Vietnam's hidden gems: 10 places without the crowds

Most travellers see the same three places in Vietnam: Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, Da Nang. Yet the country stretches 1,650 km. Beyond the resort strip there are rice terraces without a single foreigner, volcanic islands lined with garlic fields, floating Mekong villages, and ethnic communities where "tourist" isn't a word people use.

Ten places the crowds haven't reached yet — with the specifics: how to get in, what it costs, what to expect.

• Pu Luong (Pù Luông): Rice terraces — homestays from 300,000 VND (~$12)
• Mu Cang Chai (Mù Cang Chải): Golden terraces Sep–Oct — from 200,000 VND (~$8)
• Lan Ha Bay (Vịnh Lan Hạ): A quieter Ha Long — kayaking
• Ly Son (Đảo Lý Sơn): Volcanic island — garlic fields
• Ban Gioc (Thác Bản Giốc): Widest waterfall in Vietnam — 300+ m
• Quy Nhon (Quy Nhơn): Empty beaches — Cham towers
• Phong Nha (Phong Nha): World-class caves — Bong Lai Valley
• Chau Doc (Châu Đốc): Floating villages — Tra Su forest
• Kon Tum (Kon Tum): Ethnic villages — almost no tourists
• Cay Sao (Cây Sao): The other Phu Quoc — wellness, farms

Why go off the beaten path in Vietnam

Nha Trang and Phu Quoc are fine resorts. But by day three on the beach you start wanting something else. Northern Vietnam in particular is thinly documented — good English-language information is scarce even now, and once you leave the main hubs the trail goes cold fast.

The backcountry shows you the real Vietnam. Villages where life hasn't changed in decades. Mountain roads with views that stop you cold. Islands with no hotels and no restaurants.

And the prices. In non-touristy places a homestay runs 200,000–400,000 VND (~$8–16) a night, and lunch is 50,000–80,000 VND (~$2–3). Roughly a third of Nha Trang.

Pu Luong — the alternative to Sapa

The Pù Luông nature reserve in Thanh Hóa province is all rice terraces, misty forests, and Thai and Muong villages. It looks a lot like Sapa, but without the stream of buses and souvenir sellers.

How to get there: 4 hours from Hanoi, or 3 hours from Ninh Binh by car. There is no public transport in — you need a transfer or a rented motorbike.

What to do: trek the terraces (routes from 2 to 15 km), stay in village homestays, cycle the valley, and swim in the natural pools below the waterfalls.

Where to stay: homestays from 300,000 VND (~$12) a night with breakfast. Rooms are simple — a mattress on the floor of a wooden stilt house. There are no hotels in the usual sense.

Tourist level:2/10. You might run into a couple of European backpackers, and that's it.

Best time: May–June (green terraces) and September–October (golden harvest).

Mu Cang Chai — the golden terraces

Mù Cang Chải in Yên Bái province is Hmong country, famous for the steep terraces generations of farmers have carved into the hillsides.

From late September to early October the terraces turn gold — the harvest. That window lasts only 2–3 weeks, and it is exactly why photographers fly in from around the world.

How to get there: 6 hours from Hanoi on mountain roads. A bus to Mu Cang Chai runs from 250,000 VND (~$10).

What to do: photography, trekking, homestays with Hmong families. There may be no internet — mobile signal only, and not everywhere.

Where to stay: homestays from 200,000 VND (~$8). Facilities are basic.

Tourist level: 1/10 out of season, 4/10 during the harvest.

Lan Ha Bay — Ha Long without the crowds

Vịnh Lan Hạ is essentially the southern stretch of Ha Long Bay. The same limestone cliffs, but the water is cleaner, the boats are fewer, and the prices are lower. Most of the boats here belong to fishermen, not tour groups.

How to get there: ferry from Hai Phong to Cát Bà island (30 min, from 80,000 VND / ~$3), then a boat out into the bay.

What to do: kayak among the cliffs, swim in secluded coves, trek in Cat Ba National Park (a UNESCO biosphere reserve), and visit the floating fishing villages.

Where to stay: on Cat Ba, guesthouses from 300,000 VND (~$12), hostels from 150,000 VND (~$6).

Tourist level:3/10. European backpackers know it, but mass tourism hasn't arrived yet.

Ly Son — the volcanic island

Đảo Lý Sơn sits 30 km off the coast of Quảng Ngãi province. Three islands of volcanic origin: the main one, An Bình (the small island), and Hòn Mù Cu.

The landscape is like nowhere else. Volcanic rock, vivid green garlic fields (Ly Son is Vietnam's garlic capital), turquoise water. Infrastructure is minimal — both an advantage and an inconvenience.

How to get there: a ferry from Quang Ngai port (~1 hour, from 200,000 VND / ~$8). Crossings depend on the weather — in the storm season (October–December) they can be cancelled.

What to do: swim, snorkel, hike the volcanic craters, and walk the garlic fields. The small island has empty beaches.

Where to stay: guesthouses from 200,000 VND (~$8). Few hotels.

Tourist level: 2/10. Vietnamese tourists come at weekends; foreigners almost never.

Ban Gioc — the widest waterfall

Thác Bản Giốc in Cao Bằngprovince is Vietnam's widest waterfall (over 300 metres) and the fourth-widest border waterfall in the world. The right side is Vietnam, the left is China.

How to get there: 4 hours from Cao Bang, 8–9 hours from Hanoi. A Hanoi–Cao Bang bus runs from 250,000 VND (~$10), then local transport to the falls.

What to do: the waterfall itself, the Phong Nam valley (10 km of rice fields and villages), Núi Thủngmountain with the hole through its centre (the "Angel's Eye"), and the 36-lake system of Thang Hen.

Where to stay: homestays and small hotels near the falls, from 250,000 VND (~$10).

Tourist level:3/10. Popular with Vietnamese, but few foreigners. Ban Gioc isn't on the usual bucket lists yet — and that's a good thing.

Quy Nhon — empty beaches and Cham towers

Quy Nhơn is a coastal city in Bình Địnhprovince, between Nha Trang and Da Nang. Long beaches, clean water, 11th–13th-century Cham towers — and it's ten times quieter than Nha Trang.

How to get there: Phù Cát airport (30 min from town) with flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Or a bus from Nha Trang (~5 hours, from 200,000 VND / ~$8).

What to do: beach time without the crowds, the Cham towers of Tháp Đôi and Tháp Bánh Ít, and seafood at local places (2–3 times cheaper than Nha Trang).

Where to stay: hotels from 300,000 VND (~$12), decent mid-range from 600,000 VND (~$24).

Tourist level: 4/10. Gaining a following, but still quiet. In 2–3 years it could be the next Da Nang.

💬 "Quy Nhon is Nha Trang ten years ago: the same beaches, but without the package tours and the tourist-menu restaurants." — traveller reviews on Vietnam Coracle, 2025

Phong Nha — more than caves

The village of Phong Nhasits on a riverbank at the entrance to the national park. But people don't come only for the caves — backpackers are drawn to the pace of life itself.

Bong Lai Valley is a farming valley 10 km from the village. Rent a bicycle (50,000 VND / ~$2) and ride the dirt track past rice fields, water buffalo, and quiet farm cafés.

Where to stay: hostels from 150,000 VND (~$6), guesthouses from 300,000 VND (~$12). The vibe is relaxed and backpacker-friendly.

Tourist level:5/10. Backpackers know it; the package crowd doesn't.

Chau Doc — the floating Mekong

Châu Đốc is a town in the Mekong Delta near the Cambodian border. Floating villages, canals, markets on the water — the real life of river Vietnam.

About 25 km away is the flooded Trà Sư forest: kayaking through the mangroves among herons and water lilies. It's one of the most photogenic spots in the delta.

How to get there: a bus from Ho Chi Minh City (~6 hours, from 150,000 VND / ~$6).

What to do: the floating villages by boat, the Tra Su forest (entry ~100,000 VND / ~$4), and Sam Mountain (Núi Sam) with its pagodas.

Where to stay: hotels from 250,000 VND (~$10).

Tourist level:3/10. It's a transit stop on the way to Cambodia — but few people linger, which is a shame.

Kon Tum — the forgotten highlands

Kon Tum is a mountain town in the Central Highlands. Ethnic Bahnar and Jarai villages with wooden communal longhouses (nhà rông). Almost no foreign tourists.

How to get there: a bus from Da Nang (~7 hours, from 200,000 VND / ~$8), or a domestic flight to Pleiku plus a transfer.

What to do: visit the villages (with a local guide), see the church built in Bahnar style, cross the cầu treo Kon Klor suspension bridge, and browse markets with ethnic crafts.

Where to stay: hotels from 200,000 VND (~$8). The choice is modest.

Tourist level:1/10. One of the least-visited places in Vietnam. If you're after the "real" Vietnam, this is it.

Cay Sao — the other Phu Quoc

The east coast of Phu Quoc is the opposite of the west's resort shoreline. The village of Cây Sao is slowly becoming a wellness spot: farm-to-table food, herbal spas, meditation.

The fishing village of Rạch Vẹm has starfish in the shallows and sunsets from the fishing jetties.

How to get there: motorbike or taxi from the west coast (30–40 min).

Where to stay: boutique guesthouses from 400,000 VND (~$16).

Tourist level:3/10. Locals know it; organized tours don't come out this way.

Practical tips for the backcountry

Language. English is thin on the ground off the tourist track. Download Google Translate offline (Vietnamese) and learn a few basics: xin chào (hello), cảm ơn (thank you), bao nhiêu (how much).

Cash.Cards are accepted only in the cities. In the villages it's VND cash only. Withdraw from an ATM before you set out.

Transport. Between off-track spots there are buses (slow but cheap), or a motorbike. Grab works in the cities but not in the backcountry. A car with driver runs from 1,500,000 VND a day (~$60).

Connectivity. Mobile data works almost everywhere (Viettel has the best coverage), but Wi-Fi in homestays is a gamble. Buy a local SIM or an eSIM before you go.

Data current as of July 2026. Prices and conditions can change — confirm the details before you travel.

FAQ

What is the least touristy place in Vietnam?

Kon Tum in the Central Highlands. Ethnic Bahnar and Jarai villages, communal longhouses, and almost no foreign visitors. Get there by bus from Da Nang (about 7 hours, from 200,000 VND / ~$8). Rooms start around 200,000 VND (~$8) a night. You'll want at least basic Vietnamese or a local guide.

Where to go in Vietnam beyond Nha Trang and Da Nang?

Quy Nhon has the same beaches without the crowds and at a fraction of the price. Lan Ha Bay is like Ha Long but with cleaner water and no bus tours. Pu Luong offers Sapa-style rice terraces without the souvenir sellers. Phong Nha pairs world-class caves with a laid-back backpacker scene.

When is the best time to visit Mu Cang Chai?

Late September to early October, the golden harvest season. The window lasts only 2–3 weeks. Outside it the terraces are green (May–August) or bare (winter). The road from Hanoi is about 6 hours of mountain switchbacks.

Is it safe to travel off the beaten path in Vietnam?

Vietnam is one of the safest countries in Southeast Asia and crime in the countryside is minimal. The real risks are the mountain roads (ride carefully), the distance from medical help (carry a first-aid kit), and the language barrier. Travel insurance is a must.

How do you get to Ly Son island?

A ferry from Quang Ngai port takes about an hour, from 200,000 VND (~$8). Crossings can be cancelled in rough weather, especially October–December. To reach Quang Ngai, take a train from Da Nang or Nha Trang. The island is small — you can loop it on a motorbike in a couple of hours.

Is Chau Doc worth visiting?

If you want to see Mekong life without the tourist gloss, absolutely. Floating villages, the flooded Tra Su forest with kayaking, and floating markets. It's about 6 hours by bus from Ho Chi Minh City (from 150,000 VND / ~$6). Two days is enough — many travellers combine it with the crossing into Cambodia.