Vietnam

Vietnam is a country that is known not only for its beautiful flora and fauna but also for its food, history, music and much more. Some of the popular attractions that the country has to offer to the world are the Dragon Bridge, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, War Remnants Museum, Saigon Zoo,  etc.

Location and Population: – Vietnam is located in the eastern part of southeast Asia. Vietnam is sharing land borders with China, Laos and Cambodia. Besides, it also shares marine borders with Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand.  According to the Census conducted in the year 2019, the population of Vietnam is 96,208,984.

Vietnam’s History: –  The history of Vietnam goes back to the time when it was going through its dark phase when it was being ruled by various countries. Vietnam was under French colonial rule from the 18th century, but it was in the 19th century that Vietnam became an independent nation. After gaining independence, Viet Minh, a task force by Ho Chi Minh attacked a French military outpost in Vietnam. Vietnam was divided into Northern and Southern Vietnam at the Geneva Peace Talk Conference with France in 1954. It was in 1964, the USA captured the Southern part of Vietnam after the Gulf of Tonkin incident. The southern part of Vietnam was freed from the clutches of the USA in the year 1975 when North Vietnam troops invaded and captured the Southern part of Vietnam. The war was over and it was in the year 2007, that Vietnam became the 150th member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Facts you should know about Vietnam: – There are various facts that tourists should know about Vietnam. These are as follows: –  

• Vietnam is home to the largest cave in the world that is Son Doong which is around 400 to 450 million years old. Vietnam is the second largest producer of coffee in the world after Brazil. 

• Vietnam is considered to be the largest exporter of cashew nuts and black pepper in the world. 

• Did you know that a tortoise is considered to be a lucky symbol in  Vietnam? 

• Many tourists are not aware that water puppetry is very popular and is used to describe the traditional scenes of Vietnamese life.

• The flag of Vietnam is red and it includes a yellow star. The yellow star represents the various classes in the country’s society namely,  intellectuals, farmers, workers, youth and military personnel. The red represents the bloodshed that happened during the wars fought by Vietnam.

Culture and Food: – The people in Vietnam are very friendly and caring. There are various religions in Vietnam such as Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Catholicism and Cao Dai. They are very hardworking people and they value family more than other things especially when it comes to elders and children. The people are known for their hospitality and love of music. Besides, they are forgiving people. Vietnamese cuisine is a mixture of various cuisines of countries around the world such as France, China, Cambodia and Laos. The cuisine includes various flavours such as sweet, salty, bitter, sour and spicy. Vietnamese cuisine offers more dishes that are made of rice instead of wheat and includes meat. Some of the popular dishes of Vietnamese cuisine are Pho, Goi Cuon, Banh mi, Banh xeo, Che thap cam, etc.

Things to explore in Vietnam: – There are various things for the tourists to explore in Vietnam in terms of festivals, events and adventure activities that are as follows: –

• Tet Nguyen Dan: –  It is one of the most popular festivals that take place in the month of February. The Tet Nguyen Dan festival is a lunar new year that is based on the Vietnamese calendar. The locals thank Gods for the arrival of the spring season. The locals go to pray in the Ngoc Son temple or Quan su Pagoda during the day time and in the night time, fireworks as well as parties take place at the Hanoi opera house. 

• Hue festival: – The hue music festival happens every two years in the country and it last happened during the month of April in the year 2022. The tourists  get to do various things at the festival apart from the traditional music performances at the festival such as boating, human chess, kitesurfing, fashion shows, art exhibitions, film screenings and much more. It is held at the Imperial city.  

• Reunification Day: – It is a historic festival that is celebrated every year during the month of April. It was on the 30th April back in time that the Southern part of Vietnam got freed from the American troops and got merged with the Northern part of Vietnam for the formation of one country. The tourists would get to see the Vietnam flag in almost every shop, see parades, fireworks, cultural performances, etc.    

• Trekking : – The tourists can do trekking at various trails in Vietnam and witness the beautiful flora and fauna during their trek. Some of the spots to do trekking in Vietnam are Lang bian mountain, Ba be national park, Sapa, etc. 

• Kayaking: – It is one of the most popular adventure sports that tourists can do in the waters of Vietnam. Some of the places to do Kayaking are Halong bay, Lan ha bay, Ba be lake, etc.   

• Ziplining: – For adventure sport lovers, Vietnam offers ziplining which can be a very thrilling experience for the tourists. Some of the places in Vietnam for ziplining are Hoa Phu Thanh playground, Dalat Zipline tour, Alba Thanh Tan Hot Springs Resort, etc. 

Things to buy in Vietnam: – There are various things for the tourists to shop in Vietnam. Some of them are Ao Dai dress for women, conical hats, fruit shirts, dry fruits, Jewellery, Vietnamese chocolates, pottery, paintings, wine, lantern, sauces etc.

Best time to visit: – The best time to visit Vietnam depends on the climatic conditions and whether the tourists want to travel the Northern, Southern or the Central part of Vietnam. The tourists can visit the Northern part of Vietnam between November to April. The tourists can visit the Central part of Vietnam between January to August and the tourists can visit the Southern part of Vietnam between November to April. 

Places to visit in Vietnam 

• Hanoi: – The city which is the capital of Vietnam and  is located in the Northern part of the country is Hanoi. The tourists can visit the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum which is the burial ground of the first president of Vietnam, Ho chi Minh. The president was also known as Uncle Ho or Great father. The countrymen decided to make the mausoleum dedicated to him instead of burying the body in three different parts of the country. It is located in the Ba Dinh square which is in the central part of Hanoi. The tourists can explore the Hanoi opera house which is situated near the Hoan Kiem lake and the architecture is similar to the one in Paris. The tourists would get to hear Vietnamese music in the six hundred seater opera house. Besides, the tourists can visit the Tay ho pagoda which is dedicated to Thanh Mau, the mother goddess. The temple is situated in the northern peninsula of the western lake. The temple is known for its architecture, especially the panels, carved altars, etc.  

• Ho Chi Minh city: – The city which is situated in the south eastern part of Vietnam, also known as Saigon is Ho Chi Minh city. The tourists can visit the Independence Palace which was earlier known as Norodom Palace. The palace is known for its beautiful architecture, especially the chamber, lawn, residence of the presidential family and much more. The tourists can visit the  War remnants museum that talks about the struggle faced by the country and the sacrifices of its soldiers for independence. The museum has various exhibits that showcase the war fought by the country such as tanks, aircrafts, etc. Besides, the tourists can visit the Saigon zoo and botanical gardens which is the largest zoo in the country. The tourists would get to see a wide range of flora and fauna at the Saigon zoo and botanical garden such as birds, reptiles, orchids and much more. 

• Da Nang: – The city which is located in the central part of Vietnam is Da Nang. The tourists can visit the Dragon bridge which is one of the most popular bridges in the city. The Dragon bridge is a 666 metre  long bridge that crosses the Han river at the Le Dinh Duong. The tourists should visit the bridge during the evening, on a weekend  as the dragon on the bridge would breathe fire and then water from its mouth. It is a good show that should not be missed by the tourists. The tourists can explore My khe beach which is one of the cleanest beaches in the city. The tourists can do various water sports on the beach such as swimming, snorkelling, surfing, etc. The tourists can go to the restaurants near the beach to have tasty food and click pictures with their loved ones at the beach. Besides, the tourists can visit the Da nang Cathedral which is also known as the Pink church because of the exterior of the church being pink. Besides, the church is also known for its beautiful architecture.     

• Huế: –  The city which is situated in the central part of Vietnam is Huế. The tourists can visit the Perfume river which is one of the most beautiful rivers in the city.The river is called the perfume river as it flows from various forests that carry the natural aroma with it. The tourists can do boat rides and also visit the Truong tien bridge which is above the river. The tourists can get a tour of the Huda brewery wherein the tourists would get to see the making of tasty beers and get a chance to taste some delicious local beers. Besides, the tourists can visit the  imperial city which is a place for all history lovers to visit in the city as it is known for its architecture and was built in the 18th century during the Nguyễn dynasty. The Imperial city had suffered damages during the war but now it is restored.   

How to reach Vietnam from India: – The tourists can reach Vietnam from India through flights and there are direct as well 1 or 2 stops flights depending on the airline chosen by the tourists. Some of the airlines that fly to Vietnam are Viet jet air, Indigo, Malaysian Airlines, Vietnam airlines, Emirates, etc. Besides, the tourists cannot reach Vietnam  by road or sea from India.  

Popular Packages: – Here is a list of popular packages to travel to Vietnam: – 

Frequently Asked Questions 

• What is the currency of Vietnam ?

Ans: The currency of Vietnam is Vietnamese Dong.

• What is the language spoken in Vietnam ?

Ans: The language spoken by people in Vietnam is Vietnamese but the locals can also speak in English. 

• What is the national sport of Vietnam ? 

Ans: The national sport of Vietnam is Football. 

• What are the eateries that serve Indian food in Vietnam ?

Ans: A portion of eateries that serve Indian food in Vietnam are Dalchini Hanoi, Saigon Indian restaurant, Maharaja Indian restaurant, Ganesh Indian restaurant, Tandoor restaurant, etc. 

• Which places are popular for shopping in Vietnam ?

Ans: There are many popular places for shopping in Vietnam such as Dong Xuan market, Hanoi night market, Saigon square, Ben Thanh market, Han market, Vincom Plaza, Trang Tien plaza, New space art foundation, etc.