My husband and I made a super last minute decision to go to Mu Cang Chai, and of all the tour companies we spoke to, it was clear that Custom Vietnam Travel Tours was the most experienced and thoughtful in proposing an itinerary. Though this tour usually is recommended for 3 days minimum, my husband and I were limited in time and could only do 2 days. The Custom Vietnam Travel team really went out of their way to make it work for us! THE PEOPLE We booked the tour the day before we left - which seemed daunting at first given the 7-8 hour drive, but LIliana was so helpful in putting the itinerary together and even sending us photos of what Mu Cang Chai looked like (I had been worried that it wouldn't look as expected with most of the rice being harvested) that we couldn't pass up the opportunity! Liliana wasn't pushy at all, and went out of her way to be welcoming - calling after work hours both before the tour to explain the logistics and after the tour to welcome us back to Hoi An. Our tour guide Mr Dung reminded me of a kind history teacher, super nice not only with us but with all the vendors, H'mong school children, and village farmers we met along the way. He was clearly knowledgeable about the area and super excited to share the beauty of the area with us. Our driver was also such a pleasure to work with - he was not only a very safe driver (need to be on those mountain roads!), but also joined in on some of the hikes and picture-taking! THE TOUR The tour itself was really such a unique experience. Our itinerary included a stop at and hike at Xuan Son National Park, a stop at a H'mong village to visit the farmers (No pressure to buy anything as you may find in other village visits; we were really just dropping by to learn a little more about farm life and catch a glimpse of the villagers harvesting rice), and a visit to the biggest rice terraces at La Pan Tan. Even the little break stops for tea and sugarcane juice were charming - including some at small stalls alongside gorgeous tea fields, and fresh juice spots in little towns. The drive itself through Mu Cang Chai was breathtaking, and our driver and Mr. Dung humored me in stopping along the road at various places so I could take pictures of the beautiful terraces and golden rice fields. The landscape at Mu Cang Chai, hidden within the mountains is really unmatched in beauty - from the enormous golden rice terraces up and down the mountain, the water buffalo grazing alongside the river between the hills, and the little houses spotted amongst the terraces spouting wisps of smoke from their cooking fires - this glimpse of life in the mountains was really a unique experience worth 7-8 hour car ride. We caught the end of the rice harvesting season, and though there were only a few fields left that were still golden, it was still a sight to behold as villagers began to plan for tea and corn planting in the terraces following rice season. Thank you team at Custom Vietnam Travel for putting together the most unique experience we had in Vietnam!

We went on a private tour arranged by Susan at Custom Vietnam Travel that included trekking in Mu Cang Chai, Bac Ha, Hoang Su Phi, and Dong Van Karst Geopark. Our tour also included visits to the Bac Ha and Can Cu markets and a boat tour of Ba Be National Park. About half of our lodging was in homestays and the rest in hotels. The trekking was amazing for the scenery and for the homestay meals and homestay lodging experience. We highly recommend the homestays. Being included in family meals, experiencing the homes of various ethnic peoples, and the kindness of the various hosts is a memorable experience not to be missed. During our two week tour, we did not see another foreigner on any trail, yet we saw absolutely stunning scenery, especially the rice terraces just as harvest was starting. It was such a pleasure working with Susan. We had many interactions in formulating our trip and she worked so diligently to put together a trip based on our interests. Shortly before our trip was to start, we had a family crisis and were close to needing to cancel but Susan was able to reschedule the trip on short notice and we ended up with an amazing experience. The roads thru most of this trip are narrow, windy, and often on very steep mountain sides. We traveled in a very nice Ford Everest SUV and our driver was unbelievable. I have never been with such a skilled driver and I can assure you we were grateful for his driving skills. Our guide, Hoan excelled in every way but in addition, he expressed such excitement for both the grandeur of the scenery and the ethnic people's and also the joy of little details like the beautiful butterflies that it added a lot to our trip. His enthusiasm was infectious and it was great fun to travel with Hoan. I highly recommend planning a trip in this area preferably scheduled when the rice terraces reach their prime. If I were to make any changes to our trip itinerary, I would suggest more homestays. They are a great experience.

We had a car, driver and guide for a thirteen day tour from Hanoi through Mu Cang Chai, Sapa, Ma Tra, Bac Ha, Pan Hou, Yen Minh, Meo Vav, BaBe Lake, Cao Bang, Bac Son, Hanoi. A fantastic trip through areas that few tourists get to see. Not for the fainthearted, as it includes several treks through the mountains, up to eighteen kilometres, (saying which I completed all the treks and I am over seventy years old), and accommodation is not five star. The organisation was excellent, the staff were very helpful, and I would certainly recommend this company.

Susan assisted us for the booking of the trip. Her response to our queries was fast and had great follow-ups after the trip. Our guide, Binh, and our driver, Hong, was really nice and friendly. The trip was an eye opener.. breathtaking views of the rice terraces etc and really friendly locals who stay true to themselves.

This tour was one of our highlights in Vietnam. Since it was just 4 of us , we got to ride in the nice big van and did not have to waste time picking up other travelers before heading to the valley. We had a delicious lunch upon arriving in the valley and had the most fun cycling in the valley thru villages and rice paddy field despite some the trails were muddy and also involved carrying the bike thru river crossing. Our guide was the most fun, sweet and professional guide. Thank you Custom Travel!

We had quite a remarkable experience- We were driven from Hanoi to the Bac Binh Commune. Our local host was an elderly gentleman & his wife -we had green tea then lunch & homemade rice wine -so much food we couldn't eat it all. Our guide Hung told us all about the crops grown in the area as we walked through the rice paddies on concrete roads. We then went for a pushbike ride around -saw a silk worm factory, they grow the mulberry shrubs -feed the silkworms & let them spin their cocoon. In about 2 months they boil the cocoons, spin the silk & eat the worms. Next we saw them making rice noodles -grind rice to flour add water & extrude it through a machine & dry it in the sun. Hung, was very interesting to talk with -he knew so much about the local village & Vietnamese life giving us a real insight into this beautiful country. We would recommend this trip as a day tour out of Hanoi, suitable for just about anyone If you don't want to ride a bike they will drive you around the tracks

We contacted Custom Vietnam Travel about the "Vietnam Panorama" tour which takes you all the way from the north to the south of Vietnam. Susan replied within 24 hours with a detailed itinerary. I requested quite a few changes to the itinerary and Susan was very patient and listened to everything I said. I notified her of my shellfish allergy and she made sure it would not be an issue on the holiday. The tour was incredible! Many of the places we visited were "off the beaten track" so not very crowded which was great & you really get a feel for the place. The restaurants they take you to are sooo good! We tried so many weird and wonderful foods. All the tour guides we had were very friendly, fun and had such a vast knowledge about the history & culture of this beautiful country. Our favourite places on this tour were Halong Bay and Mekong Delta. Tip: spend a little extra and book the Dragon Legend cruise in Halong Bay...totally worth it!! A big thank you to Susan, all our tour guides and drivers for making our trip so special. We can't wait to tell our family & friends about you. Don't hesitate....book with Custom Vietnam Travel!!

We originally contacted Custom Vietnam Travel Day Tours to arrange a private tour through Northern Vietnam. They were easily able to provide us what we wanted. The arrangements were all made via email. On our arrival they met with us personally at our hotel to make sure everything was set and provided us with a free cell phone to use while we were in Vietnam just in case we needed assistance with anything. Our actual tour guide and driver were very good. We ended up booking a few more day tours through them because of their excellent service. Would highly recommend this tour company.

On our honeymoon, my wife and I had an afternoon tour around the Hanoi old quarter with Smiley -- he was great! Very knowledgeable and adapts the tour to what you want to see and what you want to do. His English is very good and he was an absolute joy to be with. Highly recommend!

We love Vietnam, and our favourite is the Old Quarter in Hanoi. However it is nice to get away out to the country and this is definitely the way to do it. Our second time traveling with Custom Vietnam Travel and they delivered again. Initial contact is through Fiona who is awesome to deal with : ) Our guide Hung met us bang on time and was very passionate and knowledgeable about all things Vietnamese. The drive is interesting as is the Sampan ride. The break after for lunch was delicious and the bike ride (easy and flat) was a lot of fun, passing water buffalo, rice fields etc on the way......if you want a fun day away from the city I would recommend this tour. Take wide brimmed hat, sunblock, bug spray.........water was supplied. Wear sensible shoes for the cycle and modest clothing for the temple