Vietnam

vital statistics
  • Hanoi
  • 90 million
  • Vietnamese
  • Vietnamese dong
about Vietnam

Spend a couple of days lazing on the remote Con Dao islands off the country’s southern coast before traipsing into the highlands of Vietnam’s north, discovering French colonial towns like Sapa from where you can trek to the villages of hill tribes. If you didn’t know better you might even think you were in two entirely different countries.

Many people start their Vietnamese adventure in the capital Hanoi, one of Southeast Asia’s most beautiful cities. Spend some time exploring the streets of the Old Town and join the locals in a spot of tai chi by Hoan Kiem lake. From here, it’s time to decide whether you head further north – for those encounters with H’mong and Tay tribespeople – or take to the water of Halong Bay, where limestone karsts erupt from the turquoise sea.

Be sure to enjoy a spot of old world charm (and bargain hunting) in Hoi An, on the central coast, and organise a home stay with a family on the Mekong Delta.

Wherever you wander through this diverse country you’ll be overwhelmed by the culture, history and beauty, and all the while you’ll be slurping down steaming bowls of pho (noodle soup) and getting buzzed on Vietnamese coffee.

Explore Vietnam By

HOI AN, VIETNAM

Forget R & R, Hoi An’s newest river retreat will have you feeling on...

Forget R & R, Hoi An’s newest river retreat will have you feeling on top of the...

MAI CHAU, VIETNAM

Built among rice field terraces, waterfalls and jungled mountainside, the...

Built among rice field terraces, waterfalls and jungled mountainside, the brand-new,...

MUI NE, VIETNAM

Vietnam will open its borders to the rest of the world from mid-March, in a...

Vietnam will open its borders to the rest of the world from mid-March, in a move that the...

HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM

Boasting the brightest neon lights on the skyline and 360-degree views, Chill...

Boasting the brightest neon lights on the skyline and 360-degree views, Chill Skybar is...

QUY NHON, VIETNAM

Perched on the edge of a perfect soft-sand beach in a part of Vietnam so far...

Perched on the edge of a perfect soft-sand beach in a part of Vietnam so far undiscovered...

HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM

It’s the national airline, so Vietnam Airlines serves up a very different...

It’s the national airline, so Vietnam Airlines serves up a very different Asian stopover...

VIETNAM

What do you get when you add a vintage Vespa trip in Ho Chi Minh City,...

What do you get when you add a vintage Vespa trip in Ho Chi Minh City, kayaking in Phong...

BEN TRE PROVINCE, VIETNAM

While some will try to convince you that the iridescent seascapes of Halong...

While some will try to convince you that the iridescent seascapes of Halong Bay, Hanoi's...