Ba Be Lake is on a limestone mountain, at a height of 150m above sea level, a place with some of the most wonderful scenery in Vietnam. The lake is in Ba Be National Park, which is about 250km north of Hanoi. This 2-day trip unveils Ba Be’s mystical lake and hill tribe villages, you'll experience the friendliness of the local people, eat authentic Vietnamese cuisine and stay in a beautiful homestay. This tour will take you off the beaten track and bring you real rural life experience
Day 1: Hanoi – Bac Kan – Ba Be Lake (L, D)
In the morning around 8 am, you will depart from your hotel in Hanoi.
On the way, you will make a stop in Thai Nguyen to visit the gorgeous Vietnam Museum of Ethnology before having lunch in a street restaurant.
Then, you will leave the main road to join a smaller one snaking through the rough mountains and lush tea plantations to reach the Tay village of Bo Lu. Fishing and rice and corn cultivation are what Tay people are living on and they are also famous for their stunning stilt houses.
Once coming to Bo Lu, you will experience the hospitality of the host and his incredibly friendly family, in one such traditional house.
You will definitely get far away from the hassle of Hanoi when taking a 3-hour boat trip, gently chugging around the lake. If you need to cool off, do the same ways as the local kids do and just jump in the river for a swim.
At the end of the day, you will return to your homestay and have a superb dinner featuring local specialities. You will stay overnight with local family at Bo Lu Village.
Day 2. Ba Be – Hanoi (B, L)
After breakfast at the Homestay, we will go on foot to experience the Ba Be forest at close quarters. You will trek by the slow flowing river, gaze in awe at the dramatic mountains and valleys and natural caves and may enjoy a little bird and butterfly spotting. The national park is home to countless numbers of flora and fauna.
On the way, we will pay a visit to Hua Ma cave, only recently accessible, as few locals would enter due to ancient beliefs. The cave has thousands of stalactites and stalagmites and is still very atmospheric. You can rest your legs on the drive back to Hanoi, stopping for lunch at a local restaurant on the way. Expected to arrive at your hotel in Hanoi about 18.30.
