Vietnam feature

off the beaten track n vietnam

Rising star Synonymous with conflict until relatively recently, Vietnam is undergoing rapid modernisation and is now one of South-East Asia’s fastest-growing tourism hotspots. But, as Amy Watkins discovered, visitors can still easily find timeless echoes of its distant past besides vestiges of war, frenetic cities and unspoilt natural beauty s my kayak quietly glided through the limestone formations of Vietnam’s Halong Bay, only monkey calls from amongst the pink ginger trees broke the silence. My oar brushed through crystal-clear water, skimming fans of colourful coral under the surface, as we explored the ancient UNESCO World Heritage-listed site.

This peaceful kayak cruise was a direct contrast to the buzzing sea of motorbikes and chattering crowds that had greeted me on arrival at frenetic, fragrant and fascinating Ho Chi Minh City.

Vietnam, once shorthand for war, is fast-becoming one of Asia’s rising stars and a new direct air service from Vietnam Airlines is making it more accessible for UK tourists. While Thailand charms with its popular beaches and neighbouring Laos and Cambodia attract intrepid backpackers, Vietnam offers a taste of Communist South East Asia with a touch of comfort.

Vietnam’s troubled and varied past has left a unique legacy of architecture, culture and cuisine.

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n Halong Bay

n Kayaking off Emeraude

Emeraude Cruises

AMAWaterways

Vietnam Airlines

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Bamboo Travel

vietnam’s best beaches

AMAWaterways

off the beaten track n vietnam

n Market traders ply their goods by water

Vietnam’s beaches might not get the positive press that neighbouring Thailand enjoys – but with over 2,000 miles of coastline and some truly incredible beaches that are reminiscent of Thailand’s finest before mass tourism took over, Vietnam has plenty to boast about.

Nha Trang is Vietnam’s most famous beach destination and while the town can now be a little loud and brash at times, the beautiful beach has retained its charm and continues to attract n Vietnam has stunning beaches holidaymakers looking for a wellestablished resort.

For those looking for a more picturesque introduction to Vietnam’s beaches, the white sand beaches and thick jungle covering the island of Phu Quoc makes it one of Vietnam’s most beautiful places to spend a holiday.

For near-complete isolation away from the crowds, head to the Con Dao islands for uninterrupted jungle hiking, as well as diving and snorkelling the coral reefs; look out for resident sea turtles.

From French baguettes on café menus to a maze of underground tunnels once used by the Viet Cong; everywhere you look there’s a dent made by history. Vietnam is modernising at break-neck speed, but deep in the countryside you’ll see women in conical hats tending rice paddies and traditional snapshots of a bygone age.

Times have changed for Vietnam and the emerging destination has thrown off the shackles of its conflictridden past. Vietnam is celebrating its heritage this year by focusing on the positive legacies that have been left behind.

Designer shops and upmarket hotels now line the Dong Khoi area of Ho Chi Minh City, once Saigon’s notorious red light district during the Vietnam War, and timeless wonders such as ancient rocks and beautiful beaches remain untouched.

rice paddies A fortnight is an ideal amount of time to see the country’s highlights. It’s possible to make your own way around Vietnam, but an escorted tour handles many of the logistical issues such as transportation and language barriers so tourists can enjoy the sights. You can even follow the route of the legendary Ho Chi Minh Trail on golf tours, playing half a dozen courses along the route from Hanoi to the area around former Saigon that comprise the Ho Chi Minh Golf Trail.

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Travelling overland between cities is a fantastic way to see the scenery of rice paddies and thick forests, but flying between Hanoi in the north and Ho Chi Minh City in the south means that both can be included on a shorter holiday.

Ho Chi Minh, remembered by most visitors as Saigon, is an energetic introduction to bustling Vietnam.

Colourful lanterns in Chinatown, smoky incense emanating from jade-encrusted temples and the sight of street traders with piles of bright purple dragon fruit in Ben Thanh night market let you know you’re in Asia.

Among the exotic sights and smells there are reminders of the Vietnam War, or the American War, as you’ll hear it referred to. On April 30, 1975, the imposing Independence Palace (now called Reunification Hall) was breached by Viet Cong tanks and this led to the fall of Saigon and the end of the war. The present building dates to 1966, but has remained in a 1970s time warp with government rooms left as they were.

An hour outside of the city are the 120-mile long networks of Cu Chi Tunnels, which included kitchens, hospitals, schools and sleeping quarters. They were originally built in the 1940s during Vietnam’s conflict with the French, but were used by the Viet Cong to house around 16,000 people during the Vietnam War. Capital Hanoi, over 1,000 miles north of Ho Chi Minh City, is a charmingly-chaotic blend of old and new. Here, the wide mansion-lined boulevards, lakefilled parks and the smell of freshly-cooked

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AMAWaterways

off the beaten track n vietnam

n Cruise the Mekong through Vietnam and Cambodia

mekong river cruises

n Floating fruit stall

Tucan Tours

Cruising the Mekong is one of the best ways to see remote corners of Vietnam; from major cities to tiny villages that can only be reached by boat. Most itineraries, including Pandaw’s (www.pandaw.com), leave from Kampong Cham on the Tonle Sap River – after an overnight in Cambodia’s Siem Reap to visit Angkor Wat – and sail to My Tho for Ho Chi Minh City, or vice versa.

The cruises call at the floating villages of Kampong Chhnang, the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh and then sail through Vietnam.

Cruises visit traditional village such as Chau Doc, canal-crossed Sa Dec and the floating market at Cai Be. River cruise company AMAWaterways (www.amawaterways.com) has two Mekong ships, which additionally stop at Vietnam’s rapidly-industrialising Tan Chau.

Earlier this year, CroisiEurope

(www.croisieurope.travel) began chartering river cruise vessel RV Indochine to offer nine-night cruises through Vietnam

baguettes recall 19th and early 20th century colonial rule.

One of its most notable icons of the period is the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, which was built in 1901 and retains the green shutters so reminiscent of French colonial rule. Guests have included Charlie Chaplin, Somerset Maugham and, latterly, Angelina Jolie. A

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and Cambodia, while Noble Caledonia (www.noble-caledonia.co.uk) partners with Pandaw on Mekong and land itineraries.

recently-rediscovered bomb shelter in the hotel’s back garden which was used in the Vietnam War has been opened as a memorial and is the main attraction in a Path of History tour open to guests. Singer Joan Baez recorded part of her Where Are You Now, My Son? album in the bunker in 1972, during an American air raid.

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off the beaten track n vietnam

n Khai Dinh statues

vietnam facts when to go

continental flavour Once part of France’s Cochinchina Empire, Vietnam has retained a Continental flavour that still exists among Hanoi’s busy streets. Visit the State Bank or Grand Opera House to see the best examples of French-influenced architecture or stroll around the Old Quarter, where original Hanoi architecture is still standing and street names reflect the work of the artisans, such as silk-traders and jewellery-makers, who once lived here.

If you happen to be in Hanoi during the wet season, there are plenty of museums and art galleries, such as the National Museum of Vietnamese History and the Contemporary Arts Centre, to while away a rainy afternoon and see how Communist Vietnam presents itself today. At the other end of the scale of “attractions” is the eerie Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, where the Chairman’s embalmed body lies in state.

Less than 100 miles from Hanoi is the serene UNESCO World Heritage Site of Halong Bay, named as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature last year. Over 3,000 craggy limestone monoliths topped with verdant forest rise out of the sea up to 100 metres (300ft) high.

There are many ways to explore the area but most tourists opt for a tour on a traditional junk boat.

Overnight and multi-day tours are available, with varying levels of comfort from very basic to semi-luxurious, or day trips can be taken to explore the beaches and floating fishing villages in the area. You can also explore on cruise ships such as the Emeraude, a modern replica of a vintage paddle-wheel steamer that first sailed the bay 105 years ago.

It’s possible to stay on some of the islands, with Cat Ba being the most developed and popular place. In Halong Bay, cavers can explore the stalactites hanging like stone icicles from the overhanging rocks or take a kayak trip to quietly enjoy the dramatic landscape and secret lagoons away from the crowds.

As I made my way through these timeless formations it felt a world away from the beeping bikes and bustling markets of Vietnam’s cities. But it’s this contrast that makes Vietnam so exciting to explore.

Amy Watkins loves South East Asia; from Filipino beaches and buzzing Vietnam, to Borneo’s jungles and the gentle people of Cambodia and Thailand. Eating a thousand-year-old egg in Hong Kong has been her only exception.

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Tropical Sky

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getting there

in Hanoi

National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines (www.vietnamairlines.com) recently introduced direct flights from the UK, or you can fly via other counties with Thai Air, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Qantas, Lufthansa, British Airways or Air France. Arrange a visa before you leave.

getting around Travelling by public buses can be uncomfortable, making domestic flying with Vietnam Airlines and Jetstar Pacific (www.jetstar.com) an attractive option. Other methods include air-conditioned “backpacker” buses or a train between Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Cars with drivers can be hired and “cyclo” rickshaws are used in towns.

sport Play golf on the Ho Chi Minh Golf Trail (www.hochiminhgolftrail.com), with courses from the far north around Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City in the far south.

accommodation Budget places cater for backpackers, but luxury hotel chains such as Sofitel, Six Senses, Intercontinental, Le Meridien and Park Hyatt have hotels in cities and resorts; prices are cheap compared to Europe.

Among iconic hotels are colonial French veteran, Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi (www.sofitel.com), in the capital and Ho Chi Minh City landmark, The Caravelle (www.caravellehotel.com). Spa resort hotels include the Nam Hai (www.ghmluxuryhotels.com) in Hoi An.

tour operators Audley Travel (www.audleytravel.com) and Cox & Kings (www.coxandkings.co.uk) offer escorted tours, as do Kuoni (www.kuoni.co.uk), Ampersand Travel (www.ampersandtravel.com), Bamboo Travel (www.bambootravel.co.uk), Tropical Sky (www.tropicalsky.co.uk) and Tucan Tours (www.tucantravel.com), while W&O (www.wandotravel.com) features the luxury Victoria Express Train from Hanoi with stays at a mountain resort. Or you can self-build itineraries through Vietnam Travel Plan (www.vietnamtravelplan.co.uk).

tourist information AMAWaterways

Kuoni

Avoid busy Tet (New Year) in late January.

October-March is winter monsoon season in the north, but is warm and dry in the south. April-October brings hot and humid weather outside of mountain regions.

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Visit the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism’s website, www.vietnamtourism.com, for official information, or go to www.vietnamtourism.org.vn for informative features.

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