Asia: Northern Vietnam

Although tourists have only been allowed to visit Vietnam for ten years now, few venture past the congested, newly capitalist cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Gaining access to northern Vietnam can be difficult, as the government keeps it under close surveillance for reactionaries, and all tourist travel is strictly monitored; hold onto your passport so that the police can inspect it and grant you permission to enter the villages.

Once you’ve gotten past the red tape, though, you’ll catch a glimpse of a way of life that only seems to have been strengthened by its isolation from southern Vietnam’s political upheavals. Valleys like Sa Pa and Lao Cai, both sharing a border with China, glisten with fertile green rice paddies and are home to distinctive tribes like the Hmong and the Dao. Cultivating grains and vegetables in the mountains, these groups each wear unique costumes to identify their heritage. For instance, various Dao sects such as the Red, Black, and Green wear headdresses of those colors along with Dao-specific clothing. The summit of tribe fellowship is market day at Tam Duong Dat, which allows locals to enjoy a break from farming and to buy goods from one another.

The best way to see northern Vietnam is to contact a company like Worldwide Escapes in San Francisco, which caters to travelers seeking an experience off the beaten path. Such groups often coordinate guided visits to remote areas, assigning local guides to advise you and help navigate. You will find this especially helpful in Vietnam’s mountain ranges, where there are so few hotels that the company will most likely arrange for a local family to house you.