Things to Do in Vietnam

The Mekong River, the 12th-longest river in the world at 2,700 miles (4,345 kilometers), is the main artery of Southeast Asia. Its flowing waters are the beating pulse for a region that includes the fertile Mekong Delta around Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City, the scenic hills of Laos, and the jungle-lined waterways of Thailand and Cambodia.

 

River tours in small traditional boats offer visitors a chance to experience the culture and communities that thrive along the Mekong’s waters. Opt for a day tour from Ho Chi Minh City and cruise around the floating markets of the Mekong Delta; discover the islands along the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers on a half-day tour from Phnom Penh; or cruise across the border from Thailand to Laos.

 

 

The Mekong River is accessible from several major cities, including Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, Vientiane in Laos, Chiang Mai in Thailand, and Phnom Penh in Cambodia. While public transport runs to some of the larger towns along the Mekong, the easiest way to travel is as part of a guided tour.

 

Mekong cruises run all year-round, but the most popular time to visit is between September and March, when the high water levels mean more choice for boat trips, floating markets, and floating villages. The wet season runs from May until August, but it’s still possible to visit during this time and the weather is still warm—just pack a rain poncho as the open-air boats offer no protection from showers.

 

A Mekong River cruise offers a fascinating glimpse into rural life, gliding past lush rice paddies and fruit orchards, watching fishermen cast handmade nets in search of the day’s catch, and sampling tropical fruits and coconut candies at the floating markets. The river is also home to some of the largest freshwater fish in the world, and lucky travelers may even spot one of the rare Irrawaddy dolphins that live in the Mekong’s waters.

Founded in the 19th century, the Long Son Pagoda has been attracting travelers thanks to its stunning façade, traditional peaked roofs and ornately decorated mosaic dragons. Its peaceful interior pays homage to seven monks who lit themselves on fire during the 1960s in an act of protest. Travelers will find hand-carved busts of these men surrounding a massive white seated Buddha, who’s perched in a lotus blossom looking out at these martyrs.

 

Visitors can explore the grounds and make their way to the top of the hill and platform surrounding the massive Buddha, where incredible views of nearby towns and the Vietnamese countryside do not disappoint.

Escape the kinetic energy and unmistakable chaos of Hanoi on a visit to the hillside destination of Mai Chau. Visitors can embark on a traditional homestay in the rural villages surrounding Mai Chan and spend the night tucked into old-school stilt houses amid wildlife and nature. The remarkable juxtaposition between city and country is never more evident than on a two-day escape to this popular stop. 

Visitors will find plenty of rolling country trails for biking and hiking nestled amid the emerald hillsides of this stunning landscape. The breathtaking scenery is just part of what attracts locals and tourists alike and the quiet splendor of nature proves pure relaxation for those who travel through it. Visitors can mingle with White Thai locals and learn more about the cultures and traditions that make this ethnic minority so unique. Incredible brightly colored textiles handmade by local women make for the perfect keepsake to remember a stay in Mai Chau.

The evocatively named Me Cung Cave, or Bewitching Grotto, stands out among the many caves of Halong Bay for more than just its beauty – it’s also an important archaeological find, where significant prehistoric remains have been found. Squeeze through the narrow doorway, a gaping hole etched into the cliff side, and you’ll find yourself in an underground wonderland, with small rocky chambers and tumbling stalagmites and stalactites, lit-up by trickles of daylight and sprinkled with fossilized shells.

Following the pathway out of the cave, a rock-cut stairwell leads to another dramatic sight - the shimmering Me Cung Lake, with its startling blue waters circled by karst cliffs and harboring a colorful array of coral, fish and sea creatures.

Located just over 6 miles (10 kilometers) from Sapa, the emerald green Muong Hoa Valley features some of the most breathtakingly picturesque landscapes in Vietnam. Home to Ban Ho, Lao Chai, Ta Van, Hau Thao, Ta Phin and Su Pa ethnic minority populations, the valley is one of the biggest rice-growing areas in the region. The rolling emerald hills, epic views and fascinating traditional villages are just part of what greets travelers who opt to trek here.

Journeys ranging from two to six hours wind through low-lying grasslands, rice paddies and quiet villages where local women share fascinating stories about life in the countryside of Vietnam. Visitors can get an up-close look at the Hmong people’s way of life while peeking into homes, exploring farms and tasting traditional dishes. A voyage into Muong Hoa Valley is a multi-sensory experience that is not to be missed.

The five limestone hills that make up Vietnam’s famed Marble Mountains are each named after one of the five elements: fire (Hoa), wood (Moc), metal (Kim), water (Thuy) and earth (Tho). And while their shadowy caves and hidden tunnels draw thousands of travelers to wander this destination each year, its proximity to beautiful and ancient Buddhist and Hindu grottoes and access to a stunning summit are other reasons to make the voyage.

Travelers can climb the more than 150 steps that lead to the summit of Thuy Son, where incredible views of natural landscapes as well as access to these grottoes. Visitors can explore Huyen Khong and Tang Chon, as well as the Tam Thai pagoda, which was built in 1825. These ancient religious monuments showcase the region’s age-old tradition of stone carving, thanks to relief work chipped away from the mountain’s marble façade.

Sprawling off the southeast coast of Cat Ba Island, the remote Lan Ha Bay is an idyllic spot to escape the crowds of Halong Bay and those looking to venture off-the-beaten-track will find a natural playground ripe for exploring.  Like the rest of Halong Bay, the best way to get around Lan Ha Bay is by boat and the startling turquoise waters are peppered with more than 300 karst islands and dozens of white sand beaches.

Aside from swimming, rock climbing, hiking and kayaking are the most popular activities in Lan Ha Bay. Additional highlights include the Monkey Island resort, so called for its boisterous population of free-roaming monkeys; camping on Hai Pai Beach (Tiger Beach); and visiting the Cai Beo floating village, one of the oldest of its kind in Vietnam.

For a convenient tour of the Mekong Delta, My Tho is the most popular jumping off point, thanks to its close proximity to Ho Chi Minh City. Organized tours from the city are common and easy to find, and they include the bus ride down, a boat ride along the river canals, and stops at local attractions. These riverside stops can include visits with local beekeepers and coconut-candy makers, and village tours, before stopping for lunch at a riverside restaurant. In the village of My Tho itself, you can relax at a riverfront café and visit the Vinh Trang Pagoda, where three Buddha statues sit among the lush temple gardens. Just outside the village, the Dong Tam Snake Farm breeds cobras for food, snakeskins, and to produce anti-venom, and you can visit the farm to see various cobras and pythons on display.

Often referred to as the 'rice bowl of Asia' due to its plethora of emerald rice paddy fields, the Mekong River Delta is surrounded by fertile lands that showcase nature’s riches. On Vietnam’s mighty Mekong, sleepy floating communities live surrounded by an abundance of tropical fruits, buffalo wallowing in paddy fields, and mangroves rich with birdlife.

The commotion of Ho Chi Minh City is easily forgotten as you float down the mud-brown waters of the delta. Highlights include the Cai Rang Floating Market, the largest of its kind in the area, where boats swell with fresh coconuts and exotic produce, and the UNESCO-listed Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve, where the river meets the South China Sea.

In the Thua Thua area, the delta transforms into narrow canals that snake past agricultural villages famed for their coconut palms and production of whiskey and wine. Travelers seeking serenity will be delighted by Ben Tre, where a sleepy waterfront and languid pace provide a welcome retreat. The region is also home to two spectacular religious landmarks: Cao Dai Temple and Cai Be Cathedral, whose distinct styles range from vibrant to austere.

In order to understand Vietnam’s past and present, a visit to the Mekong River Delta is essential. Travelers can combine a ride through Saigon’s canals with a sunset Mekong River cruise, or take a private tour of the unspoiled countryside in southern Vietnam. If you have more time to spare, set out on a multi-day tour to gain comprehensive insight into local life in the Mekong River Delta’s rural settlements—many longer tours also cruise through Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia.

Kim Bong carpentry village is located within the Cam Kim commune in Hoi An. Since the 16th century, the village has been known for its carpentry and traditional woodworking products, the results of which can be found within prominent buildings across the region and beyond. 

The style of Kim Bong carpentry is said to be influenced by the Cham Kingdom, China, Japan, and of course local Vietnamese artisans. The craftspeople here all begin as apprentices, earning the rank of masters only by years of hard work and dedication. The work being produced in the village can largely be divided into three main categories: ancient architectural construction, civil wooden furniture, and shipbuilding. In addition, many of the artisans have more recently shifted their focus to the recovery of historical monuments and relics, especially traditional ancient houses around Hoi An.

Today, bicycle tours of the village are common, allowing visitors to pass through streets lined with open-fronted workshops and witness the artisans at work. Visitors are also able to purchase items produced in the village at its various souvenirs shops, which sell everything from small, low-cost items, such as coasters, to huge expensive pieces, such as religious statues and intricately crafted wooden doors.

A key landmark in the historical center of Hanoi, charming Hoan Kiem Lake (Lake of the Restored Sword) offers a peaceful escape from the hectic pace and crowds of the city. It’s a popular meeting spot, and also makes a great place to people watch and experience local culture. 

 

The best way to enjoy the lake is on foot. A walking path circling the lake can be completed in 30 minutes. Plenty of trees and benches offer shade and a place to rest around the lake. Along the way, take in views of Turtle Tower, or visit Ngoc Son Temple, situated on an island in the lake. Or stop at a café or restaurant nearby and watch life in Hanoi unfold in front of you.

 

Hoan Kiem Lake is a popular destination and most sightseeing tours will feature a stop here, along with other attractions like the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the One Pillar Pagoda, and the Temple of Literature. 

 

 

The lake is located between the Old Quarter, to its north, and the French Quarter, to its south, making it easy to walk to from either location, as well as most of central Hanoi. It’s also accessible via taxi and the 9 or 36 bus.

 

In the early morning, catch locals exercising and doing Tai Chi. Come back at night to see the city lights reflected in the water. Weekend nights, the area around the lake is closed off to motorized traffic.

 

Hoan Kiem Lake is also known is the Lake of the Restored Sword. There are variations to the legend behind how the lake got that name, but they all feature Emperor Le Loi, whose borrowed magic sword enabled him to defeat the invading Chinese in the 15th century. In the center of the lake you can see Turtle Tower, which honors the magic golden turtle that delivered the sword back to its owner. 

An open-air colonial building in Da Nang is home to the largest collection of Cham carvings in the world. The Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture opened its first gallery in 1919, and in the decades since, the collection has grown to include more than 300 pieces. Many of these terra cotta, sandstone and bronze sculptures and artifacts depict Hindu deities, as well as linga and yoni.

Among the museum’s most important items are the sandstone pieces — statues of gods and animals, pedestals and other decorative items taken from Cham temples. The museum also has an exhibit on modern Cham culture, which includes photographs, clothing and film clips.

The National Oceanographic Museum of Vietnam is located around five kilometers from Nha Trang’s city center in a grand old French-colonial building. It has a large collection of marine life and other items, including numerous jars of pickled specimens, stuffed birds and sea mammals, plus plenty of fishing related artefacts.

The displays are arranged across two floors. The ground floor is home to various sized tanks housing countless varieties of marine life, including reef sharks, turtles, anemones, pufferfish, lionfish, clownfish, seahorses, and a whole array of colorful coral. Upstairs is where to find the exhibiting specimens, local boats, and various fishing articles, not to mention an 18-meter-long skeleton of a whale.

Themed rooms chart the history, science, and technology associated with marine life, with exhibits focusing on things like algae and phytoplankton, as well as the history of fishing in Vietnam, plus natural disasters at sea and around the coast.

Impossible to miss, Lady Buddha dominates the landscape of Da Nang. The marble statue, perched on the side of Monkey Mountain and visible from nearly anywhere in the city, stands 220 feet (67 meters) tall and measures 56 feet (17 meters) in diameter. Inside the statue, a flight of stairs leads up to 17 floors, each representing a different aspect of the Buddha.

The name Lady Buddha is a bit deceiving. The statue in fact depicts Guanyin, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy can be found in coastal areas throughout Asia, as she is believed to bring calm to the sea. The giant statue stands in front of the beautiful Linh Ung Pagoda, with its gardens and small souvenir shop operated by monks.

Designed by Parisian architects and built between 1899 and 1902, Hanoi’s Long Bien Bridge was the first steel bridge spanning the Red River and has long been a point of pride for the Vietnamese. During the war against the French in 1954, the bridge served as a vital transportation link for moving food into Northern Central Vietnam. During the Vietnam War, the bridge was bombed by American air attacks, and yet today, it still stands as a testament to the nation’s tumultuous history.

Apart from its historical significance, the bridge has a pedestrian path where vendors often set up stalls selling some of the city’s tastiest street foods. It’s also one of the best spots in Hanoi for watching a sunrise or sunset, and it’s not unusual to see young couples having their wedding pictures taken on the historic structure.

Famous for its giant statue of Guanyin, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, Linh Ung Pagoda occupies 30 acres (12 hectares) on a hill on the Son Tra Peninsula. Opened in 2010, the relatively new pagoda complex features a mix of modern and traditional Vietnamese temple architecture, including a typical three-entrance gate.

According to local legend, a smaller pagoda was built on the same site during the nineteenth century, when a local villager living on the peninsula found a statue of the Buddha drifting near the beach.

As visitors pass through the main gate of the pagoda, they are met by 18 stone statues of the 18 Arhats, believed to be the original followers of the Buddha, whose expressions run the gamut from joy and love to anger and sadness. Towering above the grounds is the 220-foot (67-meter) Guanyin statue. Within the giant monument, visitors can ascend 17 floors, each displaying Buddha statues depicting his various aspects.

My Khe Beach is situated in the northernmost part of the stunning 30-kilometer stretch of coast known as China Beach near Da Nang in Central Vietnam. Widely considered to be Vietnam's most picturesque beach, this lengthy stretch of spectacular coastline is famous for being visited by American troops during the Vietnam War.

My Khe is the ideal beach for holidaymakers visiting Central Vietnam, particularly between May and October, with its smooth white sand, gentle gradient, and abundance of coral and marine life. The beach’s low pollution, pleasant temperatures, and calm waters also add to the appeal here (although the waves become much more dramatic come September-time, making for some ideal surfing conditions).

There are an abundance of accommodation, food, and retail outlets in the area, as well as places to hire surf and snorkel equipment.

The Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine (or FITO Museum) is housed in a unique traditional building in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 10. It offers an in-depth look at the fascinating world of traditional Vietnamese medicine, which is heavily influenced by Chinese philosophy.

The museum features a collection of almost 3000 items in relation to traditional remedies, some of which date back to the Stone Age. Visitors can browse the vast and detailed displays of some of the instruments used to prepare traditional medicines, such as mortars and pestles, grinders, and knives. There is also a large collection of books and documents on the subject.

Particularly interesting are the items found in traditional pharmacies, such as scales, printing molds, medicine cabinets, and a variety of pottery and ceramic pieces. The FITO Museum is also fitted with audiovisual equipment, which it uses to screen a documentary about the history of traditional medicine in Vietnam.