Vietnam is a great place to visit for an amazing trip, thanks to its stunning emerald scenery, rich historical sites, beautiful beaches, and vibrant cities. The number of tourists visiting Vietnam each year is increasing, which aligns with its reputation as a great starting point for exploring Southeast Asia.
There are many things to see and do in this country, from beautiful beaches to ruins from the Cham era and two of Asia’s liveliest megacities. To make the most of your trip, plan it around the things you must see. It depends on where to go in Vietnam, whether you fly into Hanoi, a cultural city in the north, or Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), a bustling city in the south. You can also skip these two big Vietnam cities and go straight to the beaches of Phu Quoc, which is a tropical paradise.
Here is a list of the top ten places to visit in Vietnam to help you plan your trip, and more facts about Vietnam here.
Vietnam’s Best Places to Visit
1. Phu Quoc
The island of Phu Quoc is where beach worshippers go to pray. You can’t get much souther from Hanoi without entering the Gulf of Thailand. This is a place to slow down and enjoy a drink as the ember-colored sun sets into the bay. The water is perfectly blue, and the beaches are soft and fine.
Many local tourists come to VinWonders for its theme park thrills and Sun World Hon Thom for its world’s longest over-sea cable car rides, offering breathtaking views of the sea. Many families enjoy visiting Phu Quoc. If you want to get away from the tourists, you can explore the dense jungles that are uphill from the beach.
If you’re going to Phu Quoc, you don’t need to go through Hanoi and HCMC. Many Asian airlines fly directly to Phu Quoc from hubs such as Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Seoul, where they connect with longer-haul flights to other destinations. Also, keep in mind that Phu Quoc doesn’t require a visa like other places; guests can stay there for up to 30 days without one.
2. Hanoi
Every trip has to begin somewhere, and Vietnam’s historic city is the best place for first-timers to start. There is easy access to Hanoi’s infrastructure, cheap lodging, delicious food, and more history than you can ever read. Hanoi is also the starting point for trips to the islands and cliffs around Halong Bay, as well as the forest-covered trails in the northwest mountains.
Allow yourself enough time to try a variety of Vietnamese street foods and relax in one of the Old Quarter’s cosy bars while you quickly see the sights.
If you want to enjoy Hanoi’s nightlife without spending a lot of money, check out the bia hoi (draft beer) stands at the busy Bia Hoi Junction on the P Ta Hein drinking street.
3. Lan Ha Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay
When Halong Bay is crowded with people, it can become quite congested. The north and south bays, which sparkle, are less crowded and have just as beautiful karst rocks and islands. In Halong Bay Vietnam holiday packages are highly commercialised, with motorised luxury junks emitting diesel fumes around the eroded karst formations. In Lan Ha Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay, on the other hand, you won’t see as many cruise ships in your pictures.
You can kayak between the cliffs, hike along the tropical trails on Cat Ba Island, which is the entrance to Lan Ha Bay, or relax on the beach on Co To Island in Bai Tu Long, which has many beautiful beaches and seafood restaurants.
If you go to Cat Ba Island, make sure you check out the trails around Cat Ba National Park. A guide makes it easy to avoid the crowds when hiking.
4. Ho Chi Minh City
The cosmopolitan and French-influenced Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) is the southern counterpart to Hanoi in the north. Its culture is influenced by the Mekong Delta and Cambodia, which is right next door. It moves quickly, is chaotic, and is a lot of fun, especially at night when the sidewalks transform into a vibrant array of food stands and bars.
Some of the frontier feel of the war years remains in HCMC. The War Remnants Museum and other sites can offer a deeper understanding of this challenging period in Vietnamese history. Even the ghosts of French Indochina remain. Take some time to walk around the city’s colonial-era sights and then relax in a coffee shop with a cup of Vietnamese ca phe that was brewed slowly.
Planning Tip: If you want to escape the city crowds, consider visiting nearby Tay Ninh. The open-to-all Cao Dai Holy See is an excellent venue to learn about their beliefs.
5. Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park
The most famous natural attraction in Vietnam is Hang Son Doong Cave, the world’s largest cave system and a true natural wonder. There are so many visitors that a whole New York City block could fit inside the main passageway, but you can only get into this monster tunnel on expensive guided tours.
The good news is that Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park has many other caves that are less expensive to explore, whether by climbing, crawling, boating, or ziplining. You can visit the Tu Lan, Phong Nha, and Paradise caves on a very small budget. If you have more money, you can get into Hang En, where hikers set up tents on an underground beach lit by natural light lines.
6. Hoi An
Hoi An is a journey through Vietnam’s complex past. Japan, Spain, and North America were among the places where traders brought gold to this port, which was once one of the most important in Asia. The people who lived there were smart with their money; they filled the Old Town with neat shophouses, tea stores, covered bridges, guildhalls in the Chinese style, and colourful Confucian and Buddhist pagodas.
In Hoi An, history is just the start. Many tourists stay for days, taking cooking classes taught by chefs to learn how to make white rose dumplings and summer rolls and buying clothes and gowns made to measure at the city’s reasonably priced tailors’ shops.
Travelling inland from Hoi An offers a pleasant change of pace. Bho Hoong, a Co Tu minority town, offers warm community homestays.
7. The Central Beaches
Vietnam’s central coast is full of sandy bays, but the mood changes a lot from one beach to the next. Many package tourists visit the high-rise cities of Da Nang and Nha Trang. These cities were military R&R places during the American War, but their crowded beaches, Cham-era ruins, Buddhist shrines, and wonderful seafood make them more interesting.
We rate the beaches along the coast that are less busy and still have a lot of Vietnam’s old seaside beauty. For kitesurfers, Mui Ne is a popular destination with numerous sandy coves located south of Nha Trang. To the north, Doc Let Beach boasts 18 km (11 miles) of sandy coastline, offering surf and fishing opportunities.
Take a diversion to the coast between Hue and Danang for a more peaceful beach experience. Thuan An is the starting point for a series of peaceful, sandy beaches that surround a barrier island backed by a lake.
8. Hue
The Nguyen dynasty ruled over much of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia in the 19th and 20th centuries. The city that was the home of the Nguyen dynasty is full of imperial history, even though US bombers destroyed it during the American War.
Hue lost a lot, but the Citadel and Imperial Enclosure, which is home to the emperor’s home, temples, palaces, and court, still show how great dynastic Vietnam was. In the past, anyone who tried to enter the imperial property without permission would have died right away.
The tombs of Vietnam’s most important kings are just outside of town. They are set in peaceful, green grounds next to the Perfume River. Hue boasts some of the finest imperial cuisines in the country, serving as a poignant reminder of the time when kings ruled. You’ll understand when you try a hot bowl of bun bo Hue (vermicelli noodle soup) or a crunchy banh khoai pancake!
Planning Tip: Rent a motorbike or scooter to get around the royal tombs in Hue faster than the crowds. On your way out of the city, don’t miss the Thien Mu Pagoda.
9. Ba Be National Park
In Vietnam’s more than 30 national parks, you can find everything from seaside swamps to mountain jungles. However, some of the parks are extremely popular with tourists, making it difficult to spot wildlife. That’s not as much of a problem in the beautiful Ba Be National Park, where paths wind between limestone peaks to reach Hmong, Tay, and Dzao villages. You can also take boat or kayak trips across calm lakes surrounded by forest ridges that look like they belong in a mediaeval woodcut.
Watch out for animals as you walk around. Macaques and langur monkeys, as well as rare black bears, scaly pangolins, and the beautiful crested serpent eagle, reside in the park.
Planning Tip: Staying in a comfortable home in a village completes the feeling of getting away from the main tourist trail. Pac Ngoi village has family-run guesthouses for a more personal homestay. You can get there by bus from Hanoi, going through Cho Don village.
10. Ha Giang
One of the best places to visit in Vietnam is to go trekking to minority towns in the hills around Sapa. However, the country’s trekking capital feels a bit touristy these days. People who want to find the countryside paradise that first drew people to the mountainous northwest of the country have to walk farther every year.
Ha Giang province is Vietnam’s new frontier for experiencing beautiful farmland with no one else around. You can stay in simple homestays in villages and hike to minority towns and rice terraces tucked between tall limestone mountains. You can also drive (or pedal) over some of Vietnam’s most beautiful passes. The mountain road between Ha Giang town, Dong Van, and Meo Vac is very windy, so be sure to take lots of pictures.
Tip for Planning: If you’re comfortable riding, you can easily rent motorcycles and scooters in Ha Giang town to get out and see the hills. Take care and expect rain! Keep in mind that you’ll need a foreign driver’s license and a home license that covers motorcycles if you want to rent a bike instead of a scooter.
FAQS for the best places to visit in Vietnam
It’s easy and cheap to get around Vietnam. There are several cheap transport options. It is easy to get from small villages in the north to beach towns in the south thanks to the public transport system. Numerous affordable domestic flights start at around £16.20, and most major towns have airports. There are long-distance bus lines that cost as little as £8.10. Take a train in Vietnam to see some beautiful sights. Sleeper tickets are nice, and they cost about £62.37 each.
It’s essential to determine if you require a visa before your first trip to Vietnam. Some countries can be entered without a visa, and obtaining an e-Visa is relatively easy for others. Make sure your passport is valid for six months following your travel.
Yes, you should get travel insurance before you go to Vietnam. Ensure that your insurance covers expenses such as trip cancellations or medical emergencies. Vietnam is typically safe, but best safe than sorry.
Tourism is safe in the country, with little major crime. You should be careful about small thefts and traffic, though, especially since there are so many motorbikes around. Keep an eye out for natural disasters, such as tropical storms, as well. Your trip will go more smoothly if you stay aware and take simple safety measures.
If you want to go to certain places in Vietnam, there is a best time to visit. The country experiences pleasant weather in the spring (March–April) and fall (September–November), making these seasons ideal for first-time visitors.
It’s up to you and your plans how many days you want to stay in Vietnam. Two-week trip is generally the best length for first-time travellers. This gives you enough time to see both the busy towns and the quiet countryside. You can also visit places that not many people visit if you have more time.
If you want to stay safe while travelling in Vietnam, keep a close eye on your belongings at all times, especially in busy areas, to avoid getting robbed. Keep important things like cash and passports in a money belt or a secret pouch. To avoid scams, only use cabs or ride-hailing services that you know and trust. Do not walk alone at night in places you don’t know, and be careful when talking to people who offer to help you. Lastly, learn about common tourist scams to stay safe and avoid falling for them.
Conclusion
It can be challenging to choose the best places to visit in Vietnam, as there are numerous attractions and activities to enjoy. From beautiful natural landscapes to rich cultural histories, every city and region has something special to offer. Spend a few days in each place to get a feel for what makes Vietnamese vibes such a memorable trip.
