Guide to the north of Vietnam: Top places to explore

12, April, 2019

Guide to the north of Vietnam: Top places to explore

Resilient by the incredible beauty of nature, Vietnam is a South EastAsian country often defined by the cultural plurality of the people and diversity of its land. North Vietnam tour always offered delightful travel experience, historical relics, breathtaking sceneries and of course world class oriental cuisine give it an element of district character in every bit of its life. Despite the ravaging, liberation struggle, which mainly attributed to the political choice of the people, the proud nation is buoyant with hope.

While traveling to North Vietnam, the prominent locations you may dot to visit are Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City, Halong Bay, Hanoi, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, etc., which appears in any common North Vietnam vacation packages.  But in this article, we want you to take a ride along with our experienced tour guides to enjoy the mesmerizing beauty of Hoang Su Phi, Mu Cang Chai, Bac Ha Market, Sapa, Y Ty, Dong Van Rock Plateau, Ban Gioc Waterfall, Be Be Lake, and much more. Instead of sticking to a stereotypeitinerates, it would always be okay to venture, the hidden treasure of Vietnam.

Vietnam is a land of promise, with beautiful and friendly inhabitants, a well-known tourist destination in the world attracting more than 4 million tourists every year. Ever since its independence, the country emphasizes the tourism industry and is enjoying the rich dividend. Recently North Vietnam tour operators consciously start offering unpopular tourist destinations, which carries immense tour potential and less crowded.   You can take advantage of the packages, which would be budget friendly and alluring.

Bordering with China, Cambodia, Laos in the west and China in the north, it is a country with mixed cultures, dominated by Buddhism.  People are easy going and get blended with modern life and attires but still holds traditional cultural values.  

The emerging third world country has a plethora of unique tourist destinations. Northeast and northwest Vietnam tours will give you opportunities to visit the well-known majestic alpine peaks, historically significant locations, charming Halong Bay, Red River Delta, plains of Vinh Yen, Yen Cao Bang and much more.

Your North Vietnam tour activities should not have a limited tour option. It may include fun-filled boat trips, challenging trekking, tiresome cycling, daring elephant ride, horse ride, various aquatic activities, beach activities and of course sumptuous food delicacies and nightlife.

mu cang chai photo tour 

Things to do in North Vietnam:
If you are planning to visit North Vietnam for the first time, then you need to consider the following points that can help you explore around at ease.
1.    Visiting important and unexplored location is something that you can give preference while planning a North Vietnam tour.
2.    Make sure to have a camera if not a professional camera with proper filters, if you are part of a Vietnam photo tour package that can blot everything you want to store, be it the breathtaking landscapes, enthralling rice fields filled, sunsets and other picturesque moments in North Vietnam.
3.    Keep some hiking gadgets, as hiking shall be the best way to get close to different places in North Vietnam, and you can get to know more about the locals mingling with them.
4.    Get drenched in the natural waterfalls that are plenty in and around the mountains.
5.    Opt for a walking tour, which is the best way to observe the tradition and culture of the people.
6.    Try to indulge in local activities. It could be joining for a traditional cooking class or handicraft making. It gives an immense opportunity to interact with the people.
A recognized tour operator shall cover up the below mentioned top places in their North Vietnam Vacation Packages.

Sapa
Sapa, the mountainous town North Vietnam is popular for the cultural diversity and the landscape iswithincredibly richsceneries. Sapa is the home for the hill tribe peoplenamely, the Dao, the Hmong, the Tay, and the Muong. Even if you have only one day to visit Sapa, then also you can get to knowthe terraced rice fields and the landscapes from a close angle. But if you want to know more about their culture, then you need to choose a homestay in Vietnam package.  Hike to the remote villages and spend the night by dining and learning a lot from the residents of the hill tribe.

sapa vietnam in september

Y Ty:
The Y Ty is popularly calling as the mystical beauty of North Vietnam. The Y Ty is a remote site located in the Bat Xat district and can reachby taking the road from Lao Cai City located eight kilometers away from Y Ty. The terraced rice fields in this area have become increasingly popular which helped to have a heavy influx of tourists in recent times. It is an ideal location for photographic projects. If you are visiting Y Ty during September or October, you can witness an extensive range of yellow colored terraced rice fields glowing around.

If you are on a Vietnam photography Tour, then Y Ty village is a must to visit, and it hosts the best nature photography location that you can never be found elsewhere in Vietnam. Other than going out for a photo walk, you can get to know about the daily activities of the local people like weaving, cake making and much more. The local minority people depended upon nature for its offerings, and they do get paid off for protecting the environment.

Bac Ha Market:
The specialty of Bac Ha Market is Sunday weekly market, where locals sell handicrafts and other unique items that tend to reflect their culture and tradition. Other than shopping at the market, the local eateries shall be a feast to your taste buds.By walking through the market, you will get drenched with a cacophony of color, vibrancy, and sound. Even if you are a newbie to photography, it will be an ideal location to select for a Vietnam photo Tour. The vibe that sets around the market is undoubtedly enthusiastic, and you can even witness the hill tribe ethnic community making their presence to sell their handmade products and go for shopping in the Bac Ha Market.

bac ha market lao cai vietnam

Mu Cang Chai:
Mu Cang Chai offers a chance to the tourists for exploring its beautiful terrace rice fields and adventurous trekking. Mu Cang Chai can explore in its full spirit by taking around the mountains and the valley. Along with trekking, consider spending the night at Mu Cang Chain, and you will be amazed to taste the local foods prepared with simple ingredients. By spending some quality time with the local people, you can get to know their daily life activities, even get a chance to interact to understand how they prepare the foods.

You can have the panoramic view of the enthralling rice fields from the Khau Pha peak before 7 in the morning. It's the best time to capture the cosmic dance of sun rays over the rice fields. Make sure to choose North Vietnam vacation packages from your tour operator, and the package should include early morning photo shoot session.

mu cang chai tour

Hoang Su Phi:
Hoang Su Phi is a mountainous district with a vast residential area consisting of about twelve thousand households on board. With a living population of sixty-four thousand people, rice terraces and unique food preparation, Hoang Su Phi has lots to offer for its visitors.

The captivating rice terraces can watch from any part of the district, especially during the summer season, where the sunrise and sunset shall be a phenomenal thing to watch around the rice terraces. After reaching Hoang Su Phi, if you feel tired, then you can refresh your body and mind by having the traditional rice soup comes with a blend of boiled rice, onions, chicken eggs, coriander, and chili.

The soup can help to soothe the soreness in your muscles and can help to relax your stressful veins to a whole new level. While visiting Hoang Su Phi in your North Vietnam tour, make sure to taste the unique food and prefer to take a homestay from your tour operator. The homestays shall offer on traditionally built in setup reflecting ancient architecture works and let you understand the daily life of the local people.

hoang su phi tour ha giang

Dong Van Rock Plateau:
From Hanoi, you can reach to Dong Van Rock Plateau by negotiating a six-hour journey. The rice paddies in this locality shall climb towards the mountains and can find extended beyond its horizon as well.

By further exploring, you can uncover many intriguing locations from Dong Van Rock Plateau, like the pristine lakes, stone forests, pine forests, caves, and magnificent waterfalls. The North Vietnam tour operators do have various hiking and trekking options to reach some important places in and around the forests, and you will have the assistance of an experienced local guide to ease up your tour activities.

dong van ha giang tour

Ban Gioc Waterfall:
The Ban Gioc waterfall in Cao Bang is one of the favorite tourist spots in North Vietnam. You can have various aquatic activities like, swimming in the Quay Son River or taking a shower in the waterfall. The roaring waterfall is a flamboyant visual and reaching there shall be an adventurous task.  

Other than drenching under the water, you can take impressive pictures, as the waterfalls are found to be flowing down from a highly scenic location surrounded by mountains, rivers, and trees.

A boat ride around the river will be like an icing on the cake, and you can have a close look of the waterfall at one instance. Finding a snack or drink stall shall not be a problem, as many shops are offering it for an affordable price. Due to safety precaution, there are some swimming restrictions, and you can swim only up to a certain level, and it is highly advised to follow the rules.

ban gioc tour cao bang vietnam

Ba Be Lake:
Ba Be Lake in Ba Be District offers a fantastic feast to your eyes. The lake is a conjoined one with three different small lakes coming together to form a remarkable sight-seeing location. The lake has a depth of about twenty to twenty-five meter, and the lake bed is wholly made up of limestones. You can find more than a hundred types of freshwater species in the lake.

A boat ride on Ba Be Lake shall be a memorable one as you can find the lake lying in the middle of the mountain range with small and large protruded limestone islands at different places. With a boat ride, you can go to the limestone caves. Halt in the cave to know more about its nature and even take pictures at its entrance.

Most of the tour operators offer boat ride with North tour of Vietnam, which is the best option to explore the hidden wonders of limestone caves and watching aquatic species from a close angle. The serendipity of being surrounded by water along with a gorgeous mountain view can neutralize the stress factor of your body and tranquilize your mind.

ba be lake tour

North Vietnam Tour - the best time to take one:
The best time to visit North Vietnam is either between September - October or April - May. During April and May, the summer season shall make the mountainous view look stunning to your eyes, and it will be the best months for trekking. During September and October, there will be slight showers; albeit, the climate will be suitable enough to trek around.

These rainy months do portray the unique beauty of Northern Vietnam, and it is this season you can enjoy the visual treat of nature – the golden rice fields! The climate changes are instantduring September, and it's the best time to choose for a wanderer to enjoy the different perspective of Northern Vietnam in a single trip.

Conclusion:
Even if you are on a short North Vietnam adventure, you get the opportunity to do various things that are soul refreshing and relaxing. Visiting North Vietnam will be a lifetime experience, and you will always have a feeling to revisit hereshortly.

Once in a while, the human body needs to get pushed towards its limit and explore more to make the soul happy forever. North Vietnam is an authentic paradise replete with shimmering paddy terraces, venerable pagodas, and dramatic dunes. Ripples of the Vietnam War still reverberate, but a spirited Vietnam shows its metal, looking forward to dwelling on the history.

Book your packages and be ready to experience an enthralling Vietnam travel experience.

Read more:
- Northwest of Vietnam
- Northeast of Vietnam