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BA BE LAKE:
(240 km from Hanoi)
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Ba Be
Lakes, lie in the middle of a vast limestone mountain
range, north-west of Ha Noi - dubbed a "precious jade of
Viet Nam" and one of 500 lakes recognized as worthy of
attention. Ba Be itself is actually three smaller lakes
joined together - Pe Lam, Pe Lu and Pe Leng. The climate
is cool with an average temperature of 22°C. This area
has a lot to offer, including waterfalls, rivers,
valleys, lakes, and caves all set amidst picturesque
landscapes. |
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BUON MA THUOT:
(489 km from Ho Chi Minh City)
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Located in the central Highlands, Buon Ma Thuot is
Vietnam’s largest coffee growing area and home to the
Ede ethnic minority. Discovering scenic Lak Lake in a
typical dugout canoe and the forests on the back of an
elephant are among the most popular activities in the
area. |
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CAN THO: (169
km from Ho Chi Minh City)
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Can
Tho is located in the center of the 11 provinces of the
Mekong Delta. 170 km from Ho Chi Minh City. Taking a
boat along Hau River as well as visiting the daily
floating markets provide ample photo opportunities. A
speciality of the region is eel, which is served in
floating restaurants along the river banks. Thot Not
Stork is worth a visit in the late afternoon when the
birds return to their nets. |
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Cat
Ba National Park is located on Cat Ba Island, 150 km
east of Hanoi. The park covers approximately 200 km2,
two thirds of which consists of a forested zone and one
third, a marine zone.
The
island is home to over 600 kinds of plants including
Bang, Goi Nep, Sang Le, and Kim Giao trees. The fauna
living on the island is also diverse; the island is home
to rare wild white-headed langur, deer, and macaques, to
name a few. Cat Ba marine reserves comprise sea turtles,
lobster, coral, oysters, and dolphins. |
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CHAU DOC :
(285 km from Ho Chi Minh City)
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Located west of the Mekong Delta between Tien Giang and
Hau Giang Rivers and shares a 95-km border with
Cambodia. It is next to Cuu Long River and is
constituted of a few midland areas and low mountains.
The
main ethnic groups are the Kinh, Khmer, Cham, and Hoa.
Famous sites and attractions are Ba Chua Xu Temple, Tay
An Pagoda, Clay Pagoda, Thoai Ngoc Hau Tomb, Tao Ngo
Garden, Sam Mountain, and Bang Lang stork sanctuary. |
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CU CHI: (65
km from Ho Chi Minh City)
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Located in the northwest of Ho Chi Minh, Cu Chi district
is now famous around the world as the base for the
Vietnamese operation known as the TET Offensive in 1968.
There are more than 200 km of underground tunnels. The
tunnel network provided sleeping quarters, meeting
rooms, hospitals and social centers and are between 0.5
to 1 m wide, with just enough space for a person to walk
along by bending or crawling. Nowadays a small part of
the tunnels has been modified to accommodate visitors.
Visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels provides a fascinating
glimpse into the prolonged resistance war that the
Vietnamese people endured, and also highlights the
national characteristics of perseverance and ingenuity. |
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DA LAT: (310
km from Ho Chi Minh City)
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At
1,500 m altitude, Dalat has an appearance of an old
French City, founded in 1897; Dalat has many natural and
artificial lakes, bordered by row of pine trees. A trip
to Dalat is not complete without a visit to the Flower
Gardens, Bao Dai Summer residence and the valley of
Love, Hang Nga Guest House and Art Gallery, known as
Crazy House or a ride on a new cable car. A visit of one
of the numerous waterfalls in the area should not be
misses either. |
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DANANG: (763
km from Hanoi)
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Known
under the French as Tourane, it succeeded Hoi an (Faifo)
as the most important port in central Vietnam during
the19th century. This coastal city lies on a river and
is surrounded by mountains, with a busy port and
splendid beaches suches Non Nuoc (China Beach), My Khe
and Tien Sa Beach. |
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DIEN BIEN PHU
(474 km from Hanoi)
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Dien
Bien Phu is surrounded by mountains and lies in the
Muong Thanh valley, northwest of Hanoi. The battle of
Dien Bien Phu was a world-famous historical event. The
struggle of the Vietnamese army against the French
expeditionary corps in 1954 lasted 56 days. A museum,
bunkers, battle grounds and the expansive cemetery
commemorate the battle. |
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HAI PHONG:
(105 km from Hanoi)
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Hai
Phong is north Vietnam’s largest sea port city, about
105 km east of Hanoi and definitely deserves a 2 nights
stay during which to explore Cat Ba National park and
adjoining Halong Bay as well as the rural villages
surrounding the city on bicycle.
The
town itself consists of wide, tree-lines avenues, parks,
French colonial-style building as well as narrow winding
streets with open air fresh markets selling fruits,
vegetables, flowers and household goods. Hai Phong also
to offer several interesting cultural highlights:
picturesque Du Hang Pagoda (also known under the name of
Phuc Lam Pagoda) and Hang Kenh Communal House with
exquisite woodcarvings. Roughly 22 km southeast of
Haiphong lies Doson Beach and the former summer
residence of the last ruler of the Nguyen Dynasty, Bao
Dai. The nicely restored villa is built on a hill and
offers great views of the sea and wooded hill. Close by
there is the one and only casino in Vietnam, a
joint-venture between Hong Kong and Vietnam. |
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HALONG BAY:
(165 km from Hanoi)
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Located in the North of Vietnam’s East Sea, 165 km east
from Hanoi. Halong Bay is one of the country’s most
famous tourist attractions and was listed by UNESCO a
World Natural Heritage, an area of outstanding nature
beauty.
Halong Bay covers an area of 1.500 square kilometers.
Among many pleasant beaches, along its winding coast
line is Bai Chay in Halong City and the peaceful coves
of Cat Ba Island. The marine reserve in the bay is
flourishing and offers great potential for kayaking.
The
bay is the filled with thousands of islets of all shapes
and sizes. A wide variety of birds and animals including
bantams, monkeys and iguanas live on the islands. Pearl
and coral is also exploited in some areas. With its
spectacular beauty, Halong Bay is a wonderful
destination. Tourists who visit Halong Bay at any time
of the year are always enthralled. |
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HANOI: (The
capital of Vietnam)
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Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is located in the Red
River Delta in the center of North Vietnam. It is the
political, economic, cultural, commercial, and tourist
center of the country. It was founded in 1010 AD during
the reign of King Ly Cong Uan.
Many
ancient architectural features are still preserved in
Hanoi, particularly in the fascinating warren of streets
know as the Old Quarter. There are over 600 pagodas,
numerous lakes and parks, where local tend together on
weekends and in the evenings. The most notable lakes are
fabled Hoan Kiem Lake in the heart of the City, and the
vast expanse of West Lake. Popular sights include Ho Chi
Minh Mausoleum, the One-Pillar Pagoda, Ngoc Son Temple
and Vietnam’s first University, the Temple of Literature |
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HO CHI MINH
CITY: (1,724 km from Hanoi)
|
Located in the North of Vietnam’s East Sea, 165 km east
from Formerly known as Saigon, today’s Ho Chi Minh City
is the bustling and vibrating economic center of the
South. Over the past few centuries, Saigon was called
the “Pearl of the Far East” and was an important trading
center for the Chinese, Japanese and Western Merchants
who traveled the Saigon River. |
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HOA BINH:
(74km from Hanoi)
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Hoa
Binh is a mountainous province located in the North, the
culture of Hoa Binh combines six minorities with their
own languages, traditional literature, and festivals.
Tourists especially enjoy the minority specialty dishes
including rice cooked in bamboo and grilled meat, also
enjoy watching traditional dancing, music performances
(bronze, drums, gongs), and Thai minority singing and
dancing. |
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HOI AN: (30
km from Danang)
|
The
ancient town of Hoi An, lies on the banks of the Thu Bon
River. Hoi An was one of the major trading centers of
Southeast Asia in the 16th Century, and was declared a
World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999. Hoi an
has a distinctive Chinese atmosphere with low,
tired-roof houses and narrow streets. The house were
constructed of rare timbers and decorated with lacquer
panels engraved with Chinese characters. Visitors enjoy
the beautiful scenery of the romantic Thu Bon River, Cua
Dai Beach, and Cham Islands. |
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Founded as a Royal City in 1687, the original citadel
city of Phu Xuan was built on the site of present day
Hue, the gateway to the treasures of Vietnam’s royal
past. The city served as Vietnam’s political capital
from1802 to 1945 under the 13 emperor of the Nguyen
dynasty and was a major center of Vietnamese culture,
region and education. This small and quiet city is
justly famed for the magnificent architecture of its
citadels palaces royal tombs, pagodas and temples built
under the Nguyen dynasty in an elegant verdant setting
on the banks of perfume River. UNESCO has labeled Hue “a
beautiful architectural poem”. |
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It is
only 2 hour drive from Ho Chi Minh City. Be there, you
will have time and opportunity to enjoy the best beach
resort concept in Vietnam with its character, courtesy,
calm, charm and cuisine, its unrivalled environment and
its micro climate. You may be amazed by palm trees,
white sand at east end of Long Hai. |
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MAI CHAU:
(150 km from Hanoi)
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Located in Hoa Binh Province, 70 km from Hoa Binh town.
From the top of Mountain there is a superb panorama of
the stilt house of Mai Chau sitting in a fertile green
valley. The area is home to several ethnic minorities,
particularly the White Thai ethnic group. Their
traditional stilt houses are large structures with palm
leaf roofs and polished bamboo floors. The Sunday market
brings lots of people into town. People from different
minorities is living in the mountains nearby come to
sell such products as honey, bananas, corn and tho cam
weaving. |
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MY SON: (70
km from Danang)
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My
Son has been the imperial city of the Champa Empire from
the 4th to the 12th centuries. It is the large complex
of religious ruins comprising more than 70 architectural
remains, including temples and towers with distinctive
red brick designs. UNESCO labeled the Cham architecture
in My Son as a World Cultural Heritage Site in1999. |
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NHA TRANG:
(447 km from Ho Chi Minh City)
|
The 7
km long white sandy beach of Nha Trang is known as
Vietnam’s Mediterranean coast. It is sunny all year
round, with an average temperature of 20oC. Nha Trang
has less rainfall than any where else in the country as
the Truong Son Mountains Ca Pass protects it from
storms. The magnificent storms. The magnificent coral
seabed in Nha Trang makes it ideal for scuba diving and
snorkeling from March to September. |
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NINH BINH:
(100km from Hanoi)
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Ninh
Binh is a small town about 100km south of Hanoi, which
is surrounded by a number of most interesting sites. Hoa
Lu was the first capital of the independent Vietnam,
under the Dinh dynasty and the early Le Dynasty
(968-1009). There are two sanctuaries, each of them
devoted to the emperors of one of these two dynasties.
They are set into a landscape of limestone mountains
reminiscent of some the better known sites of South
China. In Tam Coc or better known as Dry Halong Bay, you
can take a boat tour on a river which tunnels several
times into the same type of mountains. The river is
actually used by local villagers to access their rice
fields. The nearby Ken Ga canal provides the opportunity
to observe river life in the North, and contrast it with
what one can see in the Mekong Delta. The whole area was
an important center of Catholicism, and you will be
surprised to see churches among the rice fields. Phat
Diem has a vast cathedral which has a unique
Sino-Vietnamese architecture. |
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PHAN THIET:
(197 km from Ho Chi Minh City)
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Phan
Thiet is built along both banks of the Phan Thiet River
and the Muong Man River. Mui Ne beach, famous for its
sand dunes, is 20 km east of Phan Thiet fishing at the
tip of Mui Ne Peninsula. In addition a18-hole golf
course is nearby which is considered by pros as one of
the best in Vietnam. |
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This
16-island archipelago lies around 40 kilometers west of
Ha Tien in the Gulf of Thailand. The major island, Phu
Quoc, is 48 kilometers long and covers an area of 1,320
square kilometers. Phu Quoc Island boasts lush tropical
forest and mountain zones. The island is perfect for
tourists with its unspoiled beaches. There are many
activities to take advantage of including swimming,
snorkelling, and fishing. |
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QUy NHON :
(250 km from Danang)
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Quy
Nhon is located on the East Sea coast and a growing
commercial and industrial center that produces textiles,
processed food, and seafood. Its small fishing port was
dredged and improved by the United States military in
1965 and again by the Vietnamese government in 1977.
Ruins of the ancient Cham center of Cha Ban are nearby.
Quy Nhon is getting more popular as beach break
destination with daily flight from/to Ho Chi Minh City. |
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SAPA: (380 km
from Hanoi)
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Located 1,500 m above sea level, Sapa lies in Hoang Lien
Son Mountains northwest of Hanoi. Sapa has an amazing
diversity of flora and fruits. Mount Fansipan, the
highest mountain in Indochina at 3,134 m, is covered
with clouds all year round and temperatures often drop
below zero, especially at high elevation for tourists
are the various ethnic minorities in their colorful
customs, who visit the local weekend markets on foot or
on horseback. |
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Vung
Tau is an old port town 115 kilometers southeast of Ho
Chi Minh City developed under the French as a seaside
resort called Cap Saint Jacques. It served as a rest
center for French officers, and later for Australian and
American troops on R & R during the Vietnam War. Today
it is a popular seaside resort town for wealthy
Vietnamese. |
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Vinh
Long is a riverside town located in the Mekong Delta.
Visitors can view the area with a boat ride on the Co
Chien River, which flows through this provincial
capital. Visitors can also explore the central market,
Cho Vinh Long, as well as the nearby Khmer temples of
Chau Thanh. The beautiful Bonsai Garden is another
nature site not to be missed. |
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