Best Places To See In Vietnam

Hanoi

Discover Vietnam's fascinating capital

Hanoi  is one of Vietnam’s most captivating cities, where centuries of history sit comfortably alongside a fast-moving, food-obsessed present. Ancient temples stand just streets away from French colonial buildings, busy motorbike-filled intersections and modern high-rises, while peaceful lakes offer a welcome escape from the city’s energy.

The Old Quarter is the heart of Hanoi, a maze of narrow streets where many roads are still named after the trades once practised there. It’s a place best explored without rushing, with hidden temples, family-run cafés and local restaurants tucked between traditional shopfronts. Nearby, Train Street has become one of the city’s most unusual attractions, while West Lake offers a quieter glimpse of local life.

Beyond the Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake sits at the city’s centre, while the Temple of Literature and the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology provide fascinating insights into Vietnam’s history and diverse cultures. If you’re interested in more recent history, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is also worth visiting.

Food is a highlight of any visit to Hanoi. Start your day with a bowl of pho, try the city’s famous egg coffee and spend an evening sampling street food from the small stalls that spill onto the pavements. For many visitors, Hanoi’s food scene is every bit as memorable as its historic landmarks.

Ninh Binh

Explore Vietnam's spectacular countryside

The rice fields and limestone mountains many people picture when they think of Vietnam are usually Ninh Binh. Just a couple of hours from Hanoi, the region offers a striking contrast to the capital’s energy, and its appeal lies precisely in that contrast: flat, fertile valleys hemmed in by dramatic karst peaks, with rivers winding quietly between them.

Trang An and Tam Coc are the two main areas for traditional rowing-boat trips, with local rowers guiding boats beneath caves and along rivers past ancient temples and cliffs reflected in the water. Trang An’s wider network of caves and grottoes has also drawn film crews in the past, including scenes from Kong: Skull Island, lending it a degree of international recognition beyond Vietnam.

On land, the flat terrain suits cycling well, with quiet roads running through villages, rice paddies and lotus ponds where water buffalo graze and farmers work much as they have for generations. Hang Mua Viewpoint, reached via a steep set of steps, offers one of the region’s best panoramas for those willing to make the climb, with the Ngo Dong River winding through rice fields far below.

Late May and early June tend to bring the most vivid green to the rice fields, before the colour shifts to gold as harvest approaches, generally considered the most photogenic period to visit. The relative quiet of Ninh Binh, particularly compared with Ha Long Bay, is also part of its appeal for travellers looking to slow down.

Đà Nẵng

Beaches, mountains and Vietnam's most scenic coastal road

Located between Hue and Hoi An on most routes, Đà Nẵng is often passed through rather than explored, though it has plenty to justify a longer stop. Long sandy beaches, strong seafood and easy access to some of central Vietnam’s best attractions define the city, and its appeal has grown considerably over the past decade as it has developed into one of Vietnam’s more modern coastal hubs.

The Marble Mountains, a cluster of limestone hills containing caves, Buddhist sanctuaries and coastal viewpoints, sit just outside the centre. Further inland, the Ba Na Hills draw visitors for their cable car, among the longest in the world, and the Golden Bridge, held up by giant stone hands, which has become one of Vietnam’s most photographed modern landmarks.

For those arriving from Hue, the Hai Van Pass, regularly ranked among Vietnam’s most scenic coastal roads, offers sweeping views over mountains, beaches and the South China Sea. In the city itself, the riverfront along the Han River draws locals each evening, and on weekends, the Dragon Bridge breathes fire and water in a now-famous display. My Khe Beach, often ranked among Asia’s best, runs for several kilometres along the city’s eastern edge and is a large part of why Đà Nẵng has become a holiday destination in its own right, rather than simply a stopover.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Experience Vietnam's energetic southern city

Ho Chi Minh City offers a completely different perspective of Vietnam. Fast-paced and constantly evolving, it’s a city where French colonial architecture stands alongside modern skyscrapers, rooftop bars and bustling markets.

Start with the War Remnants Museum for an insight into Vietnam’s recent history before visiting the Central Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral and Ben Thanh Market. The city is also one of Vietnam’s best places to eat, if you’re looking for traditional street food, head out on a Vespa Street Food Tour.

Just outside the city, the Cu Chi Tunnels, sections of which are open to walk through, give a vivid sense of how people lived and fought during the Vietnam War, and remain one of the most visited sites in southern Vietnam for travellers interested in the country’s 20th-century history.

Phu Quoc

Relax on Vietnam's tropical islan

Phu Quoc’s white sand beaches and warm turquoise water have made it Vietnam’s best-known island for relaxation, and often the final stop on longer itineraries. Its appeal is straightforward: after weeks of cities, temples and overnight trains, Phu Quoc offers somewhere to simply stop.

Snorkelling around nearby islands, coastal boat trips and simple beach time make up much of a typical stay, while inland, waterfalls, pepper plantations and traditional fish sauce producers, an industry the island has been known for since long before tourism arrived, reflect its quieter history. The island’s cable car to Hon Thom, one of the longest over-sea cable cars in the world, has added a newer attraction for those who want a different view of the coastline.

Phu Quoc is also home to some wonderful boutique hideaways, ranging from intimate beachfront resorts to luxurious villas surrounded by tropical gardens. If you’re planning honeymoons in Vietnam, it’s one of the country’s best places to slow the pace before flying home.