This tour offers a thorough exploration of the beautiful landscapes, colourful cultures of hill tribes and famous battlefield of Dien Bien Phu in the North of Vietnam.

Tour schedule: Every Friday

Tour code: ST - VNN 01

Day 1: Hanoi (L-D)
Arrival in Hanoi, pick-up, hotel check-in. City tour includes visits to HCM area, Tran Quoc Pagoda, the Temple of literature, Ngoc Son temple, a fascinating rickshaw ride through the busy interesting Old Quarter of Hanoi.
The day ends with a very interesting water puppet performance.

Day 2: Hanoi – Ba Be national park (literally Three Lake park) (B-L-D)
Full day transfer by bus to Ba Be national park which includes beautiful lakes and forests.
Overnight at the park guesthouses.

Day 3: Ba Be (B-L-D)
Full day enjoy being in the nature with boating on the lakes, soft trekking to waterfall, hill tribes.
Overnight at home stay of the Tay people

Day 4: Ba Be – Bac Ha (B-L-D)
Full day transfer by bus to Bac Ha, admiring gorgeous landscapes on the way.

Day 5: Bac Ha – Sapa (B-L-D)
Morning visit a colourful market of hill tribes
Afternoon transfer to Sapa

Day 6: Sapa – Phong Tho (B-L-D)
Morning enjoy soft trekking to hill tribe villages around Sapa.
Afternoon be delighted by one of the most beautiful bus drive in Vietnam through breath-taking landscapes of passes, mountains, rivers, rice terraces, green fields and vi l lages.

Day 7: Phong Tho – Dien Bien Phu (B-L-D)
Transfer to Dien Bien Phu, the famous battle field against the French in 1954. Visit interesting villages of the H’mong, Thai, Mang on the way.

Day 8: Dien Bien Phu – Son La (B-L-D)
Morning visit the famous historic sites in Dien Bien Phu
Afternoon transfer to Son La

Day 9: Son La – Mai Chau (B-L-D)
Morning transfer to the lovely valley of Mai Chau.
Afternoon enjoy nice walks around the village.
Overnight at a home stay

Day 10: Mai Chau – Hanoi (B-L-D)
Morning transfer to Hanoi . Then take departure flight for home.

End of service.

Price: USD/pax (valid till May 2006)

Inclusions:

• Hotel accommodation with breakfast (based on twin sharing, superior rooms)
• All meals indicated in the program
• All ground transport on tour with A/C vehicles , boats
• All entrance fees
• Local English, French, German speaking guides
• Gifts and maps

Exclusions:

• International flight tickets to and from Vietnam
• Visa for VN (40USD/pax)
• Domestic and International Insurance surcharge
• Personal Insurance
• Personal expenses such as d r inks, camera fees
• All other accounts not mentioned in the above inclusions.