Vietnam highlights
For families seeking the trifecta of culture, history and natural beauty, aleney de winter discovers that Vietnam is one of Asia’s most exciting and rewarding destinations.
With soaring limestone cliffs, dazzling white beaches, the magical Mekong Delta and emerald-green rice paddies, Vietnam boasts some of the most breathtaking landscapes in Southeast Asia. Paired with a rich and diverse heritage and history, incredible cuisine and a unique culture, Vietnam is fast becoming a popular destination for intrepid families, including my own.
From top to tail, the country is rich in its choice of family holiday experiences, many offering unique lessons in culture that will never be forgotten.
Literature and legends
In Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital city, we hire a cyclo to explore the 36 streets of the Old Quarter, a kaleidoscope of colour, sights and sounds where we stumble across everything from art and bamboo craft to toys and technology.
We soak up the serenity on a stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake and cool off in similarly laidback style on the lazy river at Ho Tay Water Park. The rest of our time is spent meandering around museums, uncovering 1000 years of knowledge at the tranquil Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s original university, and exploring the city’s many sprawling parks and playgrounds.
Of course, no visit to Hanoi would be complete without making the three-and-a-half-hour pilgrimage to otherworldly Halong Bay, one of the world’s most extraordinary natural wonders, by traditional wooden junk. My son is in awe as he hears legends that tell how the bay’s thousands of towering limestone karsts were created by a family of dragons spitting divine fire, giant pieces of jade and emeralds to form a barrier to protect Vietnam from invaders. While kayaking through caves
into hidden emerald lagoons and sailing past fishing boats and floating villages had fairytale elements, he was thankful that it was blissfully free of tanty-throwing dragons.
Sand, sea and culture
Da Nang is the gateway to Central Vietnam and the ancient town of Hoi An, one of Vietnam’s five cultural UNESCO World Heritage Sites. But Da Nang is a hip and thriving city that is more than worthy of exploring as a destination in its own right, with swathes of inviting golden sand beaches and some of Vietnam’s best and most kid-friendly resorts. Surf-loving kids will especially love the beach breaks along My Khe Beach, better known as China Beach.
If you can tear the kids away from the water, head to the Marble Mountains, a cluster of marble and limestone hills located just seven kilometres from the city. A series of trails leads to intriguing caves, tunnels and pretty Buddhist shrines. The stunning rainforest of the Son Tra Peninsula is another must.
Hoi An, just 30 minutes from Da Nang, is, in our opinion, Vietnam's most atmospheric town. It’s certainly its most vibrant, with its kaleidoscopically coloured pagodas, timber shopfronts strung with red lanterns and butter-yellow houses entangled with hot pink bougainvillea. Awash with craft stores, markets and restaurants, the Old Town's 800 historical buildings have been perfectly preserved and, as no vehicles are allowed, it is an ideal place to explore with kids.
Just outside of town are lush green fields of rice and meandering rivers where local fisherman net their catch from old boats. But the highlight is sunset on a sandy beach packed with local families flying kites, enjoying freshly made treats from nearby street stalls, picnic-style.
Puppets and palaces
Beneath the fast-paced façade of busy, buzzy Ho Chi Minh City, the former Saigon, you’ll find Vietnam’s friendliest city. This charming place is packed with history, culture and charm. It is a city of astounding contrasts where French colonial architecture and wide boulevards intersect with intricately ornamented temples and soaring skyscrapers.
The surprisingly kid-friendly city is endlessly fascinating. It is also endlessly noisy, but the chaotic din of honking horns and the cries of street hawkers only seem to add to its appeal for my kids.
The kids happily embrace the chaos. We step back in time at the iconic Independence Palace, where a North Vietnamese Army tank famously crashed through its main gate, ending the Vietnam War. We also take a day trip to explore the Cu Chi Tunnels – the tunnel system used by the Viet Cong during the war – and make a pit stop at the Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station.
The kids are mesmerised by a traditional water puppet performance then decide to get wet themselves, splashing down the slides at the popular Dam Sen Water Park.
Spice up your life
The flavour-packed food of Vietnam combines spicy, sour, bitter, salty and sweet flavours to amazing effect. The use of the freshest herbs also make it one of the region’s healthiest cuisines and there is no shortage of milder options for young palates.
As we travel from top to tail, Rafferty slurps down swimming pool-size bowls of pho bo (pronounced “fur”), a popular noodle soup stacked with slivers of rare beef, fresh herbs and bean sprouts, which he tops with chili for good measure. Marlo devours milder delights including xoi ga (sticky rice and chicken), pho xao (stir-fried noodles), goi cuon (rice paper rolls) and irresistibly crispy bánh xèo (pancakes stuffed with pork and prawns). And there isn’t a banh mi (baguettes stuffed with pickled vegetables, herbs, pork and pâté) that either can resist.