3 Days Can Cau and Bac Ha Markets on wheels
Tour duration: 3days/4 nights
Tour route: Hanoi - Laocai – Cat Cat Village - Sin Chai Village – Can Cau –Bac Ha - Laocai - Hanoi
Starts/ Ends: Hanoi
Tour Price: From $321/ person
Overview:
This 3-days mountain bike trip takes you through beautiful countryside and intriguing villages. You will have the opportunity to observe the local minority communities at work, tending their fields in the shadow of the Chay river massif. The overnight stays in Bac Ha will give you the chance to explore the villages and visit the local market. You will also be able to visit the Can Cau market as well as enjoy a boat cruise in the Chay River.
Itinerary:
Night 1: Hanoi - Lao Cai (night train)
Pick up at the hotel in Hanoi contre transfer to Hanoi station to catch the night train to Lao Cai. Overnight on the train with soft sleeper berth.
Day 1: Sapa - Cat Cat - Sin Chai (B, L, D)
Arrive in Laocai station at 6.15 am, you are picked up by our guide and then transfer to Sapa by bus. The bus ride uphill to SaPa takes a little over an hour, giving you a glimpse of the stunning vistas and impressive rice terraces. You will have breakfast at hotel before we start the trip to Cat Cat village of Black H’Mong tribe. We relax at the foot of the stunning waterfall and the vestige of a hydroelectric power station that was constructed by the French during the colonial time in Vietnam. Then next 6 km to Sin Chai, the village located at the foot of Fansipan Mountain – “the roof of Vietnam and Indochina”. From here you can enjoy huge stunning landscapes before trekking back to Sapa town. The rest of the afternoon is free to explore the town on your own.
Dinner and overnight at Hotel in Sapa town
Day 2: (Saturday ) Can Cau Market Tour (B, L, D)
Today is time for a special market experience: the Can Cau market. The road between Bac Ha and Can Cau is hilly but extremely beautiful. The ride will take you around 1 and half hours. The products on the market are interesting, as well as the groups of ethnic minority people represented make the market an unforgettable experience. You will spend all the morning to walk around the market exploring its magnificent chaos. You will have picnic lunch on the way.
In the afternoon, you head back to Bac Ha. You will be able to take a nice ride to Ban Pho village of Flower Hmong and Nung minorities, which is nearby Bac Ha. The villagers grow vegetables and fruit trees. One of the most famous fruit of the area is plum. You will be able to visit a local house, where you might have chance to taste a cup of corn wine, another famous product of the village. You will spend another night in the hotel
Approx: 4 hours cycling/ 1-hour lunch
Day 3: ( Sunday) Bac Ha Market Tour (B, L, D)
After having a morning coffee, you take a short walk to visit the old castle of the former Hmong King. From there you can have a view over the town. You will then visit this huge market with its colorful array of ethnic minority people such as Flower Hmong, Phu La, Black Dao, Tay, and Nung who gather to buy and sell. After spending the whole morning exploring the market, your lunch will be served in a local restaurant.
You will then start out from Bac Ha by cycling downhill to Bao Nhai, where we get on a boat to have a cruise on the Chay river. It is a perfect way to finish your trip by sitting in the boat exploring the life at the riverbank. Your jeep will wait for you in Coc Ly and take to Lao Cai Railways Station to reach the train back to Hanoi. Another possibility is to return to Sapa for more adventures holiday experiences in the mountains of Vietnam.
Then, you will be transfered to Lao Cai station for night train to Hanoi
Approx: 1.5 hours cycling/ 2-hour boat cruising/ 1-hour walking/ 1-hour lunch
What included?
Train tickets Ha Noi/Lao Cai return.
All meals as mentioned in the tour program(B= Breakfast, L= Lunch, D= Dinner).
Transport as tour program.
English speaking tour guide.
All accommodation, entrance fees, security permits.
What excluded?
Insurance.
Drinks, Phone call, other private expenses.
* Note: Please bring along a good pair of walking shoes, raincoats, jackets, inspect repellent and suncream.
