Cat Ba Island
Lying to the south of Halong Bay off the north-eastern coast of Vietnam, the 300-or-so karst islands and limestone outcrops of Lan Ha are just as…
Must-see attractions in Northern Vietnam
Cao Bang
Ban Gioc is one of Vietnam’s best-known waterfalls, and its image adorns the lobby of many a cheap guesthouse. The falls, fed by the Quay Son River that…
Cat Ba Island
For one of the best views in Vietnam, head to Cannon Fort, where there are astounding panoramas of Cat Ba Island's jungle-clad hills, the harbour and the…
Dien Bien Phu
This vantage point was crucial in the battle of Dien Bien Phu. There are tanks and a monument to Viet Minh casualties on this former French position,…
Dien Bien Phu
This well-laid-out museum, contained in a space-agey modern structure, features an eclectic collection that commemorates the 1954 battle. Alongside…
Dong Van
Once a week, local villagers from the surrounding hills, including the Hmong, Tay, Nung and Hoa ethnic groups, flood into Dong Van for the Sunday market…
Bac Ha
This Sunday market is Bac Ha’s big draw. There's an increasing range of handicrafts for sale, but it’s still pretty much a local affair. Bac Ha Market is…
Bai Tu Long Bay
Most Vietnamese visitors make a beeline for Hong Van Beach – and justifiably so. It's nearly 3km of fine, white sand lapped by blue water and backed by a…
Bai Tu Long Bay
The spectacular islands of Bai Tu Long Bay, immediately northeast of Halong Bay, form Bai Tu Long National Park and are every bit as beautiful as their…
Haiphong
Du Hang Pagoda was founded three centuries ago. It’s been rebuilt several times, but remains a fine example of traditional Vietnamese architecture and…
Ha Giang Province
This grandiose two-storey mansion was built for a local Hmong king by the French in the 1920s in Chinese-Hmong style. Set in a hidden valley in the tiny…
Cat Ba Island
Cat Ba's beautiful national park is home to 32 species of mammal, including most of the world's 65 remaining golden-headed langurs, the world's most…
Bac Ha
This small market, 20km north of Bac Ha, attracts a growing number of visitors. Some tours from Sapa now visit Can Cau on Saturday before moving on to Bac…
Cat Ba Island
Hospital Cave served both as a secret bomb-proof hospital during the American War and as a safe house for Viet Cong (VC) leaders. Built between 1963 and…
Northeast Vietnam
Often referred to as the Ba Be Lakes, Ba Be National Park was established in 1992 as Vietnam’s eighth national park. The scenery swoops from towering…
Bac Ha
The outlandish Vua Meo, built in 1921 by the French to keep the Tay chief Hoang A Tuong happily ensconced in style, is a bizarre palace constructed in a…
Halong Bay
Hang Trong has wide-arched entrances on either side and a ceiling clustered with stalactites. It's so named because when the wind blows through its…
Bac Ha
The Coc Ly Market attracts Dzao, Flower Hmong, Tay and Nung people from the surrounding hills. It’s about 35km southwest of Bac Ha. Operators in Bac Ha…
Sapa
Towering above Sapa are the Hoang Lien Mountains, once known to the French as the Tonkinese Alps and now a national park. These mountains include the…
Cat Ba Island
A 10-minute walk southeast from Cat Ba Town, the three Cat Co Cove beaches boast the nearest sand to town, though all are being developed with hotel…
Cao Bang
About 4km from Ban Gioc Waterfall, 2km up a side valley, Nguom Ngao Cave is one of the most spectacular cave systems in Vietnam. Created by an underground…
Ba Be National Park
Rimmed by limestone peaks, Ba Be (meaning Three Bays) is in fact three linked lakes, with a total length of 8km and a width of about 400m. Most boat…
Halong City
Vietnamese and cruise-ship tourists flock to this cable car that spans the Cua Luc inlet, offering dramatic views over Halong Bay. The views are…
Northwest Vietnam
One potential stopover between Hanoi and Mai Chau is this centre founded by Hanoi artist Vu Duc Hieu to showcase the culture of the local Muong ethnic…
Lung Cam Cultural Tourist Village
Dong Van
Located in the narrow, incredibly picturesque Sung La Valley is the village of Lung Cam. Deemed a 'cultural tourist village' by the local authorities, the…
Mai Chau
This interesting weekly market, 30km northwest of Mai Chau, makes for a fine excursion. The back section has a small but high-quality section of batiks…
Dien Bien Phu
Dien Bien Phu is ringed by Tay villages, and this one, 5km north of the city, has been deemed a 'culture and tourism village', ostensibly because of its…
Dong Van
Around 25km north of Dong Van and just a few kilometres from the Chinese border, Lung Cu is a massive flag tower erected in 2010 to mark the northernmost…
Northeast Vietnam
Paths follow the the Ngoc Tuyen River through this beautiful cave for about 1km. The entrance has a series of poems carved in Chinese characters by the…
Sapa
An excellent showcase of the history and ethnology of the Sapa area, including the French colonial era. Dusty exhibitions overview the various ethnic…
Bai Tu Long Bay
The beautiful 1km-long crescent-moon sweep of Minh Chau Beach, 12km from Quan Lan town on the northeastern coast, is the island's main drawcard. Between…
Haiphong
In a splendid colonial building, this small museum concentrates on the city's history, with English translations on displays. The front hall's taxidermy…
Halong Bay
This huge cave consists of three chambers reached via 90 steps. Inside, ceilings soar up to 25m high, while some rather disco-festive lighting illuminates…
Dong Van
At the top of the karst peak that overlooks central Dong Van are the dramatic ruins of a French fort. It's possible to scale the peak, using the path that…
Northeast Vietnam
Tam Thanh Cave is vast and seductive, with a water pool inside and natural ‘window’ offering a sweeping view of the surrounding rice fields.
Northwest Vietnam
Located 9km east of Muong Te is this traditional-feeling White Thai village. Nearly all of its residents live in elevated wooden houses in a bucolic…
Ha Giang Province
Leaving Ha Giang, the road climbs over the Quan Ba Pass (Heaven’s Gate) around 40km from the city. The saddle has an information centre and an awesome…
Bai Tu Long Bay
The only attraction within Quan Lan Town itself is this beautiful 200-year-old pagoda, flanked by the town's communal house and a temple, all of which are…
Bai Tu Long Bay
Directly north of Hong Van Beach is its slightly scruffier sister, Bac Van Beach. It's quieter, but coarse sand and water not quite deep enough for…
Bac Ha
Lung Phin market is between Can Cau market and Bac Ha, about 12km from town. It’s less busy than other markets, with a really local feel, and is a good…
