{"id":131,"date":"2024-09-21T21:45:37","date_gmt":"2024-09-21T21:45:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/igoogledvietnam.com\/?p=131"},"modified":"2024-10-26T11:18:00","modified_gmt":"2024-10-26T11:18:00","slug":"top-10-essential-things-to-see-do-in-vietnam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/top-10-essential-things-to-see-do-in-vietnam\/","title":{"rendered":"The Top 10 ESSENTIAL things to see &#038; do in Vietnam"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>OK, so this is a toughie, narrowing down Vietnam&#8217;s top attractions to a top ten &#8220;things to do in Vietnam&#8221; list. But, here it is, our attempt at bringing you the best of Vietnam in one ultimate checklist&nbsp;&#8211; these are things that you <em>really should see and do in Vietnam<\/em>, no matter if you&#8217;re here for a few days or a month.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In no particular order (just click on any item in the list below to jump to the relevant section to read more)&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-aioseo-table-of-contents\"><ul><li><a href=\"#aioseo-take-a-cruise-to-halong-bay\">Take a cruise to Halong Bay<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#aioseo-explore-ninh-binh\">Explore Ninh Binh<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#aioseo-the-mekong-delta\">The Mekong Delta<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#aioseo-feel-the-history-of-the-nam-war\">Feel the history of the &#x27;Nam War<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#aioseo-discover-the-heights-of-sapa\">Discover the heights of Sapa<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#aioseo-explore-the-old-quarter-of-hanoi\">Explore the Old Quarter of Hanoi<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#aioseo-eat-pho-drink-coffee\">Eat Pho &#x26; drink coffee<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#aioseo-taste-paradise-at-phu-quoc\">Taste paradise at Phu Quoc<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#aioseo-ride-the-hagiang-loop\">Ride the HaGiang Loop<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#aioseo-explore-the-caves-at-phong-nha\">Explore the caves at Phong Nha<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"cb-alert cb-white\">Just in case you were wondering if Vietnam <i>really<\/i> is a popular destination, check out the latest <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cntraveller.com\/gallery\/best-countries-world\">Conde Nast Traveler Awards<\/a><\/strong> for the best countries in the world &#8211; <strong>Vietnam makes the Top 20 yet again<\/strong>!<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"aioseo-take-a-cruise-to-halong-bay\">Take a cruise to Halong Bay<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/HalongBay-from-CatBa-bs-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"best things to do in Vietnam\" class=\"wp-image-205\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The spectacular wonder of <strong>Halong Bay<\/strong> has to top many a visitor to Vietnam&#8217;s wish-list! And with over 2000 islands and islets created from limestone over several millennia, <strong>Halong Bay<\/strong> may just knock your socks off. Tourism to this stunning area has skyrocketed over recent years, so don&#8217;t expect to be alone as you cruise between the islets &#8211; but despite the ever-growing crowds, this is one absolute must-see in Vietnam. Add it to your <strong>things to do in Vietnam<\/strong> bucket list (if you&#8217;ve got the funds, try a <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/halong-bay-luxury-cruises-to-make-your-mouth-water\/\" title=\"\">Halong Bay luxury cruise<\/a><\/strong>), and read our full <strong>guide to Halong Bay here<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"aioseo-explore-ninh-binh\">Explore Ninh Binh<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Mua-Cave-Mountain-ninhbinh2-bs-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"things to do in Vietnam\" class=\"wp-image-133\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>A largely unknown site in the north of Vietnam, <strong>Ninh Binh<\/strong> in our opinion has to make it to your must-see list for Vietnam. Also known as the &#8220;Halong Bay on Land&#8221;, this area is breathtaking and a definite gem that will surely start seeing the ravages of tourism sooner rather than later &#8211; visit here before the rush! Check out our <strong>full guide to Ninh Binh here<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"aioseo-the-mekong-delta\">The Mekong Delta<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"727\" src=\"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/MekongDeltaFloating-Market-bs-1024x727.jpg\" alt=\"things to do in Vietnam\" class=\"wp-image-190\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The Mekong is one of the world&#8217;s major waterways and plays a major role in the lives of millions of Vietnamese. The proximity to <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/the-best-10-things-to-see-do-in-saigon\/\">Ho Chi Minh City<\/a><\/strong> means this character-packed river is easy to get to and enjoy, even if you just take a day trip. But stay longer and enjoy the delights of the hidden river trails through bamboo lined routes, or the teeming morning madness of the floating markets. Read our <strong>guide to the Mekong Delta<\/strong> and add it to that<strong> things to do in Vietnam<\/strong> list!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"aioseo-feel-the-history-of-the-nam-war\">Feel the history of the &#8216;Nam War<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"613\" src=\"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/warremnantsmuseum2-igv-e1550311136832-1024x613.jpeg\" alt=\"warremnantsmuseum\" class=\"wp-image-194\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The <strong>Vietnam War<\/strong> was a traumatic experience for a whole generation of Americans &#8211; and Vietnamese. And witnessing the trauma from the &#8220;other side&#8221; is a whole new ball-game. You can expect some Vietnamese propaganda thrown in to the mix, especially when watching documentary films at sites like the <strong>Hanoi Hilton<\/strong>, but other sites like the <strong>War Remnants Museum<\/strong> in <a href=\"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/the-best-10-things-to-see-do-in-saigon\/\">Ho Chi Minh City<\/a>, and the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/cu-chi-tunnels-a-must-see-reminder-of-vietnams-war-torn-past\/\">Cu Chi Tunnels<\/a><\/strong> are well worth visiting to get a taste of the impact the Vietnam War had in this region&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"aioseo-discover-the-heights-of-sapa\">Discover the heights of Sapa<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/sapa_pixa-e1550320389115.jpg\" alt=\"things to do in Vietnam\" class=\"wp-image-196\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/sapa_pixa-e1550320389115.jpg 800w, https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/sapa_pixa-e1550320389115-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/sapa_pixa-e1550320389115-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/sapa_pixa-e1550320389115-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/sapa_pixa-e1550320389115-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/sapa_pixa-e1550320389115-770x513.jpg 770w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>In the far north of Vietnam lies the town of <strong>Sapa<\/strong>, some 350km from <strong>Hanoi<\/strong>. While a little harder to reach and visit, especially if you&#8217;re on a quickie visit to Vietnam, Sapa and the surrounding countryside &#8211; including Vietnam&#8217;s highest peak, <strong>Fan Si Pan<\/strong> and the charming <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/cat-cat-village-sapa-lame-tourist-trap-or-worth-a-visit\/\" title=\"Cat Cat Village, Sapa: lame tourist trap or worth a visit?\">village of Cat Cat<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; is well worth exploring! With amazing hikes in the area, Sapa will also give you a taste of what life is really like for the locals. Don&#8217;t miss <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/sapa-in-vietnam-the-essential-guide\/\">our ESSENTIAL guide to Sapa<\/a><\/strong>, a must-read for those thinking of making the trip!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"aioseo-explore-the-old-quarter-of-hanoi\">Explore the Old Quarter of Hanoi<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Hanoi-old-quarter-igv-1024x667.jpg\" alt=\"Hanoi-old-quarter\" class=\"wp-image-199\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The capital city of <strong>Hanoi <\/strong>is a bustling metropolis, with Chinese, American and French influences clearly making their mark. But the <strong>Old Quarter of Hanoi<\/strong> is where the action <em>really <\/em>is&#8230; expect to be wowed by a seemingly never-ending maze of side-streets and alleys, where bargain-hunters will find the ultimate in shopping experiences. Enjoy delicious food and drinks, while browsing traditional Vietnamese products such as lacquered goods and silks. With hotels and hostels close by, the Old Quarter of Hanoi is the perfect place to stay if you want a cultural experience right on your doorstep! Add it to the <strong>things to do in Vietnam<\/strong> bucket list and read our <strong>complete guide to the Old Quarter here<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"aioseo-eat-pho-drink-coffee\">Eat Pho &amp; drink coffee<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Pho-Bo_bs-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"things to do in Vietnam\" class=\"wp-image-200\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Some people fall absolutely head-over-heels for Vietnamese food, and after you&#8217;ve had an amazingly fresh bowl of <em>Pho <\/em>(pronounced <em>Fuh<\/em>, and like you&#8217;re asking a question!), had a great <em>Banh Mi<\/em> (a baguette sandwich typically filled with a whole array of meats, veggies, and pickles), and drunk some Vietnamese coffee, you&#8217;ll soon understand why! Check out our guide to some of the <strong>greatest and tastiest Vietnamese food<\/strong>, and reasons why <strong>you&#8217;ll fall in love with the coffee<\/strong> (especially the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/cafe-sua-da-vietnamese-iced-coffee\/\">iced coffees<\/a><\/strong>&#8230;)!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"aioseo-taste-paradise-at-phu-quoc\">Taste paradise at Phu Quoc<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Phu-Quoc_bs-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"things to do in Vietnam\" class=\"wp-image-203\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Vietnam might not be known for its paradise islands in the way that Thailand is, but with islands like <strong>Phu Quoc<\/strong> fast becoming a magnet for tourists <g class=\"gr_ gr_3 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_disable_anim_appear ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace\" id=\"3\" data-gr-id=\"3\">wordwide<\/g>, times they are a-changing! Phu Quoc is probably developing way too fast for it to be added to one of those <em>hidden gems<\/em> lists, but it&#8217;s still got that touch of off-the-beaten-track to it, enough for it to be your hideaway paradise for a few days. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/sao-beach-quite-possibly-the-best-beach-in-vietnam\/\">Sao Beach<\/a><\/strong> is the jewel in the crown of Phu Quoc with its white sandy beach, but there are plenty of other great beaches and attractions around the island (including the amazing <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/starfish-beach-phu-quoc-all-you-need-to-know\/\">Starfish Beach<\/a><\/strong>) &#8211; add it to the <strong>things to do in Vietnam<\/strong> list and check out our <strong>guide to Phu Quoc<\/strong> to find out more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"aioseo-ride-the-hagiang-loop\">Ride the HaGiang Loop<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Ha-Giang2-bs-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Ha Giang loop vietnam\" class=\"wp-image-500\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>If exploring the far northern corner of Vietnam grabs your fancy, then a motorbike tour of the HaGiang province, known as <strong>the HaGiang Loop<\/strong>, is a MUST DO. Whether you choose to go pillion or hit the road yourself, this is one of northern Vietnam&#8217;s true gems. Expect amazing views, great food, and amazingly friendly locals. Read our <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/ha-giang-loop-3-days-of-amazing-views-people-food\/\">guide to enjoying this amazing ride<\/a><\/strong>.         <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"aioseo-explore-the-caves-at-phong-nha\">Explore the caves at Phong Nha <\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/PhongNha-bs-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"things to do in Vietnam\" class=\"wp-image-204\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Vietnam remains a place of hidden gems and undiscovered towns and <strong>Phong Nha<\/strong> is one such place. The area is home to the truly stunning <strong>Son Doong cave<\/strong>, the world\u2019s largest cave (but which is off-limits to many due to its high cost of visiting &#8211; think in the region of $3000 for a 4-day hike there!), as well as other smaller caves around the small town. There is, however, a lot more to see and do if caving isn\u2019t your thing, from trying out the local dishes to exploring the remote countryside around the town. Add it to the <strong>things to do in Vietnam<\/strong> list and check out our <strong>guide to Phong Nha here<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>OK, so this is a toughie, narrowing down Vietnam&#8217;s top attractions to a top ten &#8220;things to do in Vietnam&#8221; list. But, here it is, our attempt at bringing you the best of Vietnam in one ultimate checklist&nbsp;&#8211; these are things that you really should see and do in Vietnam, no matter if you&#8217;re here for a few days or a month. In no particular order (just click on any item in the list below to jump to the relevant [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":81,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,28],"tags":[29,34,31,32,36,35,38,37,33,30,17],"class_list":["post-131","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-attractions","category-must-sees","tag-featured","tag-halong-bay","tag-hanoi-attractions","tag-ho-chi-minh-city-attractions","tag-mekong","tag-ninh-binh","tag-phong-nha","tag-phu-quoc","tag-sapa","tag-vietnam","tag-vietnamese-food"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=131"}],"version-history":[{"count":47,"href":"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1816,"href":"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131\/revisions\/1816"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/81"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=131"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=131"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogogovietnam.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=131"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}