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.

The story of finding Angkor is a long sequence. With a retinue of bearers, eccentric French naturalist Henri Mouhot hacked his way through the Cambodian jungle in January 1860, in search of beetles and butterflies. Though his interest lay more in insects than antiquities, he spent three weeks exploring the ruins of Angkor. He arrived by way of Lake Tonle Sap, where, he noted, fish were so abundant that they impeded the progress of his boat.

Phnom Penh does have an eccentric charm. Seen from the river, palm trees and the pagoda-like spires of Khmer royal buildings rise over French-era shophouses and villas. In the 1950s and 1960s this was one of the finest cities in Southeast Asia. The riverine city’s yellow-ocher buildings, squares and cafes, and frangipani-lined boulevards give it the atmosphere of a French provincial town.

Even though often referred to as the Land of a Million Elephants, Laos borrowed this title from the translation of Lane Xang - the kingdom that, over six hundred years ago, spread throughout present day Laos, southern China and northeastern Thailand. The capital of Lane Xang was Luang Prabang, a name derived from the kingdom's palladium - the gold Phra Bang Buddha.
The Phra Bang, an 83cm, gold image of Buddha dispelling fear, was cast in Sri Lanka between the 1st and 9th centuries.

Once the capital of Lane Xang in the latter years of that empire's greatness, Vientiane was devastated many times by foreign invaders, before finally being leveled by the Siamese in 1828. The only original monument to remain from before that time is Wat Sisaket, built in 1818 by Chao Anou - the very king responsible for incurring the wrath of the Siamese and causing his capital's obliteration.

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.

The trip to the Far North
Parts of the Far North are particularly isolated and difficult to visit. However, this isolation adds to the region's beauty as many areas are still extremely unspoiled and distant from the popular tourist trails. To reach Ba Be lakes in Bac Can province is a challenge but one well worth pursuing. The road between That Khe and Lang Son, whose beautiful plunging ravines and is riddled with caves, hides a grim and bloody past and is also worth the effort to visit.

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.

Prior to WWII, Hue had been the capital of Vietnam and the residents of this city act as if Hue still is. The city has a long and distinguished history. During the Tet Offensive in 1968 the North Vietnamese flag flew from the citadel flag pole for 25 days.

Central and the coast line of Vietnam ( includes Nha Trang, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet, Phan Rang, My Lai, central highland...) is featured by lots of lovely beaches. With 3,260km-long coastline, Vietnam has numerous pristine beaches, of which those in the Centre are highly recommended for their amazingly crystal water, rich of sunlight, less of river mouths, and flat shore dotted by fishing villages; few of them have been developed as comfortable resorts like China Beach, Nha Trang or Phan Thiet.