Rough Guide to Vietnam - Jan Dodd [403]
Beach at Nha Trang
Mui Ne beach
At the opposite end of the spectrum is Jungle Beach; located on a peninsula just north of Nha Trang, it’s made up of little more than the constituent parts of its name, plus a few ramshackle wooden huts. Ho Coc beach also has its moments of tranquillity, while there are pockets of quiet on the shores at Ca Na.
Vietnam’s natural wonders |
Islands
Vietnam’s principal offshore attractions are found at the extremes of her S-shaped coastline. To the north lie the fairytale shapes of Ha Long Bay, a maze of contorted limestone bluffs that are deservedly at the forefront of many travellers’ itineraries. Many visitors overnight here on a traditionally-styled junk to view the undulating horizon at sunset dissolving into wave after wave of improbably-shaped karst islets. It’s also worth spending a night on Cat Ba; by far the largest island in the bay, it makes a great base for rock-climbing, beach-lazing or jungle treks, and its laid-back air persuades many visitors to miss their boat and stay longer.
Boats in Cat Ba harbour
A densely forested full-stop at the southern end of the Vietnamese coast, Phu Quoc Island is blessed with pristine white-sand beaches, tree-cloaked peaks and cute fishing villages; during the dry season it’s one of Vietnam’s best dive-spots, while its meandering dirt roads appeal to motorbike fans. Also becoming popular are the islands of the Con Dao Archipelago, which offer the rare opportunity to see turtles laying eggs on the beach.
Vietnam’s natural wonders |
Mountains
Vietnam’s lofty peaks exert a magnetic draw for trekkers, climbers and lovers of nature; the jagged scenery toggles between karst, highland and alpine, and reaches its summit in the 3143m-high form of Mount Fan Si Pan. However, even more appealing than the scenery itself is a rich mosaic of hill tribes – Vietnam boasts the most complex ethnic make-up in Southeast Asia, with 52 offical minority groups, most living in highland areas.
Cleaved neatly in two by the Red River, the northern mountains include Vietnam’s highest peaks. The most interesting region is between Muong Lai and Sa Pa, a once obscure village-with-a-view which has blossomed into Vietnam’s trekking capital. Here minority people still generally dress in traditional costume – especially the women – and colourful groups you are likely to encounter include Red Dao, White Thai and Black Hmong. On the other side of the Red River, Bac Ha is surrounded by Flower Hmong folk who participate in a vibrant Sunday market. The central highlands also feature hugely photogenic scenery and ethnic groups; foremost among the natural attractions are the Dambri Waterfalls and canoe-friendly Lak Lake, while hill tribes include the E De, Koho and Bahnar, with their fascinating traditional houses.
Mountain landscape around Sa Pa
Red Dao minority people
Vietnam’s natural wonders |
Rivers
Though the Ben Hai once divided the nation, and the Red River feeds Hanoi, the mighty Mekong is the undisputed star of Vietnam’s waterways. Having tumbled over four thousand kilometres from its Tibetan source, the world’s eleventh-longest river fans out into a delta region wide and fertile enough to provide the country with a weighty rice surplus, before emptying into the South China Sea. You can take boat trips through its lush landscape of green fields and dirt-brown tributaries to see fish farms, floating markets, orchid gardens and wooden homes that remain an integral part of river life. The main draw for many, though, is the chance to stay overnight