There are a lot of great countries in South-east Asia for history lovers, but Vietnam certainly has the most variety.
First you’ve got the ancient ruins, like those of the lost Champa Kingdom. Then you’ve got the remnants from Vietnam’s imperial era, with sprawling citadels and majestic tombs.
Then you have something the others don’t: the many historical sites leftover from the Vietnam War, such as the old Viet Cong tunnels, abandoned US military bases and the confronting War Remnants Museum.
If you’re planning to visit Vietnam and you’re interested in seeing some of these great historical attractions, you’re in the right place.
I’ve spent months travelling up and down the length of this country, and now I’ve created this list where I’ve narrowed it down to the top 15 historical places in Vietnam.
READ MORE >> 10 Day Vietnam Itinerary for History Buffs
Table of Contents
Vietnam Historical Places on a Map
The 15 Best Historical Places in Vietnam
1 | Hue Imperial Citadel
The old imperial citadel in Hue, on Vietnam’s central coast, is perhaps the country’s best remnant from its imperial era.
Designed after the Forbidden City in Beijing, the citadel was built in 1802 during the Nguyen Dynasty, and at the time was the centrepiece of the imperial city of Hue, the country’s capital.
During its heyday it housed multiple royal residences, temples, gardens and some smaller villas. It was from here that Vietnam’s final dynasty ruled over a unified Vietnam.
Hue was caught up in the middle of the Vietnam War, and so the imperial citadel was heavily damaged, but thankfully a lot of work is now going into restoring it. The efforts are ongoing, but much of the citadel is in great condition.
Hue Citadel, and Hue in general, is undoubtedly among Vietnam’s top historical places, and a must-visit for history lovers.
READ MORE >> Hue Citadel: Complete guide to Vietnam’s Imperial City
2 | My Son Sanctuary
Before it was conquered by the Vietnamese, central Vietnam comprised of the Champa Kingdom, and the ruins of this lost kingdom are scattered across the region. The best of them can be found at My Son Sanctuary.
From around the 4th to the 13th century CE, My Son was the royal holy site for Champa, situated not far from its capital city. Most of the structures here were Hindu temples, and were used for religious ceremonies.
Like many historical sites in central Vietnam, My Son Sanctuary was heavily bombed during the war, and many of the old temples still lie in ruins. Thankfully, restoration is underway, and a couple of the structures have been completely rebuilt.
My Son Sanctuary is located near Hoi An, a popular tourist hotspot, and makes for a great half-day trip.
READ MORE >> A Complete Guide to Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary
3 | Cu Chi Tunnels
During the Vietnam War the Viet Cong has extensive tunnels networks in the South as a way to move troops and supplies under the enemy’s nose. But more than that, these claustrophobic tunnels were essentially underground towns and military bases.
Today, some of these tunnels have been preserved and turned into tourist attractions, where you can crawl inside and explore them for yourself.
The most popular of these is the Cu Chi Tunnels, which is located just outside of Ho Chi Minh City.
The Cu Chi network is comprised of over 120km of tunnels, but there are 2 sections which are open to tourists: Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc.
Both make for a great day trip from the city, but Ben Dinh is the closer, and the most popular of the 2.
The Cu Chi Tunnels are not for the claustrophobic, but are undoubtedly among the Vietnam’s most unique historical experiences.
4 | Tomb of Khai Dinh
Vietnam was ruled over by a continuous series of dynasties from the 10th century CE all the way up until 1945, comprising Vietnam’s imperial era.
The second-to-last of these emperors died in 1925, before a majestic tomb was built in his honour just outside of Hue, which you can now visit.
Taking 11 years to build, Khai Dinh’s tomb comprises a multi-tiered complex with several buildings, statues and shrines leading up tot he main ‘palace’.
It has some of the most impressive architecture in Vietnam, with a unique mix of Vietnamese, Chinese and French.
It may not be as old as some other historical places in Vietnam, but its unrivalled architecture make it worth a visit when in Hue.
5 | Po Nagar Towers
My Son Sanctuary may be the largest ancient Cham site in Vietnam, but its not the only one, with another great site located in Nha Trang.
The Po Nagar towers were built sometime in the 7th century CE, and like My Son are Hindu temples.
As you can probably see from the above photo, these structures are in great condition thanks to extensive restoration efforts, and give you some idea of what My Son Sanctuary should look like once its restoration is complete.
Po Nagar may not be a big site, but its very easy to visit thanks to its located in downtown Nha Trang, which is a popular tourist beach town you may consider visiting anyway.
6 | Can Dao Prison
On a tropical island off the coast of Vietnam is a colonial-era prison used by the French to house criminals and dissidents.
Built in 1861, the prison on Can Dao island was originally built to house dangerous criminals, but as French rule started to weaken the prison came to hold anyone who stood up to to their colonial masters.
After the Vietnam War Can Dao Prison was turned into a museum, and is now one of the most popular tourist attractions on the island.
While it stands in contrasts to the idyllic tropical paradise that surrounds it, a visit to Can Dao Prison is a great way to learn more about the darker side of French colonial rule.
Can Dao Island is located just off the southern coast of Vietnam, not far from Ho Chi Minh City, and can be reached by ferry or plane.
7 | War Remnants Museum
The Vietnam War was a major global event that hangs in the memories of country’s all over the world, not to mention it was the key event that shaped modern Vietnam.
So naturally, when you visit Vietnam, you’re probably interested in learning more about this. One of the best places to do this is the War Remnants Museum.
Located in Ho Chi Minh City, the War Remnants Museum is the country’s leading museum relating to the Vietnam War. It holds a bunch of artefacts and memorabilia from all stages of the war, from the build up to the aftermath.
What makes this museum so renowned is its uncensored portrayal of the conflict. Several areas of the museum depict the brutal and harsh reality of the war, such as the use of chemical weapons or American war crimes.
It certainly doesn’t hold back, so visiting the War Remnants Museum can be a confronting experience, but its an essential experience if you want to understand the events that shaped modern Vietnam.
8 | Thang Long Citadel
Hanoi has been the capital of Vietnam throughout most of its imperial era, and all that history is centred around Thang Long Citadel.
Originally this was the site of a Chinese fortress, but after they were ousted, the Vietnamese built Thang Long. It was from here that multiple dynasties ruled over Vietnam until the capital was moved to Hue in the 19th century.
There’s a few things to see at this historical site.
Firstly, you have the remains of Thang Long Citadel itself. Most of the structure was destroyed, but you can still explore the gate and watchtower.
Then there’s the archeological remains of the original Chinese fortress built sometime in the 9th century CE, along with a museum containing artefacts from this era.
Then there’s also an underground bunker that was used by the Ministry of Defence during the Vietnam War.
Overall, there’s a lot to see at Thang Long Citadel, and its undoubtedly one of the best places to visit in Hanoi.
9 | Ho Chi Minh Complex
If you didn’t already know, Ho Chi Minh was a very influential figure in Vietnam. They even named their largest city after him. So naturally, if you’re visiting Vietnam, you’re probably interested in learning more about ‘Uncle Ho’.
There’s no better place to do this than the Ho Chi Minh Complex in Hanoi.
This entire complex is comemorates the life and achievements of the revolutionary leader, and has a few different things for you to see.
First there’s Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum, where you can see his embalmed body on display during a select few hours each morning.
Then there’s the presidential palace, which was originally the French governors house before becoming Ho Chi Minh’s official residence (although he chose not to live in it).
Ho Chi Minh instead chose to live in the more humble ‘stilt house’, which now serves as a museum where you can learn more about his time as president.
The Ho Chi Minh complex is a great way not only to learn about the man himself, but about the founding of modern Vietnam.
10 | Vinh Moc Tunnels
During the Vietnam War, the villages located near the demilitarised zone (DMZ), on the central coast, found themselves in the firing line of heavy American bombing.
One such village, with nowhere else to go, came up with a solution: move the entire village underground.
And so, in a fascinating story of survival, approximately 90 families dug up to 2km of tunnels, some as deep as 30m, where they continued living their lives. The tunnels contained their living areas, kitchens, a hospital, a well – a fully functioning town.
Some children were even born in the tunnel and lived their first few years mostly underground.
Like the more famous Cu Chi Tunnels, the Vinh Moc tunnels have been preserved and are open for tourists to explore. You can visit the Vinh Moc Tunnels on a daytrip from Hue.
11 | Cannon Fort
If you’re travelling to Vietnam, there’s a good chance you’ll be visiting the popular Cat Ba Island, the main launching point to the UNESCO-listed Ha Long Bay.
While you’re on Cat Ba, there’s a couple of interesting historical sites you can visit, like the old cannon fort situated on the hill above Cat Ba Town.
First built by the Japanese Empire during their occupation of Vietnam in the 1940s, the fort was then used by the French during their attempt to regain control after the WW2. It was then used by the North Vietnamese to protect their coastline from the Americans during the Vietnam War.
These days it’s a popular attraction where you can explore the fortifications and tunnels, visit a small museum, and catch the best sunet over Ha Long Bay.
12 | Co Loa
Just outside of Hanoi lies one of the oldest historical sites in Vietnam, predating anything else on this list.
Co Loa was once the capital of an ancient kingdom as far back as the 3rd century BCE, one of the earliest Vietnamese states to ever exist. It was then briefly the capital of another local kingdom again in the 10th century CE.
The original Co Loa Citadel was a sprawling complex with spiral-shaped walls, but little remains of this today or else it would be higher on this list. The many temples and shrines that exist there today were built relatively recently.
However you can still explore the grounds, get a sense of what the ancient city was like, and check out a collection 2000-year-old artefacts that were dug up at the site.
13 | Cat Ba Hospital Cave
If you’re visiting Cat Ba Island, there’s another fascinating historical site you’ll want to check out.
During the Vietnam War, the North was being bombed heavily and, like with the Cu Chi Tunnels, moved much of their infrastructure underground.
Here, in what is now Cat Ba National Park, they built an entire 3-story hospital inside a cave, complete with living spaces, operating theatres, office, a water reservoir, and even a large auditorium that was used as a cinema.
The Hospital Cave is easy to miss, but you can find it on the main road that runs across the middle of Cat Ba Island. After paying a small fee to the attendants, you’ll be guided through the structure and get a sense of what life was like for those who lived and worked here.
14 | Khe Sanh Combat Base
If you’re in Hue, and you want to learn more about the Vietnam War, there’s another historical site you’ll want to visit along the former DMZ.
During the war, this military base, located near the village. of Khe Sanh, was a key American military stronghold, and was the scene of a major battle.
The Americans eventually abandoned the base after concluding that it was too indefensible, but, leaving in a hurry, left many of their vehicles and weapons behind.
Today, the abandoned base has become a tourist attractions and a popular day trip from Hue. Here, you can check out the old American aircraft, vehicles and artillery, and visit a small museum to learn more about the role this base played during the war.
15 | Hao Lu
When the Vietnamese gained their independence from China in the 10th century CE, beginning their dynastic era, their first capital was located at Hao Lu, in modern-day Ninh Binh.
Ninh Binh is a popular tourist hotspot in northern Vietnam, and a place you might be visiting regardless to see amazing natural scenery. While you’re there, you can explore the remains of this ancient capital too.
While back in its heyday, this citadel was the political and economic centre of the Dai Viet kingdom, today little remains of it, or else it would be higher on this list.
However, you can still check out the old entrance bridge and gates, 2 temples, and a cave in which the founder of Dai Viet is said to have received a holy revelation.
