Tourism in Vietnam

Shifa Abbas 8.7 1682

 Where is Vietnam
Vietnam is located in the south-east of Asia and takes up 310,070 square kilometres of land making it the 66th largest
country. The population of Vietnam has increased from 20 million to 92.7 million since 1960. 92.7 million is 1.27% of the
total population. Ranks number 15 in population in the list of the world’s countries. Vietnam is surrounded by China and
Laos towards the north, Combodia and Thailand towards the south and Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia towards the
east and southeast.
Vietnam is a country of tropical lowlands, rolling green hills, and densely forested mountains. Low-level land covers about
20% of the country.
The Red River delta is fronted by hills that rise gently into the high mountains of the northwest; the Annam Highlands cover
much of the central landscape, and in the southern areas, the coastal lowlands and Mekong River Delta merge.
A fertile and narrow coastal lowland extends south from the Red River Delta to the Mekong Delta.
The Mekong Delta is a low-level plain, one inundated by hundreds of small rivers and canals. Thick jungles and mangrove
swamps cover the far-southern areas of land.
The Red River (Song Hong), and the Mekong are the most significant rivers; both have numerous tributaries, and the latter
is certainly among the great rivers of the world.
Vietnams highest point is Fan Si Pan 10,315ft. (3,144m ) around the northwest of Vietnam the high mountains face the red
river delta.
 Weather and climate
During the dry season: winter which begins in November and all the way to April, the winds travel usually from northeast of
china’s coast and across the Gulf of Tonkin, with too little moisture hanging on to the wind consequently resulting the
winter season in most of Vietnam dry but only when compared to the rainy or summer season. During the south-westerly
summer monsoon, around from May to October, then the warm heat increases from the Gobi Desert

The climate of Vietnam is a tropical monsoon climate. Throughout the year the humidity averages to 84 percent.

Annual rainfall is considerable in all regions and sometimes really heavy in some regions, ranging from around 120
centimeters up to 300 centimeters. Nearly 90 percent of the precipitation befalls during the summer. The average annual
temperature is normally higher in the plains than in the mountains and plateaus. Temperatures range from a low of 5°C in
December and January, the coolest months, to more than 37°C in April, the hottest month. Seasonal divisions are more
clearly marked in the northern half than in the southern half of the country, where, except in some of the highlands,
seasonal temperatures vary only a few degrees, usually in the 21°C-28°C range.

The northern part of Vietnam is on the edge of the tropical climatic zone. During January, the coldest month of the year,
Hanoi has a mean temperature of 63 °F (17 °C), while the annual average temperature is 74 °F (23 °C). Farther south, the
average annual temperature in Hue is 77 °F (25 °C) and in Ho Chi Minh City is 81 °F (27 °C); in the highland city of Da Lat, it
drops to 70 °F (21 °C). The windurter season in northern Vietnam lasts from November to April; from early February to the
end of March there is a persistent drizzle, and March and April are sometimes considered to be a transitional period. The
summer in northern Vietnam lasts from April or May to October and is characterized by heat, heavy rainfall, and
occasional typhoons. In central and southern Vietnam the southwest monsoon winds between June and November bring
rains and typhoons to the eastern slopes of the mountains and the lowland plains. The period between December and April
is drier and is characterized by the winds of the northeast monsoon and, in the south, by high temperatures.

Clothing requirements:
Loose, natural fabrics all year, but warm clothes are needed in the highlands, and during the winter of Northern Vietnam.
Raincoats are essential during the rainy season.
 Cultural tourism
Cultural tourism is vastly popular in Vietnam which attracts a huge amount of tourists from many countries. Also if
tourists are wanting to explore the culture of regions in Vietnam you can participate in activities such as visiting the
handicraft villages, markets, festivals and ancient town etc. this will also you help tourists find out about the local people’s
lifestyles. One of the inspirations triggering peoples needs in life is to seek for sceneries they’ve never observed before or
ever experienced and also to strengthen their knowledge about the world. And tourism has helped with this. Especially in
Cultural tourism. But in Vietnam culture is viewed differently. Which triggers tourists to discover more. In Vietnam travel,
the tourism is appealing a great number of both international and domestic tourists, especially those who adore
adventuring and exploring outstanding civilizations in Vietnam and in other Asian countries.
There are so many categories of cultural tourism in Vietnam such as: Sense of Place. Tourism products of this type are
non material faces reprouduced with the help of colours, lights, sounds, tastes or samples of national culture. These
senses establish a strong emotion and a whole new experience for the tourists and make it an unforgettable experience
too. Another category of cultural tourism in Vietnam will be the Festivals and event tours. It is basically tourists having the
opportunity to participate in Vietnamese festivals and make more memories and explore their celebrations. Another
category: Cultural Heritage Tours. This tourisms consists of cultural and historical values inside the heritages to serve the
tourists. Also: Cultural Trail Tours. Here you get to see the two types of culture. The wealthy or the weak period of a
culture. Then comes one of the most viewed culture: Modern Cultural Tours. Exploited products have both cultural and
historical values of intangible and tangible works as modern world heritages, themed festivals, music events, and political,
religious and sport events, etc. All of them are built up to appeal more tourists.
Also Vietnam tour guides you towards is the handicraft villages: Bat Trang Ceramic Village, Dong Ky carving wood Village,
Chuong Conical Hat Village. Sinh Painting Village. Phuong Duc Bronze Casting in Hue, Thanh Ha Ceramic, Kim Bong
Carpenting in Hoi An. All villages have their own features. This is unique which attracts more tourists to come and explore
deeper into Vietnam. Also visiting markets can also help you develop your cultural knowledge of Vietnamese people.
Walking around will give you a stronger understanding of the cultural life. Coming here, you will see daily activities of local
people as well as buy gifts for your relatives and friends when coming back home.
 Adventure tour:
Many visitors are stunned when it comes to the sublime beauty of Vietnam’s natural setting: the hills, mountains and
valleys that could be explored. Then on the opposite side we have the Mekong Delta which has hundreds and miles of
deserted beaches that are present in between a majority of adventure tour routes which has you travel many parts of
Vietnam making sure you enjoy all the amazing beaches, also their national patchwork of rice paddies and then of course
their fresh seafood which has a huge role in the Vietnamese cuisine.

Throughout Vietnam there are a multitude of outdoor adventure activities to get involved in. You can cycle the length of the
infamous Ho Chi Minh Trail, the name given to the many supply routes and trails used by the Viet Cong to deliver arms and
supplies to the their troops fighting in the south.

There is rock climbing, kayaking and some outstanding trekking to be enjoyed in the central highlands and in the north of
the country around well known locations such as the former colonial hill station of Dalat in the highlands and the outpost of
Sapa in the countries far north. Participating in an adventure tour will allow you access to all these activities, give you the
opportunity visit and stay in hill tribe villages whilst also including some of the must see attractions and cities to be found
throughout the country.
Hanoi is the finest city in Asia right now; it’s THE place to spend a few days. The place is simply bubbling over as the
country starts to realize its commercial and tourist potential. Further south there is the former Imperial capital of Hue
and the quaint town of Hoi An, both are worth a few days of any traveller’s time.

Vietnam is almost all coastline so, as you’d expect, there are one or two nice beaches to be enjoyed, the better of which
are generally further south at destinations such as Phan Thiet, Mui Ne and Nha Trang. In the north there is the rather
special Halong Bay, with over 2000 limestone karsts thrusting out of the turquoise waters – a great location to enjoy
some kayaking and to explore some caving.
In the far south of the country there is Ho Chi Minh City, often known as Saigon. Here you will find much evidence of the
American occupation during the 60’s and 70’s. Further south still you enter the Mekong
Delta and it’s many waterways, here you can explore the point where the mighty Mekong River, originating in China, finally
reaches its destination after weaving its way through seven countries.
 Major Attractions:
Ha Long Bay:

There are more than 1,600 islets in the bay, their

limestone worn down by 500 million years of
tropical downpours, and topped by thick jungle
growth. Some of the islands are hollow, creating
majestic caves. Some of the larger islands have
their own lakes.

Ha Long Bay is an area of extreme natural beauty.

Located at Quang Ninh Province which is close to
the Chinese border. Thousands of islands are
spread throughout the land surrounded by crystal
clear waters. And in comparison to some of China
or Thailand’s attractions Ha Long Bay is far more
impressive.

Ha Long Bay has an interesting history/legend on how Ha Long Bay came to be. It is supposed that when the original
Vietnamese came to settle they went on to the shore of Ha Long Bay to explore and in response the Jade emperor
demanded a heard of dragons to protect the raiders at the shore. These dragons didn’t breath fire like the dragons we
know about. They spat out a heavy shower of pearls which upon impact with the ocean, transformed into thousands of
rocky islands. These fresh rock formations proved to be a solid defence as the raiders got their chance to crash and
perish one by one. The dragons chose to stay by
the coat of Vietnam and their tails now forming
the famous Long Vi Beach. “Ha Long” in
Vietnamese means ‘where the dragon descends
into the sea’.

So what would be the best time to visit Ha Long

Bay? The weather there doesn’t differ too much
as it has a typical for tropical coastal climate,
with only two seasons during the year. The first
season starts frim april all the way to September and usually features hot and humid weather. The second runs from
October to March featuring cooler and dry weather. And as usual during this period fog is common which can result in
poor visibility and weaken your chances of sending an impressive picture to your friends and family.

In terms of where to stay Vietnam, provides you with all the luxuries that are necessary. From luxury to budget hotels.
There are a variety of things for people to chose from. You can access any transportation to Ha Long Bay at anytime.
 Benefits of tourism:

Tourism comes along with many benefits such as:

Employment: when there are a lot of tourists it impacts the economical growth and increases it. And the more the money
the more doors it opens such as for jobs. Jobs like, hotel managers or staff, taxi services, staff at one of the major
attractions, tour guides and so on. Also linking back to economical growth, money is also a benefit of tourism as tourists
like to spend their money on many things when they visit any place, especially a place like Vietnam where there is a lot to
do. All the money they spend on them touring around goes around to the locals and the country to develop their economy.
Moreover it can lead to things such as establishment of railways, train stations for easier and fast access to far away
places, roads, so basically infrastructure. Overall benefits of tourism just give you knew experiences and long lasting
memories.
 Problems with tourism
Even though it might look like their aren’t any huge dilemmas when it comes to tourism , there are.
Such as too many people gathering around. Overpopulation. If too many people come gather round then
it can be uncomfortable for everyone. The tourists and the locals. The locals in particular would not like
it as too many people can disturb their life and privacy. When tourists tour around they go in deeper
and explore everything. Even the local’s houses without knowing it could disturb them or make them
angry. Also too much tourists could mean making more hotels which means more space which could
lead to deforestation. Big companies could take over and not even care about the natural environment
and totally demolish before you know. Which could decrease the amount of tourists visiting Vietnam.
 Summer Tourism
Tourists from around the world would prefer a warm vacation rather than a cold one. Especially if you come from Europe
and places like the UK where it is always raining and is cold. And countries like Vietnam are their ideal vacation location.
Vietnam has a variety of beaches where you can spend your summer tour at. Such as Phan Thiet, or Nha Trang . also you
can do activities such as cycling through the Vietnamese rice paddies or walk down Hanois famous train street. Then go
out to eat the national and famous Vietnamese cuisine. There are many more activities you can do in the summer. These
are just some that can give you a headstart to a whole summer adventure in Vietnam

Cycling through rice paddies

Walking through Hanoi Train Street

 Winter Tourism:
So similar to the summer tourism, some people would prefer a cold vacation than a warm one. People from hot
and humid countries. Which are mostly in the middle east or around Asia. Maybe visit the lake Hoan Kiam Lake with
some warm drinks. Or try the swan paddling boats, one of the best winter activities. Maybe try the overnight
trains to Sapa. Sapa is the coldest region Vietnam and has snowfall which most people really enjoy. In addition to
this you can even go explore the caves in Vietnam like the Ninh Binh cave. If wanting to enjoy a nice drink maybe
try some amazing Vietnamese coffee.

vietnamese coffee
Swan paddling boats
 Prices
While group tours account for 35 percent of bookings, tours for individuals make up the rest, Many travel firms offer
package tours as well as services such as tickets for tourist attraction sites, Ha Long Bay cruises, restaurants and
tour guides. A more diverse array of services, from which customers can pick and choose, has helped increase the
number of bookings. More and more tourists are buying separate services, she added. Tran Thi Bao Thu, marketing
and communications director at Fiditour, said the company was offering more than 300 inbound and outbound tours
this summer. The number of bookings has risen by 15 percent compared to the same period last year. To keep prices
stable, the company has been working with its partners and service providers since the fourth quarter last year,
Vietnam travel plans to spend a total of 11.5 billion VND (508,000 USD) for its summer holiday promotion programme.
The company hopes to attract 220,000 customers in the three month period, a year-on-year increase of 12 percent.
Ben Thanh Tourist hopes to double the number of bookings in three months compared to last year’s figure. Most of the
company’s tours in June to Asian countries and territories such as Thailand, Hong Kong, the Republic of Korea,
Malaysia and Singapore are fully booked. Beach tours are popular, especially in families and younger people. Leisure
tours to beaches at Ha Long, Sam Son, Cua Lo, Ly Son, Da Nang and Nha Trang, Mui Ne, Con Dao and Phu Quoc islands
at prices of 2.5-4.5 million VND (110-200 USD) have sold well, according to travel firms. Tran The Dung, deputy director
of Young Generation Co Ltd., said most domestic tours to beaches and islands this summer were fully booked. Beach
tours to Phan Thiet City, Ninh Chu Beach in Ninh Thuan Province, Binh Hung and Binh Ba islands in Khanh Hoa Province,
and Ca Lao Xanh Island in Quy Nhon City have attracted a large number of customers this summer, Promotions by
airlines have helped keep prices at a reasonable amount. The company predicts a growth rate of 30 percent this
summer holiday.A booking official at Ocean Dunes Resort in Phan Thiet City said that rooms were fully booked for
June, with most bookings made more than a month in advance by travel firms, companies and schools in HCM City.
During the peak summer season starting in early June to mid-August, Phan Thiet City is crowded with tourists from
HCM City and neighbouring provinces, she said. To lure more tourists, many travel firms and tour operators are
offering new destinations such as Ky Co Beach, Hon Kho Island and Eo Gio (a natural strait) in the central coastal
province of Binh Dinh
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