
Vietnam’s blend of natural splendour, attractive architecture, and wondrous historical sites makes it one of the most visually striking countries in Asia. From verdant valleys to mammoth tombs, millennia-old villages, forested peaks and glowing old towns, here are five of this nation’s most photogenic destinations.
Ninh Binh

It seems warlords have impeccable taste. Dinh Bo Linh couldn’t have picked a more mesmerizing location to build his new headquarters after emerging victorious from a period of violent chaos in Vietnam more than 1,000 years ago.
Called the Anarchy of the Twelve Warlords, it was the result of a power vacuum following the collapse of Vietnam’s Ngo Dynasty. Dinh Bo Linh triumphed, changed his name to Dinh Tien Hoang, declared himself Emperor and commissioned a commanding citadel amid the bucolic scenery of Ninh Binh, about two hours south of Hanoi.
Now tourists are drawn here not just by the remains of his walled capital, Hoa Lu. But also the gorgeous emerald fields and limestone peaks to its rear. Some follow steep, spectacular hiking trails to its west. Others head a short distance south to glide in row boats along the Ngo Dong River as it carves a path through a valley of startling beauty.
Duong Lam Village





Hemmed by rice paddies, lined by mud-brick homes, and home to dozens of traditional artisans, Duong Lam looks like it should be on the cover of a Vietnam guidebook. Such publications so often feature idyllic rural settings, only for tourists to fly into Vietnam and alight into teeming cities choked by traffic and spiked by high rises.
This country’s rapid modernisation has erased many time-warp villages like Duong Lam. This 1,200-year-old community, about 60km west of Hanoi, is like a glimpse at a distant era. I entered Duong Lam beneath a crumbling old stone gate, left of which was a field tended by farmers wearing conical hats, and right of which was a placid river plied by fishermen in weathered row boats.
Soon I was navigating a network of narrow streets past wet markets, timeworn temples and churches, and modest art studios. Inside those latter spaces, locals handcrafted scarecrows, ceramics, religious idols and wooden furniture. Progress will no doubt invade Duong Lam eventually. But for now, it’s as quaint a village as you’ll find in Vietnam.
Marble Mountains




When finally, I caught my breath, after ascending hundreds of stairs, it was stolen once more by a 360-degree view of Da Nang’s glimmering seas, mountain ranges, and urban sprawl. I had just climbed to the crest of one of this city’s famed Marble Mountains.
Located a 15-minute drive south of downtown Da Nang, these five limestone mountains are both a key tourist attraction and a sacred site. In fact, their spiritual value is such that Vietnamese emperors used to come here to pray. They would surely have appreciated the elevator that now helps many tourists reach the upper level of Thuy Son, the tallest of the peaks.
I instead chose the Imperial route, scaling the weathered, uneven staircases that wind up Thuy Son. The elevator terminates alongside a group of temples, caves and tunnels. Although they, alone, are wonderfully attractive, I wanted to view all Da Nang from one perch. So I huffed and puffed up a dangerously steep set of stairs until I could see everything. And it was phenomenal.
Tomb of Tu Duc




While there can be a certain beauty to death, few people would associate graves with magnificence. Yet in the outskirts of Hue is a cluster of Imperial tombs which are not just resting places but architectural wonders. This quiet city on Vietnam’s central coast was the capital of the Nguyen Dynasty for more than a century, starting from the mid-1800s.
Of the seven grand mausoleums in its forested south, I found none more aesthetically blessed than that of Emperor Tu Duc. The word tomb gives an impression of a solitary structure. But that wouldn’t befit a man of the stature of Tu Duc, who was Emperor for 36 years.
So after he died, in 1883, his eternal home was built as an enormous, commanding complex which more closely resembles a palace. Inside its thick fortifications, and beyond its ornamental Luu Kiem Lake, are a sequence of courtyards decorated by fine monuments. I was able to wander between pagodas, pavilions, bridges, temples, and ceremonial halls. The array of murals, intricate stonework, colourful facades, and swaying trees created a splendid setting.
Hoi An Old Quarter




Hoi An’s majesty is beginning to backfire. When I returned to this historic city last April, for the first time in five years, I was shocked by the crush of visitors throughout its Ancient Town area. Hoi An has long been a busy tourist city, due to its uncommon beauty and distinctive blend of architecture, but its popularity has now exploded.
I can only guess this has been driven by social media and the demand it creates for striking backdrops, which are endless here in perhaps the most photogenic urban area in all of Southeast Asia. Hoi An’s riverside setting and mélange of historic architecture are astonishing. Particularly in the evening when draped in the rainbow radiance of thousands of colourful lanterns.
Photographers could dedicate a week to capturing its glory and still fail to complete that task. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Ancient Town area is a unique cluster of 1,100 timber-frame buildings shaped by Chinese, Japanese and French design influence.