Vietnam is an assault on the senses. Life in its feverish cities is conducted largely on the streets, among chattering bia hois (pavement pubs) and steaming pho (noodle soup) stands. The country’s two main cities – Hanoi in the north, Ho Chi Minh in the south – are different in many ways, but they share an intoxicating energy. Ancient pagodas and colonial houses jostle for space with new-build skyscrapers, while labyrinthine back-alleys hum with life. These narrow streets are atmospheric places to spend time, day or night. A frenetic and fascinating country, it calls to mind conical-hatted street vendors, water buffalo plodding across rice fields, mopeds buzzing through cities and floating markets on the Mekong River.
Explore the Mekong Delta region, the sprawling coastline of central Vietnam, the mountainous north and breathtaking vistas of Halong Bay. Take in Hoi An’s charming architecture, and enjoy the restaurants, shopping and sites of Saigon and Hanoi. If you are looking for a holiday that leaves the crowds behind the heard to the rural north and visit Ha Giang or venture into Vietnam’s alpine central highlands. From the temples of Hanoi and the islands of Halong Bay to the beaches of Nha Trang and the palaces of Hue, it is a country now firmly etched in the travel psyche.Vietnam offers an exciting blend of wonderful food, culture, history and people, with some of Asia’s most stunning natural beauty.
VIETNAM TRIPS
Vietnam Discovery – 14 Days
Explore Vietnam on an in-depth journey that takes you from North to South. Start with the colonial charm of Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, then travel to the natural wonderland of Halong Bay and trek through Sapa’s terraced rice paddies and …
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Essential South Vietnam – 4 Days
Negotiate the labyrinthine streets of Ho Chi Minh City on a morning walk, make a sobering visit to the War Remnants Museum and make your tastebuds swoon over lunch at a traditional Vietnamese restaurant. Head to the city’s outskirts …
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Halong Bay & Hanoi Experience – 4 Days
This is short trip experience the charms and monuments of atmospheric Hanoi and be cast away on a traditional junk boat and set sail through hundreds of limestone karsts that rise dramatically from the emerald waters of the beautiful …
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Best of North Vietnam – 7 Days
Visit two of Vietnam’s most scenic locations – Sapa and Halong Bay, on this week long journey. Visit Northwest Vietnam’s Sapa for a captivating mix of dramatic mountainscapes, beautiful paddy terraces, crisp fresh air and colorfully-clothed ethnic minority hill …
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Highlights of Vietnam – 8 Days
Explore Vietnam’s key sites and get a taste for the rich culture and history. Discover Hanoi’s colonial elegance and charm, Hue’s Ancient Citadel, wander the ancient street of of tranquil Hoi An, explore the beautiful water-world and landscape of …
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VIETNAM FACTS
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Vietnam is located in the southeastern extremity of the Indochinese peninsula and occupies about 331,688 square kilometers. The S-shaped country has a north-to-south distance of 1,650 kilometers and is about 50 kilometers wide at the narrowest point. Vietnam borders China in the north, Laos in the west and Cambodia in the south west. The whole of Vietnam’s eastern part is coastline of the Gulf of Tokin and South China Sea. Vietnam is a country of tropical lowlands, hills, and densely forested highlands, with level land covering no more than 20 percent of the area. The country is divided into the highlands and the Red River Delta in the north; and the Central mountains, the coastal lowlands, and the Mekong River Delta in the south.
Although people still choose to live in the densely forested highland regions, most of Vietnam’s population is concentrated in the cities of the low lying areas, where infrastructure is more easily built and the land is fertile. One of the 12 great rivers of the world, the Mekong, runs through Vietnam and has been responsible for wide-scale flooding. A system of canals and levees has been quite successful in redistributing the water during monsoons, and has helped to alleviate flooding in the Mekong Delta and surrounding areas.
Hanoi – Hanoi is one of Asia’s most atmospheric capitals with sweeping boulevards, tree-fringed lakes, ancient pagodas and colonial buildings. The quintessential Hanoi neighborhood and the oldest area in town, the Old Quarter is the soul of the city and is a maze of streets dating back to the 13th century. The old quarters is a delight to walk though with old traditional merchant houses sitting atop rows of small shops selling silk clothing, embroidery, silverware, religious objects, artifacts, paper products and herbal medicines. It is also a foodie’s hub with small restaurants and street food vendors dishing out a staggering number of Vietnamese delicacies. Hoan Kiem Lake and the French Quartes close by are also beautiful places to explore and walk around.
Halong Bay – Halong Bay is one of the most visited destinations in Vietnam and for good reason. The thousands of limestone islands jutting out of these emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin have been dubbed the eighth natural wonder of the world. This world heritage site in the mystical landscape of otherworldly limestone peaks, jutting from the water at sheer angles is one of the most spectacular sights in the whole of Vietnam.
Mekong Delta – South of Ho Chi Minh city is the delta of the Mekong River covering an area of about 60,000km across three provinces. Called the “rice bowl” of Vietnam, the Mekong Delta accounts for more than 50% of all rice and produce in the country. The land is made up of with bright green rice paddies, fruit orchards, sugar-cane fields, and vegetable gardens, and its waters stay busy with boats and fish farms. Rice production and harvest still involves water buffaloes instead of tractors, as well as backbreaking hand planting of rice shoots, weeding, and hand harvesting. Visit small craft villages, mangrove swamps, island orchards and spectacular floating markets to experience the beauty of the Mekong delta.
1. Take a boat cruise around Ha Long bay.
2. Explore Vietnamese Cuisine from the quintessential Pho to modest Banh Mi.
3. Take a train journey for spectacular views of the countryside.
4. Walk through ancient town of Hoi An.
5. Hike across imposing mountains and spectacular terrace fields in Sapa.
6. Cruise along the Mekong Delta and visit floating markets.
7. Admire the sand dunes of Mui Ne.
8. Experience history in the War Remnants Museum & Cu Chi Tunnels at Ho Chi Minh City.
9. Explore the beaches of Nha Trang and Da Nang.
10. Explore Hoan Kiem Lake and Old Quarters of Hanoi.
SIMILAR DESTINATIONS
KARNATAKA NORTH EAST SRI LANKA CAMBODIA