Vietnam: The fascinating marvel of Asia By Srimal Fernando I Ceylon Today

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Vietnam: The fascinating marvel of Asia
Date:2012-09-02 18:16:00
By Srimal Fernando Vietnam, unlike any other place in the world, is a naturalistic wonderland where the stunning environment is a sensual escape to a paradise. The geography of the country features diverse and exciting elements. The country is a home to some of the most fascinating forking rivers, lush paddy fields, cascading waterfalls, verdant vegetations, gurgling streams, temples, pagodas, sun-drenched beaches and offshore islands. The country is not just admired for its beauty, but also for its remarkable development story in the midst of several fast-developing East Asian countries. Vietnamese played a leading role in the engine of prosperity of their country and has been fuelled by practicality, hard work and flood of individual enterprises. The country’s culture is very unique in terms of its social and ethical values. The great theme of modern Vietnamese history is the Vietnam’s War of Independence and reunification of Northern and Southern sectors of the country. The war was proved to be an extremely sobering experience, which caused so much suffering for the people of the country for nearly four decades. Symbol of hope The name Ho Chi Minh comes to mind when we remember the recent history of Vietnam. He is the best-loved and famous political figure of the country. He was the symbol of hope and endurance. For over half a century Ho Chi Minh, the founder of the Vietnamese Communist Party and leader of the revolution carried the torch of Vietnam’s independence movement as a representative of the people of Vietnam. As a revolutionist, he made a great contribution to the victorious Viet Minh and Viet Cong forces that unified the country. Ho Chi Minh mausoleum the monumental marble edifice in Hanoi was built to show the deep gratitude of the countrymen to their great leader. His remains are displayed inside the chamber of the mausoleum. Vietnam has been the watershed in distribution of welfare and socio-economic development to the people of the country. The country has undergone a tremendous transformation following the changes in the economy with a remarkable economic growth. Vietnam’s efficient, fast and comfortable transport system has already achieved measurable improvements. The country has several paved highways to reinforce the countries road system. Each year, millions of visitors are drawn to important towns such as Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hoi An, Hue, Danang, Ho Chi Minh City and Mekong Delta to experience and travel down the corridors of history. City of Lakes Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport and Tan Son Nhat Airport of Ho Chi Minh City are major stopover points for many international airlines and a grand gateway to East Asia and to the Far East. These aviation hubs serve as a base to Vietnam Airlines, the flag carrier of the country. As the most populous cosmopolitan city of Vietnam, Hanoi is known as the ‘city of lakes’ and is one destination for which any number of praising words seems inadequate. The city has been a thriving metropolis with, cloud-tickling skyscrapers, numerous specialty shops, boutiques and colourful markets that unhesitatingly leaping into the future. It will take hours of roaming around, to see everything in Hanoi. The city continues to remain as one of the most important cities in the world that offers an exciting platform and a business window for launching new investments. It is situated amidst a splendid panorama in the north-east Vietnam’s Halong Bay. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is arguably one of the picturesque tourist destinations in the country. The bay covers an area of 1,500-square-kilometres dotted with a cluster of 1960 lime stone islands. The five-hour cruise in a double deck wooden boat in the bluish green waters, one can enjoy the beautiful charm of the bay. A visit to Hue would remain incomplete, if this city did not appear in the itinerary. Situated in the centre of the country, it is studded with many archaeological sites. There is no end to the breathtaking sites visitors can see in Hue. Among those sites, feudal capital city with fortresses, temples, mausoleums, pagodas, bridges attract thousands daily. The area also offers the tourist to enjoy the riverside beauty of Hue. The Perfume River is famed for breathtaking river cruise in a traditional wooden boat. Ho Chi Minh City Travelling from North to South of Vietnam can be a fantastic experience for a tourist. The beauty spot of the southernmost region of Vietnam is Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon. The City of Saigon, situated 1,760 kilometres from Hanoi, needs little introduction to many visitors to Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh City is also modern in every sense of the word. It is a city with a rapid development, where modern buildings are rising besides the 19th century buildings. An array of giant cranes shows the development fever in the city. Among its highest-esteemed attractions are the Notre Dame Cathedral, Municipal Theatre, the re-unification palace, the Mekong river cruise, the Cu Chi tunnels and the Vietnam War Memorial Museum. The Vietnam War memorial museum is one of the most recognizable places to visit in the city. It is a living testimony to the history of the Vietnam’s War of independence and re-unification of North and South Vietnam. It is a place preserving the memories and relics of the Vietnam War. The country is a very pleasant place to stay and travel. The growth and achievements of the tourism sector in Vietnam are outstanding. The country is emerging as a strong tourist destination with the number of visitors to the country climbing to 6.0 million in 2011. The Government of Vietnam and tour operating companies such as the Hanoi Tourist Service Company (Hanoi Toserco) and FIDI Tours of Ho Chi Minh City are embarked in promoting Vietnam as a favourite tourist destination. Welcomed by the hospitality of the smiling people and its remarkable history and unrivalled settings, no wonder the Vietnam has always been a prime destination for travellers from all corners of the world. (The contributor, . Srimal Fernando recently visited Vietnam on an invitation from the Vietnam Embassy in Colombo. He is an Asia Correspondent and a journalist based in Colombo, Sri Lanka)
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