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Central Vietnam · travel guide

Central Vietnam, place by place.

Seven destinations between the caves of Phong Nha and the pine forests of Da Lat: an imperial capital, three quiet stretches of coast, a volcanic island and two highland cities. For each one you get the same four things: the facts, the local specialties, the reasons to go and what to do there. Distances, prices and rules were checked in October 2026.

Compare all sevenPlan a route
7destinations along 1,100 km of coast and highlands
2UNESCO World Heritage sites
Feb–Aprthe months when all seven are dry
Checked10 October 2026
Map of central Vietnam showing the seven destinations in this guideLAOSCAMBODIA100 kmDong HoiSa Ky portNha TrangDa Nang1Hue2Phong Nha3Quy Nhon4Phu Yen5Ly Son6Buon Ma Thuot7Da Lat
The numbers match the sections below: tap one to jump there. The star is Da Nang, the main gateway to the centre and one of the cities where we run our rides.
Overview

Seven places at a glance

There is no single hub here. The seven places are strung along about 1,100 km of road, from Phong Nha in the north to Da Lat in the south, and most trips run in a line with Da Nang, Nha Trang or Ho Chi Minh City as the way in or out. Pick by season first: the coast and the highlands have opposite rainy seasons.

Province names changed in 2025

On 1 July 2025 Vietnam merged its 63 provinces and cities into 34 and abolished the district level. Three places in this guide changed province: Phong Nha (formerly Quang Binh) is now in Quang Tri, Quy Nhon (formerly Binh Dinh) is the administrative centre of Gia Lai, and Phu Yen has become part of Dak Lak. Ly Son is now a "special zone" of Quang Ngai, Lam Dong (Da Lat) has taken in Dak Nong and Binh Thuan, and Hue has been a centrally governed city since 1 January 2025. Bus tickets, road signs and booking sites still mostly use the old names, so we give both.

Number on the mapDestinationGetting thereStayBest months
1 HueImperial history and royal-era food 100 km from Da Nang2–3 h by road or rail 2–3 nights Feb–Apr
2 Phong NhaCaves, jungle and river 210 km from Hueabout 4 h by road 2–3 nights Feb–Aug
3 Quy NhonCity beach, turquoise coves and Cham towers 300 km from Da Nangabout 6 h by road or rail 2–4 nights Feb–Aug
4 Phu YenBasalt cliffs, a lighthouse sunrise and a quiet coast 100 km from Quy Nhonabout 2 h by road or rail 2–3 nights Feb–Aug
5 Ly SonVolcanic scenery, snorkelling and island life 137 km from Da Nang3 h by road + 40 min by boat 1–2 nights Mar–Aug
6 Buon Ma ThuotCoffee farms, Ede culture and waterfalls 185 km from Nha Trangabout 4 h by road 2–3 nights Dec–Mar
7 Da LatCool climate, pine forests, farms and waterfalls 300 km from Ho Chi Minh Cityabout 7 h by bus, or a short flight 3–4 nights Nov–Mar

When to go: month by month

Central Vietnam has two weather systems. The coast is dry from February to August and takes the full force of the storm season from September to November. The highlands behind it are the other way round: dry from November to April, wet from May to October. Check the row for the place you have in mind.

Month by month
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Best timeGoodVery hotRainyStorms and floods likely
Feb – Apr

The sweet spot

Dry on the coast and still dry in the highlands. Warm rather than hot: about 22–30 °C by the sea and cooler in Da Lat. The only part of the year when all seven places are at their best together.

May – Aug

Hot coast, wet highlands

The coast is dry, sunny and hot, 33–38 °C, with the calmest seas of the year for Ly Son and Ky Co. The highlands have their rainy season: green, with heavy showers most afternoons.

Sep – Nov

Storm season on the coast

Heavy rain, floods and typhoons along the central coast, worst in October and November. Caves in Phong Nha close, boats to Ly Son stop, and roads and railways can be cut for days. The highlands dry out from November.

Dec – Jan

Highland season

The best time for Da Lat and Buon Ma Thuot: dry, sunny days, cold nights and the coffee harvest. The coast is cool and showery, and the sea is too rough for most boat trips.

Starting in Da Nang or Hoi An?

Most trips through the centre pass through one of them. We have a full guide to each, to Ho Chi Minh City at the southern end, and the same kind of guide as this one for the north.

Da Nang guideHoi An guideHo Chi Minh City guideNorthern Vietnam guide
UNESCO World Heritage, 1993

Hue

Huế·say “hway”

The walled capital of Vietnam's last emperors, with royal tombs along the Perfume River and the most distinctive cooking in the country.

  • From Da Nang100 km2–3 hours by road or rail
  • Best timeFeb–Aprwarm and mostly dry
  • Stay2–3 nightsa day for the citadel, a day for the tombs
  • Good forHistory and foodslow travellers, cyclists

The facts about Hue

Where
On the Perfume River (Sông Hương), about 12 km from the sea. Da Nang is 100 km to the south over the Hai Van Pass; Hanoi is about 670 km to the north.
Known as
The imperial capital. The Nguyen dynasty, Vietnam's last royal house, ruled from here from 1802 to 1945 through thirteen emperors.
UNESCO
The Complex of Hue Monuments was listed in 1993, the first World Heritage site in Vietnam. Nhã nhạc, the music of the royal court, is on UNESCO's list of intangible heritage.
On the map
Hue has been one of Vietnam's six centrally governed cities since 1 January 2025, covering the whole of the former Thua Thien Hue province. Older maps and tickets still use the province name.
Getting there
Phu Bai airport (HUI) is 15 km south of the centre, 25–30 minutes by taxi. Hue is on the main north–south railway. From Da Nang it takes 2–2.5 hours by car through the Hai Van Tunnel, or about 3 hours by train along the coast.
Getting around
The centre is flat and compact: walk, cycle or use a ride-hailing app. The tombs are 5–12 km out of town, so hire a car, a driver with a scooter, or take a boat-and-road tour.
Best time
February to April is warm and mostly dry. May to August is dry but very hot, often 35–39 °C. September to December is the rainy season, and floods are common in October and November. January is cool and drizzly.
How long
Two full days cover the Imperial City, three tombs and the food. Add a third for the countryside, the lagoon or Bach Ma.

Local specialties of Hue

  • Bún bò HuếSpicy beef noodle soup

    The city's signature: thick round rice noodles in a beef and pork broth scented with lemongrass and a spoonful of fermented shrimp paste, with beef shank, pork knuckle and often a cube of congealed pig's blood. Locals eat it for breakfast, and it is spicier here than abroad.

  • Cơm hếnBaby clam rice

    Rice with tiny river clams, peanuts, pork crackling, herbs and chilli, and a bowl of the clam broth on the side. A cheap breakfast that began on Hen islet in the Perfume River. Bún hến is the same dish with noodles.

  • Bánh bèo, bánh nậm, bánh bột lọcSteamed rice and tapioca cakes

    Three small cakes usually ordered together. Bánh bèo are soft rice discs steamed in tiny saucers and topped with dried shrimp, bánh nậm is a flat rice dumpling in a leaf, and bánh bột lọc is a chewy, see-through tapioca dumpling with shrimp and pork.

  • Bánh khoái, nem lụiCrisp pancake, lemongrass pork skewers

    A thick, crunchy rice pancake filled with shrimp, pork and bean sprouts, and minced pork grilled on lemongrass stalks. Both are wrapped in herbs and dipped in a warm sauce of peanuts, sesame and pork liver.

  • Chè HuếSweet soups

    Dessert stalls line up a dozen kinds or more: lotus seed, mung bean, taro and the odd one out, tapioca balls filled with roast pork (chè bột lọc heo quay).

  • Cà phê muốiSalt coffee

    Strong drip coffee under a layer of lightly salted cream. It was created in a Hue cafe in 2010 and has since spread across Vietnam.

  • Cơm chayBuddhist vegetarian food

    Hue has the strongest vegetarian tradition in Vietnam, rooted in its pagodas and the old court. Look for the word chay on signs, above all on the 1st and 15th days of the lunar month.

To take home: mè xửng (a chewy sesame and peanut candy), dried lotus seeds and tôm chua, a sour fermented shrimp relish.

Reasons to go to Hue

  1. The only royal capital that survivesNowhere else in Vietnam is a whole capital still standing: a moated citadel with about 10 km of walls, palaces and temples inside it, and the tombs each emperor planned for himself in the hills upriver.
  2. A cuisine of its ownSmall portions, plenty of chilli, and dozens of dishes that began in the royal kitchens or the alleys around them. Many are hard to find done properly anywhere else.
  3. A slower cityBicycles, garden houses, pagodas and river boats. Hue has fewer towers and tour buses than Da Nang or Hoi An, and it is easy to like at walking pace.
  4. Easy to combineThe Hai Van Pass, Da Nang and Hoi An are two to three hours south. Phong Nha's caves are four hours north, with the war sites of the old Demilitarised Zone on the way.

Things to do in Hue

  1. Imperial CityĐại Nội

    The walled palace quarter inside the citadel: the Ngo Mon gate, Thai Hoa Palace (reopened in late 2024 after a three-year restoration), the rebuilt Kien Trung Palace and the dynastic temples. Go when it opens, around 7 am, before the heat and the tour groups. 200,000 VND; allow three hours.

  2. Royal tombsLăng Tự Đức, Minh Mạng, Khải Định

    Three are worth the drive. Tu Duc is a poet's retreat of lakes and pavilions under pines. Minh Mang is strict symmetry on a grand scale. Khai Dinh, from the 1920s, climbs a hillside in concrete, glass and porcelain mosaic. 150,000 VND each. A combined ticket with the Imperial City costs 420,000 VND (two tombs) or 530,000 VND (three) and is valid for two days.

  3. Thien Mu PagodaChùa Thiên Mụ

    A seven-storey brick tower above the Perfume River, at a pagoda founded in 1601. It is 5 km west of the centre: cycle along the river or arrive by dragon boat. Free.

  4. Dong Ba Market and a food crawlChợ Đông Ba

    The main market, on the river next to the citadel. Eat at the stalls inside, then keep going in the lanes around it. Most Hue dishes cost between 15,000 and 50,000 VND.

  5. Thanh Toan Bridge by bicycleCầu ngói Thanh Toàn

    A covered wooden bridge with a tiled roof, built in 1776, about 8 km east of town. The ride there runs through rice fields and villages and takes half a day at an easy pace.

  6. Hai Van PassĐèo Hải Vân

    The 21 km coast road between Hue and Da Nang, climbing to about 500 m at the old Hai Van Gate, which reopened in 2024 after restoration and has charged an entry fee since mid-2026. Go by car or behind a local rider, or watch the same coastline from the Hue–Da Nang train.

  7. Tam Giang Lagoon at sunsetPhá Tam Giang

    One of the largest lagoons in Southeast Asia, about 15 km north of the city: fishing nets, stilt houses and seafood at local prices.

  8. Bach Ma National ParkVườn quốc gia Bạch Mã

    A former French hill station at 1,450 m, about 40 km south of Hue, with cooler air, forest trails and waterfalls. The last 19 km is a steep mountain road. Go on a clear day.

  9. The old Demilitarised ZoneVĩnh Mốc, Hiền Lương

    The Vinh Moc tunnels, where a whole village lived underground in the 1960s, and the Hien Luong bridge on the former border between North and South are about 100 km north. A long day trip, or a stop on the road to Phong Nha.

UNESCO World Heritage, 2003 · extended 2015 and 2025

Phong Nha

Phong Nha·say “fong nyah”

A riverside village at the edge of a limestone national park with hundreds of caves, including the largest on Earth.

  • From Hue210 kmabout 4 hours; Dong Hoi airport is 45 km away
  • Best timeFeb–Augdry season; caves can close Sep–Nov
  • Stay2–3 nightslonger for a cave expedition
  • Good forCaves and adventurehikers, families with older children

The facts about Phong Nha

Where
On the Son River in north-central Vietnam, about 45 km north-west of the coastal city of Dong Hoi, 210 km north of Hue and 480 km south of Hanoi.
Known as
The kingdom of caves. Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park protects a limestone massif about 400 million years old, one of the oldest and largest karst landscapes in Asia.
UNESCO
A World Heritage site since 2003, extended in 2015. In July 2025 UNESCO added the adjoining Hin Nam No National Park in Laos, which makes this Vietnam's first World Heritage site shared across a border.
The big one
Son Doong, first surveyed in 2009, is the largest cave passage in the world: more than 5 km long, with sections 200 m high and 150 m wide, and a volume of about 38.5 million cubic metres.
On the map
Phong Nha has been in Quang Tri province since 1 July 2025. Before that it was in Quang Binh, which is what most guidebooks, bus companies and booking sites still say.
Getting there
Fly or take the train to Dong Hoi, then it is about an hour by taxi, hotel shuttle or local bus. Buses and limousine vans run from Hue in about 4 hours, and night buses come from Hanoi and Ninh Binh.
Getting around
The village is one main street: walk or cycle. The caves are 20–30 km away inside the park, so join a day tour, hire a car, or ride behind a local driver.
Best time
February to August. March to May is the most comfortable; June to August is hot but dry. From mid-September to November heavy rain floods the rivers and caves close, sometimes for weeks.
How long
Two or three days for the main caves. Add two to five days if you book an expedition.

Local specialties of Phong Nha

  • Gà nướng chấm muối cheoGrilled chicken with cheo dip

    Free-range chicken flattened and grilled over charcoal with no marinade, eaten with sticky rice and cheo: a green dip pounded from salt, chilli and fresh herbs, different in every kitchen. The dish Phong Nha is known for.

  • Cháo canhThick noodle soup

    Not porridge, despite the name. Hand-cut noodles in a broth of pork bones, fish or crab, topped with fish, shrimp or pork. The standard local breakfast.

  • Bánh bột lọcTapioca dumplings

    Chewy, translucent dumplings with shrimp and pork, steamed in banana leaf and dipped in sweet chilli fish sauce. A cheap afternoon snack.

  • Cá sông SonRiver fish

    Fish from the Son River, most often grass carp, grilled whole over charcoal or cooked in a sour soup.

  • Lẩu cá khoaiBombay duck hotpot

    A soft-fleshed sea fish simmered with tomato, pickled bamboo shoots and herbs. A cold-season dish in Dong Hoi, from about October to February.

  • Khoai deoSun-dried sweet potato

    Sweet potato boiled, sliced and dried in the sun until it turns chewy and sweet. Sold in bags at every market, and good on long bus rides.

To take home: bags of khoai deo and jars of cheo salt.

Reasons to go to Phong Nha

  1. The world's largest cave is hereSon Doong has its own river, jungle and clouds. Only about a thousand people a year are allowed in, but the park has hundreds of other caves, and several rank among the largest known.
  2. You do not need to be a caverParadise Cave has a boardwalk and lighting, and Phong Nha Cave is visited by boat. Anyone with normal fitness can see both in a day.
  3. Soft adventure, fair pricesZiplines, mud baths, kayaks, jungle day hikes and one-night cave camps, run by licensed operators with safety gear and trained guides.
  4. It is still a villageBuffalo in the rice fields, a jade-green river and limestone walls on every side. Evenings are quiet.

Things to do in Phong Nha

  1. Phong Nha Cave by boatĐộng Phong Nha

    A wooden boat takes you up the Son River and about 1.5 km into the cave along an underground river; the crew cut the engine and paddle once inside. You pay an entry ticket per person plus the boat, which carries up to 12 people, so share with others at the wharf. Entry 150,000 VND; boat about 550,000–750,000 VND. Allow three hours.

  2. Paradise CaveĐộng Thiên Đường

    A cave system 31 km long, with a 1 km wooden boardwalk through enormous chambers of stalactites and stalagmites. From the car park it is 1.6 km to the foot of the hill, on foot or by electric buggy, then a climb of about 500 steps. 250,000–270,000 VND.

  3. Dark CaveHang Tối

    The playful one: a 400 m zipline across the Chay River, a swim into the cave, a natural mud bath by head-torch, and kayaks back. Riders must weigh 40–90 kg. About 450,000 VND for the full package.

  4. Mooc Spring and the Botanic GardenSuối Nước Moọc

    Two easy nature stops inside the park: clear spring-fed pools for swimming and kayaking, and a short jungle trail to a waterfall.

  5. Cycle the Bong Lai valleyThung lũng Bồng Lai

    A half-day ride on back roads through rice fields and small farms east of the village, with simple countryside cafes and restaurants along the way.

  6. One- to four-day cave expeditionsHang Én, Tú Làn, Hang Va

    Licensed operators run guided treks with jungle or cave camping, graded from moderate to hard. Hang En, with a cave mouth more than 100 m high, is the classic two-day trip. Book several weeks ahead for February to August.

  7. Son DoongHang Sơn Đoòng

    A four-day, three-night expedition run by a single licensed operator, Oxalis, for 80 million VND (about US$3,000) per person, ten guests at a time, between January and August. In October 2026 departures were reported sold out through 2028. Book only on the operator's own website: fake booking sites have appeared.

  8. Eight Ladies Cave and Road 20Hang Tám Cô

    The park was part of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. This roadside cave is a memorial to eight young volunteers who died there in 1972, one of several wartime sites along the old supply road.

Capital of the Champa kingdom, about 1000–1471

Quy Nhon

Quy Nhơn·say “kwee nyun”

A working port city on a long crescent of sand, with 800-year-old Cham towers in town and seafood at local prices.

  • From Da Nang300 kmabout 6 hours by road or rail
  • Best timeFeb–Augdry, with calm seas from March
  • Stay2–4 nightsmore if you add day trips
  • Good forBeaches and seafoodfamilies, slow travellers

The facts about Quy Nhon

Where
On the south-central coast, 300 km south of Da Nang and 215 km north of Nha Trang.
Known as
The quiet beach city. Vietnamese families have holidayed here for years; international visitors are still few.
History
This was Vijaya, capital of the Champa kingdom from about 1000 to 1471. Fourteen Cham brick towers still stand in and around the city. It is also the home of the Tay Son uprising of 1771 and of Binh Dinh martial arts.
On the map
Since 1 July 2025 Quy Nhon has been the administrative centre of Gia Lai province, created when coastal Binh Dinh merged with highland Gia Lai. Almost everyone still writes "Quy Nhon, Binh Dinh".
Getting there
Phu Cat airport (UIH) is 33 km north-west, about 45 minutes by taxi or shuttle bus. Trains on the main line stop at Dieu Tri, 12 km from the centre. From Da Nang allow about 6 hours by road or rail.
Getting around
Taxis and ride-hailing apps in the city. For Ky Co, Eo Gio and the fishing villages, hire a car with a driver or join a tour.
Best time
February to August is dry and sunny, and the sea is calm enough for boat trips from March. June to August is the Vietnamese summer holiday. September to December is the rainy season, with the heaviest rain and the occasional typhoon in October and November.
How long
Two days for the city and Ky Co. Three or four with the Cham towers and a day trip to Phu Yen.

Local specialties of Quy Nhon

  • Bánh xèo tôm nhảy"Jumping shrimp" pancakes

    Small, crisp rice-flour pancakes fried to order with shrimp fresh enough to have been jumping a minute earlier. Roll them in rice paper with herbs and green mango and dip in sweet-and-sour fish sauce.

  • Bún chả cáFish-cake noodle soup

    Rice noodles in a clear, lightly sweet broth made from fish bones, with slices of fried and steamed fish cake. The everyday breakfast.

  • Bánh hỏi cháo lòngFine rice noodles with pork porridge

    Woven bundles of very thin rice vermicelli brushed with chive oil, eaten with a bowl of rice porridge and pork offal. A Binh Dinh breakfast you are unlikely to meet anywhere else.

  • Hải sảnSeafood by the kilo

    Crab, clams, squid, scallops and sea urchin, chosen live and priced by weight at simple restaurants along the seafront and in the fishing villages. Ask the price before you order.

  • TréFermented pork in straw

    Pork ear and skin fermented with galangal, garlic and sesame, wrapped in guava leaves and a tight sleeve of rice straw. Sour and crunchy, and usually served with rice liquor.

  • Bánh ít lá gaiBlack sticky rice cakes

    Sticky rice dough coloured black with ramie leaf, filled with mung bean or coconut and wrapped in banana leaf. They keep for several days.

  • Rượu Bàu ĐáBau Da rice liquor

    A clear rice spirit from a village north of the city, around 50% alcohol, drunk in thimble-sized cups.

To take home: tré, bánh ít lá gai and coconut rice crackers (bánh tráng nước dừa).

Reasons to go to Quy Nhon

  1. A real city with a real beachThere is no resort bubble. Fishermen launch round basket boats at dawn, and by five in the afternoon the same sand is full of swimmers and footballers.
  2. Cham history without the crowdsBrick towers eight centuries old stand in a city park and on quiet hilltops nearby, usually with a handful of visitors.
  3. Seafood at local pricesThe fishing fleet lands its catch a few minutes from the restaurants.
  4. A base for the wild coastKy Co, Eo Gio and the basalt cliffs of Phu Yen are all easy day trips.

Things to do in Quy Nhon

  1. Ky Co beachKỳ Co

    Turquoise water between rocky headlands on the Phuong Mai peninsula, 25 km from town. Reach it by speedboat from Nhon Ly village, or by road and shuttle. Go before 9 am, and expect boats to stop in rough seas. Entry about 120,000 VND; boat-and-entry packages 250,000–400,000 VND.

  2. Eo GioEo Gió

    A cliff-top walkway around a windy cove next to Nhon Ly fishing village. Easy to pair with Ky Co, and best at sunrise or late in the afternoon. About 30,000 VND.

  3. Twin TowersTháp Đôi

    Two Cham brick towers from the late 12th or early 13th century, in a small park ten minutes from the beach. A small entry fee; allow half an hour.

  4. Banh It TowersTháp Bánh Ít

    Four towers on a hilltop about 20 km north of the city, the most atmospheric of the Cham sites. Come late in the afternoon for the light and the view over the rice fields.

  5. City beach and Ghenh RangGhềnh Ráng – Tiên Sa

    Swim at dawn with half the city, walk the seafront promenade, then follow the coast road south to Ghenh Rang: a beach of smooth egg-shaped stones and the hilltop grave of the poet Han Mac Tu.

  6. Bai Xep fishing villageBãi Xép

    A small cove with a few guesthouses and seafood shacks, about 10 km south of town. Good for a lazy day.

  7. Hon Kho islandHòn Khô

    A short boat ride from Nhon Hai village, with coral close to shore for snorkelling in the dry season.

  8. Quang Trung MuseumBảo tàng Quang Trung

    About 45 km inland at Tay Son, the home village of the three brothers who led the 1771 uprising. Performances of martial arts and battle drums are staged for visitors.

  9. Day trip to Phu Yen

    The basalt columns of Ganh Da Dia are 80 km south, under two hours by car. See the next section.

Ganh Da Dia: special national site, 2020

Phu Yen

Phú Yên·say “foo yen”

Empty beaches, lagoons and a headland of six-sided basalt columns, on the coast between Quy Nhon and Nha Trang.

  • From Quy Nhon100 kmabout 2 hours by road or rail
  • Best timeFeb–Augdry and sunny
  • Stay2–3 nightsone day north of town, one day south
  • Good forScenery and road tripsphotographers, seafood lovers

The facts about Phu Yen

Where
The stretch of coast between Quy Nhon and Nha Trang. Its main town, Tuy Hoa, is 100 km south of Quy Nhon and 116 km north of Nha Trang.
Known as
The land of "yellow flowers on the green grass", after the 2015 Vietnamese film shot here, which put its beaches and headlands on the domestic travel map.
The coast
About 190 km of shoreline: bays, lagoons, sand spits and capes. Mui Dien is among the first places on the Vietnamese mainland to see the sunrise.
On the map
Phu Yen province merged into Dak Lak on 1 July 2025, so official addresses now read "Dak Lak". In travel, everyone still says Phu Yen.
Getting there
Tuy Hoa airport (TBB) is 10 km from town. Tuy Hoa is on the main railway, about 2 hours from Dieu Tri (Quy Nhon) and 2–2.5 hours from Nha Trang. By road it is 2 hours from Quy Nhon and 2.5 from Nha Trang.
Getting around
The sights are spread along the coast 30–40 km north and south of Tuy Hoa, with almost no public transport. Hire a car with a driver for the day, or a scooter if you hold a valid licence.
Best time
February to August is dry and sunny. The rainy season runs from September to December, and October and November can bring serious floods, as they did in 2025.
How long
Two full days: one for the sights north of Tuy Hoa, one for the south.

Local specialties of Phu Yen

  • Mắt cá ngừ đại dươngOcean tuna eyes

    Each eye is the size of a fist, stewed with medicinal herbs in a small clay pot until rich and gelatinous. Phu Yen is the home of Vietnam's ocean tuna fleet, and the fish is also eaten raw with mustard leaves and wasabi.

  • Sò huyết Ô LoanBlood cockles from O Loan lagoon

    Plump cockles from a brackish lagoon, grilled, steamed or cooked into porridge at stilt restaurants over the water.

  • Bánh canh hẹChive noodle soup

    Thick rice noodles and fish cake in a clear fish broth, under so many chopped chives that the bowl turns green. Cheap, and sold all day in Tuy Hoa.

  • Cơm gà Phú YênPhu Yen chicken rice

    Free-range chicken torn by hand, on rice cooked golden in the stock, with a sharp chilli and garlic dipping sauce.

  • Bò một nắng muối kiến vàngOne-sun beef with ant salt

    Beef dried for a single day in the sun, grilled, and dipped in salt pounded with chilli and yellow weaver ants, which add a sour, citrus-like note. From the hills inland of Tuy Hoa.

  • Tôm hùm Sông CầuSong Cau lobster

    Lobster farmed in the bays of Song Cau and sold by the kilo at floating restaurants, for far less than in the big cities.

To take home: one-sun beef with a jar of ant salt, and dried seafood from the market in Tuy Hoa.

Reasons to go to Phu Yen

  1. A coast with almost nobody on itLong beaches with a few fishing boats and no sunbeds. Even in high season you can have a bay to yourself.
  2. Geology you can walk onGanh Da Dia is one of the few places in the world where columns of basalt meet the sea, like the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland.
  3. First lightWatching the sun rise from the lighthouse at Mui Dien is a small ritual for Vietnamese travellers.
  4. It breaks a long journeyTuy Hoa sits halfway between Quy Nhon and Nha Trang, on the main road and the railway, and it is where the road to Buon Ma Thuot climbs into the highlands.

Things to do in Phu Yen

  1. Ganh Da DiaGành Đá Đĩa

    Thousands of five- and six-sided basalt columns stacked like piles of plates, formed when lava cooled quickly on meeting the sea. It is 36 km north of Tuy Hoa. The rock is uneven and slippery when wet: wear shoes with grip, and come early or after 4 pm for soft light and fewer people. Entry about 20,000–40,000 VND.

  2. Mang Lang ChurchNhà thờ Mằng Lăng

    A Gothic church from 1892, among the oldest in Vietnam, a few kilometres from Ganh Da Dia. A small underground chapel displays the first book printed in the romanised Vietnamese alphabet, a catechism by Alexandre de Rhodes printed in Rome in 1651. Free.

  3. Mui Dien and Bai MonMũi Điện – Bãi Môn

    A cape with a French-built lighthouse from 1890, 32 km south of Tuy Hoa. Leave town around 4 am, walk about 1 km uphill from the car park and watch the sun come up over the sea, then swim at Bai Mon, the sheltered beach below. Sunrise is between about 5:15 and 6:00, depending on the season.

  4. Bai Xep and Hon YenBãi Xép – Hòn Yến

    Bai Xep is the grassy headland above a small beach that appears in "Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass". Nearby Hon Yen is a rock islet where coral beds show above the water at the lowest tides of late spring and summer. Look, and do not walk on the coral.

  5. Nhan TowerTháp Nhạn

    A Cham brick tower about 900 years old on a hill above the Da Rang River, in the middle of Tuy Hoa. Go at sunset for the view over the town; the tower is lit after dark.

  6. O Loan LagoonĐầm Ô Loan

    A calm lagoon north of Tuy Hoa. Watch the sun go down from the Quan Cau pass on Highway 1, then eat cockles and oysters at a restaurant on stilts.

  7. Vung Ro Bay and the Ca PassVũng Rô – Đèo Cả

    A deep blue bay at the foot of the pass south of Mui Dien, with floating seafood restaurants. In the 1960s it was a secret landing point for ships carrying weapons along the sea route of the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

  8. Tuy Hoa beach and Nghinh Phong SquareTháp Nghinh Phong

    The town beach is wide, clean and nearly empty by day. In the evening locals gather at the seafront square, around two tall towers of stone columns modelled on Ganh Da Dia.

Volcanic island · special zone since 2025

Ly Son

Lý Sơn·say “lee sun”

A small volcanic island of lava cliffs, clear water and garlic fields, half an hour by boat from the coast of Quang Ngai.

  • From Da Nang137 km + boat3 hours by road, then 35–45 minutes by sea
  • Best timeMar–Augcalm sea and clear water
  • Stay1–2 nightsplus a spare day for the weather
  • Good forIsland lifesnorkellers, photographers, garlic lovers

The facts about Ly Son

Where
In the sea about 30 km off Quang Ngai province. Boats leave from Sa Ky port, which is 137 km (about 3 hours) south of Da Nang and 21 km from Quang Ngai city.
The islands
Big Island (Đảo Lớn), where nearly everyone lives; Small Island (Đảo Bé, also called An Binh), ten to fifteen minutes away by boat; and the uninhabited islet of Mu Cu.
Size
About 10 square kilometres and 22,000 people, most of them garlic farmers and fishermen.
Geology
The islands were built by volcanic eruptions millions of years ago. Several old craters are still visible on Big Island; the highest rim, Thoi Loi, stands about 170 m above the sea.
On the map
Ly Son has been a "special zone" (đặc khu) of Quang Ngai province since 1 July 2025. Before that it was an island district.
Getting there
Speedboats take 35–45 minutes and leave Sa Ky several times a day, mostly between 7 am and early afternoon. The fare has been about 237,000 VND one way since March 2026. Bring your passport: it is checked when you buy the ticket and at the port gate. The nearest airport is Chu Lai (VCL), 50 km from the port; Da Nang has far more flights.
Getting around
Rent a scooter at the port if you hold a valid licence, or hire an electric buggy with a driver. Big Island is only about 5 km long.
Best time
March to August, when the sea is calm and clear. From September to January it is rough and boats are often cancelled, sometimes for days. The garlic fields are green from December to February, and harvest is in February and March.
How long
Two days, with one or two nights on the island.

Local specialties of Ly Son

  • Tỏi Lý SơnLy Son garlic

    Small cloves with a strong aroma and a mild heat, grown in volcanic soil under a layer of white sand. The prized kind is "lonely garlic" (tỏi cô đơn), a bulb with a single clove. Sold fresh, pickled and as black garlic.

  • Gỏi tỏiGarlic salad

    Made from the young green stems, not the cloves: blanched, tossed with peanuts, herbs and fish sauce, and scooped up with a grilled rice cracker.

  • Cua huỳnh đếEmperor crab

    A deep-water crab with a shield-shaped orange shell and sweet, firm meat, steamed with lemongrass or cooked into porridge. Expensive, and increasingly rare.

  • NhumSea urchin

    Grilled in the shell with spring onion oil and peanuts, or stirred into rice porridge.

  • Gỏi rong biểnSeaweed salad

    Fresh local seaweed with lime, peanuts and herbs. Light and cooling in the summer heat.

  • Hành tím Lý SơnLy Son shallots

    Small purple shallots, the island's second crop, sweeter than those from the mainland.

To take home: garlic, black garlic and shallots, sold by the kilo at the market beside the port.

Reasons to go to Ly Son

  1. A volcano in the seaBlack lava cliffs, sea arches and crater rims, all within a few kilometres of each other.
  2. Island life that is not stagedGarlic fields worked by hand, fishing boats crowding the harbour and village temples in daily use.
  3. Vietnam's sea historyFrom the 17th century, men from Ly Son sailed each year to the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands on the orders of the Nguyen lords. Many did not come back, and the island still holds a ceremony for them every spring.
  4. Clear waterIn summer the sea around Small Island is calm and transparent, with coral close to shore.

Things to do in Ly Son

  1. To Vo ArchCổng Tò Vò

    A natural arch of black lava on the north shore of Big Island. Come at sunrise or sunset, when the sun sits inside the arch.

  2. Hang Cau and Thoi LoiHang Câu – núi Thới Lới

    Hang Cau is a sea-cut cliff of layered volcanic rock at the eastern end of the island. Above it a road climbs to the rim of Thoi Loi, the highest point, for a view over the whole island and its patchwork of garlic fields. Stay behind the barriers: the cliff edges are loose.

  3. Hang PagodaChùa Hang

    A shrine inside a deep sea cave at the foot of Thoi Loi, founded about 400 years ago. A long stairway leads down to it, past a tall white statue of the bodhisattva Quan Am facing the sea.

  4. Duc Pagoda and Gieng Tien craterChùa Đục

    A climb of about a hundred steps to a hillside pagoda and a 27 m statue of Quan Am, with a view into an old crater and across to Small Island.

  5. Small IslandĐảo Bé

    Ten to fifteen minutes by local boat from the main port. One village, a lava shoreline and Bai Sau, a small beach of white sand between black rocks. Snorkelling is best from April to August.

  6. Hoang Sa flotilla sitesĐội Hoàng Sa

    A memorial, a small museum and the Am Linh temple tell the story of the sailors sent to the Paracel Islands. The Khao lề thế lính ceremony, held in the second and third lunar months (roughly March and April), honours those lost at sea.

  7. Garlic fieldsCánh đồng tỏi

    From December to March, walk the lanes between the fields to watch watering and harvest. Buy direct from farmers or at the market beside the port.

  8. Tan Temple whale skeletonsLăng Tân

    Fishermen here honour whales as protectors at sea. An exhibition house beside this temple displays two restored whale skeletons more than 300 years old, the larger about 22 m long. They are recognised as the largest in Vietnam.

UNESCO intangible heritage: gong culture

Buon Ma Thuot

Buôn Ma Thuột·say “boon mah toot”

The coffee capital of Vietnam, on a red-earth plateau of plantations, waterfalls and Ede longhouses.

  • From Nha Trang185 kmabout 4 hours by road; the airport is 9 km out
  • Best timeDec–Mardry season, coffee harvest and blossom
  • Stay2–3 nightscity, waterfalls, then the lake or the park
  • Good forCoffee and culturecurious travellers, few crowds

The facts about Buon Ma Thuot

Where
In the Central Highlands at about 536 m above sea level: 185 km west of Nha Trang, 180 km north of Da Lat and about 360 km from Ho Chi Minh City.
Known as
The coffee capital. Vietnam is the world's second-largest coffee producer and the largest grower of robusta, and Dak Lak grows more of it than any other province.
People
The plateau is the homeland of the Ede and M'nong peoples, known for longhouses on stilts, gong music and a tradition of keeping elephants. Ede families trace descent through the mother.
UNESCO
The gong culture of the Central Highlands is on UNESCO's list of intangible heritage.
On the map
Buon Ma Thuot is the capital of Dak Lak, which absorbed coastal Phu Yen on 1 July 2025 and now stretches from the Cambodian border to the sea.
Getting there
Buon Ma Thuot airport (BMV) is 9 km from the centre, with flights from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. There is no railway. Buses take about 4 hours from Nha Trang, 4.5–5 hours from Da Lat and 7–8 hours from Ho Chi Minh City.
Getting around
Taxis and ride-hailing apps in the city. The waterfalls, the lake and the national park are 30–50 km out: hire a car with a driver or join a tour.
Best time
December to March: dry, with cool mornings, the coffee harvest until January and white coffee blossom in February and March. April is the hottest month. May to October is the rainy season, green and muddy, with the waterfalls at their fullest.
How long
Two days for the city, the coffee and the waterfalls. A third for Lak Lake or Yok Don.

Local specialties of Buon Ma Thuot

  • Cà phêRobusta coffee

    Stronger, more bitter and higher in caffeine than arabica. Drink it the local way, dripped slowly through a metal phin filter over condensed milk and ice, or black. Buy beans from a roaster, and skip "weasel coffee" from caged civets.

  • Bún đỏRed noodle soup

    Thick rice noodles dyed red with annatto, in a broth of field crab and pork, with quail eggs, meatballs and greens. Sold from late afternoon into the night.

  • Bánh ướt thịt nướngSteamed rice sheets with grilled pork

    Each sheet arrives hot on its own small plate, to be rolled around grilled pork and herbs and dipped in a sauce of your choice. You stack the empty plates and pay by the stack; twenty is normal.

  • Gà nướng Bản ĐônBuon Don grilled chicken

    Free-range chicken rubbed with chilli, lemongrass and wild honey and grilled over charcoal, eaten with cơm lam, sticky rice cooked inside a bamboo tube.

  • Gỏi cà đắngBitter eggplant salad

    A small, wild, bitter aubergine sliced and tossed with dried anchovies, herbs and peanuts. A taste of Ede home cooking.

  • Rượu cầnJar wine

    Rice wine fermented in a clay jar and drunk communally through long bamboo straws, usually as a welcome in a longhouse.

To take home: roasted coffee beans, wild honey and, from May to August, avocados.

Reasons to go to Buon Ma Thuot

  1. Coffee at the sourceWalk a plantation, watch the beans being dried and roasted, and drink the result a few metres from where it grew.
  2. A different VietnamLonghouses, gongs and village life that owe little to the lowlands. Ede villages survive inside the city itself.
  3. Big waterThe Serepok River drops over a series of wide waterfalls, and Lak Lake is the largest natural lake in the highlands.
  4. Elephants, the right wayDak Lak is phasing out elephant rides. In Yok Don National Park you watch former working elephants roam the forest instead.

Things to do in Buon Ma Thuot

  1. World Coffee MuseumBảo tàng Thế giới Cà phê

    A cluster of curved halls inspired by Ede longhouses, opened in 2018, with coffee tools and stories from around the world and tastings on site. Tickets about 75,000–150,000 VND, depending on what is included.

  2. Visit a coffee farm

    Farms and roasters around the city show visitors the trees, the picking and the processing, and finish with a tasting. Harvest runs from November to January; in February and March the plantations turn white with blossom.

  3. Ako Dhong villageBuôn Akô Dhông

    An Ede village inside the city, with rows of wooden longhouses on stilts. Several are now cafes and restaurants, which makes it an easy first look at highland architecture.

  4. Dak Lak MuseumBảo tàng Đắk Lắk

    The best introduction to the peoples, wildlife and history of the highlands, with labels in Vietnamese, Ede, English and French.

  5. Dray Nur and Dray Sap waterfallsThác Dray Nur – Dray Sáp

    Two broad curtains of water on the Serepok River, about 30 km south-west of the city. Dray Nur is roughly 250 m wide and 30 m high. They are fullest from July to November. Entry about 40,000–50,000 VND.

  6. Lak LakeHồ Lắk

    The largest natural lake in the Central Highlands, 50 km south on the road to Da Lat. Stay in the M'nong village of Jun, take a dugout canoe at sunrise and walk up to the lodge built for Emperor Bao Dai. Elephant rides are still sold here; we suggest you skip them.

  7. Yok Don National ParkVườn quốc gia Yok Đôn

    Dry, open forest 40 km north-west of the city, unlike anywhere else in Vietnam. Since 2018 the park has run an elephant experience with no riding: you walk with a guide and watch former working elephants from a distance. Book ahead through the park.

  8. Buon DonBuôn Đôn

    The old elephant-catchers' village on the Serepok, with bamboo suspension bridges strung through the roots of banyan trees. Elephant rides ended here in 2023.

  9. Coffee FestivalLễ hội Cà phê Buôn Ma Thuột

    Held every two years in March. The tenth festival is planned for 6 March to 4 April 2027, with the opening night on 10 March.

UNESCO Creative City of Music, 2023

Da Lat

Đà Lạt·say “dah laht”

A cool hill station at 1,500 m, among pine forests, lakes, flower farms and French-era villas.

  • From Ho Chi Minh City300 kmabout 7 hours by bus; the airport is 30 km out
  • Best timeNov–Mardry, sunny days and cold nights
  • Stay3–4 nightsthe sights are spread out
  • Good forCool air and the outdoorscouples, hikers, coffee drinkers

The facts about Da Lat

Where
On the Lang Biang plateau in the southern Central Highlands, 1,500 m above sea level: 300 km north-east of Ho Chi Minh City, 136 km west of Nha Trang and 180 km south of Buon Ma Thuot.
Known as
The city of eternal spring. Monthly average temperatures stay between about 16 and 20 °C all year, and nights can drop to 10 °C in December and January.
History
The doctor and explorer Alexandre Yersin reached the plateau in 1893, and the French built a hill station here to escape the heat of the lowlands. Many of their villas, churches and schools are still in use.
UNESCO
Da Lat joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for music in 2023. The surrounding Lang Biang highlands have been a UNESCO biosphere reserve since 2015.
On the map
Da Lat is the capital of Lam Dong, which absorbed Dak Nong and Binh Thuan on 1 July 2025 and is now Vietnam's largest province. The old city has officially become five wards, each with "– Đà Lạt" in its name.
Getting there
Lien Khuong airport (DLI) is 30 km south, about 45 minutes by airport bus or taxi. It reopened on 19 August 2026 after a five-month closure to rebuild the runway. There are no mainline trains. Buses take about 7 hours from Ho Chi Minh City, 3–3.5 hours from Nha Trang and 4.5–5 hours from Buon Ma Thuot.
Getting around
The centre is walkable but hilly. Use taxis or ride-hailing apps: most sights are 5–25 km out of town.
Best time
November to March is dry and sunny, with cold nights. Cherry blossom comes in late January and February. May to October is the rainy season, with heavy showers most afternoons and mist in the mornings.
How long
Three days for the town, a mountain and a farm. Four if you want to hike or go canyoning.

Local specialties of Da Lat

  • Bánh tráng nướng"Da Lat pizza"

    A sheet of rice paper grilled over charcoal with egg, spring onion, dried shrimp, sausage and chilli sauce, then folded and eaten hot on the street.

  • Bánh cănClay-pot rice cakes

    Small rice-flour cakes baked in clay moulds with a quail egg, dipped in a bowl of warm fish sauce with pork meatballs and spring onion. A breakfast for cold mornings.

  • Bánh mì xíu mạiMeatballs with bread

    Pork meatballs in a peppery broth, served in a small bowl with a crusty baguette for dipping.

  • Lẩu gà lá éChicken hotpot with é leaves

    Chicken simmered with bamboo shoots, mushrooms and lá é, a lemon-scented basil. The right dinner for a cold night.

  • Nem nướng Đà LạtGrilled pork rolls

    Grilled pork sausage rolled in rice paper with herbs, pickles and a crisp fried rice-paper stick, dipped in a thick, warm peanut sauce.

  • Sữa đậu nành nóngHot soy milk

    Hot soy, mung bean or peanut milk with small pastries, sold from evening stalls around the market.

  • Kem bơAvocado with ice cream

    Mashed local avocado topped with a scoop of coconut ice cream.

To take home: strawberry jam, artichoke tea, dried persimmon, Da Lat wine and arabica coffee from Cau Dat.

Reasons to go to Da Lat

  1. The weatherWhen the coast is 35 °C, Da Lat is in the low twenties. Bring a jacket: evenings are cold all year.
  2. A hill station that kept its buildingsAn Art Deco railway station, pink and yellow churches, the last emperor's summer palace and hundreds of old villas among the pines.
  3. The outdoorsA 2,167 m mountain on the edge of town, waterfalls, pine-forest trails and Vietnam's best-known canyoning.
  4. Farms you can visitArabica coffee, tea, strawberries, flowers and many of the vegetables sold in southern Vietnam grow here.

Things to do in Da Lat

  1. Xuan Huong Lake and the marketHồ Xuân Hương – Chợ Đà Lạt

    Walk or cycle the 5 km path around the lake in the centre of town, then climb the steps to the market. After dark the streets around it turn into a night market for street food and woollen hats.

  2. Railway station and the train to Trai MatGa Đà Lạt

    The Art Deco station opened in 1938. A short tourist train runs 7 km to Trai Mat, a few minutes' walk from Linh Phuoc Pagoda, which is covered in mosaics of broken pottery and glass. About 150,000 VND return; the train needs a minimum number of passengers to run.

  3. Crazy HouseBiệt thự Hằng Nga

    A guesthouse shaped like a melting tree, designed by the architect Dang Viet Nga and still growing since 1990. Narrow bridges cross the rooftops. About 80,000 VND.

  4. Lang BiangNúi Lang Biang

    The mountain 12 km north of town. Hike through pine and cloud forest to the 2,167 m summit, four to five hours return, or take a jeep to the 1,929 m Radar Hill viewpoint. Entry 50,000 VND; a jeep seat about 120,000 VND.

  5. Datanla waterfallThác Datanla

    5 km south of town. An alpine coaster runs down through the forest to the falls, about 250,000 VND return. Licensed adventure companies also run half-day canyoning trips here, with abseils and jumps.

  6. Truc Lam monastery and Tuyen Lam LakeThiền viện Trúc Lâm

    A 2.3 km cable car from Robin Hill glides over pine forest to a working Zen monastery with flower gardens above the lake. About 150,000 VND return; it closes at lunchtime and in storms.

  7. Coffee and tea countryCầu Đất

    Visit an arabica farm at the foot of Lang Biang, where K'Ho families grow and roast their own beans, or the tea hills and old factory at Cau Dat, 25 km from town, first planted in 1927.

  8. French-era Da LatDinh Bảo Đại, Domaine de Marie, nhà thờ Con Gà

    Bao Dai's Summer Palace, the 1930s villa of the last emperor; the pink Domaine de Marie convent; and the cathedral with a rooster on its spire.

  9. Flower FestivalFestival Hoa Đà Lạt

    Held every two years. The eleventh festival runs from 19 to 31 December 2026, opening at Lam Vien Square.

Plan your route

How to put them together

Five routes that work, with honest travel times. Most run in a line between Da Nang, Nha Trang and Ho Chi Minh City.

6–7days

Emperors and caves

  1. Da Nang
  2. Hue
  3. Phong Nha
  4. Hue
  5. Da Nang

Cross the Hai Van Pass to Hue for two nights, continue to Phong Nha for three, with a stop at the old Demilitarised Zone on the way, then return south. Or fly into Dong Hoi and travel one way. Best from February to August.

9–10days

The quiet coast

  1. Da Nang
  2. Ly Son
  3. Quy Nhon
  4. Phu Yen
  5. Nha Trang

Three hours by road to Sa Ky port and a boat to Ly Son for two nights, then on to Quy Nhon for three and Tuy Hoa for two. Finish by train to Nha Trang, or fly out of Tuy Hoa. Best from March to August, when the sea is calm.

6days

The highlands from Saigon

  1. Ho Chi Minh City
  2. Da Lat
  3. Lak Lake
  4. Buon Ma Thuot
  5. Ho Chi Minh City

Bus or flight to Da Lat for three nights, a day's drive north past Lak Lake to Buon Ma Thuot for two, and a flight back. Best from November to March.

14–16days

Coast to highlands

  1. Hue
  2. Da Nang
  3. Quy Nhon
  4. Phu Yen
  5. Buon Ma Thuot
  6. Da Lat
  7. Ho Chi Minh City

Hue and Da Nang, the train south to Quy Nhon, on to Tuy Hoa, then inland and up to Buon Ma Thuot and Da Lat before the descent to Ho Chi Minh City. February to April is the only time of year when every stop is in its dry season.

3weeks

All seven

  1. Phong Nha
  2. Hue
  3. Da Nang
  4. Ly Son
  5. Quy Nhon
  6. Phu Yen
  7. Buon Ma Thuot
  8. Da Lat

The whole line from north to south: about 1,100 km by road, plus the boat to Ly Son. Allow two or three nights in each place and a spare day for the weather. Go between February and April.

How far apart they are

North to south, with Da Nang as the usual way in. Distances are by road between town centres; times are what a bus or a car with a driver really takes.

FromToDistanceTimeHow
Phong NhaHue210 kmabout 4 hBus, limousine van or car. By rail from Dong Hoi, 45 km from Phong Nha.
HueDa Nang100 km2–3 hCar through the Hai Van Tunnel or over the pass, or the coastal train.
Da NangSa Ky port137 kmabout 3 hCar or bus. The train stops at Quang Ngai, 21 km from the port.
Sa Ky portLy Son30 km by sea35–45 minSpeedboat, several a day. No boats in rough weather.
Sa Ky portQuy Nhon196 kmabout 4 hCar or bus, or the train from Quang Ngai to Dieu Tri.
Quy NhonPhu Yen (Tuy Hoa)97 kmabout 2 hTrain from Dieu Tri, bus or car along the coast.
Phu Yen (Tuy Hoa)Buon Ma Thuot181 km4–4.5 hBus or car, climbing from the coast into the highlands.
Buon Ma ThuotDa Lat182 km4.5–5 hBus or car on a winding road past Lak Lake.
Da LatHo Chi Minh City300 kmabout 7 hBus or limousine van, or a flight of under an hour.

Da Lat is also 136 km (3–3.5 hours) from Nha Trang, and Buon Ma Thuot 185 km (about 4 hours), if you prefer to return to the coast.

Getting around

Trains

The north–south railway follows the coast and stops at Dong Hoi (for Phong Nha), Hue, Da Nang, Quang Ngai (for Ly Son), Dieu Tri (for Quy Nhon), Tuy Hoa (for Phu Yen) and Nha Trang. It is slow but scenic, above all between Hue and Da Nang. There is no railway to Buon Ma Thuot or Da Lat.

Buses and limousine vans

Every pair of neighbouring cities is linked by sleeper buses and by "limousine" vans: 9–11 seats, reclining chairs and hotel pickup. Book through your hotel or a booking app a day or two ahead. The highland roads are winding, so take a daytime bus if you get carsick.

Private car with driver

Good value for two or more people, and the only practical way to reach scattered sights such as the coast of Phu Yen or the waterfalls around Buon Ma Thuot. Agree the route, the waiting time and the tolls in advance.

Flights

Six of the seven places have an airport within an hour, and Ly Son's port is about an hour from Chu Lai. Most flights go only to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, so flying between two central destinations usually means a connection. Airlines cut some domestic schedules in 2026 because of fuel costs: check current timetables before you plan around a flight.

Riding a motorbike yourself

  • LicenceA home licence with a motorcycle category plus an International Driving Permit issued under the 1968 Vienna Convention. A car licence does not cover a scooter.
  • Not recognisedPermits issued under the 1949 convention, which is what the USA, Canada and Australia issue. With one of those you are riding unlicensed.
  • FinesRiding without a valid licence: 2–4 million VND for bikes up to 125 cc and 6–8 million above that. The bike can be impounded.
  • InsuranceTravel insurers refuse claims from unlicensed riders. On the Hai Van Pass and the highland roads that is the real risk.
  • Hai VanMotorbikes cannot use the tunnel between Hue and Da Nang. Take the pass road, or the shuttle that carries you and the bike through.
  • The easy waySit behind a local driver, or hire a car with one. You get to look at the view, and it costs little.

No licence? Sit on the back.

We don't run tours in these seven places. In Da Nang, Hoi An and Saigon we do, and on every one of them you ride behind a local guide: helmet on, hands free for the camera, nothing to sign at a rental shop.

See our Da Nang ridesAsk on WhatsApp

Quick answers

February to April suits all seven places. The coast (Hue, Phong Nha, Ly Son, Quy Nhon and Phu Yen) is dry and not yet at peak heat, and the highlands (Buon Ma Thuot and Da Lat) are still in their dry season. The coast stays dry until August but is very hot from June. Avoid the coast from mid-September to November, when heavy rain, floods and typhoons are common.

Allow two or three days for each place and half a day to a full day for each transfer. One week covers Hue and Phong Nha. Ten days covers the coast from Da Nang to Phu Yen, with Ly Son. All seven places take about three weeks overland.

Along the coast, yes. The north–south railway stops at Dong Hoi (for Phong Nha), Hue, Da Nang, Quang Ngai (for Ly Son), Dieu Tri (for Quy Nhon) and Tuy Hoa (for Phu Yen). There is no railway to Buon Ma Thuot or Da Lat: use buses, a car with a driver or flights.

On 1 July 2025 Vietnam merged its 63 provinces and cities into 34. Phong Nha moved from Quang Binh to Quang Tri, Quy Nhon from Binh Dinh to Gia Lai, and Phu Yen became part of Dak Lak. Lam Dong, the province of Da Lat, took in Dak Nong and Binh Thuan. The places themselves have not changed, and the old names are still used on tickets, signs and maps.

Yes. Bring your passport: it is checked when you buy the boat ticket and at the port gate in Sa Ky. Ly Son is a border area and the rules for foreign visitors have changed over the years, so ask your hotel on the island to confirm before you travel. Boats are cancelled in rough weather, mostly from September to January.

Only on the official expedition: four days and three nights with the single licensed operator, Oxalis, for 80 million VND (about US$3,000) per person. Numbers are capped at about 1,000 visitors a year, and in October 2026 departures were reported sold out through 2028. Paradise Cave, Phong Nha Cave and shorter expeditions such as Hang En are open to everyone and need no long wait.

Yes. Lien Khuong airport closed in March 2026 to rebuild its runway and reopened on 19 August 2026. Airlines cut some domestic schedules during 2026 because of fuel costs, so check current timetables before you plan around any flight.

Check the forecast and stay flexible. From mid-September to November the central coast gets tropical storms and floods: caves in Phong Nha close, boats to Ly Son stop, and roads and railways can be cut for a day or two. The highlands get heavy afternoon rain from May to October but rarely anything worse. Follow local advice and keep a spare day in your plan.

No. We run motorbike tours with local rider-guides in Da Nang, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City, the usual start and end points of a trip through Central Vietnam. This guide is free: use it to plan, and ride with us when you pass through.

Facts were checked on 10 October 2026 against UNESCO, Vietnamese government and provincial announcements, park and operator notices and the Vietnamese press. Distances are driving distances between town centres, measured on OpenStreetMap data. Map outline: Natural Earth. Prices, timetables and rules change: confirm before you travel. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

Vietnam Crazy Tour runs small-group motorbike tours in Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Hoi An. We wrote this guide for travellers who carry on along the coast or into the highlands before or after riding with us.

Passing through Da Nang or Hoi An?

Almost every route in this guide does. Tell us your dates and we'll suggest the right ride and sort out the details over chat.

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