Vietnam Northern Complete Guide 2026: Hanoi, Halong Bay, Sapa, Ninh Binh and the Mountain North
Browse more guides: Vietnam travel | Asia destinations Vietnam Northern Complete Guide 2026: Hanoi, Halong Bay, Sapa, Ninh Binh and the Mountain North TL;DR I have planned northern Vietnam for three budget levels, and the short version is simple: it is one of the easiest, cheapest, and most photogenic two-week routes in Asia in 2026. Hanoi is the gateway, with its Old Quarter of 36 guild streets, Hoan Kiem Lake at the centre, the Temple of Literature from 1070 (Vietnam's first university), Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the One Pillar Pagoda, and the famous Train Street. Food alone justifies the stop: pho bo originated in the north, bun cha is a Hanoi specialty, and a glass of bia hoi costs less than bottled water. From Hanoi, three loops define the trip. Halong Bay (UNESCO 1994, reinscribed 2000) holds more than 1,600 limestone karsts in emerald water, best on a one or two night cruise with Surprise Cave and Ti Top Island. Sapa runs rice terraces between Hmong, Dao, and Red Dao vill...