Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park
North-Central Vietnam
Designated a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2003, the remarkable Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park contains the oldest karst mountains in Asia, formed鈥
Must-see attractions in Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City
Built in 1909 in honour of the supreme Taoist god (the Jade Emperor or King of Heaven, Ngoc Hoang), this is one of the most atmospheric temples in Ho Chi鈥
Ho Chi Minh City
To understand the US invasion of Vietnam, and contextualize its devastating impact on the country's civilians, this remarkable and deeply moving museum is鈥
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park
Hang Son Doong (Mountain River Cave), located in the heart of聽Phong Nha-K岷 B脿ng National Park, is known as the world's largest cave, and is one of the鈥
Hue
Built on a small hill overlooking the Song Huong (Perfume River), 4km southwest of the Citadel, this seven-storey pagoda is an icon of Vietnam and as鈥
Nha Trang
Forming a magnificent sweeping arc, Nha Trang's 6km-long golden-sand beach is the city's trump card. Sections are roped off and designated for safe鈥
Hanoi
Set amidst landscaped grounds near the centre of Hanoi, the Temple of Literature honours Vietnam's finest scholars, and also offers visitors a chance to鈥
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park
The Tu Lan cave system comprises of more than 20 wet and dry caves, which聽are thought to be between three and five million years old. Huge caverns,鈥
Cat Ba Island
Lying to the south of Halong Bay off the north-eastern coast of Vietnam,聽the 300-or-so karst islands and limestone outcrops of Lan Ha are just as鈥
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park
Surrounded by forested karst peaks, this staggering cave system in聽Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park聽extends for 31km, though most people only visit the鈥
Phu Quoc Island
With picture-perfect white sand, the delightful curve of beautiful Sao Beach bends out alongside a sea of mineral-water clarity just a few kilometres from鈥
Danang
This wonderfully wacky bridge takes the form of a ginormous, colour-changing dragon, weaving its way across the Han River. If that wasn't attention鈥
Ho Chi Minh City
Built between 1877 and 1883, Notre Dame Cathedral enlivens the heart of Ho Chi Minh City's government quarter, facing 脨 Dong Khoi. A red-brick, neo鈥
Mekong Delta
Hon Son, also known after its main village of Lai Son, is a solitary and beautiful mountain island about 50km southwest of Rach Gia on the southern shores鈥
Nha Trang
Built between the 7th and 12th centuries, these impressive Cham towers are still actively used for worship by Cham, Chinese and Vietnamese Buddhists鈥
Ho Chi Minh City
Surrounded by royal palm trees, the dissonant 1960s architecture of this landmark government building and the eerie ambience of its deserted halls make it鈥
Hanoi
This thought-provoking site is all that remains of the former Hoa Lo Prison, ironically nicknamed the 鈥楬anoi Hilton鈥 by US prisoners of war (POWs) during鈥
Hanoi
Legend claims that, in the mid-15th century, heaven sent Emperor Le Loi a magical sword, which he used to drive the Chinese from Vietnam. After the鈥
Hoi An
Built two centuries ago by an ethnically Vietnamese family, this gem of a house has been lovingly preserved through seven generations. Look out for signs鈥
Ho Chi Minh City
Believed to be the oldest temple in HCMC (1744), Giac Lam is a fantastically atmospheric place set in peaceful, garden-like grounds. The Chinese鈥
Assembly Hall of the Fujian Chinese Congregation
Hoi An
Originally a traditional assembly hall (or guildhall), this structure was later transformed into a temple for the worship of Thien Hau, a deity who鈥
Hoi An
Emblematic of Hoi An, this beautiful bridge was first constructed in the 1590s by the Japanese community to link it with the Chinese quarters. Over the鈥
Dalat
A freewheeling architectural exploration of surrealism, Hang Nga Crazy House is a joyously designed, outrageously artistic private home. Imagine鈥
Hue
This hillside monument is a synthesis of Vietnamese and European elements. Most of the tomb鈥檚 grandiose exterior is covered in darkened, weathered鈥
Ho Chi Minh City
A grand neoclassical structure built in 1885 and once known as Gia Long Palace (and later the Revolutionary Museum), HCMC鈥檚 city museum is a singularly鈥
Chau Doc
Ba Chuc鈥檚 memorial, 40km south of Chau Doc, stands as a ghastly reminder of the horrors perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge. Between 18 April and 30 April 1978鈥
Hue
Taking up the southwest corner of the Imperial Enclosure, this highly impressive walled complex has been beautifully restored. The imposing three-tiered鈥
Demilitarised Zone
A highly impressive complex of tunnels, Vinh Moc is the remains of a coastal North Vietnamese village that literally went underground in response to鈥
Hue
The Imperial Enclosure or Imperial City is a citadel-within-a-citadel, housing the emperor鈥檚 residence, temples and palaces, and the main buildings of鈥
Phu Quoc Island
Just off the southern tip of Phu Quoc, these 15 islands and islets are a paradise of white sand and blue waters. They can be visited by chartered boat for鈥
Ho Chi Minh City
Delightfully fronted by greenery and opening to an interior blaze of red, gold, green and yellow, this is one of the most beautifully ornamented temples鈥
Imperial Citadel of Thang Long
Hanoi
Added to Unesco's World Heritage List in 2010, Hanoi's Imperial Citadel was the hub of Vietnamese military power for over 1000 years. Ongoing鈥
National Museum of Vietnamese History
Hanoi
Built between 1925 and 1932, this architecturally impressive museum was formerly home to the 脡cole 贵谤补苍莽补颈蝉e d鈥橢xtr锚me-Orient. Its architect, Ernest鈥
Cat Ba Island
For one of the best views in Vietnam, head to Cannon Fort, where there are astounding panoramas of Cat Ba Island's jungle-clad hills, the harbour and the鈥
Danang
This small but important museum contains the world鈥檚 largest collection of Cham artefacts, housed in buildings marrying French-colonial architecture with鈥
Can Tho
The biggest floating market in the Mekong Delta, Cai Rang is 6km from Can Tho in the direction of Soc Trang. There's a bridge here that serves as a great鈥
Ninh Binh Province
Set amid glorious limestone pinnacles, this tranquil reserve comprises a reedy wetland that鈥檚 popular with birdwatchers. Among the bird species that have鈥
Hanoi
This fabulous collection relating to Vietnam's ethnic minorities features well-presented tribal art, artefacts and everyday objects gathered from across鈥
Ha Tien
This small speck of an island, covered in lush vegetation and with clear blue waters, has a sordid 500-year history as a pirate haven that only came to an鈥
Hanoi
In the heart of the Old Quarter, the small Bach Ma Temple (literally 'White Horse Temple') is said to be the oldest temple in the city, though much of the鈥
