Exciting History! - Vietnam, Asia

Vietnam for me is one of the most exciting countries to travel too! It is great value for money which is important to me right now as I am a budgeting uni student.

I would suggest going to Vietnam in August through to September starting by flying to Hanoi. Hanoi which is located in the northern end of the country and adventure south to the capital Ho Chi Minh. 

 

Flight to Hanoi range between $600 and $1200 as always it just depends when you book and if there is a sale. Whist staying in you can get deals which cover everything accommodation and a guide for under $1000.

Once in Hanoi there is plenty to explore. Rise early to watch the city exercise by Hoan Kiem Lake, and then you can pay your respects in person to Uncle Ho at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum a truly surreal experience. I would suggest to visit Reunification Palace, the Notre Dame Cathedral, Post Office, China Town with “Cho Lon” (Big market) and Thien Hau Temple.

Another must see in Vietnam is the historical ancient capital Hue. The former imperial seat of government and Hue's prime attraction, this is a great sprawling complex of temples, pavilions, moats, walls, gates, shops, museums and galleries, featuring art and costumes from various periods of Vietnamese history. Thanks to its size, it is also delightfully peaceful - a rare commodity in Vietnam.

Hoi An can be a worth while side trip while your in the Hue area. Hoi An was a major international port form the 15th to the 19th centuries. Hoi An's old town is a UNESCO heritage site. Visiting Old Town can be somewhat touristy, but it is free of cars and the usual karaoke style places.

And of course it is essential to visit Ho Chi Minh City as the final destination for your trip along the Vietnamese coast line. Ho Chi Minh city formerly known as Saigon is a large city and has many sites to see. There are heaps of temples and places of worship the best are the Notre Dame Cathedral is a reminder of the French rule built in 1883, The Jade Emperor Temple built in 1909 honors the Emperor of Jade and the Giac Lam Temple was built in 1744 and is the oldest Chinese temple in the city. Mui Ne is a resort community with sand dunes and beaches; the sand dunes are an interesting contrast to Vietnams lush tropical landscape. Vinh Nghiem Pagoda is the largest pagoda in the city.

Vietnam has something for everyone history adventure great food! It is a great get away for people on a budget although there can be lots of luxury had there too! surely one of the places I want to get to this year!


~Lucy M~