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When it comes to Northern Vietnam tours, most people will immediately think of Sapa, Ha Giang, and Mai Chau with charming natures, however little do people know that in Northern Vietnam there is also an equally wonderful land of Da Bac, Hoa Binh. The peaceful, wild, and dreamy scenery of Da Bac, along with the combination of ethnic minority cultures, has captivated many tourists.
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1. Geographical Characteristics Of Da Bac
Da Bac is blessed by nature with beautiful natural scenery of majestic high mountains, peaceful rivers, and cool fresh air all year round. The main terrain of Da Bac is mountainous with many peaks over 1000 meters above sea level.
2. Where Is Da Bac?
Da Bac is a district located in the Northwest region of Hoa Binh province, bordered to the North by Thanh Son and Tan Son districts of Phu Tho, to the South by 3 districts of Cao Phong, Tan Lac, Mai Chau, and to the East by Hoa Binh city, and the West borders Phu Yen and Van Ho districts of Son La province. Da Bac is about 90km from Hanoi, Vietnam.
3. Things To Do In Da Bac
Trekking
For all people who love adventures, you definitely cannot miss the opportunity to trek on beautiful mountain trails during your trip to Da Bac. You will immerse yourself in nature and conquer the wildest and most pristine roads.
Trekking routes in Da Bac follow the hills, taking tourists from one tourist village to another. These routes are quite easy to walk and do not require much climbing. At the same time, most trek routes are located on inter-commune roads, therefore, the trekking routes in Da Bac are very suitable for newbies.
Currently, Da Bac has these following trekking routes:
- Cultural trek routes
- Walking path around Sung hamlet (about 3km long): Visitors can explore Sung Cave, Shan Tuyet Tea Hill, and brocade class as well as learn about plants associated with the life of the Dao Tien people. The ending point of this arc is the brocade area.
- Walking path around Da Bia hamlet (about 3km long): Tourists can understand more about the lakeside life of the Muong people after the construction of the hydropower plant, the Tu Giac shop as well as the spiritual culture of Muong ethnic minority. The starting point starts at the center of the village and ends at Mo Leo, a small peninsula jutting out from the main stream of Hoa Binh Lake. You can join in kayaking or a cooking class before taking a herbal bath as a finish for a perfect day.
- Long trek routes
- From Ke to Sung (2 routes):
Route 1 is 10km long, passing through the entrance of Lo Lan cave. After that, there is a climb up the cliff to the production area of Tam Hamlet, looking down at Tam Lake. From Tam Lake, you can drive back to Sung village.
Route 2 is 18km long, the longest trek of Da Bac community tourism. Route 2 is almost the same as Route 1, but travelers will take a different direction after approaching Lo Lan cave to reach Bai hamlet.
- From Sung to Da Bia (3 routes - the most favored by tourists):
Route 1 is 6km long, including 4km of concrete road and 2km of road through the forest, the endpoint is Mong Stream. From Mong Stream, take a boat for another 45 minutes to reach Da Bia.
Route 2 is 9km long, including 5km of concrete road and 4km of forest road, passing through Luong forest and eucalyptus forest. The endpoint is the bank opposite Da Bia village.
Route 3 is 13km of concrete road between Sung and Da Bia hamlets
- From Da Bia to Mo Hem (2 routes):
Route 1 is a 10-km-long road connecting Da Bia - Mo Hem hamlet.
Route 2 is 9km long to Muc and there will be a difficult trek to climb. From Muc, take a boat about 20 - 30 minutes to reach Mo Hem.
Wading and Swimming In The Stream
Da Bac district, especially in the Hien Luong commune, is the place where many streams flow through. The stream water flows directly from deep inside the mountain so it is very clean and clear. You can experience the feeling of immersing yourself in the cool water.
Cycling
Many homestays in Da Bac have bicycles available for tourists. Cycling routes often run around the village or along Hoa Binh Lake.
Kayaking
Tourists can kayak on Hoa Binh Lake, areas such as Da Bia and Ke, because they are less affected by waves. This is very suitable for visitors who are new to kayaking.
You will be able to "take the wheel" of your boat, glide on the peaceful lake surface, and enjoy the wild and peaceful natural scenery here.
Swimming
Some homestays in Ke, Hien Luong Hamlet have swimming pools built by the homeowner. The pool's water is from streams nearby so it is always cool. Another place where you can swim is the hydroelectric lakebed, however, when swimming here, you are required to wear a life jacket because the terrain of the lakebed and the shallow depth are uneven, making it relatively dangerous.
Exploring Tan Minh Market
If you travel to Da Bac Hoa Binh on Tuesday, you will have the opportunity to participate in the Tan Minh market. It is considered the most crowded and bustling market in Da Bac. Here, you can not only visit and shop for specialties but also learn about the rich customs and traditions of ethnic people.
4. Beautiful Places To Visit In Da Bac, Vietnam
Ke Hamlet
Ke Hamlet has 93 households, 8km from the town. The people of Ke hamlet here are mainly active in the agricultural sector (forestry trees: acacia, bamboo... mainly picking bamboo shoots and catching aquatic products. Every morning, people go towing, emptying shrimp baskets, and catching fish or go to the fields to pick bamboo shoots, cut bamboo shoots, collect corn grass, cassava grass, etc. Some families raise livestock on a small scale, but people's lives still face many difficulties.
Visiting Ke Hamlet, tourists can explore the mountains, old forests, the vast lakes and experience the cultural, labor, and production life of local people.
Sung Hamlet
Sung hamlet (Ban Sung) is a highland hamlet in Cao Son commune, Da Bac district, Hoa Binh province, located 22km from the district center. The hamlet has a natural area of over 780 hectares, of which natural forest land is 360 hectares, production forest land is 420 hectares including 240 hectares of forestry land and 180 hectares of agricultural land and housing, and the rest is rocky hills.
Visitors to Sung Hamlet will experience many interesting activities such as: immersing themselves in the lifestyle and customs of the people, enjoying culinary dishes, exchanging arts with the locals, visiting handicraft weaving villages, participating in San Tuyet tea production, exciting trekking, etc.
Da Bia Hamlet
Da Bia is a hamlet of the Au Ta Muong ethnic group, 30 km from Ke hamlet, and 38 km from the town. Visitors coming to Da Bia can immerse themselves in the life and customs of the Muong ethnic people.
Besides, you can also participate in many experiential activities such as swimming, kayaking, rafting, stream bathing, boating, climbing, cycling, trekking, practicing letters and arts with local people, setting up campfires, enjoying Muong people's specialty wine, joining the people in pulling hooves, emptying shrimp baskets, and many other interesting activities.
Mo Hem Hamlet
With a wild and poetic natural landscape along with the living space of the Muong people, located between two community tourist attractions of Ke hamlet and Da Bia hamlet on the Hoa Binh Lake tourist route, Mo Hem village in commune Tien Phong (Da Bac) is an attractive community tourism village.
Mo Hem village has an open space, with fresh air, beautiful natural scenery with mountains and rivers, and the water surface of Hoa Binh Lake. Delicious cuisine from animals raised and processed by local people such as hill chicken, river fish, upland sticky rice, vegetables, and wild bamboo shoots. Besides, there are exploration services here such as walking through the hamlets, cycling, mountain climbing, and rafting... which are very attractive to tourists.
In addition, the homestays here are incredibly beautiful. Sitting by the gate at dawn, visitors can watch the entire sunrise on the lake or sit on bamboo rafts right next to the stilt house to enjoy the fresh, cool air. In the morning, get up early to walk around the village and you will see layers of clouds covering the mountains, watch people fishing, and enjoy the fresh air of the lake.
5. Best Time To Visit Da Bac
The climate in Da Bac is extremely cool due to its location near Hoa Binh Lake, so the most appropriate time to travel to Da Bac is summer. Here you can stay away from the heat, and forget the troubles of the hustle and bustle of city life.
Around May-August: This is the hottest time of the year, so Da Bac is considered the perfect place to cool yourself down. However, this is also a time that has the most rain. Thus, you should check the weather forecast before traveling.
From September onward, the weather turns dry, cool, and gradually colder towards the end of the year. At this time, tourists should come to Da Bac for resting, trekking and eating as this season is not suitable for activities such as swimming or kayaking.
6. Accommodations In Da Bac
Currently, the main form of accommodation in Da Bac is homestays and a few hotels.
If you would like to stay at a place of well-equipped and full service, Maida Lodge is a choice for you. With its back leaning against the mountain, facing the vast Hoa Binh Lake, Maida Lodge offers an open and relaxing space next to the romantic Hoa Binh Lake with melodious and cool breezes.
In addition, below are some homestays for your reference:
- Nhat Quy Homestay
- Address: Da Bac, Hoa Binh. Phone number 0397 015 246
- Xuan Lan Homestay
- Address: Sung Hamlet, Da Bac, Hoa Binh. Phone number 0352 782 334
- Thanh Chung Homestay
- Address: Sung Hamlet, Da Bac, Hoa Binh. Phone number 0345 901 243
- Quang Tho Homestay
- Address: Da Bac, Hoa Binh. Phone number 0362 556 690
- Ngoc Nhem Homestay
- Address: Tien Phong, Da Bac, Hoa Binh. Phone number: 0334 420 086
- Dinh Thu Homestay
- Address: Tien Phong, Da Bac, Hoa Binh. Phone number: 0982 264 800
- Bao Loc Homestay
- Address: Mo Hem Hamlet, Da Bac, Hoa Binh. Phone number: 0386 107 991
- Tien Dat Homestay
- Address: Mo Hem, Da Bac, Hoa Binh. Phone number: 0967 330 839
7. How To Go To Da Bac?
Private vehicles
The distance from Hanoi to Da Bac is relatively close, only about 90km, so you can choose to use private vehicles and Google Maps to travel from Hanoi to Hoa Binh City.
After arriving at Hoa Binh City, you continue to move to Da Bac.
Coach
From Hanoi, you can catch coaches to Hoa Binh, these cars usually depart from Yen Nghia bus station. If traveling from other bus stations, you can choose coaches to Son La or Dien Bien. Below are some car companies for your reference:
- Ha Loan Coach – Phone number 0978 833338
- Hai Anh Coach – Phone number 0989 345116 or 0984 471117
- Hoang Thao Coach – Phone number 0914 688533
The ticket price will be around 80,000 - 150,000 VND/person/trip.
From Hoa Binh City to Da Bac, you can choose to go by waterway or road:
- If you choose the waterway, you can simultaneously visit the lake. Bich Ha port and Ngoi Hoa ports are located right in the city center (near the hydroelectric dam) and has many boats providing travel services to explore the lake. From here you can reach famous community tourism communes in Da Bac such as Hien Luong or Tien Phong.
- If you travel by road, you can get a taxi or use a private vehicle from the city center to desired locations in Da Bac such as Hien Luong or Tien Phong.
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NOTES
- Trekking or bathing in streams is very interesting, but to ensure safety, you should go with local people here.
- Tourists mainly rest in homestays, so we need to take measures to avoid being bitten by insects.
- Please bring all necessary documents, cash, insect repellent, sunscreen, and some filtered water and medicine with you to use when needed.
- Prepare trekking necessities if you want to trek in Da Bac.
See our Da Bac Package tour from Hanoi:
