Experience Hai Phong - What to see and do

Bustling, modern Hai Phong welcomes people from all over the globe. Hai Phong is a major industrial port city in the northeast part of Vietnam. Many use Hai Phong as a base or stopping point to connect to nearby Cat Ba Island and Ha Long Bay.

As the third largest city in Vietnam, Hai Phong provides foreign visitors with a glimpse into the real Vietnamese lifestyle and culture. Also known as the City of Flame Flowers for its distinctive flame flower trees, Hai Phong has retained many buildings and landmarks from the French colonial period in addition to its numerous temples and shrines.

Top three things to do in Hai Phong

Visit Hai Phong’s sacred sites

Like most major cities in Vietnam, Hai Phong has several religious landmarks worth visiting. The Du Hang Pagoda and Nghe Le Chan Temple are two of the most popular places for tourists to see while in Hai Phong. The Du Hang Pagoda is a serene Buddhist temple with golden Buddhas and a beautiful garden with bonsai trees, while the Nghe Le Chan Temple showcases valuable stone carvings and structures.

See the city’s remnants of French colonial rule

The Haiphong Opera House is a prime example of a building constructed during the period of French colonialism in Vietnam. Conveniently located in the centre of Hai Phong, this neoclassical opera house flaunts French-style architecture and is only open to the public during important events and performances. Hai Phong’s train station and museum are other landmarks that remain from French colonial times.

Scratch beneath the surface of local history

Speaking of the Hai Phong Museum, this is a great place to start when looking to really explore Hai Phong’s history. The museum, founded around 1900, displays precious objects and documents important to local history and culture. Anyone who wants to learn more about Hai Phong should check out this museum.