Sapa – Can Cau – Bac Ha Markets Tour 3 Days

Night 1: Hanoi - Night train to Lao Cai

20:30pm Pick up at the hotel in Hanoi contre transfer to Hanoi station to catch the night train to Lao Cai. Overnight on the train with soft sleeper berth.

Night train to Lao Cai from Hanoi

Day 1: Sapa – Y Linh Ho – Lao Chai – Ta Van – Sapa (B, L, D)

Arriving in Lao Cai Station in the early morning, we will transfer to Sapa via minibus. After breakfast, we will start trekking uphill to Y Linh Ho and Muong Hoa through rice paddies and small hamlets to study life of hill tribes here. Y Linh Ho is a small commune composed by a dozen of small hamlets scattering on the very tough mountain terrain with high and steep mountains. There are some hundred inhabitants from the Black H’mong only living in this commune. Then we will visit Lao Chai Village and have cultural exchange activities with the locals there.
We will have picnic lunch carried by the tour guide, then continue trekking through villages and rice terraced fields to Ta Van Village settled by Dzay ethnic minorities. Ta Van is a small village set within a picturesque valley of Muong Hoa. Ta Van village is set within a picturesque valley with amazing natural landscape and friendly local people. The area is well-known for its colorful ethnic minorities. Visiting Ta Van Village will be an unforgettable experience, since you will have a chance to witness the special cultural characteristics of local people. Overnight at the hotel in Sapa

Day 2: Saturday - Can Cau Market (B, L, D)

Today's activities: Can Cau Market tour (4 hours cycling or road transfer/ 1-hour lunch)
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch and Dinner included
Accommodation: Hotel in Bac Ha
Itinerary:
Today is time for a special market experience: the Can Cau market.
After have breakfast at hotel, our tour will be started. 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 right location of the market place also offers photo-hunters ideal opportunity for taking photos, not only of peoples in colorful traditional costumes but also breathtaking landscapes of the perfect surrounding. Leaving the market almost at noon, drive 20 km back to Bac Ha town let for lunch break.
In the afternoon, you will take a walk to Ban Pho, a small village of Nung and Flower Hmong. The villagers grow vegetables and fruit trees. One of the most famous fruit of the area is plum. Visit a local house and taste a cup of corn wine, another famous product of the village. Then go back to hotel late in the afternoon.

Day 3: Sunday - Bac Ha Market (B, L, D)

Today's activities: Bac Ha Market tour
Tour summary: Road transfer 4 to 5 hours/ Market, village visit & Walk about 4 hours/ Boat trip 1 hour/ Lunch included.
Accommodation: Overnight on train
Itinerary:
Breakfast at hotel.
Early departure from Bac Ha Town at about 08.00am Sunday morning to arrive to the market place. Spend three hours joining the local tribal peoples including Flower H’mong, Black Zao, Phu La and Tay for the market activities and festive atmosphere. All peoples in their best traditional costume gather every Sunday for shopping, but socializing is of great importance. The cattle and clothing sections are the most interesting until 11.00 and then come the food section where peoples meet, talk, enjoy food and especially drink a kind of locally made corn-wine.
Lunch break in a local restaurant. Then leave Bac Ha for half an hour road ride downhill to Trung Do village which is beautifully set in a valley on the eastern bank of the mighty Chay River (if the river has water). Take an hour leisure walk to explore this prosperous village of the Tay ethnic people who live in large stilt houses andl have maintained well their traditional way of life. Walk to the boat pier in mid afternoon, boarding a boat for cruising downstream the Chay River for an hour to Bao Nhai. Boat cruise end at Bao Tan Village, near the motorway.
Picked up and transfer 45 km to Lao Cai city, spend half an hour to see trading activities at the border gate and coffee break before transfer to Lao Cai station.

Day 4: Hanoi Arrival

Overnight on the train.
Arrive in Hanoi railway station around 05.30 am.  Our team will pick you up at Hanoi station and transfer to your hotel. End of service.

What included?

Train tickets Ha Noi/Lao Cai and return.
All meals as mentioned in the tour program(B= Breakfast, L= Lunch, D= Dinner).
Transport as tour program.
English speaking tour guide.
All accommodation, entrance fees, security permits.

What excluded?
Insurance.
Drinks, Phone call, other private expenses.

* Note:Please bring along a good pair of walking shoes, raincoats, jackets, inspect repellent and suncream.