Highlights of Indochina

Below are some of the major travel highlights for Indochina. For more in-depth attractions of each country on this route, click on the country names below or select a route to see the highlights on this section of the journey. Click on the icons below to focus on specific types of features (click again to return to all).

In-depth highlights: Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam


Natural	History	Wildlife	Trekking	Cities	Religious Monument	Boat Journey	Rail Journey	Diving	Cultural	Adrenaline	UNESCO WHS

Natural attractions of Vientiene - Angkor (via Hanoi/Saigon)

Vang Vieng
Vang Vieng is a town located between Vientiane and Luang Prabeng. Set amidst a karst landscape and on a bend on the Song River, it's a great spot for exploring the limestone karst caves (notably the Tham Jang caves) on the west bank or the surrounding countryside on foot or bicycle.

Lunag Namtha
Luang Namtha is a town in northern Laos near the border with China and is the main market town for minority tribes who live in this area. The surrounding mountainous countryside is great for exploring on foot or bicycle and visiting the ethnic villages to learn about the lives of these tribes.

Sapa
Sapa is a hilltown northwest of Hanoi founded by the French as a retreat from the heat and humidity of the plains. Located at 1000 metres in the mountainous terrain of the Tonkinese Alps, it's an area of stunning natural beauty and perfect for exploring on foot or motorbike. Local villages inhabited by Vietnamese and minority tribes such as the Black Hmong, Tay and Red Dzao ensure some fascinating cultural interactions. It's a perfect region for trekking, either through the hills and villages or, for the more ambitious, to scale Mount Fansipan, at 3143 metres the highest peak on the Indochina peninsula.

Sapa

Sapa is a hilltown northwest of Hanoi founded by the French as a retreat from the heat and humidity of the plains. Located at 1000 metres in the mountainous terrain of the Tonkinese Alps, it's an area of stunning natural beauty and perfect for exploring on foot or motorbike. Local villages inhabited by Vietnamese and minority tribes such as the Black Hmong, Tay and Red Dzao ensure some fascinating cultural interactions. It's a perfect region for trekking, either through the hills and villages or, for the more ambitious, to scale Mount Fansipan, at 3143 metres the highest peak on the Indochina peninsula.

Halong Bay
Halong Bay Halong Bay, whose name means "descending dragon", is a stunning site, where 3,000 limestone karst islands and peaks rise out of the emerald green waters of the bay. The best way to appreciate this area is on a slow junk boat ride through the bay, stopping off to explore limestone caves filled with stalactites and stalagmites, encounter floating fishing villages, enjoy secluded beaches or just swimming in the bay itself. UNESCO World Heritage Site: Ha Long Bay

Halong Bay

Halong Bay

Halong Bay, whose name means "descending dragon", is a stunning site, where 3,000 limestone karst islands and peaks rise out of the emerald green waters of the bay. The best way to appreciate this area is on a slow junk boat ride through the bay, stopping off to explore limestone caves filled with stalactites and stalagmites, encounter floating fishing villages, enjoy secluded beaches or just swimming in the bay itself.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Ha Long Bay

Danang
The city of Danang was once the centre of the Kingdom of Champa between the 4th and 13th centuries. Today the Cham Museum in Danang allows you to see some amazing Cham sculptures. The landscape around Danang is extraordinary, including the limestone peaks of the Marble Mountains, once used by both the Champas and in ore recent times as a haven for the Viet Cong and containing many Buddhist shrines. You can also visit the famous China Beach nearby. The road north to Hue also offers spectacular scenery, especially over the Hai Van pass, known as the Pass of the Ocean Clouds.

Danang

The city of Danang was once the centre of the Kingdom of Champa between the 4th and 13th centuries. Today the Cham Museum in Danang allows you to see some amazing Cham sculptures. The landscape around Danang is extraordinary, including the limestone peaks of the Marble Mountains, once used by both the Champas and in ore recent times as a haven for the Viet Cong and containing many Buddhist shrines. You can also visit the famous China Beach nearby. The road north to Hue also offers spectacular scenery, especially over the Hai Van pass, known as the Pass of the Ocean Clouds.

Nha Trang
The city of Nha Trang is Vietnam's premier beach resort. The 4km stretch of white sands spans the entire length of the city with the warm, blue waters of the South China Sea on the shore. Boat trips take you to nearby islands, with opportunities for snorkelling and scuba diving, and allow you to appreciate the rugged coastlines around the city. Nha Trang is also famous for its seafood, which can be sampled in numerous restaurants in the town.

Nha Trang

The city of Nha Trang is Vietnam's premier beach resort. The 4km stretch of white sands spans the entire length of the city with the warm, blue waters of the South China Sea on the shore. Boat trips take you to nearby islands, with opportunities for snorkelling and scuba diving, and allow you to appreciate the rugged coastlines around the city. Nha Trang is also famous for its seafood, which can be sampled in numerous restaurants in the town.

Mekong Delta
The Mekong River originates in the Tibetan Plateau and flows through China, Burma, Laos and Cambodia before reaching Vietnam and splitting into many waterways and channels to form the Mekong Delta. The Delta, home to about 20 million people, is one of the most fertile areas on earth, known as Vietnam's rice bowl and where many of its tropical fruits are grown. The region is best explored on boat and travelling along the canals, rivers and backwaters allows you to appreciate the beauty of the area and understand the lives of the local people. You will pass rice fields, villages of stilted houses, local markets (the floating market at Cai Be is famous) and see the cottage industries of the villagers.

Mekong Delta

The Mekong River originates in the Tibetan Plateau and flows through China, Burma, Laos and Cambodia before reaching Vietnam and splitting into many waterways and channels to form the Mekong Delta. The Delta, home to about 20 million people, is one of the most fertile areas on earth, known as Vietnam's rice bowl and where many of its tropical fruits are grown. The region is best explored on boat and travelling along the canals, rivers and backwaters allows you to appreciate the beauty of the area and understand the lives of the local people. You will pass rice fields, villages of stilted houses, local markets (the floating market at Cai Be is famous) and see the cottage industries of the villagers.