5 Hidden Gems in Vietnam You Must Visit — Secret Places & Things to Do Beyond the Tourist Trail
Vietnam is known for its emerald rice paddies, street-food, and for its pulsing motorbike traffic in the Old Quarter of Hanoi. Beyond the cliches like Saigon, Hoi An, and Ha Long Bay, there is the other, quieter, ‘undiscovered’ Vietnam. Untrodden ‘undiscovered’ Vietnam consists of mountain tribe stories, ancient caves, and tranquil coastal towns where time ticks in harmony with the tide.
Razi Ansari—just a guy with a backpack, a camera, and too many stories from the road. I write about the real moments, the messy adventures, and the hidden corners of the world that don’t always make it to the guidebooks
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Ha Giang Loop — Vietnam’s Wild Northern Frontier
Few journeys capture the spirit of offbeat Vietnam like the Ha Giang Loop. Snaking through the northernmost mountains near the Chinese border, this motorbike circuit offers staggering limestone peaks, remote Hmong villages, and misty passes that redefine adventure.
The road from Ha Giang city winds through Quan Ba’s Heaven Gate, across the Ma Pi Leng Pass one of the most breathtaking routes in Southeast Asia — and into Dong Van, a highland town wrapped in ancient stone walls. Life here feels untouched by time. Elderly women in indigo skirts sell maize wine in morning markets; children race down dirt paths, their laughter echoing through the karst valleys.
Riding the Ha Giang Loop is more than a scenic trip — it’s a lesson in humility. The mountains remind you that Vietnam’s beauty doesn’t shout; it whispers from every ridge, every smile, every steaming bowl of pho offered by strangers.
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Things to Do in Ha Giang
Stay overnight with a local family in a traditional stilt house. A homestay in Dong Van or Meo Vac is a chance to enjoy real northern hospitality. Take a trip to Dong Van Sunday Market and watch the ethnic minorities barter for textiles and buffaloes. Walk the rice terraces of Hoang Su Phi and hike the hills gold for harvest season. And if you’re confident on two wheels, drive the Ma Pi Leng Skywalk at dawn — it’s Vietnam’s ultimate freedom ride.
Phong Nha Caves — The Underground World of Wonders
In Vietnam’s disastrous Quang Binh province, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is home to some of the best caves in the world. While all the visitors are in a hurry to attend Hue or Da Nang, most do remains to Phong Nha and are awarded with massive limestone cathedrals and an amazing underground river universe.
Two ecosystems starkly different and sculpted by time, Phong Nha’s caves are historical formations and are a work of art. Most of the region’s caves are famously referred to by the Vermontson, Dan, and is famous Son Doong. To capture the region’s magic, one does not need a 1 million dong, one simply needs to attend Paradise Cave and witness the ethereal breathtaking chambers that decorate the cave with waterfall like frozen stalactites. One must attend Dark Cave to the magical mud swimming.
Hidden gems like Phong Nha are rare in Vietnam. Phong Nha pilgrim’s travelers quest for unique balance of cave exploring and unique local culture. Cross the Son river and cool the local’s banh xeo pancakes with a visit to the peanut farms.
Things to Do in Phong Nha
Participate in a guided cave tour, which includes spending 2 hours in Phong Nha cave accessible by boat and then moving on to the Tu Lan system which is the more challenging of the two. Ride a bicycle in Bong Lai Valley and then stop at the rustic riverside bar run by locals to enjoy a drink, which is called “The Pub With Cold Beer.” Finish the day in a hammock while watching the sunset and listen to the karst hills as the get the tune.
Ninh Binh — The “Ha Long Bay on Land” Few Truly Explore
Just two hours south of Hanoi, Ninh Binh offers the drama of Ha Long Bay — but without the boats or crowds. Limestone cliffs rise straight from golden rice paddies, mirrored in glassy rivers where sampan boats glide silently under dripping grottoes.
Many travelers treat Ninh Binh as a day trip, but linger a little longer and you’ll find a slower, deeper rhythm. Tam Coc’s waterways are rowed by women using their feet; Bich Dong Pagoda clings to a cliffside cave; and the ancient capital of Hoa Lu still hums with the spirit of Vietnam’s dynastic past.
From the top of Mua Cave viewpoint, the landscape unfolds like a living painting — rivers twisting between green mountains, buffalo grazing below. Here, the phrase lesser-known destinations in Vietnam finds its truest form: places everyone photographs, but few truly experience.
Things to Do in Ninh Binh
Witness the sunrise views after the 500 step climb on the Mua Cave. Take a boat trip on the Trang An landscape complex recognized as a UNESCO site. It feels like sailing through a beautiful myth. Rent a bicycle to ride the quiet roads of Tam Coc village and have some chè at roadside stores. History lovers can visit the ancient temples of Hoa Lu and the Dinh and Le kings. Such temples are quiet reminders that this peaceful valley once dominated an empire.
Quy Nhon — Vietnam’s Underrated Coastal Paradise
If Da Nang feels polished and Nha Trang too busy, Quy Nhon is Vietnam’s coastal secret — a crescent of golden beaches, seafood feasts, and local warmth. Once a quiet fishing port, Quy Nhon has quietly evolved into one of the best offbeat Vietnam destinations for travelers seeking sea and solitude.
Unlike other beach towns, Quy Nhon’s charm lies in its simplicity. Wooden boats bob in the harbor, morning markets buzz with fishermen selling squid, and the sound of waves mingles with temple bells from Thap Doi Towers — ancient Cham relics that watch over the city. Beyond the shore, Ky Co and Eo Gio beaches boast turquoise coves that rival any in Thailand, yet remain blissfully uncrowded.
Things to Do in Quy Nhon
Walk the long, empty sands of Bai Xep — a fishing village turned eco-retreat where bamboo bungalows overlook the sea. Visit the Banh It Cham Towers, a glimpse into the Cham civilization’s architectural legacy. Feast on local specialties like bun cha ca (fishcake noodles) and fresh sea urchin grilled with scallion oil. At sunset, find a clifftop café and watch fishermen cast nets glowing orange in the dusk.
Mekong Delta’s Hidden Water Villages
The Mekong Delta sprawls across southern Vietnam like a living tapestry — a world of waterways, coconut groves, and floating homes. While most visitors see only Can Tho’s crowded floating market, the real magic of the delta lies deeper in its backwaters, where time flows with the tide.
Here, life unfolds on water. Families harvest mangoes from boats, children paddle to school, and elderly women weave palm leaves under wooden stilt houses. Villages like Tra Su, Ben Tre, or An Binh Island offer a glimpse into this tranquil rhythm — where the river is both road and lifeline.
Traveling through the delta is less about sights and more about sensations: the smell of durian, the creak of wooden boats, the cool shade of nipa palms. It’s one of those hidden gems in Vietnam that shows the quiet grace of local life — humble, generous, endlessly flowing.
Things to Do in the Mekong Delta
Drift leisurely on a sampan, taking in the views of the mangroves at Tra Su, the greenery above mirrored in the water. Attend a coconut candy workshop in Ben Tre, where you can watch the process of making these traditional sweets. Participate in a homestay cooking session, where you can learn to prepare canh chua, the sweet and sour southern fish soup. And stay the night in a lodge by the river, the sound of the frogs and distant oars singing you to sleep.