11 best places in Vietnam: part 2

We will continue to learn more about the beautiful landscapes and interesting places to visit in Vietnam.

1. Quang Binh

Quang Binh province is located in the North Central region, bordering Ha Tinh to the north, Quang Tri to the south, Laos to the west and East Sea to the east. Accommodation services in Quang Binh are developed and have many options from hotels, motels to homestays, farmstays or camping. In addition, you can visit many places here. 

• Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park

Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park is recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage. This place has more than 400 caves with a total length of 220 km, three main rivers are Chay River, Son River and Trooc River. The national park is located in Bo Trach and Minh Hoa districts, about 50 km from Dong Hoi city. The botanical garden is a place where visitors can learn information about endemic flora and fauna species. The garden displays and stores specimens of species on the list of endangered and rare species that need priority protection in Vietnam. Everyone will take a short walk around the botanical garden, visit Wind waterfall and wildlife care areas.

• Cave system

Quang Binh is known as the “Kingdom of Caves” with hundreds of beautiful, pristine caves, many of which have received world records.

Phong Nha Cave

Phong Nha Cave was formed hundreds of millions of years ago due to the weathering process occurring in the heart of limestone mountains, and was evaluated by the British Royal cave expedition team as a typical wonder for its aesthetic and geological value. natural world. According to explorers, Phong Nha cave meets 7 criteria: having the most beautiful underground river; There is a high and wide cave entrance; There are beautiful sandy beaches and reefs; There is a beautiful underground lake; There is a large and beautiful dry cave; There is a magical and magnificent stalactite system; is the longest water cave.

Paradise Cave

Dubbed the “underground palace”, visitors will have to climb more than 500 steps to reach the cave. Stepping through the cave entrance is a large space with countless stalactites and stalagmites.

Son Doong Cave

Son Doong Cave is currently the largest natural cave in the world, with coral populations and fossilized animal remains. Son Doong also has two “sky wells”, which are two places where sunlight shines, creating conditions for trees to grow like a tropical forest, one of which is called “Edam garden”.

Tu Lan Cave, En Cave, Pygmy Cave are also other caves where you can go and participate in different experiences. Besides, Quang Binh also has many beautiful rivers such as Gianh River, Son River, Nhat Le River, or a rich sea system such as Nhat Le, Bao Ninh Peninsula, Da Nhay Beach.  Additionally, if you visit Dong Hoi, you can go to: 

• Quang Binh Quan

This is a citadel in the Luy Thay system, built in 1639, to help Lord Nguyen in Dang Trong fight against attacks by Lord Trinh in Dang Ngoai. Quang Binh Quan was destroyed by the French army when they withdrew from Dong Hoi in 1954, then rebuilt almost as before. In 1965, this place was destroyed by American planes. Currently, Quang Binh Quan has been restored to its original appearance more than three centuries ago.

• Bell tower of Tam Toa church

Tam Toa Church is located in the center of Dong Hoi City, next to Nhat Le River. The church is about 10 m high. Having gone through many bomb attacks during the war, the church now only has the bell tower at the front and a brick pillar on a stone foundation at the back, but still retains its ancient beauty. This place is one of the provincial cultural and historical heritages.

• Dong Hoi ancient citadel

The ancient citadel is located in the overall military historical relics of Dong Hoi during the Trinh – Nguyen war period, built on the key land of the trans-Vietnam road from North to South. Today, Dong Hoi ancient citadel is only nearly 1,100 m long with 15 zigzag sections. The southern citadel is still quite intact, the eastern citadel still has three gates. Although much destroyed during two wars, the citadel still retains the necessary original elements.

• Mother Suot Monument

Suot’s mother is Nguyen Thi Suot, born in 1906 in Bao Ninh, Quang Binh. During the years of resistance against the US, Suot’s mother volunteered to connect the communication line between Dong Hoi and Bao Ninh, rowing a boat alone to help soldiers cross the river and transport ammunition. The monument is about 7 meters high, located on the banks of the Nhat Le River, and is a must-see stop for many tourists.

There are also many other places such as: Ngang Pass, Vung Chua – Yen Island, Chay River – Dark Cave, Mooc Spring… 

2. Hue

Located on the central strip of land, Hue is a world cultural heritage city. The ancient capital has a long history and tradition with unique values ​​and identity. A trip to Hue of about 3 days and 2 nights is just enough to travel and visit while still being economical and ensuring your health. If you have more money or more time, you can stay in Hue for a long time to fully explore the ancient capital. Below are suggested attractions and experiences.

• Dong Ba Maảket.

Formed in 1899, Dong Ba market is one of the symbols of the ancient capital, bustling with buyers and sellers all year round. The market stretches from Gia Hoi bridge to Truong Tien bridge with thousands of stalls. Entering the market, you will see the colorful atmosphere of a Hue market. Tourists come here to freely find delicious food, or stroll around the shops of clothes, fabrics, hats, fish sauces, and cakes that are only available in Hue to buy and take home.

• Quoc Hoc Hue.

This is the first high school in Hue built since the reign of King Thanh Thai, in 1896. The school is located at 12 Le Loi Street, right in the center. The school stands out with its bright red paint and rows of ancient trees that are green all year round. The Hue National University campus is very large, so you can leisurely stroll the corridors, classrooms, schoolyard, visit ancient French architecture and take souvenir photos.

• Truong Tien Bridge.

Crossing the Huong River, Truong Tien Bridge is the image that everyone remembers when mentioning Hue. If during the day, the bridge is only thoughtfully reflected in the Perfume River, then in the late afternoon and evening, the bridge is decorated with very prominent sparkling colored lights. In the evening, tourists visiting Truong Tien Bridge should combine walking along the banks of the Huong River. In the afternoon or evening, there will be more snack shops to attract tourists.

• Huong River.

Huong River winds its way through the mountains and forests, passing through villages from Kim Long, Vi Da to Dong Ba, Gia Hoi, Nam Pho… mingling with the scent of Hue flowers. If you have the opportunity, take a boat trip on the river to admire the poetic Huong Giang scenery.

• Hue Citadel.

The Hue Citadel has more than 100 outstanding architectural works such as Ngo Mon, Thai Hoa Palace, Dien Tho Palace, Truong Sanh Palace, Hung Mieu, The Mieu… This ancient complex of buildings is arranged according to the principle ” Describe male, right female”, “describe literature, right martial”, adjective from inside out. Even the shrines are arranged in the order of “left first, right last, sequentially according to time”.

• Mausoleum.

The Nguyen Dynasty had 13 kings, but due to economic and political reasons, only 7 mausoleums were built, all of which remain today with their own architectural styles. Hue mausoleums were built when the king was still in power, so this is not a sad tomb but has a charming landscape with unique architecture. There are many mausoleums you can go to such as Gia Long Tomb, Khai Dinh Tomb, Tu Duc Tomb, Duc Duc Tomb, Minh Mang Tomb… Coming here, you will learn a lot more about the historical eras of Vietnam. 

• Other.

In addition, you can also choose An Dinh Palace, Thien Mu Pagoda, Tu Hieu Pagoda,… to understand Hue more thoroughly.

3. Da Nang 

Da Nang city is located in the Central region, equally divided between the capital Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Da Nang is also the center of three world cultural heritages: Hue Imperial City, Hoi An ancient town and My Son Sanctuary. The north of Da Nang borders Thua Thien – Hue province, the west and south border Quang Nam province, and the east borders the East Sea. In Da Nang, there are many destinations for you to choose for your trip. 

• Son Tra Peninsula

Considered the precious gem of Da Nang, Son Tra peninsula possesses a large primeval forest and many beautiful beaches such as Tien Sa, Da Den, But beach… The road on the peninsula winds through the mountains. The location can see the entire city from above such as Ban Co peak, Linh Ung pagoda, Vong Canh house, Son Tra lighthouse, radar station “God’s eye of Indochina”.

Coming here, visitors can participate in many exciting activities such as scuba diving to see coral, fishing with fishermen, admiring the city from a helicopter, on top of Ban Co… In particular, Linh Ung pagoda is located. The top of the hill is also a spot you should not miss. This is where the tallest statue of Avalokiteshvara Buddha in Vietnam is located, facing the sea. Inside the statue there are 17 floors, each floor has an altar of 21 Buddha statues with different shapes, postures and facial expressions.

On the peninsula, there are side roads leading to many beautiful beaches such as Bai But, Bai Nam, Bai Da Den, Bai Da, Mui Nghe… In addition, in this area there are also Son Tra banyan trees and “baby” banyan trees. thousand year old deer with a unique shape suitable for photography.

The peninsula is also home to hundreds of animal species. Among them, the red-shanked douc langur is known as the “primate queen” on Son Tra peninsula, with a population of about 300 – 400 animals, strictly preserved. To spot these flocks of langurs, in addition to observing the colors emitted from their fur, visitors need to listen carefully when they cry or jump from branch to branch.

• Suoi Tien

Suoi Tien is one of the large streams originating from the top of Son Tra – one of the most beautiful destinations like a fairyland with white waterfalls, rocks in many unique shapes, wild flowers blooming and fragrant. Coming to Suoi Tien, you will be immersed in beautiful and colorful nature.

• Ba Na Hills

This tourist destination is about 40 km from Da Nang. Visitors can experience the chilly air and four-season weather during the day when visiting prominent attractions such as Linh Ung Pagoda, Debay Wine Cellars, Le Jardin D’Amour flower garden, Golden Bridge… Overnight The French village is also an interesting experience for visitors to Ba Na.

• Well of Heaven

Located in the Ba Na – Nui Chua conservation area, Gieng Troi has a wild landscape that is a source of inspiration for backpackers, with types of picnics such as trekking, climbing, camping or bathing in streams.

• Hai Van Pass

Hai Van Pass is about an hour by motorbike from the center of Da Nang. The pass is 21 km long, with the highest peak 496 m above sea level. Hai Van means “sea of ​​clouds”. This place was once commented by Jeremy Clarkson, host of the reality TV show Top Gear (UK), as “one of the most beautiful coastal roads in the world”.

• Bridges

Da Nang is known as the city of bridges in Vietnam. Dragon Bridge, Han River Swing Bridge, Tran Thi Ly Bridge, Love Bridge are attractions that attract visitors to sightsee and check-in. Right near the Love Bridge is a statue of a carp turning into a dragon.

• Da Nang Cathedral

Tourane Church (French colonial period), also known as Sacred Heart of Jesus Church or Cathedral Church, was started in February 1923 on empty land on Rue du Musée (now Tran Phu Street, Da Nang). Designed and built by Father Vallet. Local people often call the project by a familiar name, Chicken Church because on the roof of the church there is a typical gray chicken statue.

• Museum

The Museum of Cham Sculpture is located at No. 2, Street 2/9, Hai Chau District. This is the only museum of Cham culture, preserving relics of the ancient Champa Kingdom. The museum is open from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily, entrance tickets cost 60,000 VND per visit, there is automatic interpretation service and viewing of artifact information using applications and 4D scanning technology.

4. Hoi An

Located on the northern bank of the lower Thu Bon River, Hoi An is an ancient town in Quang Nam, more than 30 km from Da Nang city, 122 km from Hue. When mentioning Hoi An, we must mention the rows of ancient saffron-colored houses, the river sparkling with lanterns at night, or the delicious food at affordable prices.

• Cafe

For drinks besides herbal drinks, tea and coffee in Hoi An are equally delicious. Furthermore, each tea and coffee shop in the old town has its own charm. Many shops are located deep in houses that are hundreds of years old, the shops are located on the rooftop so customers can watch the street while sipping drinks, or the shops have wait staff who are all deaf…

Those who like to see Hoi An from above can go to Faifo Café located on the 3rd floor of a house on Tran Phu Street. If you want a quiet space, you can go to the Reaching Out tea shop, or enjoy delicious ice cream and coffee at Hoi An Roastery… In addition, if you look hard in the corners of the old town, you will also discover many shops. Tea and coffee have both the essence of Hoi An and a modern breath, attracting many foreign tourists. Leaving the center of Hoi An 4-7 km, visitors can explore cafes in the middle of rice fields such as Roving Chillhouse, Xom Chieu Coffee, Old Brick Lo Coffee… to enjoy the fresh air.

• Old town

Hoi An ancient town alone is also a place to walk without running out of check-in points for young people. Each street, ancient corner, row of houses painted in saffron is an interesting stop to take photos, learn about local culture… You have the opportunity to visit three of the outstanding relics. especially in the old town. These are the Covered Bridge, the assembly halls of Fujian, Quang Trieu, Hai Nam, Chao Chau, the ancient houses of Quan Thang, Duc An, Phung Hung, Tan Ky… There are also street art activities and games. Folk games, night markets… take place after 7pm. Activities on Hoai River are usually busiest from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. To go on a boat, you rent a boat for 20 USD and buy floating lanterns for 0.5 USD each. At night in the old town, you can walk the bridges to watch the streets light up, listen to live music in bars and cafes, watch famous shows such as Morning Dew, A O Show, Teh Dar or Hoi An Memories .

• Beach

An Bang beach is in Cam An ward, the sea is clear, blue, clean, not too crowded, just enough space for you to feel relaxed. Or Ha My beach, although not too prominent, still has its own peacefulness and charm. Although quite far from the center, Ha My does not lack homestays or hotels or resorts for tourists to choose from.

Cua Dai Beach is a familiar destination of Hoi An, a beach about several dozen hectares wide with fine white sand, clear blue water, and small waves. Visitors can lie for hours on the sand to sunbathe, listen to the murmuring waves, or go fishing near the shore, rent a boat to float with fishermen, or participate in water sports…

• Cu Lao Cham

If you depart from Hoi An, there are two means of getting to Cu Lao Cham: canoe and wooden boat. Canoes usually depart at Cua Dai and only about 20 minutes later you will be at Cu Lao Cham, the ticket price is about 10 USD per person. Taking a wooden boat from Bach Dang wharf takes nearly 2 hours but the price is cheaper, about 4 USD per person. If you bring a motorbike, it’s an additional 1.5 USD per motorbike.

In Cu Lao Cham, accommodation services are mainly homestays, motels or tent rentals at an average of 5 USD per room for 1-2 people. Not only providing food, sleeping, and resting services, the motels and homestays here also provide Cu Lao Cham beach tourism services such as: dining, car rental, boat tours to visit the island, scuba diving to see the coral reefs. chanting, fishing, walking under the sea… Attractions are the Cu Lao Cham Marine Museum, Hai Tang Pagoda, Cham ancient well, Tan Hiep Market, Yen Island, the ancestral temple of the Yen profession, and Da Chong beach. ..

• Bay Mau coconut forest

From the center of Hoi An ancient town, along the Hoai River bank for more than 3 km is the Bay Mau nipa palm forest of more than ten hectares, in Cam Thanh commune. The basket boat rowing service to transport passengers to visit the coconut forest has appeared in Cam Thanh in recent years and has gradually become an indispensable “specialty” of Hoi An tourism. Each boat is only allowed to carry a maximum of two people. To visit the coconut forest, each guest pays 10 USD to sit in a basket boat, weaving through the creeks, flanked by green coconut forests for about an hour.

In addition to riding the basket boat, visitors can also watch boat dance performances and instructions on how to make beautiful small toys from nipa palm leaves such as flowers, locusts, bracelets, glasses, rings, or hats… as gifts. souvenir. If you come to Bay Mau in the 8th lunar month, you will enjoy ripe water coconuts with crispy and sweet pulp.

Don’t forget to contact Trang An Ecorest Resort & Spa – (+84 915 702 099) or visit us at www.tranganecorestresort.com if you need any support!

Trang An Ecorest Resort & Spa

Image source: Internet