The 9 Best Things To Do In Vietnam

Vietnam is one of my favorite places in Asia . So much history, so much natural beauty, and the Vietnamese people themselves are renowned for their graciousness and good cheer. They harbor no resentment toward Americans despite a decade of bombings during the war. In fact they hold us in the highest favor - increasingly consuming our globalized bounty of pop culture - and welcome Americans with open arms.

#10 -- A hopeful current is buzzing throughout much of the country, and it's a thrill to watch the chaos and order play out their yin and yang amidst honking horns, noodle stands, crumbling colonial remnants and high-rises. Here is my list of the nine best things to do in Vietnam .

#9 -- Access ethic tribal minorities at villages nestled in the lush hills near Sapa, and share a cup of tea with locals in their rustic mountain homes.

#8 -- Dine at the epicenter of culture at an exclusive dinner at the Temple of Literature in Hanoi .

#7 -- Enjoy a private reception at a first-rate art gallery in Hanoi . The curator is our longtime friend, and the crème of Hanoi 's artists are in attendance.

#6 -- Take a private cooking class with a gourmet chef, our friend of two decades who is frequently featured on Vietnamese cooking shows.

#5 -- Visit the collection of antiques and photographs of the "American War" by our friend Cuong, who photographed the fall of Saigon and was later sent to a Marxist re-education camp. His life story has been the subject of a PBS documentary.

#4 -- Enter a state of blissful oblivion at the breathtaking Six Senses Con Dao beach resort, located on a white sand beach of stunning natural beauty.

#3 -- Navigate the alleyways of the ancient port town of Hoi An by bicycle, to explore the syncretic cultural influences of Southeast Asia 's most important port from the 17th through 19th centuries.

#2 -- Cruise the waterways of the Mekong Delta to glimpse the timeless rural scenes of farmers working the fertile land and fishermen with their nets. Stop in a home to see them making rice paper, one at a time, with a ladle and griddle.

#1 -- Take a private overnight cruise through Halong Bayon a restored junk, a traditional Chinese sailboat. This bay is on anyone's short list for the greatest natural scenery in Asia . From sea kayaking into caves to visiting locals in their fishing villages on tucked-away islands, Halong Bay is a must on any trip to Vietnam .

Con Co Island – a floating green pearl

Located not far from the coast of Quang Tri province, the small island of Con Co has its own long and interesting history.

Con Co looks like a plump green pearl rising from the ocean and experts consider its geology, biology and scenery a museum of biodiversity.

The evergreen island is 80 percent natural primeval forest, which has remained in pristine condition despite the passage of time. It was formed by a volcano which left behind giant, strange shaped basalt rocks and many stunning beaches that have turned the island into a charming and splendid place.

The flora on the island is very diverse, with many giant trees, measuring 15 to 20 feet across. Some are unique to islands, such as the striped-trunk trees and many kinds of wild potatoes with huge leaves.

The island is also home to a rich array of marine life with 113 types of coral, 57 kinds of seaweed, 19 different crustaceans, and 224 saltwater fish species, as well as 164 species of flora and 68 types of fauna and seafood such as oysters, lobsters, crabs and mussels.

There are two endangered species of crabs on the island that are able to live on the ground or in the water and are strictly protected.

The island also has some historical relics including a 20-kilometer-long military tunnel, a number of blockhouses along the beaches

People have come from the mainland to settle on Con Co for hundreds of years and many soldiers have sacrificed their lives to protect it.

Local authorities plan to invest about VND300 billion to develop infrastructure on the island to improve local living standards and tourism.

If you had seen the island of Con Co a few years ago, you would be taken aback now to see. In addition to the heaving rocks, dense primeval forests and military barracks, many tall buildings, including the headquarters of the district People’s Committee, police and tax offices, a health center, power and water services, as well as television and telecommunications systems.

However, there are no guesthouses or hotels. Local tourism is still very much in its infantry.

Con Co Island – floating green pearl

Located close to the mainland, the small island of Con Co off Quang Tri Province has a long and interesting history of its own. To describe the island from offshore, it looks like a plump pearl emerging amidst the ocean. Experts consider the island’s geology, biology and scenery as a museum of diverse nature.

The evergreen island is 80% natural forest and that primeval forest despite the passage of time still remains in pristine condition. The island was formed by a volcano and the remaining vestiges are giant basalt rocks in weird shapes and many stunning and pristine beaches, making the island more charming and splendid.
The flora system on the island is diverse with a lot of giant trees with trunks measuring some 15 to 20 feet long.
Some of the trees are unique to islands, such as the stripped-trunk variety like dau mau, sam cau or nhau nhau and many kinds of wild potatoes with huge leaves.
The island is also home to enriched marine life with 113 coral, 57 seaweed, 19 crustaceans, 224 saltwater fish and 164 flora and 68 fauna species, and seafood such as oysters, lobsters, holothurians, crabs and mussels.
Especially, there are two crab species which are able to live on the ground or water and are strictly protected as they are endangered.
The island also has historical relics with a 20-kilometer-long military tunnel, many blockhouses along the beaches and firecracker houses.
People from the mainland came here to settle from the primitive ages with so many soldiers sacrificing themselves for the island.
The local authorities will invest about VND300 billion to develop an infrastructure system on the island to serve local living standards and promote tourism.
If you had gone to the more primitive Con Co several years ago, you would be certainly surprised at the island today. It now not only has heaving rocks, dense primeval forests and barracks but also high buildings, including the headquarters of the district’s People’s Committee, the police and tax offices, a health center, power and water services as well as television and telecommunications are also available.
However, it has no guest houses or hotels for tourists and other tourism services are still poor. In the next three years local authorities and residents will put great effort into making the island a tourist haven.
 
Source: SGT
 

Con Co Island – floating green pearl

Located close to the mainland, the small island of Con Co off Quang Tri Province has a long and interesting history of its own.

 

A view of Con Co Island in Quang Tri Province - Photo: Offi cial website of the province

To describe the island from offshore, it looks like a plump pearl emerging amidst the ocean. Experts consider the island’s geology, biology and scenery as a museum of diverse nature.

The evergreen island is 80% natural forest and that primeval forest despite the passage of time still remains in pristine condition. The island was formed by a volcano and the remaining vestiges are giant basalt rocks in weird shapes and many stunning and pristine beaches, making the island more charming and splendid.

The flora system on the island is diverse with a lot of giant trees with trunks measuring some 15 to 20 feet long.

Some of the trees are unique to islands, such as the stripped-trunk variety like dau mau, sam cau or nhau nhau and many kinds of wild potatoes with huge leaves.

The island is also home to enriched marine life with 113 coral, 57 seaweed, 19 crustaceans, 224 saltwater fish and 164 flora and 68 fauna species, and seafood such as oysters, lobsters, holothurians, crabs and mussels.

Especially, there are two crab species which are able to live on the ground or water and are strictly protected as they are endangered.

The island also has historical relics with a 20-kilometer-long military tunnel, many blockhouses along the beaches and firecracker houses.

People from the mainland came here to settle from the primitive ages with so many soldiers sacrificing themselves for the island.

The local authorities will invest about VND300 billion to develop an infrastructure system on the island to serve local living standards and promote tourism.

If you had gone to the more primitive Con Co several years ago, you would be certainly surprised at the island today. It now not only has heaving rocks, dense primeval forests and barracks but also high buildings, including the headquarters of the district’s People’s Committee, the police and tax offices, a health center, power and water services as well as television and telecommunications are also available.

However, it has no guest houses or hotels for tourists and other tourism services are still poor. In the next three years local authorities and residents will put great effort into making the island a tourist haven.

The 9 Best Things To Do In Vietnam

Vietnam is one of my favorite places in Asia. So much history, so much natural beauty, and the Vietnamese people themselves are renowned for their graciousness and good cheer. They harbor no resentment toward Americans despite a decade of bombings during the war. In fact they hold us in the highest favor -- increasingly consuming our globalized bounty of pop culture -- and welcome Americans with open arms.
A hopeful current is buzzing throughout much of the country, and it's a thrill to watch the chaos and order play out their yin and yang amidst honking horns, noodle stands, crumbling colonial remnants and high-rises. Here is my list of the nine best things to do in Vietnam.
#9 -- Access ethic tribal minorities at villages nestled in the lush hills near Sapa, and share a cup of tea with locals in their rustic mountain homes.

#8 -- Dine at the epicenter of culture at an exclusive dinner at the Temple of Literature in Hanoi.
#7 -- Enjoy a private reception at a first-rate art gallery in Hanoi. The curator is our longtime friend, and the crème of Hanoi's artists are in attendance.
#6 -- Take a private cooking class with a gourmet chef, our friend of two decades who is frequently featured on Vietnamese cooking shows.
#5 -- Visit the collection of antiques and photographs of the "American War" by our friend Cuong, who photographed the fall of Saigon and was later sent to a Marxist re-education camp. His life story has been the subject of a PBS documentary.
#4 -- Enter a state of blissful oblivion at the breathtaking Six Senses Con Dao beach resort, located on a white sand beach of stunning natural beauty.
 

 

#3 -- Navigate the alleyways of the ancient port town of Hoi An by bicycle, to explore the syncretic cultural influences of Southeast Asia's most important port from the 17th through 19th centuries.
#2 -- Cruise the waterways of the Mekong Delta to glimpse the timeless rural scenes of farmers working the fertile land and fishermen with their nets. Stop in a home to see them making rice paper, one at a time, with a ladle and griddle.
#1 -- Take a private overnight cruise through Halong Bay on a restored junk, a traditional Chinese sailboat. This bay is on anyone's short list for the greatest natural scenery in Asia. From sea kayaking into caves to visiting locals in their fishing villages on tucked-away islands, Halong Bay is a must on any trip to Vietnam.
Honorable mention: joining locals in a crowded café for a cold "33 Export" beer and a hot bowl of pho (pronounced "fuh"), a beef, noodle and fresh vegetable soup that is eaten obsessively in this strange and wonderful land.
Source: by Marilyn Downing, The Huffington Post