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Foreigners,' the term Vietnamese use inoffensively to describe anyone other than residents
of VietNam, knowledge of the country has long been shaped by the spins of the propaganda machines put on the French and
subsequent American military activities by their respective governments. |
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Like a Phoenix, VietNam tossed out the invaders, survived a total collapse of it's economy
imposed by a US financial embargo and it's abandonment by Russia and has turned itself into the next Asian Tiger. |
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Ha Noi in the north, the seat of the national government, although somewhat reserved, is
very elegant boasting new tourist infrastructure. |
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The total land area of VietNam covers about 128,000 square miles. VietNam's main cities,
for population and importance, are Ha Noi, Hai Phong, Hue, and Ho Chi Minh City (SaiGon). |
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From VietNam's northern terrain, mostly mountainous or hilly, with some highland areas
covered by a thick green blanket of jungle (about half the total land area), to the Red River Delta and coastal plains
in the lowland part of the North are heavily populated and intensively cultivated (almost entirely by rice fields).
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Da Lat, an old French hill station, lying to the west of Thap Cham, remains home to a
genuine French-owned restaurant offering great French cuisine and respite from temperature extremes of the south. |
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The southern part of VietNam is dominated by the estuary of the Mekong River system and is
low, flat, and frequently marshy. |
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VietNam's weather is as enigmatic as the country. In the north, a hot rainy season prevails
from May to September. The average temperature in Ha Noi is about 86ºF during this period, with very high humidity.
Flooding caused by heavy rainfall and/or typhoons can create hazardous conditions to people's health and property. |
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Flooded streets slow down traffic and provoke accidents. |
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Houses and furnishings can suffer as a result of leaky roofs and other sources of water
damage. Food supplies are also affected. |
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During the cooler, dry season in the north from December to March, the average temperature
is 68F, with overnight minimums sometimes around 40-42ºF. Due to the lack of heating in most shops and offices during
the dry season, it will feel considerably colder. |
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To the south, Ho Chi Minh City & the Mekong Delta experience a year-round tropical climate
with daily temperatures normally exceeding 88ºF. The rainy season in Da Nang and Hue in the centre of the country lasts
from October to March. |
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The SaiGon River reaches the sea in the Mekong Delta, the River Mekong also concluding it's
journey that started in the far reaches of Thailand to become the border line between Thailand and Laos later to strike
out across Cambodia. |
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Sai Gon is the proper name for the old part of the city, whilst Ho Chi Minh refers to the
larger metropolitan area. |
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Both parts of the city are an eclectic mix of the old and new, the old off-setting the new
and offering the benefits of both to the ever welcome 'foreigner,' the word that is used, without malice, when
referring to anyone who is not of Vietnamese heritage. |
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The leisurely pace of the Mekong Delta, with the green symmetrical pattern of rice paddies
stretching to the skyline, broken only the farmers, protected from the hot sun by their uniquely Vietnamese conical
straw hats, together with their water buffalo. |
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The mornings are best. The Mekong Delta has daily floating markets where fruit and
vegetables are sold in various markets. An equally memorable experience is in Ha Long Bay, in the South China Sea,
where the 3000 chalk islands and numerous caves are a must see. |
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Everywhere in the south, in large city or small village, the Ao Dai, a simple, elegant, and
most feminine national dress, can be seen along with elegant western styles, be it on a crowded sidewalk or astride the
small motorcycles weaving their way through the traffic. |
