Vietnam
Vietnam's unequalled natural beauty is one of the country's key attractions. From the lush, fertile Mekong Delta to its stunning coastline dotted with beautiful beaches; from the rugged mountains of the north to the spectacular topography of Halong Bay, Vietnam's beauty inspires visitors.
Lying on the eastern part of the Indochinese peninsula, Vietnam is a strip of land shaped like the letter “S”. China borders it to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the west, the East Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the east and south.
Northern Vietnam
BA BE LAKE: (240 km from Hanoi)
Ba Be Lakes, lie in the middle of a vast limestone mountain range, north-west of Ha Noi - dubbed a "precious jade of Viet Nam" and one of 500 lakes recognized as worthy of attention. Ba Be itself is actually three smaller lakes joined together - Pe Lam, Pe Lu and Pe Leng. The climate is cool with an average temperature of 22°C. This area has a lot to offer, including waterfalls, rivers, valleys, lakes, and caves all set amidst picturesque landscapes.
CAO BANG: (280 km from HANOI)
Cao Bang Province is located in the far north-east, 280 km north of Hanoi; it shares borders with China on the north and east. The cool weather is ideal for relaxing and discovery nearby places. Famous sites include Thang Hen Mountainous Lake in Tra Linh, Ban Gioc Fall and Nguom Ngao Cave in Trung Khanh. Among of them, Ban Gioc Fall probably is one of most beautiful waterfalls in Vietnam. Historical sites where Uncle Ho lived and worked before the August 1945 Revolution include Pac Bo, Coc Bo Cave, Lenin Stream, and Khuoi Nam Stream. In Cao Bang, the traditional festivals have specific characteristics of ethnic groups, for example, Long Tong Festival, Inviting–the-Moon-Mother Festival (Moi Me Trang).
CAT BA
Cat Ba National Park is located on Cat Ba Island, 150 km east of Hanoi. The park covers approximately 200 km2, two thirds of which consists of a forested zone and one third, a marine
zone.
The island is home to over 600 kinds of plants including Bang, Goi Nep, Sang Le, and Kim Giao trees. The fauna living on the island is also diverse; the island is home to rare wild white-headed langur, deer, and macaques, to name a few. Cat Ba marine reserves comprise sea turtles, lobster, coral, oysters, and dolphins.
DIEN BIEN PHU (474 km from Hanoi)
Dien Bien Phu is surrounded by mountains and lies in the Muong Thanh valley, northwest of Hanoi. The battle of Dien Bien Phu was a world-famous historical event. The struggle of the Vietnamese army against the French expeditionary corps in 1954 lasted 56 days. A museum, bunkers, battle grounds and the expansive cemetery commemorate the battle.
HAI PHONG: (105 km from Hanoi)
Hai Phong is north Vietnam’s largest sea port city, about 105 km east of Hanoi and definitely deserves a 2 nights stay during which to explore Cat Ba National park and adjoining Halong Bay as well as the rural villages surrounding the city on bicycle.
The town itself consists of wide, tree-lines avenues, parks, French colonial-style building as well as narrow winding streets with open air fresh markets selling fruits, vegetables, flowers and household goods. Hai Phong also to offer several interesting cultural highlights: picturesque Du Hang Pagoda (also known under the name of Phuc Lam Pagoda) and Hang Kenh Communal House with exquisite woodcarvings. Roughly 22 km southeast of Haiphong lies Doson Beach and the former summer residence of the last ruler of the Nguyen Dynasty, Bao Dai. The nicely restored villa is built on a hill and offers great views of the sea and wooded hill. Close by there is the one and only casino in Vietnam, a joint-venture between Hong Kong and Vietnam.
HALONG BAY: (165 km from Hanoi)
Located in the North of Vietnam’s East Sea, 165 km east from Hanoi. Halong Bay is one of the country’s most famous tourist attractions and was listed by UNESCO a World Natural Heritage, an area of outstanding nature beauty.
Halong Bay covers an area of 1.500 square kilometers. Among many pleasant beaches, along its winding coast line is Bai Chay in Halong City and the peaceful coves of Cat Ba Island. The marine reserve in the bay is flourishing and offers great potential for kayaking. The bay is the filled with thousands of islets of all shapes and sizes. A wide variety of birds and animals including bantams, monkeys and iguanas live on the islands. Pearl and coral is also exploited in some areas. With its spectacular beauty, Halong Bay is a wonderful destination. Tourists who visit Halong Bay at any time of the year are always enthralled.
HANOI : (The capital of Vietnam)
Hanoi , the capital of Vietnam, is located in the Red River Delta in the center of North Vietnam. It is the political, economic, cultural, commercial, and tourist center of the country. It was founded in 1010 AD during the reign of King Ly Cong Uan.
Many ancient architectural features are still preserved in Hanoi, particularly in the fascinating warren of streets know as the Old Quarter. There are over 600 pagodas, numerous lakes and parks, where local tend together on weekends and in the evenings. The most notable lakes are fabled Hoan Kiem Lake in the heart of the City, and the vast expanse of West Lake. Popular sights include Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the One-Pillar Pagoda, Ngoc Son Temple and Vietnam’s first University, the Temple of Literature.
HOA BINH: (74 km from Hanoi)
Hoa Binh is a mountainous province located in the North, the culture of Hoa Binh combines six minorities with their own languages, traditional literature, and festivals. Tourists especially enjoy the minority specialty dishes including rice cooked in bamboo and grilled meat, also enjoy watching traditional dancing, music performances (bronze, drums, gongs), and Thai minority singing and dancing.
MAI CHAU: (150 km from Hanoi)
Located in Hoa Binh Province, 70 km from Hoa Binh town. From the top of Mountain there is a superb panorama of the stilt house of Mai Chau sitting in a fertile green valley. The area is home to several ethnic minorities, particularly the White Thai ethnic group. Their traditional stilt houses are large structures with palm leaf roofs and polished bamboo floors. The Sunday market brings lots of people into town. People from different minorities is living in the mountains nearby come to sell such products as honey, bananas, corn and tho cam weaving.
NINH BINH: (100km from Hanoi)
Ninh Binh is a small town about 100km south of Hanoi, which is surrounded by a number of most interesting sites. Hoa Lu was the first capital of the independent Vietnam, under the Dinh dynasty and the early Le Dynasty (968-1009). There are two sanctuaries, each of them devoted to the emperors of one of these two dynasties. They are set into a landscape of limestone mountains reminiscent of some the better known sites of South China. In Tam Coc or better known as Dry Halong Bay, you can take a boat tour on a river which tunnels several times into the same type of mountains. The river is actually used by local villagers to access their rice fields. The nearby Ken Ga canal provides the opportunity to observe river life in the North, and contrast it with what one can see in the Mekong Delta. The whole area was an important center of Catholicism, and you will be surprised to see churches among the rice fields. Phat Diem has a vast cathedral which has a unique Sino-Vietnamese architecture.
SAPA: (380 km from Hanoi)
Located 1,500 m above sea level, Sapa lies in Hoang Lien Son Mountains northwest of Hanoi. Sapa has an amazing diversity of flora and fruits. Mount Fansipan, the highest mountain in Indochina at 3,134 m, is covered with clouds all year round and temperatures often drop below zero, especially at high elevation for tourists are the various ethnic minorities in their colorful customs, who visit the local weekend markets on foot or on horseback.
Central Vietnam
HOI AN: (30 km from Danang)
The ancient town of Hoi An, lies on the banks of the Thu Bon River. Hoi An was one of the major trading centers of Southeast Asia in the 16th Century, and was declared a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999. Hoi an has a distinctive Chinese atmosphere with low, tired-roof houses and narrow streets. The house were constructed of rare timbers and decorated with lacquer panels engraved with Chinese characters. Visitors enjoy the beautiful scenery of the romantic Thu Bon River, Cua Dai Beach, and Cham Islands.
HUE : (658 km from Hanoi)
Founded as a Royal City in 1687, the original citadel city of Phu Xuan was built on the site of present day Hue, the gateway to the treasures of Vietnam’s royal past. The city served as Vietnam’s political capital from1802 to 1945 under the 13 emperor of the Nguyen dynasty and was a major center of Vietnamese culture, region and education. This small and quiet city is justly famed for the magnificent architecture of its citadels palaces royal tombs, pagodas and temples built under the Nguyen dynasty in an elegant verdant setting on the banks of perfume River. UNESCO has labeled Hue “a beautiful architectural poem”.
Phu Quoc Island
This 16-island archipelago lies around 40 kilometers west of Ha Tien in the Gulf of Thailand. The major island, Phu Quoc, is 48 kilometers long and covers an area of 1,320 square kilometers. Phu Quoc Island boasts lush tropical forest and mountain zones. The island is perfect for tourists with its unspoiled beaches. There are many activities to take advantage of including swimming, snorkeling, and fishing.
Quy NHON : (250 km from Danang)
Quy Nhon is located on the East Sea coast and a growing commercial and industrial center that produces textiles, processed food, and seafood. Its small fishing port was dredged and improved by the United States military in 1965 and again by the Vietnamese government in 1977. Ruins of the ancient Cham center of Cha Ban are nearby. Quy Nhon is getting more popular as beach break destination with daily flight from/to Ho Chi Minh City.
