Vietnam is one of the most popular destinations for tourists as it provides a dazzling mix of culture, nature, history, and cuisine. If you choose Vietnam as your destination, you will enjoy surprise after surprise, as a trip to this southeast Asian country will be the gift that keeps on giving.
Halong Bay
First, make your way to Halong bay, one of the world’s most spellbinding sea views. It is so precious that it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. In the Gulf of Tokin, you will find thousands of massive limestone islands eroded into pinnacles by millions of years of water activity. An overnight cruise on a boat should help you visualize these wonders as well as the Hang Sung Sot and Hang Dao Go caves with mesmerizing stalagmites and stalactites. For a simply amazing experience with a significant other, cruise among the pinnacles and soak up the scenery.
Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park
Yet another world heritage site in Vietnam would be the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, one of the most beautiful spots the country has to offer. This national park is essentially a formation of karst mountain with huge caverns and the most spectacular stalagmites and stalactites you have ever seen. The most popular destination here is the Paradise Cave, which is an astonishing 31 kilometers below ground. Another attraction is the Tu Lan Cave, a wet cave that you can swim in. You can also enjoy a boat ride through the Phong-Nha caves.
Ho Chi Minh City
If you want to shop till you drop, then this is the city to visit. Ho Chi Minh City is a commercial hub bustling with malls and restaurants. Deep inside the city is Dong Khoi, a rich central district home to the HCMC Museum and the Notre Dame Cathedral. Nearby is Da Kao, home to remnants of the French Colonial architecture and the Jade Emperor Pagoda. After these spots, consider hitting the History Museum, which will make your day if you are a history buff. This Museum hosts hundreds of relics obtained from various cultural and archeological sites.
Sapa
After you are done with the city, you should proceed to the Sapa countryside, which is bordered by the Hoang Lien Mountains, known as the French colonial era name of Tonkinese Alps. This countryside is home to deep valleys and hills covered in unending paddy fields and ethnic minorities like the Red Dzao and Hmong people, with the Fansipan Mountain, Vietnam’s tallest peak, overlooking them. This place is also a top trekking destination with options to trudge the mountainside or among the tiny villages.
My Son
My Son is the ruins of an ancient Cham Era temple city set in lovely lush mountains that will provide for picturesque scenery. This Hindu religious center had been in use from the 7th-10th century, falling to decline in the 13th. The remnants now are about 20 temple structures that show influences from the Malay and Indian empires. There is also a museum on-site with additional information on the Cham.
