CAPITAL HANOI - POPULATION 87 MILLION - AREA 325,360 SQ KM -OFFICIAL LANGUAGE VIETNAMESE
In case you haven't noticed, Vietnam is booming. Visitor numbers jumped by 1.5 million between 2000 and 2006 and most pundits believe this will only continue, with the World Travel & Tourism Council predicting it will be one of the top 10 tourist spots by 2016. While Europeans and even Northern Americans (don't mention the war!) are discovering Vietnam, the big numbers are from locals like China, Japan and Korea. With the November 2009 Indoor Asian Games – which includes events such as dragon dancing, electronic sports and BMX events – coming to Hanoi, there'll be even more visiting neighbors and development in the capital.
MEKONG DELTA, VIETNAM
Vietnam is always good value, but you can now skip the package trips arranged in Ho Chi Minh City that tread the same worn-out routes. It's become easier, more rewarding and just as cheap to go on DlY multiday adventures to destinations like Ben Tre, Chao Doc and the floating markets of Vinh long, and some less-seen ones like Ha Tien or Tra Vinh. Go by air-conditioned bus or hire moto-taxis as you go; the latter know ferry crossings on roads not on any map. Boat trips go for US$5 to US$10, while most guesthouses range from US$10 to US$25. |
