Best things to do in Vietnam

Marvel at underground vegetation and impressive stalagmite towers at Son Doong Cave, a huge cave system featuring its own jungle and a river. Over 8.8 km (5.5 mi) long, the cave was touted as the biggest in the world. Camp on the rough sandy beach on the banks of an underground river and admire the shades of light coming from large holes above the ground. Set in Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park, the cave was discovered by a local in 1991, but was not seriously explored until 2009. Explore ancient limestone walls created 250 m years ago and abseil into a true underground paradise with fabulous rock shapes fringed with vegetation.

Spreading below Ho Chi Minh City, Cu Chi Tunnels connect to a broader network of tunnels that served the Viet Cong during the war against the United States. North Vietnamese fighters used the dark, insect- and disease-infested tunnels to avoid aerial attacks, hide, move troops and supplies, plan battles, and launch attacks. After the U.S. realized the importance of the tunnels to Viet Cong military strategy, it led a series of campaigns to infiltrate, bomb, and destroy them, a feat that proved largely unsuccessful. Numerous tour operators run visits to the tunnels; prepare for cramped spaces.

War Remnants Museum delivers a somber account of the horrors of the Vietnam War and other wars of colonialist aggression that have plagued the Vietnamese people. The museum's exhibits may contain a heavy dose of one-sided anti-American sentiment, but they well represent residual American--and other foreign--weaponry and the destruction it wreaked. Look for the French guillotine used to execute prisoners and for the unexploded ordnance stored in a corner of the yard.

A World Heritage Site dating back to the late 16th century, Hoi An Ancient Town remains an inhabited and historically preserved port village, with about 12,000 current inhabitants. The town displays remnants of the various nations who held stake in the spice trade run at its ports, including buildings of traditionally Chinese, Japanese, French, and Dutch architectural styles. Navigate the town on foot or by bicycle, and stop at one of its many restaurants for local specialties like "white rose" prawn dumplings.

Walk to the hum of local traffic and curious tourists in Old Quarter, the business district and downtown hub of Hanoi that dates back to the 13th century. Bearing the names of the businesses that once stood there, the quarter's narrow streets teem with cafes, bars, temples, shops, teahouses, and stalls selling French and Vietnamese foods. Watch a water puppet show, plant yourself at a sidewalk cafe to drink a local beer, or bargain with a smile at shops and street food stalls.

Situated at the rim of the Old Quarter among the city's most popular attractions, the green shores of Lake of the Restored Sword (Hoan Kiem Lake) offer a break from sightseeing and provide a quiet spot for people-watching. Notice the temple--topped with a red star--on a small islet in the middle of the lake. Apart from being the city's emblem, it commemorates a local legend, which involves an Excalibur-like sword. The story goes that a local dragon god gave a magical sword to a 15th-century Vietnamese emperor who used it in an uprising against the Ming Dynasty. When the war was won, a giant turtle emerged from the lake and took back the sword to return it to heaven. The lake is home to a rare species of soft-shell turtles.

A listed World Heritage Site, Imperial City (aka the Purple Forbidden City) stands as a testimony to the power and wealth of the last imperial Vietnamese dynasty. Situated on a riverbank, the complex features the remains of an imperial palace, Buddhist temples and pagodas, tombs of Nguyen Kings, courtyards, and gardens. It is encircled by a moat and two rows of fortification walls. Over the years following the demise of Vietnamese monarchy, the site was significantly ruined by cyclones and termites. However, it suffered the severest damage during the Vietnam War--look for the holes in the stone walls made by bullets and grenades. The highlights include a flag tower and 10 lavishly ornamented gates.