TOP 10 Places to visit + things to do in VIETNAM😁🇻🇳

Today we're sharing the 10 most incredible places to visit and the best things to do in Vietnam. We lived in this vibrant country for almost a year back in 2019 and we recently did the most incredible northern Vietnam trip. If you missed it you can catch it linked above. Vietnam is a big country filled with so many different landscapes, delicious foods to eat, unique experiences to have and it's a place we most definitely recommend traveling to before you die. If you're looking for an amazing location to travel to on a budget, Vietnam is it. It's one of the cheapest countries to travel to in the whole world. With no further ado let's get started with number one. Ha Long Bay Luxury Cruise. This was definitely one of the highlights from our recent trip a few months ago. A five-star luxury cruise in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay. Ha Long Bay is famous for its towering limestone cliffs and emerald green water. There are over 200 different cruises to choose from. We booked the Mon Cheri cruise through our awesome travel agency Vietnam Escape Tours. For a full tour of the boat you can watch this video linked above. It was the most beautiful experience, a peaceful breakaway from the hustle and bustle of the cities and it's a great way to end your trip after all of the epic experiences. Our suite on the Mon Cheri cruise had a private balcony overlooking the views of the bay and even a bathtub to relax and take it all in. There were tons of activities included on and off the boat, a spa, a pool, a bar, cooking classes and even a tai chi lesson. The food on the cruise was unreal but the best best part of all of it was the staff. They were so friendly and accommodating. The hospitality was definitely an 11 out of 10 and all of this for only $180 per person. You can't even imagine the value for money. It's a must do. Next up is Sa Pa trekking. Trekking the breathtaking rice fields of Sa Pa valley alongside a local has got to be one of the most iconic things to do in Vietnam. Sa Pa is located in the northwest about a five hour drive from Hanoi. It was truly one of the most beautiful landscapes we have ever seen and being able to share it with beautiful locals dressed in their colorful traditional outfits was honestly a once in a lifetime experience. Please guys you have to add it to your list. There are various trekking routes available ranging from easy walks to more challenging hikes. Treks can last anywhere from a few hours to several days depending on your preference and fitness levels and you will stay in local homestays along the way. We opted for one night two day trekking and it was more than enough for us. It was actually quite tough but that's probably because of the weather. The weather in Sa Pa can be quite unpredictable. We'd say the best time for trekking is from September to November when the rice fields are lush and green and the weather is cooler and more comfortable and there's less rain. If trekking is not your vibe then Sa Pa still has a lot to offer with many local villages you can visit as well as the highest peak in Vietnam called Phan Dapan Peak which is accessible via cable car. Next up is a place people absolutely rave about. Actually there's two places Sa Pa Valley that we just mentioned and Hoi An. Hoi An is a quintessential little Vietnamese town located in central Vietnam just a 30 minute drive from Da Nang. Known for its well-preserved ancient town featuring centuries-old buildings, boutique shops, restaurants, art galleries and small hotels and of course its cute little canals. Hoi An was a prominent port of trade from the 15th to the 19th century is playing a vital role in the exchange of goods and spices. It's the location where these beautiful lantern boat photos are taken at night. I do think it's going to be super touristy but if you don't mind that go for it and for those that have been to Hoi An let us know in the comments. Did you guys love it? After Hoi An there's the capital city of Vietnam Hanoi. We just loved the city. It is incredibly charming and a very historical place especially in the old town area. We spent nine months living in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi in contrast is a little smaller and it feels a tad bit more authentic. There are so many beautiful big trees everywhere and pagodas. They have flower shops and the cutest ladies carrying baskets of fruits everywhere. It's just iconic. There's a ton to do in Hanoi. One of our highlights was the train street where we grabbed an egg coffee or coconut coffee and had this massive train just breeze right past us. It was actually super exhilarating. Besides the historical sites, many museums and cultural events and the delicious Vietnamese cuisine, Hanoi is also home to many cute cafes. The viral and super colorful note cafe was a pretty cool experience as well. We'd highly recommend starting your trip in Hanoi as we mentioned in our itinerary video. It's a great base from which to explore the three iconic locations of Ninh Binh, Sapa Valley and Ha Long Bay. Number five on the list is Ninh Binh. This was another one of our favorite destinations. Ninh Binh used to be the original capital of Vietnam mainly for defense purposes due to these massive limestone pillars that rise dramatically from the flat landscape. They basically played a huge role in shielding the Vietnamese from the Chinese invaders. Not gonna lie, it was a little touristy in places but in the best way possible. The day tours to Ninh Binh from Hanoi are pretty common but we'd suggest staying in the area for a night or two to really take in the scenery. Highlights in Ninh Binh for us were definitely a bicycle tour through the Hau Lu ancient capital grounds, home to the temple of the late king of Vietnam, a kayak through the Trang An world UNESCO heritage site and seeing the floating temple and definitely the Mua cave dragon mountain hike. I'm not sure if I'm saying that right but it was so so cool. If you have extra time we'd say just explore and get lost in the area as well. You can hire a bike, go grab a coffee and lunch somewhere and just be spending the morning at this lake with these lovely local ladies selling their beautiful flowers was one of our favorite days in Vietnam. Just such memories. For the links to all of these locations we're mentioning and tons more, over 20 accommodation options, where to book visas, how to get around and so much more, we'll link our Vietnam resource pack down below. So far we haven't included a beach destination yet so here it is. Our favorite is most definitely Da Nang. It's a city that's fast developing but it's still super laid back. You're mainly coming to Da Nang to relax at the gorgeous Nike beach with a coconut and definitely under an umbrella because Da Nang is extremely hot so be prepared. You can rent a bike and drive north to Hue via the Hai Van path, south to Hoi An as previously mentioned on this list and then west to the now famous Ban Na hills. You know the place with that magical bridge held up by giant hands? There's definitely a lot to do in the surrounding area of Da Nang. In Da Nang itself you can watch the fire dragon bridge on the weekend, you can do some water sports and museum hopping and if you're planning to do Hoi An you'll probably end up taking a train or a bus or flight to Da Nang first, spend a night or two there and then head to Hoi An which is only like an hour away. There's also a large group of expats old and young from all over the world that have decided to live and stay in Da Nang so you might make a bunch of friends there too. Our home in 2018 is number seven on the list Ho Chi Minh city otherwise known as Saigon. It's a bustling metropolis known for its vibrant street life, historical significance and rapid economic development. We taught English here for over nine months, it's actually a really fun city, we have the best memories and we met lifelong friends here as well. It's great for someone looking to live in Vietnam long term and as for a tourist it's a cool city if you're young and into cocktail bars and partying. One thing we 100% recommend doing in Ho Chi Minh city is absolutely a night of karaoke and then a night out on Bui Vien streets. It's one of my favorite travel memories ever, you book out a private karaoke booth with your mates, get some Saigon beers with some ice cubes in it because that's how they do it in Vietnam and you just have a blast. And then after you've sang Bohemian Rhapsody at the top of your lungs, head out to Bui Vien street for a wide range of bars, clubs and restaurants that stay open basically the whole night. We've been to many party streets in Asia and Bui Vien is still by far our favorite. You have to do it, it is just iconic. You can watch all of our older videos on what else there is to do in Ho Chi Minh city, we'll link the playlist above for you here. Besides the nightlife there's countless historical sites, street food stands to explore and the massive Binh Thanh market to buy all of your little souvenirs that will all be included in our resource pack as well. And then just outside Ho Chi Minh city are the Chu Chi tunnels. It's a popular tourist attraction where you get to crawl through the huge system of underground tunnels that the Vietnamese army used to hide away from the Americans during the war. There's honestly a ton to do, we'll link our favorite tours down below on our get your guide wish list for you as well. Next up is Phu Quoc, Vietnam's island paradise. If all you want is island vibes, beautiful beaches and some of the most highly rated all-inclusive resorts, then this might be your place. Phu Quoc is an island off the west coast of Vietnam, it's just a short one hour $50 flight from Ho Chi Minh city. There are beautiful white sand beaches, turquoise waters, palm trees and some cute cafes with smoothie bowls. We went in 2019 and had a fantastic time but we have heard it's changed a lot since then though. They've built these massive theme park cities called Grand World or something, they're supposed to look like Italy, they've got some Venice canals and all going on there. Solid no, we don't travel across the world to Vietnam to experience things like that, I guess it's just for the local tourists though. We saw the incredible starfish beach too but apparently it's not so incredible either with not many starfish anymore and a ton of trash. We'd recommend sticking to the best beaches and the beautiful beach resorts. Fusion Resort located on the northern side of the island is still by far the best hotel we have ever stayed in. It was glorious and actually super affordable too. We also stayed in Xun Hin in the south of the island, it's a budget hotel down the road from Sao Beach. Once again, Phu Quoc is all about relaxing and being at the beach, it's not really a cultural experience. This wouldn't be a top 10 video if we didn't include the famous Ha Giang loop. Although we haven't personally done this trip, we've got a number of friends that loved every second of it. Essentially the Ha Giang loop is a motorbike route located in the north of Vietnam, very close to the border of China. It's for motorbike enthusiasts and young people looking for an adventure. Again, you can book a group tour on Get Your Guide, we'll link the best tours down below for you. You go with a big group of locals and tourists on bikes and you do a two to three day trip driving the loop and visiting local villages and staying in homestays. There have been videos of people crying after the trip saying that it was just life-changing and the whole experience is like one of their best travel experiences ever. We definitely have FOMO so if you're up for an adventure, definitely do the Ha Giang loop. You can do it by yourself but I think the magic is in the local guides and the friends that you make along the way. And finally, number 10, the Mekong Delta, referred to as the rice bowl of Vietnam. Located right down here in the south, it's a vast maze of rivers, swamps, islands and endless rice fields. It's home to floating markets, pagodas and villages offering a glimpse into this very fascinating way of life in Vietnam. The area has been occupied since as early as the 4th century BC and it's home to a diverse population of various ethnic groups including the Kinh and Khmer and Chinese communities, It is possible to do a trip to the Mekong Delta from Ho Chi Minh City. It's about a 3.5 hour drive. You can couple it with the Chu Chi channels in a half or a full day tour. Links will be down below for you as per usual. And that's it for the 10 most incredible places to visit and the best things to do in Vietnam. It's now up to you to choose which ones on the list interests you the most. Do let us know down in the comments which ones sound like your fave. We'd say stick to five locations max per trip. The north of Vietnam was by far our favorite though so check out the link above for the perfect two-week trip and don't forget to grab our Vietnam resource pack. It'll save you a ton of time planning your trip. The next few videos coming up are from the land of smiles, Thailand, so we'll see you there. Bye!