5 Best Sights in Vietnam

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).

For some in-your-face Vietnamese chaos, venture into Hanoi's lively Old Quarter, home to cheap eats, authentic cuisine, and the bia hoi corner, where bottles of beer cost around a dollar. The corner gets its name from bia hoi, or fresh beer, a Hanoi specialty, but unfortunately this has become difficult to find here. The hub of this beer haven is at the intersection of Luong Ngoc Quyen and Ta Hien Streets, where you pull up a mini plastic chair and sit to watch Hanoi in action. For real fresh beer, head to a bia hoibar like Bia Hoi Hai Xom. There are several locations dotted around the city.

Of all Hoi An’s Chinese architecture, this assembly hall founded by the Chaozhou Chinese community in 1776 exemplifies Chinese wood carving of this period at its finest. Intricate wood carvings spin a tale of time forgotten through the building's wooden frames, highlighted by ceramic reliefs depicting folk legends of the Trieu Chau settlers who would visit the house at night to pray to at the main altar (which portrays General Phuc Ba and Bon Dau Quan, the god of mastering waves). The two altars on either side depict the gods of wealth and luck.

There are fish farms at the junction of the Chau Doc and Hau Rivers, which you can see from afar from the riverside promenade (30 Thang 4/April 30 Park), but to visit one you need a guide and boat. The farms are underneath the floating houses, in underwater pens accessed through the floors. A visit to a floating fish farm is usually on the itinerary of organized tours that come through Chau Doc. If traveling independently, your hotel can usually book you a tour.

Late January to early February is a good time to visit if you want to breathe in the excitement of Tet, the lunar new year, a movable date based on the lunar calendar. In preparation for Vietnam's largest festival, the Old Quarter comes alive with floor-to-ceiling displays of moon cakes, red banners, joss sticks, and red envelopes for giving lucky money (li xi) to children. Be aware that when Tet does arrive, many shops and restaurants close for up to a week—although some restaurants and cafés have discovered the financial benefits of staying open, and many put up their prices. If you're planning to conduct any business, this is definitely not the time to do it.