After the covid-19 pandemic, the trend of leaving crowded places and returning to nature has emerged in Vietnam, attracting more and more attention of not only domestic but also foreign tourists. Possessing a beautiful natural landscape and diverse climate, this country has long been famous for its attractive tourist destinations, comprehensive services and memorable entertainment programs. Here are top 7 Vietnam off the beaten track destinations that you can refer to for your trip to travel to Vietnam with the guide of the locals.
1 – Son Doong Cave – top Vietnam off-the-beaten-track
Son Doong cave – Source: sondoongcave
Recognized as the world’s largest cave, Son Doong is located in Son Trach commune, Bo Trach district, belonging to Phong Nha – Ke Bang national park of Quang Binh province. This is one of the top spots for Vietnam off the beaten path itinerary with a beautiful system of limestone and stalactites, as well as a unique and quite complete ancient ecosystem.
You can come here from January to August, earn one-of-a-kind experiences such as swimming in the cool underground river, taking pictures and camping on the smooth sandy shore. Stepping inside, you will definitely feel overwhelmed by the magnificence of this cave, completely immersed in the sound of birds chirping and water flowing like a long island listcrawler fairy scene.
2 – Ha Giang Loop
Camping & trekking in Ha Giang – Source: Phuong Hoang
Said to be one of the most beautiful and unspoiled north Vietnam off the beaten tracks, this trip through the country’s challenging headland always attracts adventurers. As a mountainous region, Ha Giang province has a distinctly cold climate compared to neighboring areas, pleasant all year round and convenient for travel. However, if you want to see this land at its best, the most ideal time is the harvest season in late September to early October.
At this time, the Hoang Su Phi terraced fields turn shining golden, spreading evenly, gently winding around the hillsides and mountains. Taking a discovery tour here, you can both see the brilliant golden season of the Northwest mountains and immerse yourself in the sweet aroma of dumpor ripe rice.
3 – Co To Island
Co To island – Source: Bùi Thanh Tùng
As an island district in the east of Quang Ninh province and about 80 km from the mainland, Co To has a total of nearly 50 small islands with the center being large and small islands and Thanh Lan island. The most attractive points here are the long beaches, fine white sand, and clear water such as Van Chay, Hong Van, or Bac Van, Love (also known as Shipwreck beach).
Co To is one of Vietnam off the beaten track places, ideal to swim, watch the sunrise and sunset, or organize a BBQ party with fresh seafood such as squid, clams, oysters, etc. The right time to visit this place is in the summer and autumn from April to October, in which the first 2 months are mildly sunny with almost no storms.
4 – Sapa – land of cloud and mountains
O Long tea hill – Source: Internet
This is a northwest highland town of Lao Cai province, extremely famous for the Fansipan mountain highest of Indochina and unique ethnic minority cultures. Located at an altitude of 1600m, Sapa Vietnam has a cool climate all year round, and a special feature with one day having all four seasons.
Coming here, you can admire the beautiful landscape with thousands of colorful flowers covering the Northwest mountains at the beginning of the year, the ripe golden terraced fields in harvest season, or the snow in December – January. This north Vietnam off the beaten track destination also has some interesting places such as Stone Church, Sapa night market, Ham Rong heaven gate, Cat Cat, Ta Phin and Lao Chai villages.
5 – Cu Lao Cham (Cham Island)
Cu Lao Cham island – Source: centralvietnamguide
This island cluster consists of 1 main island surrounded by 8 smaller ones, with an area of about 15km2 in the territory of Hoi An city, Quang Nam province. You should travel to Cu Lao Cham between March and August, when it is sunny, the sea is calm and there is little rain, so you can participate in fun water activities.
Coming here, you will be completely attracted by the unspoiled nature with a fairly rich ecosystem, and peaceful and poetic fishing villages with sincere people. Like some other Vietnam off the beaten track spots, Cu Lao Cham offers interesting experiences such as fishing, coastal camping, diving to see corals, enjoying fresh seafood, and so on.
6 – Mai Chau – valley and hills
Yellow rice terraces in Mai Chau – Source: etrip4u
As a small valley in Hoa Binh province, Mai Chau carries the typical wild beauty of the Northwest highlands with rolling mountains, terraced fields, and colorful roofs. All four seasons here give off a pleasant and comfortable feeling, in which the best time to visit is late May – October when the ripe rice season dyes the whole scenery a brilliant golden color.
Coming here, you can experience the culture of the Thai people at stilt houses in Lac village, visit the Chieu cave national monument, trek, and watch the surreal sunrise. This Vietnam off the beaten track place is also famous for its top-quality rice, creating dishes like sticky rice or bamboo tube rice, best eaten with specialties including grilled chicken, steamed with dong leaves, etc.
7 – Ha My Beach in Quang Nam province
Ha My beach – Source: Internet
Among the top 16 most beautiful beaches in Asia, Ha My Quang Nam in Dien Duong ward, Dien Ban town, is one of the beaten path Vietnam spots that makes tourists scour. Quite new to people in the country, Ha My has long been chosen by many foreign tourists as a private resort, located on the coastal road connecting Da Nang with Hoi An ancient town.
Ha, My Beach has gentle stretches of white sand, gentle waves, clear blue sea, most beautiful from March to September, and from 4 – 7 am or 4 – 8 pm during the day. This place is wild, deserted, and peaceful, not much known yet, so you will not have to face the crowd like other famous beaches.
8 – Moc Chau valley – the land of tea hills
Moc Chau tea hills – Source: Vietnam discovery
Located nearly 200km from Hanoi, Moc Chau has long been considered one of the most unspoiled Vietnam off the beaten track destinations, in the Northern region in particular. This place has four seasons with mild weather, flowers blooming all year round, from peach, plum, apricot blossom, cherry apricot, to plum, wild sunflower, persimmon, mustard flower, etc. Depending on time, you can walk around Moc Chau tea hill, visit waterfalls such as Nang Tien, Dai Yem or Chieng Khoa, conquer Pha Luong peak,… The nature here is also very suitable for taking photos and organizing picnics, outdoor activities in places such as Nguyen Thuy village, grassland 68, etc.
More information about top most famous Vietnam off the beaten track itinerary include:
– Route 1: Hanoi – Sapa – Ha Giang loop – Ban Gioc waterfall – Halong bay – Ninh Binh – Pu Luong nature reserve – Hanoi.
– Route 2: Hanoi – Mai Chau – Ninh Binh – Quang Binh – Hue – Danang – Hoi An – Nha Trang – Mui Ne – Ho Chi Minh City.
– Route 3: Ho Chi Minh city – Vung Tau – Can Tho – Ca Mau – Kien Giang – Phu Quoc island. When famous and flashy tourist attractions are gradually overloaded by a large number of visitors, the trend of nature tourism and returning to the most original values is increasingly emerging. If you are wondering what to choose from among countless options, the information about top 7 Vietnam off the beaten track spots above will be the perfect suggestions for your upcoming vacation trip.
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