GEOLOGICAL PARK BIKING

The tourguide of THREELAND TRAVEL will be welcoming you at Noi Bai airport; it takes us 35 minutes driving to the centre of Hanoi to check-in hotel. Let's have an overall view of the capital by a "cyclo" visit, which will start around the Old Quarter of Hanoi, stop at Ngoc Son Temple located on the Hoan Kiem Lake (the "Sword" Lake), and visit the Ethnology Museum to learn about the ethnic groups of Vietnam, who we may meet in our exciting days ahead. Late afternoon we will enjoy a unique fascinating show of Water Puppetry, a traditional stage art of Northern Vietnam. Dinner and overnight in Hanoi.

Early depart for Halong Bay, a World Heritage as designated by UNESCO in 1994, with thousands limestone islets with stopovers en route to visit the rural life of the Red River Delta's farmers (esp. in transplanting and harvest times), or the ceramic town at Dong Trieu. Upon arrival, take a boat trip for about 5 hours to cruise Halong bay (width 1,500 sq. km) to enjoy its splendid seascape of thousands odd-shaped rocky islands, visit the inside-island grottoes and / or swimming. Lunch of fresh seafood served on board by the crew. Late afternoon back to Hanoi for dinner before transfer to the Railway Station to take a night train to Lao Cai. Overnight on the Train.

Arrive in Lao Cai Railway station in the early morning. After breakfast, we will take 1-hour driving by car along the winding mountainous road to Phong Hai, where we start cycling on paved road along Chay river to Coc Ly, a H'mong village. Take a stop for lunch here before we cross the river. Continue with 3-hour cycling thru plum and peach gardens. Especially in Springtime, we can enjoy a breathtaking view with white blossom covering mountain and hillsides. Dinner and overnight in Ban Lien, a nice village of Tay people.

Today we could see interesting change from earth mountain with peach and plum gardens to sharp rocky ones. Raid Gauloise, the leading competition of worldwide raiders, used to chose this great track for their contest in 2002. After 3-hour with up-and-down hills and passing streams that cross over the paths we will reach Na Tri with a stopover for lunch. Head Northwest on rugged road to Xin Man district. Overnight in Xin Man.

Today we will discover the boundary area with China with some of the best rice terrace fields of Vietnam. Upon meeting Chay River again, we will get over a bridge, then follow local tracks uphill the mountain and go thru many bordering communes. The biking today will be a great combination of forest tracks, paved and unpaved road or off-the-beaten tracks. When riding to the mountain tops, we can take a panorama of one of the most picturesque sights of Vietnamese mountains and terrace rice fields. The last 30km is to ascend to Hoang Su Phi town for overnight.

This day is for discovery of greentea hills and daily activities of tea farmers. Our vehicle will take us to km No. 7 from Hoang Su Phi town, where we can start cycling to Tung San, a village renown by its green tea fields and traditions of processing tea. After lunch in Tung San, let’s go thru the Natural Reserve Tay Con Linh of Ha Giang Province along wild and narrow tracks will lots of obstacles, extreme descending and ascending rocky paths. The area is least touristy than any place in Northern Vietnam and we can easily find the purity of life and scenery hereby. Get over to the elevation of 1,971m, we could reach Vi Xuyen hot spring, where we just relax in pools and massage tub by mineral hot water. Overnight at hotel in Vi Xuyen.

Until late 20th century, Northeast of Ha Giang province is still a undiscovered area so a lot of roads are nearly untouched and the scenery remains as it was long time ago. Let's go biking along the reservoir thru rocky and earth mountain with slopes, sometimes at 20%, and we will reach the wonderful valley of Lung Tam Commune. Isolated from others, this area is alike an oasis with very few footprints of tourists. Continue with easy cycling on paved road for the last 10 km before catching our van to Yen Minh. Overnight in Yen Minh.

Have a day of easy activities with most of the time on well-paved Highway 4. The ascending and descending is not over 10% and the mountainview is breathtaking. We can stop at the House of Vuong Chi Sinh, who had been considered “the H’mong King” by the H'mong people, where his family is still living in. The house is typical to the housing design of the White H’mong people, who prefer to live in very clean houses with graceful handymade rock fences surrounding their gardens. We’ll also get over the "Heaven Gate" pass to reach Dong Van town, whose central market is in a nearly one-century old building with Vietnamese architecture since early 20th century. Have Lunch and walk around to visit the Old Quarter of Dong Van with one-century old streets before heading to to Meo Vac. The last 20km cycling is along Ma Pi Leng pass, the most difficult road the Vietnamese ever completed in top dangers. From here we can enjoy extremely beautiful mountain cliffs and see Nho Que River as a tiny line at the bottom of the chasm. Overnight in Meo Vac.

Wake up early if you wish to contemplate a specific character of ethnic groups of Vietnam - their weekly markets. After breakfast at hotel and visiting the market, the van will take us down 40km to Mau Due, where we can start the longest cycling, the 90km mountainous zigzag unpaved road built by Vietnam Army during the War with China and stay untouched for more than 30 years. Life and culture here, as well as the scenery remain with their original beauty and we will meet many typical hill-tribal groups of Northeast Vietnam hereby. Arrive late in Bac Me, a tranquil town on Gam River, for dinner and overnight.

A relax morning with hot coffee before heading back to Hanoi. Free at leisure. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

Breakfast at hotel. Free until your time for flight back home. End of services.