Exclusive 7-Day North Vietnam Eco Tour: Mai Chau, Pu Luong & Ninh Binh

• Daily Highlight: Private airport transfer to a green-certified boutique hotel, followed by a relaxed West Lake walk and an organic herbal tea tasting.

Welcome:

• ✈️ Airport Pickup: Private transfer from Noi Bai International Airport to a green-certified boutique hotel in Hanoi.
• 📸 Free Exploration: A relaxed walking tour around Hoan Kiem Lake or the Old Quarter, stopping at traditional tea houses for organic Vietnamese herbal tea tasting or try Vietnamese traditional eggs coffee at Café Giảng – 39 Nguyen Huu Huan St.

Evening:

• 🍜 Welcome Dinner: Enjoy your own welcome dinner featuring organic, locally sourced Northern Vietnamese cuisine such as Bánh mì, Phở, Bún chả, Chả cá…
• 🏨 Overnight: Green-certified boutique hotel in Hanoi.

💡 Local Insider Tips:

• ☕ Savor the lotus tea tasting session slowly; it is a traditional Hanoian art form known for calming the mind after a long flight.
• 🎒 Pack a lightweight daypack for your transition into the western valleys tomorrow.
• 📸 Key Check-in Spot: Hoan Kiem Lake, French Quarter, Hanoi Old Quarter.
• 🍔 Must-Try Culinary Experience: Organic lotus-infused tea and traditional Hanoian spring rolls.

🌿 Included: Private airport transfer, hotel accommodation.

• Daily Highlight: Scenic drive across Thung Khe Pass into Mai Chau, afternoon village cycling, and an evening White Thai dance performance. 

Morning:

• 🚗 Scenic Transfer: Private pick-up in Hanoi around 07:00. Scenic drive west to the lush Mai Chau Valley (former Hoa Binh province) over Thung Khe Pass (approx. 3.5 hours).
• 🗻 Stop at the scenic Thung Khe Pass and visit the Muong people’s roadside market then drive to Mai Chau Flagpole and Thai’s villages.

Afternoon:

• 🍽 Lunch at the homestay or eco-lodge at Mai Chau valley.
• 🏨 Lodge Check-in: Check into your eco-lodge surrounded by rice paddies.
• 🚲 Village Cycling: Take a leisurely bicycle ride along village paths through Lac and Pom Coong villages, observing traditional White Thai wooden stilt houses and handloom weaving.

Evening:

• 🍽️ Cultural Dinner: Savor a farm-to-table dinner and enjoy a traditional White Thai dance performance with bamboo tube wine (Rượu cần).
• 🏨 Overnight: Mai Chau eco-lodge.

💡 Local Insider Tips:

• 🚲 The cycling route is flat, paved, and extremely gentle—ideal for all fitness levels.
• 🎁 Purchase handmade brocade souvenirs directly from local Thai weavers to support village artisans.
• 📸 Key Check-in Spot: Thung Khe White Stone Pass, Mai Chau Flagpole & Lac Village stilt houses.
• 🍔 Must-Try Culinary Experience: Traditional bamboo-cooked rice (Cơm lam) and grilled hill-tribe chicken.

🌿 Included: Private transport, English speaking guide, eco-lodge accommodation, bicycle rental, all meals, cultural show.

• Daily Highlight: A slow morning of yoga and village walking, and morning cloud hunting at Hang Kia – Pa Co, visit Pa Co market (if Sunday), explore Bo Am hot springs, and transfer to a cliffside eco-lodge in Pu Luong.

Morning:

• 🧘 Mindful Morning: Enjoy a mindful morning yoga session or a peaceful morning walk among the fields.
• ☁️ Cloud Hunting & Market: Experience cloud hunting in Hang Kia – Pà Cò (altitude over 1,000m, ideal from October to April). Visit Pà Cò Market (held every Sunday) for local handicrafts and brocade fabrics. (Spring visits showcase blooming cherry and plum blossoms).

Afternoon:

• 🍽 Lunch at the Thai village near the Bo Am Hot Spring.
• ♨️ Natural Hot Spring: Experience Bo Am Hot Spring (Mo Am Hot Spring) in Ban Phu Mau, Chieng Yen Commune, Van Ho District, Son La Province.
• 🚗 Pu Luong Transfer: Depart Mai Chau for Pu Luong Nature Reserve (Thanh Hoa province). Arrive in Pu Luong and check into a cliffside eco-lodge featuring infinity pools overlooking sweeping rice terraces. Take a gentle walk down into Don Village to learn about local mountain agriculture.

Evening:

• 🌿 Herbal Foot Soak: Unwind with a herbal foot soak made from wild forest leaves harvested by the local Black Thai community.
• 🏨 Overnight: Pu Luong cliffside eco-lodge.

💡 Local Insider Tips:

• 🏊 Request an infinity pool-facing room to enjoy uninterrupted sunset views over the Pu Luong valley.
• 🌳 The wild forest leaf foot soak is exceptionally therapeutic after a day of travel.
• 📸 Key Check-in Spot: Hang Kia cloud viewpoint & Sunday Market, Bo Am Hot Spring, Pu Luong infinity pool terraces.
• 🍔 Must-Try Culinary Experience: Pu Luong organic mountain duck and wild forest vegetable soup.

🌿 Included: Private transport, English speaking guide, entrance tickets, eco-lodge accommodation, all meals,  hot spring bath & herbal foot soak experience.

• Daily Highlight: Walk to Ban Hieu waterfall, discover Cham Stream’s giant waterwheels, enjoy a tranquil bamboo raft ride, and indulge in an organic spa massage.

Morning:

• 📸 Waterfall Walk: Walk through Ban Hieu to admire cascading waterfalls tucked inside lush jungle canopies (approx. 3–4 km) .
• 🍽 Have lunch at the local restaurant next to the waterfall.

Afternoon:

• ⚙️ Waterwheel & Rafting: Visit the giant bamboo waterwheels of Cham Stream—an ancient engineering marvel used to irrigate high-altitude rice fields. Enjoy a tranquil bamboo rafting trip down the calm river.

Evening:

• 💆 Wellness Spa: Free evening to relax at your eco-lodge, read by the pool, or indulge in a traditional body massage using organic essential oils.
• 🏨 Overnight: Pu Luong cliffside eco-lodge.

💡 Local Insider Tips:

• 🏊 Wear water-resistant sandals or footwear with good grip when walking near Ban Hieu waterfall.
•  ⛵The bamboo raft ride is completely calm and stable, perfect for photography enthusiasts.
• 📸 Key Check-in Spot: Ban Hieu Waterfall & Cham Stream giant waterwheels.
• 🍔 Must-Try Culinary Experience: Stream fish wrapped in banana leaves with local aromatic herbs.

🌿 Included: Private transport, English speaking guide, eco-lodge accommodation, all meals, entrance tickets, bamboo rafting tour.

• Daily Highlight: Morning drive to Cuc Phuong National Park, visit primate and turtle rescue centers, walk to the 1,000-year-old Cho Chi tree, and rowboat safari in Van Long Nature Reserve.

Morning:

• 🚗 Park Transfer: Slow morning breakfast and a last terrace walk. Drive from Pu Luong toward Cuc Phuong National Park, Vietnam’s oldest national park (approx. 2–2.5 hours). 
• 🐒 Wildlife Sanctuaries: Visit the Endangered Primate Rescue Center (EPRC) and the Turtle Conservation Center inside the park to learn about wildlife rehabilitation efforts.
• 🌳 Ancient Tree Walk: Take a light jungle walk to see the 1,000-year-old ancient tree (Cây Chò Chỉ).

Afternoon:

• 🛶 Wetland Safari: Board a traditional rowboat at Van Long Nature Reserve—the largest wetland nature reserve in the Red River Delta—gliding past vertical limestone cliffs and searching for the rare, endangered Delacour’s langur.
• 🚗 Ninh Binh Transfer: Transfer to an eco-resort in Ninh Binh nestled among limestone karst towers.

Evening:

• 🏨 Check in to a lodge in or beside the Tam Coc Landscape.
• 🏨 Overnight: Ninh Binh karst eco-resort.

💡 Local Insider Tips:

• 👕 Wear light, breathable clothing and insect repellent for the shaded jungle trails in Cuc Phuong.
• 🐢 The EPRC provides an inspiring look at grassroots conservation for rare primate species.
• 📸 Key Check-in Spot: Cuc Phuong 1,000-year-old Cho Chi tree & EPRC sanctuary, Van Long Wetland boat ride.
• 🍔 Must-Try Culinary Experience: Regional Ninh Binh culinary specialties at your karst eco-resort.

🌿 Included: Private transport, English speaking guide, resort accommodation, all meals, national park entrance & conservation center tickets, Van Long boat ticket.

• Daily Highlight: Tam Coc boat ride along the rice fields, cycle through Ninh Binh’s countryside to Vietnam’s first ancient capital, then choose between a sunset viewpoint or a restful afternoon. 

Morning:

• 🛶 Enjoy a scenic Tam Coc boat tour, along the peaceful Ngo Dong River. Glide past towering limestone karsts, lush rice fields, and three natural caves while discovering the breathtaking beauty of northern Vietnam’s countryside.

Afternoon:

• 🚲 Country Cycling: Cycle through villages and lotus ponds to Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, the royal citadel of Dai Co Viet kingdom in the 10th century (flat, approx. 10 km; e-bike available), visit the Twin King temples 
• 🏔️ Hang Mua Peak: Check in at the Hang Mua complex, hiking up to the Ngoa Long peak for sunset and a panoramic view over the Tam Coc river and rice fields.

Evening:

• 🍽️ Farewell Dinner: Farewell dinner featuring organic Ninh Binh specialties and locally crafted herbal infusions.
• 🏨 Overnight: Ninh Binh karst eco-resort.

💡 Local Insider Tips:

• 🛶 Tam Coc rowboats are maneuvered by local women using oars; tipping is appreciated for their quiet, eco-friendly rowing.
• 🍾 Bring a bottle of water and comfortable walking shoes for the stone steps of Hang Mua.
• 📸 Key Check-in Spot: Van Long wetland cliffs & Hang Mua Ngoa Long peak.
• 🍔 Must-Try Culinary Experience: Ninh Binh crispy rice (Cơm cháy) and mountain goat delicacies.

🌿 Included: Private transport, English speaking guide, resort accommodation, all meals, Tam Coc boat ticket, Hang Mua entrance fee.

• Daily Highlight: Serene breakfast with mountain views, visit Bich Dong Pagoda cave temple, expressway transfer back to Hanoi, and airport drop-off.

Morning:

• ☕ Serene Breakfast: Enjoy a serene breakfast with mountain views. 
• ⛩ Visit Bich Dong Pagoda (the cave temple) or take a morning walk through peaceful village paths.

Midday & Afternoon:

• 🚗 Expressway Transfer: Transfer back to Hanoi (approx. 2 hours via high-speed expressway).
• ✈️ Departure Drop-off: Drop-off at your hotel in Hanoi center or directly at Noi Bai International Airport for your onward flight, concluding your sustainable travel North Vietnam 7 days experience.

💡 Local Insider Tips:

• ⛩ Bich Dong Pagoda features three tiers nestled into the limestone mountain; take your time exploring the lower cave chamber.
• 🛫 Schedule departing international flights after 15:00 to allow a smooth transfer from Ninh Binh to Noi Bai Airport.
• 📸 Key Check-in Spot: Bich Dong Pagoda stone gateway.
• 🍔 Must-Try Culinary Experience: Final Vietnamese drip coffee (Cà phê sữa đá) in Hanoi before departure.

🌿 Included: Private transport, English speaking guide, breakfast, lunch.