The best places to visit in Vietnam

Vietnam is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. It has lovely landscapes, friendly people, a rich history and nice beaches. There are so many possibilities that it can be overwhelming. Luckily we are here to help you. We selected the most awesome places in Vietnam you should definitely visit if you want to have a magnificent time.

1. Sapa

In the upper north of Vietnam there is an widely popular little place called Sapa. Especially backpackers are quite fond of this town. There are lovely routes you can choose if you want to hike. They will lead you trough magnificent valleys. You will see enormous mountains. You will walk on bamboo-bridges,  just like in the movies. Furthermore you will see beautiful rice fields and you will meet the local mountain-tribes. This is the ultimate place if you want to become one with nature and leave the stressful western lifestyle behind for a couple of days or weeks. 

2. Halong Bay

Halong bay is another magnificent tourist attraction. This is a bay that is situated in the northeast of the country, close to the capital Hanoi. It has thousands of caves, rocks and beaches to offer. The landscapes are really magnificent. Furthermore there are a lot of special and interesting places that you also want to see. For example, the Son Doong Cave is the biggest cave in the world. When the French ruled Vietnam they called it ‘The Cave of Miracles’. In this cave you will find not only a river and a jungle, it even has its own campsite! There are countless fishermen living around the cave. They sleep in wooden houses, and they often keep their captured fish in ponds so they stay fresh. It really is an astounding sight to behold!

3. Tam Coc and Ninh Binh

Tam Coc is located near Ninh Binh. What is so spectacular about this place? The boat-trips are truly magnificent. You will float around on the Ngo Dong, and you will feel like you are in the movie Apocalypse Now. At least, without the war and bloodshed, but the magnificent landscapes are the same! A local guide will show you all the great spots. For example, you will go through a cave that is 125 metres long! This experience is truly something you don’t want to miss.

4. Cuc Phuong

Cuc Phuong has tremendous sights to offer. It is one of the most beautiful nature areas in Vietnam. Here you will find lots of animals, waterfalls, mountains, lakes and much more. It is a protected area because a wide range of monkey species live there. Vietnam puts in a lot of effort to make sure that this doesn’t change. There are rangers who will make sure that the natural balance is kept in place. If you want to see a lot, you can take a bike-trip. Using this method, you will see a lot of different places in a short amount of time. If you are a birdwatcher you will also have a good experience. There are some rare birds you can find if you put in the effort.

5. Van Long en Tam Dao

The Delacour’s Langur is an endangered monkey specie. They live on magnificent rocks that are located near the sea. It is quite amazing that animals are capable of living in these dire conditions. However, they do! And it’s a truly spectacular sight to behold. The only thing that you have to do is visit Van Long Nature Reserve. If you go even further in an eastern direction, you will find Tam Dao. Here you will also find some special animals. For example, if you are lucky you can see a rare salamander that only lives in Vietnam. There are also special birds like the blue-naped pitta, which are really beautiful.

6. Yok Don

If you are a fan of wild animals, you should visit Yok Don. It has a tremendous jungle, where some extraordinary animals live. This includes the Asian elephant, which is a bit smaller than the African one. You can also see a wild buffalo. You can even see tigers and leopards. However there are not a lot of them left. If you like birds you are in luck. In Yok Don you will see the biggest parakeet in the world flying around.

 

Now you know the best locations in Vietnam. But how will you get there? Flying-tickets are often quit expensive, so it’s important to compare prices beforehand if you want to save some money. The prices of the tickets are not the same throughout the year.  Always keep an eye out, maybe you can find a great discount.