Sam Roth from travel site The Culture Trip has listed 10 experiences in Vietnam that everyone should try in their lifetime.
1. Immersing yourself in Cai Be floating market in Tien Giang province
Boats carrying all kinds of goods create a market on water, bursting with a cacophony of sound and brilliant colours.
2. Buying tailored clothes in Hoi An
Visitors can choose from a sizeable collection of fabric and different designs for tailor-made outfits when in Hoi An ancient town, which for hundreds of years was a prosperous trading port.
3. Going through Hai Van Pass
The pass is located on a spur of the Bach Ma Mountain Range that heads down to the sea, bridging Thua Thien-Hue province and Da Nang city.
4. Exploring caves in Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park
Phong Nha - Ke Bang is the largest national park in Vietnam and been ranked a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
5. Taking a boat around Ha Long Bay
With about 1,600 islands both large and small, Ha Long Bay is certain to bring visitors a rich and unique experience.
6. Hiking in the northern mountains
September and October is the rice harvest season in northern mountainous provinces, with golden terraced rice fields creating a spectacular landscape.
7. Visiting mausoleums in Hue
The former imperial capital of Hue is considered a precious gem in Vietnam, where tombs, temples, palaces, and pagodas are imbued with cultural and historical imprints from olden times.
8. Enjoying delicious dishes from the three regions
Visitors should make sure to taste specialties from all three regions of Vietnam: the northern, the central, and the southern region.
9. Taking the Ho Chi Minh Highway
For many tourists, traveling from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City or vice-versa along the mountainous highway is the reason they come to Vietnam and is one of the best trips of their lives.
10. Looking out over Ho Chi Minh City from a rooftop
After arriving in Ho Chi Minh City - Vietnam’s bustling southern metropolis - find a rooftop bar and sip on a drink while watching the city go about its business below.