SAPA ON THE TRACK OF HILL TRIBES


Day 1: Hanoi - Lao Cai

Welcome on board the wonderful VICTORIA EXPRESS TRAIN. Our Victoria staff, dressed in their colourful, trademark ethnic minority waistcoats, will welcome you at Hanoi Railway Station located at 120 Le Duan Street, for departure at 9:30pm.

Your journey on board the unique Victoria Express will make your trip to Sapa, one of Asia's most beautiful and little explored regions, a truly magical experience. You will feel pampered and privileged in one of our sleeping compartments where you can get a good night's sleep in our comfortable bunks with requisite white linen and classic wooden furnishing.

If you prefer you can first indulge yourself in our Dining Carriage where you can savour the delights of traditional Vietnamese and Western cuisines.

The journey from Hanoi to Lao Cai takes around ten hours; but time passes quickly thanks to the gentle rocking of the train and the rhythmical clicked-clack of wheels on the track.

Overnight on board.


Day 2: Lao Cai - Sapa - Lao Chai & Ta Van Ethnic Villages (Breakfast, Dinner)

After a relaxing night, you will have time for a freshly brewed cup of coffee while watching the scenery before you arrive in Lao Cai town, just a few kilometres from the border with China.

Our driver will pick you at 7:00am at Lao Cai Railway Station. The 45-minute transfer will allow you time to enjoy some spectacular scenery. Don't hesitate to ask our driver to stop and take some pictures of the amazing landscape. On arrival at our VICTORIA SAPA HOTEL, you will be greeted by our charming staff with a refreshing welcome drink.

A buffet breakfast will be waiting for you at our restaurant, where you can also enjoy breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and Vietnam's highest peak, Mount Fan Si Pan. Then take a rest before an afternoon full of activities and discover. You can refresh yourself in our indoor swimming pool or try a traditional Vietnamese massage. For more energetic, you can even enjoy the fresh air of Sapa and play tennis on our private court.

In the afternoon, be well-prepared with boots or trekking shoes for a-two-hour trek through terraced paddy fields. We will take you by car to the village of Lao Chai, the home of H'mong minority people. From there, we walk 12 km to Ta Van village. On the road, you can see H'mong, Zai and Dao people dressed in different colourful traditional style clothes, that are unique in the Northern region of Vietnam. Experience the daily lives of minority people to better understand their cultures and customs.

Return back to Victoria Sapa Hotel. In the evening, enjoy a-four-course dinner at Tavan restaurant, with its large central fireplace.

Overnight at Victoria Sapa Hotel.

Day 3: Free day to discover Sapa (Breakfast)

Buffet breakfast at hotel. Free day in Sapa to explore different pursuits by yourself such as Cat Cat village. Cat Cat is only 4 kilometres from our hotel, so you can easily walk to this small H'mong village where charming inhabitants will perhaps offer to share some 'ruou' (traditional rice alcohol) with you. Relax beside the nearby waterfall or visit the old French-colonial power station. Don't miss the orchid garden in Sapa, Thac Bac Waterfall, Tafin, a village of the Red Dao minority or shopping in the town. You will be amazed by the beauty of the unique local handicrafts.

Back to hotel. Relax and be ready for the next day's new adventure.

Overnight at Victoria Sapa Hotel.


Day 4: One more free day to discover Sapa by yourself (Breakfast)

Buffet breakfast at hotel. Free morning to explore Sapa some more. Perhaps visit Ham Rong Mountain, an easy two and a half walk that takes around 3 hours to the 1,600m peak and back. From here you will be able to see the whole panorama of Sapa Town. You can also discover Ban Ho, the home of Tay people - the most developed ethnic minority in Vietnam.

Late in the evening, experience Sapa's unique Love Market. Ethnic minorities from the surrounding villages, especially Red Dao people, put on their most colourful costumes and head to Sapa's market on Saturday. The girls try to hide in the dark shadows and sing the love songs to attract the boys, who try to find where the songs come from. If the two young people are well matched, they go together into the forest for three days. Back from this escapade, they can get married if they desire. Be quiet and patient to discover it&

Overnight at Victoria Sapa Hotel.


Day 5: Sapa - Lao Cai - Hanoi (Breakfast, Dinner)

Buffet Breakfast at hotel. This is your own day to explore Sapa market or perhaps Bac Ha Market - the most famous market of the region, where you can discover all the different minority groups from the surrounding mountains: Flower H'mong, Thai, Nung. This colourful market is well-known for its various handicraft objects.

Enjoy our swimming pool and hotel facilities before your trip back to Hanoi.

Our driver will take you to Lao Cai Station, where the train's departure time is planned at 6:45pm. We will serve you a delicious dinner in our restaurant car, before a good night on board.

Day 5: Sapa - Lao Cai - Hanoi (Breakfast, Dinner)

The train arrives at Hanoi Station at 4:30am. However, you can stay inside your carriage and sleep until 7:00am. Our staff will make sure you are not disturbed.

Goodbye and hope to see you again!

This above package is our Wednesday Package 1 of 4 Days/5 Nights