Go native: etiquette in Vietnam

Travel Vietnam Tips - Knowledge of local etiquette should help you avoid inadvertently causing offence or, worse, sparking an international incident! And it will endear you to your hosts. Here are a few tips to help you go native.

Dress code

Respect local dress standards: shorts to the knees, women’s tops covering the shoulder, particularly at religious sites. Always remove your shoes before entering a temple. Nude sunbathing is considered totally inappropriate, even on beaches.

Meet & greet

The traditional Vietnamese form of greeting is to press your hands together in front of your body and bow slightly. These days, the Western custom of shaking hands has almost completely taken over.

It’s on the cards

Exchanging business cards is an important part of even the smallest transaction or business contact. Get some printed before you arrive in Vietnam and hand them out like confetti.

Deadly chopsticks

Leaving a pair of chopsticks sitting vertically in a rice bowl looks very much like the incense sticks that are burned for the dead. This is a powerful sign and is not appreciated anywhere in Asia.

Mean feet

Like the Chinese and Japanese, Vietnamese strictly maintain clean floors and it’s usual to remove shoes when entering somebody’s home. It’s rude to point the bottom of your feet towards other people. Never, ever point your feet towards anything sacred, such as a Buddha image.

Hats off to them

As a form of respect to elderly or other esteemed people, such as monks, take off your hat and bow your head politely when addressing them. In Asia, the head is the symbolic highest point – never pat or touch an adult on the head.

Top 10 Vietnam movies

Travel Vietnam Tips - Michael Caine struggles, Marlon Brando snaps, Robert De Niro survives. This is the best of Vietnam on celluloid.

Michael Caine struggles, Marlon Brando snaps, Robert De Niro survives. This is the best of Vietnam on celluloid.

Indochine (1992) Stunning cinematography sells 1930s love story - if this doesn't make you want to go to Halong Bay, nothing will.

The Lover (1992) Taboo tryst in French colonial Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City).

The Quiet American (2002) Michael Caine caught in a love triangle and political turmoil at the Hotel Continental in 1950s Saigon.

The Scent of Green Papaya (1992) Beautifully shot coming of age story in 50s’ Saigon.

Apocalypse Now (1979) Martin Sheen and Marlon Brando deliver probably the most-quoted Vietnam War movie lines.

The Deer Hunter (1978) Small-town America feels the after-effects of the Vietnam War.

Platoon (1986) The first of Oliver Stone’s Vietnam trilogy and the highest-ever-grossing film about the Vietnam War.

Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) Robin Williams provides comic relief for troops as a wartime radio announcer.

Cyclo (1995) A young cyclo driver’s struggle with Ho Chi Minh City’s violent underworld.

Three Seasons (1999) Harvey Keitel plays a veteran returning to Ho Chi Minh City to look for his daughter.

Destination at a glance: Vietnam

Travel Vietnam Tips - No longer held down by its past (or its politics), the slender nation of Vietnam makes for easy itineraries, book-ended as it is with two very different cities: poetic, tight-lipped Hanoi and zestful, go-go-go Ho Chi Minh City.

You can fly into one and out from the other, seeing the dialect, temperament and diet change as you move from the south's rice paddy fields to the centre's white-sand beaches and the north's hill-tribe villages and limestone cliffs. It's still cheap, but has increasingly become a mini China, with a growing nose of business, yet push-cart vendors amid the sports cars.

Despite the surge in attention, there are undiscovered pockets everywhere; to find them, you usually just need to walk a couple of blocks from the main street.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

March and April, September to November

TOP THINGS TO SEE

• Hanoi's Hoan Kiem Lake, particularly when lined with morning exercisers at 5am

• Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in the capital, Hanoi

• Dragon-shaped mountains and blue-green water of Halong Bay

• The citadel and royal tombs along the Perfume River in Hué

• Terraced rice fields, mountains and traditional homes in Sapa

TOP THINGS TO DO

• Eat pho (noodle soup) from a tiny plastic stool at a sidewalk eatery

• Pick one of the many Hoi An tailors to make a shirt, suit or dress

• Boat through the Mekong Delta

• Escape tourist ghettos, where it's easier to mix with friendly locals

GETTING UNDER THE SKIN

Read Dumb Luck by Vu Trong Phung, a fun 1936 tale of Red-Haired Xuan, a Charlie Chaplin–type character

Listen to the motorbike engines, beeps and street vendor calls from a street cafe in Ho Chi Minh City

Watch a film having little to do with war, Tran Anh Hung's The Vertical Ray of the Sun, showing life in modern Hanoi

Eat as much local food as you can; the pho, banh cuon (steamed rice rolls with minced pork) and goi cuon (summer spring rolls) are fresher, better and cheaper than Vietnamese restaurants abroad

Drink bia hoi (draught beer), particularly at Hanoi's infamous 'bia hoi' corner in the Old Quarter: a hundred stools, 101 drinkers and cheap beer

IN A WORD

Troi oi! (Oh my!)

TRADEMARKS

Conical hats; cyclos; ao dai (traditional dresses); scooter gridlocks

RANDOM FACT

Hanoi turned 1000 in 2010.

Vietnamese cooking courses Q & A

Travel Vietnam Tips - One of the best travel souvenirs you can bring home is the ability to cook some of the local dishes you sampled on your journey. Cooking courses are becoming more and more popular as a travel activity, so we asked Lonely Planet staffer Ellie some questions about her culinary experience in Hoi An, Vietnam.

What made you decide to do a cooking course?

I’ve always been a bit intimidated by cooking Asian food, so wanted to learn more about it – and where better than in the birthplace of the cuisine itself? I also didn’t want to spend my whole Vietnam trip just travelling from place to place - it was important to me to stop in places and get involved in local culture and activities.

How did you find your course and why did you choose that particular one?

I did a bit of online research before I went, but I ended up asking travellers when I got to Hoi An. I ended up finding the Red Bridgeschool purely by through word of mouth. I wanted to do a course with some depth to it, so went for the full day course.

What was the general framework of the course?

The course ran from 8am to 3pm and involved a range of different activities. We went to a market first thing in the morning to buy our produce for the day, and we were then were taken to see an organic herb farm run by a local family. The cooking itself took about four hours, and we got to participate in pretty much everything – from making rice noodles for the pho to barbecuing to pickling vegetables and even making decorations out of food. We made four Vietnamese dishes from scratch during the day, including grilled chicken and banana flower salad, and claypot fish with dill, all of which we got to eat at the end. The ‘kitchen’ was set up outside next to a swimming pool which we could use during the day, and the course ended with us being taken back to Ho Chi Minh City by boat.

What sort of people did it attract?

There were only three of us on the course – the other two being a young Australian couple - which meant that we got to have a go at pretty much everything, which was fantastic. There was a half-day course running alongside which was much busier.

What was the tastiest thing you made?

It was all amazingly tasty, but the dish I was proudest of making was thepho – Hanoi beef and rice noodle soup. We made both the stock and the rice noodles from scratch, which was something I never thought I would do!

Have you put those cooking skills to use at home?

Errrrm… I had every intention of doing so and kept the recipe booklet they provided us with, but to be honest haven’t made anything. I guess with so many Vietnamese restaurants near where I live there hasn’t been much need!

Has it inspired you to do more courses?

Spending the day out of busy HCMC and learning new skills was definitely a highlight of my trip to Vietnam and something I will always remember. I’ll definitely do another cooking course on my next trip, wherever that might be.

What advice would you give someone looking to do a cooking course in Hoi An?

If you’re going to do it, do it properly. There’s not much point in signing up for a two-hour or half-day course, you won’t get to do or see much. I’d commit to at least a day and find a course that not only shows you how to cook but other aspects of local life too.

Dining for a cause

Travel Vietnam Tips - Food for the body is good, but food for the soul is great.

You have the opportunity to get both at these restaurants and cafés, which run vocational training programs for street kids. Good cause, good food, good idea. If you’re in the area, why not try one out?

Vietnam

Hoi An

Streets International has just one restaurant for now, but they envision taking this venture and replicating it on a global scale. The revenue of the commercial 'teaching' restaurant will ultimately support and fund the associated training facility, housing, medical and other community services for the street kid participants. The founder and president of Streets, Neal Bermas, has ties with the Institute of Culinary Education in Manhattan. The kids participating at the Streets restaurant will undergo the same training - and 18-month curriculum - as students at ICE. As they move through the program, they'll work in every area of the restaurant, from front-of-house duties to cooking to management. They'll also have a great support system with medical care, English lessons, and basic life skills courses. And when they're finished, the kids will graduate with certification that will allow them to apply for jobs in top hotels.

Hanoi

KOTO (Know One Teach One) is a stunning 4-storey café-restaurant overlooking the Temple of Literature. It offers local specialities, home comforts, real coffee, fruit shakes and free wi-fi.

Hoa Sua is a shady retreat by day, a dignified diner by night, and an opportunity to experience the perfect blend of East and West. Hoa Sua trains a steady stream of disadvantaged kids for culinary careers.

Café Smile, part of the Hoa Sua family, is a relaxed café-restaurant renowned for its cakes and pastries. But it also serves delicious Vietnamese and western dishes.

Café Ket Noi, yet another branch of the Hoa Sua family, employs staff from ethnic minority groups. Head here for a bite to eat, or a coffee or beer.

Cambodia

Friends International operates four restaurants run by former street youth in training. Three of these are in Phnom Penh and one is in Laos. At these restaurants, students learn hospitality skills in a real restaurant environment. When you dine here you not only get a great meal but also help these students gain the skills and confidence to work in the hospitality industry.

Friends the Restaurant, near the National Museum, is famous for its frozen shakes and daiquiris, its Asian and Western tapas and its incredibly friendly staff. After you’ve had your fill pop next door to the Friends and Stuff store to snap up a snazzy silk skirt or lamp made in the school just behind the shop front. Treat yourself to a manicure and know that your dollars are training someone with a career to keep them off the streets.

Romdeng, also run by Friends, is set in a beautifully decorated colonial mansion with a leafy garden and swimming pool.

Café du Centre, the third Friend’s restaurant, is a French-style bistro in the gardens of the French Cultural Centre.

Lotus Blanc serves fine French and Asian cuisine to support vocational training for children formerly surviving by scavenging the dump.

Boddhi Tree Umma, opposite the harrowing Tuol Sleng Museum, will feed you up like the Buddha with a roasted aubergine, goat's cheese and mango chutney sandwich. They also offer guesthouse-style suites that allow you to stay off the beaten track and can include cookery courses and market tours. Staff often come here after family crises to be trained in this positive environment.

The Green Orange Cafe in Battambang provides a safe alcohol- and drug-free space for children of all ages to meet and socialise. Green Orange staff are from the area and the café provides much needed employment to the village of Ksach Poy, as well as raising funds for other community projects. By using local ingredients, the Green Orange Café (named after the famous Battambang Orange) seeks to benefit the local economy in an environmentally responsible way.

Laos

Check out Makphet in Vientiane. It's run by Friends International and helps keep kids off the streets or detention centres.

A thrillseeker’s guide to Vietnam

Travel Vietnam Tips - Dense jungles, brooding mountains, endless waterways, towering cliffs, hairpin bends: the potential for adrenalin-fuelled adventure is limitless in Vietnam. Whether you prefer to scale the heights of jagged peaks or plumb the depths of coral reefs, Vietnam will deliver something special. Heck, just being here is one long adventure, but these experiences will take it to a whole new level.

Kayak Halong Bay

Use paddle power to explore this incredible forest of karsts that jut out of the South China Sea like stone sentinels. Kayaks go where other boats cannot, such as into hidden caves and secret lagoons, and will reveal to you the very best of the bay.

Conquer Mount Fansipan

OK, so it’s not Mt Everest, but at 3143m, it is the highest peak in the country. Meet some of the minority peoples on the trek before tackling the elements to arrive on the roof of Vietnam.

Motorbike through the deep north

Saddle up for the ride of a lifetime in the mountains of Vietnam’s deep north. The roads are absolute rollercoasters, the scenery is simply stunning.

Cycle the Mekong Delta

Forget about those newfangled engines and pedal through the back roads of the Mekong Delta – a patchwork of emerald greens. Stick to the roads less travelled or jump on the odd boat or two for the full Mekong experience.

Dive beneath

See Vietnam from a different angle by scuba diving off its curvaceous coast. Tank up, buddy down and explore the reefs off Nha Trang. Other options are Phu Quoc Island or, the final frontier, Con Dao.

Kitesurf above

If all that underwater stuff sounds too deep, then float above it all with something more carefree like kitesurfing. Mui Ne is the unashamed kitesurfing capital, but the sport is (literally) taking off up and down the coast.

Explore Vietnam's national parks

Vietnam’s jungle is massive – well at least in some of the protected areas. Track shy wildlife, hike to hidden waterfalls or mountain-bike down paths in one of the country’s remote national parks, such as magnificent Cat Tien.

Looking for a longer adrenalin rush? Get on your bike with our article on two-wheeled adventures in Southeast Asia.

Two-wheeled adventures in Southeast Asia

Travel Vietnam Tips - Southeast Asia is home to some of the greatest adventures on earth. Throw a motorbike into the mix and you’ll have the time of your life. Here’s our guide to a two-wheeled adventure in the Mekong region.

Vietnam and Laos – sublime scenery from mountain to coast

To kick off, the infamous Ho Chi Minh Trail has been upgraded into a major highway running along the spine of the country and offers some sublime scenery. The stretch from the old US airbase of Khe Sanh northto Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is a beauty, including a wide section that was apparently a secret jungle landing strip for MIG fighters during the war.

Elsewhere in Nam, Ha Giang is the final frontier for motorbiking aficionados in Indochina. Like Halong Bay on high, karst peaks protrude from the top of rolling mountains and secluded villages are home to a colourful mosaic of ethnic minorities. The gorge road from Dong Van to Meo Vac is the stuff of biker yore, its towering cliffs looming high above and plummeting to the Nho Que River in the distance below. Just remember to keep an eye on the road, despite the breathtaking scenery.

A word of caution, however, Ha Giang still requires an official permit to visit more remote areas. Choose to travel without one and accidentally stumble upon military exercises in the mountains and you may find yourself a guest of the local Vietnamese police.

If the coast is more your cup of tea, ride notorious Highway 1 betweenSaigon and Hanoi. The traffic can be daunting around major cities, but there are some remote and desolate stretches with empty beaches. Aim high over the Hai Van Pass, ignoring the tedious tunnel that has been conveniently burrowed through the mountain.

For experienced dirt bikers, it is possible to explore remnants of the old Ho Chi Minh Trail across the border in Laos. Rusting tanks and forgotten field guns litter the jungle of Southern Laos. Combine a ride through the region’s recent history with some of the most remote and wild regions of the country in Salavan and Attapeu.

Cambodia – the other Route 66 (and more)

Cambodia has long been the holy grail for dirt bike enthusiasts thanks to its network of crumbling roads. Many of these have been upgraded in the past decade, but there remain many parts of the country where pot holes are the size of golf bunkers and tarmac is an endangered species.

Get your kicks on Route 66, an ancient Angkorian highway that runs due east from Angkor via Beng Mealea to the vast temple complex ofPreah Khan. Ancient stone bridges from the time of Jayavarman VII acts as historical waymarkers along the route, including the dramatic Spean Ta Ong with more than 20 arches.

Meander along the Mekong River through traditional villages in Kompong Cham and Kratie before making a diversion east to the elevated provinces of Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri. Still linked together by the infamous 'Death Highway', many an experienced biker has come unstuck on the sandy, muddy trails 'linking' Koh Nhek in Mondulkiri with Lumphat in Ratanakiri.

And let us not forget the Cardamom Mountains in southwest Cambodia for remote jungle; the dramatic northeast of Laos, home to the Plain of Jars and the Vieng Xai Caves, a sort of Cu Chi Tunnels cast in stone; and the rural Mekong Delta, a gentle two-wheeled adventure set against a patchwork of emerald green.

Vietnam tips: a first-timer's guide

Travel Vietnam Tips - Enthralling and enraging in equal amounts,Vietnam's long-held position as a travel icon is more than deserved. In no other country is the collision of Southeast Asia's past, present and future so stark. At times, this clash can seem so confronting and confusing as to send even experienced travellers fleeing for the nearest luxury hotel. However, like most things in life, the more you put in, the more you get out - and in Vietnam just a little preparation will set you up for the trip of a lifetime.

1. Keep smiling

Despite the grumbles of many visitors, Vietnamese people are mostly just as friendly as their Southeast Asian counterparts. However, unlike in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos - where local residents are genuinely curious about who you are and where you’ve come from - Vietnamese people tend to ignore lost-looking foreigners unless you actually ask for help. But be assured that if you ask a local a question with a smile, you'll almost certainly have it answered and the smile returned.

2. Be wary of taxi scams

For many, motorcycle taxis are the only way to truly see the thronging streets of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh. However, although unlikely, scams can happen and your best protection is a decent knowledge of where you are going and points along the way. If you think you’re going the wrong way, simply tell your driver to pull over and flag down a new bike - those that stop should at least know the English names of the main tourist sights. Also, organise for a hotel pick-up from the airport - scam taxis are rife and, as my quickly lightened wallet can attest, far more expensive and stressful than the $5 you supposedly could save.

3. Know your night buses

Overnight buses are a great way to cover long distances and save on accommodation costs, but make sure you book a top bunk as far as possible from the loo (normally situated near the back). Not to put too fine a point on it, a lot of buses don't have working bathrooms and the further back you are, the worse the smell gets. Also, unless you have an iron bladder, don't drink more than absolutely necessary, as rest stops seem to be purely at the whim of the driver and are skipped completely if the bus is running late. On one seven-hour bus trip - that ended up being a 16-hour voyage - I was very glad to have followed this tip. Not all of the other passengers had done so - enough said!

4. Avoid nightlife trouble

Vietnam has possibly the cheapest beer in the world but it pays not to overdo it. In Hanoi there is an official curfew on bars and nightclubs, which the police may turn up and enforce unless the owner has paid a suitable 'fee'. Hiding in the dark as the club pretends to be closed while a police car drives by can be amusing, but it sucks when half your group gets thrown out by the cops and can’t get back in. Meanwhile, Nha Trang leaves a sorry trail of wallet-lightened backpackers who experienced the not-uncommon misfortune of running into pickpocketing prostitutes - and attendant gangs - on their way home after a night out.

5. Motorcycle safely

Clarkson may have done it, but he had a whole production crew and still ended up with a couple of broken ribs. Vietnam is not the place to learn to ride a motorbike. I have rarely been as scared as the moment I had to cross a traffic-light-free four-lane junction where scooters dodged each other by mere inches. The roads are truly terrifying and unfortunately the stories of tourists killed attempting a two-wheeled adventure are all too based in fact.

If you're determined to get the thrill of a bike, it's worth looking into the Dalat Easy Rider (dalat-easyrider.com) where an experienced Vietnamese rider will take care of the driving so you can sit back and enjoy the scenery.

6. Be bold

Most important of all: don't be scared. Vietnam can seem intimidating and overwhelming at first, but keep a sense of humour and everything will work out fine. Just like the streets of Hanoi, where to cross the road you have to wade out into moving traffic whispering prayers to any and every god that you won't get hit, the worst thing you can do is freeze. Keep moving at a steady pace and the bedlam will slowly envelop and glide around you - until magically you are right where you wanted to be without a single scratch!

A perfect trip to Vietnam

Travel Vietnam Tips - From the island-studded seas of the north to the meandering waterways of the south, Vietnam is a country defined by the diversity of its land and the resilience and generosity of its people. Lonely Planet Traveller magazine shows you how to take the perfect trip to Vietnam.

Halong Bay: best for coast

The mystical landscape of Halong Bay, where over 2000 limestone islets rise from the Gulf of Tonkin. Photo by Matt Munro

Once upon a time, a friendly dragon lived in the heavens above Halong Bay. With invaders from the seas threatening Vietnam, the gods asked the dragon to create a natural barrier to protect its people. The dragon kindly obliged, performing a spectacular crash landing along the coast – digging up chunks of rock with its flailing tail and spitting out pearls – before grinding to a halt. This scene of devastation is now known as Halong Bay – Halong literally translates as ‘where the dragon descends into the sea’.

Less exciting explanations of this landscape involve eons of erosion by winds and waves – but nobody disputes the splendour of the end result. Rising from the shallows of the Gulf of Tonkin are thousands of limestone islands – towering monoliths lined up like dominoes, some teetering at worrying angles. The islands’ names testify to the overactive imaginations of sailors who’ve spent too long at sea – Fighting Cock Island, Finger Island, Virgin Grotto. Having largely resisted human settlement, the islands have become home to other creatures. From above, sea eagles swoop down to pluck fish from the waters, carrying their prey – still flapping – high into the air, and squawking congratulations to each other from their nests.

Hanoi: best for city life

Fruit seller heading to market. Photo by Matt Munro

It’s rush hour in Hanoi, and the streets of the city’s Old Quarter throng with hundreds of scooters. The pavement and the central reservation are fair game in the chaos; zebra crossings exist more as a personal challenge than a guarantee of safe passage. Hanoi is a city that refuses to grow old gracefully – a millennium-old capital of crumbling pagodas and labyrinthine streets, now undergoing a werewolf-like transformation into a 21st-century Asian metropolis. In the Old Quarter, ancient temples now neighbour karaoke joints, and dynasties of artisans ply their trade next to shops selling cuddly toys the size of grizzly bears.

Few have studied the changing face of the city as closely as Do Hien, an artist who has spent a lifetime painting Hanoi’s streets. He welcomes me to his studio, and idly leafs through sketches of city life – couples waltzing beside the willows of Hoan Kiem Lake, and alleyways where hawkers prepare steaming bowls of pho. ‘Hanoi is a place that runs in your blood,’ Hien says thoughtfully, sitting cross-legged among stubs of incense sticks and paintbrushes strewn across his studio floor. ‘Had I not lived in this city I might not be able to paint like I do.’

Sapa: best for walking

Ripening paddies near Sapa. Photo by Matt Munro

An evening fog hangs over Sapa. Clouds sporadically open up a bit to reveal a village, a chunk of a mountain, a patch of jungle, before obscuring them from view again, like stage scenery sliding into the wings. Eventually the clouds lift, and the Hoang Lien mountain range emerges. It is a landscape of extraordinary beauty – the Asian highlands half-remembered from childhood picture books and martial-arts films. Above are peaks thick to their summits with greenery. Below, rice terraces run down the hillsides at right angles, as neatly as the folds in origami paper.

Sapa is a town where the weather seems to operate on random rotation – switching between brilliant sunshine, thick fog, driving rain and occasionally a dusting of snow, before coming full circle to brilliant sunshine, often all within the space of a few minutes. A hill station settled by Vietnam’s French colonists, Sapa now serves as a trailhead for hikers happy to run the meteorological lottery of a walk in these mountains. ‘We have four seasons in one day here,’ explains Giang Thi Mo, my guide, shimmying along the edge of a rice paddy as a rain cloud approaches. ‘There’s no way to predict the weather – just be lucky!’

We pass through a village, and Mo points to bamboo irrigation systems that send trickles down the hillsides and into rice pounders that see-saw with the current. ‘There’s a Hmong saying that “we flow with the water”,’ she explains. ‘It means we don’t worry too much, and take things easy.’

Hoi An: best for food

Le Hanh gives a demonstration at her cooking school, Gioan. Photo by Matt Munro

Hoi An is a small town that likes a big breakfast. As dawn musters strength on the horizon, a small army of chefs sets to work on Thai Phien street – firing up gas cookers and arranging plastic furniture on the pavements. Soon, the city awakes to sweet porridges; coffee that sends a lightning bolt of caffeine to sleepy heads; sizzling steaks; broths that swim with turmeric, chilli and ginger. In Vietnam, street food is a serious business – a single dish prepared day after day by the same cook, perfected and honed by a lifetime’s craft.

‘Food in Hoi An is about yin and yang,’ explains Le Hanh, a young female chef scrutinising vegetables at the morning market. ‘It’s about balancing hot with cool, sweet with sour, salty with spicy.’ True to Hanh’s philosophy, cooking in Hoi An goes big on contrasting flavours; food that plays good cop/bad cop with the palate. The sharpness of fish sauce blends with the subtlety of fresh herbs; cool lemongrass makes way for the eye-watering panic of accidentally chomping on a red chilli.

Mekong Delta: best for river life

Watermelons being offloaded at Cai Rang floating market. Photo by Matt Munro

A heavy rain is falling on the Mekong Delta, flooding the footpaths, swilling in the gutters, turning riverbank mud from light tan to a rich coffee colour. A tangled network of rivers, tributaries and canals, the waters of the delta criss-cross the lowlands of southern Vietnam, before emptying out into the South China Sea through mighty, yawning estuaries. For centuries, life here has ebbed and flowed in tandem with the current of the Mekong – an all-in-one launderette, bathtub, highway, toilet, dishwasher, larder, social club and workplace for the communities surrounded by its waters.

‘If you live on a river island with twenty other people you have to learn to get along with everyone,’ explains Mrs Bui Nguyen, beckoning strangers to shelter in her bungalow beside the Cai Chanh canal. ‘That’s the reason why people in the Mekong are so friendly!’ A 77-year-old who attributes her longevity to a lifetime avoiding doctors, Mrs Nguyen wistfully reflects on the delta of old – in days when the only artificial light came from peanut oil lamps dotted along the riverbanks; an age long before roads had reached the villages. Times have changed. However, human life still instinctively congregates on the water’s edge. Lining the riverbank nearby are grocers’ shops, cafés, a gym, a billiards club and a blacksmith’s. Floating markets, too, are still held every morning at nearby Cai Rang – with creaking barges from across the delta bashing into each other as they offload cargoes of watermelons, pineapples and turnips.

Spoilt for choice: Vietnam's best beaches

Travel Vietnam Tips - Vietnam might have been late to Southeast Asia’s beach party, but it was well worth the wait. The country boasts more than 3400km of coastline, with infinite stretches of powdery sand, coves, lagoons, impossible boulder formations and tropical islands ringed with yet more beaches. We can help you navigate the overwhelming amount of choices.

Nha Trang

Nha Trang coast by J Y White. CC SA 2.0

The heavyweight champion of Vietnam, Nha Trang has been knocking out visitors for years. True, the town is brazen and brash, but the beach is bold and beautiful and a gateway to a cluster of quieter islands.

Mui Ne

Mui Ne Beach by Mark (LP).

Set on a seductive swathe of sand, Mui Ne is an absolute charmer with swaying palms and towering dunes. Get pummelled on the beach by a masseur or pummelled by the waves with some water sports – this place blends action and inertia to perfection.

Phu Quoc

Phu Quoc by Mark (LP).

Simply the most beautiful island in Vietnam, Phu Quoc is liberally sprinkled with picture-perfect white sand beaches and cloaked in dense, impenetrable jungle. Long Beach is sophisticated, Ong Lan Beach romantic, and Bai Sao simply irresistible.

Con Dao

The Con Dao islands have been protected from over-exposure by their isolated location off the coast. Enjoy it while it lasts, with their smattering of resorts and an overdose of idyllic beaches, as this is sure to be the next big thing in Vietnamese beaches.

My Khe/Cua Dai

China beach by @Saigon. CC SA 2.0

Whether you call it My Khe to the north or Cua Dai to the south, or even China beach, it’s all just one long, luscious stretch of sand. Try surfing off the shores of Danang or just pamper yourself at the resorts near Hoi An.

Doc Let

Doc Let Beach by Cmic Blog. CC SA 2.0

While the rest of the world is sunning itself in Nha Trang, slip up the coast to this little teaser, home to some atmospheric resorts and some squeaky white sand; a place to get away from it all.

Ho Coc

Vung Tau to Phan Thiet is almost one long beach, but much of it remains mercifully inaccessible to the masses. Sample its potential with a retreat to Ho Coc, a glorious sandbar about midway along this stretch.

Tet Nguyen Dan: tips for welcoming the new year in Vietnam

Travel Vietnam Tips - This is an excerpt from Lonely Planet's A Year of Festivals.

Location: throughout Vietnam

Dates: Lunar New Year (between 19 January and 20 February)

Level of participation: 3 – a New Year’s Eve as raucous as any

'Pepsi Dragon' by Victor Phùng. Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs

In Vietnam, Tet ushers in the New Year and is by far the biggest day on the national calendar. Tet rites begin a week before New Year’s Day, and the first three days of the New Year are official holidays, but the event visitors will really want to experience is New Year’s Eve. This is the one night that Tet becomes a boisterous celebration; the rest of the time it’s a fairly quiet family affair.

One week before the New Year, Tao Quan – the three Spirits of the Hearth, found in the kitchen of every home – are said to ascend to the heavens to report on the past year’s events to the Jade Emperor. Altars, laden with offerings, are assembled in preparation for the gods’ departure, in the hope of receiving a favourable report and ensuring good luck for the family in the coming year. People visit cemeteries and invite the spirits of dead relatives home for the celebrations. Absent family members return home so the whole family can celebrate Tet together.

A cay neu (New Year’s tree) is constructed to ward off evil spirits. Kumquat trees are popular throughout the country, while branches of pink dao (peach blossoms) grace houses in the north, and mai (yellow apricot blossoms) are popular in homes situated further south. For a spectacular sight, go to ÐL Nguyen Hue in Ho Chi Minh City, much of which is taken over by the annual Tet flower market. In Hanoi, the area around Pho Hang Dau and Pho Hang Ma is transformed into a massive peach-blossom and kumquat tree market.

On New Year’s Eve, prepare yourself for pandemonium. This night the Tao Quan return to earth, and at the stroke of midnight all problems from the previous year are left behind and mayhem ensues. The goal is to make as much noise as possible. Drums and percussion are popular, as were firecrackers until they were banned in 1995.

The events of New Year’s Day are crucial as it’s believed they affect the course of life in the year ahead. People take extra care not to be rude or show anger, and it’s vital that the first visitor of the year to each household is suitable. They’re usually male – best of all is a wealthy married man with several children. Foreigners are sometimes welcomed as the first to enter the house, although not always, so it’s unwise to visit any Vietnamese house on the first day of Tet, unless explicitly invited.

Essentials: memorise the phrase ‘chúc mùng nam mói’ – Happy New Year.

Local attractions: Out of Hanoi, visit the extraordinary rock formations of Halong Bay (or Ninh Binh, the so-called ‘Halong Bay in the rice paddies’), or grab a bike in Ho Chi Minh City and tour the Mekong Delta, one of the most faithfully flat lands on earth.

More info: Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (www.vietnamtourism.com)

See more festivals in February here.

Five amazing places to experience another culture

Travel Vietnam Tips - Learning about the culture and customs of other people is one of the great experiences of travel. Explore the planet's diversity with one of these locally owned and authentic tribal encounters.

H'mong women by Maria Hsu. Creative Commons Attribution licence

Trekking with the H'mong around Sapa, northern Vietnam

Negotiate generations-old mountain tracks and cascades of rice paddies to the villages of the H'mong people, an ethnic minority in Vietnam. Trek with Sapa O'Chau – the name means 'Hello Sapa' in the H'mong language – and you'll be boosting the education and literacy of young H'mong tour guides. Sapa O'Chau is headed by Shu Tan, an energetic H'mong woman making a real difference for her people, and if you're keen on a longer stay in Sapa, she's always looking for volunteer teachers at Sapa O'Chau's community school.

Contact Sapa O'Chau (www.sapaochau.org)

Mola textiles of the Kuna people, Panama by Brett Atkinson

Island life with the Kuna, San Blas Archipelago, Panama

Scattered across the 400-plus islands of Panama's San Blas Archipelago is the autonomous Kuna Yala homeland, where you can spend time getting to know the Kuna people. Fly from Panama City to the tiny island of Mamirupu and stay at the rustic and locally owned Dolphin Lodge. The snorkelling and fishing are sublime, and boatmen can take visitors to nearby islands to learn about the Kuna's proud history of independence and resistance. The Kuna's iconic local handicrafts include molas, finely crafted and colourful appliqué textiles.

Contact Dolphin Lodge Panama (www.dolphinlodgepanama.com)

Indigenous Aboriginal culture, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia

Journey to the ancestral lands of the indigenous Adjahdura and Ngadjuri peoples on South Australia's rugged Yorke Peninsula. Traditional storytelling includes Adjahdura 'Dreaming Stories', recounting the legend of creation and the time when megafauna roamed this ancient landscape (fossil evidence of megafauna, including giant kangaroos, reinforces the facts behind Adjahdura's shared myths and memories). Tour operator Quenten Agius is widely regarded as one of Australia's leading indigenous travel personalities.

Contact Aboriginal Cultural Tours South Australia (www.aboriginalsa.com.au)

Maori waka (canoe) by Phillip Capper. Creative Commons Attribution licence

Maori Culture & Spirituality, Waitangi, New Zealand

New Zealand's indigenous Maori people are comprehensively integrated into modern society, but tribal customs and values are still important in the 21st century. Hone Mihaka, of the Ngapuhi tribe of northern New Zealand, welcomes visitors to his ancestral marae (meeting place) after a shared paddling excursion in a Maori waka (canoe). Inside a rustic meeting house trimmed with raupo (rush stems), Hone and his family conduct a spiritually powerful powhiri (welcome) on behalf of their ancestors.

Contact Taiamai Tours (www.taiamaitours.co.nz)

A Maasai encounter by Dave Duarte. Creative Commons Attribution Sharealike licence

Il Ngwesi Lodge, Nanyuki, Kenya

Il Ngwesi is Kenya's only luxury safari lodge to be wholly owned and operated by the local Maasai community; this sustainable and eco-aware project north of Mt Kenya is also one of the country's best wildlife retreats. Beyond the sublime animal-viewing opportunities, stays include education in Maasai culture, and your money helps support Il Ngwesi's rhinoceros sanctuary as well as local schools and land conservation.

Contact Il Ngwesi (www.ilngwesi.com)

Do it right: useful guidelines for ethical tribal encounters

Identify projects where the local community have a significant stake – ideally 100% ownership and control – and a correspondingly low-impact and sustainable environmental footprint.

Interact with the people you're visiting, and share a little about yourself and your home country if you can. Remember, you're not in a zoo, so just don't stand back and stare. The community you're visiting may well be just as curious about you.

Don't wander into a village uninvited; if possible, visit with a local guide known and respected by the community. Follow strictly any cultural guidelines expressed by your guide, and try and learn about the community's culture and lifestyle before your visit.

Consider if you actually need to take photographs: how would you feel if outsiders arrived at your house and grabbed a few snaps on their smartphone? If you do wish to take photos, always ask permission first.

If you'd like to donate to the community, purchase provisions like rice, cooking oil or fabric that can be utilised in their daily lives. If you wish to help on an ongoing basis, look into whether any reputable NGOs (Non-Governmental Organisations) are active in assisting the community.

A guide to Vietnamese coffee

Travel Vietnam Tips - Strong and flavourful Vietnamese coffee makes converts as quickly as it raises pulses. French colonists might have introduced coffee to Vietnam, but the morning cup of ca phe soon became a local habit. With variations that make use of yoghurt, eggs and even fruit, Vietnamese coffee has developed a style of its own.

Same but different

The preparation process, as well as the blend of beans, helps give Vietnamese coffee its particular style. Coarsely ground beans go into a French drip filter (called a phin), which sits on top of the cup. The beans are weighted down with a thin lid, hot water is added to the phin, and then the water slowly trickles through into the cup. Most people drink the resulting dark, strong brew with sweetened condensed milk, a practice that began because the French couldn't easily acquire fresh milk. In the north of Vietnam, this mixture is referred to as ca phe nau(brown coffee), while in the south it’s called ca phe sua (milk coffee).

Coffee filters through a phin. Image by Elisabeth Rosen / Lonely Planet

Types of coffee

Vietnam has far more to offer in the caffeine department than just coffee with milk. Below are a few more unique variations to look out for.

Yoghurt coffee (sua chua ca phe)

Like coffee, yoghurt was originally brought to Vietnam by the French and has been adopted into local culinary tradition. Rich and creamy, it’s served with various toppings, from fresh mango to fermented rice – and even coffee. This might sound like an odd combination, but the rich yoghurt pairs amazingly well with a drizzle of black coffee – just stir and sip.

Yoghurt coffee. Image by Elisabeth Rosen / Lonely Planet

Egg coffee (ca phe trung)

Egg yolk whipped with condensed milk into an airy froth meets dark coffee in this rich concoction: think of it as a Vietnamese take on tiramisu. Egg coffee first made the scene in the 1940s, when milk was scarce and egg yolks provided a convenient replacement.

A rich and frothy egg coffee. Image by Elisabeth Rosen / Lonely Planet

Coffee smoothie (sinh to ca phe)

In recent years, coffee has even found its way into smoothies. Popular juice shops perk up creamy blends of fresh fruit with a touch of Vietnamese coffee, sometimes tossing in yoghurt or cashews. In Hanoi, try sinh to ca phe chuoi bo (coffee blended with banana and avocado). In Ho Chi Minh City, go for sinh to ca phe sapoche (coffee blended with sapodilla, a tropical fruit with a custard-like taste). Both are delicious ways to get your caffeine fix and your vitamins at the same time.

An avocado-and-coffee shake. Image by Elisabeth Rosen / Lonely Planet

Where to drink

Hanoi remains the undisputed centre of cafe culture in Vietnam. While modern-style coffee shops have grown in popularity, traditional sidewalk cafes still fill up from morning to night with drinkers of all ages, who linger for hours over a single glass. However, you can find quality coffee all over Vietnam. In Ho Chi Minh City, coffee is usually served in taller glasses and is slightly cheaper.

For the experience: Trieu Viet Vuong

Known as ‘Coffee Street’, this stretch of Hanoi’s historic Hai Ba Trung District might contain more cafes per block than anywhere else in Vietnam, ranging from family-run shops to more fashionable places popular with teenagers. Hanoian favourite Cafe Tho (117 Trieu Viet Vuong), which has been here for three decades, brews a powerful cup that still draws consistent crowds.

People enjoying coffee al fresco in Hanoi. Image by Elisabeth Rosen / Lonely Planet

For dessert: Cafe Giang

No trip to Hanoi is complete without a taste of egg coffee at the place it was invented. Cafe Giang (39 Nguyen Huu Huan), on the edge of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, was the first to begin whipping up this drink/dessert in the 1940s. Since then the atmosphere has changed as little as the recipe. While the tiny stools here might not be the most comfortable, the drink itself is top notch. Those who don’t drink coffee can sample the egg foam with sweetened mung beans or cocoa.

For the view: Cafe Pho Co

Accessed via an entrance concealed in the back of a shop, a spiral staircase leads up to Hanoi’s Cafe Pho Co and a stunning view of Hoan Kiem Lake. From the quiet balcony overlooking the lake and surrounding streets, you can enjoy a coffee while watching the seemingly never-ending stream of traffic pass by.

Coffee with a view at Cafe Pho Co, Hanoi. Image by Elisabeth Rosen / Lonely Planet

For a blast from the past: Cafe La Tamia

A retro cafe in Ho Chi Minh City, La Tamia (38/05 Tran Khac Chan) offers visitors a glimpse into old Saigon. Relax on a vintage sofa or browse the cafe owner’s collection of antique TVs and gramophones while enjoying your iced coffee.

Drink like a local

A few coffee-drinking tips for your Vietnam trip:

Milky way Don’t even try to ask for decaf. If you prefer your coffee mild, do as the Vietnamese do and order ca phe bac xiu, coffee with lots of extra condensed milk.

Sweet spot As condensed milk is sweetened, there is no white coffee without sugar. True coffee connoisseurs should opt for ca phe den (black coffee). A touch of sugar will bring out the complex flavours, just as it does with dark chocolate. However, if you want to ensure that your drink isn’t too sweet, ask for it duong (less sugar).

Avoid hunger Cafes in Vietnam don’t typically serve food. Some newer cafes do offer quick eats, but you’re better off following the local custom of eating first and then heading to a cafe to relax. In a pinch, you can always nibble on hat huong duong (sunflower seeds).

Vietnam on a plate: a tour of Vietnam's best regional dishes

Travel Vietnam Tips - Travel for even a week in Vietnam and you’ll soon realise how few of its gastronomic specialities are well known outside the country. Every region lays claim to unique edible delights. Culinary classics such as northern pho, Hue imperial banquet fare, and southern sizzling pancakes are just a tasty sample of what's on offer.

In the north of Vietnam, the cuisine is closely aligned with China. Fewer spices are used than in southern and central Vietnam, but black pepper is very important. Here cooks use a superior grade of pepper that is mild but intensely aromatic, with a uniquely Vietnamese sweetness. Equally vital are pungent herbs including basil, mint, coriander and spring onions.

In the temperate centre of the country and the tropical south, more fruits and vegetables are available, and many different spices are utilised in local kitchens. Southerners also use more sugar, even in savoury dishes, and dining is very much a hands-on experience. Many meals incorporate a mountainous plate of fresh herbs, which are wrapped with cooked meat and seafood in a crisp lettuce leaf, and then dipped in flavour-packed sauces.

Baskets of produce at a Hanoi market © Rosino / CC BY-SA 2.0

Dishes of northern Vietnam

Pho

Pronounced like 'fur' (but drop the 'r'), pho is known simply as beef noodle soup by the locals. But a fragrant serving of pho is really Vietnam in a bowl. This world-renowned dish is available across the country, but it almost has cult status in Hanoi. A range of garnishes is always on hand to customise the dish to the diner’s personal taste. Lime juice, bean sprouts, or a dash of chilli or fish sauce can all be added, and in the south of Vietnam a tangle of fresh herbs is available for extra flavour and texture. The traditional beef variety is called pho bo, while chicken noodle soup is dubbed pho ga. In Hanoi, seek out the smoky decades-old Pho Tin for a tasty bowlful.

Bánh cuon

Mon cuon (rice rolls) are eaten across Vietnam – the most famous aregoi cuon (summer rolls) – but the Hanoi variety of bánh cuon have their own special characteristics. The delicate wrappings are gossamer thin and soft, yet offering subtle resistance when eaten. Ingredients may include grilled pork, fried bean curd, or vegetables. In Hanoi, bánh cuoncrammed with minced pork and earthy mushrooms are served at Banh Cuon Gia Truyen.

A fresh bowl of pho bo © Matt Munro / Lonely Planet

Bun cha

Bun cha comprises grilled pork meatballs served on a bed of cold bun(rice vermicelli), dressed with fragrant herbs and a sweetly mild dipping sauce. The meat is always cut from a piece of well-marbled pork, and marinated in sweet, hot, sour and salty flavours. In the street-food stalls of Hanoi, robust nem cua be (deep-fried crab spring rolls) are served as a hearty side dish. Grab an upstairs table at Bun Cha Nem Cua Be Dac Kim in Hanoi's Old Quarter to try it.

Bun rieu cua

Thank the northern knack for turning humble ingredients into something sublime for this crustacean-flavoured soup. It’s made from rice-paddy crabs, packed with tomato chunks, green onions and bun(rice vermicelli), and topped with sautéed crab fat. Some cooks add bean curd and oc (large snails) in a dish called bun rieu cua oc. Green leaves, herbs and sliced banana-tree stem are all popular additions at the simple sidewalk stalls of Hanoi's Old Quarter. Our favourite vendor is at 40 P Hang Tre.

Delicate bánh cuon rolls © xuanhuongho / Shutterstock

Dishes of central Vietnam

Bánh

One of the tastiest legacies of Emperor Tu Duc’s reign in the imperial city of Hue in central Vietnam is bánh, steamed rice cakes served with a drizzle of fish sauce. Whether eaten plain, dotted with chopped mushrooms, or stuffed with dried shrimp, these dainty bites make the perfect light breakfast or between-meal snack. The heat-loving people of central Vietnam often add a dollop of chilli sauce to further enliven a shared plate of these delicate dishes. Hang Me Me in Hue has a huge menu of different varieties of bánh.

Mi quang

Thick and chewy turmeric-yellow noodles are topped with shrimp, pork, bean sprouts, herbs and chopped peanuts, and moistened with just a dash of rich broth to make mi quang. Named for its native province of Quang Nam in central Vietnam, the dish comes with rice crackers for crumbling and is finished in characteristically central Vietnamese style: with a dab of sweet-hot chilli jam. Excellent mi quang can be had on street-food tours with Funtastic Tours in the vibrant city of Danang.

A bowl of mi quang © xuanhuongho / Shutterstock

Com hen

For com hen, rice comes with a rich broth and tiny clams harvested from Hue's Perfume River. Garnishes include rice crackers, pork crackling, peanuts, sesame seeds, fresh herbs and vegetables. Served riverside at the simple 17 Ð Han Mac Tu location in Hue, a bowl of com hen achieves the culinary feat of being simultaneously hearty and delicate of flavour.Bun hen is an equally tasty variation using rice noodles.

Cao lau

The legacy of centuries of international trade is evident in cao lau, the signature noodle dish of the central Vietnamese town of Hoi An. Thick soba-like Japanese-style noodles are seasoned with herbs, salad greens and bean sprouts, and served with slices of roast pork. Try this very local dish on a street-food walking tour with Eat Hoi An.

Cao lau is a traditional dish of Hoi An © Matyas Rehak / Shutterstock

Dishes of southern Vietnam

Bánh xèo

Bánh xèo is a large crepe filled with loads of tasty goodies. The Vietnamese make it with rice flour and coconut milk, and cram in meat, shellfish, fresh herbs, and crunchy vegetables. Dipping sauces add an extra tang. Bánh xèo is often referred to in English as a Vietnamese 'pancake'. In reality, this is an unsatisfactory translation, as bánh xèo is far more flavoursome and interesting. Try this classic dish at Banh Xeo 46A in Ho Chi Minh City.

Bánh xèo, a Vietnamese classic © Adam Young / Getty Images

Bánh khot

These small sweet-and-savoury prawn pancakes are made from ground rice and coconut milk batter that’s cooked in special half-spherical moulds, resulting in a crispy crust enclosing a soft centre. A speciality of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, bánh khot are eaten rolled with herbs in a lettuce leaf.

A plate of bánh khot © kennejima / CC BY 2.0

Canh chua

This beautiful, tangy tamarind-flavoured soup embodies the Mekong Delta’s abundance: from its waterways come fish; from its fruit plantations, pineapple; and from its fertile soil, tomato and spongy bac ha (taro stem). The region’s rice paddies contribute the cumin-like herbrau rom. Accompanied by rice, canh chua is an unpretentious, appetising meal in a bowl.

Claypot (noi dat)

Claypot cookery is a very southern and very satisfying technique for making hearty meat and vegetable stews. Claypots are usually small, often unglazed, with a lid, and look little different from a flowerpot with a lid. They were originally used by farmers and fishermen who had little to cook, few pots to cook in, and little fuel for the fire.

Beyond Halong Bay: lesser-known highlights of northeast Vietnam

Travel Vietnam Tips - Stunning Halong Bay continues to dominate the itineraries of most travellers in Vietnam, but it’s not the be-all and end-all of the country's northeast.

If you’ve got some time up your sleeve and want to delve a little deeper, you’ll find there is more to this region than cruising around Halong’s feted karsts.

Mountain valley in Cao Bang province, northeast Vietnam. © Khoroshunova Olga / Shutterstock

Cat Ba Island

Craggy, jungle-clad Cat Ba Island is the launching pad for exploring the limestone islets and towers of Lan Ha Bay. Geologically an extension of Halong Bay, and just as dramatic, Lan Ha Bay sees much fewer visitors. But Cat Ba has more to offer than a beautiful seascape to goggle at.

This is the northeast’s adventure capital – whether you want to climb it, bike it, hike it or kayak it, Cat Ba has the activity for you. Almost half of the island’s 354 sq km is protected as a national park, which is home to most of the world’s remaining golden-headed langur population (the world’s most endangered primate), while the island’s cliffs have become one of southeast Asia’s top learn-to-climb destinations.

Pathway through the jungle, Cat Ba Island. © Stephane Bidouze / Shutterstock

Experience it

For water-based activities, Blue Swimmer runs guided kayaking trips within the karsts and Asia Outdoors has recently brought SUP (stand-up paddleboarding) to Cat Ba. Pretty much everyone in town runs day tours and overnight cruises around Lan Ha Bay. Check out the boat trips offered by Cat Ba Ventures, which also operates hiking trips within Cat Ba National Park. For climbing, Asia Outdoors – the pioneer of the sport in Vietnam – offers excellent half- and full-day climbing trips.

Ba Be National Park

Most visitors to Vietnam’s northeast gravitate towards the coast, but nature lovers and hikers would do well to cast their eyes further north and inland as well. The handful who make it to Ba Be National Park are rewarded with intrepid hiking opportunities and tranquil lake vistas hemmed by jagged peaks. Three interlinked lakes form the heart of the park, and tootling around the lakes by boat, or kayak, is the best way to experience Ba Be’s languid beauty. The rainforest-covered hills have off-the-beaten-track hikes for those who want to get more active. The park is also home to 13 ethnic minority villages, and the small fishing villages that rim the lake have a well-established homestay program, allowing travellers the opportunity to sleep in a simple traditional stilted house.

Tranquil waters at Ba Be National Park. © Galyna Andrushko / Shutterstock

Experience it

Independent travellers are still thin on the ground here, with most people visiting Ba Be on private tours booked in Hanoi – try Vega Travel (vegatravel.vn), who arrange good-value trips to the park, including a night in a village homestay. Independents can easily organise homestay accommodation and activities within the park once they arrive. Homestay owners will help arrange boating and other water pursuits;Ba Be Tourism Centre has a wealth of knowledge about the park and can arrange boating, trekking and biking, as well as kayak hire.

Bai Tu Long Bay

The limestone outcrops of the northeast coast don’t stop at Halong Bay – the procession of pinnacles, islets and islands continues all the way to the Chinese border. This is Bai Tu Long Bay, a seascape just as striking as that of its famous neighbour to the south, but much less visited. Like at Halong Bay, Bai Tu Long is best appreciated on a cruise, but as there are much fewer cruise trips, the karst views are not as often obscured by other boats.

Small boats on Bai Tu Long Bay. © Pascal Boeg / Getty Images

Experience it

Many of the bigger travel agencies in Hanoi offer cruises that head into Bai Tu Long Bay. One of the most recommended companies for this region is Ethnic Travel (ethnictravel.com.vn).

Cao Bang province

Unless you’re travelling the road to China, Cao Bang province may not register highly on your itinerary. The countryside here, punctuated by knobbly-edged green karst hills, does hide a couple of sights that are worthy of a stopover for those heading this far north. Ban Gioc Waterfall is the province’s most famous highlight, with boat rides that take you close to the cascades. Nearby, Nguom Ngao Cave is one of the most magnificent cave systems in Vietnam, home to mammoth stalactites and stalagmites. For history buffs, an excursion to Hang Pac Bo (Water-Wheel Cave), further west in the province, is a good detour – Ho Chi Minh launched his revolution from this cave hideout in 1941.

Ban Gioc Waterfall, Cao Bang province, Vietnam. © Peter Stuckings / Shutterstock

Experience it

Both the waterfall and caves are most easily reached from the town ofCao Bang. There’s no public transport from the town to Hang Pac Bo, but it’s straightforward to arrange a xe om (motorbike taxi) to the cave for a half-day trip. To get to Ban Gioc Waterfall and nearby Nguom Ngao Cave, take one of the regular buses from Cao Bang to the town of Trung Khanh, from where you can hire a xe om to take you the last 27km to the waterfall.

Exploring Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park

Travel Vietnam Tips - World Heritage Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, with its karst mountains, underground rivers, historic sites, extensive caves and unspoilt jungle, is packed with opportunities to hike, bike, paddle or simply relax in one of Vietnam's most spectacular and interesting regions.

The national park is famously home to Hang Son Doong, discovered in the early 1990s and confirmed as the biggest cave on the planet only in 2009. In recent years the cave has become one of the hottest tickets in travel for in-the-know adventurers. Negotiating its 5km-long cavern is superbly exciting, but guided tours are limited and beyond the budget of many. Luckily there are many other activities – both below and above ground – to occupy travellers in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang area.

Boats on the river at Phong Nha-Ke National Park © www.jethuynh.com / Getty Images

Biking the Bong Lai Valley

Grab a quirky hand-drawn map from either the Phong Nha Farmstay (phong-nha-cave.com) or the Easy Tiger hostel (easytigerhostel.com), and spend a day exploring the Bong Lai Valley. Meandering tracks and back roads made for mountain bikes weave through local villages and along sleepy rivers, passing by an ever-expanding array of laidback attractions. Lunch on grilled chicken with peanut sauce at the Pub with Cold Beer, or spend a relaxing afternoon in a rustic riverside shelter at the Wild Boar Eco-Farm.

Meeting the challenge of Hang Toi

Kick off a visit to Hang Toi (Dark Cave) with a soaring zipline flight above a forest-shaded river, before a brief but bracing swim into the mouth of the cave. Natural light soon fades as visitors are led further into the cavern, through narrow passageways filled with a mini-ocean of gluggy mud, before soaking and swimming in the underground waters of Thuy Tien lake. Upon exiting the cave, it's a short and very scenic kayak paddle back to the Dark Cave's main jetty.

Zipline at Hang Toi (Dark Cave) © Brett Atkinson / Lonely Planet

Delving into the area's war history

Arrange a tour with the Phong Nha Farmstay to explore the region's wartime history, either in a restored US Army jeep or in the sidecar of Soviet-era Ural motorbike. Tours negotiate winding roads past roaring rapids and sheer cliff faces around rugged Highway 20, and sections of the famed Ho Chi Minh Trail, which was vital to the Vietnamese war effort. You can also visit poignant Hang Tam Co (Eight Lady Cave), now a memorial to eight Vietnamese pioneer soldiers who perished in 1972 after a US bombing raid sealed the entrance to the cave.

Hiking the jungle above the caves

Join a jungle hike with one of the region's excellent local trekking guides. Hai’s Eco Conservation Tour involves a day exploring the jungle and a visit to Phong Nha's Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre. You'll find the friendly Hai at his relaxed Bamboo Cafe in the town of Son Trach most evenings. Another trekking option is with Dzung ofJungle Boss Trekking, who runs a one-day tour around the Ho Chi Minh Trail, also visiting the remote Abandoned Valley area of the national park.

Relaxing by the river

After active days underground or trudging through the jungle, a more relaxed pursuit is to spend a few hours at the Nuoc Mooc Ecotrail. A series of linked walkways and bamboo bridges winds through a forested limestone labyrinth of pristine pools and turquoise springs. Kayaking is available on a small lake, and there’s a rustic rope bridge – a bit of a thrill after a lazy lunch in one of Nuoc Mooc's open-air gazebos.

Bamboo bridge on the Nuoc Mooc Ecotrail © Brett Atkinson / Lonely Planet

Touring Hang Tu Lan

One-night/two-day tours of the wider Tu Lan Cave system commence with a full-day hike through rustic countryside, before a campsite with hammocks is set up adjacent to the beautiful cave Hang Ken. Day two includes exploration of Tu Lan, and the challenging combination of trekking and swimming through the Kim and Hung Ton caves. For the even more adventurous, there is a longer and more challenging two-night/three-day tour option.

Camping underground in Hang En

Located close to renowned Hang Son Doong, Hang En is currently regarded as the third-largest cave on the planet. One-night/two-day tours give travellers the opportunity to camp at a spectacular riverside location within the cave, and visit the remote ethnic minority village of Ban Doong. Fossils up to 300 million years old have been found in the cave, but present-day wildlife includes thousands of swifts, which dart amid the diffuse shafts of sunlight projecting into Hang En's giant cavern.

Hang En, the world's third-largest cave © Kevin Boutwell / 500px

Being one of the first to explore Hang Va

Discovered in 2012, and only opened to visitors in 2015, Hang Va is the newest underground adventure in the Phong Nha region. Leading caving outfit Oxalis runs two-day/one-night adventures that include travelling along an underground river in the nearby Hang Nuoc Nut cave. After overnighting at a jungle camp near Hang Va's entrance, visitors explore the cave's spectacular partially submerged stalagmite field. Bring a sense of adventure – ropes and harnesses are used extensively during this experience.

River scene at Son Trach village © Brett Atkinson / Lonely Planet

Make it happen

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park abuts the village of Son Trach, about 50km from Dong Hoi, in Vietnam’s north-central region. Regular local buses link the two towns. Hotels can also organise lifts in private cars from Dong Hoi. Son Trach has an ATM, and a growing range of accommodation and eating options.

Access to the park is quite tightly controlled (the park is still riddled with unexploded ordnance). Officially you are not allowed to hike here without a licensed tour operator. You can travel independently (by motorbike or car) on the Ho Chi Minh Highway or Hwy 20, both of which cut through the park.