Northwest Vietnam Travel Guide
Northwest Vietnam is an alluring region with genuinely hospitable people and breathtaking, rugged mountain scenery. The area is home to the majority of Vietnam’s ethnic minorities such as Hmong and Zao, dressed in their various colorful costumes. It is an area richly steeped in folklore and legend.
Hanoi, with its bustling streets and cheerful locally brewed beer hoi vendors, is a strikingly greener and more peaceful city than other cities in Southeast Asia. Much of the French colonial architecture still stands side by side with modern buildings and ancient temples and shrines.
On leaving the city, the contrast is striking. As built up areas all but disappear, the mountainous limestone terrain is a sight to behold. Stunning karst towers advance from the flat plains, and bamboo rises from the landscape amid charming rice paddies and quaint stilt houses.
In one of the remotest parts of the country, near the Laos border, lies Dien Bien Phu, famous as a battleground in the last days of French Indochina. A recent monument has been built near the local military museum. Local Thais practice traditional weaving here and women still wear ethnic dress.
Trekking is a popular tourist activity, with bases from Lai Chau, Sapa and other places. Lai Chau lies snugly in a valley carved out of magnificent mountains by the Da River, and is home to many Blue Hmong communities. Hoa Bin and Mai Chau are good places to find shorter one-day treks through striking emerald rice paddies nestled between the cliffs.
Perhaps the most well known area of northwest Vietnam, Sapa has risen in popularity as a tourist destination and is truly a wondrous sight with its staged rice paddies. Known as the Tonkinese Alps in the colonial past, the mountains have an almost European climate, and Mount Fransipan, the country’s highest peak, is among them.
Sunday is market day in many of the towns, and this can be a great time to visit with locals and to enjoy the bustling atmosphere. Many tribal villages participate in home stay programs, and these can be rewarding experiences. The best way to get to know how different tribes live is to spend some time with them.