Things to do in Vietnam

Vietnam supports a range of activities well beyond a single list of landmarks. In the cities, street food tours typically move between local specialities, while a water puppet performance in Hanoi gives a traditional evening alternative to a bia hoi corner. Museums and heritage sites include the Temple of Literature, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex and the Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi, the imperial citadel of Hue and the old town of Hoi An.

In the north, Ninh Binh's karst scenery is explored mostly by rowing boat through Trang An or Tam Coc, Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba are built around bay cruises from a single day to an overnight cabin, and Sapa and Mu Cang Chai add trekking through terraced rice fields and ethnic minority villages, with Fansipan's cable car as an option for reaching the summit without a multi-day hike. The Ha Giang loop is the north's signature motorbike route, done either self-driven or with an easy rider, through the karst plateau around Dong Van and over Ma Pi Leng Pass.

In the centre, Phong Nha is known for its caves, Hoi An for lantern-lit evenings, cooking classes and tailoring, and Da Nang, Quy Nhon and Nha Trang for beaches and boat trips, while Da Lat and the Central Highlands offer waterfalls, canyons and coffee country. In the south, Ho Chi Minh City combines history museums, markets and food tours, the Mekong Delta is explored by boat among floating markets and canals, and Phu Quoc, Con Dao and Mui Ne offer islands, diving and dunes. Airport transfers and half-day city tours are worth arranging in advance in any destination, since they simplify arrival and departure.