Northern Vietnam · HIKING & TREKKING
Terraces above Sapa, limestone above Cat Ba, and the karst ridges around Ninh Binh. These 15 walks are compared on distance, mud, guide quality and whether a homestay night is part of it.
Review of a $38 Halong Bay day cruise from Hanoi with Sung Sot Cave, Titop Island, kayaking, lunch, and sunset tea.
“Amazing guide, really good quality cruise, great food, everything bang on. Great value for money, super clean and lovely staff.”
Trek Sa Pa’s Muong Hoa Valley through rice terraces, Hmong and Red Dao villages, bamboo forest, rock carvings, and a local lunch.
“It was a really nice trip and the guide was very knowledgeable. She gave us a lot of insight into the various local villages and their daily lives.”
Trek through Sapa’s rice terraces, stay with a local family, cook dinner, and explore villages on a practical two-day trip from Hanoi.
“Trek was beautiful, our mamas were so inviting and friendly and the food they cooked was out of this world good!!!”
Review of a 3-day Sapa trek from Hanoi with Cat Cat, rice terraces, Ta Van homestay, local guides, bus travel, costs, and practical tips.
“Su is the best guide. She is very kind and sweet. She answered our questions with a smile on her face. Very friendly. She helped, and cared about everyone. She took us hiking all around and we saw the most incredible sights. Sapa is gorgeous, and she helped us see some of the best sights. I will never forget this beautiful and amazing trip. From the nature, to the culture and villages, it is a must see. Su was very patient and let us stop as much as we wanted to look at things and take pictures. She took great care of us. It was a much steeper/ harder hike…”
Trek Sapa’s rice terraces and Hmong and Dzay villages with a local guide, home-cooked lunch, mountain views, and 10 to 12 kilometers of walking.
“We had such a beautiful experience trekking through the rice fields in Sapa. Our local guide was incredibly sweet and knowledgeable — she shared so much about her culture, traditions, and daily life, which made the whole experience feel very personal and authentic. Unfortunately I don’t know how to spell her name, I think its Chè, please give her special mention. We are very grateful! The 10km trek was well-paced, with stunning views of the rice terraces and traditional houses along the way. Lunch was also included and was a lovely break during the walk. Highly recommend this experience if you want to truly connect with local culture, not just…”
Review of a 3-day Sapa trek from Hanoi, with Ta Van homestay, rice terraces, village walks, meals, guide, and bus transfers included.
“What was meant to be a four-day hike through the mountains of Sapa got cut short after I caught a bug/food poisoning. I ended up stopping in one of the villages to recover, and that’s alright—just part of the travel experience. My guide, Khu, Read more”
Review of Vega’s 3-day Lan Ha Bay and Cat Ba tour, with kayaking, jungle trekking, cave visits, village cycling, meals, and Hanoi transfers.
“We were lucky to have sunny weather as November is the rainy season. Ha Long Bay was beautiful. The thing that people don't realize is you do little to no cruising on the ship that you sleep in. Everything is done through tenders. We diRead more”
Trek Sapa’s rice terraces, bamboo forests, and village paths on a private two-day ETHOS homestay with meals and local guides.
“This is a perfect tour, and unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before. Ker was a gracious, knowledgeable, fun, and experienced guide and host. We started the two day one night trek and home stay at the ETHOS center, a comfortable hRead more”
Trek Sa Pa rice terraces with a Hmong guide, sleep in Ta Van, share local food, and ride Hanoi's comfortable limousine bus on this two-day tour.
“I knew I wanted to do some hiking in Sapa but wasn't sure which to take and eventually settled with this activity. I'm so glad I choice this one as it was fantastic. I was contacted by Viet via WhatsApp well in advance of the activity and he helped arrange my sleeper bus from Hanoi along with the optional upgrades I requested. Viet provided clear instructions and was readily available to assist at all times. The food included throughout the tour was amazing both at the homestay and the start/ finish restaurant. Gom was my guide for the trek and she was extraordinary, providing detailed knowledge of the area, including…”
Trek 12 km from Sapa through Hmong rice terraces and Zay villages, with a local lunch, mountain views, and traditional incense making.
“Giang was an amazing guide. She was very funny but also informative and answered all our questions. The trek itself had amazing views and was not too challenging. Lunch was delicious and very generous. Overall we had a great time and highly recommend!”
Trek through Sapa’s rice terraces and ethnic villages, enjoy a local lunch in Ta Van, and return by bus on this active full-day tour.
“The Sapa 1 day tour was perfect to get familiar with the villages and see the beautiful surroundings. The trekking had its difficult moments when we were covering muddy sections, but going slowly and carefully, the trekking turned out to be a great experience.”
Review of a 3-day Sapa trek from Hanoi with Cat Cat, rice terraces, village homestay, meals, guide, and VIP cabin bus.
“This tour was incredible. The hiking was great for people who like to hike, it was about 6 miles the first day and 4 miles the second day. It was slippery at times but overall amazing views and a fun trek. We stayed in a cute one room cabin at Read more”
Trek from Sapa to Sa Seng, Hang Da, and Hau Thao for mountain views, rice terraces, Hmong culture, local lunch, and a rewarding full-day hike.
“Our guides, Zozo and Tung were amazing. Helpful, thoughtful and professional throughout. Thank NRG was quietly there to help whenever needed and took time to make everyone feel welcomed. Zozo was exceptionally informative and funny, creating a fabulous atmosphere to enjoy all the wonderful views.”
Hike Cuc Phuong from Ninh Binh, meet rescued primates, visit ancient caves and trees, and enjoy Vietnamese lunch in Vietnam’s oldest national park.
“The guide was very experienced and he really enjoys the jungles, so it was extremely interesting listening to him. Beautiful experience!”
Hike Cat Ba National Park, explore war-era Hospital Cave and Trung Trang Cave, then visit a local pagoda on this active half-day tour.
“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I had an amazing hike today in Cát Bà! The scenery was absolutely beautiful, and the whole experience was so much fun. Our guide was fantastic — super friendly, knowledgeable, and made the hike even more enjoyable. Everything was really well organized and totally worth the price. I’d 100% recommend this tour to anyone visiting Cát Bà!”
Pick a bay, a valley or a bowl of noodles.
