15 Photos To Inspire You To Visit Vietnam

My first stop in Southeast Asia, Vietnam lived up to and exceeded the hype. The country is packed with culture, friendly people, and the most mouth-wateringly, amazing food.

Thanks to its crazily cheap lifestyle, Vietnam is the ultimate backpacker hot spot

My three week stint in Vietnam took me from North to South via boat, bus, night bus, and even motorbike. I started in Hanoi, making my way up to Sapa, across to Ha Long Bay, then working my way down through Phong Nha, Hoi An, Da Lat – just to name a few – before ending in Ho Chi Minh City.

Of course over the three weeks I sampled as much Vietnamese food as possible. The coffee holds a special place in my heart as THE BEST coffee I’ve ever had – iced, black, hot, milky, even made with an egg. You can’t go wrong with a mug of Vietnamese java (I am now in New Zealand and have already found a Vietnamese cafe to satisfy my cravings). I recommend Giang Cafe in Hanoi for the best egg coffee you will find in Vietnam. Bahn Mi’s were my street food of choice – coming in at around 50p a sandwich and brimming with flavour! I would eat these for breakfast, lunch and dinner if I could (and at one point I did.

The highlight of my three weeks has to be the Hai Van Pass. There’s so much hype surrounding this (thanks Jeremy Clarkson and co.) that I almost didn’t bother – but I’m SO glad I did. You can read more about the Hai Van Pass, and how to conquer it here. From the towns, to the cities, and to the countrysides Vietnam is a treat waiting to be explored. If you’re unsure of whether Vietnam is for you, here’s some photos to inspire your wanderlust – but seriously, you’ll be happy you booked that flight.