Things to do in 

Vietnam

Find alternative things to do in Vietnam, stepping into workshops, villages, and quiet waterways where daily life moves at an easy, welcoming pace.

Cultural experiences: In Hanoi, cross Long Bien Bridge to the Red River’s Banana Island for a garden walk and simple cooking in a family home just 10 minutes from the Old Quarter; families love the hands-on meal. In Hue, craft and fly a bamboo-and-silk kite in a small workshop near the Imperial City, then share tea with the maker; seniors appreciate the unhurried setting. In Hoi An, ferry to Kim Bong Carpentry Village to sand a paddle with a boatbuilder and cycle flat lanes between workshops; couples enjoy the river breeze. In Ho Chi Minh City, slip into a Cholon temple alley for a short calligraphy demo and tea tasting near Binh Tay Market, guided by a soft-spoken master.

Day trip ideas: From Hanoi, ride to Ninh Binh’s Trang An for a rowboat through caves and karst valleys, then bike the flat roads to Hoa Lu. From Hue, head 30 minutes north to Tam Giang Lagoon for a sampan ride at golden hour and a seafood hut dinner on stilts. From Da Lat, visit small coffee farms around Langbiang for roast-to-cup tastings and forest walks. From Ho Chi Minh City, go to Can Gio Biosphere Reserve for mangrove channels and a quiet stretch of coast, with a seafood stop at a simple wharf café.

Explore Vietnam’s regions: In the Northern Mountains, base in Sapa for terrace walks around Y Linh Ho or travel farther to Ha Giang for loop views and Hmong markets; both are reachable from Hanoi. Across the Red River Delta, pair Hanoi’s craft streets with Ninh Binh’s rivers and pagodas. Along the Central Coast, link Hue’s imperial sites, Da Nang’s Marble Mountains, and Hoi An’s lantern-lit lanes with short rides. In the Central Highlands, cool off in Da Lat’s pine hills and visit coffee country around Buon Ma Thuot. Down in the Mekong Delta, glide Ben Tre’s canals and catch the night market in Can Tho before a sunrise boat ride.

Travel tip: Give Vietnam 10–14 days for either the north or the south, or 16–21 days if you’re traveling tip to tail; trains and short flights help you keep a relaxed pace.

More places to see in Vietnam

Beyond Hanoi, the country opens up with rivers, caves, old capitals, and markets that start before sunrise.

Ninh Binh: Glide by rowboat through Trang An’s caves while the morning is still calm, then climb the Hang Mua steps for wide views over the rice fields. Tuck into a simple lunch near Bich Dong Pagoda and walk the stone paths between the lotus ponds and shrines.

Phong Nha–Ke Bang: Head underground to Paradise Cave for cool air and towering chambers, then take a boat on the Son River into Phong Nha Cave to see ancient carvings and limestone drapery. In the evening, find a riverside table in the village and try grilled pork skewers with cold sugarcane juice.

Hue: Start the day with a steaming bowl of bun bo Hue at a corner shop, then wander the Imperial City’s gates and moats while it’s still quiet. Later, ride a dragon boat up the Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda and watch the sun sink behind its octagonal tower.

Mekong Delta: Be on the water at first light for Can Tho’s Cai Rang floating market, where vendors cook breakfast on their boats and pass bowls across the deck. Drift through small canals near Ben Tre, stop for fresh coconut candy at a family workshop, and cycle shaded paths between fruit orchards in the afternoon.

Seasonal activities

Spring: Watch cities shift into festival mode around Tet, with peach blossoms in the north and marigolds in the south, temple courtyards scented with incense. Wander lantern-lit evenings in Hoi An and join gentle morning walks around Hanoi’s lakes, an easy pace for families and seniors alike.

Summer: Head for breezy beaches from Da Nang to Phu Quoc, time swims and snorkels before brief afternoon downpours roll through. Sail limestone karsts in Ha Long Bay at sunrise and linger over seafood by the water, with private boat days and shaded pool time appealing to couples and families.

Fall: Follow the rice harvest into the terraced hills of Sapa and Mu Cang Chai, where golden slopes glow under clear northern skies. Taste mooncakes and spot lion dances during the Mid-Autumn Festival, then settle into Hanoi’s café corners for cool evenings that suit unhurried explorers and photographers.

Winter: Expect crisp days in the north and balmy sunshine in the south, perfect for Saigon street-food strolls and Mekong Delta boat life. Warm up with steaming bowls of pho between Old Quarter galleries, or fly south to lounge by riverside resorts, a comfortable choice for seniors and luxury-minded travellers.

Across the year, recurring celebrations shape the rhythm of travel: Tet Nguyen Dan in late January or February fills streets with flowers and family visits, while Mid-Autumn in September brings lantern parades and mooncakes. Look for Hoi An’s monthly Full Moon Lantern Festival, the spring pilgrimage to the Perfume Pagoda near Hanoi, and summer’s Da Nang International Fireworks Festival lighting up the Han River.