This 5-day North Vietnam Tours is customized for individuals, small group tours and holiday tours, those seeking an off the beaten path tour to Vietnam. Begin the tour with a car transfer from Hanoi up to Ha Giang town, Ha giang province where you spend the first night at local home. The following days, you will travel to Meo Vac, Dong Van karst plateau, Sa Phin village. If you arrive there on Saturday or Sunday you will have the opportunity to visit one of the most colorful market in Vietnam where you meet up with different ethnics groups such as the Tay, the Dzao, the H’mong…You will spend one night at My Lan hotspring in Tuyen Quang before you enjoy the drive back to Hanoi. Contact Lotussia Travel for more details.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Ha Noi – Ha Giang.

You will be met up with Lotussia Travel team at your hotel in Hanoi then transferred to Ha Giang though Son Nam District of Tuyen Quang province. Enjoy natural landscape and green fields, palm hill and villages. Passing Tuyen Quang town, you can visit village of black Tay minority. Arrive at Ha Giang town in the late afternoon. Dinner and Overnight in hotel in Ha Giang.

 Day 2: Ha Giang - Meo Vac - Dong Van.

Breakfast at the local restaurant, and then our guide will take you to highland of Ha Giang province with a stop in Quan Ba District to visit the Bo Y minority village, this area is wonderful weather around year, then process passing Sky gate where you can visit sky, Fairy Mountain, hand weaving village. Break in Yen Minh town. Continues driving to Meo Vac town, visit Dzao minority house and we have chance to view Nho Que river with Ma Pileng point. Arrive Dong Van District. Dinner and Overnight in hotel.

Day 3: Dong Van - Lung Cu - Sa Phin - Ha Giang.

Breakfast outside of hotel. Visit ancient houses, departure for Lo Lo minority village, trekking to Flag tower on the top of Lung Cu mountain about 1km, view ancient valley from the top. After that we go to Sa Phin village to visit former Meo King palace, on the way we can stop to visit Lung Tao a small village. If we come here on Sunday, we have chance to visit local market, it is still remain traditional life of high minority in Ha Giang. Overnight in hotel in Ha Giang.

Day 4: Ha Giang - My Lam hot spring - Tuyen Quang.

After breakfast, we return to Tuyen Quang with some stops on the way for taking photos, and then head to My Lam for some hours at leisure at Hot spring. Check in hotel in Tuyen Quang town. Free time to explore the town & afternoon market.

Day 5: Tuyen Quang - Viet Tri - Ha Noi.

Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Ha Noi on No.2 national road with a stop at Viet Tri city as a short break and lunch for an hour. After that, we drive straight to Hanoi. Arrive in Hanoi in the late afternoon. End of the trip.

The Lo Lo ethnic group can be divided into Flower Lo Lo and Black Lo Lo, Ha Giang.  Living in Lung Cu since ancient time, the Lo Lo people have made many efforts in reclaiming the virgin land and in grasping to this northernmost part of the country. The Lo Lo folkloric culture is very rich and unique, demonstrated with dances, songs, legends. The decoration on their turbans, shirts, skirts and trousers are particularly colorful. The Lo Lo calendar divides a year into 11 months, each corresponding to an animal’s name.

 The ancient bronze drums are the holy thing of the Lo Lo people, buried for protection and sometimes dug out only for use. The head of each family is entitled to keep the drums which are used only during funerals or festivals to maintain rhythms for dances.

The Lo Lo people are among the few ethnic groups in Vietnam who still use bronze drums, a traditional musical instrument closely associated with a legend about the Flood. According to the legend, a catastrophic flood took place to raise water up to the sky. The God saved a girl and her younger brother by putting the girl in a big bronze drum and the boy in a small bronze drum. When the flood retreated, the sister and brother stayed on in the mountains, becoming a couple, the re-Creator of the mankind. The Lo Lo people’s perception on Yin and Yang, on birth is perhaps still preserved by playing at the same time the male and female drums.




The drums are hanged on a stand at the feet of the dead, facing to each other. The drummer stands in between, playing alternately each drum with only one end of the same drumstick. Only single men or married men but whose wives are not pregnant can play the drums. The bronze drums are not only a precious asset but also a holy instrument. Only with the sound of the drums can the soul of the dead find the way to return to the birthplace of his/her ancestors.

The Tay is the second large ethnic minority in Ha Giang, account for 25 percent total population of province. They mainly live on planting wet rice in fields near river, mountain foot and farming slope. Tay villages are usually at mountain foot and include about 15 to 20 houses. They live in house of stilt, thatch roofed houses using palm leaves or grass.

 Their family handicraft is quite developed such as, knitting, making wooden furniture, pottery. Besides, weaving fabric of Tay is quite well known, especially, the type of blankets, brocade turbans with rich pattern which a lot of people love. Tay ethnic usually wear cotton clothes, dyed indigo, wear silver necklace and silver rings at their wrists and ankles. Their main color on costumes is indigo. The culture of Tay is very diversified with different kind of ceremony involving production, human life, wedding, funeral, new house celebration. The folkloric literature of Tay community are a rich treasure of legends, myths, ancient stories, verse stories, folkloric songs. Of which, Tay’s folkloric songs are well known for song “ glider”- this is a form of culture of the Vietnamese.
Dao ethnic minority

The Dao ethnic group in DVKP can be divided into sub-group such as Red Dao (Dao đỏ), Coin Dao (Dao tiền), White Trousers Dao, Long Robe Dao (Dao áo dài), Lo River Dao (Dao lô giang) who live by slope and terrace farming. The Dao people have some unique handicraft making such as forging, casting, jeweler, embroidery and wax printing-dyeing clothes. They live in stilt, earth or half stilt-half earth houses, close to water sources. Their dresses usually show traditional features and designs using colour thread, with lots of turban, shirt, skirt types. Their traditional religious culture is very complex, demonstrating communal spirit, conscience and conception. Worshiping and wizardry are not simply superstition but something special indicating the depth of their culture. The Dao folkloric literature is very rich in legends, myths, narrate stories, pop songs, quizzes, proverbs implying their communal perception of the universe and human life

This ceremony started for along time ago. It has been survived and developed together with Pu Peo generations. The forest God worship is a cultural activity, folk belief associated with the multi – God philosophical life of agriculture residents such as, Spring God, River Lord, Mountain God, Forest Lord, Tree God, etc. Creating its own cultural nuances in community life. The festival not only is deeply spiritual values but also confirms the role and position of community in nature.

Pu Peo people in Ha Giang has still preserved many community rituals and a treasure of rich folklore. Together with other ceremony held in the New Year days, forest god worship ceremony wishing for green mountain, security and good health for the people. This is considered as an indispensable agricultural ritual. Thanks to this ritual, forests under the region of Pu Peo lives are often protected very well, especially sacred forest. In fact, the protection of forest for farming and timber are transmitted to proceed generation by generation.

The ceremony takes place in the forbidden forest – the sacred forest, a sorcerer on behalf of the people honorifically faces down in a big trunk, then kowtow twice, each three times to look forward to protected of forest God, water God. Pu Peo people always understand that holding forest is holding the source of water; therefore, paying water God is also paying forest God. That is the reason why the youth in Pu Peo village (girls and boys) always go to Streams to carry water to home for wishing good lucks on New Year days.

During a day, with jubilant and solidarity atmosphere, the ceremony is seriously carried out by Pu Peo ethnic to ensure basic requirements of customary tradition. Next, the people together take part in festival activities with the content of such as, pushing stick, tug of war, playing “ao”, jumping toad, etc. Besides, they organized the dance – song program with singing folk, singing giao duyen , singing retort , etc.

Held in spring, from 1st to 15th January of lunar calendar, on low hill with quite level topography. The ceremony consists of distinct two parts but has closely relationship. The first can not held mentioning its Gau Tao ceremony to pray for happiness and fortune. The second is the Mong’s custom. Ha Giang

One New year’s tree will be set up in the days before Tet, a wine- gourd and a piece of red cloth on its top to inform local people preparing for the festival. In fact that, this is a ritual praying for a child of the families who can not have children or families with sick members.

After the worship undertaken by wizard, there will be festival session with entertainment activities of Mong people such as dance with pan -pipe, humming – top collision, shooting cross bow , shooting bow and arrow , horse race, singing gau plenh, singing love story song, singing retort, singing trao duyen, festival singing, etc.

At the end of the festival, there will be ceremony of taking down on the neu tree and take the red cloth from the Neu tree to hang inside house to aspire to lasting happiness. “Gau tao’ festival is one typical cultural activity on Dong Van karst plateau Geopark.

Co Tien double mountain under the type of tectonic – Geomorphic heritage, located in Tam Son town, Quan Ba district, Ha Giang province. It is 47 kilometer from Ha Giang town.

 Situated at an altitude of over 1000 meters above sea level, fresh air, wild scenery, majestic nature with endlessly range of Limestone Mountains. The nature has granted here a wonderful place called “Co Tien double mountain”, it is two tops of the limestone mountain. Its shape is the same as “two breasts” of the girl, lie in the middle of the field in Quan Ba. This actually is an unique landscape of Tam Son in particular and Dong Van karst plateau Geopark in general.

“Co Tien double Mountain” is truly product of the process of leaching, erosion with regular practice in the destruction of the fault zone in Quan Ba - Huong Cha that its last phase of activity occurred about 5 million years ago. In fact that, there are many karst scene in the valley of Quan Ba, only “Co Tien double mountain” is the most beautiful and located at the most favorable position to visitors can see.

Often dubbed Vua Meo (king of H’mong), the palace’s official name is Vuong Chinh Sinh. The Hmong king ruled over a vast territory from Dong Van Plateau to Meo Vac Town. During his reign, the charismatic king attracted a lot of attention when he and other Meo residents joined forces with Ho Chi Minh to gain national freedom.

 The palace is in Sa Phin valley in Lung Phin Commune, Dong Van District Ha Giang at the base of a mountain, backed by cliffs and topped by a mass of clouds.

Tall sa moc trees surround the palace that is built from stone, fir wood and terra-cotta tiles in the Chinese architectural style of the Man Qing era.

Covering a total area of 1,120 square meters, the palace was used as a residence and fortress during the Vuong Dynasty.

The two storey, 50 meter long palace that took eight years to build has four long houses and six wide houses with 64 rooms for the king’s wives, children and soldiers.

All the walls are 50-60 centimeters thick. Surrounding it is stone barrier which is 2 meters high and 80 centimeters thick.

The palace is divided into many areas such as dining room, bed room, kitchen, marijuana store, rooms of his wives, a prayer altar and an area for criminal executions.

No one lives at the palace anymore but it has been well maintained by the provincial government. It contains wardrobes, fireplace, beds, flour-mill, crossbow and pan-pipe.

Still largely un-restored the palace is a great place to learn about the province’s interesting history.
   

The Dong Van plateau was recognized by the UNESCO as one of the 77 geological parks in the world and the second in Southeast Asia on October 3. The park covers four districts of Meo Vac, Dong Van, Yen Minh and Quan Ba, Ha Giang totaling over 2,300sq.km, with nearly 250,000 residents. Up to 80 percent of the plateau is covered by limestone.

 Scientists have discovered 40 locations which have special values in terms of natural resources in Dong Van.

Dong Van is home to nearly 20 ethnic groups, with diverse cultures and traditions, which make the plateau an interesting destination for tourists/visitors.

Day 1: Hanoi – Ha Giang

You will be met up by Lotussia Travel guide, driver and transferred to Ha Giang province. Enjoy natural landscape and green fields, palm hill and villages. Passing Tuyen quang town, you can visit village of black Tay minority. Arrive Ha Giang town in the late afternoon you’ll arrive at Me village – a hometown of Tay people. Remainder of the day for wandering to peaceful village and having dinner and spend the night in a family’s stilt house.

 Day 2: Ha Giang – Yen Minh – Meo Vac – Dong Van

After breakfast, you’ll drive to the small communities of Yen Minh via Quan Ba pass. Today is a real challenge however the breath-taking scenery makes the hardship all worthwhile. Take a 2-hour easy trek to visit villages of Tay and Dzay people enroute before lunch in Yen Minh. In the afternoon, heading to Dong Van via Ma Pi Leng pass. This is one of the best photo stop to enjoy the wonderful sightseeing of this vast limestone mountain range and perpendicular walls of rock, which brings one a feeling of adventure whilst being lost in the rocky h ighlands . Check-in a local guest house in Dong Van. Your guide will show you the Dong Van Old Streets located by the market. You’ll spend the night in Dong Van.

Day 3: Dong Van – Yen Minh – Quan Ba

Breakfast in Dong Van then leave for the Vuong’s Palace. The building used to belong to a King of H’mong people during the French domination. The palace attracts keen interest from architecturally minded visitors due to it mixed style of European and Chinese architecture. You might catch up a weekly market frequented the ethnic minority enroute.Late in the afternoon, you’ll call at in a a flax weaving village before arriving at a guest house in Quan Ba for overnight accommodation.

Day 4: Quan Ba – My Lam hot spring-Tuyen Quang

Breakfast outside of hotel. Local guide says good bye to you, we return to Tuyen Quang, we stop some interest points. Go to My Lam for some hours at leisure at Hot spring. Check in hotel in Tuyen Quang town. Free time to explore the town & afternoon market.

Day 5  Tuyen Quang – Viet Tri – Ha Noi

Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Ha Noi on No.2 national road. Arrive Vietri – an industrial city, taking break half an hour. We reach to Ha Noi after 4 hours from Tuyen Quang. Free time.
End of our service.