365 Best Sights in Vietnam

These three Hindu towers, relics from the 9th century when the Cham Empire ruled this part of Vietnam, are not the grandest of such ruins—Po Nagar in Nha Trang and My Son in Hoi An are more extensive and better preserved—but it is worth stopping here for a look. A significant portion has been reconstructed with new brick, detracting from the authenticity; however, the hilltop they are situated on affords a panoramic view of Phan Thiet city and the ocean. Local Cham still celebrate the Kate Festival here with dancing and processions, on the first three days of the seventh month in the Cham calendar (usually the beginning of October). The towers are about 7 km (4½ miles) east of Phan Thiet on Ong Hoang Hill, in the direction of Mui Ne.

Cascading over a series of wide rock ledges and cliffs, Pongour Waterfall is impressive because of how close you can get to it. However, signs indicate that no swimming is allowed, and it is a popular picnic area resulting in litter. There's a shuttle service available between the parking lot and falls, which is 47 km (29 miles) southwest of Dalat, about 30 minutes past the airport.

This imposing three-story palace just north of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum testifies to France's dedication to ostentatious architecture in Indochina. Constructed from 1900 to 1906, the bright, mustard-yellow building served as the living and working quarters of Indochina's governors-general. When Ho Chi Minh returned to Hanoi after the defeat of the French in 1954, he refused to live in the palace itself but chose the more modest quarters of the palace electrician, and later a stilt house. He did, however, offer use of the palace to distinguished guests during their visits to the capital. Today the building is used for formal international receptions and other important government meetings. You can view the structure from the outside but cannot enter the palace. Surrounding the building are extensive gardens and orchards, as well as the famed Mango Alley, the 300-foot pathway from the palace to Ho Chi Minh's stilt house.

Busy scenes in lacquer, ceramic, gold, and wood illustrate traditional Chinese stories at this pagoda, built in 1816 by a congregation of Fujian refugees from China. Many legendary and divine beings, some dressed in elaborately embroidered robes, are portrayed, as are some simple rural scenes representing the birthplaces of the original members of the congregation. This is still one of Cholon's most active pagodas.

Founded in 1653 by the Chinese community, this impressive temple is dedicated to Quan Van Truong, a revered general of the Chinese Han dynasty. The temple is divided into four parts: the front hall, the left and right sections, and the main sanctuary. The entrance leads through a large garden to the temple, where the main altar is, along with a gilt-and-papier-mâché statue of the general standing between two life-size, jolly-looking horses. Quan Cong lends itself to contemplation and meditation, and you get a real sense of that in the rear courtyard, gazing up at the unicorns and dragons perching on the colorful ceramic tiled roof or watching the small school of fish that happily dart around in the pond out front. The carp, symbolic of patience in Chinese mythology, is displayed throughout. Every year, on June 24 of the lunar calendar, Hoi An organizes a ceremony for Quan Cong, and pilgrims, especially merchants, come to the temple to make offerings.

Sunseekers disappointed by northern Vietnam's relative lack of good beaches will find succor at the beautiful stretch of sand at Minh Chau beach on the northeastern coast of Quan Lan. The water is too chilly for most during the winter months, while the summer months see a mass influx of Vietnamese tourists. Other points of interest on the island include a 200-year-old pagoda in Quan Lan Town. Beyond beach bumming, the main activities here include forest walks and leisurely cycling along the island's quiet byways.

One of Hoi An's ancient family homes, Quang Thang was built about 300 years ago by the current owners' Chinese ancestors. This house has some beautiful wood carvings featuring peacocks and flowers on the walls of the rooms that surround the mossy courtyard. These were sculpted by the craftsmen from the Kim Bong carpentry village, who are renowned for their intricate craftsmanship of the Hue garden houses. It's a beautiful and very well-preserved example of a trader's house, popular with large tour groups.

If Quang Thang House is busy, wait it out with a coffee at Lantern Town restaurant across the road.

About 40 km (25 miles) west of Quy Nhon, the Quang Trung Museum is dedicated to Emperor Quang Trung (1753--92), one of three brothers who led the Tay Son Rebellion, which ended the Le dynasty and united the country for the first time in two centuries. The Vietnamese consider him a national hero and visit here with some reverence. The museum has limited signage in English and given its out-of-the-way location, is for those interested in Vietnamese history or who need a destination to enjoy a drive.

Haiphong's pagodas are tucked into the city's alleyways or off in the suburbs; no major religious structures except the city's main Catholic cathedral stand out in the middle of town. The cathedral was built in 1880 by missionaries from Spain. Regular Masses are still held.

Located about 28 km (17 miles) southwest of Phan Thiet, Ta Cu Mountain has the largest reclining Buddha in Southeast Asia, a 49-meter-long white concrete statue in the pose of Buddha entering Nirvana, at the top of a large temple complex. Access is via a cable car (or a very hot two-hour climb) that provides stunning views of the flat, low-lying area full of dragon fruit farms. There are usually pilgrims praying and lighting incense throughout the temple.

Learn the secrets of Vietnamese cuisine at this cooking school located beside Thu Bon River. Half- and full-day cooking classes are available and include a market tour, boat transportation, and either lunch or dinner. Courses cost 550,000d–1,300,000d and commence at Hai Café in Old Town, where they also run evening cooking classes daily (111 Tran Phu Street).

Take your bathing suit and grab a hammock by the pool; complimentary access is offered to all diners and students.

Around 15 minutes from Mui Ne's tourist strip, the Red Sand Dunes provide great sunrise and sunset views—and a backdrop for social media photos. Buses and Jeep-type tours arrive at these times so people can scamper on hot sand for I-could-be-in-the-Sahara photos. If you're after some peace, visit around 4 pm when the weather begins to cool a little but the crowds have hopefully not yet arrived. People rent plastic mats for sliding down the dunes. Mats cost roughly 20,000d for an hour, plus tip.

Once an important observation point for the U.S Marines, the Rockpile (a 755-foot karst formation know in Vietnamese as Thon Khe Tri) was used for tracking the north Vietnamese army crossing in to the south and directing U.S military fire at their suspected positions. Other than the Rockpile, nothing remains in memorial to the site, but it's worth a stop for the scenery alone if you are traveling onwards to the Khe San Combat base.

The Royal Library, a wooden structure east of the Forbidden Purple City, is one of the few largely intact buildings in the Imperial City. The delicately carved architecture has survived, although there are no books or other library-like objects left. 

For more than 100 years, this little village by the bank of the Tien River has grown flowers, herbs, and ornamental plants, traditionally transporting them to markets around the region by river. The flower farms all line a 2-km (1-mile) stretch of road, quite the sight when driving by; most are open to the public. The village is most spectacular in the lead-up to Tet, the lunar new year.

You'll regularly catch glimpses of the Saigon River, which snakes its way through many districts of Ho Chi Minh City, while you're sightseeing. A Saigon Waterbus trip is a cheap and comfortable way to view the city from the river, and the "kissing bridge," aka Thu Thiem Bridge, has stunning views of the city at night. The riverside boardwalk around the Bach Dang waterbus station comes alive at night with food vendors and local Vietnamese chilling out and enjoying the cool river breezes.

It's possible to walk up 280 meter--high Sam Mountain (Nui Sam), 5 km (3 miles) southwest of Chau Doc, or take the 900 meter--long cable car (150,000d round-trip), or hire a xe om from the base for around 60,000d one-way and walk down. You can arrange a taxi round-trip from town, but ensure they are willing to take you to the top, as the way is steep and hard on car engines and brakes.

There are several interesting shrines on the mountain. The first, at its base, is Tay An Pagoda, originally constructed in 1847 and renovated several times since, with a mix of Vietnamese and Indian architecture. A little way past Tay An Pagoda is Ba Chua Xu (Lady Temple), dedicated to a goddess of prosperity in the Vietnamese folk region Thanism. Farther along is the Tomb of Thoai Ngoc Hau (1761--1829), a high-ranking military official of the Nguyen dynasty, buried alongside his two wives. Hang Pagoda (Cave Pagoda), at the top of 400 steps, has amazing views of the surrounding countryside, the flat rice paddies, and flood plains that stretch out beyond the Cambodian border.

This is a popular spot for tour buses given the number of restaurants that front the fine white sand, as well as the umbrellas and water sports available for rent; the water gets crowded and noisy with Jet Skis and banana boats buzzing around. Once one of Phu Quoc's dirtiest beaches, businesses now clean their section but pile the trash off to the side. Entrances 1 and 2 offer free access and parking, while Paradiso Beach Club at entrance 3 charges for use of its facilities. Amenities: food and drink; showers. Best for: sunrise; water sports activities.

Now housed in a less-than-pleasant building near the bus station on Luong Dinh Cua Street, the Sapa market is probably the most convenient place to purchase tribe crafts, textiles, and other local specialties. Once the gathering place of sellers and craftsmen and women from the tribes surrounding the area, due to mass tourism and effective management, the market is now populated more by sellers coming from outside the province. High rents and operational costs have pushed not a small number of local tribe people out of the market. It's not uncommon to find cheap, mass-produced knockoffs of tribal crafts mixed in with the real deal. 

Even so, browsing the wares while watching the sights of H'Mong and Red Dao women in their richly embroidered dresses and elaborate silver jewelry is still a hard-to-beat experience. The quality and price of the market product offering have become a buyer-beware affair, but the market is still the most populous and convenient place to pick up something for the memory. 

Part of the fun is bargaining, but don't express too much interest upfront. Hold out for as long as you can, and then ask to see the good stuff. You'll likely be shown fabric of quality superior to what was offered only moments before.

The market is at its peak on Saturday when tourists from Hanoi flood into Sapa; you may actually find it quieter and more fun on weekdays.

The first floor of this small museum is called the Sapa Minorities Handicraft Shop, and you can indeed purchase beautiful gifts here. For the information, head up the large wooden staircase and peruse the slightly dusty exhibits. You can get a useful crash course in the ethnology of the area and view photos and artifacts used in traditional celebrations.

About 6 km (4 miles) north of downtown Pleiku, Bien Ho, which translates as "sea lake," is the flooded crater of an extinct volcano. A pine tree-lined road leads to a viewing area to see the beautiful 230-hectare lake and a Hollywood-type sign. Locals say the lake is at its best in the early morning when covered in fog that looks like strips of silk.

This long skinny park at the end of Ho Chi Minh City's backpacker district was built on the site of the city's former train station, which was demolished after the last war. The lush park, with its tall trees, is a pleasant spot to rest awhile after a long day of sightseeing. There's a small children's playground, a duck pond, and walking trails, which are full of locals exercising in the mornings and evenings. After dark, the park is where young couples sneak a bit of privacy, sitting on their motorbikes and cuddling. In the weeks leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), the park is a blaze of color, with a temporary flower market selling potted flowers and shrubs, including bright yellow chrysanthemums, apricot blossoms, and miniature kumquat trees, as well as depictions of dragons and other animals made from fruit and flowers.

The park's proximity to the backpacker area makes it popular with scammers, who try to open a conversation by asking to practice their English or claiming to recognize you. The conversation usually moves on to offers of card games, visiting bars, or going to their home. Never accept any of these offers.

Son La is the largest dam in Southeast Asia. It went into operation in 2011 and sits astride the Da River. Interest in developing the area for eco-tourism followed a few years later. Nowadays, there are a handful of ecolodges and businesses promoting water sports, kayaking, and island-hopping day trips out of the Dam vicinity.  

On the morning of March 16, 1968, a group of American soldiers helicoptered into My Lai (pronounced mee lai), a hamlet in Son My village. Instead of Vietcong soldiers, they found peasants, mostly women, children, and elderly. In less than five hours, they massacred 504 innocent people, one of the worst known atrocities committed by the Americans against civilians during the Vietnam War. Unarmed villagers were brutally murdered, beaten, mutilated, and raped. Their killing spree included 182 women and 173 children and babies. The village was burned to cover up the evidence, and the massacre didn’t come to light until late 1969. The news shocked Americans, who were confronted with the reality of what was happening, further turning public opinion against the war. At the site, some of the village has been re-created to look as it did. Mass graves are marked and bullet holes are still visible in trees. The museum displays photographs and a tour with an English-speaking guide is free, but it’s advisable to read about My Lai in advance, as the massacre and its impact are well documented.

To get to the museum, take the green Mai Linh Express bus #3 from Quang Ngai bus station. By taxi, expect to pay around 200,000d one way. It’s best to arrange for the driver to wait for you for the return.

The imposing square towers of this cathedral rise up from a small square near Hoan Kiem Lake on the edge of the Old Quarter. French missionaries built the cathedral in the late 19th century and celebrated the first Mass here on Christmas Day 1886. It feels as though nothing has changed since then—the liturgy has not been modernized since the cathedral was built. The small but beautiful panes of stained glass were created in Paris in 1906. Also of note is the ornate altar, with its high gilded side walls. The government closed down the cathedral in 1975, but when it reopened 10 years later the number of returning devotees was substantial. Enter the cathedral through a small door on a street to the left.

Dating back to 1932, this small, colorful pagoda sits on top of a hill 4 km (2½ miles) east of Duong Dong Town. Access is via 40 stone steps, and it's more of a working temple than tourist destination.

For the best panoramic views of the city and the coastline beyond, forget the expensive skybars and instead take a ride on the Sun Wheel in city-central Asia Park. Scaling 115 meters (377 feet, it's the 10th biggest in the world) and designed by the studio of famous U.S. architect Bill Bensley, the Sun Wheel is a great way to view the geography of Vietnam's fastest-growing city. Beside the all-time favorite Ferris wheel, there are other entertainment spots worth trying.

  If you are in Danang on either a Friday or Saturday night, time your ride to coincide with the fire-breathing display at the Dragon Bridge at 9 pm.

The highlight of this mountainside compound of attractions is a cable car system, which is 6,292.5 meters (20,645 feet) long and a stunning 1,410 meters (4,626 feet) high. It is the longest nonstop three-rope cable car in the world and allows anyone to get to the top of Mt. Fansipan in just a few short minutes. Designed by Doppelmayr, a German-Swiss-Austrian group, this cable car takes you through the mountain mist over beautiful rice terraces and valleys, and delivers you to the Sapa Station where you can take a funicular or walk 300 steps to the top. Many visitors have complained that the restaurants and shops at the top are an eyesore, but the construction shows true ingenuity.

This giant theme park has taken over much of Halong City bay and runs a cable car over the ocean next to the Bai Chay bridge. There are two main areas to the park: a beach water park and the Mystic Mountain complex, which includes the large Ferris wheel you can see from the boats. Tickets for the cable car and sun wheel are 360,000d.

Completed in 2019, this sprawling development of resorts, restaurants, entertainment, and mostly empty shopping venues occupies Phu Quoc's entire southern tip. Sunset Town (Thi Tran Hoang Hon) is a mock-Mediterranean city, with recreations of Italy’s iconic constructions such as the Colosseum and Venice’s St. Mark’s bell tower. From there, the world’s longest three-wire cable car soars 7.9 km (4.9 miles) and nearly 50 stories over the An Thoi archipelago to Hon Thom Island, home to Aquatopia Water Park with its water slides and wave pools and a beach. Opened in 2023, the Kissing Bridge features two 400-meter bridges that stretch over the ocean and nearly meet, so couples on either side can reach across for a photo op.