Destination Guides

Where to go in Vietnam

Matching Vietnam's regions and cities to trip types — first-timers, beach weeks, food trips and family holidays.

6 min read · Updated 2026-08-01

Vietnam stretches more than 1,600 km from north to south, and the national tourism board is clear that this creates large regional climate variation rather than one national season. March–May is one of the few windows that works reasonably well countrywide; beyond that, the north, the central coast and the south each run different rainy and dry periods. Daily costs are among the lowest in the region, domestic flights and trains are cheap, and the country covers cities, karst landscapes, heritage towns, beaches and mountain trekking within a single trip.

The places worth building a trip around

Each of these has its own page with timing, budget and getting-around notes.

Hanoi (City) — The northern capital: Old Quarter lanes, lake walks, coffee culture and street food.
Ha Long Bay (Coast) — Thousands of limestone karst islands, usually seen on an overnight boat.
Ninh Bình (Region) — Inland karst valleys, rice fields and river rowboats — the 'Ha Long on land'.
Hội An & Da Nang (Coast) — Lantern-lit heritage town, tailoring streets and a long beach city next door.
Huế (City) — Former imperial capital: citadel, royal tombs and a distinct regional cuisine.
Ho Chi Minh City (City) — The fast southern metropolis and the gateway to the Mekong Delta.
Sapa & Ha Giang (Mountain) — Far-north rice terraces, hill-tribe villages and the Ha Giang mountain loop.
Mekong Delta (Region) — River channels, floating markets and homestays south of Ho Chi Minh City.