Travelog - A travel guide to Vietnam

Do people call it physical and non-physical culture? Whether they think of it this way or dream of it another way, they have to recognize it when staying in the heart of the ancient town of Hoi An, day and night.

In the late afternoon, Hoi An brightens with a golden sunshine. As an old seaport, just like so many other harbours in the world, Hoi An always becomes animated in the afternoon, which is the transition from day to night, and the harmony between the mainland and the sea, between reality and imagination.

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The Vietnam Airlines airplane was descending to Tan Son Nhat international airport. A bird’s-eye view of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City ), for long described as the pearl of the Orient, reveals a sparkling city that promotes the eagerness among visitors to explore it.In Saigon , there are only two seasons, the dry and the rainy. It is neither too hot nor too cold in the City, a light coat would be enough to ward off the cold during the coldest days; that is why visitors can come to Saigon at any time in the year.

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Nha Trang, one of the most beautiful
bays in the world.

Nha Trang, one of the 29 most beautiful bays in the world, is an ideal place for those who like to explore the wonders of the ocean.

After one hour on the ship, visitors will arrive at Hon Mun, a sea conservation zone where exist rock islands surrounded by green sea and ranges of corals created by nature thousands of years ago with more than 350 species and 250 species of fish and other rare, precious sea creatures.

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Location: Lao Cai, Vietnam
Every year when spring comes, the whole district Bac Ha, Lao Cai province, is coated with a white shirt of plum flowers. In the white background stands out a mansion complex of Hoang Yen Chao - Hoang A Tuong (father and son) in the greenery of boundless forests and mountains. For over 80 past years, moss-grown Hoang A Tuong mansion has become a destination for visitors far and wide.

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Da Lat Flower Festival 2005 –the biggest-ever in Vietnam – was spectacularly held in the Capital of the Central Highlands Province of Lam Dong to honour flower-growing and flower growers and affirm the Da Lat flower brand both in domestic and overseas markets.

The 113 year-old City typically featured for its western architecture in Lang Biang Plateau has many nicknames: Mist City; Dreamy City; City of Love; City of Howling Pines, etc. However, the “City of Flowers” was the most common name used during the nine-day festival.

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Location: Lao Cai, Vietnam
Fansipan, a rough pronunciation of the local name Hua Xi Pan means the tottery giant rock. The French came to Vietnam and in 1905 planted a landmark telling Fansipan’s height of 3,143m and branded it the Roof of Indochina. Very few people climbed to the top of Fansipan at the time. Then came the long years of war and Fansipan was left deserted for hunting and savaging. The trail blazed by the French was quickly overgrown by the underbrush.

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Location: Phan Rang, Vietnam
Phan Rang and Thap Cham’s most famous landmark is Po Klong Garai, also known as Po Klong Girai - girai means ‘dragon’. The four brick towers were constructed at the end of the 13th century, during the reign of the Cham monarch Jaya Simhavarman III. The towers were built as Hindu temples and stand on a brick platform at the top of Cho’k Hala, a crumbly granite hill covered with some of the most ornery cacti this side of the Rio Grande.

Over the entrance to the largest tower (the kalan, or sanctuary) is a carving of a dancing Shiva with six arms. This bas-relief is known locally as Po Klaun Tri - the Guardian of the Temple Tower - and is famous for its beauty. Note the inscriptions in the ancient Cham language on the doorposts. These tell of past restoration efforts and offerings of sacrifices and slaves made to the temple towers.

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The White Sand Dunes and Bao TrangThe White Sand Dunes, or Bao Trang (White Lake) is the top attraction at Mui Ne, after the beach itself. The massive, saharan dunes lay 65 km NE of Phan Thiet. The dunes range from gold to pure white (red dunes may be found further south at Mui Ne village). A small stand of pine trees sit on the southern end of the dune lakes, offering a perfect spot for a picnic and afternoon nap.

The Bao Trang area has 3 lakes: Bau Ong (Gentleman Lake), Bau Ba (Lady Lake) which is the largest, and Bau Xoai (Mango Lake) which is the smallest, and several ponds. Bau Ba is 14.5 m at the deepest point and Bau Ong is 22 m deep. The two lake have a combined water volume of 12,131,900 m3. The shallower ends of the lakes are covered in beautiful flowering lotuses, and thus the area is sometimes referred to as “Lotus Lake” by tour companies; further adding to the great confusion of so many names for the same area. While visitors often swim in Bau Ba , this should be done with great care. Locals tell stories of many children tangling their feet in the reeds and drowning.
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Location: Quang Nam, Vietnam
Cu Lao Cham is a large island consists of several small islands distance 25 nautical miles off the coast from Hoi An.

At the summer, if guests reaches for the island by normal boat, it takes 2 and half hour, but only 30 minutes by speed boat. Cham island has total 7 islands including Hon Lao, Hon La, Hon Kho me, Hon Kho ? at the area of 16 sq. meter, whereby the largest island is Lao.

According to archaeologists, Cu Lao Cham first settled there 3,000 years ago and established business contacts with external countries some 1,000 years ago. Up to now, Cu Lao Cham has preserved many architectural constructions which date back to the 18th ? 20th century. They include the shrine dedicated to Than Yen Sao, built in 1843 at Bai Huong and Hai Tang Pagoda, built in 1753 on the western hillside of Hon Lao. Still, Cu Lao Cham has more to offer. After a 3-hour canoe trip, one may hop over to the famed Well of the Cham people.

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Rang Beach (Mui Ne Beach). Mui Ne Beach is 16 km long, and a beautiful beach surrounded by groves of palm trees and miles of red and golden sand dunes.

The temperature is perfect at an average of 30 degrees Celcius. Mui Ne also has the lowest rainfall in all of Vietnam, making it a great beach (or perhaps the only beach) to visit even during rainy season. Mui Ne has the best conditions in all of Asia for water sports. Mui Ne has Asia’s strongest and most consistant cross-onshore winds.

Vietnam has two wind seasons, the North East Monsoon Season and the South West Summer Season.

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