VIETNAM…copyright Geof Prigge
geofprigge@yahoo.com.au
www.geofprigge.com
According to a recent survey by the WTTC (The World Travel & Tourism Council) Vietnam has the 6th highest growth rate in tourism in the world. And with moves afoot to rectify some of the fundamental problems like pollution, it seems that the number of tourists visiting this South-east Asian country will continue to increase.
From the highlights of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in the south and Hanoi, Sapa and Ha Long Bay in the north, there is a lot on offer in all levels of the tourist industry.
In Ho Chi Minh City, once the visitor masters crossing the road and dodging the tens of thousands of motor-bikes, the most popular destination is actually a two hour journey from the city centre at Cu Chi. A labyrinth of underground tunnels totalling 250km, these were used to hide from the Americans during the Vietnam War. The tour can be organised by any one of a number of tour operators. En route, a visit to the workshop of the disabled (predominantly people affected by ‘agent orange’ and their offspring), is mandatory.
In the north, Hanoi offers a quieter experience than Saigon although the pace is still a little frantic for some. The highlight here is the Ho Chi Minh Museum with it’s wonderful displays and impressive gardens and walkways.
Sapa is a town of mountain dwellers at an elevation of 1600 metres. There are countless trekking opportunities and the scenery is spectacular. The people you meet as you wander through the hills are happy and industrious. They’ll walk with you for hours in the hope that you’ll eventually buy something from them, but don’t care at all if you purchase nothing. Their smiles and laughter are perhaps the most contagious in the world.
At Ha Long Bay, there are opportunities to either float quietly on an old junk as you ply the waters of the Tonkin Gulf at plankton pace, or hop in a fast boat and take it all in as you zoom past dramatic mountains of rock in every direction. Many people believe that this is the best ocean experience available in all of Asia. Staying on board overnight on one of the slower vessels enables the visitor to enjoy the starry night sky in all its dazzling beauty and to sleep with the sound of the sea gently lapping at the hull.
Many visitors to Vietnam are choosing a relatively new way of holidaying here, by staying away from the tourist hotels to experience an interaction with local communities and being a part of a family, even if only for a night or two. The Homestay network is growing and is well worth the time to investigate the many options available.
To forego some of the usual creature comforts is not everyone’s idea of a holiday, but for those who do, a rich assortment of experiences awaits. Imagine sitting in a bamboo home on stilts above the water, sipping rice wine and listening to stories of the lives of these people, as a meal is prepared in the next room. A highly popular homestay destination is the Mekong Delta. Those lucky enough to come here will take away memories of sight and sound unique even to Vietnam. To enjoy a spectacular sunset across the waters of the Mekong, catch a glimpse of the new moon in a twilight sky and marvel at the chatter of voices from the kitchen or the distant laughter of children at play, are memories that only those who stay with a family will experience.
That having been said however, there are also experiences which fall in between the usual hotel style holiday and the homestay experience. One example is to be found at Jungle Beach, 60 kilometres north of Nha Trang on the east coast. Tel: 058-622-384 and email:
Owner Sylvio Lamarche from Canada believes that this area offers a great deal. He paddled in on a kayak 5 years ago and decided to stay. So far he’s built 15 beach huts with plans for nine more. Situated at the foot of imposing mountains, Jungle Beach is extremely laid back. For $AU22 per person a night, you get not only your room but all the food you can eat, with menu changes daily. Kilometres of fine white sand greet you and there’s swimming and snorkelling opportunities here and around the nearby rocks.
Future plans include a communal spa, sunken decks and canoe hire. The highlight of a stay here varies depending on who you ask, but it seems a toss up between the chance of night swimming marvelling at the phosphorescence you create as you glide through the water, or the possibility of spotting the black shank douc langur monkey (Pygathix Cinereus), whose home is the jungle of the nearby hills.
However you decide to enjoy your visit to Vietnam though, you’ll leave with memories of spectacular scenery, rich history and a population of friendly obliging people.
