Day
1: Ha Noi - Thai Nguyen - Ba Be National Park (~240
km, ~6 hrs) ( B )
07:30 - Depart early from Hanoi for a long drive
through the Red River Delta north along Hwy 3 to
Thai Nguyen. Of interest here is the Museum of the
Cultures of Viet Nam's Ethnic Groups. Leaving the
delta behind, you'll start climbing into the mountainous
area of Ba Be National Park. Take a short boat trip
(30 minutes) to a Tay village for dinner and home
stay in a local house.
Day
2: Ba Be - Cao Bang (~120 km, ~4 hrs) ( B, L )
Ba Be Lake, surrounded by rugged
limestone mountains, is Viet Nam's only natural
mountain lake. This important eco-system is well
known for over 330 species of butterflies! Have
breakfast with your Tay hosts before exploring the
lake with lush forest clinging to the surrounding
mountains. Reach the end of the lake and trek to
Dau Dang Waterfall before heading north through
the mountains to the city of Cao Bang. Overnight
in a hotel.
Day
3: Ban Gioc Waterfall (~85 kms, ~2.5 hours) ( B,
L )
Take a scenic day trip north of
Cao Bang to the beautiful Ban Gioc Waterfall on
the Chinese border for a picnic lunch. This picturesque,
cascading waterfall is 53 meters high and has an
impressive span of 300 meters. The unique landscape
includes limestone karst formations soaring from
the verdant rice paddies of Tay, H'Mong and Dzao
ethnic minority groups. On the way back to Cao Bang,
explore the expansive 2,144 meter Nguom Ngao Cavern
to discover its brilliant stalactites. Overnight
in the hotel in Cao Bang.
Day
4: Cao Bang - Lang Son - Ha Noi (~300 km, ~7 hours)
( B, L )
Before departing Cao Bang, consider
climbing the hill up to the War Memorial for a great
panoramic view. The famous Highway 4 winds its way
through steep mountain passes with spectacular vistas!
Lang Son, the capital of this mountainous area,
is an important crossing and trading route with
China. The area is home to Dzao, Man, Tho and Nung
ethnic minority groups. Lang Son has two markets,
the Old Market and the Dong Kinh Market, where shoppers
can find everything from electronics and gadgets
to textiles and house wares. Just a couple of kilometers
from town are two large, beautiful caves and the
ruins of the Mac Dynasty Citadel that are worth
a visit, time permitting. Tam Thanh Cave contains
a pond and offers great views of the surrounding
farmlands. Nhi Thanh Cave, formed by the river that
flows through it, has poems carved into the entrance
by the man who discovered the cave in the 18th century.
The late afternoon trip back to Hanoi from Lang
Son is along a modern 4-lane divided highway. Trip
ends in Hanoi around 20:00.
Note :
you may extend your trip to Halong bay for 2 days
, from Lang son to Halong
bay
.
