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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
As the capital of the former South Vietnam, the city was incorporated
into a new province called Ho Chi Minh City after 1975. The
central districts and downtown area are still called Saigon,
and are bustling with trade, construction, and 2 million motorbikes.
Dalat
A former hill station built by the French, Dalat is a gateway
to the Central Highland region. With cool weather and placid
lakes, the town has a Swiss, laid back feel. |
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Phan Thiet
140 miles from Saigon is the new beach town of Phan Thiet,
where expats escape on weekends for seafood and a round of
golf. Mui Ne Cape nearby is a picturesque place to
spend a few days.
Nha Trang
As the largest beach resort in Vietnam, Nha Trang attracts
a fair share of tourists. It's beach isnt the best, but does
offer a relaxing place to play football with locals,or as
a jumping off point for the excellent snorkelling on the offshore
islands.
Hoi An
A 16th century trading town populated with Dutch, Javanese,
Chinese, French and Japanese traders, the small delightful
town is a major stop on the tourist trail, and though its
often crowded, its still a great place to relax and unwind.
Da Nang
As the 4th largest city in Vietnam, Da Nang boasts few sights
beyond an excellent Cham Museum, dedicated to the ethnic minotity
that called the region home. Its most often a stop between
Hoi An and Hue.
Hue
As the capital of the Nguyen emperors, Hue's Imperial City
was built to match the Forbidden City in Beijing. Situated
on the Perfume River, it's tombs and palaces are the real
attractions here, though the American War destroyed many of
the cultural trasures.
Hanoi
As the current capital of a reunified Vietnam, Hanoi's people
are often dour and reserved, though the romantic Old Quarter
is worth a wander on a warm afternoon. The food isnt as prolific
as Saigon, though the lakes offer relaxing escapes to the
city's growing traffic problems.
Dien Bien Phu
A narrow valley touching the Laotian Border, its here where
the resounding defeat ended French Colonialism in Indochina
and paved the way for the Vietnam's reunification. It's a
pleasant place to visit with an interesting museum, though
its only of interest to the history buffs.
Haiphong and Ha Long Bay
As Vietnam's 3rd largest city, Haiphong doesn't have much
to offer, but it is the jumping off point to many visitor's
highlight of their Vietnam visit: Ha Long Bay. With 3,000
islets floating in a vast green sea, a cruise is a popular
way to experience the wonders of this area, said to have been
formed by a Descending Dragon. |
