Vietnam - 1 week March 2025

[Freakuk]

Hi all,

I'm off on another cycling holiday at the start of March 2025 starting in Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City), travelling via the Mekong Delta then through Cambodia and finishing in Thailand.

At the end of the trip I am planning flying back to Vietnam and spending another week there to do the whole tourist thing. My question is for the people that have been what are the must do things in Vietnam, sights, beaches, food, etc etc and I can then determine the best way to get the pick of the bunch done in my time there.

Thanks

[shtu]

There's endless "best of" articles on the internet, so I won't go into that much. You strike me as someone that might enjoy Sapa and Hoi An.

One thing to watch out for is the order in which you visit places - it's a very "linear" country, so you may find you're best to plan to travel in one direction, rather than shuttling back and forth.

[daqinggregg]

Much will depend on where you are flying out from, as to the order you do things in.

I really enjoyed Sapa, I described as like Keswick on steroids, it’s very much geared up for local tourists, “the hills are alive, with the sound of the locals killing a good song.” There is a lot to see, the scenery is outstanding.

However a bit commercial, but if you want a little more rustic there are plenty of nearby towns you can choose from. However, it’s a bit of a bugger to get to, basically needing a day each way to travel there.

If your looking to be in the hills ‘Dalat’ maybe a better option, as it’s convenient to get there on the way to other places, I’ve not been, but planning to go next year.

Hoi an is a bit picture postcard quaint, but still a nice place to chill, with a couple of great beaches. It’s a bit commercial, fairly busy with tourists, still enjoyable.

I also enjoyed Hue, lots of history and a nice city, accessible train, as is Denang, which I enjoy, but is just a large city, but I like to have a wander what I call “A working town/city.”

Food wise, you can’t go wrong, the local food is excellent, there is so much choice. Hotels, to suit any budget, clean and well maintained.

Travel, we used the trains a lot, antiquated but adequate and enjoyable, internal flights are cheap.