Australian news site Nine.com.au picked 15 stunning destinations across Southeast Asia, and three spots in Vietnam made the list: Trang An (Ninh Binh), Ha Giang, and Hoi An. VnExpress International reported the story on August 25, 2026.
That works out to Vietnam claiming 3 of the 15 spots. The lineup spans a northern water region and mountains along with an old port town in the central region, so it doubles as ready-made research for anyone planning a north-to-central itinerary or a resident looking to take a long weekend trip. VnExpress notes this isn't a ranked list, so there is no order of precedence among the three.
Trang An, the “Ha Long Bay on land,” where rowboats glide through limestone valleys
The first Vietnamese spot on Nine's list is Trang An in Ninh Binh. Nine calls the scenery of limestone peaks rising above quiet rivers and rice paddies the “Ha Long Bay on land,” and singles out the experience of gliding down the river by rowboat and passing through caves. The Trang An Landscape Complex was inscribed as a UNESCO Mixed World Heritage Site in 2014 and is also known as a filming location.
It is about 90 km from Hanoi, roughly a two-hour drive. Since the boat trips at Trang An or Tam Coc can be done in half a day, they are easy to fit into a day trip from Hanoi. Each boat carries a single rower and a few passengers, and wait times are short on weekday mornings during the off season. In the same province, the former Quat Lam areahas been developed as a beach destination called “Giao Ninh,”adding a seaside option alongside the mountain and river scenery.
Ha Giang: Ma Pi Leng Pass and the Ha Giang Loop, a mountain route at Vietnam's northernmost tip
The second spot, Ha Giang, is Vietnam's northernmost province, bordering China. Nine describes the Tu San Canyon, seen from Ma Pi Leng Pass, as one of Southeast Asia's deepest gorges, and puts the “Ha Giang Loop” — a motorbike route winding through Hmong and Tay villages — at the center of the trip. It is a stretch of terraced rice fields, sheer rock peaks, and mountain passes where a motorbike or jeep gets you closer to the scenery than a car window does.
It is about 300 km north of Hanoi, and, with the mountain passes involved, is a place you are expected to spend several days touring. The Ha Giang area is registered as a UNESCO Global Geopark under the Dong Van Karst Plateau, and the rock formations and canyons themselves are the main draw. In autumn, when buckwheat flowers bloom, the fields turn white and attract a rush of photo-focused visitors. Weather has a big effect on conditions, and the rainy season brings rockslides and mud. Many people who aren't confident driving choose a tour with a local driver or the “Easy Rider” style of riding as a passenger on the back of a motorbike.
Hoi An: the Japanese Covered Bridge, assembly halls, and an old port town still lit by lanterns
The third spot, Hoi An, is an old trading port with a different character from the two natural landscapes. A port town that flourished from the 15th century onward, its old town was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. Wooden shophouses, the Japanese Covered Bridge (said to have been built by Japanese merchants), and assembly halls built by Chinese merchant communities all sit clustered within walking distance of each other. Nine also touched on central Vietnamese food like cao lau and banh mi. Part of the old town operates on a ticketed-entry system, with tickets required to visit the main historic houses and assembly halls.
It is about 30 km from Da Nang International Airport, roughly a 40-minute drive. The transfer from the airport is short, and the old town itself can be explored on foot. The busiest time is from evening into night, when more lanterns are lit; the old town is much quieter in the morning.a price-by-price tour of Hoi An's banh mi shopsand other food-hopping destinations being clustered in the old town also make it easy to get around.
Linking the two northern spots with the central one in a single trip takes a flight and a few extra days
Of the three, Ninh Binh and Ha Giang are in the north, and Hoi An is in central Vietnam. The natural flow is a day trip from Hanoi for Ninh Binh, several days based out of Hanoi for Ha Giang, and a flight into Da Nang for Hoi An; if you want to cover all three, it is easiest to fly into Hanoi and out of Da Nang on a one-way ticket. If your trip is short, sticking to either the Hanoi area (Ninh Binh) or central Vietnam (Hoi An) alone will save you from wearing yourself out on transit.
- Ninh Binh (Trang An): About 90 km from Hanoi, a 2-hour drive. The boat trip takes half a day. Weekday mornings are quieter.
- Ha Giang: About 300 km north of Hanoi. Plan several days to tour the loop. If you're unsure about driving, book a tour or ride with a driver.
- Hoi An: About 30 km from Da Nang Airport, a 40-minute drive. The old town is walkable. Mornings are quiet; evenings get crowded with lantern light.
In this lineup, two of the three spots are natural landscapes, and no urban tourist destinations made the cut. Rather than familiar names like Ha Long Bay or Ho Chi Minh City, it is scenery — rivers, limestone peaks, mountain passes — that seems to be resonating with readers abroad. The fact that a place with relatively poor transport links, like Ha Giang, made the list suggests a growing number of travelers are heading there specifically for the scenery itself.
Being featured on an international media list tends to be the kind of thing that boosts visitor numbers afterward. Phu Quoc,which saw first-half visitor numbers grow after making Expedia's global top 10,is one example of how more exposure tends to make popular places more crowded. For these three spots too, aiming for off-season weekdays or early mornings gives you better conditions for photos and shorter waits. Hoi An in particular draws crowds from evening onward, so visiting first thing in the morning is easiest if you want to see the old houses at a relaxed pace.
Vietnam's three spots have clearly distinct characters: a northern water region, the mountains at the northern tip, and a central port town. A practical approach is to start with Trang An's boat trip, which works as a day trip; save Ha Giang's mountain passes for a trip where you have more time; and reserve Hoi An's old town for a trip centered on walking around town — choosing based on how long your trip is.
