If you might have guessed from the start that I will write a post about Vietnam, then you are certainly not wrong. I love Vietnam not only because it is my country, but also because there are so many charms accumulated in one small country. A country with its magnificent Asian beauty and a Western flow remaining from domination of France and the United States had brought a distinct and unique style to Vietnam. Moreover, its location near the equator of Southeast Asia results in varying climate conditions across the country; you can embrace the cold air and the frosty snow on Sapa Mountain of northern Vietnam, or breathing in the sunshine and the smell of summer nights in Ho Chi Minh City of southern Vietnam. Travelling in Vietnam is suitable for every type of traveler.
In this post, I will take you on a virtual tour to Vietnam (and since I kinda miss home too), where you will be captivated by the beauty of the nature, the reminiscence of the architecture, and the tastiness of the food.
Vietnam Must-See
1. Ha Long Bay
Ha Long Bay is one of the two UNESCO world’s heritage in Vietnam. Located in northeast of Vietnam, Ha Long Bay is known for its spectacular towering limestone islands coated in rain-forest. You will find yourself lost in the beauty of the kingdom of stones, and each pillar is like a soldier guarding the peace of the kingdom. The people here actually name the islands here based on their shapes and figures, like the Sand Princess and the Angry Horse. It is one of these adventures that you will truly appreciate the spectacles of nature.
2. Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park
Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park is the other UNESCO world’s heritage in Vietnam. The National Park is remarkable for its oldest karst mountains in Asia, which was formed 400 million years ago. Phong Nha – Ke Bang is a heaven for cave explorers. It contains some of the very interesting rock formations and distinctive complex karst landform that always stirs great curiosity in the geologists communities. The cave held the record for the longest underground river and the largest combined caverns and passageways in the world.
3. Saigon Notre Dame Basilica
Notre Dame Cathedral was constructed between 1863 and 1880 by the French colonialists and resembled the architecture of 17th-century of France. Before the French domination, Vietnam was deeply influenced by Buddhism. Roman Catholic soon became a major religion when the French colonialists arrived and abandoned many Buddhist pagodas. A myriad of Roman Catholic churches were built for French colonialists’ religious services, but they were usually small. The idea of a big church for gatherings and important religious events was put forward, and a design competition was then initiated. After its construction, the Notre Dame Cathedral became one of the symbols of Saigon, Vietnam. It is 60.5 meters tall (~200 ft.) with two bells attached on the top. In the flower garden in front of the cathedral is a statue of Our Lady of Peace, looking serene and at ease. At night when the lights are on, Notre Dame Cathedral is a nice hanging out place where you can admire the beauty of the city.
4. Hoi An Ancient Town
In contrast to the French architecture of Notre Dame Cathedral, Hoi An Ancient Town bears the charm of an Eastern country. Hoi An is a small town of northern Vietnam, locating near the sea and used to be one of the most important trading ports in between the 15th and 19th century. The town has a unique style – it is a mixture between the charming Chinese wooden merchant houses, the intricate Japanese temples, and the simple yet elegant Vietnamese design. At night, the only lights that light up the little town are the candles on the paper boats that flow across the Thu Bon river and the laterns that are hung at the houses. The unembellished bicycles, the cyclos and the boats that are the main transportation of the locals emphasize the romance of the town as a whole.
5. One-Pillar Pagoda
It is what it is called – One-Pillar Pagoda. Located in the middle of the pond, the One-Pillar Pagoda holds the traditional Chinese architecture and the shape of a lotus that blossoms. Legend tells that the pagoda was taken inspiration from the fatherless king’s dream of being given a baby son resting on a lotus flower by Avalokiteshvara. Emperor Ly Thai Tong then commissioned the pagoda as a symbol of peace and love, which soon became the symbol for Hanoi and the one of the most revered sights in Vietnam. The pagoda is constructed on a single stone pillar, and has been rebuilt several times because the base was destroyed during the French domination.
Vietnam Must-Taste
Vietnamese food are mostly based on five fundamental senses: spicy, sour, salty, bitter, and sweet. The right balance will make it the most savory and healthiest dishes.
1. Pho
You don’t have to visit Vietnam to know Pho; it is popularized around the globe. There are Vietnamese restaurants everywhere that serves Pho. It is a traditional cuisine in Vietnam with a balanced taste of spicy, sweet and sour. It is a dish with broth and a special kind of noodles (the shape of the noodles vary differently from one region to another in Vietnam), a sprinkling of herbs and beef. An addition of lemon would make the taste of the soup for flavorful and delicious.
2. Goi Cuon
Vietnamese goi cuon (or also called ‘summer roll’) is unique kind of spring roll, where the translucent rice paper used to wrap the roll is not fried and remains fresh. The combination in a goi cuon is usually special types of salad greens, a layer of chicken/pork/shrimp, and coriander placed at the top. Then goi cuon is specially rolled and dipped in fish sauce. The importance of the cuisine lays in the fish sauce and how it is prepared to blend in with the taste of the combination.
3. Banh Khot
Banh Khot is a traditional Vietnamese mini pancake with its crunchy outside from the coconut milk. The middle of the pancake is filled with either shrimp or pork and fried spring onions, with a perfect blend of pickled vegetable and fish sauce. The size of Banh Khot despite of being small, fits your mouth perfectly and leaves a satisfying taste.
Han Yu says
Indeed attractive sight and… food! Yes I do personally take the food upon travelling VERY seriously, and I may never find it bothering to search for decent (by this I do not mean costly, rather decent food is the only criteria) food places before anything else when I first arrive at any corner on Earth no matter how remote and exotic the country is. And yes–as you perhaps have expected this, I have been to Southeastern Asia (though not Vietnam) and I AM looking forward to visit Vietnam!