VIETNAM
Historic sites, the lively cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Min City, glorious Halong Bay and the wonderful landscapes of terraced rice paddies. The Tonkinese Alps with their traditional hill tribes, lovely beaches and fantastic cuisine. I could go on and on. I loved my tour around this amazing country and am planning a return trip.
Northern Vietnam
Most touring itineraries travel North to South (or the reverse). Northern Vietnam is where you'll find the lively city of Hanoi with its attractive French Quarter. And not far from here is Halong Bay with its spectacular limestone peaks that rise up from the sea. A one night cruise around this area is an absolute must. North Vietnam is where you can also visit Sapa and the stunning Tonkinese Alps.
Central Vietnam
The centre of the country is where you can visit the imperial city of Hue with its impressive citadel and the charming village of Hoi An which seems frozen in time. Hoi An is a UNESCO World Heritage site – with its Japanese merchant houses, Chinese temples and ancient teahouses, it's easily explored on foot. It’s a great place to spend a few days and you can explore the area by bike or on a private tour – the Cham Ruins at My Son are definitely worth a visit.
South Vietnam
This area's where you’ll find Ho Chi Minh City - a buzzing metropolis, with contemporary hotels, modern restaurants and shops. Yet there are still vestiges of its history with French-colonial architecture, flourishing markets and peaceful temples. Whether you take a day trip to visit the Mekong Delta, explore the Cu Chi Tunnels, or opt for a street food tour around the city on the back of a vespa - you won’t be short of things to see here!
Siem Reap
It’s also worth considering combining a trip to Vietnam with time in Siem Reap in Cambodia to visit the stunning temple complexes of Angkor – this can be arranged very easily.
The Beaches
There are lovely beaches throughout Vietnam, but if you’ve travelled North to South, it makes sense to end your Vietnam holiday at one of the beach resorts that aren’t too far away from Ho Chi Minh City. Both Phu Quoc Island and the gorgeous Con Dhao Islands are easily accessible by plane. Or you can break up your trip with a beach stay in Central Vietnam. There’s Nha Trang (that gets 300 days of sunshine a year) or Qui Nhon and Lang Co are also beautiful and great for a beach escape away from civilisation.
LOCATION HIGHLIGHTS
TRAVEL GURU SUMMARY
Vietnam is definitely one of my favourite destinations with its combination of beautiful scenery, historic sites, fabulous food and friendly people. The best time to visit Vietnam is between December and April when there’s less rain and the weather is fairly good throughout the country.
DONT MISS...
Watch a water puppet show in Hanoi where hidden puppeteers depict rural scenes with wooden puppets which seem literally to walk on water in the darkened auditorium.