Explore the magic of Vietnam’s multi-faceted ecosystem, its culture and history along with the wonders of Cambodia on this adventure of discovery. This is an adventurous journey of discovery venturing through remote villages, breathtaking scenery, lively and unusual ethnic markets and hidden sights. As you explore the amazing geological formations and UNESCO World Heritage Sites, you will perceive a paradise for photographers and the curious adventurer alike.
Arrive in Hanoi airport, meet your guide and private transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure.
Accomodation: Hanoi Lasiesta Hotel & Spa – Deluxe room/ 02 nights
Today we spend a full day exploring Hanoi and the city’s cultural heart that bears traces of centuries’ old dynasties. We start the tour visiting Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest pagoda in the city, originally constructed in the sixth century. Then drive through the Hanoi French Quarter passing by the Opera House, Hoan Kiem Lake. We visit Van Mieu, consisting of the Temple of Literature and Vietnam’s first university and housing historical artifacts. Then enjoy a traditional cyclo ride through Hanoi’s Old Quarter. We stop to visit Bach Ma temple, the most sacred temple in town, dating back to the 11th century. We continue walking along the narrow streets of the old quarter to Hang Be Market. There are many varieties of flowers arranged ready to sell. Many delicious confections are displayed along the street. Lunch will be served at an authentic Vietnamese restaurant. After lunch, Enjoy private water puppet show at the “mini home theater” placed in the house of artist Phan Thanh Liem. The seventh generation of artist Phan Van Huyen was a master of traditional water puppet performance. It is good experience as you get to spend time with a local family to learn about the craft and art in water puppetry.
A welcome dinner will be served at a local restaurant.
Meal: Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner
In the morning, you will depart from your hotel via Topas Mountain Express for about 5 hours/300km to a remote hilltop of Topas Ecolodge. After checking in to your bungalow, relax and enjoy the
beautiful and peaceful view of the surrounding mountains and valleys from your private balcony.
Accomodation: Topas Ecolodge – 02 nights
Meal: Breakfast
We begin hiking from Topas Ecolodge and along the footpaths of Silver Stone Mount. Enjoy the stunning views of the valleys and rice paddy terraces along the walk. At noon, we arrive at the Lech village, inhabited by the Red Dao minority and have lunch at a local house in the village.
After lunch, we continue the walk to a nearby Red Dao village and if it is a school day, we visit the village’s school. It is a nice opportunity to meet different groups of children from the Red Dao or H’mong minority. From the village, we follow the hill trails up to the main road while enjoying the breathtaking views of dotted peaks, endless rice terraces, and the beautiful Muong Bo river. We arrive back at Topas Ecolodge after another 15-minute walk on the main road.
Approx: 9.8 km hiking/ 4.5 hours; 1 hour for lunch.
Meal: Breakfast-Lunch
Morning, we drive to Bac Ha around 80 km from the Lodge transfer to Bac Ha to visit the minority market – the largest one in the area. Every Sunday morning, it is a riot of color as many different ethnic groups such as Flower H’mong, Phu La, Black Dao, Tay and Nung minorities gather to trade. Most of the goods are simply farming products such as rice, corn, vegetables, herbs,.. While the local women are more interested in food and clothing, the unique cattle area draws a lot of attention from the local men. After spending the rest of the morning exploring the market, we have lunch in a local house at a nearby village.
In the afternoon, enjoy a drive downhill to Trung Do village and visit the Tay, a very friendly ethnic group who live in pretty traditional houses on stilts. They are doing well in agriculture farming. We can take a buffalo cart trip when visiting the village. Leaving Trung Do, we continue by car to Xuan Giao and drive up to Topas Mountain. Express back to Hanoi is around 280 km for 4.5 hours.
Accomodation: Hanoi Lasiesta Hotel & Spa – Deluxe room/ 01 night
Meal: Breakfast-Lunch
Breakfast at the hotel and free time to relax or own exploring Hanoi. Check out noontime and transfer to Hanoi airport for a flight to Dong Hoi. Arrive in Dong Hoi, transfer to hotel in Phong Nha.
Accomodation: Chay Lap Farmstay – Garden room/ 01 night
Meal: Breakfast
Please make sure that your health is suitable for these activities.
Requirements:
Adventure Level: Moderate for physically active guest (swimming & trekking necessary)Adventure Leve
Minimum Age: 16 years & above (15 y/o with previous experiences will be considered)
Pick up at the hotel in Phong Nha between 7:30 am and 8:00 am, before venturing off to the village of Tan Hoa located 70 km away. After a safety briefing and gear check, you need to sign our Release Form.
The trek begins with a 2.5 km march across fields of peanut crops, giant water buffaloes, towering corn stalks, and down to the Rao Nan River.
The adventure accelerates with a 30m climb up a rocky hill to a small jungle opening where you can catch your breath before a 40m descent in elevation down to Hung Ton Valley. After having lunch in the Hung Ton Cave opening, we continue with some serious trekking from Hung Ton Valley, over to Mango Mountain then back down into Tu Lan Valley (3 km). By mid-afternoon, we are close to Tu Lan campsite where we can enjoy a swim in the beautiful waterfall. In the afternoon, join other activities include exploring and swimming through Ken Cave located next to the campsite, then back to camp for a delicious BBQ dinner.
Sleep will come easy in comfortable tents set up amongst the trees!
Meal: Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner
The second day starts with a hearty breakfast, and with more cave exploration.
Starting with a brief swim across the river into the heart of Tu Lan Cave System and enjoy the blue lagoon entrance before making your way 180 m downstream through Tu Lan Cave entrance. We climb and make our way up to the dry exit and trek a short way through the valley into Kim Cave dry entrance.
take a break to watch out for a natural window in Kim Cave, then we’ll be on a 600-meter cave exploration including 350m of swims of varying lengths. After that, a picnic lunch will be served next to a stunning waterfall by Hung Ton Cave mouth before we will try to follow a dry passage and swimming out through Hung Ton wet cave . Following this is the exploration of a dry passage, and then a trek down into Hung Ton Valley (800 m). Arrival in Tan Hoa. clean up and change then depart back to Phong Nha around 4 pm and back to Phong Nha by 5:30 pm.
Accomodation: Chay Lap Farmstay – Garden room/ 02 nights
Meal: Breakfast-Lunch
In the morning, meet the guide at the lobby and go to pick up bike and equipment.
We begin our tour, cycling from Chay Lap along the Ho Chi Minh Highway to Chay village (about 2km) then pass over the hanging bridges to Me village and Tram Village discover local life and the landscape.
By mid-morning, we ride through melaleuca forest and the cornfields from Tram village, and pass by another hanging bridge to Bau Sen village. This is a rough trail that will challenge your off-road ability. Then cycling along to Ho Chi Minh Highway West back to Chay Lap Farmstay. Lunch will be served at Chay Lap Farmstay and we can have lunch by the pool if preferred. The rest of the day is at leisure – take a stroll through the property, set amongst Karst Mountains or other complementary activities such as swimming or kayaking.
Meal: Breakfast-Lunch
Drive 4 hours to Hue (210 km). Have lunch on the route. Arrive Hue, check into the hotel.
Benefits at Alba Wellness Resort:
Accomodation: Alba Wellness Resort – Deluxe room/ 02 Nights
Meal: Breakfast-Lunch
Today we take tour Aodaigo, ladies in a traditional Áo Dài meet you at the hotel lobby and we ride to the surrounding countryside passing peaceful streams and verdant rice paddies until you arrive at the small village of Thanh Toan – home to a legendary market. Learn more about the role of agriculture and spend time exploring the small town. Stop by the beautiful Thanh Toan covered bridge with a rare squared timber arch speckled with ancient ceramics or simply soak up the atmosphere while sipping Vietnamese coffee at the village café. Leaving the village, we head to visit the iconic seven-story Thien Mu pagoda, a symbol of Hue. Visit the former Imperial Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Enjoy an authentic Vietnamese lunch at Lavin Home. After lunch, join with the host family make paper flowers and cakes together. You can bring home your own handmade flowers as a souvenir. Afternoon, we will take a scenic ride to Chuồn Lagoon. From Vân Dương Village, we sit on a small motorboat to the lagoon area, take photos of the amazing sunset scenery on the lagoon, and may enjoy some boiled fresh seafood at shrimp farming houses. Drive back to the hotel. Farewell dinner at the Tuyet Nguyen family, a family of royal lineage and spend time cooking together. We will learn the step-by-step preparations of this Hue family’s favorite dishes. After walking around the community, enjoy an authentic Vietnamese dinner with the family. This special engagement is a rare opportunity to learn more about Vietnamese culture and traditional customs.
Meal: Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner
In the morning, you have free time at leisure. Transfer to Danang airport (2 hours drive) for flight departure. Have a safe trip!
Meal: Breakfast
Arrive in Siemreap airport, meet your guide and private transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure.
Accomodation: Heritage Suites Hotel – Heritage Suite/ 03 nights
In early morning, take a tuk tuk to Angkor Wat for the sunrise view at Phnom Krom. Visit Angkor Wat, the world’s largest temple with the world’s longest intricately carved bas-relief panels. Explore this 3-tier pyramidal structure with massive galleries of thousands of Buddhas, interior walls and niches decorated with stone asparas (celestial dancers) and devatas (goddesses).
Afternoon, we visit Angkor Thom, Bayon, Elephant Terrace, the Terrace of the Leper King
Meal: Breakfast-Lunch
Morning is free for your own activities.
Afternoon, pick up from hotel drive to Kampong Phluk, a cluster of villages of stilted houses built within the floodplain, then take a boat ride to the fishing villages on Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. Quad bike Sunset Tour starts at 5 pm in the evening which is around an hour before the sun goes down. We’ll take a drive out into the countryside and ride back taking in the stunning Asian sunset which beams down with brilliant pink color.
Meal: Breakfast
Breakfast at hotel, transfer to Siem Reap airport for flight departure. Have a safe trip!
Meal: Breakfast
