Explore Vietnam by region and destination

Vietnam breaks down into three regions and 25 destinations that suit different trip lengths and interests. The north covers Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Cat Ba and Lan Ha Bay, Ninh Binh, Sapa, Mu Cang Chai, Mai Chau, Pu Luong, Ha Giang, and Cao Bang with Ban Gioc. Hanoi is the capital and the usual northern gateway, with the Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake, the Temple of Literature, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex, West Lake and a street food scene built around bun cha, pho, banh mi, cha ca and egg coffee. South of Hanoi, Ninh Binh groups Trang An, Tam Coc, Mua Cave, the old capital of Hoa Lu and Cuc Phuong National Park around a limestone karst landscape often explored by rowing boat.

To the east, Ha Long Bay, Cat Ba and Lan Ha Bay are visited mostly by cruise, for a single day or with a night aboard. The northwest and northeast mountains hold Sapa, the terraced rice fields of Mu Cang Chai, the villages of Mai Chau and Pu Luong, the Ha Giang loop and Ban Gioc Falls. The centre brings together Hue, Phong Nha, Da Nang, Hoi An, Quy Nhon, Nha Trang, Da Lat and the Central Highlands: imperial heritage, caves, beaches and a cooler upland interior. The south covers Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta and Can Tho, Mui Ne, Vung Tau and the islands of Phu Quoc and Con Dao.

Deciding how many regions to combine, and how much time to set aside for mountains, coast and cities, is the main planning decision for a trip through Vietnam, and it depends more on interests, the season and internal transport than on any fixed route.