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| Babel Travel Destination - Vietnam |
| I fell in love with Vietnam the minute I stepped off the aircraft into the warm humid air of Saigon; and by the time I was seated in a small family run restaurant that evening, tucking into a bowl of steaming noodles, I was completely besotted. There is just so much happening everywhere - the streets are alive with an army of bicycles and motorbikes, the markets are teeming with people jostling to buy exotic looking fruits and vegetables, the restaurants exude smells to tempt even the most discerning diner and the whole city is just infused with a sense of excitement. Fortunately for the traveller, Vietnam's traditional charms have not yet been eclipsed. Although noisy motorbikes continue to replace bicycles at an alarming rate, the former Communist stronghold of Hanoi has maintains its narrow-laned charm, while the melting, limestone pinnacles of Halong Bay are as otherworldly as ever. While trekking through remote hill tribe villages I was overcome by the sheer beauty of the country, the friendliness of the locals, the atmosphere on the streets. From the ancient neighborhoods of Hoi An to the vast Mekong Delta, the country offers an astonishing variety of scenery. Whether your fascination is wartime relics or beaches and rice paddies, see Vietnam now, because every year it seems Vietnam reinvents itself. Gyslain Chaisson, Canada.
Population 88 million
Capital: Hanoi (9 million)
Official Language: Vietnamese. Others: English and some French.
Religions: Buddhist 55%, Catholic 7%, Muslim 1%, others 37% |
| Hanoi |
| A leisurely walk through the Old Quarter and a traditional Vietnamese meal are the perfect way to explore this beautiful city.
Be sure to visit the moving Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, and his Presidential Palace and House on Stilts or take a walk through Hanoi's Old Quarter – a virtual maze of facinating streets, each one traditionally devoted to a different product or industry. |
| Hội An |
| The picturesque port town of Hoi An, once known as Faifo, was an important trading town with strong south Chinese influence and connections. Take yourself on a walking tour of this living museum,which includes the Museum of History and Culture, the Tan Ky house, the Japanese bridge, the Fujian Assembly Hall. And after all that have lunch at a riverside restaurant to sample some of the local delicacies. |
| Ha Long Bay |
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Thousands of islands rise dramatically from the waters of Halong Bay, the limestone karst formations are hollowed by intricate caves – aboard your sailing junk visit some of the islands and caves, perhaps a pre-dinner swim and a very peaceful night beneath the stars. In the morning continue the cruise past Man's Head Island and visit Luon cave by small bamboo boat.
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