Today, Vietnam is one of my top five countries, and getting to explore the country was one of my highlights of 2019. It is one of the best budget travel destinations and perfect for female solo trips. And as you will see in these Vietnam photos, it is a very picturesque country. I do not even know how many pictures I took during my two weeks there.
For me, Vietnam is a true gem and there are a few things I did not love about it. Admittedly I felt more at peace in the North with its stunning and unique nature, but the entire country is incredibly charming. If given the chance, I can only encourage you to visit Vietnam. There are so many fantastic off-the-beaten-track places in Vietnam and it is incredible to discover them.
Vietnam is a photographer’s dream. And I think I spend way too much time running around with my camera and a giddy smile on my face. The Vietnam photos in this post that will make you plan your own vacation in Vietnam, are just a small selection of my personal favorites.
Obviously, I fell in love with this country and I sincerely hope that you will feel the same way.
My Vietnam Trip
I spend 15 days there in 2019 and I honestly wish I had stayed longer. I started my trip in Hanoi and spent several days on Cat Ba and cruising through Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay. Afterward, I explored Ninh Binh. My destinations in central Vietnam were Hue, Da Nang, and Hoi An. My trip ended in Ho Chi Minh (Saigon). If you want to know how much a trip similar to my own costs, you can read all about it in my Vietnam spending diary.
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Explore North Vietnam Photos
Ha Long Bay & Lan Ha Bay
I did a one-day cruise through Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay, and it was one of the most incredible moments in Vietnam. It was incredible to see the limestone formations with my own eyes and to swim and kayak there. If you end up visiting Vietnam, you should add a cruise like this to your itinerary.
You have several options depending on your budget: you can either book a multi-day trip that allows you to spend the night, choose a one-day cruise or take the ferry to Cat Ba. The ferry cruises through a part of Ha Long bay, so it’s the perfect option if you are on a tight budget.
This is one of the amazing places in Vietnam that you should not skip if you are planning a trip to see bucket list destinations in Asia. If you want to see Cambodia before or after you explore this amazing country, you should check out this 3 weeks Cambodia and Vietnam itinerary.
Cat Ba
Cat Ba is located in Ha Long Ba and is the biggest island there. It offers an incredible peak hike and trekking, in addition to other great activities. It is a really cool place and I personally stayed on the island for 3 days.
Ha Long City
I admittedly did not spend a long time in Ha Long City, but climbing Poem Mountain is a must. The view is incredible and climbing up this ‘closed’ path is a lot of fun. It is currently no longer possible to climb Poem Mountain, but the situation might change again in the future. Keep an eye on it if you plan to visit the area, as a little struggle and the research effort is more than worth it.
Until then, you can go on a virtual Poem Mountain hike.
Ninh Binh
Some people call the area around Ninh Binh and Tam Coc the inland Ha Long Bay. And after having seen it with my own eyes, I can see where they are coming from. The landscape is really interesting and the area offers several interesting pagodas and buildings.
My Tip:
Watch the sunrise paint the area in golden-pink hues from one of the Hang Mua Caves viewpoints.
And head to Trang An between 2 PM to 3 PM so you can enjoy the boat ride as the sun sets.
Visit Central Vietnam
Hoi An
Hue
The most popular things to do in Hue are exploring the Imperial City and the Imperial Tombs. However, you should not skip Hue’s Abandoned Water Park Ho Thuy Tien.
Da Nang
While Da Nang itself felts rather modern, there are a lot of impressive historic buildings in the area. So be sure to explore the surrounding area once you have seen everything that the city has to offer.
I honestly cannot wait to return to Vietnam and explore areas like the Mekong Delta and Sapa. While I do not know when I will return there, but I do know that I will once again spend a lot of time taking pictures.
Did these Vietnam photos convince you to visit Vietnam?
Hopefully, these pictures inspired you to visit Vietnam. The country already looks amazing in pictures, but it is even better to see it with your own eyes.
Let me know if these Vietnam photos made you decide to explore Vietnam and also what you loved the most about it once you have been there.
More about Vietnam
If you are making plans for your next trip after seeing these Vietnam images, these Vietnam Travel Guides might be useful:
Budget: The Costs of Traveling in Vietnam
2 Weeks in Vietnam Itinerary
Hoi An
Hue
Which Location is your favorite one?
Let me know in the comments down below!
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Consider me convinced! Your pictures are gorgeous and oh so inspiring!
No need to convince me 😉 I´ve been to Vietnam a couple of years ago and I loved it too! Nature, landscapes, Ho Chi Minh City, the people, and the food! I wish I could explore more of this beautiful country in the future!
Awesome! I am so much inspired…
Lovely photos that are definitely inspiring me to want to book a trip to Vietnam! I’ve always wanted to visit as it looks like one of those countries that I’ll love. I would especially love to visit the beaches and temples! ?
Omg!! So what this post proves, is that I NEED to get back to Vietnam stat! These views are amazing!! Especially that view over Halong Bay and the one from Mua Cave too.
I was also there for the same amount of time last year, and my itinerary looked pretty similar. I agree, longer would have been better, but I still can’t believe all I did during that time. I loved it there. Your pics bring back some amazing memories
wow. yeah you got me sold. those view points high up are just stunning <3
Oh wow! All those photos are soooo beautiful! Now I really wanna go there ?
Goodness your photos are stunning Steph! I have to admit, as soon as I saw some of those viewpoints and mountains I was thinking “ooh can you hike in Vietnam” so it is great to hear that there are trails that allow you to explore all this prettiness on foot!
You have me totally convinced that I’d love it (plus… although you didn’t include photos of it, I bet you had amazing food)
Photos are beautiful That dragon! Vietnam is definitely on my bucket list. Looks like you had an amazing. time.
You certinaly convinced me. Now I want to go back and experience it all again.
I’m traveling to Vietnam in March and your article has me so excited. I’m writing down all these places because every single one of them looks breath-taking. I cannot wait. Thank you for sharing.
Your pictures are AMAZING! ♥♥♥ I haven’t been yet to Vietnam but it is definitely worth to think about that! Nature is unbelievable and I know that in real life everything looks more impressive!!!