Great Theatre
Vietnam's third largest city, Hai Phong features an impressive theatre, built in the town centre in 1904 using materials imported all the way from France. This French-style structure has two floors, an auditorium with seating for 400 and a mirror room. Festivities regularly take place in the Municipal Theatre Square. This historic theatre makes a memorable venue for MICE functions.

Hang Kenh Communal House
Located in the city centre, the Hang Kenh Communal House is a long, wooden building devoted to the Kenh village god and to Ngo Quyen, a 10th century hero who led the sinking of the invading Chinese fleet on the Bach Dang River. The building features carved wooden panels dating back to the late 1800s.

Trang Kenh
Trang Kenh is a pretty area some 20km northeast of Hai Phong, known for its limestone mountains and river views. According to legend, U Bo Mountain was the base of General Tran Hung Dao. Excursions to this area are popular with MICE groups as Trang Kenh offers natural beauty and historic sites. Archaeologists report that 4,000 years ago Trang Kenh was the site of a jewellry workshop. More recently, its limestone peaks and caves served as hideouts for Hai Phong's anti-colonial freedom fighters. One of the nicest caves is Hang Vua (King's Cave), an 18-meter-high cavern traversed by a fresh-water stream.

Do Son Casino
Calling all wannabe-high-rollers. Do Son, a beach resort 20km south-east of Hai Phong, is home to the nation's first - and only - casino, which opened in 1994. Can you miss the chance to rub shoulders with Chinese high-flyers over the blackjack table? We think not!

Do Son Beach
Do Son's beach features white sand and palm trees, although during the monsoons the water turns slightly yellow. Don't be alarmed; it's natural. Alluvial sands are the cause of the murky water.

It was the French who first turned Do Son into a resort, charmed by the surrounding pine-covered hills. Set on a small peninsula between the Lach Tray and Van Uc rivers, Do Son gets quite lively during the summer months. There are some decent places to stay and plenty of good seafood, making this a popular spot for day-trippers from the capital. Do Son is a good choice for MICE groups looking for a convenient get-away spot.

If you happen to come on the tenth day of the eighth lunar month, Do Son hosts an annual ritual buffalo fight. The spectacle is not for the faint-of-heart; the festival ends with the winning beast's head being tossed into the sea as an offering to the sea gods.

The Marine Museum
Budding marine biologists may appreciate Do Son's Marine Museum (Van Son, Do Son Resort 1). Founded in 1960, it's now part of the Vietnam Oceanographic Institute. Since 1995, the museum has been open to the general public, who come to learn about the region's rich marine diversity.

Elephant Mountain
Located 20km south-west Hai Phong on the banks of the Lay Trach River, is a popular pilgrimage site. At the foot of the mountain stands Long Tien (Water Fairy Cave) where people worship a female general credited with being the founder of Hai Phong.

The mountain is riddled with caves, including the Nam Tao Cave - devoted to the Chinese gods that govern life and death. Further up the mountain you'll find the ruins of sixth century pagodas, while the peak features a flat area known as "The Fairy Chess Board".

Cat Ba Island
An hour by speed boat from Hai Phong lies Cat Ba, a 100 square meter island in Lan Ha Bay. The natural scenery is truly lovely: white sand beaches dot the coast while the interior offers up a national park with old-growth forests and picturesque limestone hills. If you're brave, you can hire a sturdy Russian Minsk motorbike and explore the hilly terrain, or arrange for a guide to lead you through the national park on foot. Hikes through the park are great team-building activities. There are even some caves to explore, including one that served as a hospital during the Vietnam-American War.