VN21A Ha Giang Explorer ( 5 days / 4 nights )

Hanoi - Tay Homestay - Ha Giang - Dong Van - Meo Vac - Ha Giang – Hanoi

Note: This trip departs on Thursdays. 

Day 1 (Thu) Hanoi – Tay Minority Homestay (293km)

After a long journey from Hanoi, you will arrive in Ha Giang. Relatively undiscovered, this “off-the-beaten-track” destination is unique for its well-preserved traditions and local culture. Lunch will be provided en route to Ha Giang. Upon your arrival to the Tay Village, receive a warm welcome from a hospitable Tay family offering overnight accommodation in their stilt house. Although the place only offers basic comfort, prepare for an unforgettable experience. Participate in common everyday rural activities and have a memorable dinner with the local Tay family.

Overnight homestay in a house on stilts [Lunch, Dinner]

Day 2 (Fri) Tay Minority Village – Trekking

Choose from three options:

Option 1: A full day trekking along the Tay Con Linh mountainside through terraced rice fields, a tea plantation, remote villages and the thatched-roof homes of the Tay minority. Enjoy the scenery and have a picnic lunch on top of the hill before visiting a village inhabited by the Dao Lanten Tribe. In the afternoon, trek down to the village and indulge in a traditional herbal bath or simply relax with a foot soak of herbal remedies. Enjoy dinner and an overnight stay at the Tay village. (Difficulty level: 4/5; distance: 15km; and duration: 7 hours trekking).

Option 2: Enjoy a full day trek from the Tay Village through the paddy-fields and palm forest to visit the minority people at either Phuong Do Village or Phuong Tien Village. These areas support the oldest Tay community in Ha Giang and are surrounded by terraced paddy fields with big stilt houses. Enjoy a picnic lunch. In the early afternoon, you will return by car to the village and indulge in a traditional herbal bath or simply have a relaxing foot soak with herbal remedies. Enjoy dinner and an overnight stay at the Tay village. (Difficulty level: 2/5; distance: 9km; and duration: 4 hours trekking).

Option 3: A full day of hiking.

AM: Take a morning walking trip around the Tay Village to get a taste of authentic rural daily life and enjoy the peaceful and pleasant mountainous sceneries. Enjoy lunch at the village. (Difficulty level: 1/5, and duration: 2 hours walking).

PM: Drive to Phuong Do Village, the oldest Tay community in Ha Giang, which is surrounded by terraced paddy-fields with big stilt houses. Walk around to visit then return by car to the homestay and indulge in a traditional herbal bath or simply relax with a foot soak of herbal remedies. Enjoy dinner and overnight at the Tay village. (Difficulty level: 1/5; and duration: 1 hour walking).

Overnight homestay in a house on stilts [Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner]

Day 3 (Sat) Ha Giang – Dong Van (160km)

Drive on the undulating terrain, between 700m and 1,300m in height, through extraordinary mountainous landscapes and terraced paddy fields. You will stop at the Quyet Tien Market where the minority groups of the Nung, the White Hmong, the Po Y, the Dao Lanten and the Tay gather to trade their produce. Proceed to the Heaven’s Gate and the Fairy Mountain before visiting a White Hmong village which specializes in flax weaving. This is a wonderful opportunity to stretch your legs and explore the village. There will be another visit to a village of the Zao Lanten before taking a lunch break. After lunch, drive up to the altitude of 1,432m to visit an ancient village of the White Hmong; you will then proceed to Sung La to discover a LoLo house and its people (the LoLo minority is one of Vietnam's least-common ethnic minorities and are only found within this region). Afterwards, visit the impressive ancient Hmong King Palace before reaching Dong Van Town. Arrive in the late afternoon and check in to a hotel.

Overnight in Dong Van [Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner]

Day 4 (Sun) Dong Van – Meo Vac – Bao Lam - Ha Giang (170km)

In the morning, visit the Sunday Dong Van minority market (one of the most beautiful minority markets in Vietnam). Before reaching the peak of Ma Pi Leng, you will be able to admire the panoramic views of a rocky mountain, a river and paddy field terraces. Visit Meo Vac Market where cattle are traded then proceed to Bao Lam Town for lunch. After lunch, drive along the Gam River to Ha Giang.

Overnight in Ha Giang. [Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner]

Day 5 (Mon) Ha Giang – Hanoi (320km)

After breakfast, drive back to Hanoi. Enjoy lunch en route. Arrive in Hanoi and transfer to a hotel.

[Breakfast, Lunch]

* OPTIONAL – Responsible Tourism: Tree Planting in Ha Giang

Vidotour is a proud pioneer in introducing homestays in Ha Giang to travellers worldwide. We have received overwhelmingly positive responses and we are delighted that Ha Giang is attracting further interest and attention. More importantly, the ethnic communities now realise that tourism is improving their living standards in a constructive manner. In an attempt to ensure more benefits for both visitors and locals, Vidotour offers guests an opportunity to green their stay and improve local people’s lives by planting trees in their orchards. This is a joint effort for both parties wherein guests plant trees during their visits and the host families cultivate the trees until they bear fruit.