For many international travellers, northern Vietnam is the first place they want to explore: misty mountains, limestone valleys and a thousand-year-old urban life. Travelus suggests an itinerary covering the region's most distinctive sights.
Hanoi & Halong Bay
Hanoi has a rhythm of its own — the sound of traffic mingling with the quiet of the trees around Hoan Kiem Lake. A cup of the city's signature egg coffee is a fitting start before heading out to Halong Bay. Among thousands of limestone islands rising from the water, you can kayak through natural caves — an unforgettable experience in this natural world heritage site.
Ninh Binh & Sapa
Heading south, Ninh Binh is often called "Halong Bay on land." A rowing boat along Trang An and Tam Coc carries you between clear water and rock faces — a peaceful interlude. The coach then takes you up to Sapa, through a sea of clouds to the Muong Hoa terraced fields. A walk down to the villages, meeting the H'Mong and Thai communities, offers a real sense of the region's cultural diversity.