From the natural beauty of the island-studded Ha Long Bay and the misty mountains of Ninh Binh to the man-made – yet equally photo-worthy – skyscrapers of Ho Chi Minh City, there are plenty of beautiful places to visit in Vietnam.
Looking to narrow down your search for the most spectacular scenery? Look no further, with our lowdown of where to visit and when for the best views in the country…
Ti Top Island lookout (for views of Ha Long Bay)
Where: Ha Long Bay
Best time: Dawn or sunset
The views of Ha Long Bay are jaw-dropping from your cruise boat, kayak, or pretty much anywhere, but to see the full spread of the Cat Ba Archipelago – jutting like green fingers from the serene green of the sea – you need to get up high. The best spot of all is the viewing platform on Ti Top Island in the heart of the bay, reached by a short trail and a steep set of steps. Be here for sunset, or even better, dawn, when the sky pinks and brightens into oranges and buttery yellows and the sun shimmers across the water, warming the forested peaks and casting deep shadows across the ocean.
Ho Chi Minh City’s rooftop bars
Where: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Best time: Sunset and immediately after
Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City, is best admired from one of the city’s towering rooftop bars, like Blank on the 75th and 76th floor of the 472 metre tall Landmark 81 skyscraper. Among the tallest in the world, the views from here, with Saigon twinkling at your feet, are magnificent.
But, much like those heading to Paris will head up to Tour Montparnasse for a view with the iconic Eiffel Tower in, the views are even better from Le Café des Stagiaires. There, admire the Landmark 81 building alongside the skyscrapers of central Saigon together with the Saigon River below.
Alex’s insider tip:Le Café des Stagiaires is known for its cocktails. Opt for the gin mixes (Saigon’s favourite spirit): tart Negronis, the house Gin Fizz blossom (made with purple butterfly pea) and the tangy Thai Breakfast with kaffir lime and coconut.
Read next: 9 of the best things to do in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Ma Pi Leng Pass
Where: Ha Giang
Best time: September during the rice harvest
Rugged mountain ridges as far as you can see, a tiny sliver of river squeezed between huddled hamlets and golden rice paddies, brightly dressed Hmong people tilling the fields… The Ma Pi Leng Pass is the apex of the famous Ha Giang road loop in North Vietnam. The road itself is an astonishing achievement, having been cut largely by hand from the mountains in the 1960s as a vital section of the Ho Chi Minh trail that brought equipment into North Vietnam through Laos.
Today most people see it on the back of a motorbike, on one of the increasingly popular backpacker-orientated, multi-day Ha Giang Loop tours. You can do it more comfortably, and safely, by Jeep, too. All tours stop at the Pass, so have your cameras at the ready.
Ngoa Long Mountain
Where: Tam Coc (Ninh Binh)
Best time: Early morning or late afternoon
It’s a sweaty, breathy, steep climb up steps cut into this rocky crag, but you will be glad you did it. Ngoa Long looks over the most beautiful part of the Tràng An Scenic Landscape Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Ngo Dong River winds at your feet, like a silver thread thrown across brilliant green rice paddies and around myriad, near sheer karst mountains. It cuts through caves and is dotted along its length with sampan boats, made tiny by the distance. Behind you, perched high on an adjacent crag is a miniature temple; and in spring, Pacific swallows flit and chirrup in the air all around.
Read next: Our guide to Vietnam’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Hoi An
Where: Hoi An
Best time: Twilight, during the monthly lantern festival
Twilight in Hoi An is marvellous anywhere along the riverside in the town centre and it draws the crowds. As the sun sinks almost everyone goes to one of the little restaurants or bars (with pricey menus), which sit in the pretty Sino-Portuguese mansions and town houses huddling over the north bank of the river on Bach Dang Street.
Do the opposite. Cross the walking bridge and hole up at one of the far cheaper cafés that line the south bank along Ngueyn Phuc Chu Street. This is where you get the best views – of the Thu Bon River, with its drifting gondolas and candle-filled paper lanterns, of the Japanese Bridge and of those lovely townhouses themselves, glowing amber under a peacock-blue sky and reflected in the water.
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Hai Van Pass
Where: Highway One – Hue to Hoi An via Danang
Best time: February to May
Whatever you may think of Jeremy Clarkson, he was right about at least one thing: The beauty of the Hai Van Pass. He and Richard Hammond raved about it when they traversed it on their way from North to South Vietnam on a 2008 Top Gear special.
It’s easy to follow in the pair’s footsteps as part of a bespoke transit from Hue to Hoi An, the best way being via open top U.S. Army Jeep. The road snakes around S bends, cutting through thick forest and eventually winding into the cool air at the top of the pass, before dropping down to steamy South Vietnam, Danang and Hoi An. There are terrific views all the way: little fishing villages and vast lagoons, the highway ribboning capes and ridges, before winding towards blue ocean, long crescent bays of yellow sand and the glass spires and bridges of Danang City set behind the shimmering South China Sea.
Fansipan Mountain
Where: Sapa
Best time: September to November
Climbing Fansipan Mountain, up steep, muddy trails that cut through dense jungle, used to be a backpacker’s badge of honour. The views from the top made it worth the exertion: ripples of rugged ridges running to a distant horizon and dipping into myriad, mist-filled valleys. You can still do the challenging hike – it’s one of Vietnam’s best. Or you can reach the summit without breaking a sweat or checking your socks for leeches on the new Sun World Fansipan Legend cable car, which runs from 7.30am to 5.30pm daily.
