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Destination Guide: Vietnam |
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Welcome to Vietnam!
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Welcome to Vietnam, South East Asia’s recently discovered jewel in the crown. With
2000km of emerald sea coastline, picture-perfect rural life, endless rice fields
amid stunning mountain ranges, it’s not hard to see why Vietnam was voted one of
the top ten countries for tourism and travel development between now and 2016.*
Vietnam is all that and more, and goQTT will open the door for you to meet some
of the friendliest people on the planet, visit exciting modern cites and ancient
cultural sites, and travel in a safe and comfortable manner. Come join us to unravel
the mysteries and hidden natural beauties of this vibrant country.
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* Research from the World Tourism and Travel Council in cooperation with the Oxford
Economic Forecasting predicts Vietnam will be one of the top ten countries for tourism
and travel development from 2007 to 2016.
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North Vietnam
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The Vietnamese nation was born in the North, in the cradle of the Red River delta.
Great distances divide the North from the South and it’s no coincidence that the
two extremes have vastly different histories and cultures. A trip to the North offers
a glance at a rich and ancient culture that is still alive today, as well as exquisite
landscapes from the limestone rock formations of Halong Bay to Indochina’s highest
peak, Mount Fansipan.
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Hanoi
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Hanoi is considered the sacred land of Vietnam and was first made the political
head of the North in 1010 when Ly Thai Tho, founder of the Ly Dynasty, transferred
the capital from Hoa Lu to the newly named, Thang Long (soaring dragon), later to
be baptized Hanoi. Unlike its younger and more brash Southern counterpart Ho Chi
Minh City, Hanoi’s past is steeped in a history of invasion and rule by the Chinese,
and the ensuing years of subjugation and resistance. It also became the breeding
ground for Viet Minh resistance fighters against the French during the Franco-Viet
Minh War (1946-1954) and was the stronghold for Vietnam’s revolutionary communist
leader, Ho Chi Minh. You can see the former leader in the flesh at the Ho Chi Minh
mausoleum complex.
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Although only a population of 3.5 million, Hanoi is an impressive and elegant city with French colonial buildings, beautiful lakes, temples and pagodas. Hours can be happily enjoyed meandering the city’s Old Quarter and tranquil Hoan Kiem lake. Other Hanoi highlights include the One Pillar Pagoda (1049) and a stroll through the courtyards and gardens of the Temple of Literature (1070), home to a Confucian sanctuary and Vietnam’s first ever university. Stop off at the grand Hanoi Opera House and marvel at the unique Northern tradition of water puppetry, where puppeteers gracefully and humorously tell pastoral fables. Hanoi is also the stepping stone to a number of villages that specialize in traditional handicrafts ranging from silk and embroidery to pottery and bronze casting.
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Halong Bay
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To the east of Hanoi is the port of Haiphong with its tree-lined grand boulevards
and the gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Halong Bay, undoubtedly one
of the world’s great natural wonders. Ha Long means “the land of the descending
dragon”, and here turquoise seas are peppered with some 3000 limestone islands that
nature has beaten into the most incredible of shapes, jutting out like precious
jewels. A cruise through Halong Bay will take you to small islands and their hidden
caves and secret inlets for swimming, walking or relaxation on deck. Let us help
organize a luxurious boat cruise or a romantic overnight stay in a red-sailed junk,
or have fun and adventure in the bay as you set out in a kayak to feel the awesome
power of nature.
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Sapa
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To the north-west of Hanoi, you can take a train trip to visit Vietnam’s most colorful
ethnic minority groups, who inhabit the region coined the Tonkinese Alps by the
French. Sapa, set up as a colonial hill resort in 1922, is a picturesque alpine
village with opportunities for trekking, tasting local specialties and meeting the
friendly hill-tribe groups. Minority villages dot the landscape like distant boats
at sea; and terraced rice paddies along sheer hillsides give the impression of a
giant sculpted garden. For the really adventurous, Mt Fansipan, the region’s highest
peak can be climbed in a few days, and if weather permits, affords breathtaking
views of China in the north and Laos to the southwest.
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Ninh Binh
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Further south are more natural wonders including Tam Coc, dubbed the “inland Halong
Bay”. You’ll be taken on a private tour in a small row boat along the meandering
river, past rural scenes and through river caves carved out underneath the gargantuan
limestone rocks that define this landscape. The town of Ninh Binh nearby offers
you a chance to visit the ancient citadel of Hoa Lu, Vietnam’s dynastic capital
from 968 to 1009.
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When to Go
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Unlike the South, North Vietnam experiences distinct seasons. Winter (Nov - Apr) can be cool and damp but is never too cold (15 - 20°C) for traveling. However Sapa does get down to 0°C. Summer (May – Oct) is great for visiting sights like Halong Bay when the weather is hot and sunny. Mid-Summer can be quite humid with afternoon heavy rains and temperatures around 30°C. The ideal time to enjoy the North is late Summer (Sept – Oct) or late Winter or Springtime (Mar – Apr).
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goQTT Tips
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Soak up the birth of the Vietnamese civilization in the city of Hanoi and its Old Quarter, where ancient Chinese and colonial French imprints remain
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Follow the war path and visit Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum, the legendary “Hanoi Hilton” or head west to the famous battle site of Dien Bien Phu
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Head into the hills and see the color and life of hill-tribe minorities in Sapa
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Visit Hoa Lu, Vietnam’s ancient dynastic capital, and Tam Coc, dubbed “the inland Halong Bay”, a less touristy but equally spectacular landscape
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Take our North Adventure Tour and be one of the few to climb Mount Fansipan
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