Top 15 Things to Do in Vietnam That Will Blow Your Mind
From the misty mountains of the north to the tropical Mekong Delta in the south, Vietnam is a mixture of natural beauty and ancient traditions. Explore what to do in Vietnam through the article below.
1. Cruise Through Ha Long Bay
One of the top places to visit in Vietnam is Ha Long Bay, which is Vietnam’s iconic natural wonder and UNESCO World Heritage Site. This stunning seascape is created from over 1,600 limestone karsts and islets that emerge from a sea of emerald waters.
Kayaking through secret caverns and lagoons allows visitors to discover untouched beaches that are only accessible by water. The fabulous Surprise Cave (Sung Sot) is adorned with impressive formations of stalactites and stalagmites, and panoramic views can be seen from the summit of Ti Top Island. Many cruise tours provide cooking classes, traditional fishing, and sunrise deck Tai Chi.
2. Wander In Hoi An Ancient Town
With its meticulously preserved centuries-old buildings and way of life, Hoi An Ancient Town is a “living museum.” Exploring Hoi An is one of the things to do in Vietnam. This place fuses the influences of Japanese, Chinese, and French colonial architecture, giving a unique atmosphere that seems to remain frozen in time. The streets of the town are decorated with hundreds of colorful silk lanterns that bathe the town with a magical glow, especially at night.
Visitors can wander through the Ancient Quarter and sign up for cooking classes to learn how to make “cao lau” and “banh bao banh vac” (white rose dumplings). Not only that, the town is known for its fine tailors who promise one-day completion of made-to-order garments. For a natural vibe, you can ride a bike through nearby rice paddies, uncover traditional farming, and take basket boat tours through the coconut forest, providing tranquil escapades.
3. Admire The Golden Terraced Fields In Sa Pa
The mountainous north of Sa Pa is considered the country’s most stunning scenery, with cascading rice terraces clinging to the steep sides of the mountains. These all create a living masterpiece.
Multi-day treks in remote villages in Sa Pa give you cultural experiences, including sharing meals, learning traditional crafts, and understanding sustainable farming practices that have remained in place for generations.
Especially, Vietnam’s highest mountain, 3,147-meter Mount Fansipan, forces serious hikers to their limits with challenging trails and beautiful summit views that make it well worth the effort. In the September-October harvest season, the terraces turn golden waves. In addition, weekend markets at Bac Ha, near Sapa, display vibrant and colorful hilltribe culture at its best, where ethnic minorities gather to trade goods, socialize, and maintain cultural connections in traditional dress.
4. Float On the Mekong Delta
Vietnam’s “rice bowl,” the Mekong Delta, is a network of rivers, wetlands, and islands in southern Vietnam that provides a large portion of the country’s rice and tropical fruits.
The traditional boat tours through narrow canals offer a glimpse of floating markets, where vendors paddle their wares between boats in a bright blue aquatic bazaar. Among the top things to do in Vietnam, joining the Cai Rang floating market in Can Tho can not be missed. It is famous with traders bartering everything from fresh fruit to steaming bowls of pho served, boat-to-boat.
Moreover, visitors can take a gander at traditional villages which focus on the production of coconut candies, rice paper, and vermicelli noodles. Riding past dragon fruit, rambutan, and durian-heavy orchards gives you a taste of the countryside. Homestays with local families let guests sleep over the river while feasting on a traditional Mekong diet of elephant earfish and fresh spring rolls.
5. Discover Ho Chi Minh Dynamic City
Vietnam’s biggest city is filled with energy and history, a seamless mix of French colonial architecture, skyscrapers, and ancient temples.
The Reunification Palace is a must-see location in Ho Chi Minh City. It preserves the precise moment that North Vietnamese tanks burst through its gates, heralding the close of the Vietnam War in 1975. Also, visiting the War Remnants Museum will show you the terrible effects of the war on Vietnamese civilians.
In the Ben Thanh Market, vendors sell everything from silk scarves to uncommon fruits, and nearby streets sell the extraordinary street food.
Day trips to the Cu Chi Tunnels, an ingenious underground network that helped Vietnamese forces survive bombing campaigns with booby traps, hidden entrances and narrow crawl spaces, make it worth the visit.
6. Experience Hanoi – The Capital Of Vietnam
Among the best places to visit in Vietnam, this city mixes French-colonial architecture and traditional Vietnamese design in the historic Old Quarter’s narrow streets.
Hanoi – Vietnam’s capital is well-known for its 36 Street Area, each formerly associated with a particular trade. It’s exciting to witness the infamous train street, which happens twice a day when the trains barrel through a neighborhood and locals and visitors drink coffee on both sides.
Visitors can also see the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s earliest university, which was established in 1070 as a tribute to Confucius and his most illustrious scholars. Trying street foods unveils culinary treasures such as Pho Ga (Chicken Noodles), Bun Cha (Grilled Meat and Noodles), Ca Phe Trung (Egg Coffee), and so on. Locally produced handicrafts are highlighted in weekend night markets around Hoan Kiem Lake, while ancient Vietnamese folk tales are told by water puppets in traditional water puppet shows.
7. Lounge On Phu Quoc Island
Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam’s largest, boasts some of the country’s most beautiful beaches and clear waters in the Gulf of Thailand. There, it’s recommended to enjoy Long Beach (Bai Truong) stretching for kilometers with powdery sand and spectacular sunset views.
Sao Beach (Bai Sao) is ideal for diving and taking underwater photography while admiring the island’s coral reefs. Also, night markets in Duong Dong town serve excellent street-side seafood, grilled squid, sea urchin, and the island’s specialty herring salad.
8. Explore Phong Nha-Ke Bang Caves
This UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site harbours some of the world’s most extraordinary cave systems, including the world-famous Son Doong Cave, one of the planet’s largest passages.
One of the must-do things in Vietnam is adventuring in this subterranean wonderland. Massive limestone formations create cathedral-type rooms adorned with spectacular stalactites and underground streams.
Paradise Cave stretches 31 kilometers (20 miles) deep beneath limestone karsts, visitors can explore the first kilometer along wooden platforms. In Dark Cave, tourists participate in adventure activities such as zip-lining along underground rivers, kayaking in cave systems, and participating in a therapeutic mud bath in mineral-rich clay.
9. Visit the Imperial City of Hue
Under the Nguyen Dynasty, Hue served as the capital of Vietnam from 1802 until 1945 and is now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Vietnam’s Old Imperial City, Hue, is a wonder to visit and get a taste of the elegant history of the country manifested through its palaces and temples that can be found here along the romantic Huong River.
Elaborate tombs such as Emperor Minh Mang or Khai Dinh display an array of architectural styles inspired by both Vietnamese and European designs. If you are interested in Buddhism, take a tour to historic pagodas such as Thien Mu, Vietnam’s tallest religious building, which is quite impressive.
It’s worth experiencing Hue’s royal cuisine through a carefully prepared meal and traditional court music performances, a UNESCO-recognised intangible cultural heritage offering a sense of high life during the time of the Vietnamese royals.
10. Relax With A Peaceful Scene In Ninh Binh
Ninh Binh has one of the most impressive places to see in Vietnam, with landscapes and a long history as well. Hundreds of giant limestone towers emerging from rice paddies create some of Vietnam’s most photogenic scenery.
Begin your adventure at Trang An, a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its tranquil boat trips through caves, river valleys and old temples. A little farther away, Hoa Lu, Vietnam’s capital in the 10th century, offers a taste of the country’s deep royal and cultural past.
Moreover, Bai Dinh Pagoda, the largest pagoda in Southeast Asia, will show you how magnificent Vietnamese religious architecture is. Here, tourists participate in peaceful boat rides along Tam Coc’s three caves, which unveil the rhythms and routines of rural Vietnamese life. Additionally, those who make the effort to ascend Hang Mua Peak are rewarded with sweeping views over the entire karst landscape, which is particularly breathtaking at sunrise and sunset.
11. Conquer Ba Na Hills And Golden Bridge In Da Nang
Ba Na Hills has become one of Vietnam’s most photographed destinations. It has the longest and highest cable car system in the world, whisking you from tropical lowlands to temperate mountains in just 20 minutes.
The iconic Golden Bridge, which opened in 2018, is 150 meters long and spans across mountain peaks. Taking photos from this view is extremely impressive.
Other interesting activities include visiting flower parks, wine cellars, fantasy parks, and adventure activities. Nature and man-made beauty create a blend so unique that it becomes a destination itself for photographers, families, and adventurous travelers alike.
12. Witness The Sunrise In Phu Yen
Bai Xep has mild and wild beauty with long green grass hills for young people to watch the sunrise or tent. Especially in Phu Yen, the land protrudes into the sea, which is Mui Dai Lanh, the Easternmost point. This is the place to welcome the first sunrise on the mainland of Vietnam. Especially with the first light of the day here, you can hold infinity, see the beauty of the sea, and the sunrise that conquers people’s hearts.
13. Overwhelm Before Waterfalls In Cao Bang
Cao Bang is a northeastern province of Vietnam, well-known for both its historical significance and breathtaking natural beauty, with spectacular waterfalls in Vietnam. The biggest and most amazing waterfall in the nation is the Ban Gioc waterfall. It’s also worthwhile to explore additional waterfalls, such as the Thac Khuoi Ky waterfall, Pac Bo waterfall, and Nguom Ngao cave waterfall.
You can also visit some of Cao Bang’s cultural and historical sites, including the Pac Bo cave, where Ho Chi Minh President, spent time in hiding in 1941, and the Dong Khe battlefield, where a key battle of the First Indochina War was fought.
14. Adventure On Cat Ba Island
On Cat Ba Island, you have the best of both worlds: beaches and national parks. Cat Ba National Park is home to the world’s most endangered primate. Visitors walk through the jungle to hidden caves, waterfalls, and panoramic viewpoints.
Not only that, with 400 limestone islands, Lan Ha Bay provides ideal conditions for sea kayaking through secret lagoons and to secluded beaches that can only be reached by water. The mix of adventure sports, unspoilt nature, and cultural encounters means Cat Ba is ideal for travelers seeking ambitious activities beyond tourist tours.
15. Learn Culture Through My Son Sanctuary
The My Son Sanctuary is a captivating glimpse into the ancient Champa Kingdom, offering a rich perspective on Vietnam’s vibrant cultural tapestry. As a UNESCO World Heritage site, it boasts the ruins of over 70 Hindu temples, which were constructed between the 4th and 14th centuries.
One of the most enchanting aspects of My Son is the traditional Cham dance performances. These graceful displays not only showcase beautiful movements but also breathe life into ancient rituals, all while honoring artistic traditions that have been cherished for centuries. Exploring My Son is truly a treat for the senses, especially when paired with a visit to Hoi An. Together, they draw a thorough understanding of the multicultural heritage that defines central Vietnam.
Final Thought
The best things to do in Vietnam allow visitors a feast for all the senses, from culture to flavor to history to jaw-dropping landscapes. From floating through the enchanting limestone spires of Ha Long Bay to strolling the historic lantern-lit streets of Hoi An, Vietnam has it all. Plan your trip to Vietnam now, and let Seni World personalize your travel planning with the best places to go in Vietnam that will help you discover this country like a local.