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Ngo Mon gate Imperial City of Hue

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Halong Bay

City Hall, Ho chi Minh

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Sunset at Nha Trang Beach

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www.vietnam.co.nz - Vietnam

Vietnam

Before I first visited Vietnam, my impressions of this unique country were largely born through Hollywood movies of the Vietnam War.

All those images of rich tropical forest, peasants in conical hats and G.I’s shooting madly at anything were shattered when I flew in over Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon. As the sun was setting, I could see the vastness of this city, a massive urban sprawl reaching out into the darkness.

I discovered a Vietnam of amazing diversity; modern bustling cities with a rich French colonial architectural presence; river life on the mighty Mekong Delta with floating houses and markets; amazing photo opportunities at ancient ruins of temples; the endless magic of Halong Bay, famous for its breathtaking limestone islands rising from the emerald green waters to the minority hill tribes of the north and days spent lazing on beautiful beaches.

Vietnam is becoming an increasingly popular place to visit. Its newness to tourism plus years as a closed country to the Western world have added to its mystery and appeal.

Vietnam offers something for everyone. The days can be filled up with tours, shopping, sunbathing, trekking, boat cruising or snorkelling. Nighttimes offer a chance to reflect on the day with a fresh cup of coffee in a café, dine in a local Vietnamese or historic French restaurant or having a dance at one of the nightclubs.

The Vietnamese

Population is around 80 million, majority of which is native Vietnamese with the balance made up of Khmers, Chams and Chinese. The Vietnamese are survivors, overcoming larger and more powerful foreign occupations and invasions. They are a very gracious, hard working and hospitable people. Most are literate and education is important. The language spoken is Vietnamese which is tonal like Chinese and quite hard to pick up. The written language uses the same alphabet as us so reading street names and signs aren’t hard.

The Government and Economy

Following in the ideals of Ho Chi Minh, who paved the way for North Vietnam in its victory over the democratic and pro-American South, Vietnam is a communist country. When Soviet aid dried up in 1991, Vietnam opened its doors to Asia and the western world and started following in the capitalist footsteps of China. The economy is growing at a staggering 8% per year. For tourists, it really doesn’t feel any different to travelling to a democratic country – there aren’t secret police listening into your conversations or bugging your hotel room! You’re pretty much free to do what you like.

The Food

Vietnam has many unique dishes. There’s plenty of rice and spring rolls abound! Local dishes vary from north to south. Hue which was once the royal city is famous for its range of dishes. There’s leafy rabbit-style dishes where you make your own fresh spring rolls and dip them in spicy sauces. BBQ beef or pork which you cook yourself is a favorite. You’ll also find a lingering French influence in upper-class restaurants.
Pictured is Mr Lac, who cooks some amazing traditional Vietnamese dishes in his restaurant in Hue. Mr Lac is completely deaf and communicates with sign language!

The Weather

Anytime is a good time to visit Vietnam. There’s always somewhere sunny and warm while another area may be raining. Vietnam has a diverse climate where you could be lying in the sun and swimming at the beach in the south one day and the next wearing a jacket and woolly hat while visiting the hill tribes in the far north.
Weather is largely determined by the two monsoon seasons. The October to March monsoon brings a chill to the air for anything above Nha Trang. The April to October monsoon brings with it the warm winds and humid weather to all the lowlands throughout Vietnam.
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Health & Vaccinations

No vaccinations are compulsory however you should check with your doctor or ‘the travel doctor’ as to what is recommended.

Visas

The following information is for New Zealand passport holders:
A visa is required for entry into Vietnam. This needs to be prearranged before you leave for Vietnam and you’ll need to allow about 2 weeks to process. A normal single entry tourist visa is valid for 30 days but other visas like multiple entry etc are also possible.

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