Some 1,600kms separate the dramatic mountains along the Chinese border
- reaching over 3,000m and where snow is not unknown - to the tropical
Mekong Delta lying between the warm waters of the Gulf of Thailand and the South China Sea.
Diversity! Vietnam boasts not only some of S. E. Asia's best natural sites, with the 'Tonkinese Alps' and incredible
Halong and Bai Tu Long Bays of the north, past the stunning, pristine beaches and fascinating
Central Highlands region to the picturesque beauty of the Delta, but in bustling
Saigon and graceful
Hanoi, 2 of the regions great cities and in imperial
Hue and well preserved
Hoi An, 2 of it's most historic.
Geography, the country's improving, but still basic, transport infrastructure and relative lack of tourist facilities outside of the most popular destinations can make Vietnam relatively difficult for independent travel and indeed the shear size of the country makes even organized tours less than easy. It would take months to try and see everything!
We don't think it's worth trying, so
Travel & Leisure Vietnam circuits consists firstly of the more classic,
Hanoi to
Saigon route, taking in some of the 'main sites' but with the added dimension of detours to much less visited but equally interesting areas, along with a 2nd itinerary concentrating on the rarely visited, but seriously spectacular, northern mountains region and a 3rd taking in Saigon and the Delta region before travelling up the Mekong to Cambodia.
