Tours of beauty
Katie Wright finds five hidden gems in magnificent Vietnam
Vietnam has reopened its borders to overseas travellers, three months ahead of schedule. Even better, the country’s government has waived visa requirements for citizens of 13 countries, including the UK.
Foreign tourists arriving in the Southeast Asia nation – both vaccinated and unvaccinated – will need to present proof of a negative Covid test (except for children aged under two years) done within 72 hours prior to departure for PCR tests or within 24 hours for lateral flow.
The results of either type of test must be certified by an accredited test provider and you should have your certificate available for inspection on arrival in Vietnam. Travellers with negative Covid tests are not required to quarantine.
Most of us are familiar with the twin big hitters of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, so if you want to explore a little more of this fabulous destination before the hordes of holidaymakers descend, here are five more ideas for your Vietnamese vacation…
Phong Nha
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, a Unesco world heritage site, is home to around 300 caves, including the Son Doong cave, believed to be the biggest in the world.
Before the pandemic there was a reported one-year waiting list for mythical Son Doong, but many of the region’s other caves are much more accessible – and just as impressive.
Take a short dragon boat ride to
Phong Nha Cave, disembarking and walking beneath thousands of colourful stalactites in the vast, echoey space. Hike through spectacular Paradise Cave or join a guided trek to Hang Voi (Elephant Cave).
Da Lat
If you need a breather after the hectic, motorbikestrewn metropolises of Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh, make a beeline for Da Lat.
Up in the central highlands of Vietnam, the hilly region benefits from cooler temperatures, lush scenery and some fascinating architecture.
There’s ornate Linh Phuoc Pagoda, Da Lat train station (where you step aboard vintage steam engines), labyrinthine 100 Roofs Cafe and, most bizarre of all, Crazy House, a nature-inspired architectural aberration built in the
1990s.
Da Nang
Located on the coast in central Vietnam, Da Nang plays host to some of the best beaches – and the most luxurious resorts – in the entire country, such as the incredible and unmissable white sand paradises of Non Nuoc and My Khe.
The area is also packed with sightseeing opportunities, from former trading town Hoi An (a Unesco world heritage site) and rose-hued Da Nang Cathedral, to the pagoda-peppered Marble Mountains and the Fifth Military Division Museum, which chronicles the region’s tragic history.
Hue
Just north of Da Nang, coastal city Hue was the seat of the Nguyen Dynasty and is now known for majestic architecture (the sprawling Imperial Citadel is a must-see) and incredible cuisine – be sure to sample local speciality Bun Bo Hue (spicy beef noodle soup).
Three of Hue’s most interesting attractions are actually defunct. The Tiger Fighting Arena, dating back to the 1800s, no longer hosts big cat fights. Phu Bai Airport, used by the US military during the Vietnam War, is now a museum. And Ho Thuy Tien waterpark is no longer open, but is still popular with tourists, who like to wander around the eerily deserted park.
You can drive yourself or take the ‘easy rider’ option on the back of a bike
Ha Giang
This is a mountainous province bordering China, famous among travellers for the Ha Giang Loop, a four-day, three-night motorbike tour along winding roads and vertiginous passes. Joining a tour group in Ha Giang town, you can either drive yourself or take the ‘easy rider’ option on the back of a bike commandeered by an experienced local, stopping off to gawp at verdant valleys, jaw-dropping canyons and
limestone karsts.