With its striking mountain ranges, ancient rice terraces, and intriguing ethnic groups, the north of Vietnam leaves a lasting impression. Classic colonial architecture is preserved in Hanoi's charming Old Quarter, which also offers top-notch museums and art galleries to explore. With steep limestone cliffs rising straight out of paddy fields and rowboats taking you on a captivating tour through river caves, Ninh Binh has a landscape straight out of a fairy tale. Without taking a cruise on Halong Bay to take in the view of hundreds of islets and the bay's deep emerald green waters, a trip to the north isn't complete.