Vietnam Country Highlights

Several day tours outside of Saigon take you to a different world. A visit to the Cu Chi tunnels provides an insight into the hardship and misery endured by the Vietnamese guerilla fighters, and their tenacity. Nearby, the Cao Dai Great Temple at Tay Ninh is a wild display of the all-inclusive Cao Dai pantheon, featuring murals of Victor Hugo, Sun Yat Sen, and the Vietnamese poet Nguyen Binh Khiem. The Mekong Delta is a refreshing change from the hot and crowded city. The region, known as the rice bowl of Vietnam , grows almost 40% of the country's food. As well as rice, fruit orchards thrive here. The market town of My Tho has been a trading centre for centuries. Take a boat trip along the delta , and meander along the river, visiting nearby islands. Vinh Long also provides a charming look at life in this part of the delta. Bustling markets and fine riverfront restaurants make Can Tho worth a visit.

A drive north of Saigon takes you to the French hill station of Dalat. The city was popular with French colons seeking refuge from the sweltering heat of Saigon. Today the city is popular with honeymooners and holidaymakers, and offers pleasant walks and views. Visit the Bao Dai Summer Palace , built by the Emperor in the 1930's. Travel up to Nha Trang , with seductive beaches, and opportunities for scuba diving and snorkeling. A day trip to the islands offers a delightful opportunity to relax on the South China Seas. The nearby Po Nagar Cham towers have stood for over a thousand years. Although weather-beaten, they still maintain many of their original carvings and sculptures.

The delightful harbor city of Hoi An , sleepy as is today, was a major trading port from the 16th to 18th century. Most of the city's wealth was generated in this golden era. Many merchants' houses are now open to the public as museums. Made of finest quality hardwoods, the carving and mother of pearl inlay work in these buildings are world class. The Chinese Assembly Halls traditionally served as community centres and houses of worship. Stroll through the riverside market ; it's at its best in the morning. Nearby is the impressive Cham site of My Son . With its luxuriant vegetation, and scattered broken remains, the site has a mysterious, evocative atmosphere missing from more fully restored sites. Cham kings used this as a burial site in the 4th century. The towers visible today were built between the 7th and 13th centuries.

Danang was a major trading port in the 18th century, after the harbour at neighboring Hoi An had silted up. Etched in American consciousness through its connection with the war, the city has its own merits, and deserves to be appreciated for the same. The excellent Cham Museum is situated amongst fragrant trees, and has a fine collection of remains from Cham sites - considered to be one of the most comprehensive in the world. The Cao Dai temple is the second largest in the country, and is a much better place to actually learn about the principles behind this uniquely Vietnamese faith than the more frenetic site in Tay Ninh. Combine a visit to China Beach , with its long white sand beaches, with a trip to the Marble Mountains. These limestone outcrops are rife with small temples and caves. Marble from these caves was used for Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum in Hanoi. Although quarrying in the mountains has since been banned, masons fashion small statues and mementos from imported marble.

One of the most memorable road trips in Southeast Asia is a drive over the Hai Van Pass - The Pass of the Ocean Clouds. The surrounding mountains used to serve as a border between the Cham Empire and the northern peoples. Severely affected by Agent Orange during the American War, the surrounding landscape is starting to recover. Stop for lunch at Lang Co , a picturesque lagoon where mother of pearl is sourced. Continue on to the ancient Royal Capital of Hue . This is a delightful city in and of itself, which also serves as your base for many excellent day excursions. The capital of Vietnam in they 19th century, Hue's history is the history of the Nguyen dynasty . While much of Hue was leveled in the Tet Offensive, the city is undergoing massive restoration, helped by the city's listing as a World Heritage Site in 1993. Explore the city, starting at the Citadel. This enclave makes a pleasant place to stroll, and houses many lakes and gardens. The Imperial City is laid out on the same basis as the Forbidden City in Beijing. Visit Thai Hoa Palace , the most fully restored building, which gives a superb taste of Hueís former glory. Red and gold columns, tiled floors, and an elaborate ceiling convey the grandeur of the time when the palace was where the emperor would receive minister, mandarins, and foreign emissaries. The Forbidden Purple City would have been a place of palaces, living quarters, and royal assistants. Today, its overgrown expanses make for a quiet place to stroll and contemplate faded glories.

For many visitors, the best attraction in Hue is a cruise along the Perfume River , visiting the Imperial Tombs . Each tomb has its own distinctive characteristic, often reflecting the tastes and eccentricities of the Emperor to whom it is dedicated. Start a river trip with a visit to the Thien Mu Pagoda ; traditionally a centre for politicized Buddhist monks. Today the site is particularly famous for being the starting point of Thich Quang Ducís journey to Saigon, where he set himself on fire to draw attention to the corruption of President Diem's rule. Continue up river to Emperor Tu Ducís tomb. The longest reigning Nguyen emperor, his chief occupation was writing poetry in these gardens and pavilions . It is rumoured he started each day with a cup of tea brewed from dew collected from the lotus blossoms in his gardens. The delightfully landscaped grounds are pleasant, and conducive to rest and reflection. The radically different Khai Dinh Mausoleum is stark and heavy, opulent and incorporating European Baroque styles with a heavily ornate Sino-Vietnamese style. The architecture reflects Khai Dinh's attraction to all things European. In contrast is the Mausoleum of Minh Mang, designed according to strict Chinese principles, with beautifully landscaped gardens, and laid out along a clear east-west axis. The tomb of Emperor Gia Long , the first Nguyen ruler, was heavily damaged, but its beautiful situation and wonderfully overgrown atmosphere make it a worthwhile stop. The tomb itself is overgrown with mango trees and shrubbery, and surrounded by forest.

Day trips to sites in the former DMZ can be arranges to Quang Tri, Khe Sanh, and other points in the region. You may also be interested in visiting Cuc Phuong , Vietnam's first National Park, home to many rare species, and surrounded by prehistoric caves and Muong villages.

The capital city of Hanoi has a distinctly different atmosphere than Saigon. Hanoi's residents have always prided themselves on being scholars and artisans, in comparison to their more mercenary brethren in the south. Auspiciously located in the Red River Delta, the region has been the site of major cities for over a thousand years. Start a day's wanderings at Hoan Kiem Lake , where Tai Chi practitioners meet in the early morning. The Old Quarter is best explored on foot, leaving one the opportunity to stroll at leisure through the bustling 36 Streets district, where each street is home to craftsmen practicing different crafts, engaged in silver-smithing, textiles, medicines, or tin goods, to name but a few of the specialties. Visit the Bach Ma Temple , the oldest in the city, founded in the 9th century, and dedicated to the Guardian Spirit of Thang Long. Hidden amongst the old houses is the Guiding Light Mosque , the only mosque in North Vietnam. After the cramped feel of the Old Quarter, many visitors find the French Quarter a breath of fresh air, with its wide boulevards and European buildings. The Opera House was considered the apex of French Hanoi, and therefore was a fittingly ironic site for Ho Chi Minh to declare the nation's independence in 1945. Nearby is the History Museum , the epitome of the hybrid style known as "Neo-Vietnamese". The wide-ranging collection reflects Vietnam's history since Paleolithic times. The remains of the Dong Son culture date back to the Bronze Age culture that flourished in the Red River Delta from 1200 to 200 BC. Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum is an imposing building, dominated by the great leader's most quoted saying: "Nothing is more important than independence and freedom". Nearby is the Presidential Palace . After the French left Vietnam, this elaborate classical building was offered to Ho Chi Minh as his residence; he chose instead to live in the comparatively simple house built on the grounds. A short walk takes you to the One Pillar Pagoda , a classic symbol of Hanoi. This unique building dates back to the Ly Dynasty, in the 11th century. The nearby Ho Chi Minh Museum is more a surreal display of Socialist principles and aesthetics rather than an insight into the man; it tends to either charm or baffle visitors. The famed Temple of Literature is one of the most important temples in the city; it is one of the few surviving remnants of the Ly King's original city. This shrine to Confucian principles and practice includes a ceremonial hall, temple sanctuary, and was once the site of the National Academy , Vietnam's first university. Princes and high-ranking mandarins studied here in preparation to hold positions of power in the Confucian hierarchy that ruled Vietnam. While several of Hanoiís museums are eclectic, the Army Museum is highly informative on 20th century Vietnamese history. The Fine Arts Museum has a good collection of folk art, and Vietnamese style painting, as it evolved through western influences. For visitors interested in Vietnam's ethnic diversity, and especially for those planning on more extensive travel in the minority areas, a visit to the Museum of Ethnology is a must. Displays of clothing, musical instruments, and other items used in daily life are well displayed. There are also informative films and photos of unique cultural events. No visit to Hanoi is complete without attending a performance of water puppets . This unique art form entertains and educates audiences in the traditional legends of northern Vietnam, and makes a joyous evening's entertainment.

Hanoi is an excellent base for short day trips and more extensive journeys into the far north hill regions. One of the most popular trips is to Halong Bay , with its ethereal karst formations and harbours made famous by the film Indochine . Take a boat out on the harbour, and visit Cat Ba National Park , with rugged scenery and many species of plant and animal. The island is inhabited by the rare golden-headed langur, and over seven hundred species of plant have been documented. Some feel the best way to explore this area is by sea kayak. Traveling with companies committed to the environmental preservation of this fragile ecosystem, you can make a rare journey into the hongs, or caves, of the karst formations, and see a rare and special world. There are also several distinct craft villages on the outskirts of Hanoi. Dong Ky is home to woodcarvers, while Bat Trang has been producing pottery since the 15th century - examples of the village's pottery are seen in museums throughout Vietnam. Chuyen My residents make some of the finest mother of pearl inlay work in the country.

Traveling to the far north from Hanoi takes you to what is in actuality another country: a rural, mountainous land of dramatic, misty karst mountains , with fertile valleys and a plethora of ethnic groups sequestered amongst the hills. While travel through this region is not without hardships and discomfort, for those seeking to explore the wilder aspects of Vietnam, the hill regions make for real adventure. This is an area little exposed to westernization, where you are encouraged to be discreet and sensitive in your dress and behaviour. Shorts are frowned upon, as is invasive photography, littering, wearing shoes inside homes, and the use of opium. Lao Cai is your first stop when heading towards Sapa , with its popular market, which attracts Hmong, Red Dao, and other peoples. Beautiful silver and textiles can be purchased here. The landscape is dominated by the silhouette of Fan Si Pan Mountain. A reserve has been established near the mountain to safeguard the many rare species that live here, including the clouded leopard, tiger, and black gibbon. Dien Bien Phu attracts visitors primarily interested in the military significance of the town; however, it is also interesting ethnically, with many Thai people. A museum describes the bloody battle of 1953. Son La is tucked into the mountains, with dramatic karst mountains nearby. The town is infamous for its prison, a brutal place that bred passionate resentment to French rule. There is also an informative display on the area's ethnic groups. Travel to a high plateau where tea, coffee, mulberry, and dairy farms are common; proceed to Mai Chau , with a popular Sunday market. Hoa Binh can be easily reached from Hanoi; the area is home to Muong, Thai, Hmong and Dai people.

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