Vietnam Travel Guides

Welcome to Vietnam! This country has been a backpackers paradise for decades, but it’s quickly becoming a tourist hot spot for every kind of traveler. It’s incredible affordable showcasing mountains, rice terraces, limestone karsts and enormous caves.

We spent almost 30 days traveling through Vietnam during our 18 month honeymoon around the world. It was the longest amount of time you could stay with a visa at the time and it was an incredibly memorable trip.

  • Capital City: Hanoi
  • Population: About 98 million
  • Language: Vietnamese
  • Currency: Vietnamese Dong ($1 USD = 25429.96 VND)
  • Time Zone: Indochina Time (GMT+7)

Top Places To Visit In Vietnam

Da Lat – Known for being a peaceful retreat, Da Lat is a quiet mountain town offering visitors mild weather and amazing scenery. This romantic village has farmers markers, coffee shops and a stable climate making it a great choice for slow travelers.

Halong Bay – Now A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this beautiful bay is filled with towering limestone karsts and emerald green waters. Most people visit to experience a Halong Bay cruise, see the famous floating fishing villages and enjoy various water sports.

Hanoi – Founded over 1,000 years ago, Hanoi is Vietnam’s capital city and it’s home to an extremely picturesque Old Quarter. This city is a foodies paradise because it’s one of the best cities in Vietnam for street food.

Ho Chi Minh City – A bustling travel destination, Ho Chi Minh City has consistent temperatures so it’s a year-round travel destination. It’s Vietnam’s most modern city with a vibrant energetic atmosphere, numerous attractions and vibrant nightlife.

Hoi An – One of the best preserved Southeast Asian trading ports, Hoi An’s ancint town is a must-see when visiting Vietnam. It’s filled with yellow buildings, stunning lanterns and a river of lights.

Hue – A unique region originally home to the Imperial Citadel and Nguyen Dynasty emperors, Hue is a great place if you’re interested in mausoleums, pagodas and tombs of emperors. There is also an incredible amount of amazing restaurants located here.

Ninh Binh – Located in the north along the Red River Delta, this region is one of our favorite places to explore rural Vietnam. You can climb to epic view points, visit 300 year old pagodas and explore caves under the limestone karsts by boat.

Phong Nha – Adventurers look no further then Phong Nha because it’s home to numerous cave systems. You can explore both small and large caves either on your own or as a part of a tour if you’d feel more comfortable.

Sapa – Tucked away in the northwest corner of Vietnam, Sapa is the perfect place for hikers. Picturesque rice terraces and home stays with ethnic minority communities are a large draw for the region.

 
 

Vietnam Travel Itineraries

Before heading to Vietnam, you’ll need to obtain a visa. The most common type issued to foreigners is the 90 day one-entry E-Visa for 25 USD. You can stay for just a few days or the full 90 days. Start with our guides below to get a feel for what you can experience:

15 Amazing Places To Visit In Vietnam (+ Things To Do)

15 Amazing Places To Visit In Vietnam (+ Things To Do)

Vietnam has many unique places to visit including national parks, historic temples, energetic cities and UNESCO heritage sites. And some of its most popular tourist …
Read More
3 Week Vietnam Itinerary: Perfect Route For Northern & Central Vietnam

3 Week Vietnam Itinerary: Perfect Route For Northern & Central Vietnam

Vietnam has been on the SE Asia tourist trail for decades and has grown into one of the most sought after bucket list destinations for …
Read More
Vietnam Itinerary 10 Days: 3 Northern + Central Vietnam Routes

Vietnam Itinerary 10 Days: 3 Northern + Central Vietnam Routes

North and Central Vietnam is filled with stunningly beautiful diverse places and landscapes. With just 10 days to formulate your Vietnam itinerary, you will need to …
Read More

Hanoi

Hanoi is Vietnam’s hustling and bustling capital city. This is also where one of the two major international airports are located so there’s a good chance you’ll be flying into or out of Hanoi at some point during your trip.

Hanoi is the loud, chaotic and energetic capital city in Vietnam we think you need to visit at least once in your lifetime. With history …
Read More
Let’s get straight to the point, you only need 2 days in Hanoi, Vietnam. We wished we’d known that before we booked …
Read More

Sapa

Sapa is a stunning area of natural beauty in the northwest region of Vietnam near the border with China. It’s a popular place for multi-day hiking and learning about local tribes who live in the area. We hiked with a member of the Black Hmong ethnic group and had an amazing time!

Sapa is a quaint rural mountain town surrounded by endless terraces of rice paddies and gorgeous valleys. There are a few popular things everything traveler …
Read More
Picture trekking through golden terraced rice paddies surrounded by beautiful mountains and stunning valleys as far as the eye can see. Sound …
Read More

Halong Bay

Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in northern Vietnam known for beautiful limestone karts jutting from the emerald green waters of the bay. Junk boat tours, sea kayaking, fishing villages, scuba diving, rock climbing, cave exploration and hiking are popular activities in this stunning region.

Halong Bay is Vietnam’s world renowned dreamy bucket list UNESCO destination. Sipping on a delicious cocktail while on the top deck of a junk boat …
Read More
Halong Bay is one of Vietnam’s most popular destinations on the heavily beaten tourist path. Who doesn’t want to see a unique …
Read More

Ninh Binh

The Ninh Binh Province was one of our favorite stops in Central Vietnam. It’s sometimes known as the Halong Bay on land and the beautiful natural scenery will take your breath away. We think this is a great option if you don’t want to visit Halong bay. You can also visit the Tam Coc Pagoda when you’re in town.

What You Can’t Miss In Ninh Binh With 2 Day Example Itinerary

What You Can’t Miss In Ninh Binh With 2 Day Example Itinerary

The Ninh Binh province is without a doubt one of the most memorable stops on the Southeast Asia travelers route. And while it was once …
Read More
Trang An Boat Tour Review: Everything You Need To Know

Trang An Boat Tour Review: Everything You Need To Know

A Trang An boat tour is one of the most popular activities in Ninh Binh, Vietnam. The 2-3 hour boat ride passes through caves, temples …
Read More
How To Visit Mua Cave Viewpoint In Ninh Binh

How To Visit Mua Cave Viewpoint In Ninh Binh

Known as Hang Mua in Vietnamese, the Mua Cave Viewpoint is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Ninh Binh, Vietnam. After climbing 500 …
Read More

Hoi An

Hoi An is a delightful blend of Japanese, Chinese and European influences which is complimented with a favorable climate and a UNESCO Heritage Site designation. We wished we’d planned more days in Hoi An because it’s such a beautiful place to visit. Read about our amazing tour with a Vietnam war veteran.

Hoi An in Vietnam offers a unique blend of Japanese, Chinese and European influences complimented with a favorable climate and a UNESCO designation. This has …
Read More
The Hai Van Pass is one of those travel experiences we’ll never forget. It features spectacular panoramic views, death defying roads and …
Read More

Phong Nha

Phong Nha is the premier adventure destination in Vietnam. Home to Son Doong, the world’s largest cave, here visitors can explore Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park showcasing numerous cave systems as well as the Phong Nha Botanical Gardens.

12 Best Things To Do In Phong Nha, Vietnam

12 Best Things To Do In Phong Nha, Vietnam

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park has many adventurous things to do, including caves, botanic gardens and restaurants. Paradise Cave, Dark Cave and the Duck Stop …
Read More
How To Visit Dark Cave In Phong Nha (+ Is It Worth It?)

How To Visit Dark Cave In Phong Nha (+ Is It Worth It?)

Dark Cave is one of the most popular adventure caves in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. It spans almost 6km long, 50m wide and 80m …
Read More
How To Visit Paradise Cave In Phong Nha (+ Is It Worth It)

How To Visit Paradise Cave In Phong Nha (+ Is It Worth It)

Located in Phong Nha-Ke bang National Park, Paradise Cave is considered to be the longest dry cave in Asia. It’s 31.4 kilometers long with a …
Read More

Vietnam Resources

There are several ways to travel around Vietnam including train, plane and even the famous Vietnam Sleeper Bus. We’ve written a few guides to help make your travel in Vietnam easier including tips you should know before visiting. Don’t miss the popular abandoned waterpark near Hue if you want an adventure.

How To Book And Survive The Vietnam Sleeper Bus

How To Book And Survive The Vietnam Sleeper Bus

The sleeper bus is one of the best ways to travel around Vietnam because it’s extremely efficient. There are numerous companies with prices ranging from …
Read More
21 Important Things To Know About Vietnam Before Visiting

21 Important Things To Know About Vietnam Before Visiting

Vietnam is a beautiful country offering a multitude of unique tourist opportunities. But visiting this diverse and developing country comes with it’s own distinct set …
Read More
How To Travel Between Da Nang And Hoi An, Vietnam

How To Travel Between Da Nang And Hoi An, Vietnam

Hoi An is one of Vietnam’s most enchanting cities. Visitors from all over the world flock to soak up Hoi An’s charming mustard yellow ancient …
Read More

Want to see how much we spent in Vietnam? Here’s a one month expense report.

How Many Days Do You Need In Vietnam?

If this is your first trip to Vietnam, we’d recommend at least 7 days. This will give you enough time to scratch the surface to see if Vietnam is a place you’d like to visit again in the future.

However, if you can spare the time, two weeks is the perfect length to spend in Vietnam. This S shaped country is more than 1,000 miles long so it takes times to travel between cities. Even with almost a month, we could only cover north and central Vietnam so you’ll have to carefully pick and choose where you want to go or focus on just a few regions to cover more ground.

Best Time To Visit

The best time to go to Vietnam is between the months of November and April, but the weather will vary depending on region. Here is a quick overview:

  • Northern Vietnam is mountainous and has two different seasons. From May to October, its very hot and humid. But the weather cools down from November to April with less rainfall. December and January can be cold with temps as low as 50°F.
  • Central Vietnam is typically hot and dry from January to August. But in September to December, it can be very wet with comfortable temperatures.
  • Southern Vietnam has a hot and dry season that lasts from November to April. However, rain is common between May and October, but the weather is still warm.

We visited North and Central Vietnam from mid-October to mid-November. It was cold and rainy in the northern region, but the weather got better the further we went south.

Note: This page contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.