In the heart of central Vietnam is an adventurer’s playground called Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park (Phong Nha). It was designated a UNESCO Heritage Site in 2003 and was recently featured as the filming location of Hollywood blockbuster, Kong: Skull Island. So, the place is slowly booming and with the opening of Danang Airport, the tourist trajectory can only be seen as going upwards.

My Son: Cham Kingdom’s Sacred Valley My Son sits 40 kilometers southwest of Hoi An in the Thu Bon River valley. This was the spiritual center of the Cham … Read more

The port city of Hoi An is a major tourist hub and makes no effort to hide it and even flaunts it freely and with good reason. One such display that’s sure to attract visitors is the noticeable lanterns that illuminate the city at night. That’s because local laws require shophouses to dangle these from their facade thus giving one a snippet of what Hoi An is for tourists. Additionally, this is the only city that prohibits motorbikes from plying the roads during most parts of the day.

Hue is one of Vietnam’s major cities located in the central region which is rich in the country’s monarchial history and was the capital until 1945. It’s a photogenic destination with amazing local cuisine with people who are devoid of big-city trappings. The weather isn’t always pleasant with either its perpetual rains or its unbearable heat but if you make the journey (most scenic by train from either Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City), you’ll be rewarded as most tourists tend to overlook the former capital.

Tourists looking for a vast expanse of golden coasts with barely anyone in sight should look no further than the Province of Phu Yen. It’s 120 km south of the uber-popular Nha Trang and enjoys a vibe that is laid-back and very local. As beach province, it is best to avoid it during the monsoon season from September to November but do note that May to July is the peak of the domestic tourist season so prepare for heavy local tourism.