong Palace – Meo’s King.

After lunch, you will be driven to Ban Phung village. Locating on the Tay Con Linh mountain range. Phung Village has an unsullied nature and is the home of La Chi ethnic. Villages are connected by steep winding roads. This will bring you to off-the-beaten paths (in every sense of the word!). The transfer will stop about 10 km away from your homestay.

From there, you can choose either trek up to your accommodation or hop on the back of the bike. Vietnam’s extreme north will be greatly rewarded with some of the most breathtaking mountain and cliff views imaginable as well as a peak into the lives of the villagers who inhabit the region

Night 3: Overnight in Ban Phung

After breakfast, we start the day to discover Ban Phung on foot. We will explore the terraced fields and the beautiful landscape of Ban Phung. While hiking, we can have the opportunity to meet and talk with locals to better understand their lives.

Most locals are La Chi, they often speak their language, and they can speak very few Vietnamese words. After hiking, we stop at a La Chi to visit their house. Return to the inhabitant for your second night.

Night 4: Overnight in Ban Phung

After late breakfast, we will say goodbye to Ban Phung village, and head to Hoang Su Phi.

Upon arrival in Hoang Su Phi, you will check in your room and walk around to visit Nam Hong village – Home of the Red Dao people to discover their local daily life before having dinner.

Night 5: Overnight in Hoang Su Phi

Getting up in the extravagant marvelous of the wildness. A day cannot be better with a home-cooked breakfast with your host. Make sure you eat a lot as you will need energy for an active day.

You will set out on a trek to explore the many villages situated at high altitudes around Thong Nguyen. The path will carry us upwards for about half an hour before spilling out into scenes of lush forest, tea plantations, terraced rice fields, and majestic mountain slopes. During our hike, we will stop for lunch with another local family, and many encounters can be had with the locals along the path.

The trekking route will be customized based on your request from medium to hard trek. Your day can also be filled with various activities Hiking in the area from a few hours to a full day.

Participating in agricultural activities: Prepare the rice field for transplanting: May – June. Harvesting paddy rice: September to mid-October. Carp fishing in the terrace fields: August to mid-September.Tea harvesting and processing: March – April; June-July; October-November.

Discovering the rich and various local crafts Enjoying a bath with herbs or specialties of the Dzao ethnic group Watching and joining cooking preparation By the end of the afternoon, you will be back to your accommodation, when you’re free to utilize the rest of the day as you see fit, before having dinner.

Night 6: Overnight in Hoang Su Phi

In the morning, you will head back to Hanoi. En route, you will stop along the way to visit the villages, take memorable pictures, and admire the landscapes before arriving in Hanoi in the afternoon. Distance: 300 km – 7.5 – 8.0 hours.