Mekong River Delta

Mekong Delta - top Vietnam tours destination - is the southern rice bowl of Vietnam, a fertile area covered with rice fields and winding tributaries of the Mekong River. Originating in the high plateau of Tibet, the Mekong River is over 2600 miles long travels through China, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia before reaching Vietnam where it empties into the South China Sea. The Delta is a colorful display of rural life with its lush vegetation, island farms and floating markets. Places of interest in the Mekong Delta include My Tho, Vinh Long, Can Tho and Chau Doc.

Mekong Delta - top VietNam tour destination

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Great potentials in Vietnam’s yacht market

The yachts worth tens of millions dong have appeared in Vietnam. In HCM City, a marina project with the consultation of foreign experts is about to kick off soon.
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Visit Huong Canh pottery village

Huong Canh village in Tam Canh commune, Binh Xuyen district, northern province of Vinh Phuc is very famous for its ceramic art.
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HCM City focuses on developing river tours to Can Gio

HCM City will speed up a plan to develop river tourism in the city, focusing more on developing river tours from Bach Dang Wharf to Can Gio District, said a local tourism official.

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Cua Tung – the Queen of beaches

Vietnam tours Located in the coastal district of Vinh Linh in the central province of Quang Tri, Cua Tung Beach is the nation's "Queen of Beaches", arousing the curiosity of many tourists to come and experience its beauty.Read more »

Hue and Hoi An The Imperial Treasures, Vietnam 5 Days/4 Nights

Vietnam tours:

Router : Hue - Danang - Hoian 
Activities : Culture Experience 
Duration : 5 days/ 4 nights 
Price : 264US$/person 

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Staying Healthy

Vietnam tours  Health concerns should comprise an important piece of your preparation for a trip to Vietnam, and staying healthy on the road takes vigilance. Make it a priority. Tropical heat and mosquitoes are the biggest dangers, other than motor vehicle accidents, and travelers should exercise caution over the extreme change in diet and sanitary standards in Vietnam -- especially if eating at local joints. But with just a few pretrip precautions and general prudence, you can enjoy a safe and healthy trip. Consult with a health practitioner or someone specializing in travel health before your trip about inoculations. Stay abreast of international monitors, such as the U.S.
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Special-Interest Vacations

Academic Trips & Language Classes
A visit just to Hanoi puts vast resources at your fingertips -- from museums to vestiges of architecture as far back as the 13th century. Walking tours of the Old Quarter, an area of the city that a curious traveler could literally pick apart block by block, are like a giant textbook. Here you'll learn about early Vietnamese commerce, the colonial administration of the French, early Vietnamese unrest, and eventual insurgency, not to mention the more heavy-handed legacy of a triumphant Vietnam under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh in the vestiges of his mausoleum and museum.
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Tips on Dining

Dining in Vietnam is one of the highlights for visitors, and the secret is out, thanks to a proliferation of good, affordable, authentic Vietnamese restaurants springing up in the West. Characterized by the light, subtle nature of this cuisine, where ingredients are left alone to work their magic, Vietnamese gastronomy is getting the international kudos it well deserves. Take places like New York and Los Angeles, for example, where you can find an authentic bowl of pho (noodle soup) or fresh spring rolls, and where Vietnamese ingredients -- from rice paper and green papaya to rice whiskey and nuoc mam (pungent fish sauce) -- are influencing some of the finest Pacific fusion restaurants. Gourmets have discovered Vietnam, and many are making their own long-haul flights to experience the real deal.
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Tips on Accommodations

Affordable luxury is the name of the game in Vietnam. For what you'd pay to get a cracker-box room in U.S. and European big cities, you get to go in style in Indochina. Pay over $100 and you are royalty. Budget travelers and young backpackers flock to the region, and a big part of the charm is spending $5 to $7 per night. If your trip is short, live it up! Go for a luxury room; take advantage of affordable health and beauty or spa treatments (for a fraction of what you'd pay elsewhere). Midrange boutique hotels and rustic eco-friendly rural resorts are also a new trend as developers discover that "refurbished" is cool and that location -- whether overlooking the Mekong or set in a tropical rainforest -- is everything.
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Regions in Brief

Vietnam is an S-shape peninsula that borders China to the north, Laos to the west, and Cambodia to the southwest. Covering about 331,520 sq. km (129,293 sq. miles), it's roughly the size of Italy, but only a small percentage of the land is arable and habitable because of the Annamese Cordillera and other steep mountain ranges and mountain terrain. Vietnam has a varied and lush topography, with two massive deltas (one in the north and one in the south), tropical forests, craggy mountains and rock formations, and stunning coastline. Vietnam is only about 1,613km (1,000 miles) north to south as the crow flies, but by road and along the stretch of coastal highway, it's about 3,260km (2,021 miles). Vietnam also claims thousands of islands off its coast.
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Entry Requirements & Customs

Passports
The websites listed provide downloadable passport applications, as well as the current fees for processing passport applications. For an up-to-date, country-by-country listing of passport requirements around the world, go to the "Foreign Entry Requirement" Web page of the U.S. State Department at http://travel.state.gov.
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Money

Frommer's lists exact prices in the local currency wherever possible, though the U.S. dollar is used widely in both Vietnam and Cambodia: In fact, the dollar is the de facto currency in Cambodia, and packing some U.S. greenbacks will come in very handy. Rates fluctuate, so before departing, consult a currency exchange website such as www.oanda.com/convert/classic to check up-to-the-minute rates.
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Getting Around

With many transport options, you'll find good local travel agencies in every tourist stop in Vietnam, all ready to book your plane, bus, and boat tickets or to rent cars. Competition among service providers works to your advantage, and you can find affordable deals for getting around with just a bit of shopping.
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Escorted & Package Tours

Escorted tours are structured group tours with a group leader. The price usually includes everything from airfare to hotels, meals, tours, admission costs, and local transportation.
Whether you want to ride an elephant through the jungle, trek among indigenous people, shake hands with a gibbon, swim beneath a waterfall, snorkel in a clear blue lagoon, lounge on a white-sand beach, or wander through exotic markets, there's a Vietnam tour packager for you, offering a wide range of travel options using the finest and most reliable travel services available in the region.
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Getting There

By Plane
The three international airports in Vietnam are Tan Son Nhat International (SGN) in Ho Chi Minh City, Noi Bai International (HAN) in Hanoi, and Danang International (DAT) in Danang (central Vietnam). Vietnam Airlines has hubs in both Tan Son Nhat and Noi Boi. Most carriers connect to Vietnam's three international airports via Singapore, Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong, Taipei (Taiwan), or Seoul (South Korea).
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Calendar of Events at Vietnam

In their daily lives, Vietnamese people follow the standard 12-month calendar, otherwise known as the Gregorian or solar calendar used in the West. However, most of Vietnam's small village fetes and holidays follow the traditional Chinese calendar, which has 355 days and adds a "leap month" every 3 years or so to keep up with the solar calendar. Following the Chinese lunar calendar means that most holidays correspond with the full moon (on the 15th of each lunar month) or no moon (on the 1st); it also means that holidays fall on different calendar dates each year.
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When to Go

Think Vietnam and you might imagine a steamy jungle and hot sun -- and you'd be mostly right. But even though Vietnam is tropical, you'll find a real range, from chilly mountaintops and cool highland areas to sun-drenched coastline and, yes, that steamy jungle, too, laced with the swampy rivers you've seen in movies.
Opposing monsoon seasons in the north and south mean that seasonal changes are different in north, central, and south Vietnam. The good news for travelers is that this means it's always high season somewhere in Vietnam, and the tropical south is always warm. Vietnam can be broken into three distinct geographical and climatic zones as follows: north, central, and south.
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Fast Facts

Area Codes -- The area codes for the provinces of Vietnam are as follows:
An Giang 076, Bac Can 0281, Bac Giang 0240, Bac Lieu 0781, Bac Ninh 0241, Ben Tre 075, Binh Dinh 056, Binh Duong 0650, Binh Phuoc 0651, Binh Thuan 062, Ca Mau 0780, Can Tho 0710, Cao Bang 026, Da Nang 0511, Dac Lac 0500, Dong Nai 061, Dong Thap 067, Gia Lai 059, Ha Giang 0219, Ha Nam 0351, Hai Duong 0320, Haiphong 031, Hanoi 04, Ha Tinh 039, Ho Chi Minh 08, Hung Yen 0321, Hoa Binh 0218, Khanh Hoa 058, Kien Giang 077, Kontum 060, Lai Chau 0231, Lam Dong 063, Lang Son 025, Lao Cai 020, Long An 072, Nam Dinh 0350, Nghe An 038, Ninh Binh 030, Ninh Thuan 068, Phu Tho 0210, Phu Yen 057, Quang Binh 052, Quang Ngai 055, Quang Ninh 033, Quang Tri 053, Soc Trang 079, Son La 022, Tay Ninh 066, Thai Binh 036, Thai Nguyen 0280, Thanh Hoa 037, Thua Thien Hue 054, Tien Giang 073, Tra Vinh 074, Tuyen Quang 027, Vinh Long 070, Vung Tau 064, Yen Bai 029.
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Planning a Trip

Obtaining a prearranged visa and following some important medical guidelines is all that's required for a safe and exciting trip to Vietnam. But the information here helps you plan your finances, decide whether to go on your own or by tour, and learn about what to expect in Vietnamese hotels and restaurants.

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The Best Outdoor Adventures

Kayaking in Halong Bay: Often in conjunction with luxury cruises, kayaking in Halong Bay means going through low caves at low tide to get to the collapsed center of huge limestone and volcanic rings, where walls of jungle vegetation tower hundreds of feet overhead and crawl with monkeys, snakes, and rare animals. Kayaks are the only way to get up close.

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The Best Museums

War Remnants Museum (Ho Chi Minh City): Formerly called the Museum of American War Crimes, this ever-evolving collection is the face of Vietnam's war past. Exhibits are insightful and certainly rife with rhetoric, but offer a unique glimpse at propaganda from "the other side," and a yin to the heavy yang of Western reporting and documentation of the war years. A unique perspective and a must-see.

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The Best Mid-Range Hotels

Maison d'Hanoi (tel. 04/3938-0999; www.hanovahotel.com): This is a stylish hotel in the center of Hanoi, just south of Hoan Kiem, with a compact setup and high standard. An affordable boutique downtown hotel.

Topas Ecolodge (tel. 020/387-1331; www.topasecolodge.com): Topas Ecolodge has the best mountain and rice paddy views in Sapa. Nestled in a misty valley away from the din of Sapa town, the lodge is also an ideal jumping-off point for treks and hikes.

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The Best Luxury Hotels

InterContinental Hanoi Westlake (tel. 04/6270-8888; www.intercontinental.com): With rounded villas dotted around West Lake and a chic outdoor bar overlooking the water, this new resort is a perfect escape from the city.

Sofitel Metropole Hanoi (tel. 04/3826-6919; www.sofitel.com): The best hotel in Vietnam for luxury, service, style, and a connection to the history of Hanoi.

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Best Historic Sites

Halong Bay: Just a short few hours from Hanoi, the bay at Halong, with its craggy limestone towers dotting the wide-open bay all the way to the horizon, has long inspired Vietnamese poets and philosophers. A ride on the bay these days is a rather busy, crowded affair, but some luxury tours and a few eco-tour operators can take you to the back of beyond, exploring little-known caves by kayak.

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The Best Beaches

Nha Trang: Vietnam's Ocean City is very crowded in the summertime with domestic tourists, but it's a great escape. The city has a few worthy sights -- otherwise a cluttered market town -- but there are some great new resorts and the best seafood going.

Mui Ne Beach, Phan Thiet: Just a few hours from Saigon, Phan Thiet is the perfect getaway for Saigon residents. There's a golf course designed by Nick Faldo, the seafood is good, and there are some great day trips to remote sand dunes and smaller fishing villages.

Phu Quoc Island: Phu Quoc boasts vast tracts of interior forestland and far-flung beaches great for exploring by motorbike. There's a small clutch of mid- to low-end resorts and La Veranda, an affordable luxury resort, but the times they are a-changin' and development is on the way. Get here fast.

The Best Architectural Landmarks

The Cao Dai Holy See: The spiritual home base of the Cao Dai religion, a unique contemporary faith, the Holy See is a fantasyland of colored mosaics and elaborate painting. Followers are dressed in white turbans during the picturesque daily procession.

Tomb of Khai Dinh: The egotistical, eccentric emperor Khai Dinh left behind a tomb that is a gaudy mix of Gothic, baroque, and classical Chinese architecture. Quite unique.

The Tunnels of Vinh Moc and Cu Chi: Faced with devastating air raids, both of these sites supported large groups of soldiers and civilians who used the tunnels as supply lines, as escape routes, and as bases for waging a devastating guerilla campaign against U.S. forces. Day trips to either site are memorable.

Hoa Lo Prison (aka Hanoi Hilton): Home to U.S. pilots -- including John McCain -- who were shot down during the Vietnamese war with the U.S., Hoa Lo Prison is now a small museum (most of it was demolished for a high-rise). A good glimpse into Vietnam's grisly past.

Reunification Palace: In 1975 tanks rolled over the gates of the prime minister's palace, signaling an end to the Vietnam War. You can see the actual tanks on-site.

Best Dining Bets

Cha Ca La Vong (Hanoi; tel. 04/3825-3929): A Vietnamese institution and a tourist rite of passage, really. A meal here is a memorable, do-it-yourself affair on the beat-up second floor of a restaurant as old as the hills (and it looks like it has never been painted). The food does all the talking: a unique dish of whitefish flash-fried in lots of peanut oil with dill and turmeric.

La Badiane (Hanoi; tel. 04/3942-4509): The hottest table in town, La Badiane offers affordable French cuisine in an atmospheric colonial mansion.

Mango Rooms (Hoi An; tel. 0510/391-0839): The atmosphere is fast and furious as hip young owner Duc slings a unique brand of Asian-fusion fare, heavy on grilled items and delicious light ingredients.

Le Rabelais (Dalat; tel. 063/382-5444): Fine French cuisine served with real panache at one of Vietnam's most luxurious rural hotels.

Quan An Ngon Restaurant (Ho Chi Minh City; tel. 08/3829-9449): Its popularity has spawned a number of small offshoots, including a specialty restaurant focused on northern rice dishes and another new outlet for buffet dinners, but the original restaurant near the Reunification Palace is the best. A virtual survey course of authentic Vietnamese cuisine from every region of the country, this restaurant is the town's most atmospheric, friendly, and busy.

Frommer's Favorite Experiences

Eat on the Street: "Real" Vietnamese food is best at street side or in small market areas, and though it might be a little grungy or off-putting to some, dining alfresco in old Indochina offers the most authentic and delicious meals. Prepare yourself for some adventurous dining. If you're in Ho Chi Minh City, try Quan An Ngon Restaurant for a safe overview of Vietnamese fare.

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Introduction to Vietnam

Vietnam's narrow borders bulge against the ceaseless bustle of Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, two modern metropolises tempered by colonial architecture and tree-lined boulevards. Tranquility rests by the crumbling temples, wood-paneled pagodas and verdant valleys of rural Vietnam; divers at Nha Trang plunge the glistening green of the South China Sea to explore a rainbow of coral and neon-clad fish. And everywhere there's the food: whether slurping spicy noodles from Saigon street stalls or savoring French croissants in a Hue patisserie Vietnamese cuisine is full-flavored, fascinating and affordable.
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