The best cities in Vietnam!
Vietnam is an awesome country, with a rich history, nice people and a lot of tasty food. However, because there are so many nice things to see, it can be difficult to make the right decision. Which places are you visiting? There are so many choices. It is smart to read, beforehand, about the country. This way you can make up your mind, and figure out what you want to see. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you got to have a detailed plan. You also want to leave some room for improvisation when you arrive in the country. Still, some idea about what you want to see makes it easier to plan your trip. In this article, you can read what the nicest cities in Vietnam are, and what you can do there.
Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam
Hanoi is a beautiful city. It’s also the capital of Vietnam. It’s located in the north of the country. The city has a very rich history. The Vietminh and its supreme leader, Ho Chi Minh, were located here. During the Vietnam war, this city has been bombed numerous times. Ho Chi Minh is famous worldwide because he was a communist revolutionary and he fought the United States in the notorious Vietnam war. However, the history of Hanoi goes way back. It was settled in prehistoric times. During the following ages it was often chosen as the capital by the Chinese conquerors. Under the French rulers, it was also an important administrative center. Eventually it became the capital of French Indochina. The biggest reason for this was the proximity to China, where the French wanted more influence, and a huge number of mineral resources in this area. During the Vietnam war, the city endured a lot of damage. Today it is the biggest agricultural and industrial hub in the country.
Interesting museums in Hanoi
There are a lot of interesting places in this city. This includes historic sights and a lot of museums. You should definitely visit the Hoa Lo Prison. This prison-museum was built during the French colonial occupation. You can learn a lot here about the dark past of Vietnam. Hanoi Museum and, Ho Chi Minh Museum are also worth visiting. The Ho Chi Minh Museum is dedicated to the leader of the communist resistance, Ho Chi Minh. You can learn a lot about Vietnams struggle against foreign powers. The museum shows the life of Vietnams most famous historic leader trough 8 exhibitions. They are chronological. The first exhibition shows the upbringing of Ho Chi Minh, and his hometown. In the second exhibition you can see the travels that he undertook. The other exhibitions will tell you how he became a fanatic communist and how he started the fight against foreign adversaries in order to gain independence for his country.
Other sights in Hanoi
There are a lot of interesting museums in Hanoi, but you can also do a lot of other stuff. You should definitely visit the Train Street for example. This is a really small road in the middle of the city, where you can find a train road. There are also a lot of different markets where you can buy all sorts of things. These are lively places which you definitely should see. You can buy a lot of great souvenirs here. Furthermore, you can eat a lot of interesting street food.
Ho Chi Minh City
Here he is again, Ho Chi Minh! He is such a famous and revered person in Vietnam, that there is a city named after him. This is the biggest city in the country. It is near the Mekong River. It is located in the south of the country. It is the financial center of the country. It also has a lot of American influences. For example, there are a lot of malls and places to go out. Besides that, you also have a lot of interesting small streets and green parks. Furthermore, there are a lot of nice markets where you can buy delicious food. This gives the big city a cozy vibe and atmosphere.
The War Remnants Museum
This extraordinary museum teaches you everything you want to know about the American role in the Vietnam war. It opened in 1975 so it’s a pretty old place. It is one of the most popular museums in Vietnam, it has about a half a million visitors every year. Some people criticize it because they feel that it is not completely objective and is too harsh on the United States. However, most of the people who argue this way are from the United States, so you can ask yourself how objective they are.
There are a lot of different things that you can see in the museum. There are a lot of pictures, but you can also see leftover material from the war. This includes plains, tanks, helicopters and more. The pictures and the material are centered around different themes. For example, the consequences of the use of Agent Orange or the blood bath in My Lai. The museum is very interesting and also very moving.
Hoi An
This city is known as one of the most beautiful of the country. It’s located in the center of the city. It is a magical city and it looks really cozy. Most of the houses are small and yellow and have a picturesque vibe. There are no cars in the center, so you can enjoy a nice walk without being disturbed. In the evening they light up some lanterns, so the whole city shines bright, a magnificent spectacle. There are a lot of boat tours you can take. Furthermore, there is a nice market in the night where you can buy all kinds of souvenirs. There are also a lot of great clothing makers. You can let them make suits that perfectly suit you. Another thing that you can do is take a trip trough the nearby rice fields.
Of course, there are also a lot of beautiful other cities. You can decide for yourself which one to visit, travelling is cheap and easy, so this is not a problem.