This Vietnam travel guide is the result of extensive travelling in Indochina by the authors. It provides useful information about all the major destinations based on our experiences in the region. As travel professionals in Europe we were well aware of the potential pitfalls of journeys to unknown lands so we were well prepared for our visit to Vietnam. This Vietnam guide is a summary of what we learned on our travels in this magnificent country which we hope will prove to be a useful resource in preparing your trip.

Don't Mention the War ?

The first thing that most people think of when they think of Vietnam is the Vietnam War (known here as the American War). Our first piece of advice is to forget the war.

Of course there are war memorials all over the country and reminders of a war that only ended in 1975 but to all intents and purposes the war is of no significance to modern day tourists except for US Veterans returning to visit places where they had been during the war. You'll find interesting war related excursions from certain cities such as to the Cu Chi Tunnels from Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) or to the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) from Hue but the war is now a part of the country's past as it looks towards a wealthy future in which tourism will play a key role. The message from the Vietnamese people ... "Tourists Welcome".

Facts about Vietnam

A few interesting facts about Vietnam ... The population is 83 million and the capital is Hanoi. The Government is Communist but only 3 million people are members of the Communist Party. Economically the country is one of the "Asian Tigers" with annual growth rates around 8%. The distance between HCMC and Hanoi is 1700km. There are an estimated 10 million motor bikes on the roads and when you leave you'll feel as though you saw them all.

When to Visit Vietnam

Where and when to go to Vietnam is an important decision because of the climate which varies greatly between the monsoonal north and the tropical south. There is no month when it is ideal to visit both the north and the south though we were fortunate in November/December, experiencing warm, humid and mainly dry conditions in the south, wet and warm in the centre and dry but cool conditions in the north with rain not far away.

Getting Around Vietnam

When we first started to plan our trip we read various Vietnam travel guides and surfed the internet as we tried to come up with a suitable itinerary. In reality the itinerary almost writes itself and once you arrive you'll be amazed just how easy it is to get around by bus, train, private vehicles with driver and domestic flights. All means of transport are easily accessible, efficient and extremely good value. Dollars and Euros go a long way in Vietnam, for example you can buy an open bus ticket from HCMC to Hanoi (that's 1700km remember) for just $28 US with stopovers in Dalat, Nha Trang, Hoi An and Hue. Transport and accommodation options are available to suit all budgets.

The route we followed on our last trip was as follows: Ho Chi Minh City - Dalat - Central Highlands - Hoi An - Hue - Hanoi. The majority of visitors don't go via the Central Highlands but tend to travel north or south via Nha Trang on the coast which is one of the country's lesser desirable destinations. Now it's up to you to start planning your itinerary. The map of Vietnam highlights the principal tourist destinations which together with our Vietnam Travel Guide will provide all the information you need to make the most of your journey.