The Top 20 Most Famous Destinations In The Northern Vietnam Tour Overview

1. Overview

The North is always an extremely attractive destination for anyone who loves to experience and wants to explore new lands. Considered the center of the country since ancient times, Northern Vietnam is famous for its long-standing traditional culture, unique cuisine, and countless beautiful landscapes.

Traveling to the North of Vietnam is an attractive destination with distinct imprints, with famous places attracting a large number of tourists. In particular, the northern mountainous provinces are paradise for backpackers and tourists.

The best time to travel to the Northern Vietnam Tour 

In the North, each season brings visitors different beauties; no season is the same. The 4-season climate, with its own characteristics, is also one of the highlights that makes this land the first choice of many tourists.

1.1. Spring

The weather is warm; the temperature fluctuates around 20 to 21 degrees Celsius. Coming to the northern mountainous area in spring, visitors will admire images of wild peach flowers, plum blossoms, and white banyan flowers.

1.2. Summer

The temperature can be up to 37–38 degrees Celsius. Coming to the northern mountains in summer, you will admire the terraced fields entering the watering period.

1.3. Autumn

The temperature decreases gradually, and there is light fog in the early morning. Autumn in the northern mountainous area is a bit chilly in the early morning, along with images of ripe golden terraced fields or buckwheat flower fields.

1.4. Winter

The temperature begins to drop and fluctuates around 15 degrees Celsius. Visitors not only feel the cold of this land but also the impressive layers of fog.

2. The top 20 most famous destinations in the Northern Vietnam Tour

2.1. Hanoi – The most ideal tourist destination in the North

Hanoi’s capital has its own characteristics, completely different from those of other cities. Hanoi, with its long history and traditional culture imbued with the identity of the Vietnamese nation, is an extremely attractive tourist destination. Hanoi also owns a lot of “UNESCO titles,” such as Ca Tru, Mother Goddess Worship, the stele of Doctor Van Mieu Thang Long, tug of war, etc.

To get to Hanoi, you can go by many means, such as bus, train, motorbike, self-driving car, or plane. At Noi Bai-HHanoi airport, there are many flights to all provinces to visit Hanoi, you can easily choose.

Visiting Hanoi, you must definitely visit the following extremely famous landmarks:

In addition to famous landmarks, Hanoi is also known for its unique culinary culture. Delicious Hanoi dishes you cannot miss when coming here include bun cha, bun thang, Pho, rice cake, seafood vermicelli, fried spring rolls, jackfruit yogurt, ice cream Trang Tien, etc.

2.2. Trang An – Ninh Binh

Trang An is an eco-tourism area located in the Trang An World Heritage Complex in Ninh Binh province. This place has been ranked as a particularly important national monument by the Vietnamese government and recognized by UNESCO as a dual world heritage site since 2014. Trang An is a famous tourist destination in the North, only about 100 kilometers from Hanoi.

This is the place to appear in many famous films, such as Tam Cam: The Untold Story, Kong: Skull Island, and Thien Menh Hero. Trang An Ninh Binh is a place that always attracts a large number of domestic and foreign tourists to visit and explore. Ticket price to visit Trang An tourist area: 10.6 USD per adult, 5.1 USD per child.

2.3. Ha Long Bay – the most attractive tourist destination in the North

Ha Long Bay belongs to Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province, known as the northern tourist paradise. Each season, the bay is beautiful in a different way. Ha Long Bay possesses majestic and poetic natural beauty, with thousands of large and small islands and many unique caves. The bay is also recognized by UNESCO as a natural wonder of the world, attracting a large number of tourists every year.

In addition to activities on the bay, visitors can also visit the works on land such as Quang Ninh Museum – library, Hon Gai fish market, Bai Chay, Cua Van fishing village, Bai Tho Mountain, etc.

In addition, you can experience the cuisine here with foods such as rice noodles “be be”, steamed “cu ky”, grilled oysters, sea sam, stir-fried rice noodles “ngan”, Ha Long Seafood Vermicelli, Ha Long yogurt, etc. The ticket price to visit Ha Long Bay is 10.2 – 12.3 USD per person.

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2.4. Co To Island Quang Ninh – The green top island in the East Sea

Co To is considered by many to be the most beautiful island in the North, with pristine beaches, long white sand, and clear blue water. Therefore, Co To is not only an attractive destination for domestic tourists but also for foreign tourists.

Because it is located nearly 80 kilometers from the mainland, when arriving at Cai Rong port and then taking the boat to Co To island, there are two types of ships:

• The speedboat will cost from 10.6 USD/way, the time to the island will be about one hour, and the operating time is from 6:00 a.m to 17:30 p.m. 
• The wooden train is cheaper at 4 USD per time, and from 7:00 a.m to 13:00 p.m, when the wooden train for every passenger is running, it will take about 3 hours.

2.5. Yen Tu Mountain – Spiritual tourism

Yen Tu mountain belongs to Thuong Yen Cong commune, Uong Bi city, Quang Ninh province. Yen Tu became the center of Buddhism since King Tran Nhan Tong gave up his throne and wore a monk’s robe to seek purity after his enthronement. After that, they established a Buddhist lineage called the Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen line. The Yen Tu Festival is held every year starting on January 10 and lasting until the end of March (lunar calendar).

Cable car ticket price in Yen Tu:

• Festival season (from January to March of the lunar calendar): from 5:00 a.m – 20:00 p.m. 
• Outside the festival season (from April to December of the lunar calendar): From 7:00 a.m – 18:00 p.m.
• Route 1 (Oan Prize – Hoa Yen): One-way 120,000 VND/person – Round trip 8.5 USD/person
• Route 2 (One Mai – An Ky Sinh): One-way 120,000 VND/person – Round trip 200,000 VND/person
• Both routes: One way 120,000 VND/ route/ person – Round trip: 280,000 VND/ person

2.6. Cat Ba Island – Hai Phong

The Cat Ba Islands are located to the south of Ha Long Bay, off the coast of Hai Phong City and Quang Ninh Province. The island cluster is about 30 km from the center of Hai Phong city and about 25 km from Ha Long city.

Cat Ba Island is a place of harmony between the beauty of the forest and the sea. Coming here, visitors will both discover the primeval forest with many rich flora and fauna and cool off at the beautiful beaches with blue water. cool. Coming to Cat Ba Island, visitors not only admire many attractive destinations such as Lan Ha Bay, Monkey Island, Cat Ba National Park, Viet Hai Village, etc.

Ticket price for Cat Ba sights:

• Tickets to visit Cat Ba National Park and Trung Trang Cave: 3.4 USD/way.
• Lan Ha Bay: 3.4 USD/way.
• Visiting Monkey Island: 3.4 USD/time.
• Visit Cannon Cannon: 3.4 USD/time.

There are bus trips running the Hanoi – Cat Ba route continuously during the day. With fares from only 9.4 USD/way and 3.5 – 4 hours by car.

2.7. Do Son Hai Phong – The “famous portland” beach

About 20 kilometers southeast of Hai Phong city center, Do Son has many beautiful beaches, attracting a large number of tourists. Visitors do not forget to enjoy unique dishes such as jellyfish salad, shrimp rolls, crab cakes, etc.

The travel time from Hanoi to Do Son Beach is about 2 to 3 hours, and depending on the type of bus, the fare can vary, ranging from 3 USD to 8.5 USD. Or you can also take the train; from Hanoi station to Do Son Beach, it takes nearly 3 hours. Ticket prices range from 2.2 USD to 3.6 USD per way, depending on the type of seat.

2.8. Mau Son – Lang Son

Mau Son Peak in Lang Son Province has fresh air and almost no dust. Since the French colonial period, the colonists have explored this land, building up high-class resort villas. Now, coming to Mau Son, you will admire the majestic natural mountains and forests.

Famous scenic spots in Mau Son include: Bac Son valley, Tam Thanh Lang Son pagoda, Bac Xa, Dang Mo waterfall, ToThi mountain, Long Dau stream, Dong Dang mother temple, Chi Lang pass, Devil’s Face mountain, etc.

If you take a bus, you need to take a bus from Hanoi to Lang Son; the fare is 6.4 USD – 13.8 USD. Then you move by motorcycle to the Mau Son tourist area. 

Visitors who want to visit Mau Son Lang Son need to buy an entrance ticket at the resort. Ticket prices range from 0.4 USD – 1.3 USD/ticket.

2.9. Sapa – Fog Town

Located in the northwest of the country, Sapa, in Lao Cai province, is known as the land of fog, with a dreamy landscape hiding many miracles of natural scenery. Fansipan Peak is not only the roof of Vietnam but also of Indochina. Its massive height created a majestic scene. When you come here, you can almost touch the clouds.

There are some other places in Sapa, such as Stone Church, Ham Rong Mountain, Muong Hoa Valley, an ancient stone beach, etc, that you should not miss.

Ticket price to visit Sapa in 2023

2.10. Bac Ha Market 

Bac Ha Fair is located in Bac Ha town, Bac Ha district, Lao Cai province. This is one of the oldest markets, but it still retains its wild character, imbued with the cultural identity of the people in the Northwest. Bac Ha market takes place every Sunday and only lasts from early morning until about 2 p.m, when the market starts to dissolve.

Bac Ha Market is located about 70 km from Lao Cai city center and 300 km from Hanoi. To get to Bac Ha Market, you can choose from a variety of vehicles. If you move from Hanoi for the most convenience, you can take a bus straight to Bac Ha and then move to other locations. Ticket price: 12 USD per way.

2.11. Ban Gioc Waterfall Cao Bang – The majestic beauty of the border

Ban Gioc Waterfall is located in Dam Thuy commune, Trung Khanh district, Cao Bang province, located between the Vietnam and China borders. Coming here, visitors will be “beaten” by the magnificent and poetic landscape.

In the travel itinerary, you should visit Ban Gioc in the morning. Then, move to nearby places such as Phat Tich Truc Lam pagoda, Thang Hen lake, Pac Bo cave,, etc. Lenin stream, Nguom Ngao cave, Phuc Sen village, Ma Phuc pass… In addition, you should enjoy specialties of the Northwest mountains, such as grilled agarwood fish, 7 flavors of roasted duck, ant egg cake, etc.

Visitors can catch a bus from Hanoi to Cao Bang City with many options, with prices ranging from 8.5 USD to 12.3 USD per bed with 7 hours of travel. After arriving at Cao Bang Cao Bang bus station, you can move to Ban Gioc Waterfall by:

• Bus: operating time from 5:30 a.m. – 17:00 p.m with a frequency of 30 minutes/trip. Ticket price: 9.4 USD/ticket. 
• Rent a motorbike for 4.3 USD/day to move from Cao Bang city to Ban Gioc waterfall.

2.12. Ba Be Lake in Bac Kan 

Ba Be Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake in Vietnam and is listed among the top 20 most beautiful freshwater lakes in the world. This tourist destination belongs to Ba Be National Park, Bac Can Province, and is located deep in the bow area of Ngan Son and Bac Son.

You can visit many scenic spots around, such as An Ma temple, Tien Ao, Ba Goa island, Puong cave, Hua Ma cave, Dau Dang waterfall, Don Den, etc.

Ticket price: visit Ba Be Lake

• Adults: 3 USD/person/time.
• Children: 1.7 USD/person/time.

2.13. Mai Chau Hoa Binh- Rustic beauty in the mountains

Mai Chau is an attractive tourist destination in the northwest region of Hoa Binh province. Coming here, visitors will be immersed in the vast forests of peach blossom, pure white plum blossom, or dreamy banyan forest and enjoy the fresh.

Attractive places not to be missed when traveling to Mai Chau: Thung Khe Pass, Lac Village, Pom Coong Village, Mo Luong Cave, Chieu Cave, Pa Co Market, Mai Chau Village, Thai Museum, Go Lao Waterfall, Ba Khan, etc.

Mai Chau Valley is 140km from Hanoi and 60km from Hoa Binh to the northwest. Therefore, going to Mai Chau is quite convenient; you can go by bus or motorcycle. The bus fare is about 3.8 USD to 4.7 USD per person, depending on the bus company. 

In Mai Chau, the most convenient means of transportation for you to explore this valley is a bicycle. The homestays here all have bicycle rental services for 0.8–2 USD per car.

2.14. Moc Chau Son La

Moc Chau is a mountainous district in the southeast of Son La province, about 200 kilometers from Hanoi. Moc Chau Son La is famous for its endless tea fields. Each season, the landscape here brings its own beauty. Traveling to Moc Chau, you will visit Pa Co village, Pa Phach village, and the tea hill at Moc Chau Farm. Moc Chau is famous for historical sites such as Dai Yem waterfall, Son Moc Huong cave, pine forest, Phieng Luong peak, plum picking festival in Na Ka valley, etc.

To travel to Moc Chau, you can actively travel by motorbike or catch a bus from Hanoi; it takes about 5 hours to arrive. The ticket price is only 5.5 USD/way.

2.15. Tam Dao Vinh Phuc

Tam Dao is a town in Vinh Phuc province, located about 80 kilometers from Hanoi. The Tam Dao tourist area was discovered and built by the French in the early 19th century.

Tam Dao has rich natural conditions and is a place to preserve nature’s treasures with a system of primeval forests, lakes, dams, streams, waterfalls, caves, and high mountains, along with famous landscapes such as the top of the mountain Rung Rinh, Ma forest, Pineapple Pond, Silver waterfall, Truong Sinh mountain, Bat Nha stream, and Giai Oan stream. In addition to the scenic spots, you can experience the specialties here, such as burnt rare ant beef, milk ginseng, hill chicken, underarm pig, etc.

If you come from Hanoi, only travel by popular means such as personal motorbikes or coaches. with average ticket prices ranging from 3 USD to 10.6 USD per ticket (depending on time and type of vehicle).

2.16. Mu Cang Chai Yen Bai – The most beautiful terraced fields in Vietnam

Mu Cang Chai is located about 300 kilometers from Hanoi to the northwest in Yen Bai province. This place is famous for its beautiful terraced fields. Mu Cang Chai is one of the most interesting vacation destinations for tourists when coming to Yen Bai.

The attractive places here can be mentioned, such as Tu Le Town, Khau Pha Pass, La Pan Tan terraced fields, Lim Mong village, Thac Mo, Ban Thai, etc. 

Moving from Hanoi to Mu Cang Chai by bus, the fare is from 8.5 USD to 10.6 USD per  way, depending on the car company you choose. Coming to Mu Cang Chai, you can rent a motorbike to move here for the price of 6.4 USD–8.5 USD/day.

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2.17. Tam Chuc Pagoda – Ancient beauty in the middle of the country

Tam Chuc Pagoda, located in Ba Sao town, Kim Bang district, Ha Nam province, also known as the Tam Chuc tourist complex, is an attractive tourist destination in Vietnam. Tam Chuc Pagoda is also the largest temple in the world. 

The outstanding works at this complex can be mentioned as: Ngoc Pagoda, Thuy Dinh Guest House, Tam Quan Gate, Garden of Pillars, the magnificent Tam Chuc Pagoda, Phap Chu Palace, Tam The Palace, and Quan Am Palace; Tam Chuc Communal House; Altar to Heaven at Ngoc Pagoda; etc.

Means of transportation to visit Tam Chuc Pagoda in Ha Nam: 

• Bus: Tourists in Hanoi can choose the bus route Hanoi – Phu Ly, with a frequency of 15 minutes/trip and a ticket price of 1.3 USD/person/way. 
• Coach: This is a convenient means of transportation to Tam Chuc Pagoda; it only takes 1 hour to get there, and the fare is 2.6 USD/person/way.

Ticket price to Tam Chuc tourist area: 

• By tram: Ticket price: 3.8 USD/round-trip ticket/pax, from tram station to Tam Quan Noi gate and vice versa. 
• Boat ride: Ticket price: 8.5 USD/pax (regular boat); USD 10.2/pax (VIP boat), from the marina to the gate of Tam Quan Noi and vice versa.

2.18. Xinjiang Tea Hill

Thai Nguyen is known for its delicious tea specialties and vast green Tan Cuong tea hills. This tea hill is located in a tea granary of more than 1,300 hectares. Tourists often visit this place to catch the beautiful sunrise and sunset. You can hand-pick the freshest tea leaves to bring home as gifts.

• Train: starting from Long Bien station, the train goes from Hanoi Capital to Thai Nguyen by trains QT1 and QT3. Ticket price: 1.8 USD – 2.8 USD 
• By Coach: you can buy tickets for the Hanoi- Thai Nguyen route at major coach stations such as My Dinh, Gia Lam, Giap Bat with an average fare of 3.4 USD – 6.4 USD/way.

2.19. Thung Nai Hoa Binh – Ha Long Bay on land

Located in the area of Hoa Binh Lake, Thung Nai is like a beautiful island, and coming here, you will see the extremely beautiful natural landscapes like you are standing in the middle of Ha Long Bay on land.

In addition to boating to admire the lake bed of the Da River, visitors can also attend the Thac Bo floating market meeting every Sunday morning and visit many famous landmarks of this place, such as the temple. Ba Chu, Thac Bo Cave, Mu Village, etc.

Thung Nai Hoa Binh is not too far from Hanoi; it only takes about 3 hours to travel there. You can go by bus, self-driving car, or motorcycle. Buses go to Hoa Binh at My Dinh wharf with a frequency of about 10-15 minutes/trip. The ticket price for a trip ranges from 4 USD – 6 USD/way.

2.20. Na Hang – Hong Thai

Na Hang tourist area is located in Hong Thai commune, Na Hang, and Lam Binh districts of Tuyen Quang province, more than 100km from the city center. This place is extremely famous for its diverse natural scenery and majestic and mysterious landscapes.

 Coming to Na Hang, you can visit some other attractive tourist attractions such as the sacred Pac Ta temple, Tuyen Quang hydroelectric lake, Mo waterfall tourism, Hong Thai pear garden, Shan Tuyet tea garden, and Na Mu cabbage garden, Khau Trang Village—hunting clouds, Khau Trang terraced fields, etc.

You can take a coach from Hanoi to Na Hang. Currently, Bao Yen Coach Company operates the My Dinh – Na Hang route with a frequency of 2 trips/day. Price: 7.7 USD – 8.5 USD/ticket.

Conclusion

Above are the attractive tourist destinations for the northern mountainous region of Vietnam; surely this article has also given you more choices for your travel. If you are wondering which places to choose to travel to, please contact Metta Voyage immediately for more detailed information about your trip!

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