You should come and discover southern Vietnam, it’s an amazing region that offers a wide range of captivating destinations. It is good to live in this sunny region all year round, between discovering Saigon, the hectic megalopolis of southern Vietnam, the vestiges of the Vietnam War, and the tropical forests of Cat Tien National Park or the plant and aquatic labyrinth of the Mekong Delta. And since it's the south, there's always a seaside getaway to end your stay in style!

Discover Ho Chi Minh City, the megalopolis of southern Vietnam

The bustling megalopolis of southern Vietnam is an essential stopover on your trip to ancient Cochinchina. We particularly appreciate its dynamism, its modernity but also its superb colonial architectural heritage, its very lively picturesque markets, its many museums, its Chinatown, its temples, its pagodas and its divine gastronomy with southern accents. This is a city bubbling with energy, warm, feverish and always in perpetual change.

>> Read more: Top 10 what to do in Saigon - Ho Chi Minh city

Beach Break in Vung Tau Resort

The Vung Tau seaside resort is a pleasant destination to break away for a few days from the madness of Saigon. Formerly called Cap Saint Jacques during the colonial era, Vung Tau was the first seaside resort in southern Vietnam during the 20th century. Today, Vung Tau is a typical Vietnamese seaside resort and very popular with Saigon people on weekends but this place is very quiet during the week. You can get there easily and with a travel time of no more than two hours by bus or boat from Ho Chi Minh City.

Explore Cu Chi Tunnels

This is a great excursion to do from Saigon. You can discover the incredible Cu Chi tunnels. The Cu Chi tunnels are an ingenious system of tunnels over 250 kilometres spread over several levels. Originally created by the Viet Minh under French Indochina, the Cu Chi tunnels housed thousands of Viet Cong guerrillas during the Vietnam War against the Americans. Visiting the Cu Chi tunnels will allow you to learn more about the Vietnam War and to take a full measure of the warrior genius of a people who are capable of defeating an elephant with the energy of an ant!

>> Read more: Cu Chi Tunnels - Top most attractive underground works in the world

Discover the Caodaist temple of Tay Ninh

Located not far from the Cu Chi tunnels, the astonishing Caodaist temple of Tay Ninh pairs perfectly with that of Cu Chi. The Tay Ninh temple is the holy seat of Caodaism, a religion that immediately appears as a rather surprising amalgam borrowing a lot from Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity and Islam. Tay Ninh Caodaist Temple is a very unique religious building with picturesque decorations and blends of bright colours. You can attend one of the daily masses, it’s a striking spectacle whose followers are dressed all in white in a stunning architectural setting.

>> Read more: Cao Dai Temple, Holy See of Caodaism in Tay Ninh

Stay in the Mekong Delta

Take advantage of your trip to southern Vietnam to discover the fascinating region of the Mekong Delta. The waters of the river have fertilized a true tropical paradise where everything grows with extravagance, fruits as well as flowers, majestic trees and vegetables that accompany a refined and tasty cuisine. The Mekong Delta is also the captivating floating markets, canoe rides in the maze of arroyos, bike rides on small paths and the checkerboard of rice fields and above all, there’s the legendary hospitality of the people of the South!

>> Read more: Top 10 unmissable activities in the Mekong Delta

Hike in Cat Tien National Park

Dear nature lovers and everyone eager to get off the beaten path, Cat Tien National Park is a destination that you should prioritize during your trip to southern Vietnam. Located 180 kilometres northwest of Ho Chi Minh City and extending over an area of 74,000 hectares on the Bao Loc plateau, Cat Tien National Park is a veritable natural sanctuary that is home to more than 1,610 different plants, 105 species of mammals, 351 species of birds, 120 species of reptiles and amphibians, 130 species of freshwater fish, several hundred species of butterflies and insects and a small population of Javan Rhinoceros which made the park famous. An exceptional biodiversity which allowed it to be classified by Unesco as a biosphere reserve in 20017 and it has been recognized as a Ramsar site for the importance of its wetlands since 2005. Hiking in the park with a local guide will allow you to appreciate this extraordinary fauna and flora. You can consider the possibility of spending the night in the tropical forest to better appreciate this natural setting.

End your trip to Phu Quoc Island in style

Let's end your trip to Vietnam in style with a seaside stay on the paradise island of Phu Quoc, which is located in the far South of the country in the Gulf of Thailand. You can take advantage of the long white sand beaches fringed with coconut palms that lap a crystal clear sea. The island is home to a full range of accommodations, capable of meeting all desires for comfort and relaxation. Discover the island, its national park which largely covers this paradise, visit its pepper plantations, its factories of “Nuoc mam” - the famous Vietnamese fish sauce, its pearl oyster farms and its small villages of fishermen. You can end your stay under the sign of the sun and relaxation.

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