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<\/p>\nLuscious beauty everywhere, from delicate design to technicolour sunsets.Most visitors to Vietnam are overwhelmed by the sublime beauty of the country’s natural setting: the Red River Delta in the north, the Mekong Delta in the south and almost the entire coastal strip are a patchwork…<\/p>\n
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Luscious beauty everywhere, from delicate design to technicolour sunsets.Most visitors to Vietnam are overwhelmed by the sublime beauty of the country’s natural setting: the Red River Delta in the north, the Mekong Delta in the south and almost the entire coastal strip are a patchwork of brilliant green rice paddies tended by women in conical hats.<\/p>\n
There are some divine beaches along the coast, while inland there are soaring mountains, some of which are cloaked by dense, misty forests. Vietnam also offers an opportunity to see a country of traditional charm and rare beauty rapidly opening up to the outside world.<\/p>\n
Vietnam: When to Go
\nThere are no good or bad seasons to visit Vietnam. When one region is wet, cold or steamy hot, there is always somewhere else that is sunny and pleasant. Basically, the south has two seasons: the wet (May to November, wettest from June to August) and the dry (December to April). The hottest and most humid time is from the end of February to May. The central coast is dry from May to October and wet from December to February. The highland areas are significantly cooler than the lowlands, and temperatures can get down to freezing in winter. The north has two seasons: cool, damp winters (November to April) and hot summers (May to October). There is the possibility of typhoons between July and November, affecting the north and central areas.<\/p>\n
Travellers should take the Tet Festival (late January or early February) into account when planning a trip. Travel (including international travel) becomes very difficult, hotels are full and many services close down for at least a week and possibly a lot longer.<\/p>\n
Weather
\nWith a multitude of altitudes and latitudes there’s always somewhere that is pleasantly sunny and warm if you’re prepared to find it. Temperatures are usually hot and humid, around the low 30\u00b0Cs (high 80\u00b0Fs), but if you head north and along the coast they cool down to comfortable temperatures towards January. The weather is determined by two monsoons; the winter monsoon comes from the northeast between October and March bringing wet chilly winters to all areas north of Nha Trang, but dry and warm temperatures to the south. From April or May to October, the southwestern monsoon brings warm, humid weather and buckets of rain to the whole country except for those areas sheltered by mountains.<\/p>\n
Vietnam: Events
\nSpecial 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.<\/p>\n
Vietnam: Sights
\nVietnam 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.<\/p>\n
Ba Be National Park
\nAddress Bac Kan Province Phone tel: (0281) 894 014 (info) Transport car
\nmotorcycle: 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.<\/p>\n
Bac Ha Market
\nAddress Bac Ha Transport bus: organised tours from Hanoi
\nmotorcycle: 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Cua Dai Beach
\nAddress \u00d0 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.<\/p>\n
Mariamman Hindu Temple
\nAddress 45 \u00d0 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.<\/p>\n
Museum of Ho Chi Minh City
\nAddress 65 \u00d0 Ly Tu Trong, Ho Chi Minh City Phone tel: 829 9741 (info) Hours Tue-Sun 08:00 – 11:30 & 14:00 – 16:00 Keyword museum Housed in a beautiful grey neoclassical structure, the Museum of Ho Chi Minh City was built in 1886 and has displays of artefacts from the various periods of the Communist struggle for power in Vietnam.<\/p>\n
My Son
\nTransport bus: from Hoi An Hours 06:30 – 16:30 Keyword monument, Unesco World Heritage, ruin My Son is the most important centre of the ancient kingdom of Champa and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The monuments are set in a verdant valley surrounded by hills and overlooked by the massive Cat’s Tooth Mountain. It’s considered Champa’s smaller counterpart to the grand cities of southeast Asia’s other Indian-influenced civilisations like Angkor.<\/p>\n
Phuoc An Hoi Quan Pagoda
\nAddress 184 \u00d0 Hung Vuong, Cholon, Ho Chi Minh City Phone tel: (info) Hours 07:00 – 17:30 Keyword building Built in 1902 by the Fujian Chinese congregation, Phuoc An Hoi Quan Pagoda stands as one of the most beautifully ornamented in the city. Of special interest are the many small porcelain figures, the elaborate brass ritual objects and the fine woodcarvings on the altars, walls and hanging lanterns.<\/p>\n
From outside the building you can see the ceramic scenes, each made up of innumerable small figurines, decorating the roof.<\/p>\n
Thien Hau Pagoda
\nAddress 710 \u00d0 Nguyen Trai, Cholon, Ho Chi Minh City Phone tel: (info) Hours 06:00 – 17:30 Keyword religious\/spiritual One of the most active in Cholon, Thien Hau Pagoda is dedicated to Thien Hau, the Chinese goddess of the sea. As she protects fisherfolk, sailors, merchants and any other maritime travellers, you might stop by to ask for a blessing for your next boat journey.<\/p>\n
Vietnam: Money & Costs
\nUntil recently, many upmarket hotels insisted that you pay in US dollars, but now all businesses (except Vietnam Airlines) must accept payment in dong. In practice, many still display their prices in US dollars. It’s advisable to bring travellers cheques in US dollars as well as a little US currency.<\/p>\n
Currency
\nName Vietnamese dong
\nSymbol \u20ab The banknotes come in denominations of 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000 and 100,000, 200,000 and 500,000 dong. In small towns, it can be difficult to get change for the larger notes, so keep a stack of smaller bills handy. Now that Ho Chi Minh has been canonised (against his wishes), you’ll find his picture on every banknote.<\/p>\n
Coins are being reintroduced for use in Vietnam, partially to help stave off the number of counterfeit banknotes. There are coins to the value of 1000, 2000 and 5000 dong.<\/p>\n
Changing Your Money
\nThere is now a reasonably extensive network of ATMs in major cities and this can be a convenient way to get your hands on money. It is also handy to have a combination of US dollars and travellers cheques for more remote or rural parts of the country. There are four ways to exchange currency: at a bank, through authorised exchange bureaus, at hotel reception desks, and on the black market. The best rates are offered by the banks, but the exchange bureaus are generally more conveniently located and have longer opening hours. The black market rate is worse than the legal exchange rate, so if you’re offered better rates than a bank it’s bound to be some sort of scam. Visa, MasterCard, American Express and JCB credit cards are accepted in the major cities and towns popular with tourists.<\/p>\n
It’s virtually impossible to exchange travellers cheques outside the major cities and tourist areas. Visitors heading off the beaten track will either need to stock up on dong, or conduct a private cash transaction on the black market. It’s a good idea to bring a small calculator with you for currency conversions, unless you’re the kind of person who can divide or multiply by large numbers in your head.<\/p>\n
Money Tips
\nTravellers staying in budget accommodation and eating in small cafes should be able to get by on around US$20.00 to US$25.00 per day, plus long-distance transport costs. Those wanting to stay in mid-range hotels, eat out at moderate restaurants, charter occasional taxis and enjoy the nightlife should budget on around US$65.00 a day.<\/p>\n
Sample Price Guide
\nlocal iced tea 1500.00 bottle local soft drink 5000.00 local beer 10000.00 process roll of color film 50000.00 litre of petrol 10000.00 litre of water 5000-10000 souvenir t-shirt 30000.00 street stall snack – pho bo 10000.00 internet access per minute 3000-10000.00 short taxi ride 20000.00 restaurant meal US$ 3.00-10.00 hotel room with air-con US$ 10.00-20.00 internet access per hour US$ 0.20-0.50 short cyclo ride US$ 0.50 two-kilometre taxi ride US$ 1.00-2.00 Average Room Prices
\nLow Mid High
\nUS$20 or less US$20-75 US$75+
\nAverage Meal Prices
\nLow Mid High
\nUS$2 or less US$2-5 US$10+<\/p>\n
Tipping
\nGovernment-run hotels and tourist restaurants usually add a 5% service charge to bills so there’s no need to tip (although staff may not get any of it). Leaving a small tip in other restaurants will be greatly appreciated by the staff. You should consider tipping hired drivers and guides, and it’s polite to leave a small donation at the end of a visit to a pagoda.<\/p>\n
Vietnam: Getting there & around
\nGetting There
\nHo Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat Airport is Vietnam’s busiest international air hub, followed by Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airpot. A few international flights also serve Danang. Bangkok has emerged as the principle embarkation point for Vietnam but it’s still possible to get direct flights from a number of major Asian cities and a few Australian cities. Buying tickets in Vietnam is expensive. Departure tax is US$14.00 , which can be paid in dong or US dollars.<\/p>\n
There are currently 10 overland border crossings for travellers coming to Vietnam, but more may open soon. All crossing points suffer from heavy policing and often requests for ‘immigration fees’.<\/p>\n
For getting to\/from China, it’s become very popular to cross the border at Friendship Pass, or Dong Dang, 20km (12mi) north of Lang Son in northeast Vietnam, to get to\/from Nanning. There is a twice-weekly international train between Beijing and Hanoi that stops at Friendship Pass. The other popular border crossing with China is at Lao Cai in northwest Vietnam, which lies on the railway line between Hanoi and Kunming in China’s Yunnan Province. There’s also a seldom used crossing at Mong Cai.<\/p>\n
It’s possible to enter Laos from Lao Bao in north-central Vietnam; there’s an international bus from Danang to Savannakhet (Laos). The other crossing is at Keo Nua Pass\/Cau Treo, west of Vinh and Nam Phan\/Na Meo near Mai Chau. There are three crossings to Cambodia. Bavet\/Moc Bai links Phnom Penh with Ho Chi Minh City and the road is in reasonable shape now. There are also two crossings in the Mekong Delta, a river crossing at Kaam Samnor\/Vinh Xuong and a land crossing at Phnom Den\/Tinh Bien.<\/p>\n
Getting Around
\nVietnam Airlines has a near-monopoly on domestic flights, which are relatively expensive. The departure tax on domestic flights is about US$1.50 , payable in Vietnamese dong only.<\/p>\n
Ultracheap buses and minibuses criss-cross the country in an impressive network of routes. These are smarter, faster and safer than they used to be and are a good way to meet locals. The alternative, used by many foreigners, is to charter a minibus. They cost more can be faster as they don’t stop as often; ask at budget hotels and cafes for details.<\/p>\n
While sometimes train travel can be slower than bus travel, it is safer and more relaxed, and you’re likely to have decent legroom. There are several types of train, including the famous Reuinification Express ; but think twice before you take a crowded, snail-paced local train. Petty theft can be a problem on trains, especially in budget class. Children throwing things at carriages, everything from rocks to cow dung, is another problem, and you’re advised to keep the metal shield on the window in place.<\/p>\n
Hire cars and drivers are available at reasonable prices. You’ll still be stopped by the police to pay all sorts of ‘fines’, but at least you’ll have a local with you to do the negotiating. You can hire a motorcycle to drive yourself if you have an International Driver’s Permit endorsed for motorcycles, but you’ll need nerves of steel.<\/p>\n
Travelling through Vietnam, and around the towns and cities, by bicycle is worth considering, though the traffic is still a hazard on highways without wide shoulders. Trains and buses will carry your bike when you want a break.<\/p>\n
Other than the sophisticated local bus networks in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, local transport is by taxi (some metered, some not) or cyclo (pedal-powered vehicles that are cheap and plentiful). If you’re in a hurry, and fearless, try flagging down any passing motorbike. Many people will be happy to give you a lift for a fee a little higher than the equivalent cyclo fare.<\/p>\n
Vietnam: History
\nPre-20th-Century History
\nThe sophisticated Bronze Age Dong Son culture emerged around the 3rd century BC. From the 1st to the 6th centuries AD, the south of what is now Vietnam was part of the Indianised Khmer kingdom of Funan, which produced fine art and architecture. The Hindu kingdom of Champa appeared around present-day Danang in the late 2nd century and had spread south to what is now Nha Trang by the 8th century. The kingdom existed in part through conducting raids in the region. The Chinese conquered the Red River Delta in the 2nd century and their 1000-year rule, marked by tenacious Vietnamese resistance and repeated rebellions, ended in AD 938 when Ngo Quyen vanquished the Chinese armies at the Bach Dang River.<\/p>\n
During the next few centuries, Vietnam repulsed repeated invasions by China, and expanded its borders southwards from the Red River Delta, the kingdom of Champa was annexed in the 16th century and eventually the Vietnamese absorbed the Khmer territories of the Mekong Delta. In 1858, French and Spanish-led forces stormed Danang after several missionaries had been killed. A year later, Saigon was seized. By 1867, France had conquered all of southern Vietnam, which became the French colony of Cochinchina.<\/p>\n
Modern History
\nPro-independence forces, dominated largely by the leadership of Ho Chi Minh, resisted French domination during and after WWII. Ho Chi Minh’s declaration of Vietnamese independence in 1945 sparked violent confrontations with the French, culminating in the French military defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954.<\/p>\n
The negotiation of the Geneva Accords of 1954 between the Vietnamese and the French temporarily divided the country into two zones (the Communists assumed control of the north and the anti-Communist, US-supported Ngo Dinh Diem took the south). Free elections were to have been held across the country in 1956, but Diem reneged on the plan – Ho Chi Minh seemed likely to win – and instead consolidated his own power in various ways, including fixing a referendum. Western powers embraced his government.<\/p>\n
Political and ideological opposition quickly turned to armed struggle, prompting the USA (who’d been a covert presence since at least 1945) and other countries to commit combat troops in 1965. The Paris Peace Agreements, signed in 1973, provided an immediate cease-fire and the withdrawal of US troops – signalling a famous victory for Ho Chi Minh. Saigon eventually capitulated to the Communist forces on 30 April 1975.<\/p>\n
Going straight from the fat into the frying pan, Vietnam had barely drawn breath from its war with America when it found itself at loggerheads with Khmer Rouge forces along the Cambodian borders. A protracted round of fighting eventually saw China enter the fray in support of Cambodia and the killings continued until the UN brokered a deal, with Vietnamese forces being pulled out of Cambodia in 1989. Although the Khmer Rouge continued to snipe from the borders, it was the first time since WWII that Vietnam was not officially at war with any other nation. The end of the Cold War and the collapse of the USSR in 1991 caused Vietnam and Western nations to seek rapprochement.<\/p>\n
Recent History
\nRelations with the USA, have improved in recent years. In 1994 the USA finally lifted its economic embargo, which had been in place since the 1960s. Bill Clinton became the first US president to visit northern Vietnam in 2000 and George W Bush followed suit in 2006, as Vietnam was welcomed into the World Trade Organization (WTO). Relations have also improved with the historic enemy China. Vietnam’s economic boom has caught Beijing’s attention and it sees northern Vietnam as the fastest route from Yunnan and Sichuan to the South China Sea.<\/p>\n
Vietnam’s economy is growing at more than 8% a year and tourists just can’t get enough of the place. The future is bright, but ultimate success depends on how well the Vietnamese can follow the Chinese road to development: economic liberalisation without political liberalisation. With only two million paid-up members of the Communist Party and 80 million Vietnamese, it is a road they must tread carefully.<\/p>\n