7 Epic Places in Vietnam Every Local Is Proud of

Rice terraces in Vietnam
Rice terraces in Vietnam | © Nguyen Anh Tuan/Flickr
Dung Phan

Sometimes you get those “wow” travel moments when you see something so captivating that you think that moment alone has made an entire trip worthwhile. These are often the places that locals are most proud of. Read on to discover those places that make Vietnamese people proud.

Ban Gioc Waterfall

The road to Ban Gioc Waterfall might be tricky, but that’s part of the fun! At the end of an epic motorbike road trip you’ll find Vietnam’s largest, most majestic cascade. At 30 metres high and 300 metres wide, it’s certainly impressive. Seeing Ban Gioc is simultaneously exhilarating — especially seeing the river reaches the ledge and pour over sharply — and restful, with the surrounding rice fields, wooden bridges, and limestone mountains.

Ban Gioc Waterfall

Son Doong Cave

Son Doong Cave

Mu Cang Chai Rice Terraces

Nothing beats the peace you encounter Mu Cang Chai Rice Terrace, about 280km from Hanoi. The steep slopes and seemingly endless curves of the golden green rice terraces create a fascinating pattern across the hills and valleys. The best time to visit is during the harvest season, in September and October.

Mu Cang Chai

Sand Dunes in Mui Ne

Just three to four hours drive from Ho Chi Minh City, Mui Ne’s red and white sand dunes are unmissable. A stroll onto the dunes at dusk will often be rewarded with a dazzling blaze of colour: amber, crimson and blue.

Mui Ne White Sand Dunes

Ta Xua Mountain

It’s easy to imagine yourself in a fairytale while standing at Ta Xua Mountain. Far less known than Fansipan Mountain, Ta Xua is the 10th highest mountain in Vietnam. It is an extremely challenging place to visit for its cliffs, tricky routes, and heavy wind, and has acquired a notoriety that means not many people visit. Yet the sea of clouds that float all around make this a truly amazing sight.

Sun Rise at Ta Xua

Con Dao Islands

The Con Dao Islands were a prison colony during French rule and the American-backed period of Vietnam’s history. This knowledge casts a forbidding shadow over the quiet town, but the place that once, nobody wanted to go is now one of the most spectacular unspoiled destinations in Vietnam. There are numerous beautiful beaches and wild, untamed forests.

Sunset at Con Dao Islands

Tra Su Cajuput Forest

Tra Su is a beautiful place, a blend of the empty wilderness of the flooded cajuput forests and laid-back Mekong Delta communities. The area is quite rugged, with many wild birds, lotus, duckweed and water lilies.

Tra Su Forest

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

Culture Trip Spring Sale

Save up to $1,100 on our unique small-group trips! Limited spots.

X
Edit article