Our most recommended things to do in Central Vietnam

From Hanoi: Tam Coc, Hoa Lu & Mua Caves Full-Day Trip

1. From Hanoi: Tam Coc, Hoa Lu & Mua Caves Full-Day Trip

Travel by air-conditioned bus from Hanoi to Tam Coc and ride a Sampan boat to impressive caves. Experience local life as you cycle through picturesque villages, explore ancient temples, and enjoy a Vietnamese lunch. Start your tour early with pickup at your hotel in Ha Noi Old Quarter. Hop into the luxury van to visit Hoa Lu, an ancient capital of Vietnam. Visit Dinh king Temple and Le king Temple from the 10th century, and hear about the heroic histories of the two Kings during the Chinese Wars. At midday, sit down for lunch with Vietnamese cuisine at a local restaurant. Continue to Tam Coc and take the sampan go (traditional river boat) along the Ngo Dong river to visit Tam Coc's three caves. Head back to Tam Coc wharf, take your bicycle, and cycle around traditional villages and Tam Coc town. Visit Mua cave, which attracts visitors with its many interesting stories. Climb 500 stone steps to see all the way to Tam Coc, and enjoy a stunning panoramic view of the countryside and Ngo Dong river. In the evening, return Ha Noi.

From Hanoi: Ninh Binh, Trang An, Bai Dinh, and Mua Cave Trip

2. From Hanoi: Ninh Binh, Trang An, Bai Dinh, and Mua Cave Trip

Uncover the cultural and natural heritage of the Ninh Binh province on a guided day trip from Hanoi. Pay a visit to the Bai Dinh Temple Complex, float through the tranquil rivers of Trang An, and climb to the top of Mua Caves for striking panoramic views of rocky hills. Get picked up from your hotel in Hanoi and depart toward Ninh Binh. Stop at Bai Dinh, the biggest complex of Buddhist temples in Vietnam, to gaze at the imposing pagoda. See 500 Arhat Statues made out of blue stones, a 36-ton bronze bell, and a 100-ton Buddha statue, rising up to 10 meters. Take a lunch break in a local restaurant, with a Vietnamese buffet of goat meat, fish, chicken, and fried rice, as well as vegetarian food options. Continue to the Trang An Landscape Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site featured in the 2017 movie Kong: Skull Island. Hop on a wooden boat to navigate through its quiet rivers, discover mysterious caves, and admire towering limestone karsts covered with tropical plants. Finally, climb up 500 steps to the viewpoint of Mua Caves to marvel at panoramic views of Tam Coc before returning to Hanoi.

From Hoi An: Market Tour, Basket Boat Ride and Cooking Class

3. From Hoi An: Market Tour, Basket Boat Ride and Cooking Class

Spend time in Vietnam's countryside on a morning or afternoon guided tour from Hoi An. Browse a local market before floating through a dense coconut palm forest on a traditional bamboo basket boat. Learn how to prepare Vietnamese food and savor your work during a cooking class. Meet your guide at the Godiva coffee shop before heading to explore a morning or afternoon market in Hoi An. Marvel at the seasonal fruits, noodles, herbs, vegetables, meat, and fish on display. Interact with the vendors and get some tips on how to bargain.  Then, paddle through the water coconut palms aboard a bamboo basket boat for 40 minutes. Learn how to fish with a fishing net, listen to some folk songs and receive some handmade souvenirs made from coconut leaves. Learn how to cook Vietnamese food, such as Bánh cuốn (Vietnamese steamed rice rolls), Bánh Xèo (Hoian rice pancakes), Phở (pho noodles with beef), and Chè (sweet bean soup) as you prepare your own lunch or dinner.

Hoi An: Vietnamese Foldable Lantern Making Class

4. Hoi An: Vietnamese Foldable Lantern Making Class

Immerse yourself in Vietnamese culture with a lantern-making class. Select from full and express options. In the full activity, make the lanterns completely from scratch. In the express activity, start with the bamboo structure of the lanterns already made and begin by choosing your lantern fabric. Begin your experience with some herbal tea and traditional music. Hear about the history of Hoi An bamboo silk lanterns from your host and how the local people believe that hanging lanterns in front of their house brings luck, happiness, and wealth. Create lanterns shaped like lotuses, triangles, garlic, UFOs, or diamonds and choose your own silk style and color with guidance from your instructor. This unique activity can be enjoyed by the entire family, even by kids as young as 3 years old. Once completed, these lanterns are easy to fold, carry, or put in your luggage, so you can take home an original, hand-made souvenir from your visit to Hoi An.

Da Nang: Lady Buddha, Monkey Mountain and Am Phu Cave Tour

5. Da Nang: Lady Buddha, Monkey Mountain and Am Phu Cave Tour

After pickup from your hotel in Da Nang or Hoi An, visit the Son Tra Mountain, also known as Monkey Mountain, to gain insight into Vietnam's rich history of Buddhism and Hinduism. Then, visit the Lady Buddha statue, the tallest Buddhist statue in Vietnam, reaching a height of 220 feet (67 meters). Next, visit local stone factories and sculpture shops, before visiting Marble Mountain. Visit the Âm Phủ cave, to take a walk through a re-creation of Buddhist hell. At midday enjoy lunch in a local restaurant with authentic Vietnamese dishes. You'll be transferred back to your hotel around 1:00 PM.

Da Nang: Ba Na Hills and Golden Bridge Cable Car Ticket

6. Da Nang: Ba Na Hills and Golden Bridge Cable Car Ticket

Visit Ba Na Hills and learn why 1.5 million visitors flock this place annually. Located at the peak of Chua Mountain, discover Ba Na Hills' only way of transportation: the cable car, which is rated as one of the most impressive cable car systems in the world. See the mountain region in its entirety on your ride to the park, from high waterfalls and fogged peaks, to thick forests of tropical vegetation. Get off at Ba Na Hills station and be welcomed by a breathtaking 27-meter-high Buddha statue surrounded by a garden of colorful flowers. Make the most out of your trip and go through every stop: Family Entertainment Center (Fec), Linh Ung Pagoda, Linh Phong Tu Tower, Debay Wine Cellar, French Village, Le Jardin D'Amour, Tombstone Temple, Linh Chua Linh Tu Temple, Campanile, Ba Shrine, Fantasy Park, Funincula, and Alpine Coaster.

From Hue: DMZ Tour with Vinh Moc Tunnels and Khe Sanh Base

7. From Hue: DMZ Tour with Vinh Moc Tunnels and Khe Sanh Base

07h30: Our guide and car will pick you up at your hotel in Hue central, then transfer to Vietnam Demilitarized Zone in Quang Tri province. Ready to start the DMZ Tour Hue. Visiting places: Horror Highway: May 1, 1972, will never be forgotten by people in Quang Tri and Thua Thien provinces not because it is International Labor Day, but because of the horrible carnage on Vietnam Highway 1, the Horror Highway. Thousands of civilians, mostly the elders, women, children, and scores of soldiers were killed by artillery and infantry weapons in hours of shooting. Long Hung Church: one of the very few existing buildings remains in Quang Tri town during “Fire Summer” or Eastern Offensive in 1972. It is a National Relic in the town of Quang Tri Vietnam – BA5453. Quang Tri Ancient Citadel: is seen as an eye-witness of fierce battles during the anti-American resistance war in 1972. During the 81-day fighting, the citadel was almost destroyed by thousands of tons of bombs released by the US army. Nowadays, the citadel becomes a place to mark immortal victories of the Vietnamese army and people and to educate youths about the nation’s revolutionary tradition and its patriotism. Dakrong Bridge: the bridge was considered the beginning of the Ho Chi Minh Trail network, and during many years of Vietnam War, this access point was hotly contested. The Dakrong Bridge fell many times. Now it’s a grand suspension bridge, a proud thumbed nose as if to say, “You can’t knock down my bridge anymore.” On the way, tourists also have chances to meet Paco minority village. Ta Con Airport: now is the Khe Sanh Combat Base Museum, contains a boneyard of several captured U.S. tanks and aircraft destroyed during the Battle of Khe Sanh. According to the official accounts provided by the museum, 197 U.S. planes were shot down or captured during the 170-day battle. Free snacks. Enjoy the local Khe Sanh coffee (own expense). After break, our guide and car take you back to the war sites, including: Hien Luong Bridge – Ben Hai River: The Geneva Agreements on Vietnam signed in 1954 divided Vietnam into North and South with the 17th Parallel where the Ben Hai River runs through the central province of Quang Tri as a borderline. Hien Luong Bridge, also knows as the Peace Bridge, was built by the French in 1950, across Ben Hai River. It is 178 m long but it took 21 years for Vietnamese people from the North and the South to be united. Vinh Moc Tunnels and Tunnels Museum: The most highlight part of DMZ Tour during Vietnam War. The complex of Vinh Moc tunnel located deep in the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone and sheltered Vinh Linh county people from the intense bombing. The tunnels were a success in saving the villagers’ lives and providing them the necessary living conditions to fight back the American enemy. 18h00: Tour ends at hotels in Hue.

Imperial City, Hue: Tour from Hoi An and Da Nang

8. Imperial City, Hue: Tour from Hoi An and Da Nang

Travel back to the Nguyen Dynasty on a multi-stop tour from Hoi An and Da Nang to Hue. See the Imperial City, the Mausoleum of Emperor Khai Dinh, and the Thien Mu Pagoda. Get a taste of Hue cuisine during lunch at a local restaurant. Following pickup in Hoi An, the journey to Hue begins by crossing one of the best coastal roads in the world, the Hai Van Pass. Take advantage of a 30-minute stop at the peak and 5 minutes to take photos at Lang Co Beach.  After a final round of pickup in Da Nang, visit the Khai Dinh Tomb, a blend of Western and Eastern architecture constructed between 1920-1931. Then, enjoy lunch at a local specialty restaurant serving Hue-style dishes.  With a full stomach of local cuisine, continue to Hue’s main attraction, the Imperial Citadel. Once the home of the Nguyen Emperor, the citadel also contains the Forbidden Purple City. Explore Thien Mu Pagoda, Hue’s largest pagoda. Built in 1601, it is the subject of many local folk rhymes and is considered the unofficial symbol of Hue. Finish the day with drop-off back in Da Nang and Hoi An.

Ba Tran: Hoi An Basket Boat Ride in Water Coconut Forest

9. Ba Tran: Hoi An Basket Boat Ride in Water Coconut Forest

Spend 50 minutes on the bamboo basket boat through the magnificent water coconut forest ,navigate the small canals of the mangrove forest and coconut palms with a local and join some interesting activities in the mangrove palm jungle: boat spinning and dancing; singing karaoke; try throw the fishing nets with the locals; enjoy the traditional folk song performance and fishing crabs along the river.

Da Nang: Ba Na Hills and Golden Bridge Tour & Optional Lunch

10. Da Nang: Ba Na Hills and Golden Bridge Tour & Optional Lunch

Explore Golden Bridge and Ba Na Hills from Danang 7:40 - 8:15 AM You get picked up from your hotel, then go to Ba Na Hills 9:30 - 10:00 AM Take the cable car up to Golden Bridge. Enjoy sightseeing the beautiful natural forest from your cable car. Then walk and take photo of Golden Bridge, the Flower Garden, Linh Ung pagoda and Wine Celar. 12:00 PM Take the second cable car up to French Village Enjoy lunch with buffet of more than 80 dishes in the restaurant. Walk around the European Architecture Village Entertain in Fantasy Park with thrill-games, adventure game, 4D, 5D movies. 3:00 - 3:30 PM Take the cable car down the mountains Get back to your hotel.

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What people are saying about Central Vietnam

Overall rating

4.5 / 5

based on 20,034 reviews

A fantastic tour Enjoyed the whole tour Boat ride to island and back after cycling around A easy flat cycle through countryside Suitable for all ages Lots of stops for a breather and photos Even a basket boat experience with a local lady Which was great Beautiful lunch included Cauld the ask for a better guide I have already advices people to book this tour from my resort

so very friendly. Great value for money. friendly tour guide. so many wonderful stops. very well organised. I would highly reccomend this company and this tour. March 2023

we had an amazing tour, Thanh our driver was so helpful and made seeing all the sights in Hue so fun and easy. I would really recommend!

Brilliant day, great tour guide and an added bonus was the use of cycles through the rice fields

Absolutely Amazing experience. Our tour guide was a local and she was Great.