Da Bac Discovery trek and tour 2D1N

Posted By : 240celinea
You won’t get this amazing local food anywhere else! Pure and very giving community. Great community cafe. The textile you that was prepared was executed perfectly by the community members!
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Posted On : 2023-11-12 22:14:08

Posted By : HaNgoc_Doan
The trip was wonderful. The people were friendly and supportive, the food was nice especially the trekking route was amazing. We really enjoyed the nature.
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Posted On : 2020-07-03 01:13:36

Posted By : 193mikkelj
Driving only 3-4 hours from Hanoi and then finding these "remote" areas with very few tourist is a very unique experience.

Sweet, smiling and happy locals living in small village communities is what you'll find here.

Thank you very much Hung for giving me and Cecilie an amazing experience in these villages.

I wish you the best of luck!
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Posted On : 2019-12-06 09:51:36

Posted By : Troy K
I didn't know what to expect when I booked for a trip to some of the villages around Da Bac, because there wasn't much information. It's not like Ha Long Bay or Sapa, where a steady stream of tourists and notoriety gives you an idea of what to expect.

As I left Da Bac and started up towards the mountainous area around Sung I was amazing at what I saw and I wondered why it was not overrun with tourists.

The fact that the area is regularly cut off by landslides in the wet season goes a long way to explaining why it was not a popular tourist spot. But the landscape was captivating and it is by far one of the best places I visited.

The trek isn't too difficult if you start from Sung village and head down to the river below. And the food and hospitality of the people rivals some of the best places in Vietnam.

But what really struck me was the isolation from tourists, the clean air and the fresh water. After months in Hanoi its refreshing, and I realised it was something I missed.

I would recommend an overnight or three day visit to make the most of this area that's so close to Hanoi, but so far in every other way.
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Posted On : 2019-11-18 03:36:21

Posted By : Nekochileno
Sung Village in Da Bac is an incredibly remote place and beyond my wildest expectations.

The bus journey from Hanoi is fairly smooth to Hoa Binh (1.5 hours), but the 1 hour from Hoa Binh to Cao Son commune is extra bumpy (bring motion sickness pills and sit in the front).

Sung village, home to the Dao people, is a dream. Our homestay hosts were absolutely gracious, hospitable and responsive. We watched our homestay mum work on peeling Do tree (from their plantation) bark to make paper.

Food was home cooking at its best - grilled lemongrass pork, cha la lot, homemade nem, the most amazing red bean glutinous rice and peanuts, wheat pancakes and wildflower honey, and home grown veggies.

Accommodation is dorm style with curtain separators, a firm bed and an excellent comforter that was the perfect temperature for a cold autumn night. The western-style toilets and sink were clean and the hot shower was much appreciated after a day of hiking.

Da Bac CBT recommended that we hike to Da Bia village on day 1 - a 2ish hour hike beginning on newly paved road overlooking rice fields and the hundreds of mountains in the region. Our local guide saw that we didn't have hats, casually climbed up a steep hill, cut two palm leaves (also used a as roof material) and fashioned a lovely fan/sun shield in under a minute. She also improvised hiking poles with bamboo by the side of the road. This was extraordinarily handy when we descended from the paved road to the river, winding through all sorts of flora and fauna, passing starfruit trees (sour!) and cautious buffalos. Mind the mosquitoes though - they are ferocious and legion (heavy duty repellent is a must).

The boat ride to Da Bia village was spectacular - emerald water, mountains and the evening sun. The Hmong people in Da Bia were very friendly, offering us flower tea and inviting us to see their quarters and explain their traditions.

The Xe Om or motorcycle taxi back to Sung Village was heart stopping - a quarter paved path (the one we entered on) a quarter dirt road and half narrow rocky path akin to a hiking route. You'd see a perfect sunset illuminating the mountains and the Da River, if you can ignore the death-defying experience of going uphill and downhill on steep rocks that motorcycles probably weren't made for.

The hike you the amazing cave on day 2 was also magic, snaking through fields of wild mimosas and ripe corn. An offering to the gods was made before entering a huge cavern and stories of local legends. We crossed streams (waterproof boots are a must and be careful of leeches masquerading as regular worms), detoued to a tea plantation a hundred years old, and a school for the village elders. Our guide was very knowledgeable and helpful with leech spotting.

Phuc, our ever reliable English supporter, was a delight to be with, sharing stories of his experiences with exuberance and patiently assisting us with asking questions about everything under the sun. From helping us procure Xoi (glutinous rice with fried egg and pickles), to taking us on a morning walk (hike?!) to visit the local school and watch the sun rise above the clouds (life-changing) to waiting with us to get a grab taxi to our next destination, he was attentive, flexible and went above and beyond to make this experience an unforgettable one. This trip would not have been possible without him.

Thanks to Hung for organising one of the best journeys I've ever had, and Phuc for being just the right person we could ever want. It was amazing, and I'd highly recommend a visit to this little slice of paradise with the Da Bac CBT.
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Posted On : 2019-11-13 01:45:19