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…
Must-see attractions in Vietnam
Can Gio
This island is home to a monkey sanctuary, which houses at least a hundred wild but unafraid simians. Take care: like monkeys everywhere, the line between…
Hanoi Region
This striking complex of pagodas and Buddhist shrines is built into the karst cliffs of Huong Tich Mountain (Mountain of the Fragrant Traces). Among the…
Danang
Known to locals as Con Ga Church (Rooster Church) because of the weathercock atop the steeple, the candy-pink, photogenic Danang Cathedral was built for…
Hue
Planned during Minh Mang’s reign (1820–40) but built by his successor, Thieu Tri, this majestic tomb, on the west bank of the Perfume River, is renowned…
Quy Hoa Beach & Leper Hospital
Quy Nhon
Leprosy may not conjure up images of fun in the sun, but this really is a lovely shoreside spot. A former leper hospital, today it's more of a dermatology…
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…
Demilitarised Zone
Quang Tri once boasted an important citadel, but little of its old glory remains. In the Easter Offensive of 1972, North Vietnamese forces laid siege to…
Mekong Delta
The Nam Du archipelago is a cluster of 20 islands located more than 80km off the coast and ringed with sandy coves. The main island of Hon Lon (Big Island…
Marble Mountains
Thuy Son is the largest and most famous of the five Marble Mountains, with a number of natural caves in which first Hindu and later Buddhist sanctuaries…
Dalat
En route between Bao Loc and Ho Chi Minh City, 130km southwest of Dalat, Dambri Falls are one of the highest (90m), most magnificent and easily accessible…
Hue
The principal entrance to the Imperial Enclosure is Ngo Mon Gate, which faces the Flag Tower. The central passageway with its yellow doors was reserved…
Hanoi Region
Also known as Thien Phuc (Heavenly Blessing), Thay Pagoda is dedicated to Thich Ca Buddha (Sakyamuni, the historical Buddha). To the left of the main…
Ninh Binh Province
Built in 1892, the cathedral’s wooden interior has a vaulted ceiling supported by massive columns. Vietnamese-looking cherubs swarm above the granite…
Ho Chi Minh City
This Fujian temple is dedicated to the Goddess of Seafarers, Thien Hau (Thien Hau Thanh Mau), also known as Ma To. The four carved stone pillars, wrapped…
Mekong Delta
Founded in 1847 on the site of an earlier shrine, Tay An’s current structure dates from 1958. Aspects of its eclectic architecture, particularly its domed…
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…
South-Central Vietnam
Quang Tri province was the most heavily bombed part of Vietnam and it remains the most contaminated with ordnance. This museum provides an excellent…
Cat Tien National Park
Crocodile Lake is home to 200 crocs and is one of Cat Tien National Park's highlights. Getting here involves a 9km drive or bicycle ride from the park…
Cu Chi
The most visited of the tunnel sites, this small, renovated section is near the village of Ben Dinh, about 50km from HCMC. In one of the classrooms at the…
Hue
Wildly overgrown but evocative, Ho Quyen was built in 1830 for the royal pastime of watching elephants and tigers face off in combat. The tigers (and…
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…
Dalat
This coffee farm has been in the family of Rolan since the 1860s. It's part of a K'Ho coffee-growing cooperative that ensures profits directly support K…
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…
Mekong Delta
There are many small nurseries lining the river and canals here, each with a different speciality, although the town is most famous for its roses. The…
Ha Tien
This Buddhist cave temple is 4km northeast of town. Scramble through the cave chambers to see the funerary tablets and altars to Ngoc Hoang, Quan The Am…
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…
Cu Chi
The tunnels here have been enlarged to accommodate tourists, although they’re still a tight squeeze. Inside the underground chambers are bunkers, a…
Hue
This three-tiered esplanade was once the most important religious site in Vietnam, the place where the Nguyen emperors made animal sacrifices and…
Hue
Nestled in a pine forest, this pagoda was built in 1843 and later co-opted by eunuchs from the Citadel. Today 70 monks reside at Tu Hieu; they welcome…
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…
Dalat
Built by a French merchant in 1929, the surprisingly modest but attractive royal residence of Bao Dai (1913–97), Vietnam's last emperor, beckons visitors…
Phan Thiet
The highlight here is the white reclining Buddha (Tuong Phat Nam). At 49m long, it’s the largest in Vietnam. The pagoda was constructed in 1861, but the…
Kon Tum
Nine kilometres southeast of Kon Tum, the village of Kon K'tu is reachable across the Kon K'lor suspension bridge and along a potholed road. There's a…
Hue
In the very centre of the Imperial Enclosure, there's almost nothing left of the once-magnificent Purple Forbidden City. This was a citadel-within-a…
Hue
The Royal Theatre, begun in 1826 and later home to the National Conservatory of Music, has been rebuilt on its former foundations. When performances aren…
Hue
Covering an area of 250 hectares, the cemetery behind the fishing village of An Bang holds an incredible collection of incredibly ornate tombs and…
Hoi An
Behind an impressive gate emblazoned with Chinese chu nho characters that simply translate as 'Confucius Temple', this magnificent temple to the west of…
