Vietnam
Head-spinning contradictions and character
Leaf through any brochure for Vietnam and you'd be forgiven for mistaking this ancient, diverse and populous country for a two-dimensional tourist's playground.
Lanterns on the Hoi An waterfront: check. Cruise around Halong Bay: check. Tour the water markets on the Mekong Delta: check. Wrap it up with some beach time, maybe some 'street food' in Saigon and that's it, Vietnam travel bingo complete.
But there's much more to Vietnam than the mainstream tourism industry would have you believe. Any preconceived notion of Vietnam will quickly disintegrate upon arrival. The most enthralling country in southeast Asia is dynamic, diverse and full of head-spinning contradictions.
Venture outside of the cities and it doesn’t take long to find yourself immersed in a traditional rural world of agriculture and fishing. Imperial dynasty, French colonial and war-time vestiges remain — and some citizens continue to suffer from the legacy of Agent Orange and unexploded ordinances. But Vietnam isn’t focused on its turbulent past; nearly 100 million citizens are busy hustling for a brighter future. The result is a fascinating mix of old and modernity.
Just when you think you have the country figured out, it’ll surprise like a cinematic plot twist.
Slow down, dwell a while, and make a connection with the real country behind all the marketing photos.
Hidden gems in Vietnam
Con Dao Islands
Con Dao National Park
Remote and covered in jungle, Con Dao is an archipelago of 16 islands off the southern coast. Once used by the French as a prison, the largest island offers both a sombre history lesson and some of the best independent hiking in the country. Con Dao National Park covers 6,000 hectares of land and 14,000 hectares of the surrounding ocean. After registering with the park office, visitors can walk a number of marked forest trails that end at secluded beaches. Con Dao is also one of the best places for diving in Vietnam.
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Cat Tien National Park
Cat Tien National Park
Cat Tien National Park in south Vietnam offers nature, hiking and prime bird and wildlife viewing opportunities just 160km northeast of Ho Chi Minh City. Covering 71,920 hectares and bound by the Dong Nai River, the lowland tropical rainforest and wetlands contain monkeys, civets, sambar, guar, langurs, wild crocodiles and a number of bird species like the endangered pitta. The park is also home to a Sun and Moon bear sanctuary, opening to the public in 2019. Visitors can do one-day or multi-day treks, boat trips and night safaris.
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Fansipan Mountain
Fansipan ascent
Dominating the majestic Hoang Lien Son mountain range to the west of Sa Pa is Fansipan mountain (Phan Xi Păng in Vietnamese script). At 3,147 metres, Fansipan is the highest mountain in Indochina, and its commanding position overlooking green valleys and terraced rice paddies draws hikers by the bus load, making this a popular – sometimes too popular – trek from Sa Pa town. There are three routes to the summit, each with their own pros and cons: Tram Ton, at 11km over two days/one night, is the fastest and most direct route to the summit. Ideal for beginners, this popular trail offers a gradual ascent, with campsites for rest and spectacular panoramic views. It’s about seven hours up to the top, and six hours down the next day. Sin Chai is just 9km but is done over two or three days as the terrain is technical, with dense vegetation and steep sections. This is the wildest and most challenging route – for experienced trekkers only. Cat Cat is the longest route, 20 kilometres done over three to four days. This one is another challenge, although less technical. This is my favourite route, for the complete immersion in the scenery and exceptional panoramic views. The fourth option, which involves no real hiking at all, is to take the cable car to the summit. Personally, I find the summit itself – with its crowds of day-trippers, modern temple, shops and services – to be the least interesting part of the experience. Especially when cloud cover is obscuring the view! If your only interest is ticking off the summit without putting in the work of getting there, I’d gently steer you elsewhere. Finally, a word of caution: trekking here is all conducted under the auspices of the Hoang Lien Son National Park authorities – even if you’ve booked through a trekking operator, they won’t have any control over the guides or porters selected for your group. There are reports of guides and workers contributing to the mountain’s growing litter problem and base camps/camping sites being poorly maintained. This isn’t to warn you off – just make sure you come with open eyes and do your bit to maintain the sanctity of the environment.
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An Giang
Nui Cam trail
The guided Nui Cam trek is actually a 21km-trail run, which was designed a few years ago for an annual race. The trail begins in rice paddies before ascending through fruit farms and waterfalls. This is a deeply spiritual part of the Mekong Delta, and highlights of this trek are the atmospheric shrines tended to by smiley caretakers.
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Dalat
Ta Nang Phan Dung trek
This is one of several organised treks that involve a pick-up in Dalat and drop-off on the coast. Transfer by car to begin the trek in Ta Nang, a district of pine forests and rice paddies, before hiking into Phan Dung, a neighbouring district with gushing rivers and lush farmland. You’ll then be collected and driven to the beach town of Mui Ne.
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Bach Ma National Park
Rhododendron Falls trail
Bach Ma National Park has several excellent trails, and more are being created as the area tries to promote adventure tourism. Rhododendron Falls Trail is one of the most popular hikes. It’s suitable for families, passes a panoramic viewpoint, and the highlight is a thundering waterfall with rock pools that are good for swimming.
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Son Doong & Phong Nha Caves
Son Doong cave expedition
The British Cave Research Association helped launch this tour with Oxalis Adventure, a local company, with limited numbers and a strict route to protect the integrity of the cave. This includes guides, porters, a cave expert and food, and it remains the only way to explore Son Doong Cave. Son Doong is a unique trekking experience, with underground jungles, giant ceiling collapses, ethereal campsites and stalagmites the size of multi-storey buildings. If you think caving is crawling around in narrow spaces, think again – some of these chambers can fit aeroplanes with room to spare. Whenever I mention the Son Doong Expedition, people usually question the expense of the all-inclusive tour – USD $3,000 – and I always say the same thing. Yes, it’s expensive, especially for Vietnam. But this cave is one of the world’s great wonders. Many people are happy to pay that much to go skiing in the Alps for a week – and the Son Doong Cave Expedition surely beats that. If the Son Doong Expedition is over budget, consider one of more than a dozen other caving experiences in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, including the hike to En Cave, Pygmy Cave or the Tu Lan cave system.
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Ha Giang
Ha Giang Skypath
I couldn’t complete this guide without mentioning a short half-day hike that I discovered recently. The Skypath is a lofty path that clings to the cliffs high above the Nho Que River and Ma Pi Leng Mountain Pass, one of Ha Giang’s (and Asia’s) most extraordinary roads. Starting at Ma Pi Leng Village, the path ascends through farmland to a great white cliff before descending through hamlets. The path finishes at Ma Pi Leng Ecolodge, which serves refreshments. From there it’s possible to hitch back to Ma Pi Leng Village. Ha Giang is becoming very popular, but few seem to know that the Skypath exists. Trekkers are likely to have the trail entirely to themselves, bar the occasional farmer. No guide required.
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Pu Luong
Ban Don to Ban Hieu hike
This is an easy hike you could do without a guide. Starting from Ban Don, a village with a number of cosy mountain lodges that offer views of the surrounding rice terraces, the trail descends through forests and farms before running along rivers and cutting through hamlets. Eventually the trail reaches Ban Hieu, a picturesque village built on a waterfall.
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Sapa
Sapa multi-day hikes
Unfortunately, the town of Sapa suffers from overdevelopment and is one of my least favourite places in the country. But those that find Sapa disappointing seem to be the ones that base themselves in town and attempt day trips from there. Instead, engage a reputable tour company, tell them what you want and they will get you well away from the standard tourist traps. I don’t recommend trekking in Sapa without a guide. The trails and homestays (accommodation with local families) are unmarked, and travellers that attempt their own treks often end up lost or where they don’t want to be (e.g. on a road, near a hydroelectric plant, facing a quarry etc.). Besides, employing a guide is one of the best ways to learn about Sapa’s cultures and support local families. The majority of guides are women from local ethnolinguistic groups, and they usually speak decent English.
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Halong Bay
Vietnam’s lesser-known bays
ExperienceWhile crowds flock to the famous Halong Bay, the nearby limestone karst islands of Lan Ha and Bai Tu Long are formed by the same geological feature that runs 100km up the Vietnam coastline and are just as beautiful, yet with a more isolated appeal.
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Con Dao National Park
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Cat Tien National Park
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Vietnam itineraries
Vietnam
Culture, cities and beach resorts
Vietnam’s cultural highlights plus a beach break
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