What to see in Vietnam: 8 must-sees
Discover what to see in Vietnam: 8 must-see destinations, from Ha Long Bay to Hanoi. Predominantly UNESCO heritage and beach; each entry includes the best time to visit and the link to its official source.
UNESCO Heritage(4)
Immerse yourself in Ha Long Bay as you cruise among 1,600 limestone islands rising out of the water in the Red River Delta. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, the bay hides caves such as Sung Sot and Thien Cung, reachable aboard traditional junks from the quays of Ha Long City. Floating fishing villages such as Cua Van show everyday life on the water, while the viewpoints of Titop Island offer views of the towers at sunset. Cruises of one or two nights let you sleep anchored among the karst formations.
Explore Hoi An, a trading port from the 15th to the 19th centuries declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, and walk streets of timber houses with curved roofs, the covered Japanese Bridge of 1593 and the Chinese assembly halls. Buy silk and lanterns at the central market by the Thu Bon River, try cao lau at the old-town stalls and walk at night among colored lanterns lighting yellow facades and merchant guild halls.
Pause before the largest caves on Earth, on Vietnam's north-central coast, where water and rock have created settings that look like science fiction. Walk underground galleries with navigable rivers and enormous stalactites, within a park declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003. Here the karst formations and the colossal vaults turn every visit into an expedition: boat into the Phong Nha cave, walk between lit columns and listen to the echo of water in chambers beyond any known scale.
Enter Hue — Vietnam's former imperial capital on the north-central coast — where the walled citadel and the palace of the Nguyen dynasty keep centuries of history. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, the ensemble keeps monumental gates, temples and imperial thrones on the banks of the Perfume River. Walk its stone courtyards, observe the carved wooden details and understand why this site is an exceptional testimony to a vanished civilisation. Every wall and every pagoda recount the life of courtiers and emperors, turning the visit into a direct journey into Vietnam's past.
Beach(2)
Sail between the islands of Nha Trang Bay, on Vietnam's south-central coast, where transparent water allows snorkelling over coral reefs near Hon Mun. The urban beach of fine sand runs for several kilometers facing the promenade, with quiet stretches good for swimming and waves fit for surfing in season. Round off the day trying seafood at the stalls of the quay or riding the cable car toward Vinpearl Island.
Walk the shore of Mui Ne, where the red and white dunes reach almost down to the sea and the constant southeast wind turns its waters into a reference point for surfing and kitesurfing. Snorkel near the coast, walk among round-bowed fishing boats and watch how the sand changes tone with the hour of the day. If you set out early, the white sand dunes offer clear views of sunrise over the ocean.
City(1)
Walk Hanoi's old quarter, where every street keeps the trade that named it centuries ago: silks, brass, herbs. Reach Hoan Kiem Lake at dawn and you will see locals practicing tai chi before the Turtle Tower. This capital of 1,000 years and 8 million inhabitants, in the Red River Delta, mixes Confucian temples, French colonial facades and steaming pho stalls. Cross the red bridge to Ngoc Son Temple and try egg coffee from some balcony over the traffic.
Natural(1)
Cross the channels of the Mekong Delta at dawn and reach Cai Rang floating market, where boats loaded with pineapples, watermelons and mangoes sell wholesale from the water. Visit the rice-noodle workshops, ride a bike through the orchards of Phong Dien, and try the coffee beside the Hau River. On the banks, stilt houses, nipa palms and wooden jetties set the rhythm of river life. Shaded paths among coconut palms invite a walk and waterbird watching as the sampans row their way through narrow channels.
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