Sapa: Using Sapa as a base you can hike off to more remote ‘traditional’ hill tribe villages and sometimes you will be offered a bed in a village for the night. Sapa was originally built as a hill station in the early part of this century and, in winter, gets bitterly cold. If you are going to be visiting and staying at hotels in Sapa in winter do not forget the winter woollies.
The Hoang Lien mountains include Fansipan, the highest mountain in Vietnam, and the view at dawn can be spectacular. You can hike in the surrounding area and visit a number of fairly traditional predominantly Mong hill tribe villages. Further afield is the colorful Red Zao, Dzay, Tay and Xa pho people. A home stay in the Tay village would be unforgettable experience.
Mai Chau: The village, nestled between two steep cliffs and surrounded by emerald green paddies, is enchanting to look at as you wind down the cliff side. The scenery between Hoa Binh and Mai Chau is spectacular you will also pass through valleys still packed with awesome old growth forest and through villages inhabited by hill tribe people. North West Adventure
Son La: was the site of a sizeable French garrison before the Dien Bien Phu battle. However, now nothing remains to bear evidence of this, except for its positioning, halfway between Hanoi and Dien Bien Phu. See North West Adventure
Lai Chau: The scenery between Lai Chau and Tam Duong is spectacular. The mountains still quite densely forested, are striking with abrupt peaks and water falls spitting out of the forests. Look around at the villages as you pass through, this area is one of the remotest areas in North Vietnam. See North West Adventure
Da River: Lai Chau sits at the base of the beautiful Da River, washed white from the sandstone. This river is the main water supply to the Red river that runs all the way south to Hanoi. It was dammed at Hoa Binh in the mid 70's to control the flooding of the Red River. 40-meter-high cliffs, mountains and valleys border its banks and at some points its turbulence can be white water rafter with kayaks or long tail boats. See, Adventure Tours, Kayak
Dien Bien Phu: This was the scene of the siege in 1954 that finally ended the French war effort in Vietnam.
Danang, Hue & Central Vietnam
This region was the center of the Champa Kingdom and also played a vital role in the Vietnam War. Hoi An, which is arguably one of the most charming towns in all of Vietnam sits along the coast with beautiful Cua Dai beach. Other points of interest include the ancient Cham ruins at My Son and the site of the My Lai massacre just north of Quang Ngai.
Hue: Former capital of Vietnam from 1802- 1945 during the reign of the Nguyen Dynasty, Hue features many tombs and remnants from its imperial past. Travel down the scenic Perfume River to visit the Royal Tombs, or explore the mysterious Purple Royal city in the center of Hue.
Da Nang: Within a short drive of Danang are some of Vietnams best tourist sites. During the Vietnam War, Da Nang was the home to one fifth of all US servicemen based in Vietnam.
Marble Mountains: are made up of five limestone outcrops in isolation from the surrounding plains, each riddled with caves and grottoes, with some made into pagodas and shrines. Each mountain represents one of the five elements of the universe, being water, wood, fire, metal and earth. At marble mountain you can buy marble statues or colored marble bracelets and rings - careful its marble and not glass.
My son: is somewhat of an arduous journey to get out there, but is well worth the effort. My Son will give you a little taste of what it must have been like for the Cham people as there are still a few remnants of their temples and houses. Many of the structures are overgrown with dense vegetation but you can get inside some of them.
Hoian: is small and peaceful, the kind of place where you will probably get stuck for a few days, eating lunch beside the river or wandering the cobble stoned paths between the old Chinese houses. The artistic atmosphere is yet to die despite the increase in tourism and tailor stores.
Source: Dat khach san