Vietnam
Updated October 19, 2026
Vietnam stretches about 1,650 km along the eastern edge of the Indochinese Peninsula, in South-East Asia, from the mountains bordering China to the Mekong Delta, with more than 3,000 km of coastline on the South China Sea, called the East Sea in Vietnam. About 100 million people live here. Its lands…
Must-See Places in Vietnam
Ha Long Bay
About 1,600 limestone islands rising from emerald water, explored on overnight cruises with caves and kayaking.
Hoi An Ancient Town
A well-preserved trading port of wooden shophouses, assembly halls and lantern-lit streets along the Thu Bon River.
Imperial City of Hue
The walled citadel and Forbidden Purple City of the Nguyen emperors, with royal tombs along the Perfume River.
Hanoi Old Quarter
A maze of 36 historic streets named after their trades, with street food, temples and Hoan Kiem Lake.
Cu Chi Tunnels
A network of underground tunnels used by Viet Cong fighters during the war, near Ho Chi Minh City.
Sa Pa Rice Terraces
Terraced rice fields carved into the mountains of the far north, home to Hmong, Dao and other ethnic groups.
Golden Bridge at Ba Na Hills
A golden footbridge held by giant stone hands in the mountains above Da Nang, reached by cable car.
Phu Quoc Beaches
White sand beaches, coral reefs and sunsets on Vietnam's largest island, in the Gulf of Thailand.
Unique Experiences in Vietnam
Cruise Ha Long Bay Overnight
Spend a night on a traditional-style junk among the limestone islands of Ha Long Bay or quieter Lan Ha Bay, kayaking to lagoons, visiting caves and watching sunrise from the deck.
Ride the Hai Van Pass
Ride a motorbike or jeep over the Hai Van Pass between Da Nang and Hue, a winding mountain road with views of the coast, made famous by Top Gear.
Take a Street Food Tour in Hanoi
Explore the Old Quarter at night on foot or by motorbike, tasting pho, bun cha, banh cuon, egg coffee and street snacks sitting on tiny plastic stools.
Explore the Mekong Delta
Travel by boat through the canals of the Mekong Delta, visiting floating markets, fruit orchards, rice paper workshops and villages.
Trek in Sa Pa
Hike through rice terraces and villages of the Hmong, Red Dao and Giay peoples around Sa Pa, staying overnight in a homestay with a local family.
Travel Tips for Vietnam
Plan Around Regional Weather
Vietnam's climate varies greatly by region, so plan your route accordingly. The north is best from October to April, the…
Check Visa Rules
Vietnam offers an e-visa for all nationalities, valid for up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, applied for online on…
Use Grab and Learn to Cross the Road
Download Grab, the ride-hailing app, for cars and motorbike taxis at fixed prices, avoiding overcharging. Crossing the r…
Carry Cash and Watch the Zeros
Vietnam's currency, the dong, has large denominations, such as 10,000, 100,000 and 500,000 VND notes, which can be confu…
Travel by Train, Bus and Domestic Flights
Vietnam is long, so combine transport: domestic flights are cheap and fast between Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City, …
Respect Local Customs
Dress modestly when visiting pagodas, temples and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, covering shoulders and knees, and remove sh…
Must-Try Local Dishes
Pho
Pho, Vietnam's national dish, is a fragrant noodle soup with rice noodles, slow-cooked beef or chicken broth flavoured with star anise, cinnamon and ginger, topped with thin slices of meat and fresh herbs. It originated in the north in the early 20th century. A bowl costs about 40,000–80,000 VND. Eat it for breakfast in Hanoi.
Banh Mi
Banh mi is a crispy baguette, introduced by the French, filled with pâté, pork, cold cuts, pickled carrots and radish, cucumber, coriander, chilli and mayonnaise. It is sold at street stalls across Vietnam, and Hoi An is famous for its versions. A banh mi costs about 20,000–50,000 VND. Try Banh Mi Phuong in Hoi An.
Bun Cha
Bun cha, a Hanoi speciality, is grilled pork patties and slices served in a sweet and sour fish sauce broth, with rice vermicelli, fresh herbs and fried spring rolls. Barack Obama ate it with Anthony Bourdain in Hanoi in 2016. A portion costs about 40,000–80,000 VND. Eat it at lunchtime in Hanoi's Old Quarter.
Fresh Spring Rolls
Goi cuon, fresh spring rolls, are rice paper rolls filled with shrimp, pork, rice vermicelli, lettuce and herbs, served with peanut or fish sauce, a light, healthy dish from the south. Cha gio or nem ran are fried versions. A plate costs about 30,000–80,000 VND. Try them at a street stall in Ho Chi Minh City.
Cao Lau
Cao lau is a noodle dish found only in Hoi An, with thick, chewy noodles, traditionally made with water from an ancient well and ash from local trees, topped with pork, crispy croutons, greens and herbs in a small amount of broth. A bowl costs about 30,000–60,000 VND. Try it in Hoi An's Old Town.
Bun Bo Hue
Bun bo Hue, a spicy beef noodle soup from the imperial city of Hue, has round rice noodles in a broth flavoured with lemongrass, chilli and shrimp paste, topped with beef, pork knuckle and blood cake. It is spicier than pho. A bowl costs about 40,000–70,000 VND. Eat it for breakfast in Hue.
Com Tam
Com tam, broken rice, is a Ho Chi Minh City favourite of fragrant broken rice grains with grilled pork chop, shredded pork skin, a steamed egg cake, pickles and fish sauce. Once a poor man's dish, it is now eaten at any time of day. A plate costs about 40,000–80,000 VND. Try it at a street stall in Saigon.
Vietnamese Coffee
Vietnamese coffee, strong robusta brewed slowly in a small metal filter, phin, and served with sweetened condensed milk over ice, ca phe sua da, is drunk everywhere. Hanoi is famous for egg coffee, topped with whipped egg yolk and sugar. A cup costs about 20,000–60,000 VND. Try egg coffee at Cafe Giang in Hanoi.
History
Ancient Kingdoms and Chinese Rule
The Red River Delta, in northern Vietnam, was home to the Dong Son culture from about 1000 BC, famous for its large bronze drums, decorated with scenes of daily life, boats and birds, found across South-East Asia. According to legend, the first Vietnamese state, Van Lang, was ruled by the Hung kings, descendants of a dragon lord and a fairy, and the Hung Kings Temple Festival is still a national holiday. In 111 BC the Chinese Han dynasty conquered the region, beginning about 1,000 years of Chinese rule, which brought Confucianism, Buddhism, Chinese characters and administration.
Resistance and independence
The Vietnamese resisted Chinese rule many times, and the Trung sisters, who led a revolt in 40 AD, and Lady Trieu, in 248 AD, became national heroines. In 938 Ngo Quyen defeated the Chinese fleet at the Battle of Bach Dang River, planting iron-tipped stakes in the riverbed that pierced enemy ships at low tide, and won independence. In central and southern Vietnam, the Champa kingdom, a Hindu and later Buddhist civilisation, built red-brick temples, such as My Son, a UNESCO site, while the Funan and Khmer kingdoms ruled the Mekong Delta.
Climate & Best Time to Visit
Spring
17–30°C
February to April brings mild, pleasant weather in the north, with days of about 20–28°C, misty drizzle and the Tet holi…
Summer
25–35°C
May to August is hot and humid across the country, with days of about 32–35°C, and the rainy season in the north and sou…
Autumn
19–30°C
September to November brings pleasant, dry weather to the north, with days of about 25–30°C and golden rice terraces in …
Winter
14–32°C
December to February is cool in the north, with days of about 17–20°C in Hanoi and cold in the mountains, sometimes near…
Fascinating Fun Facts
The world's largest cave
Son Doong Cave, in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, discovered by a local man, Ho Khanh, in 1990 and explored by British…
A top coffee exporter
Vietnam is the world's second largest coffee producer after Brazil, mainly of robusta beans grown in the Central Highlan…
An alphabet created by missionaries
Vietnamese is written in quoc ngu, a Latin-based alphabet with many diacritics marking its six tones, developed by Portu…
Millions of motorbikes
Vietnam has about 70–80 million registered motorbikes, about one for every adult, and they are the main way to get aroun…
The Tet holiday
Tet Nguyen Dan, the Lunar New Year, in late January or February, is the most important holiday in Vietnam, when families…
A bay with about 1,600 islands
Ha Long Bay, in northern Vietnam, has about 1,600 limestone islands and islets rising from emerald water, formed over ab…
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