This was a trip that I spent quite a long time dreaming about and preparing for. Knowing I had multiple must see destinations in mind, there were many moving pieces and I carefully curated a full itinerary. This is our second trip to Vietnam (our first trip to Da Nang is here), but our first time in Northern Vietnam, and I am still just as enamored with this country as I was before. Vietnam is a hot destination at the moment, being touted on many major travel lists of a top destination to visit this year and it’s easy for me to see why, but I’m still surprised my family indulged me for round two. The fact that northern Vietnam is only a 4-5 hour flight makes it a very appealing Spring Break destination.
Table of Contents
Hanoi (Ha Noi)
Our first stop was into Hanoi, the capital city and hub for northern Vietnam. I had done quite a bit of research prior to our trip and I’m glad I did. I don’t always have such a scheduled itinerary, but because we were visiting 3 separate locations, I felt we needed more pre-scheduled transport, restaurant ideas and planned activities. I ended up booking all of our accommodations and tours through Agoda and Get Your Guide, which are both great for Far East and Southeast Asia specific locations.
Our first hotel in Hanoi was the Aira Boutique Hotel Hanoi on the border of the Old Quarter and the French Quarter. We were situated near the Hanoi Train Street, which was fun, but as far as most other attractions, it was a bit of a walk. Cute rooms and helpful staff made for a good first impression. Our first taste of Vietnamese food was the Skybar at the JM Marvel Hotel, which had all the ambiance and the views to match. And of course, had to pick up my first Coconut Matcha at 80+ Coffee. It was worth the walk through crazy motos and non-existent sidewalks, coconut milk pretty much makes everything better.
A Stop at Hanoi Hospital
What we didn’t see coming was a necessary visit to a Hanoi Hospital that night for our son. Even the best laid plans can have unexpected turns and this was our first time in an urgent care medical clinic in a foreign country. I wrote all about our experiences here, how we handled it and how to be better prepared next time. Needless to say, I’m so grateful for kind doctors and nurses, good care and a positive outcome. We were very close to calling the whole trip off and heading home, and I’m so glad we didn’t, because the best was yet to come.
We did have an Old Quarter Trishaw Cyclo Tour booked for that same night, which we ended up canceling. I feel like my normal wandering of neighborhoods was made much more difficult by the overwhelming number of motos and lack of proper sidewalks. This seemed like the right solution to seeing some sights in a creative way. Needless to say, we didn’t get to see much of Hanoi those first 2 days, but it was off to our next destination.
Ninh Binh, Tam Coc and Trang An
Our next destination was Ninh Binh, a region a few hours south of Hanoi but still in Northern Vietnam. We booked our private transfer through 12go, which is a transportation service primarily for southeast Asia. This destination was the wild card of our trip. I had no idea if this would be a bust but quickly realized upon arrival that this town(s) would appeal to all my senses in the best way. Sometimes we just have to go for the unexpected element.
Driving in, you start to see the limestone mountains protruding out of the fog. We pulled up to the Indochine Boutique Hotel. This quaint property was dripping with charm, tucked back away from the busy downtown of Tam Coc. You are greeted with a stunning waterfall into the pool, beautiful grounds, and friendly staff. We booked the family suite and it was plenty spacious with a sweet juliet balcony and peaceful view. I realized then that we could have booked a few more days here to just relax, it had all the makings of a quiet and calm recharge.
Our first stop in the area was the Bear Sanctuary of Ninh Binh. A beautiful property and facility that takes in sun bears and asiatic brown bears rescued from the Bile Industry. My family tends to love outings that focus on wildlife experiences, bonus points for supporting wonderful non-profits who are making this world better. Because we were a little later in the day, we missed the opportunity to take the sanctuary tour, but I think that would have really elevated the overall experience.
Hoa Lu, Trang A River, Mua Cave, & Bich Dong Tour – The next day was all about exploring this beautiful area and the best and easiest way to see it all is an organized tour. This was the absolute highlight of my whole trip. I don’t usually love tours, but this happened to be the right group of people (a fun group of expats) with the right amount of pace and stops. Here are the stops we made:
Bich Dong Pagoda – Built in 1428 during the early Le Dynasty, it consists of three pagodas (Lower, Middle, and Upper) built into a mountainside, connected by stone steps. Bich Dong, which means “Jade Pearl Cave,” featuring traditional Vietnamese architecture and serene views of the surrounding limestone karsts and rice fields.
Mua Cave – This was the suprise of the day. This whole area was one stunning view after another, sprinkled with the best salted coffee of my whole trip, walking trails, and sprawling views. While the cave itself is small, the highlight is the climb up nearly 500 stone steps to the top of Mua Mountain, where visitors are rewarded with breathtaking views of the Tam Coc river and lush landscapes. According to legend, King Tran once visited this spot to watch performances by royal dancers — hence the name “Múa,” meaning “dance.”
If I had the chance to do it again, I would have booked in a night or two at the Hang Mua Ecolodge. I really enjoyed the serenity of this area, especially after our wild few nights in Hanoi.
Trang A River Tour – Truly the most magical boat ride I have ever taken. A real life Jungle Boat Cruise – winding down the Trang An river through 3 stunning caves. You hop on a boat lined with bamboo mats and a paddling guide who takes you gracefully down river, navigating tight cave turns with ease and brings you up close to see the Bai Dihn Pagoda. While there are many tourists, it still feels very serene and connected to nature.
For dinner, we walked down from our hotel to the Waterfall Restaurant, otherwise known as the Tam Coc Rocky Bungalow Club. High marks for dining next to a beautifully lit waterfall falling into a pond, but the food was great too, so extra points. It ended up being the best food we had in Tam Coc.
Ha Long Bay Cruise
After a sad good bye to Ninh Binh, we were up early to catch a ride into Ha Long Bay for our cruise. I had been warned that it was a bit of a cattle car tourist trap, but I wanted to see it nonetheless. Ha Long Bag, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is full of stunning Limestone mountains shooting straight out of the Bay. Our weather was overcast for most of our trip, giving way to foggy mornings, so it has this eerie Pirates of the Caribbean vibe.
I used Agoda to book with Rita Cruise and our boat was beautiful and well kept. We did have to shuttle about an hour to get to our boat, but it was very organized once we were onboard. Activities are as expected, some kayaking, happy hours, and a spa on board. We only booked for 1 night and that’s really all you need. The rooms were spacious and beautifully decorated, but I don’t think we needed to stay any longer. Food was mediocre but they did try to accommodate all allergies and preferences, so it wasn’t that big of a deal.
Here are my thoughts on the whole experience. It was definitely a well oiled tourist trap, you are not able to have a personalized experience, but it likely keeps everything affordable. Because of the abundance of cruise ships, the water is very dirty, lots of floating trash and no wildlife to be found. It was sad to see it in such condition. I am still glad we did it because it is such a breathtaking bay. If I had the chance to do it again, I might try to visit Lan Ha Bay, which is supposed to be just as scenic without the crowds.
Back to Hanoi
As much as I didn’t want to go back to Hanoi, we had an early morning flight to catch the next day, so off we went for one last night in the capital city. And then, the best thing happened. We booked into a different hotel and the location was 10x better. It was the perfect opportunity for a 2nd first impression.
Our second hotel in Hanoi was Solaria Boutique Hotel. I can’t say enough wonderful things about this hotel. The location was perfect, had all the charm in the world, the family room was fantastic and the breakfast buffet was the best we had. Would stay again in a heartbeat. The location allowed for easy walking access to St. Josephs Cathedral, Tom Ka Lake at night (pedestrian only) and the charming back alleys of the Old Quarter. Hanoi is still not my favorite, but I enjoyed it so much more the second time around.
I feel like a bit of fraud saying this, but our favorite meal of the trip was Pizza 4 P’s. Perhaps we had had one too many spring rolls (is that possible?) but it was just what the doctor ordered and we ate like kings. Make sure to get reservations, they fill up quickly!
Sometimes you have to go check out those viral locations, just to see what all the fuss is about. So off we went to find Note Coffee. This was everywhere on Instagram, for the obvious photo ops, but I was hoping the coffee would stand on its own. Sadly, it was chock full of influencers in the wild, and every other foreigner in Hanoi. The concept it cute, grab a coffee, write a note to leave behind and enjoy the people watching from above on the balconies. It was overrated. It was crowded and the coffee was just ok. There are better and more charming cafes.
Northern Vietnam delivered exactly what I had hoped for, beautiful adventures. We were on the go, had some very unforgettable experiences and lived to tell the tale. I would recommend this area for those that don’t mind some rustic charm mixed in with the most stunning views. The Vietnamese people are kind and welcoming, the scenery is unbelievable and the cost of visiting makes lots of experiences within your reach.
