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From the busy streets of Hanoi to the lush green mountains of Sapa, Vietnam should be on every traveler’s list. —Photos by Jennifer Arnow
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The streets in Hanoi’s Old Quarter are chaotic, packed to the brim with motorbikes whizzing by in almost every direction. Crossing the streets in a city with almost no stop lights or enforced street directions is thrilling and not as dangerous as you might expect.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Fodor’s Vietnam Guide

Water buffalo snacking near Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Fodor’s Vietnam Guide

A mouthwatering bowl of Pho Ga served at the Chay Lap Farmstay in the Quang Binh region of central Vietnam.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Fodor’s Vietnam Guide

Decorated rooftops in the Cat Cat village sit high amongst the mountains in Sapa
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Fodor’s Vietnam Guide

A woman selling toys waits for customers near Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi. Hoan Kiem Lake is a hot spot for tourists and locals alike.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Fodor’s Vietnam Guide

The charming Victoria Sapa Hotel is decorated with authentic touches, like this painting of a tribeswoman and child.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Fodor’s Vietnam Guide

An exterior courtyard inside the Loa Han Prison in Hanoi. Loa Han Prison, built in 1896 by French occupiers, has a long history but is most known in America for housing American POWs during the Vietnam War.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Fodor’s Vietnam Guide

Paradise Cave is one of the many wondrous caves inside Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. Only the first kilometer is open to tourists via a wooden path, although the cave is more than 31 kilometers long.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Fodor’s Vietnam Guide

Black Hmong tribe woman and child, Cat Cat village, Sapa, Vietnam.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Fodor’s Vietnam Guide

Sapa in Northern Vietnam is never short on breathtaking scenery.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Fodor’s Vietnam Guide

Hanoi is loaded with cafes, but The Hanoi Social Club is a real standout due to its laid-back vibe and cool colonial decor. You can’t go wrong with an icy glass of their cà phê sữa đá (Vietnamese iced coffee).
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Fodor’s Vietnam Guide

A misty view of the lake in Sapa, right in the center of town.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Fodor’s Vietnam Guide

A calligrapher practices Sino-Vietnamese writing at the Ngoc Son Temple on Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Fodor’s Vietnam Guide

An overview of the lively streets near Tonkin Free School Square in Hanoi’s Old Quarter.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Fodor’s Vietnam Guide