From the rice fields in the north to the floating markets in the south, Vietnam is a interesting country to explore. This Southeast Oriental nation has everything — busy cities, stunning landscapes, quaint towns, picturesque beaches, as well as much more. In this guide, we’ll inspect out a few of the very best things to perform in Vietnam.
Whether you’re thinking about adventure, history, nature, or culture, there’s something for you in Vietnam. As a travel destination, Vietnam truly checks all the boxes. finest of all, you can enjoy incredible cuisine as well as coffee along the way!
Not as well long ago, Vietnam was devastated by war. While there are lots of monuments as well as museums devoted to this dark time in the country’s history, most Vietnamese are looking to the future as well as not the past. This is one of the fastest-growing countries in the world, with tourism playing a major function in the growth of Vietnam’s economy.
There are so many things to perform in Vietnam that you can quickly max out your tourist visa as well as barely scratch the surface. On our visit, we spent one month in Vietnam as well as were still left wanting more. The longer you can stay, the better!
If you’re planning a trip as well as still aren’t rather sure what to perform in Vietnam, checked out on for a better look at what’s on tap in this interesting country.
1. check out the Old Quarter in Hanoi
Our look at the top things to perform in Vietnam begins in the funding city of Hanoi. The center of all the action right here is the area understood as the Old Quarter. Historically, each of the 36 streets right here specialized in one specific trade. While this is still true to an extent, the Old Quarter is likewise house to countless travel agents, restaurants, bars, as well as hotels.
Your very first order of business when checking out the Old Quarter is figuring out exactly how to cross the street. There appears to be no rhyme or reason to the flow of web traffic here, as a seemingly never-ending stream of motorbikes flies by without a stop indication in sight.
If you can handle to make it through that game of human Frogger, make your method to the scenic Hoan Kiem Lake. As the legend goes, the emperor Le Loi was out for a boat trip on the lake when he encountered a golden turtle. obviously the golden sword the emperor brought with him really belonged to the turtle. He returned it as well as the legend lives on in the name of the lake, which means “Lake of the Returned Sword.”
Walking around the lake is a excellent method to experience the regional culture. people gather right here to do group exercise, youngsters rip it up on their skateboards, as well as happy couples snap their wedding event pictures.
Other than hanging out by the lake, other things to perform in Hanoi include browsing the Dong Xuan night market as well as catching a water puppet show. This is a traditional art type in northern Vietnam as well as an fascinating method to spend an evening. You may not comprehend a word of what’s stated in the show, however for just a few bucks it’s well worth inspecting out.
2. Take a Motorbike Adventure
Along the famed “Banana Pancake Trail,” there are a few must-do items. hit the full Moon celebration in Koh Phangan, check out the temples of Angkor, go “in the tubing” in Vang Vieng, as well as take a motorbike experience in Vietnam.
Many travelers purchase a utilized motorbike in either Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City as well as trip it across the country. As it can be a pain crossing the border, most people just re-sell the bike to somebody else before moving on. It’s the circle of (motorbike) life!
While Vietnam has a quite solid network of trains as well as buses, you just can’t beat feeling the wind on your deal with as you cruise the country on a motorbike. Of course, not everybody is up for the difficulty of buying their own bike as well as navigating the country on their own.
Thankfully, it’s extremely simple to indication up on a motorbike tour thanks to groups like the simple Riders. The choices are basically endless for a motorbike adventure, as they can tailor-make a trip to your needs. You have the choice of riding your own bike, or you can trip on the back as well as leave the driving to a pro.
Our simple riders motorbike trip was hands-down the highlight of our Vietnam trip. Over the span of four days, we visited waterfalls, temples, coffee farms, remote villages, as well as much more. Our guide was remarkable as well as he truly went above as well as beyond to ensure we had the trip of a lifetime. I can’t state sufficient great things about the trip, so be sure to add one to your listing of things to perform in Vietnam.3. cruise around Ha long Bay
When choosing what to perform in Vietnam, one thing that should definitely take concern is visiting Ha long Bay. The name means “Descending Dragon” as well as there is an fascinating story behind it, of course.
According to legend, the Jade Emperor sent dragons right here to protect Vietnam from invaders. The dragons spit giant emeralds into the sea, which produced an impassable barrier against invading ships. Over the years, these emeralds ended up being islands of different shapes as well as sizes.
There are over 1,500 limestone formations in the bay, as well as cruising around them on a traditional junk boat is one of the top things to perform in Vietnam. tours normally include a bit of snorkeling as well as kayaking in addition to lunch on board. Along the way, you get to enjoy the jaw-dropping scenery of this UNESCO world Heritage Site.
Many people see Ha long Bay on a day trip from Hanoi. As such, there are lots of choices for joining a tour from the capital. just be conscious that it’s a extremely long day with most of the time spent on a bus. If you’re flexible, I suggest costs a few nights on feline Ba Island instead.
Cat Ba Island is simple to reach via bus & boat as well as it makes a excellent base for checking out Ha long Bay. After your cruise around the bay, you can lease a motorbike to head to the national park for some hiking as well as then chill out on a beach. There’s lots of tasty seafood right here as well. speaking of tasty food, that brings us to the next product on our listing of things to perform in Vietnam…
4. Dig into Vietnamese Cuisine
If you might only eat one cuisine for the rest of your life, what would you choose? I don’t understand about you, however I believe I’m going with Vietnamese. very first of all, it’s one of the healthiest cuisines on the planet. With fresh components (including great deals of veggies) as well as very little oil as well as dairy, you can feel great about stuffing your deal with with Vietnamese food!
The cuisine of Vietnam is influenced by the principle of five elements. Dishes in Vietnam have a nice mix of five flavors – spicy, bitter, sour, salty, as well as sweet. They likewise charm to all five senses as well as include five kinds of nutrients. There truly is a great deal going on in the kitchen area in Vietnam!
If you’re ever unsure of what to perform in Vietnam, discover a street food vendor with a crowd, pull up a plastic stool, as well as order the regional specialty. Whether it’s a piping hot bowl of pho, a crispy bahn xeo crepe, or a world-famous banh mi sandwich, you just can’t go wrong with Vietnamese food.
Not only is Vietnamese cuisine delicious, however it’s likewise a amazing bargain. If you eat street food or in regional markets, you can quickly fill up for just a few bucks. even in nice restaurants in the huge cities, you don’t have to spend a ton of money to have a great meal.
Oh yeah, as well as draft beers understood as bia hoi are usually only $0.25! It’s possible to go out for dinner as well as drinks for two right here as well as not even spend $20 total. eating your method across the country is definitely one of the top things to perform in Vietnam.
5. check out Hoi An
One of the most prominent locations to see in Vietnam is the ancient town of Hoi An. The town was when a major trading port during the Champa Kingdom between the 15th as well as 19th century. It’s extremely well-preserved as well as shows a range of influences, from its famous Japanese covered Bridge to its many Chinese temples.
To take in the many sights of Hoi An, you’ll requirement to purchase one of the sightseeing tickets. With this ticket, you can see five different attractions in town. You can select between museums, pagodas, traditional homes, as well as more. It costs about $5 as well as goes toward the preservation of this ancient town. It’s a little cost to pay for assisting with the upkeep of these buildings.
The tickets are technically only valid for 24 hours, however this isn’t truly enforced. If you see a few locations on your very first day in town then hit a few more the next day, you’ll be just fine. If you want to see more than five places, you will requirement to purchase one more ticket.
While you’re in town, I extremely suggest joining the Hoi An free tour. Actually, you’ll requirement to spend a few bucks to lease a bicycle as well as take the ferry, however that’s it. These tours are run by regional university trainees who are studying either English ortourism as well as are non-profit.
On the tour, you catch the ferry over to a village as well as spend the day cycling around seeing exactly how locals make a living. Along the way, you’ll see people building boats, making straw mats, or creating rice paper. It’s a fun method to satisfy people as well as see what life is like in rural Vietnam. In our month-long trip, I’d state this was definitely one of my preferred things to perform in Vietnam.
6. hit the Beach
In a country that can be rather hot as well as humid, sometimes you just want to hit the beach as well as relax! Thankfully you’ve got lots of options for beach-bumming when you see Vietnam.
Actually, you don’t have to travel far from Hoi An to discover a beach to chill out on. There are a few beaches within a short drive of town, including the lovely Da Nang beach. This is a prominent area for sun-seekers as well as there are lots of water sports on offer as well.
Further south, Nha Trang is one of the top beach destinations in Vietnam. This coastal city boasts some lovely white-sand beaches, excellent diving diving opportunities, as well as some wild nightlife.
If it’s an island getaway you seek, head to Phu Quoc. when a simple fishing village, this island is now a booming travel destination. It’s really better to the coastline of Cambodia however is only accessible from Vietnam. right here you’ll discover star Beach, which just may be the most lovely beach in the country.
There are so many excellent beaches across the country that you can definitely include getting some sun & sand on your listing of things to perform in Vietnam.
7. Floating Markets in the Mekong Delta
Located in the southwestern part of the country, the area understood as the Mekong Delta is basically the rice basket of Vietnam. much of the fish as well as rice in Vietnam comes from this area, as well as there’s likewise an abundance of fruits as well as vegetables that grow here.
It’s right here that the mighty Mekong River empties out into the sea after passing with Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, as well as China. Life right here revolves around the river, as well as there are a number of villages you can only reach by boat.
With so much agricultural activity plus all the fishing, people in the Mekong Delta requirement a location to buy as well as offer all these goods. since many people get around by boat as well as don’t online anywhere near a road, the area is house to a number of floating markets.
Visiting one of these Mekong Delta floating markets is definitely one of the most fascinating things to perform in Vietnam. While it’s possible to do on a (long) day-trip from Ho Chi Minh City, I suggest basing yourself in the area for at least a few days to have a more enjoyable experience.
The closest city to Saigon is My Tho, which is by far the most visited location in the Mekong Delta. If you spend at least a night there, you can get an early begin on your floating market adventure as well as surface up before the tour buses show up en masse.
On our trip, we headed to Can Tho, which is the biggest city in the region. I can personally suggest staying in Hung’s Homestay. It’s a family-run guesthouse where you enjoy a communal dinner in the evening. Mr. Hung himself runs boat tours to the close-by Cai Rang floating market. On our visit, we were the only two people on his boat as well as we had an outstanding day checking out the area.
8. Go Trekking in the North
While the south of Vietnam has the Mekong Delta as well as the beaches, the north is where you’ll discover some legendary mountains. If you’re an avid outdoors person, you’ll be happy to hear that trekking is one of the very best things to perform in Vietnam.
There are two areas in northern Vietnam that are extremely prominent for trekking. The town of Sapa is where you’ll base yourself if you want to deal with Fansipan – Vietnam’s greatest peak. If you’re into a more mellow adventure, there are tons of easier trekking opportunities.
Hill-tribe villages surround Sapa. women from these villages come to town to offer their handicrafts as well as then lead tourists on treks to stay in their village. Along the way, you’ll walk past some stunning rice terraces before arriving at your homestay for the night. You can do simple overnight trips as much as week-long treks from Sapa.
Another exce