Vietnam travel offers everything you could want in a trip – tasty street food friendly on the wallet, history-dotted cities and countryside, UNESCO World Heritage structures and towns, and spectacular natural landscapes that fill camera memory cards all too quickly. Vietnam tour packages ensure you hit all the main attractions and sights, but to make sure you choose the right one in our comprehensive tour comparison Vietnam section we’ve compiled a list of the best of the best.
Cruise through Ha Long Bay
The ‘Bay of Descending Dragons’ is a floating jungle of nearly 2,000 limestone stacks painted with rocky outcrops and vegetation. Stay overnight on board a junk boat to admire the national tourist board’s proudest karst postcard.
History in Ho Chi Minh City
Formerly known as Saigon before it was renamed after the admired independence leader Ho Chi Minh, the capital is stuffed with French architecture and hints of former US presence with trendy sky bars overlooking traffic bordering on pure madness. Decidedly Vietnamese features come through in the lively bia hoi beer bars and unlimited outdoor restaurants.
Visit the War Remnants Museum
A must for a visual summary of the Vietnam War. Despite being a somewhat one-sided version of events, the hard-hitting photo gallery cannot lie. A graveyard of fallen US Army tanks and aircraft are seen in the entrance courtyard.
Harrowing stories in the Củ Chi Tunnels
Nearby old Saigon lies a mazy network of underground tunnels used by Viet Cong guerrillas as shelter from napalm blasts. Guides recount Vietnam War stories, while tourists are invited to crawl inside to try and make sense of the bloody conflict that lasted a quarter of a century and devastated the country.
Explore the Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta is the lifeline of the south, feeding lush waterlogged rice paddies and providing valuable agricultural output. The beaming smiles of local villagers under conical hats embody the very soul of Vietnam’s optimistic rebuild from war-torn history.
Dodge motorbikes in Hanoi
The northern pulse beats in the lively capital of Hanoi, and that includes even the geriatric tai-chi around Hoan Kiem Lake. The communist capital nowadays faces the capitalist threat of high-rise construction while pedestrians challenge the motorbike madness in one of Asia’s fastest growing cities. Take in a water puppetry show, eat some street-side pho for breakfast, and perfect your road crossing technique in this bustling metropolis.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Hanoi
This Vietnamese rite of passage sees crowds lining up at the entrance to shuffle past the body of the wispy-bearded revolutionary, who brought independence to the nation and inspiration to his people.
UNESCO Old Quarter in Hội An
The historic trading port transformed into a magnet for tourists when the Old Quarter was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 1999. Mercantile houses preserve tradition, and the port’s narrow canals flash Venetian with an Asian twist. Allow some time to pick up a made-to-order outfit in the medley of bargain silk suit tailor stores.
The Imperial Citadel in Huế
The Imperial Citadel and emperors’ tombs survived the 150-year Nguyễn Dynasty, before becoming a heavily injured casualty during the Vietnam War. The faded glory of the Citadel stands in testament to Vietnamese royal history.
Beachfront Nha Trang
Tourism developed along the curved bay to create Vietnam’s most visited resort for fun in the surf, sun and sand, along with some serious partying. Mud baths wait nearby if you plan to detox, while those interested in donning snorkel masks and scuba tanks will probably want to spend a number of days here.
Courtney Gahan is a serial expat, traveller and freelance writer who has bartered with Moroccan marketeers, seen the sun rise at Angkor Wat and elbowed her way through crowds on NYE in NYC
