The airy, floral dress is already clinging to my body as I run towards the shuttlecock. I narrowly miss the bullet – point for my opponent, an eight-year-old Vietnamese boy. Our conversation didn’t go beyond the “Hello, how are you?” which he shouted at me – as an obvious foreigner. He still challenged me to play. We passed the ball back and forth on a sidewalk in Hanoi, next to the walls of the majestic Temple of Literature.
Inspiration for your Vietnam vacation
It’s one of many short but intense memories I made during my three-week trip to Vietnam. In the bitterly cold German winter, I think back to such heartwarming moments particularly often. This allows me to escape for a moment – and immediately think about the next trip. If you are already looking for inspiration for this year’s vacation at the beginning of the year, you will find the most beautiful places and my personal highlights from Vietnam in this photo gallery.
The best place to start a tour of the country is in Ho Chi Minh City (in the south) or Hanoi (in the north). Depending on your starting point, you move north or south and can travel back from the other city. My route went from the tropics (in the south) to the rice fields (in the north). I moved along the coastline, which is more than 3,000 kilometers long. Vietnam has a very diverse landscape. It wasn’t easy to narrow down my choice of possible destinations. If you have more time, you can extend the route as you wish.
Even more worthwhile stops include:
- Phu Quoc: An island with dream beaches in the south, but very touristy. The archipelago is an alternative Con Dao at:16 islands with white sandy beaches that are significantly less crowded.
- DaLat: Known as the “City of Eternal Spring” because of its mild climate all year round. The picturesque waterfalls outside the city limits are particularly worth seeing.
- Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park: An inland nature reserve on the border with Laos. The landscape is characterized by tropical forests and caves. With a knowledgeable guide you can undertake an expedition into the dense jungle.
- Cat Ba: Also a national park, located on an island south of Hanoi. Here you can relax on the beach or snorkel along the coral reefs.
- Ha Giang loop: For many holidaymakers, a motorcycle tour lasting several days through the province of the same name on the Chinese border is one of the highlights of a trip to Vietnam. On the moped of local tour guides, the route leads past rice fields, karst rocks and gorges.