Category: Places to go
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Hung Kings Temple: A Guide to Vietnam’s Ancestral Heritage in Phu Tho
Hung Kings Temple is one of the places where Vietnam’s sense of origin becomes visible. Set on Nghia Linh Mountain in Phu Tho Province, the temple complex is dedicated to the Hung Kings, who are honored as the legendary founders of the Vietnamese nation. For many Vietnamese people, this is not only a historical site.…
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Bai Choi in Hoi An: How to Experience Vietnam’s Folk Game at Night
Bai Choi is one of the easiest cultural experiences to miss in Hoi An, even though it often happens right in the middle of the old town’s evening rhythm. As lanterns glow, the Hoai River darkens, and visitors drift toward the night market, a singer’s voice may rise from a small public gathering. There are…
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Ho Dynasty Citadel: A Quiet Guide to Vietnam’s Stone Fortress in Thanh Hoa
Ho Dynasty Citadel is one of Vietnam’s most quietly powerful heritage sites. Set among fields and low mountains in Thanh Hoa, the old stone fortress does not feel polished or crowded. Its beauty comes from scale, silence, and the strange weight of a former capital reduced to gates, walls, and open land. For travelers moving…
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Dong Ho Folk Paintings: A Guide to Vietnam’s Traditional Woodblock Art
Dong Ho folk paintings are one of the gentlest ways to enter Vietnam’s traditional art world. Made in a small village near Hanoi, these woodblock prints carry the colors of Tet, the humor of village life, and the quiet wishes families once brought into their homes at the start of a new year. For travelers,…
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Yen Tu – Vinh Nghiem – Con Son, Kiep Bac: The Sacred Landscape of Vietnamese Buddhism
Yen Tu – Vinh Nghiem – Con Son, Kiep Bac opens as a long sacred landscape, shaped by mountain paths, old temples, ritual memory, and the spiritual inheritance of Truc Lam Buddhism. UNESCO inscribed the complex on the World Heritage List in 2025, recognizing a serial property of 12 component sites spread across forested mountains,…
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Best Rooftop Bars in Ho Chi Minh City for Skyline Views, Old Saigon Charm, and Late Nights
Ho Chi Minh City does rooftop evenings in its own way. This is not the soft openness of a beach town. It is glass, traffic, old facades, warm air held above the streets, and a skyline that begins to glitter before you quite notice it. For visitors, the easiest way to choose is not by…
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Hanoi Water Puppet Show
Should you see a Hanoi water puppet show? Yes. This is one of the few “touristy” Hanoi activities that’s genuinely worthwhile. At 100,000-200,000 VND for 50 minutes of uniquely Vietnamese cultural performance, water puppetry delivers authentic traditional art that locals actually attend. However, understand you’re seeing cultural theater, not spontaneous entertainment. Hanoi water puppet shows are legitimately…
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Keangnam Hanoi Landmark Tower 72
Should you visit Keangnam Landmark 72 Sky72? Only if you specifically want skyscraper views of modern Hanoi or have 3+ days with major sights covered. At 200,000 VND and 10 km from the Old Quarter, this deck feels sleek and modern. It shows Hanoi’s suburban sprawl, not the charm of the Old Quarter. Therefore, it’s…
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Shopping Malls in Hanoi: Which Ones Are Worth Your Time?
Here’s something most Hanoi travel guides won’t tell you: you don’t need to visit a shopping mall in Hanoi. The street markets, night markets, and Old Quarter shops are more interesting, more unique, and frankly more fun. However, if you’re in Hanoi for more than three days, a thunderstorm rolls in, or you genuinely need…
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Phu Tay Ho (Tay Ho Temple)
Should you visit Phu Tay Ho? Only if you’re already exploring the West Lake area or specifically interested in Vietnamese religious sites. This lakeside temple has beautiful setting and fascinating mythology, but it’s 4km from Old Quarter and often extremely crowded. Therefore, it’s optional rather than essential for most Hanoi visitors. Phu Tay Ho (also…
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Vietnam Military History Museum: Should You Visit It?
Should you visit the Vietnam Military History Museum? It depends. If you’re interested in military history or want comprehensive coverage of Vietnam’s resistance wars, yes. The Vietnam Military History Museum is comprehensive, well-curated, and historically important. Nevertheless, it’s very war-focused, very large (easily 2-3 hours), and inconveniently located. Therefore, visit only if you have genuine…
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Vietnam Museum of Ethnology: Hanoi’s Best Museum
Is the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology worth the trip from Old Quarter? Absolutely yes. After visiting fifteen Hanoi museums, I can confidently say: this is the single best museum in Vietnam, possibly all of Southeast Asia. Moreover, it will fundamentally change how you see Vietnamese culture during the rest of your trip. The Vietnam Museum…
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Hoa Lo Prison Hanoi: Is the “Hanoi Hilton” Worth Visiting?
Should you visit Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi? Yes—if you’re interested in Vietnamese history or colonial legacy. However, understand this upfront: you’ll encounter two very different narratives in one museum. Consequently, Hoa Lo Prison offers a complex, sometimes uncomfortable historical experience that rewards thoughtful visitors. Hoa Lo Prison is Hanoi’s most thought-provoking museum. Moreover, it…
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Hanoi Cafes Open During Tet Vietnam 2026: District-by-District
Planning to stay in Hanoi for Vietnam Tet 2026? Good news – the city’s café scene has never been more holiday-ready. A growing number of specialty roasteries, independent spots, and café chains will remain open through the Tet holiday this year, so you’ll never be far from a quality cup of coffee. This guide breaks…
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Hang Ma Street: Backup Plan When Train Street Is Closed
Traveled to Train Street only to find it closed again? Don’t waste your trip. Walk 5 minutes north to Hang Ma Streetinstead. Honestly, you’ll discover one of Hanoi’s most photogenic streets exploding with red lanterns, gold paper offerings, and colorful festival decorations. Hang Ma Street delivers the colorful, Instagram-worthy photos tourists want from Hanoi, plus genuine cultural insight…
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Hanoi Temples to Visit
Every year, as the Lunar New Year approaches, Hanoi transforms. Streets fill with incense. Kumquat trees glow golden on every corner. Millions of Vietnamese people begin one of their most deeply felt traditions, visiting sacred sites to pray for luck, love, health, and wisdom. For anyone exploring Hanoi temples, this spiritual side of the season…
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What to Do in Hanoi in One Day: Perfect 24-Hour Itinerary (2026)
Can you truly see Hanoi in one day? Yes—but only if you focus on what matters and start early. This guide tells you what to do in Hanoi in one day. First, it includes realistic timing. Second, it provides honest advice on what to skip. Finally, it offers a tested itinerary that actually works. Over…
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Nearby getaways from Hanoi during Tet Holiday
Vietnam’s Lunar New Year is the country’s biggest spring festival. It draws comparisons to similar celebrations across Asian countries, yet it carries a character that is entirely its own. For travellers already in Hanoi during Lunar New Year, the city’s festive atmosphere is worth soaking up for a day or two. But once the fireworks…
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Unique Things to Do in Hanoi: Ba Dinh Edition
When searching for unique things to do in Hanoi, most travelers visit Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter. However, Ba Dinh District offers some truly fascinating experiences that go beyond typical tourist sites. While Ba Dinh Square and Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum draw crowds, this area has hidden gems that reveal authentic Vietnamese culture…
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Sa Pa Ancient Rock Field: A Heritage Site Hidden in Muong Hoa Valley
Sa Pa is often remembered through weather first. The cold air in the morning, the terraces holding light after rain, the valley opening slowly beneath a layer of mist. But the feeling of the place does not come from scenery alone. It also comes from the long human presence written into the land. The Sa…
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Cham Museum Da Nang: The Quietest, Most Beautiful Hour in the City
Da Nang is often loved for things in motion – the sea at My Khe, the curve of Son Tra, the bridges brightening into night. The Cham Museum asks you to stop instead. It stands by the Han River with a kind of quiet preciousness in a city shaped by wind, light, and open roads.…
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Da Lat Strawberry Farm: A Sweeter Side of the City
There are cities you visit for monuments, and there are cities you remember through taste. Da Lat belongs to the second kind. The pine air, the soft light, the cold that arrives early in the afternoon – all of it seems to make food feel brighter here. Coffee tastes deeper. Cream tastes softer. Strawberries, somehow,…
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Is Hanoi Train Street Still Open? April 2026 Update
If you’ve been Googling “Is Hanoi Train Street still open?” before booking your Vietnam trip, you’re not alone. This iconic narrow alley, where a real, active train squeezes between cafés and homes just inches from onlookers, has been at the center of an on-again, off-again saga with local authorities for years.The full picture is more…
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Saigon Central Post Office: Complete Visitor Guide 2026
Some buildings just stop you in your tracks. Saigon Central Post Office is one of them. It stands at 2 Paris Commune Square in the heart of District 1. This extraordinary French colonial building has served the city for over 130 years. It is one of the oldest functioning post offices in Southeast Asia. Moreover,…
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An Thuong Da Nang: Where the Sea Comes Closer and the Evenings Stay Longer
There are parts of Da Nang that impress you at once. The wide pull of My Khe Beach. The sweep of Son Tra. The bright curve of the bridges after dark. And then there is An Thuong, which does something quieter. It does not try to dazzle in one moment. Instead, it slips into your…
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Thang Long Imperial Citadel: A Layered Heritage Site in the Heart of Hanoi
Thang Long Imperial Citadel sits in a part of Hanoi that many first-time visitors already pass through, but stepping inside changes the feeling of the city almost immediately. The traffic falls back, the space opens, and the capital begins to feel older, more formal, and more deeply rooted in its own history. This is not…
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My Son Sanctuary: A UNESCO Cultural Heritage in Vietnam Hidden in the Hills
My Son is the place that asks for an early alarm. The valley holds on to the morning a little longer than the coast, and the old brick towers look best before the heat settles over everything. Hidden in a ring of hills in Quang Nam, this was once one of the most important religious…
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Best Snorkeling in Nha Trang for Beginners
Nha Trang is one of the best places in Vietnam to go snorkeling. The water is warm and clear. The sea life is rich and beautiful. And many spots are effortless for beginners. This guide will help you find the best places and enjoy your trip safely. Why Nha Trang Is Great for Snorkeling Nha…
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Van Long Nature Reserve: Ninh Binh’s Hidden Gem
Most visitors to Ninh Binh go straight to Tam Coc or Trang An. Both deserve every visitor they get. However, just 20 kilometers from the city center, Van Long Nature Reserve sits quietly in Gia Vien District, waiting for the travelers willing to venture slightly off the standard itinerary. It is the largest freshwater wetland…
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Nha Trang Stone Church (Christ the King Cathedral)
Nha Trang is one of the most popular beach cities in Vietnam. It has beautiful coastlines, fresh seafood, and warm weather all year. But Nha Trang also has a hidden gem that many visitors love. The Nha Trang Stone Church. Locals call it Nha Tho Da, Nha Tho Nui, or simply the Mountain Church. Its…