MU CANG CHAI – With Vietnam becoming one of the hottest holiday destinations in South-east Asia, many Singapore travellers have been to the bustling hubs of Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, as well as tourist hot spots like Da Nang, Hue and Hoi An.

However, the mountainous north of the country near the border with China remains largely unexplored, other than the town of Sapa, known for its rice terraces.

An emerging spot is a rural district called Mu Cang Chai (pronounced “moo kang chai”) located about 300km north-west of Hanoi and about 1,000m above sea level, thanks to a one-year-old resort called Garrya Mu Cang Chai.

I visit the five-star property in April, which is operated by the Singapore-based Banyan Group. Arriving in the evening, I do not see much of the surroundings. But when I throw open the curtains the next morning, the view is worth the five-hour drive from the airport in Hanoi through winding mountain roads.

The slopes are covered in a spectrum of verdant hues, with some carved into terraces. While that is a sight worth getting out of bed for, the views that greet me in the following days are even more stunning.

Most of the best lookout points are accessible only on motorbike, on roads that are too narrow for two cars to pass each other. And sometimes the route veers off into dirt tracks. While it is possible to rent a motorbike to explore on your own, it is safer to go with a guide if you are not used to steep, winding mountain roads.

Another advantage of hiring a local guide is learning about local culture and practices first-hand. The population in Mu Cang Chai is almost entirely Hmong, a hill tribe that has li...