South-East Asia is one of the most remarkable destinations on the planet – at least, for Westerners who get to bathe in its multifarious glory for the first time. There’s a reason it’s such a popular destination for backpackers and gap-year travellers, and a reason it finds its way into so many other travellers’ global bucket lists. But are those reasons enough for it to make its way onto your bucket list?
Vietnam is one of the more popular countries to visit in South-East Asia, and it’s easy to see why. After all, it’s a hotbed of cultural depth, set within geographic magnificence unmatched by its neighbours. It’s the perfect candidate for a bucket-list country to visit, and in this guide we’re going to outline precisely why.
The Landscapes
Where best to start, then, but that geographic magnificence into which Vietnam is ensconced? It’s a stunning set of landscapes, truly incomparable, that takes in sandy coasts, tropical forests, endless waterways and countless mountain peaks and valleys. With regard to those valleys, it’s impossible not to be moved by the rice terraces of Sapa, which stretch up steep inclines and create an edificial view you’ll never find anywhere else. As for the coast – wow.
Vietnam has over 2000 consecutive, unbroken miles of it, stretching all the way from the Beibu Gulf it shares with China down and round to Ha Tien. Along it, there are countless unforgettable destinations, with views that demand your attention – not to mention the tropical islands off its coast. The incredible thing is that Vietnam tours can take you to many varied geographies, all in the same week (and sometimes the same day). It’s both sprawling and condensed; an ideal destination for adventurers, photographers and nature lovers alike.
The Culture
Landscape is one thing, and culture is another. Together, they are a powerful mix, but it’s the culture that you’ll be engaging with more directly as part of your bucket-list travel. Vietnam is a true melting pot, and more so than many other places that are called a melting pot by once-a-year holidaymakers. It retains aspects of French occupation, alongside quintessential South-East Asian traditions, religions, ways of being.
Much of Vietnam’s contemporary culture is described by where it came from: an agricultural brilliance, evoked over and over by the beautiful rural farms, and, again, those rice terraces in Sapa. There is a calm, too, to these places, which speaks to the values that many Vietnamese share.
The Food
And the food! It would not be an exaggeration to describe Vietnam’s cuisine as one of the world’s great food cultures. That French colonialism sneaks back in through pastries and baguette-born banh mi, as well as the braised stews that curry so much favour. Outside of these historic foods, there’s a street food culture that must be seen to be believed – a culture which, in fact, was the genesis point for a more global fascination with street food. Here is a place where cultures start, and where they’re represented best.
