Vietnam - Beautiful Jewel on the South China Sea

Vietnam – Beautiful Jewel on the South China Sea

Vietnam is a surprisingly vibrant potpourri of sights, sounds and landscapes that blend together perfectly for an unforgettably blissful experience.

A land of contrasts with dazzlingly varied landscapes, jagged peaks and winding mountain passes in the north give way to scenic rolling hills, flat plains and beautiful beaches further south. It straddles two climatic zones that give it a temperate climate in the north and a tropical climate in the south.

The population of Vietnam is largely extracted from early nomadic Mongol settlers from China and migrants from Indonesia.

Vietnam's Amazing Landscapes
and Colorful Culture

Historically, Vietnam was a dominion of the Chinese Han dynasty since around 111 BC. The Chinese ruled the country till around the 10th century. Thus, after nearly a millenium of Chinese influence, Vietnam displays a pronounced similarity to the Chinese way of life in its culture, politics and art.

Hanoi, the capital, titillates the senses with its centuries-old architecture displaying its Chinese and French past. At its heart is the chaotic Old Quarter that will bewitch you with its crowded markets and sumptuous street food.

Then there is the medieval walled citadel of Huế, a legacy of its ancient martial history under Chinese imperial rule that started with the Han Dynasty. You also get to visit the city of Hội An on Vietnam’s central coast, known for its well-preserved Ancient Town artistically crisscrossed with scenic canals.

Ho Chi Minh City in southern Vietnam is better-known as Saigon and the pivotal role it played during the long years of the Vietnam War. Places to visit here are the landmarks of its French colonial past, including the Notre Dame Cathedral, made entirely of materials imported from France. An interesting stop is the bustling and busy Bến Thành Market. The food stalls that line the city’s streets will indulge your passion for gastronomy.

Highlights on this trip include the My Son Sanctuary in central Vietnam, a complex of ancient Hindu Shaivite temples that date back to the Champa Kingdom that existed from the 4th to the 13th centuries.

Halong Bay

Ha Long Bay is located at the northern end of the country. It is arguably one of Vietnam’s most iconic landscapes. The bay that has been made famous in many films over the years, boasts of an unusual formation of over 1,600 cone-shaped limestone islands, each uniquely different from the rest.

Mekong Delta

In Vietnam, the Mekong Delta forms a vast maze of waterways, swamps and islands in the south. Also known as The River of the Nine Dragons, the Mekong Delta is dotted with floating markets, Khmer pagodas, fish farms and riverside villages surrounded by rice paddies.

Historical Huế

The city of Huế is one of Vietnam’s most historic towns. It was the imperial capital in former times and is richly endowed with relics from the reign of the erstwhile 19th-century Nguyen emperors. Visit the magnificent Imperial Enclosure and palaces on the Perfume River.