Tam Dao Travel Guide

1. Where is Tam Dao?

Tam Dao is a mountainous region of Vinh Phuc province, Vietnam with the capital being Tam Dao town. It is located about 24 km northeast of Vinh Yen city and about 74 km northwest of Hanoi capital. With geographical location:

• The East borders Minh Quang commune, Vinh Yen city.
• The West and Northwest borders Tam Quan commune, Tam Dao district.
• It borders Ho Son commune, TamDao district to the South.
• The North borders Dai Tu district, Thai Nguyen province.

2. How is Tam Dao unique?

Tam Dao town is located on the mountain range of the same name, 900m above sea level. The name Tam Dao comes from three mountains: Thach Ban, Thien Thi, and Phu Nghia, rising above the sea of clouds. Surrounded by primeval forests and magical mist, the climate here is always fresh and the weather is cool, with an average temperature of 18 – 25 degrees Celsius.

Tam Dao weather changes with four seasons — Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter — in just one day. That’s why this place is also known as “Da Lat of the North” or “a paradise on earth”.

When coming to Tam Dao, you can not only admire the majestic natural scenery, enjoy attractive specialties, and marvel at Western-style architecture, but above all, you can also find peaceful moments in the poetic and charming natural landscape.

3. When is the best time to visit Tam Dao?

Tam Dao is beautiful all year round. Each season, it puts on a new, elegant coat with charming natural motifs that many admire. That’s why you can visit Tam Dao any time of the year.

According to the experience of many tourists, the climate in Tam Dao is usually 4 – 5℃ lower than in major cities. This makes it an ideal retreat from the heat, especially for those living in urban areas. If you’re looking to escape the hot air of summer, Tam Dao is the place to be.

In spring, visitors have the chance to admire sparkling seasonal flowers throughout the town.

From November to January, Tam Dao becomes a popular spot for cloud hunting. This is also when the region enters its cold winter, often wrapped in a misty, poetic atmosphere.

4. How to get to Tam Dao?

4.1 Traveling to Tam Dao town

4.1.1 By personal vehicle (private car and motorbike):

For those who are passionate about exploring, traveling by motorbike is the ideal choice. You can both go and enjoy the scenery, and especially feel the weather of Tam Dao. Please note that it’s best to choose a manual transmission vehicle for safety. In addition, female drivers with limited driving experience can opt for a passenger car instead.

Starting from the center of Hanoi, head toward the suburbs via Thang Long Bridge in the direction of Noi Bai Airport. Go about 20 km until you reach the intersection with National Highway 2, AH14, and Bac Thang Long – Noi Bai road. Turn left onto National Highway QL2A.

From here, just continue straight to Vinh Yen city. Once you reach Big C Vinh Yen, look for a sign indicating 25 km to the right to Tam Dao. Follow that direction to arrive at Tam Dao town.

4.1.2 By bus

You can choose bus route 58 (Long Bien transfer point) or bus number 07 (Cau Giay transfer point) to go to Me Linh Plaza. Then, you take bus 01 to go to Vinh Yen bus station.

From here, you wait for bus number 07 from Vinh Yen city to Tay Thien. On the way, you ask the bus conductor to stop at the stop closest to Tam Dao town. After getting off the bus, you can take a motorbike or taxi service to go to Tam Dao town. You can find the best route from your location here.

4.1.3 By taxi

You can refer to the following taxi numbers for convenience in traveling to Tam Dao:

• Vinh Yen Taxi: 0211.3.656565.
• Mai Linh Vinh Phuc Taxi: 0211.2.262626.
• Dong Tam Taxi: 0211.3.69696.

4.1.4 By coach

You can catch a coach at My Dinh bus station on routes, such as: Hanoi – Vinh Yen, Hanoi – Yen Bai, Hanoi – Viet Tri, the bus will pass through Vinh Yen city. From Vinh Yen, you continue to take a taxi or motorbike service to Tam Dao.

4.2 Traveling around Tam Dao town

4.2.1 Renting a motorbike:

You can choose to rent a motorbike to travel here. Because motorbikes will be more suitable for the small and narrow roads here. Therefore, traveling by motorbike is always a reasonable choice for those who want to experience it themselves.

They calculated rental price by the hour or by the day, depending on your negotiation with the rental company.

4.2.2 Taking a taxi:

The second option is to travel by taxi. If you are traveling in a large group and want to visit the places at the foot of the mountain, this means of transport is quite suitable.

However, taxi prices are very high even for very short distances, so you should only use a taxi if you are traveling in a large group. Usually, families with young children and the elderly or groups of friends with about 5-6 people, taking a taxi is more reasonable.

4.2.3 Traveling by motorbike service:

In contrast to taxis, motorbike services are suitable for individuals traveling between locations. However, you also need to negotiate the price carefully to avoid being charged too high or arguing after using the service.

5. Sightseeings in Tam Dao

5.1 Tam Dao Central Square

As soon as you set foot in town, you will immediately see the Square. It is located right in the center of Tam Dao town, built spaciously with the symbol of a prominent fountain. This is not a new destination, but if you come here, you should definitely take some photos at the Square.

Currently, in the evenings, there are often cultural exchange activities held here. Especially on weekends, you can enjoy live music shows featuring young artists and passionate performers.

5.2 Silver Waterfall:

Hidden deep in the wild mountains and forests with cliffs that have stood the test of time, Silver Waterfall pours down from above, covering a corner of the sky. The water flows through the crevices of the rocks like a white silk strip.

If you want to experience an interesting trekking journey with more than 400 steps, this is the place to be. Standing from above to admire the majestic beauty, listening to the sound of the waterfall, and enjoying the fresh air under the cool shade of the trees… then you must definitely visit Silver Waterfall on your upcoming Tam Dao tour.

5.3 May Bridge:

The famous May Bridge photo area in Tam Dao is a check-in spot. That many tourists loved it. The bridge is made of woven bamboo trees and supported by iron bars along the mountain ranges. Along both sides of the road to the bridge are rows of wild sunflowers, butterfly flowers, and white reed forests dotted with a bit of yellow sunlight.

The best time to visit May Bridge is early morning or sunset. When you come here early in the morning, you will feel the cool air, the feeling of peace when touching the white clouds drifting by. If you go in the afternoon, you will be able to watch the sun gradually retreat to the horizon, full of poetry.

5.4 Truc Lam Tay Thien Zen Monastery:

This place is also known as Tay Thien Pagoda, located in Dai Dinh commune, Tam Dao district, Vinh Phuc province. It is a religious site with ancient architecture, nestled in the middle of the vast mountain forest. The pagoda brings visitors a sense of peace and serenity every time they come.

5.5 Tam Dao Night Market:

The night market is always the most anticipated tourist attraction in all tourist destinations and Tam Dao is no exception. Tam Dao Night Market is a large culinary and shopping paradise. When you come here, you can enjoy delicious food, buy eye-catching souvenirs as gifts for relatives and friends.

5.6 Rock Cafe:

Rock Café is also considered a corner of Europe in the center of Tam Dao town. Located opposite the Stone Church and right next to the Central Square, Rock Café is designed in European style and has become a popular check-in spot for visitors to this “Town in the Clouds.”

From the moment you step inside, you’ll be impressed by the design, featuring a dark brown tone that creates a feeling of closeness, warmth, and a touch of luxury and antiquity.

The restaurant has three floors — the basement is a restaurant, while the two upper floors are cafés. Every corner is photo-worthy, making it a perfect place for capturing virtual memories.

5.7 Ancient Stone Church:

The ancient stone church of Tam Dao was built in 1906, originally as a thatched stilt house. In 1937, it was solidly rebuilt with stone in a unique Gothic architectural style. Through the ups and downs of time, the church still retains its ancient and solemn beauty, even though the stone has become mossy with age.

Today, this historic church is considered a tourist symbol of Tam Dao town. It’s also a popular wedding photography location for couples. When you visit, you’ll have the chance to take stunning check-in photos that feel just like Europe on your Tam Dao trip.

5.8 Television tower:

Tam Dao Television Tower is located on the top of Thien Nhi mountain, about 1,400m above sea level. To get to the tower, you have to climb 1,400 stone steps. The road up is challenging, but also romantic and poetic. Along both sides of the path are orchids, sunflowers, and wildflowers in bloom. With the cool green bamboo forest and the peaceful space of the mountains, your fatigue will soon melt away.

The journey up to the tower feels like a mini trekking adventure — perfect for those who love exploration and experience. If you visit in the fall, you’ll also have the chance to admire the bright red maple leaves.

5.9 Ba Chua Thuong Ngan Temple

Ba Chua Thuong Ngan Temple is not far from the TV tower, it is surrounded by vast green mountains and forests. To reach the temple, you will need to climb about 300 steps, along both sides are lush, pristine bamboo forests. The scenery here not only has spiritual meaning but also has a peaceful beauty that makes anyone who comes here feel peaceful, relaxed, and gentle. When coming here, you should wear simple, discreet clothes and hiking shoes. Note: do not wear pants or short skirts to enter the temple.

6. Some cafe shops with beautiful views in Tam Dao

6.1 Quan Gio

Located precariously on the mountainside, Quan Gio is probably the most beautiful cafe in Tam Dao. This is an ideal place for you to hunt clouds and admire the beautiful panorama of the town immersed in mist and clouds. At Quan Gio, besides coffee, ice cream and juice, there is also food, average prices and quite good service.

6.2 Shop of Wind

When you come to Tam Dao, you must definitely go to the Shop of Wind, admire the mountains and hills and check out the beautiful photos. The coffee shop is sought after by many tourists, located right on Trieu Thai Street, Village 2, near Cau May photo area. The shop is super spacious, with an area of ​​up to 2000m2 with a garden, shop space and beautiful mountain and forest views.

6.3 Sky Garden

Sky Garden is a coffee shop located in the Tam Dao Star Hotel complex, so the space is large and airy. The shop has a beautiful design, many angles for you to take pictures as if you were lost in Europe.

6.4 Rock Cafe

Designed in an ancient and romantic European style, Rock Cafe is the most beautifully designed coffee shop in Tam Dao. It is absolutely impressive to anyone who visits. The shop uses dark brown tones as the main color, creating a warm and cozy feeling that is also luxurious.

6.5 Gio Nui Coffee

Located halfway up the mountainside, Gio Nui Coffee also has a vast space and a view of the beautiful Tam Dao town, not inferior to Gio Cafe. The shop is an ideal place for you to sip a cup of coffee, watching the green chayote gardens stretching at the foot of the hill.

7. Specialties when traveling to Tam Dao

Cuisine is one of the experiences not to be missed when coming to Tam Dao. Because this place has countless delicious dishes that are sure to make your taste buds remember forever such as:

7.1 Chayote – a famous delicacy in Tam Dao:

The most famous specialty in Tam Dao is chayote shoots. This is a type of vegetable grown throughout the town, so it is always fresh when processed. Almost every restaurant in Tam Dao has a sign of chayote shoots to welcome customers. The chayote shoots are lush, the stems are long, and the leaves are young green. When you buy them, break them into fibers, stir-fry them with beef or just with garlic, and dip them in black soy sauce, adding a few slices of chili.

7.2 Raw beef with ants:

What makes this dish different is the way it is prepared. Fresh beef is put into an ant nest to be bitten by ants until it is dry, then taken home, washed and grilled on a charcoal stove. The finished piece of meat has a very fragrant smell when eaten, with a slightly sour taste mixed with a characteristic sweet and spicy taste.

7.3 Milk ginseng fruits:

This is a fruit that is sold a lot in Tam Dao, but is very rare in other regions. When peeled, the inside is crispy and juicy, very thirst-quenching and sweet.

7.4 Hill chicken:

Tam Dao Hill chicken is a type of chicken raised on large hills. The chickens move in a natural environment and are not fed with bran. Therefore, although the size is not large, the meat is firm, chewy and extremely sweet. When coming to Tam Dao, you can enjoy this dish in many different ways, such as: boiled chicken, grilled chicken, … But you must definitely enjoy the grilled Hill chicken wrapped in clay, it’s so delicious.

7.5 Tam Dao native pig:

Native pig is a small pig, raised in the forest but not in the popular form. People leave them in the natural environment, foraging for food, growing on their own. The pork is sweet, soft and still elastic. Native pig is often stir-fried with lemongrass, steamed, and made into blood pudding, … You can make this dish with rice or drink with beer, it’s extremely delicious.

7.6 Bamboo shoots:

Tam Dao bamboo shoots are not too big and longer than a hand span. The bamboo shoots are peeled, peeled and processed, boiled, and dipped in shrimp paste.

7.7 Stream goby:

This type of fish is only as big as two fingertips, but in return the meat is very firm and has a delicious flavor. The best dishes of Tam Dao stream goby are grilled fish and fried fish.

7.8 Sturgeon:

People prepared this fish dish in many ways, but the best is they grilled this dish on charcoal and cooked in a fish hotpot. Tam Dao sturgeon has a characteristic delicious flavor, is chewy, sweet and nutritious.

8. Specialties to buy as gifts when traveling to Tam Dao

8.1 Tam Dao honey

Tam Dao also has a specialty that many tourists often buy as gifts, which is honey. The honey here is fragrant, golden, smooth, and has a special delicious taste. However, to buy good honey, you can ask the locals, or learn carefully before buying.

8.2 Roasted rice cake

Another specialty of Lap Thach is rice cake. Here, they made the rice cake from sticky rice, sugar water, and went through a skillful processing process to create it. When eaten, diners will feel the gentle aroma of sticky rice, the sweetness is not too harsh, crispy and very easy to eat.

8.3 Exquisite, beautiful handicrafts

At entertainment venues in Vinh Phuc, there are many exquisitely crafted souvenirs on display. Popular items are toys, bracelets, key chains, etc. Compared to some other provinces, souvenirs in Vinh Phuc are not many, and do not have a certain characteristic.

Therefore, if you want to buy high-end souvenirs, showing the cultural identity of this land. You can refer to the gold-plated gift line. People made these gifts from precious metals, plated with gold, luxurious and sparkling.

8.4 Tien Tuu Ngoc Hoa (Ngoc Hoa Wine)

It can be said that this is a unique specialty of Yen Lac, Vinh Phuc. This unique wine will make visitors excited because of its very special flavor. After choosing a delicious coconut, the fibrous shell will be peeled off. Then, people will inject a mixture of sticky rice and yeast in a certain ratio into the coconut and seal it tightly.

8.5 Tam Duong Pineapple

A famous specialty dish in Vinh Phuc. When you come here, you can be overwhelmed by the vast pineapple fields, especially in the ripe pineapple season. The pineapples here all have their own characteristics such as honey pineapples which are very sweet and juicy. Chicken fat pineapples have light yellow flesh and a sour taste. Huong Dao pineapples are small, have crispy flesh, are sweet but sour, and are the most delicious.

8.6 Lap Thach fish sauce

Fish sauce is a famous specialty of Lap Thach. It is a dish with very simple ingredients but the preparation is very elaborate and sophisticated. To make this fish sauce dish, after cleaning the intestines, removing the head and draining the water, the fish will be placed in a glass jar or pot in the order of a layer of fish and then a layer of salt.

The ratio of salt and fish is usually 10kg of fish and 1.5kg of salt. They covered the top layer with salt and covered tightly with bamboo strips. After 4-7 days, remove the fish from the salt and use your hands to squeeze out all the water, then dry the fish in the sun to dry it.

9. Accommodation when traveling to Tam Dao

When traveling to this beautiful place, you can refer to some of the following accommodations:

• Venus Hotel Tam Dao. Address: Zone 1, Tam Dao town, Vinh Phuc province.
• Mimosa Villa Tam Dao. Address: Group 2, Tam Dao town, Vinh Phuc province.
• Belvedere Tam Dao Resort. Address: QL2B, Tam Dao town, Vinh Phuc province.
• Sofia Tam Dao Hotel & Spa. Address: Zone 1, Tam Dao town, Vinh Phuc province.
• Royal Huy Hotel Tam Dao. Address: Zone 1, Tam Dao town, Vinh Phuc province.
• Chan May Tam Dao. Address: Zone 1, Tam Dao town, Vinh Phuc province.
• Quynh Hoa Hotel. Address: Zone 1, Tam Dao town, Vinh Phuc, Tam Dao, Vinh Phuc.
• Thang Loi Tam Dao Hotel. Address: Tam Dao town, Tam Dao District, Vinh Phuc.
• Orient Tam Dao Hotel. Address: Tam Dao Town Center, Tam Dao District, Vinh Phuc.
• Anh Minh Hotel. Address: Tam Dao Town, Tam Dao District, Vinh Phuc.

10. Some important notes when traveling to Tam Dao

To make your trip to Tam Dao safe and enjoyable. You need to refer to some necessary notes below:

• Booking a tour to Tam Dao is the most complete way to explore this wonderful land.
• If you want to love freedom, like to explore everything in Tam Dao with a comfortable, flexible schedule, and save costs, you can choose to travel to Tam Dao on your own.
• Plan your trip 1-2 months before departure. With specific information such as route, time, destination, food, accommodation, etc. to see if it suits your needs and financial ability.
• Prepare clothes suitable for the weather and tourist destinations. Such as: sneakers, long pants, woolen hats, jackets, scarves, gloves to keep your body warm, etc. Because Tam Dao’s climate is cold all year round and most tourist destinations are hills and valleys.
• Although the weather in Tam Dao is cool, it is also sunny, so you should prepare sunscreen to protect your skin from UV rays.
• Follow the weather forecast to have a smooth trip, arrange a suitable schedule and bring necessary items. Avoid foggy, too cold or stormy days.
• You should bring a hair dryer and iron when traveling to Tam Dao because the weather in the mountainous area is quite humid, especially on foggy days.
• Bring full identification documents and cash to conveniently pay for shopping when traveling to Tam Dao
• If you want to have interesting experiences with friends or relatives, you can choose to rent a motorbike to freely travel around Tam Dao. But check the vehicle carefully before going to avoid unforeseen situations.

It is worthy visiting Tam Dao

• Don’t forget to contact Origin Vietnam before traveling to Tam Dao to get all the information for your journey to explore this beautiful land.
• Tam Dao will have many beautiful landscapes for you to visit and camp, so you can prepare some climbing equipment or tents to be ready to explore and have fun!
• Always bring your phone or camera to check-in with the beautiful nature of Tam Dao.

With updated and useful information about Tam Dao travel experience. That Origin Vietnam – a professional tour operator, has just shared in the above article. We hope it will help you in your upcoming vacation to Vietnam. We also accompany you on the Hanoi tour to combine exploring this majestic and poetic Tam Dao with interesting activities and unforgettable experiences.