10 reasons to book a holiday to Vietnam

Vietnam boasts no fewer than eight UNESCO Sites, ranging from time-stamped cities to areas of natural beauty. If you’re into history, you’ll love the Complex of Hué Monuments. The ancient city of Hué was the political centre of Vietnam under the Nguyen Dynasty – the last royal dynasty in Vietnam – and is home to ornate temples, a traditional pagoda, and a vast citadel.

But Ha Long Bay is the most famous UNESCO Site in Vietnam. Stretching for 600 square miles, this vast bay has nearly 2,000 islands. Rising out of the water like teeth, the limestone isles serve as a reminder of the bay’s name, which means ‘descending dragon’. Needless to say, Ha Long Bay is very popular, so it’s best to pre-book an overnight cruise – you’ll be able to kayak between the nooks and crannies and swim in the turquoise waters.

Few cities in Southeast Asia are as interesting as Ho Chi Minh City. This southern metropolis, formerly called Saigon, is packed with historical landmarks and fascinating museums, offering a glimpse into the country’s past.

Browse artefacts and photos at the poignant War Remnants Museum, and crawl through the famous Cu Chi Tunnels. This underground network was dug by Viet Cong guerrilla soldiers during the Vietnam War and stretches for miles. Notre Dame Cathedral – built by French colonists – and the lavish Independence Palace are also worth a visit.

Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh are very different – so it’s best to visit both if you can. While southern Ho Chi Minh is a modern, structured city, Vietnam’s northern capital is a medley of scooters and street stalls. And yet, in the middle of all the chaos, there are little pockets of calm.

Dedicated to the country’s best scholars, the tranquil Temple of Literature is a maze of courtyards, ponds and altars. Hoan Kiem Lake should also be on your list. Make sure you walk over the bright red bridge to reach Ngoc Son, an ornate temple on the island in the centre of the lake.

Get back to nature in Sapa. About 350 kilometres northwest of Hanoi, this peaceful spot offers a remarkable contrast to the capital’s busy streets.

As well as being picture-perfect, Sapa is a popular trekking base, thanks to the surrounding mountains and cascading rice paddies. You can hike through rich forests, visit authentic tribal villages, and even climb Vietnam’s highest peak, Fan Si Pan.

Vietnamese cuisine is all about flavour rather than spice. Most dishes feature fish sauce and lots of herbs, with chilli sauce served on the side. So, if you’re not great with spice, you can choose how hot your meal is. Seafood plays a big part in Vietnamese cuisine, and cha ca is a must-try. It's made with noodles and white fish sautéed in ginger, garlic and dill. And you’ll see spring rolls – goi cuon – everywhere, stuffed with pork, shrimp or vegetables.

But pho is the real showstopper. This mouth-watering noodle soup is Vietnam's national dish, and you can have it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Pho is a light broth flavoured with coriander, ginger and spring onions, served with noodles and cuts of chicken, beef or pork – and it’s every bit as good as it sounds. Why not sign up for a cooking class in Vietnam and learn how to make it?

Remember those UNESCO Heritage Sites we were talking about? Well, Hoi An Ancient Town is one of them.

With quiet temples, elaborate bridges and endless lanterns, picturesque Hoi An looks exactly how you’d imagine a Vietnamese riverside town to look. Once a major port, Hoi An boasts a diverse range of architecture – including Chinese temples, traditional Japanese merchant houses and an 18th-century bridge – and modest houses painted in bold primary colours. Beaches and snorkelling spots are within easy reach, too. But Hoi An’s real charm comes out when the sun goes down. Hundreds of multi-coloured lanterns adorn the pedestrianised laneways, giving the town a truly magical feel. And that’s not all...

Vietnam is renowned for its beautiful silk, and Hoi An is the country’s tailor capital. There are hundreds of tailor shops here, making everything from suits and ties to dresses to shoes.

While a tailor-made outfit back home would cost you a lot of money, that’s not the case here. You can expect a made-to-measure suit to cost around £80, but shop around and don’t be afraid to haggle. It’s best to go to a few different tailors, look at their fabrics and talk about price – then decide which place is best for you.

Like many Southeast Asian countries, Vietnamese prices are much lower than those in the UK. This, coupled with a good exchange rate on Vietnamese Dong, makes it one of the best-value holiday destinations.

On average, a bottle of local beer – look out for Saigon or Bia Hanoi – costs less than £2, while a big bottle of water is just 40p. A casual dinner costs a few quid, while a three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant will set you back about £14 – bargain. You’ll find that Ho Chi Minh is slightly more expensive than Hanoi, but generally, prices are fairly even across the country.

Known as ‘the rice bowl of Vietnam’, the Mekong Delta is an essential part of any Vietnam holiday. Cloaked in a hundred shades of green, this network of criss-crossing waterways is a world away from Vietnam’s bustling cities. You can expect to see tangled mangrove forests, lazy buffalo wading through the rivers, and floating markets selling fruit and freshly caught fish.

Day trips are available from Ho Chi Minh, or you could book an overnight stay in the Mekong Delta if you prefer. Or why not go all out and book a river cruise?

If you’re considering booking a trip to Vietnam, why not add a few days in Cambodia? These two countries share a 700-mile border, and like its neighbour, Cambodia is home to stunning architecture and historic sites.

The easiest way to see both countries is to book a two-week tour of Vietnam and Cambodia. You can spend the first half of your trip exploring Vietnam before sailing up the Mekong River into Cambodia, where you’ll be able to discover Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and the phenomenal temples of Angkor Wat.