Vietnam is a Southeast – Asian nation which is only a little larger than Italy, but it  has immense geographic and cultural diversity. Its varied climate and landscape range from four seasons of the mountainous north to year-round tropical temperatures of the lush south. The country shares 1150 km northern border with China, 1650 km with Laos at upper west and 930 km with  Cambodia at lower west; and it has 3260 km shorelines along South China sea from north to south, that is called “the East sea” by the Vietnamese as it is located at the east of their country.

The festivals and events are calendared in Lunar month. Normally, a lunar month stays later than western month of around 30 days.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY

 January and February are the most interesting festival months in the year in Vietnam. Plenty of the festivals and special events would be organized throughout Vietnam.

Vietnam's most charming city, Hanoi is home to about 5 million people. Less vibrant and more reserved than its cousin to the south, Hanoi is a great place to explore on foot. If Ho Chi Minh City is defined by hustle and bustle and people on the move, Hanoi's trademark is green parks and tranquil lakes.

From Hanoi travel to two different pagodas, Thay and Tay Phuong are very often combined in a day trip or half-day trip from Hanoi since their neighboring locations. Thay pagoda, located 40km west of Hanoi in a tranquil and beautiful village, is combination of Buddhist pagodas and a Taoist Temple, which is dedicated to Tu Dao Hanh, a Taoist hermit lived in 12^th century who was considered one of the karmas of king Ly Than Tong.

Best combination of boat trip, sightseeing, mountain climbing and religious pilgrimage"Chua Huong" - the Perfume Pagoda is the name of a collection of Buddhist temples which are very sacred to Vietnamese people of Buddhist faith, and an annual visit up here in springtime is a must to a lot of believers.

From Gian T-Junction (10 km from Ninh Binh city), drive West 5km, then turn right for 2km further, tourists will reach Van Long, the largest wetland reserve in the North of Vietnam with an area of 2,643 ha located in Gia Vien District, Ninh Binh Province.

From Ninh Binh city, head North 10km, then drive left at Gian’s three ways intersection for Me township and turn left from the town and proceed to a typical tourist attraction of Ninh Binh, about 2km away, arriving at Dong Chua pier where visitors are hosted and take motor boat going along Hoang Long river to Kenh Ga resort.

Cuc Phuong, opened in 1962, is the first National Park established in Vietnam. It is 140 km South of Hanoi and 55km from Ninh Binh town. It covers roughly 25,000 hectares. The botanical richness of the forest is impressive as it supports a wide variety of flora species and patches of primeval forest, including ancient trees with thick clusters of roots, and parasitic plants and ligneous creepers.

A trip to Cat Ba island can be done separately or in combination with a visit to Halong Bay.In here, tourists would rest in beautiful hotels by the sea, enjoy special seafood surf on the waves in blue and clear water.

Halong Overview

Halong Bay attracts approximately 90% of the tourists who come to Vietnam. It's a beautiful bay comprising 1,553 square km, which is situated on the Gulf of Tonkin in the South China Sea. Though it forms part of the ocean, its waters are calm and unusually emerald. It has nearly 2,000 islands.

Da Nang was the landing point of both the French and the Americans during their stints in Vietnam. When the French established a garrison in Da Nang (then called Tourane), more soldiers died from disease than the associated fighting in establishing the garrison. There is now a small cemetery dedicated to them.

Hoi An town is small and peaceful, the kind of place where you may get stuck for a few days, whether it is intentional or not. Originally known as Faifo, this antique town is bordered on its southern side by the Thu Bon River, along which there's a number of small cafes. Despite the fact that it is now a tourist haven, the artistic atmosphere and local friendly people create an inviting environment.

Saigon, officially re-named Ho Chi Minh City is a thriving metropolis with an unavoidable western flavor or influence offering quite a different experience than Hanoi.

These tunnels are a symbol of Vietnam's continual fight against foreign incursions. The tunnel system covers close to 200 km including under what was once a US air base. The tunnels once spanned an area stretching from close to the Cambodian border to the city limits of Ho Chi Minh City.

Tay Ninh is situated 95 km north-west of Ho Chi Minh City and is the original home of the Cao Dai religious sect. It is from here that Caodaism has spread its influence onto surrounding provinces. In the years gone by, this sect had its own army and they were ruthlessly oppressed by the Diem regime. The Cao Dais did not support the Viet Cong either.