VIETNAM OVERVIEW

Viet Nam with its new open policy, its exquisitely beautiful scenery and its 4,000 years of glorious history is one of the most attractive tourists destinations in the world. There is always something to do and someone to help you. This small country has suffered much in its thousand year struggle for independence. Now through its government’s careful policies …..

1.The Huong Pagoda: The Perfume or Huong Pagoda is actually a complex of pagodas amidst mountains, forests, lakes and caves. Here the faithful believe that the deities purify souls, cure sufferings and grant offspring to childless families. It is 75km south of Ha Noi and the journey there is by road an then river. The boat trip through the rice fields to the mountains is particularly beautiful.

With Vietflower Travel, you escape the worst of the crowds. We use only high quality boats, and recommend a night on the bay to allow time for the less visited islands and grottoes, leaving those that have been equipped with lights, walkways, refreshment stalls and souvenir shops to the tourists. The exceptions are Dao Go, a large cavern worth visiting for its grandeur, and Sung Sot, for its remarkable stalactites and stalagmites.

The main attraction of this area, apart from its superlative natural beauty, is Vietnam’s largest concentration of ethnic groups. Many distinct groups live in this area and, apart from those living around the tourist centre of Sapa, their dress, buildings, traditions and lifestyles have changed little over the last hundred years.

Hanoi and the surrounding area have plenty to interest visitors. Its central area is compact – most of the main attractions are within walking distance. Tree-lined boulevards, colonial buildings and many lakes make pleasant routes for a pedestrian tour. If you don’t mind becoming an attraction for the Vietnamese, a ‘cyclo’ tour can be a less strenuous way of seeing some of the sites.

1.Dong Ha and The Demilitarised Zone (DMZ): From 1954 until the defeat of the Americans in 1975, the Ben Hai river divided Viet nam into two parts. This area suffered heaviest fighting during the Viet nam War. Some areas, such as Khe Sanh combat base, Rockpile, LangVay special forces, Hamburger hill still recall thousands Vietnamese soldiers as well as American GI.

Originally known as Cua Han, it gradually developed into a commercial port replacing Hoi An in the early 18th century, when European shipbuilding was improved and large deep-draught vessels could easily enter Danang Bay. The city was associated with the French colonialists who, after establishing their domination of the whole of Vietnam in 1889, separated Danang from Quang Nam Province and renamed the city Tourane under the control of the Governor General of Indochina.

Hoi An, in Quang Nam province, is about 35km south of Danang on the mouth of the Thu Bon river. In the middle of today’s modern municipality is the ancient port town of Hoi An, surrounded by urban development. Facing the silted-up river that once made it a major trading centre, it is now a World Heritage Area and a popular destination. Its close proximity to Cua Dai Beach, good hotels and restaurants make it a pleasant place to spend a few days in the middle of a full tour of Vietnam.

The Imperial City of Hue, Vietnam’s ancient Imperial Capital, lies at the mouth of the Perfume River. It, too, has been disfigured by warfare, first by French colonists who sacked and burnt the Imperial Library as a reprisal for resistance, and then by a massive US barrage during 1968 Tet Offensive that destroyed much of Hue’s ancient Citadel. Nevertheless, the restoration work, and Hue’s status as a World Heritage Site, makes it an important destination for visitors

Ho Chi Minh city is the largest city with 6 millions inhabitants and is considered as the economic capital of the country. It is a blend of Chinese, colonial and modern influences. The huge number of people, shops and stalls give Ho Chi Minh city, formerly called Sai Gon the ‘Pearl of Orient’, has a bustling and vital atmosphere.

Dalat can be reached by air, but only from Ho Chi Minh City. However the drive from the south is quite satisfying, especially as you climb up through rubber, mulberry, coffee and tea plantations. The road from Dalat to Highway 1 and Nha Trang is also gratifying with plenty to see on way.

With a population of 300,000, Nha Trang is the closest thing to a European resort centre in Vietnam, but still retains its Vietnamese culture and its small town atmosphere. The city is flanked by nearly ten kilometres of prime beach and benefits from an all-year-round warm climate and an attractive archipelago of offshore islands.

Mui Ne (Mũi Né) is a coastal resort town in the Binh Thuan Province of southeastern Vietnam, located on an arm of the South China Sea. The town is close to the city of Phan Thiết. Tourism has transformed Mui Ne into a resort destination since 1995, when many visited to view the total solar eclipse of October 24, 1995.

The Mekong River travels over 3,000 miles on its way to the sea, where its journey terminates at Cuu Long, the famous Mekong Delta. The name means ‘nine dragons’ – the nine mouths that wend their way of canals, channels, silt islets and mangrove swamps thatacross the 62,160km comprise the delta. Believed to have formed over 6,000 years ago, it is one of the most productive rice-growing regions in the world.

Phu Quoc is part of an archipelago of 105 islands in the Gulf of Thailand, of which 13 are in close proximity to its makes it Vietnam’s largest island. It has someshores. A land area of 1,320km of the best beaches in Vietnam, a large forest area, and coral around the small islands to the south. Although comparatively underdeveloped, the island is becoming a tourist attraction.