Thinking about traveling to Vietnam but not sure where to go?
For those who want to compare 17 cities in a table and choose by purpose,A purpose-based comparison guide to 17 Vietnamese citiesas well.
Vietnam, stretching long and thin from north to south, is dotted with cities that each have their own distinct appeal. From vibrant big cities to quiet historic towns and beautiful beach resorts. For a first-time traveler, which city to choose is a major decision that greatly affects how satisfying the trip is.
This article introduces ten carefully selected cities, from Vietnam's major cities to hidden gems. By learning each city's features and appeal, you should find the ideal destination that suits your travel style.
What makes traveling to Vietnam appealing?
Right now, Vietnam is one of the most talked-about travel destinations in Asia.
There are direct flights from Japan to major cities, with a flight time of about 5 to 6 hours. It's close enough to fully enjoy even on a short trip over a weekend. Direct flights operate to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang, making access very convenient.
Prices are astonishingly low compared to Japan, and you can enjoy meals and shopping affordably too. Local food and market shopping are especially good value, so a rich travel experience is possible even on a limited budget. Historic townscapes registered as World Heritage sites, beautiful beach resorts, and the warm hospitality of the Vietnamese people continue to captivate visitors.
1. Ho Chi Minh City: a vibrant economic hub
The city's features and appeal
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam's largest city.
人口約1,370万人を擁するこの大都市は、かつてサイゴンと呼ばれ、ベトナムの経済の中心地として急速な発展を遂げています。街に出ると、絶え間なく走るバイクの流れ、高層ビルとローカル商店が混在する景色に圧倒されます。近代的なショッピングモールや高級レストランがある一方で、伝統的な市場や路地裏のフォー屋台など、ベトナムの伝統的な面も楽しむことができます。
French colonial buildings, back-alley eateries, cafe areas buzzing with young people. Each exists at once, and the line between sightseeing and daily life is blurred. Easy to approach even on a first trip to Vietnam, it's chosen by many travelers as a place to feel the city's energy firsthand.
Recommended sightseeing spots
The Reunification Palace is a must.
This building, the presidential palace during the Vietnam War era, is now open to the public as a museum, letting you feel Vietnam's history firsthand. The Notre-Dame Cathedral in the Gothic Revival style and the adjacent Central Post Office are both masterpieces of French colonial architecture.
At Ben Thanh Market, you can immerse yourself in a controlled chaos where the art of haggling comes alive. Colorful fruits and vegetables, spices, clothing, and even souvenirs for tourists, it has everything. Just walking through the market lets you touch Vietnam's varied food culture and crafts.
2. Hanoi: a cultural center with a thousand years of history
The appeal of the old capital
Vietnam's capital, Hanoi, has an appeal that contrasts with Ho Chi Minh City.
As the center of politics and culture, it has a certain calm air. Walk through the Old Quarter and you'll find commerce and daily life packed into narrow streets, with livelihoods carried on across many generations continuing even now. Historic buildings crowd the narrow lanes, spreading out a scene that feels as if time has stopped.
湖の周辺では、朝に体操をする人々や、静かに散歩を楽しむ地元の人の姿が見られます。観光地でありながら、日常がそのまま開かれている感覚が強く、街を歩くだけで歴史の積み重なりを感じます。後黎朝（15世紀）の王宮跡が残るキンティエン殿や、ハノイのシンボルであるホアンキエム湖も見どころです。
Access to World Heritage sites
Hanoi is also known as a gateway to World Heritage sites.
Ha Long Bay is accessible as a day trip. The countless jutting rocks rising from the sea create a dreamlike scene, like the backs of dragons lined up in a row. Take a boat cruise around the bay and the activities are plentiful too, stopping at limestone caves and floating villages or kayaking up close to the rock formations.
World Heritage sites you can reach by train or bus, such as Trang An and Ninh Binh, are also dotted around, letting you enjoy a round trip based in Hanoi.
3. Da Nang: a resort where beach and city merge
A modern resort city
Da Nang, located along central Vietnam's beautiful coastline.
It has developed rapidly in recent years, and its reputation as a beach resort is rising. The long sandy stretches represented by My Khe Beach are a place of relaxation for locals as well as tourists. White-sand beaches spread out, boasting gentle waves and clear water, and the activities like surfing and parasailing are plentiful too.
The city itself is compact and easy to get around, making it well suited to a first stay in the central region. A defining trait is how urban convenience and closeness to nature coexist. Offering untouched beaches within minutes of modern shopping centers and excellent restaurants, this city's infrastructure rivals developed Asian cities with clean streets and efficient public services.
Nearby World Heritage sites
Da Nang is also ideal as a base for touring World Heritage sites.
Hoi An is about 30 minutes away by car. Its Old Quarter is registered as a World Heritage site, and at night the glow of lanterns wraps the town. It's well developed as a tourist destination but without excessive flash, and your walking pace naturally slows. Strolling along the river, gazing at old houses and trading halls, memories of a port town that once thrived on commerce overlap the scene.
Hue can also be visited on a day trip. In the former royal capital of Hue, palaces, temples, and imperial tombs are scattered about, quietly conveying Vietnam's dynastic culture.
4. Hoi An: a World Heritage town lit by lanterns
Go a little further from Da Nang and you arrive in Hoi An, where an entirely different flow of time runs.
The Old Quarter is registered as a World Heritage site, and at night the glow of lanterns wraps the town. Many travelers say this lantern beauty is thousands of times lovelier than in photos. Many of the buildings are based on yellow tones, and inside there are quite a few houses with décor that somehow calls China to mind.
Since the whole town is a World Heritage site, just walking gives you a nostalgic feeling. Cafes are everywhere in town, and spending a relaxed time at a stylish cafe is a fine choice too. Strolling along the river, gazing at old houses and trading halls, memories of a port town that once thrived on commerce overlap the scene. The way its face changes greatly between day and night is another of the town's charms.
Hoi An is a small, relentlessly beautiful town, so it's recommended for a girls' trip, a solo trip, or a couples' trip. It may not yet be famous in Japan, but it's extremely popular in the West, with countless Instagram-worthy spots.
5. Hue: an old capital where you touch quiet history
If you want to feel history more deeply, the former royal capital of Hue leaves a lasting impression.
Palaces, temples, and imperial tombs are scattered about, quietly conveying Vietnam's dynastic culture. It's a tourist site, but overall it's calm, and the more time you take to tour it, the deeper your understanding grows. It's a place to enjoy the negative space and quiet rather than flash.
ベトナム最後の王朝の都として、歴史的建造物が点在しており、ベトナムの文化と歴史を深く理解できる貴重な場所となっています。
Hue's complex of monuments is registered as a World Heritage site, conveying to this day the glory of Vietnam's dynastic age. It's a special city where, amid quiet moments, you can touch Vietnam's deep history.
6. Nha Trang: a beautiful beach resort
Nha Trang, located in Khanh Hoa Province in southern Vietnam.
Known as a beautiful beach resort, its marine activities are popular. With clear seas and white sandy beaches spreading out, you can enjoy various marine sports like diving, snorkeling, and jet skiing. Resort hotels are plentiful too, letting you savor a relaxed beach-resort stay.
Nha Trang is about a one-hour flight from Ho Chi Minh City, and travel plans combining it with Ho Chi Minh City sightseeing are popular. It's an ideal destination for anyone who wants to enjoy both beach relaxation and city sightseeing.
7. Phu Quoc Island: Vietnam's last paradise
Phu Quoc, Vietnam's largest island, floating in the Gulf of Thailand off the west side of Vietnam.
The island covers about 590 square kilometers, and with its white-sand beaches and beautifully clear, shallow shoreline it's also called "Vietnam's last paradise." Because you can spend relaxed time away from the bustle of the city, many tourists from home and abroad visit for resort purposes.
Its specialty products, fish sauce and pepper, are both reputed to be high quality, making them ideal souvenirs. There are no direct flights from Japan, so a travel plan enjoying both cities via Ho Chi Minh City is recommended. Beyond enjoying the quiet, beautiful natural environment, because it isn't yet very well known as a destination, you can spend relaxed time here.
8. Da Lat: a summer retreat called the city of flowers
Da Lat, a tourist city located in the highlands of central Vietnam.
Despite being in Southeast Asia, its year-round comfortable climate of 18°C to 23°C and its history of being developed as a summer retreat in the French colonial era set it apart. Its flower garden, spanning 7,000 square meters, makes Da Lat worthy of its nickname "the city of flowers."
Popular sightseeing spots abound, such as Linh Phuoc Pagoda, characterized by a distinctive construction blending Chinese and French cultures, and the powerful Datanla Falls. A night market is also held every evening, bustling with locals and tourists. Located about a one-hour flight or a 5- to 6-hour bus ride from Ho Chi Minh City, it's recommended to visit alongside Ho Chi Minh City sightseeing.
9. Mui Ne: a port town where the desert spreads
Mui Ne, a port town located in southeastern Vietnam.
Facing the South China Sea, its development as a beach resort has been active in recent years. Even so, compared with places like Da Nang, a still-idyllic atmosphere remains, and you can catch glimpses of the locals' unpretentious lives.
There are also vast sand dunes, whose grandeur is stunning. You can even enjoy the activity of sledding down the dunes. Beyond that, you can head to the small stream called "Fairy Stream," and the Cham towers and Po Shanu ruins built by the former Champa Kingdom. About a 5- to 6-hour bus ride from Ho Chi Minh City, so a 1- to 2-night short trip in between Ho Chi Minh City sightseeing is recommended.
10. Sapa: a mountain town where ethnic minorities live
ハノイよりさらに北へ約300km、標高約1600mの山間部にある村サパ。
Vietnam is a multiethnic nation made up of 54 ethnic groups, and many of the ethnic minorities live in lands far from the cities. Sapa is a town where such minority people gather. Everywhere in town you can see people dressed in vivid ethnic costumes.
The scenery of beautiful terraced rice fields spreading out is stunning, and trekking tours are popular too. Loved by many travelers as a precious place to touch the cool climate, the natural beauty of the mountains, and minority culture. Accessible from Hanoi by train or bus, a travel plan combining it with Hanoi sightseeing is recommended.
Tips for a successful trip to Vietnam
Know the best season
Because Vietnam is a country long from north to south, the best season differs by region.
For northern Hanoi, April to June or September to December is the best season. For southern Ho Chi Minh City, January to February is the most comfortable, and for central Da Nang, February to April is well suited to sightseeing. When planning the timing of your trip, check the climate of the region you'll visit in advance.
Safety and points to watch
Vietnam's public safety is relatively good, but you need to watch out for pickpocketing and overcharging.
Caution is especially needed in places where many tourists gather. Keep valuables spread across different places, avoid walking alone at night, and observe basic safety precautions. When using a taxi, we recommend always using a legitimate taxi company.
Food and culture
Vietnamese cuisine has distinctive traits by region.
In northern Hanoi there's pho and banh mi, in central Hoi An there's cao lau, and in southern Ho Chi Minh City there's goi cuon (fresh spring rolls), letting you taste dishes distinctive to each region. If you dislike cilantro, telling them in advance can get it left out of your dish. Enjoying food at street stalls and local eateries is also a way to have fun that's unique to Vietnam.
Summary: find the Vietnamese city that's perfect for you
Vietnam's cities each show you the country of Vietnam from a different angle.
If you want energy, Ho Chi Minh City; if you want to feel history and daily life, Hanoi; for a balance of nature and city, Da Nang; to savor atmosphere, Hoi An; to touch quiet history, Hue. If you want to enjoy a beach resort, Nha Trang or Phu Quoc Island; to spend relaxed time at a summer retreat, Da Lat; to enjoy stunning desert scenery, Mui Ne; to touch minority culture, Sapa is recommended.
Whichever city you choose, there's no right or wrong answer.
The appeal of Vietnam's tourist destinations lies not in the famous spots themselves but in the daily life spreading around them. The bustle of markets, a single cup of coffee drunk on the roadside, the flow of people that grows toward evening. The form differs by city, but in every town daily life is right next to sightseeing. That closeness is why a trip stays in memory as an experience, not mere movement.
By touring the cities, Vietnam's multilayered appeal gradually comes into three-dimensional view. Choose the city that suits your travel style and savor Vietnam's appeal to the fullest. I hope your first trip to Vietnam becomes an unforgettable memory.
