Detailed Itinerary

Itinerary in brief
Day 1 - depart :
Day 2 ( Sunday ): Laocai - MuongHum Market - Sapa Town
Day 3 : Sapa - Y Linh Ho - Laochai - TaVan Village
Day 4 : TaVan village - Giang Ta Chai Village- Sapa - Night train to Hanoi

Day 1 - depart : 8h30 PM Pick up at your hotel and transfer to Hanoi Railway Station for the night train at at 9:30 PM to get to Laocai Station. Sleep on the train - soft sleeper .

Day 2 ( Sunday ): Laocai - MuongHum Market - Sapa Town ( B, L, D)
6h00 Arrive at Laocai Train station. Pick up at Laocai Train Station to transfer to Muong Hum market. It takes almost 2 hours to get to MuongHum - a small & traditional market situated among ethnic villages. The market deeply shows the typical cultural features of Vietnam's remote areas. Leave the market and transfer to Sapa. On the way, spend time visiting a cave called MuongVy or "ThuyTien" , visiting a village of the Black H'mong and then reach Sapa and check in hotel. Lunch in Muong Hum and dinner in Sapa. Overnight at hotel.

Day 3 : Sapa - Y Linh Ho - Laochai - TaVan Village ( B, L, D)
6 hours trekking, 15 km, 3 villages.
Breakfast at Bamboo Sapa Restaurant. Depart Sapa for the trekking at 10:00 AM. Take the main road by jeep and go down hill to the valley. Cross MuongHoa River to get to the other mountainside for 3 villages with rice terraces: Y Linh Ho, Laochai, and Tavan. Stay the night at a local family in Tavan village. Picnic lunch on the way and dinner at the home-stay.

Day 4 : TaVan village - Giang Ta Chai Village- Sapa - Night train to Hanoi
5 hours trekking, 14 km, 2 villages. ( B, L, D)
Get up early in the morning to enjoy the daily life of the ethnic minorities in the village. Breakfast, take the road to GiangTa Chai village of the Red Dzao minority via the paths between terraces and through bamboo forests. Visit silver waterfall and suspension Rattan Bridge, visit the people in the village and then cross MuongHoa River up to the mountain to visit the last village of the trek - Supan village of the H'mong. Get back to Sapa by jeep. On the way back, enjoy visiting the ancient stone circle where stones are decorated with ancient carvings. Reach Sapa. Then take bus to LaoCai Station for the night train to Hanoi. Dinner on the train.

Arrive in Hanoi round 4:30 AM. The end of tour.

Departure & Price

INCLUDING
+ Transportation in private air-conditioned vehicle with driver in delta and local transport in mountain
+ Accommodation: twin sharing room at mentioned hotels, guesthouses or similar one and home stay during the trek or tent
+ English or French speaking guide and local guide for trekking
+ Meals as mentioned:B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner
+ Train ticket ( soft sleeper cabin for 4 passengers)
+ Entrance fee to indicated sights
+ Permit and porter for trekking
+ Sleeping bag and mattresses
+ Waterproof bluebag for luggage
+ Tents if needed
+ Mosquito net
+ Boat trip
+ Motorbike
+ Water, Fruit and Snack (3L/ pax/ day)
+ Equipment

NOT INCLUDING
+ Other meals
+ tip
+ drinks
+ airport tax
+ single room supplement
+ personal expenses
+ travel insurance
+ visa
+ flight in/ out of Vietnam
+ any optional additional tours or activities during free time
+ surcharge for peak season
+ local holiday days and gala dinner (X’mas, New Year & Tet “Lunar New Year”)

We turn what you have in mind into fabulous experience!
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Travel facts

Green Trail Tours - Traveller Tips for Vietnam

GEOGRAPHY: Vietnam stretches over 1600 km.along the eastern coast of the IndochinaPeninsula. The S-shaped country is broad in the north and south and very narrow in the centre. Almost 80% of Vietnam consists of mountains and hills. The TruongSonMountains extend almost the length of Vietnam along the borders with Laos and Cambodia.

VISAS: All visitors are required to have a valid visa to enter Vietnam. A one-month tourist visa is usually sufficient for most visitors though it is possible to arrange 3-month and 6-month multiple entry visas for regular visitors. All visitors must obtain visa approval from the Vietnamese Immigration Department before a visa is issued.

MONEY: The currency issued by the Vietnam State Bank is the dong (abbreviated "d" or VND) which is used informally throughout the country. Bank notes in denominations of 200d to 100,000d are presently in circulation. The exchange rate is approximately 18,000d = US$1. Australia Dollars are accepted in many hotels, restaurants. Banks are open Monday to Friday and some are open Saturday morning. Traveller's cheques can be exchanged at banks, some international hotel and some exchange bureaux but can be difficult to change outside of the major cities. Visa Card and MasterCard are now accepted in many hotels, restaurants and shops.

ELECTRICITY: Electric current in Vietnam is 220 volts and will operate all Australian appliances. Always carry a torch with fresh batteries. Recharge photographic batteries regularly.

CLOTHING: Comfortable lightweight clothing in natural fabrics such as cotton is most suitable for travelling in Vietnam. The dress code is fairly casual as in most parts of the tropics but it is advisable to cover arms and legs in the evenings against biting insects. A lightweight raincoat is a good idea in the rainy season. During the winter months warm clothing is needed for visiting the north of Vietnam. Visitors to Buddhist countries should not wear shorts, short skirts or other skimpy clothing when visiting religious buildings and shoes should be removed before entering a private home

CLIMATE / WEATHER: Vietnam’s weather conditions are pleasant for visitors throughout the year. The WINTER monsoon comes from the northeast between October and March with wet chilly conditions in the north, but dry warm temperatures to the south. From April to October the southwest monsoons bring warm, humid weather to the whole country.

LANGUAGE: Because Vietnamese has six different tones, it is a difficult language for most foreigners to speak despite the fact that the Roman alphabet is used in modern Vietnamese. The same word can have six different meanings depending on the tone used to pronounce it. In the cities and larger towns English is becoming popular and is now spoken by many younger people while some of the older generation still speak fluent French. Russian and Chinese are also spoken by some people

ACCOMMODATION: All group tour hotels have been especially selected. All have private western bathroom facilities. Laundry service can launder clothing within 24 hours. It is not customary for all hotels to have refrigerator and tea/coffee facilities.

FOOD / DRINK: The cuisine of Vietnam comes as a pleasant surprise to many visitors and is definitely a part of the Vietnam experience not to be missed. One of the characteristics of Vietnamese food is that it is always fresh being bought the same morning straight from the market. Food is usually prepared with a minimum of oil and served with the ubiquitous fish sauce called nuoc mam. Typical Vietnamese dishes you can expect to try include pho, a type of rice noodle soup eaten for breakfast, cha gio, deep-fried spring rolls and goi ngo sen, a delicious salad made with lotus stems, shrimps and peanuts. Due to the strong Buddhist influence in Vietnam, vegetarian food is widely available.

SHOPPING: Souvenirs to look out for in Vietnam include lacquerware, silk, conical hats, woodcarvings, hill tribe fabrics and handicrafts, embroidery, marble, ceramics, silver jewellery, antique watches and paintings. Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi have the best choice when it comes to shopping but Hoi An in the centre of Vietnam is also a very good place to hunt for bargains.

TOILETS: Public toilets can sometimes be difficult to find. Take every opportunity you can to use clean toilets in hotels and restaurants. Make this a habit on your stay.

HEALTH: Consult your medico or visit the Traveller Medical and Vaccination Centre for professional medical advice well in advance of your departure, Wash hands before and after eating. Carry ‘wet-ones’,anti bacterial handwash, insect repellant, band aids and emergency medicines eg. Diarrhoea. Drink plenty of water and have adequate rest. Seek medical care, if needed. Don’t take risks with health and personal hygiene.

SAFETY / SECURITY: Always maintain a high level of personal security. Cash or wallets in pockets, obvious jewellery and open bags attract unwanted attention. Beware of pickpockets in crowded places. Lock your case, Carry a hotel card so that taxis know where to take you.

LUGGAGE: All passengers are limited to TWO items of luggage each. One case with maximum weight weight of 20 kg. and maximum size of 70 litres. It is essential to lock this case. One piece of hand luggage with maximum weight of 5 kg. It is advisable that hand luggage consist of a ‘daypack’ to carry camera, water, toilet paper, umbrella, hat etc.

TIPPING: Tipping for good service is not expected but is always appreciated in these developing nations. It is customary, though not compulsory, to tip tour guides and drivers at the end of a tour. Hotel and station porters should also be tipped.

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