North east loop

North East Circle (5 days / 4 nights)

Hanoi – Lang Son – Cao Bang – Pac Bo – Ba Be Lake – Hanoi

Day1: Hanoi – Lang Son

In the morning leave Hanoi for Lang Son, following Highway 1 through small villages, limestone cliffs, and mountain forests. At Lang Son, visit a series of caves, Tien Pagoda, the ruins of a Mac Dynasty citadel, and the Ky Lua market.

OVERNIGHT IN LANG SON AT KIM SON HOTEL

Day2: Lang Son – Cao Bang – Pac Bo

Drive from Lang Son to Cao Bang along Highway 4, passing through ethnic minority villages and within 2 km of the China border. Stop at Tuc Ngai village to meet Tay ethnic minorities. Upon arrival at Cao Bang, see the Pac Bo cave where Ho Chi Minh hid out while he organized Viet Minh resistance to the French. The cave is set in a dramatic mountainous region where villagers live and work much as they did centuries ago. Return to Cao Bang in late afternoon.

OVERNIGHT IN CAO BANG AT BANG GIANG HOTEL

Day 3: Cao Bang – Ba Be (2 hours hike)

In the morning, drive south to Ba Be National Park. The biology of the park is extraordinarily diverse. At last count the park was home to over 400 species of butterflies, 46 species of amphibians, and 214 species of birds. In the afternoon make a light trek to An Ma Islet for a scenic view of Ba Be Lake, and then take a boat across the lake to a dock where a vehicle will be waiting for the return trip to the guesthouse.

OVERNIGHT IN BA BE GUESTHOUSE

Day 4: Ba Be – Boat trip – Trek to Coc Toc, Bo Lu, Pac Ngoi

Start the day with a boat trip along the Nang River to visit caves, Ba Be Lake, and ethnic minority villages. In the afternoon, take a light trek to the Pac Ngoi village to meet Tay ethnic minorities. The trail winds through forests and hillsides, passing through Coc Toc and Bo Lu villages. Much of the three-hour walk affords panoramic views of Ba Be Lake and surrounding countryside, and part of the trek passes through old growth forest. After spending some time meeting local villagers at Pac Ngoi, continue the walk down to the lake for the return boat trip back to the guest house.

OVERNIGHT IN BA BE GUESTHOUSE

Day 4: Ba Be – Hanoi

After breakfast, make the return drive to Hanoi. End of services.

Optional: A full day excursion from Cao Bang to Ban Gioc waterfall can be added. This waterfall is 300m wide, and is located on the Vietnam-China border. Once can view China across the falls, and even take a quick dip into the falls’ clear waters. In the afternoon, return back to Cao Bang via Thang Hen Lake.