59 Best Sights in The South-Central Coasts and Highlands, Vietnam

This tiny commune is a true example of preserved architecture amid a stunning backdrop. The pristine Quy Hoa beach is right through the trees, just a short walk away from the center of the colorful village. Most of the actual lepers are elderly now, and it's mostly their descendants who populate the village, some of whom work in a small clothing factory or as crab fishermen. The residents are friendly and don't seem to mind foreigners wandering around. The village and its hospital is well-known among Vietnamese because one of the country's most famous poets, Han Mac Tu, died there in 1940 after contracting leprosy at age 38. The cemetery is interesting and colorful.

Each ethnic minority village in the region has its own rong house, which serves as a community hall. These tall stilted structures, with long pitched roofs, often thatched, are where meetings, weddings, and other community activities take place. The size of the rong house is an indication of how wealthy the village is—and the roofs can be as high as nearly 100 feet. The Bahnar people usually build their rong houses from wood and bamboo, with wooden stilts, while the Jarai people use corrugated iron for the roof and concrete for the supporting pillars. There are a few rong houses within easy reach of Kon Tum, including two near the suspension bridge in Konklor Village.

Located 90 km (55 miles) south of Nha Trang, along a seldom-used stretch of astonishing coastline between Cam Ranh and Phan Rang, Vinh Hy Bay is a real crown jewel of the South-Central Coast. The entire road, named DT702, loops around the fringes of Nui Chua National Park on the west, and the East Sea on the east. There's not much to do around Vinh Hy except appreciate its beauty, but its beauty alone is worth the trip. Along the way, there are quite a few places to stop and grab a cool drink, as well as many tiny, unspoiled beaches. Only two resorts of note have taken up residence here so far: the eponymous Vinh Hy resort, which offers very comfortable and clean bungalows at low prices, and the opulent Amanoi Resort, which is nestled among the surrounding forest with great subtlety—were it not for the gate by the road, you might not notice it.

These egg-shape private bathing capsules each accommodate two to three people, and are a 15-minute taxi ride away from the main tourist area. There are larger tubs for groups and a range of hot- and cold-water pools, as well as saunas and steam rooms and also a dining area. The purported youth-bestowing quality of the mud baths may or may not be a gimmick, but it's still worth spending a few hours here for a fun, albeit strange and messy, pampering session.

Also known as the Maze Bar, this phantasmagorical labyrinth, featuring a popular bar at the top (if you can find it!), was designed by renowned architect Dang Viet Nga (designer of the Crazy House). It looks unremarkable from the outside, but upon entry you'll plunge down, up, and through winding corridors, paradoxical pathways, and dead ends; if in doubt, just follow the noise to find the bar. The entrance fee is the price of a drink (a glass of beer starts at 30,000d).

A stop often included in countryside motorbike tours, Ba Ho Waterfalls aren't the most impressive around, but the beautiful one-hour journey there can be quite an adventure. The entrance to the waterfalls is at the end of a long and bumpy dirt track, and the waterfalls themselves are at the end of long hike and short climb over large rocks (that requires sturdy shoes). You'll be hot, dusty, and perhaps a little tired after the journey and hike, so take a dip under the waterfalls to get reinvigorated. If you're in search of more of a thrill, you'll no doubt encounter tour groups flinging themselves from rock ledges into the deeper waters. To avoid injury, don't jump into areas not marshaled by tour guides.

Located 20 km (13 miles) south of Nha Trang center, Bai Dai Beach has fantastic sand and sea, but a deluge of luxury resort developments and bare-bones seafood shacks have damaged the aesthetic appeal. Another challenge is finding beach access without entering a seafood spot or resort, where you'll be expected to purchase food or leave. Some resorts might claim to own certain stretches of the beach, but they're actually open to the public (just don't enter through the resort itself). The best way to enjoy Bai Dai Beach is to go to one of the shacks and see what live seafood they have on offer, or indeed just have a few cold drinks between dips in the cool shallows. Jet Skis, surfboards, rafts, and kayaks are available for rent, and nearly every shack offers chairs, toilets, and showers with any food or drink purchase. This is one of the few spots where surfers can find waves through April. Bai Dai Beach continues 25 km (15½ miles) south to Cam Ranh Airport.

The best section is on the north end at the protected bay.

food and drink; showers; toilets; water sports.

surfing; swimming; walking.

Located 10 km (6 miles) south of Quy Nhon, via a beautiful stretch of coastline, Bai Xep village is a narrow, confusing warren of dwellings which intersect and descend until they eventually spit you out on a pristine little beach. The beach is now occupied by a handful of guesthouses and a resort, but this has barely taken away from the pristine feeling.

Built in 1933, Bao Dai's Summer Palace, on the south side of Xuan Huong Lake, is a wonderfully preserved example of modernist architecture. The palace houses the original 1930s French furnishings of Emperor Bao Dai, the last emperor of the Nguyen dynasty, who ruled from 1926 to 1945 with the support of the French. With hundreds of visitors tramping through each week, the palace is showing its age. If you manage to avoid a big tour group, it's possible to find a quiet spot that feels like it's been suspended in time. For a kitsch souvenir, you can have your photo taken wearing a traditional royal getup.

The 72,000-hectare ruggedly beautiful Cat Tien National Park, one of nine biosphere reserves recognized by UNESCO in Vietnam, is home to hundreds of species of plants, birds, animals, and reptiles, including several species of endangered monkeys, Asian elephants, sun bears, and gaur. (Sadly, Vietnam's last Javan rhino was shot in the park by poachers in 2010.) The national park office has cars, bicycles, and boats available for hire and guests staying at the national park's hotel can book early-morning gibbon treks for 1,050,000d per person. The price includes breakfast at one of the two restaurants inside the park and a tour of the gibbon rehabilitation center. Accommodation within the park is basic, with small double rooms starting at 350,000d. There are nicer accommodation options outside the park, which can also arrange jungle excursions for you.

Originally built in 1929 and rebuilt in 1937 after a fire, the Central Market is the heart of Dalat. Locals and tourists come to the indoor–outdoor market to buy and sell fruit, vegetables, and local specialties such as dried fruit, fruit candy, flowers, mulberry wine, and jam. It's also a great place to check out the crops introduced by the French that only grow in Dalat's cool climate, like strawberries and artichokes. Unlike markets in a lot of Vietnam's other major destinations, the sellers here aren't pushy in the slightest, allowing browsers to browse. The main part of the two-story market is open from before dawn until nightfall. At sundown, a food town springs up outside the market and down the steps beside it. The specialty is banh trang Dalat, almost like a pizza on rice paper, barbecued, rolled up, and wrapped in a piece of newspaper.

In 1933, 30 years after work started, a 105-km (65-mile) cog railway line was completed, linking Dalat to Nha Trang and Saigon. The line was closed in 1969 due to bomb attacks during the war, and the track ripped up sometime after the war ended in 1975. Twenty years later, a 7-km (4-mile) section of the track was restored and the wonderful art deco railway station renovated. Now it's possible to take the train (which now uses diesel traction) to the village of Trai Mat, home to the Linh Phuoc Pagoda. The round-trip takes two hours, although actually catching the train can prove tricky. It only departs once 25 people have bought tickets so it's best to get your hotel to call ahead to check the state of play. The railway station itself is architecturally interesting, with the three roofs representing the peaks of Lang Biang mountain while also paying tribute to the high pointed roofs of traditional Central Highlands communal houses. Vietnam's last steam locomotive sits at the station, serving as a basic coffee shop. The station and the locomotive are popular with wedding photographers, especially during the wedding "season" that runs from November to January.

This large, relatively modern museum highlights the history of Dak Lak Province with a focus on local ethnic minority people through its overall design and displays, which include artifacts from the 44 ethnic minority groups who live in the province. Exhibits are signed in Vietnamese, English, French, and Ede.

This psychedelic flight of architectural whimsy will probably be the wackiest thing you see in Vietnam, which is saying something, given the local penchant for quirkiness. Free-form stairs and tunnels wend their way through multistory Dr. Seuss–like concrete trees that contain 10 hotel rooms, unexpected sitting areas, and concrete animals. Its owner and designer, Dr. Dang Viet Nga, who studied architecture in Russia, built the structure to remind people of the importance of nature and the environment.

Some of the staircases are very steep and the railings quite low. People who are unsteady on their feet or in charge of small children should be very careful.

The biggest waterfall in Lam Dong Province, the thundering Dambri Falls are 130 km (80 miles) southwest of Dalat and 19 km (12 miles) from the village of Bao Loc, near Cat Tien National Park. Like most of the falls in the area, they are surrounded by tasteless local "eco" tourism development, including trinket shops and a mini roller coaster. The 70-meter-high falls are still impressive, whether viewed from the paths in front of the waterfall, or from behind. According to local legend, the waterfalls are the tears of a girl called Bri who cried as she sat and waited for her love to return from the forest. The boy, Kdam, never did and when Bri died, her body turned to stone but her tears kept flowing.

Avoid Dambri Falls on weekends and public holidays when it's very crowded.

One of Dalat's more easily accessible waterfalls, Datanla Falls is 5 km (3 miles) south of the city. The entrance is near the top of the falls and an easy 15-minute walk takes you down to the bottom. The more adventurous can reach the bottom by riding a toboggan through the trees down the valley (80,000d per person).

A K'Ho ethnic minority village, Dinh An has found itself on the tourist radar mainly because of its proximity to the highway and its giant concrete chicken. The village is often included in easy rider tours, and is only really worth visiting as one stop on a day-long exploration of the countryside surrounding Dalat. The village itself is quite spread out, with most families involved in small-scale farming of vegetables and flowers. The villagers don't wear their traditional dress, which disappoints some visitors, but keep in mind that they receive minimal benefit from tourists trooping through. There's a couple of small handicraft shops and a tiny grocery store across from the chicken statue. The chicken itself, which in its glory days was a fountain but is now propped up with an extra concrete leg, is from the local Romeo and Juliet legend for which the Langbian Mountain is named. Her Bian was a girl from a southern highlands village who fell in love with K'Lang, a boy from a northern highlands village. The villages were at war so the parents of the love-struck couple would not allow them to marry. Her Bian's parents finally relented, telling K'Lang he could marry their daughter if he found a chicken with nine spurs as the dowry. K'Lang went to the forest but he could not find a chicken with nine spurs (the rear-facing claw). So the couple eloped and lived in the forest until they died, cut off from their families. Dinh An Village is 9 km (5½ miles) from the airport and can be visited en route to Dalat rather than by making the 18 km (11 mile) trip from Dalat.

About 45 km (25 miles) north of Nha Trang is the picture-postcard Doc Let Beach, a beautiful 10-km (6-mile) stretch of casuarina-lined fine white sand and azure water that welcomes few tourists. Like most beachfronts in Vietnam, it's seen a rise in development in recent years but fortunately, it's very low key, even the resorts themselves are much more humble and quaint than in many parts. Many of them are glad to welcome day guests for a very small fee. Overall, it's a great location for a laid-back beachy day trip from Nha Trang. It will take about an hour to get here from Nha Trang by taxi, which will cost around 500,000d. A much cheaper alternative is the local bus (No. 3), which will only set you back around 25,000d. Amenities: food and drink; water sports. Best for: walking; swimming; sunsets.

The narrow Doi Duong Beach, at the end of Nguyen Tat Thanh Street, is not the prettiest in the country, but it is well maintained and is loved by the locals anyway. It has a fantastic view of the bay and Mui Ne in the distance to the north. Crowds descend in the early morning and late afternoons, when the weather is not so hot. Couples stroll along the paved beachside walkway, families picnic in the adjacent park, and everyone eats snacks from the many itinerant food vendors. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: walking.

These pretty waterfalls, 32 km (20 miles) southwest of Buon Ma Thuot, are a good place to break the journey from Lak Lake to Buon Ma Thuot. Trails lead to the bottom of the falls, where it's possible to take a dip in the slightly murky green water.

Ho Chi Minh (then known as Nguyen That Thanh) himself supposedly taught here in 1910 as he was making his way down to Saigon, from where he set sail for Paris and other foreign shores. History records him as teaching Chinese, Vietnamese, and martial arts to the second grade. The school is a beautifully tended and unusual monument, with interesting little placards marking out where Uncle Ho rested and read.

About 30 km (19 miles) southwest of Dalat, these 30-meter-high waterfalls (one large and several smaller falls) are a popular stop on easy rider countryside tours. The mossy path down to the viewing area can be treacherous in the rainy season and challenging in the dry season, but once there, the views are impressive. It takes about 45 minutes to get the falls, which are just outside the village of Nam Ban. There's a coffee shop and handicraft shop at the waterfalls. Take the time to check out the textiles woven on-site by a K'Ho family. Also wander next door to the Linh An Pagoda, a peaceful working temple with hydrangeas and pine trees in the garden and a giant Happy Buddha (which doubles as a storage shed for garden supplies) out the back. The pagoda is closed for lunch from 12 to 1:30 pm.

While it may not quite live up to its intriguing name, the highlight of this kitschy attraction is the miniature Grand Canyon-like cliffs that border the stream and whose red and brown layers create a nice backdrop for photos. It takes about 20 minutes to wade along the ankle- and knee-deep stream to a small waterfall that flows into waist-deep sections. Along the way, enterprising locals have set up make-shift rest stops, serving cool drinks and some snacks. There can sometimes be a fair amount of trash at the start of the stream, but it gets cleaner the farther you go.

Be aware that adults and children offering shoe-minding or guiding along the stream will expect to be paid, so negotiate a price first, or plan to tip about $1.

This riverfront museum traces the life of Ho Chi Minh from his humble beginnings to his death in 1969, with displays of objects from his life. Some exhibits relate to the history of Phan Thiet and there are also some preserved specimens of local wildlife and large squid. The museum was built in 1986 on the site of Ho Chi Minh's former home, when he was a teacher at the Duc Thang School across the road.

Just like the Po Nagar Cham Towers, this headland is on the north side of the Cai River. The promontory provides good views of the coastline and the surrounding islands and is a great spot to watch the sunset. Climb up for a view of Nha Trang and its islands. If you look northwest you can see Fairy Mountain (Nui Co Tien), said to resemble a reclining fairy. To get here from the Po Nagar ruins, head north on 2 Thang 4 Street and take a right on Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street.

While the mud baths are the main attraction at I-Resort, there are also warm mineral pools, mineral water spas, waterfalls, and a kids' play area, all set within landscaped grounds 20 minutes northwest of the main tourist area of Nha Trang. Some of the massages and mud bath package deals offer good value and include a "light bite" that's really a full meal.

No visit to Nha Trang is complete without a boat trip to the surrounding scenic islands, such as Mieu Island (Tri Nguyen Island), Mun Island, and Tam Island. Boat trips can be arranged through local hotels and travel agencies or directly at the port on the south end of town, but note that there might be a language barrier this way.

A small community of about 30 ethnic M'Nong households on the shores of Lak Lake, Jun Village is an interesting place for a stroll to see the traditional bamboo and wood longhouses and the more modern concrete versions, most with a collection of pot-bellied pigs, chickens, dogs, and children running around or napping nearby. There are two restaurants on the lakefront, both serving cheap Vietnamese fare, as well as some handicraft shops selling baskets, weaving, wind chimes, and other knickknacks. It's possible to organize a stay in one of the longhouses in Jun Village through Duc Mai Coffee, but this is best done with a guide. Be advised that bathrooms are outside.

Another picturesque wooden building, the three-story Kon Tum's Catholic seminary was completed in 1934. It contains a small minorities museum that shows the history of Christianity and conversion in the region, as well as exhibits from local hill tribes. It's open on Sunday.