Can Cau market (Saturday)

Can cau market is one of the most fascinating open-air markets in the region, specialising in livestock. It's 20km North of Bac Ha and just 9km south of the Chinese border. Visitors are generally H’mong groups from highland villages. The local H’mong are the famous variegated or Flower H’mong due to the intricate and colourful nature of their costumes, and their colourful dresses makes is a beautiful sight. Almost every Saturday around 8 different minorities are represented at the market. Travel is often made by horseback as a way of carrying the heavy loads to and from market. Can Cau also attracts a large number of Chinese traders, evidenced by the booming dog trade here.
 

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Cat Cat Village

Cat Cat Village is about 1 km from Sapa town. It's located at the bottom of the Muong Hoa Valley and near the stunning Cat Cat Waterfall. This is an age-old village of H'Mong ethnic group remaining unique customs and practices that are lots in other villages.

To visit village, you walk through Sapa Market down the valley. Once you walk out of the crowd, you'll be stunned by the nature's beauty with high mountains of over 3000 m and the green rice terraces dropping nearly 1000 below. The sun shines across and there are H'Mong houses scattered in the valley
Visitors to Cat Cat have an opportunity to admire a lively and colorful picture. That is the image of young women sitting by looms with colorful pieces of brocade decorated with designs of flowers and birds. When these pieces of brocade are finished, they are dyed and embroidered with beautiful designs. A noteworthy is that H’Mong women use plants and leaves to dye these brocade fabrics. And then they roll a round and smooth section of wood covered with wax on fabrics to polish them, making their colors durable.
In addition to the brocade weaving craft, many residents in Cat Cat are good at manipulating gold and silver jewelry. Their products are fairly sophisticated, especially jewelry for women.
Tourists to Cat Cat are most attracted by its unique customs, including the custom of “pulling wife”. A man can ask his friends to lure a girl he likes to his house and keeps her there in three days. During these days, if the girl agrees to become his wife, a wedding will be held. However, the girl can happily go home after three days if she does not like him.
Traditional houses of H’Mong people in Cat Cat have three rooms with three doors and covered with po mu wood roof. In the house there are three columns that stand in round or square stones. The walls are made from sawn timber. The main door is always closed and only opens when people in the house organize important events. Altar, inlaid floor containing food, places for sleeping, kitchen and receiving guests are indispensable parts of the houses.
Visitors to Cat Cat Village can discover countless unique features of H’Mong people  

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Topas Eco lodge, Sapa hiking package tour 2 days 3 nights

Day 1: Hanoi – night train to Lao Cai (-,-,-)
 
You will depart from Hanoi in the evening by night train to Lao Cai near the Chinese border.

Day 2: Full day hiking – Topas Ecolodge (B,L,-)
 
You will arrival early in the morning in Lao Cai and meet your driver who will take you to Sapa. The drive is approximately 1 hour.
Well arrived at Topas office in Sapa its time for breakfast. Your guide will follow you to a nearby hotel where you can have a shower and relax while having a standard breakfast in the rooftop restaurant.
At 9h00, you will commence the excursion today with a walk through the town of Sapa and along a small road before turning into a dirt trail through vegetable gardens and rice paddies. The spectacular scenery of Muong Hoa valley gradually appears. Today we will follow the beautiful river running at the bottom of the valley and continue into the rice fields. Eventually you’ll arrive in Y Linh Ho village of Black H’mong minority. Here you can take a rest and have lunch at a nice spot.
After lunch, the walk from Y Linh Ho village to Lao Chai village of Black H’mong minority is almost on the hillsides. The view of the valley is more and more extending and stretching to the horizon. You’ll take a stop at Lao Chai village to visit a local house, before pick up and transfer to Topas Ecolodge in the afternoon. After check in to your bungalow you can enjoy the view into the valley and dotted mountain surroundings.

Day 3: Topas Ecolodge – hiking to Lech Dao village – Sapa – Lao Cai (B,-,-)

You will start the day enjoying your breakfast. At 9h00 you will start your half day hike to visit the Lech village of Red Dao minority. You will follow the road for a while before descending towards a river. Going through rice paddies gives you many opportunities to enjoy the magnificent valley view. You cross the river by a bridge made of stone and then follow a trail going up to the village. You can spend some time at the village to experience daily life, and learn how the women in their doorways doing their embroidery.
From the village, you head back to the lodge. It is your choice when to take the scheduled shuttle bus to Sapa town during the day. At 17h30, you will take the shuttle bus from Sapa to Lao Cai for the night train back to Hanoi.

Day 4: Arrival in Hanoi (-,-,-)
 
The train will back arrive in Hanoi early in the morning and your trip has ended.

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Bac Ha market Sapa tour 2 days 3 nights

Day 1: Night train Hanoi - Lao Cai
 
You will be picked up at your hotel 1 hour before train departure for transfer to the train station. Overnight on the train

Day 1: Lao Cai - Bac Ha market - Sapa (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
 
After meeting a guide at the Lao Cai railway station we have breakfast there and go to the Bac Ha market for two hours by a van (AC). This is the largest market in the region, a place where many ethnic groups gather to buy and sell, eat and drink together. There are 10 minority groups in the Bac Ha region. You can buy homemade handicrafts and clothes.
In the afternoon we will have a 2 hour trek to Ban Pho village (Flower H’Mong people). In the village we can have a look in their house and understand little more about their lifestyle and traditional customs. Especially, we can try homemade wine from corn. And then we drive back to Sapa for 3 hours.
Enjoy cooking dinner with Local family here. Overnight in Sapa.

Day 2: Sapa trekking - night train to Hanoi (Breakfast, Lunch)

Get up early in the morning for fresh atmosphere in the countryside. After breakfast, continue trekking to Giang Ta Chai village (Red Dzao minority). Then visit silver waterfall and Rattan Bridge.
After lunch, cross the river and go up to the mountain for SuPan village and then take a jeep back to Sapa.
04:00 pm: Pick up at your hotel in Hanoi and transfer to Hanoi Railway Station for boarding to Laocai by Express Train. Overnight on the A/c sleeper Cabin.
We arrive in Hanoi the next morning at 5.00 am. End of services.

VIETNAM TYPICAL TOURS COMPANY
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Hanoi - Sapa - Halong bay 6 days

Day 1 - Hanoi
 
Arrival at Hanoi airport, you will be met by your guide o­n the other side of Immigration/ Arrival check point. If time permits, enjoy a brief driving orientation tour of Hoa Kiem Lake, the French Quarter and Old Quarter of Hanoi en - route to your hotel.
You can use the next few hours to rest or explore the surroundings o­n your own.
or take a Cyclo ride through the Old Town of Hanoi.

Day 2 - Hanoi
 
For the early risers, may we suggest a stroll along the picturesque Hoa Kiem Lake. Where each early morning, groups of locals gather to do their exercises along the lovely tree lined promenade. You may cross over the red bridge at the north end to Ngoc Son Temple and the Tortoise Tower o­n a small island.
After breakfast, you will have a full day of your own to see the city so good walking shoes are a must. You will have many options to choose from:
- Temple of Literature, built in 11th Century and the country’s first University
- Ho Chi Minh’s (HCM) Mausoleum and Presidential Palace
- HCM’s Stilt House
- O­ne Pillar Pagoda
- Ethnology Museum
- Opera House
- Hoa Lo prison which is also known as the “Hanoi Hilton”
- West Lake & Pagoda
Attend a Water Puppet show this evening then have a leisurely dinner while waiting for the 21:00 departure o­n the deluxe Night train to Lao Cai.
Overnight o­n train in air conditioned cabin.

Day 3 - Lao Cai – Sapa

The train will pull in around 6:00 at Lao Cai station, near the border of China, you will be met by your driver for the 38 miles drive to Sapa, the premier destination of northwest Vietnam.
Enjoy your breakfast while waiting for hotel check-in, catch a few hours of rest or venture out to discover the beautiful mountain landscapes and ethic minority groups of Sapa. Your guide will take you o­n a 2 hours trekking to the village of  Cat Cat & Sin Chai from here you will trek down to the valley among the terraced fields and meet the hill tribes people, get to know their way of life, cultures and traditions.Get back to Sapa town in the afternoon.

Day 4- Sapa
 
A whole day for discover of nature as well as different culture of hill tribe people o­n a new trek in Sapa with a H'mong guide who speaks excellent English
We will begin with a walking tour of Sapa market, then trekking down hill from village to villages around Y Linh Ho, Lao Chai and Ta Van area which is beautifully decorated by terraced-fields and the house of H'mong, Red Zao and Zay people. You have several levels for your trekking today from soft trek 2-3miles, medium trek (3-4 miles) and hard trek (5 miles +)
Great opportunity for taking photos of breathtaking landscapes, meeting friendly hill-tribe people at home and work...
Have home hosted lunch in the village of Zday people.
Later in the afternoon Jeep or Van will take you back to Sapa for refreshment then transfer to Lao Cai for the night train to Hanoi.

Day 5 Hanoi - Halong

You will be met by your guide early this morning at Hanoi’s railway station. After breakfast you will have over 3 hours dride along the country side of the Red River Delta to the UNESCO world’s heritage site of Halong Bay.
A traditional style Vietnamese Junk Cruise is waiting your arrival and will set sail at noon today. Lunch will be served o­n board amidst spectacular views of the bay.
Today you will visit o­ne of the largest caves in Halong Bay and included is a beach stop where perhaps you may want to take a swim or dip in the water of the South China Sea.
Tonight enjoy a fresh seafood dinner on the Junk.

Day 6 - Halong - Hanoi
 
Participate in Tai Chi o­n the top deck or simply watch the sunrise over the magnificent bay. Enjoy your morning cup of coffee or juice before setting out to the near- by cave o­n row boat. Watch for monkeys high o­n the cliff tops. Return back to the junk, where breakfast is served, while sailing around Bay Tu Long bay where the film “Indochine” was made.
Your cruise will end at noon and you will be met by your guide & driver for the trip back to Hanoi.The trip ends in Hanoi at 3PM.After arrival to Hanoi you may want to catch up o­n your the later afternoon departure flight or you could have extension visit in Hanoi.
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Silver Waterfall and Heaven Gate in a day

Met up at your hotel around 8AM by Sapa local guide and driver then depart for the Silver Waterfall. The Silver Waterfall is located about a half hour from Sapa town which offers stunning views over surrounding mountains and lush forests belonging to Hoang Lien National Park. You are advised to stop by a farm for a cup of tea and talk with people to understand their local life. After that, we are driven to Tram Ton Pass where we will trek 30 minutes through the forest. Along the way, you have chances to see wild flowers. Trekking along the Golden Stream, you will arrive at Love Waterfall. It is the best place for relax in Sapa, returning to Tram Ton Pass. Then we continue our drive uphill to the Heavens Gate, the highest stretch of road in Vietnam as well as the provincial border of Lao Cai and Lai Chau provinces. Enjoy fantastic view over the valley!
Finally, we are transferred back to Sapa.

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Ham Rong Mountain in Sa Pa

Ham Rong Mountain is an attractive tourist area in the center of Sapa Townlet.Legend has it that in the distance past, all animals lived together in a chaotic environment. One day, Jade Emperor gave an order that every species of animal had to find for them an area to live. Having heard the order, they scrambled for a place to reside. The three brothers of dragon who were living in a large lake hurriedly ran to the east but could not find any place; they then ran to the west. The two older brothers ran fast and came to the destination first. The youngest brother ran slowly and strayed into the crowds of lions, tigers and big cats. Fearing that these animals would attack it, the dragon opened its mouth to defense itself. At that time, the order of Jade Emperor was no longer available, so the three dragons petrified. The two older dragons, which were waiting for their brother, face Lao Cai City, and the youngest one raising its head and opening mouth faces the Hoang Lien Mountain Range. So the mountain is named Ham Rong (Jaw of Dragon).
Ham Rong Mountain looks very much like the dragon's head in the clouds. A climb to the peak is an excitement for all visitors. Visitors start to walk on stone steps, a winding trail higher up will help to see small streams lazily run through bushy foliages. About mid­way, visitors, taken by surprise, will be in orchid -gardens, more than 400 species are in colourful blooms. Then, visitors come to a mini plain of all flower (cam tu cau, trang phao, lay an and do quyen...)

If visitors come here in spring, the surprise will be greater to see blooming peach, plum, apricot garden. At midway upwards, there are ethnic cu1tural villages where visitors will enjoy art-performance by Dao, Mong or Sa Pho minority girls and boys. The sound of bamboo flutes by Mong minority boys echo far and wide, their dances, songs, folksongs sound strong and romantic that will leave unforgettable impressions. A little further will be a mini stone-forest where thousands of stone columns, pillars that surprisingly open visitors’ eyes. A stroll among these pillars seems to be a walk in the fairyland, then visitors proceed to the heavens gate, a beaten trail leads to the cloud-yard and a TV station. San May (Cloud Yard) is an ideal location to view the whole panorama of Sapa.
Poetic and grandiose Ham Rong is said to be a fairy of Sapa by its natural and cultural landscapes. Every morning, thousands of flowers are blooming; it's the fascination of Sapa. A visit to Sapa in summer is a good chance to view Sapa afloat in white clouds.

VIETNAM TYPICAL TOURS COMPANY
Hotline :  (84) 974.861.652
Email : info@vietnamtypicaltours.com
Website : http://vietnamtypicaltours.com