Vietnam travel guide

Hanoi and Ha Long Bay, Hoi An's lanterns, the beaches of Da Nang, Nha Trang and Phu Quoc, cool Da Lat and the tastiest noodles in Asia.

Cities and regions

• 🏝Da Nang 11 places
• 🏮Hoi An 11 places
• 🏯Hanoi & the North 5 places
• 👑Hue 3 places
• 🛵Ho Chi Minh City 4 places
• 🐠Nha Trang 2 places
• 🌲Da Lat 3 places
• 🌴Phu Quoc 3 places

What to see

🐉Dragon Bridge

Da Nang's icon: 666 metres of golden dragon stretched over the Han River. At night it shimmers with changing lights.

Time Fire and water show on Saturdays and Sundays at 21:00

Insider tip The dragon's head faces the sea, so stand near it. Just not in the front row: it's generous with the water 😄

🏖My Khe Beach

A long city beach with soft sand. Locals swim here in the morning; by midday it's almost empty because of the heat.

Price Free; sunbed prices are negotiable

Insider tip The best times are 5:30 to 8:00 and after 16:00. A red flag means no swimming: the currents here are strong.

🛍Han Market

A covered market in the centre: coffee, dried fruit, souvenirs and fabric. Upstairs you'll find clothes and tailors.

Insider tip Offer half the asking price and calmly walk away: they often call you back with a fair one.

🥢Con Market

A market for locals, not tourists. Inside is a food court with the most honest street food in town.

Insider tip Eat wherever Vietnamese people are perched on tiny plastic stools. That's the only quality seal you need.

🙏Linh Ung Pagoda (Son Tra)

On the Son Tra Peninsula stands a 67-metre statue of the Goddess of Mercy, with views over the whole of Da Nang Bay.

Price Free entry

Insider tip Cover your shoulders and knees: it's a temple. You may meet monkeys on the way, so keep your snacks out of sight.

⛰Marble Mountains

Five limestone peaks full of caves, pagodas and viewpoints. Inside the caves are altars lit by beams of light through the cracks.

Price Entry is cheap; the lift is extra (check at the ticket desk)

Insider tip Wear comfy shoes and bring water. The best cave is Huyen Khong: come before noon, when the light pours in from above.

Don’t miss

What to eat

• 🍜
  Mi Quang Wide rice noodles in just a splash of broth, with prawns, pork, herbs and a rice cracker. The signature dish of the region. Where to try it: Breakfast at any local eatery
• 🥢
  Cao Lau Chewy noodles that, by tradition, are made only in Hoi An. Pork, crunchy croutons and lots of herbs. Where to try it: Hoi An only: try it at the night market
• 🥖
  Banh mi The Vietnamese stuffed baguette. Crunchy, fragrant and about the price of a bus ticket. Where to try it: Banh Mi Phuong in Hoi An or any street cart
• 🥞
  Banh xeo A crispy pancake with prawns. Wrap it in rice paper with herbs and dip it in the sauce. Where to try it: Dinner at local cafés in Da Nang
• 🍲
  Pho The classic: broth, rice noodles, beef or chicken. Add lime, chilli and herbs to taste. Where to try it: Everywhere, but it's best in the morning
• ☕
  Iced coffee with condensed milk Strong Vietnamese coffee dripped through a phin filter, with condensed milk and ice. Warning: highly addictive. Where to try it: At any coffee shop, especially one with a view

Day-by-day itinerary

When to go

greatOKoff season

Entry & documents

An e-visa for up to 90 days is open to all nationalities: apply on the official portal (evisa.gov.vn) a few days ahead. Some passports also get visa-free entry, so check whether yours does. You'll need a passport valid for 6+ months and a return ticket. Check the current rules for your passport before you travel.

Local etiquette

• 👟
  Take your shoes off before entering someone's home. At temples, spas and some shops, check the doorstep: if there's a pile of shoes, add yours to it.
• 🤲
  Give and receive money, gifts and business cards with both hands, especially when dealing with older people.
• 😊
  Stay calm and keep smiling, even when haggling or when something goes wrong. Raising your voice means losing face, while a calm smile gets you almost anywhere.
• 🥢
  Don't leave your chopsticks standing upright in a bowl of rice: it looks like the incense sticks offered to the dead. Rest them across the bowl or on a holder instead.
• 🙅
  Don't touch anyone's head, not even a child's: it's considered the most sacred part of the body.
• ☝️
  Don't beckon anyone with a crooked finger or your palm facing up: that's how animals are called. Wave your fingers towards you with your palm facing down.

Did you know

• ☕Vietnam is the world's second-largest coffee producer after Brazil, and number one for robusta: the strong bean behind that iced coffee with condensed milk.
• 🔤Unlike its neighbours, Vietnam writes in the Latin alphabet. The script, chữ Quốc ngữ, was developed by European missionaries in the 17th century, and in 1651 Alexandre de Rhodes published the first Vietnamese–Portuguese–Latin dictionary in Rome.
• 🥖The word "banh mi" has been in the Oxford English Dictionary since 2011.
• 🕳Son Doong in central Vietnam is the world's largest known cave passage by volume. It's so vast it has its own jungle and even its own clouds, yet it was only fully explored in 2009.

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