360 Best Sights in Vietnam

More commonly known as Dragon Pagoda, the gaudy Linh Phuoc Pagoda is in Trai Mat, a village 7 km (4½ miles) northeast of Dalat (accessible by road or the tourist train). Completed in 1952, the colorful pagoda is known for the inlaid pieces of broken glass throughout and the 49-meter-long dragon made from 12,000 beer bottles, as well as for its bell and 36-meter-high bell tower. This is an amazing piece of architecture worth exploring even by those suffering temple fatigue.

After entering through Ong Chon Gate, the main entrance of the Marble Mountains, you'll see the Linh Ung Pagoda, a Buddhist shrine inside a cave, filled with a large collection of Buddha statues. Built in 1825, this sacred structure also features small lotus ponds, bonsai plants, and intricate tilework. It bears many of the same motifs found in the UNESCO-listed tombs in Hue.

Locals seem to prefer walking along Nguyen Van Cuu Street's sidewalk at dawn and dusk rather than on this long white-sand beach, which is usually dotted with the round basket-boats the fishermen use to get to shore. Despite being right in town, Lo Voi Beach is usually deserted during the day. Fishing boats moored just offshore make this beautiful beach even more picturesque. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; sunrise; sunset; swimming; walking.

This beach is about a 90-minute drive from Ho Chi Minh City and 15 km (9 miles) along the coast from Vung Tau, but it feels like it's worlds away. Opposite the Dinh Co Temple, a series of shacks offer deck chairs for rent, as well as food and drinks. The beach is not patrolled but the water is calm with no surf and the golden sand stretches for miles. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: sunsets; swimming; walking.

Climb the 150 steps, breaking halfway to view the 262-foot-long white statue of sleeping Buddha. At the top of the hill, visit the Long Son Pagoda and sitting Buddha. This site is free to the public—watch out for the hecklers and scammers asking for miscellaneous fees, and pushy vendors. The panoramic views of rice fields and the city below are absolutely breathtaking.

This marks the site of the Battle of Long Tan, which took place on August 18, 1966, between a regiment comprising 105 Australians and three New Zealanders and a Vietcong force estimated at between 1,500 and 2,500. The fierce battle fought during a torrential downpour in a rubber plantation left 18 Australians and 245 Vietnamese dead and 21 Australians and many more Vietnamese wounded. August 18 is now Vietnam Veterans' Day in Australia and every year on this date, and on Anzac Day (April 25), a small ceremony is held at the Long Tan Cross. People who want to attend one of these ceremonies should register their interest well in advance with the Australian Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City. The Long Tan Cross is politically sensitive and is on private land and should not be visited without an official tour guide. Those wishing to visit the site must notify the Dat Do District People’s Committee in writing by fax 3 days in advance of their visit, either individually or through a travel agent.

For a commanding view of the town and the surrounding area, climb the stone steps behind the Trade Union Hotel to the lookout tower known as Cot V3. The climb is steep and takes about 20 minutes, but the view is quite nice.

While Hanoi is famous for its ancient architecture, there are modern high-rises joining the scene as well. If you are looking for a way to take in all of Hanoi at once, head to the Lotte Center’s 64th floor at sunset. There are two glass skydecks; one comes with an official photographer that will snap photos of you for a fee, but feel free to take your own. Entry to the rooftop cocktail bar is free, while the observation deck costs 230,000d.

Legend has it that about 400 years ago Khmer monks constructed this pagoda, 3 km (2 miles) from Soc Trang, to honor the flying foxes (a type of bat) that live in the surrounding fruit trees. In Buddhism bats are considered sacred and, above all else, lucky. Strangely, the bats don't eat the fruit of the trees on which they live but feed on fruit trees several miles away. The best time to see these nocturnal creatures is dawn or dusk. Keep an eye out for the graves of five-hoofed pigs behind the temple; these creatures are believed to be bad luck so are given to the temple to be cared for until their death.

Tourists come to these five historic mountains to see ancient pagodas, Buddhist sanctuaries, sacred caves, spectacular views of the eastern beaches, and villages where artisans carve marble sculptures. Each of the primarily limestone formations are named after the five elements—kim (metal), moc (wood), hoa (fire), thuy (water), and tho (earth). At Thuy Son Mountain, you can explore several 17th-century pagodas and caves by climbing 156 steps from the base—or take a glass elevator that eliminates a third of the steps in the initial climb, transporting you straight to the foot of Linh Ung Pagoda. Bring plenty of water and take your time, as the steps can be slippery after it rains. It is common to be hassled by locals in Non Nuoc Village who live solely on the production of their stone statues, jewelry, and artwork. Entrance to the Marble Mountains costs 40,000d plus the optional 15,000d one-way elevator ride.

Vivid statues and colorful floral offerings at this Hindu temple create a microcosm of India in the streets of Saigon. Before the temple was returned to the Hindu community in the early 1990s, the government used it as a factory for making joss sticks (incense) and for processing dried fish. Today it serves a small congregation of Tamil Hindus, but some Vietnamese and Chinese locals also revere it as a holy space.

This 104-acre mangrove forest, which stretches to Vietnam's southernmost point, is a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve that is home to many rare and endangered birds, animals, and reptiles. The national park is 110 km (68 miles) from Ca Mau City, about two hours by speedboat. No organized tours visit the park (at the time of writing), but it is possible to hire a speed boat to take you there. This should be arranged well in advance of arriving in Ca Mau (preferably from Ho Chi Minh City) and should include the services of an English-speaking guide.

With its pebble-strewn brown sand, Mui Nai, 6 km (4 miles) west of Ha Tien, is definitely not the prettiest beach around, but the sea is calm and shallow and the water is relatively clean so it's a nice place to take a dip. There are deck chairs for rent and shacks selling seafood, and in the late afternoon the locals play volleyball and swim. There's sometimes an entrance fee, but usually only when the beach is busy.

A cramped beach below Ha Long Street, Mulberry Beach isn't really a place you'd travel miles to see, and despite the poetic name, it's not ideal for swimming. Legend has it that the hillside near the beach, where the Virgin Mary statue is now, was once a mulberry field, hence the name. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; walking.

This colonial-style theater was built by the French in 1899 as Saigon's opera house. Later it housed the National Assembly of South Vietnam, the congress of the South Vietnamese government. After 1975, when South Vietnam ceased to be, it became a theater again.

This example of a Khmer Hinayana Buddhist pagoda was built in the 1940s to serve and provide spiritual well-being to Can Tho's Khmer community. Access to the interior is limited nowadays, but the pagoda is an emblem of one of the numerous ethnic groups that live side by side in the Mekong Delta.

This small museum—housed in just one large room—provides a small insight into Hoi An's history and culture. On display are ancient bowls, cups, and other ceramics, many of them archaeological artifacts dating back to the Cham. A collection of traditional Chinese objects includes pagoda bells and the "watchful eyes" placed above doorways for protection. Information is scant, so you are likely to leave underwhelmed and none the wiser, but the old black-and-white photos of 20th-century Hoi An make for an interesting comparison to the town today. The connecting door to the back of Quang Ong Temple provides a more interesting view.

Built in 1926 to house the French tax office, this cavernous museum opened its doors in 1959 and now has 29 halls, individual rooms that focus on specific events or periods in Vietnam's arduous road to independence. The focus naturally lands on the country's efforts against French colonialism, Japanese fascism, and American imperialism. The photographs from the 1945 August Revolution are particularly interesting. History buffs may do better here than at the National Museum of Vietnamese History just across the street: almost all of the exhibits here have English and French commentary, so a few hours of exploration can be a great learning experience.

The ancient Diep Dong Nguyen House has been converted into a small museum dedicated to the history of ceramics in Hoi An. The collection includes ancient wares, some of them recovered from shipwrecks in the surrounding waters, and a large assortment of household objects, such as bowls and vases. Possibly the most interesting thing you'll find here are the maps that date back as far as the 13th century, detailing the various marine trade routes. There are also detailed architectural drawings of the restored town houses, which provide helpful explanations of the different architectural influences throughout the Old Town.

This fascinatingly eclectic museum is in a beautiful colonial building inside the grounds of Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens, with various galleries dedicated to different eras. Much of Vietnam's history, and consequently its identity today, has been influenced by outsiders. In ancient times the Khmer and Chinese empires occupied large portions of modern-day Vietnam, and in more recent times the country has been partially or completely occupied by French, Japanese, and American forces. The museum gives a Vietnamese perspective on these events.

About 15 km (9 miles) from Quang Ngai town, just past the My Son Memorial, lies the pretty casuarina-lined beach of My Khe. There are only a small handful of local guesthouses and homestays across the street from the beach, so it's best to plan to visit the beach, dine at one of the seafood shacks along the beach, and continue north to Hoi An or south to Quy Nhon to stay the night. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: swimming.

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, including the Pullman, A La Carte, and Furama resort. 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.

About 70 km (43 miles) southwest of Danang, or 45 km (28 miles) due west of Hoi An, are the My Son Cham ruins: former temples and towers dedicated to kings and deities, particularly Shiva, who was considered the founder of the Kingdom of Champa. Construction first began in the 4th century under the order of the Cham king Bhadresvara and continued until the 13th century. With more than 70 brick structures, of which some 20 remain in recognizable form today, My Son was the most important religious and architectural center of the Kingdom of Champa and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. Although extensively damaged during World War II and the Vietnam War, extensive conservation work has ensured that the My Son complex still displays vestiges of its former glory. An interesting small museum and performance stage that hosts ad hoc Aspara dance and music performances is located at the entrance.

The best tours incorporate a visit to the Danang Museum of Cham Sculpture. From Hoi An it's possible to take a boat tour to the ruins.

This large covered market is an interesting place to explore, especially if you haven't already wandered through a Vietnamese cho (market) before. Expect to see the usual Vietnamese wet market offerings of fresh fruit, vegetables, mounds of mysterious greens, meat, dried goods, clothes, shoes, and plastic paraphernalia. Do stop in for a bowl of the local specialty, hu tieu My Tho (pork-and-prawn noodle soup).

Opened in 1932 by the French, this building has served in its present capacity since 1958, when it was turned it over to Hanoi authorities. The ground floor houses treasures from early history, particularly Vietnam's Bronze Age. Of special interest are the Ngoc Lu bronze drums, vestiges of this period some 3,000 years ago that have become enduring national Vietnamese symbols. Tools from the Paleolithic Age are on display, as are ceramics from the Ly and Tran dynasties. Painstakingly elaborate but somewhat corny dioramas depict various Vietnamese victories over hostile invaders. Upstairs, exhibits focus on more recent Vietnamese history. Standouts include 18th- to 20th-century bronze bells and khanh gongs (crescent-shape, decorative gongs); Nguyen-dynasty lacquered thrones, altars, and "parallel sentence" boards (Chinese calligraphy on lacquered wood carved into shapes of cucumbers, melons, and banana leaves); and an entire wing devoted to 7th- to 13th-century Champa stone carvings.

As you explore the museum, be sure to consult the English-language brochure you are given with the purchase of your entrance ticket, as the information it contains about the exhibits is nearly the only information on hand. Displays provide little explanatory text, even in Vietnamese, and English-language translation is lacking. It's possible to arrange English-speaking museum guides in advance.

As might be expected of a city whose name means "sea defense," much of Haiphong's more intriguing history is documented in the Navy Museum. Here you can see the Bach Dang stakes—the sharp wooden poles driven into the riverbed that impaled Kublai Khan's boats in 1288. A room dedicated to the Vietnam War houses a (presumably deactivated) MK-52 mine pulled from the waters of Haiphong Harbor in 1973, the lighthouse lantern that warned of impending bombing raids, and the antiaircraft gun that brought down a dozen American planes.

This temple is more than just a religious site. Nghe Temple is dedicated to Le Chan, the founder of Haiphong City, a heroic peasant woman who helped organize the popular revolt against the Chinese that was led by the two Trung sisters in AD 40. Ceramic reliefs at the top of the front wall depict the Trung sisters in royal carriages. Ancestral altars and chapels are to the right, through the courtyard.

This pagoda, built by the Chaozhou Chinese congregation in 1872, is worth seeing for its elaborate woodwork. There are intricately carved wooden boats and a large figure of the deified Chinese general Quan Cong's sacred red horse, as well as representations of Quan Cong himself with two guardians. A festival dedicated to Quan Cong takes place here every year on the 13th day of the first lunar month.

On Jade Island in Hoan Kiem Lake, this quiet 18th-century shrine, whose name means "jade mountain," is one of Hanoi's most picturesque temples. This shrine is dedicated to 13th-century military hero Tran Hung Dao, the scholar Van Xuong, and to Nguyen Van Sieu, a Confucian master who assumed responsibility for repairs made to the temple and the surrounding areas in 1864. He helped build both Pen Tower (Thap But), a 30-foot stone structure whose tip resembles a brush, and the nearby rock hollowed in the shape of a peach, known as the Writing Pad (Dai Nghien). To get to the temple, walk through Three-Passage Gate (Tam Quan) and across the Flood of Morning Sunlight Bridge (Can The Huc). The island temple opens onto a small courtyard and in the pagoda's anteroom is a 6-foot-long stuffed tortoise that locals pulled from Hoan Kiem Lake in 1968.

Skirting the boundary of Halong and Bai Tu Long bays, Ngoc Vung boasts dramatic limestone cliffs. There's also a very attractive sandy beach with some basic beach huts on its southern shore.