Vietnam is a diverse country of friendly people, breathtaking landscape of untouched beauty with an almost spiritual connection to nature and vibrant, energetic cities. The mostly Buddhist country encourages harmonious interaction and society. In all aspects, Vietnam mirrors its cuisine — bold flavors and colors, exotic spices and aromas and eclectic mixes of meats and vegetables. How about a visit to a country with more than 50 ethnic groups, pagodas, Pho, tropical rainforests, caves and historic imperial dynasties? Travel advisors at GetAway Travel are ready to help you plan your adventure.

Vietnam’s oldest city, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

 This is a city that practically vibrates with a zest for life. Ho Chi Minh City pays tribute to the nation’s iconic Communist leader, but it still embraces Western influences as well as its Colonial French history. There are world-class museums, skyscrapers sharing spaces with temples and fabulous street food

Northeast of the city are the Cû Chi tunnels. The complicated series of tunnels were used by the Viet Cong to evade the South Vietnamese as well as the Americans. The more than 150 miles of tunnels were used to transport supplies, as hiding spaces, hospitals, communication centers and even living space. They are interesting for their history, but they are a somber reminder of a horrific conflict. The same can be said of the War Remnants Museum. The American war time is documented here, but also the French Colonial and Chinese conflicts.

Reunification Palace, formerly known as Independence Palace is a 1960s style building that seems to be frozen in time. A North Vietnamese tank crashed through the iron gates on April 30, 1975, signaling the end of the war. This palace was the home and office of the president when the North/South split occurred. You can tour the president’s living quarters, the war command center and the basement tunnels. The military vehicles staged outside include tank 843 which rammed the gates.

Ho Chi Minh City Museum is near the palace. Inside the Neo-Classical style building are exhibits that documents the city’s past including the struggle for independence, nature, archeology, trade, village handicrafts, currency and general culture.

Ho Chi Minh City Museum has informative exhibitions that go into detail about the country’s war-ravaged history. The past is depicted with sensitivity, using photos, artifacts and memorabilia.

The Museum of Vietnamese History sits in the middle of lovely botanical gardens. It covers the country’s evolution from the Bronze Age to early 20th century. It has chronological exhibits that highlight the different ethnic groups in the country.

Embrace the religious heritage

 The stunning Jade Emperor Pagoda was constructed in 1909 in honor of the Jade Emperor. It is crammed with glossy paper mâche statues of divinities and heroes of Buddhist and Taoist religions.

You can see the exquisite woodcarvings on the woodwork through the wispy incense smoke as well as the intricate tile work in the ceiling. There are elaborate dragon and animal sculptures on the roof and a huge turtle pond in the front. Some of the turtles have inscriptions carved on their shells.

Thiên Hau Temple in the city’s Chinatown, is one of the oldest and most impressive Chinese temples in the city. It is dedicated to the Lady of the Sea. The altar inside has statues of the goddess and their are intricate porcelain dioramas on the roof that show scenes from 19th century Chinese life.

Water puppetry has been performed in Vietnam for more than 1,000 years. Enjoy a traditional water puppetry show, although improved by being in an air-conditioned theatre. The Golden Dragon Water Puppet show includes live music with bamboo flutes and violins.

Twin towers rise about 190 feet above the landscape in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City and they belong to the Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon. The red-brick cathedral is a prime example of Neo-Romanesque architecture.

The cathedral was a symbol of French Colonial power. The bricks were bought from Marseille and the clock between the two towers came from Switzerland. Inside, there are 56 squares of stained glass from the famous Lorin stained-glass factory in Chartres, France. Twelve pillars represent each of the apostles.

Across the street from the cathedral is the Saigon post office. A favorite meeting place, its architecture was done with the help of blueprints from the Eiffel Tower. The massive foyer has rows of Victorian-era phone booths on each side, there are historic maps on the walls and a huge portrait of Ho Chi Minh keeps watch.

Take some time to get to the Bến Thành Market. The huge outdoor market is crammed with stalls selling fruit, vegetables, flowers, clothes, candy and souvenirs.

 The delta, and beyond Ho Chi Minh City

 A day trip along the channels of the Mekong Delta is an unforgettable experience. Get first-hand views of the people who depend on this waterway. The 15,000 square mile waterway produces more than one-half of the country’s grain and 90% of its exports.

Cát Tiên National Park offers a fabulous opportunity to learn about the country’s wildlife. The park has botanical gardens, low-land forest areas and a number of sanctuaries and rescue centers. You can see golden-cheeked gibbons, silvered langurs (a type of long-tailed monkey) and short or no-tailed primates. The Bear Sanctuary houses sun bears, small nocturnal bears with a brownish-black coat and lighter chests. There are also Asian elephants, clouded leopards and exotic birds including the Asian barred owlet, blue rumped and bar-bellied pittas and orange-necked partridges.

A short distance from Ho Chi Minh City is Buôn Ma Thuột. Amidst the thundering waterfalls are huge areas of coffee shrubs. This is the heart of the country’s coffee industry. There are a number of coffee attractions, but learn about the country and the coffee industry at the source — the World Coffee Museum.

An upcoming blog will cover Hue, Hanoi and the country’s varied cuisine.

 Are you intrigued by the history of Vietnam and its culture? Travel advisors at GetAway Travel can build you a trip that checks all the boxes!