I tried googling “Vietnam off the beaten track” the other day and the top results were quite a disappointment. Places described as Vietnam off the beaten track in those articles are in fact full of tourists already (think Phu Quoc Island, Ninh Binh, Mekong Delta, etc.).
That’s why I’ve decided to put together these 6 REAL Vietnam off the beaten track destinations in this blog post. Selected by a bunch of locals who are passionate about showing Vietnam’s hidden beauty to the world, these destinations are guaranteed to blow you away. Let’s check them out!
1. Ha Giang
A 3-day Ha Giang trip from Hanoi will take you to one of the most gorgeous mountainous provinces in northern Vietnam.
Ha Giang is the northernmost province of Vietnam, where different communities of ethnic minorities live and try to preserve their cultures. Unlike in Sapa, the ethnic minorities in Ha Giang are still less affected by the country’s recent commercialized tourism programs. This makes Ha Giang a much more authentic destination compared to many others.
Staying in a Ha Giang homestay will also allow you to explore the local culture and enjoy the mesmerizing landscape this destination has to offer.
Here are some of the most beautiful attractions in Ha Giang:
Tips for traveling to Ha Giang
- You need at least 3 days to experience Ha Giang. If you have less than 3 full days to spare, it’s more convenient to go to the touristy Sapa instead.
- Interested to know more? See 5 Best experiences of my own trips to Ha Giang here
- For more information about getting to Ha Giang from Hanoi, accommodation in Ha Giang, and so on, check out this Complete Ha Giang Travel Guide here.
2. Mu Cang Chai
Mu Cang Chai is most famous for its golden color of rice terraced fields in the autumn.
Located only 280 km from Hanoi, Mu Cang Chai will wow you with its picturesque landscape, unique Hmong culture, and fascinating events such as gliding competitions, traditional food festivals, and musical performances from the local ethnic minorities.
Tips for traveling to Mu Cang Chai
- The end of September to the beginning of October is the best time to visit Mu Cang Chai. This is the harvest season when all the terraced rice fields turn golden. The annual Mu Cang Chai Festival also takes place during this time with activities ranging from gliding to playing traditional games.
- A 2-day trip to Mu Cang Chai from Hanoi should be enough to enjoy all the sceneries and activities here.
- Interested in knowing more? Check out my trip to Mu Cang Chai here.
3. Ta Xua
If you visit Vietnam from December to March, cloud hunting in Ta Xua is an unmissable experience!
Ta Xua is a range of mountains in Son La Province (around 240 km from Hanoi). During wintertime, you can behold mesmerizing oceans of fluffy clouds from the tops of the Ta Xua mountains.
Trust me, this place is surreal! When I saw these breathtaking oceans of clouds for the first time, I thought I was in Heaven!
Tips for traveling to Ta Xua
- The best time for cloud hunting in Ta Xua is from December to March. There are some other weather conditions that can increase your chance of seeing clouds as well, such as high humidity but sunny weather, etc.
- To see more tips for hunting clouds in Ta Xua, plus other info about accommodation in Ta Xua, transportation to Ta Xua, and so on, check out my detailed guide about visiting Ta Xua here.
4. Pu Luong
This place might be the most off the beaten track destination among all those that I mention in this blog.
When I first visited Pu Luong last summer, I kept wondering to myself how such a beautiful place still remained unheard of among both Vietnamese and foreign travelers. I mean, look at this breathtaking landscape!
Pu Luong means “the highest mountain” in the local language. This whole area is actually a Nature Reserve with a great diversity of landscape, flora, fauna, and ethnic cultures.
Things to do in Pu Luong
- Trekking through the mountainous paths
- Attending traditional markets of the ethnic minorities
- Taking a dip in one of its channels
- Relaxing and meditating on one of the lower mountain tops.
There are lots of things to see in Pu Luong as well, from vast terraced rice fields to huge water wheels by the rivers.
During our trip, we stayed at Pu Luong Retreat – a small eco-resort with a swimming pool overlooking the picturesque landscape here.
In addition, the landscape on the way from Hanoi to Pu Luong is also absolutely gorgeous! We passed by lots of green rice paddy fields, dreamy rivers, and mountainous scenery. We also bumped into local kids swimming boisterously in a channel under a beautiful bridge. The journey itself is quite rewarding π
Tips for traveling to Pu Luong
- For an authentic (and rustic) experience, stay at one of Pu Luong’s homestays such as Freebird or Jungle King.
- Similar to Mu Cang Chai, the harvest season in Pu Luong is also around September – October. If you want to see golden terraced rice fields, come here during this period.
- However, visiting Pu Luong in the summer is also not a bad idea. Since the climate here is much cooler, going to Pu Luong is definitely a good way to escape the (terrible) summer heat of Hanoi.
- On the way to Pu Luong from Hanoi, you can also visit Mai Chau and Cuc Phuong National Park.
- For more info about traveling to Pu Luong from Hanoi, check out my article about Pu Luong here.
5. Quy Nhon
Quy Nhon has everything that an ideal holiday destination should have: pristine beaches on beautiful islands, breathtaking mountainous landscapes, peaceful fishing villages, fresh (and cheap) seafood, cultural landmarks, etc. And best of all, this coastal town in central Vietnam is totally non-touristy!
I can’t believe such an amazing destination like Quy Nhon still remains unpopular among foreign tourists (but this, to some extent, is a good thing!). In fact, Quy Nhon is to me the most underrated destination in Vietnam.
Tips for traveling to Quy Nhon
- Quy Nhon is very accessible with daily flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, plus frequent busses and trains from nearby places such as Nha Trang, Da Nang, etc. Accommodations in Quy Nhon range from 5* hotels to local homestays with sea views.
- Seafood in Quy Nhon is to die for! They’re fresh. They’re cooked with delicious local recipes. And they’re priced at just half of what you will pay for in other popular tourist destinations like Mui Ne or Nha Trang!
- For a complete Quy Nhon travel guide with more info about getting to Quy Nhon, what to do and see in Quy Nhon, etc. check out my blog post about visiting Quy Nhon here.
6. Phu Yen
Lying not too far away from the popular Nha Trang, Phu Yen is a true hidden gem (I like to call it a sleeping beauty). Similar to Quy Nhon, Phu Yen also wows tourists with its spectacular coastal landscape and pristine beaches.
Some of my favorite things to do in Phu Yen include:
- Visiting Mui Dien Cape – the easternmost point of Vietnam’s territory
- Being the only tourist at the beautiful Bai Mon beach at 3 pm
- Watching cattle grazing on Bai Xep
- Eating fresh seafood prepared by the locals on one of the colorful fishing boats
For those who want to experience somewhere similar to Nha Trang but much less crowded, Phu Yen is the place.
Tips for traveling to Phu Yen
- There are daily flights, trains, and buses to Phu Yen from other big cities as well. Tuy Hoa, where most accommodations are located, is the capital city of Phu Yen. Once you’re here, try to EAT as much as you can! The local cuisines are excellent (not just the seafood) and super cheap compared to other big cities.
- Check out my 4-day itinerary in Phu Yen plus more tips about visiting Phu Yen here
Vietnam Off The Beaten Track Destinations – Are you ready to explore them?
Would you like to visit these Vietnam off the beaten track destinations? Or have you visited one of these? If so, I’d love to read about your experiences! Feel free to comment below! π
==> Pin this for future reference:
Wow! I want to go to all of these places! Vietnam looks stunning and it’s very high on my list! Bookmarking this for reference when planning our trip! How magical to travel to places that are not touristy and authentic. Great share! Thanks π
Great post Fiona. Vietnam is on my list and this will help π
This is a great post, and I agree that the ‘off the beaten track’ places anywhere is getting smaller and smaller. Ha Giang looks incredible and the scenery is breathtaking. I’m in love with Ta Zua; cloud hunting could just become my new favourite hobby!
Be still my beating wanderlust! Heading to Nam in October so definitely going to check out the lesser visited beach sites you mention. Thanks!
Honestly, I couldn’t choose which place I liked best. They were all stunning in their own way. Your pictures also brought out the beauty of this place.
I only visited Hanoi and stayed in the city the whole time. I’m dying to go back to Vietnam and see more! I’ll definitely save this for future planning. Your pictures are beautiful and all these destinations look so interesting.
Love this post! I haven’t heard of most of these places despite living in Hanoi for more than a year! Definitely want to go back to Vietnam so when I do I will be sure to read this again! π An off the beaten track place I went to was Ba Be, have you been there? There were barely any tourists and it was also very scenic.
Yes I’ve also been to Ba Be Lake. Should have added it to my list now that you mention π
What an awesome post, your photos are stunning and it is so informative! I love the look of Mu Cang Chai! I really need to get back to Vietnam, it is such a beautiful and intriguing country. xx
I’ve always been interested in visiting Vietnam. Thank you so much for sharing this great tips! Cloud hunting looks absolutely incredible!
This definitely makes me want to visit Vietnam!
Loved reading your post. I should admit I never thought about Vietnam as a travel destination. Vietnam has never been on my radar (I donβt know why ?) but now I feel like I definitely need to go. Vietnam is such an intriguing country… I havenβt heard about any of these beautiful places and I love that with traveling I can go somewhere new and experience things that I am not used to and know very little about. Thank you for sharing your travel experience π
Like most tourists, I have only visited the more popular tourism areas in Vietnam so far. I loved what I saw and I also loved meeting the people there. However my biggest love of all is enjoying being out in nature. You have shown 6 really beautiful areas I would love to experience in Vietnam that is away from most of the tourists. I can’t wait to return and enjoy these unspoiled, lovely places.
This is indeed offbeat Vietnam. So far I have read of only the popular haunts like Hanoi but your post brings a refreshing perspective to Vietnam. Ha Giang from your list interested me the most – for its lovely landscape and the cultural experiences it seems to offer. Thanks for putting this together
Wow! You’ve got the best of Vietnam on this list. A visit to Phu Yen was the best I’ve had from Asia and like you said, the cuisine was a die for. The locals were really friendly and accomodating. I’ll consider the other five places when I start my 4 months travel to Asia
Vietnam is very beautiful! All these off the beaten path places look worth a visit. So many people are visiting Vietnam lately and I think I am going to have to add it to my list too!
I ALWAYS prefer to go “off the beaten track” when traveling. I feel that there is no better way to become acquainted with the true culture and customs of a country than to get away from the mega-touristy areas. These pictures looks so beautiful. What a natural beauty Vietnam is!!!
This is such a handy post for those looking for a more authentic experience in Vietnam. I love to have a mixture of the main locations and somewhere a bit different so this is really useful.
These places look fantastic! It’s always better to try and find new spots away from the crowds. I’d love to just disappear into the clouds at Ta Xua.
Oh this is wonderful! I’ve been to Vietnam twice and have yet to try to go off the beaten path. This country is full of too much goodness! So much to see and do! I think I need to live in Vietnam for a year to hit up all these spots!
These are the types of destinations I love to travel to, off the beaten path type. So many great suggestions to venture to less overcrowded areas and experience a true Vietnamese culture. Quy Nhon seems like an idea holiday for some relaxing on the beautiful beaches. Thanks for sharing!
I am from Vietnam and these places are indeed not common for tourists to stop by! If anyone has over a month, I would absolutely recommend them to go check your list out!
Wow these photos are absolutely stunning! I’m a bit heartbroken that I don’t have chance to fit these places into my Vietnam itinerary as I’m only there for three weeks. I’ll have to return one day for sure.
What a great article.
I always enjoy to learn about the true hidden gems of a country and here you listed some of the most beautiful once ever.
Vietnam, here we come ! (rhym on point.)
Thanks a lot
Amelie
Great selection! This year will be my 4th time going back to Vietnam. We’ve already been to Pu Luong and Quy Nhon and loved them both π So much to see in Vietnam!
Such cool ideas for exploring Vietnam! I haven’t made it there yet, but I’d love to go one day and add some of these under-the-radar destinations to my itinerary. Phu Yen looks especially beautiful–I love the photo with the boats!
I didn’t know cloud hunting is a thing! Your picture of Ta Xua looks so cool! I would keep this place in mind when I plan a trip to Vietnam!
Wow! The last time I went to Vietnam, I only chose to go to all the main tourist spots. I wish I could go back soon to check these areas out instead.
great post and beautiful photos! I have been wanting to travel to Vietnam for a decade but by the time I had the time and money it had already gotten more touristy. This is a great list with some ideas for where to go to stay away from crowds (which is the only way I travel). I also grew up in a poor valley region in California where we have a lot agriculture and huge Hmong immigrant population so I went to school with a lot of Hmong people (little known by Americans-as there are mostly Chinese, Thai, Korean people in the bigger cities) and got to go to a few food/culture festivals and see their beautiful embroidery-
Thank you for your comment! I’ve also heard about the Hmong people in the US but as you’ve said, there is really not much info about their life. I wonder if their culture is similar to those in Vietnam’s.
You are right, Ha Giang is one of the most beautiful landscapes I’ve seen. The rice fields and mountains are spectacular. I am more into comfort and leisure travel, but it is good to explore them for something new to try.
I’m really disappointed with myself. After reading your post I have realised that I stayed well and truly on the beaten track when I visited Vietnam. It has actually made me want to go back and explore it properly. I would go to all of these places especially the Ta Xua mountain range as I love hiking.
You’ve got some great places here. I justvisisted Vietnam but didn’t visit any of these. However thay all look amazing and I so want to go to all of then the next time I’m in Vietnam. The nature over there is so amazing. Your photos proves that π
Thanks for this post! I’m usually the one who explore off the beaten track and I’m yet to explore the far eastern countries! Hope I’ll get a chance to do that in future! Let’s see!
Ha Giang is just too stunning! I should see atleast one rice terrace with my own eyes! The bridge at Phu Luong is just breathtaking!
This is such a great and informative post, thank you Fiona! I’ve not been to Vietnam yet but when I go, this post will definitely come in handy. I love that you’ve compiled a list – Pu Luong looks absolutely beautiful.
Viola xo | A Piece of Viola
Oh boy!! These places are ‘off the beaten track’, indeed. I just got back from Vietnam, but hoped I would’ve known about them earlier. Never mind – this calls for another trip. Cheers!!
I hate when I’m searching for off-the-beaten track destinations, and it keeps on coming up with tourist hot spots! I will definitely be saving this for future trips to Vietnam! I especially loved the beautiful countryside in Ha Giang and chasing the clouds in Ta Xua! How did you find interacting with the locals in these off-the-beaten-path destinations?
I maybe traveling north to south through Vietnam next year all going to plan. It’s good to see these off the beaten track things to do there as I don’t want to do the typical list everyone does! You found some good places here, I especially like Ha Giang and Pu Luong. I love photographing green lush areas! Good work finding these places Fiona!
You are right, it is so hard to find off the beaten track places nowadays and partially is our (travel bloggers) fault, since we are always sharing our latest discoveries and those once unknown places become famous. However, I have been to Vietnam and I haven’t heard of those places you mention above, so well done you! I will make sure to include them on my itinerary next time I visit! π
These are fantastic! I hate the way you try to find ‘off the beaten track’ or ‘alternative’ things to do in a location, only to discover they’ve all been overrun with tourists too. SO this is an excellent guide! I love all those rice paddies, so green and lush. Can’t wait to visit Vietnam one day. The pool at Pu Luong resort looks gorgeous and very relaxing!
Unfortunately now tourists do want off track destination without other tourists, as a result lots of off tracks destination are over crowded and are not off tracks destinations anymore.
Those you picked look absolutely amazing! I’d like to see them all, really would. But I think I’d start with Ta Xua. It makes me think of Huang Shan’s sea clouds in China. Maybe you’ve heard about it?
π
Thank you for your comment! Yes I’ve heard about and seen some pictures of Huang Shan in China. It’s actually one of my dream destinations π
How great to have real tips from actual locals! such a good idea for a post! Thanks for sharing π
These are really captivating places. They are really pristine and off beat, no wonder they have been picked by locals. I was really bowled over by Ha Giang, it looks so verdant and beautiful. As and when I get to Vietnam, these are the places that I would love to head to first, forget Halong Bay!
Leaving in February for a few months! Thanks for the list. Are you local to Vietnam?
Yep I’m Vietnamese, born and bred in Saigon π
This is a great post and actually was partly what inspired me to do a 3 day motorcycle tour from Tam Coc to Pu Luong and Mai Chau! Best part of my Vietnam trip! Thankyou
This is fantastic. I love seeing a new side of Vietnam and not the usual general posts out there. Will be sharing this.
Wow! What beautiful shots you posted! So much greenery seems unreal and I could just get lost in it all π
Wow! All of these places look so amazing! I would love to visit Vietnam someday. I loved all of your photos. Thanks for sharing!
Oh! This is beautiful. This blog post is what I truly call Informative and details post. Keep up the good work. I would love to visit Quy Nhon π
Great travel guide. I especially appreciate the travel tips!
Great article! I really thing your bring good information here. I specially like Phu Yen as the most unspoiled beach of Vietnam year the amazing Genh Da Dia. I would like to add to your list the National Park of Phong Nha Khe Bang. Still not too touristy yet. I just arrived from there and I did a tour that was totally of the beaten track and I would like to suggest to you. The tour bring you deep in the National Park to meet the hills tribes and swim in amazing water. Here is their website: https://triballifeintheforestandmore.com
Enjoy!
Oh wow! Thank you so much for introducing to me the tour from Tribal Life. I’ve just checked out their website and it looks really interesting. Though Phong Nha Ke Bang is already pretty well-known, especially after the discovery of Son Doong cave and the launch of the latest King Kong movie, I must agree with you that many of the forest areas surrounding this place are still unheard of by tourists. It must have been a great experience for you to go deep into the forest and get to know more about the local tribes. π Thanks again for your comment!
Very helpful article. I’m planning to check them out this summer.
Thank you so much for this post! I’ve been to Vietnam once already–loved it–and went to all the touristy spots, which were wonderful! While planning a return trip, I just could not find any truly off-the-beaten path places in Vietnam. Most bloggers seems to consider PhΓΊ Quα»c and Can Tho offbeat enough, so truly grateful to come across your post! π
Would you also happen to know of any such gems near South and non-coastal Central Vietnam?
Thank you for your comment! π It’s quite ironic that even though I come from the south, most of my travels around the country were taken in the north and the coastal central area. However, I can definitely recommend the lesser-known provinces in the Mekong delta as hidden gems of south vietnam. They include Dong Thap (which is famous for flower gardens, hotpots and lotus lakes) and An Giang (which has beautiful rice fields, not-too-high mountains and indigo forests) to name a few. I’ll try to do a blog post covering these places soon!
Ohhhhh I want to visit every single place especially to see clouds, its almost like you’re flying! You’re right, its hard to find off the beaten paths especially the not touristy ones. This is an amacing list, hopefully to venture out here within a year or 2.
We have been to Vietnam several times. The first time was in 2015 when we bought a motorbike in Cambodia, crossed the border and rode through to Da Nang. Quy Nhon was one of the stops we made. I remember it fondly because we arrived at lunchtime on a Sunday and found an area near the beach where we saw the locals enjoying seafood and beer. We grabbed a table and enjoyed a meal of fresh seafood. We were approached by some locals who befriended us and later took us out to karaoke, then dinner and coffee. It was fabulous. Such a friendly place. we love Vietnam!
That sounds like a great experience! π Not many people know about Quy Nhon so I’m glad you had the chance to stop there for a visit and enjoyed your time with the locals!