Vietnam’s lesser-known destinations away from the tourist trail

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Thanks to a symphony of beeping motorbikes, buzzing street food and a constant caffeine high, Vietnam’s energy is electrifying. One of southeast Asia’s most vibrant countries is also one of its more affordable, giving wallet-conscious travellers an excellent alternative to nearby Thailand.

And as Thailand’s tourism surges – partly due to what’s been dubbed ‘the White Lotus effect’, travellers are increasingly looking east. This year, Vietnam marks 50 years since the end of the Vietnam War (known locally as the American War), with Saigon falling to communist-run North Vietnam on 30 April 1975. While the more popular tourist destinations like Hanoi, Phú Quốc and Hạ Long Bay still have plenty to offer, there are also lesser-known sights to explore from north to south where you’ll enjoy a quieter experience.

As a full-time traveller, I spend part of every year in Vietnam. Here are my picks for getting off the beaten track in southeast Asia’s most exciting destination.

Mù Cang Chải

Garrya Mu Cang Chai Resort overlooks rice terraces, which, when viewed from above, look like a topographical map (Garrya Mù Cang Chải)

Backpackers and motorheads often make a beeline for the hairpin roads of the Ha Giang Loop. So swap it out for the pastoral perfection of serene Mù Cang Chải. A seven-hour drive northwest of Hanoi, this rural district has sky-high rice terraces that top anything in Bali. Various hill tribes live here, planting and harvesting year-round, but visit during September or October when the swaying rice terraces are drenched in yellow.

Where to stay

This ultra-remote part of the country just got its first high-end resort. Garrya Mù Cang Chải is an architectural stunner decked out in bamboo and H’mong textiles. Be sure to book a room with an otherworldly view over the rows and rows of rice terraces.

Đà Lạt

A favourite for Vietnamese honeymooners, Đà Lạt is like the lovechild of Switzerland and southeast Asia. Beloved for its cool, temperate climate, rolling hills and ripe avocados, ‘the City in the Forest’ has a deep French colonial past. These roots are most evident in its trendy cafe culture and its architecture. When you’re not sipping an avocado coffee (trust me on this one), tour the Crazy House, a wacky and whimsical Tim Burton-style hotel and attraction, and try Dalat-style pizza (with a base made from fried rice paper) at the local night market.

Where to stay

Arguably the plushest hotel in town, Ana Mandara Villas Dalat channels a mountain retreat in the French Alps. Formerly homes of French colonisers, the hotel’s 17 unique villas have elegant touches like dark-wood flooring, clawfoot bathtubs and four-poster beds.

Phong Nha

Ke Bang National Park is home to a vast cave network (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Adventurous travellers should pack their hiking boots for this protected part of central Vietnam. The big draw here is Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, a Unesco World Heritage site and the home of what many consider to be the world’s largest cave, Hang Son Doong. But you can’t just wander into a cave that boasts stalagmites taller than Big Ben. Only 1,000 lucky people are allowed in per year via a pricey, multi-day caving tour. But don’t fret, as there are plenty of other small caves to explore, along with Asia’s oldest karst mountains. Word to the wise: avoid the rainy season from October to December, when most caves are inaccessible.

Where to stay

Tucked along the Con River, Victory Road Villas is a boutique hotel flush with stylish and modern villas. Encaustic tiles, outdoor stone tubs and handmade wooden beds decorate its seven apartment-style abodes.

Mui Né

Mui Ne Beach in southern Vietnam is a golden sweep of soft sand backed by palm trees (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

With over 3,200 kilometres of coast, Vietnam has some dreamy stretches of sand. But rather than hitting the high-rise hotels of Nha Trang, head further south to the cruisy coastal town of Mui Né. Check in to this weekend getaway for Saigonese for a few days of lounging by the water and feasting on fresh seafood. Surprisingly, the beach isn’t the biggest draw here. Roughly 30 kilometres outside of town are the Red and White Sand Dunes, where you can ride ATVs or sandboards down these unique waterside-like dunes.

Where to stay

Book in at The Anam Mui Né. Surrounded by swaying palms, this beach resort has 127 rooms and suites with antique-style tile floors, Irish linen bedding and locally crafted Cham pottery. Its signature restaurant, Lang, is modeled after a traditional fishing village home and serves an array of classic Vietnamese dishes.

Bai Tu Long Bay

Pictures of Ha Long Bay feature in every Vietnam advert. But this Unesco World Heritage darling is packed to the gills with tourist boats. So, try an overnight cruise here with one on nearby Bai Tu Long Bay. You’ll still float by towering karst mountains, kayak its emerald waters and wave to sleepy floating fishing villages – just with far less congestion.

Where to stay

Hopping on board a boat is the only way to appreciate the startlingly natural beauty jutting out of this bay. Indochina Junk offers one- or two-night stays in its traditional wooden junk boats. Interiors are cosy with Vietnamese touches and chic, blue-tiled bathrooms, and its decks include plenty of places to lounge with a bia hoi in hand. (Cruises start from £146 per person).

Quy Nhơn

Located between Hội An and Nha Trang, Quy Nhơn is a quiet coastal escape. Famous for its super-fresh seafood and huge stretch of beach – which is typically empty – it makes for a peaceful beach break. When you’re ready to peel yourself off your sunlounger, take a trip to see some of the country’s best-preserved Cham ruins. These ancient Champa temples date back to the 11th century, with the Thap Doi Towers and Banh It Towers being the easiest to reach.

Where to stay

Avani Quy Nhơn Resort has a kilometre of private beach. Need we say more? Its 60 rooms and villas have oceanfront views and a modern minimalist design with pops of colour. The resort’s cliffside restaurant, Tre, is perfect for sundowners and local bites straight from the water.

How to get there

Direct flights from London start from £671 to Ho Chi Minh City and £674 to Hanoi, round-trip with Vietnam Airlines. Qatar and Emirates also offer direct flights from London.

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