Vietnam Destinations

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HANOI

Visiting Hanoi is to steep yourself in history, tradition, and legend in a capital that has been inhabited continuously for almost a millennium. Visitors often note that the city is quieter, greener, and "cooler" than other big cities of Vietnam. Indeed, Hanoi itself, and the Northern Vietnam, have quite clear four seasons, and October to March are lovely pretty cool months whilst other towns southward just have dry and rainy times. It probably influences in the mentality of the inhabitants and the city seems attract more intellectuals and artists, while Saigon is great for entrepreneurs and hustlers. Anyone who has ever visited Hanoi will probably tell you that it may be the most beautiful city in all of Asia. People have settled here along the Red River for a thousand years. Nestled along tree-lined boulevards among the city’s two dozen lakes you will find architectural souvenirs left by all who conquered this great valley, from the Chinese who first came in the last millennium, to the French, booted out in our own century. The trip into the city from Noi Bai Airport takes about an hour and offers some poignant glimpses of modern Vietnamese life: Farmers tending their fields, great rivers, and modern highways that abruptly become bumpy roads. The drive is especially breathtaking at dusk when the roads fill with bicycles, and everything takes on the same deep colors as the modern paintings you see in Hanoi's galleries. Somehow the setting sun seems enormous here as it dips into the cornfields on the horizon. On the edge of the city the road dissolves into a maze of winding, narrow, wooded lanes. You are surrounded first by roadside artisans, shops and taverns, then by graceful villas and commuters on bicycles, cyclos and motorbikes. Modern buildings appear from nowhere, looking so out of place that you have to wonder if they were dropped from the sky and just left where they came to rest. While you tell yourself that nothing as preposterous as Hanoi can be so beautiful, you cannot help but be dazzled. Hanois present architecture is mainly from the 19th and 20th centuries, and the French-built section of the town is largely intact. Yet, the city preserves many old religious temples and shrines dedicated to the nations heroes or deities, who supported the farmers to cultivate and protect the fertile land on the Red River right bank and gather the first commercial guilds to form what later became an exciting urban town. Hanoi street life now is fascinating. In the early morning, you can see people both young and old practicing "tai chi quan" or martial arts in the parks and joggers along pretty lakes. Outdoor barbers with mirrors simply hung on the street walls and women selling great French baguettes and flowers are also at every street corner. If you go for a walk, the motorbikes and cyclos may make you wonder a bit which directions they move on, but as soon as you get a chance to try one of them, you could say they are not so risky like they seem to be, as the local drivers have extremely special skills to avoid one another (!). Thus a deliberate Cyclo tour for one or two hours is so far the best way to visit the Old Quarter, 90% of which are narrow and

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short streets. During the two Indochinese Wars in 20th century, Hanoi had been heavily damaged, but there is virtually no evidence that now and the particularly thin, tall, often awkward-looking buildings that you see on streets are not a result of bombing, but are created by landowners who own only a thin slice of land so build up rather than out. Hanoi has a number of lovely parks and big Lakes which inspire the ancient architects to build graceful temples nearby and Museums with precious exhibits of Vietnams Fine Arts, Ethnology, History and Recent Wars that attract not only historians but foreign visitors and local people. Finally, the Hanoians are reckoned the warmest and most approachable in the country. Though English is not as commonly spoken as in Saigon, most of the shopkeepers have learnt English quite enough to discussion on the commodities and price, and many of the older generation have a working vocabulary of French. Regardless of language, people will attempt to chat with you irrespective of whether you can understand them. Many of the cyclo drivers speak some English and often have very interesting pasts that they are now willing to discuss with foreigners. At times in Hanoi, you could be sitting in a café sipping excellent coffee that Vietnam plant in the Central Highlands for domestic use and export, eating great pastries that is a pleasant trace of the French time, chatting in French to an old beret clad gentleman, whilst as you look out the window you can see posh French-style villas in the shadows of fig trees or Malabar- almond trees. Then you can really wonder just what country you really are in. In a single word, Hanoi is a city to be savored. Getting Around Meter taxis and hired cars are easy to find in Hanoi. If you plan an extended visit you might consider renting a bicycle or motorbike. The north end of Hoan Kiem Lake is Hanoi's "ground zero." Practically all the city’s economical hotels, tourist shops, and cafés catering to foreign visitors are located here. Not only is it the oldest part of the city, it is the busiest and most interesting one. Every street is winding, intimate, and shady. At night the lights of storefronts keep the streets lit and animated. Depending on which guide book you read, this district of Hanoi is variously called the "Old Quarter," the "Ancient Quarter," and "36 streets." It is wedged between the northern shore of Hoan Kiem Lake, the walls of the ancient citadel, and the levies that protect the city from the Red River. The 36 little streets in the quarter are each named for a commodity once sold by all the businesses on that street. Streets here are named for the medicine, jewelry, fans, copper, horse hair, chicken, and even coffins once sold on them. This explains why the names of some of the longer streets inexplicably change after one or two blocks. As you explore, you will still happen to encounter entire blocks of tinsmiths, tailors, paper goods merchants and lacquerware makers. In the Ancient Quarter the most appealing mode of transportation for those who do not care to enjoy the "36 Streets" on foot are the cyclos. Often these are driven by men wearing pea-green pith helmets that make them look like soldiers. Settle the fare in advance (a dollar or less one-way). Most drivers will also quote you an hourly rate and will take you to all the obligatory cultural and historical spots.

HA LONG BAY & CAT BA ISLAND

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Halong attracts around 90% of visitors coming to Vietnam. It's a Bay that 1,500 square km wide belongs to the Tonkin Gulf of the South China Sea. Though it belongs to the ocean, its wave is calm and unusually emerald. And it has nearly 2,000 islands and islets, all are limestone and dolomite, with numerous grottoes, stretches on that 1,500 square km. The tourist who have visited Guilin (China) and Phuket (Thailand) often make a comparison for their similar shape and geographical structure, just to note afterward that Halong is much huger and more diversified. So after a very short time to consider, UNESCO had acknowledged it as the World Heritage in December 1994. This is the 2nd of the four listed World Heritages of Vietnam. In 1991 a scene of the French movie INDOCHINE was taken on the Bay. The film was about the life of a French woman who lived in Vietnam during the French domination in Indochina from mid-19th to mid-20th century, the leading role was by Catherine Deneuve, and all the French-speaking tourist were amazed discovering a spectacular seascape they've never known before. Despite the distance of 170km East of Hanoi that by 1995 took not less than 6-hour driving with 2 river ferries to cross, with inconvenient in and out from the bus, the tourists mark Halong in their itineraries always. Now, it takes not more than 3 hours if you go straight to the Bay. But the tourists love to stop, as they cannot skip the paddy fields, the daily life of farmers and clay workmen, the greenbean town and the ceramic town on the new way. Halong may not be a good example for comforts and modern facilities, but from the other (better) side, the area is preserved well from the development of industry and massive tourism. CAT BA ISLAND A trip to Cat Ba island can be separated or combined with a visit to Halong Bay. This is the largest island in the Cat Ba Archipelago that consists of 350 limestone outcrops adjacent to Halong. This is an oasis where you can be apart for one or a few days during a long voyage. If starting from Halong Wharf it will take you 4 hours by a tourist boat, with stopovers for swimming, visiting spectacular karst and having fresh seafoods. In a single word, you can contemplate the beautiful scenery of Halong before reaching the island. You can also buy a ticket of the hydrofoil departing from Hai Phong Seaport to reach Cat Ba if your itinerary saves Halong for another visit. With an area of 356 square km wide, Cat Ba encompasses forested zones, coastal mangrove and freshwater swamps, beaches, caves, and waterfalls. In 1986, the Northeast side of the island was designated a National Park, including a protected marine zone. Cat Ba Island supports a population of over 20,000, most of whom live off fishing or farming in the South, in and around Cat Ba Town. The town is small and ancient, with clusters of fishing boats and inspiring sunsets across the harbor. You can check out the catch of the day in the early morning , see cuttlefish dried over hot charcoals, or stroll around the old town. It's a short hike from Cat Ba town through a tunnel to Cat Co Beach, whose mountains look like a throne holding a marvelous sandy coast, or if you hike further along, you will reach the rockier Cat Vang Beach. As transportation on the town is not so well-developed, motorbikes is the most helpful means to get you to the larger Trung Trang Cave with many chambers, or to the National Park, or to discover other beaches around the island. A tourguide is necessary to help you communicate with the local drivers and introduce these viewpoints. The national park contains stringy trees, thick undergrowth and slippery vines. There is a great view that includes a French, now Vietnamese, farming village from the top of the mountain and a lake in the middle of the park that takes a half day to reach. HAI PHONG – THE OLD CHARM WITHIN AN EXCITING SEAPORT Unlike the two neighbours Halong and Cat Ba, Hai Phong attracts less tourists unless they arrive in Northern Vietnam by cruiserships. Yet, the city maintains many charming architectures with evident influence of early 20th century colonial style the French invested to build up the old town as an important seaport. Passing Hai Phong is an exciting experience as soon as you go by the way crossing Cam River Ferry, from where you can go to Halong by the landway or take a boat (usually reserved) and run upstream 12km till you reach the sea, from where you go on either to Halong or Cat Ba island. Both ways offer wonderful views and seascape with plenty of islands belonging to Halong and Cat Ba archipelago, and few tourists choose this way to avoid repeated itineraries. There are still remarkable ancient Vietnamese architectures in Hai Phong. Du Hang Pagoda, the centre of Buddhism in Hai Phong, is a very pure and graceful temple that was built in 17th century with some renovations afterward. The pagoda contains a lot of brilliant woodworks, bronze statues, and a bonsai collection right in the

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front ground. An array of Buddha and Bodhisattva statues highlight a circular pond of water lilies in a flowery garden and a tranquil towered-grave yard, where buried the monks who had resided in the pagoda, make the place a wonderful sanctuary to reduce any pressure. If you luckily arrive in the new moon and full moon days' morning, you will have a chance to catch fascinating pictures of Hai Phong religious women in black velvet scarves and brown long dress, with respectful faces and manners, sitting in and around the main shrine of the pagoda while the monks pray or give lectures of Buddhism. Not far from the pagoda, at the end of a very narrow market street is Hang Kenh Pavillion, which is dedicated to the Vietnamese hero Ngo Quyen who lived in 10th century. Being a Communal House of the Kenh village in the old time, the Pavillion is famous for its wooden bas-relieves, sculptures and special boat-shaped interior. If you prefer to stroll our the city, your visit should be started from the colonial quarter around Dien Bien Phu street and Tran Hung Dao street, from where you can direct to the old Opera House, and go for a walk surrounding Tam Bac Lake. There are 5 roofed kiosks in the Eastern side of the lake with very fresh flowers sold by smiling girls, and in the Southern side is the exciting Hang Kenh Tapestry producing woolen carpets for export.

NHA TRANG

Established as a port town in the 1920s, Nha Trang now has a population of 280,000, and serves as the capital of Khanh Hoa province. Fishing is the major industry. It is one of the nicest cities in southern Vietnam, blessed with lovely beaches, 19 beautiful surrounding islands and great ice cream! To meet the increasing number of local and foreign tourists, different kinds of hotels and guests houses have been built along the beachfront, intermingled with old French villas. It's pleasant to cycling in Nha Trang and the surroundings, since the city has wide boulevards and little traffic. On days where it is too warm to cycle, you should take a boat out to the islands for a day of snorkeling in turquoise water and coral reefs, have a fantastic seafood banquet for lunch, and return to town just in time to wander down to the beach for a late afternoon beer of fruit shake. A number of remarkable sights is in the suburb, of which we would recommend: Po Nagar Cham Tower On the north side of Nhatrang, across Xom Bong Bridge excited with red-blue fishing boats are the best-preserved Cham Towers in Central Vietnam, a sanctuary of Po Nagar, a mythical goddess. Among the 8 towers constructed between the 7th and 12th centuries, only 4 left and they are still used as places of worship. There is a group of nuns that may show you around with their best sign language and smiles and there is a small interesting museum to the right of the north tower displaying photographs and ancient statues. The hillock upon which the Cham Towers sit offers a great panorama of the surrounds and a view over the entrance to the river with Nhatrang as a background. The entrance to the site is at street level followed by a staircase uphill to the top. You will notice on the right of you way up the remains of the meditation hall, which was the original entrance for Cham worshippers. The north tower is the largest and main one situated on a higher level directly in front of the meditation hall. The other smaller towers are only metres away from this and all of them are facing due east. Remember to take off your shoes before entering any of the temples. Hon Chong Headland Due east of the Cham Towers is fishing villages, with a lot of boats move in and out of the surreal-looking bay by Xom Bong Bridge. A slippery fish market opens early in the morning. West of the Cham Towers is Hai Dao Island resort, a collection of cabins connected to the mainland by footbridges. Cockfights are sometimes staged here. To

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the northeast of the towers is Hon Chong Promontory where hundreds of boulders are balanced on top of one another. The massive boulder at the tip of the Promontory is called Chong Rock. Various legends are associated with this boulder which is said to bear the imprint of a large hand. Naturally, there are various (beautiful) look-outs with refreshment stalls are set around by the local people. Pagodas and churches On the northwest side of Nhatrang is Long Son Pagoda, and active Buddhist temple featuring and unusual red brass Buddha on a wooden lotus pedestal. On top of a hill behind the pagoda is the massive 9-m high white Buddha on a lotus throne. Embedded in the octagonal base are 7 stucco likenesses of Buddhist martyr, monks, and nuns who died protesting the repressive Ngo Dinh Diem regime in southern Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Some of them have immolated themselves and the white Buddha was built in their memory in 1963. On the other side of the tracks, east of the railway station is Nhatrang Cathedral, complete with stained glass windows and French Gothic lines. It was built in the 1930s and the daily masses are still held here in the early morning and late afternoon. Pasteur Institute At the north end of Tran Phu Blvd. is the Pasteur Institute, with a small but fascinating Museum dedicated to the French Dr. Alexander Yersin (1863-1943). The Pasteur Institute was founded by Yersin in 1895, and he is probably one of the most respected French men in Vietnam. Being a Renaissance man, Yersin was not only famous for the pioneering medical research but was an explorer, botanist, biologist, and entomologist, and also interested in photography and astronomy. He explored the Dalat area and recommended sitting a hill station there. He was also responsible for the introduction of rubber and quinine producing trees and discovered the microbe that caused the bubonic plague. This institute now performs research and produces vaccines. Within the Nhatrang institute, the office and library of Dr. Yersin are now open to the public and contain a small yet interesting collection of his equipment. It was on Yersins recommendations that his laboratory in Nhatrang and Dr. Albert Calmettes laboratory in Saigon were upgraded to the level of Indochina Pasteur Institute, the 1st established outside Paris. Indochinese Pasteur Institutes later appeared in Hanoi and Dalat, and microbiology labs opened in Hue, Vientiane and Phnompenh. Dai Lanh Beach Located at around 80 km North of Nha Trang, Dai Lanh is a picturesque fishing village with red-tile roofs. There's a high vantage point in the area known as Cap Varella, with sweeping views. Dai Lanh Beach extends along Highway 1, at the southern end it becomes a sand dune area that connects with the 30-km-long Hon Gom Peninsula, another scenic area. Sheltered in here is Vung Co, one of the nicest beaches on the coast. Any bus heading between Qui Nhon and Nha Trang will pass through there.

SAI GON

Saigon, officially named Ho Chi Minh City is a thriving metropolis with an unavoidable western influence offering quite a different experience to Hanoi. Whilst Hanoi seems a city to be savored with more traditions and obvious traces of the red-tape, Saigon catches up better and faster with the best and worst sides of "doi moi" movements (renovation of the country) following the market economy rules. This is commercial hub of Vietnam, the industrial muscle of the nation. This is the rendezvous of business people and hustlers, whilst not many of them carry visa-

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versus from Saigon to other big cities in Vietnam. There is no doubt that bustling Ho Chi Minh City is the industrial, business and, to some extent, the emerging cultural heart of Vietnam and is also well-known for its historical spots. Elegant new hotels, apartment buildings, and entertainment centers have sprung up on main streets. During the period since 1990, Ho Chi Minh City's changes were vast, even in suburb areas. The development of this city has contributed a lot to Vietnam’s tourism in general. The boulevards are still very much like the ones found in French cities. Same double sidewalks, same pitch and profile, same electric poles too! But instead of thousands of cars and a few bicycles, there are thousands of bicycles and a few cars now. The pace of traffic is set by the pedaling traffic - it is slow but surprisingly smooth. There are very few traffic lights. One can understand that those red and green lights are mostly expensive decorations. Saigon is truly a beautiful and vibrant city. If you want to take in Saigon's major sights in one day, make sure you get an early start. We recommend starting off at the stirring War Remnants Museum (28 Vo Van Tan St., District 3; daily 7.30–11.30am & 1.30–5.15pm; 65¢), where you'll get the local perspective on the war known in Vietnam as the "American War." Themed exhibits are anything but surface: Expect devastating photos of the notorious My Lai massacre, among others, and warfare relics; as a somewhat comforting counterpoint, you'll also find a photographic display of global peace protests. You won't leave unaffected. Another history lesson is to be had at the modernist Reunification Palace (106 Nguyen Du St.; daily 7.30–11am & 1–4pm; USD1), a former presidential residence made famous when North Vietnamese tanks crashed through its gates for a victorious flag hanging in 1975 that effectively reunified the country. Inside, you can tour the tackily decorated rooms, including the president's private chambers; the highlight is the war command room in the basement, complete with an (outdated) communications center. Take a break from the heavy-hitting history by visiting one of Saigon's many superb pagodas. Our favorite is the eye-catching Emperor Jade Pagoda (73 Mai Thi Luu St., District 3; daily: 8am–5pm; free), built in 1909 by the Cantonese community. Before entering its incense-fragrant interior, take a moment to admire its incredibly ornate tiled roof; inside is equally intricate, with elaborate woodcarvings and vivid sculptures. To catch the everyday sights, sounds and smells of Saigon, don't miss the hugely evocative Ben Thanh Market (Roundabout of Le Loi and Tran Hung Dao, District 1), with its maze of narrow aisles packed with hundreds of stalls selling anything from household items to exotic fruits – look for the enchanting dragon fruit, endemic to Vietnam, with its brilliant pink skin – to clothing and live frogs. If time allows, do also spend a couple of hours wandering around Cholon district, the city's mesmerizing Chinatown, where street markets, colorful temples and traditional herb shops cram a cluster of tight-packed alleyways. At the end of the day, get your dose of Western lifestyle by strolling down the tree-lined Dong Khoi Street, a French-style boulevard known as Rue Catinat under French rule and the setting of parts of Graham Greene's The Quiet American; today it boasts some of Vietnam's best gourmet restaurants, designer stores, and French bakeries, but war-aficionados will want to look for the Continental Hotel, favored by most journalists during the war, at number 132-134, and Graham Greene's old haunt, the sumptuously restored Hotel Majestic, at number 1.

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