Why Vietnam?
Explore the real Vietnam through the back-door.
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Explore the real Vietnam through the back-door.
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Last updated on 03/16/99
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As described world-widely, Vietnam is a poor, agrarian country. While certainly accurate, that description doesn't begin to convey the incredible pride and genuine warmth of its people, the richness of its culture, the depth of its tradition and the diversity of its landscape. These are the reasons to come to Vietnam. From the densely-populated canals and rivers comprising the Mekong Delta to the magnificent limestone peaks rising out of Halong Bay, Vietnam offers a variety of geographies and climates to entice the visitor. There is an abundance of flora and fauna for nature lovers and spectacular vistas for photographers. Wherever you go, you will be welcomed by friendly local people. Proud, warm and outgoing, they are eager for contact with foreigners, especially Westerners. You will be greeted with smiles, waves and shouts of "hello!" Some have been given flowers by children on the beach, invited to play badminton by strangers, entertained in the homes of villagers and invited to dine with the families of Vietnamese friends. While some museums and cultural sites are poorly-preserved by western standards, the millennia-old culture and traditions can be experienced first hand. Traditional dress, Ao Dai and Ao Ba Ba, is still worn by many people, particularly in the countryside. Villagers carry produce and supplies using quang ganh, two baskets suspended from a pole and carried over one shoulder. The stereotypical conical hats, non bai tho, are widely worn throughout Vietnam. Farming in the Mekong and Red River Deltas is still done using traditional methods of irrigation and plowing that have to be seen to be believed Traveling to Vietnam is an experience you will never forget. While places like Thailand and Malaysia are unlikely to change much over the next couple of years, Vietnam changing at a breakneck pace. So what are you waiting for?
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