No Better Time To Visit
Vietnam is a fascinating holiday destination – the Vietnamese are proud of their heritage, culture and history. Major cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) are bustling, modern and great for holidays.  Vietnam is an exciting country, full of contrasts and colour – and a trip here will be memorable for all the right reasons.
City Life
It is country withan amazing mix of cultures stemming from a long and complex history. Long before the French colonised Indochina, the Vietnamese fought and won back their independence from the Chinese. Royal dynastic families ruled, building themselves opulent palaces and equally lavish tombs, in which to spend the afterlife. There is a range of architectudral styles in the old cities – the colonial government buildings reflect the influence of the French, who once ruled Vietnam. Near to the grand old mansions are sky scrapers and old temples, so you can see a thousand years worth of architectural styles in a 15 minute walk. The War Remnants Museum, in Ho Chi Minh City, is not for the faint hearted – it reveals in graphic detail, events surrounding the 20th Centuary Vietnamese War.
Motor scooters are everywhere, loaded with precarious piles of fruit, chickens, and straw hats – street vendors sell their goods, letting you know what’s on offer at the top of their voices. There are dozens of street cafes, bars and silk tailoring outfitters. The latter are fantastic – you choose a silk, the tailor draws up a pattern for you, and two days later, you have a perfectly fitted silk outfit to take home!
Countryside
Out in the countryside, paddy fields are worked by local people, who live in the mountains and lush valleys. Country people regularly travel into town to trade goods, foods stuffs and catch up on the gossip. The noise is endless, the scents, flavours and colours are powerful and delicious, so it’s a real sensory overload.
Towns like Hue are much more sedate and operate at a slower pace of life. Hue, situated on the border between North & South Vietnam, has survived many conflicts and remarkably, a large number of splendid buildings and palaces remain intact, perfect for exploring and photography opportunities. Hues’ fortified citadel is protected by UNESCO. The remarkable temple site is big – approximately four square miles and is situated alongside the broad and beautiful stretch of water known as The Perfume River.
Ha-Long, Vietnam — Junk in the sea of Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, Karst mountains, romantic sunset, image composition, Vietnam, Asia — Image by © Gerhard Zwerger-Schoner/imagebroker/Corbis
Visas
Travelling Around and Tours
Vietnam has also been a back-packing mecca for several decades. It’s easy to get around, with an excellent, albeit sometimes slow railway,  running all the way down the coast from Hanoi to Saigon. Families are often seen back-packing in this region, but if you don’t fancy the idea of casual travelling, look out for one of the excellent western companies that run Vietnam tours.
Holiday representatives have a good level of local knowledge, they often live in the region and have a real understanding of the people, the place and it’s customs and history. Their information is up to the minute, and they work closely with local guides to ensure travellers are offered a wide variety of tours and excursions. Representatives also inspect hotels – (they want to ensure that they up to standard!) . Tour groups are kept small, enabling access to places that are off the beaten track, where it’s easier to meet local people in their own environment.
Look for a tour company which has clear ethical policies that support tourism in a responsible and considerate manner. It’s worth taking some time to review personal blogs or videos that show how companies interact with local people to gain a better understanding of their approach to tourism.
There are some inspiring tours on offer, from six day adventures with the mountain tribes to special culinary journeys. These take you through Vietnam, teaching you how to buy and cook food found in the local the markets. The end result is of course, lots of fragrant, delicious meals!