If you hear Vietnam and think of war, think again. Nowadays Vietnam is better associated with the gorgeous scenery, delicious foods and rich culture it offers. And as with the other places highlighted in my Writer’s Travel Guides, the beauty found in Vietnam makes it a great country for a writing retreat.
Admittedly, if it’s your first time there, you’ll likely find little time for writing in Vietnam when you have mountains to hike, cities to explore and beaches to relax on.
But perhaps you’ll find time to write in Vietnam while eating some pho, lounging on a boat or sitting in a café.
Or, like me, you may return to the stunning country of Vietnam for a solo writing retreat (the Mekong Delta and the mountain city of Dalat were good choices for me).
Read this guide to find the best spots to take writing breaks in the parts of Vietnam I found most inspiring.
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This was not only one of my favorite cities in Asia, but in the whole world. Chaotic, diverse and exciting, Hanoi was so much fun to explore.
And thanks to its abundance of cafes, my favorite city in Vietnam also holds tons of great writing spots.
This ancient temple was Vietnam’s first national university, and it’s so amazing to explore.
There are several temples to visit, and the grounds are gorgeous. I kept wishing the universities I studied at were this beautiful!
This impressive citadel is roughly 1000 years old, though it has been rebuilt and renamed several times throughout history.
I spent a lot more time than I planned there, as there were so many exhibits.
It’s a great way to learn about Hanoi’s history. And you’ll also learn about the history of Vietnam as whole, which is great if your writing is inspired by history.
This peaceful ancient Buddhist temple is located on a tiny island on the huge lake. It was probably my favorite temple in the city because of how peaceful it was. (Though expect lots of tourists!)
The lake is also nice to walk along, but it’s too big to walk around its entirety.
This lake is much smaller, but still quite big! It’s located near the Old Quarter, so it’s a lot more accessible if that’s where your accommodation is (which I recommend).
It also has an island temple located on it, Temple of the Jade Mountain, and the red bridge leading to it over the lake makes for a pretty picture.
This tiny, narrow street (more like alleyway) is a very Instagrammable spot due to train tracks running through it, with plants and shopfronts lining them.
I happened to be there when a train came by, and I couldn’t believe how big it was…nor how it managed to squeeze through that tiny street!
It’s a fun place to explore when you need a wander around after writing in one of the cafes on this street.
But if you need a less claustrophobic place to explore, the streets of the Old Quarter hold much to see.
The picturesque, old colonial buildings with an Asian twist demand to be photographed, and the streets are always filled with bustle that makes for great people watching (i.e. getting new character ideas).
This cozy café is one of many offering the famous egg coffee. You can find it in cafes all throughout Hanoi, but this is the one I went to.
They even gave a free presentation showing how they make the egg coffee, which is a long process done all by hand.
This space had a bit of French colonial vibe to it with its architecture, and it even has a little balcony where you can write in the sunshine on nice days.
Any fellow Harry Potter fans here? When I heard there was a Harry Potter themed café in Hanoi, I couldn’t leave without stopping by for a butterbeer.
They have a small, cozy room in the back perfect for a day of writing while being fueled with Harry Potter themed snacks.
And if you’re a serious Harry Potter fan, don’t miss my guide to other Harry Potter-themed locations all around the world!
This café is located on Train Street, which is quite a trek from the Old Quarter. So, if you want to take a break from your photoshoot and train watching to write, take a notebook along with you and stop here for a while.
They have seating up top, so grab a refreshment from the friendly owners and sit yourself down to write above the train tracks. If you stay long enough, you’re guaranteed to be there while a train passes through this narrow street.
Don’t worry, you won’t be able to get so immersed in your writing that you’ll miss the train passing by; it’s very, very loud.
If you want to write in more of a nature setting, there’s lots of benches set up around Turtle Lake.
If you don’t mind the bustle of people walking by and cars driving on the surrounding streets, it can be a peaceful place to write as you gaze out on the lake, its surrounding trees and the temple island.
Located just outside the Old Quarter, this homestay is fit for the budget traveler. Not only is it really cheap, but the rooms are very trendy with a hanging chair that was fun to swing around in while writing.
While the family owning this homestay doesn’t live here, you text them what time you want breakfast and someone comes by to cook it for you every morning. For the price, you won’t find a better deal for such a homey, comfortable place.
For the luxury travelers, this gorgeous hotel is good choice. The rooms are so beautiful, and have desks to write on, of course.
It’s located near the Opera House, and if you’d prefer another luxury hotel I’d recommend searching in this area. It was definitely the most luxurious part of the city, which you can tell from just walking down the streets.
It’s a particularly nice place to take a calming night walk, even if you can’t afford to stay in this area.
This one is for those who love adventure travel, who get the best writing inspiration after a day of adrenaline filling their veins and beautiful, remote scenery filling their vision.
You can’t miss the beautiful mountains of northern Vietnam. It’s seriously one of the most beautiful places in the world.
Most other travel guides will tell you to go to Sapa, but I skipped it because it’s super touristy nowadays. Ha Giang draws more of backpacker crowd, as it is famous amongst backpackers for its motorbike loop but that’s about it. You won’t find the roads packed with tour buses here.
I seriously think motorbike loops are the best writing adventures, as you’ll know if you read my Writer’s Travel Guide to Laos, where I wrote about the Thakhek Loop.
There’s no stronger feeling of freedom than biking on an open road with gorgeous views stretching out before you. You have the whole day for your mind to wander and take in the sights.
And then, you have all evening to write. You can’t really bike at night (or at least, I didn’t feel safe doing so), and you usually end up in places in the middle of nowhere with limited or no Wi-Fi.
I don’t know about you, but there’s nothing like being in the middle of nowhere that inspires me to write (if only to avoid boredom).
Many parts of Vietnam gave me inspiration to write, but the Ha Giang Loop was possibly the most inspiring.
Well, I’ll be honest. The whole day will likely be a writing break, unless you’re so inspired you need to stop on the side of the road to pull out your notebook. (Which I’ve been known to do.)
There’s so much to see on the loop, so here are the highlights:
-Fairy Bosom in Tam Son
-Sky Path around Meo Vac (climb up the rocks to the viewpoint there!)
-Viewpoints (there were so many, all beautiful)
-Noh Que River (you can take a boat ride on it, but the “road” down was the most winding and narrow)
-Ma Pi Leng Pass
As I said, you can write on one of your stops while on the road. Well, don’t literally stop on the road, but perhaps you can find a nice rock or bench at a viewpoint, or stay longer wherever you stopped for lunch.
But the best place will be at the end of the day- or early morning before you set out again- at your accommodation. If you don’t find a group of people to socialize with, you’ll probably get bored being in the middle of nowhere.
And there’s no surer way to ensure you write than boredom!
This hostel is a great place to meet people to do the loop with. The hostel organized a staff member to guide us past the police checkpoint at the start of the loop, and I ended up staying with the group from the hostel.
The hostel itself had comfy beds, free breakfast and a super great quality bike rental.
I stayed at this place on my first night of the loop, and it hosted a delicious family dinner, which was much appreciated after a long day on the bike.
The place was very clean and nice, and although there was no desk in the room, there was a common area downstairs with seat where you can write.
I didn’t, admittedly, because I met a group of cool people at my Ha Giang hostel and was too busy socializing (ah, the troubles of trying to write while solo traveling…).
This second homestay had an equally delicious family dinner, and the staff was extremely nice!
My room did have a small table with seats at this one, and I did manage a tiny bit of writing on it after the dinner and socializing.
The place kind of felt like a little village in the middle of nowhere, in a little valley flanked on both sides by gorgeous mountain scenery.
Just as I recommended the less touristy Ha Giang over Sapa, I recommend the less touristy Lan Ha Bay over the famous Ha Long Bay. Same landscape, but less people and cheaper prices.
And Cat Ba Island is not only the best place to explore Vietnam’s more secret Lan Ha Bay, but it also holds lots of amazing adventure and writing spots in itself. Here they are.
There’s nothing like the exercise of a jungle hike. And there’s nothing like the view you’ll get at the end of this one.
It’s hard to believe that you’re on a fairly small island as you summit the top. The coastline is nowhere to be seen, as you summit in a valley surrounded by lush, green karst mountains.
If you like writing in nature, bring a notebook. You’ll need it.
While you’re at the viewpoint, don’t miss out on the nearby Trung Trang cave. Its caverns are quite an elaborate and impressive system and make for a nice stroll through.
There’s also the Hospital Cave, which as the name suggests, was used as a hospital during the war. It’s not as beautiful or elaborate as the Trung Trang Cave, but the history behind it is cool!
Cat Ba is a paradise for rock climbers. I’ve never done it on a real rock before, just indoors on a fake climbing wall, but I had a great guide to help out!
The tour I did took us to Hidden Valley. Although my sore muscles and cut up hands weren’t too happy after, I found the adrenaline-pumping experience to be really fun!
There’s nothing like feeling as though you’re going to die to change the way you view the world…and that includes how you view your writing!
Possibly the main popularity of Cat Ba is its being the launch point of the Lan Ha Bay cruises.
I highly recommend the Captain Jack boat trip. This was one of the best tours I did in all of SE Asia. That’s because our tour guides actually explained to us the itinerary for the day and gave us information about the area throughout the whole boat trip. That wasn’t easy to find in my SE Asia travels.
We sailed through a floating village, swam to a little island, went kayaking and did a hike to a viewpoint on Monkey Island for sunset.
I even had some time to write on the top deck of the boat while we docked for swimming time.
This viewpoint is located in the middle of the area you’ll likely stay in. It has a view of the harbor that I especially recommend for watching sunset.
There are several benches so you can sit up there and write while you wait for the sun to set!
This was the location of my last beautiful sunset in Vietnam, so admittedly I didn’t spend it writing but soaking the view in. But I’d love to return there to write one day!
My favorite writing spot on the island was the beach.
Beach 1 wasn’t super nice as there was construction going on, but I sat on some rocks under the stairs leading to the Rock Trail that I found nice for some writing time.
And the Rock Trail itself is worth visiting, with pretty views and leading to my favorite beach: the one by Catba Sunrise Resort. Grab a drink or food from Coco Bar, or simply lie out on the sandy beach.
Okay, maybe it’s not the most ideal writing spot. The venue itself isn’t super fancy, but I did find an outlet to charge my laptop. And the food is really the main reason I’m recommending you find time to go there.
I personally find the most time to write while traveling when I’m waiting for food, and that’s how I found myself writing at Yummy.
They have two locations, Yummy and Yummy 2, and I can assure you both locations had equally yummy food!
This restaurant had a prettier atmosphere with its rooftop reminiscent of a greenhouse with lots of plants. And the food was very good too.
This place is quite upscale, so the price is not cheap compared to other hostels in SE Asia. But it is a great place for a chilled writing environment, so it makes up for the price.
The garden area has tons of cozy seating spots to write the day away, as well as an onsite restaurant/ bar, so you don’t have to leave!
Also, a family dinner is included in the price, so you’ll be getting a delicious, all-you-can-eat dinner too.
For a private room at a still cheap price, this place is a good choice! The food at its restaurant is really good, and it’s located right by the water and it has a big pool.
This is probably the prettiest town in the whole country. Its UNESCO protected old town is especially romantic at night, with the lanterns floating colorfully on the river.
As I mentioned, this part of the town is UNESCO protected. At the entrance, you can purchase tickets to enter certain parts of it, like several ancient traditional houses, a Japanese bridge, temples and museums.
There are also colorful buildings to take pictures of and cute cafes and shops to stop in.
Don’t forget to check out the Bridge of Lights at night!
My go-to nighttime activity in Asia when I need a stroll around to take a break from writing, or need a quick, cheap dinner to get back to writing faster, is to visit a night market.
They can be found in most cities, and Hoi An is no different.
Sure, it’s a bit touristy with tons of souvenirs being sold at the stalls, but you can grab cheap street food (you may need to haggle) and walk around observing the nighttime bustle.
There are lots of places to rent bicycles in Hoi An, and they’re a great way to explore the town and surrounding area! Don’t miss out on riding through the Tra Que Vegetable Village
I rode to An Bang Beach. Here you can rent a lounge chair to lay in, or you can get a free one if you order from the restaurant owning it.
Or, you can do as I did, which was to lie down in the sand for free on my towel. It was chilly and the waves were too large to swim in when I was there, but I had a nice afternoon tanning and writing in my notebook to the sound of the waves.
This one was located outside of Old Town, and I thought this chain was worth noting for your entire trip in Vietnam.
Highlands Coffee is a big chain throughout Vietnam, so it was usually my go-to when searching for a writing spot. I don’t prefer chains, but they’re usually the most convenient, with a guaranteed English menus and Wi-Fi.
Sometimes, you just need a familiar place you know you can trust when trying to write on-the-go, and Highlands Coffee provides that.
There are several locations of this café throughout Old Town, and the interior of each was so inviting. I chose to stop at Roastery 3 for a hot drink and some time to write down everything I was seeing and experiencing in the charming Old Town. But all the other locations I passed by were equally tempting. Roastery 2 especially!
There are so many other cute cafes in Old Town, so I won’t bother recommending more. Simply find a cozy looking one to your liking, and wander in!
Don’t let the cheap price fool you; this boutique hotel will pamper you! The room was chic with the prettiest writing desk I’ve had on my entire trip, so I spent a lot of time in my hotel room writing.
There’s also a nice pool, and the complimentary buffet breakfast was delicious and with lots of variety. And, when you need a writing break, you can use one of the complimentary bikes to explore the city.
I can’t recommend this hotel more!
This mountain city is an absolute dream for anyone who loves writing in cafes. I don’t think I’ve ever been somewhere with so many cafes, and almost all some of the best I’ve ever been to.
This whimsical place a short drive away from the city center is the perfect place to explore if you’re a fairytale lover. They have little Hobbit-like houses and other cute photo opportunities. There is also a winery onsite, so you can try some local wine when you’re done exploring.
And you can bring along a notebook and write in one of the cute little houses.
If you love tea as much as I do, you might also love visiting tea plantations. This one is about an hour from Dalat by motorbike, and I enjoyed wandering through the tea trees while sipping on my iced oolong tea.
Alternatively, if you prefer coffee, visit the closer Me Linh Coffee Garden, where you can see a coffee plantation and drink the locally grown coffee.
Located just a short, 20 minute drive from Dalat, this peaceful monastery is located on Tuyen Lam Lake. It’s a good place to find some quiet (on a weekday; it was crowded when I visited on a weekend), and you can also walk through the pine forest to the lake for a boat ride.
If your idea of a writing break is more adrenaline-filled adventure rather than zen meditation, try out canyoning in Dalat.
From abseiling off waterfalls to zip lining to cliff jumping, this is an experience that will surely help you write heart pumping scenes.
Like I said, there are so many coffeeshops in Dalat that I couldn’t possibly visit them, nor do I have the space here to recommend all the ones that I visited. But An Cafe deserves a mention.
Located in the center of Dalat, within walking distance of the night market, this cafe is like a tiny oasis in the busy mountain city. The outdoor seating area is reminiscent of a greenhouse, and the greenery hides you from the urban landscape beyond.
And the lychee rose iced tea there was probably the best drink I had during my whole trip.
Located in the old train station of Dalat, this cafe is actually in an old train carriage! You have to pay a small fee to enter the station, and then you can buy a beverage in the cafe.
And if you fancy stepping back in time and taking a short train ride on a vintage train, you can do that from the station too. It’s a great writing spot option if you like to write while on the move.
Dalat is home to some of the wackiest architecture I’ve ever encountered, and the Crazy House is one of them.
I don’t know how to describe this place. It’s almost Gaudi-like in style, except way more crazy and with different themes, ranging from charming to creepy.
It was actually created originally as a hotel, and still operates as one, but you can pay a small fee to enter and wander around. There’s a cafe in the back as well, so that’s a great place to write if (or shall I say, when) you get inspired wandering around the fairytale-like houses.
This bar is similar to the Crazy House in architecture, but I thought it was a lot more fun. To enter, you need to buy a drink (very cheap, and lots of non-alcoholic options are available), and then you head downstairs into the maze.
It isn’t for the faint-hearted, especially if you visit alone with me. It’s not easy to get your way out of the maze, but once you do, you’ll have tons of rooftop spaces to enjoy. And, there are lots of seating options found inside the maze as well.
I’d recommend going during the day, when there aren’t as many people and when you can enjoy the sunshine in the rooftop garden.
This bar is like a playground for adults, and finding your inner child here may inspire your writing.
Find all of the fairytale-like places in Dalat here.
This little coffeeshop is located in a quiet part of Dalat, and it has some of the best coffee Vietnam has to offer. For reference, I don’t even drink coffee, and I greatly enjoyed my cappuccino. I normally have to load any coffee up with tons of sugar to enjoy it, but this was the first coffee where that wasn’t true (wasn’t too bitter).
And of course, the interior was very cute and suited for a long writing session.
Located a bit outside of town, this cafe has one of the best views in Dalat. It’s cute big, with lots of cute seating areas. The coconut coffee I had here was absolutely delicious.
But the best part of this cafe is the view of the verdant mountains stretching out as far as the eye can see. It was a really relaxing and peaceful place, and one that was perfect for writing.
For budget travelers, this hostel is among the best I stayed in in Vietnam. The mountain view was amazing, and the staff were among the most friendly. Free breakfast was included, and they also serve food all day, so you could easily spend a whole day here writing without needing to leave.
It was really busy when I was there, and there was loud music until 11 pm, so do keep that in mind if you like quiet and go to sleep early.
Or, if you found yourself inspired by the enchanting Crazy House, stay overnight! You can pick from among their many themed rooms. Each is unique, and prices start from only $30, so it’s a lot more affordable than I expected.
The first time I visited Ho Chi Minh City, or Saigon, I thought it wasn’t a pretty city. Polluted, dirty, with unbelievable traffic making it near impossible to cross a street (even on pedestrian crossings), I didn’t find much charm there.
But my second time, I spent more time exploring the city and found that it had a certain charm unique to it. And anyway, the least beautiful places are the least distracting when you’re trying to write.
A post office might not sound too exciting, but this 19th century French-style building is one of the prettiest buildings in the city. You can buy various souvenirs here (although they’re more pricey), or send a postcard to friends and family back home. Writing a postcard counts into your daily word count, right!?
And once you’re there, you won’t be able to miss the Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon. It’s right across the street from the Post Office.
As the name suggests, Book Street is a street full of bookstores. Located next to the post office and closed off to motorbikes and cars, it’s a peaceful place to go on a walk and browse books. The little street is lined with trees and you’ll find a few cafes as well where you can stop to write in.
Although most books are in Vietnamese, there were a few stores where I found English books.
This is definitely my favorite street in Vietnam, and I’m sure anyone interested in literary travel would agree.
This is a good place to learn about the fall of Saigon and the history of Vietnam. The first time I saw the palace from the outside, I wasn’t very impressed by it. But after learning about the meaning of the architecture, and seeing it on the inside, I found the building a lot more intriguing.
You can’t visit Vietnam without learning about the horrendous war it’s infamous for. And this museum may be the best way to do so.
I went to a war museum in Hanoi too, but this one was way better. To me, it was definitely the highlight of HCMC. And who knows, maybe if you’re a historical writer, you’ll find some writing inspiration for a book set during the war in Vietnam?
For a more “real” look at what the war was like, don’t miss out on the Cu Chi Tunnels. This impressive tunnel system shows tourists what guerrilla warfare really looked like.
You can even crawl through three sets of tunnels. Don’t worry, they were made bigger for the tourists (real tunnels were much smaller), but they’re still a tight squeeze and not recommended for those with claustrophobia.
An alternative day trip is to the Mekong Delta, although an overnight trip would be ideal. This is where the mighty Mekong River finally empties out into the sea.
There’s beautiful nature, floating markets and relaxing boat rides. At the end of the day, you’ll have lots to write about!
I spent a few days at Hometravel Mekong Can Tho, which was a very rustic and remote place, but great for writers who get distracted easily and don’t require luxury.
I loved this coffeeshop because of the nostalgic vibe it had. Stepping into the rustic dark wood structure was like stepping back in time, with fans rustling the colorful curtains in every doorway and window, old books lining the bookshelf running through the whole space and the vintage decorations found everywhere.
I feel most inspired in places where time has stopped, so this was by far my favorite writing spot in Vietnam.
Another great cafe to write in Ho Chi Minh City, if you like to be surrounded by books, is Book Cafe. It’s located on Book Street and is an excellent place to stop for a writing session after browsing the bookstores.
Not to be repetitive, as I’ve already recommended this chain under the Hoi An section, but this was my go-to writing spot in Vietnam, at least during my first time there.
I was visiting the Ho Chi Minh City Opera House and as it was really hot, I decided to stop at a café to write until the sun went down a bit.
The only place nearby where I knew I was guaranteed a good spot to write was the Highlands Coffee at the back of the Opera House, so I stopped there to write.
Parks are the best way to write in nature while in a city. Especially in a city as polluted as HCMC, you’re going to want the extra clean oxygen of the surrounding trees for your lungs.
So the other hostels I recommended didn’t survive the pandemic. But this one is a great one! The beds were so comfy that I didn’t mind spending a few hours writing in my bunk bed, and there are a few spots outside the rooms where you can write.
Best of all, there is a bar/cafe downstairs, so you don’t even need to leave the building to get a tea, coffee or smoothie and do some writing (which was nice for me, as I accidentally visited Vietnam during rainy season).
As a writer, it’s crucial to read other’s writing to improve your own. And what better way to learn more about Vietnam’s culture and history before traveling than by reading a book set there?
Who knows, maybe one of these will even inspire you to create your own writing set in Vietnam. At the very least, these books will definitely convince you to visit the country if I haven’t already.
This book is written by a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, and it not only offers the readers his teachings but offers a autobiographical stories about his life growing up and living in Vietnam.
If you’re looking for a more spiritual and mindful journey while traveling and writing in Vietnam, this book is a good choice for you!
So this is a travel book, but what makes it so interesting is that it was written and published by Lewis around the beginning of the war.
It gave readers of the time a look at what was going on currently in the country, and now serves you as the reader from the future as a historical account. Anyone writing a story set in a historical Vietnam can benefit from Lewis’ observations.
And if you’re planning to visit Laos and Cambodia during your trip too, this book partly takes place there as well.
You may have heard a lot about the war in Vietnam from the perspective of soldiers. But this books shows the war through the eyes of a young Vietnamese girl.
In this memoir, Le Ly tells the story of the horrors she witnessed after being recruited as a child spy by the government.
Unfortunately, due to visa troubles, my time in Vietnam was cut short a bit, so I skipped out on a lot of places to spend more time in the spots I traveled to longer to squeeze writing time in.
Are there any other great writing spots you found in Vietnam? Let us know in the comments below!
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We spent 1 month in Vietnam and it is so nice to read about all the places again. I love your photos and thank you for your recommendations. Definitely helpful.
Some of these spots are so amazing, I can definitely see why they'd inspire you to get writing! Cat Ba National Park looks incredible!
I've never been to Vietnam but your article has now put it on my bucket list! I love this itinerary and the focus specifically on spots to write!
Very timely as I'm off to Vietnam in the next few weeks. And I will definitely want to write as well! Thanks for all the inspiration, both travel & writing related.
This is such an excellent article about fantastic places to visit. I would love to see the Cu Chi Tunnels since I'm a huge history buff. I hope one day to visit Vietnam.