This list is a compilation of things to do in the North to mid-way point of Vietnam. I spent a little time in the south, but I have to say, the north of Vietnam is one of my favourite places. The landscape is incredible and the people are so lovely.

1. Hike some trails in Sapa

Depending on how you arrive, I arrived by a minivan, it drops you off in town. Now I would recommend staying in the outskirts of town in a homestay. You get to know a Vietnamese family and meet loads of other travellers. If you like hiking trails in the mountains, this is the best option. There isn’t much in the town itself, it’s all about the nature.

Warning – It can get very cold in the north of Vietnam and I was not prepared. The one pair of long leggings I had, got covered in mud when I fell on a hike, I ended up drying them over the bonfire as they would not dry and that was the worst mistake I could have made, as from that first stay, the rest of my clothes in my backpack smelled of bonfire the entire trip.

Homestay I recommend where I stayed is ZiZi Mekhoo Sapa Homestay.

2. Ride the Ha Giang Loop on a motorbike

This is a must do, whether you rent or buy a bike and ride yourself, go on a tour riding on the back of someone or a tour where you drive. A lot of people opt for riding on the back of a tour guide as they are scared of riding themselves or because they want to enjoy the scenery more. I personally wanted to ride the bike but I did it as part of a tour as I was by myself and wanted to go with people. This is honestly one of the best experiences of my life. I stayed at Mamas homestay, where I met the best group of people I went on tour with and the funniest tour guide. To rent the bike, accommodation, food, petrol, protective wear and insurance for 4 days was £100.

*I did the loop back in 2020, I have been told that they have since paved and bettered the conditions of the roads. It has also become extremely popular compared to when I did it.

3. Cat Ba National Park & Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bay is a sight for sore eyes, but as I’m more of a mountain person, I probably enjoyed Cat Ba National Park more. To see Ha Long Bay, I went on a boat trip organised by the hostel. I stayed at Central Backpackers Hostel, great to meet people and socialise, which is key when you’re by yourself. Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO world heritage site and one of the most popular “must see” places in Vietnam. The bay is formed by thousands of limestone Karsts and isles in various shapes and sizes. If you’re lucky to go on a sunny day I can imagine it would be nicer than overcast, as how it was when I went. Still, it was huge, you pass the fishing village, where they live on the water, we went kayaking through the bay and also stopped off at an island, hiked to the top and saw part of the bay from above.

To get to Cat Ba National Park, I rented a scooter. I went to a couple of caves around also.

4. Beer street in Hanoi & the train.

Well, I think the title says it all here.

Hanoi is a cool city and they have various streets where you go and sit on a little plastic chair where you get a plastic cup from an old Vietnamese lady sat with a barrel of beer, one street in particular is called beer street and is full of them. Be warned though, there are no toilets, you are just sat on the street.

There is also the infamous, instagrammable train street. Go to a cafe along the tracks, purchase something and watch as the train passes.

*I was in Hanoi in 2020 and this is what it was like. I have since been told it is no longer like this sadly. It is more expensive (still nothing compared to western countries), and apparently they’re bottles of beers from bars only now.

5. Wonder the quiet streets of the Imperial City – Hue

I didn’t know whether to go to Hue or not, there wasn’t much happening there, but it was the old capital city and so I figured, there’s history there. It was nice to just walk with my camera and wonder the Imperial City. You can get an audio guide for a separate fee, which I recommend as otherwise you could find it kind of boring and there’s not much to it otherwise.

6. Boat tour through Trang An - Ninh Bình

Ninh Bình is Ha Long Bay but on land. I personally preferred it to Ha Long Bay, it was less touristy, more mountainous, little caves you rode through. In Tam Coc you hire a boat and a driver steers you using his feet.

There are various other places to visit as well, like walk up 500 steps for Mua Cave viewpoint.

7. Discover the caves of The Marble Mountains – Da Nang

Full of small temples and caves, with pretty views overlooking the town. You have the option of either walking up all the steps or paying 15000 VND (50p) for the lift, meaning it is accessible to everyone.

8. Enjoy the lights of Old town – Hoi An

Hoi An is one of the prettiest places I think I have ever visited. When the sun sets and all the lanterns come on, it’s magical. Aside from wondering the streets, there are many other activities to enjoy such as going to the beach, cooking classes and the most famous basket boat spinning tours. You can also opt to create your own lantern if you wish, or just purchase one, like I did.

9. Explore the most magical caves in Phong Nha

The largest cave in the world is located right here. It is a 3-day expedition trip and not for the weak. Unfortunately, it also wasn’t part of my backpacker’s budget, so I went to other caves, which were still the most impressive caves I’ve ever seen and they were huge. Paradise cave is a very popular one to visit, where you can also swim and zipline.

In Phong Nha, I would also recommend renting a push bike and riding through the countryside, make sure to stop off at the duck stop where you can become a duck leader. It’s one of the most unique and funny experiences.

Top things to do in Vietnam

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