Embark on a captivating expedition that takes you through the heart of Vietnam’s North-Western highlands with our “Noi Bai Airport (Or Hotel in Hanoi) – Long Coc Tea Hill – Ta Xua – Son La – Dien Bien Phu – Hanoi” tour. This journey is a treasure trove for those who revel in the majesty of landscapes and the rich tapestry of local minority cultures, all without the footprints of Sapa’s well-trodden paths.
From the moment you depart from Noi Bai Airport or your hotel in Hanoi, you are on a path of discovery. The first marvel on your itinerary is the enchanting Long Coc Tea Hill in Phu Tho, where the morning mists weave through rows of tea plants like delicate silk scarves. The serene beauty of these hills promises a photographer’s paradise.
As you ascend to the clouds, the surreal ridges of Ta Xua beckon. This ancient land is home to the ethereal “dinosaur spine” and offers panoramic views that will etch themselves into your memory. Moving deeper into the highlands, the province of Son La welcomes you with its rich cultural diversity and history.
Your adventure culminates in Dien Bien Phu, a city etched in history for its pivotal role in Vietnam’s fight for independence. Here, amidst the echoes of the past, you’ll find a vibrant present, with local markets and friendly faces offering insights into the daily lives of the region’s inhabitants.
This tour is a celebration of Vietnam’s natural splendor and cultural richness, perfect for those seeking to explore beyond the usual destinations and into the soul of the country’s North-Western provinces. Join us for an unforgettable journey through Phu Tho, Yen Bai, Son La, and Dien Bien Phu, where the landscapes and local minorities await to share their stories with you.
Tour Overview:
- Start from Hanoi airport or Hotel in Hanoi.
- 5 nights in the hotels and homestay.
- Visit the most exciting places around by car and walking
- Main Places to visit: Long Coc Tea Hill, Hung Temple, Ta Xua, Bac Yen, Son La, Dien Bien Phu.
Detailed Itineraries
Day 1: Noi Bai Airport (Or hotel in Hanoi) – Long Coc Tea Hill (D)
Pick up guests at Noi Bai airport (or hotel in Hanoi) at 12:00 The group got on the car to visit Long Coc tea hill. After about 2 hours by car, the group arrived Long Coc tea hill.
Long Coc tea hill is located in Long Coc commune, Thanh Son district, Phu Tho province, about 70km from Viet Tri city. This area includes nearly 700 hectares of tea hills, located on the way to many famous tourist destinations in the ancestral land such as Hung temple, Lac Long Quan temple, Mau Au Co temple, Thanh Thuy hot spring, Xuan Son national park…
What impresses visitors is that the tea hills in the Long Coc area are located close together, from above they look like giant upside-down bowls, creating an undulating, overlapping pattern stretching to the horizon. On the horizon are towering limestone mountains, contributing to creating a unique landscape for the entire midland tea hill region.
Long Coc tea hill, when viewed horizontally, is curvy like ocean waves, but when viewed from above, it is smooth and regular as if shaped by a giant hand.
From March to December every year, tea in the Long Coc area grows green buds, creating a vibrant green carpet. From December onwards, when the tea trees are “hibernating”, the tea hills will appear with diverse lines and shapes, stimulating your rich imagination. The tea hills are the result of the hard work of the Muong people in Thanh Son district.
Guests experience local life. Tea picking and tea processing
Homestay in Long Coc Dinner in the local house.
Day 2: Long Coc – Ta Xua ( B, L, D )
Have breakfast at 7:00
Check out of the hotel at 8:00 and go to Ta Xua.
Arrive in Bac Yen at 11:30. Having lunch in Bac yen.
After lunch, the car and guide take visitors to visit Ta Xua in the afternoon with two sightseeing spots: Dolphin’s Peak and the Steppe.
Ta Xua dolphin snout is a famous check-in location for young people when traveling to Ta Xua. The name dolphin promontory comes from the shape of these rocks. Whether standing from afar or looking up close, it is easy to recognize the shape of the dolphin’s bill. From a distance, it looks like a dolphin rising above the water. Up close, there is an image of a dolphin opening its mouth and playing.
Next to the dolphin’s snout is planted a small green tree that looks like an umbrella covering the dolphin’s head. Below is dirt and rocks. Because this place is known to many people, it is gradually being renovated to become more beautiful. The path to the dolphin’s cape is lined with stones, and the ground has soft green grass.
After visiting Dolphin Peak, the car and guide took the group to visit the Ta Xua steppe
Ta Xua steppe is located on the same path to Dolphin’s cliff and lonely tree.
People often say that this is one of the places that everyone who comes to Ta Xua should visit.
To see that nature is always so beautiful and poetic.
The car takes the group back to the homestay
Dinner in the restaurant
Spend the night in Ta Xua Ecolodge
Day 3: Ta Xua –Bac Yen – Son La (B, L, D)
Have breakfast at the restaurant at 7:00 At 8:00 the group checked out of the homestay, the car picked up the group to visit the Ta Xua Dinosaur’s spine and the peak of the wind.
The spine of the Ta Xua dinosaur is a nearly 2km long road located on the top of a mountain range more than 2000m high, with two vertical cliffs on both sides. At the end of the dinosaur’s spine, you can see high, rolling mountains in the distance, and near the foot of the mountain are the terraced fields of the villagers. If you go on cloudy days, you will feel like you are lost in a fairyland when surrounded by white clouds floating lazily. This is truly a natural wonder of the Northwest region of Vietnam
After visiting the dinosaur’s spine, the car took the group to visit Ta Xua wind peak
From the top, you can admire the surrounding majestic scenery with strips of green terraced fields, looming in the distance is the roof of kitchen smoke leaves, your hands can touch the clouds and sky.
Have lunch at Ta Xua or in Bac Yen
After lunch, the group boarded bus 45 sts to continue to Son La city
After two hours on the road, the group arrived in Son La city and checked into the hotel In the afternoon, the group visited Son La prison.
Son La Prison was built by the French in 1908 with an initial area of 500 m2. After three times of construction and expansion, Son La Prison has a total area of 2,170 m2. In particular, during the process of expanding the prison, the French also built a series of underground cells 3 meters deep underground, hidden by the kitchen area above. The underground cell system includes 5 individual cells and 2 collective cells, including 1 dark cell.
Son La Prison is solidly built, the walls are made of stone and brick, and the roof is covered with corrugated iron. The beds for prisoners are built of stone, have a cement surface, and have a leg shackle system along the length of the floor on the outside. With such a design, the Laotian winds of the Northwest region with blazing heat in the summer and cold frosts in the winter have caused diseases to arise and spread quickly. Son La prison is likened to “an open coffin, just waiting for the prisoner to die and bury him”. This prison operated from 1908 to 1945.
The group spent the night at the hotel
Dinner in the restaurant
O/N in hotel ***
Day 4: Son La – Dien Bien Phu (B, L, D)
Have breakfast at the restaurant at 7:00
At 8:00, the group checks out of the hotel and goes to Dien Bien Phu. On the way, the group visited the headquarters of General Vo Nguyen Giap
The Dien Bien Phu campaign command area was stationed in Muong Phang for 105 days from January 31, 1954 to May 15, 1954. With the arrangement of tunnels and camps into a continuous system, hidden in the jungle at the foot of Pu Don mountain, the important headquarters of the Dien Bien Phu campaign was guaranteed absolute safety… From this Command Post, going higher, standing on the highest point, you can observe the entire Muong Thanh valley and former French army strongholds such as Him Lam hill, Doc Lap hill, D1 hill, C1 hill. , A1 hill…
The group had lunch along the way and returned to Dien Bien Phu city in the afternoon
Check in to hotel *** .
Visit Dien Bien Phu city and Dien Bien Phu market.
Day 5: Dien Bien Phu (B, L, D)
Have breakfast at the hotel.
Get on the bus and depart to visit:
– Dien Bien Phu Historical Museum – The museum has 5 display areas with 274 artifacts and 122 paintings
according to each theme: Strategic location, Group of enemy strongholds, Party guidelines, Influence of the victory of Dien Bien Phu and Dien Bien Phu today.
– De Castrie Tunnel, A 1 Hill, Dien Bien Phu Victory Monument – Places still filled with heroic echoes of the war have historical significance for the entire Vietnamese nation
12:00: You have lunch in the restaurant.
14:00: You visit:
– Ban Phu Citadel, Hoang Cong Chat temple – This is the place that marks the most outstanding activities of the hero Hoang Cong Chat. He is a symbol and belief in the spirit of great national unity, patriotism, and resistance to foreign invaders in our country in the 18th century. 15:00: When you visit the Uva tourist area, you will enjoy, immerse yourself in the majestic nature and immerse yourself in hot mineral water. Bathing in hot mineral springs can cure skin and digestive diseases and improve blood circulation.
Have dinner at the restaurant
Overnight in a hotel***
Day 6: Dien Bien Phu – Hanoi (B)
Have breakfast at the restaurant at 7:00.
Guests rest at the hotel. The car takes guests to Muong Thanh airport for the flight to Hanoi
Flight time is at 10:35 or 12:35
Flight times may vary according to reality
Arrive at Noi Bai airport after 1 hour and 20 minutes
End of the program to visit Northwest Vietnam
(Related Tour: Tour Lao Cai – Bac Ha – Xin Man (Ha Giang) – Nghia Do – Hanoi)
The Price
| No. of Participants | Price |
| Group 5-10 Pax | US $381/1 Pax |
| Group 11-16 Pax | US $262/1 Pax |
| Group 17-22 Pax | US $215/1 Pax |
| Group 23-28 Pax | US $209/1 Pax |
| Group 29-34 Pax | US $199/1 Pax |
| Group 35-40 Pax | US $190/1 Pax |
Include:
- Car 16sts , 29 sts , 35 sts , 47sts according to the program
- Hotels: Two people in a double room – Long coc homestay and Ta Xua Ecolodge: Sleep on stilts, with blankets, mattresses, and mosquito nets. Bathroom, toilet outside
- Night 1: Long Coc homestay (B)
- Night 2: Ta Xua Ecolodge (B)
- Night 3: Son La: Hotel (B) ***
- Night 4, 5 Đien Bien Phu: Hotel (B) ***
- Meals according to the program: 5 dinners and 4 lunches at 200,000 VND/1 meal
- Sightseeing tickets
- English Speaking guide
Not included:
- Drinking water
- Drinks on meals
- Tip
- VAT invoice
- Mineral water bath costs
- Airline tickets