- Destination
- Travel Style
06h00: Leave Vietnam’s bustling capital and get off-the-beaten track in Sung Village in Da Bac. Only a four-hour drive from Hanoi, the village is part of the Da Bac community-based tourism project, a social enterprise set up to empower local communities to earn a sustainable living. Supported by the Australian NGO ‘Action On Poverty’, Sung Village is one of three remote ethnic minority villages and home to the Dao Tien ethnic group.
10h00-11h00: Arrive in the village, feeling the cool mountainous breeze when stepping out of the transfer vehicle, and get to know the local hosts of tonight’s homestay. Together, sit down for a delicious lunch before exploring the village on an introductory walk.
14h00-15h00: Visit some of the local families and hear about different aspects of life in the village whilst learning about traditional customs and the impact tourism has on the local culture. Continue the walk to meet the friendly women of the village’s brocade group and watch their skilful embroidering before trying on one of the traditional costumes. Enjoy a hands-on batik painting workshop, creating a personal keepsake, before learning the artistic process of indigo-dying. Finish this insightful village tour with a taste of local wine at a family’s house and find out how to make ‘thit chua’, or sour meat – a local speciality that is usually served at special events such as weddings.
16h00-17h00: Return to the homestay for a hot shower and a filling homemade dinner before joining the villagers for an enjoyable evening with a local music performance and dancing – a fun experience making for truly unforgettable memories.
06h00 -07h00: Rise and shine, taking in the fresh countryside air, and enjoy breakfast amidst the peaceful village setting.
08h00: Start the morning with a short hike to the nearby Sung Cave before continuing to a hundred-year-old tea plantation where a local farmer will share the secrets of good quality tea, from picking the best leaves to processing them. Pass by a community house where locals teach the traditional Dao language to young people, keeping this important cultural aspect alive.
11h00: Back at the homestay, refuel with a well-deserved lunch before embarking on a 10-kilometre trek through the scenic landscape to another village of the Da Bac community-based tourism network. Whilst rather flat on the first part of the trail, the second half leads downhill through untouched bamboo forests to a local wharf. From here, enjoy a leisurely, half-hour cruise along the peaceful river until reaching Da Bia Village, home to the Muong ethnic minority group. Sitting on the edge of the Da River, spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing with various water activities, including kayaking, bamboo rafting or swimming.
19h00: After a tasty dinner at tonight’s homestay, learn how to make ‘bánh ốc’ (or shell shaped cake) with rice and banana leaves, whilst getting to know the friendly hosts and listening to stories of their life in the village.
Tuck into a comfortable bed and enjoy a good night’s rest after this active day in the hilly landscape of Da Bac.
07h00-08h00: After breakfast, spend this last day in the remote countryside delving even deeper into the local culture of the village. First, see the local kindergarten and school before learning about the village’s traditional stilt houses and trying on a colourful Muong Au Ta costume. Next, discover how locals catch shrimp with a bamboo trap and end the morning at a floating fish farm.
11h00: Tuck into lunch at the homestay and embark on a scenic boat ride to visit the Hoa Binh Dam. Completed in 1994, it is the largest hydroelectric dam in Vietnam and, besides electricity production, plays an essential role in flood prevention.
17h00: End the boat trip in Thung Nai and board a bus travelling to Hanoi. Reflect on this incredible time in Vietnam’s off-beat countryside, getting to know the local communities and insight into their daily lives.
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