Are you an adventure seeker? If so, you may love trekking in Vietnam. The country offers excellent trekking with remarkable sceneries.

PREPARE FOR TREKKING AND WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

1. Sapa (Lao Cai)

Highlights: Located quite far from Hanoi and right next to the neighboring country, China, Sapa is famous for its spectacular mountains, jade hued rice paddies and unique culture as a home of some of the Vietnamese ethnic minorities. It offers diverse and beautiful hiking trails such as Cat Cat village, Y Linh Ho village, Ta Phin village, Muong Hoa Valley, Ham Rong mountain, Sky Gate, etc. Especially, Sapa is the home of the highest peak in Vietnam: Fansipan mount (3143 m).

Best time to trek: from March to May when it is dry and clean; and from September to November if you want to enjoy the terraces

2 DAYS TREKKING TOURS IN SAPA – OVERSTAY AT HOMESTAY TA VAN

Popular treks in Sapa:

There is no specific map if you choose to trek by yourself in Sapa. Most people get lost in the beauty of the land and cannot find the way out. So, there are some recommended trek routes for you if you want to experience quite easy trekking tour level:

• Lao Chai Village (5 km from the town of Sapa)
• Sin Chai Village (5 km from the town of Sapa)
• Ta Van Village (10 km from the town of Sapa)
• Hau Thao Village (11 km from the town of Sapa)
• Ta Phin Village (12 km from the town of Sapa)
• Ban Ho Village (21 km from the town of Sapa)

Things to keep in mind: 

• Before taking photos of local people, ask them. In some cases, you must pay money for them.
• Make copies of all your documents in case you lost the original ones.
• Bargain half prices for anything.

2. Mai Chau (Hoa Binh)

Mai Chau is well known for easy trekking. If you are a beginner, this is a place to go.

Highlights: Only 150 km far away from Hanoi, Mai Chau seems like a totally different world with the idyllic, rural valleys, peaceful atmosphere and laid back ambiance. There are some places to visit: Thac Bo Temple, Thung Khe pass, Mo Luong lake, White Rock pass, Chieu Cave, Go Lao waterfall, Hoa Binh lake, etc.

Best time to trek: from late September to early May

2 DAYS 1 NIGHT CYLING MAI CHAU – MAI CHAU ECOLODGE

Popular treks in Mai Chau:

For experience the slow life of the Thai and H’mong people: Ban Buoc, Cun Pheo, Hang Kia,…

For more challenging trek: Mai Chau valley, Pu Luong Nature Reserve, Cuc Phuong National Park

3. Pu Luong Nature Reserve (Thanh Hoa)

Highlights: If you are heading back to Hanoi from the middle of Vietnam, you must add Pu Luong nature reserve to your list. It is the combination of Northern Vietnam’s beauty with beautiful terrace rice fields as Sapa, the magnificent passes as Ha Giang and large fields as Mai Chau. Visiting Pu Luong reserve, you also have the chance to experience the daily life and culture of the Thai and Muong people.

Best time to trek: during rice harvest season, from September to October and from February to May.

3 DAYS 2 NIGHTS MAI CHAU VILLAGE AND TREKKING PU LUONG

Popular treks in Pu Luong: A popular trekking adventure will take you to Pu Luong jungle and beautiful small villages like Hang, Kho Muong, Kia villages. Some popular trekking routes: Hieu village – Nua village, Nua village – Son village.

Things to keep in mind: 

Although Pu Luong is a huge national forest, there are still restaurants and accommodation service areas. Therefore, you don’t need to worry about staying overnight there.

4. Ha Giang

Highlights: Ha Giang is also known as the “Final Frontier of Vietnam” for its sweeping views of carpets of flowers, karst mountains and colorful markets of ethnic minority communities. Their highlights include Yen Minh, Meo Vac valley, Ma Pi Leng Pass, Duong Lam village.

Best time to trek: October to December

How to get there: catch a bus in My Dinh bus station, it takes 6 hours to 8 hours

TRAVEL TO HA GIANG WITH RUBICON TOURS VIETNAM’S TRANSFER SERVICE

Popular treks in Sapa:

• Dong Van valley
• Si Phai Mountain Village
• Trung Son – Bo Dot – Hop Nhat
• Tam Son town (Heaven’s gate)
• Sky Path: Col de Ma Pi Len

Things to keep in mind: on the map, there is a road between Niem Son and Yen Minh, which is noted as a big road, but it’s actually a mountain track. The best route would be going from Meo Vac through Lung Phin.

3 DAYS 2 NIGHTS HA GIANG LOOP TOURS

5. Cat Ba National Park (Cat Ba Island) 

Highlights: Located on Cat Ba island, Cat Ba National Park attracts tourists not only thanks to the beautiful sea but also a number of highlights and attractions, which make your trip promisingly enjoyable. Inside the national park, there is also a museum, a rehab center, a small zoo, etc. And, some viewpoints that you can find while hiking would be worth your going.

Best time to trek: from September to October

Popular treks in Cat Ba National Park:

• Kim Giao Forest – Ngu Lam Peak (1.5 km)
• Trung Trang & Uy Ban Grottoes (1.2 km)
• National Park HQ – Ao Ech – Viet Hai (14km trekking and walking)

Things to keep in mind: 

• Fires, tree felling, branch cutting, and hunting are not allowed in the forest
• Watch the time out because the national park closes at 5 pm.

6. Cao Bang

Highlights: Cao Bang is a frontier region of North Vietnam with immense beauty. The landscape here is famous for jagged mountains, thin winding roads, and sporadic rice paddies. Choosing Cao Bang as trekking trails, you should not miss these places: Ban Gioc Waterfalls, Nguom Ngao cave, Thang Hen Lake, Pac Bo cave, and Ky Sam Temple.

Best time to trek: from October to April

How to get there: You can take a bus in My Dinh or Gia Lam bus station in the morning or evening.

Popular treks in Cao Bang

• Ba Be National Park
• Pac Po cave – Trek Nam Nhung
• Tong Cot Village
• Ta Lung border town

Source: Vietnamdiscovery