You made a good decision in choosing Vietnam as your next travel destination. To make the most of your trip to Southeast Asia’s hidden gem, we sought the leading attractions that made tourists come back again and again, with recommendations for first-time visitors. Here’s what we’ve gathered to make your Vietnam trip exciting, memorable, and totally worth it.
Vietnam is a good choice for tourists who want to make the most of their leisure and adventure trip on a budget. Tourists set their sights on Vietnam because of the country’s warm weather, fresh foods, exotic locales and untouched natural caves. Make the most of your tour in Vietnam and note these popular places you should visit.
Visit historical places in Saigon
Many places here have been awarded the UNESCO World Heritage status, meaning you are in the right place for one legendary travel excursion. To start your trip right, take a day tour through HCMC’s most popular spots – track down the places that offer free admission. Make your own postcard by taking a picture of the People’s Committee Hall, built during the French colonial era. One of the city’s most outstanding landmarks is the antique French-built cathedral, Notre Dame Basilica. Capture photos of this picturesque red-brick cathedral standing at 190 feet tall. Take a few walks across the Cathedral and send post-cards to your friends at the Central Post Office.
Image courtesy of justholiday.com.
This country is gifted with well-preserved historical sites. Their rustic and concrete pagodas are living proof of their interesting history. First on the list: Xá L?i. This vibrant seven-tiered pagoda was built to worship the great Buddha, and intended to be the main head quarters of Buddhists in the area. Also within the area is one of Saigon’s finest pagodas, the Jade Emperor Pagoda. Enter the spiritual realm of the Taoists and Buddhists; here you’ll find plenty of traditional figurines and wood carvings. The smoky atmosphere of this place comes from incense regularly lit by devotees.
Image courtesy of flickr.com/photos/markbroadhead/.
Take a ferry across the Saigon River to reach the Ho Chi Minh Museum – Dragon House Wharf. Enjoy the exhibits and the detailed architecture of the temple. Walk through the grounds of the largest Buddhist temple in HCMC, Quoc Tu. This temple can be found in District 10, near the lake and garden parks.
Go out of the city
For more adventure, take a two-hour drive out of the city to the northwest. Visit the fascinating maze-like Cu Chi Tunnels. It is an underground network of tunnels used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. Near the tunnels is the great Cao Dai temple, which reflects the diverse religious influences of the Vietnamese people. Built in the 1930s and ranked as the second must-see destination in Vietnam next to Halong Bay, Cao Dai alone is worth the price of your trip.
Image courtesy of elegant.vn.
Eat street foods
Most of the best foods in Vietnam can be found on the streets. It would be your loss if you decide to skip this experience. Hanoi has one of the best street food scenes aside from Saigon. The first thing to try on your list is pho, their delicious traditional rice noodle soup – something we mentioned in our earlier Saigon blog post. Next, try their fresh bánh mì, chosen as one of National Geographic’s 11 most delicious street foods from all over the world. Also worth sampling: the sizzling bánh xèo cake with seafood and vegetable filling and served with the sauce of your choice; their authentic fresh spring rolls (nem cuon); pho cuon (grilled beef and fresh herbs wrap in rice noodle), and other well-known Vietnamese dishes.
Image courtesy of nhommua.com.
Go shopping
Find low-priced quality clothes, gadgets, toys, and other items for your family in the narrow streets of the Old Quarter. Don’t be afraid to haggle the price down, because it is a great place for bargains. For more souvenir shopping sprees, don’t miss Ben Thanh. It is said to be the largest market in town and popular with tourists who like to bargain. Here, you will find a variety of consumer goods and high-quality fresh produce.
Image courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org.
Try their iced-coffee
Freshen up your day trip with their signature brewed iced- coffee or cà phê sue dah. Vietnam is one of the world’s largest exporter of coffee, second only to Brazil. I recommend trying Vietnamese coffee with sweetened condensed milk to balance the taste of the dark-roasted robusta coffee.
Image courtesy of facebook.com/Safeway.
Make a Boat Tour to the fishing villages in Ha Long Bay
Discover life along the river at Ha Long Bay’s fishing villages. On a two-hour tour you get to see the lush green fields, floating wooden houses, and glimpses of how the locals live in the area. Hire a small boat to catch the scenic view of the ocean and the thrill of passing by giant boats.
Image courtesy of travelindochina.com.
Go to the beach
Nha Trang is the most beautiful – and busiest – beach in the country. It features clear beaches with misty, mild temperatures. Since it’s famous, the beach can get overcrowded. If you want a more relaxed and tranquil beach with the same pristine white sands, go to Phu Quoc Island. Bai Sao Beach is located on the south of the island. Getting there might be tricky, but the untouched charms , soft waves, and quiet shores are worth the trip.
Image courtesy of phuquoc.co.
Rent a Villa
Many expatriates tend to stay here for a long period of time, due to the charm of the place and the cost of living is cheap. If you plan to get an extended holiday stay with your family, it’s better to stay in a short-term rental than in a hotel. Fully furnished villas with pools and garage parking will cost you less in the long run.
Image courtesy of housinginteractive.com/R-10730.
Ride a Motorbike
Experience the rush and daily grind of locals by riding a motorbike. Saigon is known as a city of motorbikes, so your Vietnam experience is not complete without riding on one. Motorbikes are among their major modes of transportation in the city. Go for a ride to visit the markets and discover new eating places anytime without struggling through traffic.
Image courtesy of michaelkummer.com.
Take a Cruise at Ha Long Bay
Not to be missed is one of UNESCO’s proudly-named wonders of the world , Ha Long Bay. Some tourists go to Vietnam just to experience its majestic seascape. They book for a two-day cruise to get the most of the stunning bay views and to witness the spectacular sunset, starry moonlit night and sunrise. The uniqueness of the bay is its untouched natural beauty, as seen in its 1,600 limestone islands and islets resting on jade green water.
Image courtesy of halongbaycruises365.com.
Visit these places to get a glimpse of Vietnamese lifestyle and culture. The best months to go are between February and April, during their spring season. Good luck on your travel and share your thoughts with us when you get back!
Cover image courtesy of nationalgeographic.com.
Author Bio:
Mary Ballen currently works as an SEO specialist/Photographer for HousingInteractive Inc. You can contact her at mary@housinginteractive.com or add her to your Google+ circles:+Mary Ballen.