Travel Guide Vietnam

Vietnam stretches approximately 1,650 kilometers along the South China Sea: from the karst mountains and rice terraces of the North, via the imperial city of Huế and the ancient town of Hội An, to the Mekong Delta and the metropolis of Ho…

by Felix Gillen

Why Go To Vietnam?

Vietnam combines vastly different landscapes within a compact area: the limestone islands of Ha Long Bay, the rice terraces in the northern mountains, long beaches in the central region, and the waterways of the Mekong Delta. In between are cities with their own history, from Hanoi's Old Quarter to the Imperial City of Huế and the ancient trading town of Hội An. Everywhere, you'll find a cuisine alive with fresh herbs, noodle soups, and roadside stalls.

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Hanoi

Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam and the political and cultural center of the North, situated on the Red River.

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Sa Pa

Sa Pa is a mountain town in Vietnam's far northwest, approximately 250 kilometers from Hanoi and 20 kilometers from the Chinese border.

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Ha Long Bay

Halong Bay is a sea bay in the Gulf of Tonkin on Vietnam's northeast coast, about 170 kilometers east of Hanoi. You travel there to cruise by boat among hundreds of forested limestone karsts, visit stalactite caves, and spend a night on board on the water.

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Ninh Binh

Ninh Bình is a city in the southern Red River Delta, about two hours by bus or train south of Hanoi. You come for the surrounding karst landscape, where you travel by rowboat on rivers and through caves amidst rice paddies and limestone cliffs.

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Huế

Located on the Perfume River in Central Vietnam, Huế served as the national capital from 1802 to 1945 under the Nguyễn Dynasty.

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Hội An

Hội An is a small port city at the mouth of the Thu Bồn River in central Vietnam, about 30 kilometers south of Đà Nẵng.

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Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City, still called Saigon by many, is Vietnam's largest city and the economic hub of the south.

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Mekong Delta

The Mekong Delta, in Vietnam's far south, is a flat landscape of river arms, canals, rice fields, and fruit orchards, beginning southwest of Ho Chi Minh City.

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More highlights in Vietnam

Unique experiences that make Vietnam unforgettable.

Phú Quốc

Phú Quốc is Vietnam's largest island, located in the Gulf of Thailand off the country's southwest coast, closer to Cambodia than to the Vietnamese mainland. You come for the beaches, warm sea, and west coast sunsets, plus fish sauce, pepper, and fresh seafood. The island is about 50 km long. Its main town is Dương Đông on the west coast, featuring a night market and the small Dinh Cậu Temple. To the south is An Thới, the starting point for the cable car to Hòn Thơm island. More than half of the island, especially the forested north, is a national park. Since June 2025, Phú Quốc has been a special administrative zone and is part of…

Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng

Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park is located in the karst mountains of Central Vietnam, on the border with Laos, north of Huế. You visit for its caves, including Sơn Đoòng, the world's largest known cave, and several stalactite caves that you can visit without an expedition. The karst is around 400 million years old and is considered Asia's oldest major karst region, with over 220 kilometers of documented caves and underground rivers. Since 2003, the park has been a UNESCO World Heritage site, and in 2025, the site was expanded to include the adjacent Hin Nam No National Park in Laos. The starting point is Phong Nha town, about 45…

How to plan your trip to Vietnam

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Regions to Discover

Explore the diverse regions of Vietnam.

Recommended Itineraries

Discover the best routes through Vietnam.

From Hanoi to the Mekong Delta

The classic North-South trip links the country's key destinations: Hanoi with its Old Quarter, an overnight boat stay in Halong Bay, the karst landscape around Ninh Bình, the Imperial City of Huế, and Hoi An's Ancient Town. The South features Ho Chi Minh City, concluding with the Mekong Delta and its floating markets. The overnight train is ideal between Ninh Bình and Huế, while a domestic flight covers Đà Nẵng to Ho Chi Minh City.

17 Days

Open jaw

Stops at a glance

1.Hanoi
2.Ha Long Bay
3.Ninh Binh
4.Huế
5.Hội An
6.Ho Chi Minh City
7.Mekong Delta

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The North: Mountains, Karst and Sea

The tour focuses on North Vietnam: From Hanoi, travel by overnight train to Lào Cai and on to the mountain town of Sa Pa with its rice terraces and Hmong and Dao villages. Back in Hanoi, explore the karst landscape around Ninh Bình with boat trips through caves, and finally, Halong Bay. The distances are short enough to avoid domestic flights.

10 Days

5 stops

What you eat in Vietnam

Phở

Rice Noodle Soup with Beef or Chicken

The noodle soup originated in North Vietnam in the early 20th century, with Nam Định province southeast of Hanoi considered its birthplace. The broth simmers for hours from beef bones with roasted onion and ginger, seasoned with star anise, cinnamon, and cloves; Phở bò is served with beef, Phở gà with chicken. In the north, the broth is clear and savory; in the south, it's slightly sweeter, accompanied by a plate of fresh herbs and sprouts.

Bánh mì

A Filled Baguette

The baguette arrived in Vietnam with the French in the 19th century; the filled version originated in Saigon in the 1950s. Typical fillings include liver pâté, cold cuts, pickled carrots and daikon, cucumber, coriander, and chili. You can find Bánh mì on almost every street corner, often even for breakfast.

Bún bò Huế

Spicy Beef Noodle Soup from Huế

The specialty of the old imperial city of Huế is bolder and spicier than Phở. The beef bone broth is seasoned with lemongrass, fermented shrimp paste, and chili oil, alongside thick, round rice noodles. Toppings include beef shank, often also pork hock.

Cao lầu

Noodle dish from Hội An

Cao lầu, in its typical form, is found exclusively in Hội An. The rice noodles are soaked in alkaline water, which gives them their firm, chewy texture and yellowish color; according to legend, the water comes from the city's ancient Bá Lễ well. It is served with pork, herbs, sprouts, crispy dough pieces, and just a splash of broth.

Coffee with Egg

Egg coffee from Hanoi

In 1946, bartender Nguyễn Văn Giang at Hanoi's Hotel Metropole replaced scarce fresh milk with egg yolk, later opening Café Giang. Egg yolk is whipped with sugar and condensed milk into a creamy layer and poured over strong Vietnamese coffee. The hot version sits in a bowl of hot water to keep it warm.

Gỏi cuốn

Fresh Rice Paper Rolls

Gỏi cuốn are rice paper rolls, filled with shrimp, pork, rice vermicelli, lettuce, and herbs. Unlike the fried Chả giò, they are eaten fresh and at room temperature. For dipping, there is a peanut-hoisin sauce or fish sauce-based Nước chấm.

Good to Know

Essential info for your trip planning.

Land & People

A Long, Narrow CountryVietnam stretches approximately 1,650 kilometers from north to south, traversing several climate…

History & Society

A Thousand Years of Chinese RuleIn 111 BC, the Chinese Han Dynasty conquered the area of present-day Northern Vietnam.

Food & Drink

Vietnamese cuisine thrives on fresh herbs, rice and rice noodles, and the interplay of salty, sour, sweet and spicy…

Practical Info

Health and SafetyFor current and binding travel, safety and health advice, please refer to the UK FCDO Travel Advice…

Getting Around

ArrivalMost travelers arrive by plane. The main international airports are Nội Bài (HAN) near Hanoi, Tân Sơn Nhất (SGN)…

RV Travel

Vietnam is not a traditional RV country. While RVs and pick-ups converted into campers are gaining popularity among…

Traveling with Kids

Vietnam works well with children if you keep the stages short and plan around heat and traffic.

Best Time to Visit

When is the best time for your trip?

February

March

April

November

17–24°C·20–104 mm(moderate rain)

For a country-wide tour, February to April and November are usually the best choice: the north is mild then, the central coast is mostly dry (February to April), and the south experiences its dry season. If you are only visiting one region, it is better to consult its own calendar.

The monthly values apply to Hanoi (climate normals 1991 to 2020). Vietnam stretches over approximately 1,650 kilometers and has three climate zones with different weather patterns:North (Hanoi, Halong Bay, Sa Pa): cooler, often grey winter with monthly averages of 16 to 18 °C from December to February; hot and rainy summer from May to September. In the mountains around Sa Pa, it is significantly cooler.Central (Huế, Hội An, Đà Nẵng): dry, sunny months from approximately February to August. The rainy season is from September to December, with Đà Nẵng receiving an average of over 600 millimeters of rain in October. Floods and typhoons are possible during these months.South (Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta, Phú Quốc): year-round temperatures of 27 to 29 °C. Dry season approximately December to April, rainy season from May to October, with the maximum in September.

Seasons

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

North: cool, dry months

North: Shoulder months

North: hot rainy season

Best Time to Visit

▶Show detailed monthly data

Month	Temp (°C)	Rain (mm)	Sun (h)
January	16.4	20	2.4
February	17.2	20	1.6
March	20.0	36	1.5
April	23.9	104	3.0
May	27.4	165	5.9
June	28.9	264	5.7
July	29.2	254	6.3
August	28.6	274	5.1
September	27.5	228	5.2
October	24.9	155	4.6
November	21.5	61	4.1
December	18.2	20	4.0

Travel advice

Safety, entry requirements and health: the official, up-to-date advice for Vietnam is published by the UK government on GOV.UK.

Go to GOV.UK

Felix at Kuirau Park in Rotorua, New Zealand

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Travel Guide Vietnam

Why Go To Vietnam?

Hanoi

Sa Pa

Ha Long Bay

Ninh Binh

Huế

Hội An

Ho Chi Minh City

Mekong Delta