Stretching along the south China sea from southern China to the gulf of Thailand, Vietnam is home to 78m people. The country boasts stunning landscapes, wonderful cuisine and two of Asia's most interesting cities - vibrant Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is the hub of the south, while Hanoi, the French-flavoured capital, is the main focus of the north. After French colonial rule (1867-1954), the Vietnam War (1955-75) and subsequent isolationist communist policies, the country has finally lifted many restrictions on tourism and foreign investment, and is rapidly becoming a key destination for backpackers and more adventurous holiday makers. Paddy fields, water buffalo, bicycles, conical hats and street markets are common sights. The hill tribe villages of the north-western highlands, island-studded Halong Bay in the north-east and the Mekong Delta towns of the south are not to be missed.
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Vietnam's online publications from the world news guide.Vietnamese is the dominant language, and Chinese the most commonly spoken foreign language. English is rarely understood outside the cities, though people working in the travel industry will usually know some. Some older people remember French, but don't count on it. Take a phrasebook and learn some key phrases.There are enormous climatic variations from north to south. The south is wet and humid between June and October, and hottest and driest February to May. In the north, the dry season is from November to April, while the wet, humid season is May to October. Temperatures average 27-29C (80-85F) in the south, and 18-29C (65-85F) in the north. The highland areas are much cooler than the lowlands.The centre for disease control and prevention recommends immunisation against typhoid, hepatitis a and b and malaria. Polio, measles and tetanus-diptheria immunisations should also be up to date. Although cholera is a threat, vaccines are now thought to be ineffective. No vaccine is available for dengue fever - protect against it, and malaria, by wearing long, loose garments and using insect repellent on all exposed skin.• The National Center for Infectious Diseases More health tips• The Hospital for Tropical Diseases advice line: 09067 65 66 99 (calls cost 50p a minute)Vietnamese cuisine is based around the staple of rice, embellished with spicy vegetable or meat sauces. Simple pho (noodle) dishes are popular, either stir-fried or served in broths. Adventurous carnivores might be tempted by exotica - snake, bat and bear, while vegetable and tofu-based options will keep vegetarians happy. Western-style food is now available in major cities, and Hanoi boasts some fine, if pricey, French restaurants.March 6-9 Lung Giang Commune: Lim village festival featuring Quan Ho duets - couples improvise songs to each other which traditionally end in marriage. March 9-14 Huong Song: Perfume Pagoda festival; pilgrims flock to the temples and caves which are locally called Buddha's heaven and are worth visiting all year round. May 11-18 Buddha's birthday celebrations, during which temples are decorated and monks parade through the streets. Mid-August Trang Nguyen or Hungry Ghosts festival; throughout Vietnam people offer food an incense to their ancestors and also to those souls who have no descendants. September Trung Thou mid-Autumn festival - children are given specially made cakes and parade through the streets with amazing lanterns.Silks, especially from the markets or 'Silk Street' in Hanoi. Clothes can be made up the material of your choice. Beautiful traditional lanterns made out of paper or silk, in the shape of a car, horse or a rocket. Mother of pearl ornaments or jewellery. Reed mats for table or floor.UK: Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam 12-14 Victoria Road, London W8 5RD (020 7937 1912; consular section 020 7937 3222)Vietnam: The British embassy is in the capital, Hanoi and a consulate is maintained in Ho Chi Minh City. See Britain in Vietnam for details.Visa requirements A single-entry tourist visa, valid for one month, costs £38 and take about one week to process on submission of the relevant forms, your passport and two passport-sized photos. Your passport must be valid until at least one month after the expiry date of the visa.£1 buys approx. 21,308 Vietnamese dong (VND).GMT +7.There are no direct flights from the UK, so you must fly to a regional hub, such as Bangkok or Hong Kong, and pick up a connecting flight. Air France and Vietnam Airlines fly direct from Paris to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh. International trains connect Hanoi with Kunming and Beijing in China, and buses run daily to/from Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The national carrier is Vietnam Airlines.Dispatches, Michael Herr Personal account (first published to wide acclaim in 1978) by this ex-front line reporter who was later to have a hand in the scripting of Apocalypse Now and Platoon.Catfish and Mandala, Andrew Pham Autobiographical travel book by Vietnamese American born in the late 1960s.The Things They Carried, Tim O'Brien Short stories in novel form by Vietnam veteran.
