VB020: HA NOI – MAI CHAU VALLEY – CUC PHUONG NATIONAL PARK (3 Days/ 2 Nights)

Day 1: Ha Noi – Hoa Binh

Depart at 7.30 for Hoa Binh, stopping at Thai and Muong villages and the French built hydro-electric plant before reaching Mai Chau. After a traditional lunch, your guide will introduce you the traditional techniques for building houses, making silk and farming wet rice. In the evening, enjoy some local rice wine while being entertained by the traditional music and dancing of the White Thai, Hmong, and Dzao. Finally, sleep overnight in a traditional stilt house in the village.

Day 2: Mai Chau – Cuc Phuong National Park (B)

After breakfast drive to Ninh Binh, visiting villages, local markets and the Monkey Rescue Center at Cuc Phuong, the first National Park in . See about 20 different species of monkeys gibbons and langurs as well as the trees and orchids of this beautiful and coloured forest. 20 kms further into the forest, trek to see the thousand year old Tro Tree. The forest contains about 2000 species of trees ,110 species of reptiles and last but not least the caves that were home to pre-historic peoples. Overnight at the hotel in the Park.

Day 3: Hoa Lu – Tam Coc ( 3 Caves) – Hanoi

After breakfast, drive to Hoa Lu and Tam Coc – two of the most beautiful places in Ninh Binh province, just 100 km southeast of HaNoi . Hoa Lu was the ancient Royal Capital of the Dinh Dynasty and Pre –Le Dynasty (968 -1009). Tam Coc is considered the Ha Long Bay of the main land because of its beauty and charm. Cruising Tam Coc, you are surrounded by the scenic beauty of huge rocky outcrops standing along the meandering river and scattered through verdant green rice fields.After lunch in a luxurious restaurant, go by boat to visit Tam Coc – literally the “Three Caves.“ The first cave is the longest one, often graced in the mornings by a rainbow stretching to both sides of the Ngo Dong River . The quiet movements of the oars creates a musical rhythm inside the cave. As the boat leaves the cave, you can see what seems to be an old man with a white beard fishing, fairies flying in the clouds, peasants collecting firewood and a group of white goats grazing on the hill. After visiting the Second Cave and Third Cave, you leave at 4.30 for the drive back to Ha Noi. End of Tour.