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June 28, 2024
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Thinking about traveling to Vietnam? Then I can highly suggest visiting the north of the country, a place that is blessed with the otherworldly karst mountains of Halong Bay and the endless rice paddies of places like Pu Luong, Mai Chau, and Sapa. I’ve toured the north of Vietnam extensively and have put together an ultimate north Vietnam itinerary with my favorite places. Moreover, I give tips on transport, accommodation, and practicalities like costs, visas and what to pack. Here we go!
Sapa, Vietnam
Having visited Vietnam from North to South, I can say for sure that the sights that impressed me the most were all in the north of the country. Of course, the South is great too, with the vibrancy of Ho Chi Minh and island like Con Dao and Central Vietnam too where you can find magical Hoi An.
But if you are looking for the most dramatic landscapes of Vietnam, I think the north is your best bet. This is what travel dreams are made of!
In this post, you can find an itinerary that is suitable for up to three weeks. If you don’t have that amount of time to spend in the north, simply cut out week number two (Pu Luong and Mai Chau) or week three (Sapa and Ha Giang).
Note that, as a conscious traveler, I also included a few places that are more off the beaten track. Since Halong Bay is suffering from overtourism, I replaced it with a visit to Cat Ba and Lan Ha Bay. And I also included Pu Luong, a region where you can still experience the authentic local life of the White Thai!
On day one, you will arrive in Hanoi, most likely through the airport if you are flying in internationally or by bus or train if you are coming from central Vietnam.
Getting from Hanoi Airport to the Old Quarter or other parts of the city is very easy by taxi, bus, or Grab. If you are coming by bus to Hanoi from Hoi An, Da Nang, or Hue, they will likely drop you off at their agency headquarters in the city. The train will arrive at Hanoi Railway Station.
To beat the jetlag or long bus or train ride, don’t plan too much on your first day in Hanoi. Settle into your accommodation first and maybe have a stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake before going out to have a great meal for dinner.
If you are looking for a quick bite, Banh Mi 25 serves up the best Banh Mi’s in town, while Veggie Castle is a great place for an elaborate meal!
→ Also read: Where to find the best vegan restaurants in Hanoi
While I mostly like to stay out of the center of the city in most destinations I visit, the main tourist center of Hanoi, which is situated in and around the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake, is the most convenient place to stay of one or two days.
It’s relatively close to the main attractions in the city and most hotels, hostels, and small guesthouses are also situated in this area. A few great budget places to stay are Hanoi View Legend, Trinh’s House, and Graffiti Hotel.
On your second day in Northern Vietnam, explore some of the many sights in Hanoi. Start your day with a pho soup at one of the street stalls or go for a more western breakfast at one of the more upscale places around Hoan Kiem Lake and order a (vegan) egg coffee, a Hanoian specialty.
After a filling breakfast, hit the road and discover the gruesome past of Vietnam at Hoa Lu Prison, pay your respect to Vietnamese revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, or go for an intellectual walk in the Temple of Literature.
During the day, buy a bus-boat combination ticket to get from Hanoi to Cat Ba the next day. The best company for this is Good morning Cat Ba and you can book tickets with them online on 12GoAsia. Their departure point is also conveniently located in the Old Quarter.
Finish the day with a street food tour of the city. You can find both regular food tours and vegan tours in Hanoi.
Day three is a transit day and will take you from the center of Hanoi to Cat Ba Island. Instead of going on a very touristy cruise to Halong Bay, during our itinerary, we’ll explore the lesser visited island of Cat Ba and adjacent Lan Ha Bay.
Don’t worry, you won’t miss out on anything! The bay is as beautiful as Halong Bay and the tour that you can take at Cat Ba also includes parts of Halong Bay.
Once you arrive on Cat Ba island, settle into your accommodation and take the rest of the day off to be well rested to go out exploring the next day!
Cat Ba is a pretty big island. The main place to stay and the only city on the island is Cat Ba City but I found it to be a rather unpleasant experience. However, if you want to be close to restaurants and shops, this is your best option. Secret Garden Cat Ba is a fun accommodation that is a bit out of the touristy area of town.
If you’re planning to rent a motorbike, I can highly suggest to stay in Xuan Dam, a small village about halfway between the pier and Cat Ba City. Here, you can stay with locals in a cute homestay. I stayed at Spring Garden Homestay but Green Homestay and Joystay are great options too!
On day four, explore Cat Ba island. There are several caves on the island, but the main attraction is Cat Ba National Park. This park is a part of the larger Cat Ba Archipelago Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO-protected site.
While the largest part of Cat Ba island is considered Cat Ba National Park and you can walk around it freely, a specific section of the island has been set up as an actual national park with an HQ and visitor center.
There are several hiking trails inside the park but the most scenic one is called the ‘Kim Giao forest – Ngu Lam Peak’ trail. It takes you high up on the mountains and there are several viewpoints from which you can see the otherworldy landscape of Cat Ba.
In the evening, go for a slow dinner in Cat Ba City or ask your homestay to prepare a delicious meal for you.
On your second day in Cat Ba, it’s time to explore the wonders of Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay. If you are looking for a reputable company that cares about sustainability, I highly suggest booking a tour with Blue Swimmers.
But there are also many tours that can be booked online. Cat Ba Ventures is a good company with excellent reviews and offers a great one-day tour online.
Enjoy this day admiring the impressive karst mountains of Halong and Lan Ha Bay. Most of the tours include lunch and optional activities like kayaking, hidden beaches and caves.
If you are not too short on time, I do suggest you take a multi-day tour of Halong and Han La Bay. This will allow you to have a more relax experience and see more hidden spots.
Day six is a transit day again and will take you from Cat Ba to Ninh Binh. The best way to book your tickets in advance is through 12GoAsia. An important thing to look out for here is the drop-off location of the busses.
Some buses have Ninh Binh City as the final destination but you really don’t want to stay in this dusty and unpleasant city. The best place to stay in Ninh Binh province is Tam Coc. Therefore, look for a bus that will drop you off at the small lake in the center of Tam Coc.
A lot of accommodations are within walking distance from here and a large selection of restaurants and shops dot the main street. A lovely budget guesthouse where you’ll feel right at home is Mom Homestay.
But there are several amazing accommodations in Tam Coc and if you fancy some sustainable luxury, I’d opt to stay at Tam Coc Garden Resort. It’s a little further out of the center of Tam Coc, but the roads are flat and it’s easy to get around with bicycles.
If there’s one activity that you can’t miss out on in Ninh Binh is doing a boat tour at the UNESCO-protected Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex.
Many people opt for a boat tour in the center of Tam Coc but this is a bit of a tourist trap. Don’t let anyone tell you anything else, the Trang An boat ride is the real deal.
Trang An is famous for its impressive limestone mountains, caves, and scenic waterways. It got the nickname ‘Halong Bay on land’ and by doing this tour you will see why.
There are three tours you can choose from that take you through several caves and to hidden temples. I took tour number three, which takes you through a 1 kilometer-long cave as a highlight but I think you can’t go wrong here no matter what tour you pick.
In the afternoon, pay a visit to the Bai Dinh temple Complex and finish of the day with a delicious meal at An Tam Coc Restaurant and Coffee.
Day two is dedicated to exploring the various temples around Tam Coc and the Mua Caves. If you want to take it slow, going to Mua Caves and Viewpoint is an absolute must, while the Tam Coc Bich Dong Pagoda and the Thai Vi Temple are also worth a stop.
The best way to explore Tam Coc is by bicycle and riding through the lush ricefields on small hidden alleyways is an adventure in itself.
Finish off the day with one of the best meals you’ll have in your life at Tung Sen Restaurant, a magnificent place, hidden between the karst mountains. They offer cooking classes too!
→ Do you know that there are many more activities around Tam Coc that can keep you busy for days? If you’re not a temple hopper you might enjoy a trip to Cuc Phuong National Park and the Ninh Binh Bear Sanctuary instead. Or a visit to the Van Long Wetland Reserve, another scenic boat trip in the area.
Check out my Tam Coc Guide if you are interested in other activities in and around Tam Coc.
Day nine is another transit day, this time to the rural mountains and valleys of Pu Luong! This was easily one of my favorite destinations in Northern Vietnam because of its unspoiled scenery and the fact that not many tourists venture out here.
While they were just setting up the first bus route between Ninh Binh and Pu Luong at the time of my visit last year, multiple buses are plying the route between these two destinations today.
You can book your tickets on 12GoAsia and you have a choice between minivans or bigger buses. Note that all the buses leave for Pu Luong before 8 A.M. so you’ll need to rise early!
Buses to Pu Luong will drop you off at the main road that runs right through it. There’s a string of eco-lodges and eco-accommodations in the streets close to the bus stop but I suggest not staying that close to the main road.
The most beautiful place to stay in Pu Luong is located 10 kilometers from there, hidden between the valleys and the mountains, and is called Hieu Village.
The best place to stay in this area is Pu Luong Holiday, a marvelous homestay with Ta, the owner, and his lovely wife and daughters. Ta is also a tour guide and there’s an on-site pool that is just wonderful.
Another great option located in the heart of Hieu Village is Tai Dam Homestay.
During this three-week North Vietnam itinerary, you’ll only spend one day in Pu Luong so be sure to make the most of it. A perfect way to spend the day is to ask Ta of Pu Luong Holiday to show you the most beautiful places around the area.
Alternatively, the best way to explore the mountains and valleys yourself is by bicycle which can be rented easily at various accommodations. Be sure to make a few stops when you encouter small pathways that lead into the rice fields.
The views you’ll find will be even more scenic then if you’d stay on the main roads!
To finish off the day, take a plunge in the pools of Hieu waterfall. There are little to no restaurants around Hieu Village so you’ll like have meals at your accommodation.
Day eleven is another transit day, this time from Pu LUong to beautiful mountains and valleys of Mai Chau. The look and feel is a bit similar to Pu Luong, with the exeption that the rice paddies are mostly flat and not terraced in Mai Chau.
There is no bus transport between Pu Luong and Mai Chau. The option to get there is to ask your accommodation to call a private car with a driver for you. It takes about two hours to drive from Pu Luong to Mai Chau.
The main two towns in Mai Chau are Lac Village and Pom Coong but I suggest you don’t stay in either of them. The ricefields around those two villages are absolutely marvelous and it’s much more scenic to stay in a guesthouse that is a little more out of the center.
Little Mai Chau Homestay is my absolute favorite here and I loved it so much I even wrote an in-depth review about them.
Other great options in the area are Meadow Mai Chau and Mai Chau Countryside Homestay.
Here are the websites I personally use whenever I travel to Vietnam:
Booking.com: For the best cheap guesthouses, homestays or small hotels
Hostelworld: To find the best hostels located in the cities
Homestay: For unique immersive homestays in the cities as well as in the Vietnamese countryside
12GO and Bookaway: The best transport websites for long-distance buses and train travel in Vietnam and Southeast Asia
GRAB: for taxi rides in cities and nearby attractions
Skyscanner: For affordable flights to Vietnam
Eatwith: Dine with locals inside their home for an immersive foodie experience
Withlocals: Experience cities in Vietnam with local people that show you around. This is a good idea if you want to stray off the beaten path!
Viator and Get Your Guide: For (vegan) food tours, street food tours, and tours in general
Get your Visa for Vietnam online through the Evisa website
If you’re looking for travel insurance, the one with the best benefits online is without a doubt Heymondo! It’s very easy to ask for a quote on the website and if you book with this link you’ll get 5% off!
Get access to mobile data straight away when entering the country with a Vietnam E-sim or an Asialink E-sim when traveling through multiple countries.
Start your first day in Mai Chau exploring Lac and Pom Coong village and the beautiful rice terraces around Mai Chau. The best way to do this is by bicycle and you can easily rent them from your accommodation. Oftentimes, they even rent them out for free!
Along your ride, you’ll pass by many artisan shops and you may see local women practicing traditional dances. These areas are mainly inhabited by the White and Black Thai but there are also other minority groups inhabiting these villages.
A great place to have lunch is Lop Cafe, a small eatery run by a local family. They have many traditional vegan Vietnamese dishes on the menu but also decent Western food like pasta and pizza.
After having a filling lunch, it’s time to explore Chieu Cave, only a short walk from Lac Village. To reach Chieu cave, you will first have to climb a steep 1000-step staircase but you’ll realize that this is absolutely worth it when you reach the top and witness the incredible views over Mai Chau.
On your second day in Mai Chau, plan a road trip with a car with a private driver. The four locations you should ask him to visit are Hoa Binh Lake, Goc Lao Waterfall, Nang Waterfall, and the Hot Springs called ‘Suối Nước Nóng Bò Ấm‘.
Hoa Binh like is very scenic and is the largest man-made lake in Vietnam. To get the best views of the lake, ask the driver to bring you to this viewpoint. The Goc Lao waterfall is on the way to this viewpoint.
Nang Waterfall is another scenic waterfall located about 20 kilometers from Ho Binh Lake. After touring the waterfall, get out your swimwear to soak in the hot springs with the locals.
This day involves a long transit day from Mai Chau to Sapa involving taking two buses. In the early morning, take a bus from Mai Chau back to Hanoi. The bus ride to Hanoi takes about three hours.
Upon arrival in Hanoi, take another bus with destination Sapa. This bus ride is much longer than the first one and takes about six hours. If you leave Mai Chau early enough (around 6 A.M.) you’ll arrive in Sapa before dark!
You can book your tickets on 12GoAsia. It’s a good idea to book the two bus rides with the same bus company. That way, you can just hop on the bus to Sapa at the same place where you get off the bus from Mai Chau.
Booking with a different company for the second leg of the trip might require you to take a Grab or walk to another pick-up point in Hanoi.
→ Also read: How to get from Hanoi to Sapa by Train
The beautiful mountain town of Sapa is one of the most beautiful regions in northern Vietnam but also one of the most touristy.
As a place to stay, I recommend to stay somewhere outside of the city center, where there’s little noise and you can enjoy the natural surroundings.
There are some small guesthouses with killer prices in Sapa like Surelee Homestay, Mekhoo & Zizi Sapa Homestay , and Hmong Sister House.
If you are looking for a tad of luxury, try Topas Eco Lodge.
Instead of trying to visit all the attractions in Sapa that most tourst guides and travel blogs mentions, I’ll highly suggest you book a tour for this day and the next day with Hmong Sister House and Trekking.
Hmong Sister House and Trekking is a socially conscious enterprise that aims to empower women in the area to make money by working as tour guides and homestay hosts.
It’s a great way to contribute to the local people of Sapa, as your money will funnel straight into the local community!
For day one, I would opt for the Hit the road package as it takes in a lot of the most scenic sights in Sapa. For dinner, pay a visit to Healthy Food and Beverage. They serve some of the best food in town!
Start day two slowly with a delicious breakfast at your accommodation. After getting ready it’s time to join another tour with Hmong Sister House and Trekking.
You can choose between various options, from hiking up to Fansipan Mountain to visiting local villages or a handicraft workshop.
Finish off your time in Sapa with a lovely dinner at Moment Romantic, a great local restaurant near the center of town.
→ PRO TIP: Vegan travelers might enjoy the cafe and food of Thong Dong Vegan. They also organize vegan tours in the region and use a share of the profit to educate locals about the vegan diet and sustainable tourism.
Day 17 marks the transit day to your last destination in the north of Vietnam! In around 6 hours, travel from Sapa to Ha Giang, a beautiful destination with endless rice paddies and dramatic limestone karst landscapes.
The region is part of the Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The last thing you’ll do here is go on an epic three-day road trip by motorbike or Jeep!
Ha Giang is not as touristy as Sapa (yet) so staying in the center of town is the most comfortable. This is also handy as you will need to arrange a motorbike or an organized tour for the next three days!
For your stay in Ha Giang, you cannot be in better hands than at Be’s Home & Tours. not only is the accommodation lovely but the tours are also of outstanding quality!
The main thing you’ll do in Ha Giang is go on a three-day tour to discover all that Ha Giang has to offer. Tours can be booked through Be’s place but other companies are also interesting to book with, like Bibi, which is run completely by locals.
If you don’t feel comfortable riding a bike yourself, there are alternatives. You can opt for a local to take you on a three-day trip on the back of his motorbike or there are also possibilities to book tours in a jeep instead of a motorbike with Easy Riders.
No matter what tour you pick, you’ll be in for a treat! Some of the most popular sights along the Ha Giang loop are the Ma Pi Leng Pass, the Nho Que River that flows through the deep canyons and Quan Ba Heaven Gate.
After your loop trip, it’s time to head back to Ha Giang town for another nights at Be’s Home.
Day 21 and we are at the end of our three-week itinerary to explore the northern parts of Vietnam. Today, take a bus back to Hanoi to fly back home or spend a night in Hanoi and continue your trip further down the south!
The bus ride from Ha Giang to Hanoi takes 6 to 7 hours and can be booked on 12GoAsia.
In this last section, I want to share some practicalities that will help you plan your trip to Northern Vietnam independently. Here’s what you need to know!
While it’s okay to visit Cat Ba, Ninh Binh, Pu Luong, and Mai Chau during the winter months, from December to March, it might be too cold to travel in the mountains of Sapa and Ha Giang comfortably.
The summer months are not ideal too as they are very hot and humid and bring lots of rainfall. As a result, the best time to visit the north of Vietnam is in Spring or Autumn.
Before you arrive in Vietnam, you need to apply for a visa online to receive an approval letter to enter the country. At the airport, you will need to show this approval letter to get a Visa stamp on your passport.
You can stay in Vietnam for up to 90 days with a single entry visa. The official website to get your approval letter is E-Visa Vietnam.
If you are flying in internationally, the best way to enter the North of Vietnam is via Hanoi. Hanoi airport is centrally located in the north of Vietnam and is an ideal starting point for your trip.
If you are coming from any other destination in Vietnam, there are plenty of buses, trains and domestic flights to reach Hanoi.
Trains and buses are the most common way to get around the north of Vietnam, however buses tend to be faster then train in this part of the country.
If you don’t fancy long bus ride together with other people, there’s always an option to rent a private car with a driver to take you from A to B but this will be much more expensive.
All transport options can easily be booked on 12GoAsia.
I’ve already included my favorite places to stay with each destination I mentioned in the post but there are many options regarding places to stay in the north of Vietnam, from budget homestay to boutique hotels and big resorts.
I like to stay at local accommodation when I travel, but there’s something available to suite every style of travel.
Packing for northern Vietnam largely depends on the time of your visit. In Spring and Autumn, you’ll be fine with a sweater and a rain jacket. But in the winter, temperatures can drop below 0 degrees and you’ll need to dress warmer.
In the summer months, breathable clothing is a necessity. I haven’t written a Vietnam packing list yet but you can check out this packing list for Laos, which will be fine no matter what season you pick.
The cost of traveling to the north of Vietnam highly depend on your own travel style and preferences. If you want to watch your budget, then you can easily travel around Vietnam on 25*/day.
But, if you prefer to stay at higher end accommodation and choose private transport above public buses costs can add up to 300$/day, if not more.
One thing you should always buy before traveling is travel insurance. I never leave without it and it helped a lot when I fell ill in Indonesia and when my boyfriend needed to be hospitalized in Georgia.
It basically means that all your costs are covered by this insurance when you fall sick on the road, need to be evacuated or loss or theft of baggage.
I prefer to get my insurance with Heymondo, one of the best travel insurance companies out there.
There you go! We are at the end of this north Vietnam itinerary. Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions or drop me a message through my contact page.
Also, don’t forget to check out my resources page with my favorite booking platforms and tips to start planning your trip. Additionally, have a look at my favorite travel gear if you want to pack more consciously.
And lastly, if you want me to plan a personalized itinerary for you, go to my itinerary design page!
ENJOY!
Disclaimer: This post may include affiliate links. If you click on them, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Hi! I am Annelies and this is Travelers & Dreamers, a blog about conscious travel which means traveling in a more mindful way, with a positive impact on the world and yourself!
On this website, I cover different topics like slow travel, plant-based food guides, responsible travel, sustainable packing, eco-travel, and more!
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