Northern Midlands & Mountains
Vietnam’s far-north mountains, with rice terraces, high passes and village homestays around Sapa and Ha Giang. Hike the Sapa valleys, ride the Ha Giang loop, see Ban Gioc waterfall, or sleep in a stilt house in Mai Chau or by Ba Be lake. Winter nights can get close to freezing; give the mountains at least two nights.
This is the mountainous part of the north. Winter nights above Sapa can approach freezing. Summer is hot, humid, and stormy, which is also when the rice on the high terraces turns green and then gold.
Sapa, the Ha Giang loop, and Mai Chau are different roads. Give the mountains at least two nights. Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, and Ninh Binh are the Red River Delta, not these hills. Sleep in Sapa if the terraces and Fansipan are the trip, and search Sapa hotels. Search mountain tickets and tours for a booked cable-car or valley day. Weather can close the Fansipan line. Ban Gioc is the waterfall day out of Cao Bang.
Top destinations in Northern Midlands & Mountains
Cities
Towns
3 Moc Chau
A highland plateau in Son La province, covered in tea hills and pasture, with plum blossom in the cold months.
4 Sapa
A mountain town in northern Vietnam above valleys of rice terraces, at the foot of Fansipan.
5 Mai Chau
A green valley of rice fields and Thai stilt-house villages, a short trip west of Hanoi.
Landscapes and islands
6 Ba Be
A national park lake in the northern hills, ringed by limestone and forest, with boat trips and Tay villages.
7 Ha Giang
A mountain province in Vietnam’s far north, famous for a four-day road loop over high passes.
8 Cao Bang
A mountain province on the northern border, home to the wide Ban Gioc waterfall and limestone valleys.
Attractions in Northern Midlands & Mountains
- Ba Be Lake
Ba Be Lake is the mountain water you cross by morning boat.
- Ba Be National Park
Ba Be National Park is the limestone forest and lake you stay inside.
- Ban Gioc Waterfall
Stand on the Vietnam bank of Ban Gioc and look across the wide cascade on the Quay Son.
- Dai Yem Waterfall
Walk down to two limestone drops at Ban Vat, the fall you hear before you see.
- Heart-shaped tea hills
Walk the contour tea rows at Tan Lap, the hills that read as a heart from above.
- Hill A1
Walk Hill A1, the crater, the trenches, and the crest bunker.
- Lac village
Walk the White Thai lanes at Bản Lác, between the stilt houses and the rice.
- Ma Pi Leng Pass
High road from Đồng Văn to Mèo Vạc: ride the rim above the Nho Quế for most of a morning.
- Muong Hoa valley
Terrace valley 8 km southeast: look across the stepped fields and roofs for the picture under the ridge.
- Pac Ngoi
Pac Ngoi is the Tay stilt village where you sleep on the Leng, against the lake.
- Quan Ba twin hills
Two rounded hills above the rice at Quản Bạ: stop on the first morning for the picture the loop is known for.
- Son La Prison
Walk the French prison on Khau Ca, the hill over the town.
- Ta Van
Valley village about 12 km out: walk 8–12 km in 3–5 hours through the fields for a morning beyond town.
- Victory monument and Hill D1
Walk the copper group on Hill D1 and the yard under it.
- Dau Dang Waterfall
Dau Dang is the stacked fall you reach by boat, west of the lake.
- De Castries bunker
Go down into the command bunker in the center of town.
- Dien Bien Phu Victory Museum
Walk the campaign museum in the basin, on a ticket of its own.
- Hang Kia and Pa Co
Ride up to the Hmong highland for a market and a village above the rice.
- Hoang Lien National Park
National park on the mountain: walk the Tram Ton trail, about 10.5 km in a day, for the forest and the ridge.
- Lao Chai
Valley village on the way to Ta Van: walk the terraces and roofs on the 3–5 hour trail from town.
- Lung Cu flag tower
Border flag tower at Lũng Cú: take the three-hour detour and climb 200 steps for the view over the plateau.
- Muong Thanh bridge
Cross the Bailey span over the Nậm Rốm in the center of town.
- Nguom Ngao Cave
Walk the lit passage at Nguom Ngao, the cave about 4 km from Ban Gioc.
- Nho Que river
River under Mã Pì Lèng: look into Tu Sản from the rim, or take side road 193A for a closer view of the water.
- Pac Bo
Walk Coc Bo cave and the Lenin stream at Pac Bo, about 55 km north of Cao Bang city.
- Phia Oac–Phia Den National Park
Drive up into the moss and elfin forest of Phia Oac, west of Cao Bang city.
- Pom Coong
Walk the quieter White Thai village and see the cloth under the stilt floor.
- Puong Cave
Puong Cave is the river passage you ride through by boat on the Nang.
- Sa Pa market
Saturday market in town: walk the evening stalls for textiles, food, and the gathering in the square.
- Son La Dam
Look at the dam from the public side, then leave.
- Stone church
Stone church on the town square: spend about 60 minutes on the tower and the square, the pin in the center.
- Truc Lam Ban Gioc Pagoda
Climb to Truc Lam Ban Gioc on Phia Nhan and look out over the Quay Son valley.
- Vuong family palace
Hmong palace at Sà Phìn: walk three stone-and-wood courts on the ride to Đồng Văn, open 7:30 to 17:00.
- Bach Long bridge
Cross the glass bridge between the two wooded slopes.
- Carved stones
Carved stones about 7 km out: stop among the terraces in daylight for the rocks in the Muong Hoa fields.
- Cat Cat
Closest village walk from town: follow the path, wheel, and fields in daylight without a guide.
- Cat Cat waterfall
Fall on the Cat Cat walk: follow the stream and walkways on that visit for the drop in the gorge.
- Dong Van
Stone old quarter in Đồng Văn: walk the market houses and stay the night before the pass.
- Fansipan
Cable car to the 3,143 m summit: ride 15–30 minutes, then the pagoda, for the ridge above town.
- Pa Uon Bridge
Stop on the bridge over the reservoir and look down at the Da.
- Sa Pa Lake
Town lake under the hill: walk the shore in the evening for the water, the lights, and the grill stalls.
- Silver Waterfall
Waterfall about 12 km toward the pass: walk to the bridge under the fall for the drop below O Quy Ho.
- Ta Phin
Village walk north of town: see the houses and terraces in daylight without a guide, the other short trip.
- The Nam Rom and the basin fields
Walk the Nậm Rốm and the rice fields under the hills.
- Yen Minh pine forest
Pine forest beside QL4C at Yên Minh: pull off for shade on the first afternoon, before the night in town.
- Muong Hoa funicular
Mountain train from Sun Plaza: ride about five minutes to Hoang Lien station, toward the cable car.
- O Quy Ho pass
Highway 4D pass: cross the switchbacks in daylight for the road, the drop, and the ridge above the falls.
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