VIETNAM - A COUNTRY FULL OF NATURE AND HISTORY
History and Location.
Located at the eastern edge of South Asia, Vietnam is an ancient country with records of dynasties ruling the country well before Christ (in the BC era). It had been colonised in the past by the Chinese from whom the Vietnamese gained freedom until they were colonised yet again by the French. They remained a French Colony where the French faced many rebellions by the Vietnamese who finally defeated the French in 1954, This ended French domination of the region called French Indochina and gave birth to Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
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| Vietnam |
From 1964 to 1975, the North Vietnamese Communist Gurralis fought a bloody and devastating battle with the Americans, which is known as the Vietnam War. This war ended when Saigon in South Vietnam was won over by North Vietnamese Communist forces from the South Vietnamese forces and Americans.
As evident, it's a Communist country that has an open market economy to align economically with the rest of the world. It is also a major tourist destination offering visitors History, Nature, Beaches, Adventure, Trekking and a safe, peaceful and hospitable environment with warm and smiling people to add to the fun of travelling to Vietnam. In fact, Ha Noi, Vietnam's capital city is one of the ten most visited cities in the world as per TripAdvisor.
How to Reach Vietnam (from India).
It's a happy state for visiting Vietnam as there are direct flights to Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) city from Delhi and Mumbai, operated by Vietjet (Budget) and Vietnam Airlines (full Service). There are other airlines also flying to Vietnam with one stop. As of now, return tickets are not costly.
Getting Around in Vietnam.
Travelling between cities by air is reasonably priced in Vietnam. Vietjet, Vietnam Airlines and Vietravel Airlines fly on the local routes. There are plenty of flights between major cities in Vietnam.
Vietnam Railway spans from the North to the South, mostly along the coast. The railway is state-owned but some private operators are allowed to run luxury coaches which get attached to regular trains. Trains are relatively inexpensive compared to internal air travel and are a better option than intercity buses from a comfort point of view.
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| Railways is one of the best ways to explore Vietnam |
There are intercity buses available from various operators. Most Buses are either Sleeper or Push back setting ones. Buses are very comfortable and modern. They can be easily booked.
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| Intercity Buses, They come in many colours |
Food Options.
Vietnam may appear to be a hardcore NonVeg eating country, which is true to some extent with seafood and Pork being the most consumed food, however, Vegans and vegetarian cuisine also have gained good ground across Vietnam. The best part for Indian tourists is, that almost all major destinations have multiple Indian restaurants where simple veg food is available. These restaurants also provide Jain food on demand.
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| Banh Mi - The most famous Vietnamese Sandwich. Available with Non-Veg and Veg filling |
Vietnam is fully geared up as a tourist destination. The range of accommodation here is as wide as any other place which values tourists. Starting from luxury hotels, budget hotels, boutique hotels, B and Bs and also hostels, there is accommodation suitable for every budget. Where one wants to stay, there will always be availability of that kind of accommodation.
Local Transport.
Grab is an Uber-like aggregator in East Asia. You can get a cab through Grab. There are also some local aggregators about whom you can check with your hotel. Your hotel also can get a cab for you. There are motorcycle taxis also which are widely prevalent. One can rent scooters also for self-driven sightseeing. Local buses (Public Transport) also exist details of which can be ascertained five minutes before your departure on the Google Maps Public Transport tab.
There are also Cycle Rickshaws, which are not pulled but pushed from behind. They are popular among tourists for short hops. They are called Cyclo and can be hailed on city streets of old parts of Vietnamese cities.
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| A Cyclo |
Vietnam is a popular destination with plenty of history, natural beauty, ancient Pagodas and much more. It has a good food scene and also a vibrant nightlife. With multiple options for intra and inter-city travel, travelling is easy and it is not costly. People are nice and friendly. The country is safe but usual caution while being abroad has to be exercised.
Currency exchange, buying a local SIM, etc is very simple. The food scene is fabulous with every type of food being available, may it be seafood, non-veg, veg and Vegan, What to talk of the famous Vietnamese Coffee in its full range, normal coffee, egg coffee, salted cream coffee, coconut coffee, etc.
The air tickets to Vietnam and the air tickets for internal travel are reasonably priced.
This makes Vietnam a destination for your next travel. Are you packing your bags?
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