Before the merger, Northern Vietnam had 25 provinces and cities. After the merger from July 1, 2025, from 25 provincial-level administrative units, Northern Vietnam will have only 15 provinces and cities.
The provincial merger has great significance for the country. However, many people worry that this will affect the reputation, familiarity, and tourism development in the merged localities.
However, Mr. Nguyen Cong Hoan - General Director of Flamingo Redtours believes that mergers or losing names on administrative maps do not greatly affect tourism development. Specifically, he stated: "Tourism has inter-sectoral and inter-regional characteristics, not limited by administrative boundaries".
He also emphasized that although administrative boundaries may change, tourism businesses can still use old names in promotion.
Visitors can still research, look up, and choose interesting and attractive locations in Northern Vietnam or the whole country to have wonderful travel and sightseeing experiences. Merging provinces and cities even brings potential for Vietnam tourism as visitors will experience seamless travel without being divided by boundaries.
Vietnam Airlines continues to operate flights to provinces and cities in Northern Vietnam such as Hanoi, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Dien Bien, etc. to ensure service for domestic and international tourists. If you have plans for Northern Vietnam travel, don't forget to follow and check flights to quickly grasp ticket price information and accompanying offers.
Below are some famous tourist destinations in Northern Vietnam that you should visit and experience.
Sa Pa belongs to Lao Cai Province (tỉnh Lào Cai), one of the most famous tourist destinations in Northern Vietnam. This place is likened to a mystical city in mist due to its thick, white fog layers. Coming to Sa Pa, you will admire the beauty of mountains, forests, and villages, especially visiting the "Roof of Indochina" - Fansipan Peak at 3,143m altitude.
Ha Long Bay (Vịnh Hạ Long) belongs to Quang Ninh Province (tỉnh Quảng Ninh), one of the 7 natural wonders of the world recognized by UNESCO. This place is famous for its complex of many islands, rocky mountains, lakes, caves, etc. with unique and magnificent shapes.
Coming to Ha Long Bay, you can not only swim but also participate in other activities such as: Mountain climbing, kayaking, diving to see coral reefs, cave exploration, etc.
Mu Cang Chai (Mù Cang Chải), Lao Cai (before the merger, Mu Cang Chai belonged to Yen Bai Province). This place attracts many tourists with its magnificent and poetic natural scenery. The special feature of Mu Cang Chai is the terraced rice fields arranged in layers like stairs leading to heaven. The most beautiful time of Mu Cang Chai is during the ripe rice season (September, October) and water-filling season (May, June).
Hanoi (Hà Nội) with many historical and cultural relics and rich cuisine always satisfies visitors whenever they come here. You can visit famous places here such as: Hoan Kiem Lake (Hồ Gươm), Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (Lăng Chủ tịch Hồ Chí Minh), Temple of Literature - National University (Văn Miếu - Quốc Tử Giám), etc.
Ninh Binh (Ninh Bình) before the merger had famous destinations attracting domestic and international tourists such as: Trang An (Tràng An), Hang Mua (Hang Múa), Ancient Capital Hoa Lu (Cố đô Hoa Lư), Tam Coc - Bich Dong (Tam Cốc - Bích Động).
After the merger, tourists coming to Ninh Binh can also visit places like: Tam Chuc Pagoda (Chùa Tam Chúc) (formerly belonging to Ha Nam Province), Pho Minh Pagoda (chùa Phổ Minh) (formerly belonging to Nam Dinh Province), etc.
Tam Dao (Tam Đảo) formerly belonged to Tam Dao Town, Vinh Phuc Province (tỉnh Vĩnh Phúc). After the merger, Tam Dao belongs to Phu Tho Province (tỉnh Phú Thọ), 75km from Hanoi. This place has cool and pleasant climate due to being at an altitude of over 900m above sea level. Tam Dao is famous for its mystical landscapes combined with architectural works bearing historical traces, making this place even more special and attractive to tourists.
Belonging to Son La Province (tỉnh Sơn La), Moc Chau (Mộc Châu) attracts tourists with diverse nature and cool green grasslands. You can come to Moc Chau at any season of the year, as each season here has its own scenery and distinctive features. Spring is when apricot, plum, and cherry blossoms bloom abundantly; plum season ripens in May; persimmon season ripens from August to December, lush green tea hills, etc.
Ha Giang (Hà Giang) belongs to Tuyen Quang Province (tỉnh Tuyên Quang) (formerly belonged to Ha Giang Province). The land at the northern tip of the Fatherland with winding mountain pass roads, Dong Van Karst Plateau, and beautiful natural scenery. Traveling to Ha Giang, you can visit famous places like: Lung Cu Flagpole (Cột cờ Lũng Cú), Tu San Gorge (hẻm Tu Sản), Nho Que River (sông Nho Quế) with emerald water, Lo Lo Chai Village (làng Lô Lô Chải), Vuong Family Mansion (dinh thự họ Vương), etc.
Ban Gioc Falls (Thác Bản Giốc) - Southeast Asia's largest natural waterfall, belonging to Cao Bang Province (tỉnh Cao Bằng), located on the Vietnam-China border, a Northern Vietnam tourist destination that creates longing for visitors. This place has magnificent natural landscapes, surrounded by mountains and lush green grasslands.
You can visit Ban Gioc Falls around June - September when the waterfall has abundant water, flows strongly, and has deep blue color; in autumn, this place has beautiful golden rice scenery and emerald-colored water.
Mai Chau (Mai Châu) now belongs to Phu Tho Province (tỉnh Phú Thọ) (formerly belonged to Hoa Binh Province). This place has gentle and light beauty, fresh air, surely an ideal tourist destination for you.
Coming to Mai Chau, you not only enjoy special dishes but also visit famous places, immerse yourself in the life of local people such as: Lac Village (Bản Lác), Pom Coong Village (bản Pom Coọng), Mai Chau Flagpole (cột cờ Mai Châu), cultural experiences of Thai people at Nhot Village (bản Nhót), etc.
>>> SEE MORE: Where to go for September 2nd holiday in Northern Vietnam - most economical and worth experiencing
Thus, the Northern Vietnam map after the merger will have certain changes in administrative units. However, for tourism, tourist destinations will be maintained in promotional activities to help tourists recognize them. Hopefully, the above sharing will help you update Northern Vietnam administrative units after the merger as well as know famous tourist destinations in Northern Vietnam for visiting and experiencing.
To make your trip more complete, let Vietnam Airlines accompany you. With 4-star service quality and punctual flight times, we will bring you a safe flight. You can check flights and ticket prices at the website www.vietnamairlines.com or Vietnam Airlines application with attractive offers.
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