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Things to do in Vietnam
Must-see Vietnam sights
Long and skinny Vietnam packs a lot in. Pedal around emerald green paddy fields and water buffaloes one day, chill out on white-sand beaches and swim in turquoise waters the next. Visit floating markets, temples, vast caves and cities that bustle non-stop. Hike around craggy mountains and visit friendly minority communities. Add a cuisine that makes your taste buds sing - and it’s win-win.- Feel the buzz in Hanoi
- Be charmed in Hoi An
- Sunbathe and party at Nha Trang
- Eat a Banh mi
- Watch a water puppet show
- Get around on two wheels
- Enjoy pristine sands on Phu Quoc Island
- Cruise Ha Long Bay
- Get adventurous around Da Lat
- Sleep in a Stilthouse
1. Feel the buzz in Hanoi
Wondering what to do in Vietnam? Start with Hanoi for an assault on the senses. There’s all that colonial architecture to look at, while the hum of motorbikes invades your ears. And wafting through the city is the delicate scent of delicious street food. Pull up a plastic stool and people-watch over a beer.
Don’t miss: The bustling Old Quarter, tranquil Hoan Kiem Lake, the atmospheric French Quarter.
While you’re here: Visit historical sights, such as the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum of Ethnology.
2. Be charmed in Hoi An
We can’t pretend UNESCO World Heritage Site Hoi An isn’t a tourist magnet. But it still has to be on your list of things to do in Vietnam. Why? Because it’s just so charming. The riverside town has a gentle old-world atmosphere with its centuries-old merchants' houses in shades of mustard yellow and wooden-fronted shops. Take a stroll during the day and sip a sundowner by the river.
Don’t miss: One of Hoi An’s monthly lantern festivals - the candle-lit paper lanterns are a magical sight.
While you’re here: Rent a bike and cycle to An Bang beaches, or explore Cam Kim island and its craft villages.
3. Sunbathe and party at Nha Trang
Sun worshipping wins over sightseeing in Nha Trang. Plonk yourself down on that sunlounger and just chill – the grand 6km scythe of soft yellow sand provides ample space. As evening approaches, swap beach bumming for bar hopping and party the night away.
Don’t miss: There are day-trips to Nha Trang’s outlying islands, combining hiking, snorkelling and an onboard feast of seafood.
While you’re here: Wallow in mineral-enriched mud at one of the mudbath complexes, such as Thap Ba Hot Springs just north of Nha Trang
4. Eat a Banh mi
Don’t miss: Pho, the traditional beef-and-noodle breakfast soup.
While you’re here: Learn to cook Vietnamese dishes yourself. There are several cookery schools in Hoi An and Hanoi.
5. Watch a water puppet show
If you thought puppet shows were just for children, think again. Water puppetry (mua roi nuoc), a tradition spawned in the rice paddies of the northern Red River Delta, is a delightfully quirky form of theatre. Dragons, unicorns, phoenixes and frogs spout smoke, throw balls and cavort on a stage of water, manipulated by hidden puppeteers.
Don’t miss: Sophisticated shows in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, often involving fireworks dancing on the water.
While you’re here: Visit the festival of puppetry in February, as part of the Tet celebrations, at Thay Pagoda, west of Hanoi.
6. Get around on two wheels
One of the best things to do in Vietnam is get around on your own pair of wheels - either by bike or motorbike. Explore back roads, quiet villages and those harder to reach beaches, as well as nip in and out of traffic. Pedal between rice fields in the Mekong Delta, surrounded by classic Vietnamese scenery; discover Phu Quoc Island’s mountainous interior on a motorbike.
Don’t miss: Take a motorbike tour around Da Lat with the well known Easy Rider operators.
While you’re here: There are several excellent day- and half-day bike rides around Da Lat.
7. Enjoy pristine sands on Phu Quoc Island
Powdery white sands backed by swaying coconut palms, gentle lapping waves...when you’re daydreaming about that perfect beach, this is it. You’ll find it on Phu Quoc Island, located at Vietnam’s southern tip. Long Beach is, unsurprisingly, long - almost 20km, perfect for sunbathing, swimming and sunset-watching.
Don’t miss: The waters around the island offer some of the best snorkelling in Vietnam.
While you’re here: Explore the interior’s tropical rainforest, which covers 70% of the island and is part of a UNESCO-listed national park.
8. Cruise Ha Long Bay
You’ll no doubt have seen the pictures: unbelievably scenic and mystic looking, jagged emerald islands jutting out of the sea in their thousands. And it really is that pretty. Take a boat tour to pass through the maze of limestone pinnacles punctuating the water and pass hidden coves. Spend the night at sea on a two- to three- day tour.
Don’t miss: Swimming in the turquoise waters and kayaking around the bay.
While you’re here: Spend a few days at Cat Ba Island for lovely beaches, lush interior and access to some of Ha Long Bay’s most captivating scenery.
9. Get adventurous around Da Lat
The fresh breezes that fan the quaint hillside town of Da Lat in the central highlands are a relief from the heat of the lowlands. Use it as a base for adventure activities in the scenic surrounds: try canyoning, whitewater rafting, kayaking, biking and hiking.
Don’t miss: A beautiful canyon just 15-minute drive from Da Lat, though the climbing course requires ropes and a bit of bravery. Groovy Gecko runs trips.
While you’re here: Visit the Crazy House. It is constructed to resemble the knotted trunks of huge trees. You can stay overnight.
10. Sleep in a Stilthouse
Which memories will stick long after you return home? A visit to the minority groups in the spectacular nature reserve of Pu Long, south of Hanoi, will surely be one. Even more so if you take up a homestay and bed down in one of their simple, thatched stilted houses. Eating with families of the White Thai and Muong groups and joining in with their daily routine offers insight into their traditional way of life.
Don’t miss: Trekking through the valley with a guide, for glorious views of rice terraces cascading down the hillside.
While you’re here: Look out for the extremely rare Delacour’s leaf monkey - there are only 40 or so in the reserve.
