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Con Dao Island looks like a bear rising from
the sea to east of the most southern point of the country.
Originally a prison for patriots and revolutionists
during the French and American resistance, Con Dao Island
sheltered brave revolutionary spirits of the Vietnamese
people. More than 22,000 prisoners who dedicated their
lives to national independence were incarcerated on
the isolated island of Con Dao.
Con Dao Island is also famous for its nice beaches
shaded with evergreen trees, fresh air, clear blue waters,
and primitive forests. Some of those beaches include
Dam Trau Hang Duong and Phi Yen where visitors can relax
and enjoy the warm temperature.
Ho Chi Minh City investors built the Phi Yen Sea Resort
to accommodate visitors. The best time to visit Con
Dao Island is from March to June, when the sea is calm.
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Dalat is located in Lam Dong province, approximately
200 km northeast of Ho Chi Minh City. At an elevation
of 1,500 m, Dalat bears the look of an Old French city.
It was founded in 1897 when Doctor Alexandre Yersin
recommended that the area be developed as a resort town.
 Dalat
has many natural and artificial lakes such as Ho Xuan
Huong,Than Tho, Da Thien, and Tuyen Lam bordered by
lines of pine trees, which are a well-known feature
of Dalat.A trip to Dalat is not over unless one goes
to Dalat Flower Gardens. The temperate climate of Dalat
is suitable for flowers such as orchids, roses, lilies,
and camellias.
Nowadays, tourists not only limit themselves to Dalat,
but they also visit the area of Langbian Highland and
the ethnic minorities. Langbian Mountain¦s highest
peak at 2,165 m is very tempting for climbers. From
Lom BiengKlo peak, one can see endless green mountains
reflecting the silver sun rays. Many tours are organized
in the area including parachuting and climbing.
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Area: 942 sq. km
Population: 684,131
Provincial Capital: Danang City
Districts: Hoa Vang, Hoang Sa
Economic potentialities: service industry,
marine products, agriculture
Danang City is located in Central Vietnam; it is surrounded
by Thua Thien Hue along the northern border and Quang
Nam on the southern border. The main ethnic groups living
in this area are the Kinh, Xo Dang, Co Tu, Co, and Gie
Trieng. The tropical monsoon climate is divided into
two seasons: the rainy and dry seasons. The average
temperature is 25.6
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Area : 921 sq. kilometers
Population (1999): 2,672,122
Average annual temperature: 23.4oC
Hanoi is the socical, cultural, and economic center
of Vietnam
Districts:
Hoan Kiem, Hai Ba Trung, Ba Dinh, Dong Da, Tay Ho, Cau
Giay, Thanh Xuan and five rural districts: Tu Liem,
Gia Lam, Dong Anh, Thanh Tri, Soc Son.
Economic potentialities:
Hanoi is the political, economical, and cultural center
of the country.
Hanoi is located in the Red River Delta, in the center
of North Vietnam. It was founded in 1010 under the reign
of Ly Cong Uan King. The tropical monsoon climate is
divided into the rainy and dry seasons. The most distinctive
characteristic of Hanois climate is the fluctuations
between the cold and hot seasons.
Hanoi still preserves many ancient architectural works
including the Old Quarter and over 600 pagodas. Hectares
of lakes lie intertwined between the streets, the largest
ones being Hoan Kiem Lake, West Lake, and Truc Bach
Lake. Many traditional handicrafts are also practiced
in Hanoi including bronze molding, silver carving, lacquer,
and embroidery.
Other famous sites include the One Pillar Pagoda (built
in 1042), the Temple of Literature (built in 1070),
the Tay Phuong Pagoda, which is very famous for its
collection of statues, and Lenin Park.
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Area: 2,090 sq. km
Population: 5,037,155
Districts:
1 to 12, Tan Binh, Binh Thanh, Phu Nhuan, Thu Duc, Go
Vap; six rural districts: Nha Be, Can Gio, Hoc Mon,
Cu Chi, Binh Chanh
Economic potentialities: 
Ho Chi Minh City is not only a commercial center but
also a scientific, technological, industrial and tourist
center. Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon,
lies between the Mekong Delta and South Vietnam. It
is 1,730 km from Hanoi and 50 km from the East Sea.
The city is the second most important in Vietnam after
Hanoi. The main ethnic groups populating the area are
the Kinh and Hoa.
 This
region is crisscrossed by hundreds of rivers and canals,
the largest being the Saigon River. The Port of Saigon,
established in 1862, is accessible to ships weighing
up to 30,000 tons, a rare advantage for an inland river
port.
The climate is generally hot and humid. The annual
average temperature is 27oC. The hottest month is April
and the coldest is December. Over the past centuries,
Saigon, once praised as the "Pearl of the Far East,"
was known as an important trading center for Chinese,
Japanese, and Western merchants who traveled upstream
the Saigon River to Pho Island.
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Hue was once the capital of the country during
both the Tay Son and Nguyen dynasties. Throughout the
centuries, Hue has become a large complex of architectural
relics and picturesque elegance. UNESCO recognized Hue
as a World Heritage site.
Royal Citadel
The Royal Citadel is located on the banks of the Perfume
River. The construction of the square citadel, which
was exclusively made from bricks, started in 1805. The
wall is 6 m high, 20 m thick and surrounded by a moat.
The citadel has ten gates: Nha Do, Sap, Ngan, Thuong
Tu, Dong Ba, Ke Trai, Hau, An Hoa, Chanh Tay, and Huu.
 Imperial
Enclosure
The Imperial Enclosure is located in the center of the
citadel. It mainly consists of the Noon Gate, Great
Rites Courtyard, Thai Hoa Palace, Dai Cung (Great Court)
Gate, Thuong Uyen (Royal) Garden, Trieu Temple, Thai
Temple, Hien Lam Pavilion, Hung Temple, and Phung Tien
Temple.
Forbidden Citadel 
Constructed in 1804, early in the reign of Emperor Gia
Long , it was first called Cung Thanh, City of Residences,
and later renamed Forbidden Purple City by Emperor Minh
Mang in 1822. It is connected with the Imperial Enclosure
by seven gates.
Some of the architectural constructions found in the
Forbidden Purple City include the Can Chanh Palace,
Ta Huu Vu (Left and Right Houses), Can Thanh Palace,
Khon Thai Residence, Kien Trung Palace, Royal Library,
and Royal Theater.
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Area: 17,133 sq.km
Population: 588,666
Provincial Capital: Dien Bien
Districts: Muong Te, Phong Tho, Muong
Lay, Tua Chua, Tuan Giao, Dien Bien
Economic potentialities: forestry
Lai Chau is located in northwest Vietnam
and shares borders with China, Laos, and Lao Cai and
Son La. The population consists mainly of the Thai,
Si La, and La Chi minority groups.
The tropical monsoon climate brings a
rainy summer and a short winter. The annual average
temperature is 23 and the average rainfall is 2,500
mm. Lai Chau's historical vestiges are known worldwide
as the site of the victory of Dien Bien Phu by the Vietnamese
Army over the French in 1954. This is where various
minority people first settled down.
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Mai Chau is located in Hoa Binh province, approximately
135 km from Hanoi and 60 km from Hoa Binh. From the
top of Cun Mountain, one can admire the superb panorama
of Mai Chau surrounded by a green valley and stilt houses.
Many minorities, including the Thai ethnic group, live
in Mai Chau.
Stilt houses border both sides of the roads. The houses
are quite large with palm leaf roofs and polished bamboo-slat
floors. The kitchen is located in the center of the
house; the cooking as well as the making of the colorful
tho cam, the material used by Thai minority to make
their clothes, takes place in the kitchen. The windows
are large and decorated with patterns. Each house also
has a pond to breed fish.
The Sunday market brings a lot of people into town.
People from different minorities living in the mountains
come to Mai Chau market to sell their specific products:
honey, bananas, corn, and tho cam made by skilled Thai
women. The Sunday market is also an occasion to enjoy
traditional Thai dishes and to participate in traditional
dances.
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My Son, located 69 km southwest of Danang, was
an imperial city during the Cham dynasty, between the
4th and 12th centuries. My Son Sanctuary is a large
complex of religious relics that comprises more than
70 architectural works. They include temples and towers
that connect to each other with complicated red brick
designs. The main component of the Cham architectural
design is the tower, built to reflect the divinity of
the king.
According to records on the stone stele, the prime
foundation of the ancient My Son architectural complex
was a wooden temple to worship the SivaBhadresvera genie.
In the late 16th century, a big fire destroyed the temple.
Step by step, historical mysteries were unveiled by
scientists. Through stone stele and royal dynasties,
they proved My Son to be the most important Holy Land
of the Cham people from the late 4th to the 15th centuries.
For many centuries, the Cham built Lip, a mutually linked
architectural complex, with baked bricks and sandstone.
The main temple worships the Linga-Yoni, who represents
the capability of invention. Beside the main tower (Kalan)
are several sub-towers worshipping Genies or deceased
kings. Although time and the wars have destroyed some
towers, the remaining sculptural and architectural remnants
still reflect the style and history of the art of the
Cham people. Their masterpieces mark a glorious time
for the architecture and culture of the Cham, as well
as of Southeast Asia.
Each historical period has its own identity, so that
each temple worshipping a genie or a king of a different
dynasty has its own architectural style full of different
impression. All of the Cham towers were built on a quadrate
foundations and each comprises three parts:
a solid tower base, representing the world of human
beings, the mysterious and sacred tower body, representing
the world of spirits, and the tower top built in the
shape of a man offering flowers and fruits or of trees,
birds, animals, etc., representing things that are close
to the spirits and human beings.
According to many researchers of the ancient Cham towers,
the architectural art of the Cham towers at My Son Sanctuary
is the convergence of different styles, including the
continuity of the ancient style in the 7th-8th centuries,
the Hoa Lai style of the 8th-9th centuries, the Dong
Duong style from the mid-9th century, the My Son and
My Son-Binh Dinh styles, etc. Among the remnants of
many architectural sites excavated in 1898, a 24 metres
high tower was found in the Thap Chua area and coded
A I by archaeologists and researchers on My Son. This
tower is a masterpiece of ancient Cham architecture.
It has two doors, one in the east and the other in the
west. The tower body is high and delicate with a system
of paved pillars; six sub-towers surround the tower.
This two storey tower looks like a lotus flower. The
top of the upper layer is made of sandstone and carved
with elephant and I ion designs. In the lower layer,
the walls are carved with fairies and water evils and
men riding elephants. Unfortunately, the tower was destroyed
by US bombs in 1969.
After the My Son ancient tower complex was discovered,
many of its artifacts, especially statues of female
dancers and genies worshipped by the Cham people, worship
animals and artifacts of the daily communal activities,
were collected and displayed at the Cham Architecture
Museum in Danang city. Although there are not many remnants
left, those that remain display the typical sculptural
works of cultural value of the Cham nationality. Furthermore,
they are vivid proof, confirming the history of a nationality
living within the Vietnamese community boasting of a
rich cultural tradition.
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The 7-km-long white-sanded beach
of Nha Trang is often called Vietnam Mediterranean Area.
It is sunny all year round, with an average temperature
of 23 due to northern winds. The rainfall in Nha Trang
is less than anywhere else in the country and the area
is not threaten by storms since it is protected by the
Truong Son Mountains and Ca Pass. From Ca Pass, one
can see Ro Paddle, Ke Ga Cape, Hon Do, and Tran Nam
Paddle.
Hon Tre Island is 25 km2 and belongs to
a group of islands located southwest of Nha Trang. It
takes 2 hours to reach Hon Tre Island by rowboat and
only 20 minutes by ferry. Nha Trang benefits from the
topographical advantages of the sea, islands, mountains,
and deltas. An endless range of mountains is located
west of Nha Trang; a wide variety of animals and birds
live in the mountains where one can hunt.
Nha Trang has many specialties. Every
year, bird's nest soup, or Yen nest soup, is cooked.
Nha Trang has the most Yen birds in all Vietnam. Also
the magnificent coral seabed in Nha Trang makes it ideal
for scubadiving and snorkeling.
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The best time to witness the scenic beauty of Sapa
is in April and May. Before that period, the weather
might be cold and foggy; after that period is the rainy
season. In April and May, Sapa is blooming with flowers
and green pastures. The clouds that settle in the valley
in early mornings quickly disappear into thin air.
Located at 1,500 m above sea level, Sapa lies on the
side of Hoang Lien Son Mountains, 333 km northwest of
Hanoi. Sapa's flora is diversified, ranging from flowers
to tropical fruits; among  the
most popular fruits produced in Sapa are apples, pears,
peaches, and plums.
Sapa has many natural sites such as Thac Bac, Thuy
Cung Grotto, Gio Cave, Troi Gate, and Truc Forest. Sapa
is also the starting point of many climbers and scientists
who want to reach the top of Fansipan Mountain, the
highest mountain in Vietnam at 3,143 m. Hoang Lien Son
Mountains is also called the Alps of the North Sea area,
since Fansipan Mountain is not only the highest peak
in Vietnam, but also in the Indochina Peninsula. The
pyramid-shaped mountain is covered with clouds all year
round and temperatures often drop below zero, especially
at high elevations.
To reach Sapa, one can take a train to Lao Cai and
take a bus to Sapa from there. On Sundays, Nung, Dao,
Tay, Cao Lan, Paxi, and Xa Phong minorities in their
colorful clothes ride down the mountain to take part
in the Sunday market at the foot of Fansipan Mountain.
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Area: 1,965 sq. km
Population: 800,568
Provincial Capital: Vung Tau City
Districts: Chau Duc, Tan Thanh, Xuyen
Moc, Long Dat, Con Dao
Economic potentialities: marine resources
Ba Ria-Vung Tau is located in Southern Vietnam, northeast
of the Mekong Delta. It is a popular resort approximately
120 km from Ho Chi Minh City. The province is inhabited
by people of the Kinh, as well as the Hoa and Tay ethnic
groups.
 The
tropical monsoon climate is influenced by the ocean
and has an annual average temperature of 27. This province
benefits from more than 2,700 hours of sunlight annually.
There are beautiful beaches, such as Back, Front, and
Dau Beaches, located in the southern part of Vung Tau.
Con Dao Island, approximately 90 km southeast of Vung
Tau, has a dense forest with various kinds of animals.
The sea in this area is home to various valuable marine
species.
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