Vietnam Destinations
Ba Be National Park, established in 1992 as a reserve, offers a multitude of opportunities for observing nature and participating in sports such as trekking and kayaking. About 260 km from Hanoi, the park is home to a large fresh-water lake, waterfalls, caves and rivers. This tropical rain forest area is home to over 550 plant species, and some 300 species of wildlife live in its forest. The...
The hill tribes’ markets of Bac Ha are the largest in northern Vietnam. Several markets occur regularly in this small town near the Chinese border, but the Sunday market is the main attraction, with many Hmong villagers gathering to trade and socialize. Embroidered textiles are a major market product. In addition to the market, Bac Ha is known for brewing rice and cassava wine and corn...
Located 30 km from China in northern Vietnam, Cao Bang was a colonial military town and is where the Viet Minh rebels won their first victory against the French army. From Cao Bang, visitors can trek through stunning scenery to villages of minority ethnic people. Don’t miss Ban Gioc Waterfall, about a three-hour drive from Cao Bang. This beautiful waterfall, which spans 300...
Con Dao Island, off Vietnam’s southern coast, is a place of both immense natural beauty and fascinating history. During the French colonial area it was a prison island, and later on the Saigon regime imprisoned its opponents in the infamous cells known as the "tiger cages." Today the old prison buildings are being overtaken by jungle, but are still standing and are open to the...
Flowers and all nature are the big attraction of Da Lat, a premier vacation spot that attracts many Vietnamese to this city in Vietnam’s central highlands. It’s flower market is renown, and every other year in December Da Lat hosts a flower festival with exhibitions and a flower parade. Some describe Da Lat as a cross between Vietnam and the French Alps, and it is home to some of...
Ha Giang province is 300 km away from Hanoi located at the highest latitude in Vietnam and sharing border with China in the north. Varity of ethnic minorities, including the Dao, H’mong, Tay, and Nung, live in Ha Giang. The climate is divided in two distinct seasons (rainy and dry), although it tends to vary depending on altitude. Ha Giang is the ideal location to organize activities...
Nearly 3,000 limestone islands, called karsts, emerge mystically from the waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. Ha Long Bay, translated literally as the Bay of Descending Dragons, was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994. A Ha Long Bay cruise to take in these strangely sculpted karsts, which hide caves, lagoons and beaches, is a must on any Vietnam vacation. Add a kayaking excursion for an...
Vietnam’s 1,000-year-old capital, Hanoi, with a population of over 6.5 million, is one of the country’s main cultural centers and considered a rising star in Southeast Asia. New and old, East and West meet here, in what is now the country’s educational center.
The Old Quarter provides a fascinating look at the Hanoi of the early 20th century, when each of the...
Formerly Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam from 1955-1975, today Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam’s largest city and commercial heart. Home to 10 million, this bustling city is replete with skyscrapers, shopping centers and motorbikes. Luxury and poverty, new and old, traditional and trendy blend here. Among the historic sites to visit are the Old Post Office of Saigon, the Notre Dame...
Hoi An, in south central Vietnam, is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site for its well-preserved ancient streets and homes and its example as a trading port. The quaint cobblestone streets are home to some 2-century-old Chinese houses. Visitors can visualize the trading for spices, silk and porcelain that took place among merchants from India, Europe, Japan during the 16th to 19th...
Hue was the imperial capital of the Nguyen Dynasty from 1802 to 1945, and as the home to 13 emperors, this UNESCO World Heritage Site offers insights into the world of royalty. The most famous site in this central Vietnam city on the Perfume River is the Imperial Citadel, once the emperors’ forbidden city where visitors can now view a complex of temples, pavilions, moats, gates,...
Visitors who trek or bicycle around the beautiful area of Mai Chau in northwest Vietnam, 160 km from Hanoi, will get a look at the ethnic hill tribes of the White Thai and Hmong in their villages. Weaving is a much-practiced skill, and traditional hand-woven clothing abounds. Another fascinating feature of this area is its many stilt houses, made of bamboo and timber and built 10...
A Mekong Delta visit in southern Vietnam is the authentic experience many Vietnam travelers seek. Here visitors encounter timeless scenes of the real life of real people. Fishermen and farmers carry on traditional lives in this lush rice-producing delta, which is criss-crossed with rivers, canals and arroyos. On a Mekong Delta cruise, the visitor takes in the traffic of rice and sand barges,...
Mu Cang Chai is about 300 kilometers from Hanoi with 5 hours of driving. The main attraction of Mu Cang Chai lies in its terraced rice fields which are primarily situated in the district’s Che Cu Nha, La Pan Tan and De Zu Phinh villages. These imposing fields draw a large number of both Vietnamese and foreign travelers who love to take pictures of and indulge themselves in the amazing...
One of the most beautiful roads in southern Vietnam is the road from Quy Nhon to Nha Trang, which travels along white sandy beaches and turquoise sea. The town itself borders a 7 km stretch of scenic beach. Here, the visitor can enjoy fishing, snorkeling and diving -- this is the scuba diving center of Vietnam. Beach vendors sell fruit and hot seafood. A visit to this lively resort town,...
Phan Thiet, in southeastern Vietnam, is a city of about 350,000. About 200 km from Saigon, Phan Thiet is a fishing town known for fish sauce production; visitors may enjoy touring a plant. From Phan Thiet, tourists can visit nearby resort towns like Mui Ne, with its long, sandy beachfront that is known for wind and kite-surfing. The championship Ocean Dune’s Golf Club is nearby. At...
Beautiful beaches and fabulous seafood make the large tropical island of Phu Quoc in the Gulf of Thailand the perfect getaway. This mountainous and forested island has yet to be discovered by hoards of tourists and is not highly developed. Visitors can dive, snorkel, trek in the virgin forests -- or just relax on white sandy beaches that are considered among Southeast Asia’s most...
The south central Vietnam port city of Quy Nhon has its roots in the Champa culture of the 11th century. The 18th century Vietnamese emporer Nguyen Hue was born here. During the Vietnam War, the city had a large U.S. presence with a naval and military base. Today, the area’s sandy, secluded beaches beckon to tourists.
A frontier village in northwestern Vietnam near the Chinese border, Sapa is located in a stunning rugged mountainous region known as the “Tonkinese Alps.” Terraced rice fields and stunning views of Vietnam’s highest peak make Sapa a particularly picturesque spot. The lush area is home to several ethnic minorities, including the Dao and Hmong. They congregate in Sapa’s...
