Vietnam’s Golden Hands Bridge is not only a spectacular sight bus also an engineering marvel, proudly situated 1400 metres above sea level, close to the port city of Da Nang. The bridge was constructed back in 2018 and spans 150 metres over the mighty Truong Son mountains, connecting Ba Na Hills Resort to the nearby cable car station. The Ba Na Hills resort was founded back in 1919 by French colonists and housed a number of luxury villas. Today the resort is home to impressive gardens and an action packed theme park, with the Golden Hands Bridge becoming one of the area’s latest and greatest attractions, as well as an extremely famous Instagram spot.

The two giant stone hands holding up the elegant golden bridge were designed to look as if they have been there for centuries. A stroll along the bridge allows for stunning panoramic views over the beautiful mountainous region. There are a ton of excellent photo opportunities up for grabs, thanks to some incredible architectural design, the bridge appears to be gracefully floating amongst the clouds. Not to mention this iconic structure is accessed via the longest cable car journey in the entire world!

Ho Chi Minh is one of South East Asia’s busiest cities with a staggering population of over nine million residents and an insane collection of two million motorbikes, yes TWO MILLION! It’s clear to see how easy it is to get swallowed up by the insane speed of the city. The best way to truly appreciate the sheer scale and vastness of this vibrant metropolis is by escaping the hustle and bustle and heading high, to one of Ho Chi Minh’s iconic sky bars. You’ll feel like a King/Queen as you sip on delicious cocktails high above the city streets, be sure to also keep a keen eye out for any available happy hour deals as drinks can tend to be pretty pricey.

A large number of sky bars are scattered across the city, each with their own individual style and unique qualities. Chill Skybar Saigon was Ho Chi Minh’s first ever Skybar, located on the 26th floor of the AB Tower, right in the heart of District 1. This fantastic spot not only boasts epic panoramic views of the city during sunset, but also hosts a collection of world renowned DJ’s hitting the decks well into the early hours. If you really want to get high up into the clouds, look no further than the city’s highest Skybar, Eon Heli Bar. This incredible venue is located on the 52nd floor of the Bitexco Financial Tower and is twice the height of any other Skybar in the city, meaning you’re guaranteed to grab yourself an epic bird’s eye view of Ho Chi Minh.

On the island of Vinh Nguyen, just off the coast of Nha Trang, lies the action packed and extremely vibrant VinWonders Amusement Park. This impressive complex covers an incredible 200,000m2 and is comprised of a theme park, water park and beach resort all flawlessly rolled into one. The journey over to VinWonders from the Vietnamese mainland is all part of the fun too, choose to ride on the over water cable car or jump aboard one of the city’s local speed boats to reach the beautiful shores of Ving Nguyen.

There’s a whole heap of activities to keep you entertained at VinWonders, from thrilling rollercoasters and hair-raising waterslides to golden sand beaches and relaxing lazy rivers. Not to mention there’s a whole heap of fantastic dining and shopping opportunities scattered throughout the park. No matter what kind of person you are and no matter what you like doing, you’re guaranteed to have an awesome, action packed day out at VinWonders.

Maze Bar was without a doubt my favourite drinking spot in all of Vietnam! This super funky establishment is located right in the heart of Da Lat, a charming mountain city located 1500 metres above sea level in Vietnam’s Central Highlands. This unique and eccentric bar is the ideal location for testing out your navigation skills, whilst also sinking plenty of ice cold beers. You’re bound to meet plenty of other travellers at this spot, as it’s a well recommended and favoured tourist spot in the city.

Maze Bar conveniently has a bar situated at the entrance, ideal for topping up on alcohol before you venture into the venue’s fascinating maze. Twist and turn through dimly lit rooms, stairs and corridors as you set off in search of the building’s rooftop bar. Once you’ve found your way through the perplexing maze, you’ll be rewarded with the blissful sight of the bar staff, who will be more than ready to pour you some well deserved drinks.

Traditional coconut boats or (basket boats) are an iconic sight in Vietnam, regularly spotted on waterways up and down the country. However, the best spot to hop aboard one of these quirky modes of transport is none other than Hoi An’s Bay Mau Coconut Forest. Located approximately 5km east of Hoi An’s ancient centre, the Coconut Forest is home to a wide range of vibrant marine life as well as 360 degrees of stunning scenery. Scramble off the wooden jetty into one of the unorthodox boats, accompanied by a local fisherman who will navigate you through the forest’s beautiful riverways as you meander between luscious and towering coconut trees.

Hoi An has a number of companies offering day tours out to the Bay Mau Coconut Forest, the tours include a traditional coconut boat ride as well as local entertainment, including the area’s famous boat spinning fisherman displaying their impressive skills and the local floating DJ’s blasting fun party tunes out on the water. Alternatively, if you didn’t want to join an organised tour, you can opt to hire your own bicycle and head on over to the Coconut Forest yourself, once there you simply need to search for a local coconut boat owner who’ll be happy for you to climb onboard.

Today, Vietnam is a thriving and vibrant nation, bursting with shedloads of culture and diversity, but unfortunately the country hasn’t always been this way, suffering from a bleak and dark past. Vietnam was the main location of the Vietnam War, a vicious conflict in which over three million lives were tragically lost during twenty brutal years of war, from 1955 – 1975. The war was fought between North Vietnam and South Vietnam, with the Communist North having the support of Soviet Russia and China, whilst South Vietnam was supported by the United States and their allies.

The War Remnants Museum, located in Ho Chi Minh city is packed full of indepth information and fascinating exhibits, from original war documents and photos to genuine artifacts and first hand personal extracts. The museum is also home to a wide variety of military equipment, including ammunitions, fierce tanks and fighter jets, as well as the gruesome torture equipment used throughout the war. The museum is not only extremely informative but also exceptionally well presented, offering the best possible way to delve deep into Vietnamese history and learn of the country’s deadly past.

Located within Vietnam’s Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is the monumental Son Doong, this natural phenomenon is the largest cave on the entire planet! The mighty Son Doong was first discovered in 1991 but wasn’t fully explored until much later in 2009. It was at this point the sheer magnitude of Son Doong became apparent, this colossal cavern is more than three miles long, 150 metres wide and a whopping 200 metres high!

Son Doong opened to the public back in 2013, but only one company is permitted to operate tours inside the world’s largest cave. Oxalis Adventures run an incredible four day expedition tour of the cave including rappelling, scrambling and advanced cave exploration. This once in a lifetime adventure expedition is priced at around $3000 USD, this is due to the advanced and bespoke nature of the tour and accompanying guides. However, there are cheaper and shorter tours available throughout Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, allowing visitors to explore the nearby cave systems that surround and interconnect with the mighty Son Doong cave.

Near Ho Chi Minh city, a section of the Cu Chi tunnel network has become a designated area open to visitors, offering an indepth experience of the phenomenal tunnels, as well as an informative journey into their incredible history and past. The Cu Chi tunnels were vital to the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War, the guerrilla troops were extremely outnumbered and outgunned by the opposing forces, meaning they needed to use strategy and tactics, rather than brute force. The Cu Chi tunnel network was predominately dug out by hand and covered tens of thousands of miles, allowing troops to remain hidden and protect themselves, particularly from the threat of frequent aerial bombings.

At the Cu Chi Tunnels visitor’s site, you’ll be given the opportunity to squeeze inside the narrow tunnels and explore a small part of the fascinating network alongside informative and knowledgeable guides. It’s not just all about the tunnels though, the guides will also teach you about the history of the Viet Cong, their way of life and their notorious guerrilla tactics, including the infamous booby traps they used during the war. Not to mention there’s also a Chu Chi shooting range situated near the tunnels, giving visitor’s the opportunity to fire a variety of authentic firearms that were used during the Vietnam War.

Not only is the Ha Giang Loop one of the best motorbike routes in all of Asia, but it’s also one of the best routes in the entire world! Boasting impeccable views, unrivalled landscapes, jaw dropping mountains and hairpin bends, it’s easy to see why the notorious Ha Giang Loop is one of South East Asia’s best rated locations. The incredible 350km route is located approximately five hours north of Hanoi and winds through ferocious canyons and stunning mountain passes in the extreme north regions of Vietnam, close to the Chinese border.

The Ha Giang Loop is best completed over a minimum of 4 days, this gives riders enough time to fully appreciate everything this incredible area has to offer and also helps reduce severe riding fatigue. There are two options for tackling the mighty Ha Giang Loop, either join a guided tour alongside fellow travellers and an experienced guide or hire your own motorbike and take on the route solo or with friends. If you choose to hire your own motorbike, make sure you’re totally prepared for the journey. Plan out refuelling stops and overnight stays before embarking on your route, whilst also ensuring you have all the necessary equipment needed for a demanding four day motorbike adventure.

Cruising around Ha Long Bay aboard a traditional Vietnamese junk boat, is without a doubt the best thing to do in Vietnam. Ha Long Bay is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, not only is the area packed full of exciting activities and thrilling experiences, but it also boasts sensational views, turquoise waters and insane landscapes. There’s plenty to keep you entertained, why not hop in a kayak and check out Ha Long’s natural limestone karsts, grab a snorkel and explore the region’s incredible underwater habitat or visit the floating villagers that live on the beautiful waters of Ha Long.

A wide variety of companies offer tours around Ha Long Bay, from single day excursions to multi night liveaboard cruises. I personally opted to explore Ha Long Bay with Castaways, a tour owned and operated by Vietnam Backpacker Hostels, offering the perfect mix of hardcore partying and incredible activities. Castaways private island boasts an epic bar area, legendary rock climbing wall, stunning golden sand beach, and comfy beach hut accommodation, right in the beating heart of Ha Long Bay.