Thanh Hoa Travel Guide

1. Where Is Thanh Hoa?

Thanh Hoa is a large province located in the North Central region of Vietnam. It is about 170 km south of Hanoi and about 1,520 km north of Ho Chi Minh City. With geographical location:

• The North and Northwest border three provinces: Hoa Binh, Ninh Binh and Son La.
• The South and Southwest border Nghe An province.
• It borders Hua Phan province of Laos to the West with a border of 192 km.
• The East borders the Gulf of Tonkin in the East Sea, with a coastline of more than 102 km.

2. How Is Thanh Hoa Unique?

Thanh Hoa has an area of ​​over 11,000 km2 with a 102 km long coastline and many different ecological regions. North Central tourism in general and Thanh Hoa tourism in particular develop in many types. Such as: discovery tourism, resort tourism, spiritual tourism, …

Thanh Hoa – the land of history, where the quintessence of thousands of years of culture has been deposited. This place is honored and proud to be the homeland of Dong Son bronze drums with a brilliant culture and civilization. In particular, this is the birthplace of many feudal dynasties, the cradle of many kings, lords, heroes, and outstanding writers.

With an area stretching from East to West of the Fatherland, it is not only famous for its heroic historical sites. Thanh Hoa also has a diverse terrain from hills, caves, to plains and seas. It is suitable for many interests of tourists.

Thanh Hoa tourism is not only about famous names such as Sam Son, Pu Luong or Hai Tien. When coming to this gateway land connecting the two regions of the North – Central, you will visit ancient historical sites, mysterious caves, … All of these destinations will help you have countless interesting and memorable experiences on your upcoming trip.

3. When Is The Best Time To Visit Thanh Hoa?

Thanh Hoa has 2 distinct seasons. The hot season starts from May to October with the characteristics of intense sunshine, heavy rain and frequent storms and floods, with an average temperature of 38 – 40 degrees Celsius. The cold season is from November to April, with the northeast monsoon, little rain, dry weather at the beginning of the season, and the lowest temperature can drop to 2 degrees Celsius.

Due to the diversity of terrain, Thanh Hoa has a typical climate of all 3 regions: coastal, midland and mountainous. You should choose a schedule corresponding to the most beautiful season in each sightseeing area, specifically as follows:

• Coastal area: Thanh Hoa’s coastal area has high temperatures, hot summers, and not too cold winters. You should go between April and August to comfortably participate in swimming and playing activities.
• Midland: In contrast to the coastal area, the midland of Thanh Hoa has a moderate temperature, not too hot in the summer but quite cold in the winter. In this area, you can travel in all seasons of the year, just pay attention to keep warm in the winter.
• Mountainous area: Thanh Hoa’s mountainous area is quite cold in the winter, cool in the summer. To enjoy the natural beauty here, you should travel around April to June or from September to November. These are the 2 times when Thanh Hoa does not have too much rain, which is convenient for traveling and sightseeing.

Therefore, according to Thanh Hoa travel experience. The ideal time to travel here is from September to June of the following year.

4. How To Get To Thanh Hoa?

Which means of transport to use depends on where you are departing from. If you are in the Central or Northern regions, traveling by bus, car or motorbike is the most suitable choice.

4.1 Traveling from Northern Vietnam to Thanh Hoa

From the North, you can easily travel to Thanh Hoa by many means such as: train, car, motorbike, … The distance from Thanh Hoa to Hanoi is about 170 km, with a travel time of about 2-3 hours by car. You can also take a bus from My Dinh or Giap Bat bus station to Thanh Hoa bus station with a ticket price of about 100,000 – 150,000 VND.

4.2 Traveling from Central Vietnam to Thanh Hoa

If you are in Da Nang or the provinces in Central Vietnam, traveling by bus and train is the best choice. The travel time from Da Nang to Thanh Hoa by bus is about 10 hours and 30 minutes. Ticket prices range from 250,000 VND – 300,000 VND/person.

4.3 Traveling from Southern Vietnam to Thanh Hoa

From Southern Vietnam, you should choose airplanes as the means of transportation to Thanh Hoa to save time and health. Flights from Tan Son Nhat airport to Tho Xuan airport – Thanh Hoa have prices ranging from 1,000,000 – 1,500,000 VND/way depending on the seat class and airline. And the flight time is about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

From Tho Xuan airport, you will go to Thanh Hoa city center by taxi, hotel shuttle or bus. In addition to airplanes, you can choose to travel by train or bus.

5. Sightseeings In Thanh Hoa

Thanh Hoa makes visitors remember and stay with many attractive destinations, along with unique festivals, imbued with the spirit of national culture. It is a beautiful natural landscape, a rich and diverse ecosystem, long-standing historical relics and a bustling traditional festival atmosphere, …

The following destinations in Thanh Hoa are places that bring you truly interesting experiences. You will have very different feelings about the landscape, ecosystem with very unique beauty. This is something that cannot be found everywhere according to Thanh Hoa travel experience.

5.1 Pu Luong Nature Reserve

• Address: Quan Hoa and Ba Thuoc districts. 130 km northwest of Thanh Hoa city center.

Pu Luong Nature Reserve conquers visitors with its beautiful natural scenery, along with the peaceful wildness of majestic mountains. Pu Luong has a diverse ecosystem and endless green terraced fields. When you get lost here, you will feel like you are in the middle of the vast and vast Northwest mountains and forests.

In particular, Pu Luong peak at an altitude of over 1700m is considered a beautiful remote place. This is the place for you to admire the picturesque beauty of Kho Muong, Hieu waterfall. You can also see many wooden water wheels of the Thai people and understand more about the rustic life of the people here.

5.2 Sam Son Beach

• Address: Sam Son city, 16 km from Thanh Hoa city center.

Sam Son beach is a famous tourist destination, attracting many visitors to enjoy and swim in the sea. Sam Son has rich natural scenery with long stretches of white sand and clear, gentle water.

5.3 Ham Rong Bridge

• Address: Tao Xuyen, Hoang Hoa district, Thanh Hoa province.

Ham Rong Bridge is the only railway bridge across the Ma River and has an important traffic position. The bridge is considered a “witness” of many wars over the decades. And the bridge is also a symbol of the will and resilience of the land and people of Thanh Hoa. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit Ham Rong Bridge and take photos with this historical witness.

5.4 Ho Dynasty Citadel – world cultural heritage

• Address: Vinh Tien commune, Vinh Loc district, 45 km from Thanh Hoa city.

Ho Dynasty Citadel is a relic of the capital of Dai Ngu – the national name of Vietnam during the Ho Dynasty. The relic is a solid citadel built of stone with unique architecture and large scale. Ho Dynasty Citadel is recognized as a world cultural heritage and is the only valuable stone citadel remaining in Southeast Asia.

5.5 Cam Luong God Fish Stream

• Address: Luong Ngoc village, Cam Luong commune, Cam Thuy district, 60 km from Thanh Hoa city center.

Cam Luong God Fish Stream is a place where a large fish species lives with a high density. This fish species is preserved and worshiped by the local Muong and Thai ethnic groups as mascots. Thanh Hoa travel experience, when coming to the God Fish Stream, you should not play with or catch fish from the stream, but can only take pictures and feed the fish.

5.6 Ben En National Park

• Address: Nhu Thanh and Nhu Xuan districts, Thanh Hoa province, about 36 km from the city center.

Ben En National Park is likened to “HaLong Bay in land” with many hills, many rivers and streams with beautiful natural landscapes. Muc Lake on the mountain has an area of ​​3000 hectares including 21 floating islands with a rich ecosystem. This is one of the most beautiful national parks in Vietnam.

When coming to Ben En National Park, you can participate in many interesting experiences such as: boating, swimming on Muc Lake, visiting Ngoc Cave, villages, camping in the forest, …

5.7 Hon Trong Mai

• Address: Sam Son city, Thanh Hoa.

Another famous destination in Thanh Hoa that cannot be missed is Hon Trong Mai Sam Son, on Truong Le mountain range. Hon Trong Mai has an impressive shape with a large flat island at the bottom like a pedestal. A sharp-pointed island is stacked on top like the image of a rooster and a small island on the opposite side has the shape of a hen.

Over the years, Hon Trong Mai still maintains that precarious position with nature, rain and sun. You can combine visiting this famous destination with a Sam Son beach tour.

5.8 Lam Kinh relic site

• Address: Xuan Lam commune, Lam Son town, Tho Xuan district, Thanh Hoa.

Lam Kinh, also famous as Tay Kinh, is a famous tourist destination in Tho Xuan district, 52 km northwest of Thanh Hoa city. This historical relic site is about 30 hectares wide, including tombs, temples and a palace of the Later Le kings when they returned to pay respect to their ancestors.

Lam Kinh Sanctuary in the North leans against Dau mountain, in front of the citadel facing the South and overlooking Chu river – with Chua mountain as a screen. To the left of the sanctuary is Phu Lam forest, to the right are Huong mountain and Ham Rong mountain blocking the West – where the hero Le Loi raised the flag of uprising against the invading Ming army.

Coming to Lam Kinh relic site, you can not only burn incense to worship Buddha, visit the peaceful temple but also listen to and learn about extremely interesting historical stories.

5.9 Hai Tien Beach

• Address: Hoang Hoa District, Thanh Hoa.

Hai Tien Beach is a destination that is receiving a lot of love from tourists. Currently, this destination has relatively developed tourism services but still retains its inherent wilderness and natural beauty of the sea.

When visiting here, you can go to the market early and buy fresh seafood at cheap prices. Moreover, you will be immersed in the lives of the people. Especially Hai Tien Beach is suitable for those who love peace to comfortably enjoy the most relaxing vacation.

5.10 Voi Waterfall

• Address: Thanh Van commune, Thach Thanh District, Thanh Hoa.

Voile Waterfall is located in Thanh Van Commune, Thach Thanh District, Thanh Hoa Province. It has long been an attractive tourist destination for many visitors. The scenery here is like a picturesque landscape that nature has bestowed upon Thanh. The scenery here is also quite pristine and poetic. This is truly a wonderful destination that you should visit.

Standing under the white waterfalls, you will be able to cool off in the midst of a majestic and poetic natural landscape. With cool water pouring down day and night, creating a wonderful natural masterpiece, Elephant Waterfall has become an attractive eco-tourism destination in the West of Thanh Hoa.

5.11 Bai Dong

• Address: Nghi Son peninsula, Tinh Gia district, Thanh Hoa.

Bai Dong is a beach on Nghi Son peninsula, Tinh Gia district, Thanh Hoa. Located about 60 km from the city center, this place is becoming an attractive destination for tourists and an ideal choice for short trips in the hot summer.

The rocky beach in Bai Dong is also a super deep check-in spot for photography enthusiasts. The large laterite rocks, stacked undulating on the sea surface, create a very attractive scene. In Bai Dong, there is also a coconut water stop right next to the sea cliff. You just need to sit and order a fresh coconut and enjoy the taste of the sea or sit and swing on the swing, on the slide and breathe in the sea, enjoy the cool breeze.

5.12 Hon Me Island

• Address: Hai Binh ward, Nghi Son town, Tinh Gia district, Thanh Hoa.

Putting aside the fatigue of work and life, some people will choose bustling places to relax. But there are also people who seek peaceful, rustic places to relax their souls. One of the attractive destinations for tourists who love wild and romantic natural scenery is Hon Me Island. With clear blue water and fresh air here, it will bring you a feeling of comfort and ease.

5.13 Cuc Phuong National Park

• Address: Thach Thanh district, Thanh Hoa.

If you do not know what is attractive about Thanh Hoa tourism, take the time to explore Cuc Phuong National Park. Cuc Phuong National Park has an area of ​​22,408 hectares and is also the first national forest in Vietnam. Cuc Phuong is a tropical rainforest, green all year round with an extremely rich flora and fauna. Many species of animals and plants at high risk of extinction have been discovered and preserved here. The most prominent is the white-cheeked langur, which is considered a symbol of Cuc Phuong forest.

In particular, visit Cuc Phuong forest in May – the butterfly blooming season. With millions of individuals competing to show off their colors, this place is like a beautiful “butterfly forest” like in a fairyland.

5.14 Tien Son Cave

• Address: Vinh An commune, Vinh Loc district, Thanh Hoa.

Tien Son Cave, one of the most beautiful caves in Thanh hoa, is deep in Muon mountain, creating a large space.

The cave complex is a perfect combination of 3 main caves, which can accommodate thousands of people, connected by small paths. The deeper you go, the more interesting the stone blocks will be, including “aquarium”, “peach garden”, “dragon yard”, “heaven gate”, “fairy well”.

5.15 Thanh Hoa City

It would be a mistake if you missed an extremely vibrant Thanh Hoa tourist destination day and night, which is Thanh Hoa City. When you come here, you can walk around the monument, Le Loi Avenue, and explore Thanh Hoa specialties at Dao Duy Tu night food street. Or have fun, shop, and enjoy coffee with friends at Vincom shopping center and a series of Vincom Shophouse commercial townhouses, …

6. Special Festivals In Thanh Hoa

With a long history and long-standing cultural traditions, Thanh Hoa has many special festivals. You should come to Thanh on these occasions to immerse yourself in the bustling atmosphere and better understand the beauty of the festival culture and beliefs of the nation.

6.1. Ba Trieu Festival

• Time: 20 – 23 February of the lunar calendar every year
• Location: Ba Trieu Temple and mausoleums, communal houses in Trieu Loc Commune, Hau Loc District, Thanh Hoa Province.

Ba Trieu Festival is held to pay tribute and commemorate Ba Trieu Thi Trinh. The hero who led the people to fight against the domination of the Ngo Dynasty in 248. The festival takes place with solemn rituals at Ba Trieu Temple and local mausoleums and communal houses.

After the ceremony such as the palanquin procession, the festival will take place and is worth looking forward to with many attractive folk games and Chau Van singing performances. When participating in the festival, you will be immersed in the bustling atmosphere and imbued with the spirit of drinking water and remembering its source for the heroine of Thanh people.

6.2. Poon Poong Festival

• Time: Full moon of January, full moon of March and full moon of July or during the harvest season.
• Location: villages of the Muong ethnic group.

Poon Poong Festival is also known as the new rice festival. This is a festival of the Muong people with the meaning of praying for the faithful love of Nang Om – Bong Huong. The festival has an art performance program with songs and dances mixed with the urging sound of gongs and cymbals.

Poon Poong Festival also has unique folk games simulating the customs, habits, spiritual life and spiritual culture of the Muong ethnic group. Such as: land division, house building, cockfighting, buffalo fighting, flower dancing – flower fortune telling,… The program takes place from evening to morning and sometimes lasts for 2 days and 3 nights. This is a particularly interesting occasion that attracts a large number of tourists from all over the world to participate.

6.3. Dong Son Ancient Village Festival

• Time: 2nd and 3rd of the 3rd lunar month every year.
• Location: Tran Khat Chan Temple, Vinh Thanh Commune, Vinh Loc District, Thanh Hoa Province.

Dong Son Ancient Village Festival is held annually to commemorate the death anniversary and commemorate the merits of Saint Le Uy Tran Khat Chan. He was a talented general who defeated the Champa army at the end of the Ly Dynasty.

The festival is held with many solemn rituals such as: procession, offering, offering incense, palanquin procession,… The festival also has many unique performances and interesting folk games. In addition, do not miss the opportunity to admire the rustic beauty and unique architectural art of Dong Son Ancient Village and Tran Khat Chan Temple. This is a historical and cultural relic ranked by the state at the national level.

6.4. Lam Kinh Festival

• Time: August 22nd of the lunar calendar.
• Location: Lam Kinh historical relic, Xuan Lam commune, Tho Xuan district, Thanh Hoa.

The festival is held on the death anniversary of King Le Thai To to commemorate his merits. The ceremony is performed according to traditional rituals recreating many events of the Le Dynasty such as: festival drums, festival flags, palanquin processions, sacrifices, etc. The festival consists of special art programs recreating events. Such as: Le Lai saves the lord, Lung Nhai oath, King Le Thai To’s coronation, liberation of Dong Quan citadel, promoting Lam Son’s heroic spirit, etc.

The festival also includes attractive folk games and performances imbued with the cultural beauty of the Vietnamese people. If you are a history lover and want to learn more about national culture. As well as to admire the Le Dynasty’s antiques on display, this is a great opportunity for you to participate in your Thanh Hoa tour.

6.5. Xuan Pha Festival

• Time: February 10th of the lunar calendar every year.
• Location: Xuan Truong commune, Tho Xuan district, Thanh Hoa province.

Xuan Pha Festival is held to honor and express gratitude to Dong Hai Dai Vuong, the underworld and King Dinh, Le with the participation of people in 5 villages. Each village will take on a role and prepare flags, drums, gongs, offerings, … to perform on the festival day. On the festival day, the whole village resounds with the sound of drums and gongs in an extremely bustling atmosphere.

In addition to the traditional festivals held annually as above, Thanh Hoa also organizes grand and extremely attractive sea tourism festivals that attract a large number of tourists from all over.

7. Specialties When Traveling To Thanh Hoa

A trip to Thanh Hoa would not be complete without mentioning the unique cuisine of Thanh Hoa. The following specialties are suggestions that you should not miss:

7.1. Shrimp cake

Thanh Hoa shrimp cake is a dish that many tourists love and remember forever. The dish impresses with its unique, crispy and fragrant shrimp flavor mixed with sour and spicy fish sauce and a little raw vegetables.

Address of delicious shrimp cake restaurant:

• Ba That shrimp cake: No. 9, Le Thi Hoa, Lam Son ward, Thanh Hoa city, Thanh Hoa
• Thao Muoi restaurant: No. 14 Nha Tho, Truong Thi ward, Thanh Hoa city

7.2. Nem chua

You can find Nem chua in many provinces and cities across the country. But this dish in Thanh Hoa will bring you a very different feeling. Thanh Hoa nem has many types such as: long nem, square nem, nem thinh or nem coi. With the main ingredients being lean pork, guava leaves, ginseng leaves and spices such as garlic, chili, …

The spring rolls are wrapped tightly with delicious crispness, sweet and sour taste and special aroma of leaves and spices.

Address of delicious Thanh Hoa spring roll shops:

• Loi Lam sour spring roll: No. 105, Le Thanh Tong street, Dong Ve ward, Thanh Hoa city
• Thang Tuyen restaurant: No. 409, Le Hoan, Ba Dinh, Thanh Hoa city
• Cuong Dung sour spring roll: 15 Tan An, Ngoc Trao ward, Thanh Hoa city

7.3. Nga Son eel salad

Thanh Hoa eel salad has a very unique and distinctive flavor. This dish is made from the main ingredient of sliced ​​eel meat marinated with spices, mixed with roasted sticky rice powder. Crispy fried fish skin with dipping sauce made from crushed fish bones. Eel salad is served with many types of leafy vegetables such as: fig leaves, lemon leaves, perilla, basil, mint, pennywort, fish mint.

Address of delicious eel salad restaurant:

• Vu Bao Restaurant: Km 12, National Highway 47, Quang Hong, Thanh Hoa City, Thanh Hoa Province
• Thich Lich Restaurant: Hamlet 8, Nga Lien, Nga Son, Thanh Hoa Province
• Cuong Tue Eel Salad: Nga Lien Commune, Nga Son District, Thanh Hoa Province

7.4. Dam Set Perch

Don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy Dam Set Perch. The fish is small, only the size of 2 fingers, light yellow in color with delicious, firm meat. It is processed into many delicious dishes such as: fried crispy with delicious fish sauce or cooked in soup.

Address of delicious Dam Set perch restaurant:

• Da Lan Restaurant: No. 1, Phan Chu Trinh Street, Thanh Hoa
• Co Tam Restaurant: QL15, Tho Xuong, Tho Xuan District, Thanh Hoa

7.5. Thanh Ha Snail

Thanh Ha Snail makes many tourists fascinated with its delicious flavor thanks to being carefully marinated with spices and the strong aroma of lemongrass and chili. The dish is a great choice, promising to bring you unforgettable taste experiences.

• Address: Thanh Ha Pagoda, Ben Ngu Street.

7.6. Banh Duc with sauce

Banh duc with sauce is a delicious, simple snack associated with the childhood of Thanh people. They made this cake from rice flour, green beans with an eye-catching green color and a sweet taste. You can find and enjoy banh duc with sauce at street vendors or at Vuon Hoa Market, Nam Thanh Market, etc.

7.7. Nam Ha Bread

Nam Ha Bread is a famous brand in Thanh Hoa that you should definitely try once when coming here. The cake has a traditional flavor that has not changed for the past 20 years. The cake fillings are extremely diverse for you to choose from such as: fried sour spring rolls, dried beef, roasted meat, etc.

• Address: No. 284 Doi Cung, Lam Son, Thanh Hoa city.

7.8 Thanh Hoa Seafood

When traveling to Thanh Hoa, you cannot help but enjoy fresh seafood with famous dishes. Crabs, shrimps, oysters are very diverse. You can enjoy Thanh Hoa seafood at restaurants or buy directly from fishermen in coastal fishing villages.

7.9 Thanh Hoa Rice Rolls

Local people made rice rolls with a secret recipe that cannot be found anywhere else. The cake filling is made from shrimp, pork belly and dried onions on the outside, very attractive. The dipping sauce is mixed from local fish sauce.

7.10 Specialties to buy as gifts

After a trip to Thanh Hoa, don’t forget to buy Thanh Hoa specialties as gifts for your family and loved ones. Popular specialties include: fermented pork rolls, seafood, Tu Tru sticky rice cake, Lam tea, Ha Yen shrimp paste, Ba Lang fish sauce, etc. In addition, souvenirs and handicrafts are also great choices for friends and relatives such as: Nga Son sedge mats, jewelry, decorations made from shells, marine life, etc.

8. Accommodation When Traveling To Thanh Hoa

When traveling to Thanh Hoa, you can refer to some of the accommodations below. Accommodation facilities are mainly concentrated in Thanh Hoa city and Sam Son beach.

• Muong Thanh Hotel Grand Thanh Hoa. Address: Lot OC1, Vo Nguyen Giap, Nam Urban Area, Thanh Hoa, Thanh Hoa.
• Kingsales Hotel. Address: No. 165 Pham Thi Ngoc Tran, Dong Huong, Thanh Hoa, Thanh Hoa.
• Phoenix Hotel. Address: No. 998 Hung Vuong Street, Ward, Thanh Hoa, Thanh Hoa.
• Melia Vinpearl Thanh Hoa. Address: No. 27 Tran Phu, Dien Bien Ward, Thanh Hoa City, Thanh Hoa.
• FLC Luxury Hotel & Resort Sam Son. Address: Thanh Nien Street, Quang Cu Ward, Sam Son City, Thanh Hoa.
• Van Chai Resort. Address: Sam Son Beach, Thanh Hoa.
• Puluong Bocbandi Retreat. Address: Pu Luong, Thanh Hoa.
• Central Hill Pu Luong Resort. Address: Pu Luong, Thanh Hoa.
• Dragon Sea Sam Son Hotel. Address: No. 43 Ho Xuan Huong, Bac Son Ward, Sam Son, Thanh Hoa.
• The Marron Hotel. Address: No. 117 Ho Xuan Huong, Trung Son, Sam Son, Thanh Hoa.

With updated and useful information about Thanh Hoa travel experiences. That Origin Vietnam – a reputable tour operator, has just shared in the article above. Hopefully, it will help you in your upcoming vacation.

We are committed to accompanying you on the Vietnam tour to explore Thanh Hoa land with a long history and culture, wild, majestic natural scenery and rich national identity with the most interesting experiences