Top 10 adventure activities in Vietnam

You can enjoy the most beautiful scenery in Vietnam while engaging in adventurous activities like riding a motorbike, jumping off a waterfall, or riding an ATV from a mountain. Let your adrenaline rush and go. If you are looking for adventurous activities in Vietnam, check out this list!

1. Exploring Vietnam by motorbike

If you travel by motorbike, you will see and experience things that you would never see if you travelled by bus or train. There are several ways to do this. The more adventurous people can buy a motorbike in Vietnam and drive from North to South (or vice versa) and sell their motorbike at their final destination. Such a journey takes a long time and may be too extreme for people. Another way would be to rent a motorbike or a scooter for a day or more to discover an area.

Advice: Are you an experienced driver? The most impressive place to ride in Vietnam is the Ha Giang Loop.

>> Read more: Trekking Hoang Su Phi - Ha Giang in 3, 4, 5, 6 to 7 days, what to do?

2. Spend the night in a cave in Phong Nha

Exploring Son Doong, the largest cave in the world sounds exciting. However, a trip to explore this awe-inspiring cave is not for everyone, as the number of explorers is limited to 1,000 per year, and a trip of 5 days costs about $3,000. Instead, explorers can opt for a 2 - to 3-day trip in Hang En or Tu Lan Cave, which is more approachable and affordable in Phong Nha National Park with a cost of around $350.

Advice: Opt for a half-day adventure in the Dark Cave for an experience you will never forget. You will zip line to the cave entrance, and swim in the dark. After that, the real adventure begins. You’ll walk and crawl through a cave full of mud to get to the other end of the cave, from where you will then kayak back down a river full of other activities, including a small cable car and floating rafts.

>> Read more: Top 10 things to do in Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park

3. Canoeing in Dalat

Canoeing in Dalat is high on the list of many travellers who come to Vietnam. Other than canoeing, you can do waterfall abseiling, cliff jumping, natural slides, and hiking through the forest.

>> Read more: What to visit in Da Lat, city of eternal spring?

4. Rock climbing in Halong Bay

There are many places in Vietnam where you can go rock climbing, such as Mai Chau and the Marble Mountains near Danang. But the most famous place is Halong Bay (and Cat Ba). Halong Bay is one of the most majestic rock climbing areas in the world with over 3000 limestone karsts standing in the sea. The area has different climbing routes for beginners and experienced climbers. Some Halong Bay cruises also include rock climbing in their travel plans.

5. Multi-day trek in Sapa

A day of trekking in Sapa is great. But a multi-day hike is a real adventure and a huge recommendation. It's the most popular and well-known activity on this list, but that doesn't make it any less cool. During a multi-day hike, you cross the jungle, and pass the most beautiful rice fields, including fantastic viewpoints. At night, you stay with a host family, where you discover the life of local minorities (mountain tribes). The more you go for a walk, the further you will go and the fewer people you will meet.

Pro tip: Do you want to meet even fewer tourists? Then trek to Pu Luong Nature Reserve near Mai Chau or Ha Giang.

>> Read more: Top 10 activities in Sapa

6. Kite surfing in Mui Ne

Mui Ne is the place to be if you want to kitesurf in Asia. Mui NeBeach offers safe learning conditions for kite surfing in the morning and early afternoon, then gets a bit more challenging. This means that the location is suitable for all kitesurfers, whether you want to learn, already have experience, or are a veteran of the sport. There are plenty of schools you can learn from and a nice side effect is that it's also pretty cheap here.

>> Read more: Visit Mui Ne in 2 or 3 days: what to do and what to visit?

7. Mountain biking in Dalat

Dalat is the adventure capital of Vietnam. It is already possible to make a list of the 10 most adventurous activities in Dalat. In Dalat, you will find many hills with forests, ideal for cycling. Along the way, you can stop at local minority villages and viewpoints.

Pro tip: Looking for even more adventure in Dalat? In addition to mountain biking and canoeing, you can go rafting, kayaking, mountaineering, and jungle hiking.

>> Read more: Da Lat Vietnam - what to see and do in 2 or 3 days?

8. Diving in Con Dao

Vietnam is not famous for its great dive sites. But good diving in Vietnam is certainly possible. Con Dao is considered the most beautiful coral reef in Vietnam. There are 16 islands and a unique ecosystem. You can also see rare sea creatures, such as sea turtles and sea cows.

Pro Tip: Other places to dive in Vietnam are Whale Island in Nha Trang and Phu Quoc.

>> Read more: Top 10 dream beaches in Vietnam

9. Sandboarding and quad biking in Mui Ne

The white sand dunes have an incredible view of the beach and surrounding area. You can rent a quad and cruise through the vast sand dunes in search of the perfect vantage point. You can race with your new friends or sit back and enjoy your ultimate Vietnam adventure. The red sand dunes provide the perfect opportunity for sandboarding in Mui Ne. For just $1, you can rent a mat that lets you slide over the dunes.

>> Read more: Top 10 popular activities you should not miss in Mui Ne - Phan Thiet

10. Cliff jumping in Nha Trang

Last in the top 10 adventure activities in Vietnam is cliff jumping in Nha Trang. The best place to jump is at Ba Ho Falls. One hour by motorbike from Nha Trang, you will find a beautiful secluded waterfall with clear water just waiting to be jumped. Like the jump itself, the walk to the jump point is quite heavy and slippery, so be careful and jump responsibly!

Pro Tip: Love cliff jumping? You can also jump from different rocks in Halong Bay, sometimes also in combination with rock climbing (solo in deep water).

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