Vietnam

Overview

Vietnam was ruled by an imperial dynasty until 1945, and has been a socialist state under an authoritarian system since reunification in 1976. The country has about 100 million inhabitants and provides a staggering variety of forest landscapes and a complex cultural history.

Vietnam's history is one of war, colonization and rebellion. Occupied by China no fewer than four times, the Vietnamese managed to fight off the invaders just as often. Even during the periods in history when Vietnam was independent, it was mostly a tributary state to Imperial China until the French colonization. Vietnam's last emperors were the Nguyễn Dynasty , who ruled from their capital at Hue from 1802 to 1945, although France exploited the succession crisis after the death of Tự Đức to de facto colonise Vietnam after 1884. Both the Chinese occupation and French colonization have left a lasting impact on Vietnamese culture, with Confucianism forming the basis of Vietnamese social etiquette, and the French influencing Vietnamese cuisine.

Sights and landscapes

Vietnam will show you sides of Asia that you've dreamed of. Lush rice fields at the bottom of stunningly gorgeous highlands, colourful water markets on the streams of the Mekong Delta and the endless bustling city life of Hanoi, where anything from school children to fridges and huge piles of vegetables are transported on the back of countless motorcycles. Although Vietnam's huge cities are rapidly transforming into modern Asian metropolises, traditional culture is never far away.

Numerous ancient buildings remain and are actively maintained in Communist Vietnam, like the old town of Hoi An , but so are the buildings of Communist history, like the Independence Palace in Ho Chi Minh City. Also, the colonial history provides for many architectural delicacies.

Furthermore, seemed to have played a big role in the presence of the numerous churches that can be found all around the country. Even though just barely 10% of the Vietnamese are Christians, churches can be found in many towns and cities, providing for some interesting and almost surreal pictures when in an often flat landscape suddenly a sometimes Gothic, but often fully white or beige church rises in the middle of the town or from between the lush green background.

Few countries are blessed with landscapes as captivating as those of Vietnam. For many, the country's awe-inspiring limestone scenery, perfect beaches, islands, mountain ranges, rice fields and lakes are its greatest treasures. One of Vietnam's top attractions, Ha Long Bay , boasts thousands of limestone pillars and islands topped with dense jungle vegetation. Among the bustling port life, you'll find floating fishermen's villages, caves, and island lakes. Neighboring Lan Ha Bay is as spectacular, but less busy. Head to Sa Pa and the Muong Hoa valley to get take in the views of local rice fields against a background of bamboo forests. Also in the north is Tam Coc near Ninh Binh . This area is famous for its karst scenery, rice fields, and caves and is best explored by hired boat.

Experiences

Trekking Vietnam is an ideal way to enjoy and experience beautiful nature of Vietnam, from the yellow farmers' terraces in harvesting season of the north ( Sa Pa ), to the off-the-beaten-path Central Highlands, or the frenetic activity of the Mekong Delta in the south.

Chinese chess ( cờ tướng ) is a popular game in Vietnam, and you will often notice the elderly having games in the public parks. If you know how to play, this can be an opportunity to befriend the locals. A uniquely Vietnamese tradition pertaining to Chinese chess is human chess ( cờ người ), typically played at temple and village festivals during Tết . As the name suggests, the pieces are played by humans dressed in traditional Vietnamese costumes, usually with 16 teenage boys on one side and 16 teenage girls on the other, and a choreographed traditional martial arts fight between the two pieces always ensues whenever a piece is captured.

Epitomized in an episode of “Top Gear” riding a motorbike in Vietnam has become a goal for many people visiting the country. While riding in Vietnam can be dangerous, it can also be a life-changing experience. You see things from the seat of a motorbike that you don't see while travelling in different type of vehicle.

Culture and food

Food is at the very core of Vietnamese culture: every significant holiday on the Vietnamese cultural calendar, all the important milestones in a Vietnamese person's life, and indeed, most of the important day-to-day social events and interactions – food plays a central role in each. Special dishes are prepared and served with great care for every birth, marriage and death, and the anniversaries of ancestors' deaths. More business deals are struck over dinner tables than over boardroom tables, and when friends get together, they eat together. Preparing food and eating together remains the focus of family life.

Planning your route

Due to the steady increase of tourist bus prices, trains are now an inexpensive alternative to buses. While a night in a sleeper carriage is still more expensive than a sleeper bus, seat carriage prices are very competitive.

There is one major train line in Vietnam, the 1,723 km (1,071 mi) trunk between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), on which the Reunification Express runs. HCMC to Hanoi is more than 30 hours, and overnight hops between major destinations are usually possible, if not entirely convenient. It is a good way to see the countryside and meet upper-middle class locals, but unless you are travelling in a sleeper car it is no more comfortable than buses.

Travel guide text compiled and adapted from Wikivoyage article (contributors). Sections were selected and reordered for this guide. Text is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Check current arrangements with your travel consultant.