Vietnam is a long, narrow country, stretching about 1,000 miles north to south. Different landscapes are found as you move from one region to the next. The North shares a mountainous border with China and is home to Hanoi. The South is flatter and home to the Mekong Delta and Ho Chi Minh City.
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Vietnam is a very different country today from what many remember in the war era. It is developing at a very fast pace with its infrastructure and technology. It is digitally connected to the rest of the world.
Many people relocate here for its inexpensive lifestyle and amazing cuisine.
Banh mi sandwiches are very popular
HO CHI MINH CITY (AKA SAIGON)
I discovered a city with a mix of traditional culture and a modern way of life. Cosmopolitan, hectic and noisy, but at the same time, full of charm and marvel.
The 20th century was a tumultuous time for the country, particularly the Vietnam war which lasted for two decades, with US involvement from 1965 -1975.
Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam's largest city. During the Vietnam war it was called Saigon and was a part of South Vietnam. The Vietnamese government renamed the city in 1976 after Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese.
Preparing street food
Motorbikes are the main form of transportation
Cityscape
Vietnam has a distinctive coffee scene ... egg coffee, coconut coffee, salt coffee. It is a coffee drinker's nirvana.
French colonial architecture, dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries can be seen throughout the city. Vietnam remained a French colony for several decades until the French were defeated in 1954.
Statue of Ho Chi Minh
Post Office
MUSEUM FOR PEACE (AKA WAR REMNANTS MUSEUM)
A trip to Ho Chi Minh City's War Remnants museum is a sad reminder of one of the country's and America's darkest periods, the Vietnam War. Interestingly, the website for the museum shows a new name, "Museum for Peace".
The exhibit reflects the Vietnamese perspective and can be intense and difficult to view. There are photographs and documents covering the war including the horrible aftermath of Agent Orange and chemical warfare.
The museum memorializes this tragic episode and promotes efforts for a lasting peace. It is a gut wrenching experience.
MEKONG RIVER DELTA
The Mekong River Delta was strategically key during the war because its maze of waterways and dense vegetation hindered military operations.
Today, a peaceful excursion on a narrow boat takes you through small canals with coconut palms overhead. Villages, markets, and farms have developed along the waterway. The region also produces a large share of the country's rice.
That's me enjoying the ride
Tuk tuk transportation to the river
Tran, our knowledgeable and friendly tour guide
Phillipe enjoying the freshly caught fish
Tran again ... now in the rice field
HOI AN / DA NANG
Hoi An is one of Vietnam's more charming towns and a UNESCO site, filled with narrow streets, colorful lanterns and temples. It is a shoppers' paradise. At night, the old town becomes magical, with hundreds of lanterns reflected in the river.
It is also known for its town's tailors who can turnaround a new outfit from scratch in 1 day.
Lanterns reflected on water at night
Da Nang, about 20 miles from Hoi An, is located on a beautiful coastline and is a modern city with many restaurants and accommodations. The big attraction is My Khe Beach, which is a long sandy beach alongside the city. The Golden bridge for pedestrians is also nearby.
HUE - THE IMPERIAL CITY
The former imperial capital of Vietnam was Hue. It is one of the country's most important cities historically.
The Golden Bridge
HUE - THE IMPERIAL CITY
The former imperial capital of Vietnam was Hue. It is one of the country's most important cities historically.
The founder of the Nguyen Dynasty built its centerpiece, the Citadel there in the early 1800s. The Nguyen emperors ruled Vietnam until 1945. Inside the fortified complex, lived the emperor, his family, and the royal court.
Tran shared a story that his family, of a high socio-economic status, was forced to relinquish all of their property to the government during the war. After many years, the family was able to regain a livelihood, but those were very tough years.
He pointed to his family name etched in a Citadel plaque.
The structures' decorative detail are extraordinarily stunning and worth soaking up for an afternoon. If you love antiquities, you must stay in Hue.
Halong Bay, a UNESCO site, is an amazingly beautiful area in northern Vietnam which stands out for its thousands of limestone islands and cliffs formed hundreds of millions of years ago.
Halong means "descending dragon" and ties to a legend that dragons helped defend Vietnam.
There are many daytime cruises for sightseeing and overnight luxury cruises.
The boats stop at caves, beaches, and even floating villages.
Don't miss an opportunity to see this unique place.
Don't miss an opportunity to see this unique place.
HANOI
Hanoi is Vietnam's capital. Much of the city's history is tied to French colonialism when the country was called "French Indonesia". You can definitely see the French influence in its architecture and cuisine.
The old quarter is the heart of the city with narrow streets, shops, markets and constant stream of motorbikes. The city is constantly busy, energetic and atmospheric. You get a sense that the pace of life is changing among the younger Vietnamese who are connected to global culture yet the presence of a peasant culture is still very visible among the older people.
Hoan Kiem lake is a center point of Hanoi.
The locals practice their tai chi around the lake.
THE "HANOI HILTON"
I felt conflicted about visiting Hao Lo prison, aka "Hanoi Hilton", yet another reminder of Vietnam's dark past. But this is an important historical site.
The nickname was given by American prisoners of War and it became one of the most infamous prisons associated with the Vietnam war.
It was originally intended to imprison Vietnamese polital prisoners when Vietnam was part of French Indochina. During the Vietnam War, North Vietnam used the prison to hold captured American pilots. The best know prisoner was senator John McCain who spent 5 years there.
The site is now a museum and covers both periods of the prison's history.
Today, Vietnam is a country of contrasts - ancient temples, modern cities, bustling streets with a constant flow of motorbikes, peaceful countrysides, beautiful landscapes, and reminders of its history at every turn.
The warmth of its people, incredible food, and remarkable resilience stayed with me. It is a country with so much history looking towards its future.
Constant reminders of the past
Thank you for reading!