Vietnam: Sapa and Hanoi

Dates:	Thursday, September 30 to Wednesday, October 7
Price:	RMB 13,500 p.p.
	Single supplement: RMB 2,450
	Child with extra bed: RMB 10,800 Child with half bed: RMB 11,600
Deposit:	Due by Sept 17
Balance:	Due by Sept 17

From the misty mountains in Sapa to the vibrant street culture of Hanoi, Northern Vietnam is a beguiling destination. Tucked away in the northern corner of the country, Sapa has spectacular mountain scenery and colorful minority people. Urban Hanoi retains its strong French colonial flavor, lovely lakes and a labyrinth of alleys in the old part of the city. Vietnam is a country of contrasts where surprises await at every turn. This program is ideal for exploring the urban culture of Vietnam and the great outdoors.

DAY 1
Fly to Hanoi in the afternoon and upon arrival, transfer to the Melia Hotel.

DAY 2
This morning, we will enjoy a tour of Hanoi. In the afternoon, we will visit the Museum of Ethnology which has an excellent exhibit of the ethnic minorities in Vietnam, a good introduction for the trip to Sapa. We will also have time to explore and shop in Old Hanoi. In the evening, we will catch the overnight Victoria Express to Lao Cai.

DAY 3
We will arrive in Lao Cai early in the morning and drive to Can Cau to see the Saturday market. This lively and colorful market offers visitors a glimpse of the various hill tribe people at their very best! In the afternoon, we will drive to Sapa and check into our hotel. The rest of the day is free for leisure activities.

DAY 4
After breakfast, we will start our trek to Ban Ho Village, home to the Tay minority hill tribe. It is set amongst beautiful rice terraces and offers stunning views. We will have a boxed lunch in a local house before continuing our walk through the rice fields to the Red Dao village of Nam Toong. Here we will enjoy a cup of tea before heading back to Ban Ho to take a swim in the river nearby. We will then take the walk uphill to Su Pan before our return to Topas by car.

DAY 5
After breakfast, we will wander through the market before our downhill trek to Cat Cat village. Our trek will take us by a beautiful waterfall and a hydroelectric station followed by a trail through a rice paddy terrace. We will enjoy spectacular scenery while walking along a narrow river and eventually we will arrive in Cat Cat village to see the daily life of Black Hmong minority people. In afternoon, we will journey towards Lao Cao, with a stopover in Taphin Village, where we can experience the cultural life of Black Hmong and Red Dao minorities. The two ethnic groups, distinguished by their clothing, live happily together while still maintaining their own traditions. Both groups are famous for their handicrafts. This evening, we will drive back to Lao Cai to take the overnight train back to Hanoi.

DAY 6
We will arrive in Hanoi early this morning. Upon arrival we will transfer to Melia Hotel for breakfast (early check in is not guaranteed). We will take an excursion to Red River Delta - an insight into Vietnamese rural life away from the tourist route. We will drive about two hours and arrive at Kenh Gia Village. The landscape in this area is stunning with hundreds of limestone peaks jutting out of the emerald green padis. Daily scenes include Vietnamese fisherman rowing boats with their legs, kids herding ducks and buffaloes and people living in houseboats. Tonight, we will be treated to a water-puppet show, a performing art unique to Vietnam.

DAY 7
Today we will transfer to the airport for the return flight to Shanghai.