Things to do in North Central Vietnam
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Kim Lien
Ho Chi Minh’s birthplace in Hoang Tru, and the village of Kim Lien, where he spent some of his formative years, are 14km northwest of Vinh. For all that these are popular pilgrimage spots for the party faithful, there’s little to see other than recreated houses of bamboo and palm leaves, dressed (barely) with a few pieces of furniture.
Ho Chi Minh was born in Hoang Tru in 1890 and raised there till 1895, when the family moved to Hue. They returned in 1901, but it was to the house in Kim Lien, about 2km from Hoang Tru. Not far from this house is a shrine-like museum, enclosed by pale green walls. If you want to hit the real motherlode of Ho Chi Minh memorabilia, drop b…
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Phong Nha Cave
The largest and most stunning cave in Vietnam is Phong Nha Cave. It was reliably mapped for the first time only in 1990, by an expedition led by the British Cave Research Association. Further exploration has revealed that Phong Nha Cave alone is nearly 55km long, though only the first kilometre is open to visitors. The name means Cave of Teeth, but the ‘teeth’ (stalagmites) by the entrance are long gone. The cave is an incredible otherworldly landscape to explore – except for the garish lights that illuminate certain formations.
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Cuc Phuong National Park
Established in 1962, this national park is one of Vietnam’s most important protected areas. Though wildlife has suffered a precipitous decline in Vietnam in recent decades, the park’s 222 sq km of primary tropical forest remains home to an amazing variety of animal and plant life: 307 species of bird, 133 species of mammal, 122 species of reptile, 2000 plant species and counting.
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Cua Lo Beach
It’s pleasant enough, with white sand, clean water and a shady grove of pine trees – but the concrete, karaoke, massage parlours and litter won’t suit many travellers. Nevertheless, if you have time to kill, come for a cooling dip and a seafood lunch at one of the beach restaurants.
Cua Lo is 16km northeast of Vinh and can be reached easily by motorbike or taxi.
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Huong Mai Restaurant
The local speciality is de (goat meat), usually served with fresh herbs and rice paper to wrap it in. A good place to try this is the blue-walled Huong Mai Restaurant. There is an English menu, though the staff don’t speak English. Try the fried goat with chilli and citronella, and don’t let the oversized goat’s head mounted over the counter intimidate you.
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Endangered Primate Rescue Center
The Endangered Primate Rescue Center is home to over 140 creatures from 15 species of gibbon, langur and loris. The gibbon is a long-armed, fruit-eating ape, the langur is a long-tailed, tree-dwelling monkey, and the loris is a smaller nocturnal primate with large eyes.
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Central Market
Street food options include the Central Market; pho bo food stalls (beef noodle soup; Ð Phan Dinh Phung); bun bo Hue food stalls (Hue-style spicy beef noodle soup; off Ð Dinh Cong Trang); and pho ga food stalls (chicken noodle soup; Ð Ho Sy Doung).
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Citadel
There’s not a lot left to see of Vinh’s citadel (1831) apart from the sludgy green moat and three gates: Left Gate (Cua Ta; Ð Dao Tan), Right Gate (Cua Huu; Ð Dao Tan) and Front Gate (Cua Tien; Khoi 5 Ð Dang Thai Than).
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Turtle Conservation Center
The Turtle Conservation Center houses over 1000 turtles from 20 of Vietnam’s 25 native species. This includes animals that were confiscated from smugglers; again it’s China generating the demand, for culinary and medicinal value.
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Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Museum
The walk between the Left and Right Gates of the citadel provides a pleasant interlude and passes the little-visited Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Museum, which memorialises local heroes of the nationalist movement against the French in 1930–1.
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Cathedral
The Tay Ninh of the north, Phat Diem is the home of a celebrated cathedral, which is remarkable for its vast dimensions and inimitable Sino-Vietnamese architecture, with a dash of European dressing for good measure.
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Statue of Me Suot
Near the market is a statue of Me Suot, commemorating an elderly woman who died in an American attack while she was ferrying North Vietnamese soldiers across the river.
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Stone monument
Outside the Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Museum, in true socialist art style, is a large stone monument to those who perished at the hands of the French in 1930-1.
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QB Teen
QB Teen is the only place with Western fare, and true to its name the staff look like they’re just out of their teens.
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Ngoi Sao Xanh
To people-watch (inasmuch as one can in Vinh) try Ngoi Sao Xanh which overlooks the park.
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Unnamed Restaurant
A casual unnamed restaurant directly opposite Nam Long Hotel serves Vietnamese food.
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Saigon Kimlien Hotel Restaurant
The nicest hotel in the central area also has a serviceable restaurant.
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