The Far North: Ha Giang and Dong Van

Leave Hanoi this morning for the full day's drive north into Ha Giang province, watching the Red River Delta gradually give way to mountains as the road climbs. Break for lunch in Tuyen Quang before continuing on to Hoang Su Phi, one of Vietnam's most remote districts and home to some of its most striking terraced rice fields. Arrive in the late afternoon and settle into your lodge, with time for a short walk through the surrounding valleys and terraces before dinner.

Spend a full day trekking through Hoang Su Phi's rice terraces, walking through villages of the Red Dao community and learning a little about traditional farming life along the way. Lunch is a picnic among the terraces. The trek continues into the afternoon through lush valleys framed by high mountains, passing further Red Dao and Black Dao villages before returning to the lodge for the evening.

Depart Hoang Su Phi for Thon Tha village, the starting point for a loop walk to Ha Thanh village, set against a backdrop of limestone peaks. The route passes rice paddies, terraced fields and the traditional stilt houses of the Tay community, with lunch served at a local house along the way. Continue by road towards Nam Dam, stopping at Heaven's Gate for panoramic views over the Quan Ba valley. In Nam Dam, home to the Red Dao minority, take a gentle walk through the village and its surrounding fields, then continue to Lung Tam to visit a Hmong weaving cooperative, where traditional linen weaving techniques are kept alive.

Head north from Nam Dam towards Dong Van, passing through Yen Minh before entering the Dong Van Karst Plateau, a UNESCO Global Geopark of dramatic limestone formations. Stop at Tham Ma Pass, where Hmong horsemen once tested their animals' strength and stamina, then continue to the Hmong King's Palace, a heritage site whose architecture draws on Hmong, Chinese and French influences alike. After lunch, continue to the Ma Pi Leng Pass for a short hike along the Sky Path, with far-reaching views over the Nho Que River and the valleys below. Descend back to the road and stop at one of the pass's main viewpoints over the canyon, before returning to Dong Van in the late afternoon.

If travelling on a Sunday, the morning brings the chance to explore Dong Van's weekly market, where ethnic minorities gather to trade produce, handicrafts and local food. Depart for Meo Vac, crossing the Ma Pi Leng Pass again as the afternoon light shifts the scenery, then descend to the Nho Que River for a boat cruise through the gorge, a striking way to see the surrounding mountains from the water. After lunch, continue by road to Ha Giang city, passing the scenic valleys of Lung Phin and Mau Due before arriving in the late afternoon.

Leave Ha Giang for the drive back to Hanoi, descending gradually from the mountains into the Red River Delta, with stops along the way for rest and lunch. Arrive back into Hanoi in the late afternoon, bringing your journey through Vietnam's far north to a close.