Easy
The easiest hiking trails in Vietnam are perfect for all ages and basic fitness levels. These routes are typically less than 800 meters in elevation and stretch up to 12 kilometers in length. They are ideal for a half or full-day adventure. Here are some prime easy hiking destinations:
Ninh Binh
Located 100 kilometers from Hanoi, Ninh Binh is renowned for its picturesque countryside, dotted with rice fields, lotus ponds, waterways, and limestone mountains. Here are three representative routes:
Mua Cave Ninh Binh and surrounding
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Tam Coc - Bich Dong - Mua Cave: This route offers scenic rice fields, caves, and stunning views from Mua Cave’s summit.
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Trang An - Hoa Lu - Tuyet Tinh Coc: Explore ancient Hoa Lu, the capital of Vietnam a millennium ago, and navigate the hidden mountains adorned with caves, lakes, and temples nestled within a natural enclosure.
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Cuc Phuong National Park: Perfect for those who enjoy combining hiking with mountain climbing, this park features pristine forests, prehistoric caves, and rich biodiversity.
Hai Phong
The coastal city of Hai Phong (120 km from Hanoi) is a favorite among seaside adventure seekers. Visitors can explore the city or take a boat trip to discover its islets in Lan Ha Bay. A highlight is the adventure on Cat Ba Island, which is home to Cat Ba National Park. Here, you can island hop along beautiful beaches and venture deep into the heart of the park to witness its unique flora and fauna and visit centuries-old fishing villages.
Cat Ba National Park Kim Giao forest
Moderate
The moderate level is suitable for those with some hiking experience. These trails typically span around 15 kilometers, with elevations ranging from 800 to 1500 meters. It can take half a day to a full day to finish one route. Some notable moderate hiking routes in Vietnam are:
Muong Hoa Valley (Sapa)
Sapa is a premier destination in the Northwest Highlands of Vietnam, 315 km from Hanoi. The Muong Hoa Valley, characterized by stunning terraced rice fields, mountains, and ethnic minority villages, is ideal for moderate hikers. Notable trails include:
Walk on a peaceful trail with terraced rice fields on both sides in Sapa
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Y Linh Ho - Lao Chai - Ta Van: This is the easiest hike in Sapa, allowing you to walk through valleys, visit villages, meet locals, and observe daily life.
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Hau Thao - Hang Da: This route requires more climbing and offers opportunities to catch breathtaking cloud views. While it doesn’t traverse rice fields closely, it provides satisfying overviews of the terraced landscapes and takes you through forests.
Pu Luong Nature Reserve (Thanh Hoa)
Pu Luong is a captivating destination in the Northwest Highlands. 150 km away from Hanoi, Pu Luong still retains its rustic charm and untouched beauty. Here, you will find picturesque terraced rice fields, ethnic minority villages, crystal-clear streams, gentle waterfalls, and a variety of caves, all nestled within a national forest reserve.
Passing through the stream in Pu Luong
This hiking spot is ideal for those who seek trails that blend adventure with relaxation. While the highest peak reaches an elevation of 1,700 meters, most of the trails are moderately elevated, offering relatively achievable hiking experiences for adventurers.
Tay Ninh
Famous for Ba Den Mountain, which rises 986 meters—the tallest in Southern Vietnam—Tay Ninh attracts visitors aiming to conquer its summit for panoramic views and a glimpse into Southern cultural and spiritual practices. The area is rich in historical temples and pagodas that are hundreds of years old. Tay Ninh is just about 90 km from Ho Chi Minh City.
Sunrise in Ba Den mountain
Additionally, 150 km from Ba Den is Ba Ra Mountain, which rises to 736 meters. While less developed, this area presents a more rugged terrain, making the trails more challenging than those around Tay Ninh. Here, you can immerse yourself in the natural beauty of Thac Mo Lake, Mo Waterfall, and various historical war relics.
Challenging
The challenging level demands experienced hikers with good health and stamina. These trails typically exceed 1000 meters in elevation and 15 kilometers in length, with hikes lasting 1 to 3 days. Here are some destinations to test your limits:
Fansipan - Hoang Lien Son (Sapa)
Fansipan is the peak of the Hoang Lien Son range, standing tall at 3,143 meters, making it the highest mountain in Indochina. While there is now a familiar trail to the summit, it remains steep and challenging to hike. As you approach the top, you can also explore the Sunworld Complex, which features a series of impressive temples, pagodas, and massive Buddha statues sitting among the clouds.
Hike to Fansipan to see where the sky and earth meet
Hoang Lien Son National Park is another must-try destination for hikers visiting Sapa. It offers ancient forests, waterfalls that plunge hundreds of meters, steep mountain passes that leave you breathless, hills shrouded in mist, and glimpses of ethnic villages—each scene more captivating than the last.
Ta Xua (Yen Bai)
Ta Xua Peak is located in the Northwest Highlands, rises to 2,865 meters. It is the 13th highest mountain in Vietnam. What draws visitors to Ta Xua is its surreal natural beauty—narrow ridges where only one person can pass, ancient forests straight out of a fairytale, endless seas of clouds, and dramatic cliffs that stretch to the horizon.
Walk on Ta Xua Dinosaur Spine - 240 km from Hanoi
Most hikers spend the night camping on the mountain or staying in basic shelters along the trail. The night sky over Ta Xua is also a breathtaking sight, offering a perfect backdrop to the adventure.
Quang Binh
Known as the kingdom of caves in North Central Vietnam, Quang Binh is home to over 400 known caves. The destination is 490 km from Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.
Hikers here often experience lush forests and explore astonishing caves, both dry and wet, within Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, such as Hang En (the third-largest cave in the world), Hang Va, and Thien Duong. These adventures usually involve trekking through forests and streams, cave exploration, and climbing.
Difficulty levels of hiking in Vietnam
Ta Nang - Phan Dung (Lam Dong)
This hiking trail spans a total of 55 kilometers and takes 2 to 3 days to complete, crossing three provinces in the Central Highlands of Vietnam: Lam Dong, Ninh Thuan, and Binh Thuan. It is considered one of the most breathtaking hikes in the country. To take this hike, you need to travel 250 km from Ho Chi Minh City.
Although the distance is long, the dirt trails are well-established. Hikers walking this route will journey through a stunning natural landscape of forests and grasslands, with picturesque spots to take in the sunset, and opportunities to camp overnight beneath the stars.
Challenging hiking routes in Vietnam
Very Difficult
At this level, the trails are long and demanding. It can take anywhere from 3 days to a week to complete a route, requiring a strong commitment to conquer and endurance for the extended journey.
Ha Giang
Ha Giang (300 km from Hanoi) is the Northernmost region of Vietnam, famed for its rugged and challenging terrain, yet it carries a unique poetic mountain charm. The most famous thing here is the Ha Giang Loop, a route that traverses four local districts. However, since the loop spans 350 km, most hikers opt for motorbikes or break it down into smaller hiking sections.
You will feel the indigenous beauty along your hike
Some remarkable trails include:
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Mu Cang Chai: This trail takes you through the most renowned terraced rice fields in the region, along with streams and nearby ethnic villages.
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Ma Pi Leng - Nho Que River: Conquer Ma Pi Leng, one of Vietnam's four highest and most treacherous mountain passes, and witness the emerald waters of Nho Que River flowing through the Tu San Canyon, the deepest gorge in Southeast Asia.
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Dong Van - Meo Vac: This area is rich in cultural heritage, featuring ancient streets, ethnic villages, the Vuong Mansion, and the Dong Van Karst Plateau.
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Yen Minh - Lung Cu Flag Tower: Yen Minh is home to pristine forests, humble villages, and the famous Tham Ma Slope. Along the way, you will also explore Lung Cu Flag Tower, marking Vietnam's northernmost point.
A Pa Chai (Dien Bien)
A Pa Chai marks the westernmost point of Vietnam, located in a remote and rugged area. Its highlight is Khoan La San peak, standing at 1,864 meters, where the landmark zero border post between Vietnam, China, and Laos is situated. The natural landscape here is awe-inspiring, untouched, and sparsely populated. It's also home to the Ha Nhi ethnic group and other minority communities.
Hike to the peak at Westernmost Vietnam 450 km from Hanoi
This hiking route is considered challenging not only because of the terrain but also due to the long journey beforehand. Before even starting the hike, you must cover 500 kilometers from Hanoi to Dien Bien, followed by another 260 kilometers from Dien Bien to Sin Thau, the nearest point to A Pa Chai.
Details for difficulty levels of hiking in Vietnam
As you can see, many hiking routes in this list lie in the Northwest of Vietnam, where the highest and most formidable mountains, along with the country's most diverse natural and cultural landscapes, are found.
Son Doong (Quang Binh)
Son Doong is the largest cave in the world, only discovered in 1990. Inside lies a unique ecosystem that has left the world in awe. To hike within this magnificent cave, participants must prepare thoroughly, focusing on physical fitness and training to ensure minimal impact on the delicate environment. Additionally, the cost for a tour is around $3,000 for approximately six days.
See a separate world inside Son Doong cave
When exploring Son Doong, hikers will uncover a breathtaking natural ecosystem inside the cave, featuring forests, streams, clouds, and mist, all offering incredible, awe-inspiring sights. In 2019, the UK’s Dave TV channel ranked the Son Doong Cave expedition as the 5th greatest adventure on the planet among the top 20.
Continue your exploration by reading all about hiking in Vietnam.
Above are the difficulty levels of hiking in Vietnam that hikers planning to challenge themselves on one or several hiking routes in the country should know. The cost of hiking in Vietnam typically ranges from 40 - 60 USD per day. Feel free to discover more about Vietnam travel guides and Vietnam tours on our website. You can also check out our deals and offers by leaving us a message.
