Road or trail? Your first trail race in Vietnam
Vietnam’s trail season is starting. Five races, from the Central Highlands to the far north, and how to choose your first.
Picking a race in a country you don’t know is often the hardest part. These comparisons put Vietnamese races side by side and say plainly who each one suits, so you can decide before you book flights.
What we compare
• Date and season: heat, humidity and rain at that time of year.
• Course and terrain: flat city roads, bridges, hills, trail and elevation.
• Getting there: travel time from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, and whether you need to stay the night before.
• Entries: whether registration is open, deadlines, and who is eligible to enter.
• Credentials: AIMS membership, World Athletics labels, ranking or qualifying value, and UTMB or ITRA points for trail races.
We’re independent. No organiser pays to be included, and we never accept payment to change what we say about a race. Read our Disclosure.
Vietnam’s trail season is starting. Five races, from the Central Highlands to the far north, and how to choose your first.
Three big marathons, three November weekends, one region. How they compare, and who each one suits.