Day 1: Hanoi – Luc Yen
Departing from Hanoi at 8am, after 4 hours on the car/ sleeper bus you will arrive at Mận homestay – Tày family for the first lunch, have some rest and start for a bicycle trip at 2pm. The cycling trip will take you to Palm forest homestay in Lam Thuong commune where there is a peaceful and poetic landscape. On the way you will see orange orchards, rice fields with houses on stilts, palm forest around mountains – This is where Tay, Nung and Dao ethnic groups live. On The delegation stopped to visit some locals, have a chat and drink tea as well as learn about the culture and life of indigenous people. After 14 km of cycling, we will arrive at homestay, the group will have dinner and spend the first night here.
Day 2: Trekking Pu Lung Trạng or Nặm Chắn waterfall (3-6 hours depending on weather conditions and ability)
Lam Thuong is surrounded by mountains and forests, so early in the morning you will see clouds swooping down over the villages. The ethnic people here work as farmers, so they often wake up early, cook breakfast, feed the animals, and go to the fields. Therefore, looking up at the mountains, you see the sun gradually rising, and looking down, you see kitchen smoke lingering around the palm roofs.
Waking up in the morning to the sound of roosters crowing, breathing fresh air, having breakfast, then we start for the whole day trekking through palm hills, bamboo hills, rock crevices, having lunch in the middle of forest or sitting by the stream of Nam chan waterfall. After lunch let’s immerse yourself in the cool, clear blue water or just relax with a natural fish massage.
After a great time at Nam chan waterfall, we will trek along the stream to get back to the Palm forest homestay. In here the car will wait for you and take you to Mận homestay for dinner and second night sleeping in Luc Yen.
*The second option for the trek is Pu lung trang trek. The hill has 4 peaks – the highest peak is 1700m with an awesome 360 degree view to the valleys and villages around the hill.
Day 3: Visit Luc Yen gemstone market – Hanoi
Wake up and have breakfast at homestay then start an easy day with a visit to the gemstone market. This market is one of the largest markets specializing in selling gems in Vietnam. This gem market has a long history of more than 30 years, when you arrive you will be greeted by stalls selling sparkling gems of many different colors and designs. You have some free time to walk around the market, then we will visit a gemstone painting shop to see how an artisan here is making a gemstone painting, having some tea, chatting with them to know more about local
people here. After visit market and shop you will have lunch and start to get back Hanoi at 1pm, arriving at Hanoi around 6pm. Trip end!
