Vietnam
Our itinerary for Vietnam, ably planned by Exotissimo, a local travel agency since renamed EXO, included:
- Ho Chi Minh City, Caravelle Hotel
- Hoi An, Life Resort Hoi An
- Hué, La Résidence
- Halong Bay Cruise, Emeraude/Bhaya
- Hanoi, Sofitel Metropole, a magnificent colonial hotel
Highlights of our trip included:
- Hoi An, with its 400-year-old Japanese Covered Bridge, colorful market, Hong Phong Old House
- Hoi An Ancient Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a South-East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century
- Three-hour cruise on the Thu Bon River with stops at Thanh Ha pottery village and Kim Bong carpenters’ village
- Hué, Thien Mu Pagoda
- Complex of Hué Monuments, UNESCO World Heritage Site (see introductory photo, above); located in and around Hué City in Thua Thien-Hué Province in the geographical centre of Vietnam and with easy access to the sea
- Hanoi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. with wooden ethnic minority style house he lived in 1954-1969
- West Lake
- Tran Quoc, one of the oldest Buddhist pagodas in Hanoi
- Quan Thanh, Taoist temple dating from the Ly Dynasty
- Hanoi’s Old Quarter, known as “36 Streets”
- Army Museum, with displays depicting the Vietnam War
- Water Puppet Show (see photos below)
- Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, overnight cruise on The Emeraude, a classic replica steamship of the colonial era, view of beautiful limestone rock formations
- Wonderful places to shop:
- 54 Traditions Gallery, Hanoi, 0 Hang Bun, Hanoi, Vietnam, 54traditionsgallery@gmail.com,antiques, artifacts and art of Vietnam’s 53 minority groups and the Kinh majority people. Over 1,000 objects on display and objects from the collection have been exhibited in museums in Hanoi.
- Thang Loi, Hoi An, for custom-made silk clothing, 24-hour turnaround time measured for a perfect fit, www.thangloi-hoian.com, quanghiep@dng.vnn.vn, beautiful jackets for women, shirts for men; this fantastic shop keeps your measurements on file so you can order articles from home and have them made and shipped
- Handmade, hand-embroidered silk quilts, L’Unique, 68 Hang Gai Street, Hanoi, www.lunique.com.vn, luniquehn@gmail.com
- Tan My Embroidery, 66 Hang Gai Street, Hanoi, www.tanmyembroidery.com.vn, tammyhuong@fpt.vn
- Crafts, Craft Link, Traditional Artisans, 51 Vanmieu Street, Hanoi, www.craftlink-vietnam.com, craftlink@fpt.vn

Colorful Brooms, Hue

Antique Water Puppet, 54 Traditions Gallery, Hanoi

Water Puppet Show, Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, Hanoi

Selling Wares to Passengers on Boat in Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Street Scene, Hoi An