Abundant in culture, tradition, cuisine and landscapes, Vietnam has been one of the most popular holiday destinations in Asia. It’s quite hard to list out 10 best places to visit in Vietnam because each place of the country offers its unique features. The common thing is that they can satisfy the appetite for travel of any kinds of travelers, hikers, bikers and outdoor lovers.
In this article, we recommend 10 best places that promise to work to those who are wondering where to go during their holiday in Vietnam.
1. Hanoi
Hanoi is an extremely fascinating place to visit. Old Quarter, Guom Lake, Van Mieu Quoc Tu Giam (Temple of Literature), Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, History Museums, old buildings with French architectural styles and traditional art forms such as Cheo, Tuong, Water Puppetry are some of many cultural and historical significances that draw interest of almost all visitors to the capital of Vietnam.
In addition, Hanoi cuisine attributes to its good reputation in the travel map in Asia and the world. From street food like Bun Cha (vermicelli noodle with grilled meat or Vietnamese pork sausage) and Banh Trang Tron (Vietnamese rice paper salad) to quintessential dishes like Bun Thang (vermicelli noodle with pork, chicken and egg) and Cha Ca (marinated fried fish with dill), they can definitely tantalized the taste buds of any eaters, even those who are a gourmet.
2. Sapa
Sapa, a small mountainous town in Lao Cai province is actually one of the most famous tourist attractions in Vietnam, highly recommended by both local and foreign tourists alike. If you are interested in discovering customs and traditions of ethnic minorities, don’t forget to add this amazing place in your travel map.
Standing on Fan Si Pan- the country’s highest peak, you will get an overview of the stunning scenery with terraced rice field, forest treks and traditional houses of the locals. For those who love trekking or motorbike road trip, Sapa must be an ideal choice.
3. Ha Long Bay
Other best place in the north is Halong Bay. It is something right of a movie, a natural wonder that you can’t help uttering “wow” when standing in front of it. The outstanding beauty of the bay is made up of thousands of limestone islands and islets eroded into jagged pinnacles by wind and water action over millennia. For this reason, Halong Bay was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.
The best way to discover this extraordinary place is to engage in an overnight tour to observe how beautiful the bay is at daytime and how glorious it is at nighttime when the whole tourist area is lit up with millions of lights.
4. Ho Chi Minh (Sai Gon)
As one of five major cities in Vietnam and one of the greatest cities in Asia, Ho Chi Minh is without dispute an ideal holiday destination for those who prefer cosmopolitan life. Numerous supermarkets, restaurants, café shops and streets full of motorbikes and cars, Sai Gon is where the hustle and bustle life shown clearly, especially at night.
For travelling purpose, you may make a visit to old district of Da Kao for some of the best surviving examples of the city’s French colonial architecture, History Museum, Independence Palace that was once known as Reunification Palace – the residence for South Vietnam’s president, Phuoc Hai pagoda (Jade Emperor pagoda) with dazzling array of Buddhist and Taoist, etc.
5. Hoi An & Hue
Hoi An is the most atmospheric city in Vietnam and a “must-go” destination when travelling to the central region of the country. The poetic Hoi An attracts tourists with historic architecture, namely the Old Quarter – a major Southeast Asian trading post in the 16th and 17th centuries; 17th-century Tan Ky House; Thanh Toan Bridge that has Japanese and Chinese features and Fujian Assembly Hall that was erected around 1690 and functioned as a traditional assembly hall for the Chinese ethnic group from Fujian, China.
From Hoi An, tourists often take a coach back to Hue, the citadel of Vietnam. Here, you can sit along the banks of Huong river to observe the local life, enjoy the rustic and poetic beauty of the river and listen to traditional music (Ca Hue, Vong Co, Ho Vi Dam). Tourists also check out historic sites like Ngo Mon Gate, Thai Hoa Palace, Dien Tho Residence and Halls of the Mandarins.
6. Da Lat
If you prefer a place that is both beautiful and peaceful, you should go to Da Lat. The city offers a cool and fresh atmosphere that many cities in Vietnam do not have. Not just that, it is famous for beautiful pine tree forests that have been shot on many films and flower farms that become the hottest check in destination of almost all travelers.
Da Lat also has a number of impressive waterfalls (Bao Dai, Pongour, Cam Ly,..) and a beautiful lake named Tuyen Tam in which tourists can discover the beauty of nature as well as capture pretty pictures. Hiring a bike to make your own tour around the hill town is an ideal way to enjoy the scenery around you.
7. Da Nang
Da Nang is ranked top “worthy-living” cities in Vietnam, so, it’s definitely one of the best place to visit in Vietnam and also most famous tourist attractions in Asia. The city attracts tourists with centuries-old pagodas like Linh Ung pagoda, buildings that have features of French colonial architecture, national parks and pristine sandy beaches in which tourists can enjoy a day of swimming, diving, fishing, windsurfing, and yachting.
It’s worth mentioning that Da Nang cuisine contributes greatly to its success of tourism. It offers a variety of foods, both served at restaurants and street food corner, promise to tantalize your taste buds.
8. Nha Trang
Nha Trang is a charming city that is naturally favored a pristine beach with soft white sand, pure blue water and cool quiet air. For these amazing features, Nha Trang Beach is always one of the hottest destinations for summer vacation of both Vietnamese and foreign travelers from neighboring and European countries.
If you want to explore this stunning city more, you make a visit to the ancient Po Nagar Cham Towers that has been used as a place of worship here since the 7th century and a museum dedicated to Alexandre Yersin who discovered the cause of the bubonic plague and founded the Institute Pasteur in Nha Trang in 1895.
9. Trang An Scenic Complex, Ninh Binh
Naturally favored a stunning untouched beauty, Trang An was recognized as a world natural and cultural heritage, and is currently one of the most popular tourist attractions in Vietnam. It features poetic scenes made up of rivers flowing through limestone mountains that helps to form mysterious natural caves.
Its exhilarating scenes have been shot on documentaries, music videos, wedding shoots, and box offices in Vietnam, namely Tấm Cám Chuyện Chưa Kể (Tam Cam: Untold story) of Kay Nguyen, Buu Loc Tran in 2016 and Kong: Skull Island of Jordan Charles Vogt-Roberts in 2017. To explore the amazing Trang An, it’s ideal to take a sailing boat to observe scenes alongside the river, go through caves, and see the clouds and water “blend” into each other.
From Trang An, you may check out Van Long Lake and Bai Dinh Pagoda which are always on the top destination of both locals and tourists, especially young travelers.
10. Mekong river delta
If you are engaged in exploring the rustic life of people living in countryside, you should travel to Mekong river in the far south of Vietnam. Large paddy fields, mangrove forests that are most beautiful at flood season, chaotic floating markets, and daily life of locals on and alongside the rivers promise to satisfy the love of discovering the simple and natural beauty of life of any travelers.
Can Tho is a popular town used as a base to explore Phong Dien and Cai Rang floating markets, while Ca Mau provides boat trips that take you to U Minh Mangrove Forest and Ca Mau Nature Reserve. Easy to travel from Sai Gon, right?
So, that’s 10 best destinations in Vietnam that will be helpful for those who plan to go to Vietnam over their holiday. Spending time to visit at least some and you will certainly find it worth.
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