Amongst the many South East Asian countries that have taken the new-age traveller by surprise, Vietnam stands at the top of the list. While this easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula has a lot to offer with its beautiful mountains, breathtaking coastline and the friendly people, it is North Vietnam that promises to deliver some of the most spectacular sights and awe-inspiring experiences, particularly if you are the one who likes to tread on unbeaten paths.

Read on to discover some of the most spectacular places to visit in North Vietnam:

Ha Long Bay

A trip to North Vietnam is incomplete without a visit to Ha Long Bay, where irregular limestone islands and rocky caves weathered over the centuries by wind and water resemble the spews of a dragon popping out of clear blue water. With the credit of being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the heavenly beauty of Ha Long Bay can be experienced by taking a day cruise or an overnight boat trip, covering as many islands as possible. The bay offers brightly colored fish and jellyfish swimming right out of the cruise window during the day while the night stars twinkling on the sea take you to a world of fantasy.

If you decide to spend a day or two here, which, we recommend, you could spend a few hours exploring the quiet waters of the bay kayaking yourself, pay a visit to the fishing village and cook some seafood with the locals or simply relax watching the sunrise from the deck. You could also go discovering the caves, like Hang Dau Go (Wooden Stakes cave) or Dong Thien Cung (Grotto of the Heavenly Palace). To experience nature in its raw and wild form, away from the tourists, go to Quan Lan or Koto island.

Bai Tu Long Bay

Adjacent to Ha Long and as spectacular as its southern counterpart, Bai Tu Long Bay boasts of hundreds of small, uninhabited islands and magical limestone karsts, minus the cruise ships of tourists. Reason enough to go for its sinking limestone plateau, monkey inhabited islands and gorgeous blue waters before the crowds mar its stunning scenery!

Ha Giang

This remote mountainous province boasts 1,000 species of herbal plants and people of 22 different minority ethnicities, set in a beautiful backdrop of rocky mountains, limestone formations and springs. With its granite mountains and lush green forests, it is an ideal place to go camping or hiking.

In close proximity to Ha Giang city lies the Dong Van Plateau, with its rice paddy terraces appearing to extend beyond the horizon. The unflinching explorer can go on to discover pristine lakes, breathtaking waterfalls, stone forests as well as mysterious caves, each with a story to tell of its own. This is also the place of Southeast Asia’s deepest canyon – Tu San Canyon.

Hop on to The Happiness Road, full of sheer drops as well as dramatic hairpins to witness the King of Vietnamese passes – the Ma Pi Leng Pass. A motorbike ride is the best way to breeze in its romantic beauty.

The colours of the rich culture of this place come alive in the Dong Van Market on Sundays – a confluence of crafts, traditions and festivities.

Moc Chau

Yet another thing of beauty, Moc Chau Plateau boasts of luxuriant grass fields, thriving gardens of plum and apricot, symmetric tea farms and herds of cows. You can stroll through Ba Phach village, where both sides of the road are coated with pink cherry blossom, or wade through plum gardens in Pa Kha on a motorbike. If you happen to visit Ngu Dong forest for its caves, you must stop at the heart-shaped tea hill for taking photos back home.

When in Moc Chau, you can’t miss Dai Yem waterfall, where the natural arrangement of the spring, the surrounding trees, a limestone wall, and the flow of water create an unbelievable charm in the atmosphere. The trek to the Pha Luong Peak is one for the daring traveller, with its dense forest and many severe slopes. It all seems worth the effort, as you feel the gushing air on the top, combined with the view of majestic mountains and valleys covered with green trees and a clear blue sky.

Moc Chau is an offbeat destination unfrequented by tourists, making it a perfect getaway for those wanting to stay away from crowds while exploring some of the most spectacular places to visit in North Vietnam.

Ninh Binh

About 58 miles south to Hanoi – the capital of Vietnam, is the city of Ninh Binh, where postcard-perfect green rice fields dotted by limestone mountains can be traversed on a bicycle. You can visit the oldest national park of the nation – Cuc Phuong National Park or head to Bai Dinh Pagoda – holding the record for having Southeast Asia’s biggest Buddha Statue.

The highlight of this place is Tam Coc, called ‘Ha Long Bay on land’, where a rowboat will take you along lush paddy fields, between towering limestone cliffs and also through three dark tunnels carved by river Ngo Dong itself.

Not to be missed at Ninh Binh, for those with a taste for non-vegetarian food, is the famous dish of grilled goat. Definitely add this one to your list of places to visit in North Vietnam!

Sapa

This old and mountainous French town is known for its picturesque landscape as well as cultural diversity. Home to numerous hill tribes, including but not limited to the Hmong, the Dao, the Muong and the Tay, Sapa is best explored through the eyes of a local. We suggest booking a night at a homestay, or, if you’re feeling adventurous, taking an overnight trek to the remote villages with the colourfully dressed members of the hill tribes.  Such an exhilarating way to discover the “Vietnamese Alps” and the magnificent Muong Hoa Valley! The trip is incomplete without the gondola ride from Sapa to Mount Fansipan – the highest mountain in Vietnam at 3,143m.

There are many more exotic places that stay hidden in the North of Vietnam. Time to pack your bags and go exploring!