VIETNAM

The word `Vietnam’ means `the Viet people in the south’- a fitting term for the country that occupies the southern part of Eastern Asia. Vietnam remained for many years a country associated with bloodshed and strife- the Vietnam War is still etched in many minds, especially American and Vietnamese.

The present has been kinder to Vietnam than the past ever was – the socialist government is easing its hold over the economy, allowing an increasing level of interaction with foreign investors and making efforts to heal the wounds of war with the Americans.

There are beautiful mountains, lovely quiet beaches, a rich cultural heritage, and the wonderful old-world charm of colonial cities like Hanoi. This is the country with a wonderful cuisine; this is the country that produces beautiful handicrafts including some of the best embroidery and lacquer ware in South Asia. Vietnam is well worth a visit- it may not be the hottest tourist destination in South East Asia, but it has a uniqueness that makes it a must-see for anyone who’s interested in the Orient.

Capital:  Hanoi

Best time to visit:

  1. When you should go to Vietnam depends upon which part of the country you’re planning to visit. If you like drippy, drizzly weather, visit South Vietnam between June and August – it pours.
  2. The south also has very hot summers, especially between February and May. Most of the northern highlands, on the other hand, have very cold winters, with temperatures falling below 0°C. So, if you’re going north, go during the summer, but avoid the months between July and November- hurricanes sometimes hit this part of the country at the time;
  3. if you’re going south, go between December and April, when it’s dry and relatively cooler.
  4. One note: Go to Vietnam in late January or early February- that’s the time when the `Tet’ New Year is celebrated all over the country, and most people take their annual holiday at this time.

Minimum days required: 5 days

Places of Interest:

  1. Hanoi – HoanKiem Lake, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum,  West Lake, Hanoi Opera House, Cat Ba National Park
  2. Ho Chi Minh – Reunification Palace, War Remenants Museum, SuoiTien Amusement Park, VÄ©nhNghiem Pagoda
  3. Hue -Thien Mu Pagoda, Mount Ngu Binh, Hien Lam
  4. Hoi An – TraQue Herb Village, Hoian Silk Village,  Hung Thai

Climate:

  1. Although much of Vietnam has a typically tropical climate – warm and moist- there are places especially in the mountains, where the climate is more temperate than tropical.
  2. The northern regions of Vietnam have a hot summer between April and September; monsoons arrive in July and last till October with strong likelihood of hurricanes in between July and September.
  3. Southern areas of Vietnam are at their hottest between March and May. Monsoons hit this area sometime early in May and last for much longer, with rainfall common even in November.
  4. Mean temperatures in southern Vietnam range between 26°C and 29°C, and between 16°C and 33°C in the north as the winter is much more clearly defined in the north.

Currency: Dong

Things to carry:

  1. As far as clothing goes, if you’re visiting South Vietnam or, for that matter, any other part of the country during the summer, bring along light, preferably cotton clothes. If you would like to go to the highlands- even during the summers- carry light woolens, as it can get chilly at times.
  2.  North Vietnam can get freezing cold during the winters, so be prepared.
  3. In large cities and towns like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, you shouldn’t have much problem finding items of daily use, like medicines, toiletries and the like. Do remember, though, that many Western brands are not available even in large cities
  4. If you’re going to be travelling in the countryside, carry replenishment of anything you may run out of- villages rarely have any of the `luxuries’ most tourists take for granted.

How to get there:

Air

  1. Vietnam can be easily reached from any part of the world by regular flights touching down at any of its three international airports – Hanoi (NoiBai International Airport) in the North, Ho Chi Minh City (Tan Son Nhat International Airport) in the South and Da Nang (Danang International Airport) in the Central part of the country.
  2. Large number of countries such as Australia, Cambodia, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Brunei, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia, Macau, Qatar, Turkey and the United States are directly connected to Vietnam by several flights.
  3. Some of the direct passenger carriers to Vietnam are as follows: Aeroflot, Air Asia, Air France, AsianaAirlines,Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Japan Airlines,Jetstar Asia, Korean Air, Lao Airlines, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Tiger Airways and United Airlines.