Vietnam: Events
Special prayers are held at Vietnamese and Chinese pagodas on days when the moon is either full or the merest sliver. Many Buddhists eat only vegetarian food on these days. Some of the major religious festivals follow a lunar calendar. They include: Tet (late January or early February), the most important festival of the year, which lasts a week (with rites beginning a week earlier), marking the new lunar year; Wandering Souls Day (Trung Nguyen), held on the fifteenth day of the seventh moon (August), the second-largest festival of the year, when offerings of food and gifts are given to the wandering souls of the forgotten dead; Summer Solstice Day (Tiet Doan Ngo) in June which sees the burning of human effigies to satisfy the need for souls to serve in the God of Death’s army; and Holiday of the Dead (Thanh Minh) in April commemorating deceased relatives.

Vietnam: Sights
Vietnam offers a varying feast for the eyes. Check out tranquil Mui Ne Beach, or the bustling party scene further north in Nha Trang. Explore the splendid rock formations, sea cliffs and grottoes of Halong Bay. Trek through the northern mountains or sashay through the colonial elegance of Ho Chi Minh City.

Ba Be National Park
Address Bac Kan Province Phone tel: (0281) 894 014 (info) Transport car
motorcycle: from Cho Ra Keyword national park Ba Be National Park is a beautiful tropical rainforest region covering more than 23,000 hectares (56,800 acres) and boasting waterfalls, rivers, deep valleys, lakes and caves set amid towering peaks. The surrounding area is home to members of the Tay minority, who live in stilt homes. The park has over 550 named plant species.

Bac Ha Market
Address Bac Ha Transport bus: organised tours from Hanoi
motorcycle: from Lao Cai Hours Sun Keyword markets The Sunday market in Bac Ha is where you’ll want to stock up on water buffalo, pigs and horses. Once you’re all set, you can browse for bottles of local firewater (made from rice, cassava or corn) or handicrafts made by some of the 10 Montagnard groups living near here – Flower Hmong, Dzao, Giay (Nhang), Han (Hoa), Xa Fang, Lachi, Nung, Phula, Thai and Thulao.

Bac Ha is a less crowded alternative to Sapa, and arriving midweek makes for a relaxing visit. Around 700m above sea level, the highlands around Bac Ma are somewhat warmer than Sapa. Bring ear plugs so you needn’t endure the ‘Voice of Vietnam’ echoing from the loudspeakers at market-rousing time.

Cua Dai Beach
Address Ð Cua Dai Transport car: from Hoi An Keyword beach, food onsite Cua Dai is a monster beach that continues all the way up to Danang, an incredible 30km (19mi) of pristine white sands. This fine palm-lined beach is hugely popular at weekends, but can often be deserted at other times. Fresh seafood and refreshments are sold at a line of kiosks that lead to the beachfront.

Mariamman Hindu Temple
Address 45 Ð Truong Dinh, Ho Chi Minh City Hours 07:00 – 19:00 Keyword religious/spiritual A splash of southern India’s colour in Saigon, Mariamman Hindu Temple was built at the end of the 19th century and is dedicated to the Hindu goddess Mariamman. There are only 50 to 60 Tamil Hindus in HCMC, but the temple is also considered sacred by many ethnic Vietnamese and Chinese.