(Source: TheTimes) Vietnam is a wonderful destination where timeless landscapes, vibrant culture, and unforgettable flavors await every traveler. With 99 million souls and a coastline that wrinkles 2,000 miles along the country from north to south, there are plenty of people to meet and a lot to see, do and eat in Vietnam. I first visited in 2004 and have returned many times since. It’s easy to follow the tourist trail of historic Hanoi, ethereal Ha Long Bay, shopping emporium Hoi An and buzzy Ho Chi Minh City, but push a little further and you’ll be rewarded with some dazzling and memorable experiences.
HANOI
Hanoi is noisy, traffic-choked and beautiful all at once. The thousand-year-old city of lakes, founded on a bend of the Red River, is full of history, charm, museums, shops, markets and wonderful street food. Don’t miss the Old Quarter, the heart of the city, where you’ll find lots of food, hotels and temples cheek-by-jowl with shops. Learn how to dodge the motorbikes while on a street-food tour or exploring the ochre-hued French colonial villas, Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, the Temple of Literature, the “Hanoi Hilton” prison museum of Hoa Lo and the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology.
Image: Hoan Kiem Lake which is considered as the heart of Hanoi.
HA GIANG
Ha Giang is Vietnam’s northernmost region, pushing up against the border with China. It’s an otherworldly landscape of sugarloaf peaks, mountain passes and rice paddies carved into impossibly steep mountains. Find villages of Red Dzao, Flower Hmong and other local minorities, markets, eco-stays and a window into a rural world of timeless traditions such as weaving. Don’t miss the palace of the Hmong king who raked in revenue from opium farming. En route, stop at the dazzling rice paddy region of Mu Cang Chai.
Image: Children in Ha Giang province.
PU LUONG & MAI CHAU
Not too far from Hanoi are these idyllic retreats found amid neon-green rice paddies. At Pu Luong nature reserve, with its homestays and eco-retreats, trek past the paddies and orchards of the Muong people and cruise down a river on a traditional bamboo raft in a landscape woven with traditional water wheels. This area is home to rare Asian black bear, Owston’s palm civet and endangered Delacour’s langur. North is the exceptionally beautiful Mai Chau Valley, a serene landscape of rice paddies. Stay at the lovely Avana Retreat, built by local Hmong, White Thai and Black Thai people.
Image: A visitor takes a photo in the terraces of Pu Luong.
HA LONG BAY
Boats – from junks to elegant luxury vessels – cruise through the waters of Unessco-protected Ha Long Bay, which is studded with thousands of craggy limestone outcrops. It’s an ethereal landscape and with each turn of weather can bring dense fog or crisp blue skies. It won’t matter – it’s all enchanting. To make the most of it, head out on a boat for at least two nights to cruise to the outer “fortress” of towers – Bai Tu Long Bay. It’s more magical and it escapes the crowds of one-day and one-night boats.
Image: Bai Tu Long Bay.
HUE
Hue was the cultural and political power base of the Nguyen emperors, Vietnam’s last imperial dynasty. They built a citadel, gilded in bronze, enamel and lacquer, with gates for themselves, elephants and their minions. They lived in extravagant regal splendor surrounded by concubines and eunuchs. And they fashioned their last resting places, all gothic-meets-Confucius and geomantic in design, landscaped with streams, statues and elaborate graves that trace the serpentine route of Hue’s Perfume River.
Image: A gate in the Imperial Hue.
DA NANG
Da Nang is a vibrant coastal city that blends natural beauty, modern charm, and cultural richness. Known for its golden beaches, iconic bridges, and friendly locals, Da Nang offers the perfect balance between relaxation and adventure. From the mystical Marble Mountains to the awe-inspiring Golden Bridge held by giant stone hands, every corner invites exploration. Whether you’re chasing the sunrise on My Khe Beach or savoring fresh seafood by the Han River, Da Nang promises unforgettable memories in every moment.
Image: The fire-breathing Dragon Bridge in Da Nang.
HOI AN
The ancient port of Hoi An is filled with large merchant houses, and hundreds of tailors and craft shops. One-storey ochre-coloured homes line the small lantern-lit streets along the Unessco-protected town’s Thu Bon river. Come for the atmosphere, tailor-made clothes, and the delicious street food including some tantalising local dishes.
Image: Hoi An Old Town.
NINH VAN BAY
Ninh Van Bay is a divine little hideaway close to the major seaside resort of Nha Trang. Escape from the city to this peninsula, just north, for some serious beach time. An Lam Retreats Ninh Van Bay is dreamy with a boho vibe, while Six Senses Ninh Van Bay is on a sublime stretch of sand with villas tucked away between and behind huge boulders. It’s just you, the beach, the restaurant and your butler at Six Senses Ninh Van Bay. The waterfalls and forests of the peninsula can be explored too.
Image: The beach in Ninh Van Bay.
DA LAT
Da Lat is filled with bars and cute cafés and is a great base from which to explore a load of kooky spots including the Crazy House homestay, cactus and coffee playground Kombi Land and a dragon statue made from thousands of glass bottles. Don’t miss checking out the French-built railway station, a Wes Anderson shoo-in.
Image: A 1930s railway station in Da Lat.
HO CHI MINH CITY
Ho Chi Minh City has brilliant street food, is draped in a fantastic array of fairy lights and is fuelled by a growing craft beer, spirit and cocktail scene and a thrilling, infectious energy.
Image: The beauty of Ho Chi Minh City street.
MEKONG DELTA
The liquid fingers of the Mekong River slink through southern Vietnam into the sea. Here you’ll find a mostly rural way of life with floating markets, temples and churches, and market farms harvesting coconut, bananas, mangos and veg. It’s not so much specific sites but a dip into the region’s culture — a mix of Cham, Khmer and Vietnamese, war history, wetlands and birds, and delicious food.
Image: A fruit vendor at a floating market on the Mekong Delta.
CON DAO ARCHIPELAGO
Con Dao was once a prison island run by the French and then the Americans. Today, this remote island off the south coast of Vietnam is a nature paradise, internationally recognized (by Ramsar) wetland area and home to the most important location for nesting sea turtles in Vietnam. Hike, snorkel, dive, sunbathe on the beautiful beaches, visit the turtle sites, and watch the squid boats at work.
Image: Visitors at the cemetery on Con Dao.
Explore Vietnamese tours with Vietnam Amusing Tours
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