North Central Coast
Central Vietnam’s northern coast, home to the old imperial city of Hue and the river caves of Phong Nha. Tour Hue’s citadel and royal tombs, take a boat into Phong Nha Cave, swim at Lang Co under the Hai Van Pass, or walk the rice terraces of Pu Luong. The driest weather is roughly February to August; September to November brings heavy rain.
Hue and Phong Nha sit on this coast. Dry weather is most likely from about February to August. Heavy rain and typhoons are most likely from September to November.
Phong Nha is a separate overnight, usually from Dong Hoi or Hue. Hue is a few hours north of Da Nang. Da Nang and Hoi An are the next region south.
Top destinations in North Central Coast
Cities
Towns
Landscapes and islands
Attractions in North Central Coast
- Bach Ma National Park
Walk Bach Ma National Park on one ticket, from the gate up the summit road.
- Cua Lo beach
Swim and walk the long sand at Cửa Lò, the beach of this city.
- Hue Citadel
The walled court of the Nguyễn kings, about 600 m a side inside the outer citadel on the north bank.
- Lang Co Beach
Swim and walk a gentle bay under the pass, between Hue and Da Nang.
- Lap An Lagoon
Look across the lagoon from the shore or from Nguyễn Văn, at oyster stakes, round boats, and the mountain.
- Nhat Le Beach
Sit on the city beach at the Nhật Lệ mouth, pale sand under casuarina, with fishing boats using the channel.
- Paradise Cave
Dry boardwalk cave: walk about a kilometre inside at Km 16, the other half-day beside the boat.
- Son Doong
Booked cave expedition: six days and five nights with Oxalis, January to August, for the doline at that scale.
- Valley terraces
Give the morning to the terrace walls, with the limestone ridge behind the crop.
- Do Quyen Waterfall
Walk from km 16 to Đỗ Quyên, a fall on a headwater of the Hương.
- Hai Van Gate
Walk the restored gate on the pass and look back at Lang Co bay.
- Ho Chi Minh Square
Walk the open square and the full statue at Hồ Tùng Mậu and Trường Thi.
- Mother Suot
Stand at the Mother Suốt landing, where Nguyễn Thị Suốt rowed soldiers, ammunition, and messages across the…
- Nhat Le riverbank
Walk the Nhật Lệ in the morning, with boats on the water and coconuts on the Bảo Ninh bank.
- Phong Nha Cave
River cave by boat: row about 1,200 metres in a 2.5-hour visit for the mouth the village is built around.
- Quang Binh Gate
Look at Quảng Bình Quan, the south gate of the Lũy Thầy line, in brick and stone.
- Quyet Mountain
Climb Núi Quyết to the Quang Trung temple and the view over sông Lam.
- Summit villas
Sleep in a summit villa only after a registration made a day ahead is accepted.
- Tam Toa bell tower
Look at the ruined bell tower of Tam Toa in the central park.
- Tomb of Khai Dinh
The most compact of the royal tombs, about 117 m by 48.5 m on the slope of Ứng Sơn, begun in 1920 and eleve…
- Tomb of Minh Mang
Minh Mang’s tomb runs on one straight axis of about 700 m, from Đại Hồng Môn past lakes, bridges, and pavil…
- Tu Duc Tomb
Tu Duc’s garden tomb: almost 50 buildings named for the word Khiêm, set around Lưu Khiêm lake upstream of t…
- Vinh Citadel
Walk the Nguyễn gate, the moat, and the yard at Thành cổ Vinh.
- An Dinh Palace
Khải Định’s private palace on the An Cựu river, later the house of Crown Prince Vĩnh Thụy, the future Bảo Đại.
- Bao Quoc Pagoda
An old hillside pagoda on Hàm Long hill, granted its royal charter and the name Báo Quốc in 1747.
- Dieu De Pagoda
One of three Nguyễn national pagodas still standing in Hue, on the Hộ Thành river near Gia Hội bridge, buil…
- Dong Hoi Citadel
Walk the short restored sections of Thành Đồng Hới, with a moat, an east gate, and an arched bridge toward…
- Hon Chen Temple
Walk the hall at Hon Chen, the temple on Ngọc Trản above the river.
- Nam Giao Esplanade
The open-air altar where Nguyễn kings offered sacrifice to heaven and earth: three stacked terraces, round…
- Nghe Tinh Soviet Museum
Walk the 1930–1931 rooms in the citadel yard on Đào Tấn.
- Perfume River walk
The river walk at the centre of Hue: a path from Truong Tien Bridge to Nghinh Lương Đình, the old royal lan…
- Tan Canh Duong
Swim the Canh Duong beach north of Lang Co, then stay for the evening grill.
- Thanh Toan Bridge
An 18th-century tiled-roof bridge in the vegetable plots of Thủy Thanh, about 8 km southeast of Hue, with a…
- Thien Mu Pagoda
The seven-tiered Phước Duyên tower on Hà Khê hill above the Perfume River, at a pagoda founded by Nguyễn Ho…
- Tien Son Cave
Dry cave above the river: climb nearly 600 steps on the same 2.5-hour boat trip as Phong Nha Cave.
- Tomb of Duc Duc
Walk the worship hall at Duc Duc's tomb, on its own ticket.
- Tomb of Gia Long
The founder’s tomb: a family of tombs spread over 42 named pine hills upstream, with no outer wall.
- Tomb of Thieu Tri
Xương Lăng, the only Nguyễn tomb that faces northwest, sits among rice fields and orchards about 8 km from…
- Tu Hieu Pagoda
A working monastery in the pines of Thủy Xuân, about 5 km from the centre, named by Tự Đức and the resting…
- Vinh Market
Walk Chợ Vinh in the morning for the hall and a foam coffee.
- Phu Cam Cathedral
The cathedral of the Archdiocese of Hue on Phước Quả hill, a modern church by the architect Ngô Viết Thụ, w…
- Tomb of Dong Khanh
A small tomb beside Tu Duc’s, built around Ngưng Hy hall, the temple Đồng Khánh began for his father before…
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