365 Best Sights in Vietnam

Showcasing the cultural heritage of 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam, this museum has an indoor exhibition with a large collection of photographs and artifacts, including clothing, jewelry, tools, weapons, instruments, and items related to religious beliefs and wedding and funeral ceremonies. Behind the main building is an outdoor exhibit space with winding pathways that lead to 18 replicas of life-size tombs, boats, and traditional Vietnamese homes, including the impressive Banar Nha Rong (communal house) reachable by a log ladder with chiseled steps. A free water-puppet show is presented several times daily (check the times as soon as you arrive). This is one of Vietnam's very best museums, and it's especially worth visiting if you're going to or coming from the ethnically diverse northern mountains.

Founded in 1987, this informative and modern museum focuses on the cultural and historical aspects of Vietnamese women across the 54 ethnic community groups. The three main exhibits highlight the themes of fashion, war, and family life, and the female gender role as it pertains to customs and tradition. History is told through videos, photographs, and well-presented displays of Vietnamese women in times of peace and war. The museum also covers areas of marriage, customs, and birth. There is an interesting section honoring the modern plight of the street vendor. Signage is in English, French, and Vietnamese.

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 stunning drive along the South-Central Coast, best enjoyed by motorbike—it's 100 km (62 miles) one-way from downtown Nha Trang, so plan for an entire day. The entire road, named DT702, runs between the edge of Nui Chua National Park and the East Sea. There's not much to do along Vinh Hy except appreciate the beautiful views, stop for seafood lunch at Binh Hung Island, and swim at one of the wild beaches. Only two resorts of note have taken up residence here so far: Resort Vinh Hy, in the local fishing village, which offers modern bungalows at low prices, and the ultra-luxury Aman resort Amanoi, occupying a huge private swath of forest on the coast.

Located 20 km (13 miles) south of Nha Trang center, running all the way to Cam Ranh Airport, Bai Dai Beach has fantastic sand and sea, but much of its 20 km (12½ miles) has been taken over by resorts. Some resorts might claim to own certain stretches of the beach, but the beach is public (just don't try to enter the resort itself). Meanwhile, at the public access, bare-bones seafood shacks detract from the aesthetic appeal, though they offer chairs, toilets, and showers with any food or drink purchase. This is one of the few spots where surfers can find waves through April. Like all beaches in Vietnam, trash is an issue, except the resorts clean their frontage regularly.

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

Amenities: food and drink; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: surfing; swimming; walking.

Many overnight boat tours will take you to see one or more of the four floating villages on Halong Bay, where 300 local families make a living by fishing the mystical waters. If they're not fishing or fixing their nets for the next big catch, they may be passing the time swinging on hammocks—or even rowing toward your cruise boat to sell you groceries and souvenirs in a floating "store." These impressive fishing villages have their own wooden shacks and grocery stores that stay afloat by Styrofoam platforms wrapped in waterproof tarps.

Part of the 30 km (18½ miles) of Danang's coastline is the city's most popular beach, My Khe Beach. After the arrival of American soldiers in 1965, it became popular with GIs who came here over their holidays. Sandwiched between Monkey Mountain and the nearby Marble Mountains, My Khe Beach is home to several international resorts. It has fine white sand and warm water, and is surprisingly clean and isolated on weekdays. Beachfront vendors sell coastal specialties like shrimp, crab, and fish. There are palapa umbrellas and restrooms, and it's one of the few beaches with lifeguards on duty year-round. Rip currents and waves mean this is not a swimmer-friendly beach. Amenities: food and drink; toilets; lifeguards; water sports. Best for: surfing; walking; sunbathing.

Perched on Cu Lao hillside overlooking the Cai River, there are four towers remaining of the original seven or eight built from the 7th to 12th centuries during the Panduranga period of the Champa kingdom. Evidence suggests the site itself was used for worship since the 2nd century AD by the Sa Huynh. Impressive up close, the towers are the best remaining Cham ruins in Vietnam, along with My Son in Hoi An. The largest tower of the four stretches 75 feet high and contains a statue of the Goddess Po Nagar, the mother of the Cham, creator of the earth and rice. The other towers were built in honor of Cri Cambhu, Shiva, and the elephant-headed god of prosperity and wisdom Ganesh. The temples are still used for worship today; visitors must cover knees and shoulders to enter inside. Po Nagar stays open until 9 pm on full moon days and the first day of the lunar calendar. The Po Nagar Festival takes place the 20th to 23rd of the third lunar month, usually April or May.

South of Hue along the Perfume River, these scattered tombs—the ego-boosting mausoleums erected by emperors in the early 1800s and early 1900s—can easily be explored in a day, although it's likely you'll experience tomb-overload by your second site—visually and historically they are a lot to absorb. The most impressive one is the Tomb of Khai Dinh due to its ornate architecture reflecting Buddhist imagery. Between 1920 and 1931, the tomb was built with money from a 30% land tax increase forced on the people of central Vietnam. To construct the final mosaics surrounding the tomb, fine china and ceramics were broken into pieces. Take note of the dragon eyes made from Champagne bottles, and the flower petals made from ceramic spoons. The most respected emperor was Thieu Tri, remembered for his compassion for the people, evidenced by his unadorned 1848 tomb. If you plan to see the Tomb of Tu Duc, Thieu Tri's son, allow plenty of time to explore the grounds, which once housed 50 buildings in a sprawling lakefront compound. The Tomb of Gia Long is 20 km (12½ miles) outside the city, which means you're likely to have the place entirely to yourself.

The concept of a warm mud bath may already be strange, but taking one in an egg-shaped tub makes it even more bizarre—and memorable. Reopened in June 2024 after a renovation, the facility’s private egg tubs each accommodate two to three people, and there are larger stone tubs for groups, hot- and cold-water pools, herbal baths, as well as saunas and steam rooms. The purported therapeutic quality of sitting in and slathering on mud is questionable, but it's still worth spending a few hours here for a fun, messy pampering session. There are showers, change rooms, lockers, and a restaurant.

Also known as the Maze Bar, this phantasmagorical labyrinth was designed by Dang Viet Nga, the same architect behind Crazy House; somehow this place manages to be even trippier. Upon entry you'll plunge down into a Tim Burton--esque fever dream, up and through winding corridors, paradoxical pathways, and dead ends. The goal (if you need one) would be the rooftop bar, then the secret garden—keep going up and toward the back to be rewarded with fresh air and a great view. The entrance fee is the price of a drink (a beer starts at 40,000d).

This interesting museum is dedicated to the life and work of Alexandre Yersin (1863--1943), a French-Swiss physician and bacteriologist who discovered the bacillus of the bubonic plague and introduced rubber trees to Vietnam so quinine could be used to treat malaria. Yersin settled in Nha Trang and founded the Institut Pasteur here, in Hanoi, and Da Lat, plus the Faculty of Medicine in Hanoi. The air-conditioned museum is very informative (signs are in English and French) and is well worth the visit to learn more about Yersin's many accomplishments.

This stately prayer house once served the many ambassadors who called on the Le kings. A hall named Quan Su was built in the 15th century to receive these guests, mostly Buddhists, and a pagoda was built for them in which they could comfortably worship. The hall burned to the ground, but the pagoda was saved. The Ambassador's Pagoda escaped destruction a second time, as it was the only pagoda not burned or ransacked in the final chaotic days of the Le dynasty. This pagoda sees more action than most in town, as it serves as headquarters for the Vietnam Buddhist Association. Government elites often make official visits to the pagoda, and people commonly hold "send-off" ceremonies here for the souls of family members who have recently died. The pagoda is also in part dedicated to a monk who is said to have saved King Ly Thanh Tong from his deathbed, so many older women come here to pray for good health. Dozens of young monks reside on the south side of the complex and study in the classrooms directly behind the pagoda.

Ang Pagoda was built on the ruins of Wat Angkor Raig Borei, a temple that possibly dates back to the 10th century Angkor Era. Set amongst old trees and next to Ba Om pond, an Angkorian baray, the pagoda features beautiful Khmer architecture. Ang Pagoda is 5 km (3 miles) from the center of Tra Vinh.

Ao Ba Om, which locals poetically call Ao Vuong ("square pond"), is a Khmer baray, a man-made reservoir similar to the ones found in Angkor. Today it is a peaceful body of water surrounded by old trees. About 5 km (3 miles) from Tra Vinh, the pond is a pleasant place to visit in the early morning, when mist makes it seem even more romantic. Festivities take place here during Khmer holidays. Combine it with visits to the nearby Ang Pagoda and Khmer Cultural Museum.

As part of their cultural tradition, the Chinese built assembly halls as a place for future generations to gather after they migrated to new countries. Once a major Southeast Asian trading port, Hoi An is home to five such halls that date back to the 16th and 17th centuries; however, exact dates for the buildings are unclear from historic records as most have been subjected to newer 18th- and 19th-century improvements. Recognizable by their Chinese architecture, the assembly halls generally feature ornate gates, main halls, altar rooms, and statues and murals in honor of gods and goddesses. Four of Hoi An's assembly halls—Fujian, Hainan, Cantonese, Chinese—are located on Tran Phu Street near the river. The Chaozhou assembly hall is situated in the French Quarter, a short stroll east of Old Town on Nguyen Duy Hieu. Among them, the Fujian Hall, Phuc Kien, is considered the most prominent. Entrance to each assembly hall is one coupon from the five included in the Old Town ticket.

This temple, located up the foot of Sam Mountain, is dedicated to Ba Chua Xu, the prosperity goddess of the Vietnamese folk religion Thanism. It was built in the early 1800s after, legend has it, villagers discovered in the forest a female statue dating to the 6th century. The temple is constructed in what is commonly thought of as Chinese style, with four levels, the tiled roofs green with age. Within is the statue of Ba Chua Xu, busy with visitors coming to ask for protection and prosperity; weekends can be very crowded. A festival in her honor is held the 23rd--27th of the fourth lunar month, with pilgrims performing dances and rites. Surrounding the temple are pleasant gardens and some small caves, and from up here there's a sweeping view of the countryside; on a clear day you can see neighboring Cambodia.

Dien Bien Phu Street comes to an end at the minimally landscaped Ba Dinh Square, in the center of which flutters Hanoi's largest Vietnamese flag. This is where half a million northern Vietnamese gathered to hear Uncle Ho's Declaration of Independence on September 2, 1945, and where, after Ho's death in 1969 (also on September 2), another 100,000 Hanoians gathered to pay homage. On the west side of the square is the mausoleum itself, a cold and squat cube that's nonetheless arresting in its simplicity and grandeur.

Across the square from the mausoleum and slightly to the left is the four-story headquarters of the Communist Party and where the National Assembly convenes. Across the square and to the right, where Dien Bien Phu Street meets the square, stands the huge and graceful Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Directly opposite the mausoleum is the monument to Vietnam's revolutionary martyrs, the Bac Son Monument. A palm- and willow-shaded mansion to the right of the monument is the family home of former minister of defense General Vo Nguyen Giap, who orchestrated the siege at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. General Giap passed away in 2013.

Often included in countryside motorbike tours, Ba Ho Waterfalls are a refreshing stop for a hike and a swim. It's a 20-minute walk on a paved trail past the picnic tables, restaurant, and other tourist accoutrements before the real hike begins, which requires walking up and across boulders to reach a series of three pools. The second is busiest as this is where you can cliff jump, and you'll no doubt encounter tour groups leaping from rock ledges into the water---do consider the risks before joining in. If you're looking for a quieter place to hang out, few venture to the third pool. Note that arriving when it first opens usually buys an hour of peace. Water levels are low in the dry season, but there is always enough for swimming.

Bac My An is a small, gently sloping, white sandy stretch of beach located 7 km (4½ miles) east of Danang, just south of My Khe. Thanks to its pristine natural landscapes and clear water, Bac My An is a certified crowd-pleaser. Several luxury resorts have emerged on the beach over the years. Water sports like canoeing, windsurfing, or diving are often complimentary experiences at the resorts. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: walking; swimming; solitude; sunrise.

With its temperate climate, rich biodiversity, and exquisite views, Bach Ma National Park is a must-see for wildlife lovers and those who want a break from Vietnam's heat. In 1932, the French built a hill station around the summit of Bach Ma with 139 villas, a post office, and a market, all 1,450 meters (4,757 feet) above sea level. Today it's the ultimate getaway for trekking in the jungle, swimming in pristine streams, showering under the 300-meter-high Do Quyen Waterfall, and admiring stunning sunsets or sunrises from Hai Vong Dai on Bach Ma's summit. The ultimate experience at Bach Ma is a private tour with Mr. Cam, the king of birds, who can call and talk to more than 100 types of birds.

Vung Tau's most popular beach has golden sands that stretch for miles, but it's not the prettiest or the cleanest beach around. Quiet on weekdays, it's crowded on weekends, with locals who will be playing volleyball, football, and jogging. Back Beach is fine for swimming, but be aware that most of the locals swim fully clothed so parading around in a skimpy swimsuit may attract some stares. There are showers at the Imperial Hotel's Beach Club, which has a 250,000d entry fee. Amenities: food and drink; showers. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

Located 10 km (6 miles) south of Quy Nhon, Bai Xep fishing village is a narrow, confusing warren of dwellings that eventually spits you out onto a little beach. Once a backpacker haunt, the beach now has some guesthouses and three resorts, yet still manages to hold onto its charm, for now. Food options include Big Tree Bistro, or in the evening, fresh caught seafood you choose from buckets, grilled and eaten at plastic tables on the beach. A taxi from the city costs around 130,000d--160,000d, or take the cheap local bus #T11.

On the road to Can Tho, 15 km (9½ miles) from Long Xuyen, Bang Lang is home to an estimated 150,000 storks, which create an amazing spectacle at dawn and dusk. Eleven species of stork, egret, and heron have been identified in this 1.3-hectare sanctuary, which, sadly, isn't as well-kept as it should be. The sanctuary is named after the Queen’s Flower trees (bang lang) that used to line the road.

Around 30 minutes inland from Quy Nhon is the 11th-century Banh It Cham Temple, four surviving towers set high on a hill with lovely 360-degree views of the surrounding land. The towers have had some extensive restorations, but some of the bas-relief remains. Watch out for guano when you enter the 22-meter-high main tower as it's now home to bats.

One of several of Emperor Bao Dai’s summer retreats in the Central Highlands, this one pales in comparison to the two in Dalat. Unfortunately, the building has seen better days and is in need of maintenance, but it's worth a look if visiting the adjacent Dak Lak Museum. Photos of the emperor are displayed inside.

Perched on a hill and set in impressive wooded grounds 4 km (2½ miles) east of the city center, the French-neoclassical-style manor was purchased in 1946 by Bao Dai after his abdication and used as his headquarters until his exile to France in the mid-1950s. It was taken over by South Vietnam's President Ngo Dinh Diem, who built a secret tunnel which you can still find today leading to a one of his helicopters on display. There are extra activities you can pay for, such as dressing up in royal regalia for photos.

Built in the 1930s, Summer Palace 3 is one of two of Emperor Bao Dai's residences in Dalat worth seeing. The last emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty, Bao Dai ruled from 1926 until he abdicated in 1945, though his legacy is that of a puppet ruler for France and his lavish lifestyle. This palace, used as a hunting retreat and for entertaining foreign dignitaries, remains a well-preserved example of modernist architecture and furniture, a contrast to Summer Palace 1's neoclassical-French style. Signs in English explain what each room was used for. For a kitsch souvenir, pay for a photoshoot wearing a traditional royal getup.

This small islet east of Con Son, Con Dao's main island, is covered by rain forest and mangroves and its Cat Lon beach is a turtle nesting ground from April to September each year. Visitors can hike up to a small lighthouse in the island's northeast, built 740 feet above sea level by the French in 1884 and still operational today. Tours to the island can be organized through the national park headquarters.

This bustling market, which is more than a century old, has a bit of a Jekyll-and-Hyde personality, and if you are unlucky enough to encounter pushy vendors, scammers, and pickpockets it won't exactly be an enjoyable experience. Stay alert, though, and you can have a lovely time exploring the 3,000 stalls. The most interesting section is the wet market at the back. Cheap T-shirts and other tourist goods are for sale in the front section, fabric and haberdasheries in the middle, and some great food stalls spring up beside the market at night.

Those looking to experience the Mekong Delta from Ho Chi Minh City may want to skip My Tho, which has become over-touristy, and go south across the Mekong River to explore Ben Tre's countryside instead. Known as Vietnam's coconut capital, Ben Tre's many verdant coconut groves and coconut palm-lined waterways are scenic, and like My Tho, full of coconut candy factories, coconut handicraft, and other family-owned cottage industries the delta is known for, but without the crowds. Stay for a few nights at a lodge to cycle or boat the rural byways.