Northern Vietnam, the region home to Hanoi, is full of culture and natural wonders. It impresses tourists all around the world with many beautiful islands and stunning sceneries, some of which are even untouched. Here’s an overview of 7 MUST SEE destinations in Northern Vietnam if you are planning on a North Vietnam tour.
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Hanoi
Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is a small but elegant city. If you only have a chance to visit just one place in Northern Vietnam, that will likely be Hanoi. Its poetic and romantic beauty can charm you so effortlessly. It is said that nothing says Hanoi like its Old Quarter – the cultural heart of Hanoi. If you want to discover Vietnam’s historic and unique cultural delights, walk around and just take in the sites. Hanoi is packed with incredible must-visit attractions, such as The Temple of Literature, Long Bien Bridge or Hanoi Opera House.
Hanoi is also the city of exotic local cuisines. Be sure not to miss the one and only Pho – the most famous traditional dish in Vietnam. Also, don’t forget one of the best drinks in the world – ‘egg coffee’.
Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay
Halong Bay
Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the most popular destinations in Northern Vietnam. In every angle, it resembles a geographic work of art with a variety of shapes. Discovering the bay, you may feel lost in a legendary world of stone islands. Halong bay is also a region with many ecosystems of salt water-flooded forests, tropical forests featuring thousands of animal and plants. There are plenty of caves that each has their own unique beauty, including Thien Cung Grotto (Heavenly Palace) with its narrow entrance leads to a marvelous palace inside or Con Coc Islet (Toad Islet) with unique shapes and marvelous beauty.
Bai Tu Long Bay
Bai Tu Long Bay is part of Halong Bay in Northeastern Vietnam. It is a large landscape including three-quarters of Halong Bay, as well as many islands in Van Don, Cam Pha District. It has many attractions to visit: Cong Do area, Vung Vieng fishing village, Da Xep Park, Cong Dam area, Thien Canh Son cave and Tra Gioi beach. There are also some populated islands with many stunning beaches like Quan Lan, Ngoc Vung, Cong Dong, and Cong. Not having as many accessible caves as Halong Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay remains an extensive unexplored area. It’s only in its initial stages as a destination for traveling, which makes it is actually more beautiful than its neighbor in some ways. In addition, Bai Tu Long Bay National Park is rich in biological diversity, home to many different flora and fauna species.
Sapa and Bac Ha
Sapa
Sapa, the wonderful landscape in the North of Vietnam, has many reasons that keep tourist returning to Vietnam. It is always beautiful in four-seasons. Sapa has a majestic, dreaming and romantic beauty. Going on a Sapa tour, you have a chance to enjoy the fresh air of a region of the northwest, but also visit the old French villas, 100m high Silver waterfall, learn the life of H ‘Mong people in Cat Cat Village. Especially, you can take part in the unique “Love market” on Saturday- a unique and valuable aspect of the culture of the Mong and Dao ethnic groups for a long time. You can also spend time enjoying the breath-taking view of Sapa town engulfed in fog in the “Heaven Gate”, “Cloud Yard”. There are many interesting things tourists can do in Sapa. The spectacular scenery of mountains and terraced rice fields, as well as the colorful ethnic culture, make Sapa become one of the most attractive places.
Bac Ha
Bac Ha (Bắc Hà) is a remote district of Lao Cai province, 80KM from Sapa. One can reach Bac Ha market by booking a van or tour from Sapa, which is about 2 hours away. Despite being surrounded by countryside just as famous and interesting as Sapa, Bac Ha has their own unique beauty that is definitely worth visiting. Tam Hoa plums are grown everywhere in the locality, which make the town look stunning when pure white flowers of plum trees are in full blossom. That is why Bac Ha is also called “Cao nguyen trang” (White Valley).
The most interesting thing to do in Bac Ha is joining Bac Ha weekly market- the most colorful Vietnam market, which is held every Sunday morning. It’s not only a market but also a great chance for tourists to get to know more about the lifestyle of Vietnamese ethnic minorities.
Ninh Binh
Located in the Red River Delta region of the northern part of Vietnam, Ninh Binh is favored by the Mother Nature with a diverse topography of both mountainous and coastal areas. It is said to contain all the scenic of whole Vietnam in its relatively small size thanks to its wide variety of forests, mountains, river, and sea; nature conservation area and national park. One of the most famous attractions of Ninh Binh is Trang An eco-tourism center, which has a variety of caves, valleys and historical relics. Visitors can be overwhelmed by a chain of natural wonders like Tam Coc, Bich Dong- the second best cave of the South, Thai Vi temple, Fairy cave or Sunny Valley. For environment and animal lovers, Cuc Phuong National Park is a must-see site. It is the first national park of Vietnam preserving a variety of rare animals and plants.
Ninh Binh’s history is also worth mentioning. The first capital of Vietnam’s political, economic and cultural center Hoa Lu Ancient Capital is, without doubt, the most attractive site where tourists may find thousands of vestiges of palaces, temples, pagodas, and tombs related to the three dynasties of Dinh, Le, and Ly. Ninh Binh is a venue of relics that reflect its 1000 years of glorious history and development.
Ha Giang
Ha Giang is a mountainous province in the North of Vietnam. It owns an amazing landscape of limestone pinnacles and granite outcrops. The far north of the province has some of the most stunning scenery in the country, and the trip between Yen Minh and Dong Van, and then across the Ma Pi Leng Pass to Meo Vac is quite mind-blowing.
In Ha Giang, ethnic minorities create a unique and rich cultural heritage of the area. Each of the ethnic group has its unique custom. Visiting the Sunday market in Meo Vac Town is a great chance to learn more about this interesting ethnical diversity. Ha Giang is undoubtedly an incredible destination for the backpackers to explore ethnic diversity and to participate in outdoor activities like camping or hiking in mountainous landscapes.
Mai Chau
Another must-visit destination in the North of Vietnam is Mai Chau. Located in Hoa Binh province, Mai Chau is a district with greenery beautiful mountains and a vibrant culture. It is also home to seven distinct ethnic groups, which mostly are White Thai. Although they no longer wear a traditional dress, Thai women have the most unique and amazing skill in producing plenty of traditional-style textiles. Mai Chau is definitely a wonderful place to explore if you’re looking to get an authentic view of the many cultures that have found a home in Northern Vietnam.
Hai Phong and Cat Ba island
Hai Phong
Hai Phong is the part of northern Vietnam and is the third most populous metropolis in the country. It is a lovely city with a colonial look. Most of its streets are lined with flame flower trees, which makes it ‘The City of Flame Flowers’’. In Hai Phong, there are many places worth visiting including temples, pagodas and mausoleums. The town is also known for a handful of festivals, including one unique festival: buffalo fighting.
Cat Ba island
The most attractive and famous destinations in Hai Phong city is Cat Ba island, the largest member sitting on the west of Ha Long Bay. Cat Ba Town, a fishing village, has recently become a tourist center. The rest of the island is mostly unspoiled and inaccessible, with just a handful of paved roads across a landscape of enclosed valleys and shaggily forested limestone peaks, occasionally descending to lush coastal plains. Cat Ba Island is also home to the incredible Cannon Fort constructed in 1942. Tourists can tour the fort and take advantage of the elevation to snap some amazing pictures of the views below.
