Vietnam is an Asian country that shared its land border with Laos and Cambodia and water border with the South China Sea. If you look at the map of Vietnam, you will find that it is a stretched country in length than its breadth. Tourists who visit Vietnam get awestruck by its majestic beaches, beautiful landscape, and delicious food. The landscape provides different scenes like greens farms, high mountains, and dense forest. The history of Vietnam has seen many struggles. During the 19th century, Vietnam was under the control of the French and before that, it was ruled by the Chinese for over 1000 years.

Vietnam offers adventure activities, epic places to visit, and a unique country where visitors can find bustling cities, silent beaches, pubs, clubs, and splendid natural views. If you are planning a trip to this beautiful country in South East Asia, please go through our article of the top 10 places to visit in Vietnam.

Ha Long Bay

Ha long bay is situated in the northeast of Vietnam, and famous for more than 1600 limestone islands that has emerged from its water. With an area of 1500sqkm, this place was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1944. With sceneries so beautiful, this place looks like a scene from the movie.This place offers boat rides for tourists to provide a chance to explore this bay. If you are interested in caving, you have just found your heaven. Summer is the best time to visit this place in Vietnam when the rains are less and the weather is warm, as kayaking can be enjoyed or you can spend time watching wildlife.

Ninh Binh

One of the reasons for being Ninh Binh is so popular and the best place to visit in Vietnam because the Blockbuster movie KONG was shoot here. You will also love beautiful rock formations, lush paddy fields, and the biggest temple in South East Asia. There is calmness in this area that can make you go spiritual. If you want to enjoy every bit of this place, hire a rowboat and be prepared to get mesmerized by its beauty.  The good news about Ninh Binh is, it is available to visit throughout the year, every season is best to enjoy its unique beauty.

Hoi An

Hoi An was also included in UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 as long stretched nation of Vietnam. The history & culture of the three countries Japan, Vietnam, and China are constantly mixed in past by their dealing from hundreds of years and its live example can be seen in architecture as Japanese bridge, Chinese temples, and French colonies are present here. The old shops of this area are converted into modern businesses and these shops, you will find tailors, art galleries, cafes, and restaurants. There is an entry ticket to visit ancient town of Hoi An for both locals and foreigners.

Hoi An is also famous for its bakeries. For outsiders, it will be a memorable experience to enjoy good food while overlooking peaceful views. Hoi An is a place of magic cookies with a well-preserved taste.

Ho Chi Minh

For the fans of city life, the trip to Vietnam will not be completed till they visit the buzzing and vibrant city of Ho Chi Minh. Also known as the city of motorbikes as the roads are filled with motorbikes and crowded even more by cars. Restaurants and cafes are of the standard of metropolitan cities and Ho Chi Minh city is the best place to visit in Vietnam for shopping.

In the centre of the city is Dong Khoi, a small central district where many historical and archaeological sites are present. Near this city, French colonial architecture from the 19th century and a Jade emperor pagoda with Buddhist architecture embedded in it can also be seen here. A history museum for history lovers is also there where they can relive the era of emperors.

There is an independence palace, also known as the reunification palace where South Vietnam’s president lived during the Vietnam war. Near to the palace, is the spot where the tanks from North Vietnam stopped on 30th April 1975 to end the war. The whole area is still decorated like it was in 1960, giving it a lively presence. War remnants museum near the palace shows the different pictures of barbarian acts that US forces have done in Vietnam during the war.

Hue

Hue is a historic town of Vietnam and a must-visit place in Vietnam that has relics of the 19th century and of emperors in almost every corner of the city. The most gorgeous place to see is the imperial enclosure, built near the Perfume river with the walls stretched for around 2.5 km. Apart from this palace, there are many other historical buildings like Thai Hoa Palace, Ngo Mon Gate, the DienTho Residence, and the halls of mandarins to see.

The best way to visit all the historical sites of the city is to take a boat ride on the Perfume River. Different cruises are also available and the most common is a day cruise which can take you to several tombs and royal pagodas. If you want to visit only an important tomb, then you must visit the tomb of Tu Doc and the main pagoda, Thien Mu pagoda having a tower of 21 meters in height.

My Son

Near the DuyPhu village on the central coast of Vietnam is an important archaeological site known as My Son. A significant site and famous place to visit in Vietnam is famous for Hindu religious ceremonies as numerous Hindu temples are built here by the Champa Kingdom from the 4th to 14th century and most of the temples are devoted to Lord Shiva.

Locals believe that this place contains more than 70 temples at its peak. Temples are constructed of bricks and limestone and decorated with scriptures and paintings of wild animals, mythical creatures, gods, priests, and battles. Many inscriptions found on the walls of these temples are in Sanskrit and Champa language. Today, My Son is a place where you can find groups of various ruins present in different states.

A museum lies on this site having artifacts that help visitors to better understand the history of the ruins. Many street vendors, cafes, and restaurants are popping up near the site slowly to provide a better experience to visitors. My son’s site is covered with jungles and lakes, so visitors can also enjoy hiking and kayaking here. If you are lucky, you will find the local dance groups performing the traditional Champa dance on the roadside. Group tours are organized from Hoi An to visit this archaeological site or you can also come to this site by renting a motorbike.

Hanoi

Hanoi charm is in its chaos. Hanoi is the capital city of Vietnam and is the fastest growing city in Southeast Asia. If you are planning to visit this city, then you must be prepared for a hive of activities available in the city. You may feel like, this city is without road rules as crossing the road is quite difficult in the city. Some restaurants are famous from where travelers can witness the fast life of the city while sitting idle and enjoying food and drinks. From some specific locations, you can see the busy roads where vehicles are running in Crisscross directions but still few accidents happen. If you want to take a break from the crowd, go to Hoan Kiem Lake in the old quarter or you can visit the imperial citadel, a must-see place in the capital city which is also the final resting place of the most popular Vietnamese President.

Nha Trang

Another best place to visit in Vietnam is Nha Trang that is also known as the king of sandy beaches in the country. The shoreline of Nha Trang city is about 6 km long and usually filled with locals and foreign tourists in the vacation season. Local authorities here have designated particular areas for swimming.

For people who are not swimming and sunbathing, there is an ancient tower of Po Nagar Cham near Xom Bong bridge. Towers of Po Nagar Cham are used for worship from the 7th century and some believe that they are a place of worship even before that.

Mekong Delta

Mekong Delta has mineral-rich soil and a network of waterways and thus can produce almost anything from vegetables, fruits, and cattle feed. Mainly famous for its rice plantation by which almost 1/3rd population of Vietnam gets its food. Because of its paddy, this area is also known as the rice bowl of Vietnam. River frontage in this area is so diverse and impressive that it is counted as second after amazon delta and that’s why it’s the best place to visit in Vietnam. Mekong delta is an extraordinary place filled with rice pads, mangroves jungles, and wildlife.

Easy to reach by road, you can come here by bus or motorbike. One of the most visited towns of the delta is Tra Vinh. A boat trip to the delta is an experience that will be special for the rest of your life. You can see their daily life along the river when you pass farms, orchids, cattle, bridges, and floating markets. The best time to visit the Mekong is in the dry season when the chances of floods are less.

Sapa

In the northern Vietnam mountains of Hoang Lien Son, there is a small town that shared its border with China called Sapa. Sapa is a beautiful mountain town with an elevation of 1500 meters from sea level. Its natural beauty is so enticing that it called tourists from far corners of Vietnam. The culture of Sapa is authentic and raw that appeals to the outsiders most. For trekking, it is the best place to visit in Vietnam where you can also find Fansipan (Vietnam’s highest peak).

Apart from natural views, the most intriguing point of Sapa is the locals, as they try to tag along with you when you visit this place and also hope to sell their handmade jewelry to you. Sapa is a major market for nearby small ethnic groups, where they can sell their handicrafts, making this little town a perfect place to find souvenirs. If you want to learn about the history and culture, please visit the Sapa culture museum to know about the ethnic groups of Vietnams.

Vietnam monsoon season is strong and rains are heavy in both cities and countryside. If you are making a trip to Vietnam, try to plan it in the dry season which is between December to February.

We have tried to give you an insight into the best places to visit in Vietnam so that you can plan accordingly. Our article is based on the reviews of tourists and preferences of locals. If you are planning to visit this country soon, try to include these top 10 places to visit in Vietnam on your tour.