Travel Writing

Starter

1. Watch the video about travel to Vietnam. On your mini-whiteboard, write all the ways that
the presenter shows what it is like to experience Vietnam in the 5 senses.

2. Read the blog post by Nateniale on Halong Bay in Vietnam and circle all the sensory
imagery the writer uses to describe the place.

3. Underline three adjectives used by Nateniale to describe Halong bay.

Postcard from Halong Bay -Blog: Nateniale { reflections on my travels and everything else
I love } - 13 June 2011.

{ Halong Bay, Vietnam in Dec 2008 }

Watching the limestone islands rising above from the water, amidst cool air from the deck of
a boat, Halong Bay is magical. Words would not be enough to describe it, nor would the
photo above.

You can stay on the junk boat, or on one of the islands. There are caves to explore and other
activities like kayaking. I prefer to just sit back, relax and enjoy the majestic view, nothing
interrupting my rest but the distant laughter of people swimming and feasting on the
deliciously spicy local cuisine.

cheers,
Nateniale
 Introducing Vietnam – From www.lonelyplanet.com

Welcome to a world where the colours are more vivid, where the landscapes are bolder, the
coastline more dramatic, where the history is more compelling, where the tastes are more
divine, where life is lived in the fast lane. This world is Vietnam, the latest Asian dragon to
awake from its slumber.

Nature has blessed Vietnam with a bountiful harvest of soaring mountains, a killer coastline
and radiant rice fields, Vietnam is a cracker. Inland, peasant women in conical hats still tend
to their fields, children ride buffalos along country paths and minority people scratch out a
living from impossible gradients.

Vietnam is a nation of determined optimists who have weathered war after war, survived
colonialism and communism, and are now getting to grips with the wheeler-dealer world of
capitalism. Fiercely protective of their independence and sovereignty, the Vietnamese are
graciously welcoming of foreigners who come as guests not conquerors.

To escape the buzz of millions of motorbikes, head west to the watery landscape of green
fields and sleepy villages in the Mekong Delta. There’s adventure galore to be had on Phu
Quoc Island and stunning white-sand beaches to relax on. Back on the east coast at Mui Ne
Beach, you’ll be faced with a similar dilemma: action or inertia?

Hoi An might weigh you down - but in a good way - you’re bound to add kilos of made-to-
order clothing to your luggage. With an estimated 300 to 500 tailors working in this beautiful
city, this is fashionista heaven.

To feel the intellectual, cultural and spiritual heartbeat of Vietnam, make a stop in the old
imperial capital, Hué. Home to palaces and pagodas, tombs and temples, and host of the
biennial arts festival, the Festival of Hué (www.huefestival.com), it’s the place to go for
historical, cultural and culinary stimulation.

In Hanoi, the country’s captivating capital, rise early to watch the city exercise by Hoan
Kiem Lake, then pay your respects in person to Uncle Ho at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (a
truly surreal experience). See if you can locate ‘pickled fish street’ in the Old Quarter (it’s
somewhere near ‘wooden bowls street’), and cool off with draught beer at ‘bia hoi junction’
(a truly rewarding experience).

Eventually you’ll be enticed out of the city by the stunning offerings of the country’s
northern provinces. Nothing can prepare you for the beauty of Halong Bay and its 2000
limestone karsts, nor the experience of trekking around mountainous Sapa.

Vietnam has it all. Go expecting the unexpected, be ready for an adventure as much as a
holiday, and Vietnam will deliver.

Answer the following questions in full sentences in your exercise books.

Find the meanings of any unfamiliar words.

1. In the first paragraph, which mythical creature is Vietnam compared to? Asian dragion

2. Name three of the natural attractions of Vietnam. bountiful harvest of soaring mountains,
a killer coastline and radiant rice fields

3. What are three common attributes of the Vietnamese people described in the third
paragraph? Use quotations as evidence for your answer if you can. Determine, protective,
welcoming

4. Name a destination in Vietnam which I traveller looking for action and adventure would
enjoy. Melkong delta phu quoc island mui ne beach

5. Which Vietnamese city might a tourist be able to have clothing made to measure? Hoi an

6. Which cities might appeal most to a holiday maker interested in the history and culture of
Vietnam? Hanoi

Extension questions

1. In the first paragraph, is the comparison of Vietnam to a Dragon a simile or a metaphor?

Metaphor

2. Can you find and quote an example of alliteration in the article?

3. What is meant by the phrase ‘impossible gradients’ in the second paragraph?

They make living by some perilous ways?

4. What is meant by the phrase ‘culinary stimulation’ in the sixth paragraph?

The foods are palatable and appeal the tourist