5 Best Sights in Vietnam

One of the most intriguing sights on Cat Ba Island, Hospital Cave served as a bomb-proof medical facility during the American War. It also provided well-hidden refuge for Vietcong leaders and fighters during the conflict. Like Cu Chi Tunnels in the south and Vinh Moc Tunnels near Dong Ha, Hospital Cave is a prime example of the Communists' engineering ingenuity. Built between 1963 and 1965, the three-story facility is a labyrinth of dim chambers. Guides operate from outside the cave, which is around 10 km (6 miles) north of Cat Ba Town and will show you around the 17 rooms and point out notable features such as the old operating theater and a natural cavern that was used as a movie theater.

The must-see Paradise Cave is one of the most beautiful park caves you can visit on a day trip. Tours and transport can be arranged from the Tourism Center in the village. Or you can head out under your own steam. It's a long trek from the ticket booth to the cave entrance, but an electric golf cart is available to whisk you to the stairs (all 500 of them) or the ramp that leads up to the cave entrance. The mouth of Paradise Cave is small, hidden behind the cliffs and trees. From there, more stairs will lead you down into the cave's magnificent chambers, linked by a wooden walkway that winds around majestic rock formations deep into the belly of the cave. To get to Paradise Cave, follow the road through town past the Phong Nha ticket office. Continue on that road for 16 km (10 miles) until you reach the intersection; take a right at the huge billboard.

While the cave itself is not that impressive, the views from the top of the mountain are breathtaking, featuring Tam Coc River on one side and rice paddies on the other. The climb and its 486 steps are steep but worth it. There are several parking lots outside the entrance where you will be charged 20,000d for a bicycle and 30,000d for a motorbike. The views are the best on a clear day and comfortable footwear is suggested. If you are visiting for only a short time, skipping the cave is advised. 

Up until the discovery of Son Doong, the beautiful Phong Nha Cave was the national park's most famous treasure. It’s the park's easiest cave to navigate and there really is no need to visit it with a guide. Buy tickets from the tourism center in the village and hop on a boat from the small pier nearby. The boat takes you on a picturesque journey along the Son River right into the giant river cave where you disembark to explore 1,500 meters inside. Here you'll view the most splendid formations, stalagmites, and stalactites, enchantingly lit in a rainbow of colors. The boat to the cave costs about 360,000d, but this can be split among passengers (maximum of 10 passengers). Don't forget to tip your rower.

Only a short bus or car ride away from Ninh Binh (drivers and tour group operators know exactly where to go) is a trio of caves accessible by a traditional boat ride down the Hoang Long River, a peaceful stream that winds through rice paddies after cutting its path through the steep cliffs around nearby Hoa Lu. Kind village women paddle your boat the 2 km (1 mile) through the series of three caves, one of which has a cement plaque on its far side commemorating Nguyen Cong Cay, a Vietnamese weapons maker who lived in Hoa Lu from 1947 to 1950 and plotted with other resisters against the French. At the far end of the boat ride, other women in similar boats are waiting to sell you soft drinks, bananas, and even embroidery. Another cave, Bich Dong, can also be reached by boat; you can disembark to visit the 17th-century pagoda here. Tam Coc has recently become a small tourist epicenter and there are several hostels and restaurants located around the boat harbor.