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Welcome to Vietnam. Conical hats
emerging from lizard green rice
paddies? Grainy black and white
colonial-era photographs of slender.
 dark-haired women in flowing white
Ao Dai dresses? Shinning exotic
white-sand beaches fringed with
coconut palms? Luxurious Asian style
resorts and golf courses? Saigon,
the exciting southern city, or
Hanoi, the northern Vietnamese
capital. Hue, the ancient capital of
Vietnam to Dalat, the romantic city,
fabulous sites as the World
Heritage, Halong Bay. Vietnam is all
these things and more, a country
with a past as rich as the Soil in
the blazing green deltas. This past
reads like a romantic legend full of
heroic struggles and astounding
victories, whereby this small
country retained its culture,
absorbing and adapting the strengths
of its foes but never losing its
traditions or its sense of history.
With 54 ethnic groups, most of whom
live in remote areas and follow
age-old customs, Vietnam offers
unparalleled opportunities for
cultural exploration in Asia.
It is beautiful country, a long,
hourglass of land, stretching over
900 miles up the eastern coast of
the Indochinese Peninsula.
Vietnamese people describe their
country as a bamboo shoulder pole
slung with two baskets of rice - the
fertile southern Mekong Delta and
the northern Red River Delta. From
these lowland paddy Fields stretch
vast rubber plantations, rolling
hills covered with thick jungle, and
jagged mountains rising more than
10,000 feet in height. Vietnam is an
incredibly exotic Asian jewel, with
over 1900 miles of coastline
features the endless stretches of
empty, serene white sand beaches of
Phan Thiet, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc and
others. And Vietnam can accommodate
the seasoned world traveler in
everything from five star Vietnamese
resorts and Asian expats can find
even the most modest of Vietnam
housing for long term stays.
Vietnam's varied topography allows
for an incredibly varied Asia travel
experience. The country offers
everything from tropical coastal
lowlands to temperate zones above
6000 feet. In South Vietnam, the
rainy season lasts from May to
November, but the showers are
usually limited to brief bursts in
the late afternoons. Along Vietnam?s
central coast, the driest season
runs from June to October. Visitors
to North Vietnam are often surprised
by the region's distinct seasons;
summers are hot and humid while
winters are invigoratingly cool.
Travel to Vietnam is a year round
adventure.
Along with fine tropical weather,
spectacular natural scenery and
historic sites, Vietnam's greatest
resource is its friendly, welcoming
people. Long closed to the outside
world, Vietnam retains a charming
innocence that more touristy regions
lack. And the Vietnamese people and
their smile will remain in your
memory long after you depart.
In the decade since the country
opened its doors to visitors,
Vietnam has built world-class hotels
and tourism facilities. With
international-standard lodgings,
world class Asian food, and
traditional Vietnamese hospitality,
Vietnam is ready to
take you on an unforgettable
adventure. Join us and explore the
legend of the blue dragon and what
is now known as the friendliest
Asian country... Vietnam.
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Topography
Three quarters of Vietnam's territory
consists of mountains and hills. Vietnam is
divided into four distinct mountainous
zones.
The Red River Delta, or Northern
Delta
This region stretches for 15,000 sq.km. Over
time, deposits of alluvium carried from the
Red River and Thai Binh River have
accumulated to form the delta.
The ancient Viet people settled at the
junction of the two rivers . At that time,
the wet rice civilization was established
The Mekong River Delta, or Southern Delta
This region is approximately 40,000 sq. km.
The land is very fertile and has favorable
climate conditions for agriculture. As a
result, it is the largest rice growing
region in Vietnam.
Vietnam is crisscrossed by thousands of
streams and rivers. There is a river
discharging every 20 kilometers along
Vietnam's coastline. The waterways are a
very convenient means of transport with
major rivers like the Red River in the north
and the Mekong River in the south.
Vietnam's coastline is 3,260 km long. If you
have a chance to travel along the coast of
Vietnam, you will be able to enjoy the
beautiful beaches of Tra Co, Sam Son, Lang
Co, Non Nuoc, Nha Trang, Vung Tau, and Ha
Tien. In some places, you will see mountains
jutting out to the sea. One such magnificent
site is Halong Bay, which has recently been
two times listed as a World Heritage Site by
UNESCO.
Vietnam's coast has been awarded a series of
large seaports, such as the ones at
Haiphong, Danang, Qui Nhon, Cam Ranh, Vung
Tau, and Saigon. There are thousands of
islands and islets scattered offshore from
North to South. Among the most popular
tourist destinations are the Truong Sa and
Hoang Sa Archipelagos.
The forests of Vietnam account for most of
the total land area. National parks are
preserved by the state and follow a steady
development plan. Some of the more famous
national parks located throughout the
country include Ba Vi in Ha Tay, Cat Ba in
Haiphong, Cuc Phuong in Ninh Binh, Bach Ma
in Hue, and Cat Tien in Dong Nai.
Vietnam has a variety of mineral resources.
Beneath the forests are valuable minerals
such as tin, zinc, silver, gold, antimony,
precious stones, and coal. Vietnam also has
large deposits of oil and gas on its
offshore islands and on the mainland.
Vietnam also has abundant subterranean
mineral water sources. These are found at
Quang Hanh in Quang Ninh, Hoi Van in Binh
Dinh, Vinh Hao in Binh Thuan, Duc My in Nha
Trang, Kim Boi in Hoa Binh, and Binh Chau in
Vung Tau.
Rivers
The Red River in the north and the Mekong
River in the south are the two major
freshwater streams. The Red flows almost
directly southeast from the northwestern
highlands, whereas the Mekong follows an
irregular path from Cambodia, crosses
southernmost Viet Nam, and empties in the
South China Sea through a complex network of
distributaries. Both rivers have been leveed
to prevent flood damage.
Climate
Vietnam is located in both
a tropical and a temperate zone. It is
characterized by strong monsoon influences,
but has a considerable amount of sun, a high
rate of rainfall, and high humidity. Regions
located near the tropics and in the
mountainous regions are endowed with a
temperate climate.
The annual average temperature ranges from
22ºC to 27ºC. In Hanoi, the average
temperature is 23ºC, in Ho Chi Minh City it
is 26ºC, and in Hue it is 25ºC.
There are two distinguishable seasons. The
cold season occurs from November to April
and the hot season from May to October. The
difference in temperature between the two
seasons in southern Vietnam is almost
unnoticeable, averaging 3ºC. The most
noticeable variations are found in the
northern provinces where differences of 12ºC
have been observed. There are essentially
four distinct seasons, which are most
evident in the northern provinces.
Vegetation and Animal Life
Abundant vegetation exists throughout Viet
Nam except where the landscape has been
denuded. Typical mixed stands in the rain
forests contain a wide variety of pines,
broadleaf trees, vines, and bamboos. Dense
mangroves bordering the distributaries of
the deltas often hinder access to the
water's edge. The tropical rain forests are
inhabited by large mammals such as
elephants, deer, bears, tigers, and
leopards. Smaller animals, including
monkeys, hares, squirrels, and otters, are
found throughout the country. Reptiles such
as crocodiles, snakes, and lizards, as well
as many species of birds, are also
indigenous.
Mineral Resources
The northern highlands of Viet Nam
contain valuable minerals, including iron,
anthracite coal, phosphate, zinc, chromite,
tin, and apatite. Petroleum and natural gas
deposits lie offshore.
Languages
Vietnamese, the official language, is spoken
by the majority of the population (see
Austro-Asiatic Languages). The use of
French, a remnant of colonial times, is
declining. Some Vietnamese people who live
in urban areas speak other languages, such
as English and Russian. Khmer, Montagnard,
and Cham are spoken primarily in the
interior.
Currency
The currency of Vietnam is the dong
(VND). Notes are available in paper
denominations of 500,000; 100,000; 50,000;
20,000, 10,000, 5,000, 1,000, 500, 200 and
100 VND, and also in metal denomination of
5,000; 2,000; 1,000; 500; 200d |
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