The short answer
- Must do
- A night on Ha Long Bay
- Most atmospheric
- Hoi An by lantern light
- Best scenery on land
- Ninh Binh and Sapa
- Best food city
- Hanoi
Vietnam packs an extraordinary variety into one long, narrow country: limestone seascapes, mountain rice terraces, imperial cities, a perfectly preserved trading port and the vast green Mekong Delta.
The north
- 1. Spend a night on Ha Long Bay. Sleep among limestone islands and kayak into hidden lagoons. Cruise guide
- 2. Eat your way around Hanoi. Pho for breakfast, bun cha for lunch and egg coffee in between, ideally on a guided food walk.
- 3. Walk around Hoan Kiem Lake. Hanoi's calm heart, best at dawn when locals exercise along the shore.
- 4. Visit the Temple of Literature. Vietnam's first university, founded in 1070.
- 5. Watch a water puppet show. A centuries old art form from the rice paddies of the Red River Delta.
- 6. Take a boat through Ninh Binh. Rowing boats glide through caves and rice fields at Trang An and Tam Coc. Ninh Binh guide
- 7. Climb Hang Mua. Around 500 steps to a dragon topped viewpoint over Ninh Binh's karst landscape.
- 8. Trek in Sapa. Walk through rice terraces and Hmong and Dao villages, with a homestay night. Sapa trekking guide
- 9. Ride the Ha Giang loop. Vietnam's most spectacular mountain road, best done with a local driver. Sapa or Ha Giang?
The centre
- 10. Explore Hue's Imperial City. The walled citadel of the Nguyen emperors, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- 11. Visit the royal tombs. Elaborate tombs of the emperors along the Perfume River.
- 12. Drive the Hai Van Pass. A winding coast road between Hue and Da Nang with sweeping sea views.
- 13. Wander Hoi An by lantern light. The old trading port, a UNESCO site, is magical in the evening. Hoi An guide
- 14. Get clothes made in Hoi An. Tailors can make a suit or dress in a day or two.
- 15. Take a cooking class and a basket boat. Shop at the market, then cook, often with a spin in a round bamboo boat.
- 16. Visit My Son. The ruined temples of the Cham kingdom, an hour from Hoi An.
- 17. Explore Phong Nha caves. Huge caves including Paradise Cave and the river cave at Phong Nha. Phong Nha guide
- 18. Relax on the central coast. Long beaches at Da Nang and An Bang, best from April to August.
The south
- 19. Crawl through the Cu Chi tunnels. The tunnel network used during the war, a short drive from Ho Chi Minh City.
- 20. Visit the War Remnants Museum. A sobering view of the war from the Vietnamese side.
- 21. See Saigon by night. Rooftop bars, street food and scooter tours through the busiest city in Vietnam.
- 22. Cruise the Mekong Delta. Floating markets, fruit orchards and narrow canals. Mekong Delta guide
- 23. Stay on Phu Quoc. White sand beaches, best from November to April.
- 24. Escape to Da Lat. A cool highland town of pine forests, coffee farms and flower gardens.
- 25. Ride a sleeper train. The coastal stretch between Hue and Da Nang is one of the most beautiful railway journeys in Asia. Train or flight?
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Frequently asked questions
What is Vietnam best known for?
Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, its food, especially pho and banh mi, and dramatic scenery from Sapa's rice terraces to the Mekong Delta.
What can I do in Vietnam in one week?
Focus on one region: Hanoi, Ha Long Bay and Ninh Binh in the north, or Hue and Hoi An in the centre.
Vietnam month by month
More Vietnam guides
Best time to visit Vietnam: north, central and south explained
Vietnam has three climates. March and April are good everywhere; the north is best in spring and autumn, the centre from February to August and the south from December to April.
Updated 14 October 2026
Vietnam month by month: weather, festivals and where to go
A month by month planner for Vietnam: the weather in each region, the festivals worth timing a trip around, and where to go.
Updated 14 October 2026
How many days in Vietnam? Routes for 7, 10, 14 and 21 days
One week suits the north or the centre, two weeks covers north to south with a Ha Long Bay cruise, and three weeks adds Sapa, the Mekong and a beach.
Updated 14 October 2026
Ha Long Bay cruise guide: which bay, how long and what it costs
One night is the sweet spot. Choose Lan Ha or Bai Tu Long Bay for fewer boats, or Ha Long Bay for the famous caves. Live prices for 1 and 2 night cruises.
Updated 14 October 2026
