The Best Weekend Get-Aways From Hanoi
Hanoi is an amazing city to live in, but now and then, you need to get away and explore outside the city. Vietnam has some fantastic natural beauty and, for a small country, it has so much to see! The cities economy is growing fast, and because of this, more holiday destinations are available now in Vietnam.
In Hanoi you have tonnes of options for places to visit for a weekend away. The city itself is well placed for fun vacations and Road trips. Being stuck in an urban jungle for too long does start to get to you no matter who you are!
The one thing I love about South East Asia is its mystery, and that’s why I love it! Theirs always night markets, mountains, rivers, indigenous culture, modern shopping, and much more. Theirs no excuse to stay in the city in Asia, and my guide will advise you where to go.
To find out what you need to travel with and how to travel, keep reading.
Moc Chau
Moc Chau is a great location if you want to escape Hanoi’s hustle and bustle. The National Park 200 kilometers away and is easily reached through cars and motorbikes. You can take buses for just 13000 VND for a one-way journey.
The climate is a bit cooler down here as the altitude is higher, and people use this to escape the heat and its natural beauty. As the Vietnamese economy has grown significantly in the past few years, the hospitality sector has benefited with many hotels and boutique guesthouses. Just recently, you have deluxe cabins that set the scene.
Moc Chau is a beautiful place and is known for its green tea dotted all over the hills. It is also the perfect opportunity to buy some nice tea to stock up and enjoy when your back home. The two most famous tea hills for tourists are Taiwan Heart Hill (Doi Che Trai Tim Dai Loan) and the Moc Suong Farm Hill (Doi Che nong Truong Moc Suong)
You also have beautiful farms with lush gardens and in different seasons producing a variety of flowers. In the winter, you get a lot of wintercress, and in the spring/summer, you have plums to harvest.
When visiting Mao Chau you have other attractions like Ban Ang Pine Forest, Dai Yem Waterfall, Doi Cave, and much more. But in general, you will be in the countryside, relaxing and enjoying the cool temperature.
200k from Hanoi
Dong Cao
Dong Cao is the perfect place for camping and is located in North East of Vietnam in Bac Giang province. The area has beautiful Hills and places to put your tent up and set camp.
Their are so many good places in this area, and it doesn’t cost much to have a good time. You can book through a travel agency and get everything arranged, or you can make a road trip and turn up and pitch a tent.
160km from Hanoi
Ninh Binh
It only takes 2 hours to reach this destination from Hanoi, with coaches running regularly back into from Ninh Binh.
Most people who visit Ninh Binh only come for a day, and its not that touristy, so you don’t get loads of people traveling their. Many people take the boat trip from Tam Coc or Bich Don.
You get five-star hotels down here like Tam Coc, which has numerous facilities such as bicycles to rent with incredible scenery and paddy fields surrounded by mountains and big rocks. You have farmland and cattle roaming around freely, which is great to see in this hectic country. Also, you have Thung Nham Ecotourism Resort is great for spotting birds with over 40 species in the area.
100km from Hanoi
Haiphong
Haiphong is quite a vibrant area and is popular with locals and ex-pats looking for a trip outside Hanoi. It’s only two hours away from the city, but it’s an amazing place close to Vietnam’s culture. You can find authentic cafes and places to eat with traditional home-cooked food served here.
You have great places to view, such as temples, shrines, pagodas, and mausoleums. Also theirs a beach here with a communal house that tourists can visit. The town also hosts a lot of festivals, with buffalo fighting making the grade.
118km from Hanoi
Thanh Hoa
The biggest attraction with Thanh Hoa is the beach Sam Son which is beautiful but a bit pricey as it’s a tourist honey pot. If you go in the mountains with places like Pu Luong and Thanh Hoa. The landscapes are amazing, and you have beautiful Paddy fields below with channels in the mountains. You also get a lot of ethnic minorities, which gives you a real taste of Vietnamese culture.
The rural areas are gorgeous, with places like Ph Luong and many other destinations to stop by. You can find peaceful lakes to go swimming, with children diving and playing all over the place. The best thing is you get an authentic experience of life outside a city in Vietnam.
150km from Hanoi.
To cut a long story short, outside Hanoi, you have tonnes of options, so theirs no excuses not to getaway.
