Mui Ne (Ne Cape) is located 24 km north-east of the town of Phan Thiet. It is a fishing village as well as a familiar tourism area in Binh Thuan Province. It is found on Highway No. 706, and features sweeping sand dunes and beautiful rows of palm trees. The beach is shallow and sloped, the water is clean and blue and the sun rarely hides behind clouds. There are desolate and primeval beaches that have never witnessed human exploitation as well as imposing landscapes. There is also Doi Cat (Sand Hill), which has long been a creative subject of artistic photographs and paintings. Besides beaches and sand dunes, there are also beautiful landscapes such as Suoi Tien (Fairy Spring), the Ong Hoang Building and the Poshanu Cham Tower. Mui Ne has long been considered the "Hawaii" of Vietnam. It boasts shady roads under coconut trees, a beautiful beach and cliffs battered by the waves of the sea. The typical scenery of Mui Ne lies in the moving lines of golden sand caused by the wind and when they are seen from afar they look like moving waves. The scenery looks more fascinating at dawn, when young Cham girls in green dresses go to work. That's why no photographer fails to visit this area. Mui Ne is an ideal place for rest and relaxation. Visitors can certainly enjoy swimming in the blue water of the sea, climbing the sand dunes or relaxing by a swimming pool. In fact this oasis entertainment people of all ages, and furthermore, provides an endless inspiration to the artists' creation.
CU CHI TUNNELS
The Cu Chi tunnels, which were more than 250 km long and three levels deep, were important for the Viet Cong victory over the Americans as they allowed the Viet Cong to control a large rural area around Sai Gon. Today the remaining tunnels have become a major tourist attraction giving the visitor a unique experience of what underground life in the American war was like.
The district of Cu Chi was the most bombed shelled, gassed, defoliated, and generally devastated area in the history of warfare. It was declared a "free fire zone" which meant that artillery fire fell on it at night, and that bomber pilots were encouraged to drop unused explosives and napalm on the area before returning to base. In essence, anything that moved was considered a target and blown away.
While U.S. forces relied on artillery support from fixed "Fire Bases," the Vietnamese used their tunnel system to move their artillery around, making it difficult for the U.S. troops to locate them. In one tunnel complex in Cu Chi the U.S. found two 105 field pieces in perfect working condition. They would be stripped down outside, taken into the tunnels and assembled during the day for maintenance, stripped again, and then taken back through the tunnels to be reassembled in a new location outside and used the next night. These are only a few of the stories of the tunnels of Cu Chi. Today the tunnels still stand, proof that the determination of the people - and not technology - can determine who wins a war
The district of Cu Chi was the most bombed shelled, gassed, defoliated, and generally devastated area in the history of warfare. It was declared a "free fire zone" which meant that artillery fire fell on it at night, and that bomber pilots were encouraged to drop unused explosives and napalm on the area before returning to base. In essence, anything that moved was considered a target and blown away.
While U.S. forces relied on artillery support from fixed "Fire Bases," the Vietnamese used their tunnel system to move their artillery around, making it difficult for the U.S. troops to locate them. In one tunnel complex in Cu Chi the U.S. found two 105 field pieces in perfect working condition. They would be stripped down outside, taken into the tunnels and assembled during the day for maintenance, stripped again, and then taken back through the tunnels to be reassembled in a new location outside and used the next night. These are only a few of the stories of the tunnels of Cu Chi. Today the tunnels still stand, proof that the determination of the people - and not technology - can determine who wins a war
Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta is the bottom half of Vietnam's two rice baskets, the other being the Red River Delta in the North . This vast delta is formed by the deposition of the multiple tentacles and tributaries of the mighty Mekong River which has its origin in the Tibetan highland plateau 2,800 miles away. From its source, the river makes its way through China, Myanmar (Burma), Laos, Cambodia and South Vietnam before flowing out into the South China Sea. The Mekong's Vietnamese name, Cuu Long, means Nine Dragons for the nine mouths that terminate the flow of this great river as it is absorbed by the sea. The people of south Vietnam are often very proud of the richness and vastness of this land. When referring to the rice fields in this area, they often say, "co bay thang canh", meaning the land is so large that the cranes can stretch their wings as they fly. Today, the region is one of Vietnam's highest producer of rice crops, vegetables and fruits.
Life on Mekong :
The Mekong Delta was an ancient Khmer territory. The area was mostly marshland and forest. When the Nguyen Lords took control of this region, a series of canals were built and a system of transportation was implemented in the maze of water ways in the area.
The Mekong Delta is divided into 9 provinces: Long An, Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Dong Thap, An Giang, Vinh Long, Kien Giang, Hau Giang and Minh Hai. The people in this region are made up of Vietnamese and some people of Khmer, Chinese and Cham origin. This accounts for the variety of religions that add to the cultural diversity of this area. Among the religions practiced here are: Buddhism, Catholicism, Cao Dai, Hoa Hao and Islam.
The southwest region of Vietnam is known for the vast rice fields and the huge plantations that make up the core of this region's economy. The region is also known for the many miles of waterways criss-crossing the land making this area both fertile and unique
Fruit Orchards:
he majority of Vietnam's fruits come from the many orchards of the Mekong Delta. On any given season, one can find a variety of tropical fruits that are produced by farmers of this region in the markets of Saigon, Hue, and Ha Noi.
For many tropical fruits, the season is very short because they cannot be picked green and they don't last long in storage where they quickly loose their aroma. The greatest variety of fruits is available during the raining season, from June to September in the South.
After they are picked, the fruits are transported on small boats to floating markets where they are sold to wholesale dealers. In the off-season, many orchards become flower nurseries to meet the peak demand for flowers during the new year celebration in the big cities.
The orchards are divided by a myriad of small irrigation canals with delicate bamboo bridges called "Cau Khi" or monkey bridges crossing them.
Floating Markets:
Floating markets are held every morning from 5:00 to about 11:00. Phung Hiep market is the biggest since it is located at the intersection of 7 major canals. It is also a photographer's delight because it can be seen above from a bridge. Cai Rang and Phong Dien are two other notable floating markets in the delta.
Boats loaded with produce from nearby orchards of the Mekong Delta converge to the floating market. carry mostly fruits but also coconuts, vegetables and fishes.
Buyers are local traders with bigger boats snapping everything by the bushels and resell at local markets or to wholesale dealers from big cities, often for a handsome profit.
Large floating markets are not complete without its floating restaurants, floating gas stations and an occasional tour boat filled with tourists.
Life on Mekong :
The Mekong Delta was an ancient Khmer territory. The area was mostly marshland and forest. When the Nguyen Lords took control of this region, a series of canals were built and a system of transportation was implemented in the maze of water ways in the area.
The Mekong Delta is divided into 9 provinces: Long An, Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Dong Thap, An Giang, Vinh Long, Kien Giang, Hau Giang and Minh Hai. The people in this region are made up of Vietnamese and some people of Khmer, Chinese and Cham origin. This accounts for the variety of religions that add to the cultural diversity of this area. Among the religions practiced here are: Buddhism, Catholicism, Cao Dai, Hoa Hao and Islam.
The southwest region of Vietnam is known for the vast rice fields and the huge plantations that make up the core of this region's economy. The region is also known for the many miles of waterways criss-crossing the land making this area both fertile and unique
Fruit Orchards:
he majority of Vietnam's fruits come from the many orchards of the Mekong Delta. On any given season, one can find a variety of tropical fruits that are produced by farmers of this region in the markets of Saigon, Hue, and Ha Noi.
For many tropical fruits, the season is very short because they cannot be picked green and they don't last long in storage where they quickly loose their aroma. The greatest variety of fruits is available during the raining season, from June to September in the South.
After they are picked, the fruits are transported on small boats to floating markets where they are sold to wholesale dealers. In the off-season, many orchards become flower nurseries to meet the peak demand for flowers during the new year celebration in the big cities.
The orchards are divided by a myriad of small irrigation canals with delicate bamboo bridges called "Cau Khi" or monkey bridges crossing them.
Floating Markets:
Floating markets are held every morning from 5:00 to about 11:00. Phung Hiep market is the biggest since it is located at the intersection of 7 major canals. It is also a photographer's delight because it can be seen above from a bridge. Cai Rang and Phong Dien are two other notable floating markets in the delta.
Boats loaded with produce from nearby orchards of the Mekong Delta converge to the floating market. carry mostly fruits but also coconuts, vegetables and fishes.
Buyers are local traders with bigger boats snapping everything by the bushels and resell at local markets or to wholesale dealers from big cities, often for a handsome profit.
Large floating markets are not complete without its floating restaurants, floating gas stations and an occasional tour boat filled with tourists.
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnamese: Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh pronunciation (help·info)) is the largest city in Vietnam and is located near the Mekong River delta. Under the name Prey Nokor (Khmer: ), it was a hamlet of Cambodia, before being annexed by the Vietnamese in the 16th century. Known as Saigon (Sài Gòn) (pronunciation (help·info)) until the end of the Vietnam War, it was the capital of the French colony of Cochinchina, and later of the former state of South Vietnam from 1954 to 1975. In 1975, Saigon was merged with the surrounding province of Gia Định and renamed Ho Chi Minh City (although Saigon is still frequently used). The city center is situated on the banks of the Saigon River, 60 km from the South China Sea [1]. The metropolitan area which consists of Ho Chi Minh city metro area, Bien Hoa, Thu Dau Mot and surrounding towns has more than 9 million people, making it the largest metropolitan area in Vietnam and Indochina.
On May 1, 1975, after the fall of South Vietnam, the now ruling communist government renamed the city after the alias of their leader Hồ Chí Minh. The official name is now Thành phố (meaning city) Hồ Chí Minh, often abbreviated TPHCM. In English this is translated as Ho Chi Minh City, abbreviated HCMC, and in French it is translated as Hô Chi Minh Ville (the circumflex is sometimes omitted), abbreviated HCMV. Still, the old name Sài Gòn/Saigon is widely used by Vietnamese and is found in company names, book titles and sometimes on airport departure boards (the code for Tan Son Nhat International Airport is SGN).
Today, the city's core is still adorned with wide elegant boulevards and historic French colonial buildings. The most prominent structures in the city center are Reunification Hall (Dinh Thống Nhất), City Hall (Uy ban Nhan dan Thanh pho), City Theater (Nha hat Thanh pho), City Post Office (Buu dien Thanh pho), Revolutionary Museum (Bao tang Cach mang), State Bank Office (Ngan hang Nha nuoc), City People's Court (Toa an Nhan dan Thanh pho) and Notre-Dame Cathedral (Nhà thờ Đức Bà).
Ho Chi Minh City is home to a well-established ethnic Chinese population. Cholon, now known as District 5 and the parts of Districts 6, 10 and 11, serves as its Chinatown.
With a population now exceeding 7 million (registered residents plus migrant workers), Ho Chi Minh City is in need of vast increase in public infrastructure. To meet this need, the city and central governments have embarked on an effort to develop new urban centers. The two most prominent projects are the Thu Thiem city center in District 2 and the Phu My Hung New City Center in District 7 (as part of the Saigon South project) where various international schools such as Saigon South International (The American School), the Japanese school, Australia's Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, the Taiwan and Korea schools are located).
Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnamese: Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh pronunciation (help·info)) is the largest city in Vietnam and is located near the Mekong River delta. Under the name Prey Nokor (Khmer: ), it was a hamlet of Cambodia, before being annexed by the Vietnamese in the 16th century. Known as Saigon (Sài Gòn) (pronunciation (help·info)) until the end of the Vietnam War, it was the capital of the French colony of Cochinchina, and later of the former state of South Vietnam from 1954 to 1975. In 1975, Saigon was merged with the surrounding province of Gia Định and renamed Ho Chi Minh City (although Saigon is still frequently used). The city center is situated on the banks of the Saigon River, 60 km from the South China Sea [1]. The metropolitan area which consists of Ho Chi Minh city metro area, Bien Hoa, Thu Dau Mot and surrounding towns has more than 9 million people, making it the largest metropolitan area in Vietnam and Indochina.
Main post office, 1991Hồ Chí Minh City is a municipality that exists at the same level as Vietnam's provinces. As such, it has a similar political structure to its provinces, with a People's Council of 95 elected deputies, and a People's Committee of 13 members chosen by the council, being the principal local governmental entities. The People's Council Chairman is the top governmental official while the People's Committee Chairman is the top executive of the city, instead of a single mayor position as in other cities in the world. The Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) leads all political-economic-social activities in the country, therefore the CPV HCMC Committee Secretary is really the highest ranking leader of the city.
The municipality has been divided into twenty-four administrative divisions since December 2003. Five of these {Area: 1,601 km²} are designated as suburban districts ("Huyện" in Vietnamese), covering the urbanized - farmland around the city which is included in the municipality's official boundaries. These districts are named Nhà Bè, Cần Giờ, Hóc Môn, Củ Chi, and Bình Chánh. The remaining nineteen divisions {Area: 494 km²} are found in the city itself. Only seven of these nineteen inner districts ("Quận" in Vietnamese) have names (Tân Bình, Bình Thạnh, Phú Nhuận, Thủ Dức, Bình Tân, Tân Phú and Gò Vấp) - the remainder are simply numbered from one to twelve. Each inner district is sub-divided into many wards ("Phường" in Vietnamese), while a suburban district usually consists of many communes and townships ("Xã" and "Thị trấn" in Vietnamese). Since December 2006, Ho Chi Minh City has had 259 wards, 58 communes and 5 townships (see List of HCMC administrative units below).
On May 1, 1975, after the fall of South Vietnam, the now ruling communist government renamed the city after the alias of their leader Hồ Chí Minh. The official name is now Thành phố (meaning city) Hồ Chí Minh, often abbreviated TPHCM. In English this is translated as Ho Chi Minh City, abbreviated HCMC, and in French it is translated as Hô Chi Minh Ville (the circumflex is sometimes omitted), abbreviated HCMV. Still, the old name Sài Gòn/Saigon is widely used by Vietnamese and is found in company names, book titles and sometimes on airport departure boards (the code for Tan Son Nhat International Airport is SGN).
Today, the city's core is still adorned with wide elegant boulevards and historic French colonial buildings. The most prominent structures in the city center are Reunification Hall (Dinh Thống Nhất), City Hall (Uy ban Nhan dan Thanh pho), City Theater (Nha hat Thanh pho), City Post Office (Buu dien Thanh pho), Revolutionary Museum (Bao tang Cach mang), State Bank Office (Ngan hang Nha nuoc), City People's Court (Toa an Nhan dan Thanh pho) and Notre-Dame Cathedral (Nhà thờ Đức Bà).
Ho Chi Minh City is home to a well-established ethnic Chinese population. Cholon, now known as District 5 and the parts of Districts 6, 10 and 11, serves as its Chinatown.
With a population now exceeding 7 million (registered residents plus migrant workers), Ho Chi Minh City is in need of vast increase in public infrastructure. To meet this need, the city and central governments have embarked on an effort to develop new urban centers. The two most prominent projects are the Thu Thiem city center in District 2 and the Phu My Hung New City Center in District 7 (as part of the Saigon South project) where various international schools such as Saigon South International (The American School), the Japanese school, Australia's Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, the Taiwan and Korea schools are located).
Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnamese: Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh pronunciation (help·info)) is the largest city in Vietnam and is located near the Mekong River delta. Under the name Prey Nokor (Khmer: ), it was a hamlet of Cambodia, before being annexed by the Vietnamese in the 16th century. Known as Saigon (Sài Gòn) (pronunciation (help·info)) until the end of the Vietnam War, it was the capital of the French colony of Cochinchina, and later of the former state of South Vietnam from 1954 to 1975. In 1975, Saigon was merged with the surrounding province of Gia Định and renamed Ho Chi Minh City (although Saigon is still frequently used). The city center is situated on the banks of the Saigon River, 60 km from the South China Sea [1]. The metropolitan area which consists of Ho Chi Minh city metro area, Bien Hoa, Thu Dau Mot and surrounding towns has more than 9 million people, making it the largest metropolitan area in Vietnam and Indochina.
Main post office, 1991Hồ Chí Minh City is a municipality that exists at the same level as Vietnam's provinces. As such, it has a similar political structure to its provinces, with a People's Council of 95 elected deputies, and a People's Committee of 13 members chosen by the council, being the principal local governmental entities. The People's Council Chairman is the top governmental official while the People's Committee Chairman is the top executive of the city, instead of a single mayor position as in other cities in the world. The Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) leads all political-economic-social activities in the country, therefore the CPV HCMC Committee Secretary is really the highest ranking leader of the city.
The municipality has been divided into twenty-four administrative divisions since December 2003. Five of these {Area: 1,601 km²} are designated as suburban districts ("Huyện" in Vietnamese), covering the urbanized - farmland around the city which is included in the municipality's official boundaries. These districts are named Nhà Bè, Cần Giờ, Hóc Môn, Củ Chi, and Bình Chánh. The remaining nineteen divisions {Area: 494 km²} are found in the city itself. Only seven of these nineteen inner districts ("Quận" in Vietnamese) have names (Tân Bình, Bình Thạnh, Phú Nhuận, Thủ Dức, Bình Tân, Tân Phú and Gò Vấp) - the remainder are simply numbered from one to twelve. Each inner district is sub-divided into many wards ("Phường" in Vietnamese), while a suburban district usually consists of many communes and townships ("Xã" and "Thị trấn" in Vietnamese). Since December 2006, Ho Chi Minh City has had 259 wards, 58 communes and 5 townships (see List of HCMC administrative units below).
Vietnam - Explore The Legend
Vietnam (Vietnamese: Việt Nam), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a nation in Southeast Asia. It borders the People's Republic of China to the north, Laos to the northwest and Cambodia to the southwest. To the country's east lies the South China Sea. With a population of approximately 85 million, Vietnam is one of the most densely populated nations in Southeast Asia.Vietnam extends approximately 331,688 square km (128,066 sq mi) in area. The area of the country running along its international boundaries is 4,639 km (2,883 mi). The topography consists of hills and densely forested mountains, with level land covering no more than 20%. Mountains account for 40% of the area, with smaller hills accounting for 40% and tropical forests 42%. The northern part of the country consists mostly of highlands and the Red River Delta. Phan Xi Păng, located in Lào Cai province, is the highest mountain in Vietnam at 3,143 m (10,312 ft). The south is divided into coastal lowlands, Annamite Chain peaks, extensive forests, and poor soil. Comprising 5 relatively flat plateaus of basalt soil, the highlands account for 16% of the country's arable land and 22% of its total forested land.
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam's world natural heritageThe delta of the Red River (also known as the Sông Hồng), a flat, triangular region of 3,000 square kilometers, is smaller but more intensely developed and more densely populated than the Mekong River Delta. Once an inlet of the Gulf of Tonkin, it has been filled in by the enormous alluvial deposits of the rivers over a period of millennia, and it advances one hundred meters into the Gulf annually. The Mekong delta, covering about 40,000 square kilometers, is a low-level plain not more than three meters above sea level at any point and criss-crossed by a maze of canals and rivers. So much sediment is carried by the Mekong's various branches and tributaries that the delta advances sixty to eighty meters into the sea every year.
Vietnam has a tropical monsoon climate, with humidity averaging 84 % throughout the year. However, because of differences in latitude and the marked variety of topographical relief, the climate tends to vary considerably from place to place. During the winter or dry season, extending roughly from November to April, the monsoon winds usually blow from the northeast along the China coast and across the Gulf of Tonkin, picking up considerable moisture; consequently the winter season in most parts of the country is dry only by comparison with the rainy or summer season. The average annual temperature is generally higher in the plains than in the mountains and plateaus.
Vietnam's coastline is 3,260km 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 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
Culture
Culture:
It can be said that there were three layers of culture overlapping each other during the history of Vietnam:
Local culture,
The culture that mixed with those of China and other countries in the region, and
The culture that interacted with Western culture.
The most prominent feature of the Vietnamese culture is that it was not assimilated by foreign cultures thanks to the strong local cultural foundations. On the contrary, it was able to utilize and localize those from abroad to enrich the national culture.
The Vietnamese national culture emerged from a concrete living environment: a tropical country with many rivers and the confluence of great cultures. The natural conditions (temperature, humidity, monsoon, water -flows, water-rice agriculture ...) exert a remarkable impact on the material and spiritual life of the nation, the characteristics and psychology of the Vietnam-
ese. The Vietnamese nation was formed early in the history and often had to carry out wars of resistance against foreign invaders, which created a prominent cultural feature: a patriotism that infiltrated and encompassed every aspect of life.
Cuisine:
Main article: Cuisine of Vietnam
Vietnamese cuisine is based on rice, various types of vegetables, seafoods and fish sauce. Its characteristic flavor is sweet (sugar), spicy (Serrano peppers), and flavored by a variety of mints.
Vietnam also has a variety of noodles. Different regions invented different types of noodles, varying in shapes, tastes, colours, etc. One of the nation's most famous type of noodles is phở (pronounced phuh), which consists of rice noodles and beef soup (sometimes chicken soup). This cuisine originated from North Vietnam.
Vietnam's middle region is also famous with many delicious cuisines which possess very distinct tastes.
Clothing:
Vietnamese clothing is very diverse. Every ethnic group in Vietnam has its own style of clothing. Festivals are the occasion for all to wear their favorite clothes.
Among the ethnic Vietnamese majority, there are several traditional costumes. A few include:
The Ao Tu Than (Áo Tứ Thân) or "Four-flapped dress" worn by northern women. It is a predecessor to the Áo Dài and is a four part flowing tunic, worn with a long skirt and an Ao Yem (Áo Yếm) underneath. Áo Yếm is the Vietnamese adaptation of the ancient Chinese Dudou.
Northern peasants also traditionally wore silk shirts and trousers. This pajama-like costume is called Ao Ba Ba (Áo Ba Ba). In contrast, in the South some peasants tend to wear all black Ao Ba Ba. For festive occasions some Vietnamese will wear this costume with a Mandarin collar.
The headgear of peasants is a plain piece of cloth wrapped around the head (generally called Khan Dong) and their footwear is just a pair of sandals.
The most popular and recognized Vietnamese national costume is the Áo Dài, which is nowadays usually worn mostly by women. Men do wear Áo Dài on special occasions such as weddings, funerals, etc. Ao Dai is similar to the Chinese Cheongsam (Qipao), consisting of a long gown with a slit on both sides, worn over silk pants. It is elegant in style and comfortable to wear.
This national dress is made compulsory in many senior high schools in Vietnam, and some colleges. Some female office workers (e.g. receptionists, secretaries, tour guides) are also required to wear Ao Dai. Owing to its popularity, the dress has become a national symbol, representing cultural values of Vietnam.
In feudal times, there were strict dress codes. Ordinary people were not allowed to wear clothes with dyes other than black, brown or white. Monarchs had the exclusive right to wear the colour gold, nobles wore red or purple.
There are also strict rules concerning the diverse types of clothing worn by royalty and aristocracy, which could change dynasty by dynasty.
In daily life, the traditional Vietnamese styles are now replaced by Western styles. Traditional clothing or costume is worn instead on special occasions, with the exception of the Ao Dai for females.
Religion:
The principal religion in Vietnam is the so-called Tam Giáo ("triple religion"), characterizing the East Asian intricate mixture between Mahayana Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism. Despite that, Buddhism in Vietnam has gone through many changes throughout history. The Hoa Hao community appears to operate as a significantly smaller and independent, marginal sect of Vietnamese Buddhism; and Cao Dai, which was once a syncretist cult, is now a full-fledged religion with a complex hierarchical system of fellowship.
Significant Christian minorities of about 8% consists mainly of Roman Catholics, but with a noticeable minority of new Protestant groups. The likely largest Protestant churches are the Evangelical Church of Vietnam and the Montagnard Evangelical Church.
A syncretic blend of Sunni Islam and the localized Bashi Islam is practiced mainly by the ethnic Cham minority, but there are also a few ethnic Vietnamese adherants to Islam in the southwest.
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam's world natural heritageThe delta of the Red River (also known as the Sông Hồng), a flat, triangular region of 3,000 square kilometers, is smaller but more intensely developed and more densely populated than the Mekong River Delta. Once an inlet of the Gulf of Tonkin, it has been filled in by the enormous alluvial deposits of the rivers over a period of millennia, and it advances one hundred meters into the Gulf annually. The Mekong delta, covering about 40,000 square kilometers, is a low-level plain not more than three meters above sea level at any point and criss-crossed by a maze of canals and rivers. So much sediment is carried by the Mekong's various branches and tributaries that the delta advances sixty to eighty meters into the sea every year.
Vietnam has a tropical monsoon climate, with humidity averaging 84 % throughout the year. However, because of differences in latitude and the marked variety of topographical relief, the climate tends to vary considerably from place to place. During the winter or dry season, extending roughly from November to April, the monsoon winds usually blow from the northeast along the China coast and across the Gulf of Tonkin, picking up considerable moisture; consequently the winter season in most parts of the country is dry only by comparison with the rainy or summer season. The average annual temperature is generally higher in the plains than in the mountains and plateaus.
Vietnam's coastline is 3,260km 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 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
Culture
Culture:
It can be said that there were three layers of culture overlapping each other during the history of Vietnam:
Local culture,
The culture that mixed with those of China and other countries in the region, and
The culture that interacted with Western culture.
The most prominent feature of the Vietnamese culture is that it was not assimilated by foreign cultures thanks to the strong local cultural foundations. On the contrary, it was able to utilize and localize those from abroad to enrich the national culture.
The Vietnamese national culture emerged from a concrete living environment: a tropical country with many rivers and the confluence of great cultures. The natural conditions (temperature, humidity, monsoon, water -flows, water-rice agriculture ...) exert a remarkable impact on the material and spiritual life of the nation, the characteristics and psychology of the Vietnam-
ese. The Vietnamese nation was formed early in the history and often had to carry out wars of resistance against foreign invaders, which created a prominent cultural feature: a patriotism that infiltrated and encompassed every aspect of life.
Cuisine:
Main article: Cuisine of Vietnam
Vietnamese cuisine is based on rice, various types of vegetables, seafoods and fish sauce. Its characteristic flavor is sweet (sugar), spicy (Serrano peppers), and flavored by a variety of mints.
Vietnam also has a variety of noodles. Different regions invented different types of noodles, varying in shapes, tastes, colours, etc. One of the nation's most famous type of noodles is phở (pronounced phuh), which consists of rice noodles and beef soup (sometimes chicken soup). This cuisine originated from North Vietnam.
Vietnam's middle region is also famous with many delicious cuisines which possess very distinct tastes.
Clothing:
Vietnamese clothing is very diverse. Every ethnic group in Vietnam has its own style of clothing. Festivals are the occasion for all to wear their favorite clothes.
Among the ethnic Vietnamese majority, there are several traditional costumes. A few include:
The Ao Tu Than (Áo Tứ Thân) or "Four-flapped dress" worn by northern women. It is a predecessor to the Áo Dài and is a four part flowing tunic, worn with a long skirt and an Ao Yem (Áo Yếm) underneath. Áo Yếm is the Vietnamese adaptation of the ancient Chinese Dudou.
Northern peasants also traditionally wore silk shirts and trousers. This pajama-like costume is called Ao Ba Ba (Áo Ba Ba). In contrast, in the South some peasants tend to wear all black Ao Ba Ba. For festive occasions some Vietnamese will wear this costume with a Mandarin collar.
The headgear of peasants is a plain piece of cloth wrapped around the head (generally called Khan Dong) and their footwear is just a pair of sandals.
The most popular and recognized Vietnamese national costume is the Áo Dài, which is nowadays usually worn mostly by women. Men do wear Áo Dài on special occasions such as weddings, funerals, etc. Ao Dai is similar to the Chinese Cheongsam (Qipao), consisting of a long gown with a slit on both sides, worn over silk pants. It is elegant in style and comfortable to wear.
This national dress is made compulsory in many senior high schools in Vietnam, and some colleges. Some female office workers (e.g. receptionists, secretaries, tour guides) are also required to wear Ao Dai. Owing to its popularity, the dress has become a national symbol, representing cultural values of Vietnam.
In feudal times, there were strict dress codes. Ordinary people were not allowed to wear clothes with dyes other than black, brown or white. Monarchs had the exclusive right to wear the colour gold, nobles wore red or purple.
There are also strict rules concerning the diverse types of clothing worn by royalty and aristocracy, which could change dynasty by dynasty.
In daily life, the traditional Vietnamese styles are now replaced by Western styles. Traditional clothing or costume is worn instead on special occasions, with the exception of the Ao Dai for females.
Religion:
The principal religion in Vietnam is the so-called Tam Giáo ("triple religion"), characterizing the East Asian intricate mixture between Mahayana Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism. Despite that, Buddhism in Vietnam has gone through many changes throughout history. The Hoa Hao community appears to operate as a significantly smaller and independent, marginal sect of Vietnamese Buddhism; and Cao Dai, which was once a syncretist cult, is now a full-fledged religion with a complex hierarchical system of fellowship.
Significant Christian minorities of about 8% consists mainly of Roman Catholics, but with a noticeable minority of new Protestant groups. The likely largest Protestant churches are the Evangelical Church of Vietnam and the Montagnard Evangelical Church.
A syncretic blend of Sunni Islam and the localized Bashi Islam is practiced mainly by the ethnic Cham minority, but there are also a few ethnic Vietnamese adherants to Islam in the southwest.
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