Introduction
If you are an American who plans to take a first trip to Vietnam, there is the urge to see the whole country.
Vietnam may look as if it is rather small in size and traveling north to south through Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City is quite a feasible option for you. But if we talk about domestic flights, moving between hotels, road transportation and the long flight from the USA, the journey becomes quite challenging.
This is the reason why the following question arises – Is Northern Vietnam alone enough for a first trip?
Well, for a certain type of traveler, the answer is definite – yes.
Northern Vietnam is capable of providing an immense variety of experiences in one rather small area. Hanoi is rich in history, architecture, cuisine and modernity. Ninh Binh presents one with limestone valleys and rural life. Halong and Lan Ha Bay offer some of the most recognizable natural views of Asia. To the north one may find mountain regions, which feature terraced fields, unique cultures of ethnic minorities and much slower tempo, which is far from the hustle of main cities of the country.
The correct design of the northern journey will not make the latter incomplete. On the contrary – such journey will seem rather cohesive.
The point is not whether Northern Vietnam is rich enough in what it offers, but whether this region fits your first trip to the country or not.
Why American Travelers Often Try to Cover Too Much
Travelers from the United States usually invest a great deal of time and energy in visiting Vietnam. The trip to this wonderful country may last up to 18-30 hours and cover at least ten days of their lives.
And as the trip is so special and requires such a large investment, many people tend to make their first visit rather comprehensive and cover Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta and even the beach.
Theoretically, such trip seems effective. Practically, it will turn out to be a trip, which will be mainly devoted to packing, check-outs, transfers and domestic flights.
Vietnam deserves movement, but it definitely does not deserve constant moving around the country.
A well-designed northern trip will give one enough opportunity to get to know a wide variety of the country without the need to travel across it. Your trip will include the visit to the capital, historical places, countryside, cruise on the water, mountainous areas and amazing food.
The only difference will be the pace of the trip. Instead of seeing highlights of Vietnam, the traveler will start to understand the region in greater detail.
As our guide How Many Days Do You Need in Vietnam from the USA? states, the length of the trip from the United States defines the extent of the journey you should make.
Northern Vietnam Provides You with More Variety than It First Appears
At first glance, Northern Vietnam looks like the region full of mountains and terraced fields only. In fact, the region is very diverse.
Several days of stay in Hanoi will give you enough experience to get excited. The capital of Vietnam is a multi-layered city. It means that it is not shiny all the time. There is always a lot to discover about it: early markets, shadowed boulevards, hidden courtyards, food stalls, galleries and neighborhoods, where several eras of Vietnamese history co-exist.
Several hours away from Hanoi, one finds Ninh Binh with the river running under limestone cliffs, temples and quiet villages.
Further to the east, one is supposed to see limestone islands of Halong and Lan Ha Bays rising from calm water. Overnight cruise in either of them gives a traveler a chance to make a natural pause in the trip.
Further to the north and west, the region changes again: mountain valleys, terraces, villages and ethnic communities form the area, where the journey becomes more and more remote.
All these places have nothing to do with one another. They are distinct elements of the region.
Hanoi Is More than Just a Gateway
Many people consider Hanoi to be the city to spend just one night in before going further. However, this would be a mistake.
Hanoi is one of the most atmospheric cities in Southeast Asia, but it reveals itself gradually. The energy of the city is so powerful after the arrival, especially after such a long flight from the USA, that motorbikes fill the streets, sidewalks turn into the extensions of houses and businesses and daily routine of Vietnamese people becomes visible for everyone.
However, after the adaptation to this city, it usually turns out to be the most memorable place in the whole trip.
Hanoi is worth a visit if one is ready to take more time to explore it without making a list of all the sights of the city. Morning walk devoted to food, silent visit to the old residence of the Vietnamese family, afternoon in the French Quarter and the evening in the neighborhood café can show the true essence of Hanoi.
For the travelers, who are interested in history and current state of Vietnam, Hanoi provides a very good start of the trip.
Ninh Binh Takes You to the Countryside
One of the greatest benefits of Northern Vietnam is the ability of destinations to complement one another.
After Hanoi, Ninh Binh will provide one with the immediate change of atmosphere. The roads will be quieter, the horizon will broaden, and the nature will take over.
The trips on the boat will bring one through Trang An or Tam Coc with limestone formations, fields, temples and villages. Riding a bike through the countryside will provide a traveler with a glimpse of the daily life, which cannot be found in Hanoi.
Ninh Binh is very suitable for first-time visitors because this place provides them with a possibility to experience rural discovery, which they are waiting for, but does not demand any exhausting journey into the remote mountains.
This is an accessible, visually stunning and easily combinable place with Hanoi and the coast.
Halong Bay or Lan Ha Bay Gives You a Natural Break
Fewest pictures of Vietnam associate themselves with the limestone islands, which rise above the water of Halong Bay.
An overnight cruise is one of the most memorable activities in Northern Vietnam for first-time travelers. However, this activity will give you more than beautiful sceneries.
The pause in the fast tempo of previous days will be an advantage of a boat trip. The traveler will have an opportunity to relax on the boat and enjoy not only sceneries, but also light activities and evenings without any traffic and noises of the city.
Halong Bay is rather famous while Lan Ha Bay attracts the travelers with its soft atmosphere. Both of these places will perfectly fit your first itinerary.
- The quality of the trip will depend on the selection of the boat, route and cabins.
- The Mountains Will Turn Your First Trip into an Immersive One
- The travelers, who will have more time, may travel further north from Hanoi, Ninh Binh and bays.
- This is where a northern-only itinerary starts to be really immersive.
Sapa is the most famous mountain destination, which has terraced landscapes, accommodation and villages of ethnic minorities. However, the travelers who prefer quieter sceneries may prefer such destinations as Mu Cang Chai, Pu Luong, Ha Giang or Cao Bang, depending on the season and willingness to travel through winding roads.
These places will demand time and careful planning, but should not be used just to make your itinerary more adventurous.
In case they are used appropriately, they give a completely new perspective on the country. The trip becomes less about landmarks and more about sceneries, communities, road travels and the gradual transition from city life to the mountains.
Our A Glimpse North Vietnam Tour – 14 Days was created with such deep regional approach, providing the travelers with enough time to explore Northern Vietnam, but not reducing this region to the quick stops.
What Would You Miss by Choosing Northern Only Trip?
Northern-only trip will be rewarding, but it is just a choice.
By focusing on the northern part of the country, the traveler will not see preserved architecture, the riverside atmosphere of Hoi An, the imperial heritage of Hue, the energetic life of Ho Chi Minh City or the river landscapes of Mekong Delta.
Also, the cuisines in the northern, central and southern regions are quite different – central Vietnamese cuisine is rather intense and complex, while the southern one is more tropical.
All this is quite important. Vietnam is not homogeneous neither geographically nor culturally. However, it should be remembered that it is not possible to visit the whole country on a first trip anyway. No single itinerary can reflect the whole country. The point is whether a brief visit of each region is more beneficial than in-depth exploration of one of them.
For many travelers who prefer culture, landscapes, photography, food and slow travels, Northern Vietnam will be quite suitable. The travelers who are still considering the options may use our North vs South Vietnam guide.
Who Should Choose a Northern-Only First Trip?
Northern Vietnam will be quite suitable for the people, who are interested in cultural depth and landscapes. This destination will work well for couples, photographers, active travelers, mature travelers and those people who prefer cities and countryside to resorts.
The travelers who are willing to visit Vietnam during the season of especially favorable weather in this part of the country will also be suitable for this itinerary.
Our best time to visit Vietnam by Region guide may tell you, whether the north will suit your travel dates.
Northern-only itinerary will not be suitable for the travelers, who prioritize tropical beaches and resort relaxing or the overall overview of the country. It is important to be honest about mountain travels. There are some northern routes, which have winding roads and long road transfers. A premium itinerary should balance them with comfortable accommodation and slow days with enough rest.
How Long Should You Spend in Northern Vietnam?
In case of short trip, the northern triangle of Hanoi, Ninh Binh and Halong Bay can be covered in 7-9 days. It will be suitable for those travelers, who plan to combine Vietnam and other Asian destination in their trip.
For the American travelers who use the country as the main destination on their trip, the period of 10-14 days will be more appropriate.
During 10 days, the traveler will be able to explore the classical northern triangle of Vietnam and to add some cultural or countryside extension.
During 12-14 days, the traveler will be able to go further than just the famous destinations in Northern Vietnam and to see some of the mountain landscapes and less known areas.
It is the moment, when Northern Vietnam is more than just a part of the itinerary of the whole country. It becomes the whole journey itself. The additional days will give an opportunity to spend more than one night in key places, to minimize the hotel changes and to enjoy the process of changing of the landscapes instead of flying over them.
Northern Vietnam Is Not the Shortened Version of a Trip to Vietnam
A northern-only itinerary should not be a compromise. It should not be designed as the full-country trip with Central and Southern Vietnam cut out. It needs its own pace and purpose.
The trip can start slowly in Hanoi, continue to the countryside, stop in Halong Bay and then go deeper to the mountains. In this case, every step of the trip shows a new aspect of the region. This is quite different from the classical north-to-south itinerary, which uses every destination just as an introduction to another part of the country.
The Classical Vietnam Route Explained is the perfect itinerary for the travelers who wish to get a brief overview of the whole country. Northern-only trip is suitable for those who are interested in depth and cohesion of the trip and less frequent traveling.
Both styles are good. They are just made for different travel ambitions.
Is Northern Vietnam Enough for Your First Trip?
Yes – provided that you make the right choice.
Northern Vietnam is not enough in case you want to see the whole country just to say that you did it. However, it is enough in case you are willing to have a trip, which will be influenced by the history of the cities, limestone landscapes, local food, overnight cruises, mountain sceneries and cultural discoveries.
For many American travelers, the concentration on the north will make a trip better because it will relieve them from covering the whole country. There will be more opportunities to see, more chances for spontaneity and no need to make brief stops in every destination, waiting for the next flight.
It will also leave you with something to come back to in the future – the second trip will cover Central and Southern Vietnam without haste.
Final Thoughts
A first trip to Vietnam does not have to cover the whole country to be complete. The north of Vietnam is able to provide the traveler with enough contrast, depth and beautiful landscapes to make the trip interesting in 10, 14 or even more days. Hanoi gives cultural base for the trip, Ninh Binh brings countryside closer and Halong and Lan Ha Bays create pauses for the traveler. Mountainous regions provide with the element of discovery, which many travelers expect when coming to Vietnam.
Northern Vietnam will be more than just enough for the American traveler, who values the experience rather than destinations covered.
Explore our Vietnam holiday packages from USA for private journeys, which are based on different travel styles.
