Lao Cai Vietnam Travel Guide

Sapa Vietnam Trekking Tour (3 days)

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 08:37:25 +0000

The three-day trekking tour is provided in Sapa Vietnam, taking you to Tram Ton, Heaven’s Gate, Sin Chai village, Hoang Lien National park, Hoang Lien mountain range, Cat Cat waterfall, Cat Cat villages, Y Linh Ho village, Giang ta Chai village. You will meet up with friendly local villagers such as the Black H’mong, the Dzao, the Giay. Spending two nights at local home offering a real life eperience. Contact your Lotussia Travel Consultant for more details.

Day 1: Overnight train to Laocai.

You will travel to Hanoi train station where you will take the night train for Laocai. Train???. Departure at 21:30?. Overnight on the train.

Day 2: Arrive Laocai train station. Travel to Sapa. Trekking (L,D).

Arrive Laocai Train Station early this morning at 05h00?. You will be greeted by Lotussia Travel local driver and transferred to Sapa.

After breakfast (optional) and a short rest, you will be transferred to the Tram Ton Pass. Stop at the Silver Waterfall for a quick visit. Then walk around the Heaven Gate and enjoy magnificent scenery of the other side of Hoang Lien Son range.

Start trekking from Tram Ton. You will follow a narrow trail sneaking on mountain sides and through the thick rain forest of the Hoang Lien Nature Reserve. You trek downhill for almost 3 hours before you arrive in the Sin Chai Village, inhabitated by the H’mong. Walk around this village, visit some local houses.

Check into a local house for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Continue trekking (B,L,D).

After breakfast, you will leave the village at about 09.00 am. You will walk on a good path to the Cat Cat Waterfall. Have a short rest by this nature wonders before you continue your trek. You will trek up and downhill along the Vang Stream for over 4 hours. You trek through part of Hoang Lien National Park covered by thick bamboo and rain forest, and pass by several isolated hamlets of the Black H’mong.

Upon your arrival in Y Linh Ho Village in mid afternoon, you may want to have a short walk around to explore the village before checking into a local house for dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Trekking. Transfer to Lao Cai. Overnight train back to Hanoi (B,L)

After breakfast, you will leave Y Linh Ho village at about 08.30 am. You trek uphill to Lao Chai San 2 and Lao Chai San 1 villages of the H’mong following a large dirt path. You then trek up and downhill on a narrow dirt trail to Lao Hang Chai village, inhabited by the H’mong. Explore this village and then trek uphill for two more hours through the thick rain forest.

Lunch will be provided en route.

After lunch, you will trek downhill for about one hour going to Giang Ta Van Village and then onto Ta Van village of the Giay, located near the Muong Hoa River. You may have time for visiting this large and prosperous village before being picked up again by Lotussia vehicle and transferred back to Sapa.

You may want to have a shower and/or dinner before you catch the night train back to Ha Noi (hotel day use; dinner and transfer from Sapa to Laocai train station are not included in our cost. the end of Lotussia Travel service.

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Hiking Camping Sapa Vietnam (3 days)

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 07:18:24 +0000

The 3-day tour is provided in Sapa offering you the opportunity to hike and to camp as well. The itinerary is a bit challenging and only recommended for active travelers. The hiking route can be very difficult when raining. The trip cost is up to group size and travel days. Contact your Lotussia Travel Consultant for more details.

Day 1: Overnight train to Laocai.

Travel to Hanoi Railway Station by yourselves. Catch the night train for Laocai. Train SP? Departure at 20:30 (to be advised). Overnight on board train.

Day 2: Arrive Laocai early this morning. Travel to Sapa. Start trekking. Camping (B,L,D).

6:00 (to be advised): Arrive Lao Cai Railway Station. You will be greeted by Lotussia Travel local team and transferred by private A/C vehicle to Sapa.

Breakfast will be provided in a local restaurant in town.

After a short rest, you will be met up again with our team and transferred by car toward Muong Hoa valley. Your trek will begin from Tavan village of Giay minority. The first day trek will be mostly uphill. Whenever you stop for a rest, you will be able to enjoy valley view.

Before noon, you stop again at a nice spot for lunch.

The trek will be softer in the afternoon. But the scenery becomes even more beautiful. You pass by
Seomity village of Black Hmong minority before you arrive in a campsite, which locates nearby a
river outside the village. While porters put up tents and cook dinner, you can take a walk to stretch
the legs.

Day 3: Continue trekking. Homestay in a local house (B,L,D).

The trek today takes you through beautiful rice paddies and over old suspension bridges. You will
trek on small trail sneaking through rainforest.

You arrive in Den Thang village of Black Hmong by noon. Here you stop for lunch either nearby a river or in a local school according to the weather.

After lunch, the trek wills becomes tough on tinny footpath going up and down, which requires some
concentration. You will reach to Ta Trung Ho village of Red Dao minority where you spend the night
in local house. Both the valley and the village have just received foreign visitors. The night will be
even more interesting when you are in the wonderful hospitable atmosphere of the Red Dao in Ta
Trung Ho Village.

Day 4: Trekking. Overnight train back to Hanoi (B,L).

You are now at the fringe of the rain forest by the Hoang Lien Son mountain range. Fansipan, the
highest peak in Indochina with its 3143 m, is located in this mountain range.

You will start the trek today by ascending to Nam Toong village of Red Dao minority. Here your lunch will be prepared in a local school.

In the afternoon, before descending to Ban Ho, you can make a stop by a waterfall to refresh. Then where your car takes you on the journey back to Sapa.

Day use will be provided in either Sapa town or Laocai before you take the overnight train travelliing back to Hanoi. Train ??? Departure at 20:20 (to be advised). Overnight on the train.

Day 5: Arrive Hanoi early this morning. Trip ends.

5:00 (to be advised): Arrive Hanoi train station. Trip ends.

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Sapa hill tribe villages hiking tour (3 days)

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:02:46 +0000

The three-day trekking tour is provided in Sapa, Lao Cai province. You will travel through different Sapa hill tribe villages, inhabited by the Giay, the Black H’mong and the Dzao such as Sin Chai village, Cat Cat village, Y Linh Ho village, Ta Van village, Su Pan village. You will also spend two nights at local home offering a real life experience. Contact your Lotussia Travel consultant for more details.

Day 1: Transfer to Sin Chai village. Trek Cat Cat village – Y Linh Ho village (L,D)

8:30: You will be met up with Lotussia local team at your hotel in Sapa and transferred downhill to Sin Chai village of Black Hmong minority, which locates right at the foot of Hoang Lien mountain range. Here you start heading up the mountain. Once you get to the top, you will trek on a small trail with spectacular view and then gradually descend to Cat Cat village, where you will have lunch nearby a waterfall.

In the after noon, you take a trail sneaking through mountain. You also will enjoy spectacular scenery while walking along a narrow river you eventually arrive in Y Linh Ho village of Black Hmong minority, where you can take a rest in a nice spot nearby the beautiful river. You will stay overnight in Y Linh Ho, due to season it can be in local house or in tent camp.

Day 2: Trek Y Linh Ho village – Lao Chai village – Tavan village (B,L,D)

Today’s trek will continue along Hoang Lien mountain range, which offers you many opportunities to enjoy view over huge rice paddy terraces in Muong Hoa valley, the largest one in the area.

After having lunch at a nice spot, you descend into the bottom of the valley. You will pass through Lao Chai village of Black Hmong minority and then Tavan village of Giay minority by following a very popular trekking route.

You spend the night in a traditional house of Giay minority. You will be able to take a walk to enjoy the valley view as well as swim in the river nearby.

Day 3: Trek Tavan village – Giang Ta Chai village – Su Pan village (B,L)

Today’s trek is short, but still the landscape is beautiful. Once you get energy for your last day trek after having breakfast, you leave for Giang Ta Chai village where you can take a rest nearby a waterfall to enjoy the surroundings. You will continue trough a bamboo forest, and when you have passed the forest we find a nice place to enjoy lunch.

After lunch the walk continues through a bamboo forest to Giang Ta Chai, a Red Dao ethnic minority village. After taking a rest nearby a waterfall to refresh, you continue on a small trail towards Supan where your transfer back to Sapa is waiting. Our service will be finished after you arrive back in Sapa town.

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Vietnam Sapa Overnight Treks

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 08:18:43 +0000

Sapa offers a wide selection of treks including both day walking tours and multi-day mountain hikes. Most of the treks begin in Sapa town and offers overnight at local home. The two-day hiking tour takes you to Mong Sen village, Ta Phin village and Ma Tra villages. You will meet up with the Red Dzao and the Black H’mong people, the two biggest ethnic groups living in Sapa area.

Day 1: Overnight train to Laocai.

Transfer from your hotel in Hanoi to Hanoi Railway station will be arranged on your own. Take the night train for Laocai. Train??? Departure at ??? (To be advised).

Overnight on the train.

Day 2: Arrive Laocai early this morning. Travel to Sapa. Start trekking (B,L,D).

Arrive Laocai early this morning. You will be greeted by Lotussia local team and transferred uphill to Sapa.

Breakfast will be provided in a local restaurant in town.

Transfer 15 km along the road 4D to the Mong Sen Bridge with stops along the way for enjoying spectacular landscapes. Trekking uphill along large dirt road for nearly an hour, then following a narrow dirt trail winding its way on steep hill-sides along the western bank of the upstream part of Ngoi Dum River for 2 hours to an isolated hamlet of the Black H’mong people, explore these isolated hamlets of the Black H’mong, then lunch break.

After lunch, continue trekking along the same trail for nearly 1,5 hours up and downhill towards Ta Phin Valley and arrive at the center of Ta Phin Commune in mid afternoon. Take a walk around this stunning valley, paying visit to some Red Zao families.

Dinner and overnight in the village (Homestay).

Day 3: Continue trekking. Travel to Laocai. Overnight train back to Hanoi (B,L).

Breakfast and leave Ta Phin village at 09.00.

Walk for 2 hours through several hamlets of the H’mong scattering on hill-sides. Continue gradually uphill 1 hour to Ma Cha, another village of the H’mong and then trek through the Ma Cha Valley. This valley is close to Sapa Town but very quiet and the peoples here are still living their own way without influence of tourism.

Lunch will be provided in a local house.

After lunch, the trail gets larger and gradually uphill through the Suoi Ho Valley featered with narrow terraced paddies and later pine plantation, fruit, vegetable & artichoke gardens.

You will be picked up again by our car and transferred directly to Laocai.

Day use will be provided in a mini standard hotel in Laocai before you take the night train to travel back to Hanoi.

Train ??? Departure at ??? (To be advised).

Overnight on the train.

Day 4: Arrive Hanoi early this morning. End.

Arrive in Hanoi early this morning. Transfer from Hanoi Railway station to your hotel (or to the airport) will be arranged by yourself.

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Sapa mountain biking tour one day

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 09:17:44 +0000

The one-day bicycle tour is arranged in Muong Hoa valley, the most beautiful valley in Sapa. There is about 40 km to bike. This is flexible since you can bike more or less. Both uphill and downhill biking is available for this option. If you travel with your kids, taking a support vehicle is recommended. You will cycle through H’mong and Giay villages, paddy fields. Optional single dirt track cycling can be available upon request.

8:30: You will be met up at your hotel in Sapa by Lotussia Travel guide (Please advise your hotel name upon confirmation). Start the trip from Sapa, 10 minutes road ride southwards of Sapa.

Turn left and follow a large dirt and rocky track 1 hour uphill to Hang Da Village of the H’mong neat the top of Den Thang Mountain. Enjoy great view of Muong Hoa Valley and a short walk to explore this isolated village.

We continue biking for 15 minutes on high elevation of the mountain side and then the track become narrow and tough for 1 hour downhill. Some part of the trail are really tough with loosed rocks. Passing several hamlets of the Black H’mong of Hau Thao Commune with some short stops for meeting peopes. Continue to Hoa Su Pan Village, enjoy lunch break.

After lunch, we cycle downhill and cross the river to other bank, and then uphill to Giang Tu Chai Village of the Red Zao. Explore this village and then passing through the bamboo forest, terraced rice field to Ta Van Village of the Giay. Cycle around this large village and stop biking in mid afternoon at Ta Van Bridge.

Picked up and transfer back to Sapa.

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Vietnam Sapa Day Walking Tour

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 09:07:47 +0000

The day walking tour takes you to two villages are inhabited by the Red Dzao and the Black H’mong people in the south-western Sapa. This is an easy hiking trail having a fews up and downhill treks. There is about 5 hours walking. You will trek through local villages and paddy fields.

8:30: You will be met up at your hotel in Sapa by Lotussia Travel team.

Transfer 15 km to the Mong Sen Bridge with stops along the way for enjoying spectacular landscapes.

Upon our arrival in Mong Sen village, we start trekking uphill along large dirt road for nearly an hour, then following a narrow dirt trail winding its way on steep hill-sides along the western bank of the upstream part of Ngoi Dum River for 2 hours to an isolated hamlet of the Black H’mong people, explore these isolated hamlets of the Black H’mong, then lunch break.

After lunch, we continue trekking along the same trail for nearly 1,5 hours up and downhill towards Ta Phin Valley and arrive at the center of Ta Phin Commune in mid afternoon. Take a walk around this stunning valley, paying visit to some Red Zao families, then we will be picked up again by our vehicle for our drive back to Sapa.

Visit Bac Ha market and trek bike Sapa Tam Duong (1 day)

Vietnam Sapa villages treks (4 days)

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 08:28:06 +0000

This is an easy 4-day trek Lotussia Travel customizes for family adventures holidays. The hike begins and finishes in Sapa town. There are about 4 – 6 hours trek per day. Trekking on flat trails with fews up and downhill treks. All the 3 nights will be spent at local homes in local hill tribe villages, inhabited by the Dzao and the Giay ethnic groups. The best time to do this trek is the dry season starting from October till April. There is therefore some fogs in January.

Day 1: Sapa – Tram Ton – Sin Chai (L,D)

8:30: You will be met up with Lotussia Travel guide, driver at your hotel in Sapa then transferred to the Silver Waterfall where you will be able to take a short walk to the waterfall.

Drive further to Heaven Gate, the highest peak of roads in Vietnam. From there you can see the Mt. Fansipan, the highest peak of Indochina mountains.

Start descending nearby the waterfall. The trail takes you all the way downhill through bamboo forest, which belongs to Hoang Lien National Park.

Your lunch will be served at a nice spot nearby a river.

After lunch, you continue the trek to Sin Chai village of Black Hmong minority, where Community Based Tourism in Sapa takes place. You will have opportunity to explore daily life of one of the largest group ethnic minorities in Sapa area. Here you spend the night in a local house.

Day 2 : Sin Chai – Cat Cat – Y Linh Ho (B,L,D)

After breakfast, start heading up the mountain. Once you get to the top, you will trek on a small trail and then gradually descend to Cat Cat village, where you will have lunch nearby a waterfall.

In the afternoon, you take another trail sneaking through the mountains. You also enjoy spectacular scenery while walking along a narrow river.

Upon our arrival in Y Linh Ho village of Black Hmong minority, we will check-into a local house.

Dinner and overnight in the village.

Day 3: Y Linh Ho – Lao Chai – Tavan (B,L,D)

Today’s trek will continue along Hoang Lien mountain range. The tour offers you many opportunities to enjoy view over huge rice paddy terraces in Muong Hoa valley, the largest one in the area.

After lunch at a nice spot, you descend into the bottom of the valley. You will pass through Lao Chai village of Black Hmong minority and then Tavan village of Giay minority by following a very popular trekking route.

You spend the night in a traditional house of Giay minority. It will be possible for you to have some more walk around before the dinner.

Overnight in the village.

Day 4: Tavan – Giang Ta Chai – Su Pan (B,L)

Today’s trek is short, but still the landscape is beautiful. Once you get energy for your last day trek after having breakfast, you leave for Giang Ta Chai village. You will enjoy the walk in bamboo forests. After passing trough the bamboo forest we will find a nice place to enjoy lunch.

After lunch we continue towards Giang Ta Chai, a Red Dao ethnic minority village. After taking a rest nearby a waterfall to refresh, you start climbing uphill to a road where the car is ready for your journey back to Sapa.

15:00: You will be dropped off at Sapa church. End of Lotussia Travel service.

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Hike Vietnam Sapa hill tribe villages (3 days)

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:08:02 +0000

The 3-day trekking tour is provided by Lotussia Travel in Sapa, northern Vietnam. You will trek through H’mong and Dzao villages, rice paddy fields. All the 3 nights will be spent in local house (homestay) offering a real life experience. The trekking tour is available all year round but the most recommended during the dry season starting from October until May. The 3-day hihe starts and ends in Sapa town (train station pickups and Hanoi train tickets are optional services). Contact your Lotussia Travel consultant now and plan your next Sapa adventure.

Day 1: Overnight train to Laocai.

Travel to Hanoi Railway Station by yourselves. Take the night train for Laocai. Train SP? Departure at 20:30 (to be advised). Overnight on board train.

Day 2: Pickup at Laocai Railway Station & transfer to Sapa. Full day trekking (B/L/D).

Arrive Lao Cai Railway Station early this morning. You will be met up by Lotussia Travel local team and transferred by private A/C vehicle to Sapa.

Breakfast will be provided in a local restaurant in town.

Transfer 18 km to Ban Lech village of the Red Zao. We will trek along a narrow valley downhill for 2 hour to the Ngoi Bo River, then uphill for 1 hour to Muong Bo Village at the center of Thanh Phu Commune where your lunch will be provided in a local house.

After lunchtime, you will trek gradually uphill to Nam Cum Village and then head to Sin Chai B village of Red Dao where the night will be spent in the Red Dao Village.

Day 3: Full day trekking (B/L/D).

Today’s trek takes you through terraced rice paddies, bamboo forest and villages of the Red Zao and Tay such as Sin Chai A, Nam Than, Nam Nhiu with many stops for visiting local homes, schoools as well as for taking photos.

Your lunch will be prepared and served in a local house.

In the afternoon, you head to Ban Sai village of Tay minority, near the center of Nam Sai Commune. Here you will walk around to explore this village and home stay overnight here in a house on stilts. Dinner will be served with Vietnamese dishes.

Day 4: Continue trekking. Travel to Laocai Railway Station. Overnight train back to Hanoi (B/L).

On the last day of the trek you will cross several suspension bridges and trek through lush rice paddy fields and stunning scenery. Once leaving Ban Sai, you will cross the river after paying visit to My Son – a village of the Xa Pho group and then follow a narrow trail uphill to Nam Keng and continue to Nam Toong, where you have lunch in a local school.

In the afternoon, your trek will be firstly downhill to Ban Ho village where you will have time for a swim in the river. The car will meet you there and return you to Sapa.

Transfer to Laocai Railway Station for the train trip back to Hanoi. Train??? Departure at 20:00 (to be advised).

Overnight on board train.

Day 5: Arrive Hanoi early this morning. Get into your hotel by yourselves.

Arrive Hanoi early this morning. Get into your hotel in town by yourselves.

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Ban Ho village Sapa

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 06:55:23 +0000

Ban Ho Village, home to the Tay minorities and perhaps the most picturesque of the whole Challenge.

Situated alongside a turquoise fast flowing stream, it will be possible to take a little rest from a trek on one of the large boulders at the streams edge. You can also take a little time to explore this village before pushing on over the suspension bridge and trekking through ride fields to the Red Dao village of Nam Toong.

Even though Ban Ho is not too far from the center of Sapa Vietnam not many tourists have visited the village because of the tough approach road, which is under construction and slippery in the rainy season.

However, the village is also accessible by driving from Sapa to Su Pan Village and then trekking 10 kilometers to Ban Ho. Topas is one of a number of tour operators who offer this one-day package, with cost determined by the number of participants.

Ban Ho Village, Ban Ho is worth the somewhat difficult journey to get there, as the village rewards visitors with stunning views of unspoiled sites and an opportunity to discover the daily activities of the ethnic people Tay.

On the way to the waterfalls, which were named by locals after seeing fish jumping out of the water in the old days, visitors will pass brooks gently running down bamboo cylinders that locals use to channel the water into their terraced paddy fields, wooden houses perched on the sides of rolling hills and wild flowers.

When they emerge from the water in the dry season the boulders and stones along the Lavie Stream are artworks that resemble different figures, depending on the imagination of viewers. In the rainy season from May till September visitors can see water flowers created by the splashing water running into the boulders.

The trails and roads from Ban Ho also lead to the quiet Red Dao Village of Nam Toong and other ethnic communities, where trekkers can enjoy the best of Northern Vietnam, such as deep valleys, amazing mountains and simple people.

Motorcycles can be hired in Sapa at US$8 a day to travel to the Muong Hoa Valley, where more than 200 stones have been discovered, all carved with simple and complicated images of different patterns, as well as scenic villages of ethnic groups

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Visit Bac Ha market and trek bike Sapa Tam Duong (1 day)

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 05:13:20 +0000

The 3-day tour will take to to Bac Ha and Sapa, Lao Cai province in northern Vietnam and includes such highlights as the Bac Ha Sun day market, the colorful highland market is only open on Sunday morning; a day walking in Sapa offering you the opportunity to visit the H’mong and the Red Dzao, two biggest ethnic groups in Sapa. Enjoy also one day bicycle tour to Binh Lu, Tam Duong, Lai Chau (mountain bike trip).

Day 1: Laocai – Bac Ha. Visit Bac Ha Sunday market. Travel to Sapa (B,L).

Upon your arrival at Laocai railway station at 6:00 (please advise), you will be greeted by Lotussia Travel local team and transferred to a local restaurant for early breakfast.

Then leave Lao Cai for a 2-hour road journey to Bac Ha. The first portion of the road is flat and good. Then it is narrower and turns left and right more frequently from Bac Ngam to the market.

Arrive to the Market place at about 10.00 am. Spend two hours joining the local tribal peoples including Flower H’mong, Black Zao, Phu La and Tay for the festive market activities where peoples in their best traditional costume gather every Saturday for shopping and socializing. The animal and clothing sections are the most interesting until 11.30 am, and then comes the food section.

Lunch break in a local restaurant.

Leaving Bac Ha after lunch for a half-hour drive downhill to Trung Do. Enjoy a leisure walk to explore this prosperous village of the Tay ethnic people who live in large stilt house.

Enjoy an hour boat trip along the Chay River to Bao Nhai where you will be picked up again by our vehicle for the road trip to Sapa.

Day 2: Sapa mountain biking (L).

8:30: You will be met up at your hotel in Sapa by Lotussia Travel team. Leaving Sapa, you will go uphill to the Silver Waterfall where you will be dropped off to start the tour. From here you will cycle up to the Heavens Gate, the highest stretch of road in Vietnam. You will experience the stunning views across the valley.

You will then travel by bicycle downhill to Binh Lu, where the lunch will be provided.

From Binh Lu it is also possible for you to take 1 more hour on the bike and 1 hour walking to a remote village inhabited by the Dao minority.

It is now time for the jeep ride back to Sapa.

Day 3: Sapa day walking tour. Travel to Laocai (L).

8:30: You will be met up at your hotel in Sapa by Lotussia Travel team. Transfer 15 km to the Mong Sen Bridge with stops along the way for enjoying spectacular landscapes.

You will be dropped off at Loacai railway station. End of our service.

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Can Cau Market Tour