9 Places to visit in Vietnam before you die! - Photos included in the guide

Hanoi is the capital city of Vietnam and the name of the city means 'where the river bends’. Hanoi is one of the greenest cities in Asia with plenty of parks and lakes in the city. The Old Quarter is rich in history and it’s a good place for sightseeing. If you enjoy old architecture check out the Cafe Pho Co (Old Town Cafe) at 11 Hang Gai and the Old House at 87 Ma May in Hanoi. Other suggestion of what to see in Hanoi: Literature Temple, One Pillar Pagoda, Sword Lake, West Lake, History Museum, Flag Pole and the Ancient city.

Sapa in Vietnam is a beautiful hillstation town juxtaposing stunning views, French architecture and colourful hill tribal cultures. Here you can visit the Indochina peak, the Fansipan at 3,143 metres above sea level.

Ha Long Bay is a natural jewel in the Gulf of Tonkin in northern Vietnam near the Chinese border that includes around 1,600 islands and islets. The spectacular seascape of limestone pillars is inevitably popular with visitors to Vietnam who come to enjoy the unusual rock formations, islands, grottos and the picturesque setting.

Hoi An coastal city is known for its well preserved Ancient Town where you can see a mix of eras that include old Chinese style houses and temples, French colonial buildings, Vietnamese narrow tube houses and the iconic 18th century Japanese Covered Bridge with its pagoda.

The Imperial City is a walled palace complex within the citadel of the city of Huế, the former imperial capital of Vietnam, and a great example of historic Asia. This is the former palace complex of the last ruling Nguyen Dynasty before the emperor abdicated in 1945 in favour of the new communist government. You’ll probably need a day to enjoy and soak in the palace complex. For a bit of additional fun and kitsch you can also book a Royal Banquet dinner where you’ll get to dress up as Vietnamese royalty and eat traditional royal food while listening to traditional music.

Pictured: Local Vietnamese workers in the Nha Trang area making salt. The Hon Khoi Salt Fields is one of the most unique tourist destinations in Nha Trang.

Nha Trang, capital of Khanh Hoa province, is Vietnam’s most famous seaside resort-town. It’s very popular with visitors for its great weather and scuba diving. The long white-sand city beach is easy to get to from almost anywhere in Nha Trang. Along the beach runs the iconic Tran Phu Street promenade with beachfront resorts, hotels, hostels, shops, ATMs, museums, and restaurants.

Da Lat is the capital of Lâm Đồng Province in southern Vietnam’s Central Highlands, located at an altitude of 1,500 metres. The city feels like Vietnam and the French Alps were mashed up together. The old French-style architecture in the city is surrounded by beautiful nature encompassing hills, pines, lakes and waterfalls, making this a perfect romantic destination.

In Ho Chi Minh expect to see French colonial architecture, wide boulevards and traffic jams. When sightseeing checkout the War Remnants Museum that shows the Vietnam War through Vietnamese perspective, see the impressive Jade Emperor Pagoda, pick up food and frogs from Ben Thanh Market, and visit the Mekong Delta floating market.

Phu Quoc is a spectacular tropical island surrounded by turquoise waters. The slice of paradise is a great place to relax, do a bit of scuba diving or snorkelling and enjoy splendid natural surrounds.