Tam Dao Landslides: Tourists Advised to Postpone Trips

Tam Dao, the misty hill station northwest of Hanoi, has been hit by a series of landslides this week after days of heavy rain — local authorities are now advising tourists to postpone or limit trips there while the wet weather continues. Here’s what happened and what to check before you go.

What Happened

On September 15, a landslide on Kim Dong Street sent roughly 50 cubic meters of soil and rock onto the road, causing an estimated VND 80 million (about USD 3,040) in damage. Prolonged heavy rain continued over the following days, and on September 17 further landslides struck steep slopes and main roads in and around the Tam Dao tourist area, with soil and rock spilling onto the roadway in multiple locations.

The Wider Picture

The rain hitting Tam Dao is part of the same wet spell affecting northern Vietnam this week — forecasters had already flagged Phu Tho province, where Tam Dao sits, as an area where localized rainfall totals over 200 mm remained possible. The risk is serious enough that local authorities elsewhere in Phu Tho Province reported a separate, fatal landslide on September 17. Local forces in Tam Dao say they remain on alert and are monitoring slopes and roads most prone to further slides.

What This Means for Travelers

Local authorities have advised tourists to postpone or limit trips to the Tam Dao tourist area while heavy rain persists, and to follow safety guidance in landslide-prone areas if you do go. If you have a Tam Dao trip planned in the next few days, it’s worth checking road conditions and weather forecasts directly before setting out from Hanoi, since the winding mountain road up to the town is exactly the kind of route affected by this type of slide. Give it a few clear, dry days before treating the hill station drive as routine again.

Sources

DTiNews, 18 September 2026; Lao Dong, 18 September 2026.