Vietnam

Cu Chi Tunnel - The tunnels were dug with bare hands in the 1940s during the French occupation. It was further expanded during the Vietnam War in the 1960s.
Dalat - the largest city in the highlands
Ha Long Bay - famous for its unearthly scenery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Hanoi - the capital
Hoi An - delightfully well-preserved ancient port, near the ruins of Mỹ Sơn. Hoi An is the best place for art work and tailor-made clothes
Ho Chi Minh City - Vietnam's largest city and the economic engine of the south, formerly Saigon. The famous Cu Chi Tunnel is about 40 km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City.
Hue - former home of Vietnam's emperors with many former imperial sites to visit
My Son - It is the most important site of the ancient kingdom of Champa and is a UNESCO World Heritage site
Nha Trang - burgeoning beach resort
Sapa – the main town for traveler to stay when visiting the hill tribes in the northern highland region

Vietnam has roughly three regions - north, central, and south. Different regions have their own climatic patterns. So, when one region is wet, cold, or hot, some other regions might be at its most pleasant time to visit, so one can find a region to visit year round.

South – It is hot all year round. There are two seasons in the south – the wet season (May to November), and the dry season (December to April). Try to avoid late February to May – it is very hot and humid there!

Central coastal region – This region is also hot and warm all year round. The dry season is from May to October, and the wet season is from December to February. Avoid the typhoon season from July to November, which also would also avoid the hottest summer months. The heat wave coming from the central Southeast Asia region (e.g., Laos) can be unbearable.

North – the highland areas are much cooler than the south and central. In the summer months (July & August), even Vietnamese flock to the northern highland areas for a cooling vacation. The winter here can get down to freezing point.

Travel can be a difficult during the Tet Festival (usually in January or early to mid February, depending on lunar calendar.) It is a national holiday, so hotels are fully occupied by domestic travelers, and many shops and services can be closed for a week or two.

Updated: July 2008

Since opening its doors for foreigners in the early 90’s, Vietnam has become a popular destination for international tourism. The hard working Vietnamese built up their tourism infrastructure quickly. Fortunately, despite all the economic growth, Vietnam has remained to a place that provides good value for the travel dollar – especially for all that great local food! It’s your weight you need to watch, not your pocket!

A decent mid-range hotel room costs around $50 - $100 per night. $5 - $8 will get you a good meal.

A luxury five star hotel room starts around $170 per night. $10 - $20 will get you a gourmet meal.

A one week private guided tour with mid-range accommodations will cost around $700 per person (double occupancy).

A one week private guided tour with five star luxury accommodations will start around $1500 per person (double occupancy).

Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Vietnamese: Cộng hòa xã hội chủ nghĩa Việt Nam), is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea to the east. With a population of over 86 million, Vietnam is the 13th most populous country in the world.

Vietnam was under Chinese control for a thousand years before becoming a nation-state in the 10th century. Successive dynasties flourished along with geographic and political expansion deeper into Southeast Asia, until it was colonized by the French in the mid-19th century. Efforts to resist the French eventually led to their expulsion from the country in the mid-20th century, leaving a nation divided politically into two countries. Bitter fighting between the two sides continued during the Vietnam War, ending with a communist victory in 1975.

Emerging from a long and bitter war, the war-ravaged nation was politically isolated. The government’s centrally-planned economic decisions hindered post-war reconstruction and its treatment of the losing side engendered more resentment than reconciliation. In 1986, it instituted economic and political reforms and began a path towards international reintegration. By 2000, it had established diplomatic relations with most nations. Its economic growth had been among the highest in the world in the past decade. These efforts culminated in Vietnam joining the World Trade Organization in 2007 and its successful bid to become a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in 2008.

Vietnam's history is a history of war, colonization and rebellion. Ruled by China no less than four times for over a thousand years, the Vietnamese managed to beat off the invaders just as often. Vietnam's last emperors were the Nguyễn Dynasty, who ruled from their capital at Hue from 1802 to 1945. Vietnam's independence was gradually eroded by France in a series of military conquests from 1859 until 1885 when the entire country became part of French Indochina.

After a brief Japanese occupation in World War II, the Communist Viet Minh under the leadership of Hồ Chí Minh continued the insurgency against the French, with the last Emperor Bao Dai abdicating in 1945 and a proclamation of independence following soon after. The majority of French had left by 1930, but in 1948 they returned to continue the fight until their decisive defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. The Geneva Conference partitioned the country into two at 17th parallel, with a Communist-led North and Ngo Dinh Diem declaring himself President of the Republic of Vietnam in the South.

To support South Vietnam's struggle against the communist insurgency, the US began increasing its contribution of military advisers. US forces became embroiled in combat operations in 1965 and at there peak they numbered more than 500,000. North Vietnamese forces unsuccessfully attempted to overrun the South during the 1968 Tet Offensive and the war soon spread into neighboring Laos and Cambodia, in both of which the United States bombed Communist forces supplying the North Vietnamese Army. What was supposed to be a quick and decisive action soon degenerated into a quagmire, and US armed forces were withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later, on April 30, 1975, a North Vietnamese tank drove into the South's Presidential Palace in Ho Chi Minh City and the war ended, with over 50,000 Americans and an estimated 3 million Vietnamese killed.

The American Vietnamese war was only one of many that the Vietnamese have fought, but it was the most brutal in its history. Over two thirds of the current population was born after 1975. In a historic shift in 1986, the Communist Party of Vietnam implemented free-market reforms known as Đổi Mới (renovation). With the authority of the state remaining unchallenged, private ownership of farms and companies, deregulation and foreign investment were encouraged. The economy of Vietnam has achieved rapid growth in agricultural and industrial production, construction and housing, exports, and foreign investment. It is now one of the fastest growing economies in the world.