Top 10 Longest Rivers in Vietnam

The Mekong River is one of the largest rivers in the world, originating from the Tibetan Plateau, where the river source belongs to the province of Qinghai, flowing through China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and emptying into the South China Sea in Vietnam. Ranked 12th in the world in terms of length with 4,350km, and 10th in the world in terms of water flow, with an average flow of 13,200 m³/s, during flood season it can rise up to 30,000 m³/s.

Starting from Phnom Penh, it divides into two branches: the right side is the Bassac River (in Vietnam called Hau Giang or Hau River) and the left side is the Mekong River (in Vietnam called Tien Giang or Tien River), both flowing into the vast alluvial plain in Southern Vietnam, each about 220 - 250 km long. In Vietnam, the Mekong River is also known as the Great River, or the Cai River. The International Nature Reserve Fund says scientists are looking for creatures such as giant catfish, stingrays, giant sharp-toothed catfish, giant carp, which feed in the Mekong River - these fish species can weigh over 90 kg and be over 1.80 meters long. Besides, the Mekong River also has precious species of fish such as golden carp and giant carp, not to mention giant catfish and giant carp, so fishing tourism services are highly developed here.

Da River, also known as Bo River or Da Jiang, is the largest tributary of the Red River. The river is 927 kilometers long (some sources state 983 kilometers or 910 kilometers), with a drainage basin of 52,900 square kilometers. Its main stream originates from Mount Wuliang in Yunnan Province, China, flowing northwest-southeast before joining the Red River in Phu Tho Province. The section of the river in Vietnam is 527 kilometers long (some sources mention 543 kilometers). Its source lies at the Vietnam-China border in Muong Te District, Lai Chau Province. The river passes through several provinces in Northwest Vietnam, including Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Son La, Hoa Binh, and Phu Tho. Its endpoint is at the Hong Da junction in Tam Nong District, Phu Tho Province.

The upper section of the river within Vietnam, known as Nam Te River, runs along the border and meets its tributary, Little Black River, at Mu Cang Chai, Muong Te. The Little Black River enters Vietnam at Ka Lang Commune, Muong Te, flows westward along the border, and merges with the main Da River stream at Mu Ca. Da River has a significant water flow, contributing 31% of the water volume to the Red River and serving as a major hydropower resource for Vietnam's electricity industry. The basin holds immense potential with abundant rare minerals and unique ecosystems, including diverse biological resources.

The Red River has a total length of 1,149 kilometers, originating from China, flowing through Vietnam, and emptying into the East Sea. The section within Vietnam stretches 510 kilometers. This river holds significant cultural importance in the Vietnamese wet rice civilization. The first point of contact between the Red River and Vietnamese territory is in A Mu Sung commune (Bac Xa district, Lao Cai province). In Lao Cai, the Red River is 73 meters above sea level; however, by the time it reaches Yen Bai, 145 kilometers from Lao Cai, it is only at an altitude of 55 meters, with 26 rapids and water rushing between the two provinces. By the time it reaches Viet Tri, the riverbank becomes less steep, resulting in slower flow speed. The Red River Delta lies in the downstream area of this river.

The Red River has a very large average annual water flow of up to 2,640 m³/s (at the river mouth), with a total water flow of up to 83.5 billion m³; however, the distribution of water flow is not uniform. During the dry season, the flow decreases to about 700 m³/s, but during the peak of the rainy season, it can reach up to 30,000 m³/s.

The Mã River is a river of Vietnam and Laos with a length of 512 kilometers, of which the section within Vietnam is 410 kilometers long and the section within Laos is 102 kilometers long. The river basin of the Mã River covers 28,400 square kilometers, of which 17,600 square kilometers are in Vietnam. The average elevation is 762 meters, the average slope is 17.6%, and the river density of the entire basin is 0.66 km/km². The Mã River mainly flows through mountainous and midland areas. The silt of the Mã River is the main source of the third-largest delta in Vietnam, the Thanh Hoa Delta. The Mã River flows between the valley of the Su Xung Chảo Chai and Pu Sam Sao mountain ranges. Most of the tributaries of the Mã River originate from these mountain ranges.

The Mã River starts with the confluence of streams at the Vietnam-Laos border in Mường Lói commune, south of Điện Biên district. The Pu Lau stream to the north of Mường Lói commune is on the mountain ridge, separating the Nậm Nứa stream flowing northwestward and belonging to the Mekong River system, with the Nậm Ma stream flowing northeastward as the source of the Mã River, locally known as the Sẻ stream. The river flows into Điện Biên Đông, receiving water from several streams in Háng Lìa, Điện Biên Đông. The river re-enters Vietnam at the Tén Tằn border gate, Mường Lát, Thanh Hóa. From here, the river flows through Mường Lát, Quan Hóa, with a small section passing through Quan Hóa district as the boundary between Thanh Hóa and Hòa Bình provinces.

The Đồng Nai River is the longest inland river in Vietnam, originating from the Langbiang Plateau (Lam Dong) with a total length of 586km. The Đồng Nai River has an enormous water flow, serving as a abundant hydroelectric power source for the Đồng Nai Hydroelectric Power Plant. It flows through the provinces of Lam Dong, Dak Nong, Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Ho Chi Minh City, and empties into the East Sea in the Can Gio district.

The main stream of the Đồng Nai River in the upper reaches is also called the Đa Dang River. The river originates from the Lam Vien Plateau, meandering northeast-southwest from the mountainous region to the plain at Ta Lai (Tan Phu district, Dong Nai province). The river serves as a natural boundary between Dak R'Lap (Dak Nong) and Bao Lam - Cat Tien (Lam Dong), between Cat Tien and Bu Dang (Binh Phuoc), and between Tan Phu and Da Teh. Cu Lao Pho on the Đồng Nai River is a bustling community of Minh Huong people before this land became an official administrative unit of the Southern Court in 1698. The main stream of the Đồng Nai River in the lower reaches, from the confluence with the Saigon River to the bifurcation into the Soai Rap and Long Tau, commonly known as the Nha Be River, was called 'Phuoc Binh' in ancient books.

The Chảy River is a river in Northern Vietnam, originating from the southwest slope of Tay Con Linh Peak (2,419 m) and the northeast slope of Kieu Lien Ti Peak (2,402 m) on the upper mountain range of the Chảy River, northwest of Ha Giang province. It flows through Lao Cai, Yen Bai provinces and flows into the Lo River in Doan Hung, Phu Tho province with a length of 319km.

The river's flow is very complex, with narrow, deep riverbeds, steep slopes, and many waterfalls. In Ha Giang province, the river flows east-west through districts of Vi Xuyen, Hoang Su Phi, Xin Man, and then through Si Ma Cai district of Lao Cai province. On this stretch, about 5km of the Chảy River forms the Vietnam-China border between Lao Cai province and Yunnan province, China. The Chảy River is a beautiful natural landscape for eco-tourism lovers. During the dry season, the deepest part of the river is only about 3m deep, allowing for enjoyable upstream boat trips. Sporadically along the banks of the river are simple houses of the Hmong, Dao, and Day ethnic groups. Occasionally, you may also encounter bamboo rafts mining sand, with the distant road to Bac Ha resembling a white chalk line on the mountain slope.

The Lam River (also known as Ngan Ca, Ca River, Nam Khan, Thanh Long River) is one of the two largest rivers in North Central Vietnam. The river originates from the Xiengkhuang Plateau (Laos). The main part of the river flows through Nghe An, and the lower part of the Lam River merges with the La River from Ha Tinh, forming the border between Nghe An and Ha Tinh, flowing into the sea at Hoi estuary. According to the Encyclopedia of Vietnam, the total length of the river is about 512 km, with the inland stretch in Vietnam about 361 km.

The river basin area is 27,200 km², of which 17,730 km² belongs to Vietnam. On average, the river's basin lies at an altitude of 294 m, with an average slope of 18.3%, and a river density of 0.60 km/km². From the Vietnam-Laos border to Cua Rao, the riverbed is steep with over 100 waterfalls. From Cua Rao downstream, small boats can navigate the river during the rainy season. The total water volume is 21.90 km³, corresponding to an average flow rate of 688 m³/s and a flow rate module of 25.3 l/s.km². The flood season from June to November is also the rainy season, contributing about 74-80% of the total annual water volume.

The SêrêPôk River (or Srêpôk) is an important tributary of the Mekong River, originating from the lands of Đắk Lắk province, then Đắk Nông of Vietnam and flowing through Ratanakiri and Stung Treng provinces, Cambodia. The SêrêPôk River is considered a reverse-flowing river because it does not directly flow into the South China Sea but flows upstream, into Cambodia, before joining the Mekong River downstream to the Vietnamese Mekong Delta and then flowing into the sea, passing through Gia Lai province and the city of Buôn Ma Thuột.

The SêrêPôk River is 406 km long, of which the section within Vietnamese territory is approximately 126 km long and is an important resource for the region. This river not only provides water for agricultural activities and daily life of the people, but also creates favorable conditions for tourism and hydroelectric development. With its picturesque landscape and many beautiful spots, the SêrêPôk River attracts tourists to visit and explore. The local people can name the waterfalls here, among which “The Muse” Dray Nur is one of the most magnificent and beautiful waterfalls. Moreover, the river is also an important part of the culture and life of the local people.

The Lo River is a first-order tributary of the Red River, flowing from China into the provinces of Hà Giang, Tuyên Quang, and Phú Thọ in Vietnam. The section of the Lo River flowing in Vietnam is 274 km long (various sources cite lengths ranging from 264 km to 277 km), making it one of the five longest rivers in northern Vietnam (Red, Black, Lo, Clear, and Day).

The Lo River has a stretch of 156 km from the Việt Trì junction to the Tuyên Quang port in Tuyên Quang province, where boats with a payload of 100 to 150 tons can operate in both seasons. From Tuyên Quang city to Hà Giang city, smaller boats can participate in transportation during the rainy season. The Lo River is also an important resource for agricultural production and aquaculture activities in the region, while providing water for local production and daily life activities.

The Thai Binh River, also known as the Hàm Giang River or Phú Lương River, is a major river in the northern region of Vietnam, along with the Red River system, forming the two main river systems of the Red River Delta. Although the river shares its name with Thai Binh province, it does not flow through this province. It only flows through two communes, An Tan and Thuy Truong, in Thai Thuy district, Thai Binh province, with a length of nearly 5 km, which is quite short compared to its length through the provinces of Bac Giang, Bac Ninh, Hai Duong, and Hai Phong.

The Thai Binh River is approximately 100 km long and plays a very important role in the development of the northern region. This river provides water for local agricultural and aquaculture activities, while also facilitating transportation of goods and tourism. The Thai Binh River is also one of the most flood-prone rivers due to its extensive sedimentation, wide channel, gentle slope, and flat bottom.