Why travel to Vietnam?
Vietnam is an exotic, vibrant and at the same time historical and modern country. Vietnam is an enchantingly beautiful country and, in terms of culture, history and nature, also one of the most diverse travel destinations in the world. According to Countryaah.com, Vietnam is one of the two countries with name starting with letter V.
Vietnam offers incredibly varied landscapes from the rugged mountainous regions of the north to the picturesque coasts of central Vietnam and the fertile valleys of the Mekong Delta. You can choose a north or south tour or a trip that will take you through the gathering, but one thing is for sure everywhere: in Vietnam, more fascinating experiences await you.
Our tour in Vietnam
Below you can read more about the experiences that await you in Vietnam.
Hanoi
All our trips start from the capital of Vietnam, Hanoi, which is one of the most atmospheric big cities in all of Asia.
Hanoi is full of contrasts. The city offers a fascinating combination of historical dignity and modern hustle and bustle: beautiful colonial mansions and historic temples stand side by side and melt in harmony with modern houses and office buildings.
The city tour includes visits to the following destinations, for example:
- Temple of Literature, one of the few buildings representing traditional Vietnamese architecture. The temple was built in the 12th century by students of Chinese Confucius and became the first university in Vietnam. The Mandarins, the authorities in power in the country, were trained here according to the teachings of Confucius.
- Ng o c S o n Temple, or Jade Mountain Temple, is located on a small island in Hoan Kiem Lake. The temple is transported along the beautiful Huc Bridge, the name of which means “the place where the first rays of the morning sun hit”. Here you will hear the story of how the lake got its name as well as the story of the emperor, the magic sword and the giant tortoise.
- The Ho Chi Minh Complex was established in memory of the nation’s father and the first president of the Republic of Vietnam. Ho Tsi Minh lived and worked most of his life in Hanoi.
- Thang Long is an imperial fortress that was the center of political power for as long as 13 centuries. Today the fortress is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
- Also try a traditional bicycle taxi known as a cyclo. Cyclo is particularly well-suited for touring the 36 streets of the old district, named after the products traditionally sold there. Many streets still sell street-name products, such as bamboo and tin streets.
Cruise on Halong Bay
Halong Bay is one of the most unique natural areas in Vietnam. The bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is definitely one of the most important attractions in Vietnam.
In a bay of about 1,500 km², the bullet-straight slopes of the green karst islands rise from the sea, the color of which varies throughout the year from deep blue to jaden green.
For Vietnamese, Halong Bay is also the scene of many dragon stories. The tale says that as they flew across the bay, the dragons dropped from their mouths into the sea the jewels and chunks of jade that formed the present karst islands.
The colonial city of Hoi An
Located on the coast of Central Vietnam, Hoi An is a historic and picturesque city.
Hoi An developed into one of the most important port cities in Southeast Asia in the 17th and 18th centuries, and today it is also one of Asia’s best-preserved historic cities, in part because it was spared bombing during the Vietnam War.
Hoi An’s lovely old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The building style reflects both Japanese and Chinese and Indian influences. The most interesting destinations in Hoi An are e.g. a covered Japanese bridge, the Chua Ong Pagoda, and the more than 200-year-old Tam Ky House, originally built by a Vietnamese family, whose architecture allows you to see Chinese and Japanese influences.
Ho Chi Minh City and surroundings
The city of Ho Chi Minh is the largest city in Vietnam, which many still call its old name Saigon.
The architecture of the city is a fascinating combination of modern tower blocks and colonial villas. During the tour, our destinations are:
- An old post office designed by the world-famous French architect Gustave Eiffel, who is of course also known as the designer of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
- The beautiful and impressive Notre Dame Cathedral, built by the French between 1863 and 1880, is also one of the symbols of the city.
- The War Museum and the Reunification Palace, where the Vietnam War officially ended on April 30, 1975.
There is also a lot to see around Ho Chi Minh City.
On a half-day trip from Ho Chi Minh City, you can visit the C u Chi Tunnels. The Cu Chi tunnels are, in fact, a labyrinth of long tunnels that connected underground command centers, schools, lodges, and training centers and served as a base for Vietcong guerrillas as they planned and carried out lightning attacks against Americans.
As part of a full-day boat trip, you can also explore the Mekong Delta. The lush and fertile estuary of the Mekong River is about 40,000 m2 in size, most of which is covered with water. The Mekong flows from its origins 4,500 kilometers through six countries until it reaches its estuary on the southern coast of Ho Chi Minh City. The boat trip also includes visits to local artisans and smallholder farms, such as coconut plantations.
Beach holiday in Vietnam
Vietnam offers many good opportunities to continue your tour with a few days of beach vacation.
There are several beach resorts in the country, all offering a relaxed holiday atmosphere, stunning sandy beaches and beautiful scenery.
Phan Thiết
Phan Thiết is a small coastal town in Southeast Vietnam, where a cozy and relaxed beach atmosphere awaits visitors.
The town, which grew out of a fishing village, is known throughout Vietnam for its delicious fish sauce.
The Mui Ne Peninsula, located northeast of the city, is famous for its large reddish sand dunes. In addition to the dunes, tourists are attracted by the golden sandy beaches of Mui Nihe, one of the best beaches in Vietnam.
To counteract the beach lounging, Mui Ne also offers a good selection of restaurants, cafes, bars and marketplaces.
Phú Quốc
Located on the west coast, Phú Quốc is the largest island in Vietnam.
The island is a real holiday paradise, offering lush nature, palm-lined sandy beaches and clear bathing waters.
If you dream of relaxed beach days, water plays in the warm waves, peaceful walks and spectacular sunsets, Phú Quốc is just the right destination.
When you need more to do, you can go diving or snorkeling on the beautiful colorful coral reef.
Other highlights of Vietnam
Vietnam offers a huge amount of interesting things to see and do.
like:
- Vietnamese cuisine. Try one of the many street kitchens or embark on a cooking course during which you will learn how to prepare delicious Vietnamese specialties yourself.
- Cat Tien National Park, a major conservation area for many Asian animal species. If you are lucky, you can see deer, monkeys and birds or rarer leopards, elephants and bears during your stay.
- Sapa is located in northern Vietnam, right on the Chinese border in a beautiful green mountain region. Sapa offers incredibly stunning scenery, with the highest mountain in Vietnam, Fansipan, rising in the background. On a hiking trip in Sapa, you can experience Vietnam’s unique nature and picturesque rice terraces up close.
- The idyllic valley of Mai Chau offers beautiful scenery, picturesque rice fields and lush limestone mountains, with small villages inhabited by small ethnic groups such as H’mong, Thai and Dzao. Here you will find untouched nature and still hospitable villagers who follow traditional ways of life.
- The imperial city of Hue is the former capital of Vietnam. Dive into the city’s fascinating history, wander through the ruins reminiscent of its grandeur, visit the impressive royal tombs and sail along the scenic Perfume River.
Connect Vietnam to Cambodia or Cambodia and Laos
One of our trips is a combined trip, which takes place both in Vietnam and in the Angkor Wat temple area in Cambodia, and one of our combined trips is to Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, i.e. all the countries of the former Indochina.
Cambodia
In Cambodia, fabulous ruins and hospitable people await you.
The capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, is also the largest city in the country. Here you can get an idea of the country’s tragic history at the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the fields of Choeung Ek’s death, where 17,000 people were murdered and buried in mass graves.
Located in northwestern Cambodia, Siem Reab is the gateway to many of Cambodia’s major attractions. The city itself also offers plenty to see and do, such as fascinating marketplaces, cooking classes and Cambodian circus performances.
To the north of Siem Reap is the Angkor Ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most important archaeological sites in Southeast Asia.
The Angkor complex includes, among others, Angkor Thom, which was the last capital of the ancient Khmer kingdom. Angkor Thomin was built by King Jayavarma in the late 12th century, and during its greatness the city was home to as many as 750,000 to 1,000,000 people.
The highlight of the Angkor complex is the temple complex Angkor Wat, Cambodia’s main tourist attraction. Angkor Wat is the most spectacular temple and architectural masterpiece in the Khmer kingdom, the construction of which is said to have required 300,000 people and 6,000 elephants. Angkor Wat is a must see for every Cambodian visitor.
Laos
Laos is the third destination for our Indochina adventure. In Laos, too, you can experience a relaxed and peaceful dignified atmosphere from Buddhist culture and traditions.
In northern Laos, we visit the former royal city of Luang Prabang. The city is a unique combination of traditional architecture and French colonial influences, making it a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
If you get up early, you can see a quiet procession of hundreds of monks walking through the city begging for alms. Other places worth visiting include the temple covered with leaf gold at Wat Xieng Thong and Phousi Hill with stunning views over Luang Prabang.
