Vietnam – the varied landscape offering something different
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When people come back from Vietnam they are likely to gush about what a beautiful country it is, and with good reason. It is the varied landscape offering something different to everyone who visits which is making Vietnam an increasingly popular tourist destination; from its beautiful coastline and countryside to its historic and picturesque cities. Choose from a number of Vietnam holidays to make the most out of your trip if you only have a few weeks to spare.
The Old Quarter of the capital city of Hanoi is a great place to explore. The 36 streets, dating back to the eleventh century and each specialising in a particular trade, are still full of merchants and artisans selling products ranging from silk and jewellery to roasted fish. Watch out for the motorbikes weaving in and out of the crowds! The architecture of the city provides constant reminders of the French occupation in 1888; the Grand Opera House, Presidential Palace and Saint Joseph Cathedral are just a few examples of the French colonial style.
In the middle of the famous Ba ?ình Square where the Marxist President Ho Chi Minh read the Proclamation of Independence, stands his former residence and granite mausoleum. In 1958 Ho Chi Minh shunned the ostentatious Presidential Palace to live here in a wooden house on stilts in the same complex. You can see this house as well as the Palace and wander around the gardens; it is definitely worth hiring a guide to talk you through the site’s significance. In the mausoleum Ho Chi Minh’s body is preserved in a glass case and protected by a guard, despite the fact that he actually wished to be cremated. It is usually very busy and you will be moved around the room quickly; hands in pockets or crossed arms are not permitted as a sign of respect.
Finish off your visit to Hanoi with a trip to the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre. Water puppetry has been a Vietnamese tradition since the eleventh century when it was performed for entertainment in the villages of the Red River Delta in northern Vietnam when the rice fields were flooded. The wooden puppets perform folk tales on a pool stage with a traditional Vietnamese orchestral accompaniment.
Approximately halfway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) is the beautiful city of Hoi An. Its Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its status as an exceptionally well-preserved trading port from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century. Hoi An was made very rich by its inhabitants’ control of the spice trade, and was later settled by the Chinese, Japanese, Indians and Dutch. Consequently, like many other areas of the country, the (predominantly wooden) architecture reflects all the different influences of the people who made this city their home, giving it a really unique feel. Take a stroll down the riverfront and sit in a restaurant all lit up with handmade lanterns, something which will stay with you long after you have left.
Katherine Conlon likes to a get a feel for the history of the places she visits, and seeks out the bits which reveal something about the culture in different areas of the globe. She has travelled in four different continents and is looking forward to exploring the rest.
