Camping in Vietnam

Angel Eye Mountain - also known as God Eye Mountain or Núi Thủng - is a limestone karst peak in Cao Bằng with a perfectly circular 50m hole piercing through its summit, set in the Thang Hen valley where the surrounding flatland floods into a 15-hectare lake each rainy season.

Ba Be Lake is Vietnam's largest natural freshwater lake - three connected bodies of water (Pé Lèng, Pé Lù, Pé Lầm) stretching 8km through karst mountains in Bắc Kạn. Ramsar Wetland site, Tày homestays, boat through Puong Cave, and some of the most intact lowland forest in the northern highlands.

Ba Hòn Đầm is a cluster of three small islands in the Bà Lụa Archipelago, Kiên Lương - known as the 'mini Ha Long of the South', 20km offshore with calm shallow water between the islands, colourful pebble beaches, and bioluminescence at night from November to April.

Bidoup Núi Bà National Park protects the largest remaining tract of highland cloud forest in southern Vietnam - a 70,000-hectare wilderness of montane jungle, endemic birds, and multi-day trekking routes 50km north of Đà Lạt.

Bù Gia Mập National Park is one of the last intact lowland rainforest blocks in southeastern Vietnam - 26,000 hectares on the Cambodian border, 200km from Saigon. Difficulty 2/10, suitable for beginners. Famous for leeches, gibbon calls at dawn, and camping by Đắk Manh stream.

Bùi Hui Grassland is a highland meadow at 700m elevation in Ba Tơ district, Quảng Ngãi - a wide-open landscape of rolling hills, sim berry shrubs, and cool mountain air, home to the H're ethnic minority and one of Quảng Ngãi's most scenic camping destinations.

Cát Bà National Park covers 17,363 hectares of the island's rugged interior - the last habitat of the critically endangered golden-headed langur, with jungle trails to a summit viewpoint over Ha Long Bay and Lan Hà Bay simultaneously, a 12km trek through primary forest to Việt Hải village, and butterfly swarms along the trails in April and May.

Cát Tiên National Park is the most accessible serious wildlife destination from Ho Chi Minh City - a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of 72,000 hectares protecting lowland rainforest, over 350 bird species, and the Dao Tien Endangered Primate Species Centre.

Chứa Chan is located in Xuân Lộc District, about 90 km east of Ho Chi Minh City. The mountain sits just off National Highway 1A and is easy to reach by motorbike or car, with the journey taking around two hours from the city. Most visitors start at the parking area at the base of the mountain, where two routes begin: a long concrete staircase leading to Bửu Quang Pagoda, and a quieter forest trail used by hikers heading to the summit.

Suối Cửa Tử in Thái Nguyên province is a 9-gate stream trek through primary forest in Đại Từ district, approximately 2 hours from Hanoi - with natural swimming pools, waterfall jumps, and camping options that make it one of the most accessible wilderness day trips from the capital.

Dầu Tiếng Lake is the largest artificial reservoir in Vietnam - a 270km² expanse of water on the Tây Ninh and Bình Dương border, surrounded by forest and used for irrigation, with sunrise photography and lakeside cycling as the main visitor draws.

Núi Dinh is a 504m coastal peak in Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu province - the highest point in the region, with forested trails, a summit pagoda, and panoramic views over the Vũng Tàu peninsula and the South China Sea.

Đồi Nhái Beach is a 3.8km undeveloped stretch of coastline near Phước Tỉnh in Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu - no facilities, no crowds, and one of the better sunrise spots on the southern coast within 100km of Ho Chi Minh City.

The Hai Tac Islands are a remote archipelago of 16 islands in the Gulf of Thailand off the Kien Giang coast, historically known as the Pirate Islands. One of the least visited island groups in Vietnam, with coral reefs, white sand beaches, and almost no tourist infrastructure.

Hang En is the third largest natural cave in the world - 3km from Sơn Đoòng, accessible by 2-day 1-night trek through jungle and Bru-Vân Kiều village, with a night camping on a white sandbar inside the cave under a 145m ceiling. The accessible alternative to Sơn Đoòng.

K50 Waterfall (Thác Hang Én) is a 54-metre cascade inside Kon Chu Rang Nature Reserve on the Gia Lai–Bình Định border - accessible only by multi-day trek with permits, with a swallow cave behind the falls, a King Kong-shaped boulder in the pool, and leeches regardless of season.

La Ngâu Stream in Tánh Linh, Bình Thuận is a rocky jungle stream with natural pools and multiple campsites - one of the top weekend camping destinations from Ho Chi Minh City (4-5 hours). No electricity, weak signal, cold water, and a dam that releases without warning. Far enough from Saigon to feel genuinely removed. Close enough for a 2-day trip.

Langbiang Mountain is the highest peak in the Đà Lạt plateau at 2,167 metres - a twin-peaked massif rising above pine forest north of the city, home to the K'Ho ethnic minority, with a summit trek rewarded by panoramic views over the entire Central Highlands.

Masara Hill in Đức Trọng district, Lâm Đồng is a 30-hectare expanse of open grassland that turns pink from mid-November to mid-December - one of the few places in Vietnam where this seasonal transformation happens at scale, and largely unknown to foreign visitors.

Mẫu Sơn is one of the few places in Vietnam where snow falls - a 1,541m massif in Lạng Sơn province near the Chinese border that experiences genuine subalpine conditions in winter, with frost, occasional snowfall, and a sea of clouds that makes it one of the most dramatic landscapes in the northeast.

Mũi Trô is a tiny, nameless-on-most-maps fishing village on the Bình Thuận coast - a handful of houses, round basket boats, and a rocky pebble beach that almost no foreign traveler has visited, sitting 2km off the road near Cô Thạch beach.

Nam Du is Vietnam's southernmost island archipelago - 21 islands in the Gulf of Thailand, closer and cheaper than Phú Quốc, with clearer water, outer islands for snorkeling, and a genuine fishing community character. 2 hours from Rạch Giá by high-speed ferry.

Phi Liêng is a 7-tier, 70m waterfall deep in the forest of Đam Rông district, Lâm Đồng - nicknamed 'Tây Nguyên Đệ Nhất Thác' (the greatest waterfall of the Central Highlands). 80km from Đà Lạt, no phone signal inside, a 40-45 degree descent with ropes - genuinely remote and genuinely rewarding.

Son Doong is the largest cave in the world - big enough to contain a 40-story skyscraper, with its own weather system, jungle, and river inside. Access is by expedition only, with a strict annual quota making it one of the most exclusive natural experiences on earth. All tours run exclusively through Oxalis Adventure.

Tà Đùng Lake in Đắk Nông is called the 'Hạ Long Bay of the Central Highlands' - a reservoir with 47+ forested islands that are actually the hilltops of submerged terrain, formed by the Đồng Nai 3 hydroelectric dam. Sea of clouds visible at 5-6 AM during rainy season. 250km from Saigon.

The Tà Năng - Phan Dũng Trek is the most celebrated multi-day wilderness route in southern Vietnam - a 30-55km crossing through 3 provinces (Lâm Đồng, Ninh Thuận, Bình Thuận) from highland to coast, passing a tri-province peak at 1,701m. Standard format 2 nights 1 day. First opened around 2015.

Tà Xùa (Phu Sa Phìn) is Vietnam's 13th highest peak at 2,865m, straddling Son La and Yen Bai provinces. The Bac Yen route - the most popular approach - crosses the legendary dinosaur spine ridge above a sea of clouds, passes the iconic turtle rock, and climbs through an ancient moss forest. Standard trek: 2 days, 2 nights, ~23km total.

Thang Hen is a cluster of 36 interconnected karst lakes on a plateau 30km from Cao Bằng city, famous for their intense turquoise-blue water surrounded by limestone mountains and green grasslands. Visit June to September - outside the rainy season the lake drops to an unimpressive pond and the grass turns brown.

Tri An Lake is a large reservoir in Dong Nai province, 60km from Ho Chi Minh City, formed by the Tri An hydroelectric dam on the Dong Nai River. A popular weekend camping and kayaking destination for city residents, with forested islands, calm water, and dramatic sunset views.

The White Sand Dunes of Mũi Né are Vietnam's most surreal landscape - vast white dunes stretching to the horizon beside two freshwater lakes, nicknamed the 'Sahara of Vietnam', best experienced at sunrise when the light turns the sand pale gold and the lakes reflect the sky.

Yavly Waterfall is a remote cascade deep in the forest along the Tà Năng - Phan Dũng trekking route, one of the most celebrated multi-day wilderness treks in southern Vietnam. Reached only on foot after a full day of hiking through grasslands and primary forest, it is the kind of waterfall that has to be earned.

The Yên Minh Pine Forest is an unexpected stretch of highland pine on the Ha Giang Loop between Quản Bạ and Đồng Văn - a 10km section of road through dense Pinus kesiya forest at 1,200 metres, with morning mist threading between the trees and a completely different atmosphere from the surrounding karst landscape.