Published on May 5, 2023
Stunning natural beauty and a fascinating culture define Viet Nam, located at the edge of mainland Southeast Asia. Home to some 99 million people, the terraced fields, pristine beaches, and sloping limestone mountains of Vietnam are full of things to do, people to meet, and unforgettable experiences.
From the Vietnamese kingdoms of the first millennium BC to its role in French Indochina, Vietnam has an absorbing, multicultural history. Besides Vietnam’s unique cultural elements, one of its most outstanding aspects is its natural beauty, from the turquoise waters of Halong Bay and the magnificent, evergreen Ba Be National Park to its over 3,000 kilometres of spectacular coastline.
Continue reading to learn more about five of the most incredible natural wonders in Viet Nam.
Halong Bay
One of the most famous destinations in Viet Nam, Halong Bay is a lush, unique, and awe-inspiring natural attraction. Its name means “descending dragon,” and it is located in Viet Nam’s northeastern province of Quang Ninh. Halong Bay offers visitors a gorgeous, singular landscape home to thousands of islets, limestone karsts, and calm waters. Its geological formations are millions of years old and sparsely populated; it is sunny and often perfectly warm in the summertime, ideal for cruises, kayaking, and beachgoing.
Halong Bay includes such destinations as Cat Ba, an island with a verdant national park perfect for nature lovers, and dozens of semi-private beaches, including Cat Ba. Throughout the bay, there are also floating fishing villages, one of the most exciting attractions of Southeast Asia, wherein fishing communities live and work directly on the water. However, the best way to see all these individual attractions within Halong Bay is to take a cruise for a day or longer — you will be able to admire the staggering beauty of the bay and take part in its beaches, fishing villages, and islands.
Ban Gioc Waterfall
Near the international border between China and Viet Nam, Ban Gioc Waterfall’s mesmerizing waters are set into unparalleled natural beauty. Located in the northernmost hills of Vietnam, Ban Gioc is the perfect destination for those visiting the surrounding Trung Khanh province. The thundering waterfalls are split into three by the flow of the river, the shape of the cliffs, and the rocks and trees; it is 30 meters high overall. Essentially Vietnam’s Niagara Falls, Ban Gioc is worth visiting for its grandness and the luscious greenery surrounding it.
One of the best places to stay near Ban Gioc Waterfall is Cao Bang town, about 25 kilometres away, the perfect distance for a day trip. To get to the waterfall, you wind through emerald rice fields and grassy hills; along the water flow are dozens of viewing points and even a pagoda. You can also head out on a bamboo raft to look closely at the waterfall and soak up the refreshing spray. No matter how close you choose to get to the fall, you are in for a spectacular time.
Hang Son Doong
Considered to be the biggest cave in the world, Hang Son Doong should be on every explorer’s bucket list. Located in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in the north, this cave is estimated to be between two and five million years old. Inside Hang Son Doong is an extensive waterway network, including a tunnel connecting Hang Son Doong to another major cave nearby; it is even home to a jungle, massive stalagmites, lakes, fossils, and more.
This cave is too giant to have its own ecosystem with a length of some nine kilometres and millions of cubic meters in volume. It is open to visitors, but the number of visitors per year is restricted to 1000 due to the fragile nature of the cave’s systems. You can book a tour with Oxalis Adventure, one of Viet Nam’s foremost tour operators.
Ba Be National Park
Ba Be National Park, home to the world’s largest lakes, is an outstanding preserve of Viet Nam’s natural beauty. Since its establishment in 1992, Ba Be has protected the thousands of wildlife species that make their home here, from macaques to bears to palm civets, in addition to two hundred-plus bird species. Ba Be National Park centres around a massive freshwater lake of mystic beauty in the forested northeast of Vietnam. In the park, too, are 13 tribal villages, emphasizing Vietnam’s cultural heritage.
Characterized by rich vegetation, limestone peaks, calm waters, and a cave system, Ba Be National Park is worth the visit for its unparalleled representation of the natural wonders of Vietnam. Many people stay overnight, camping, trekking, kayaking, and more; there is no shortage of outdoor activities to partake in here. Ba Be National Park is an unforgettable example of Vietnam’s natural heritage.
Phu Quoc Island
Phu Quoc is the largest island in Viet Nam, located off the country’s southwestern coast in the Gulf of Thailand. It is known for its pristine, white-sand beaches, nearby reefs, mountain range, and more; it is one of Vietnam’s premier destinations for a tropical escape. Recently, it has become increasingly developed, becoming the ultimate resort destination. However, Phu Quoc’s natural beauty has still been preserved, with help from the national park established on the island. 574 square kilometres in area, Phu Quoc has many kilometres’ worth of beaches, offering something for everyone. It’s also known for its delicious fish sauce, courtesy of the rich anchovy fishing grounds off its coast.
An island that lives off the sea, Phu Quoc and the surrounding Gulf of Thailand have a symbiotic relationship. Phu Quoc is chock-full of visitor activities, from lying on the sand to buying freshly caught fish to snorkelling at a nearby reef.
The five destinations we explore here are just a taste of the natural wonders Viet Nam has to offer. It is important to remember, though, that we humans have a responsibility to preserve the spectacular beauty of the natural world — and to appreciate it! Learn more about Viet Nam at Visit Southeast Asia.
