1. Ba Vi National Park – an ideal paradise for a day trekker from Hanoi.
Just 50km far from Hanoi, Ba Vi national park is one of Hanoi’s top tourist attractions famous for its outstanding natural beauty & three-peaked mountains jutting steeply out of the landscape.With its year-round cool climate & off-the- beaten hiking routes, Ba Vi mountains will be a wonderful hiking site for any hikers loving to conquer three famous summits named Kinh, Ngoc Hoa & Tan Vien.From Hanoi, you can join in a day or 2-day itineraries with hiking funs to enjoy pristine landscapes of tropical forest, scenic waterfalls & magnificient mountains; inhale the fresh air; participate in healthy trekking routes; and learn more about Vietnamese culture & history.
- Best time to visit : Each season, Ba Vi mountains have its own specific beauty so you can travel to Ba Vi National Park at any time in a year. However, the best time to visit is usually from April – September when the weather is dry and cool, or from November – December, when the beautiful wild sunflowers start blooming.
- Level of trek : moderate
- Recommended tours :Â Ba Vi national park day trip
2. Cuc Phuong national park – the jungle trek in the biggest national park in Vietnam
As the biggest & well-protected national park in Vietnam, Cuc Phuong is rich in fauna & flora.You can experience many giant trees & endangered primates in a day trip to Cuc Phuong national park.There are different options of short/ long trekking routes for your choices, some of which you can do on your own, and some hard treks are requested to have the park’s guide along in case you get lost in the middle of nowhere.If you love adventure trek, we recommend you biking activitiy, long treks in the core area of the park & homestay with local Muong ethnics.Just 100 km away from Hanoi, you can connect your visit to Ninh Binh’s top attractions, then doing treks to explore Cuc Phuong national park.Make sure to take this adventure with good trekking shoes, arm yourselves with drinking waters & insect spraying.
Best time to visit : The best time to visit Cuc Phuong National Park is between November and April when there are no rains. You should avoid visiting the forest on rainy days as mosquitoes and leeches may attack you.
Level of trek : easy & hard treks upto the route you choose.
Recommended tours :
1. Cuc Phuong national park day tour ( soft trek)Â
2. Cuc Phuong Jungle Trek & Van Long Nature reserve 2 days ( hard trek)
3. Cat Ba National Park – the trek for your great view of Lan Ha & Halong bay.
As a can’t-be-missed place to visit in Northern Vietnam, Cat Ba National Park is an essential part of Cat Ba island, which is regarded as the biggest island of Halong bay. Trips to Cat Ba island, we highly recommend that you should spend one night on a luxury Lan Ha bay cruise to feel the beauty of Lan Ha bay, take part in water activities : swimming, kayakking & fishing.Moreover, Cat Ba island also boasts its rich & diverse forest as well as a number of peaks for your adventure thirst such as Ngu Lam, Hai Quan, Connon Fort.For a soft & easy trek, you can take part in a 2 hour trek to visit Kim Giao forest & conquer Ngu Lam peak, moderate with some rock climbing, then you can have an impressive captivation of Cat Ba national park & its Lan Ha bay. For a hard & adventurous trek, you can join in a long trek of 12km across the jungle to reach Viet Hai fishing village, then conquer Hai Quan summit, where you can have an outstanding capture of Lan Ha & Halong bay.This trekking route has no people living and you have to go with an experienced tour guide who will leads you go through a frog lake.If possible, treat yourselves a special night at a bungalow nested in Viet Hai fishing village.
Best time to visit : The best time to visit Cat Ba National Park is from April to October, because at this time the weather in Cat Ba is very pleasant, avoiding the rainy season so that you can enjoy many exciting climbing activities or exploring the natural ecosystems
Level of treks : easy & hard one depending on the route you choose
Recommended tours : 2 day Hanoi – Cat Ba island tour
4. Mai Chau valley –Â the leisure hike to scenic & rustic region in Northwest Vietnam.
5. Pu Luong Nature Reserve – the scenic hike to admire picturesque waterwheels, rice fields, mountains & peaceful villages.
6. Sapa – the heaven of various trekking routes for your choice.
Sapa is a top travel hub in Northwest Vietnam, a place to list in any travellers’ itinerary travelling to Vietnam. Cool climate, beautiful landscapes & rich cultures are the reasons why people choose to visit Sapa.In addition, Sapa offer numerous trekking sites of different levels (soft, medium & hard ones), which can meet any demands of tourists. Such easy treks as Muong Hoa valley, Cat Cat village, Ta Phin valley are popular options if you love leisure hike down the valley & along the villages taking beautiful photos of streams, rice fields, hamlets & meeting local hilltribes.If you love adventure treks conquering the summits, trekking thru the jungle, Fansipan & Ngu Chi Son peaks are great challenges to try yourselves.For your safety & wonderful experiences, it’s recommended to join in organinsed tours with the support of tourguide & porters along.
Best time to visit Sapa : March to May and September to November. At these times, the weather is relatively stable with sunny days and cool nights
Level of treks : easy & hard ones depend on the route you choose
Recommended tours :Â
1. Sapa day trek to Ba Khoang- Ta Giang Phin villages & Love waterfall ( easy trek)
2. Fansipan Peak conqueration day trek ( hard trek)
7.Mu Cang Chai – an awesome trekking site to admire the most impressive rice terraces in Vietnam.
8. Ha Giang – the heaven on earth for your trekking experience in Vietnam
Ha Giang is the most remote province in Vietnam & hard to reach due to its snaking roads & steep passes. However, you can expect a less touristy Ha Giang & its spectacular views of marverlous Dong Van Geopark &Â stunning rice terraces in Hoang Su Phi. Adventure trips are a must we must take part if you love to captivate Ha Giang’s beauty.If you are skilful at driving motorbike, renting ones in Ha Giang city to conquer amazing high & winding passes & blow your minds with the heaven- on-earth beauty along Dong Van geopark.If you love adventure treks on the hidden trails along the forest, local hamlets & stepped rice fields, there are no other places in Vietnam better than Hoang Su Phi &Â Ma Pi Leng Pass. Surely, this adventure is not for anyone and should be well planned with a local travel expert so you can have a good support & lifetime experiences.
Best time to visit Ha Giang : October to May. During this time of the year, the weather is dry & less rainy, the scenery is magnificent with mountaintops hiding in the cloud and wild peach flowers & yellow kales blooming everywhere
Level of treks : moderate & hard up to the route you choose
Recommended tours :
1.Impressive Ha Giang Adventure 6 days ( moderate trek)
2.Hoang Su Phi Adventure with off-the-beaten-path treks & homestay 4 days ( hard trek)
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9. Cao Bang, the land of Global Geopark & the most impressive waterfall in Vietnam.
While exploring to Ha Giang, you can make a round further to Cao Bang, the land of wonderful Global Geopark & the most beautiful waterfal in Vietnam.For trekking adventure, the popular sites are in Quang Uyen & Trung Khanh districts for your wonderful capture of gorgeous rugged mountainscapes, valleys of rice fields dotted with local hamlets of Tay & Nung ethnics, and streams.
The ideal time to do Cao Bang hiking : is between November & April when the weather always stay dry & clear for your photograph. But best time for great photos of Cao Bang Geopark falls in late September & early May when the rice fields turn its green to golden colours – you can expect to have the photo as below.
Level of treks : moderate & hard up to the route you choose
Recommended tours :  Ba Be lake – Ban Gioc waterfall Exploration 3 days
10. Bac Son valley – the green paradise with fascinating trekking routes.
Surrounded by rugged mountains, Bac Son is a beautiful valley likened among visitors as the green paradise, a trending destination for nature lovers & photo hunters on the time of rice season. The best way to captivate the beauty of this valley is climbing up to Na Lay peak, the highest point in the region, where you can capture all Bac Son valley’s amazing landscapes into your sight : green/ golden rice fields with snaking river & dotted local hamlets backgrounded by gorgeous mountainscapes…..
As a new tourist destination, travel service is really limited with a few homestays operated by local Tay ethnics.Plan your trip to Bac Son valley, it is highly recommended to do with a local travel company who knows well about the region & will give you useful consultancy & customized travel program for your best exploration of the valley.
Best time to visit Bac Son valley : There are two rice crops in Bac Son valley and the rice turns golden later than other places in Vietnam, roughly in July & in November – considered as the best time to visit Bac Son valley.
Level of treks : hard trek
Recommended tours :Â Bac Son Valley day tour
11. Phong Nha – Ke Bang national park – breathtaking trekking sites to explore the caves
Located in Quang Binh province – Central Vietnam, Phong Nha – Ke Bang national park is welknown as the Kingdom of Caves & the setting location of the latest King Kong movie. Travelling to Quang Binh, you can expect to have wonderful beach breaks on resorts overviewing pristinely sandy beaches, or further explore such beautiful caves as Phong Nha, Thien Duong…. in the core area of Phong Nha – Ke Bang national park.If you are the fan of adventure trek & cave exploration, you can join in typical organised trekking tours of 2 – 4 day itineraries to discover the nature & other grottoes sach as Hang En, Lu Lan.. & the best of all – Son Doong carvern, the biggest cave in the world.That will be the trip of your lifetime experiences.
Best time to visit Phong Nha – Ke Bang national park : April to August.During this time, the weather is beautiful and sunny, so it is very suitable for sightseeing and outdoor activities.
Level of treks : moderate & hard ones up to the route you choose
Recommended tours : Central Vietnam Heritage Tour 8 days
12. Bach Ma National Park, the green paradise for nature lover & hikers
Situated between Hue & Da Nang city, Bach Ma national park is an ideal place for nature lover & hikers.With its high altitude & its proximity to the sea, Bach Ma mountain is pleasant its cool climate all the year around and is likened as “ Da Lat” in the center of Vietnam. Travelling to Hue or Da Nang, you can make a day / two day interaries to visit this national park. Trekking is a must for any travellers to conquer Hai Vong Dai summit for your parnoramic view of surrounding regions, to admire waterfalls while trekking down along five-lake route & to enjoy pristine nature.
Essential travel tips on trekking in Vietnam
We have just shared you top 12 trekking spots in Vietnam with suggestions on right time to go, trips to take. For your safety & enjoyable experiences, take the following tips for consideration when it comes to trekking in Vietnam.
1. Before Going on Treks
- Well plan for your trip : think about how long you will travel, what kind of place you want to see (ethnic villages, mountains or national parks, etc.), the period you are in Vietnam (it’s better to stay here in the dry season – the best time for trekking in Vietnam)
- Be well prepared and ready for physical and mental challenges
- Check out the weather forecast. It is not recommended to hike on rainy days when the roads are too slippery.
- Ask the local people for more instructions or consider hiring a local tour guide with you.
2. What to Take on Treks
- Bring enough food and water and a first-aid kit
- Right trekking shoes with high quality
- Raincoat or waterproof jackets and pants in case it rains
- Flashlight or headlamp
- GPS navigation devices and a map.
- For long hikes, bring your tent and warm sleeping bag
- Sunscreen and mosquito repellent
Trekking Vietnam with Golden Holiday Travel
We hope that the above share of top 12 trekking places in Vietnam is helpful for your coming adventure trek in Vietnam, you will know which trekking route is right for you in terms of trekking levels & things to expect. In need of more information : travel consultancy, travel services or Vietnam adventure tour packages, feel free to email us : goldenholidaytravel.vn@gmail.com or whatsapp us + 84.988451530.As a local licensed tour operator, we have operated many successful adventure tours for thousands of happy clients travelling to Vietnam and we are pleased to be your travelmate & wish you would have good time in Vietnam.
See you soon in Hanoi, Vietnam
Golden Holiday Travel Team.
