Chaudoc is a small city of approximately 75000 inhabitants in southwest Vietnam and is right on the Vietnamese-Cambodian border where the Mekong River enters Vietnam from Cambodia. Chaudoc is wonderfully diverse. The Vietnamese are the majority along side with large communities of Cambodians, Chinese and Cham who are Muslims. Major religions include Buddhism, Taoism, Catholicism, Islam and numerous smaller sects. Traditionally, Chaudoc's economy is based on agriculture. However, since the late 80's, the extremely busy cross-border trade with Cambodia has become an integral part of Chaudoc's economy.

Found in Vietnam's southernmost province of An Giang, Chau Doc is a frontier town on the Cambodian Border. Chau Doc is historically referred to as the place of five hills and seven mountains, and as a place of romantic hills. Chau Doc has a reputation for its pickles, dried meat and palm sugar. Chau Doc is a riverside commercial center on the west bank of Hau River at its junction with the Chau Doc River. It also serves as a transit point for overland travel to Cambodia.

Chaudoc with the Lady temple and a yearly pilgrimage attracts thousands of local people. The city was once known for its dugout canoe races. Chau Doc has quite sizeable Chinese, Cham and Khmer communities, each of which has built distinctive temples that are worth a visit.

The coastal city of Danang is the major port in the central part of the country. It's noted for art and architecture from the Cham dynasty, and the only real site worth seeing in town is the Cham Museum. It houses a fine collection of Cham civilization sculpture and artifacts dating from the 4th to the 14th centuries.
The Marble Mountains, located just south of Danang, are the highlight of the area. These five peaks were tiny islands until silt filled in the surrounding area. Each mountain is named after one of the five elements of the universe. On Thuy Son (Water Mountain), you'll find caves that have been turned into natural pagodas as altars and statues of Buddha and bodhisattvas have been added. A trail of steep steps (about 900 of them) leads up the mountain.

On the coast near the mountains is the famous China Beach. Along with its crystal water and white sand, it now boasts a luxury resort. Other good beaches in the area include My Khe Beach (one of the area's best) and Nam O Beach (a great place to see fishing boats).

Dalat is a hill station in the central highlands. The altitude of 1475 m warrants rather cold nights. It was founded in 1897 by Alexander Yersin, who first discovered the plague bacillus. Dalat is located in Lam Dong province, It 's lacated 300 km from Ho Chi Minh City. when Doctor Alexandre Yersin recommended that the area be developed as a resort town. Once called the 'Paris of the East', it has now become a favorite honeymoon spot.

Abustling port city on the Gulf of Tonkin, Haiphong is Vietnam's third-largest city. Despite its heavy industrial economy, the city does have several points of interest, including temples and pagodas (the Du Hang pagoda is especially nice), the Hang Kenh Communal House (intricate wood sculptures and stone carvings) and a colorful flower market. A side trip can be made to Bao Ha, a village famous for its wood carvers: High-quality carving are sold at very reasonable prices there.

Around 50km south of Halong Bay is Haiphong, Vietnam's third largest city and northern Vietnam's main port. Despite being a largely industrial city the centre of Haiphong has many classic French colonial buildings, wide tree-lined streets and some pleasant parks. Haiphong is a good overnight alternative for visitors to Halong Bay and boats can be taken from Haiphong's harbour.

Hanoi, capital of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, has shaken of its unwelcoming attitude to travellers and is now one of the most beguiling cities in Asia. It is slow paced and pleasant and its lovely landscape of lakes, shaded boulevards and verdant public parks is home to beautiful and diverse architectural treasures, colonial French homes and astounding modern skyscrapers. Its bustling markets, thriving nightlife and excellent food are attracting visitors of every stripe to this ancient city.

Birthplace to so much of Vietnam's traditional culture, Hanoi, more than any other city in Vietnam, is a unique fusion of old and new. It personifies the spirit of historic Vietnam in the temples, monuments and pockets of ancient culture found along the narrow streets of the Old Quarter, yet perfectly reflects the rapid changes sweeping the country as Hanoian yuppies sip cappucinos in roadside cafes and compare cell phones.

Hoi An is located approximately 375km north of Nha Trang. It is not quite a seaside town, though the beach is just a short distance away. Hoi An is a river town and is of particular historical interest. Many colonial buildings remain here and a lot of the old town is designated historic and remains closed to traffic, with some fine examples of Asian housing and landmarks including a Japanese covered bridge and several temples. Once an important trading port, Hoi An is now a sleepy place, probably one of the most laid back of Vietnam's major towns. When it rains in Hoi An, the houses and shops nearest the river become flooded and the road becomes cut off (at least to pedestrians). One way to experience life in Hoi An is to peacefully cruise around on a bicycle and maybe cycle to the nearby beach. Along the roadside that leads to the beach are lush rice paddies with more shades of green than you could possibly imagine.

The capital of Vietnam during the decadent 19th-century Nguyen dynasty, Hue is still an important literary and cultural center. The city was dramatically affected during the war: Most of the structures in the centuries-old Citadel were severely damaged. Some of those royal buildings have been repaired and rebuilt, including the Forbidden Purple City, the emperor's private residence. The Imperial Museum within the complex is excellent.

The city is bisected by the Perfume River, and along its banks south of Hue lie the many tombs of the Nguyen emperors. You can visit them by bicycle or boat. We recommend having your hotel arrange a longboat for you. The driver will take you to the riverbank nearest a tomb or interesting pagoda, will either show you around or wait while you explore, and then will take you to the next one. Often the driver's family comes along to serve you lunch. Be sure to arrange stops at Tu Duc (an extensive site with lots of character), Minh Mang (a large and very well-preserved site), Khai Dinh (modest in scale but quite ostentatious) and the Thien Mu Pagoda (a lovely seven-tiered structure surrounded by gardens).

Hue makes a good base for exploring the Demilitarized Zone, or DMZ. It's best to see the area's historical sites (including the U.S. base at Khe Sanh, the Vinh Moc tunnels and the Truong Son National Cemetery) with a guide. Various travel agencies in Hue will set you up with one.

The 7 km white sand beach of Nha Trang is often called Vietnam's Mediterranean Area. Nha Trang is sunny all year round, with an average temperature of 23°C due to northern winds. The rainfall is less than anywhere else in the country and the area is not threatened by storms since it is protected by the Truong Son Mountains and Ca Pass. Nha Trang benefits from topographical advantages of the sea, islands, mountains, and deltas. West of Nha Trang, there are endless mountain ranges where a wide variety of animals and birds live. Trang has many specialties. Every year, bird's nest soup, or Yen nest soup, is cooked. Nha Trang has the most Yen birds in all of Vietnam. The magnificent coral seabed in Nha Trang makes it ideal for scuba diving and snorkeling.

Phan Thiet, the main coastal town of Binh Thuan province, lying on the coastline of the East Sea is boasted for its blissful landscapes of spectacular sand dune sloping towards the clear turquoise sea which is escorted by the sheering mountain. The town of Phan Thiet itself is the area of developed fishing industry enveloped by a stench from the factories producing a well-known local product, nuoc mam. Apart from a throng of fishermen in town, a throng of tourist also flocks here for its picturesque scenery of Mui Ne beach situated out of town. Coming to this charming city, visitors can also experience the beauty of the old towers as vestiges of the ancient Cham civilization. With its stunning landscape together with cultural importance, Phan Thiet has a good reason to be one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Vietnam.

Tourism development on Phu Qoc is just starting to take off, with the island's many clean and safe beaches easily outdoing anything that Bali has to offer. The most accessible and one of the most attractive is Truong Beach, stretching for nearly 20 km from Dinh Cau to Khoe Tau Ru.

In the southeast, Bai Kem ('Ice Cream Beach') has superfine white sand. It is said that in bygone days this beach was the exclusive province of wealthy aristocrats. Phu Qoc Island, in Vietnam's Kien Giang province, is about the same size as Singapore, with a population of 75,000 that swells to around 120,000 in the dry season, when fishermen from Danang descend on the island to exploit the rich catch. Development is being held back fortunately, with nearly 70% of the island being declared a National Park. The tracks of Phu Qoc are mainly well-maintained dirt roads.

For a brief period in 1975, Phu Qoc's population swelled to 300,000, as forces still loyal to the South Vietnamese government took refuge on the island. The barracks in which they were housed can still be seen near the crossroads north of An Thoi. But it was not long before the victors of the war took control of Phu Qoc, with the refugees forced to flee once again or return to the mainland.

The An Troi Islands, off the southern tip of Phu Qoc, are popular for fishing and snorkeling day-trips. But sadly, the corals around the reefs have been nearly totaling destroyed by dynamite used in 'fishing'.

Saigon also called the "Pearl of the Far East", this city is built along the Saigon River and officially, it is known as Ho Chi Minh City, though the locals still call it Saigon, which in the past only referred to the District 1. Now, the entire metropolitan with over 10 districts are called Ho Chi Minh City. With a population of over 5 million, it is without doubt the commercial heart of Vietnam, growing and modernizing at an astonishing rate. Most visitors do not expect to see a modern city but that is what it has become. The streets are lively, noisy and bright, attracting young Vietnamese from all over the country who want a piece of the action. The result is an enterprising spirit here that is unseen anywhere else in Vietnam.

Located at an altitude of 1650 m (5400 ft) in the remote northwest, Sapa entrances most visitors with the spectacular scenery that exists nearby. Built as a hill station for the French in 1922, Sapa went into a long decline from which it has only recently recovered. More and more travellers are braving the bad (but improving) roads and flocking here for the climate (cold in winter, though) and to visit the hill tribes (mostly H'mong, Dao and Kinh people) who live in the area. The Saturday market is the best place to buy handicrafts.

Accommodation can be tight, especially on weekends when tour parties visit. Just 9 km (5.5 mi) from Sapa is Fansipan (3143 m / 10,309 ft), Vietnam's highest mountain. A hike to the top and back takes about four days, and you'll need a guide and decent equipment, as it is usually wet and cold. You can get to within 30 km (19 mi) of Sapa by train from Hanoi. Once you reach Lao Cai, you'll need to transfer to a local bus.

Vung Tau, an old port and the first Vietnamese area to be visited by vacationers and people seeking health treatment, is a resort town in the province of Dong Nai. Vung Tau is located on a 110 square km area, 125 km southeast of Ho Chi Minh City. The town is a long strip approximately 14 km long and 6 km wide. Where the southern tip of town meets the ocean stand two famous mountains Nui Lon (Truong Ky) and Nui Nho (Tao Phung) or Large Mountain and Small Mountain.

Historically, Vung Tau used to be part of Bien Hoa. The first settlements in this area occurred during the reign of King Gia Long. During this period, there were many Malay bandits in this region. They often enter the area through Song Be entrance from the ocean. This created a threat for merchants in the Gia Dinh area.

Vung Tau, with an average temperature of 28 Celsius, has 20 km of coastline with famous soft-sand beaches and calm waters. Vung Tau has five beaches scattered over the peninsula. Bai Truoc, also called Front Beach, is located on the northern side of Vung Tau and stands between Nho and Lon Mountains. Restaurants, kiosks, and hotels are close to the beach. Vong Nguyen, also called O Quan Beach, is a peaceful cove with good wind. Surfers particularly enjoy this area.

Bai Dua or Dua Beach is located approximately 2 km from the center of the city. People who do not like crowded beaches particularly enjoy this quiet beach. Bai Sau, also called Back Beach, is the longest stretch of sand on the peninsula. It is located approximately 2 km from town on the southeastern side of Vung Tau. It is exposed to South China Sea wind and surfing there is excellent. Finally, Bai Dau Beach is located at the foot of Lon Mountain. It is a small quiet beach, 3 km northwest of Vung Tau.