Vinh City Travel Guide: Things to Do, Local Food and Day Trips in Nghệ An, Vietnam

 Of all places, Vinh City, the capital of Nghệ An Province, is often treated as just a “place to pass through.”

But honestly, that feels unfair — there are so many interesting things here!

Vinh is not only an important transport hub, connected to other parts of Vietnam by train and plane. It is also a city where you can find fascinating revolutionary history and cultural heritage, especially if you are interested in Vietnam’s past.

From Hanoi, it takes only about 40 minutes by plane. You can also take a sleeper train directly from Hanoi, fall asleep at night, and arrive in Vinh in the morning. So, it may be a good choice for a slightly different weekend trip, or for anyone who wants to escape the busy atmosphere of Hanoi for a while.

In this article, I would like to show that Vinh is not just an ordinary provincial city. I will introduce sightseeing spots in Vinh while connecting them with history. Somehow, this article became more than 6,000 Japanese characters long!

I hope it will be useful for people who are interested in Vietnamese history, people who want to experience a local city different from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, and people who enjoy local culture and everyday life.

Contents

• What Is Vinh City?
• Things to Do in Vinh City
• Ho Chi Minh Square
• Vinh Ancient Citadel
• Nghệ-Tĩnh Soviet Museum
• Quyet Mountain and King Quang Trung Temple
• Vinh Market
• Massage by Visually Impaired Therapists
• Tips for Walking Around Vinh City
• Best Local Foods to Try in Vinh City
• Eel Soup
• Cháo Canh
• Bánh Mướt
• Bánh Đa Xúc Hến
• Bánh Bèo Nghệ An
• Cu Đơ
• Best Day Trips from Vinh City
• Cửa Lò Beach
• Kim Liên Village
• Đại Tuệ Temple
• Thanh Chương Tea Islands
• Pù Mát National Park
• Final Thoughts

What Is Vinh City?

Vinh is located on one of Vietnam’s main north–south routes. Since ancient times, it has been a highly strategic place. It is said that many Vietnamese dynasties, including the Đinh, Early Lê, Lý, and Trần dynasties, continued to send capable generals to protect this area.

Lý Nhật Quang, a respected historical figure in Nghệ An. In the 11th century, he contributed greatly to the development of Nghệ An Province. Today, temples dedicated to him can be found throughout the province.

One of the most impressive periods in Vinh’s history was the Tây Sơn dynasty in the 18th century. The hero-emperor Quang Trung, also known as Nguyễn Huệ, planned to build a new capital in Vinh called "Phượng Hoàng Trung Đô". However, the plan was never completed because Quang Trung passed away.

From the late 19th century, under French colonial rule, Vinh developed rapidly as an urban center. Ports, factories, trading companies, and banks gathered here. French people, Chinese merchants, and Indian traders came and went, and Vinh became a busy commercial city.

However, because of harsh exploitation by the French colonial government, Vinh eventually became an important center of patriotic and revolutionary movements.

During the Vietnam War, Vinh was one of the most heavily bombed cities in northern Vietnam. The city was almost completely destroyed.

Vinh City in 1974, where bomb craters can clearly be seen.

After the war, Vinh was rebuilt with support from East Germany and under the influence of Soviet-style urban planning. The city was reconstructed with wide roads and apartment blocks.

If Vinh’s cityscape feels a little plain or “socialist” in style, this post-war reconstruction history may be one reason why.

Things to Do in Vinh City

Ho Chi Minh Square | A Central Spot to Visit First in Vinh City

The square is located in the center of Vinh City.

If you ask Vietnamese people about Nghệ An Province, many of them will probably say, “It is the province where President Ho Chi Minh was born.”

President Ho Chi Minh was born in a poor rural village, about 20 minutes by car from Vinh City, Nghệ An Province. For a period of time, he also studied at a school in Vinh that was run by the French colonial government.

In Vinh City, there is a large square dedicated to President Ho Chi Minh. It is home to the largest Ho Chi Minh statue in Vietnam.

In the morning and evening, the square becomes very lively. Many local people come here to run, exercise, walk, and spend time outside.

Be careful when approaching the area near the statue. Security is quite strict there.

Inside the central park, there is also a lake modeled after Hoàn Kiếm Lake in Hanoi. Around the lake, you can find cafés and tea shops, making it a nice place to sit down, relax, and enjoy a drink.

Vinh Ancient Citadel | A Historic Site with a Star-Shaped Design

One of the Vauban-style fortresses built across Vietnam during the Nguyễn Dynasty.

The structure that looks like a star from above is the Vinh Ancient Citadel.

Vinh Ancient Citadel belongs to the tradition of modern Western-style fortress architecture. It was influenced by the ideas of Vauban, a French military engineer. Its walls and projecting parts were arranged in a geometric shape to make the fortress stronger for defense. Fortresses built by Vauban in France are now registered as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

In Vietnam, there are several other citadels influenced by the Vauban style. Famous examples include the square-shaped Sơn Tây Ancient Citadel and Quảng Trị Citadel, as well as the irregular hexagonal Diên Khánh Citadel. The Imperial City of Huế, the former royal capital, is also known for having Vauban-style features in its outer walls.

Google Maps

Construction of Vinh Ancient Citadel began during the reign of Emperor Gia Long, the first emperor of the Nguyễn Dynasty, Vietnam’s last dynasty. However, during the French colonial period, the citadel was also used as a place to hold political prisoners.

Under French colonial rule, prisons for political prisoners were built in many parts of Vietnam. Hỏa Lò Prison in Hanoi is one of the most famous examples, but Vinh Ancient Citadel was also one of these places.

An exhibit inside the Nghệ-Tĩnh Soviet Museum, introduced later in this article.

Later, during the Vietnam War, Vinh Ancient Citadel was hit by American air raids, and many of its buildings were destroyed. Today, only three gates and the moat remain, giving visitors a small glimpse of what the citadel once looked like.

The photo below shows the main gate of Vinh Ancient Citadel.

Faint classical Chinese characters can still be seen on the gate.

On both sides of the gate, the following lines are carved in classical Chinese:

鴻嶺藍江如在左右
黃童白叟怡然往來

They mean roughly:

“The Hong Linh mountains and the Lam River seem to stand on both sides.”
“Children and white-haired elders come and go peacefully.”

At first glance, these lines sound like a beautiful description of a peaceful place where people come and go freely.

However, according to one local interpretation, the lines may also contain hidden criticism. In this reading, “children” can suggest immature people or traitors, while “white” may refer to the French. In other words, the inscription may have been a subtle way to criticize the French and those who cooperated with them at that time.

Nghệ-Tĩnh Soviet Museum | A Museum Where You Can Learn About Revolutionary History

The Nghệ-Tĩnh Soviet Museum has English explanations, so it is easy to understand.

Inside Vinh Ancient Citadel, there are two museums: the Nghệ-Tĩnh Soviet Museum and the Nghệ An Museum.

Even if you do not know much about the history of the Vietnamese Revolution, I recommend visiting the Nghệ-Tĩnh Soviet Museum. Many of the exhibits have English explanations, so they are easy to follow. Once you understand the historical background, walking around Vinh becomes much more interesting.

The Nghệ-Tĩnh Soviet Museum has many materials and exhibits about the Nghệ-Tĩnh Soviet movement. Some readers may be hearing this name for the first time, so I will explain it briefly.

The Nghệ-Tĩnh Soviet movement was a large anti-colonial uprising that took place from 1930 to 1931. Farmers, workers, and intellectuals in Nghệ An and Hà Tĩnh rose up against French colonial rule.

The name “Nghệ-Tĩnh” comes from Nghệ An and Hà Tĩnh, which were once closely connected as one region. “Soviet” means a council, or a form of local self-government by people.

A painting of the Nghệ-Tĩnh Soviet movement displayed inside the museum. On the left, farmers and factory workers are holding hoes and bamboo spears. In the back on the right, colonial government troops are shown with weapons. The people carried the Vietnamese flag and encouraged each other with drums as they resisted.

From 1929 to 1930, the Great Depression caused serious damage to the Vietnamese economy under French colonial rule. Across Vietnam, farmers suffered from falling agricultural prices and heavy taxes, and their anger grew stronger.

In the Nghệ-Tĩnh region, the situation was especially harsh. There was even chronic famine in some areas.

Unable to bear these conditions any longer, the people of Nghệ-Tĩnh rose up in large numbers. They overthrew local administrations, and, remarkably, farmers and workers created their own local governments and began to govern themselves.

They introduced progressive policies such as abolishing heavy taxes, reducing land rents, distributing surplus rice from landlords, redistributing land to farmers, and promoting literacy education.

The Nghệ-Tĩnh Soviet movement spread quickly across central Vietnam. It became large enough to seriously shake the colonial authorities.

A self-defense unit formed by farmers.

However, from around the autumn of 1930, the French colonial authorities began a full-scale crackdown.

French forces used aircraft to machine-gun and bomb demonstrators. They burned villages and carried out public executions as warnings to others. By early 1931, all of the rural Soviet governments had collapsed, and the movement was violently suppressed by force.

Because of this repression, more than 1,000 people were arrested. Around 400 of them received long prison sentences, and more than 80 people, including leaders of the movement, were sentenced to death and executed.

It is also said that tens of thousands of people were sent to prisons and detention camps in different places. Because conditions there were extremely poor, more than 1,300 men, women, and children died from illness. The human cost was enormous.

The importance of the Nghệ-Tĩnh Soviet movement can be understood in this flow:

People rose up on a large scale for the first time → they tried to run society by themselves → that experience later became connected to Vietnam’s independence revolution.

In Vietnamese revolutionary history, the Nghệ-Tĩnh Soviet movement is not seen as just a local incident. It is regarded as one of the important starting points that led to later independence and revolution.

Quyet Mountain and King Quang Trung Temple | A Viewpoint Overlooking the City

There is also an observation area on the opposite side of the temple.

If you want to see a wide view of Vinh City, Quyet Mountain is a good place to visit. At the top of the mountain, you will find King Quang Trung Temple, which has a quiet and solemn atmosphere.

The person worshipped here is Nguyễn Huệ, who later became known as King Quang Trung, or Emperor Quang Trung. He was one of Vietnam’s great heroes in the late 18th century.

At that time, Vietnam was in a very unstable situation. The Lê Dynasty still existed as the official government, but real power was divided. In the north, the Trịnh lords were powerful, while in the south, the Nguyễn lords controlled large areas.

Together with his brothers, Nguyễn Huệ challenged these old ruling powers. He tried to break down the divided political system and reunite the country.

He is especially famous for defeating the Qing army from China in 1789. This victory is still remembered in Vietnam as a great victory in defense of the country. In Ho Chi Minh City, there is even a major street named after Nguyễn Huệ.

Nguyễn Huệ also tried to make Vinh the capital of Vietnam. One important reason was strategic: Nghệ An Province is located almost in the center of Vietnam, making it easier to control both the north and the south.

In the end, the plan to make Vinh the capital disappeared after Nguyễn Huệ passed away. Even so, he remains an important and deeply respected figure for the people of Vinh.

Vinh Market | A Place to Feel Local Daily Life

Inside the Vinh Market building, you can find clothes and daily goods. Around the building, there are many fresh food stalls.

Vinh Market is the largest market in Nghệ An Province. It brings together products from both the sea and the mountains.

The market is especially lively in the morning and evening. It is probably fair to say that if you look carefully, you can find almost anything you need here.

Fresh seafood from Cửa Lò Beach is sold here. In this photo, you can see grilled mackerel and grilled horse mackerel.

Crabs! If only I knew how to cook them properly, I would want to buy some and take them home.

Massage by Visually Impaired Therapists | A Skilled Massage to Recover from Walking Around

In Vinh City, there is a massage training center that provides vocational training for people with visual impairments. People who learned massage techniques there now run massage shops in different parts of the city.

I actually tried one, and the massage was very impressive. They knew exactly where to press. Sometimes it was so painful that I almost wanted to scream — but at the same time, it felt really good.

To be honest, I even thought they might be more skilled than some massage shops in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. The price is also very reasonable.

While I was getting a massage, local people of all ages kept coming in and asking, “Are you open?” So I guess these shops are popular among locals too.

The price was 120,000 VND for 60 minutes, and 180,000 VND for 90 minutes.

If you get tired after walking around Vinh City, I really recommend trying this kind of massage.

Even if you do not speak Vietnamese, you do not need to worry too much. You can communicate well enough by using Google Translate or a similar app.

If you search for “tẩm quất người mù” on Google Maps, several shops will appear. You can choose one that looks good and visit it.

Tips for Walking Around Vinh City

In Vinh City, you can use Grab and Xanh SM taxis, so getting around is quite easy.

There are also motorbike rental services, which can be useful if you want to move around more freely.

Best Local Foods to Try in Vinh City

Eel Soup (Súp lươn)

The food in Vinh is often characterized by umami, aroma, and spiciness.

The classic local dish is súp lươn, or eel soup. It is especially popular as a breakfast dish.

Restaurant: HỒNG SƠN – Đặc sản lươn xứ Nghệ
Restaurant: Cháo lươn Bà Ngọ

Cháo Canh

Cháo canh is a noodle dish with wheat noodles that are a little similar to udon. The noodles are served in a gentle soup made by slowly cooking pork bones.

Restaurant: Quán Ăn Tuấn Mai

Bánh Mướt

Bánh mướt is a thin steamed rice-flour crepe. It is often filled with pork, wood ear mushrooms, and other ingredients. This is also a popular breakfast dish in Nghệ An.

Restaurant: Bánh mướt Lan Thanh
Restaurant: Bánh mướt Thu Bình (Chuẩn vị)

Bánh Đa Xúc Hến

Bánh đa xúc hến is a dish where you use a crispy grilled sesame rice cracker almost like a spoon, and scoop up stir-fried baby clams with it.

Restaurant: Quán Xưa (On the menu, it is listed as “Hến xào xúc bánh đa.”)

You can also find this dish at many local drinking places, so try asking the staff if they have it.

Bánh Bèo Nghệ An

Bánh bèo Nghệ An is the Nghệ An version of bánh bèo. It is made with a chewy tapioca-based wrapper and a filling inside. The soft and chewy texture can be addictive.

Restaurant: Bánh bèo Nhàn Huế
Restaurant: Bánh bèo Dì Hằng

Cu Đơ

A classic Nghệ An souvenir!

Cu đơ is a traditional sweet from Nghệ An. It has the rich aroma of peanuts and the gentle sweetness of malt sugar. It is also perfect as a souvenir from Nghệ An.

Shop: Kẹo Cu Đơ Quê Quỳ
Shop: Văn Minh – Traditional Cu Đơ Candy Workshop of Bà Nghi

Best Day Trip from Vinh City

Vinh City also has very good access to nearby tourist spots, so there are many travel options. The places introduced below can all be visited as day trips from Vinh.

Cửa Lò Beach | Nghệ An’s Most Famous Beach Resort

The best season is around April to September.

Cửa Lò Beach is an easy beach resort to visit from Vinh City. It takes about 20 minutes by taxi.

The sea is shallow, and the waves are usually calm, so it is perfect for people who want to relax by the beach. Around the area, there are many hotels, from mid-range to luxury, and you can also enjoy fresh seafood at reasonable prices.

In 2025, the theme park VinWonders Cửa Hội also opened. You can even take a cable car to an island just off the coast.

Sunset over Cửa Lò Beach seen from the island. You can reach the island by the cable car on the left.

Kim Liên Village | Visiting the Birthplace of President Ho Chi Minh

The house of Ho Chi Minh’s father, which is also shown on the 500,000 VND banknote.

About 20 minutes by taxi from Vinh City, you can reach Kim Liên Village, where President Ho Chi Minh was born and spent part of his childhood.

There are two important villages here: one connected to his father’s side and one connected to his mother’s side. Both villages have been carefully preserved.

President Ho Chi Minh was born in the house of his mother, Hoàng Thị Loan, and lived there until he was five years old. Later, after spending time in Huế, he returned to this area and lived in the house of his father, Nguyễn Sinh Sắc, from the age of 11 to 15.

Today, the house shown on the back of Vietnam’s 500,000 VND banknote is this father’s house.

Kim Liên Village is not only an important place for Nghệ An Province. It is also a very sacred and meaningful historical site for Vietnam as a whole. If you are interested in Vietnamese history or the life of President Ho Chi Minh, this is a place I really recommend visiting.

Đại Tuệ Temple | A Temple with an Amazing View

You can climb the five-story pagoda. As you go higher, the ceiling clearly becomes lower, so it feels a little like entering the world of Alice in Wonderland.

One of my favorite places in Nghệ An is Đại Tuệ Temple.

The view is simply beautiful. Really, really beautiful.

It takes about 30 minutes by taxi from Vinh City. The temple stands on a mountain, and from there you can see Vinh City and even the neighboring province of Hà Tĩnh. The view of the Lam River winding through the plain is especially magnificent.

Đại Tuệ Temple is known as a temple where people pray to receive “great wisdom.” It is also known for having one of the largest numbers of couplets among temples in Vietnam. Couplets are decorative paired phrases written on gates, pillars, or walls.

Many visitors come here to pray for success in study, work, and life.

The view from the five-story pagoda. In real life, it is about 500 million times more beautiful than this photo.

Thanh Chương Tea Islands | Exploring Tea Islands by Small Boat

A photo of the tea fields from above.

About one hour by taxi from Vinh City, you can visit the Thanh Chương Tea Islands.

This area was once submerged because of the construction of an agricultural dam. However, only the small hills remained above the water. Tea was then planted on these hills, creating a unique landscape where small “tea islands” seem to float on the lake.

Taking a small boat around the islands is a fun experience. The boat tour usually takes about one to two hours and costs around 150,000 VND per person.

There are several boat operators in the area, but I recommend this homestay because the owner can speak some English.

The best season is around March to October.

Pù Mát National Park | A Hidden Natural Paradise in Nghệ An

The highlight is Khe Kèm Waterfall. The best season is around April to September.

It takes about two and a half hours from Vinh City by taxi or bus to reach Pù Mát National Park.

This national park is one of the largest in northern Vietnam and is known for its rich biodiversity. The biggest highlight is Khe Kèm Waterfall, a beautiful waterfall about 150 meters high.

If you have enough time, I really recommend visiting Pù Mát National Park too. I have summarized how to enjoy the park and how to get there in the article below, so please check it out.

https://koheinruralvietnam.blogspot.com/2026/04/pu-mat-national-park-nghe-an-vietnam.html

Final Thoughts

If you have a chance to visit Vinh City, I really encourage you to explore more than just the main spots.

If you have visited Vinh City or have any questions about traveling in Nghệ An, please leave a comment or contact me. I would be happy to help, and your questions may also help future travelers.

Thanks for reading, and see you!

You can also check the full guide to Nghệ An Province from the link below.

https://koheinruralvietnam.blogspot.com/2026/04/nghe-an-vietnam-travel-guide.html