Today was a trekking day around the lake. Although we didn’t need to start our trek until around 8-830am we were all pretty much awake by 6am.

I took a few photos early in the morning before breakfast.

The family we were staying with were from the Black Tay tribe. The Tay tribe is one of Vietnam’s largest ethic groups. They are the earliest known minority in Vietnam, who are thought to have arrived from inland South East Asia about 500 BC.

The traditional dress for black tay women is made from indigo dyed cotton. It is usually plain, with little embroidery or other decoration. The women wear a simple shirt with silver buttons down the front teamed with black trousers.

In the morning, I also met the family’s pet dog, who was very friendly but got scared if there were too many people around.

After breakfast – delicious pancakes and freshly brewed coffee – it was time for our stretches and some group photos before heading off.

Our hostess waved us off as we got back on the boats to the starting point for our trek.

We travelled down the lake for a little bit and took some more pictures.

Once off the boats, we trekked uphill for a while as we climbed to the high massif overlooking the Ba Be Lake.

We passed through different types of vegetation: jungle, giant ferns, twisting lianas, and various crop plantations.

It was very hot and humid, which made the trek challenging. We passed through a small number of villages, home to Hmong and Dao people.

We also met several animals on the way. The cows, chickens and dogs all roam through the forests and villages.

We stopped for our packed lunch of rolls, tuna, laughing cow cheese, eggs, tomato and cucumber in a large shack. It used to be a homestay as well, but had very little business following covid. We made sure the dogs had some food, too.

We carried on walking through more amazing scenery, everywhere you looked it was just beautiful.

We had several snack stops and opportunities to take photos along the way.

We saw a lot of bugs and butterflies on the walk, too.

Most of the villagers grow rice or other crops. The rice grows for around three and a half months. It is then dried in the sun and stored. The rice seeds are planted, grown into a seedling, and then replanted somewhere else.

Shortly before we got back on the boat, we had to navigate a rickety bridge, and we stopped at a little place for a well-deserved cold beer.

On the way back to the homestay, the boats stopped so we could get off for a refreshing swim – the perfect end to a hot and sweaty hike.

I took some more photos of the lake as it was our last night here.

Our lovely hostess was there to greet us when we arrived home. It was then stretch time to make sure we didn’t get aching muscles.

We had another delicious traditional Vietnamese dinner before heading to bed for an early night.