lf courses, bowling alleys and shopping malls vie for space with fruit and
vegetable markets, pagodas and karaoke rooms. Bustling, booming, crowded,
noisy - all words that barely scratch the surface of the addictive and often
mesmerising chaos that is Saigon. And yet there are the elegant colonial French
boulevards and buildings, the Cathedral, the riverfront, the quiet moments
at a sidewalk cafe watching the world literally go by you at breakneck speed.
Saigon. A city that is almost indescribable and completely unforgettable.
Vietnam's 'rice-bowl', the Mekong Delta is a rich fertile region of flat
farmland interlaced with thousands of waterways and tributaries of the
mighty Mekong. Known locally as Cuu Long, or the 'River of Nine Dragons', the
Mekong splits into two reaches as it makes its final path through Vietnam
before finally dissipating into the South China Sea. The river provides a
lifelong flurry of activity and commerce among its waters and is interspersed
with seemingly endless rice fields, colourful floating markets, isolated
villages accessed only by boat, and a populace of constantly smiling people.
Annexed from Cambodia by the invading Vietnamese in the 17th Century, the
Delta remains home to descendants of the former Khmer Empire and the region
is scattered with a working collection of temples and resident Buddhists
that continue to use the Khmer language as their mother tongue.
The beautiful and virtually undiscovered beach resort of Phan Thiet lies 120
miles North East of Ho Chi Minh City, a scenic 3.5 hour drive by comfortable
air-conditioned vehicle. On arrival in this small town, visitors are immediately
struck by the hundreds of gaily-painted fishing vessels in the harbour and the
indisputable charm of this delightful seaside city. Above all, Phan Thiet is known
for its beaches- mile upon mile of pristine white sands, lined by Casuarina trees
and Coconut palms. Phan Thiet also boasts the championship level Ocean Dunes
Golf Course, designed by Nick Faldo, surely one of the most beautiful golf
courses in Asia, it enjoys a unique setting along Phan Thiet's glorious coastline.
Add to this a growing array of international-standard hotels and Phan Thiet, with
its laid back charm is set to become one of the favoured tourist destinations in
Vietnam.
Four hundred and forty five kilometres north of Ho Chi Minh City by road, or a
short forty minute flight, lies Vietnam's premier beach resort of Nha Trang.
With a backdrop of mountains, numerous deserted islands and kilometres of
white sandy beaches it is hard not to enjoy the benefits of such an idyllic
location. Nha Trang has benefited from recent develop and offers an array of
hotel accommodation- including the exclusive Ana Mandara Resort with the
sand at its doorstep and the large Viet Pear Resort located on one of its outer
islands. Nha Trang is ideal for a beach interlude, as an extension to a city
stay or a relaxing break in an overland tour.
One of the most ancient cities in Vietnam, Danang was the centre of
the Cham Dynasty from the 2nd century and today boasts the largest
and most impressive collection of Cham artefacts anywherein the world.
Danang's rich cultural history, it's proximity to the extraordinary ruins
of My Son, it's atmospheric riverfront promenade, it's world-famous
Cham Museum all continue to draw visitors. Unwelcome visitors have
made their mark here too, Danang was the first landing-point for the
invading French troops and again decades later for the US Marines.
Close by Danang is China Beach, immortalised for many by the US
television show and still one of the most spectacular beaches in Asia.
Also nearby are the Marble Mountains, the 5 craggy limestone peaks that
are said to represent the 5 elements of the universe. A climb inside
through the hundreds of natural caves and grottoes is a must. Hoi An
is an extraordinary jewel of a town. In a country so ravaged by war, Hoi An
managed to remain untouched, and as you wander the completely traffic-free
streets of this ancient seaport it is not hard to imagine yourslf amidst
the sailors and merchants of the 18th Century, when Hoi An was one of the
busiest trading ports in Asia. Chinese, Japanese and European architecture
bears witness to a cosmopolitan past and allows today's visitors a glimpse of
Vietnam that no longer exists elsewhere.
Visitors to Hue are often taken aback to discover that the sleepy provincial
town of Hue was once the religious, economic and cultural epicentre of
Vietnam, the mighty Imperial headquarters, and the political capital of the
country until 1945. That this glorious architectural masterpiece of a city
should have been reduced almost completely to rubble as a result war is
indeed a tragedy in the truest sense of the word. Thirteen Nguyen Dynasty
Emperors ruled Vietnam from Hue. They built a fortress around the ancient
city, a huge Citadel, with walls 10 metres thick, modelled on Beijing's
Forbidden City. Even this seemingly impenetrable defence though was
useless during the Tet Offensive of 1968, when the proud city of Hue was
reduced to ruins. Hue today has regained it's royal demeanour and is a
calm, peaceful and relaxed place to visit. The remaining French colonial
garden houses and villas, the quiet streets, the riverbanks, the outlying
tombs and pagodas that escaped damage - all give Hue a unique
atmosphere of tranquillity.
Vietnam's capital is described by almost all who go there as "an old-
fashioned city". Old-fashioned in style, it is a city of lakes, parks,
trees, villas, mansions and an area called the Old French Quarter where
crumbling houses are crammed into narrow alleyways that are still named
after the goods that were traded there - Silk Street, Gold Street, even
Fried Fish Street! Old-fashioned in atmosphere, Hanoi has sidewalk
cafes, pavement barbers, less traffic than Saigon, less frenetic
rushing about, less noise, simply less people. Wide tree-lined
bicycle-filled boulevards, elegant colonial French mansions, the
grandeur and solemnity of Ho Chi Minh's monumental Mausoleum, the
incongruous rustic simplicity of the house in which 'Uncle Ho' lived
out his final years, the barely concealed misery of the Hoa Lo Prison,
the 'Hanoi Hilton' where so many prisoners of war were incarcerated,
the religious pride that constructed the beautiful temple of Literature
compound - it's all here in Hanoi, a microcosm of the Vietnamese
culture.
Halong Bay is often called Vietnam's eighth wonder of the world and
once visited, it is hard to dispute that claim. 3000 spectacular
limestone outcroppings, cliffs, arches and coves compete for space
in an area that is without doubt the most outstandingly
naturally beautiful in the country - an incomparable coastal
scenery. Hire a traditionalChinese-style sailing junk and meander
through the area whose name translates as 'Where the Dragon Descends
into the Sea', stop off at an islet and climb through a series of
breathtaking caves and grottoes, marvelling at some of the most
impressive stalactite and stalagmite formations anywhere in the world.
MICE
There was a time not so long ago, when a standard discussion on Vietnam
started, Vietnam does not immediately spring to mind as one of the
world's most popular destinations in which to operate an incentive
program however in the last two years, that has certainly changed!
The truth is that Vietnam offers a sophisticated array of product
to satisfy even the most demanding of clientele. Destination Asia's
proven experience in this market and in Vietnam ensures our clients'
expectations are always pleasantly exceeded.
And just what sort of experience can Vietnam offer? The answers may
surprise:
Consider an elegant catered dinner in the Presidential Palace - now
known as Reunification Palace - made famous when Tank 843 crashed
through its gate on April 30th, 1975 marking the end of the Vietnam
War. Reunification Palace remains unchanged since that time -
including the underground bunkers - walls covered in military maps
and littered with ancient US-manufactured communications equipment.
It was from here that the South Vietnamese military commanded.
A sunset cocktail and dinner aboard a replicate wooden sailing
junk cruising the Saigon River is an introduction to the Mekong
Delta, on which the people of the South are so dependent. From
washing clothes to swimming, the river is an essential part of
daily life. Crawl through the tunnels of Cu Chi where the Viet Cong
resistance fighters lived and fought.
Relive the French heritage of Vietnam that once saw Hanoi known as
the "Paris of the East" in a splendidly restored villa. Or a
classical music performance in the walled courtyard of the
first Vietnamese University, with its Confucian temple, now
known as the Temple of Literature.
Charter a helicopter for the spectacular journey over
endless rice paddies to Halong Bay - Vietnam's natural wonder -
where thousands of limestone karsts jut dramatically out of the
milky depths. Or join a dawn Tai Chi class on the edge of the Lake
of the Restored Sword in central Hanoi. See your hotel transformed
into a Vietnamese Villa where you can sample the local specialties
whilst enjoying a traditional dance performance, or even participate
in a performance of unique Water Puppetry.
Not to be forgotten, those little extra touches such as pillow gifts,
which are also an essential part of the program. Lacquer boxes, silk
robes, coffee table books, framed black and white photographs and more
can easily be obtained and tailored to your requirements.
With a little bit of creativity and a lot of attention to detail,
Destination Asia Vietnam can produce a truly unique and memorable
incentive program which will not be forgotten by you.
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