The Dong Van area is like Halong Bay without the water. There are thousands of small, steep, peaks coming up from narrow, green valleys. The area is very under populated so the trek is between farm lands and small villages. You have to do this trek with a guide and there are no facilities. The guides arrange various stops for the night, mostly in local one-room school houses. We were lucky one night to stay with a local family in their home. They were very gracious and hosted us as VIPs, all of their nearby relatives came over to meet the Canadians. The house, as are all in the area, is built over the barn.  I slept in their daughter’s room while she went to a cousin’s house to sleep. The cows weren’t as nosy or smelly as I expected!