Vietnam has more recently become a favourite with travellers.

Once, the name Vietnam signified not so much a country, but instead, a tragic jungle war. In recent years, however, the lifting of Vietnamese government restrictions and the boom in budget travelling, has enabled more contemporary and relevant portraits of the country to gain currency in the West.

An understanding of history still goes a long way in Vietnam, since the country has a unique civilization and a highly cultured people, but most visitors are entranced by it's landscapes, its delicious cuisine and the opportunity to witness the invigorating, early days of Vietnam's renewed contact with the West.

Bordering Cambodia, Laos and China the country stretches over 1,600 km along the eastern coast of the Indo-Chinese Peninsula. The country's two main cultivated areas are the Red River Delta (15,000 square kms) in the north and the Mekong Delta (60,000 square kms) in the south. Three-quarters of the country is mountainous and hilly; the highest peak is the 3,143-meter-high Fansipan in northwest Vietnam.

Geography & Wildlife

Vietnam is made up of equatorial lowlands, high, temperate plateaus and alpine peaks. Although Vietnam's wildlife is rich, it is in precipitous decline because of the destruction of habitats and illegal hunting. Less than 20 percent of the country remains forested, and what remains is under threat from slash and burn agriculture and excessive harvesting. Fauna includes elephants, rhinoceros, tiger, leopard, black bear, snub-nosed monkey, crocodile and turtle. This is one country definitely worth exploring...