Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/73581
A feast for all the senses Vietnam has incredible scenic beauty, featuring two main cultivated areas of the Red River Delta in the nor th and the Mekong Delta in the south. It is made up of equatorial lowlands, high, temperate plateaus and alpine peaks. Stretching 1600 kilometres along the eastern coast of the Indochinese peninsula, Vietnam is bordered by China to the north and Cambodia and Laos to the west. Capital and major centres Whilst Saigon (also known as Ho Chi Minh City) is the country's largest population centre, the capital, Hanoi is the political and cultural centre of Vietnam. Haiphong is region, is promoted as the Northern region's main industrial centre and a major sea por t, while Da Nang in the Central the gateway to Indochina. Other major centres include Dalat in the Southern Highlands, renown for its cool climate and beautiful mountain scenery and Kontum in the Central Highlands. The people Vietnam's population is 84 percent ethnic Vietnamese, two percent ethnic Chinese, with and reptiles. Saigon's zoo and botanic gardens are a delightful place for a stroll, as are the tree-lined avenues in Cong Vien Van Hoa Park. The sights Vietnam's national parks include: Cat Ba, Ba Be Lake and Cuc Phuong national parks in the nor th; Bach Ma National Park in the Central region (sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund); and Nam Cat Tien National Park in the south. In 2003, another national park was opened, becoming the fif th UNESCO recognised site in Vietnam. Phong Nha-Ke Bang national park of fers mountains that are ideal for climbing and exploring and it is also home to archaeological and historical relics along with a range of geographic attractions. The most recent to find favour with visitors is the Son Doong (Mountain River) Cave. Discovered in 2009, it is claimed to be the world's largest cave. the rest made up of Khmers, Chams and highland Montagnards—over 50 ethnic groups in total. The people speak Vietnamese, with the northern and southern dialects differing slightly from each other, as well as Chinese (both Cantonese and Mandarin), English, French and Russian. Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism and Christianity have all served to shape the rich spiritual life of Vietnam, along with the indigenous religion of Caodaism. The main temple for Caodaism is in Tay Ninh town, 90 kilometres nor th west of Saigon. It offers daily ceremonies and educational tours. Nature Vietnam is lush and tropical with much jungle and vegetation ranging from the green Mekong Delta to forests containing an estimated 12,000 plant species. The country's wild fauna is enormously diverse and includes elephants, rhinos, leopards, 200 www.paradisesonline.com black bears and a variety of monkeys, birds The other four UNESCO recognised sites in Vietnam are Halong Bay, the imperial city of Hué, the ancient quar ter of Hoi An and the My Son historical site. Getting around There is a major airport serving each of the three major tourism zones: Saigon serves the Mekong; Da Nang serves Hué, Hoi An and My Son; and Hanoi provides access to Halong Bay and the mountains. Travel between the three gateway cities is available by air, train and bus. Overnight travel by train or bus is a popular choice for visitors and is inexpensive and comfortable. Char tering a minibus or hiring a car and driver are other viable alternatives. Taxi cabs (some metered, some not) operate in Hanoi, Saigon and most of the major cities. As a rule, it's best to avoid travelling by car in major cities during peak hour unless you are not in a hurry. Visitors can hire cyclos (pedicabs) to get around, or there is the option to travel the way the locals do and hire a motor scooter. relatively