Silverbird Travel - The Far East travel Specialists

The hosts are charming and pace of change electric. Since Vietnam doffed its conical hat in a gesture of doi moi, or openness, to the outside world, it is now possible to explore every corner and crevice of this astonishingly scenic, stylish, diverse and dignified country, with confidence and in absolute safety.

The main gateway cities and cultural attractions are linked by air, coach, car or, for the more adventurous, trains such as the Reunification Express train (40 hours to do it all!)

Nearly 800 miles of sandy coastline make Vietnam ideal for a city and beach or touring and beach holiday. The number and choice of resorts across a range of categories has mushroomed in recent years and service levels, with rare exceptions, have improved dramatically to match the best in Asia.

Choose from traditional resort areas such as the old market town of Hoi An or cosmopolitan Da Nang or newly developed areas such as Nha Trang or Phan Thiet.

More recent additions include new hotels on Phu Quoc Island, wonderful hill walking in Mai Chau and Sa pa; cooking classes to learn some of the skills in producing typical dishes and take time to relax on a traditional junk in the Halong Bay area.

For the golfers there is now the new Montgomerie Links, in Danang on the central coast together with the original course at The Dalat Palace Golf Club in the Highlands north of Ho Chi Minh City and the Nick Faldo designed course, the Ocean Dunes Golf Club in Phan Thiet.

Vietnamese cuisine is unlike any other in Asia, as shown on the Rick Stein Far Eastern Odyssey. Rice and noodle dishes are the staple of Vietnamese food whilst fish, chicken, and/or pork dishes served along with cooked vegetables and rice form a typical meal. The distinct flavours of Vietnamese food come primarily from mint leaves, coriander, lemon grass, shrimp, fish sauce, ginger, black pepper, garlic and basil. The countries main regions, North, Central and the South each has its own distinct cuisine. Generally the North is best known for its noodle soups and meat and seafood stir-fries. The central region, especially in and around the former capital Hue, has some of the most elaborate dishes. In the south, where there is a greater abundance of spices, the food tends to be a little hotter.

Don’t forget that it is Hanoi’s 1000th Year anniversary in 2010. There will be celebrations and festivities throughout the city in the lead up to the big day on the 10th October.

Although no direct services from the UK Vietnam Airlines flies non-stop from Paris and Frankfurt with connecting flights on Air France, Lufthansa and British Airways from UK airports.

Read the Foreign & Commonwealth Office's official travel advice for Vietnam.

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	Ho Chi Minh City Ho Chi Minh City in the hot south is hooked on speed. Everything about the former Saigon is fast, loud, modern, remodelled or subject to overnight change, save some beautifully preserved churches and temples plus a fascinating collection of museums, mementoes or excursions echoing past struggles. Saigon was summed up as a "French town in a hot country" by Norman Lewis in the 1950's but nowadays this is a Vietnamese city through and through. The first thing you will notice? The seemingly thousands of motorcycles and bicycles streaming everywhere and anywhere. And the first thing you will ask yourself? How am I going to cross the road! Watch everyone else and then do as they do. Head for the landmark, the Rex Hotel and the rooftop bar for a bird's eye view of the lively streets below. Very touristy and a tad overpriced but sitting amongst this historical site is just one on the list of must do's in Saigon! Dont miss: The War Remnants Museum; Historical Museum; Notre Dame Cathedral and the Post Office (wait until you see it); Chinatown; Cu Chi underground tunnels; a boat excursion to the floating markets and villages of the Mekong Delta are a few of the attractions.


	Hanoi Although also fast developing, Hanoi, the capital in the cooler north, is peppered with lakes, parks and grand, old colonial villas built by the French standing next to colourful Chinese temples and houses. It was the former capital of North Vietnam and the place from where the Viet Minh fought the South Vietnamese and American armies during the Vietnam War. The most well-known "eating street" where you find a lot of people crouching on small stools at street food stalls is Tong Duy Tan where you can eat the classic dish "pho" (rice noodle soup with beef or chicken) and "mi xao" (crispy noodles sautéed with seafood, meat and vegetables). Over on Cha Ca Street is Cha Ca La Vuong serving the locally celebrated version of cha ca (fried fish and herb parcels served over rice noodles). For more upmarket dining there is Emperor, where you can eat in the garden courtyard, inside the traditional wooden house or up on the balcony or Chim Sao, one of Hanoi's smartest places to eat. And for drinking? Sip a long cool drink at the Bamboo Bar in the Metropole Hotel. Altogether a quieter, more cerebral city given to contemplation or browsing art galleries, monuments, markets and cafes. Dont miss: The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum; Van Mieu (Temple of Literature); Chua Mot Cot (One Pillar Pagoda); Old Quarter markets; excursions to Ha Long Bay (day trip or overnight on a junk) and the former French colonial hill station of Sapa. This region can get surprisingly cool in December and January. And, of course, a definite must see is a Water Puppet performance accompanied by traditional Vietnamese music.


	Hue Hue, in the centre of the country, is the former imperial capital. Straddling the Perfume River, it is home to magnificent pagodas, temples and royal tombs. It is the seat of learning (Ho Chi Minh attended university here) and was once home to the Vietnamese Royal family with more than 140 palaces, most of which were destroyed during the Vietnam War. Dont miss: The Royal Citadel and Forbidden Purple City; the tombs of the Nguyen Dynasty including the well-preserved tomb of Tu Duc, the emperor who died in 1883; Thien Mu Pagoda, the largest in the city; a trip along the Perfume River.


	Hoi An Image courtesy of Victoria Hotels & Resorts: A UNESCO World heritage site, Hoi An is a splendid example of an exceptionally well-preserved South-East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century. Reflecting in its architecture are the various regional influences of Chinese, Japanese and Portuguese. This influx of foreign visitors resulted in a mix of architectural styles ranging from Chinese halls to grand merchants' homes and French villas. The town centre is largely pedestrianised and in recent years good restaurants, coffee shops and market stalls have opened in abundance with dozens of art galleries, textile houses and museums. My Son is also a place not to be missed. As another of the UNESCO's listed World Heritage sites it has numerous historical and religious structures and architecture dating back to the Cham dynasty. Dont miss: Silk workshops; Take a short taxi ride to the Cham ruins of My Son


	Northern Vietnam One of the great natural wonders of the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Halong Bay covers an area of 1,500 km over which are scattered thousands of limestone islands and grottoes rising from the clear, emerald waters of the Gulf of Bac Bo. The perfect way to see this UNESCO World Heritage Site is to spend a night aboard a charming wooden junk. The mystical beauty of the bay and its islands is only fully appreciated while cruising among the islands, fjords and inlets. Sapa is one of Vietnam's most scenic destinations, set high in the mountains near the China border; it is most famous for its terraced rice paddies and colourful local markets. Home to numerous ethnic tribes and boasting the highest mountain in Indochina, the area was a favourite with French colonialists as far back as 1920. One of the great natural wonders of the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Halong Bay covers an area of 1,500 km over which are scattered thousands of limestone islands and grottoes rising from the clear, emerald waters of the Gulf of Bac Bo. The perfect way to see this UNESCO World Heritage Site is to spend a night aboard a charming wooden junk. The mystical beauty of the bay and its islands is only fully appreciated while cruising among the islands, fjords and inlets. Sapa is one of Vietnam's most scenic destinations, set high in the mountains near the China border; it is most famous for its terraced rice paddies and colourful local markets. Home to numerous ethnic tribes and boasting the highest mountain in Indochina, the area was a favourite with French colonialists as far back as 1920. Reached via an overnight train from Hanoi. Closer to Hanoi is Mai Chau. Approximately 135 km from Hanoi is home to many ethnic minority groups such as the Muong, the H’mong, Zao and Viet. The hill tribes are famous for their handicrafts in particular for their skills in embroidering clothes. Overnight stays in either the rugged but comfortable Mai Chau Lodge or spend a night in a local homestay. There are a range of nature walks, cycling and visiting hill tribe villages; visit Soldier Cave and walk to the villages of Pom Coong and Lac. Dont miss: crusing around Halong Bay;


	Beaches of Vietnam Because of its location and air links, DANANG, Vietnam's fourth largest city, acts as a hub for the centre of the country. Danang itself is a busy sea port surrounded by spectacular mountain scenery. The ancient civilisation of Champa was one of South East Asia's richest cultures and most of the remaining evidence can be seen around Danang. The white sandy beach on the outskirts of the city is Non Nuoc, the famous CHINA BEACH, and an ideal spot to spend a few days R & R whilst touring. Good hotels, long white sandy beach and about 45 minutes drive from Hoi An. Best time to visit? Probably January-August with July being the hottest month. Becoming more and more popular with the tourists in recent years NHA Trang still retains its small town atmosphere. The city is flanked by nearly ten kilometres of prime beach where the water is warm year round. Nha Trang also has the lowest level of humidity in the whole of Vietnam. The clear blue waters are ideal for swimming and snorkelling. With several nearby islands and a growing number of international standard hotels, it offers another option for relaxation and rest. Some 200 kilometres east from Ho Chi Minh City, PHAN THIET is its nearest beach resort, a journey of about 4 hours. Most of the beaches are just east of the town with Mui Ne being one of the best. Golfers will enjoy the Ocean Dunes golf course, designed by Nick Faldo, and a classic links course. The clue is in the name as the area has some of the best sand dunes but watch out if it is windy! Around here you can kite surf and sail. Image courtesy of Victoria Hotels & Resorts: PHU QUOC ISLAND - famous for its Nuoc Mam (fish sauce) and the largest island in Vietnam close to the border with Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand. Reached by flight from Saigon to Duong Dong nowadays there are about 7 flights a day on quite small (72 seat) aircraft. Still in its infancy with regard to tourist infrastructure but for some people that is a plus point. Dont miss: Buy a bottle of Nuoc Mam so you can practise your culinary skills back home;