Mai Chau – Cuc Phuong – Tam Coc 4-Day Adventure

Travel Style: Active Tours, Classic Tours
Trip length: 4 days

Experience northern Vietnam in depth on this 4-day journey through Mai Chau, Cuc Phuong National Park, and Tam Coc. From stilt houses in Mai Chau valley to the ancient forests of Cuc Phuong and the serene river landscapes of Tam Coc, this tour offers a mix of cultural encounters, natural beauty, and outdoor adventure.

Trek through Thai ethnic minority villages, enjoy traditional dance and rice wine, and sleep overnight in a local home. Discover Cuc Phuong’s rich biodiversity, ancient caves, and giant thousand-year-old tree. Then glide along the waterways of Van Long and Tam Coc, often called “Halong Bay on land,” with stunning limestone peaks and rice paddies. A balanced itinerary of trekking, cycling, and boat trips makes this an unforgettable holiday for nature lovers and cultural explorers.

• Soft trekking through Mai Chau valley & staying in a traditional stilt house.
• Cultural encounters with Thai ethnic minorities: music, dance & local rice wine.
• Explore Cuc Phuong National Park: ancient trees, caves & endangered species rescue center.
• Boat trip in Van Long wetland reserve among limestone cliffs & rice paddies.
• Discover Vietnam’s ancient capital Hoa Lu & panoramic view from Ma Yen Mountain.
• Cycle through countryside & take a scenic boat trip in Tam Coc – Halong Bay on land.

Day 1. Hanoi - Mai Chau (L, D)

Morning pick up at your hotel and leave Hanoi we head west to Mai Chau valley, enjoy spectacular view of landscape on the way, have break for photographing. Arrive in Mai Chau around noon. Have lunch and relax.

Afternoon, we go on a soft trek for 2 hours to visit Lac & Poom Coong villages. See terraced rice paddies and small villages, discovering the natural beauty of the valley and encountering the culture of the ethnic minority Thai people. You will have chance to see "Tho Cam" - a unique textile product of Thai people, meet and have talk with the friendly local people. Have dinner with local family and enjoy the traditional dance performance and drinking wine from the bamboo tube.

Stay overnight in the home of Thai hill tribe (Ban Lac village).

Day 2. Mai Chau - Cuc Phuong National Park (B, L, D)

After breakfast, depart to Cuc Phuong national park with stop over on the way for taking photographs of Vietnam peaceful countryside. Arrive in Cuc Phuong, start to visit Centre of Endangered Rescue. Have lunch at restaurant.

Afternoon keep trekking to discover the variety of fauna and flora of the forest in fresh atmosphere to the Tetrameles nudiflora (Sequoia) 1,000 years tree and primitive man cave. Checking into your bungalow, we will have free time to walk and visit around in the evening.

Have dinner and stay overnight in Cuc Phuong National Park.

Optional: A night-explorations** where we venture in search of the jungle’s nocturnal critters and creatures, including civets, owls, large insects, flying squirrels, and bats.
**The night exploration for local creatures depends much on the season and your luck, in which you might observe some creatures in nature.

Day 3. Cuc Phuong - Van Long - Hang Mua (B, L, D)

Leave for Van Long floating village (Van Long wetland reserve), a perfect venue for you to relax and let your mind wander among the diverse limestone features of Van Long nature reserve, then take a boat trip for 2 hours rowing along this beautiful wetland of Van Long Natural Reserve, enjoying spectacular scenery surrounded by rice paddies and towering limestone mountain peaks. Continue to Ninh Binh, check in your hotel and have lunch at local restaurant.

Afternoon visit to Hoa Lu, formerly the capital of Vietnam during the Dinh and early Le Dynasties which however has left its legacy in the form of two small temples, each one nearly a thousand years old. After a short drive we visit these two remaining structures, dedicated to the Dinh and Le rulers.

Continue traveling to Hang Mua, you will wallow in a wonderful landscape of mountain, valley and river. We first climb up hundreds of steps to lead to a temple on top of a hill, the spectacular views from Hang Mua over Tam Coc and Ninh Binh’s stunning countryside are well worth the effort.

Check in your stay/hotel in Tam Coc. Overnigth in Tam Coc.

Day 4. Tam Coc - Hanoi (B, L)

Start the day on a bike riding through beautiful countryside to Tam Coc, which is known as "Inland Halong Bay" to Bich Dong pagoda, spend time for exploring the area.

Then we take a Tam Coc boat trip on a river through the quiet and peaceful landscape of rice fields surrounded by limestone formations to the grottoes of Tam Coc.

Check out your hotel and have lunch at restaurant before driving back to Hanoi.

End the tour at your hotel.

PRIVATE TOUR PRICE

Not fit your requirement? Feel free to contact us to plan this trip and get the best possible price based upon your travel period and specific touring needs.