Vietnam

Vietnam runs 1,650 km from the karst bays of the north to the Mekong Delta, with distinct climates, cuisines and histories along the way. Internal flights and the reunification railway make a north-to-south route practical in two weeks. Food is the strongest single reason to go, and it changes markedly every few hundred kilometres.

Cities

Hà Giang

Hà Giang is the base for a three to four day loop through limestone mountains on the Chinese border, past terraced valleys and markets of the Hmong, Tay and Dao communities. Most travellers ride with an easy-rider driver rather than self-driving, as the roads are demanding. It is the most spectacular driving route in Vietnam.

Hanoi

Hanoi's old quarter is a grid of trade streets around a lake, with pavement kitchens, French-era buildings and constant motorbike traffic. It has the country's best street food and is the base for Ha Long Bay and the northern mountains. Three days is a comfortable minimum.

Hoi An

Hoi An is a preserved trading port of tile-roofed merchant houses, tailor shops and lanterns, with a beach and rice fields a short cycle away. The old town charges an entry ticket and is busy from mid-morning to late evening; early and late are the good hours. It is the best place in the country to learn central Vietnamese cooking.

When to go

See all seasons

• Central dry season: Hot and dry in Hoi An and Da Nang; typhoons possible from September.
• Wet months: Afternoon rain in the south, heavy rain in the centre from September.
• North dry season: Cool and dry in Hanoi and Ha Long; cold in the far north mountains.

Entry & visas

Entry rules for this country aren't published here yet.

Always confirm entry rules with the official source before you book.