Hi,

Planning a trip to Vietnam (April for weather considerations). We are flying into Hanoi and departing from Siem Reap and plan to spend the last 2 days in Cambodia doing Angkor Wat. That leaves us with 7/8 days. I have decided against Halong Bay because I am trying to avoid the hordes so thinking about Lan Ha Bay, probably with one night on a boat.
For the rest of the time, around 7 days, I had considered Mu Cang Chai but I wonder if it is too far (I would prefer to do a day trip on a private car than an overnight sleeping bus), and seems April is not great there for rice fields. Would Ninh Binh be a good replacement? Mostly interested in rice fields and ethnic communities. We love nature, but bad knees prevent me from too strenuous hikes.
Finally, is it a mistake to fully skip ho Chi Min/Mekong? Or somewhere else I should be considering instead? You clearly need much more time to see it all! Thanks in advance for you help.

Mu Cant Cai is definitely not a day trip and I would avoid overnight buses in Vietnam at all costs. It is a long way even with a private driver. Ninh Binh has stunning karst scenery and is often described as Halong on land. We combined it with trip through the Black River Valley and Pu Long. Ours did involve a lot of hiking but you could probably do most of it by car. We went with Ethnic Travel who were very good and very flexible. We stayed in homestays in the minority peoples villages a wonderful experience as long as you dont mind roughing it a bit. There are a couple of posts in this section of our blog https://accidentalnomads.com/category/vietnam/page/4/ which should provide an idea of what to expect.

We also spent a couple of nights in Bai Tu Long /Lan Ha Bay . I am sure it is a highlight for many but frankly , I wasn't that impressed and I was disturbed to see the levels of pollution there.

"Finally, is it a mistake to fully skip ho Chi Min/Mekong? " Very possibly. We are slow travellers and have travelled overland and by river through the delta from Saigon to Cambodia. It is a wonderful trip and one of my favour regions in many years of travelling in the country. There are also several posts in our blog covering some of those journeys. However, I am not sure you have enough time. One place we particularly enjoy is around Chau Doc from where it is possible to get a boat to Phnom Penh and on to Siem Reap. You need around 2 days there plus some time in Can Tho, Vinh Long or Ben Tre between Saigon and CD. Some time in Phnom Penh would also be very worthwhile. Unless you can add a few days, it is probably not possible

To start with, 2 days are not enough for Angkor; 3 days minimum !

Mu Can Chai is beautiful, using one of the most amazing roads in Vietnam, but you need to spend a night in MCC. Go to Ninh Binh:Tam Coc, an easy 3-hour trip on a day train (better than bus).. Stay at famous Chez Loan hotel (reservation a must on [email protected] The region of TAM COC, 120 km south of Hanoi, is one of the most beautiful sites in Vietnam and is worth at least 2 days, with one night among the rice fields and karstic peaks of Tam Coc, 6 km from the regional capital of Ninh Binh.

WHAT TO DO IN AND AROUND TAM COC

- The boat ride on the river in Tam Coc: Incredible scenery, the ride being mostly in a deep canyon. If it’s sunny, don’t forget a hat and suntan lotion. It is true that the rowers try hard to sell you embroideries in the boat; you have to understand that each family has the right to 10-12 rides a month only, and get only half of the ticket price ; consequently, their real income is the hand-made embroideries that they make at home when they are not rowing. If you do not buy anything, please give them a tip, they deserve it !

- The pagoda of Bich Dong, built on 4 levels on a cliff (continue the road passing in front of the boat landing), and the temple of Thai Vi, built to worship 4 kings of the Tran Dynasty (1225-1407) and Queen Thuan Tien (take the small road just on the right of the boat landing).

- Hang Mua Pagoda. A MUST just 5 km from Tam Coc (one can see it on the left before the first tunnel, on top of a lime peak, during the boat ride: a small pavilion and a dragon snaking alongside the crest; very odd!). Take the road to Ninh Binh and watch for the sign “Hang Mua" on your left; beautiful small road through the rice fields; the pagoda is on your left. Entrance fee: 50 000 dong per person. From the top of the cliff, you enjoy a stunning panoramic view of the entire region…at a price: climbing 450 steps, totally worthwhile. On the left of the steps, a short tunnel leads to the bank of the Tam CocRiver ; it sheltered a hospital during the Vietnam War.

- The ancient capital of Hoa Lu and its 2 temples. If you feel in shape after Hang Mua (or another day tour), return on the mall road and continue on 13 km until Hoa Lu. That road goes through a somptuous scenery of lime peaks and rice fields. You are going to arrive on an ugly superhighway (economic development is a plague respecting nothing !), just cross it and continue on the small road, its ends on the same superhighway, turn right and then right at the bridge. The temples are 800 m away. In Hoa Lu, visit of the 2 temples: Dinn Thien Hoang, built to honor the first king of the Dinh Dynasty (968-980) and his 3 sons, and Le Dai Han, dedicated to the kings of the First Le Dynasty (980-1009).

The tour of Hang Mua + Hoa Lu can easily be done on a bicycle (around 30 km roundtrip of completely flat terrain).

- Phat Diem: A “Must” 34 km from Ninh Binh (public bus in Ninh Binh or taxi -$40- from Tam Coc, taxi or mororbike. You cross the center of North Vietnam Catholicism. The stupendous Phat Diem Cathedral is a Sino-European architecture masterpiece of enormous proportions (80m x 24m x 16m) designed and built by a Vietnamese priest, Father Six, completed in 1891.

I have forgotten to mention that the road to mu Can Chai is so beautiful starting from Nghia Lo that it has been nicknamed "The Photographers' Road"