The Only 4 Northern Vietnam Tours You Need
TL;DR
Exploring North Vietnam by tours is a great option for beginner travellers. We have compiled a list of our 4 favourite Northern Vietnam tours – which is basically all you need to see all the highlights.
Travelling Vietnam 101: Vietnam is a great place for beginner travellers. The tourist infrastructure is amazing. If you want to, you can see all the best places to visit in North Vietnam just by going on guided tours from Hanoi.
Go to
- Halong Bay to cruise through limestone islets.
- Sapa for trekking.
- Ha Giang for a motorbike adventure.
- Ninh Binh to see the “Halong Bay on land”.
Without further ado, here are the only 4 northern Vietnam tours you need:
The 4 Best Northern Vietnam Tours
1. Halong Bay Vietnam Tour
Why Choose a Halong Bay Tour?
Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The bay is dotted with limestone islets which provide stunning scenery.
What to Expect on a Halong Bay Tour?
On a Halong Bay tour, you can expect
- Cruising through the stunning limestone islets of Halong Bay.
- Activities like kayaking and beach time.
- Delicious meals.
- Air-conditioned cabins with private bathrooms if you stay overnight.
- Roundtrip transfers from Hanoi.
Which Halong Bay Tour to choose?
There are countless options concerning the
- length
- route
- boat type.
We have chosen a 2 day/1 night cruise on a 5 star ship in Lan Ha Bay.
2. Sapa Vietnam Tour
Why Choose a Sapa Tour?
The rice paddies of Sapa are the quintessential landscape in Northern Vietnam.
What to Expect on a Sapa Tour?
On a Sapa tour expect to
- Hike through stunning rice paddies.
- Visit hill tribe villages.
- Stay in a homestay.
- Enjoy traditional meals. Maybe you can even help with the preparation.
- Roundtrip transfers from Hanoi.
Which Sapa Tour to choose?
As we are not the most avid hikers, we chose a 2 day /1 night tour with stay in Ta Van Village.
3. Ha Giang Loop Vietnam Tour
Why Choose a Ha Giang Loop Tour?
The Ha Giang Loop is a motorcycle loop in northern Vietnam. It’s a great adventure and will reward you with many amazing mountain views.
What to Expect on a Ha Giang Loop Tour?
On the Ha Giang Loop, expect:
- Views for days. Literally.
- To ride a motorcycle for several hours per day – you can opt for an easy rider like we did.
- Get off the beaten path.
- Stay in homestays.
- Enjoy family-style meals and happy water.
- Roundtrip transfers from Hanoi.
Which Ha Giang Loop Tour to choose?
The regular Ha Giang Loop takes 4 days / 3 nights and that’s the one we chose as well. You can also do an express version which is one day shorter.
4. Ninh Binh Vietnam Tour
Why Choose a Ninh Binh Tour?
Ninh Binh is dubbed the Halong Bay on land. The scenery is stunning.
What to Expect on a Ninh Binh Tour?
The highlights of a Ninh Binh tour are:
- Taking a boat through limestone caves.
- Cycling through the rice fields.
- Checking out viewpoints.
- Roundtrip transfers from Hanoi.
Which Ninh Binh Tour to choose?
Personally, we didn’t book a Ninh Binh tour but stayed in town for a couple of days. If we were to choose a tour, we would take the Full-Day Ninh Binh Highlights Tour from Hanoi because it brings you to all our favourite places in Ninh Binh in a time-efficient manner. It includes:
- A boat trip in Tam Coc.
- Cycling through the rice fields.
- Dragon viewpoint.
- Mua Caves.
- Bich Dong Pagoda.
- Hoa Lu ancient capital.
- Quick overview over the most important destinations in Vietnam.
- Decide which ones to visit and which ones to skip!
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More Vietnam resources:
Travel Planing
How to Find your Perfect Vietnam Homestay
Homestay Vietnam Guide - including the best places to stay!
Carina
