Destinations and holiday tips and tricks in Vietnam right now? Just south is Hoan Kiem Lake, an unexpected oasis of tranquility and beauty at the heart – literally – of Hanoi, awarded ‘Special National Relic’ status. Translating as ‘Lake of the Restored Sword,’ legend-strewn Hoan Kiem is hugely popular with locals and tourists at any time. However, come at sunrise, when Hanoians flock here to exercise on the lake’s shaded shores and on weekend evenings when the surrounding streets morph as a vibrant pedestrianized zone with open-air entertainment. You don’t have to be a child to enjoy Vietnam’s enchanting water puppetry; deep insight into traditional folklore and a surprisingly quirky, cultural experience. Read additional info at https://danangopentour.vn/tour-ba-na-hills-1-ngay.html.
Hoi An Ancient Town offers a breathtaking mix of ornate Chinese temples, a Japanese-designed bridge, wooden shop-houses, French-colonial houses, and old canals. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, most of the old shops have been carefully converted to modern businesses aimed at tourists including countless tailors, souvenir shops, art galleries, restaurants and cafés. An entrance fee of VND 120,000 is required for foreign tourists and VND 80,000 for locals – each ticket is valid for 10 days and covers entrance to entrance to Hoi An Ancient Town, six points of interest, and street entertainment (folk dancing, singing, and traditional games).
South of Da Nang, Vietnam, are the Marble Mountains. These five peaks are named after the five elements of earth, water, wind, fire and wood. The mountains are picturesque on their own, but they are also home to countless caves, some of which house incredible Buddhist sanctuaries. Some caves contain Confucian or Buddhist shrines, and others were used as sanctuaries and hospitals during the Vietnam War.
The verdant rice field countryside surrounding Sapa, bordered by the jagged peaks of the Hoang Lien Mountains (often still known by their French colonial era name of the Tonkinese Alps), are home to Vietnam’s most beautiful rural vistas. The deep valleys here are home to a diverse mix of the country’s ethnic minorities including the Hmong, Giay, and Red Dzao people while the rippling hills are terraced with rice fields and overlooked by the country’s tallest peak, Fansipan Mountain. This is the top trekking destination in Vietnam, with oodles of options to trek or day hike between tiny villages and experience the staggering mountain views. Sapa itself is the main base here – an old French hill station and now a bustling and forever growing tourist center that is a stark contrast to the sumptuous tranquil countryside right on its doorstep.
Hoi An’s utterly charming Ancient Town is one of Vietnam’s top attractions, but despite the crowds, still hasn’t lost its beguiling charm. Centrally located in Hoi An town, alongside picturesque Thu Bon River, this compact enclave was once a thriving Silk Road trading port, from the 16th to 19th centuries. Today, this beautifully preserved Ancient Town is one of Southeast Asia’s oldest towns and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, its atmospheric narrow streets lined with centuries-old cultural treasures, historic sites, and quaint buildings, a hybrid of the port’s multi-national architectural legacies.
