One year ago, my husband and I decided to visit Vietnam. There were several reasons, one of which was that it was much nearer, and the other was that it was definitely more economical than many other countries.
This time for a change, we chose a travel agency that caters to senior citizens named Khayaal Travels. When we contacted them, the response was quite prompt, and we selected a trip that would start in May and would last for 5 days. We didn’t opt to go to Cambodia, as it would involve some more days of travel
Documents required to visit Vietnam are an Indian passport with a validity of not less than 6 months (front and back page), a photocopy of the visa, 2 recent photographs of 4cm X 6cm in size and a printout of our return air tickets along with medical proof/prescription if we are going to take any personal medicines.
Before visiting Vietnam, I went through some literature about this fascinating country.
Vietnam is a country founded in legends. Millennia of invasions and conflicts have shaped Vietnamese culture into what it is today.
From the 2nd to 15th centuries, many dynasties ruled the country, interspersed between periods of Chinese occupation. There are four major dynasties to note: the Ly, the Tran, the Le, and the Nguyen. Ending a thousand-year-long rule of the Chinese, the Ly Dynasty drove out the Chinese , and set up a centralized government in Hanoi. Then came the Tran Dynasty, which repelled a Mongol attack in the Red River Delta under the command of General Tran Hung Dao. These two dynasties helped to build the foundation of Vietnam,
China invaded Vietnam again at the turn of the 15th century, but for a brief period only, as Le Loi, a wealthy landowner, managed to lead a resistance and reclaim Vietnam. This established the Le Dynasty, which successfully expanded southward, gaining control over the former Champa Kingdom.
The Cham were an ethnic group from the Indian subcontinent that lived in central and southern Vietnam from the 2nd century. A strong kingdom with mercantile skills, they were eventually defeated and driven into the depths of the Mekong Delta.
The Nguyens came into power during a divisive civil conflict that left Vietnam fractured. Under the leadership of Emperor Gia Long, the country was reunited and in 1802, Gia Long constructed a new feudal capital in the city of Hue in Central Vietnam.
During the reign of the Nguyen Emperors, unfortunately, French influence in Vietnam grew under the pretext of religious reform and evangelicalism. Eventually, the French established control over entire Vietnam, adding the central and northern regions to their conquests along with neighbouring Laos and Cambodia. The last Nguyen emperor, Bao Dai, formally abdicated his throne.
Meanwhile, France was occupied by Germany and Japan seized the opportunity to invade Vietnam, and this strategic move resulted in Japanese forces taking control of Hanoi in 1940. A year later, they moved further south, stimulating the remaining elements of the Vietnamese resistance and spurring communists and nationalists to come together to form the Viet Minh under Ho Chi Minh. The Viet Minh destabilised the Japanese, and by 1945, Japan surrendered to Allied forces; on the same day, Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam an independent nation in Hanoi’s Ba Dinh Square.
Resistance to French colonial rule came to a head when the First Indochina War began in 1946. The war lasted until a stark defeat at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. After a ceasefire was signed, Vietnam was divided at the 17th parallel, setting the stage for a war that captured worldwide attention.
American involvement in South Vietnam had begun well beforehand, and as the United States brought in more and more forces to the war effort, so did North Vietnam. The Tet Offensive marked a turning point for the North. Ultimately, American forces retreated from Saigon, and the city was taken over by North Vietnamese troops on April 30, 1975
After the Second Indochina War, the country went through a period of adjustment and reunification. In 1986, the Vietnamese government introduced its ‘Doi Moi’ (renewal) policy nationwide. These reforms resulted in gradual economic growth, and more and more Vietnamese began to open businesses. In recent times, Vietnam has come across a boom in development, and is one of the region’s fastest-growing economies.
The country offers a fascinating mixture of old and new, with compelling historical attractions and a deeply rooted sense of appreciation for its past and has now become the country of choice for many tourists who come in joyful anticipation of having a good time in the country.
The official language is Vietnamese, and the religion practiced by the majority of people is Mahayana Buddhism.
Local Time in Vietnam is 1 hour and 30 minutes ahead of India, and their currency is Vietnamese dong VND which is equal to 0.0035 INR
In May, the maximum temperature is 32°C and the minimum temperature 22°C. The chances of rainfall were supposed to be pretty slim, though people find it very humid.
The Vietnam travel map includes some of the most famous travel destinations in Vietnam, such as Hanoi, Halong Bay, Sapa, Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Da Lat, Mui Ne, Ho Chi Minh City, and the Mekong Delta.
We would be starting our journey from the North Eastern part of Vietnam, Hanoi and then will be going to Halong Bay. From there, we would take a flight to Ho Chi Minh city and finally fly back to India, we skipped central Vietnam due to lack of time.
We had a Zoom meeting a few days before we flew and met the other travellers online.
Finally on the day of our travel, we packed and set forth to the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, where we met the two other travellers travelling from Hyderabad. Both were middle-aged ladies whose husbands were busy, so they were going to Vietnam alone
We had a transit at Kolkata and finally reached Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi. Immigration was smooth and was over in half an hour
As we were instructed to wait for our tour guide, all 4 of us waited at a place, looking curiously at the airport scenes unfolding before our eyes.
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