On the list of 20 countries around the world that are chosen by renowned travel magazine Wanderlust, Vietnam ranked 17 and is the only nation from Southeast Asia.
Sa Pa is a district-level town of Lao Cai Province in the Northwest region of Vietnam, the home to a great diversity of ethnic minority peoples. Photo: Van Dung |
According to wanderlust.co.uk, no matter where you travel, March is a time of change. In the Northern Hemisphere the first signs of spring arrive; in the south, it means the end of sweltering summer heats and the arrival of cooler days.
“For travelers, however, March will always be shoulder season, a month that means fewer crowds, better weather, or cheaper deals. It’s a time of adventure and hurling yourself off on new adventures,” it stated.
The marvelous scenery of mountainous areas in the Northern part of Vietnam seems to win the heart of many foreign travelers, among them, the staff writer of the UK travel magazine.
According to Wanderlust, March is the ideal time to visit the northern part of Vietnam. In late Spring, the temperatures are mild and humidity is at its lowest, while the drier days mean plenty of opportunities to discover the indigenous villages around Sapa and Mai Chau on foot.
“Near to the China border, the Sapa region is as mountainous as it is diverse. Popular trails to the villages of Giang Ta and Lo Chai weave lush paddies and craggy rockfaces and are well-marked,” it wrote.
| A great view of Sapa town from a restaurant. Photo: Ly Van Chung |
One important travel tip given to travelers by the magazine is to take a guide along with them. “Though, as being able to communicate with the local H’mong and Dao is part of the experience,” it suggested.
In fact, Sapa was voted one of the Top 10 most attractive destinations in Asia in 2017 by popular American travel website TripAdvisor, one of the 50 most beautiful places in Asia by the US’s Condé Nast Traveler, and one of the Top 8 destinations in Vietnam by English travel site of Rough Guides. For Emma Ng, a traveler from Singapore, the hill town is the most beautiful for its vivid white plum flowers, lush green terraced rice fields, and adventurous trekking trails.
“The plum blossom season in February and March is amazing for both sightseeing and trekking, with beautiful white flower blanket valleys and mountain slopes,” she told The Hanoi Times.
“Tourists can also visit the Saturday night “Love Market”, the Gothic stone church in the town center that is a reminder of the French missionary influence, and many Vietnamese and European restaurants downtown,” she added.
The poetic scene of Mai Chau Valley (Hoa Binh Province, Vietnam) in late Spring. Photo: Minh Phuong |
In addition, the Mai Chau Valley in the southwest of Hanoi is another fine option for village hikes, according to Wanderlust.
The Valley is set in the stunningly beautiful, mountainous region of Hoa Binh Province, 135km south west of Hanoi. Many of Vietnam's indigenous ethnic minority groups live in the region, making the local Sunday markets colorful places to be.
The Lac Village is 700 years old and home to the White Thai people, who farm hereabouts, and stay in the bamboo stilt houses of Pom Coong. It is a good chance to indulge in the potent local wine with the locals there.
“Most travelers just do overnight trips, but hiking the whole valley can take up to a week,” it wrote.
Other ideal destinations for traveling in March are including Michoacán, (Mexico), Michoacán (Mexico), Swedish Lapland (Sweden), Karnataka (India), Carnaval Vénitien (France), among others.
