7 places to visit in Vietnam off the tourist trail

Tailor-made Travel

Jan 2024

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written by Rachel Mills

updated 30.08.2021

The verdant limestone stacks of Ha Long Bay and the bustling streets of Hanoi are well established (and essential) stops along Vietnam’s tourist trail. But the traveller who ventures beyond the hotspots will be rewarded with secluded bays, picturesque villages and delicious farm-to-fork food. Here are seven places to visit in Vietnam for an adventure off the beaten track. Along the way, don't miss out on Vietnamese foods you need to try.

Tailor-made travel itineraries for Vietnam, created by local experts

Vietnam Culinary Discovery

10 days / from2150 USD

Vietnam Culinary Discovery

Vietnamese cuisine can be divided into three categories, each pertaining to a specific region, namely the North, Centre and South. You will visit all of these on this culinary tour of Vietnam. Awaken all of your senses to the wonderful sights sounds and aromas of this fascinating country.

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Very Vietnam

16 days / from2150 USD

Very Vietnam

Vietnam is full of surprises, seamlessly mixing both ancient and modern. See rice paddies, traditional villages, markets, temples and pagodas. Discover romantic cities, cruise around mystical Halong Bay, laze on pristine beaches and get out and about in exuberant Ho Chi Minh City.

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Cultural Saigon

4 days / from550 USD

Cultural Saigon

Southern Vietnam is home to modern Ho Chi Minh City, a vibrant southern capital full of historic attraction and old Saigonese charm. Soak up some café culture, enjoy authentic street food, and get a taste of the city’s thriving markets.

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Southern Vietnam Explored

5 days / from890 USD

Southern Vietnam Explored

Discover the charms of Southern Vietnam. From the excitement of Ho Chi Minh City to the sleepy scenic canals of the Mekong Delta with its traditional villages and floating markets, Vietnam’s deep south is one of the most appealing parts of the country.

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Vietnam Culinary Experience

9 days / from2100 USD

Vietnam Culinary Experience

Embark on a Vietnamese culinary adventure, taking cooking classes in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Get cultural in the imperial city of Hue with a visit to some royal tombs, cruise around stunning Halong Bay a final stay in nostalgic Hanoi before your return home.

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Ancient Meets Modern

12 days / from2100 USD

Ancient Meets Modern

A trip to Vietnam offers a unique adventure. From ancient Hanoi to imperial, romantic Hue, coastal Hoi An with its atmospheric ruins to burgeoning Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City as it is known today, Vietnam is both an exciting and a rewarding destination.

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The Wonders of Vietnam

10 days / from1780 USD

The Wonders of Vietnam

See Vietnam's top attractions in this tour of the country that will take you from the buzzing capital Hanoi down to magical Halong Bay. Enjoy lazy river cruises along the Perfume River, delve into the history of famous tombs and temples and get caught up in the excitement in Ho Chi Minh City.

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The Ultimate Southeast Asia Grand Tour

22 days / from4799 USD

The Ultimate Southeast Asia Grand Tour

Explore the highlights of four countries in a bit over 3 weeks: Halong Bay & the Mekong Delta in Vietnam combined with the cities Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Proceed to Cambodia with Angkor Wat before watching the monks in Luang Prabang/Laos. Your trip ends in Thailand with elephants and Bangkok.

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Retrace the Vietnam War

13 days / from2260 USD

Retrace the Vietnam War

Visit the highlights of Vietnam while tracing parts of the war across the country. Notable sights include Cu Chi Tunnels, Ba Den Battlefield, Son My, the Demilitarized Zone that divided North and South Vietnam, as well as museums and more in Hanoi. End your trip with a leisurely Halong Bay cruise.

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Impressions of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos

21 days / from4545 USD

Impressions of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos

Start and end your trip in Ho Chi Minh City and visit highlights such as the Mekong Delta, Phnom Penh with the Killing Fields, Angkor Wat, the historic city of Luang Prabang in Laos before heading back to Vietnam - Hanoi, Halong Bay and Hoi An await.

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A Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos Adventure

15 days / from4400 USD

A Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos Adventure

Make the most of your time in South East Asia and discover not 1 but 3 exciting countries. From Vietnam to Cambodia and Laos you will get the know the locals, visit ancient temples, relax on a cruise, get a taste of Buddhism and so much more. This itinerary will show you the wonders of Asia.

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Indochina's Unique UNESCO Treasures

11 days / from1950 USD

Indochina's Unique UNESCO Treasures

Experience Indochina's finest UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Marvel at magnificent limestone karsts at Vietnam's Halong Bay, wander the winding colonial streets of Luang Prabang, a bastion of Laotian culture, and of course, be inspired by Cambodia's stunning Angkor temple complex!

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Vietnam Family Adventure

10 days / from2950 USD

Vietnam Family Adventure

Visit Northern Vietnam, anchored by the ancient city of Hanoi, go east and take in the stunning island-studded Halong Bay. As you make your way down the country, stop in charming coastal Hoi An before venturing south to experience exciting and bustling Ho Chi Minh City.

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Luxury Vietnam

12 days / from4150 USD

Luxury Vietnam

Brilliant beaches, verdant national parks, ancient ruins and temples, hill-tribe communities, the best museums, private transfers, speedboat tours and world-class hotels, Vietnam is as surprising as it is rewarding.

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Vietnam and Laos - Highlights and Exploration

14 days / from2947 USD

Vietnam and Laos - Highlights and Exploration

Start your trip in Ho Chi Minh City (former Saigon) and explore the city and the Mekong Delta. From here, you make your way to Central Vietnam with Hue and Hoi An before Hanoi and Halong Bay await. Afterwards, catch a flight to Laos and spend your remaining nights in fascinating Luang Prabang.

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Vietnam for Families

12 days / from2499 USD

Vietnam for Families

Travelling with family? Explore the best areas of Vietnam with suitable activities for the whole family. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are of course part of it, so is Halong Bay, a boat tour in the Mekong Delta, as well as the beautiful ancient town of Hoi An.

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Vietnam and Cambodia by Rail

15 days / from2800 USD

Vietnam and Cambodia by Rail

Discover Vietnam and Cambodia on this multicentre trip. Explore Hanoi’s charming quarters on foot; then take to the waters and cruise around Halong Bay. Then take the night train to Hue before continuing on your rail adventure through Hoi An and Nha Trang before you cross the border into Cambodia.

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Quintessential Vietnam

9 days / from1650 USD

Quintessential Vietnam

Uncover the secrets of vibrant Ho Chi Minh City and the colonial charms of Vietnam’s capital Hanoi. Explore the lush rice paddies and traditional villages of the Mekong Delta and former imperial Hue. Complete your trip with an overnight cruise to the stunning limestone caves of Halong Bay.

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Classic Vietnam and Cambodia

14 days / from2469 USD

Classic Vietnam and Cambodia

Start your Southeast Asia adventure in Hanoi with a city tour and then proceed to Halong Bay for a luxurious cruise. In Central Vietnam, you will visit Hoi An and Hue before flying to Ho Chi Minh City. Discover the Mekong Delta and the Cu Chi Tunnels before your final stop - Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

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Authentic Vietnam

12 days / from1850 USD

Authentic Vietnam

Start your Vietnam adventure in Hanoi, discovering the capital before heading to the natural paradise Ninh Binh. Stops in Hue and Hoi An allow you to explore Central Vietnam before flying to Ho Chi Minh City. Eat your heart out in the city before relaxing on the beaches of Phan Thiet.

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Vietnam - Hanoi to Halong

5 days / from1200 USD

Vietnam - Hanoi to Halong

Take in two of Vietnam’s most treasured spots. Get your fill of culture and history in Hanoi with its wonderful museums, Old Quarter and pockets of nostalgia. Then explore enchanting caves and swim from secluded beaches in Halong Bay.

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Vietnam for Romantics

14 days / from2655 USD

Vietnam for Romantics

Planning a special trip with your beloved? Vietnam is the ideal mix of culture (Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City) paired with nature (Halong Bay, Mekong Delta) and ending the trip on picturesque Phu Quoc - crystal clear water and white sandy beaches included!

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Signature Vietnam & Thailand

15 days / from3715 USD

Signature Vietnam & Thailand

Discover 3 main areas in each country: Vietnam with Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and the Halong Bay. Thailand with Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket. Discover authentic food experiences, historic city tours with knowledgeable guides and much more on this two week itinerary.

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Three Day Sapa Tour from Hanoi

3 days / from544 USD

Three Day Sapa Tour from Hanoi

Your private guide and car will take you through winding roads and terraced rice fields to Silver Waterfall and Heaven Gate for stunning views of Lai Chau Valley and Fanxipan mount. Spend a night in Sapa and visit the bustling market to see ethnic minority groups selling their handicrafts.

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Unique Mekong Delta from Saigon

2 days / from405 USD

Unique Mekong Delta from Saigon

Visit the bustling floating markets, local workshops, fruit orchards, and rice paddies, as well as cycle through the countryside and mingle with the friendly locals. You will cruise along the Mekong river to An Binh island, cycle through the orchards, visit floating markets and much more.

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Premium Halong Bay Cruise

2 days / from419 USD

Premium Halong Bay Cruise

Sail through the emerald waters of Halong Bay and marvel at the limestone cliffs, scattered islets, and floating fishing villages. Enjoy a range of activities, including kayaking, swimming, and cave exploration, while indulging in delicious Vietnamese cuisine.

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1. Make the journey to Bai Tu Long Bay

Bai Tu Long Bay is just to the northeast of world-famous Ha Long Bay – and its striking expanse is just as beautiful. However, it sees a fraction of the visitors.

More and more tour companies are now offering trips to Bai Tu Long (“Children of the Dragon”). Or, if you want to go it alone, you can take the ferry to remote Quan Lan Island – the slow boat from Cai Rong has the best views.

Quan Lan has only a handful of hotels, and very little English is spoken – but that’s part of the joy. Once you've taken in the bay, bask on the untouched beaches (the best stretch along the east coast) and explore the virtually empty roads by bicycle. You’ll get the impression that little has changed here for decades.

Surrounded by limestone cliffs Taken in Bai Tu Long Bay, near Ha Long Bay, northern Vietnam © Xavier Hoenner/Shutterstock

Bai Tu Long Bay © Xavier Hoenner / Shutterstock

2. Enjoy farm-to-table food in Bong Lai Valley

Phong Nha National Park may already be on your itinerary, but your taste buds will thank you for venturing to nearby Bong Lai Valley. Farming is integral to the community here, and more and more locals are now opening their homes to visitors.

Farm-to-fork restaurants will give you a true taste of the local delicacies; Moi Moi’s speciality is pork slow-cooked in bamboo tubes and delicious veggie peanut dumplings. At The Duck Stop you can feed the ducks and buy drinks and packets of fresh pepper. The legendary Pub With Cold Beer does exactly what it says on the tin, plus there are hammocks and a river to swim in. In the true spirit of farm-to-table, they will kill and cook a chicken for a shared lunch.

Barbecue meat - the ingredient of "bun cha" is the famous Vietnamese noodle soup with bbq meat, spring roll, vermicelli and fresh vegetable served on bamboo flat basket © Vietnam Stock Images/Shutterstock

Vietnam cuisine being prepared © Vietnam Stock Images / Shutterstock

3. Visit minority villages around Kon Tum

The lush central highlands are a highlight for many adventurers in Vietnam. The sleepy provincial capital, Kon Tum, with its glorious riverside setting, is particularly lovely.

Curiously overlooked by tourists, the 650 minority villages surrounding Kon Tum are wonderful, welcoming places to visit too. And you’re unlikely to see another foreigner on your travels. You can stay overnight in a communal thatched rong in the Bahner villages, within easy walking distance from the centre of town.

Photo taken on the trekking trip Ngoc Linh mountain, Ngoc Linh ward, Kon Tum province, Vietnam © Bokor Photos/Shutterstock

Ngoc Linh mountain, Kon Tum © Bokor Photos / Shutterstock

4. Take a road trip to remote Ha Giang

Home to several ethnic minority groups, including the Hmong, Dao and Giay, Vietnam’s Far North is the final frontier for intrepid travellers – and nowhere is wilder than Ha Giang. Mountain roads wind through lush green landscape and open out to incredible vistas, particularly in the rugged Dong Vang Karst Plateau Geopark.

Visitors are required to have a permit to visit the province (easily and cheaply acquired in Hanoi).

Rice fields on terraced of Hoang Su Phi, Ha Giang, Vietnam © Nguyen Tien Son/Shutterstock

Hoang Su Phi, Ha Giang © Nguyen Tien Son / Shutterstock

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5. Cycle the Mekong Delta’s An Binh Island

To experience a slice of island life on your Vietnam adventure, head all the way south to the languid Mekong Delta. The watery rural idyll of An Binh Island is criss-crossed by narrow dirt paths perfect for exploring by bicycle. All routes are fringed with palm trees, with a backdrop of lush orchards and traditional thatched houses, many of which are open as homestays. Staying here overnight and exploring at your own pace is far more rewarding than a day tour organised from Ho Chi Minh City.

Mekong Delta Vietnam © ImaginativeGifts/Shutterstock

Mekong Delta © ImaginativeGifts / Shutterstock

6. Drink homebrew at Hanoi’s other Bia Hoi Corner

Bia hoi (a type of draught beer popular in Vietnam) can be found all over the country and, in Hanoi, most visitors head straight for the tourist-laden bia hoi on Luong Ngoc Quyen and Ta Hien in the Old Quarter. Come evening time, the bars, filled with plastic stools at squatting height, are full to the brim with an international crowd sipping bottled beer.

But, to get a flavour of a real bia hoi, try further west on the corner of Bat Dang and Duong Thanh. Here, room temperature 5000VND (20¢) draught beer is served in sticky glasses to a predominantly male clientele.

Vietnam beer © ngoc tran/Shutterstock

A glass of bai hoi beer © ngoc tran / Shutterstock

7. Experience Mai Chau hospitality

Surprisingly overlooked by foreign visitors considering its proximity to Hanoi (135km southwest of the city), rural Mai Chau is a world away from Vietnam's chaotic capital. The valley is inhabited mainly by the White Thai minority, many of whom have opened their traditional stilt houses as rustic homestays. You only need to wander the villages that fan out from Bac Ha to find somewhere to get your head down.

Once settled, feast on delicious home-cooked meals before a backdrop of jagged karst mountains.

A cluster of homestays on a hillside in Mai Chau Vietnam © Carl Dupont/Shutterstock

A cluster of homestays in Mai Chau © Carl Dupont / Shutterstock

Header image: Mekong Delta © xuanhuongho / Shutterstock

Rachel Mills

written by Rachel Mills

updated 30.08.2021

Rachel Mills is a freelance writer, editor and broadcaster based by the sea in Kent. She is a co-author for Rough Guides to New Zealand, India, Canada, Ireland and Great Britain a contributor to Telegraph Travel, the Independent, AFAR, DK Eyewitness and loveEXPLORING.com and an expert in sustainable, responsible tourism. Follow her @rachmillstravel on Twitter and Instagram and listen to her show Over Here on ramsgateradio.com.

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