If You Like
Beaches
Vietnam's long stretch of pristine coast—more than 2,000 miles—is still a working shoreline, with fishing families who row daily into the surf in tiny, oval-shape boats woven from reed and rattan.
Danang is for those who prefer their beach with some city rather than seclusion. My Khe (also known as China Beach) and Non Nuoc are very pleasant beaches and popular with locals and expats. Caution: undertows can be strong.
An Bang and Cam Am. In addition to being a UNESCO site, Hoi An has two lovely white-sand beaches backed by low-key restaurants and resorts. An Bang is popular for surfing and paddleboarding, while Cua Dai's calm waters are perfect for swimming and relaxing.
Nha Trang. A 6-km (3.7-mile) stretch of white sand hugs the edge of the city, separating it from the crystal clear waters. All manner of water sports can easily be organized, including excellent diving and PADI-certification courses.
Phu Quoc. What was once an untouched paradise is quickly becoming more developed, but there are still stretches of beach with the immaculate white sand and cerulean waters of a postcard. Go far enough from the big hotels and you may well have a sandy swath of beach all to yourself.
Outdoor Adventure
Northern Vietnam is a favorite of trekkers. The verdant rice terraces, snow-capped mountains, and rolling green hills will, sometimes literally, take your breath away. Cycling in the lush Mekong Delta, or boating in Halong Bay offers adventure of a gentler kind, while Phong Na Khe National Park is for adventurers.
Halong Bay. Hop in a kayak and paddle around UNESCO site Halong Bay, exploring caves and ogling the limestone karst formations that appear to be floating. It's heavily touristed yes, but one look and you’ll know why.
The Mekong Delta. Cycling the Mekong Delta is the best way to get up close with the cities and towns along the water. Tours both day and overnight can be booked from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh and are generally all-inclusive, with a solid mountain bike and helmet provided.
Phong Na Khe Be National Park. With its extensive cave system, karst rock mountains, and rivers this national park in Central Vietnam offers some of the best outdoor activities in the country amid untamed jungle. Try your hand at ziplining, kayaking the rapids, or boating into a river cave.
Sapa. This was once a French hill station and today is one of the most popular bases for hikers, with a wide variety of restaurants. There’s a comfortable overnight train from Hanoi to Lao Cai (followed by an hour bus or taxi ride to Sapa), or there are buses that take about six hours.
Shopping
You’ll find plenty of custom-made clothing in silks and linens, ceramics, elegant black-and-red lacquerware, and intricate woodcarvings of Buddhas and animals. Local markets sell all sorts of items, from aluminum kitchenware, straw baskets, and lacquer chopsticks to plastic barrettes, velvet slip-on shoes, conical hats, and baseball caps. In touristy places, fair trade and social enterprise shops are growing in popularity and are a wonderful way to support the local economy. Bargaining is a must at all markets.
Going into purchases, keep in mind the maximum you’re willing to pay, and then bargain down to that price. If the seller won’t go that low, walk away; there will be others. In stand-alone shops, you can ask if prices are fixed; sometimes sellers are willing to bargain on large purchases; the same goes for shops selling paintings.
Hanoi. The contemporary art scene here is booming and many people buy fine art in Hanoi. In Hanoi’s Old Quarter you'll also find shops with all manner of items, including stationery, shoes, bolts of silk and silk clothing, accessories, and lacquerware. If you don’t have time for the trip to nearby Bat Trang village, you can find its pottery in Hanoi.
Hoi An. Hundreds of tailor shops line the streets here, and made-to-measure clothing can be turned around in just 48 hours. The best way to get exactly what you want is to bring something to be copied. Shoes and bags can also be custom-made. Beyond clothing, you’ll find colorful lanterns, parasols, and handcrafted jewelry.
Ho Chi Minh City. The boutique scene here is small but growing, with chic shops selling clothing, accessories, home goods, and high-quality lacquerware from local designers. And of course there's the colorful chaos of Bin Tanh market; the crowds can be overwhelming but it’s worth the authentic Vietnamese market experience.
Sapa. The market here, in northern Vietnam, is the place to go for the hill tribes’ beautifully embroidered fabrics, indigo-dyed clothing, or other handicrafts and food staples. You can even have your own clothes embroidered with colorful traditional designs.
Shrines and Places of Worship
While Vietnam’s government says it’s an atheist state, shared beliefs and practices, such as paying respects to ancestors, are still prevalent. Both Buddhist and Catholic homes and businesses have altars to ancestors.
Cao Dai Holy See. Though this colorful temple is 90 km (56 miles) from Ho Chi Minh City, a visit can easily be combined with a day trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels. The temple is devoted to Caodaism, a contemporary Vietnamese religion based on an amalgamation of Eastern and Western thought and the daily mass is quite a spectacle, with singing and prayers.
Giac Lam Pagoda. Ho Chi Minh City’s oldest Buddhist temple dates back to 1744, and there are prayer services throughout the day. Climb to the top of the pagoda for vistas of the city.
Marble Mountains. Twenty minutes’ drive south of Danang are the five Marble Mountains, each of which are said to represent one of the five elements (metal, water, wood, fire, and earth). The climb to the summit of Thuy Son (water), is literally breathtaking; it’s 150 steps (there’s an elevator, too), but you’ll be rewarded with shrines hidden inside caves and grottoes and sweeping views of Danang.
Perfume Pagoda. This complex of Buddhist temples and shrines is carved into the limestone of the Huong Tich Mountains. The day trip from Hanoi involves travel by road, boat, and cable car (or walking the last section; you can also take the cable car up and walk down) and it's all quite atmospheric.
Tran Quac Pagoda. On an island just off Hanoi’s West Lake is the city’s oldest Buddhist pagoda, dating back to the 6th century. Its peaceful shoreline location makes it a popular spot for watching the sun set. In the pagoda’s leafy garden is a bodhi tree, believed to have grown from a cutting from the original bodhi tree under which the Buddha found enlightenment.
