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Overview
Of The Most Attractive Tourist
Destinations In Vietnam
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SOUTHERN
VIETNAM
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Saigon is the former name of Ho Chi Minh City which was once
also called "the Pearl of the Far East". Still the
largest city and the industrial and trading centre of Vietnam,
Ho Chi Minh City is now on the way to regain its heyday. This
can be seen through its development velocity and changes taking
place almost everyday. The modern life of the city shows in
the many hotels of international standards, restaurants, cafés
and night-life. However, Ho Chi Minh City is still much more
with pagodas, temples, museums and markets which give visitors
knowledge of the city's history and evolution as well as local
people's daily life. Tourists, of course, should not miss
a visit to Ho Chi Minh City's bustling Chinatown (or "Cholon"
in Vietnamese) where the city's Chinese community mostly live
in. From Ho Chi Minh City, one-day excursions are easily arranged
for tourists to the famous system of underground tunnels of
Cu Chi and/or to Tay Ninh Province to the magnificent Great
Temple of Caodaism - a religion uniquely found in Vietnam,
or for a boat trip on Mekong river in the Mekong Delta.
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Mekong
Delta
On the map this vast area encircles the downstream of the
Mekong river which is to Vietnamese people the "Nine
Dragon river". The nine dragons here correspond to the
river's nine estuaries through which the river flows into
the East Sea. Being called the "rice basket" of
Vietnam, the delta boasts large rice paddies with beautiful
landscapes. Tourists can also take small boats into small
canals to visit local farmers' houses hidden in large orchards
of longan, rambuttan, sapodilla, etc. A trip to know thoroughly
the farmers' daily life and to enjoy the seasonal tropical
fruits the shady gardens is truthfully an unforgettable and
rewarding experience for those coming here to the Vietnamese
countryside.
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Cu
Chi Underground Tunnels
Situated in a suburban district of Ho Chi Minh City of the
same name - Cu Chi, this renowned network of over 250km-long
tunnels became famous around the world during the Vietnam
war. This was also the site of years of fierce struggles and
an example of Vietnamese people's bravery and endurance. Once
coming here, tourists will comprehend the reason why Vietnam
had won the war despite large amounts of modern weapons and
money had been used. This network of tunnels which was dug
out underground and used as the Vietnamese guerrillas' nearest
base to Saigon during the Vietnam war is now an attraction
for foreign tourists as well as for local people. A half-day
trip is easily arranged from Ho Chi Minh City which is only
about 75km from the tunnels.
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Tay Ninh
The province of Tay Ninh has long been the headquarters of
Caodaism, a religion that can only be found in Vietnam. This
unique religion, which is a mixture of Buddhism, Confucianism
and Christianity, was once very popular among the people of
the region and in the Mekong Delta. Tourists will be amazed
by the magnificent Great Temple (also called the "Holy
See") where four times a day masses will be held of which
the noon service is most important. As for those who do not
have much time in Vietnam, a visit from Ho Chi Minh City to
the Great Temple of Caodaism in Tay Ninh can be combined with
the trip to Cu Chi Underground Tunnels, and we can have a
full day-trip to these both interesting places.
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