The top places to visit in Vietnam show how wondrous and striking the country is.

Blessed with breathtaking views and picturesque sceneries, calling Vietnam’s top places to visit – beautiful, is even an understatement. The country has just so much to offer that a single word isn’t enough to describe the places.

HA LONG BAY

Hailed as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites – the karst seascape of Halong Bay is the first on the list of top places to visit in Vietnam. Several islets sprawled upon the gulf of Tonkin shaped and jagged by the combined force of water, wind, and time.

To be fully immersed with the natural scene, it is best to ride a boat and cruise yourself all the way to the other end of the gulf.

Aside from its towering karst, you can also enter several caves in the bay whereby the most popular is Hang Sung Sot with its iconic three mammoth caverns and the Hang Dao Go with its signature stalagmites and stalactites. It’s like being transported to another world yet on the same familiar ground. It is best to know when to visit Ha Long Bay to see its unrivaled beauty on a clear sunny day!

HUE

Considered as one of the country’s most historic towns, it boasts significant relics dating from the 19-century Nguyen emperors.

The site sits atop the marvelous Perfume River with the Imperial Enclosure nestled within 2.5 kilometer walls.

During your tour, you can expect to see the staggering Ngo Mon Gate, the intricate lacquered details of the Thai Hoa Palace, Dien Tho Residence housing the Queen Mothers, and the quintessential ceiling murag at the Halls of the Mandarins.

If you think all the historical relics are found on the inside, you can then proceed on its external grounds while cruising on the riverboat to reach several royal tombs with some pagodas. The must-see pagoda that stretches 21 meters high is the Thien Mu Pagoda.

HOI AN ANCIENT TOWN

Hoi An offers a distinct kind of vibe with its historical architecture. The town is packed with well-kept merchant houses built since the 15th century.

The town used to be a major meeting point for Japanese and Chinese merchants who came to the town to trade their local silks.

Most of these merchant houses are opened for public viewing – giving you a glimpse of how it was way back then. The most famous house is the 17th-century Tan Ky House with striking ornamental elements and intriguing structural design.

The town’s very own symbol – the Japanese Bridge can be found at the western end of Tran Phu Street while the Assembly Hall of the Fujian Chinese Congregation is the old town’s most highly decorated temple is seated just nearby the bridge.

You can also expect several museums and small pagodas around the town however, Hoi An’s real charm lies in its old town streets bringing a sense of nostalgia to any tourists.

SAPA

Sapa is known for its lush rice field with the notable jagged peaks of the Hoang Lien Mountains (known by its French name Tonkinese Alps) – this place is just filled with breathtaking sceneries.

The valleys serve as a home to various ethnic minorities such as the Hmong, Giay, and Red Dzao people. On the other hand, its hills are meticulously plowed to be rice terraces with the country’s tallest peak – Fansipan Mountain.

The Fansipan Mountain is considered a top trekking destination in Vietnam with several trek routes in between tiny villages. One can’t surely get enough of the sweeping views while on top!