What are the best Northern Vietnam tours in 2026?
Our Northern Vietnam tours are private trips from Hanoi to Halong Bay, Ninh Binh, Sapa and Ha Giang, ranging from a 3-hour street food walk to a 12-day motorcycle journey. Sightseeing tours run any day with your own English-speaking guide and driver, while the motorbike loops run as small joined groups of 6–10 riders. They suit first-time visitors, families, couples, trekkers and keen riders.
- Durations: 3 hours to 12 days
- Destinations: Hanoi, Halong Bay, Ninh Binh (Trang An, Tam Coc, Hoa Lu), Sapa, Ha Giang
- Best for: first-timers, families, couples, trekkers and riders
- Best months: October to December and March to May
Compare all 16 Northern Vietnam tours below, then ask us to tailor any of them to your dates.
Good to know (2026)
- Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi is closed for its annual restoration from 4 September to 2 November 2026 and reopens on 3 November; it is also closed every Monday and Friday, so we adjust Hanoi city days around it.
- June to October is storm season in the Gulf of Tonkin. The port authority can suspend Halong Bay cruises at short notice; we then rebook your cruise date or swap in another day trip.
- Since the 1 July 2025 province mergers, Ha Giang belongs to Tuyen Quang province, Sapa sits in the enlarged Lao Cai province and Ninh Binh has absorbed Ha Nam and Nam Dinh. Place names used by travellers have not changed.
- Riders on our motorbike tours need a 1968-convention International Driving Permit plus their home motorcycle licence; it cannot be issued in Vietnam to visitors.
Why choose a Northern Vietnam tour?
Northern Vietnam packs the country’s most famous scenery into a compact area around Hanoi. Within two to six hours of the capital you can cruise among the limestone islands of Ha Long Bay, row through the caves and rice fields of the Trang An Landscape Complex in Ninh Binh, trek between ethnic minority villages in Sapa or ride the mountain passes of Ha Giang.
Hanoi itself is a highlight: a thousand-year-old capital with the Old Quarter, the Temple of Literature and some of Asia’s best street food. A well-planned northern tour links these places without long backtracking, and a private guide handles the logistics, tickets and timing for you.
Driving times are manageable: Ninh Binh is about two hours from Hanoi, Halong Bay about two and a half to three hours on the expressway, and Sapa about five to six hours.
Our Northern Vietnam tours at a glance
| Tour |
Days |
Route |
| Hanoi Street Food Walking Tour |
3–3.5 hours |
Old Quarter food streets, Hoan Kiem Lake |
| Hanoi City Tour 1 Day |
1 |
Mausoleum complex, Temple of Literature, museum, Old Quarter |
| Hanoi – Halong Bay Tour 1 Day |
1 |
Hanoi – Tuan Chau – Halong Bay day cruise |
| Ninh Binh day tours (4 options) |
1 |
Hoa Lu or Mua Cave with Trang An or Tam Coc |
| Hanoi – Sapa Tour 3 Days |
3 |
Cat Cat, Muong Hoa Valley, Lao Chai, Ta Van |
| Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Halong Bay Tour 4 Days |
4 |
Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Halong Bay day cruise |
| Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Halong Bay Tour 5 Days |
5 |
Hanoi, Tam Coc, Hoa Lu, overnight cruise |
| Hanoi – Sapa – Halong Bay Tour 6 Days |
6 |
Hanoi, Sapa (2 nights), overnight cruise |
| Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Sapa – Halong Bay Tour 7 Days |
7 |
Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Sapa, overnight cruise |
| Ha Giang Loop Motorbike Tour 6 Days |
6 |
Ha Giang, Dong Van, Meo Vac, Ba Be Lake |
| Northwest Loop Vietnam Motorbike Tour 6 Days |
6 |
Mai Chau, Mu Cang Chai, Sapa |
| North Vietnam Joined Group Motorbike Tour 8 Days |
8 |
Ba Be, Ha Giang, Sapa, Mai Chau |
| Vietnam Motorcycle Tour 12 Days |
12 |
Mai Chau, Sapa, Ha Giang, Ban Gioc, Ba Be |
The four Ninh Binh day tours combine either the ancient capital of Hoa Lu or the Mua Cave viewpoint with a rowing-boat trip at Trang An or Tam Coc. Private day tours start from US$31 per person (Hanoi City Tour 1 Day), the motorbike tours from US$960 per rider and the street food walk from US$23 per person for larger groups.
How to choose your Northern Vietnam tour
1. One to three days in Hanoi
Start with the Hanoi City Tour 1 Day and an evening food walk, then add one day trip: Halong Bay for the seascape or Ninh Binh for rice fields, caves and pagodas. The Hanoi – Halong Bay Tour 1 Day is long (about 12 hours), so many travellers find Ninh Binh the more relaxed choice.
2. A first visit of four to seven days
The Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Halong Bay Tour 5 Days is our most balanced northern itinerary, with one night on a Halong Bay cruise. With a week, the 7-day tour adds two nights in Sapa.
3. Trekkers and mountain lovers
Choose the Hanoi – Sapa Tour 3 Days, which walks through Cat Cat and the Muong Hoa Valley villages of Lao Chai and Ta Van. Our Sapa trekking guide explains routes and difficulty.
4. Experienced motorcyclists
The Ha Giang Loop Motorbike Tour 6 Days covers about 1,010 km of passes, including the Ma Pi Leng area. These tours are graded challenging and need real riding experience on manual or semi-automatic bikes.
5. Families and senior travellers
Pick tours with hotel nights and short drives: the 4- or 5-day Ninh Binh and Halong combinations work well, with optional kayaking and cave steps you can skip.
Best time for a Northern Vietnam tour
- October to December: dry, clear and mild; golden rice in Sapa lasts into early October and buckwheat flowers bloom in Ha Giang in autumn.
- January to February: cool and often grey; Sapa can drop close to freezing. Tet (Lunar New Year) falls on 6 February 2027, when many shops close for several days.
- March to May: warm, green and generally pleasant; late May to early June brings golden rice at Tam Coc.
- June to September: hot and humid with heavy showers and the risk of storms that can cancel Halong Bay cruises.
Read our Halong Bay cruise guide for more seasonal detail.
What’s usually included: private or small group?
Our sightseeing tours are private: your own English-speaking guide and air-conditioned vehicle with driver, hotels or a cruise cabin on multi-day tours, and the meals and sightseeing listed in each itinerary. International flights, visas, travel insurance, drinks and tips are not included. The Halong Bay day trip uses a shared day-cruise boat, with a private boat on request.
The motorbike tours run as joined small groups of 6–10 riders with a riding guide and mechanic, on fixed 2027 departure dates; private departures can be arranged on most routes. See all private Vietnam tours or Vietnam motorbike tours.
Tips from our local team (Jimmy)
These notes come from years of arranging Northern Vietnam tours for international travellers.
- Do not put your Halong Bay cruise on the day before an international flight; in storm season a cancelled sailing needs a spare day.
- Give Sapa two nights if you can. One night means most of your time is spent on the road.
- Pack layers from November to March: Hanoi feels damp and cool, and the mountains are colder still.
- Ninh Binh and Halong Bay are busiest at weekends and on Vietnamese public holidays, so we schedule them on weekdays where possible.
- Dress with shoulders and knees covered for the Mausoleum complex and pagodas.
Plan your Northern Vietnam tour
Tell us your dates, interests and travel style and we will send a tailored itinerary and quote. Chat with Jimmy’s team on WhatsApp +84 88 626 1368 or use our contact form. You can also compare Central Vietnam tours and Southern Vietnam tours to build a full north-to-south trip.
