Vietnam Northern Highlands tour, 6 days
Price
US $736ToUS $1085 excluding flights
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More info
The price above is for group from 4 to 2 people.
further price, please contact with our travel consultant.
further price, please contact with our travel consultant.
Description of Vietnam Northern Highlands tour, 6 days
Price information
US $736ToUS $1085 excluding flights
Convert currency:
The price above is for group from 4 to 2 people.
further price, please contact with our travel consultant.
further price, please contact with our travel consultant.
Departure information
This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements
Travel guides
How to explore the Mekong Delta, travel by train, and have an unforgettable Southeast Asian holiday.
Providing you with a balance of rated, underrated and overrated things to do in Asia.
Reviews
1 Reviews of Vietnam Northern Highlands tour, 6 days
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed on 15 Oct 2022 by Ross Carne
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
My 19 year old daughter and I went on this trip in September 2022. It was wonderful to experience rural communities with the insights of our amazing guide, Hiep, who was always enthusiastic to stop and speak with people as they went around their activities, in their work and - in the villages - in their homes. The warmth of reception was beautiful, in the home stays and also serendipitously - the tea shared as we were invited in to shelter in someone's house in a downpour. At each of the home stays we were warmly welcomed and included, including at our last Hmong family who were planning a wedding the following day, with much celebration and beautiful rice wine at the dinner. I had not travelled with a guide before, and Hiep's ability to translate not only language, but custom, and to anticipate our questions, was excellent. The countryside into the mountains - tea plantations and rice terraces at harvest time - was spectacular.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
We were novice travellers in Asia, and - with only 9 days away - were probably overly careful to stay well. We avoided initially all fruit, and later in the trip - given the beautiful offerings - ate fruit we could peel ourselves. We had no sign of gastroenteritis. We pre-treated long sleeved clothes with permethrin for the mountain areas, and used DEET 80%. With this we had I think no bites, though others around us were being bitten: I would probably do this again. We carried DEETed mosquito nets for bedding which were not required, as mosquito nets were provided at all of the home stays. The walk on the second last day was at least moderate grade: we covered close to 20km including some steep bits in bamboo forest which were slippery in mud and mossy concrete, on a misty rainy - very atmospheric! - day. It was great and felt fulfilling: we are both fit and I would imagine this particular walk could be challenging for some. My daughter loves running, and felt safe and supported to go for long runs in most of the locales, including laps of the Hanoi lake Hoan Kiem amidst the many early Sunday morning activities: she would list this as a must-do!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, absolutely. The benefit to locals seemed particularly palpable in emergence from COVID - in some areas it felt like we were some of the first non-Vietnamese tourists in a couple of years, and people were very pleased to see us as heralding some return of tourism. The tourism sector was apparently minimally active for around three years, and some of the younger children could not remember seeing foreigners.
We stayed in home stays, and one of the joys was seeing produce from the growing through harvesting to preparation and eating stages. For example, we were there just in advance of sticky rice harvest time, at a time when the green sticky rice is harvested and prepared as 'baby rice': threshed then pounded
then dry fried for 30 minutes in a large wok over coals, ready to steam and eat. We saw each of these stages, and spoke (translated) with the people involved,
then had baby rice eggroll for breakfast the following day: nutty, toasty and textured, beautiful, and only available in this part of Vietnam. We saw similar processing and growing of soybeans/tofu, herbs, tea and indigo. We ate vegetarian food by preference, and I think probably had a week of eating our lowest food mile menu ever.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent. Kudos also to our driver, Mr Binh, who navigated the chaotic traffic in a way that left us always feeling confident and at ease. Overall, the combination of guide, driver, the work on itinerary to take in home stays with ethnic minorities in their traditional houses, and spectacular scenery, made for a wonderful holiday which we would highly recommend.
Responsible Travel
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we've screened this (and every) holiday so that you can travel knowing we've worked to maximise the benefits of your holiday to local people and places, and minimise any negative impacts.
Planet
We work with local communities and suppliers to encourage practical measures that reduce waste and resource use. At many homestays, meals include locally grown ingredients such as piper lolot, bamboo shoots and garden vegetables. Where practical, we favour locally sourced food over imported products.We provide our guides and drivers with practical guidance on reducing single-use plastic, using refillable water bottles and bags, and respecting natural areas during the journey.
We also share recommendations with local restaurants and accommodation providers on reducing water and energy use and managing waste. Through workshops and visits, we encourage our local partners in Mu Cang Chai and Nghia Lo to adopt practical measures such as reducing waste and conserving water and energy.
People
We encourage respectful interaction between travelers and local communities. Before the trip, guests receive practical guidance on local customs and appropriate behavior, including avoiding giving money directly to children or people they meet on the street.We encourage the use of local products, meals and handicrafts, giving guests opportunities to learn about regional traditions and supporting local producers and craftspeople.
In Sapa, we have worked with partners including the PATA Foundation and Capilano University to provide tourism training in Ta Phin Village, home to the Red Dao community. Training has included homestay management, cooking and guiding, helping participating households develop tourism-related skills.
Where possible, we work with locally operated services and encourage travelers to purchase locally made products and handicrafts. We also advise guests not to buy products from children, as this can encourage children to spend time selling goods rather than attending school.
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