Mu Cang Chai: Rice Terraces and Hill Tribes

Depart Hanoi in the morning for the four-and-a-half-hour drive to Nghia Lo in Yen Bai province, with a short break along the way. Arrive around midday for lunch in a Black Thai hill tribe village, set in the fertile Muong Lo valley, one of the region's major rice-growing areas. After lunch, take a short walk through peaceful hamlets of traditional stilt houses, past rice fields where locals still work the land with buffaloes. In the late afternoon, continue two and a half hours along a mountain pass known locally as the 'road for photographers,' its steep slopes lined with rice and tea plantations, to Mu Cang Chai. Check into a design retreat set among the terraced hills, blending modern comfort with traditional Vietnamese style and panoramic views over the valley. Overnight in Mu Cang Chai.

After breakfast, transfer to a Hmong hill tribe village set at over 1,250 metres, the starting point for a trek of around seven kilometres to Mam Xoi Hill, an iconic viewpoint over rice terraces shaped by centuries of farming. Visit the Hmong village along the way, where many locals still wear traditional dress and live off the land (a motorbike option is available for those who prefer not to trek, for an additional fee). Return to the retreat by midday, with the rest of the day free. Overnight in Mu Cang Chai.

A free day to enjoy the retreat at your own pace, with a spa, sauna and outdoor pool on hand for total relaxation. Overnight in Mu Cang Chai.

After breakfast, drive an hour to Tu Le along winding roads through forested hills and terraced rice fields dotted with traditional houses. Follow your guide on trails past villages surrounded by rice fields to meet the local community, before transferring back to Hanoi in the afternoon.