Lonely Planet Vietnam: Perfect for exploring top sights and taking roads less travelled (Travel Guide)

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Reaching out into the East Sea like an enormous hand, the mighty Mekong Delta marks the end point of Southeast Asia’s longest river – a 4350km (2700 mile) monster, rising on the Tibetan plateau and emptying to the south of Ho Chi Minh City. This waterlogged wonderland is Vietnam’s rice bowl, nurturing a network of sleepy towns and stilt villages whose residents use the river as their primary artery for life and trade. Vietnam’s Nguyen Dynasty held court in Hue until 1945, and the city’s damaged but still impressive historic relics feel somehow closer to imperial China than to the rest of Southeast Asia. However, for many travelers, it’s all about the food. More than half of Vietnam's estimated 3000 local dishes are believed to have originated in Hue, from the vermicelli-noodle-based bun bo Hue and crispy banh khoai pancakes topped with shrimp and pork to canapé-like, soft-and-crunchy banh ram it dumplings. The lavish imperial cuisine known as am thuc cung dinh – created by the emperors’ loyal chefs – can still be sampled in some of Hue's top restaurants, such as Thin Gia Vien and Hoang Phu. Illegal drugs aren’t hard to find on the traveler circuit in Vietnam, but the penalties, if you’re caught by the police, can be severe – even for possession of small amounts. Many travelers have ended up in Vietnamese jails for drug offenses, and the death penalty can be applied in drug cases. If you are inclined to toke while you travel, it’s only a short hop to Thailand, where the consumption of marijuana in food and drinks has been decriminalized for now. 20. Shop responsibly Many of Vietnam’s top hikes are best attempted with local support. The tropical terrain can be challenging, the weather can be unpredictable and you’ll need someone who speaks the local languages to make arrangements for meals and accommodation in hill-tribe communities. If you combine a trek with a village homestay – which we heartily recommend – it’s possible to escape the crowds and find the hospitality and captivating culture that first put Vietnam on the travel map.

Planning tip: The best time for a beach trip varies as you move around the country. In central Vietnam, skies are brightest from January to August, while December to April is the beach window on the south coast, and northern Vietnam sees plenty of dry days from October to April. 15. Float on the Mekong Delta While locals are happy to help out, Vietnam is not an easy destination for travelers with disabilities, despite the fact that many locals have mobility issues as a result of injuries sustained during the Vietnam War. Vietnam gets a soaking from the southwest monsoon from May to September and the northeast monsoon from October to April, making this a highly seasonal destination. Flight and accommodation prices soar when the weather is good, and drop when the skies open, but the climate varies as you move around the country – you can usually find somewhere to explore even at the height of the rainy season. In keeping with Buddhist precepts, many vendors and eateries go vegetarian on the 1st and 15th days of each lunar month; this is a great time to scour the markets and sample dishes that would otherwise be off-limits. Otherwise, be wary. Even vegetable dishes are likely to have been cooked with fish sauce or shrimp paste, so it can be easier to say that you are a vegetarian Buddhist to a potential cook, even if you aren't, as most Vietnamese people will understand what this means. A year in food If you prefer to travel independently, come with a travel companion, and rent a vehicle with a driver (minivans are available, and can often fit a folding wheelchair) or use open tour buses. Boats and trains, sadly, are not particularly accessible, but with assistance, you may be able to travel in “soft” class carriages without too much trouble.

Be wary of taxi scams

That said, sometimes you can pay a few more dollars and fly – the more convenient but less sustainable option. Vietnam has several budget airlines, which offer cheap fares but are notorious for being late and strictly enforcing carry-on limits. The national carrier, Vietnam Airlines, has better service and comparable pricing if booked in advance.

Vietnam has a lively drinking culture and a long history of fermenting and distilling – but drinking and eating are usually separate activities. Beer drinking became hugely popular under French rule, and today, each region of the country produces its own lager beers, with Bia Saigon and 333 dominating the south, Huda selling well in Central Vietnam, and Bia Hanoi being the default in the north. Different bus companies offer different levels of comfort. At the top of the scale are deluxe sleeper services between major cities, with minimal stops en route. You’ll get a reclining seat or even a seat that converts into a horizontal bed, but you’ll need earplugs to sleep through the onboard karaoke sessions and screenings of music videos and martial arts films. Companies such as The Sinh Tourist and Mai Linh Express offer online booking. There is a caveat, however – book directly with operators where possible. If you go through an agency, you’ll pay more, and some travelers have reported not getting the services and standards they were expecting when booking through third parties. 6. Factor sleeper buses and trains into your itinerary Every trip has to start somewhere, and the ideal point of arrival for first timers is Vietnam’s historic capital. As well as easy infrastructure, inexpensive accommodation, world-class dining and more history than you’ll ever have time to take in, Hanoi is the leaping-off point for the islands and outcrops around Halong Bay and the forest-draped trails of the mountainous northwest. Give yourself time to graze through Vietnam’s catalog of street food treats, and pause to soak up the atmosphere in cozy cafes in the Old Quarter as well as rush around the sights. Detour off the regular Vietnam tourist trail in Ba Be National Park, an essential destination for adventurous travelers, with towering limestone mountains, plunging valleys and evergreen forests. Waterfalls, caves and lakes combine in a landscape that sustains over 550 different plants and hundreds of different bird and animal species. Explore Ba Be’s natural spectacle by boat or on trekking and mountain-biking excursions, before relaxing and recharging in the rustic homestays and village guesthouses of the local Tay ethnic minority. Thuy Son

Cat Tien National Park covers 72,000 hectares (177,916 acres) of lowland tropical rainforest that teems with biodiversity. While there are elephants and leopards hiding amid the foliage, you’re more likely to spot primates such as gibbons, pygmy lorises and langurs, alongside reptiles, amphibians and myriad bird species. Yet there is plenty to see in the cave, with parts of it illuminated by two dolines – or sinkholes – that can flood the cave with beams of spectacular sunlight. Within its depths are the world’s largest stalagmites and a jungle with trees up to 50m high. 'You can see up to 1.5km,' says Limbert, 'but the cave’s own weather system can make clouds that are spectacular but cut down visibility.'

Breathtaking landscapes appear at every turn in Vietnam. From the window of a trundling train you'll witness an endless patchwork of impossible-green rice paddies, while in Halong Bay a horizon studded with incisor-like limestone islands makes an ethereal sight. From Mui Ne in the deep south, where you can wonder at a Sahara-esque scene of wind-sculpted sand dunes from the basket of a hot-air balloon, to the stupendous karst mountains of the far north, Vietnam offers up a bewitching array of superlative landscapes. Halong Bay Many families give Vietnam bonus points for its food – while dishes may be unfamiliar, they’re rarely spicy (heat is usually added separately in the form of chili sauces). Crispy Vietnamese pancakes, banh mi sandwiches, bowls of pho (noodle soup), fried spring rolls and bun cha (grilled pork with vermicelli noodles) usually go down well. Eating and drinking get the most out of your gastronomic experience as we reveal the regional dishes and drinks you have to try This depends on the age of your tiny travelers. Beach hubs such as Nha Trang and Phu Quoc will work for most age groups. You’ll also get mileage from urban adventures in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and boat cruises around Halong Bay. For older kids and teens, the highlands around Sapa and Dalat offer lots of action, from trekking and canyoning to mountain biking and caving, while the central coast dishes out water sports galore. Best things to do in Vietnam with babies and toddlers

Get connected

There’s no need to fly to Vietnam. Trains and buses provide easy access from China, with smooth connections from Nanning through to Hanoi, and from Kunming to Hanoi via Lao Cai. If you’re heading south or west, international buses run daily to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) from Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville in Cambodia and to Hue from Savannakhet in Laos. Sex tourism is an unwelcome legacy of the American War, but it’s usually easy to spot – and avoid – places where the sex trade takes place. Be wary of bars, karaoke lounges and massage parlors with scantily clad staff and lots of pink or red neon. Note that some hotels refuse to allow foreign men to share rooms with Vietnamese women – which can lead to headaches for genuine couples with an Asian partner. 19. Give drugs a pass

The scenery in Cat Ba National Park in Halong Bay is almost impossibly green, with beds of moss and forest glades exhibiting a spectrum of emerald, lime, chartreuse and other hues. And this vivid landscape is best experienced on foot, starting from the park headquarters at Trung Trang. While guides are not obligatory, they’ll help you get closer to the wildlife: be sure to keep an eye out for golden-headed langurs, the world’s most endangered primate. As with anywhere in the tropics, there are tropical illnesses to be aware of in Vietnam. See your doctor at least a month before you travel to get up to date with vaccinations, and arrange anti-malarial medication if you plan to visit rural areas. Where to try it: Served over thread-like bun noodles, bun cha is made from artfully seasoned barbecued pork patties; enjoy it at its best at Bun Cha 34 in Hanoi. Buns of all kinds, from Chinese bao to French baguettes Traffic in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City can seem terrifying at first glance. Just walking across the street during rush hour can feel like an impossible task! But there is method to the madness and, like a school of fish, the traffic will inevitably glide around you as long as you keep moving at a slow and steady pace. If unsure, do as the locals do and raise one hand high to be seen above the sea of helmets. There are several different routes between Vietnam’s two biggest cities, depending on whether you like beaches, mountains or smooth highways, but for the best balance between driving time (about two weeks) and excellent scenery, hit the Ho Chi Minh Highway, part of which was once used to transport soldiers and supplies during the Vietnam War.

Be open

Planning tip: Various viewpoints vie for the title of best vista in Vietnam – yes, that’s a lot of ‘v’s – but the lookouts gazing over the Dong Van Karst Plateau are strong contenders. The area is designated as a Unesco Geopark, and the trip from Yen Minh to Dong Van and over the Mai Pi Leng Pass to Meo Vac is particularly spectacular. 11. Find a perfect cup of coffee in the Central Highlands International favorites such as pizzas and pasta are easily available for tots who turn their noses up at things they haven’t tried before. Then there’s Vietnam’s fabulous catalog of tropical fruit and fruit smoothies – every day you’ll find new textures and flavors to sample. Toolkit - all of the planning tools for solo travellers, LGBTQIA+ travellers, family travellers and accessible travel Metered taxis in Vietnam are very affordable by global standards. Unfortunately, some drivers in tourist areas refuse to use the meter, and we hear regular stories of meters being rigged to ramp up fares. If you take cabs, rides booked through the Grab app tend to be cheaper than taxis hailed in the street. Parts of the limestone ceiling have collapsed, bringing in natural sunlight, so Hang Son Doong contains an entire rainforest ecosystem with flying foxes, rare langurs, and even a small population of tigers. Since 2012, one tour company – Oxalis Adventure – has been allowed to take a strictly limited number of visitors into Hang Son Doong on challenging four-day treks; the price is stratospheric but so is the scenery. 13. Walk with the ghosts of French Indochina in Ho Chi Minh City