• Socialist Republic of Vietnam
  • Capital: Hanoi

Facts

  • Population: 92 million
  • Language: Vietnamese (English is widely spoken in Ho Chi Ming City and elsewhere where tourist go)
  • Religion: Buddhism
  • Life expectancy: 73 years (men), 81 years (women)
  • Currency: dong

Notes

  • The UNWTO reported that Vietnam had the third largest increase in tourist numbers in 2017.
  • People are very friendly.
  • Food is delicious, even the street food.
  • The northern part of the country sometimes seems more rigid. People are more relaxed as you travel south.
  • Vietnam is a one-party Communist state, however it is seen by the west as increasingly open and welcoming to new ideas.
  • The country is not without it’s corruption, which I often witnessed, particularly in the Hanoi.

Tourism

  • On the verge of overtourism: Ho Chi Minh City (aka: Saigon)Β (World Travel & Tourism Council, 2019)
  • Lots of history in Hue, the traditional capital
  • Hotspots: Ho Chi Minh City
    • Instead consider:
      • Da Lat, north of Ho Chi Minh City, where adventurers can indulge themselves with canyoneering, white water rafting, and a high ropes course.
      • Sapa – nature lovers can embrace the serenity of the mountains, tour to the Love and Silver waterfalls, and visit the historic Cat Cat village.

Coffee Notes

  • Coffee in Vietnam is delicious and to be experienced for the coffee lover.
  • Cafe sua da is the local coffee in Hoi An
  • Can enjoy a cup for $1.80.
  • Coarsely ground coffee beans are loaded into a drip filter, which spits out super-strong coffee, one drop at a time.
  • Ice cubes and sweetened condensed milk are added for those wanting a more refreshing drink.

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