Vietnam is a country with 54 different ethnic groups. Each ethnic group has its own culture, costumes, and food. Especially in the Northwest region where many ethnic groups live with the diversity of lifestyles, customs, farming traditions, festivals, cuisine and food.

In addition, the unique terrain and climate, pure waterfalls, unspoiled nature, and mountains create beautiful landscapes and extremely rich ecosystems for the Northwest region.

(Source image: vnexpress)

Where is the Northwest? When is the best season to travel to the Northwest?

The Northwest region includes 6 provinces of Hoa Binh, Son La, Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Lao Cai and Yen Bai.

Visit the Northwest in spring (Around the end of January to the end of April). You will feel the intense vitality of nature after the cold winter. Peach blossom, white apricot blossom, ban flower, all the beauty of these flowers like to steal your sobbing heart.

You can travel from May to August. At this time, the Northwest has fresh and cool air, also there are countless delicious and sweet specialty fruits such as peaches, plums, …

Autumn is the most anticipated season of the year (September - October) because the Northwest nature will put on the sparkling yellow color of terraced fields.

The Northwest winter (November to late January next year) is equally interesting because of the cold climate. As the time approaches the Lunar New Year, the atmosphere is bustling, local people are busy preparing to welcome Tet. These will be interesting experiences for guests from far away.

How to move to the Northwest?

By Plane

In the Northwest, there is Na San Airport in Son La Province, but it is temporarily closed. Therefore, from Ho Chi Minh City, you can only take a plane to Hanoi, then from Hanoi by car or train to the Northwest.

By Train

You can take the train from Hanoi to the Northwest. Or you can take the train from HCMC to Hanoi, then continue on the second leg from Hanoi to the Northwest.

By Bus

From Hanoi, there are many buses going to the Northwest provinces with prices ranging from 120,000 VND to 350,000 VND. If you are foreigners, ask the price and the place before you go. 

The most famous tourist places in Northwest

Mu Cang Chai -  Yen Bai

Mu Cang Chai is a small mountain town in the west of Yen Bai province, located about 300 km from Hanoi.

(Source image: yenbai.gov.vn)

Every year around September, thousands of people flock here to admire the magnificent terraced fields. Mu Cang Chai has been recognized as one of the most unique landscapes in Vietnam and is ranked as one of the national-level scenic spots.

Khau Pha Pass has a length of more than 30 km, so it is considered the longest pass on Highway 32. The most beautiful view from Khau Pha Pass is in the ripe rice season (from September to October), when the rice on the foot of the terraced fields changes to golden yellow. This is also the time when many adventurous tourists want to conquer the pass.

(Source image: vietnamtourism.gov.vn)

Tu Le valley is a famous tourist destination with hot springs and cultural traditions of the Thai ethnic people, especially dishes made from glutinous rice such as “com lam”, congee, “banh cuon”, rice tube “lo o" tree and rice wine.

Lim Mong village is the place where the H'mong people live. This is also one of the most beautiful rice fields in Mu Cang Chai. In addition, visitors can visit La Pan Tan with terraced fields - creative architectural works of H'mong people or can explore Ba Nha bridge, Che Cu Nha, Pu Nhu waterfall, Mo waterfall, …

Sapa - Lao Cai

Saps is a highland town in Lao Cai province and located at an altitude of about 1500-1650 m above sea level.

The fresh and cold climate of the temperate climate zone is a special feature in Sapa. In Sapa you can experience 4 seasons in one day: spring, summer, autumn, winter. The mornings are cold and fresh, the midday is sunny, the afternoon is overcast and foggy, and at night the temperature drops. Sapa is also one of the few areas in Vietnam that has snowfall in winter.

Sapa Town Ancient Church is located in the center of town, bringing typical architectural features of Gothic architecture from the west. Fansipan peak is 3147m high, the highest mountain in the three Indochina countries. Trekking Fansipan is also an extremely interesting experience for tourists who love nature and are passionate about challenges. 

Lao Chai village is about 7 km southeast of Sapa town center. Lao Chai is located peacefully in a beautiful valley named Muong Hoa and is surrounded by Hoang Lien Son mountain range. Lao Chai village is home to two ethnic groups, the Giay and the H'Mong. Seen from above, Lao Chai village is always crowded with typical houses of ethnic people living here.

(Source image: dulichsapa.org.vn)

Dien Bien

Dien Bien is a mountainous province in the Northwest, located about 500 km from Hanoi. When the weather warms up in April, it is also the time when the white forests of Dien Bien are blooming. The white color of the ban flower can be seen throughout the mountains of Dien Bien. The clusters of white flowers cover the whole valley white. You will not want to leave the white flower paradise of Dien Bien once you get lost in it.

Dien Bien's cool climate all year round is very suitable for exploration trips, so you can come there at any season of the year. But visitors should avoid heavy rainy days to ensure safety, because the road is quite slippery, and it's difficult to move.

Dien Bien is also known as a historical place thanks to the resistance wars of the Vietnamese people. The most famous and popular historical destinations that you cannot ignore are: Dien Bien Phu Victory Historic Site, Ban Phu is a place of cultural, artistic and spiritual activities,...