Central Vietnam attractions

From its elaborate royal costumes to its position within the Hue Citadel, the Royal Antiquities Museum is a portal to the Nguyen Dynasty—it’s even inside the exquisite Long An Palace, where Vietnamese royalty once lived. You’ll be impressed by the massive collection of ornaments, jewelry, ceramics, ancient coins, textiles, Champa sculptures, plus the splendor of the palace itself.

Formerly used to host the receptions and ceremonies of Vientamese emperors, Thai Hoa Palace dates back to 1805 and is notable for its lacquered columns. Plus, due to the palace’s innovative design, if you stand at the exact center of the courtyard you can hear whispers from anywhere in the building.

Overshadowed by famous Hoi An Ancient Town, Cua Dai Beach (Biển Cửa Đại) is a pristine, white-sand strand flanked by turquoise waters and backed by rustic Vietnamese seafood restaurants. The laid-back beach provides a relaxed break from central Hoi An and offers white-knuckle water sports to appease thrill seekers.

From crafting a Vietnamese silk lantern to admiring ancient weaving techniques, the Hoi An Handicraft Workshop hosts hands-on classes and demonstrations suitable for all ages. Set in the historic surrounds of a centuries-old Chinese trading house, the building also offers traditional handicrafts for sale and the chance to attend live music and dance performances.

From gleaming lanterns to sleek ao dai dresses, the maritime silk trade helped make Hoi An Ancient Town what it is today. The Hoi An Silk Village (Làng Lụa Hội An, part of a resort of the same name, lets you experience that rich culture in a museum, through demos, and hands-on, as artisans take silk from leaf to loom.

The Forbidden Purple City (Tu Cam Thanh) was once the magnificent centerpiece of Hue’s UNESCO World Heritage–listed Imperial City. Inspired by Beijing’s famous Forbidden City, the 19th-century palace served as the principal residence of the Nguyen Dynasty, and its elaborate ruins stand in tribute to Hue’s rich history and heritage.

Immigrant Chinese and Japanese communities throughout Vietnam socialize and pass on traditions in social assembly halls. Founded in 1786, the colorful Cantonese Assembly Hall in Hoi An’s Ancient Town is one of five such community centers in the city. It’s a local tourist attraction with grand entrance gates leading onto an ornamental front courtyard, followed by a main hall and elaborate altar room.

Part of Hue’s UNESCO-listed Imperial City, the bronze and elaborately decorated Nine Dynastic Urns each represent a different Nguyen emperor. Each of the urns depicts classic Vietnamese motifs, such as mountains, oceans, stars, and rivers. They sit inside the Hien Lam Pavillion, the grand entrance to which is terracotta- and yolk-yellow colored.

Standing on the banks of the Thu Bon River is Phung HungAncient House, a historic Hoi An landmark that has housed more than eight generations of Vietnamese families. Among the most famous architecture in the city, the 18th-century house combines Japanese, Chinese, and Vietnamese influences and once functioned as a spice-and-handicraft shop.

The Da Nang city outpost of the popular Vietnamese theme-park group, Sun World Danang Wonders sprawls along the Han River. The theme park features rides such as roller coasters, carousels, drop towers, and a giant fairground wheel, while the cultural park highlights Asian architecture through scale models of famous buildings.

For an authentic local dinner in Da Nang, check out the Son Tra Night Market. Here you can rub shoulders with locals, shop for souvenirs, and even get a head or foot massage. Don’t miss this market, whether you want to go wild with your culinary adventures in Vietnam—think snails or grilled stingray—or play it safer with noodle soup or fried rice.

Part of the UNESCO-listed Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park (home to Hang Son Doong, the world’s largest cave), Paradise Cave is often hailed as the most beautiful of Phong Nha’s otherworldly cave complexes. Floodlights illuminate the enormous stalactites and stalagmites to make them appear ghostly. If you’re lucky, you might spot some of the eyeless fish that live here.

Located in the heart of Hoi An Ancient Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Museum of Sa Huynh Culture is home to more than 200 artifacts that date back some 2,000 years. The museum exhibits items used by the Sa Huynh civilization, which flourished in central and southern Vietnam between 1000 BC and AD 200.

Set amid the tropical greenery of Hon Tre Island, Vinpearl Land Nha Trang (sometimes called Vinpearl Amusement Park) transforms the beach resort of Nha Trang into a destination perfect for families and thrill seekers. The excitement begins before you even reach the entrance of the park, as you ride a record-breaking 2-mile (3.2-kilometer) cable car suspended above the South China Sea.

XQ Historical Village is dedicated to the ancient Vietnamese art of embroidery. When you first glance at the artworks exhibited inside this cultural institution in Nha Trang, you might think they’re paintings—but look closer and see they’re intricate embroidery pieces. Plus, they’re set among a lovely, historic-style building laden.

Experience Nha Trang’s famous mud baths at a reasonable rate at Thap Ba Hot Springs, a relaxing spa that gives you the chance to soak in baths filled with mud with alleged healing properties. The site is also home to several mineral-water swimming pools, a sauna, and a waterfall.

At the top of a mountain near Nha Trang lies the Hon Ba Nature Reserve (Khu Bao Ton Thien Nhien Hon Ba). The 50,000-acre (21,000-hectare) forest has almost 1,000 species of flora and fauna, many endangered. Ascending the mountain is a panoramic pilgrimage: At the top rests the outstation of Alexandre Yersin, the French doctor who discovered the cause of the Bubonic plague.

On nearly every list of beautiful beaches in Vietnam, Non Nuoc sits toward the top. Just a few miles from Da Nang, the white sand follows a gentle curve between the Son Tra Peninsula and the Marble Mountains, with piercing blue-green waters rolling off the coast. Stretching for miles, there’s always an open spot to appreciate Non Nuoc’s ethereal beauty.

In the heart of Hoi An Ancient Town, Hoi An Central Market (Chợ Hội An) is a bustling space that offers a glimpse into Vietnamese culture at its liveliest. Colorful stalls that spill onto the pavement outside sell everything from fresh fish and spices to exotic fruit and silk garments. At the east end of the market, some of Hoi An’s famous tailors tend shop.

Da Nang’s Han River Bridge is one of several bridges across this waterway, but it’s the most impressive, and has become a modern symbol of the city. It connects two of Da Nang’s main thoroughfares—Le Duan and Pham Van Dong streets—and can be viewed from other places along the riverfront. The swing bridge design is uncommon in Vietnam.

Nha Trang’s I-Resort Hot Mineral Springs has sprinkled notes of rural Vietnam over a five-star hot springs facility. Offering mud baths, mineral springs, waterfalls, and private villas, the resort grants visitors a true getaway within a getaway. Even if the mineral waters aren’t a guaranteed cure for all ailments as once believed, they are a guaranteed, meditative delight for the senses.

A must-visit for travelers who appreciate the finer details in life, the Museum of Trade Ceramics presents a banquet of colorful pottery from around Asia. As well as stunning examples of ceramics from Japan and China, visitors can expect to admire pottery from Thailand, India, and the Philippines, some of which dates back to the eighth century.

While it might not be as famous as the iconic Golden Bridge in the Ba Na Hills, the Love Lock Bridge Da Nang is still a worthy attraction. Perched on the east bank of the Han River, this bridge is decorated with padlocks inscribed with couples’ names and features love heart installations.

Few cities are as visibly complex and beautiful as Hoi An. The Hoi An Museum (Bao Tang Hoi An)—sometimes called the Hoi An Cultural Heritage Conservation Management Center—is a great place to learn about this ancient city’s history. Except, technically, it’s six different museums. Visit one or six, and you’ll come across 2,000-year-old artifacts, traditional handicrafts like textiles and pottery, and even relics from the Sa Huynh culture.

With massive optical illusions and 3D artwork, visitors quite literally step into the artistic displays and murals at Art in Paradise 3D Museum in Da Nang. Perfect for families and selfie enthusiasts, the museum gives visitors the chance to enter worlds of dragons, undersea kingdoms, fairytale fantasies, and more.

Da Nang Cathedral is commonly nicknamed the Pink Church for its pale salmon-pink hue, but it’s also known as the Con Ga Church (Rooster Church) by locals because of the steeple’s weathercock. Built by the French colonizers in the 1920s, it now serves a sizable minority of practicing Roman Catholics, and is worth walking past while exploring Da Nang.

Considered one of the most impressive temples in Hoi An, Quan Cong Temple is dedicated to a Chinese general revered for his compassion and sense of justice. Brilliant gold-and-red arches, Zen-inspired gardens, and brightly decorated altars pay homage to the much-loved leader, while meditation halls provide respite from the chaos of Hoi An’s traffic.

Most waterfalls this beautiful are better known, but not Dray Nur. Near Buon Ma Thuot, this cascade tumbles roughly 100 feet (30 meters) down and 820 feet (250 meters) across—and that’s not including the Dray Sap waterfall next door. With onsite amenities, this spot is a must for those in Vietnam’s Central Highlands.

Hue’s An Dinh Palace was home to Vietnam’s last and final King—deposed in 1945—and while it’s not quite in ruins, the building is equal parts spooky and impressive. Combining elements of both Asian and European architecture, the UNESCO–listed site welcomes visitors through a spectacularly ornate gate and into a world of not-so-long-gone royalty.

Shrouded by the lush mountain scenery of the Son Tra Nature Reserve, Dong Dinh Museum—named after the type of tree that surrounds it—is one of Da Nang’s top cultural attractions. Inside, you’ll find antique treasures spanning Champa, Chinese, Sa Huynh, and Dai Viet cultures, some of which date back more than 2,500 years.