Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is located in the Red River Delta in the center of North Vietnam. It is the political, economic, cultural, commercial, and tourist center of the country. It was founded in 1010 AD during the reign of King Ly Cong Uan.

Many ancient architectural features are still preserved in Hanoi, particularly in the fascinating warren of streets know as the Old Quarter. There are over 600 pagodas, numerous lakes and parks, where local tend together on weekends and in the evenings. The most notable lakes are fabled Hoan Kiem Lake in the heart of the City, and the vast expanse of West Lake. Popular sights include Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the One-Pillar Pagoda, Ngoc Son Temple and Vietnam’s first University, the Temple of Literature

Ha Long Bay  

Located in the North of Vietnam’s East Sea, 165 km east from Hanoi. Ha Long Bay is one of the country’s most famous tourist attractions and was listed by UNESCO a World Natural Heritage, an area of outstanding nature beauty.

Ha Long Bay covers an area of 1.500 square kilometers. Among many pleasant beaches, along its winding coast line is Bai Chay in Halong City and the peaceful coves of Cat Ba Island. The marine reserve in the bay is flourishing and offers great potential for kayaking. The bay is the filled with thousands of islets of all shapes and sizes. A wide variety of birds and animals including bantams, monkeys and iguanas live on the islands. Pearl and coral is also exploited in some areas. With its spectacular beauty, Halong Bay is a wonderful destination. Tourists who visit Halong Bay at any time of the year are always enthralled.

Hai Phong

Hai Phong is north Vietnam’s largest sea port city, about 105 km east of Hanoi and definitely deserves a 2 nights stay during which to explore Cat Ba National park and adjoining Ha Long Bay as well as the rural villages surrounding the city on bicycle.Hai Phong also to offer several interesting cultural highlights: picturesque Du Hang Pagoda (also known under the name of Phuc Lam Pagoda) and Hang Kenh Communal House with exquisite woodcarvings. Roughly 22 km southeast of Haiphong lies Doson Beach and the former summer residence of the last ruler of the Nguyen Dynasty, Bao Dai. The nicely restored villa is built on a hill and offers great views of the sea and wooded hill. Close by there is the one and only casino in Vietnam, a joint-venture between Hong Kong and Vietnam.

Cat Ba

Cat Ba National Park is located on Cat Ba Island, 150 km east of Hanoi. The park covers approximately 200 km2, two thirds of which consists of a forested zone and one third, a marine zone. The island is home to over 600 kinds of plants including Bang, Goi Nep, Sang Le, and Kim Giao trees. The fauna living on the island is also diverse; the island is home to rare wild white-headed langur, deer, and macaques, to name a few. Cat Ba marine reserves comprise sea turtles, lobster, coral, oysters, and dolphins.

Ba Be

Ba Be Lakes, Bac Can province, lies in the middle of a vast limestone mountain range, north-west of Ha Noi - dubbed a "precious jade of Viet Nam" and one of 500 lakes recognized as worthy of attention. Ba Be itself is actually three smaller lakes joined together - Pe Lam, Pe Lu and Pe Leng. The climate is cool with an average temperature of 22°C. This area has a lot to offer, including waterfalls, rivers, valleys, lakes, and caves all set amidst picturesque landscapes.
   
Sapa 

Located 1,500 m above sea level, Sapa lies in Hoang Lien Son Mountains northwest of Hanoi. Sapa has an amazing diversity of flora and fruits. Mount Fansipan, the highest mountain in Indochina at 3,134 m, is covered with clouds all year round and temperatures often drop below zero, especially at high elevation for tourists are the various ethnic minorities in their colorful customs, who visit the local weekend markets on foot or on horseback.

Cao Bang

Cao Bang Province is located in the far north-east, 280 km north of Hanoi; it shares borders with China on the north and east. The cool weather is ideal for relaxing and discovery nearby places. Famous sites include Thang Hen Mountainous Lake in Tra Linh, Ban Gioc Fall and Nguom Ngao Cave in Trung Khanh. Among of them, Ban Gioc Fall probably is one of most beautiful waterfalls in Vietnam. Historical sites where Uncle Ho lived and worked before the August 1945 Revolution include Pac Bo, Coc Bo Cave, Lenin Stream, and Khuoi Nam Stream. In Cao Bang, the traditional festivals have specific characteristics of ethnic groups, for example, Long Tong Festival, Inviting–the-Moon-Mother Festival (Moi Me Trang).

Dien Bien Phu 

   
Dien Bien Phu is surrounded by mountains and lies in the Muong Thanh valley, northwest of Hanoi. The battle of Dien Bien Phu was a world-famous historical event. The struggle of the Vietnamese army against the French expeditionary corps in 1954 lasted 56 days. A museum, bunkers, battle grounds and the expansive cemetery commemorate the battle.

Mai Chau

Located in Hoa Binh Province, 70 km from Hoa Binh town. From the top of Mountain there is a superb panorama of the stilt house of Mai Chau sitting in a fertile green valley. The area is home to several ethnic minorities, particularly the White Thai ethnic group. Their traditional stilt houses are large structures with palm leaf roofs and polished bamboo floors. The Sunday market brings lots of people into town. People from different minorities is living in the mountains nearby come to sell such products as honey, bananas, corn and tho cam weaving.

Ninh Binh  

Ninh Binh is a small town about 100km south of Hanoi, which is surrounded by a number of most interesting sites. Hoa Lu was the first capital of the independent Vietnam, under the Dinh dynasty and the early Le Dynasty (968-1009). There are two sanctuaries, each of them devoted to the emperors of one of these two dynasties. They are set into a landscape of limestone mountains reminiscent of some the better known sites of South China. In Tam Coc or better known as Dry Halong Bay, you can take a boat tour on a river which tunnels several times into the same type of mountains. The river is actually used by local villagers to access their rice fields. The nearby Ken Ga canal provides the opportunity to observe river life in the North, and contrast it with what one can see in the Mekong Delta. The whole area was an important center of Catholicism, and you will be surprised to see churches among the rice fields. Phat Diem has a vast cathedral which has a unique Sino-Vietnamese architecture.