Welcome to Vol. 4 of our Hot as Phở series. Today we explore the history and outdoor adventures of northern Vietnam!
Ha Noi
The capital was our home base for three weeks of northern excursions. During our first visit to Hanoi, we stayed in the bustling Old Quarter near Hoan Kiem Lake and not far from other attractions such as the Temple of Literature and Hoa Lo Prison. If you're in the Old Quarter, try Lifted for breakfast.
On our second visit, we stayed on Dien Bien Phu St. near the Mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh - where you can see the legend himself fully preserved - and Thang Long Imperial Citadel. It's a bit less crowded out toward the HCM Mausoleum than in the heart of the Old Quarter. Wider roads...good for military parades and such...
When we needed a three-week base of operations for northern excursions, we rented an apartment in the expat area of Tay Ho for convenience...and for Turtle Lake Brewing Company. On our days in Hanoi between excursions, we frequented Essie Tea Room for breakfast. Also in Tay Ho, nestled on a back street past the Quang An flower market, is The 100 beer garden by Furbrew, where you'll find all the furry brews and pretty decent German food. For our money, Furbrew's Sunset Ale is one of the three best beers in Vietnam. Unfortunately, it's hard to find down south.
If you're a reader, don't miss perhaps the best bookstore is Southeast Asia: The Bookworm. It can be a little tricky to find, but the sign is right out on the street. The selection is excellent, especially regarding regional titles.
You'll surely want to get your snaps on Hanoi's Train Street, which is pretty much right between Hoan Kiem Lake and HCM's Mausoleum. Be advised: you are not always allowed on the tracks. It's not officially legal, but sometimes you're just allowed. Sometimes you're not. We couldn't tell you when, but when we were allowed we took advantage - it was actually on one of our winter visits.
Ninh Binh
We stayed in Tam Coc village when we visited Ninh Binh province. One of the more popular activities in Ninh Binh is the Trang An Grottoes Tour that includes Suoi Tien Temple and the floating pagoda - this used to involve a romp around the set of Kong: Skull Island, but our understanding is that either nothing remains of the set anymore or it is no longer accessible - we'll have to pounce back to you on that. The set was already quite sparse by the time we were there.
Admittedly, we did not spend enough time in Ninh Binh, and we had bad luck with weather. We need to return to take in the views at Hang Mua and explore the ancient capital at the Hoa Lu Citadel, built by the first emperor, Dinh Tien Hoang.
Lan Ha Bay
We took an overnight cruise in Lan Ha Bay, which is a touch farther out of Hai Phong than the famous Ha Long Bay. We stayed in one of the nicest hotel rooms we ever had on this short excursion...and it was on a boat. We recommend booking with Era Cruises. All the staff were super-accommodating, and the swimming and kayaking activities were lovely.
Ha Long, Lan Ha - po-tay-to, po-tah-to - it's all the same seascape - mountainous karsts bulging and soaring out of the water all over the place - incredible geology. You really do want to find more obscure spots than Ha Long because it's so crowded. There are boats here and there out in Lan Ha, but there's also plenty of open space, and that just doesn't happen in Ha Long anymore. Also, many of the boats you'll see out in Lan Ha are quaint, local fishing vessels - the kind of boat you don't mind capturing - or featuring - in your photos.
Mai Chau
We hired a car for about a 3-hour drive out to Mai Chau for a couple nights. Mai Chau is a bit out of the way, so it's very rustic, very peaceful...and also very hot and buggy in the summer. Bring your mosquito repellent, wear your citronella anklet, smoke a cigar - do what you have to do. It is worth it.
The main activity in Mai Chau is the climb to Chiều Cave, i.e., the 1,000-step cave. The steps are no joke, either. There are at least a thousand - some posit that there are over 1,200. It's excellent early morning exercise. Midday in summer it would be murder.
When you're not climbing a thousand steps, Mai Chau is for relaxing. We found Meadow Mai Chau Homestay to be a peaceful spot. You can't beat the price, and the food is delicious. Rooms are simple and traditional - as advertised. Restrooms are shared and well-kept. The family that runs Meadow Mai Chau is very accommodating, and we love what they've done with their website.
If you want to pay up for a bit more comfort, Mai Chau Ecolodge is top shelf and a short walk from Meadow Mai Chau.
Sa Pa
About five hours by car from Hanoi, Sa Pa is deservedly the most popular destination in northern Vietnam. The hills, mountains, and rice terraces outside of Sa Pa town are the prototypical picture of Vietnam. Speaking of Sa Pa town - don't spend your time there. You want to stay in the countryside at a homestay or lodge. In the summer of 2020, when we first visited, we stayed at D&D Eco Sapa, which was near good hiking above the villages of Su Pan, Ta Van, and Lao Chai. The food is good, the rooms are nice, and the owner has friendly dogs.
We have since also treated ourselves with a stay at Topas Ecolodge Sapa. Constructed in the style of a Scandinavian lodge, this is one of the best places to stay in all of Vietnam; it's been featured in National Geographic as a 'unique lodge of the world.' All rooms at Topas are individual stone and wood bungalows with unencumbered panoramic views, and they have two heated saltwater infinity pools. Topas will also pick you up and drop you off at the airport in Hanoi, and they take the much shorter and faster underneath route to and from the lodge instead of the roundabout, to-the-border-at-Lao Cai-and-back-down route that everyone else takes. Topas Ecolodge Sapa is definitely in our accommodations top-five.
Cao Bang
The journey up to the Cao Bang province is the longest trip up north but perhaps the most rewarding because this one brings you to the Ban Gioc falls on the border with China. Unless you venture up to Vietnam's farthest northeast reaches on your own motorcycle, there aren't a whole lot of options for getting there. Everyone we know has gone with Mr. Linh, and we did, too.
The three-day Ban Gioc weekend package with Mr. Linh includes the Mother Temple, Tiger (Nguom Ngao) Cave, Ho Chi Minh's hideaway on the border, Mr. Linh's Homestay on Ba Be Lake, and Ban Gioc. It's a lot of time in a small van, but - as advertised - Mr. Linh really does bring you to places no one else does.
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