If you have been in Hanoi for long days already and did make the most of exploring this city, there are still many attractive destinations near Hanoi area waiting for you to come and discover. Let take some days out of Hanoi to discover the real life of Vietnamese Northern citizens.
- Perfume Pagoda
Perfume pagoda belongs to Huong Son commune, My Duc district – a rural area of Hanoi. This attraction is not only widely known for its lovely visual landscapes but also for its unique Buddist culture. Perfume pagoda is about 70 kilometers from Hanoi center and it takes 2 hours to go Huong Son commune by bus. To get to this famous pagoda, you need to take a boat trip on Yen Vi stream. Majestic Perfume pagoda not only offers the peaceful beauty of smooth peaks and clear water of Perfume pagoda but also the grandiose landscapes on its way up. Apart from visiting the pagoda, you can climb up on a long way to reach to Huong Tich cave, the most beautiful cave in the North or you can choose to move up there by cable car.
The time from January to the end of the March of the lunar month, especially the 15th day of January to the 18th February is when you can participate and mingle in the jubilant atmosphere of local festival with many traditional activities.
- Duong Lam Ancient Village
Duong Lam ancient village is 44km from Hanoi. An ancient village with red brick roof and 300-year-old houses will make you surprised and impressed.
Duong Lam ancient village attracts tourists by red brick roads, laterite walls, the wells and pagodas. Moreover, this is the land which used to have 2 kings Phung Hung and Ngo Quyen. You can visit Son Tay ancient citadel after Duong Lam village.
You can visit Duong Lam village at any time of the year, especially in September or May, when the rice is ripen, you will enjoy the roads with yellow color.
- Ninh Binh
Ninh Binh is an outstanding destination with stunning karst landscapes of the Tam Coc valley and Cuc Phuong National Park. The areas is also known as the “Inland Ha Long” and Trang An sites. Escape the stresses of the city for a couple of days into an area that compliments a mix of adventure and relaxation. This trip is perfect for all types of travelers including families and groups. The bikes are fully ridged standard bikes for ease of travel. Fully supported by a van covering a distance of 60 km. The trip is very flexible if you fell like covering more or less distance by bike
Distance from Hanoi: 110 kilometers
Transportation option: car, express bus, motorbike
- Tam Dao
It takes less than 2 hours to travel from Hanoi to Tam Dao. The Mother of nature brought to Tam Dao the romantic and majestic beauty with fog, grass and the houses by the mountain. Tam Dao is definitely a perfect destination for the weekend. The first thing that you feel when you reach Tam Dao is that Tam Dao is like a giant air-conditioner. The climate is so cool and comfortable.
With many tourists, Tam Dao is a place when they need somewhere with fresh air to sleep, have a cup of coffee to enjoy the sky, enjoy a meal with chayote vegetables or go for a walk on a romantic street.
You can visit the ancient church built in 1937 in France style. Besides, there are other places: Silver Fall, Ba Chua Thuong Ngan Temple, Rung Rinh Peak, Sky gate…