Vietnam Destination Guide

Lying on the eastern part of the Indochinese peninsula, Vietnam is a strip of land shaped like the letter “S”. China borders it to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the west, the Eastern Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the east and south.

Mountains and hills cover two thirds of the mainland. Areas above 500m in altitude account for 70 percent of the mainland. The most grandiose and highest mountain ranges lie in the west and northwest of the country.

Việt Nam’s territorial waters make around 1,000,000 km2, with over 3,000 km long coastline lines. Việt Nam lies along the Indochinese Peninsula and circles the old southeastern part of the Asian continent with its back turned to the Eastern Sea (Pacific Ocean). These mountain and sea areas boast a diversity and richness in natural resources as well as minerals.

In the South West area of Central Vietnam, there is a huge “mountain-highland” at over 1,000m high, covered by basalt soil ideal for growing tropical and temperate industrial crops (rubber, tea, coffee and cacao).

Along the coastline, from the North to the South, Vietnam has lots of beautiful beaches, especially Hạ Long Bay with more than 3,000 islands, is listed by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage site.

Jungles along the country are home to rare, precious animals and plants. In addition, there are some sub-climate regions in Viet Nam including regions with temperate climate and unique sight-seeing, such as Sa Pa (Lao Cai Province), Da Lat (Lam Dong province) and plenty of lakes, streams, falls and extraordinary caves.

The mineral coal such as mines, bauxite and precious metal are mainly in the North and the Central; on the offshore and coastline we have lots of oil field and natural gas. In the rivers, lakes and territorial waters we have variety of fishes, shrimps and aqua products.

Vietnam is located in a region considered a cradle of mankind, one of the earliest agricultural centres practicing wet rice farming, where the stone and metallurgical revolutions took place. On the basis of socio-economic development in the time of the Đông Sơn culture and given the struggle with nature and against aggression, Văn Lang State, the first State in Vietnam was established in the 7th century B.C. Thanks to their hard work and creativeness, Văn Lang (and then Âu Lạc) residents created a civilization that influenced the entire Southeast Asian region. Together with the formation of the first State in Vietnam’s history was the evolution of a diverse economy and advanced culture known as the Red River civilization (or Dong Son civilization) symbolized by Đông Sơn bronze drum, a heritage reflecting the quintessence of the lifestyle, traditions and culture of the ancient Vietnamese.

In the cause of national building, the Vietnamese also had to cope with the foreign aggression. During 12 centuries from the resistance against the Qin dynasty in the 3rd century B.C until late 20th century, the Vietnamese had to endure hundreds of wars and uprisings against foreign aggression. The tactic, as stated in the Proclamation of Victory over the Wu “Bình Ngô Đại Cáo,”... Relying on surprises, we placed our weak forces before much stronger ones; In skillful ambushes, our few troops destroyed large units,” has become the rule of thumb for the wars to safeguard the Fatherland of the Vietnamese.

Since the 2nd century B.C, Vietnam had been dominated by different Chinese dynasties for more than a thousand years. During this period, the existence of the nation had been challenged which helped give rise to the spirit of indomitability and staunchness of the Vietnamese in the struggle to maintain the nation’s vitality, preserve and build on the quintessence of its culture and the determination to gain national independence.

Despite many vicissitudes, from Văn Lang, Âu Lạc to Vạn Xuân, Đại Cồ Việt and Đại Việt, the Vietnamese nation continued to develop in all fields, reflecting its strong vitality and unceasing evolution.

A typical feature of Vietnamese culture is the village culture. It is Vietnamese villages that have nurtured and fostered the quintessence of the traditional culture, the spirit of unity among the Vietnamese in the struggle against the domination of the North and the policy of assimilation of Northern dynasties to gain national independence, maintaining the nation’s traditions and cultures.

The Bạch Đằng victory in 938 opened up a new era in Vietnam’s history – the era of development of an independent feudal state, national construction and defense. As a result, the centralized-administration state was established under the Ngô (938-965), Dinh (969-979) and earlier Le (980 - 1009) dynasties.

Then, Vietnam entered the period of renaissance and development under the Lý (1009-1226), Trần (1226-1400), Ho (1400-1407) and Le So (1428-1527) dynasties. Dai Viet, the name of the country under the Ly-Tran-Le So dynasties, was known as a prosperous country in Asia. This period marked the golden age of Vietnam’s history. Economically, this period saw the development of agriculture, irrigation (with the construction of the Red River dike) and the formation of traditional handicrafts. In terms of religion, Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism were considered the three co-existing official religions exerting great influence on people’s life.

One important achievement in the Ly-Tran dynasties was the introduction of Nom scripts, Vietnam’s own writing system based on the reform of Chinese Han scripts. In addition, this period also marked the splendid development of education, science, culture, art, history and law etc (such as the establishment of Van Mieu Quoc Tu Giam– the first university of Vietnam, the introduction of Hong Duc Code and Complete History of Dai Viet etc). This period was called the Civilized Age of Dai Viet. Thang Long (the old name of Ha Noi capital) was officially recognized as the imperial city of Dai Viet according to the Proclamation on the transfer of the capital to Hanoi in 1010 by Ly Thai To.

From the 16th century, the backwardness and weakness of the feudal regime under Confucius ideology were revealed, feudalism fell into a decline. While many nation states in Europe were moving to capitalism, Dai Viet was bogged down in internal wars and divisions, which heavily impeded the country’s evolution despite certain developments in the economy and culture, the establishment of towns and ports and the growth of trade and exchanges between the 16th and 18th century.

In the 19th century, Western capitalist countries entered the period of imperialism and colonialism. Through missionaries and trade, the French gradually dominated Vietnam. For the first time in history, the Vietnamese nation had to cope with the invasion of a Western country. In that context, some Vietnamese intellectuals were aware of the need to carry out reforms in an effort to bring the country out of stagnation and save national independence. Many plans of reform were proposed, yet rejected by the Nguyen dynasty. Subsequently, the country was driven into backwardness and deadlock. Vietnam became a semi-feudal colony for nearly 100 years from 1858 to 1945.

After setting up the colonist rule in Vietnam, the French colonialists quickly began large-scale exploitation in the country. Capitalist production relations infiltrated in Vietnam, stimulating the formation and evolution of internal capitalist factors, and as a result, narrowing and breaking up the existing feudal production relations. Vietnam’s economy thus moved from a backward and self-sufficient economy to a colonized one totally controlled by the French capitalists. A new social structure evolved along the line of capitalism, and subsequently the division between landlords and farmers was deepened while new forces, such as the working class, the bourgeoisies and petit bourgeoisies gradually came into being. Eventually, the struggle against the French colonialists was initiated by two forces i.e. the bourgeoisies (represented by Vietnam Quoc Dan Dang and Yen Bai revolt in early 1930) and the proletarians led by the Communist Party of Vietnam.

The formation of the Communist Party of Vietnam marked the prevailing strength of the working class and revolutionary movements led by the proletarians. In August 1945, under the leadership of the Communist Party headed by Nguyen Ai Quoc (later known as President Ho Chi Minh), the Vietnamese people and the Armed Propaganda Unit for National Liberation (now the People’s Army) successfully launched a general uprising to seize power. With the Proclamation of Independence on 2nd September 1945, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam came into being."

The globe-shaking victory of Dien Bien Phu (May 1954) and the Geneva Accord (July 1954) put an end to the war of resistance against the French colonialists, opening up a new era of independence and freedom for the Vietnamese nation in which North Vietnam embarked upon the transitional period towards socialism. According to the Geneva Agreement, South Vietnam was under the temporary control of the French and the Americans in the run-up to the general elections. Nevertheless, the general elections could never be held due to the interference of the United States. The Republic of South Vietnam headed by Ngo Dinh Diem was established by the United States. Vietnam continued to be divided for more than 20 years.

Between 1954 and 1975, Vietnam had to fight another war for national liberation and unification. With untold hardships, the war came to a successful end following the victory of the historic Ho Chi Minh Operation in 1975. Since then, the unified Vietnam has ushered into a new era of peace, unification and national construction.

However, in the first ten years of this period, many socio-economic targets were not achieved due to both internal and external reasons. Vietnam’s economy fell into crisis and stagnation and people’s lives were difficult.

At the 6th Congress of the Communist Party in 1986, the Doi Moi (reform) policy was launched with the focus on economic reform. This marked an important milestone in the new stage of development of the Vietnamese nation. The Doi Moi policy was consistently reaffirmed throughout the later Party Congresses. With the implementation of four five-year socio-economic development plans, Vietnam, from a food importing country, has become the second largest rice exporter in the world. Vietnam also exports a lot of other commodities with well-known brands. The economy attained high growth rate in the late 20th century and the early years of the 21st century, people’s lives have been significantly improved; social policy received greater attention, the legal system has become increasingly complete and social management based on the rule of law put into place.

Looking back on the formation and development of the Vietnamese nation, we can see that patriotism, self-reliance, tradition of unity and the willpower to fight for the righteous cause of the nation are the most important features and the moral standards of the Vietnamese. The tradition of industriousness, creativeness and patience originated from the life full of hardship of the Vietnamese people. The need to stand united to cope with difficulties and challenges has created close bonds between the people and the nature and among the people in the family and in the community in the family-village-nation relations. Throughout history, the Vietnamese people have been characterized by the traditions of mutual assistance, ethic-based lifestyle, benevolence, one-mindedness and sharing of hardships in needy times, flexible ways of behaviour, the tradition of eagerness to learn, respect for righteousness and tolerance. These are the powerful and endless endogenous strengths for the Vietnamese nation to embark on the cause of national construction towards the goals of strong country, prosperous people, just, democratic and advanced society.

The major religious traditions in Vietnam are Buddhism (which fuses forms of Taoism and Confusianism), Christianity (Catholicism and Protestantism), Islam, Caodaism and the Hoa Hao sect.

Buddhism
Buddhism was first introduced to Vietnam in the 2nd century, and reached its peak in the Ly dynasty (11th century). It was then regarded as the official religion dominating court affairs. Buddhism was preached broadly among the population and it enjoyed a profound influence on people's daily life. Its influence also left marks in various areas of traditional literature and architecture. As such, many pagodas and temples were built during this time.

At the end of the 14th century, Buddhism began to show signs of decline. The ideological influence of Buddhism, however, remained very strong in social and cultural life. Presenty, over 70 percent of the population of Vietnam are either Buddhist or strongly influenced by Buddhist practices.

Catholicism
Catholicism was introduced to Vietnam in the 17th century. At present the most densely-populated Catholic areas are Bui Chu-Phat Diem in the northern province of Ninh Binh and Ho Nai-Bien Hoa in Dong Nai Province to the South. About 10 percent of the population are considered Catholic.

Protestantism
Protestantism was introduced to Vietnam at about the same time as Catholicism. Protestantism, however, remains an obscure religion. At present most Protestants live in the Central Highlands. There still remains a Protestant church on Hang Da Street in Hanoi. The number of Protestants living in Vietnam is estimated at 400,000.

Islam
Islamic followers in Vietnam are primarily from the Cham ethnic minority group living in the central part of the central coast. The number of Islamic followers in Vietnam totals about 50,000.

Caodaism
Caodaism was first introduced to the country in 1926. Settlements of the Cao Dai followers in South Vietnam are located near the Church in Tay Ninh. The number of followers of this sect is estimated at 2 million.

Hoa Hao Sect
The Hoa Hao Sect was first introduced to Vietnam in 1939. More than 1 million Vietnamese are followers of this sect. Most of them live in the south-west of Vietnam.

Mother Worship (Tho Mau)
Researchers describe the Vietnamese mother-worship cult as a primitive religion. Mother, Me in the Vietnamese language, is pronounced Mau in Sino-­script. The mother worship cult might be originated from the cult of the Goddess in ancient ages. In the Middle Ages, the Mother was worshipped in temples and palaces. Due to the fact that it is a worshipping custom and not a religion, the Mother worshipping cult has not been organised as Buddhism and Catholicism have. As a result, the different affiliations of the cult have yet to be consistent and different places still have different customs.

The custom of Mother worship originated from the north. In the south, the religion has integrated the local goddesses such as Thien Y A Na (Hue) and Linh Son (Tay Ninh).

In fact, the Mother worship cult was influenced by other religions, mainly Taoism.

All over Vietnam, you will find so many things to do, see and experience, you may not have enough time to do everything. Vietnam is full of interesting places, where one can easily pass many hours enjoying the entertainment that can be found in Vietnam. The are also a wide range of bars, cafes and clubs all over Vietnam. Hanoi and tourist resorts in Vietnam hava some of the most popular clubs in the country. Whatever type of bar or club you are looking for, you will find it in Vietnam.

Tourist offices in Vietnam publish an annual and monthly of events. Life is lived at its colourful and lively best on the streets of Vietnam, and never stops. Late dinners and early breakfasts; it is never hard to find something to eat and drink, whatever the time. Bar hopping to fashionable venues is now a favorite evening pastime, and discos are now not difficult to find. Some of the older-world watering holes, reminiscent of Paris, are still the most atmospheric, invariably offering live jazz music played by talented young classically trained musicians.

Bars in Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) Modestos Currently one of the more popular bars is "Modestos" which is located on the ground floor of Me Linh Point Tower (next to Renaissance Hotel). It has live music nightly and is particularly popular with the Singaporean community and Vietnamese ‘yuppies’.

Saigon Saigon Bar on the 10 floor of the Delta Caravelle Hotel, has some of the best views of Saigon. Built on a corner you have three different views of HCM. It is the place to meet and tends to receive a fair number of earlier after work drinkers. They also have a live band, which attracts quite a crowd, although it is nothing like back home, the bartender kept insisting that it got better. Great bar. Now with Happy Hour from 4pm to 8pm "Buy one Get one free" on all standard drinks and also Carlsberg beer.

Apocalypse Now Do not go here unless you want a quiet game of pool, before 22:30 as it only really starts to get busy from then on. This is more of a disco come bar with one pool table thrown in. It is very popular at the weekends with expats and locals alike. Good music, inexpensive drinks, and a novel decor have made it famous within Vietnam. They even have another outlet of similar style in Hanoi.

Shark 2000 is the latest addition to the disco scene. One of my friends raved so much about it, that I could not resist. Therefore I offer a word of caution, because it is very easy to forget where we are. This is Vietnam and when the locals rave about somewhere, they are raving on local terms, so do not forget where you are and let your imagination run wild. It is a good disco, and definitely the best I have seen in HCM, but I am surprised the owner, was not a little more imaginative with the decor. Still a great place to dance with all the latest music, and a very good place to mingle. Dance anyone ? Cheers is worth going to see only if you have lots of spare time on your hands, and have seen everything else. It is an unusual type of disco/nightclub/hostess bar. The girls, all dress up in au dai (traditional Vietnamese dress) or other very nice outfits, and do not as far as I know work there.