Along with the imperial glory of Hue and the heritage hotspot of Hoi An, our insider shares the best places to visit in central Vietnam.
Photo © iStock/Gargolas
The heart of Vietnam is home to many of the nation’s cultural gems, pristine beaches, and unforgettable views of spectacular scenery. While the popular destinations in central Vietnam are worth visiting, there are several off-the-beaten-track places to explore: the largest saltwater lagoon in the country, the hauntingly beautiful ghost town of An Bang, and Vietnam’s first street art village. Travelers can skip hectic Nha Trang and instead find soothing mud baths and ancient Cham ruins near Hoi An.
- Cycle around Hoi An
- Shopping in Hoi An
- Explore the My Son ruins
- Take a cooking class in Hoi An
- Da Nang and the Marble Mountains
- Hai Van Pass
- An Bang ghost town
- Ho Thuy Thien waterpark
- An Bang and the beaches
- Explore the Central Highlands
Cycle around Hoi An
The best launching point for exploring central Vietnam is the UNESCO World Heritage site of Hoi An, the enchanting town where lanterns dangle from buildings lining the Thu Bon River.
Hire a bike for the day and cycle out of town to the countryside, where you’ll pass rice paddies, massive water buffalo, and see the locals tending to their fragrant vegetable farms. When you get back to the Hoi An Ancient Town, take a stroll past the ornate Japanese bridge, the stunning Chinese Fukian assembly hall, where Chinese migrants met to socialize, and many French colonial buildings which are mostly painted in a golden-yellow color in to absorb the heat.
Shopping in Hoi An
Hoi An was once a major hub along the silk trade route and is still the best place in Vietnam to get bespoke clothes made. Shop local for customized clothing at talented tailor boutiques, such as the family-owned BeBe. Take along a photo of what you want
Explore the My Son ruins
Hop in a taxi, join an organized tour or, if you’re feeling adventurous, hire a motorbike, and enjoy the hour-long ride through quaint villages en route to the My Son ruins. Arrive at sunrise to peacefully explore the Hindu monuments that were destroyed during ancient battles, and the bombings during the Vietnam war. The decaying temples of the Champa people aren’t as big as Angkor Wat or Bagan, but there’s something alluring about the resilience of these crumbling structures.
Take a cooking class in Hoi An
Test your cooking skills at a local cooking class. A favorite among travelers is the Vegetarian Cooking Class at family-run Minh Hien Vegetarian Restaurant. The hands-on cooking class includes a bike ride to the Tra Que vegetable village to learn about local agriculture, and a visit to an open-air produce market to hand-select vegetables for the course. Local delicacies include the chewy cao lầu noodle dish with its secret ingredient of ash and the "white rose", which doesn’t contain any flowers!
Da Nang and the Marble Mountains
Da Nang is Vietnam’s fastest-growing
Take a drive around the Son Tra Peninsula and stop by the gigantic Linh Ung Pagoda. The 219ft (67m) Bodhisattva of Mercy is the tallest Lady Buddha in Vietnam and protects the expansive bay from destruction by typhoons. Traditional bamboo basket boats full of sardines linger in the sea, as skyscrapers loom in the distance, making for an astonishing contrast.
The best view of Da Nang is from the top of the Marble Mountains. On your way up, you’ll visit a stunning mosaic pagoda dedicated to a Vietnamese princess, Buddhist and Hindu shrines, and an underground cave depicting the levels of hell.
Hai Van Pass
The most memorable adventure to have in central Vietnam is to drive along the Hai Van Pass. Hai Van means “the pass of rising sea” due to the daily phenomena of clouds filling a gap between the rolling hills. Hire a motorbike or hop in a taxi and take a full day to drive the scenic road from Hoi An to Hue. Alternatively, you could join an organized tour.
Along the Hai Van Pass, most travelers stop at the Elephant Springs to cool off, but there are numerous waterfalls to be discovered. Don’t miss Dam Cầu Hai, the largest saltwater lagoon in Vietnam with its colorful fishing boats, or the Lập An Lagoon where the sea meets mountains and oysters grow in abundance.
The pristine Chan May Bay remains undiscovered. The entire beach is virtually empty, except for a few local food shacks and the occasional local floating on the crystal-clear waters on an old tire.
An Bang ghost town
About a half hour before reaching the Nguyen Dynasty Imperial Citadel in Hue, stop off at An Bang, a sprawling cemetery where more than 4mi (7km) of incredibly adorned mausoleums have been erected. Each is an individual tomb, with mosaic artwork that would leave Gaudí speechless.
Ho Thuy Thien waterpark
The most famous dragon in Vietnam is near Hue at the Ho Thuy Thien abandoned waterpark. The massive dragon was once an aquarium and today serves as a canvas for graffiti artists. There are hollow water slides and other eerie rides to
An Bang and the beaches
Take a day trip out to the Cham Islands with local NGO Karma Waters to go snorkeling or scuba diving.
Visit Tam Thanh, a fishing village that isn’t well-known to backpackers but will be soon due to its vibrant street art murals that depict daily life. Volunteers painted the town in 2016 to create Vietnam’s first mural village under the ethos of ‘art for
Explore the Central Highlands
After exploring the stunning coastline of central Vietnam, book a bus inland to the Central Highlands to learn about agriculture, see endless green vistas, and discover waterfalls off the beaten path.
The pristine Hồ Lắk lake in Dak Lak is only accessible by boat. Travelers can explore the area by hiking the hills or kayaking to local villages to try their hand at the region's famous pottery at artisans homes.
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4 Comments
Great article, been to several of these locations and i can highly recommend them. Kinda tempted to go there again:)
A few destinations suggested first are actually quite popular with tourists. Hai Van Pass, Ghost Town, and Ho Thuy Tien are exceptionally not-so-packed locations. I would also recommend these truly unspoiled natural destinations: Pleiku, Ninh Van Bay, and Ly Son Island www.exoticvoyages.com/travel-blog/top-5-off-beaten-track-places-middle-vietnam/
Hi!
Some time ago I had planned a special tour in central Vietnam, a sort of “fishermen trail” . Then we had to cancell it due to Covid.
I would like to do it early 2024
Here is the itinerary we had planned.
Day 01 arrive Danang and trf to Hue
Day 02 Hue, FD visit including Tan Giang lagoon
Day 03 depart to Hoian and visit
Day 04 Hoian – visit Cua Dai village then continue to Quy Nhon. o/n at Nhon Hai or similar
Day 05 see basket boat fishermen. Visit the area. Then continue to Doc Let
Day 06 early morning visit Hon Khoi salt farmers. Then drive south with stops at Bau Truc, My Nghiep, poklong Garai, fishermen village of Vinh Hy.
o/n at Ca Na (Co Ca Na Resort or similar)
Day 07 lien Huong fishermen harbour . then sand dunes (both white and red) . Phan Thiet fish boat harbour. o/n in Mui ne
Day 08 explore Mui Ne
Day 09 trf to ho Chi Minh airport
Is it something you can propose ? or you have similar special tours in that area?
I would like to do it next January / February or March for a small group (6 to 12 pax)
Waiting for your urgent reply
Thanks and best regards
Carla Milone
Carla Milone Parato
Travel designer
www.carlamilone.it
Hi Carla,
That sounds like a great itinerary! We don't organize or operate trips, but if you're considering travel insurance for your trip, please keep us in mind.
All the best,
World Nomads