North

The North is where Vietnam begins: from the Lung Cu flagpole at the tip of Ha Giang to Hanoi, the thousand-year-old capital, and on to the limestone islands of Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba.

The northern mountains are the land of the terraced rice fields of Mu Cang Chai and Sa Pa, and of Hmong, Dao, Tày and Thái villages. Dizzying passes, deep valleys, the Ban Gioc waterfall, Ba Be Lake in the heart of the forest: every road changes colour with the harvests and the blossoms, and is best savoured slowly, staying with local families in a stilt house.

In the Red River Delta, Hanoi preserves its Old Quarter, its Hoan Kiem Lake and its famous street food; Ninh Binh, with Trang An and Tam Coc, is nicknamed “Ha Long Bay on land”. Ha Long Bay and the Trang An Landscape Complex are both UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The North has four distinct seasons. Autumn (September – November) brings clear skies and golden rice fields in the mountains; spring warms up with peach and plum blossoms; winter can drop below 5 °C at altitude, while summer, hot and rainy, is the ideal time for the sea and the islands.

Itineraries in the North

Suggested itineraries with stops in the North: take your time in this one region, or continue on to the Centre and the South. Ten days are enough for Hanoi, Ha Long Bay and Ninh Binh; in two weeks, you can head up to the terraced rice fields of Sa Pa and the karst plateau of Ha Giang; and to linger in the villages of Cao Bang, it is best to allow a whole month.