Delightful Destination

Some info about Vietnam

2009-05-06T05:47:00.000-07:00

Vietnam is a brave place. After struggling years of war the place has flowered as a major Southeast Asia tourist destination. People from different corners of the world come and enjoy the exquisite beauty. The place can boasts of its natural beauty.

These days visitors walking along the streets of Ho Chi Minh City can watch hundreds of shops which are fully crowded. The hustle bustle of the market is really enjoyable. After the sun set the city comes back to life. Young generations enjoy the night clubs and some colorful discos in the main city. In many areas there are Western influences, whether in the Romanesque architecture of Notre Dame Cathedral or at the Hard Rock Cafe. Motorbikes and scooters and present everywhere in the city.

In Hanoi which is the capital city you can see that old and new is starkly contrasted. However, it is away from the metropolitan areas. At that place the natural beauty of Vietnam’s can truly be appreciated. In Dalat, you can enjoy a popular outdoor getaway. This is excellent for hiking in the nearby mountains. You can also stroll around Emperor Bao Dai’s Summer Palace.

Nha Trang offers crystal clear waters along the coast. The beach is perfect for snorkeling and diving. Hu or Hue is a seaside resort that offers famed dragon boat rides, fine dining, and historic sites of interest. The attraction also includes the Citadel i.e. a royal 19th century castle. You should always visit Halong. At this place travellers may tour around the 3,000 islands that dot the Gulf of Tonkin. You can explore numberless beaches and also mysterious grottos.

You can get all the information in the web that includes what else to see and do in Vietnam. You can also search where to stay and take the names of the tourist’s guides of Vietnam.

Memorable places in Vietnam

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In Vietnam there are places which you can really enjoy. But you have to know the history of the place before you visit there. I am mentioning two places here. These are worth visiting I must say.

Am Chua Temple, Khanh Hoa: According to the legend, the place represent where the Goddess descended on earth. The temple was repaired many times, and today it looks very nice. Every year festival is organized at the temple. The dates are the first, second and the third day of the third lunar month. The festival is so attractive that it pulls many many Cham and Viet people to attend it. They enjoy a lot and say beautiful things about the festival.

An Sinh Temple and Tran Tombs, Quang Ninh: These were built in the period of Tran Dynasty. Later they were restored many times under the following Le and Nguyen Dynasties. Ceremonial shrines are there at every tomb. An Sinh Temple was built with many large shrines and these were for the celebration of anniversary ceremonies. Eventually the whole zone became a sacred area. Over the time, the area has severely deteriorated, but today after many years it is being restored.

An Sinh Temple Area belongs to Nghia Hung Hamlet. This is used to dedicate eight kings of Tran and also the tombs of Tran Thanh Tong, Tran Thai Tong, and Gian Dinh De. Tran Anh Tong Tomb is situated in Loc Camp while Tran Minh Tong Tomb is positioned in Khe Gach. Tran Hien Tong Tomb is located in Ao Beo and Tran Du Tong Tomb is situated in Dong Tron. Tran Nghe Tong Tomb is located in Khe Nghe areas as well. Many big temples were also built in An Sinh Temple Area. It was carefully fought by mandarins. This area became formal holly land through Le, Tran, and Nguyen Dynasties.

Some of the places you like to visit in Vietnam

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In Vietnam there are various places that you would like to visit. Some of the names are given below:

An Binh-Binh Hoa Phuoc River Island, Vinh Long: Mr. Sau Giao’s Flower Garden is situated in Hoa Ninh. Hundreds of ornamental plants are available at the place. The varieties include chieu thuy plums, yellow apricots, and jasmine. In all around the garden Llongan, mango tree and fish ponds are present.

Mr. Muoi Day’s Stilt-House is also there that is made of wood. This sits on the Ninh Hoa Canal. Fruit tree gardens of longans and grapefruits along with sapoches are present beside this. Lunch is served for the tourists in the house. A place is also provided to stay for an evening or two.

An Son Temple, Ba Ria - Vung Tau: In the 1783, Nguyen Anh was conquered by Tay Son. He ran away to Con Dao Island. Lord Nguyen Anh founded three villages together with fishermen and these are An Hoi, An Hai, and Co Ong. Nguyen Anh sent Prince Canh which was followed by Ba Da Loc to France. This was to ask for reinforcements to fight against the Tay Son troops. Lady Phi Yen was the second wife of Nguyen Anh. She advised him not to do so.

Nguyen Anh got angry with her. He thought that his wife might have been dealing with Tay Son troops. He intended to kill Lady Phi Yen i.e. his wife. Just before Tay Son troops attacked the island, Nguyen Anh put his wife in prison. After that he went to sea. Prince Cai, at the age of four tried to save his mother. Nguyen Anh also got angry upon his son and threw him into the sea. The body of Prince Cai floated onto Co Ong Beach. Here at this place the body was buried by villagers. Later a tiger and an ape rescued Lady Phi Yen from the stone prison by. But after an regrettable encounter with a man, the lady killed herself to keep her pride.

The villagers built a temple in her honour. In 1861, after the French colonialists destroyed the temple it was rebuilt in the year 1958.

Travelling in and around Vietnam is a nice experience

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If you have a plan to visit Vietnam don’t think about the transportation there. The transportation of the country is self sufficient for its visitors. In the year 2007 plans were approved for a new high-speed rail connection in Vietnam. The route of the train line would start between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. If this goes ahead, the journey time is expected to be reduced to less than 10 hours. The Vietnamese government wants the new link to be completed within six years.

Getting around by Road: Throughout Vietnam the road network is reasonable. But the standard of the roads varies radically from good to appalling. Roads in Vietnam are designated by numbers. The main north to south route is Highway 1. This connects Hanoi with Ho Chi Minh City. Traffic drives on the right but the drivers take the most direct path and they always avoid the thousands of motorbikes, bicycles, and animals wandering along the road.

Bus services: In Vietnam bus services are very poor and overcrowded. The long-distance buses are more modern and air-conditioned. Inter-province bus services are available operated by Saigon Passenger Transport Company. The service is available from Ho Chi Minh City.

Regulations: In Vietnam seat belts are not compulsory.

Getting Around Towns and Cities: Local bus services are available in Ho Chi Minh City and in Hanoi. Travelling by taxi, motorbike or cyclo i.e. motorized version of cycle rickshaw is also available. Taxi drivers do not expect to be tipped, but if you are satisfied with him you can do so.

Car hire: In Vietnam it is possible to hire chauffeur-driven cars and these are available from travel companies. Self-drive car hire is non-existent till now.

Documentation: An International Driving Permit and a test are usually required for long-term residents. The test is usually taken in Vietnam.

Means of internal travel in Vietnam

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While in Vietnam you can roam without any trouble. There are abundant means by which you can travel in and around the country. The expanses are also less and you will definitely enjoy the trip. I am mentioning some of them.

Getting Around by Water:

In Vietnam a local network operates between ports. Hydrofoils are there from Haiphong to Cat Ba and Mong Cai. The route of express boats starts from Rach Gia to Phu Quoc. The tickets are available on docks. You can also arrange it from the local travel agents. Greenlines is a center that operates a hydrofoil from Ho Chi Minh City to Vung Tau.

Getting Around By Air:

Vietnam Airlines abbreviated as VN operates daily flights between Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Hue, and Nha Trang. In some places regular services are provided and the route is between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Buon Ma Thuot, Phu Quoc, Dalat, Pleiku and Qui Nhon. Direction wise there are different air services. The Northern Airport Flight Service Company operates flights by helicopter to Halong Bay from Hanoi.

Getting Around by Rail:

In Vietnam visitors may use the rail transport system independently. They can also be a part of the rail tour. Express long-distance trains are faster than local services. They are more reliable and more comfortable. Some of the carriages are there that is non AC. International standards are not yet maintained. The main rail route connects Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The journey can take approximately 30 and 40 hours. Services are also available from Dong Dang and Lao Cai, Hanoi to Haiphong. Vietnam Railways can give you more information. You can buy tickets at the platform itself. You can also search tickets online and can also buy them if you are having a credit card.

Different ways to reach Vietnam

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You can reach Vietnam through various ways such as airways, waterways, railways, and also roadways.

Airways:

Main Airports: Noi Bai International Airport is located at the distance of 35km or 21 miles north of Hanoi. You can get buses and metered taxis from airport. The journey time is approximately 45 to 60 minutes. Different facilities such as shops, cafes, duty-free and bureau de change are available.

Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) is located at the distance of 7km i.e. 4.5 miles from Ho Chi Minh City. Metered taxis are available where it takes approximately 20 to 30 minutes into the city. Duty-free, snack bar, shops, and bureau de change are available.

Waterways:

Main ports can be mentioned as Vung Tau, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Haiphong.
You can also enjoy the International cruise facilities. A ferry service is available from Phnom Penh in Cambodia to Chau Doc in the Mekong Delta. Local agents are there to arrange the tickets. In additional there is a service from Can Tho to Phnom Penh which is offered by Tourism & Passenger Ship Company Vinasin.

Railways:

It is possible to cross into China by rail. The route is from Lao Cai to Kunming in the Yunnan province of China or through Lang Son to Nanning. Trains are available from Beijing-Dong Dang-Hanoi and back.

Roadways:

There are routes to China through Lang Son, Mong Cai and Lao Cai. You can also go Cambodia through Moc Bai and also to Laos at Lao Bao and Cau Trieu. Daily services are available operated by the Saigon Passenger Transport Company. The route is from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh.

A bus service is also available from An Cuu bus station in Hué to Savannakhet in Laos. You can buy tickets in advance if going personally.

Some of the attractions of Citadel in Vietnam

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Citadel has some attractions for which different visitors come here. Some of the names are as follows:

Cung That: This was the private domain of the Royal family. Several royal residences are included in the area. The examples are the King’s and the Queen’s residence, the King’s mother’s and evens the King’s paternal grand father residences are also placed here. But most of the site is in ruins now.

Two pavilions are there on either side of the Tower. In one of them an enormous bell is placed.

Hue has accommodation for different strata of visitors. These suit most budgets and also outstanding dining options. Vegetarians be happy, the place offers you an array of vegetarian dishes.

Nine Dynastic Urns: They were cast between the years of 1835-1837. Their weight ranged from 1600 to 2600 Kilograms and the heaviest was 2755 Kilograms. The height of each of the urn is more than two meters. Each Urn has a different name that was cast in bronze copper.

Hoang Thanh: Within this place there are five temples present. These are dedicated to various kings and most of them are from the Nguyen dynasty. The Mieu was built initially to worship King Gia Long but later it also included nine other kings. In Vietnam this is known as one of the biggest shrines. It is decorated as golden glaze and red lacquer. In this god’s worship sometimes rare weapons are also being used.

The Royal tombs: The Eight royal tombs are located in Vietnam where the Nguyen kings were buried. These were built while they were still alive. They also supervised the tombs. Each of them reflects their unique individuality and taste. The tombs are decorated to match with its surroundings. The tombs have two areas. Out of which one was for funeral services and the other one where the king was buried.

Vietnam is famous for it's places

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Hue:

From earlier time Hue has been the focal point of the country’s religious, cultural and educational activities. You can relax a bit in the place with the seaside-resort sort of air. The city has much to offer such as rides on the unique dragon boats, historical sights, and sampans up the Perfume or Huong River. You can also head out for a swim to the nearby beaches and lagoons. The Citadel i.e. Kinh Thanh is the ruin of a huge moated Castle constructed in 1804. Emperor Gia Long constructed this.

Some of the attractions of this citadel can be mentioned as:

Thai Hoa: This is known as the palace of Supreme Harmony. Thai Hoa was built in the year 1805 and covers 1300 sq meters. Later in the 19th century the architectural style can be seen in the shrines and mausoleums. There are two halls namely the main hall and the ante-chamber. The main hall is the most outstanding feature of the Palace. It is 43.3 meters long and also 30.3 meters wide. This hall has the king’s throne. All official functions were held here at this place.

The Ngo Mon Gate: It has five gates and each of the gates was marked for various levels of the royal suite. The central gate was exclusively for kings whether the two gates on either side of it were for court officials. The two outer gates were for the servants and other members of the court as well. The gate is properly arched and on the top is the Five Phoenix Tower is present. From these towers the king used to hold court and also make announcements. During the Nguyen rein the gates were opened only when kings were passing by or receiving foreign ambassadors.

Hien Lam Cac: This is a memorial to the Nguyen Dynasty. Hien Lam Cac is made of wood and is also known as the tallest structure within the complex.

Tourist destination in Vietnam

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While in Vietnam never miss to visit the following places:

Halong Bay:

The meaning of the name Halong is ‘where the dragon descended into the sea’. In this place there are 3000 islands dotting the Gulf of Tonkin. Many beaches and grottos created by the forces of Nature are present in the island. . The Hang Dau Go grotto is worth visiting. A massive cave is present with three chambers. The main activity is taking a tour of the bay. This is done either by fast boat or the more romantic old fashion junk boats. Halong City is split in two namely Bai Chay in the West and Hon Gai lies to the East.

Dalat:

In Dalat the climate is very pleasant throughout the year. The lush greenery makes Dalat very attractive to the visitors. You can explore the nearby mountains as well. The influence of French rule is still evident in the Old French quarter. Hiking is available where you can explore the countryside and visit villages inhabited by hill tribes. Avoid the places that have signs C on them, as they are not reachable to foreigners. The Dalat Palace Golf Club offers the golf lovers an unforgettable experience. The place has some other attractions like:

-The Hang Nga Guesthouse & Art Gallery is there. Locals say this as The Crazy House. It was designed by Mrs. Dang Viet Nga. The main building resembles Dungeons & Dragons. Most of the rooms are oddly shaped. The ceilings are low with oddly shaped bed.

-Emperor Bao Dai’s Summer Palace is there that is filled with interesting artifacts and works of art.

-The Valley of Love is situated at the distance of 3 miles from the city. Horses can be rented from the Dalat. Paddleboats are also available on hire for a trip around the lake.

Attractive places in Vietnam

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Vietnam has some attractive places in around the country. Some of the names are randomly selected and listed below:

Hanoi:

Hanoi is the Capital City of Vietnam. This is a beautifully laid out place where numerous lakes, boulevards and parks are present. The ambiance is really peaceful and you will really enjoy it. In Vietnam you can feel there is a mix of the old world French charm with the colonial houses, mingled with modern high-rise buildings. The city has a fusion of traditional and modern culture. The temples and architecture of the country reflect the history and the center of the city has some historic monuments as well. The Hoam Kien Lake is another attraction to the tourists. The exquisite beauty of the lake is really feast to the eye.

Nha Trang:

This place is situated on the coast. You can find the place as ideal one to relax on the beaches. The clean blue waters attract the tourists to do some water activities, like diving, fishing and snorkeling. The best time to visit is during the dry season, i.e. between June and September. There is a place named Long Son Pagoda, which you can explore. If you go little further in North direction say 1.2 miles, you will get the Cham Towers of Po Nagar. They were built between the 7th and 12th centuries on ground. In 2nd century Hindu worshippers used these.

Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon:

Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon is the economic capital of Vietnam. It is industrial as well as a cultural town. Reunification Palace is present here along with Giac Lam Pagoda and Notre Dame Cathedral. Museum is also present here. For the young generation the place has other attractions. You can visit the Centre of the city on holidays and weekends. You can also enjoy some hip music, discos and Hard Rock Caf.