8 cities you should visit in Vietnam
Vietnam is a big country with beautiful, historic, and diverse cities. It even boasts having one of the New Seven Natural Wonders of the World, and plenty of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. From the north all the way to the south, I’m gonna name a few of the cities that I really think you should add to your itinerary, with plenty of reasons and pictures of why you should!
8 Vietnamese cities you should visit
Hanoi
Hanoi is the capital city of Vietnam. It’s a bustling city with lots of quaint streets, delicious food, cool train tracks, and great vibes. While in Hanoi, you can walk around and explore its markets, take a ride in a rickshaw, eat the best Vietnamese pancakes known as Banh Xeo, drink a cup of Vietnamese egg coffee on the train tracks, and hang out on Beer Street.
Ha Long Bay
Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the new Seven Natural Wonders of the world. It consists of over 1,900 limestone islands surrounded by emerald clear water, a few floating villages, and diverse flora and fauna. It is also absolutely breathtaking and peaceful. The best way to explore Ha Long Bay is by going on an overnight cruise.
Ninh Binh
Ninh Binh is a hidden gem known as the Ha Long Bay on land, and it’s absolutely beautiful! It’s just 2 hours south of Hanoi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it was the first capital of Vietnam. Ninh Binh is full of beautiful limestone mountains, rice fields, iconic rivers, and beautiful mossy pagodas. While in Ninh Binh, I recommend biking through rice paddies, taking a boat trip on the beautiful Tam Coc river, and climbing up 500 steps to the top of Lying Dragon Mountain for the most amazing views. Fun fact: Ninh Binh was used to film scenes for Kong: Skull Island movie.
Hue
Hue is known for its imperial palaces and delicious Vietnamese dishes, like the Bun Bo Hue beef soup. Another UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hue was the feudal capital city of Vietnam for over 100 years in the 17-18th century. And due to its position in central Vietnam, the city was also considerably damaged during the Vietnam War. While in Hue, you should visit the Imperial Palace, explore an abandoned water park, take a dragon boat ride, and enjoy a delicious bowl of Bun Bo Hue.
Da Nang
Da Nang is a coastal beachy city with 2 of the coolest bridges (the Dragon Bridge and the Golden Bridge) and the largest Lady Buddha statue in Vietnam. It’s also very digital nomad friendly with lots of cute cafes and restaurants to eat and work from. I recommend spending a day or afternoon at Sun World in Ba Na Hill where you can find the famous Golden Bridge, also known as the hand bridge. You should also go check out the fire-breathing dragon bridge, take a short trip to Marble Mountain, and visit Chua Linh Ung temple.
Hoi An
Hoi An is an adorable UNESCO World Heritage Site city with an old town full of classic Vietnamese lanterns, local shops, quaint restaurants, beautiful bridges, and even a river you can explore by hopping on a boat for a few minutes. While in Hoi An, get a few custom-made clothing items! Because Hoi An is well known for its textile industry. Here you can get tailor-made clothes and shoes for a super affordable price. You can choose the design and the fabric, get your measurements, and receive your one-of-a-kind items in less than 24 hours. I also recommend going for a spin in a traditional basket boat, visiting the local street markets, taking a boat ride down the river and releasing a lantern, and enjoying the very vibrant nightlife.
Mui Ne
Mui Ne is a small coastal village where tropical beach vibes and desert landscapes meet. In Mui Ne, you can enjoy a relaxing morning at the beach and in the afternoon pump up your adrenaline by going sandboarding. Mui Ne is perfect for sunbathing at a luxury resort, taking a short walk through Fairy Stream, and enjoying the sunset atop a sand dune after a bit of sandboarding.
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, is Vietnam’s largest and most populous city with over 2 million motorbikes. It is a very modern city with a lot of history. While in Ho Chi Minh, you should walk around and enjoy the bustling city. You can also take a guided tour to the Cu Chi Tunnels (which were used during the Vietnam War), and visit the National War Museum to learn even more about the Vietnam War. But on a lighter note, you should also check out the Nguyen Hue Walking Street full of street performers and locals, and have a few drinks at Bui Vien walking street.
There are A LOT more cities in Vietnam worth visiting. But these are a few I recommend, and the ones I got a chance to spend some time in and can give you an honest opinion about.
I hope you find this blog post useful in your research on Vietnam! Feel free to write a comment below if you have any questions. Or reach out to me on social media @theplaceslauriegoes and I’d love to chat more about Vietnam.
Want to read more about Vietnam? Check out these blogs!
My first impression of Vietnam
6 budget-friendly things to do in Da Nang, Vietnam
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February 23, 2023
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