8 Best Sights in Vietnam

Although it is technically and geologically an extension of Halong Bay, the 300 or so karst islands of Lan Ha Bay feel somewhat removed from tourist traffic. Lying south and east of Cat Ba Town, they are too distant for most of the tour boats that leave from Halong City to reach. Therefore visitors here, mostly on itineraries arranged in Cat Ba Town, can enjoy the sense of peace and isolation that Halong Bay has arguably lost. Sailing, snorkeling, and kayaking are popular activities here. Lan Ha Bay also possesses several idyllic beaches such as Hai Pai Beach (also known as Tiger Beach), and day tours are cheap, starting at 743,000d.

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.

While it may not quite live up to its intriguing name, the highlight of this often-crowded attraction is the miniature Grand Canyon-like cliffs that border the stream; the red and brown layers create a nice backdrop for photos. It takes about 20 minutes to wade sometimes knee deep to a small waterfall that flows. Along the way, enterprising locals have set up make-shift rest stops, serving cool drinks and snacks. Unfortunately, there can sometimes be a fair amount of trash at the start of the stream.

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.

On the outskirts of the main street in Mai Chau, there is an ancient gold apple tree (Diospyros Decandra) with historical significance. The Thai people say that their ancestors planted the tree 1,000 years ago when they first immigrated to Vietnam. In the war with the Chinese, many women were beheaded and their heads hung in the tree to serve as a warning. For this reason, many villagers believe that the tree is full of souls that must be respected. A small pagoda used to stand next to the tree, but it was destroyed in the American war. The tree became a heritage site in 2006 and is home to a small shrine.

About 37 km (23 miles) or an hour from Can Tho, this photogenic wetland area is a great way to explore the delta's beautiful narrow, verdant waterways by wooden boat and watch magnificent birdlife such as herons, storks, and egrets nesting in the trees. As of 2024, it hasn't been overdeveloped with restaurants, souvenirs stands, kitschy animal statues, and rubbish like Tra Su Bird Sanctuary—for now. Can Tho River Tours offers guided tours to Mua Xuan.

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.

Van Long offers shorter boat rides than both Tam Coc and Trang An (they only take an hour or so), but they're far more secluded and serene. This wetland reserve has 32 grottoes and 39 animal species, including rare monkeys and birds. In the dry season, Van Long is the wintering place of migratory birds from the north, making this a great spot to bring those binoculars. 

These stunning white sand dunes adjacent to a lake are best seen at sunrise, hopefully before the noisy quad bikes start operating as soon as tourists start to arrive. Photo ops and dune bashing are the main attraction: ATVs rentals costs 600,000d, Jeep-type vehicles are 800,000d, and you can even get selfies with a camel. The dunes are about an hour's drive from Mui Ne's main tourist area.