Things to Do in Vietnam: Top Attractions, Tours & Tickets

#1War Remnants MuseumMustSouthern Vietnam4.5(42,000)

The museum is a direct, emotionally heavy account of the Vietnam War and its consequences. Go early and allow time to read rather than treating it as a quick photo stop.

2h Walk upArrive at opening, especially on weekends.

Pairs with: Saigon Central Post Office · Ho Chi Minh City

#2Hạ Long BayMustNorthern Vietnam4.6(8,500)

The limestone seascape is one of Vietnam's defining landscapes, best understood from the water rather than as a day-trip checkbox. An overnight cruise gives the bay its quietest and most convincing moments, though the itinerary matters as much as the boat.

24h Book aheadAn overnight itinerary avoids the busiest middle-of-the-day day-cruise window.

Book a reputable overnight cruise in advance, particularly for weekends and holiday periods.

Pairs with: Hanoi

#3HanoiMustNorthern Vietnam

Hanoi is the country’s most layered city break: street-food culture, lakeside wandering, colonial remnants and major national-history sites all sit close together. Give it enough unstructured time to walk, eat and absorb the city beyond its headline monuments.

FreeExplore the Old Quarter early in the morning, before traffic and tour groups build.

Pairs with: Temple Of Literature · Hoa Lo Prison Relic · Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

#4Ho Chi Minh CityMustSouthern Vietnam

The city is Vietnam at its fastest and most commercially energetic, with strong food, coffee and contemporary urban life alongside its war-era landmarks. Build in time for neighborhoods and meals rather than treating it only as an airport gateway.

FreeStart major sights in the morning, then use late afternoon and evening for street life and food.

Pairs with: War Remnants Museum · Saigon Central Post Office · Cu Chi Tunnel

#5Hue Historic CitadelMustCentral Coast4.5(40,000)

Hue is the clearest place to understand Vietnam's imperial past, and the citadel anchors a city that rewards a slower historical visit. Pair it with a tomb excursion or riverfront wandering rather than seeing only the main enclosure.

3h Walk upEnter at opening, before both heat and day-tour groups intensify.

Pairs with: My Son · Hoi An Ancient Town

#6Hoi An Ancient TownMustCentral Coast

Hoi An is Vietnam's most atmospheric historic town, where compact lanes, food and riverside evenings work best without a rigid sightseeing agenda. Stay overnight so you can experience it after day-trippers leave and use it as a base for My Son and the coast.

4h Walk upWalk the core early in the morning, then return after dinner for lantern-lit streets.

Pairs with: My Son · The Marble Mountains · Hue Historic Citadel

#7Phong Nha-Ke Bang National ParkMustCentral Coast

The cave country around Phong Nha is among Vietnam's great natural experiences, with options ranging from accessible river caves to serious expeditions. Choose a cave trip suited to your fitness and appetite for adventure, and allow time for the rural setting.

Book aheadBook the earliest available departure and avoid major holiday weekends.

Reserve guided cave excursions ahead, especially for limited-capacity adventure routes.

Pairs with: Hue Historic Citadel · Hoi An Ancient Town

#8Mekong DeltaMustSouthern Vietnam

The delta provides the rural, river-based counterpoint to Ho Chi Minh City's intensity, but quality varies sharply by route and operator. Go beyond the most hurried day-trip circuit if time permits, ideally with an overnight in a smaller riverside base.

Book aheadStart on the water early, before day-trip traffic and midday heat.

Book a small-group or private river itinerary ahead rather than choosing the cheapest same-day city departure.

Pairs with: Ho Chi Minh City · Phú Quốc

#9Cu Chi TunnelShouldSouthern Vietnam4.6(19,000)

This is the most tangible introduction to the guerrilla war landscape outside Ho Chi Minh City. Take it as a half-day historical excursion rather than a substitute for the War Remnants Museum, whose interpretation is more essential.

2.5h Book aheadTake an early departure, before the larger coach groups arrive.

Reserve transport with a small-group operator ahead of time; morning departures are generally the least punishing.

Pairs with: War Remnants Museum · Ho Chi Minh City

#10Temple Of LiteratureShouldNorthern Vietnam4.6(26,000)

This peaceful complex supplies architectural and intellectual context that Hanoi's street life alone does not. Use it as a calm, compact stop between the Old Quarter and the city’s major museums.

1.3h Walk upGo soon after opening or in the later afternoon.

Pairs with: Vietnam Museum of Ethnology · Hanoi · Hoa Lo Prison Relic

#11The Marble MountainsShouldCentral Coast4.4(43,000)

The caves, shrines and lookouts make a worthwhile break between Da Nang and Hoi An. It is best used as a short stop, with modest expectations about the more developed surroundings.

2h Walk upVisit early, before tour buses and the strongest heat.

Pairs with: Dragon Bridge · Hoi An Ancient Town

#12Ho Chi Minh's MausoleumShouldNorthern Vietnam4.5(22,000)

This is the ceremonial center of modern Vietnamese state history, and the surrounding civic complex is as important as the viewing itself. Treat it as a tightly managed morning visit and pair it with a walk around Ba Dinh.

1.5h FreeQueue before the opening period; access is limited and closure schedules apply.

Pairs with: Hanoi · Temple Of Literature

#13My SonShouldCentral Coast4.5(13,000)

These Cham temple ruins offer a vital counterpoint to Vietnam's imperial and wartime history. Visit from Hoi An in the morning, when the site is cooler and its setting feels less tour-led.

2.5h Walk upArrive close to opening to get ahead of organized tours.

Pairs with: Hoi An Ancient Town · Hue Historic Citadel

#14Hoa Lo Prison RelicShouldNorthern Vietnam4.5(24,000)

The former prison gives Hanoi a concentrated, sobering historical stop, with narratives that extend beyond the war most foreign visitors expect. It is compact enough to fit into a central-city afternoon without rushing.

1.5h Walk upWeekday mornings are calmer than weekend afternoons.

Pairs with: Hanoi · Temple Of Literature · Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

#15Vietnam Museum of EthnologyShouldNorthern Vietnam4.6(16,000)

This is Hanoi's best primer on the country’s ethnic diversity, particularly valuable before heading into mountain regions. The outdoor house displays make it more engaging than a conventional object-only museum.

2.5h Walk upWeekday mornings give the outdoor exhibits more breathing room.

Pairs with: Hanoi · Temple Of Literature · Sa Pa

#16Sa PaShouldNorthern Vietnam

Sa Pa is a convenient base for rice-terrace scenery and access to northern highland cultures, but the town itself can feel heavily developed. Use it selectively for guided village walks and landscape, while setting expectations around crowds and weather.

FreeOvernight outside the central town if possible, and start walks early.

Pairs with: Vietnam Museum of Ethnology · Ha Giang Loop

#17Phú QuốcShouldSouthern Vietnam4.4(6,400)

Phú Quốc is Vietnam's easygoing island-resort option, best for beach recovery, boat outings and a slower end to a broader trip. Its appeal depends on choosing a quieter base rather than focusing only on built-up resort strips.

FreeTravel outside peak holiday periods and seek beaches early in the day.

Pairs with: VinWonders Phú Quốc · Mekong Delta

#18Trang An Scenic Landscape ComplexShouldNorthern Vietnam

Trang An delivers the limestone-and-river scenery many visitors hope for in Ninh Binh, with boat routes passing through caves and beneath dramatic karsts. It is a much stronger use of time than treating nearby temples as the sole reason to visit the region.

3h Walk upTake the earliest boat departure for cooler conditions and fewer flotillas.

Pairs with: Bai Dinh Pagoda · Hanoi

#19Ha Giang LoopShouldNorthern Vietnam

This is Vietnam's most dramatic northern road journey, valued for mountain passes, village landscapes and the journey itself rather than a single monument. It is a major commitment and is best done with an experienced driver or a reputable guided operator if you are not fully comfortable riding.

Book aheadTravel on weekdays where possible and begin road days early for clearer roads and light.

Reserve a reputable easy-rider or small-group operator ahead during popular travel periods.

Pairs with: Sa Pa · Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

#20Dragon BridgeIf timeCentral Coast4.5(9,900)

It is a useful Da Nang waterfront landmark rather than a reason to restructure an itinerary. See it on an evening stroll or while crossing between the beach side and the city center.

20m FreeGo after dark, when the bridge is lit and the riverside is more pleasant.

Pairs with: The Marble Mountains · Hoi An Ancient Town

#21Bai Dinh PagodaIf timeNorthern Vietnam4.7(36,000)

This vast modern Buddhist complex is most useful as part of a wider Ninh Binh stay, not as a stand-alone pilgrimage from Hanoi. It contrasts sharply with the older, landscape-led sights nearby and rewards visitors interested in living religious culture.

2h FreeVisit early on a weekday; weekends and religious holidays are especially busy.

Pairs with: Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex · Hanoi

#22Saigon Central Post OfficeIf timeSouthern Vietnam4.4(6,000)

The handsome working post office is a brief but worthwhile colonial-era pause in the center of Ho Chi Minh City. Combine it with nearby civic architecture and do not allocate more than a short visit.

25m FreeDrop in early or near closing time, when tour groups are thinner.

Pairs with: War Remnants Museum · Ho Chi Minh City

#23Ba Na Hills SunWorldNicheCentral Coast4.5(73,000)

This mountaintop theme-park complex is a polished, crowd-heavy diversion rather than an essential expression of Vietnam. Choose it for family entertainment or the spectacle of the Golden Bridge, not instead of Hoi An, Hue or My Son.

6h Walk upArrive at opening and leave before the main afternoon return rush.

Pairs with: Dragon Bridge · The Marble Mountains

#24VinWonders Phú QuốcNicheSouthern Vietnam4.8(19,000)

This large resort amusement park is a practical family option on Phú Quốc, not a defining Vietnamese sight. It makes sense on a beach-resort itinerary or in poor weather, but should not displace time on the island’s coast or at sea.

6h Walk upArrive at opening for shorter waits at the headline rides.

Pairs with: Phú Quốc

#25VinWonders Nha TrangNicheCentral Coast4.8(21,000)

This is a full-scale leisure park for travelers specifically seeking rides and resort entertainment. It has little claim on a short first Vietnam itinerary unless it matches the group’s interests.

6h Walk upGo on a weekday and arrive at opening to reduce queue time.

Pairs with: Phú Quốc