Exploring Exotic Vietnam Adventure 15 Days

This one-day trip starts to the south of Dalat City. We drive along picturesque scenic roads to the trailhead, where we start our journey. At the practice slope, you’ll learn the basics of knot tying, harness wearing, hardware, and proper rappelling technique. After the guides are satisfied that you’ve got it down, you’ll head down your first rappel! It is an exciting 15-meter descent into the water at the base of a waterfall. Then continue navigating your way down the canyon and enjoy the natural water slides as many times as you want. Keep hiking along the trail through the rainforest and a couple of water crossings to the second rappel down a waterfall—a slightly more technical rappel.

A short break on the top of this one to enjoy a picnic lunch to charge energy first before rappelling down this waterfall. After this, there’s an opportunity to throw yourself 10 meters off the rock into a pool of water below. And finally the most difficult rappel, affectionately known as “The Washing Machine.”. Then a 20-minute hike up the hill to bring you out of the canyon and meet the vehicle to get back to the hotel.

This 30km bike ride and sightseeing along the way is for riders who are looking for easy mountain biking and the best countryside out of Dalat, as well as it’s famous local attractions We start the ride from Dalat and head out to the southwest past Cam Ly Falls, and this is where you warm up your legs with a couple of small hills and one big hill on paved road before enjoying some great downhills with some steep descents on big dirt road through pine forest.

After this long downhill section, we connect into a local village of the K’ho ethnic tribe and heads into the awesome single track through coffee plantations and vegetation farms. Then we keep riding on to the main paved road out of Ta Nung village. From here we continue our ride through easy rolling hills and enjoy local attractions along the way, including a cricket farm, rice wine-making factory, and a local silk-throwing factory to see the whole process of how silk is made. After the 30 km mark, we arrive at Elephant Falls, where we finish our ride and enjoy a picnic lunch set up here. Lunch consists of fresh veggies and fruits, baguettes with an assortment of toppings and a French-style pastry to satisfy your sweet tooth. Dalat is known as the vegetable garden of Vietnam and lunch offers you a chance to try some of Dalat’s tasty produce. After lunch, your guide will take you for a walk down the waterfalls to feel the power of this wonderful area. Then enjoy your free time at Linh An pagoda nearby, followed by a giant Buddha statue on the back side of it, before taking a vehicle transfer back to Dalat city. Overnight in Dalat.

This journey to Nha Trang starts with a 50-minute transfer 40 kilometers to the northeast of Dalat on a new road and through the newest national park in Vietnam (Bidoup Nui Ba Park). It offers fantastic cycling in the highlands as well as down a 30-kilometer pass to the lowlands. This downhill section is continuous ~ no joke.

The first section of the ride starts in the pine forest and rolls through the hills with beautiful views of farms, countryside, and Bidoup Mountain. There is one final 2-kilometer climb to the top of the pass before some serious downhill. The 30-kilometer, uninterrupted downhill section is the longest section of downhill we offer. And the longest we have been able to find. After reaching the bottom of the pass, we meet Shamrock Rafting (our partners in this trip) and climb off the bikes and into the inflatable 2-man kayaks, purposefully made for the kinds of rapids we encounter on the Cai River. This river forms from the many tributaries flowing out of the mountains we have just ridden down. We float down the river for a half an hour or so before stopping off at a small farm for a barbecue lunch and rest. After lunch, we jump back into the boats and tackle a couple more sections of rapids, enjoy the fantastic scenery, and float our way closer to Nha Trang. At the end of the rafting, we climb out of the river and into our vehicle for a short 40-minute ride to the city center. The total riding distance is customizable, with about 60 km being the norm. The rafting section is about 10 kilometers. Then transfer to Nha Trang, check in, and relax at the hotel.

08:00H-08:30H: Pick-up from your hotel and transfer to Nha Trang Port to board the Emperor Cruises Junk.

08:30H-09:30H Arrival at the port and welcome drinks accompanied by the experience manager. Introduction of Nha Trang Bay, the locals, the food, the culture, the emperor, safety precautions, and the Emperor Cruises Junk. Start cruising while watching the spectacular landscape of Nha Trang Bay.

09:30H-10:30H Head out to Mieu Island for trekking and visiting the local fishing villages. Learn about the way of living off the mainland and interact with the friendly locals while discovering the daily lives of the villagers. Spend a few minutes exploring the beautiful landscape by basket boats.

10:30H-12:00H Continue the journey to cruise across the Tam, Mot, and Mun Islands before heading out for water activities such as snorkeling, swimming, and scuba diving in the clear blue waters of Nha Trang Bay.

12:00H-13:30H Enjoy the views of Nha Trang Bay and stopover at Dam Bay Lagoon for a sumptuous set lunch served onboard as the boat anchors nearby Tre Island, where a tranquil lagoon with fishing farms awaits.

13:30H-15:30H After lunch, you will have the choice of resting and relaxing in Dam Bay Lagoon or enjoying more water activities such as swimming, sunbathing, and kayaking in the area. Alternatively, you may go walking across Tre Island for a short nature trip to a wild stretch of tropical paradise that is Tru Beach before walking back to Dam Bay and taking a short speedboat ride to the junk boat, which is great for taking photos or videos.

15:30H-16:00H Cruise through Vung Ngan floating village, Vinpearl Island, and catch a glimpse of the Bao Dai Villas on the way back to Nha Trang Port before returning to the mainland and transferring back to your hotels.

After breakfast at your hotel, you will leave Nha Trang for Cam Ranh airport for a flight to Hanoi. Upon arrival in Hanoi, you will be warmly welcomed and transferred to your hotel. In the afternoon, you will take a private city tour to visit around Hanoi’s most interesting sights, including the Ho Chi Minh Complex, Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and his Stilts House, the Presidential Palace, the One Pillar Pagoda nearby and the Old Quarter, known for its maze of 36 streets and former craft guilds.

Also on the tour, you’ll find the Lake of the Restored Sword, Ngoc Son Temple, and the Temple of Literature. In the evening, you will enjoy a water puppet performance before a welcome dinner at a local restaurant and an overnight stay in Hanoi.

Waterwheel walk and rafting | 2.5 km easy walk – 1.5 hours | 1.5 km rafting – 1 hours

08:00 AM: You drive to Pu Luong Nature Reserve by road via a breathtaking mountain pass, giving you a panoramic view of the whole valley. You arrive at your accommodation in time for a delicious lunch, followed by free time to explore the beautiful retreat, with its captivating panoramic views and tranquil setting. PM: You will be transferred to a suspension bridge over the Cham River, where you begin your walk in search of stunning water wheels. Get up close to each wheel and discover how water is moved from the river to handmade bamboo aqueducts via simple constructions of all sizes. Arriving at a local fisherman’s house, you have a short rest to gear up for the rafting adventure with Dinh and his team. Float along the calm river and enjoy the views, in between learning how to paddle and steer your handcrafted rafts. Arriving at scenic Tan Lap bridge, you disembark to be transferred back to Pu Luong Retreat for dinner. Overnight in Pu Luong Retreat.

Enthralling trekking routes | 12 km easy walking – 6 hours

AM: Start early to descend into the beautiful valley facing the retreat, where you walk around tumbling rice terraces. Trek through small paths shrouded in vegetation to slowly reveal a picturesque village sitting at the base of a towering mountain. Your camera will not be able to sit still! Continuing to the base of the valley, you weave between roads and farmland, villages and wild fields, ponds and rivers, mountains and open land. Savor the ever-changing scenery as you trek to a beautiful spot to enjoy a simple picnic lunch. PM: After enjoying delicious food, you have free time to explore the refreshing water to the nearby river before moving to our pick-up point to be transferred back to the Retreat.

Village life and the community | 3 km easy walk – 2 hours

AM: You have the chance to get close to village life and interact with locals living in the hills above the Retreat. A glimpse of daily life, walk around working farmland and rice fields, and learn about making rice wine and weaving colorful textiles, followed by lunch at the Lodge. PM: Check out the Lodge. Continuing to Cuc Phuong National Park and overnight in Cuc Phuong.

Rising to the sounds of the forest all around us, we will visit the Endangered Primate Rescue Center and learn about the work that is being done to preserve the endangered native primates. After that, we commence our trek through the lush rainforest, past centuries-old trees. Meet our driver at the other side of the national park. From here, you will drive to Halong Bay. Upon arrival, you will check in at the at the hotel and have free time to relax and overnight in Halong City.

11:30 Register at L’Azalée Cruise Café for check-in

11:45 – 14:00 Arrive at Tung Lam Island Bay. After lunch is served while dropping anchor, continue cruising into the bay and pass several icons of Halong Bay, such as Thumb Island, Cock Fighting Island, Incense Island, Ba Hang Floating Village, and finally Dog Island.

14:30 – 15:15 Guided shore excursion to Thien Cung Cave

15:20 – 15:55 Weigh anchor again and cruise on the final leg to get back to Tuan Chau Marina.

16:00 Disembarkation and luggage claim at L’Azalée Cruise Café. Transfer back to Hanoi to catch the night train at Hanoi Railway Station departing at 22 :20.

Overnight on cruise

The train arrives at Lao Cai train station at approximately 6:00 a.m., and there will be a vehicle waiting to transfer you to Sapa. The drive to Sapa is only 33 km, but it takes around 1.5 hours.

Once at Sapa, you will check in to your hotel (early check-in subject to availability). You will have breakfast at the hotel restaurant, then enjoy a free morning to explore around town. In the afternoon, there will be a walking tour to the hill tribe villages of Cat Cat, home to the H’mong hill tribe minority peoples. As you walk to the villages nestled in the valley below Sapa, you will meet some of the local minority people on their way to and from Sapa. Here you will have the opportunity to share cultural experiences with the families that live in the area. You will stay overnight in Sapa.

Met up at your hotel in Sapa by local guide and driver for a short road transfer heading to Cat Cat village. After a couple of minutes, you will follow a road going downhill to Cat Cat village. You will stop by a waterfall and a hydroelectric station for a while before you trek on a dirt trail through rice paddy terraces. You will also enjoy spectacular scenery while walking along a narrow river. You eventually arrive in Y Linh Ho village of Black Hmong minority, where you can take a rest while you are served lunch nearby the river.

After lunch, you head Muong Hoa valley. You will pass through Lao Chai village of Black Hmong minority and then Tavan village of Giay minority by following a very popular trekking route. You will spend the night in a local house of Giay minority. You will be able to take a walk to enjoy the valley view as well as swim in the river nearby. Approx: 5 hours walking/ 1-hour lunch

Once you get energy for your last day trek by having a delicious breakfast, you leave for Giang Ta Chai village of Red Dao minority. You will trek through the bamboo forest, which belongs to Hoang Lien National Park. On the way, you will pass by a waterfall where you will have time to take a rest and enjoy the surroundings. You will find a nice place to enjoy lunch.

After lunch, you continue toward Su Pan, a small village located by the road. Here you start your journey back to Lao Cai by car. And overnight by a train, back to Hanoi.