Are you wondering: What are the best places to visit in Vietnam?
Are you thinking of organizing a trip to the wonderful country of Indochina and do not know where to go and what to explore?
Here’s what you need to know!
Vietnam what to see: Where to start?
Vietnam has 3 major international landings at Ho Chi Minh Airport (Tan Son Nhat International Airport), Hanoi (Noi Bai International Airport) and Da Nang (Da Nang International Airport).
There are also many others, but if you come from Europe or other countries not around here it is preferable to fly on one of these because the costs are lower.
My advice is, if you have enough days to travel, to start from the North and go South or vice versa, then start your Vietnam tour from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh.
With less time availability you can concentrate on North of Vietnam or South of Vietnam, and with a few more days start from Da Nang and go towards Hanoi or go towards Ho Chi Minh.
It is very convenient to take internal flights to save time, even if travel by train and bus are always the best to explore a new country!
Vietnam what to see: The main tourist destinations
– Hanoi –
Let’s start from the North of Vietnam: from the capital Hanoi!
Hanoi is a fantastic city full of energy and things to see, like the spectacular “old quarter”, an heaven for street-photography enthusiasts. A city that fascinated me and in which I spent a lot of time!
Lose yourself in the streets full of stalls selling all kinds of merchandise: from fruit and vegetables to food, to every other kind of consumption but above all … stop and enjoy a delicious Vietnamese coffee in one of their small bars. An unforgettable experience, sitting on one of their small stools at their equally small tables, wait for the filtered liquid to fill your glass. Taste this coffee with an intense taste while watching the show that is presented in front of you on the streets, where a myriad of scooters that carry everything are spinning around the city! A specialty is the egg coffee, try it!
Another attraction of Hanoi (and Vietnam in general) is the delicious street food. Do not miss the Bun Cha or the very famous Phò!
In addition to the old quarter, the city is full of other wonders to explore: from the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum to the Long Bien Bridge, from the museums to the temples and the nice area around the “lake of the sword found” in the city … there is so much to see that you could spend your entire trip in this beautiful Asian city!
- Sapa –
Another destination to see in Vietnam is the beautiful Sapa: rice fields terraced that will amaze you! Your camera will take photos continuously and you will not want to stop exploring the area!
You can venture out on a few days trekking or visit the surrounding villages and some waterfalls in the area, with a trip of just few hours. Sapa is surrounded by picturesque mountains, beautiful scenery and is the place where numerous tribes (such as Black Hmong, Flower Hmong, Red Dzao, Tay, Giáy, Thai) have stopped and set up their home.
- Ha Long bay –
Ha Long in Vietnamese means “Where the dragon descends into the sea”, the bay is composed of an infinity of limestone islands and islets covered with green vegetation immersed in the water of the Gulf of Tonkin.
Visiting the bay is an unforgettable experience that will surely remain in your heart forever. The sceneries are spectacular, you can climb some of the islands to have wonderful views or you can go explore some of the caves carved into the limestone formations.
Usually you visit Halong Bay on a one or two night cruise, part of the UNESCO Heritage of Vietnam.
– Hue –
Located on the banks of the Perfume River, Hue was the ancient capital of the Nguyen dynasty.
A nice town full of history, art and above all delicious food! The Imperial Citadel (Another Unesco Heritage of Vietnam) is one of Hue’s most popular attractions. Formed by royal buildings and temples, it will take you back in time.
Another interesting site is the Thien Mu Pagoda, with its 21-meter-high octagonal tower … a place that has inspired many poems and songs!
Do not miss the wonderful imperial tombs scattered all over the city along the Perfume River: Minh Mang, Khai Dinh, Tu Duc, Dong Khanh … just some
- Da Nang –
The seaside town of Da Nang is located in the center of Vietnam, it has developed a lot in recent years, especially as regards tourism. Lot of new hotels have sprung up everywhere and many are under construction.
Attraction of the area, as well as the sea and the beautiful pagodas, is the incredible marble mountain with its fascinating caves and temples.
Do not miss the Dragon Bridge on the Han River, interesting to see and photograph, especially when it’s illuminated during the evening.
- Hoi An –
Beautiful historic town where you can happily lose yourself on the charming streets of this other UNESCO World Heritage site of Vietnam. Hoi An was one of the most important ports in Asia, beautiful architecture is a mix of Vietnam, China and Japan (like the famous Japanese covered bridge).
Temples, elegantly furnished and decorated ancient houses (that you can visit), tailor shops (where you can make your most elegant custom dress) and museums in this “village” rich in Vietnamese history and culture, where you can relax and enjoy the delicious and unique local food.
Near Hoi An you can visit My Son (do not read it with English pronunciation), an archaeological complex of Hindu temples built during the era of the glorious Champa kingdom.
- Da Lat –
Are you tired of the sultry heat of Vietnam? Take a ride to Da Lat! At about 1500 meters above sea level, this town is a mixture of Vietnam and France, French colonial architecture flanked by Vietnamese.
A few kilometers from the urban center, which is relatively quiet, you will find an explosion of greenery in the beautiful hillside scenery, lots of flowers, beautiful waterfalls and temples with incredible architecture (such as the Linh Phuoc pagoda).
A city that has a lot to offer in terms of relaxation, in its cafés, in its golf courses immersed in the pinewoods and its lake.
– Mui Ne –
Mui Ne is an interesting seaside resort, what I liked more here are the colors of the area: its yellow sand dunes (it seems to be in the desert!) in contrast with the blue sky and the white clouds, the sea and its colorful fishing boats of the area and the “fairy spring“.
You can organize many outdoor activities, the most famous in these parts are kitesurfing and windsurfing.
– Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) –
Ho Chi Minh, also known as Saigon, is becoming more and more modern, but still retains its Vietnamese flair!
The chaos in the streets is something unimaginable and unique, in my opinion it is a tourist attraction by itself!
Very interesting its museums, especially the War Remnants Museum: you will leave this building with some more ideas of what the war in Vietnam was like and a little stomachache…
The Cu Chi Tunnels are Worthy of note: a few kilometers from the Saigon: the tunnels that were used by the Viet Cong during the war against the USA, which you can explore.
- Delta del Mekong –
The Mekong Delta is an exceptional and unique place! After hundreds of kilometers, starting from China, crossing Thailand, Laos and Cambodia the majestic river with its brown waters goes into the sea of Vietnam, creating in its delta a series of islands and enchanting places to visit.
A boat ride through the countless canals is one of the most memorable experiences here in Asia. Floating markets are another thing to see, even if little by little they are losing their charm getting smaller … the locals use them less and less, going more and more into the new super markets that are opening everywhere even here. However, they remain beautiful to see and unique.
Suggested places are: Can Tho, Ben Tre, Mỹ Tho.
– Phu Quoc –
The island of Phu Quoc is becoming more and more demanded as a international tourist destination, more and more hotels are popping up everywhere here.
It is the largest island in the country, located close to the border with Cambodia (south-west of the country) has white sandy beaches and an ideal climate practically all year for tourism that seeks relaxation and a sea destination in Vietnam .
A beautiful tropical island, with exceptional sunsets and a flora and fauna that will give you beautiful days.
Vietnam what to see … conclusions.
Vietnam is wonderful wherever you go: from North to South there are a myriad of places to explore! From the sea to the mountains, from the chaotic city to the quiet countryside … history, art, culture, fascinating life still different from ours and the great and tasty foods!
Many villages and small towns far from the usual tourist destinations will allow you more in their history and culture, but the same attractions of international tourism will make you spend unforgettable days exploring this Indochina country!
You can organize all kinds of outdoor activities or relaxing with cooking classes, explore caves or browse through magnificent scenery.
What are you waiting for? Come to Vietnam!
