The most popular area to backpackers is Pham Ngu Lao in the 1st – out of 16 – district of Ho Chi Minh City. In its strategic location close to the heart of the citym Pham Ngu Lao offers a long array of budget accommodations starting from as low as $5 per night.

History Museum, War Remnants Museum, Giac Vien Pagoda, Museum of Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta, Notre Dame Cathedral, and Ben Thanh Market are just to name some of tourist attraction sites in Ho Chi Minh. Whilst it is not as beautiful as its northern counterparts, traveling from one tourism attraction site to another is quite easy in Ho Chi Minh. Forget the memory you may got from Hollywood movies about the war, Ho Chi Minh is safe, even to travel around at night.

One of the worth-to-visit sites is Notre Dame Cathedral. Built back in 1870 by French architect Jules Bourard, the cathedral has two 187-meters-high towers, making it one of the icon of Ho Chi Minh for decades. For natural attraction, Mekong Delta is the place to go. Here we can cruise along the river, interact with local people in the floating market, and enjoy beautiful rice field scenery along the river side.

For a different atmosphere we can leave the modern city life of Ho Chi Minh and go to Hoi An. Full of old architectural heritage, Hoi An brings you back to the previous century. Sipping Vietnamese tea at a sidewalk cafe in a full moon night, with colorful silk lampions, traditional music, local kids playing hacky sack, you will find yourself in a mystical ancient land.

Hoi An was once the most important port in South-East Asia and therefore in 1999 UNESCO declared it as one of the world’s cultural heritage sites.

Pedestrians and bicycle riders will like Hoi An as motorbikes and cars rarely appear here. In addition to historical sites like The Japanese Covered Bridge which is the icon of Hoi An, Chuc Thanh Pagoda, and Museum of Folklore, Hoi An is also famous for its clothing home industry.

From Hoi An we can take a four hours bus trip to Hue, a city split into two parts by River Perfume. In the days of the Nguyen Dynasty, the northern side of Hue played an important role. The kings of Nguyen Dynasty ruled from The Forbidden Purple City at the northern side of Hue. The buildings of the ancient empire town remains as it was.

Other attractions in Hue include Thien Mu Pagoda, Dieu De National Pagoda, and the tomb of king Khai Dinh. Cruising River Perfume on a tourist boat is another way to enjoy Hue.

Exploring Vietnam will never get completed without going up north where popular tourism sites such as Halong Bay, Cat Bay Island, and Sa Pa hill are located.

Halo Bay offers impressive scenery of soaring karst, tropical forest, caves, and waterfalls. Hiking addicts should find themselves in paradise at Sa Pa. Located at the foot of Fansipan Mountain, Sa Pa has beautiful hill and terraced rice field scenery as well as unique local traditional life.

So much Vietnam has to offer for backpackers, you can also enjoy it in style. Forget budget accommodations and rent a Vietnam villas for ultimate luxury experience. More than luxury accommodation you can also get customized tours perfectly suited to preference by personal butler.

Not every backpacker is looking for the same experience, but there are some general guidelines to follow when planning to go backpacking. No matter what you are looking for, generally the best places to backpack are those where transportation is easy, accommodations are cheap, and crimes rates are low.

Are you planning for that first backpacking trip? There are a lot of options for those who are putting together their first trip. From destinations in Southeast Asia, to parts of South America, Africa and beyond, there are plenty of locations to start from. The popular destination, especially for college students and gap-year travelers, is the continent of Europe, which offers many good places to begin.

Keeping Europe in mind, Prague is one of the best places to start. Located in the Czech Republic, Prague has become one of the top destinations for backpackers because of its cheaper prices as compared to the rest of Europe, as well as its central location on the eastern part of the continent. Prague is close to Budapest and Munich, among other places, which makes for convenient traveling itineraries. There is plenty to see and do in Prague as well. With a historical district that was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, there is much to learn about Prague’s rich history and architecture. Prague also boasts the largest ancient castle in the world; something well worth a visit.

On the other side of the world, one of the best places to backpack is The Philippines. Although it’s comprised of over 4,000 islands, the Philippines is generally overlooked by many travelers, despite its vast terrain and many beautiful beaches. Holders of an American, Australian, European, or New Zealander passport only need a visa if they plan on staying on the islands for over 21 days, and everyone else needs to obtain a visa before traveling to the Philippines. Inexpensive accommodations are readily available throughout the country, but visiting right before the rainy season will ensure that you easily find a place to stay and miss the tourist rush.

Moving on across the globe, South America has several locations that are backpacker-friendly. Brazilian cities like Rio and Sao Paolo are becoming increasingly welcoming to the backpacking part of the tourism industry. There are plenty of hostels to choose from, whether you are looking for a calm and relaxing experience or looking to party. Traveling around the country is also made simpler with effective bus and metro systems within and between cities.

Again, the best cities to backpack are generally up to the person doing the backpacking. As long as accommodations are plentiful and cheap, the city is relatively safe (most are), and transportation is easy, a city has the potential to be a great destination to backpack. From the continent of Africa to backpacking in Prague to Asia to South America, there are infinite options for travelers and backpackers alike. As with any trip, doing the proper research on places to stay, appropriate gear, and other aspects of the trip will provide for a smoother backpacking experience-no matter what the destination.