17 of the best things to do in Vietnam

Vietnam offers adventure at every turn. Here are our favourite things to do in the dazzling Halong Bay, vibrant cities Hoi An, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City, the rural north and beyond...

1. Light a lantern in Hoi An

Lanterns in Hoi An (Dreamstime)

Every Tết (Vietnamese New Year), Hoi An is transformed into a kaleidoscope of colour and light for its Lantern Festival. The celebration lasts for seven days, with the road from Hoi An Bridge to the Hoai River Square adorned with thousands of colourful lanterns.

Over 50 workshops take part in the event, each trying to create the prettiest lantern. The colours are bright and the designs are strictly traditional.

The heart of the festivities is in the old town, between the Japanese Covered Bridge and the Cau An Hoi Bridge. It’s crowded, chaotic and festive, with spontaneous singing and food stalls at every turn. It is as much a celebration for locals as it is for visitors. 

The most breathtaking sight is thousands of lanterns floating on the river; hire a sampan boat to get a closer look. For a small sum, you can buy a lantern and set it afloat too. 

Don’t worry if you can’t make it to Hoi An for New Year: smaller lantern festivals are held every full moon. In 2020, Vietnamese New Year fell on 25 January. In 2021, it will be celebrated on 12 February, and on 1 February in 2022.

2. Visit Halong Bay and its equally spectacular neighbour

Halong Bay (Dreamstime)

With 1,600 limestone towers rising from its turquoise waters, Halong Bay is rightly considered one of Vietnam’s most beautiful spots. As a result, it’s on every visitor's list - and hundreds of boats offer cruise trips every day. The bay is huge, but it can still feel crowded.

Bai Tu Long Bay, just a few miles away, offers the same jaw-dropping scenery but sees only a fraction of the visitors. Here, you can explore uncrowded caves and tiny beaches, and feast on super-fresh succulent seafood.

Boat trips to Bai Tu Long Bay leave from the crowded dock at Halong City, just like the ones to Halong Bay. But you'll head off in the opposite direction, to where the islands are a little less taller and a little more spread out - but, according to locals, are just like what those in Halong Bay used to be like.

3. Hike through Cat Ba Island

Ngu Lam Peak, the end point of a popular Cat Ba hiking trail (Shutterstock)

You can't go wrong with a visit to Cat Ba Island. The views are spectacular, and the nearby Lan Ha Bay is a brilliant Halong alternative - another breathtakingly beautiful bay, without the tourist masses.

It's USP? The hiking, says Wanderlust's Rosie Fitzgerald. Enjoy trekking through the pristine rainforest that makes up the vast national park. The Lookout Tower Trail is a popular and fairly easy hike. Walk upwards for around an hour, until you come out at a rusted shelter, from where you can appreciate just how untouched Cat Ba really is.

If you want more, venture up a little further to reach the stunning Ngu Lam Peak. It's worth the effort to look out over the jagged, green mountains that blur out into the distance.

For more of a challenge, book a guide and embark on the Cang Viet Hai Trail - an 18km, undulating trail that requires a good fitness level. Prepare to climb steep, slippery paths and scramble over thick knots of tree routes that block the path.

4. Cruise the Mekong Delta

The Mekong River's famous floating markets (Shutterstock)

After travelling over 4,000km from the Tibetan Himalaya, the Mekong hits Vietnam and slows down to a more languid pace. With islands, rice paddies, stilted villages and a way of life that hasn’t changed for centuries, it’s as if the river wants to take it easy and soak up the view.

Hitch a ride with a cargo boat and you can do exactly that. Simply find a shady spot to hitch your hammock and gaze at faraway riverbanks as your boat, weighed down with fruit and rice sacks, ploughs the treacly brown flow.

Or, take one of the many commercial cruises that ply parts of the river. The cruise from Cai Be to Can Tho is a great way to experience a night on the river. As you travel southwards along the Mang Thit River linking the Tien Giang and Bassac systems, the channel becomes so narrow that you can peer into the riverbank’s rickety stilted houses.

5. Drop into the world’s largest cave in Phong Nha National Park

Hang Son Doong Cave (Shutterstock)

Quang Binh province is a wild region of barely penetrable jungle in Vietnam’s skinny middle, close to the border with Laos. The area is riddled with hundreds of deep caves, including one of the largest in the world - Hang Son Doong. It contains a cavern so tall that a skyscraper could fit inside it.

The small town of Phong Nha is the epicentre for the area’s caving adventures, its eponymous cave another UNESCO-listed wonder well worth exploring. Here, you can hire both the guides and the gear you’ll need to descend into the caves.

If going underground doesn’t appeal, the area is also famous for trekking. The surrounding jungle is peppered with stunning waterfalls and an active (and noisy) population of monkeys and flying foxes.

6. Visit the coffee-making heartland, Buon Ma Thuot

The World Coffee Museum in Buon Ma Thuot (Shutterstock)

Buon Ma Thuot is the regional capital of the central highlands of Vietnam, a gorgeous area of thundering waterfalls and the traditional villages of the local Ede people. Look out for stilted structures reached by a ladder and marked by carved breasts. In this fiercely matriarchal area, they can only be used by the women of the house.

Buon Ma Thuot is also the heart of Vietnam’s thriving coffee industry. The Trung Nguyen coffee company is the big player here, and there’s not a corner of paddy field or industrial zone in the area that doesn’t bear their logo. 

In the city itself, there are plenty of coffee-related attractions. Visitors can learn about the country's and the world's coffee industries in the World Coffee Museum year-round. In March 2021 and March 2023, the city's various coffee venues will be offering freebies to celebrate the local produce, during the biennial Coffee Festival. 

You'll probably come across 'weasel' coffee during your visit, also known as kopi luwak or civet coffee, which aficionados claim is the best in the world. While many believe its unique taste is excellent, it's worth knowing that recent investigations have found unethical animal welfare practices on coffee farms across the region.

7. Search for Vietnam’s best pho in Hanoi

Vietnamese pho (Dreamstime)

Pho is a Vietnamese staple - a quick, tasty meal made from four simple ingredients: clear stock, boiled beef, rice noodles and herbs or green onions. In Vietnam, you’ll find it served on street corners and in upscale restaurants, as well as in every family home.

Hanoi has gained a reputation as the pho capital of Vietnam. Every restaurant here boasts a secret recipe. Take your time searching for the best - that's part of the fun! But if you want our advice? Head to Lo Duc in theFrench Quarter and sit yourself down at Pho Thin.

This unassuming pho house, with wooden benches and laminated tables, does things a little differently - such as stir-frying the beef in garlic before adding it to the soup. Local foodies insist it gives the pho an unusual smokiness, one you won't found in other restaurants. Pho Thin is always packed, but once you're inside, you'll know it was worth the wait. 

8. Understand Vietnam’s bloody past in Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City Museum, located in the Gia Long Palace (Shutterstock)

More than 60% of Vietnam’s population was born after the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. But that doesn’t mean its war-torn history is ignored. As a nation, Vietnam has moved on, but the sacrifices made by both sides of the conflict are still remembered all over the country, particularly in Ho Chi Minh City.

Ho Chi Minh City Museum has many informative exhibitions, and explains the country's bloody past through photographs, artefacts and memorabilia. It's sensitively done, without glossing over the atrocities, and (rather ironically) is housed in the Gia Long Palace, where Ngo Dinh Diem spent his final hours in power before his assassination in 1963.

The War Remnants Museum is a more grisly - but equally essential - reminder of local atrocities. From eerie bomb remnants and first-person accounts by war veterans to a bloodied guillotine and photographs of horrific napalm burns, this is a chilling reminder of life not-too-long ago.

9. Go to church, Vietnamese-style

Worshippers inside Cao Dai temple (Shutterstock)

Tây Ninh, a busy town on the Mekong Delta, is perhaps the most unlikely holy city on the planet. Here, amongst the busy streets stalls and noisy traffic sits Cao Dai Temple, the Holy See of the Cao Dai religion.

Caodaism is a Vietnamese hybrid religion founded in the 1920s. It fuses Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism, occult and Islam with the ultimate aim to break free of the cycle of life and death. The sect reveres, among others: Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed and even French novelist Victor Hugo.

From a distance, the temple’s towers resemble a parochial church. But closer inspection reveals an eclectic facade with sword-brandishing gods, swastikas, a Communist red star and an Orwellian all-seeing eye.

Prayers are conducted four times a day, with the one at noon popular with day-trippers from Ho Chi Minh City.

10. Cycle around Hue

Cyclo drivers in Hue (Dreamstime)

Halfway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Hue marked the divide between the north and the south during the Vietnam War. Set upon the pretty Perfume River, it has always played an important part in Vietnamese history and is dotted with important historical sites.

It is also a great place to cycle. Set off in the cool of the morning and head three kilometres out of town to the Tiger Fighting arena. It was Vietnam’s version of the Colosseum, a place where elephants and tigers would fight to honour the strength of the monarchy. Next, head to Tu Duc Tomb before reaching Vong Canh Hill - the best spot for panoramic views of the Perfume River.

From Vong Canh Hill, it’s downhill to one of Hue's most atmospheric pagodas, Tu Hieu, which is located in a tranquil and picturesque pine forest. Swing by the tomb of Minh Mang, the second emperor of the Nguyen dynasty, before heading back to town.

Upon reaching the walled fortress of the Imperial Citadel, you have two choices: take a leisurely cycle through the UNESCO World Heritage Site and Vietnam's version of the Forbidden City, or enjoy a relaxing drink next to the Perfume River.

Sound too much like hard work? You find any number of cyclo drivers nearby to do all the effort for you.

11. Find romance at Sapa’s love market

H'mong women at a market in Sapa (Dreamstime)

The market town of Sapa, in Vietnam’s mountainous north, first became popular as a French hill station in the 1930s. Set on a 1,650m-high mountain ridge, the town boasts fabulous views of the Hoang Lien Mountains and a colourful market attended by hill tribes from the surrounding countryside every Saturday.

The town has become increasingly popular with tourists, but there are still old traditions hidden in its secret corners. One of those is the Love Market, where Dao (and H’mong) men and women come from miles around to sing songs of love to each other. It was originally held at the end of trading at the Saturday markets, but over-zealous visitors taking intrusive photos has driven the tradition underground.

The Love Market still exists, but now it takes place in secret locations in the dead of night, well away from the gaze of visitors. But if your interest is genuine and you can find a local willing to trust you, the romance can still be found.

12. Sail past the Tam Coc rice fields

The Ngo Dong River and rice fields in Ninh Binh (Shutterstock)

In 2014, the Tràng An Scenic Landscape Complex in the northern Vietnam's Ninh Binh province was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. No wonder to anyone who has seen it with their own eyes: dramatic limestone karsts and sweeping, deep green valleys, often with boats floating along the Red River Delta.

The village of Tam Cốc-Bích Động (often referred to simple as 'Tam Coc') falls under this complex, and its famous rice paddies enjoy the same UNESCO-listed status. Undoubtedly, the best way to experience them to take a slow, languorous boat ride along the Ngo Dong River, admiring the otherworldly view as you go.

Getting to Tam Coc is easier than ever. Admittedly, the area has become more popular with visitors in recent years - for good reason. Buses and trains from Hanoi to Ninh Binh take about three hours, while organised day tours and two-day trips are available, if you'd prefer to take the pressure off planning your excursion.

13. Spot rare primates in Cat Tien National Park

Primates hanging out in Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam (Shutterstock)

Cat Tien National Park in southern Vietnam is a wildlife lover's dream: a 720 sq km biosphere reserve, comprised of botanical gardens and lowland forest, offering an abundance of rare creatures and birdlife, all kept safe and sheltered in a number of sanctuaries and rescue centres.

Golden-cheeked gibbons, silvered langurs and native pygmy lorsies are among the rare primates to be spotted in Dao Tien Endangered Primate Species Centre. Cat Tien Bear Sanctuary homes tens of sun bears.

Asian elephants and clouded leopards are also among the rare sightings wildlife watchers have recorded in Cat Tien. Birders will have their hands full, too, with Asian barred owlet, blue-rumped and bar-bellied pittas, and orange-necked partridge sightings - just to name a few - very possible. 

Some of the park's animal residents come alive when the sky goes dark, so if you're hoping for a unique wildlife encounter in Vietnam, consider staying the night in one of Cat Tien's homestays or hotel accommodation, and embark on a nighttime drive. 

An added bonus? Those on a day trip will be zipping back to Ho Chi Minh City by then, which is approximately three hours and 30 minutes away by car, so you'll have more of the park to yourself.

14. Marvel at Ban Gioc Waterfall

The magnificent Ban Gioc Waterfall (Shutterstock)

Ban Gioc is the name of not one, but two colliding waterfalls along the Quay Son River - an iconic way to mark the Vietnam-China border, in the Trung Khanh District, Cao Bang on Vietnam's side, and Daxin County, Guangxi on China's.

Here, you'll be taking in one of South-East Asia's most breathtaking natural sights. Its sheer size (70m tall, and 208m wide) is marvel-worthy in itself, but the way the falls cascade down its rocky, limestone face is most eyecatching. If you're up for a climb, it is possible to trek up to the 'falls high points, as long as you're equipped with the appropriate walking gear.

Once you've soaked up the immense views, there's plenty to see and do in the Cao Bang region, which sits high up in the mountainous north-east of the country. Caves to explore, local homestays to experience, and more majestic waterfalls beckon.

15. Admire the Golden Hands Bridge in Da Nang

The Golden Hands Bridge in the Ba Na Hills, Da Nang (Shutterstock)

Have you ever seen a bridge quite like this one? The Golden Bridge (or Golden Hands Bridge, or Giant Hands Bridge) in the Da Nang province is one of a kind.

Pedestrians can stroll across the 150m-long pathway, high above the gorgeous greenery of the seemingly-endless Ba Na Hills, and feel like they're being held in the sky by two humongous, God-like stone hands. As it happens, the stone hands are not held up by God himself, but by a sturdy steel frame and fibreglass.

The reality-warping structure was created to attract more visitors to the Da Nang region, and surely no-one can refute its social media success. There are well over 108,000 images of the bridge on the #GoldenBridge hashtag alone.

If you went to Vietnam and you didn't post a picture of the Golden Hands Bridge on your Instagram page, did your trip even happen at all?!

16. Embrace tranquility on Phu Quoc Island

A peaceful beach on Phu Quoc Island (Shutterstock)

Off the coast of Cambodia lies the idyllic Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc: a haven for travellers hoping to get away from the hustle and bustle of Vietnam's cities.

There's no shortage of things to see and do on Phu Quoc. Wildlife lovers can head to Vinpearl Safari Care and Conservation Park, to meet, elephants, white Bengal tigers, macaques and silver langurs, among others. Head out into nature, with a hike through the dense forests of Phu Quoc National Park, and admiring the gentle trickle of Suoi Tranh Waterfall.

Once you're all walked out, ride in the incredibly long cable car to Hon Thom Nature Park, or sit back and relax on the pristine white sands of Sao Beach, Ong Lang or remote Khem Beach. Surrounded by palm trees and forest, you'll feel like you're sitting on the edge of paradise.

17. Live with the locals in Mai Chau

A local in the Mai Chau Valley village of Lac (Shutterstock)

Go beyond the tourist trail to the rural north-western province of Hòa Bình. Here, you'll have the opportunity to explore the Mai Chau Valley, enclosed in mountains and skirted by rice fields. A 'hidden gem', if we ever saw one.

To get a small sense of everyday life in this part of the country, stay with a local, White Tai family in a homestay. Your best bet is one of two villages: Lac or Poom Coong. Whichever you choose, you'll be waking up to the site of rice paddies and the unbelievably-green Vietnamese countryside each morning. The Vietnamese Tourist Board highly recommends choosing your homestay near Hieu, for its idyllic scenery.

Once you're settled, it's time to appreciate the White Tai community's way of life. Cycle through Mai Chau on a rented bike, or pop to the markets to purchase exquisitely-bright, locally-woven textiles. If you can take your eyes off your village's natural wonders, a day trip to the glistening, under-appreciated Hoa Binh Lake makes for an excellent trek.

https://www.wanderlust.co.uk/content/top-10-things-to-do-in-vietnam/

Prize-winning pictures show a life revolving around coconuts

A photo contest capturing the beauty of Ben Tre shows how daily life revolves around coconuts in the Mekong Delta province.

The first prize was won by Saigon photographer Nguyen Thanh Hop for a photo titled "Vao keo tranh giay tu go dua" which shows artists gluing an artwork made with coconut fiber on a backlit table. The art form is known as tranh giay dua (coconut paper painting).

The "I love Ben Tre" photomarathon was part of the fifth coconut festival that took place in the southern province from November 14-20. The festival honors Ben Tre’s coconut palms, products made with different parts of it, and local life surrounding the palm. Photos had to be taken in the province from November 15-17.

In second place was a photograph of women dancing at the opening ceremony of the festival, wearing thekhan ran, a traditional checkered black and white shawl, and the ao ba ba, a traditional southern garment. The photo, titled "Duyen dang Ben Tre" or Graceful Ben Tre, was taken by photographer Nguyen Bach Thao of Vinh Long Province.

The contest received 800 submissions by 395 photographers from 25 provinces and cities across the country. 

Two students wearing the traditional non la (conical hat) and ao dai walking to school through a coconut grove is one of three photos that won the third prize. Ben Tre photographer Nguyen Van Hoan called this picture "Doi ban den truong" or Two friends going to school.

Ly Hoang Long, chairman of the Art Council of Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists (VAPA), one of the photo contest's judges, said: "This panoramic photo captured Ben Tre's daily life amidst its coconut palms, the economic strength of the province.”

Ben Tre, known as the land of coconuts, makes use of every part of the palm for making many handicraft products, including its leaves and trunk.

A photo of a local rowing a boat filled with coconuts, taken by photographer Nguyen Phuc Trung, called "Ben Tre que toi" or My hometown Ben Tre, won another third price.

This photo of workers sorting and throwing water palms from one boat to another was taken by Saigon photographer Nguyen Minh Tan. The photo is called "Tap ket dua tren ben song Thom" or Gathering coconuts by the Thom River.

A woman lays out banh phong chuoi or banana crackers on nets to dry under the sun.

The photo, called "Don nang" or sunbathing, was taken by photographer Nguyen Manh Ha of Dong Nai Province.

This picture of a local drying coconut fiber to make coir (ropes) was taken by Dang Chau Anh Phong from Thua Thien Hue Province.

Nguyen Huy Son from Saigon named this photo “Hoa dua” or Coconut flowers. It shows a man making flowers with coconut leaves and other materials.

This photo of a local drying coconut rice paper, a specialty of Ben Tre, was taken by Nguyen Thanh Hung from Kien Giang Province. He called it "San pham tu que dua" or Produce from coconut capital.

By Huynh Phuong

Source: VNExpress.net

Wonder of nature: snails wash ashore for kilometers in Ben Tre coast

A seashore in Ben Tre where horn snails wash up in their millions between October and April each year. Photo by VnExpress/Khuong Nha

Millions of horn snails drift ashore to Chay Muoi islet in the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre for six months every year.

Paddling through the Yen Hao Canal to this place in Thoi Thuan Commune, Binh Dai District, you will find a beach seven kilometers long filled with these snails.

From October to April the wind blows from the northeast, bringing these creatures to shore, according to locals. "This shore is the only place that has this huge quantity of snails. Every year the snails washing ashore build a natural wall to protect our fields," Le Van Phuoc, a local, said.

When local people discovered that the snails stack up a meter high and five meters wide for seven kilometers, they began to do what humans do everywhere. They would wait for the tide to recede and collect the snails to sell.

Usually they get around $0.2 for a kilogram though occasionally the price could go up to $0.5. Locals can earn up to $10 a day.

You can get to Chay Muoi either by boat or motorbike.

According to local, this horn snails shore is still primitive though it's receiving increasing attention from tourists.

Ben Tre Province, situated around 86 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh city, is not only famous for its orchard tourism but also for relics like Huynh Phu ancient house, Ho Chi Minh Sea Trail, Van Phuoc Pagoda, and craft villages.

Author: Khuong Nha

Source: https://e.vnexpress.net

Looking at decorative mouse system in Lunar New Year 2020 of “King of ornamental animal plants” in the West

Not only famous for creating the hundreds of unique ornamental animal plants; preparing for Lunar New Year 2020 - Mr. Nam Cong (Artisan in Ben Tre province) also produces many unique plants which are decorated in the shape of  mouse.

Nam Cong Artisan, whose real name is Nguyen Van Cong, was born in 1947, lives in Hung Khanh Trung B commune, Cho Lach district, Ben Tre province. He is "king of ornamental animal plants" who produces many kind of ornamental animal plants with unique shapes that you can not find in anywhere. In the photo: Nam Cong Artisan is creating ornamental animal plants.

The worker is preparing row material in Mr. Nam Cong's garden

Preparing for Lunar New Year 2020, Nam Cong Artisan produces unique ornamental mouse plants . In the photo: Ornamental mouse plant is in the design stage

The pair of ornamental mouse plant is in the complete stage

The pair of ornamental mouse plant is preparing for Lunar New Year 2020

In the foreground, Ornamental mouse plant is in the complete stage

Nam Cong artisan has produced thousands of ornamental plants which are decorated in the shape of  many unique animals such as: 12 animals, elephants, etc. Recently, he has produced many designs of cool house such as hexagonal, octagonal, long house, western house ... In the photo: Ornamental elephant plants of Nam Cong artisan has formed.

The pair of ornamental horse plants is in the complete stage

Everyone is preparing to complete all things for Lunar New Year 2020

If the customer needs, just contact to Mr. Cong and tell with him about the shape and size. Then, he will make special shapes that are  required. To now, there isn't any types that make difficult him. In the photo: The pair of  ornamental vases is completed.

Thanh Nhan - https://laodong.vn

Translator: Tường Vi

The 10 most beautiful places in Vietnam – as voted by you

Here at Rough Guides we’ve always known that Vietnam is magical. The gleaming skyscrapers of the country's booming cities have a singular kind of beauty that shouldn’t be overlooked, but it’s the natural landscape that is truly breathtaking. Picture rice terraces carved into steep hillsides, market days that are a riot of colour, limestone peaks jutting out from azure waters and white-sand beaches stretching for miles. Here are the most beautiful places in Vietnam - as voted for by our readers.

10. Cat Ba

Although the low-slung harbour town doesn’t have all that much - except location - to recommend it, the rest of the island is rocky and wild and begging to be explored. Half of Cat Ba is verdant national park and it’s a paradise for travellers who come here to hike, climb and kayak (the waters and coral reefs are protected too). For jaw-dropping views across Ha Long Bay, head up to Cannon Fort.

9. Da Lat

Nestled in Vietnam’s central highlands, Da Lat is a quintessential hill station centred on pretty Lake Xuan Huong, whose shore is lined with pine trees. Dotted with French Colonial-era villas and blessed with a cool and temperate climate, this is the Vietnamese honeymoon destination - an air of kitsch only adds to the genteel atmosphere.

8. Da Nang

A surprise entry in this poll, the modern riverside city of Da Nang is increasingly making it onto every traveller’s must-see list. It’s particularly attractive after dark when the neon light spills across the Han River; on weekend nights the quirky Dragon Bridge is illuminated and, astonishingly, it breathes fire. East of the city, a seemingly never-ending stretch of sandy beach extends 30km to Hoi An.

7. Phu Quoc Island

Way down in southern Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand, Phu Quoc is a classic deserted island getaway. It's still relatively undeveloped, and travellers rave about the west coast with its picture-perfect white-sand beaches and spectacular ocean sunsets. It’s also well worth exploring the red dirt roads of the lush interior, which is dotted with pepper plantations and dominated by a national park.

6. Ha Giang Province

Narrow ribbon roads with hair-raising bends meander the rugged peaks and green valleys of the very far northeast of Vietnam. Though poor infrastructure has traditionally meant fewer outsiders, more travellers are making the effort to visit this forgotten province of dramatic scenery and colourful minority villages.

5. Ho Chi Minh City

The thrill of the big city - and the sheer breakneck speed at which it operates - makes HCMC a popular choice. Although not the capital of Vietnam, the buzzing, cosmopolitan city of skyscrapers and French colonial architecture is sleek and sexy. The best way to soak up the melee of the traffic-choked boulevards is to sit back and sip a latte at a Parisian-style pavement café.

4. The Mekong Delta

A vast sprawling delta through which the Mekong River makes its last push to meet the South China Sea, the landscape here is a lush maze of languid waterways and mangrove forests. This fertile region is Vietnam’s rice bowl and travellers flock to atmospheric floating markets to watch produce being hawked from colourful boats bathed in early morning light.

3. Ha Long Bay

Long on every traveller's bucket list, Ha Long Bay has been a World Heritage Site since 1994. When the sun rises over the still emerald waters and the bay’s scattered islands, islets and limestone pillars, the seascape is the most beautiful in the world – and even in the cooler off season the fog can add a touch of dreamy mysticism. An overnight cruise on a junk is an experience not to be missed.

2. Sa Pa

It’s the dramatic site of the far north’s Sa Pa, rather than the bustling market town itself, that travellers rave about. If the mist hasn’t rolled in, viewpoints take in green terraces and looming conical mountains, including Mount Fan Si Pan, Vietnam’s tallest peak. Trekkers use Sa Pa as a base to visit nearby minority villages that still practice a traditional way of life.

1. Hoi An

The central coast’s centuries-old ancient port has retained its charm despite the throngs of tourists drawn here by the heady mix of wooden-fronted merchant houses, graceful bridges and ornate temples. At night, colourful lanterns are hung from every shop front and light up the narrow streets of the atmospheric old town, casting a romantic shimmer over the Thu Bon River.

Source: https://www.roughguides.com

Discover famous tourist attractions in Ben Tre

VietNamNet Bridge – A pristine area of coconut trees and large fruit gardens has made Ben Tre one of the nation’s precious green ecological complexes.

As one of the major agricultural suppliers in the Mekong Delta, Ben Tre is a province of fertile flatlands, extensive waterways, sand-hillocks, green paddy fields and lush orchards. Here, visitors have the chance to enjoy various agricultural produces, especially fruits such as coconut, durian, shaddock, etc. 

The special feature of Ben Tre is the vast green orchards where visitors are allowed to pick fresh fruits from the trees and try as they want. Cultural and historical destinations such as Dua Religion Site, Tuyen Linh Pagoda and Dong Khoi Village are also well-known tourist attractions in Ben Tre.

Tuyen Linh Temple

Tuyen Linh Temple was built from bamboo in 1861 near the Tan Huong channel in Minh Duc, Mo Cay, Ben Tre. The temple was firstly named Tien Linh, and led by Abbot Khanh Phong. 

In 1907, a monk name Le Khanh Hoa, an expert in Buddhism, was appointed to lead the temple and then in 1930, he renamed the temple “Tuyen Linh” with the term “Tuyen” referring to propaganda. 

This place is famous not only because of the uniqueness of its design, but the historic events that happened here. The temple became a national historic site in 1994 and on May 19th of every year, there is a festival held here to celebrate the birth of Uncle Ho.    

Tuyen Linh Temple has been visited several times by Deputy Nguyen Sinh Sac, father of Uncle Ho. When staying here, Nguyen Sinh Sac opened classes to teach children, cure the residents’ diseases and discuss national affairs with Abbot Le Khanh Hoa. 

This was also the place that Nguyen Sinh Sac met Tran Van An, Huynh Khac Man and Le Van Phat, some of the first members of Ben Tre’s Communist Party. 

During the two wars of resistance, the temple also hid and fed many members of the Communist Party, so that it was bombarded many times and badly damaged.  However, it has also been repaired many times and in 1999 was reconstructed on the original site.  

In the future, a museum will be built at this temple to honor its remarkable history.

Cai Mon orchards

Cai Mon is located on the bank of the Tien River in Tien Thuy village, Vinh Thanh commune, Cho Lach District and Ben Tre Province. Cai Mon orchard is considered the cradle of fruit trees in South Vietnam, its small and narrow paths covered with green trees bearing heavy sweet fruits. 

Cai Mon farming village also provides millions of breeding-tree types such as durian, mangosteen, sweet mango, seedless longan, langsat and varieties of citrus. There are also many graft and multiplication artisans who create the diversity of bonsai shapes with spectacular figures of deer, stag, dragon, phoenix, etc. The products are widely sold in Thu Duc, Bien Hoa, and exported to many Asian countries.

To tourists who want to discover the village of South feaure, Cai Mon is an ideal place where they can enjoy fresh fruits in any season of the year.

Vam Ho Bird Sanctuary

Vam Ho is a submerged region in Ba Tri, Ben Tre, which is 52 km east of Ben Tre Borough and 120km south of Ho Chi Minh City.  

This spectacular place contains many wild forests with a great variety of trees including water coconut, date, mangrove, reed and Avicenna.  

This is a favorite destination of many animals, especially birds, to which the region is dedicated.  

There are about 84 species of birds in 35 classes, including 500,000 storks.  From April to October is the best time to see the storks, as this is when they take refuge in Vam Ho to produce and raise their young.

The birds can be seen during the day, but early evening after 5pm is the most exciting time to watch them.  At sunset, great flocks of storks thousands of members strong fly over the Ba Lai River to turn around under a glowing sky and land in the green forest. 

The sound of thousands of birds playing, dancing and whooping becomes the enchanting song of the jungle.  In addition to the song of the storks are the varied rhythms and calls of other birds mixed with the sound of leaves, which makes a silent summer’s night shimmer with excitement.

Inside the Vam Ho Bird Sanctuary, visitors have a chance to travel around by boat, penetrate the submerged forest and step along narrow bamboo bridges to fill their chests with the purified air of a well-preserved wetland.  

Also, travelers can rest under the shadow of the forest or visit relics of resistance from the Vietnamese – American War.    

Con Qui or Qui islet

Lying far from the central of Ben Tre Township about 22km by waterway, Qui islet is a new land with wild beauty and many orchards. Tourists coming here will enjoy fresh fruits while listening to “don ca tai tu”- amateur folk music, a typical characteristic of Mekong Delta. 

Qui Islet, the smallest islet in Ben Tre, is a sandbank with the area of 65 hectares in Tien Giang River, between 2 communes, Tan Thach and Quoi Son, of Chau Thanh district. 

There are many orchards such as sapodila, longan, grapefruit, etc. As a new land, Qui islet is still wild. The violet-white cork flowers skim on water surface and sway lightly in the wind. Green nipas stretch along the river endlessly and flutter on the waves. The cottages loom in the orchards of heavy fruits. The country girls, who wearloose-fitting blouses, drive motor boats or paddle their fruits to market.

When sitting in windy spacious houses, the floating pavilions or restaurants, tourists can see purple water hyacinths. 

The restaurants are made of bamboo and nipa leaves. Visitors can enjoy popular special dishes here such as sour soup with pangasius krempfi, cork and spinach; red African carp steamed with termite castings and pumpkin flowers; anabas or pseudapocryptes elongatus or snakehead fish cooked in fish sauce on bowl. 

While listening to the harmonious sound of amateur folk music and songs, tourist can enjoy fresh fruits and sip a cup of honey tea (the homemade product). The amateur folk music and song has existed for a long time in Ben Tre. 

Bee-keeping villages

Favored by good climate, with low rate of whirlwind and tropical typhoons, and all-year-round orchards, Ben Tre is considered appropriate to bee-keeping. Going on village paths in Chau Thanh, Giong Trom, Mo Cay and Cho Lach Districts, visitors can witness interesting scenes of honey vendors bustling and jostling along the way inviting visitors to buy or just taste their honey. 

Coconut handicraft villages

Making fine handicraft products is one of the characteristics of Ben Tre, because this is the homeland of coconut. In the hands of the dexterous worker-artists here, any single piece of coconut material may turn into fine items with great charm, such as animal statuettes, human face statuettes, etc.

Coconut candy is another kind of Ben Tre speciality and a traditional product, which is sold both in domestic stores and exported to many countries. Visitors can find these products mostly in Chau Thanh (Con Phung, Con Quy, An Hoa) and Giong Trom Districts. For coconut candy, visitors can go straight to buy directly from the makers on Dong Khoi Boulevard in the Township downtown.

Rice paper cake villages

For the moment, the banh trang and banh phong (rice paper cakes) in My Long and Son Doc, Giong Trom District, are best known for their fine taste. 

Though the main materials to make these cakes are husked rice and sticky rice, the makers of the cakes seem to hold their know-how in secret and are resolute in keeping them from being leaked to outsiders. 

They are also keen to update secrets to produce finer and finer cakes to serve to modern customers around the world. 

Phung Islet

Phung Islet is on Tien River in Tan Thach, Chau Thanh, and only 12km from the center of Ben Tre City. The islet is famous for its lush array of fruits, especially coconuts, but also for the delicious specialty dishes of southeastern Vietnam. 

Visitors can reach the islet by boat.  After taking their time on the islet, they can continue to ride along the river, visiting the handicraft and coconut candy factories, and disembark to catch a coach to tropical gardens. 

Here they can rest under a canopy of coconut leaves, sip tea with fresh honey and blueberries, while listening to the beautiful melodies of traditional music.

Phung Islet is also known for holding the Relic of the Coconut Religion, which once spread over 1,500 km² of Ben Tre. 

The Coconut Religion (or Moderate religion) was created in the 1940s by Nguyen Thanh Nam. The main policy of this belief was to combine the essences of different religions such as Buddhism and Christianity, and pray for the good of all peoples and nations.

Fortunately, the relic remains intact on the 9 Dragons Ground, where cardinals would give speeches. There is also an enigmatic tower made from pieces of broken plates, bowls and cups of the followers.

Another special point about Phung islet is that the daily lives of residents are centered around making handicrafts from the coconut tree. 

Visitors who come here can witness the process of making coconut candies and other souvenirs, and pick something to take home as a present. 

Due to the high quality and specialty of coconut products on Phung Islet the prices are a bit higher than elsewhere, but this quality cannot be found anywhere else.  

If travelers feel hungry, they can eat with local residents who will serve their everyday meal of simple but delicious foods. Weary travelers can also have a nap under the shadow of garden trees, or take part in exciting activities like photographing ostriches or watching crocodiles!

Oc Islet 

Oc Islet is the largest floating islet in the Ham Luong River, about 15 km away from Ben Tre City. It has a natural area of 647ha. Initially, it was only a little islet with many snails clinging on submerged plants on the alluvial bed; hence, it was called the snail islet.

Oc Islet is the home of many endemic species of fruit trees such as Num coconut, green skin … grapefruit of better quality than other regions.

Conical top coconut is planted in alluvium soil of Oc Islet with a sweet taste and more milk. Green skin grapefruit citrus here is pink, seedless, not pungent, very tasty with a sour taste. 

Coming to Oc Islet, visitors can go sightseeing at unique coconut garden with different varieties and enjoy a well-ventilated space. 

Tourists can meet “the old experienced farmer” Do Thanh Thuong (Tam Thuong) “Coconut King” who owns more than 20 varieties of coconut. He can talk abouttechniques to create high productivity with tourists who can also enjoy rustic country garden dishes. 

Dai Dien ancient house

The house is located in Dai Dien commune, Thanh Phu district. There is a beautiful large old house of Huynh clan. Though hundreds of years have passed, the house still conveys the character of the plains and the ancient splendor of a wealthy landlord.

The house is in airy space, with perimeter about 100 meters, including all 48 columns of precious wood such as ironwood. Many text columns are carved with ancient unique characters. In the worship room, there is a pair of vermillion lacquered and gilded wood panels. 

The conch shell has an iridescent color of second-grade material. The roofs have tiles printed with folk activities such as chicken, crab, rice bundles, and shepherds riding buffalo. 

The house has a unique architecture but now suffers from the erosion of time. Previously, the Dai Dien House was built witha front hall, back hall, but now the house just has the worship room. 

Revolutionary Museum

The museum is set in an old yellow two-storey villa in French architectural style in Ben Tre with the museum front towards the river. It has the usual assortment of rusty weapons and war stuff, including an aircraft, a few bombs and field guns. There is also an interesting photographic display which includes a small archeological part but also a part dedicated to Vietnam’s revolutionary struggle.

Vien Minh Pagoda

In the centre of Ben Tre is the Vien Minh Pagoda, which is also the head office of the Buddhist Association of Ben Tre Province. In front of this pagoda you will see a large white statue of Quan The Am Bo That (goddess of mercy). The wooden shrine originally built here around 100 years agowas demolished to build this concrete and stone building between 1951 and 1958. One of the monks who lived here wrote the Chinese calligraphy that adorns the pagoda.

Compiled by Pha Le

(Follow: http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/travel/165343/discover-famous-tourist-attractions-in-ben-tre.html)