With three quarter of the country consisting of mountains and hills, Vietnam lies in the Eastern part of the Indochina Peninsula. Tourism has become a significant part of the Vietnam economy while International visitors keep on increasing annually.
Ideal for the nature lover, 40% of the land area is covered by mountains while approximately 42% is covered by tropical forests. The country consists of two Natural World Heritage Sites, namely the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and the Ha Long Bay. The country also consists of a number of Biosphere Reserves which includes the Red River Delta, Kien Gang, Cat Ba, Cat Tien, Can Gio Mangrove Forest and the Western Nghe An. With a uniquely high level of Biodiversity, you can explore many of the natural parks to your heart’s content when in Vietnam.
As mentioned earlier, the Ha Long Bay which literally means ‘Descending Dragon Bay’. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a much visited attraction in Vietnam. The bay belongs to a larger zone of bays and islands which share the same geographical characteristics as well as the same culture and climate. The beauty of Ha Long Bay comes with the thousands of limestone karsts and the various sizes of isles that are scattered randomly. The entire area of Ha Long Bay spans for over 1500 km2 while the bay consists of approximately 3000 isles. Most of the isles are limestone which has been transformed over thousands of years. As a visitor, you will have a lot to take in while the beauty of the location would be indescribable.
Hanoi, which is the capital city of Vietnam, is another important landmark that should not be missed. Located along the banks of the Red River, Hanoi is known among many as one the main cultural centres of the country.
You should not miss the Old Quarter of Hanoi which is located near the Hoan Kiem Lake. It showcases the original street layout as well as the architecture in Old Hanoi. This area is famous for the merchants and craftsmen while it is also famous for the many silk shops. There is a night market which opens during the weekend evenings offering a wide variety of souvenirs, food and clothing while the Old Quarter provides a number of eating places with local specialties and also a number of clubs and bars. Some of the quite prominent landmarks here include the One Pillar Pagoda, the Temple of Literature and the Flag Tower of Hanoi.
Sometimes known as the City of Lakes, Hanoi has many scenic lakes. The Sword Lake which is known as ‘Hoan Kiem Lake’ is the actual historical and cultural centre of the city. The West Lake is a popular place for people to spend time while it is also the largest. There are small boats for hire while you can enjoy meals on the floating restaurant. There are many temples found in the area as well.
French Colonial architecture has made a significant impact while the Grand Opera House and the Presidential Palace are a few that belong to the long list of landmarks.
Author’s Bio
Teresa Kent was graduated at the University of Nottingham. She loves to write and she is a part time geologist. She is a great dreamer. She loves to build a story while she is dreaming. Currently she is writing about Fashion , SEO, cheap flights to Bangkok and Vietnam.