If you are the type of traveler who is looking for an adventure that feels a bit more rugged, likes to go off the beaten path, is authentic, and prefers way less tourists, Vietnam is full of “secret” spots where the scenery looks amazing and the culture is very much present.
Pack your backpack, grab your camera, and let’s dive into some of the less popular things to go and do in Vietnam.
The Ha Giang Loop
The Ha Giang Loop in the far north of Vietnam will completely change your life, a legendary, 350-kilometer circular road trip that winds through the mountains of northern Vietnam, right along the border of China.
This is a 3-to-4-day motorcycle journey through the most dramatic, towering mountains you’ll ever see, cutting through deep canyons, misty valleys, and terraced rice fields.
When you decide to go do the Ha Giang Loop, you can stay in local family homestays along the route, eat traditional Vietnamese dinners with fellow young travelers from all over the world, and look out over the Ma Pi Leng Pass which feels like standing at the edge of the world.
Traditional Water Puppetry
Vietnamese Múa Rối Nước (Water Puppetry) originated in the flooded rice paddies of Northern Vietnam over 1,000 years ago.
Artists stand waist-deep in water behind a screen, using hidden underwater bamboo rods to make wooden puppets sprint, dance, and breathe fire across the water’s surface, accompanied by a live traditional orchestra. It’s a fast-paced, chaotic, and visually pleasing show.
Ninh Binh
Imagine those massive, dramatic limestone mountains from Ha Long Bay, but instead of sitting in the ocean, they are rising directly out of bright green rice paddies. That is Ninh Binh.
Located just a short train or bus ride south of Hanoi, it’s the perfect place to go to if you wish to slow down and experience rural Vietnamese life.
You can rent a bicycle for $2 a day and pedal along dirt roads past grazing water buffaloes. And then, head to Trang An, where a local guide will row you on a small wooden boat down a river that cuts straight through mountain tunnels.
Modern Craft Workshops in Hoi An
Hoi An is famous for its glowing silk lanterns, but instead of just buying one made in a factory, you can dive into the artisan culture yourself.
You can opt to sign up for a 2-hour DIY Lantern Making or a Pottery workshop in the local villages. You get to sit down with a local master craftsman, drink herbal tea, learn the ancient mathematical geometry behind folding the silk, and build your own custom piece from scratch.
An Bang Village
An Bang Village is one of the most surreal hidden spots in Vietnam. It is a quiet, rural fishing village in Central Vietnam, but globally famous among travelers in the know for its colossal and brightly colored cemetery.
Local families who made a fortune working abroad poured their wealth into building massive, multi-million-dollar tombs for their ancestors. The cemetery covers tens of hectares along the white sand beach, where you’ll find towering pillars, intricate dragons, and mosaic tiles that blend Buddhist, Christian, and royal architecture.
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