Fodor's Essential Vietnam
Whether you want to
cruise through Halong Bay, eat street food in...
With everything from superb cuisine to stunning landscapes, this corner of Southeast Asia dazzles the senses. Peaceful paddy fields give way to frenetic urban centers like Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, where the youthful population rushes to embrace the future. Boutiques fill the French colonial buildings in enchanting Hoi An; in the north, a world away, are Sapa’s ethnic markets. Around Vietnam, lush jungles and jagged karst peaks beckon adventurers. Absorb it all but take time to relax, perhaps on the long, alluring coastline with its world-class beaches.
Fodor's Essential Vietnam
Whether you want to
cruise through Halong Bay, eat street food in...
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Top Destinations
Top Destinations
The Central Coast
Vietnam's long, lovely Central Coast has iconic sandy beaches, ancient Cham ruins, and fascinating royal tombs and pagodas. The highlights of the region are Hoi...
Ho Chi Minh City
Romantically referred to by the French as the Pearl of the Orient, Ho Chi Minh City today is a supercharged city of sensory overload. Motorbikes...
Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta (Cuu Long) is made up of innumerable rivers, canals, tributaries, and rivulets overflowing with fish; the rich alluvial soil helps produce an...
Hanoi
Hanoi celebrated its 1,000-year anniversary back in 2010, and although Western fashions, music, and food have long since elbowed their way into the once-impenetrable north...
The South-Central Coasts and Highlands
Vietnam's South-Central Coast and Highlands offer up a splendid contrast of attractions. Travel by road or rail through coastal towns with long beaches and clear...
Halong Bay and North-Central Vietnam
There is no disguising the stature of Halong Bay among Vietnam’s tourist draws. The UNESCO World Heritage–listed seascape, a mind-blowing collection of limestone karsts that...
Hoi An
From the lantern-strewn streets of Old Town to the farmers shouldering their harvest in balanced baskets, the scenes of Hoi An capture what every traveler...
Side Trips from Ho Chi Minh City
Some of the destinations around Ho Chi Minh City can be visited as day trips; others may take a few days. Some excursions are more...
The Northwest
Vietnam's staggering beauty and ethnic diversity are perhaps most evident in the Northwest, where dozens of ethnic-minority groups as well as the Kinh, the ethnic...
Hue
Hue (pronounced hway), 13 km (8 miles) inland from the South China Sea (known to the locals as the East Sea) in the foothills of...
Nha Trang
Nha Trang is the first major city you'll find heading north up the coast from Ho Chi Minh City. Home to some of Vietnam's best...
Phu Quoc Island
The white-sand beaches, turquoise waters, swaying palms, and laid-back feel of this beautiful island in the Gulf of Thailand have made it one of Vietnam's...
Dalat
With an abundance of pine trees, the cool climate, and colonial architecture, the mountain resort of Dalat bears a vague resemblance to a European town...
Mui Ne
Twenty years ago, Mui Ne was not much more than a deserted road running along an equally deserted beach. Now there's a 15-km (9-mile) stretch...
Danang
Danang became a significant port city at the end of the 19th century, when silt filled up the Thu Bon River and eliminated neighboring Hoi...
Vung Tau
Known as Cap St-Jacques during colonial times, Vung Tau was a popular beach resort for the French and later, during the Vietnam War, it became...
Con Dao Islands
One of Vietnam's star attractions, this stunning archipelago of 16 islands has picturesque beaches, jungles teeming with wildlife, and a fabulous marine environment. In 1983...
Sapa
Ringed by the majestic Tonkinese Alps, Sapa is a hill town and region that has become the undisputed tourist capital of the Northwest. Make the...
Can Tho
The meeting point of various waterways, Can Tho is the capital of the Mekong Delta and the region's gateway. This bustling hub of activity is...
Haiphong
Vietnam's third-largest city, with a population of more than 1.8 million, has been a hub of industrial activity for the last century and one of...
Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park
Part of the Annamite mountain range on the northwest Central Coast, Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park was listed as a World Heritage Site in...
Cat Ba Island
One of Halong Bay's most remarkable formations is Cat Ba Island, 420 square km (162 square miles) of wildly steep spines of mountains, narrow valleys...
Chau Doc
One of the Mekong Delta's most interesting destinations, Chau Doc is a religiously diverse and picturesque border town with Kinh (Vietnam's ethnic majority), Khmer, Cham...
Halong Bay and Around
A visit to the north is not complete without a trip to Halong Bay, where placid waters give way to more than 3,000 limestone karsts...
Ninh Binh
Pleasant enough in itself, but a largely unremarkable provincial capital on the main road between Hanoi and Hue, Ninh Binh is notable for being within...
Quy Nhon
Once the Cham capital of Vijaya, Quy Nhon is a seaside gem located midway between Nha Trang and Hoi An. People who come here often...
My Tho
The closest Mekong Delta city to Ho Chi Minh City, My Tho was the center of the ancient civilization of Funan from the 1st to...
Cai Be
Spilling over from the land into the river, this Mekong Delta town and its nearby villages are a hive of market activity. Slip into a...
Soc Trang
Soc Trang is one of the centers of Khmer culture in Vietnam (the others are Tra Vinh in the Mekong Delta and Nha Trang on...
Phan Thiet
Phan Thiet is a charming fishing town divided by the Phan Thiet River, where the colorful feline-eyed fishing fleet is moored. The town has some...
Tra Vinh
Tra Vinh is a pretty little riverside town populated by friendly people, tall trees, and an amazing proliferation of temples used by the local Khmer...
Ha Tien
Just 8 km (5 miles) from the Cambodian border, Ha Tien has some interesting sights, such as a network of caves that have been converted...
Ca Mau
Ca Mau was once part of the Kingdom of Funan, then the Khmer Empire, and was only ceded back to Vietnamese control in 1757. On...
Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)
Hue is a convenient location from which to visit the former Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). A trip here can be combined easily with a visit to...
Long Xuyen
Long Xuyen is a regional capital with an interesting history and a rather bland present-day reality. Like My Tho it was founded by the ancient...
Buon Ma Thuot
Central Highlands towns are good bases from which to stage trips to the ethnic minority villages and jungles of the hinterland. Buon Ma Thuot, the...
Danang Beach
Nicknamed "China Beach" by U.S. and Australian troops during the war, Danang Beach stretches for over 30 km (18 miles), and encompasses several smaller beaches...
Dien Bien Phu
Hard by the Laos border in one of the most remote regions in Vietnam, it is easy to imagine that Dien Bien Phu might have...
Bac Ha
The main reason for venturing to Bac Ha, a small town built on a desolate highland plain northeast of Lao Cai, is the century-old Sunday...
Kon Tum
The best base for exploring the region, Kon Tum is a sleepy, relatively undiscovered gem on the banks of the Dakbla River, surrounded by interesting...
Bai Tu Long Bay
The limestone outcrops that rise out of the waters of Bai Tu Long Bay are perhaps not as lofty as the ones at Halong, but...
Mai Chau
The Brigadoon of Vietnam, Mai Chau nestles in a serene valley of Hoa Binh Province that has been called one of the most beautiful spots...
Sa Dec
The former home of French novelist Marguerite Duras and the setting for her book The Lover (where said lover's house still stands), Sa Dec is...
Vinh Long
The capital of the Vinh Long Province is the transport hub of Vinh Long, a midsize industrial town. Most of the tourist infrastructure is near...
Cu Chi
Cu Chi, now an outlying district of Ho Chi Minh City, was the Vietcong base of operations during the last war. The base was underground...
Quang Ngai
Quang Ngai itself is, unfortunately, no great shakes. However, it is worth stopping at in order to visit to the Son My Memorial at the...
Son La
Son La is a convenient overnight stop on the journey to Mai Chau or Hanoi, but there are only one or two decent hotels. Many...
Lang Co Beach
In the dry season that runs from April through to August, Lang Co makes for an oasis from the modern construction along the Danang coastline...
Lak Lake
Lak Lake, the largest freshwater lake in the Central Highlands, is set among picturesque rolling hills and reached via a beautiful journey through rural farmlands...
Cat Tien National Park
This vast park, recognized as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, includes jungle, swampland, lakes, rivers, and hills, all of which are home to a multitude of...
Pleiku
Pleiku, the capital of Gia Lai province, is smaller and less colorful than its neighbor Kon Tum, but it makes a practical base in this...
Cuc Phuong National Park
The first national park in Vietnam and still one of its most important, Cuc Phuong is a refuge for diverse animal and plant life and...
Ho Chi Minh Trail Museum and the Perfume Pagoda
One of Hanoi’s less visited historic sights, perhaps due to its distance from the city center, the Ho Chi Minh Trail Museum delivers an interesting...
Marble Mountains
Five beautiful limestone peaks, known as the Marble Mountains, rise above the beach north of Hoi An and south of Danang. Over the centuries the...
Can Gio
A maze of channels, inlets, and tiny hamlets hidden among swamp and forest, Can Gio has only appeared on the tourist radar within the last...
Ho Coc
Two and a half hours from Ho Chi Minh City, just past Ho Tram, this is a splendid, secluded area for anyone seeking an escape...
Ho Tram
There's not much to Ho Tram apart from a very long—and very beautiful—stretch of golden sand beach. Two upscale resorts front the beach but it's...
Long Hai
There's not much to Long Hai aside from a beautiful beach and an interesting temple with views of the beach. It's close enough to Vung...
Tay Ninh
Generally a visit to Tay Ninh is part of a day trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels arranged through one of the travel agencies in...
Tam Dao Hill Station
Up in the clouds, the damp hill station of Tam Dao feels like the mountain town that time forgot—almost. In 1907 French developers scaled the...
Thay Pagoda and Tay Phuong Pagoda
These two lovely pagodas can be combined with the Co Loa Citadel to make an enjoyable day trip from Hanoi...
Ba Vi National Park
With the triple-peaked Ba Vi Mountain as its towering centerpiece, this former French hill station is a popular weekend excursion for Hanoians. The park shelters...
Tan Chau
Across the Bassac River from Chau Doc, Tan Chau is known for its silk, and a visit here means going to a silk factory where...
Co Loa Citadel
Less than 30 minutes north of Hanoi is a series of large earthen ramparts that used to protect one of the country's earliest capitals from...
Phat Diem
Phat Diem’s hulking cathedral is prominent among Vietnam’s religious buildings. Unique both for its vast dimensions and also an architectural mélange that incorporates both European...
Danang
...
Ho Chi Minh City
Romantically referred to by the French as the Pearl of the Orient, Ho Chi Minh City today is a supercharged city of sensory overload. Motorbikes...
Hanoi
Hanoi celebrated its 1,000-year anniversary back in 2010, and although Western fashions, music, and food have long since elbowed their way into the once-impenetrable north...
Hoi An
From the lantern-strewn streets of Old Town to the farmers shouldering their harvest in balanced baskets, the scenes of Hoi An capture what every traveler...
Hue
Hue (pronounced hway), 13 km (8 miles) inland from the South China Sea (known to the locals as the East Sea) in the foothills of...
Nha Trang
Nha Trang is the first major city you'll find heading north up the coast from Ho Chi Minh City. Home to some of Vietnam's best...
Dalat
With an abundance of pine trees, the cool climate, and colonial architecture, the mountain resort of Dalat bears a vague resemblance to a European town...
Mui Ne
Twenty years ago, Mui Ne was not much more than a deserted road running along an equally deserted beach. Now there's a 15-km (9-mile) stretch...
Danang
Danang became a significant port city at the end of the 19th century, when silt filled up the Thu Bon River and eliminated neighboring Hoi...
Vung Tau
Known as Cap St-Jacques during colonial times, Vung Tau was a popular beach resort for the French and later, during the Vietnam War, it became...
Sapa
Ringed by the majestic Tonkinese Alps, Sapa is a hill town and region that has become the undisputed tourist capital of the Northwest. Make the...
Can Tho
The meeting point of various waterways, Can Tho is the capital of the Mekong Delta and the region's gateway. This bustling hub of activity is...
Haiphong
Vietnam's third-largest city, with a population of more than 1.8 million, has been a hub of industrial activity for the last century and one of...
Chau Doc
One of the Mekong Delta's most interesting destinations, Chau Doc is a religiously diverse and picturesque border town with Kinh (Vietnam's ethnic majority), Khmer, Cham...
Halong Bay and Around
A visit to the north is not complete without a trip to Halong Bay, where placid waters give way to more than 3,000 limestone karsts...
Ninh Binh
Pleasant enough in itself, but a largely unremarkable provincial capital on the main road between Hanoi and Hue, Ninh Binh is notable for being within...
Quy Nhon
Once the Cham capital of Vijaya, Quy Nhon is a seaside gem located midway between Nha Trang and Hoi An. People who come here often...
My Tho
The closest Mekong Delta city to Ho Chi Minh City, My Tho was the center of the ancient civilization of Funan from the 1st to...
Cai Be
Spilling over from the land into the river, this Mekong Delta town and its nearby villages are a hive of market activity. Slip into a...
Soc Trang
Soc Trang is one of the centers of Khmer culture in Vietnam (the others are Tra Vinh in the Mekong Delta and Nha Trang on...
Tra Vinh
Tra Vinh is a pretty little riverside town populated by friendly people, tall trees, and an amazing proliferation of temples used by the local Khmer...
Phan Thiet
Phan Thiet is a charming fishing town divided by the Phan Thiet River, where the colorful feline-eyed fishing fleet is moored. The town has some...
Ha Tien
Just 8 km (5 miles) from the Cambodian border, Ha Tien has some interesting sights, such as a network of caves that have been converted...
Ca Mau
Ca Mau was once part of the Kingdom of Funan, then the Khmer Empire, and was only ceded back to Vietnamese control in 1757. On...
Long Xuyen
Long Xuyen is a regional capital with an interesting history and a rather bland present-day reality. Like My Tho it was founded by the ancient...
Buon Ma Thuot
Central Highlands towns are good bases from which to stage trips to the ethnic minority villages and jungles of the hinterland. Buon Ma Thuot, the...
Danang Beach
Nicknamed "China Beach" by U.S. and Australian troops during the war, Danang Beach stretches for over 30 km (18 miles), and encompasses several smaller beaches...
Dien Bien Phu
Hard by the Laos border in one of the most remote regions in Vietnam, it is easy to imagine that Dien Bien Phu might have...
Kon Tum
The best base for exploring the region, Kon Tum is a sleepy, relatively undiscovered gem on the banks of the Dakbla River, surrounded by interesting...
Bac Ha
The main reason for venturing to Bac Ha, a small town built on a desolate highland plain northeast of Lao Cai, is the century-old Sunday...
Mai Chau
The Brigadoon of Vietnam, Mai Chau nestles in a serene valley of Hoa Binh Province that has been called one of the most beautiful spots...
Sa Dec
The former home of French novelist Marguerite Duras and the setting for her book The Lover (where said lover's house still stands), Sa Dec is...
Bai Tu Long Bay
The limestone outcrops that rise out of the waters of Bai Tu Long Bay are perhaps not as lofty as the ones at Halong, but...
Cu Chi
Cu Chi, now an outlying district of Ho Chi Minh City, was the Vietcong base of operations during the last war. The base was underground...
Vinh Long
The capital of the Vinh Long Province is the transport hub of Vinh Long, a midsize industrial town. Most of the tourist infrastructure is near...
Quang Ngai
Quang Ngai itself is, unfortunately, no great shakes. However, it is worth stopping at in order to visit to the Son My Memorial at the...
Son La
Son La is a convenient overnight stop on the journey to Mai Chau or Hanoi, but there are only one or two decent hotels. Many...
Lang Co Beach
In the dry season that runs from April through to August, Lang Co makes for an oasis from the modern construction along the Danang coastline...
Lak Lake
Lak Lake, the largest freshwater lake in the Central Highlands, is set among picturesque rolling hills and reached via a beautiful journey through rural farmlands...
Pleiku
Pleiku, the capital of Gia Lai province, is smaller and less colorful than its neighbor Kon Tum, but it makes a practical base in this...
Ho Coc
Two and a half hours from Ho Chi Minh City, just past Ho Tram, this is a splendid, secluded area for anyone seeking an escape...
Tay Ninh
Generally a visit to Tay Ninh is part of a day trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels arranged through one of the travel agencies in...
Can Gio
A maze of channels, inlets, and tiny hamlets hidden among swamp and forest, Can Gio has only appeared on the tourist radar within the last...
Marble Mountains
Five beautiful limestone peaks, known as the Marble Mountains, rise above the beach north of Hoi An and south of Danang. Over the centuries the...
Ho Tram
There's not much to Ho Tram apart from a very long—and very beautiful—stretch of golden sand beach. Two upscale resorts front the beach but it's...
Long Hai
There's not much to Long Hai aside from a beautiful beach and an interesting temple with views of the beach. It's close enough to Vung...
Phat Diem
Phat Diem’s hulking cathedral is prominent among Vietnam’s religious buildings. Unique both for its vast dimensions and also an architectural mélange that incorporates both European...
Tan Chau
Across the Bassac River from Chau Doc, Tan Chau is known for its silk, and a visit here means going to a silk factory where...
Danang
...
The Central Coast
Vietnam's long, lovely Central Coast has iconic sandy beaches, ancient Cham ruins, and fascinating royal tombs and pagodas. The highlights of the region are Hoi...
Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta (Cuu Long) is made up of innumerable rivers, canals, tributaries, and rivulets overflowing with fish; the rich alluvial soil helps produce an...
The South-Central Coasts and Highlands
Vietnam's South-Central Coast and Highlands offer up a splendid contrast of attractions. Travel by road or rail through coastal towns with long beaches and clear...
Halong Bay and North-Central Vietnam
There is no disguising the stature of Halong Bay among Vietnam’s tourist draws. The UNESCO World Heritage–listed seascape, a mind-blowing collection of limestone karsts that...
Side Trips from Ho Chi Minh City
Some of the destinations around Ho Chi Minh City can be visited as day trips; others may take a few days. Some excursions are more...
The Northwest
Vietnam's staggering beauty and ethnic diversity are perhaps most evident in the Northwest, where dozens of ethnic-minority groups as well as the Kinh, the ethnic...
Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park
Part of the Annamite mountain range on the northwest Central Coast, Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park was listed as a World Heritage Site in...
Cat Tien National Park
This vast park, recognized as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, includes jungle, swampland, lakes, rivers, and hills, all of which are home to a multitude of...
Cuc Phuong National Park
The first national park in Vietnam and still one of its most important, Cuc Phuong is a refuge for diverse animal and plant life and...
Ba Vi National Park
With the triple-peaked Ba Vi Mountain as its towering centerpiece, this former French hill station is a popular weekend excursion for Hanoians. The park shelters...
Phu Quoc Island
The white-sand beaches, turquoise waters, swaying palms, and laid-back feel of this beautiful island in the Gulf of Thailand have made it one of Vietnam's...
Cat Ba Island
One of Halong Bay's most remarkable formations is Cat Ba Island, 420 square km (162 square miles) of wildly steep spines of mountains, narrow valleys...
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Whether you want to
cruise through Halong Bay, eat street food in...
