With diverse landscapes and topography spreading from north to south, Vietnam can be relevant to any style of adventure travel.
Compared to classical trips as normal, travel with active activities will truly give you more experiences, lessons, feelings and enjoyment. Check ACTIVETRAVEL ASIA’s list of outstanding adventure activities in Vietnam below to consult what you should do in must-see places of the country.
1. Kayaking
This adventure style in Vietnam is quite extraordinary as it can be carried out in various places, from limestone topography, erosional system of caves, interlaced waterways to mangrove forests, on see, lake, river, subterranean stream inside cave and even water forest, as long as it’s a calm water area with breathtaking scenery and safety to boats passing over. Whether kayaking in fantasy Halong bay or scenic Ba Be lake, pristine nature landscapes will make you feel as though you’re lost in an uncanny world, a mysterious land. Highlights of a kayak trip in Halong bay – the country’s best kayaking site focuses on discovering hidden parts of enigmatic caves, secret beaches, untouched lagoons and wondrous islets, and enjoying peace as well as magnificent scenes; while in quite, deserted Ba Be lake, kayakers can encounter imposing cliffs with shaggy tree branches, quaint houses beside luxuriant corn fields, buffaloes leisurely gazing on green grass, and small waterways leading to astonished farms. Your trip in Hoian ancient town will be also greater with a kayak trip on Thu Bon river drifting over tranquil villages and lovely traditional houses. To nature lovers, you can take a kayak adventure on Chay river to enter and explore Dark cave (Phong Nha – Ke Bang national park), or in mangrove jungles in southern Vietnam.
2. Biking
Countryside covers almost the country, so small lanes become typical. That’s why you can’t feel peaceful, rustic life but well-off in agriculture products in Vietnam’s villages without a cycling adventure. On two wheels and by just your strength, let direct to Mekong delta – the Vietnam’s rice bowl and paradise of “sweet fruits” – or bike to ancient villages in Hanoi’s outskirt – remaining proof for a longstanding wet rice civilization in Vietnam – or simply enjoy pure breezes and peaceful space of Hoian countryside while pedaling. To cyclists desire to cope with slopes, hairpin turns and boggy, beaten roads, let snap a biking adventure to Sapa, Ha Giang or Bac Kan – imposing mountainous areas with captivated rice terraces in the North, or to Central Highland – where coffee farms and rubber plantation spread beyond eye-view.
Another adorable biking route beloved the best in the S-shaped country is Mai Chau (land of fresh green) – Ninh Binh (land of ancient capital, where breathtaking karst topography imbued with mythical space). Tough, long biking trip on Ho Chi Minh trail, which defies anyone to conquer it, surely will amaze bikers by adorable scenery and impressive historic sites.
3. Trekking
Three quarters of the country’s territory is made up of mountainous and hilly regions, so indigenous trekking trails are quite bumpy, muddy, encircled with dense forests and blocked by springs. However, real travelers will not care about that as the trails offers not only beautiful scenery and interesting local life of hill tribes, but also skills and lessons. Trekkers are likely to take walks in the most famous trekking spots like fascinating Sapa, peaceful Mai Chau and picturesque Moc Chau, or try other trekking routes less renowned but not less awesome.
With craggy terrains covered with thick forests and streams, Vietnam’s mountains deserve to be noticed by hiking enthusiasts. Defeating the height of Indochina’s roof – Mount Fansipan, hunting fog and touching the Heaven on the peak of Bach Moc Luong Tu, or reaching weird Mount Pha Luong are all demanding but worthy adventures.
Central Vietnam also has some outstanding trekking destinations. Dubbed as “the Kingdom of caves”, Quang Binh becomes the hot-hub of caving with well-known tours in the world such as exploring Son Doong cave and trekking to Hang En cave, while Dalat is a great spot for camping thanks for its lovely climate, interminable pine jungles and pretty lakes.
As a quite unspoiled country, Vietnam still maintains many national parks (Cat Ba, Pu Luong, Cuc Phuong, Bach Ma, Cat Tien, etc) and thousands of rare species. A trek in one of these national parks will be a valued trip to nature lovers.
4. Motorcycling
Relevant to narrow roads and small hairpin turns, mobile, flexible, easy to control and especially low-cost, that’s why motorbike becomes a popular vehicle in Vietnam such an extent that most the country’s people know how to ride it.
To understand about a country, it will be greater if you follow locals’ styles. So, let be brave to take a two-wheel-engine, get around or direct to remote areas for authentic experience. Motorcycling in Vietnam is truly an exciting adventure which demands travelers both hard skills and dare. If driving on crowded cities (Hanoi, Saigon) like a video game, journeys to secluded mountainous areas in the North will be excessively exciting with windy roads and dazed hairpin turns that two sides are breathtaking tea plantation, rice terraces and corn fields, then beaten tracks filled with wild flowers to exotic villages of colorful minor groups. And motorcycling on legendary Ho Chi Minh trail throughout length of the country – the most challenging adventure in Vietnam – will be truly memorable, because travelers will experience different emotional tone scale: creepy as dealing with each dramatic mountain pass, overwhelming before deserted, stunning beaches and blue sea, safe and sound in mind whenever stopping in a secluded village where you can encounter curious, innocent eyes toward strange guests who rarely reach their land, and hearty as silent sitting in a patriotic martyr ceremony or a historic site. Beyond your imagination, motorcycling is obviously an incredible, must-do experience in Vietnam.
