Is Vietnam the Most Diverse Country For Backpackers?

From the steep rice terraces of Sapa to the limestone karsts of Halong Bay and the rolling sand dunes of Mui Ne to the buzz of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam has some of the most diverse landscapes in South East Asia. You can be trekking in the mountains one day and sunbathing on a sandy beach the next, then whizzing around on a motorbike through the hectic streets of a buzzing city the following day!

Maybe it’s Vietnam’s spectacular variety that makes it one of the most popular countries in South East Asia for backpackers to travel. If you’re planning to a trip to this country, you’re in for a treat! Here are five reasons why Vietnam has something to suit every backpacker…

1.Mountain Trekking:

Fansipan Peak

Head north from Hanoi via overnight train for some incredible trekking experiences where you’ll walk amidst misty mountains and rice terraces from one hill tribe village to the next. The hill town resort of Sapa is a good starting point, as well as the more remote Mai Chau Valley and Ba Be National Park. Also worth visiting are the beautiful central highlands, known as the ‘Alps of Vietnam’ where you can base yourself in the quirky town of Dalat and explore on foot or bicycle from there. Rafting, rock climbing, canyoning and kayaking are also available!

2.Beach Bumming:

Phu Quoc Beach

Tropical white sandy beaches don’t instantly come to mind when you think of Vietnam – with beach hungry backpackers tending to head first to neighbouring Thailand. Don’t fall into the same trap! Vietnam’s long coastline is filled with incredible beaches and islands that will satisfy any beach bum. From the picturesque coves shadowed by impossible limestone cliffs at Cat Ba National Park to the long stretches of sand at Hoi An and Nha Trang – Vietnam is a great place to enjoy sun, sea, sand and cocktails! There’s also the interesting island of Phu Quoc just a few hours south of Ho Chi Minh City with fishing villages and beaches galore!

3.City Buzz:

Hanoi Old Quarter

There’s nowhere quite like Vietnam’s capital Hanoi in the north of the country for its intoxicating atmosphere. From the moment you arrive you will be energized by its pulsating vibe and over a thousand years of culture and history. Winding streets, buzzing street life, the smell of spicy street food, eclectic architecture and a million motorbikes make this city an assault on all of the senses. In the south, Ho Chi Minh city has a more cosmopolitan feel – eat crab and drink cheap beer from the street vendors in one area of the city and treat yourself in swanky restaurants, trendy bars and lively clubs in the next!

4.Culture, Museums, Art and Food:

Hoi An Ancient Town

Vietnam has an incredibly rich culture that cannot fail to entice visitors. Wander through the streets of UNESCO World Heritage City, Hoi An, appreciating influences from over five centuries of world trading with the Chinese, Dutch, French and Indians. In the nearby city of Hue, don’t miss the ancient Imperial Hue Citadel, an important part of Vietnamese history as well as the ‘Tombs of the Former Emperors’. Vietnam is also home to world famous museums such as the ‘American War Museum’ in Ho Chi Minh City, as well as Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi. Plus, you can even visit the tomb of the worshipped leader, Ho Chi Minh himself in Hanoi. After all that culture, make sure you relax with a bia hoi (beer) and try local delicacies such as pho bo (beef noodle soup), banh mi (vietnamese style sandwich) and goi cuon (spring rolls).

5.Off the Beaten Track:

Phong Nha - Ke Bang

This incredible country offers plenty of opportunity for off the beaten track adventures. One region, which is only just being discovered by backpackers, is Phong Nha National Park – with amazing scenery, a local way of life and loads of adventure sports such as kayaking, rafting, mountain biking, hiking and caving. Raging rivers, spectacular waterfalls, swimming lagoons, rugged mountains and of course the world’s biggest cave (Hang Son Doong) make this region one of the most exciting adventure capitals in South East Asia.

What do you need to know before you go to Vietnam?

AloTrip promotion

To enter the country you will need a visa, which needs to be arranged in advance. Do you want to travel to Vietnam and get a totally FREE Visa on Arrival (VOA)? We just discovered this promotion from Vietnam Airlines, which grants you a free Visa when you book any flight. Book flights from 49 USD, this great offer is available until 30th December 2015. (Offer is worth 20 USD / per passenger and a whole lot of time and hassle saved!)

*VOA is actually an 'approval letter' - which means you can get a Vietnam Visa stamped upon arrival at an international airport (Da Nang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh) which will save you time in pre-arranging a visa at a Vietnamese Embassy. This great feature is offered by AloTrip.

Sapa brocade - colors of Vietnam ethnic groups

Sapa, one of the most visited destinations in almost Vietnam tour packages, is a name evoking unforgettable memories in tourists' mind. It is not just the land of majestic mountains and immense white flowers forests, but also the residence of many ethnic minority groups with unique cultural colors of brocade. That is so fantastic when popping in Dao people's markets in Sapa the most attractive thing is ladies' vivid costumes. The colors of Sapa brocade not just create the hidden charm of ladies, but also become a traditional culture of ethnic people in Sapa. For local people, brocade has an important meaning in their daily as well as spiritual life. Brocade is used as decorative items, and keepsakes of love... 

Ethnic costume

In Vietnam tours to Sapa, tourists will easily meet Dao ladies in brightly red bandanas or hats, and rainbow-like dresses. When entering local villages of Dao people, tourists will be lured into small of beautiful stilt houses with flamboyant brocade items decorated in these houses. These houses are places where many unique cultural features remain, from distinctive festivals to traditional brocade embroidery. Dao women can embroider anywhere and unleash their creativity to weave artistic brocade products. In terms of embroidery skills shown in colorful brocade, it proves the talent, ingenuity, diligence and industriousness of Sapa women in particular and mountainous women in general. From little girls to ladies all are taught to make eye-catching brocade. When these ladies are in married age, they embroider necessary costumes for their wedding in accordance with traditional customs. Embroidering to create beautiful costumes indicates not just the adroitness of local women, but also the long-established cultural features inherited over generations. Each patterns on brocade tinged with their love for working, for hometown, and for villages. 

Ethnic costume pavilion

Brocade in Sapa is traditionally made of cotton and flax yarn materials found in the forest. Its patterns are also dyed with natural colors. The patterns on the brocade fabrics often follow traditions of each ethnic group. Brocade weaving tradition is preserved and inherited through skillful hands of women in families. In present-day life, Red Dao people in Sapa remain their own traditional cultural identity. Previously, brocade was created to meet the needs in daily life, to use as dowry and in festivals. Todays, when Sapa tourism and economy are more developed, Sapa brocade products are favored by most tourists. Sapa brocade products gradually bring to local people a new and better life. These special products are often sold in Sapa markets, or along the roads to Cat Cat Village or Ta Phin Village. These brocade products vary from vivid dresses, bandanas, handbags, wallets, or some interesting decorative items. Obviously, the development of brocade as tourism products contributes to the preservation of traditional cultural values. 

Red Dao ethnic people

Along with other values, brocade is improved by local ethnic groups to become a culture featuring unique identity, enriching Vietnam culture. Apart from owning a humble and quiet beauty, hiding in itself the magic of a foggy town, Sapa possesses an irresistible charm - colorful unique culture of Vietnam ethnic groups, which is manifested through exclusive and subtle brocade products. Brocade is an indispensable souvenir when enjoying Vietnam holidays in Sapa. The contours of motifs shown on brocade are the essence of culture imbued with national identity, which makes Sapa brocade unique among other brocade products in the region. Embroidering brocade items used in daily life is an indispensable work. If a woman does not know how to weave or embroider, it means the family will not have clothes to wear. It is a very valuable skill and has a deep root over the development process to become a traditional handicraft. Coming to Sapa and seeing local ladies sitting on rocks along route and embroidering bring to tourists an interesting feeling about local people and daily life’s culture. By dint of the dedication featuring cultural identity of brocade products in Sapa, more and more tourists come to visit and explore the land and people here.
Source: AloTrip

Chung Cake – soul of Vietnamese Tet holiday

For all globetrotters, traveling is not simply just going sightseeing, but also is enjoying unique local cuisine of places where they come to. Recently, Vietnam is appealing more tourists to pop in. In Vietnam travel, tourists are attracted not just by its wonderful landscapes and seascapes, but also profound cultural identity and diverse cuisine. One of the most unique and outstanding dishes of Vietnamese cuisine is Bánh Chưng or Chung Cake.

Boiled Chung Cake

Chung Cake is a traditional cake of Vietnam. The cake implies gratitude of later generations to their forefather and hometown. Ingredients of Chung Cake include sticky rice, green bean, pork, dong leaves, and other additional spices as salt and pepper. Chung Cake is often made on traditional Tet Holiday of Vietnamese people and Hung King Festival (on the 10th day of the third lunar month). Chung Cake has the oldest history in traditional Vietnam cuisine. It is mentioned regularly in historical documents. The traditional cake has a significant position in the heart of Vietnamese people. The cake originated from a legend relating to Lang Lieu Prince, son of the 6th Hung King. The legend recalls the next generation about the national tradition. It is also a meaningful explanation and origin of Chung Cake, Day Cake in Vietnam culture, simultaneously, the importance of rice and nature in Wet Rice Civilization. According to today popular opinions, along with Giay Cake, Chung Cake reflects the ancient Vietnamese people's opinion about the universe. The cake is in green and square shape, which reflects the image of earth in the religion of ancient Vietnamese people and other ethnic groups in Asia.

Chung cake

Existing since the 6th Hung King's Empire, Chung Cake has been going with national history and become the soul of Tet Holiday in Northern Vietnam. Once visiting Vietnam during Vietnam Lunar New Year, tourists will see on the feast of local people, there are Chung Cake laid on. These cakes seem to recall Vietnamese people about the legend of Banh Chung and Banh Giay which symbolize the opinion bout the universe of ancient Vietnamese people. 

Definitely, in cultural Vietnam tours, travelers have a chance to discover many interesting things about the traditional food. Old Vietnamese people, who underwent Tet holidays between 40s and 50s of the last century, often pine for traditional Tet with Chung Cakes carefully made. Their ingredients were chosen from dong leaves and sticky rice to green bean, thin and small bamboo strips. During war time in Vietnam, to raise troops to fight the enemy, northern people spend out of food for front line. Thus, Banh Chung was simpler, but more valuable than any thing. Those who underwent Tet during war time and subsidy period, Chung Cake evoked unforgettable memories.

Making Chung Cake

Todays, young generations still inherit and bring the traditional custom into play. Although the young live in big and modern cities, they try to spend time on sitting and waiting for boiling these Chung Cakes, along with chatting with their family. In spite of being sold at supermarkets, stores or other services, in the countryside, the taste Chung Cake is also felt somewhat over the pot of Chung Cake. The present-day atmosphere of Tet still sees the image of Vietnamese women busy during Tet with works of washing the dong leaves, soaking rice, wrapping cakes, while, the children are sitting around a large pot of rice cakes and look after it overnight. For many generations, Banh Chung is the joy of the New Year's reunion. Beautiful thick and square cakes are displayed on the altar dedicated to worship ancestors. There are small cakes made for children as a New Year gift. Yet, today, the method of cooking the cake in somewhere is modernized. Yet, when New Year and spring come, Banh Chung still reminds Vietnamese people about traditional national values.

Chung Cake

Today, ingredients of making Chung Cake remain unchanged: sticky rice, green bean, pork and dong leave. Chung Cake will be more delicious if its ingredients are prepared carefully. Traditional Vietnamese Tet Holiday and images of green Chung Cakes are long-lasting traditional Vietnam culture. Chung Cake evokes Tet Holiday and vice versa. Perhaps, the combination becomes a cultural symbol of Vietnam. Therefore, the work of making Chung Cake when New Year comes is a fine cultural custom of Vietnam. The website National Geographic recently released top 10 unique traditional dishes in the world, including Chung Cake and Giay Cake of Vietnam. The site also described about traditional Tet in Vietnam. Tet Holiday is the most important occasion in Vietnam. It marks the appearance of spring and new hopes. Vietnamese traditional Tet is also the occasion to reunite family members. Everyone often eat melon seeds, marmalade and rice cakes during Tet.

Water Puppet - an outstanding Vietnamese creation

Water Puppet is an art form of Wet Rice Civilization. Due to featured characteristics, from being an art with folk elements, Water Puppet rapidly becomes a traditional Vietnamese art. The unique art can be compared with Tuong singing (a Vietnamese classic opera) and Cheo singing which are the arts having high positions in national theater. The unique folk art has been a should-not-miss things to see in Vietnam travel.

water puppets

In Vietnam tours to cultural and historical lands, travelers seem to be allured into the long-lasting and unique features of Water Puppet. Although puppetry exists in many countries, Water Puppet appears only in Vietnam. The art of water puppetry was formed since Ly Dynasty (1010 - 1225). Vietnamese WaterPuppet is an outstanding creation of residents in Red River Delta, which was triggered from overpowering and improving water. Water Puppet is often performed during festivals, spring days, and days after harvests. Stories told by artists in the form of Water Puppet make audiences feel the cultural identity of each locality in Vietnam, lifestyle of local people and their simple wishes in life. In the romantic natural atmosphere, audiences have a chance to contemplate a unique art which contains elements of the nature. It is an exclusive blend of art, nature and people. Before becoming a theatric art, water puppetry is an activity in folk guilds scattering in villages and "raised" by local people's enthusiasm.

Water puppet show in Hanoi

The distinctive element of water puppetry is using water surface as the stage for puppets' tricks and dramas. House of water puppet is built amid ponds, lakes with a balanced architecture symbolizing the pavilion of rural Vietnam. Through performances of traditional water puppetry, activities of daily life, material and spiritual customs of Vietnamese farmers are expressed obviously. Puppets are products of folk wood sculpture art with both high realism, rustic, loving, and lyrical features. The shapes of puppets are usually fresh, funny, comedic and symbolic. To make a complete puppet, it must undergo many hoops from perforating core to decorating and many stages which the artist cannot ignore. The more beautiful puppets are, the more sophisticated controlling technique is, and the more abundant the ability of express is. The talent of artisans brings a new cool breeze, optimism, and love for the nature and for people through simple things which are amplified and become more artistic. These characteristics make a large number of travelers curious about water puppetry. They adore experiencing and discovering the distinctive art in their Vietnam holidays.

Water Puppet Show

The technique of controlling water puppets is highly evaluated. Creating actions of puppets on water is the crux of puppetry. Beautiful puppets just have values in terms of sculpture. The success of puppetry is mainly the movement of puppets’ body and actions. The folk artisans depend on the experience and creativity to make water puppet machine more diverse. The machine is hidden under the water. Taking advantage of water power, the machine creates a remote control and brings a lot of surprise to audiences. Naturally, it is a work of art taking actions as language expression. Water puppetry always goes with music like dancing art. Water puppet artisans depend on rhythm of music to control puppets, which help connect repertoires. The French called the art of water puppetry with elegant puppets is "soul of Vietnamese rice fields" and assessed: "With creativity and discovery, water puppet should be classified in the most important form of puppet theater".

Water Puppet Show

Todays, in Vietnam tour packages to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, travelers easily have chances to enjoy water puppet shows. In Hanoi, Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre is a should-not-miss place if tourists want to admire special shows. The theatre opens everyday with many outstanding performances of water puppet. Meanwhile, in Ho Chi Minh City, tourists can find these shows in Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theater. Besides, Water puppet shows are often performed in festivals, such as Giong Phu Dong Festival. Thay Pagoda Festival and Hundred-part Pagoda Festival... Especially in Nguyen Village in Nguyen Xa Commune, Dong Hung District of Thai Binh Province, Water puppet has been developed with many modern plays as "Popular Studies" and "Lo River Victory". Water puppetry is the unique spirit of inhabitants in Red River Delta. Currently, water puppetry has been developed throughout the country and many places in the world, which contributes greatly to promulgation of Vietnam culture. It also affirms its art value in the world. Water Puppet conquers not just the admiration of Vietnamese people but also of the world. The foreign tours have successfully introduced the genre of this wonderful culture, forming a bridge of communication between Vietnam and neighboring countries and the world.

Source: AloTrip

Experiencing Vietnam cultural tourism with AloTrip

Acknowledging a new trend of globetrotters – Cultural Tourism, along with the desire of bringing unforgettable memories in Vietnam travel to tourists, we – AloTrip, one of leading travel websites in Vietnam (alotrip.com) hope to be a reliable companion in Vietnam trips. The following useful information about this new tendency may support you in travel plan to this beautiful country.

Festival in Sapa

Tourists coming to and back Vietnam are not just enticed by charming Vietnam beaches and newly 5- star hotels or resorts, but also cultural attractions. One of the motivations triggering the desire of people’s traveling is to seek new horizons, have new experiences, and broaden knowledge. Apparently, tourism, since its birth, is tightly associated with culture. Yet, in each regions of Vietnam, culture is depicted differently, which arouses curiosity and stimulates discovery of travelers. Thus, Vietnam cultural tourism was formed. 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.

Chirlden in Bac Ha

The trendy cultural tourism is categorized into nine main types. Type 1 is Sense of Place. Tourism products of this type are non-material characteristics reflected through senses about colors, sounds, light, tastes, or elements forming the national culture. These senses will create a strong emotion in tourists with unforgettable memories about Vietnam trips. Type 2 is called Festival and Event Tours. It is a tourism product taking advantage of cultural festivals and events to set up suitable Vietnam tours for travelers. Type 3 is entitled Cultural Heritage Tours. This product uses cultural and historical values in the heritages to serve tourists. Type 4 is Cultural Trails Tours. In each tour’s stop, there is an evidence for a wealthy or weak period of a culture. Type 5 is 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. Meanwhile, type 6 is characterized by Farm Experiences-Homestay Cultural Tours, which creates favorable conditions for tourists to experience a countryside life in Vietnam. Type 7 is Gastronomy Cultural Tours, which is based on the exploitation of traditional cuisine’s quintessence in each region. By dint of this, tourists have a chance to study and taste traditional dishes of Vietnam cuisine. Type 8 is Languages Cultural Tours. This kind of tourism is suitable for travelers who want to broaden their knowledge about Vietnamese language. Finally, type 9 is Handicraft Village Cultural Tours. All values of craft villages will be explored and introduced to tourists, which creates an opportunity to learn about traditional products.

Hue Citadel

 In Asian countries, especially in Vietnam, cultural tourism becomes prominent. With a mysterious and vivid culture, the country becomes one of world top destinations fascinating Western tourists. Historical sites, religious architectures, practiced customs and festivals, etc. come into being as tourism products. Such famous cultural tourist centers in Vietnam as Hanoi, Hue, and Hoi An… are always named in tourism promulgations. When exposing to another culture, tourists are not just immersed in, but also can discover colorful and unique traditional customs. That is why foreign tourists are interested in “bird’s cages” along Nha Trang beaches, avidly come to mountainous areas like Sapa and Mai Chau to experience on overnight homestay, enjoy mountainous specialties, admire gentle dances of local people, or excitingly get dressed sophisticated brocade skirts and shirts in their Vietnam holidays.

Hoi An Overview

Each country has its own original culture which portrait unique features. Vietnam is characterized by Eastern agricultural culture. As Vietnam is at a crossroad of many cultures and thoughts, the unique identity of Vietnam culture is continuously developed, exchanged and reconciled exotic elements and indigenous ones. According to historical process, cultural elements are crystallized in tangible values of artworks, architectures (palace, royal tombs, pagodas, temples, shrines), and archaeological monuments... These elements also found in intangible values such as languages, art, festivals, cuisine, traditional costumes, manners of communication... The values are existing throughout Vietnam and in every Vietnamese people. It explains why Vietnam possesses 1/34 of the world's culture.

Inside My Son sanctuary

In many Vietnam tour packages, cultural tourism activities are organized based on regional characteristics. They are the Southern Folk Festival, the Dien Bien Travel (Northwest cultural festival associated with political events), and the Central Heritage Path (folk festival in combination with tours to cultural heritages recognized by UNESCO). These festivals and events fascinate many tourists domestically and internationally. Among them, the Hue Festival is considered the most outstanding cultural tourism activity in Vietnam. The festival is regularly held every 2 years, with the support of many countries. It is an occasion for Vietnam to introduce tourists about folk culture, especially Hue royal court music - an intangible heritage recognized by UNESCO, and Nam Giao Offering Rite. In addition, the images of Vietnam tourism will be better in the eyes of international friends through cultural impressions. Tourists will have unforgettable moments when enjoying and soaking up the Gong cultural activities in Central Highlands, tour homestay in Mekong River Delta, or getting around Hanoi City… This will make an important contribution to the development of tourism in Vietnam not just by wonderful and impressive landscapes and seascapes, but also time-honored cultural values. About The Author: Nguyen Manh Dung runs AloTrip.com . Indochina now becomes a highlight tourism destination than ever. Travelers may come across many sites online that provide tours in Indochina and find differences in the price. AloTrip Travel however displays affordable prices with so many options to choose. Tourist can check this out on AloTrip.com.