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From the impressive coastal islands in the North to the winding canals in the South, Vietnam is regarded as one of the most diverse countries in terms of tourism, as well as a typical Southeast Asian country known for the warm hospitality and genuine smiles of its locals.
Explore the recommendations from Lonely Planet Traveller magazine for planning an ideal cross-country trip in Vietnam below!
Halong Bay: The most beautiful coastline
When mentioning Halong Bay, people often immediately think of the legend associated with this place: “Once upon a time, there was a friendly dragon living alongside the people in the sky above Halong Bay...
Explaining a little about the interesting things surrounding this place so that we can see, despite its long history and erosion by wind and waves, no one can rival the magnificent beauty of Halong Bay.
Located in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Tonkin, this place is impressive with thousands of limestone islands, towering monolithic rock formations standing in unison, arranged like dominoes. But the most interesting thing here is the names of the islands, a product of the rich imagination of the fishermen here. The islands in Halong Bay have unique shapes, no island resembles another, so the names of the islands are often based on their shapes. Famous islands here include: Frog Islet, Drum Roof Islet, Pearl Islet, Fighting Cock Islet, Titop Island, Tuan Chau Island...
After exploring the islands and cave systems, you can rest overnight right on the water and go squid fishing at night on the tourist boats of Halong Bay.
Hanoi: The Best City to Live In
Despite ignoring the noisy horns, the congested roads during rush hours, or the somewhat 'challenging' pedestrian crossings, Hanoi is a friendly and relatively safe city for tourists. Hanoi is considered a 'young' and charming city, although it is over 1,000 years old and has gone through many upheavals in history to become a famous capital of Asia in the 21st century. Despite being influenced by modern life and culture, Hanoi has not lost its traditional cultural features and its own identity. Especially, there are streets named after unique traditional craft villages, and traveling to Hanoi and exploring street food here is also quite interesting.
Sapa: The Best Trekking Destination
Sapa is mentioned as a city of the 'four-seasons-in-a-day' wheel with all four seasons in one day. Here, it can be shrouded in fog in the early morning, bathed in bright sunlight at noon, or suddenly hit by a dusty rain in the late afternoon, and the weather turns cold at nightfall. The locals here often tell tourists: 'There's no way to predict the weather here, it's all just luck!'
Not only impressed by the weather, the natural beauty of Sapa is also incomparable, with distant misty mountains, terraced fields running along the hillsides resembling vibrant folds in origami paper, or the images of beautiful ethnic minority people in colorful floral dresses at highland markets...
Hoi An: The Best Place to Experience Cuisine
Traveling to Hoi An's ancient town is where you'll enjoy lavish breakfasts. Waking up early in the morning, strolling along the small streets of Hoi An, you'll be 'stimulated' by the fragrant aromas of coffee and the enticing street food typical of vendors with decades of experience in the trade.
Not only delicious, the dishes in Hoi An also embody the harmony of yin and yang philosophy. The dishes achieve a balance between hot and cold, meat and vegetables, sour and sweet..., complemented by simple yet sophisticated sauces. The hospitable and friendly locals here are also impressive, leaving a lasting memory when you leave Hoi An.
Mekong Delta: The Best Place to Experience River Life
The Mekong Delta is a land of numerous rivers and the densest network of canals in Vietnam, which is understandable why the lives and activities of the people here are closely tied to the rivers. If you want to experience the life of people living in the riverine areas most vividly, you must take a trip to Cai Be Floating Market (Tien Giang) or Cai Rang Floating Market (Can Tho).
At the floating market, specialty fruits from the Mekong Delta, snacks, or even coffee are sold on boats. Taking a stroll around the market on a tourist boat, if you want to enjoy or buy something, just wave and call, immediately the selling boats will approach yours and serve you what you request right away, at a quite cheap price.
Floating markets usually only open and bustle in the early morning so you need to keep this in mind for your itinerary. Although the lives of the people here have developed much more, with modern market areas, extensive road networks, the cultural aspect deeply ingrained in the subconscious of the locals, they still want to live and engage closely with the rivers, the gentle rivers just like the simple-hearted people here.
According to Lonelyplanet.com
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Reference: Travel Handbook Mytour
MytourMay 21, 2014
