Hanoi Trip Overview
Ba Be Lake is Vietnam’s largest natural lake, Ho Ba Be forms the core of Ba Be National Park, a feast of limestone and tropical forest. This tour will take you from the vast lakes and chalky karsts of Ba Be National Park to the wild and rugged landscapes of Cao Bang to visit the spectacular Ban Gioc waterfall and also be able to interact with Tay ethnic minority at small villages and explore the Nang River by boat, learn about the unique cultures and customs of rural Vietnam.
Additional Info
Duration: 3 days
Starts: Hanoi, Vietnam
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
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What to Expect When Visiting Hanoi, Vietnam, Vietnam
Ba Be Lake is Vietnam’s largest natural lake, Ho Ba Be forms the core of Ba Be National Park, a feast of limestone and tropical forest. This tour will take you from the vast lakes and chalky karsts of Ba Be National Park to the wild and rugged landscapes of Cao Bang to visit the spectacular Ban Gioc waterfall and also be able to interact with Tay ethnic minority at small villages and explore the Nang River by boat, learn about the unique cultures and customs of rural Vietnam.
Itinerary
Day 1: HA NOI – LANG SON – CAO BANG (L/D)
Stop At: Old City Gate, 56 Hang Chieu Dong Xuan, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi 100000 Vietnam
Our tour guide will pick you up by car at your hotel around 7:30-8:00am, transferring you to Lang Son. We will start by driving in the direction of the Chinese border for about 3 hours, before stopping at Chi Lang Pass – a 20-km-long gorge created from a narrow valley between two mountains. This place occupies an important position in Vietnamese history, being the place of many victories against various Chinese invasions over the centuries and millennia, as far back as 981AD. As such it bears the reputation of Vietnam’s strongest citadel and bastion. Here you will have roughly an hour to walk around and explore the area around the Quy Mon Quan Gate, which translates as “The Gate of Monsters”, named for the many invasion forces that would spill through the pass over the course of history only to be beaten back by stalwart Vietnamese defenders.
Duration: 3 hours
Stop At: Dong Hoi, Dong Hoi, Quang Binh Province
After lunch at a local restaurant in Dong Dang, you will continue your trip into the pass, stopping to visit Mother’s Temple and Dong Khe – an important historical site where The Battle of Dong Khe was fought during the First Indochina War. In fact, this was the very first battle of the Indochina Wars, and the fighting here took place through September and October 1950, ending in a resounding victory for the Viet Minh. In the evening you will get to enjoy dinner and overnight rest in a local homestay owned and operated by a local Nung family.
Duration: 4 hours
Meals included:
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Accommodation: Homestay of Nung ethnic people
Day 2: CAO BANG – BAN GIOC WATERFALL (B, L, D)
Stop At: Ban Gioc Falls, Trung Khanh, Cao Bang 22000 Vietnam
After enjoying breakfast at the homestay, you will depart for Trung Khanh which lies right on the border with China. Here you will have another chance to meet and interact with the local Nung people living in the village of Phuoc Sen, a mountainous village famous for its traditional blacksmithing. The farming tools made here are an integral part of the lifestyle which is evident in the surrounding rice paddies and fields. Nestled amongst these amazing landscapes is the breath-taking Ban Gioc Waterfall which spans over 300 meters, split half
and half between Vietnam and China. You’ll get some time here to simply take in the amazing atmosphere surrounding the falls, which presents an excellent opportunity for some fantastic photography.
Duration: 3 hours
Stop At: Nguom Ngao Cave, Gun Village, Dam Thuy Commune, Trung Khanh District, Cao Bang 270000 Vietnam
Once you’ve finished at the falls, it’s time to head over to Nguom Ngao Cave, for a very different, but no less impressive natural wonder. The cave stretches for 2,144 meters underground and is brimming with incredible stalactites and stalagmites. You will then return to Cao Bang town and head down the “snake pass” to Ba Be Lake, where you will stay overnight in a homestay constructed in traditional Tay fashion and owned and operated by a local Tay family. Here you can relax and unwind from the day and enjoy a delicious and authentic home-cooked meal.
Duration: 4 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner: Homestay
Accommodation included: Accommodation: Homestay of Tay ethnic people
Day 3: BA BE LAKE – HA NOI ( B, L )
Stop At: Da Nang, Da Nang
After breakfast we’ll kick the final day of the tour of by boarding a boat and setting off onto the lake. It’s up to you how to spend your time on the boat, whether it’s relaxing and enjoying the views or going for a swim in the cool waters to refresh yourself. The views consist of stunning karst formations all around you covered with patches of wild vegetation and a rich wildlife. The boat will then continue along the Nang River, giving you a chance to explore the caves of Puong Grotto where you can marvel at the stalactites and stalagmites
created through river erosion, as well as observe the thousands-strong bat colony that lives here. Now that you’ve reached the end of your tour, you’ll be driven the roughly 230 kilometres back to Hanoi, with a stop at a tea plantation nestled among rolling hills. Once we arrive in Hanoi it is time to say farewell, having made lifelong memories and connections.
Duration: 6 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast: Homestay
• Lunch: Local restaurant
No accommodation included on this day.
