54 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Vietnam - Atlas Obscura

Unusual Attractions in Vietnam

Xuân Trạch, Vietnam

Hang Son Doong

World's largest cave was only discovered in 1991, and now offers tours to the public.

tx. Hương Thủy, Vietnam

Hồ Thuỷ Tiên

Vietnam's feral abandoned water park offers access to a post-apocalyptic funscape, now with fewer crocodiles.

Hòa Phú, Vietnam

Golden Bridge

This spectacular bridge supported by two gigantic hands looks like something out of a fantasy universe.

Hanoi's Train Street

Twice a day a speeding train passes only inches from the homes of this residential neighborhood.

Da Nang, Vietnam

Am Phu Cave

This Vietnamese hell cave lets visitors take a walk through a devilish underworld full of demons.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Suoi Tien Cultural Theme Park

Have fun at the world's first Buddhist waterslide park.

Da Nang, Vietnam

Fire-Breathing Dragon Bridge

This bridge is embedded with a giant steel dragon that breathes fire from its mouth.

tx. Hương Thủy, Vietnam

The Tomb of Nguyen Emperor Khai Dinh

An extravagant monument to an extravagantly unpopular Emperor.

See All 54 Things to Do in Vietnam See All 54 Places

Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Vietnam

100 Roofs Cafe

This Vietnamese bar doubles as a multistory labyrinth.

Anthony Bourdain and Barack Obama's Dinner Table

The spot where the two men ate together now stands enclosed in glass.

Cafe Pho Co

Walk through a clothing store, across a courtyard, and up several flights of stairs for delicious coffee with a side of beautiful views.

Hội An, Vietnam

Reaching Out Teahouse

Located off a bustling strip, a silent teahouse employs workers with hearing- or speech-related disabilities.

See all 6 places to eat in Vietnam See all 6 places to eat in Vietnam

In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

In partnership with Get Your Guide

Guided Tours Nearby

Atlas Obscura Trips

Vietnam: A Culinary Adventure from Hanoi to Saigon

On this nine-day journey, we’ll explore Vietnam through its unique cuisine, tasting our way across north, central, and south Vietnam by way of steaming pork belly meatballs in Hanoi’s Old Quarter and the white rose dumplings of Hoi An.

Explore Vietnam

Launch Map

Vietnam Leaderboard

Places Added

Places Edited

Places Visited

Recent Vietnam Activity

Random Railways

Random Railways wants to go to Hanoi's Train Street

vturano has been to Anthony Bourdain and Barack Obama's Dinner Table

vturano has been to Hanoi's Train Street

digitalferrari wants to go to Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre

kimikowaters wants to go to Cafe Pho Co

Stories About Vietnam

Along the Vietnamese coast, temples constructed in reverence to whales and other marine mammals—such as this one in Phan Thiet—house valuable information on the country’s little-studied cetaceans.

How Vietnam’s Ancient Whale Temples Are Helping Science

For centuries, hundreds of shrines have preserved crucial information about the marine mammals' diversity and distribution.

by Anne Pinto-Rodrigues

September 19, 2022

An artist's rendering of the moment an ancient crocodilian really stepped in it.

An Ancient Croc Stepped in Poop and Created a Portal to the Past

Scientists braved rain, mud, and a close encounter at a crocodile farm to learn what fossilized feces reveal about life 33 million years ago.

by Kate Golembiewski

February 28, 2022

A springy bamboo pole helps a villager lighten his load.

How Bamboo Sticks Help Vietnamese Villagers Shoulder Mighty Loads

It's a matter of simple physics.

by Isaac Schultz

January 31, 2020

A strong solar flare from 2012.

The Sun Set Off 4,000 Sea Mines During the Vietnam War

Only now do scientists fully understand just how strong a 1972 solar storm was.

by Sarah Laskow

November 14, 2018

Solid proof the muntjac is still around.

Found: A Rare Tiny Deer in Vietnam

It's called a muntjac, and the last time it appeared was nearly two decades ago.

by Christina Ayele Djossa

This perfect flower was injected right into the jelly.

The Beautiful Cakes Injected Full of Flowers

Watch as jelly masters create 3-D designs with needles and syringes.

November 17, 2017

The elfin mountain toad.

Found: Tiny ‘Elfish Eyebrow Toad’

It is very small.

by Sarah Laskow

Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.