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Remote on the Road Route: Hanoi - Sapa - Villages - Sapa - Homestay - Mai Chau - HanoiThis road trip will take you out to less well travelled areas including Sapa Vietnam, spending 6 days exploring the northwest region by chauffeur-driven Toyota Landcruiser. The landscape is mountainous, filled with hill tribes, rice paddies and dense forests. Hurtling over rough and windy mountain roads, you will certainly feel the spirit of adventure, passing places totally untouched by the 21st century. This Sapa Vietnam road trip allows you to meet the local people belonging to several different hill tribes as you drive through the paddy fields that stretch towards the horizon. Each tribe has preserved its ancient customs, clothing, tribal colours, and ways of life. |
| Duration: |
6 days - 5 nights offered daily from Hanoi |
Accommodation: |
simple accommodation in the villages along the way accommodation category 2 |
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| Price: |
from $919 per person - based on 2 people sharing |
Includes: |
rental of Toyota Landcruiser, fuel, English-speaking driver, minibus from Hanoi - Sapa, all accommodation, most meals |
| Transport: |
air-conditioned minibus and Toyota Landcruiser |
Excludes: |
breakfast and lunch on day one |
Day 1: Hanoi to SapaToday, your road trip begins with a journey from Hanoi to the Vietnam mountain village of Sapa by air-conditioned minibus OR Landcruiser (depending on the weather). You will leave Hanoi early in the morning for the trip, which will take roughly 10 hours. The journey provides a fantastic opportunity to see daily Vietnamese life as you pass through towns and villages. You'll stop for breakfast and lunch en-route, eating tasty local dishes in typical Vietnamese restaurants. At the end of the afternoon you'll arrive in Sapa, where you'll have some free time to settle in and freshen up. Your guide will recommend some restaurants for a meal and you can spend the evening exploring the fascinating mountain town. You will stay overnight in a simple, charming hotel in central Sapa Vietnam. |
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Day 2: Short mountain hike and hill tribe visitAfter a hearty breakfast, you'll take a short mountain hike from Sapa Vietnam. Hiking equipment is not required, as you'll stay on hard and well-worn paths for the duration of the hike. However, it can get a bit slippery if it rains, so make sure you are wearing sturdy shoes with a good tread. You'll walk with your guide to Cat Cat Village, home to the Black H’mong hill tribe. They are recognised for their black clothes, which they make and dye themselves. Each household even has its own barrel of home-made paint. You'll pass a sparkling waterfall, and at the top of the hill there is a fantastic view of the entire area, with rice paddies stretching as far as the eye can see. After your hike, you'll spend another night in the hotel in Sapa Vietnam, and tomorrow you'll continue your road trip. |
Day 3: Sapa to Lai ChauToday, your driver will take your trusty Landcruiser on a road trip from Sapa Vietnam over a high mountain pass towards Lai Chau, a traditional village nestled deep in a green valley. Along the way, you'll pass people from various hill tribes on the rugged mountain paths. By the end of the 170km drive you'll probably be able to recognise the subtle differences between the Meo, the Muong, the Karen, and the White Tai peoples. Road conditions will limit the speed of journey, allowing you to marvel leisurely at the vast scenery around you. If you wish to stop anywhere at all, just ask your English-speaking chauffeur to pull over, that's what road trips are all about. You'll spend the night in simple accommodation in the village of Lai Chau. |
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Day 4: Lai Chau to Dien Bien PhuToday your Vietnam road trip will take you a further 160km over another breathtaking mountain pass. On the way, you'll come across a small war museum that was formerly the headquarters of Colonel Christian de Cateries. You're more than welcome to take a look inside and see the archaic French weaponry. After this, you'll pass through many villages and people in traditional hill tribe costumes. At the end of today's road trip you'll spend the night in simple accommodation in the rustic village of Dien Bien Phu. |
Day 5: Dien Bien Phu to Son LaThe road trip today will cover approximately 150km and you'll stop along the way to visit the hill tribes of the Black Tai, White Tai, Meo and the Muong. Your final destination for the day will be Son La, renowned in French colonial times for its infamous prison, where opponents and revolutionaries were held captive in horrific conditions. Today you can visit the haunting but fascinating prison and its museum, it's sure to send shivers down your spine. At the end of today's road trip you'll sleep overnight in a hotel in Son La. |
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Day 6: Son La to HanoiThe last stage of this epic Sapa Vietnam road trip is a whopping 320km journey through all kinds of wonderful terrain. You'll stop on several occasions to visit native Muong hill tribes and pass through the towns of Moc Chau, Hoa Binh, and Mai Chau. The village of Mai Chau is home to the White Tai people, who live in traditional houses that they build on stilts. They are famous for their embroidered clothing, their dancing, traditional songs and especially their Can wine. This potent wine is made of leaves and is drunk through a bamboo straw. If you'd like to get to know the White Tai people better you can spend a night in one of their stilt houses as part of the Hill Tribes of Mai Chau module. After your fantastic Vietnam road trip, you will arrive back in to Hanoi in the late afternoon, saying goodbye to your friendly driver. |
A peek at the accommodation along the way
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