DAY 1: ARRIVE HANOI
Meet and greet on arrival in Hanoi and transfer to our hotel. Welcome dinner tonight with our local doctors. (L)
DAY 2: PREPARATION DAY
We have a full day to get ready for the Medical Trek. We will get acquainted with our local crew including doctors, nurses, interpreters and guides. We also have a chance to check all equipment, medical supplies. In the afternoon, we will do a quick orientation tour of Hanoi. (B,L,D)
DAY 3: HANOI – MAI CHAU – HANG KIA VILLAGE
After breakfast we depart Hanoi for Hoa Binh province and the town of Mai Chau. This scenic drive takes around three hours. Along the way we pass fields of tapioca and sugar cane as well as rice paddies. We arrive in Mai Chau and are welcomed by local officials and health workers (some of them will join us over the next four days). We also meet with our local crew including cooks, porters. After lunch in a traditional stilt house of the Thai people, we drive for one hour to Sa Linh Village to begin our trekking. The verdant and rugged mountain scenery combined with the colorful local population makes this an unforgettable experience. Today we walk along gravel tracks and small paths, used by the locals. Our destination for this evening is Hang Kia village, home of the H’mong Minority people. Here we stay overnight as the guests of an H'mong family in a traditional long house, situated in a picturesque valley of peach orchards. (B,L,D)
DAY 4: WORKING DAY
We will start early and set up our working place in the village surgery which is staffed by a local H’mong who had gone through some public health training sessions in Mai Chau. Today, we will examine approximately 150 people and several of them have never been health checked by a doctor in their entire life. At the end of the day, we will pack everything for a long walk the next day. (B,L,D)
DAY 5: TREK HANG KIA – VAN VILLAGE
Today we get well and truly off the beaten track as we trek through tropical rain forest, using the local tracks and passing through cornfields as we descend in to Mai Chau Valley. On the way we will encounter the local villagers as they go about their daily business: whether it be tilling the fields, logging or herding buffalo. The trek will take around 7 hours and is quite steep in places. Lunch will be provided en route, and weather permitting, we will have a picnic near a babbling brook at the foot of the valley. From here we pass through several White Thai villages, and are sure to attract attention as this part of the country receives very few visitors. We will arrive at Van village by late afternoon and we will have time to walk around this charming little village, enabling us to understand a little more about how the people live. The village is home to the Thai people, and tonight we will be their guests in one of their traditional stilt houses. There, we will be toasted as honored guests and will be able to sample some of their homemade rice wine! (B,L,D)
DAY 6: WORKING DAY
We will start early and set up our working place in the village. Today, we will examine approximately 250 people in the Bao La area. (B,L,D)
DAY 7: MORNING WORK AND AFTERNOON TREK VAN VILLAGE – XO VILLAGE
After breakfast we spend the morning working at our surgery and pack all our gear. We have lunch at Van village. With lunch finished there will time for a short siesta or a stroll down to the river before embarking on a 3-hour walk to the village of Xo (pronounced Soh). Here there will be an opportunity to freshen up at the communal well before sunset. This evening we will spend our third night in a stilt house.
DAY 8: XO VILLAGE - MAI CHAU – HANOI
Bidding farewell to our new friends after breakfast, we have a two-hour trek from Xo to meet our waiting vehicle and continue our one hour drive to Mai Chau We will then have lunch with government leaders of Mai Chau District. There will be a donation ceremony when we will donate some medical equipment and medicines to the District Health Centre. We drive to Hanoi in the afternoon. (B,L)
(Days 9 - 11 are optional extras)
DAY 9 RELAXING DAY IN HALONG
We depart from the capital for Ha Long Bay approximately three hours away. En route we have a short stop at the Sao Dao center run for and by handicapped children. Upon arrival at Ha Long Bay (approx. midday) we will be met by the Customer Services Manager and transferred to our luxury junk, the ‘Jewel of the Bay’. Once we have settled in we can begin our cruise around majestic Ha Long Bay accompanied by a delicious lunch. After lunch we have the chance to explore some of the limestone caves dotted around the bay. Then our captain will find a secluded spot where we can swim in the clear water of the bay, soak up the sun on the top deck or try our hand at some kayaking. After we have finished exploring for the day we retire to the junk. We can relax on the top deck using the sun-tanning area or enjoy a refreshing drink from the bar. In the evening our cook will prepare a splendid meal comprised of fresh seafood dishes as well as traditional Vietnamese fare as we weigh anchor in the heart of the bay. For those that are interested there is the opportunity to do a spot of night fishing from the boat. (B,L,D)
DAY 10 HALONG BAY – HANOI
Rising to the tranquil beauty of the bay we have time for an early morning dip followed by breakfast. This morning we continue to move around the bay to find more secluded areas to either swim or kayak in. The kayaks are lightweight and easy to use and in keeping with our safety policies all participants will be issued with water buoyancy vests. The junk will be near us at all times serving as a back up vessel for those that require it. At around midday we will return to the main harbor before transferring to our awaiting vehicle for a 3-hour journey back to Hanoi. We should be back in the capital at around 3pm. Rest of the day is at leisure to explore Hanoi or do some last minute shopping. Tonight, we will have our farewell dinner with local doctors, nurses and interpreters. (B,L,D)
DAY 11 DEPART HANOI
At leisure until you are transferred to the airport (B)
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