Tours By Locals Vietnam connects travelers with local driver guides. Whether you are backpacking in Asia, road tripping in Vietnam, or exploring Northern Vietnam, simply hire a car with English speaking driver to destinations you are traveling to, find the best Vietnam itineraries to go with locals who are knowledgeable to destinations for your journey.
Embarking on a Northern Vietnam road trip with this itinerary will take you across some of the country’s most beautiful places up North frontier border with China, several gorgeous rice terraced fields with rich hill tribe culture, picturesque mountain ranges with unbelievable views, and an untouched villages of Hmong, Dzao, Thai ethnic group residents
There’s so much to do on this Northern Vietnam road trip that you’ll need about 14 days to get through it all.
Just like we did for the Vietnam coastline, we think that we’ve created the perfect itinerary for Vietnam’s Northwest. You’ll start in Hanoi and end your tour in somewhere else beyond Hanoi. Along the way you’ll explore some of the Northern Vietnam’s most iconic wonders like Mu Cang Chai rice terraced paddy, Sapa and Kart formation rocky Ha Giang, Ba Be lake
Get more reviews on Tripadvisor about this North Vietnam Road trip: Click here
Read more: Road trip Sapa Mu Cang Chai adventure 5 day itinerary
Northern Vietnam Road Trip Day 1: Hanoi to Nghia Lo Mu Cang Chai
Start your road to from Hanoi or Hanoi airport to Nghia Lo – one of the district in Yen Bai Province for about 200 km, riding about 4 hours with some break on the go.
Things to see and do on the go
Some parts of the mountain hill side appear in different angles and views from low land busy Hanoi city to Son Tay district, getting around the real rural cultivated rice farming, heading up to tea plantation in green
Have a break in tea farm road side to try typical drinking tea habit of Vietnamese in the north
Visiting Suoi Giang old tea village of Hmong tribe that you can see how the very old tree tea for ages up the hill, making progress in house. Have a look in their stilt house and chatting with them.
Arriving Nghia Lo in the afternoon, embarking the scenic valley dotted houses in the middle, watching sunset and some biking or walking around the location.
See more what to see in Mu Cang Chai click here
Northern Road Trip Day 2: Tu Le – Mu Cang Chai
When you leave Nghia Lo to start your North Vietnam road trip, you’ll be driving about 2 hours to get to Mu Cang Chai, this stunning day adventure to Mu Cang Chai is highlighted to see rice paddy fields and unique Hmong hill tribe on their way.
What to see in Mu Cang Chai
Read more: Best one week Hanoi itinerary 7 days
Known as heaven on earth, Mu Cang Chai rice terraced fields are the best rice paddy natural in the world record. Created by hundreds of year by men, so you will discover this magical land from a day tour to La Pan Tan village to others to see how great nature makes it.
Conquer the most mountain peak to capture the stunning views of rice paddy from above.
A trekking ups and downs in the track through out the hillsides.
Enjoy the local experiences with residents of hill tribe Hmong, stay with, having dinner with them. Great fun to know how they live for ages in the remote area
For those who love nature and photography is the best place to visit
Northern Vietnam Road Trip Day 3-4: Mu Cang Chai Sapa
Leaving Mu Cang Chai to Sapa known as the most beautiful city in cloud. Otherwise famous rice terraces across the regions in the far away city are amazing Hmong tribe villages to look for on the day tour. The driving today is about 3 hours in the short distance of 80km. Passing by hillside of different part of the north, Lai Chau province, see one of the most beautiful peak Chu Va mountain on the way. Flat wet rice in middle of valley Muong So
Nestled the Hoang Lien Son Mountain ranges, Sapa is around the year that has cool weather, perfect time for trekking Sapa and recreation during day.
Best things to do and see in Sapa
See more: Ban Gioc waterfalls and Ba be lake tour from Hanoi
Sapa day trip to Cat Cat village, one of the closeby village in town that you can do a half day trekking tour
Shopping in the local market, local fabric, get a hand made souvenirs, try local foods
Trekking Sapa day trip to Lao Chai Ta Van village, a short trekking day start from Sapa or any locations for full day tour. Enjoy off the beaten path leading to Hmong , ZDay tribe village about 10 – 15 km trails.
Enjoy the rice terraced fields along the way, farming works from habitats
Conquer the Pansifan peak: one of the most famous for tourist in town to get the cable car to top of the peak. The most beautiful time to watch the sunrise in the morning or sunset in the afternoon.
Stay with local host in the village (homestay) is great experiences while in Sapa
See more best things to do in Sapa click here
Northern Vietnam Road Trip Day 5: Sapa Bac Ha Market
Read more: Vietnam 16 day family road trip car transfer
Get your ride to day from Sapa to Bac Ha Market about 3 hours with the distance of 160 km on scenic road up touching cloud Bac Ha district.
If going on the right time, the Bac Ha market is on Sunday, you will get the good chance to see how colorful hill tribe from different ethnic groups surroundings the North region coming here.
The market start quite early in the morning and finish at noon time. This tour market to see more if spending more time to stay in town.
Shopping some clothes and souvenir
Enjoy walking surrounding area villages
See more Bac Ha market travel guide click here
Northern Vietnam Vietnam Road Trip Day 6 – 7: Hoang Su Phi Ha Giang
Part of the Northern Vietnam road trip, perhaps today journey to reach Hoang Su Phi from Bac Ha market is much challenging day. First of all road trip is far from the rest of Vietnam road, So it is for Hoang Su Phi still remote rugged mountain isolate region with the rest of country. Dirty , bumpy road exists some time on the way, steady hills however this adventure road trip is part of fun and much experiences in Vietnam. purified atmosphere of nature, less travellers, breathtaking landscapes, especially “Ban Phung” Phung Villages known as heave rice terraced paddy in the world for photography.
Things to see in Hoang Su Phi
See more: Long Coc tea hills photography trip
Admire the amazing views and local experiences in Phung Villages, photography tour
Trekking Ban Loc, Thong Nguyen and rice terraced paddy along the road
Deep interact with Red Dzao hill tribe, one of the biggest ethnic group in Hoang Su Phi
Stay with host in the village (homestay)
Northern Vietnam Road Trip Day 8 – 9 – 10: Ha Giang city – Yen Minh – Dong Van town – Ma Pi Leng Pass
Read more: Sapa Tour from Hanoi 3 Days
Ha Giang Loop 3 Day itinerary: You pay a visit to the impressive ancient H’mong family (Hmong King Palace) who were once part of the opium trade in Ha Giang. Explore Dong Van Town
Drive from Dong Van along the Nho Que River and go through Ma Pi Leng pass which is considered as the most beautiful pass in Vietnam with unique with majestic and wild beauty.
Meo Vac has the majestic scenery in the northern part of Vietnam. This place is worth every season, every season is worth seeing.
See more 15 best things to see & do in Ha Giang click here
Northern Vietnam Road Trip Day 11: Meo Vac – Bao Lac
Today it take a long driver from Meo Vac town of Ha Giang to next stop before head down to Ba Be lake, on the way pass the stunning mountain ranges coming from the West to the East.
In the afternoon reach the middle road that staying a break for a night in a small town name Bao Lac. This town is such different sign so far from the beginning with backgrounds of Ha Nhi, LoLo ethnic groups.
One of the busy market in town to soak up in the morning before going to Ba Be Lake.
Northern Vietnam Road Trip Day 12 – 13: Ba Be Lake
Read more: Northern Vietnam Loop Tours 12 days
Enjoy the last road trip in the North of Vietnam at Ba Be national park. The lake is nature fresh water biggest lake in Vietnam. surrounded by jungle forest and mountains. It is truly amazing lake in Asia where you can go kayaking, swimming, boating for a day trip. Friendly local people welcome you stay in the village.
Read more things to do in Ba Be lake click here
Northern Vietnam Road Trip Day 14: Ba Be lake to Hanoi
On the last journey of Vietnam Northern road trip from Ba Be lake to Hanoi. End of the trip!
We hope that this Northern Vietnam road trip itinerary helps you out on your upcoming journey. Remember, you can use Tours By Locals Vietnam for other road trip Vietnam itineraries.
Read more excellent reviews about Northern Vietnam road trip on our tripadvisor click here
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