I'm heading to Vietnam solo next week with an open itinerary flying into HCM and flying out of Hanoi. I was debating taking the train across the country but may forgo that idea as flights are so cheap. Any suggestions on places to visit that are off the beaten track and exude natural beauty? I plan to visit Sapa and the surrounding area.

I’ve heard good things about DaLat although I haven’t been myself.

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Ninh binh area , Tam Coc is really worth to explore. We loved it.

Definitely fly! And even go 1st class! Hoi An for sure!

Mui Ne. Travel by 1st class on train from HCMC. We booked months in advance, so tickets might be unavailable.

For natural beauty definitely Ha Long Bay

I recommend overnight trains because you don’t lose travel time since you’re asleep. They have rooms with 2 sets of bunk beds

Definitely Ha Long Bay, Hoi An & Hue. If I had to only pick one of those I'd chose to return to Hoi An.

I would highly recommend joining the Facebook group Vietnam Wonders. It is an amazing resource. Personally I would not bother with Dalat but definitely do Hoi An, perhaps Danang, and Hue.

Halongbay for sure. But why fly when you can see the whole country by train? Trains are great in Vietnam!

Dalat for waterfalls, muine for fairy stream and sand dunes, Phong Nha caves, phu Quoc Island for beaches, Ninh Binh for rivers and crazy cool mountains in the middle of flat lands. Obviously halong bay

We enjoyed Sa pa, Tam Coc (a little smaller than Ninh Binh ), and Hoi An. So many beautiful place in Vietnam. My favourite place to visit.

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Hoi An for sure

If you are looking for nature: sapa/ ha giang; ha long bay, ninh binh/ tam coc ( this is "newer" destination so kind of "off beaten path").
Culture: ha noi, hoi an.
Personal favorites: hoi an - if someone says they only have 1 day in VN I'd recommend this place; saigon: it's a city, yes, but it carries with it all layers of different cultures and history conflicts in it, if you have the mind to explore; ninh binh/ tam coc: peaceful beautiful nature with outdoor activities, just booming a couple years so not overly exploited yet.

Sapa is a good choice, and an easy adventure. If you are more daring and more open to less organized and more "unpredictable " trip, search for "ha giang", "mai chau" "mu cang chai". These are like sapa of 15+ years ago and more difficult to get to.

TRAVELFISH.ORG

Hoi An was my favourite for the ancient town and closeby beaches

My husband and I spent 2 months in Vietnam and always say that Phong Nha National Park is 100% somewhere we want to go back to. So many amazing caving tours and multi-day treks to do. The train ride from Dong Hoi to Da Nang is also really spectacular if you want to choose just one to do (during the day).