Sa Pa 4 nights / 3 days Homestay

Day 1: Overnight train to Lao Cai

8.00pm: Transfer to Hanoi train station.

Day 2: Sa Pa hotelstay

Early arrival in Lao Cai train station. Our bus driver will hold up a board with your name written on it to pick you up and take you uphill to Sa Pa. It is 40 km away. It is a great opportunity to take the morning photos of the terrace paddy fields and the early life of the locals there. You can have breakfast at the hotel while your guide goes through the itinerary.

Free morning to wander around or laze yourselves in the warm bed. Located 1,500 meters above the sea level, Sa Pa is a quiet mountain town and home to a great diversity of ethnic minority people. Make sure that you visit the local market to have some interaction with the locals. In the afternoon, we will take a short walk to Cat Cat village, home of Black H’Mong people. It is 3 hours of dirt road, up and down with lots of photos. You can have your first shopping in small shops which are set up next to the hydro power station built by the French in early 20th century. Our guide will be more than happy to recommend some restaurants serving delicious local food.

Day 3: Sa Pa homestay (B, L &D)

A good breakfast by the balcony looking down the valley will start our day. Your guide will take you down to Muong Hoa valley to visit home of H’Mong and Dzay people with breath-taking views of Ta Van stream. Make sure that you come and visit the local house in Ta Van and Lao Chai village. Talk and play with the kids and learn some of the local words which will take you straight to their heart.

After a picnic lunch, we will continue our day walking to Ta Van village for our overnight stay in Dzay people’s home. It’s a good chance to understand the life and culture as well as the customs of the ethnic minority people in the North West of Vietnam. Don’t hesitate to accept the house rice wine offered by the host (it is usually the woman) as a way of expressing their hospitality.

Day 4: Sa Pa back to Hanoi (B & L)

Awaken up to the sound of country life when horses and buffaloes go to the fields. You will have a nice breakfast and then we set off for another hard walking day. Through the bamboo forest, down the falls and up to the main road again where we meet our bus back to Sa Pa. The afternoon is up to you to do last minute shopping. Our bus will pick you up from the hotel at 4.30 pm back to Lao Cai for our train to Hanoi.

Note: If day 4 is Sunday or Tuesday, we have an optional tour to Bac Ha (Sunday) or Coc Ly (Tuesday). We will have an early start and take you to Lao Cai in the late afternoon. Booking in advance is required.

Day 5: Hanoi

Train arrives in Hanoi station at 5.30 am. Tour ends. Suggestions for early activities in Hanoi: - Book the hotel in advance for early check-in or - By Hoan Kiem lake, there are some great classes that you can join in with: stretching, tai chi, walking etc. You will love this once in a lifetime opportunity for some early morning local interaction.

Inclusions:

• Transfer to Hanoi train station
• Local bus from Lao Cai train station to Sa Pa & back
• Train tickets both way (AC, soft-sleeper, 4 people / cabin)
• English speaking guide in Sa Pa - 01 night hotel (Cat Cat hotel) and 01 night home stay
• Above-mentioned meals
• Entrance fees.

Exclusions:

• Travel insurance
• Personal expenses and tips.
• And, please note that all drinks are extra.

Price: For a group of 2 people: $119 US For a group of 3 - 6 people: $107 US Single supplement: $10 US