Vietnam

A popular travel destination within Vietnam, Ha Long Bay is a breathtakingly beautiful collection of isles and limestone karsts in various sizes and shapes. The UNESCO World Heritage Site has an area of over 43,400 hectares and houses over 1,600 islets within that.

Many of the islands are hollow and have enormous caves visitors can explore; the largest grotto in the Ha Long Bay is Hang Dau Go, or the Wooden Stakes Cave. Visitors will come across limestone that is over 500 million years in the making under various weather conditions. The spectacular seascape offers beautiful scenery that visitors from all over the world come to appreciate. Ha Long Bay Map

Found in Mui Ne, the White Sands Dunes of Vietnam, or Bao Trang, is approximately five hours away from Ho Chi Minh City. A completely unusual atmosphere compared to the wet, tropical environment Vietnam is known for, the beautiful desert with its sand dunes is one of the only ones in all of Southeast Asia.

What makes the desert even more special is the lagoon that sits right in the middle of it completely covered in lotus flowers; visitors will be able to take some beautiful photographs of this and the surrounding area. Nearby, visitors will be able to see a small, cool pine forest as well as Mui Ne’s coastal area approximately an hour away. Bao Trang The White Sand Dunes Map

Cao Dai Holy See is a lavish temple that is also the headquarters of the Cao Dai movement. Founded in 1926, the followers believe that many spiritual figures such as Jesus Christ, Buddha, Prophet Mohammed, Joan of Arc, and Victor Hugo were all prophets of the same universal truth.

There are many temples dedicated to the cause throughout the country, but Cao Dai Holy See is definitely the most impressive. The temple is distinguishable because of its carved ornamentation, vaulted mosque-like pillars, and bright colors. There are many travel companies that offer transportation and tours of the lovely attraction from Ho Chi Minh City. Cao Dai Holy See Map

Every Sunday, minority groups from all over come together for the Bac Ha Market in Northwest Vietnam. An extravagant event that allows visitors to get a feel for the country’s community and culture, the marketplace is filled with music, sounds, and bright colors. The people meet here, dressed in costumes, to sell a variety of goods and catch up with old friends.

Visitors will be able to see livestock such as cows, buffalo, goats, fish, and other animals traded; they can also go back home with handmade souvenirs for friends and family. There are various restaurants and food stalls surrounding the market where visitors can try delicious traditional cuisine and the special corn wine. Bac Ha Market Map

A group of sixteen islands, Con Dao Islands can be found off the southern coast of Vietnam. During the French colonial era, the islands served as a holding cell for political prisoners; they were then used by the Saigon regime to imprison opponents. Visitors can still see the old prison buildings and see an important part of Vietnam’s history.

There is also a small museum that holds interesting information and artifacts for visitors to explore. Considered one of Vietnam’s most popular attractions, Con Dau now attracts people because of its striking natural beauty; visitors will be able to see stunning beaches, scenic bays, coral reefs, and areas covered in thick forests. These make the islands perfect for wildlife-watching, hiking, diving, and exploring deserted areas. Con Dao Islands Map

Full of geological and archaeological wonders, Dong Van Karst Plateau is a striking aspect of northern Vietnam. Consisting of mountain ranges and narrow valleys, Dong Van Karst is one of only 77 geological parks in the world. The area is over 2,300 square kilometers wide and houses Dong Van Town right in the heart of it all.

Excavations of the area have proven it to be a fascinating landscape; archaeologists have found stone tools dating back over 30,000 years ago. Presently, visitors are invited to hike and explore the lands to admire its stunning beauty. They will be able to leave Vietnam with some breathtaking panoramas of the unique geopark. Dong Van Karst Plateau Map

The Fire Breathing Dragon Bridge is exactly what it sounds like – a bridge with a dragon that breathes fire. The 1,864-foot-long bridge has a steel dragon embedded into its side that playfully shoots fire as well as water from its mouth. The bridge itself opened in 2013 to commemorate the 38th anniversary of the taking of the city of Da Nang during the Vietnam War. The metallic dragon is a sight to behold, especially from the six lanes of traffic that drive beneath the giant; it was modeled after a sculpture from the Ly Dynasty and is illuminated with over 2,500 LED lights, making it even more mesmerizing at night. Map

Categorized as the world’s largest cave, Hang Son Doong, or Mountain River Cave, was discovered in 1991 and now offers exploratory tours to the public. The cave was long avoided by the locals because of the huge vertical drop and the sound of the fast-moving underground river that came from within but was ultimately found by resident Ho-Khanh. The largest chamber in the cave is over five kilometers long and over 200 meters tall; there’s even a jungle inside the cave. Visitors can spend days inside Hang Don Doong, camping within its beauty, and explore the flora and fauna that can be found inside. Map

Located inside the National University of Hanoi, the Hanoi Zoological Museum, or Bao tang Dong vat, is a French-Colonial era collection of taxidermized specimens. There are three sections in the museum, and visitors can be guided through the exhibits by the museum’s director himself, Mr. Vu Ngoc Thanh. One of the most popular exhibits there is a large skeleton of an elephant. The rooms are filled with various other stuffed birds, fish, amphibians, and mammals. To explore the collection, visitors will have to call in advance and set up an appointment; there are no specified daily hours open to the public.

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is the final resting place of Vietnam’s revolutionary leader, Ho Chi Minh. The large building can be found in Ba Dinh Square and is open to the public for visitors to explore. The mausoleum has been around since 1975 and has distinct Vietnamese architectural elements. Visitors will also be able to explore the surrounding gardens, which are filled with over 250 species of flowers and plants. The mausoleum itself is protected by a military honor guard, and you will see many visitors and foreign dignitaries paying their respects to Ho Chi Minh every morning.