What to see and do on vacation in Vietnam?
You absolutely must visit Hanoi: a blend of Vietnamese tradition, French influence and Chinese civilization. Also known as the Thirty-Six Guilds district, its maze of old streets will take you back to a different era. Take a motorcycle cab around town to discover the traditional Perfume or But Thap pagodas, old colonial houses and colorful markets. You can also visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Vietnam History Museum, the Temple of Literature and Hoan Kiem Lake with its Jade Mountain Temple.
You can also visit Along Bay, Asia's most famous landscape and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located 160 km from Hanoi, you'll be able to admire its 2,000 stone islets that resemble sugar loaves, to the delight of your eyes. You can even kayak between the rocks or dive into the emerald waters. Hué, Vietnam's former imperial capital, is also well worth a visit. Its royal citadel, one of Vietnam's most beautiful historic sites, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the Thien Mu pagoda, the Mausoleum of Minh Mang, the Royal Tombs of Dong Khanh and Gia Long. Extend your stay in Hoi An, a charming little town of Vietnamese-Sino-Japanese-influenced wooden houses. Known for its tailor stores and cooking classes, it also boasts historic monuments including the ruins of My Son: a group of Hindu temples left over from the Chams. On the fourteenth day of each lunar month, you'll even see traditional colorful lanterns replacing electric lights.
If you're looking to relax, head for the seaside resort of Nha Trang. Go snorkeling or scuba diving, for example. A city of motorcycles, don't forget to visit Ho-Chi-Minh, formerly Saigon. Discover the War Museum, the Jade Emperor Pagoda or the Ben Thanh market. It's also the ideal place to party, with numerous nightclubs such as Apocalypse Now. You can also explore Bac Ha with its lively Sunday market, Dalat with its artificial lakes and flower gardens, the Tam Coc caves and Sapa with its rice balconies. However, if there's one place you can't avoid, it's the Mekong Delta. Known as Vietnam's rice granary, the Mekong is the world's largest river, and the delta is one of its widest. And if you're hungry, you can sample its three types of rice: normal, glutinous and fragrant, accompanied by a nuoc mam sauce.
When to go to Vietnam?
There's no right or wrong time to visit Vietnam. When one region is hot, the other is temperate. The winter monsoon runs from October to March, with cool, wet winds in the north and mild, dry weather in the south. The summer monsoon, from May to October, brings hot, humid weather throughout Vietnam. You'll have the chance to dine at the Bun Cha Ta restaurant to make the most of your vacation in Vietnam.