Day 1: Hanoi Arrival

Arriving in Hanoi, tour guide and driver will meet you at the Noi Bai international airport and take you to your hotel. The rest of the day is your own.

Meals:  none

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Day 2: Hanoi – Tho Ha half day tour – Night train to Sapa (B,L)

After breakfast, you will be picked up at your hotel to depart to Tho Ha village which is located at over 30 miles north of Hanoi, can be reached after 1.5hours from Hanoi. Tho Ha is a traditional village on a peninsula, surrounded by the Nhu Nguyet river. When arriving in the pier, you have 10mins crossing of the river by ferryboat. Then, walking around village to visit the old village, and visit a local family to see and learn to make rice paper.

Lunch will be served at local family. Then coming back to Hanoi and the rest of day is your own. Dinner tonight by your own arrangement, we then heading to Hanoi train station, catch the night train to Sapa.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Overnight train to Sapa

Day 3: Lao Cai – Sapa – Ban Khoang – Ta Giang Phinh – Sapa (B,L)

You will arrive in Lao Cai in the early morning. Driver and guide will pick-up at train station and transfer to Sapa for breakfast. Then, you will leave Sapa at about 08.30 am by vehicle heading to O Quy Ho with several stops for magnificent landscape, Sin Chai valley and vegetable farms.

After that, turn right to explore wild region with thick rain forest covering walled-up mountains, passing a beautiful waterfall before arriving to Ban Khoang commune, home to the Black Hmong & Red Zao ethnic people who live their unique way of life and well maintain their traditional values. Spend over an hour walking to understand local life. Leaving Ban Khoang and process along the road for about 10 km to Ta Giang Phin valley inhabited by the Black Hmong who live in several hamlets scattering along a peaceful stream. Having lunch on the bank of a stream.

To continue, you will enjoy walking about 2 hours along village path which connects hamlet to hamlets witnessing daily activities of local life such as plough and harrow the fields, growing, harvesting or doing house works. The walk ends in the mid afternoon, you will be picked up for the road ride back to Sapa.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:  Hotel in Sapa

Day 4: Sapa - Travel to Lai Chau by mini van. Explore Lai Chau (B,L,D)

This day, you will leave Sapa after breakfast by road through the stunning mountain scenery to Lai Chau, visiting Black Thai and Red H’mong villages en route. Arrive in Lai Chau in the late afternoon.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:  Hotel in Lai Chau

Day 5: Lai Chau travel Dien Bien Phu by mini van. Explore Dien Bien Phu battle field (B,L,D)

After breakfast, we will continue on through the hills and valleys to Dien Bien Phu, stopping off at a White Thai minority village along the way. Arrive in Dien Bien Phu around noon. At Dien Bien Phu, you have chances to visit the famous A1 Hill and Thai villages in the vicinity.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:  Hotel in Dien Bien Phu

Day 6: Dien Bien Phu travel to Son La by minivan. Explore Son La (B,L,D)

Today, we will start from Dien Bien Phu heading for Son La. The road crosses 2 mountain passes before the mountain scenery gives way to rice fields and banana plantations. Stop for a lunch break at Tuan Giao and walk over hanging bridges to visit Black Thai villages. Arrive in Son La in the mid afternoon and then, visit the former French prison where anti-colonial revolutionaries were once held.

Included meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:  Hotel in Son La

Day 7: Son La travel to Moc Chau - Mai Chau by minivan (B,L,D)

You will leave Son La in the early morning through the road climbs up onto a high plateau where tea and coffee are grown before arriving market in Moc Chau town. After a lunch in Moc Chau, we continue driving to Mai Chau which is surrounded by spectacular karst rock formations and rice paddies. Let’s spend the afternoon exploring the idyllic natural surroundings and visiting the extraordinary Mo Luong Cave. This evening enjoy a traditional Thai performance of music and dance.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:  Hotel in Mai Chau

Day 8: Mai Chau – Hoa Binh - travel to Hanoi by mini van (B,L)

This day, you will have a light trek through the Mai Chau Valley. Lunch will be served in Mai Chau, then coming back to Hanoi.  On the way, don’t forget to capture nice pictures. Arriving in Hanoi in the late afternoon. Check in hotel and the rest of time is your leisure.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:  Hotel in Hanoi

Tour ends.

This tour is built upon our firsthand knowledge & experience, offering you the best choices available. The price of this trip varies depending on the number of people in your party, dates of departure, and availability of ground services.

Please click on CUSTOMIZE YOUR TRIPS and supply the required information, enabling us to send you your personalized quote within 24 hours!

Note: Amendments CAN be made to this tour to suite your requirements, but may incur price changes

 

WHAT'S INCLUDED?
• Accommodation with daily breakfast at selected hotels 
• Private Vehicles and Drivers
• Transport from Hanoi to Halong and return by mini van
• Train tickets Hanoi – Sapa – Hanoi per deluxe cabins.
• Private English Speaking Guides (Other languages if available, upon request)
• Meals as mentioned in the itinerary (B= Breakfast, L= Lunch, D= Dinner)
• All domestic flights
• Airport Taxes and Fuel charges
• Entrance fees for all mentioned sights visited
• Drinking water available on the vehicles.
• Service Charge & Government Taxes
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED?
• Your International Flights
• Personal Expenses (such as laundry, telephone, drinks, etc.)
• Any bank fees or charges at your end
• Meals other than those mentioned in the itinerary
• Personal Travel Insurance
• Tips for tour guide and driver in each region
• Peak season or public holidays surcharge if any
• Compulsory Gala dinner on X-Mas or New Year if any
• Vietnam visa stamp fee 
• Other services not mentioned above

•  

HOTEL SELECTION:

The hotels listed below are our suggestions for the best value on this tour.  However, Asia Essence Tours offers many more options of hand-picked hotels, with different "star ratings", allowing you to customize the vacation to meet your taste and budget.
  

LOCATIONS	FIRST CLASS CATEGORY	SUPERIOR CATEGORY	DELUXE CATEGORY	LUXURY
Hanoi	Hotel du Larc  Hanoi Garden Hotel & Spa  Imperial Hotel & Spa	Mercury Center  Hotel Emerald Waters Classy  Ambassador  Golden Rooster	La Siesta Premium  La Siesta Classic Ma May La Sinfonia Del Rey	Capella Sofitel Legend Metropole
Sapa	Sapa Passion  Sapa Relax Hotel & Spa	Sapa Horizon Pao’s Sapa Pistachio Hotel Sapa	Topas Ecolodge	Topas Ecolodge Hotel de la Coupole
Sapa Express train	King Express	Sapaly Express	Victoria Express	Victoria Express
Maichau	Local Homestay	Sol Bungalows	Mai Chau Eco-Lodge
Dien Bien Phu	Dien Bien Phu Hotel	Muong Thanh Hotel	Muong Thanh Hotel

ABOUT HOTELS:

We, at Asia Essence Tours, are aware that a good tour must have good hotels. As the hotel cost will be the major expense of your vacation in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, it is essential that all of the hotels chosen by us are the highest quality for the price paid. All of our prices are based on twin, double or queen shared rooms.

BELOW IS AN EXPLANATION OF THE HOTEL "STAR" RATINGS:

First Class/ 3 Star (from US$ 50- US$ 80 per room/night)

The First Class/ 3 Star Hotels are good value and normally centrally located. They all have comfortable en-suite rooms, good amenities and public areas to relax in. They are usually family run hotels, so offer great personalized service for your enjoyment and comfort. Most first class properties offer an in-house restaurant, and some may even have a swimming pool!

Superior/ 4 star (from US$ 100 - US$ 150/ per room/night)

The 4* superior Hotels offer a wide range of services. Many superior hotels feature a choice of several in-house restaurants. In addition virtually all of them have a swimming pool. Some may even feature a spa or health club. This grade of hotel offers more for your enjoyment and comfort, while still remaining affordable.

Deluxe/ 5 Star (from US$160 - US$ 240++/ per room/night)

These 5* Deluxe hotels are usually owned by Worldwide, well known Hotel chains. The deluxe hotels feature excellent locations, offer the highest standards of service and facilities, and are known as the best hotels in each region. Facilities such as swimming pools and spas are the norm, and guest rooms are luxurious. These hotels offer first class service and amenities throughout.

ASIA ESSENCE TOURS™ BESPOKE STYLE SUITS EVERYONE

Flexibility: The sample itinerary can be modified to suit your interests, budget as well as your personal wishes including departure date, duration, accommodation used & how long you spend in each destination.

Tailor-Made Journey: This trip can be tailor made to create a unique holiday for your individual requirements by travel experts with intimate knowledge of the destination. It is a more individual trip that will suit those who enjoy immersing themselves in new cultures and environments, with the flexibility to plan a trip at your own pace. Quality and value are the hallmark of the trips, with most services being provided on a private basis.

Commitment to Excellence: We enjoys excellent relationships with all of the highly regarded hotels and finest properties in our destinations as well as with service suppliers so that we are able to negotiate the most attractive prices for our clients, which enables us to provide exclusive holidays and affordable special offers. We create one-of-a-kind vacations for groups and individuals. We love our destinations and do our best to make sure that our customers feel the same way. Our job is to make sure that everyone gets the right balance of comfort and excitement to enjoy the experience of a lifetime.