What if, in 2026, we exchanged forgotten resolutions by January 2nd for a true promise of escape? No more lists of "I will do more sports": this year, we have decided to sketch our vacations in the heart of the mountains of North Vietnam.
Towering peaks, emerald jungles, and rice fields sculpted by man... So our tribe proclaimed an "imaginary exploration" season by season to unearth adventure - the real one, the one that sticks mud to your soles and stars in your eyes.

One December evening, we pushed aside the tea cups, spread out a huge map of Tonkin on the living room table, and took out the pencils. 2026 will be the year of Vietnam, it's settled. But since we can't decide when to go, we decided to take an imaginary journey through the seasons. A sort of mental exploration to see where the tribe's heart lies.
 

Ha Giang, hypnotic country, warm inhabitants | Photo : courtesy of Mr Linh's Adventures

I close my eyes: I'm there. A mix of vertigo and absolute silence. The air is fresh, the kids didn't even complain when putting on their hiking shoes. We're on the ridges of the Dong Van plateau. It's vast, rocky, almost intimidating. We meet Black Lolo women whose costumes pop against the gray rocks. The dream: sleeping in a traditional house and waking up in a fairy tale mist.
Note to self: Buy real hiking socks for the little one, otherwise the "vertical spring" will turn into a "horizontal ordeal". And learn to say "It's beautiful" (Đẹp quá!) to avoid shouting "WOW" at every turn.

► We found many information here : Ha Giang travel guide
 

Ba Be National Park, an unknown jewel of North Vietnam | Photo : courtesy of Mr Linh's Adventures

Change of scenery. I imagine a sort of family version of "Indiana Jones", with a bit more sunscreen. We trade hiking sticks for paddles and venture into the jungle of Ba Be National Park. Ba Be Lake is our oxygen bubble to escape the humidity of the plains. I see us gliding on the emerald water, stopping to explore Puong Cave (bats putting on a show, the kids are thrilled). It's the jungle, the real one, the one that smells of wet earth and adventure. In my daydream, I feel the big dive from the kayak in the middle of the lake. The water is so gentle that we almost forget we're at the other end of the world.
Note to self: Check that the waterproof case for the camera is... really waterproof. And review the difference between a Hmong and a Dao, to avoid kindly renaming my guide "The Super Cool Suit Guy".

► Have a look to the National Park official website to discover more about what to do in this unique destination
 

Spectacular terraced rice fields of Hoang Su Phi | Photo : courtesy of Mr Linh's Adventures

This is the grand finale of the exploration. October. The moment when the mountain decides to become a gold nugget. We walk on the edges of the terraced rice fields. They are no longer a landscape, but a work of art sculpted by generations of human hands. It's so beautiful that it becomes almost unreal. We watch the harvest, smell the ripe rice saturating the air. We end the day in a homestay, around a table overflowing with dishes as exotic as appetizing. And toast with corn alcohol with the house's grandfather, even though we don't speak a word of the same language. A smile is worth a thousand translations.
Note to self: Make room in the suitcase for Shan Tuyet tea. A lot of room. And I've been told that corn alcohol is tricky: it smiles in the evening, it hits hard in the morning - I know someone who will gladly test it...
 

North Vietnam, ancestral land of many local ethnic communities | Photo : courtesy of Mr Linh's Adventures

The file is still spread out on the living room table and, honestly, we're not any closer. The kids swear by the bats and dives in Ba Be, my husband absolutely wants the gold of the rice terraces in Hoàng Su Phì (and probably wants to form an enlightened opinion on the Happy Water), and me, I still dream of the dreamy mist of Ha Giang.
So we delegated: a quick message to Mr. Linh's team. Their mission: turn our brainstorming back and forth into an itinerary that everyone agrees on.

Uncertain about your next destination? Do as we did: go steal some ideas from their secret itineraries or ask them directly your questions. After all, adventure often begins with good advice!
Update : We're now finally packing our bags !

Some info to inspire you :

► Two weeks in Vietnam
► Ba Be by bike
► When to travel to Vietnam