Vietnam is the kind of country where you’ll need to pre-plan your travel, since it’s a long country with vast differences between the north and south. Ho Chi Minh is similar in many ways to Singapore and Bangkok, and people in the North are considered to be more “wordly” than the south.
However the entire country is bursting with striking landscapes that are sure to impress even the most well-traveled individual.
Here are some of the best places to travel in Vietnam:
Nha Trang
Located off the coast of South Central Vietnam, on one of the most stunning bays in Asia, Nha Trang is full of lush islands, sandy beaches, and picturesque mountains, making it famous with scuba divers and tourists. Those traveling with kids will enjoy plenty of amusement and water parks in the area.
Dalat
For those who want to escape the humidity, Dalat has cool weather throughout the year, and is famous for its lush pine trees, colorful flowers, and misty valleys. One used as a summer retreat by Vietnamese emperors and French colonials, Dalat is now popular with tourists who are drawn to the French colonial architecture.
Hue
Once the imperial capital of the Nguyen dynasty, hue is one of the most-visit spots in he country, due to its architecture, cuisine, and culture. Be sure to visit the Citadel, which is full of ornate temples and grand palaces just waiting to be explored.
Ho Chi Minh City
Still known as Saigon to many, Ho Chi Minh lies along the Saigon River in southern Vietnam. There are plenty of reasons to visit Ho Chi Minh, and as the largest city in the country, it offers a vibrant nightlife, excellent shopping, and both historic and modern attractions.
Hoi An
Ask anyone who has been to Vietnam where they got that handbag, or that dress which fits them like a glove, and they’ll tell you it was Hoi An. The city is bursting with tailors, which sell clothes, bags, shoes, and souvenirs, and the city itself dates back 2000 years.
Source: Flickr
Sapa
Surrounded by mountains, rice terraces and hill tribes, Sapa is located in the northwest part of Vietnam, and is often used as a base for tourists who want to go trekking and tour the traditional villages and rice paddies in the area.
Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta is where many of the most well-known pictures of Vietnam are taken. Here you’ll find colorful floating markets, bird sanctuaries, fruit orchards, rice paddies, and quaint villages, and you can spend a few days exploring the area and chatting with the locals.
Hanoi
If you visit Hanoi you should definitely spend some time in the Old Quarter, which is an intriguing mix of both French and Asia colonial architecture. Hanoi somehow managed to stay mostly intact throughout the bombings of the Vietnam War, and this is where you’ll find some of the world-famous Vietnamese coffee.
