Vietnamese lakeside and river towns off the beaten path.
Less-touristed lakeside and river towns in Vietnam, for travelers seeking fewer crowds but all the beauty.
Vĩnh Long
This Mekong Delta city sits directly on one of the river's many branches in southern Vietnam, with a walkable centre well supplied with cafés and restaurants.
Go Cong
This Mekong Delta city where a grand two-storey colonial building with arched green shutters and ornate facades slowly surrenders to tropical vegetation, off…
Hung Yen
A weathered multi-tiered temple gate covered in classical Vietnamese calligraphy anchors this Red River Delta city, where historic religious architecture, wa…
Cao Bang
This walkable riverside town in northern Vietnam, Cao Bang sits on the Bằng Giang river with a centre full of cafés and restaurants.
Nam Định
This Vietnamese city in the Red River Delta where a tall-towered Gothic-style Catholic church — its facade decorated with colorful painted panels and a rose…
Ha Giang
Sitting on the Lô River in the mountains of northeast Vietnam, Ha Giang is the main starting point for the Ha Giang Loop — a motorbike route along the QL4C t…
Sa Đéc
A river port city in Vietnam's Mekong Delta, Sa Đéc sits on the water in Đồng Tháp province and serves as an agricultural and trading hub for the surrounding…
Bac Lieu
Mekong Delta city built along a wide, silt-brown river canal, where a low-rise waterfront of colorful shophouses, market stalls, and moored wooden boats give…
Long Xuyen
This riverside city in Vietnam's Mekong Delta, Long Xuyen is the capital of An Giang Province and has a concentration of historic churches in its centre.
Hai Duong
Mid-sized Vietnamese city on the Red River Delta, where calm lakeside streets lined with colourful villas sit at the convenient midpoint between Hanoi and th…
Phu Ly
Vietnamese city on the Đáy River, where a traditional multi-tiered temple reflects in calm water along a tree-lined embankment, with low-rise urban streets s…
Son Tay
This broad-courtyard Vietnamese communal hall with sweeping tiled roofs, ornate ridge carvings, and mature shade trees anchors this riverside city on Hanoi's…
Viet Tri
Widely regarded as the first capital of Vietnam and the origin of the Vietnamese nation, Việt Trì in Phú Thọ Province is home to the ancient capital of Văn L…
Hòa Bình
A city in northern Vietnam near the Đà River, Hòa Bình is the provincial capital of Hòa Bình Province and sits close to the mountains southwest of Hanoi.
Kon Tum
City in Vietnam's Central Highlands with a walkable centre and a lively café and restaurant scene, Kon Tum sits on the fertile banks of the Dak Bla River nea…
Hong Ngu
This Mekong Delta city where a broad river runs directly alongside a colourful promenade lined with boats, shophouses, and festive flags, giving visitors an…
Nam Sách
A nationally listed Vietnamese pagoda — Chùa Trăm Gian — anchors this Red River Delta district, its sweeping tiled rooflines and ornate dragon-ridge carvings…
Châu Đốc
A walkable Mekong Delta city in southern Vietnam's An Giang province, sitting on the Hậu River near the Cambodian border, with a centre full of cafés and res…
Ba Chuc
Ba Chuc, a pocket-sized commune in Vietnam's An Giang Province, is defined by the 1978 Khmer Rouge massacre of an estimated 3,157 civilians — an event commem…
Oc Eo
Oc Eo, in An Giang Province of southern Vietnam's Mekong Delta, is an archaeological site that was once a major port of the Funan kingdom between the 2nd cen…
Long My
Flat, low-rise Mekong Delta town in Vietnam's Hậu Giang province, where palm-lined streets buzz with motorbikes and local commerce along the waterway-laced l…
Phuc Yen
City in Vietnam's Vĩnh Phúc Province where a broad sandy-shored lake draws crowds of swimmers against a backdrop of forested hills, offering easy lakeside re…
Cần Thơ
Floating markets on the Mekong Delta's rural canals are the defining draw of Cần Thơ, one of Vietnam's largest cities and one of its seven centrally administ…
Soc Trang
A busy Mekong Delta city where a lit roundabout anchors a lively street scene at night, with historic churches, Khmer cultural heritage, and waterside settin…
Thai Binh
Compact city in Vietnam's Red River Delta, Thai Binh sits on the water with a centre where cafés and restaurants are concentrated within easy walking distance.
Ba Ria
This busy Vietnamese provincial town lined with palm trees, a lively commercial centre, and a good spread of cafés, restaurants, and churches, with upland co…
Cà Mau
A canal city at the southern tip of Vietnam's mainland, Cà Mau is the former provincial capital of Cà Mau province in the Mekong Delta, where goods move thro…
Bắc Giang
Compact Vietnamese city where the Thương River meets a busy transport corridor, its dense red-tile rooftops and modern commercial blocks sitting within easy…
Lao Bao
Lao Bảo sits on the Sepon River, the natural border between Vietnam and Laos, at the western end of National Route 9 in Quảng Trị Province.
Bến Tre
This waterfront city in Vietnam's Mekong Delta, Bến Tre sits in the river-laced south of the country and offers a walkable centre with a solid café and resta…
Mong Cai
Vietnamese border city on the Ka Long River in Quảng Ninh province, Mong Cai sits directly on the frontier with China, with more than 70 kilometres of shared…
Thai Nguyen
Nationally recognized for its Tân Cương tea, Thai Nguyen is a northern Vietnamese city on the Cau River, with mountains close by and a large university prese…
Cao Lanh
This waterside city in Vietnam's Đồng Tháp Province, Cao Lãnh sits in the Mekong Delta with a walkable centre well supplied with cafés and restaurants.
Lao Cai
A Vietnamese border city set where the Red River meets upland terrain, Lao Cai pairs a walkable riverside centre packed with cafés and restaurants with easy…
Phong Châu
A riverside town in Vietnam's Phu Tho province, Phong Châu sits at the water's edge amid rolling hills, and serves as a gateway to the wider region's UNESCO-…
Trà Kiệu
A riverside settlement in central Vietnam, Trà Kiệu sits close to upland country and within reach of several UNESCO World Heritage sites, making it a practic…