Tam Đảo is no longer a strange name to everyone. But do you know how to travel to Tam Đảo economically? Have you explored all the tourist destinations in Tam Đảo? Refer to the article below to gain useful travel experiences in Tam Đảo for yourself and your loved ones.
Where is Tam Đảo located?
Tam Đảo is a place in Vĩnh Phúc province.The Tam Đảo tourist area is about 80 km from Hanoi, it takes about 2 hours to travel from the capital to Tam Đảo.The weather in Tam Đảo is similar to Sapa or Da Lat. You can clearly feel the 4 seasons in a day.It’s best to go on weekdays to avoid crowds and long lines for photos, and the photos will turn out better.
What is the weather like in Tam Đảo?
In fact, Tam Đảo is beautiful in every season, each season has its own charm. Being located at an altitude of over 1000m above sea level, the climate here is cool all year round, with an average temperature of about 18-20 degrees. When you wake up in the morning, you’ll feel the cool spring weather, by noon there’s a bit of summer sun, in the afternoon when the sun goes down the mountain, you’ll sense a bit of autumn, and by evening the cool breeze brings the atmosphere of the northeast winter. Because the weather in Tam Đảo changes constantly throughout the day, make sure to bring a light jacket with you.
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How to get to Tam Đảo
To reach Tam Đảo, there are many ways you can choose from.
Guide to traveling to Tam Đảo by car and motorbike
You travel to the suburban area towards Thăng Long Bridge in the direction of Nội Bài Airport. After about 20 km, at the intersection with National Highway 2, AH 14 road and Bắc Thăng Long Nội Bài road, turn onto National Highway 2. Then go straight to Vĩnh Yên city. When you reach the Big C Vĩnh Yên area, there is a sign indicating Tam Đảo is 25 km in the right direction, follow that direction to reach Tam Đảo town.
Guide to go to Tam Dao by bus
You can choose bus 58 (Long Bien transfer point) or bus 07 (Cau Giay transfer point) to Me Linh Plaza. Then take bus 01 to Vinh Yen bus station. Next, wait for bus 07 from Vinh Yen to Tay Thien. On the way, ask the driver to stop at the closest point to Tam Dao. Then take a motorbike taxi or regular taxi up to Tam Dao as the bus will not go up to the center of Tam Dao.
Guide to go to Tam Dao 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
Guide to go to Tam Dao by coach
You can catch a bus at My Dinh bus station for routes Hanoi – Vinh Yen, Hanoi – Yen Bai, Hanoi – Viet Tri, which will run to Vinh Yen city. From Vinh Yen, you can take a taxi or motorbike taxi up to Tam Dao.I usually choose to travel by motorbike to be able to enjoy the scenery and especially feel the weather of Tam Dao. Note that you should choose a gear motorbike for safety.In addition, female drivers with weak hands can choose to travel by coach!
This time we chose Nhat Nam Limousine to travel to Tam Dao. It only takes about 2 hours from Hanoi to Tam Dao, and we were already at 90s homestay. The road is now more convenient than before, but you still have to pay attention to many zigzag sections, steep roads, and on foggy days, it will be more difficult.
- Time: 2 hours.
- Limousine ticket price: 500k/ 2 people/ round trip.
- Limousine phone number: 096 9213565.
You can also choose various forms of transportation such as motorbikes, personal cars, taxis, etc. I see that most people travel by motorbike, as the 13km road to the town center has many beautiful scenes where you can stop to enjoy the view and take some great photos.
What to bring when going to Tam Dao
Things you should bring: Camera, phone, hat/cap or umbrella and especially **MONEY**.
You should: Bring a windbreaker, as the weather in Tam Dao is quite cold in the evening.
Where to Stay in Tam Dao
Tam Dao is not very big but has enough guesthouses and hotels from budget to luxury. I have researched many guesthouses and hotels, and finally chose 90s homestay about 1km from the town as a place to stay and relax.. At 90s, there are many room types for you to choose from such as House A, Treehouse, Moon House, Dome House,… Initially, we planned to stay in the Treehouse because the name sounded attractive and intriguing. But since we went during a holiday, all the Treehouses at 90s were fully booked, so we had to choose the Cloud House. The room we booked had a very beautiful view, overlooking the whole town. Waking up in the morning to see the clouds drifting by gave a very chill feeling. Overall, the room here is clean, although a bit small for us, but the view and balcony are very beautiful.
- Address 90s homestay : Village 2, Tam Dao town
- Room Type: Cloud House.
- Price: 600k/night.
- Phone: 097 515 90 90.
Note: There is a risk of room fires here, so if you want to book a room, it’s better to book 2 weeks in advance for safety! You can contact 90s homestay’s page or call 0962848876 to make a reservation
Places to check in Tam Dao
Hot check-in spots in Tam Dao: Tam Dao Heaven Gate – Quan Gio – Rock Cafe – Central Square – Stone Church – Cloud Bridge – New Bridge – Ba Chua Thuong Ngan Temple – Television Tower – Silver Waterfall.
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Where to go in Tam Dao?
In general, tourist spots in Tam Dao are quite close to each other, but if you want to check in all the spots in Tam Dao, it will take 3 days. However, depending on your time, you can go for 1 day, 2 days, and continue next time.
What to do on a one-day trip to Tam Dao?
Recently, Tam Dao has many new virtual living spots to serve tourists, especially young people. You can refer to the following virtual living spots on our one-day trip:
- Tam Dao Square
- Tam Dao Windy Restaurant
- Ancient Stone Church of Tam Dao
- Silver Waterfall
- Thượng Ngàn Goddess Temple
- Truc Lam Tay Thien Zen Monastery (in Tam Dao district)
- Sake Garden
- 90s cafe (located within the 90s Homestay area)
- Tam Dao Sky Gate
- New Bridge
- Tam Dao Cloud Bridge: The Cloud Bridge is being built with many new and unique virtual living views for you to enjoy and take photos here.
Lunch options in Tam Dao
We had lunch at Quan 34 restaurant with a beautiful view overlooking the Castle Tower. The food here is delicious, served quickly, the staff is friendly, and the view is stunning, offering a view of the castle tower and the town streets. You can choose from the restaurant’s menu or request a custom dish to be prepared for you.
(Quan 34 is located on the way to Silver Waterfall, about 50 steps down)
Our one-day trip to Tam Dao, including food and activities, cost only 200k per person. However, the itinerary is quite packed. Ideally, you should plan for a two-day, one-night trip to fully enjoy this itinerary.
Three-day, two-night itinerary for Tam Dao
We hope to provide you with useful information for your upcoming trip. Here is our three-day, two-night itinerary for Tam Dao. We have listed the tourist spots in Tam Dao for your convenience.
Day 1: Tam Dao Square – Rock Café – Stone Church.
Tam Dao Square
As soon as you step into the town, you will see Tam Dao Square. Located in the town center, the square is spacious with a prominent fountain. While not a new spot, if you’re here, you must take some photos at the square. In the evenings, there are cultural exchanges, especially on weekends with music performances that attract young music enthusiasts.
Rock Cafe:
Next to Venus Hotel, Rock Café is considered a European corner in the center of Tam Dao town. Located opposite the Stone Church and right next to the central square, Rock Café, designed in European style, is a popular check-in spot for everyone visiting the “Cloud Town”. From the moment you step in, you will be impressed by the design and the warm, cozy, yet elegant and antique brown color tone.
The café has 3 floors, with the basement being a restaurant and the other 2 floors being the café. Every corner here can create a beautiful picture, perfect for photo enthusiasts. The drinks here are affordable, usually ranging from 40 to 80k VND.
Stone Church
A little further from Rock Café, you will find the Stone Church of Tam Dao. This place is no stranger as it has appeared in many wedding photo albums of young couples. As far as I know, the Stone Church was built in French architecture during the French colonial period. The main material used to build the church is stone. The church is divided into 2 floors, with stone steps leading up to the church tower on the lower floor. As you reach the second floor, you will be impressed by the spacious courtyard and the crescent-shaped vaults embracing the center of the town. Next to it is a wide sanctuary to serve the religious ceremonies of the local people.
Here, there are **1001** corners for you to check in and be creative. However, on weekends, there might only be **001** photo spots left, as it gets too crowded *(hehe)*.
Day 2: Television Tower – Ba Chua Thuong Ngan Temple – May Bridge – Moi Bridge.
Television Tower:
For those who are faint-hearted or have difficulty breathing, I advise against climbing the television tower. Even I, who is quite normal, crawled up there looking disheveled, with a tired face. It took me 15 minutes to catch my breath and then come back down, not managing to take any good photos, just inhaling and feeling a bit “elevated” when reaching the “top”.
Let me summarize for you. From the foot of the mountain, you need to pay 10k for parking, then walk up about **1,400** stone steps until you see a tall tower right in front of you. There’s nothing particularly special up there except for the feeling of being at the top. In general, it’s for those who like to explore, have good health, because I didn’t find anything special up there.
Ba Chua Thuong Ngan Temple
After resting and enjoying the view for a bit, we headed down. The way down is easier, so it’s less tiring. At the foot of the mountain, you will immediately see the Ba Chua Thuong Ngan Temple. My first impression was the cool green bamboo forest on both sides, resembling those ancient Chinese movies. The path to the temple is incredibly beautiful, so feel free to check in. To reach the temple, you have to climb about **300** stone steps. Up there, you’ll feel very peaceful and comfortable in the vast space of the mountain forest. Surely, this is not only a spiritual place but also a tourist destination for you to consider visiting.
- Things to bring: Phone or camera and a dedicated photographer.
- Parking: 10k/1 vehicle.
- You should: Wear simple clothes, not too short to enter the temple. Wear comfortable shoes for climbing the stone steps.
May Bridge
The May Bridge photo spot is very popular among young people. It offers stunning views and beautiful photo corners. The May Bridge photo spot is located on the way down if you are moving from the town center. If you don’t know where it is, just look for the Belvedere resort sign and head straight there. The entrance fee is 15k/person, and for wedding photo shoots, it’s 250k/group. Additionally, parking here will cost you another 10k. There, administrative procedures are done, so now it’s time to take some cool photos. The best time for photos, in my opinion, is during sunset or on days after rain when there are lots of fluffy clouds for a magical atmosphere.
- Things you need to bring: Camera or mobile phone and a dedicated photographer.
- Entrance fee: 15k per person.
- Parking fee: 10k per vehicle.
- Wedding photoshoot: 250k per group.
- You should: Choose a day with good weather, sunny for some “chill” photos.
Cầu Mới
This is a new location where many people like to take photos. It is actually a bridge under construction, so I don’t know its official name, that’s why I named it “Cầu Mới” (New Bridge). The best time to take photos here is in the late afternoon when the sunset, providing a deep perspective for your creative shots. It is located on the way down, at the curve where the one-way road starts to go up to the town.
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Day 3: Quán Gió – Thác Bạc – Cổng Trời
Quán Gió
Quán Gió, also known as Café Gió, has long been a familiar spot for everyone visiting Tam Dao. On beautiful weather days, the sunny sky will help you capture the most beautiful and unique photos. Especially, there is a castle being built nearby, and from Quán Gió, you can capture the entire castle as if you were in Europe. The drink menu here is quite diverse, including Cappuccino, Latte, Espresso, various teas, smoothies, soft drinks, and they are reasonably priced.
- Things to bring: Camera or phone and a thoughtful photographer.*
- Watermelon juice: 45k/ 1 cup.
- Iced coffee: 40k/ 1 cup.
- You should: Visit early in the morning or around late afternoon to witness the sunset and fully appreciate the beauty of the place.
Silver Waterfall
From Quan Gio, walk a short distance down and you will see a sign pointing to #SilverWaterfall. Park your vehicle outside and then climb about **400** steps to see a waterfall cascading from above. A small note for rainy days, the path can be slippery, so be cautious. It’s best to wear sneakers or rent slippers on both sides of the path to avoid wearing high heels and risking a fall.
- Parking: 20k/1 vehicle
- Drinks: 30k.
Tam Dao Heaven’s Gate
Tam Dao Heaven’s Gate is essentially a cafe overlooking the entire town. Overall, I wasn’t impressed with this place as it seemed quite similar to a few other places, but unfortunately, the gate designed for photography was obstructed by iron bars. If you want to capture a wide angle for a panoramic view, it’s quite challenging, and taking close-up shots doesn’t provide a broad view. In general, I came here out of curiosity due to its popularity, so I wanted to check it out, but I only stayed for a while before heading back down. Oh, I almost forgot, the entrance fee for photography at the gate is 10k/person. Also, Google Maps won’t show the address, so from the town center, head towards Venus Hotel, then turn right and go straight until you reach the cafe at the Heaven’s Gate. Pay attention not to go straight ahead, as there are two forks in the road, and like me, you might mistakenly end up on a dead-end street, making it difficult to turn around.
What to eat in Tam Dao?
When you go to Tam Dao, you must try the grilled food. On the first day we went to Tam Dao, it was raining, so we decided to have dinner at the 90s homestay restaurant. Here, they offer both grilled and hotpot sets for you to choose from. I am a fan of grilled food, so I will definitely go for the grilled option. The buffet here costs only 150k per person and you can eat as much as you want, just be careful not to overeat. The grilled food here is delicious, different from other places I have tried in town, with added butter, aromatic and tasty. I can’t remember all the dishes in the buffet set, but I recall there were 11 dishes, including chicken feet, chicken wings, chicken thighs, pork belly, beef wrapped in mushrooms, and more. In short, there are plenty of options for you to enjoy.
Buffet Set: 150k/1 person.Menu:
- Chicken feet
- Chicken wings
- Chicken thighs
- Beef rolled with mushrooms
- Pork belly
- Pork belly
- Sausage
- Butter-fried bread
- French fries,…
On the second evening, we chose to have hotpot, although I prefer grilling, my friend wanted hotpot so we decided to have hotpot. We ordered a mixed hotpot set for 600k for 2 people. Looking at the hotpot and the plate of dipping ingredients, I knew it would be another delicious evening. Half a hill chicken neatly tucked in one corner of this large plate, fresh beef plentiful, beef rolled with mushrooms, pork belly, fried tofu, raw tofu, cucumbers, various vegetables,… Just looking at it makes me gain weight. In general, it was delicious, worth every penny. Hehe.
So that concludes our journey for the 3-day 2-night trip to “Cloud Town” Tam Dao.
Cost for the 3-day trip to Tam Dao
- Cost: 1,500k/1 person.
- Homestay: 600k/ 1 night.
- Food and drinks: 900k *(eat to your heart’s content).
- Limousine: 500k/ 2 people.
- Motorbike rental: 180k/ 1 bike.
- Other expenses: 300k *(buying gifts).
I have a few small tips for those of you planning to visit Tam Dao:
- Things you need: Check the weather in Tam Dao before deciding to come here.
- You should: Bring a windbreaker because the weather in Tam Dao changes quite quickly.
- Before you go, check the weather in Tam Dao to be prepared if the weather is bad.
- You should prepare some basic medicines to bring along in case anyone is not compatible with the food here.
- Since the temperature drops to just over 10 degrees at night, even in summer, you should bring a windbreaker.
- The terrain here is mainly uphill, the tourist spots are only about 1km apart and can be walked, so choose comfortable shoes to avoid sore feet.
- If you travel by private vehicle, bring your vehicle documents, fill up the gas tank because Tam Dao does not have gas stations, only small roadside vendors with expensive and unreliable fuel.
- If you ride a motorbike, you should install mirrors because there is a checkpoint at the foot of the mountain that often fines tourists without mirrors.
