Meta: if you are planning your very first trip to Vietnam, then here are the top 10 things to do in Vietnam that should be on your checklist.
Intro
Lately, Vietnam becomes a hot destination in South East Asia with a lot of standout points, like the beautiful beaches, stunning landscape, interesting cultural, fantastic foods, reasonable price and hospitality people.
Vietnam is not a big country but thanks to Mother Nature, we have long coastline from the North to the South. Nature offers to Vietnam diversity in the landscape, the weather and the customs of people in each part of Vietnam. Traveling from the North, through the Center and end in the South of Vietnam, you will see a massive change in these areas. You will find many exciting things to do and learn a lot about this peaceful country.
Vietnam is well-known for great foods, stunning landscape and interesting culture (Photo by meenaghd on Foter.com / CC BY-NC)
I believe when you plan for this trip, you have done a ton of research and to find top 10 things to do in Vietnam, such as tours in Vietnam or what to do in Vietnam. I’m sure that you have read some of them and you might get confused about some similar points and some don’t. Honestly, all of them are true and worth to do in Vietnam. It’s different because of personal perspective in each activity. In this article, I would love to show you my top 10 things to do in Vietnam. They will base on my point of view that which you can only do in Vietnam or just an idea that I love the most in my country. Also, my list will be suitable for any travelers, not focus on any specific target like young travelers or family travelers. We will start from the North and end our list at the South of Vietnam. So let see what we have down here:
1. Exploring the mountainous area in the North West of Vietnam
Three-fourths of Vietnam are covering by mountains and hills so it would be a big regret if you skip a couple of days to explore this area. The North West is famous for the breathtaking scenery, curly passes and has many ethnic people who create an exciting culture in there. When talking about this particular area, there are some famous spots, such as Sapa town, Ha Giang Province and Moc Chau. You will be able to enjoy a genuinely fresh air; feast your eyes with the stunning landscape; have some interesting stories to close to people and stay away from your evil smartphone; capture tons of amazing pictures and have yourself more great stories to share with your friends.
The northwest of Vietnam has a signature look to it
Sapa is famous to all travelers for years, and this town has been changed a lot during last couple years. Sapa is in developing with modern facilities of accommodations and better road system. But some traditional aspects have been affected and make this town a bit touristy. While in Ha Giang, it still keeps an original feeling and authentic cultural. However, it’s not easy to travel to Ha Giang by yourself, so some arrangement from a reliable travel agent will highly recommend.
Visiting this mountainous area will let you cross off a lot of things on your wishing list. You can spend a night at a traditional homestay, stay with the local people and learn about their customs. You can hire a motorbike and challenge your driving skills with some of the hardest passes in Vietnam. Taste the local corn wine without hesitation. Try the ethnic hot-pot with horse’s viscera. Stroll in the ethnic market to buy some local stuff, such as a knife or smoking pipe or learning how they are purchasing life stocks.
2. Spend at least one night on an overnight cruise in Halong Bay
For most western travelers, you are no strange to an overnight boat in your country. But the cruises in Halong Bay are designed in traditional Vietnamese style, which made out of wood and has an Eastern feeling decoration. Halong Bay cruises are pretty small and offer only necessary facilities on the boat, but I’m sure that you will find it suitable enough. Nowadays, there are many stainless steel boats on the bay with indeed modern facilities, but most foreigner travelers still prefer the wooden cruises.
Overnight cruises in Halong Bay is a must do for every traveler
With at least one night on a boat, you can do the kayaking at the middle of the bay; visit mysterious caves on the bay, swimming at a private beach if you can find one; do taichi on the top deck (a kind of exercises in Eastern style) in the morning. But the main thing is you can have your private time to enjoy this fantastic bay. Stay a little bit late for a quiet time at night or get up early in the morning to catch the sunrise that reward is unforgettable and worthless.
There are many cruises on the bay right now to let you choose the right one for your budget and your goal. Usually, a boat which focuses on family customers will have a higher price with a relaxing and comfortable itinerary. In the other hand, a cruise for a young group will be cheaper, and the routes are much more active and busy to let you experience the most of your time. So consider all the aspect and choose the cruises with an excellent reputation for a secured service.
TO BE CONTINUED… (stay tuned for our next post in 01st Nov, 2018 for more interesting activities in Vietnam!)