3 Must-Visit Cities in Vietnam
So you want to travel to Vietnam? Here are three must-visit cities in Vietnam and some unforgettable bucket list experiences to do.
Halong Bay
Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it is magnificent. It consists of over a thousand islands. You can schedule a tour from Hanoi (the capital city) to Halong Bay. Most hotels offer tours to these cruises, so you will not have to look around a lot to find these offers.
However, if you do not find these tour options in your hotel, you can look on Airbnb Experiences or Klook.com to book a tour. Alternatively, you can also go to Google and search Halong Bay tours to book directly on the tour cruise website.
These cruises can get a little pricey to do, but if you have the budget to do so, then that is one of the best ways to cruise on the bay.
You get your private room on a luxury cruise, and sometimes, depending on the room you choose, your bathtub will have a view of the bay at sunrise or sunset. These cruises usually cost around $150 to $350 a night, but if you decide to choose this option, do a minimum of two nights to get the full experience without feeling too rushed. These luxury cruises include experiences like cooking classes and kayaking, among other things.
If you're on a budget or pressed for time, you can also schedule a day trip from Hanoi to Halong Bay; these cruises cost a lot less (about $50). This option will also usually arrange hotel pick-up and drop-off from Hanoi.
Halong Bay Sunset
Although it is a less expensive option, they provided lunch, a stop along the way to look at other things like the pearl farming in Vietnam, a limestone cave, a hike to get up to a viewpoint to get a better view of the islands, and you also get a kayaking adventure through some of the caves.
When visiting Vietnam, you are likely to either fly into Hanoi or fly out of Hanoi because it has one of the biggest airports in Vietnam, so make it a point to visit this beautiful UNESCO World site while in Hanoi.
2. Da Nang
One of my favorite cities in Vietnam. Da Nang is in the central part of Vietnam, and it is also a coastal city known for its beaches. Da Nang has a diverse landscape and not only is it known for its beaches, it has mountains and some waterfalls as well. It is also famously known as the Dragon Bridge. The Dragon Bridge usually has a fire and water show every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 9 p.m.
If you are into temples and Pagodas, Da Nang has the famous Lady Buddha, which you can see mostly anywhere in the city. Next to the Lady Buddha is the Linh Ung Pagoda.
While in Da Nang, you can take a trip to the Marble Mountains. The Marble Mountains in Da Nang are a cluster of five limestone and marble hills, renowned for their stunning caves, temples, and panoramic views, making them a must-visit destination for both nature and history enthusiasts.
Ba Na Hills is another day trip from Da Nang. It is home to the Golden Bridge also known as the “hands of God”. Ba Na Hills has the longest cable cars in the world, and an amusement park that both international and Vietnamese tourists like to visit.
If you are into history and ruins, My Son Sanctuary, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is an ancient Hindu temple complex in Vietnam that you have to visit. It was built by the Champa Kingdom between the 4th and 14th centuries. You can take a day tour from Da Nang by either joining a tour group or hiring a private driver. The drive there is about an hour and a half.
3. Hoi An
About a 30-40 minute car ride away from Da Nang is, Hoi An. Hoi An ancient town is a UNESCO World site known for the famous Japanese bridge and its lantern festivals during a full moon. The whole ancient town of Hoi An transforms into a lantern-lit town in the evenings daily, right after sunset.
In fact, it's very unique, romantic, and extremely beautiful. You will never be bored in Hoi An because it is filled with bars, night markets, restaurants, and cafes. You can take a boat ride on the river in a lantern-lit boat or have a beer or coffee and people-watch at the nearby cafes and bars.
Hoi An is also known for its tailoring shops. You can literally get custom-made outfits and pick them up the next day or two.
Hoi An is also known for its lush rice fields. You can rent a bicycle from your hotel or hostel, ride around, and take in the breathtaking views. Or you can simply find a cafe overlooking the rice fields and enjoy the scenery around sunset with a cup of coffee or beer. Roving Chillhouse is one of the such cafes with great views of the rice fields.
Are you into cooking or learning about new cuisines? Book a cooking class with a local chef to learn how to make traditional Vietnamese dishes. These tours usually start with a local market to source fresh ingredients.
Have you ever seen those viral videos of people spinning around in circles in round boats? Well, if you want to do that, Hoi An is one of the places you can try. Spinning around is not an absolute must during the coconut boat tours. You can just have a regular boat ride through the Nipa palm forests of Cam Thanh village in traditional round bamboo boats and meet locals. This tour generally includes demonstrations of fishing techniques and hands-on crab fishing experiences.
To conclude, Vietnam is one of the most beautiful countries out there and whether you visit all three cities or just one, you will not be disappointed by Vietnam’s beauty and cultural richness.