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Hanoi, Vietnam
The country’s capital city, home to the Vietnamese government and resting place
of the great leader, Ho Chi Minh himself. The city retains many French
influences and is home to several lakes and a busy little old quarter where most
backpackers tend to congregate. Although it is smaller than Ho Chi Minh City in
the south, many travellers find Hanoi more interesting and more welcoming.
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Sapa Train, Vietnam
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Cat Ba, Vietnam
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Ninh Bình, Vietnam
Unremarkable but ridiculously friendly town. Get ready for locals, especially
children coming to say hello to you in the street. It is a short moto or cycle
to the caves at Tam Coc, which are the main reason travellers come to Ninh Binh.
You could just stay for one day and see Tam Coc, which is like an inland version
of Ha Long Bay. However the area is great for cycling or long walks in the
countryside so an extra day may be worth it. By night, there’s not much to do in
Ninh Binh except head to a local restaurant or bar and enjoy some Vietnamese
food, and maybe a few beers with the locals.
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Huế, Vietnam
The city is popular with anyone backpacking Vietnam and travellers tend to
gather in a small section of town near the wide and curiously coloured Perfume
River. The old Imperial City complex isn’t particularly amazing but is the main
attraction in this city which seems to get the worst of Vietnam’s wet season. It
regularly rains here for days on end but there are some excellent traditional
Vietnamese restaurants and lively Western bars to stay dry in. Central Vietnam
is also where a lot of the most fierce fighting took place during the War. There
are plenty of sites relating to the Vietnam War nearby which you may find
fascinating or otherwise, depending on your interest levels in the conflict,
known as the American War in these parts.
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Da Nang, Vietnam
Da Nang is a big city but has few sights. For most travellers it simply serves
as a gateway to nearby Hoi An, around a 20 minute taxi or moto ride from Da Nang
Station (shouldn’t cost much more than $5).
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Hội An, Vietnam
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Quy Nhon, Vietnam
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Nha Trang, Vietnam
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Mũi Né, Vietnam
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Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
When backpacking through Vietnam, most travellers head here either first or last
(you could easily do the Vietnam route outlined on this page in reverse). It is
the biggest, and by some distance most westernised city in the country but it is
a bit manic with crowded roads full of motorbikes.