Cao Bang Loop & Ba Be Lake Adventure in 5 days

After breakfast in Cao Bang City, begin your journey with a drive through Ma Phuc Pass toward the countryside. Stop at Phja Thap, Phúc Sen, and Pac Rang — small villages known for traditional incense-making, handmade paper, and blacksmithing. These craft traditions are deeply rooted in the culture of the Nùng ethnic group.

Continue to Nguom Ngao Cave, a vast underground world of spectacular limestone formations. Then head to Ban Gioc Waterfall — one of Vietnam’s most iconic natural sights — and take time to admire its powerful beauty right on the China border.

Check in at a homestay in Khuoi Ky, a unique village of stone stilt houses near the waterfall. Share a local dinner with your host family and enjoy the calm atmosphere.

After breakfast, head into Phong Nam Valley — a quiet and almost tourist-free area surrounded by towering limestone mountains and patchwork rice fields. It's one of the most scenic, untouched spots in the entire region.

Next, visit Angel Eye Mountain (Núi Thủng), a surreal rock formation with a circular hole through its center. It’s one of the visual highlights of the Cao Bang Loop and part of the Non Nuoc Cao Bang Global Geopark.

Travel onward to Pac Bo, where Ho Chi Minh once lived during Vietnam’s revolution. Walk beside the emerald Lê Nin River and visit Pac Bo Cave, a simple site with deep historical meaning.

End the day in Pac Bo Village, a place deeply connected to Vietnamese history. You’ll stay in a homestay near the Le Nin River, named after Lenin, where Ho Chi Minh once lived and worked during Vietnam’s independence struggle. Dinner is served at the homestay.

Depart after breakfast and drive into the mountains, crossing the peaceful Na Tenh Pass and passing remote villages and forested hills.

Continue over Mẻ Pia Pass (also called Khau Cốc Chà), a dramatic zigzagging road carved into the mountainside. Stop to admire the views and descend into the quiet Xuan Truong Valley.

Reach the riverside town of Bao Lac, where you’ll stay in a local homestay or small hotel. This area is home to the Lô Lô ethnic group and offers a warm welcome and peaceful night.

Visit Khuoi Khon Village, where the Lô Lô people live in traditional stilt houses and maintain their unique customs. It’s a rare chance to interact with one of Vietnam’s smallest and most distinct ethnic groups.

Continue through the mountains and descend toward Ba Be National Park. In the late afternoon, board a boat and enjoy a peaceful cruise across the lake — surrounded by limestone cliffs, jungle, and tranquil water.

Stay overnight at a family-run homestay on the lake’s edge. Enjoy a fresh home-cooked dinner and rest in one of Vietnam’s most peaceful nature settings.

Relax in the peaceful surroundings of Ba Be Lake, take a short walk, or enjoy a quiet morning with views of the water and mountains.

After an early lunch, board a comfortable limousine bus back to Hanoi, ending your 5-day Cao Bang and Ba Be adventure with unforgettable memories of northern Vietnam’s landscapes, culture, and hidden beauty.