If there is a vote to select the country’s nature ambassador, Northern Vietnam will surely win the poll by a long mile with its cascading rice terraces, striking karst towers rising from water and sprawling evergreen hills that seem to go on forever. But not to be outdone by scenery, the region’s cultural proposition is just as impressive. Capital Hanoi throbs and honks with bustling street scenes while the colourful costumes and dazzling smiles of the hill tribes of Sa Pa welcome you to a peaceful paradise far removed from your own. Head north with a customised northern Vietnam tour package from Chan Brothers Travel Private Tours and go big on nature, and culture, today.
Baywatch
Halong Bay certainly needs no further introduction but for a more exclusive experience of this wonder of nature, we suggest splashing out for a private cruise in which you can dictate where your captain takes you. Canoe under cave arches and along isolated beaches, refuel with a fantastic seafood meal on the top deck, steer to Bai Tu Long Bay where the scenery is more rugged and wild, and then spend your night in the middle of a wide lagoon and wake up to possibly the most beautiful sunrise of your life.
Into the hills
Sa Pa is one of northern Vietnam’s most popular tourist destinations but for a truly immersive experience, we suggest a more well-rounded approach. Step back in time while trekking through the village of Sa Pa, enjoy dinner and a homestay with a host family, work those creative juices with a Hmong Batik class or work out those muscles with a rice-farming experience.