Vietnam

A tranquil oasis within busy Hanoi, Hoan Kiem Lake constitutes the very heart of the capital city. The lake's name means "Lake of the Returned Sword"; according to legend, King Le Loi freed Vietnam then crossed this lake on a giant tortoise, who swallowed Le Loi's sword and dove down with it to return it to the gods. (The Tortoise Tower in the middle of the lake commemorates this event.) The legend may have some basis in fact -- there have been recent sightings of six-foot-long turtles here. The temple in the middle of the lake was restored in the 1860s by one of Vietnam's great writers. In addition to the pen-and-ink motifs you'll see, he added several word puzzles along the pathway to the building.

Wade in. Vietnamese water puppets originated in the rice paddies of northern Vietnam, where farmers would use the flooded fields as stages to act out satirical stories with their bamboo figures. Modern puppeteers stand waist-deep in water-filled tubs, and a screen hides their movements as they gracefully manipulate the floating puppets.

Hanoi's mix of eleventh-century temples, crowded merchant streets selling the same goods for the past 500 years, grand French colonial palaces, and increasing Western-style modernity show the city for the long-standing capital that it is -- Hanoi has more or less been the administrative center of Vietnam for 4,000 years. See its evolution with a local licensed guide. Ancient Vietnam is captured at the One Pillar Pagoda, its tiered main section balancing delicately on a single pillar rising from a lake, and at the Temple of Literature, built in 1070 as a center of Confucian education. The tortoise statues surrounding the central well support columns carved with the names and biographies of students who successfully passed the state examination between 1442 and 1779. (Can you imagine a turtle delivering your SAT scores?) Hanoi's Old Merchant Quarter is the only one that survives in any Vietnamese city, and merchants still offer up traditional crafts, foods, and clothing. Ho Chi Minh drafted Vietnam's Declaration of Independence when he lived in this quarter in 1945. He now rests embalmed beneath glass at his mausoleum, where visitors can pay their respects to the country's revolutionary leader. The nearby Army Museum chronicles the country's turbulent history from the anti-colonial revolutions in the 1930s through the present day.

Water-breathing dragons? Legend claims that the enormous limestone boulders in Ha Long Bay arrived when dragons descended to defend Vietnam; they liked it so much that they stuck around, the mother's spine creating one side of the bay, the baby's tail creating the sand beach opposite, and the rocks they spewed at the invaders becoming the enormous islands that dot the bay.

The capital of Vietnam from 1802 to 1945, Hué still flashes its first-city pride at the citadel. Emperor Gia Long created a full city within its walls; unfortunately, his magnificent buildings were mostly destroyed during the Tet Offensive of the Vietnam War, which leveled most of the city. What remains is still impressive, however, especially the Thai Hoa Palace, whose gleaming red and gold interior hosted major imperial ceremonies. Don't miss the soaring Ngo Mon gate at the entrance -- in addition to its elegant watchtower, the gate boasts two entrances dedicated for use solely by the emperor's elephants.

The Thien Mu Pagoda, built in 1601, is the oldest pagoda in Hué, and it has historically been active as an intellectual and political hub of Buddhism. During the war one of its monks, Quang Duc, set himself on fire in Saigon to protest the violence of war; the blue Austin car he used to drive himself there is still on display at the pagoda.

The colorful, noisy Dong Ba Market is a perfect place to shop for souvenirs. Be sure to check out the translucent conical hats, called "non Hué." A local specialty, the hats are designed with multicolored patterns or writing on the inside that reflect prettily on the wearer's face when the sun shines.

Emperors Minh Mang (ruled 1820-41) and Khai Dinh (1916-25) built grand temples to serve as their palaces after death. Authoritarian Minh Mang used 10,000 workers for three years to construct his Chinese-style complex, while the construction of Khai Dinh's mausoleum took two years longer than his nine-year reign. The result is a frothy Baroque palace filled with elaborate dragons and other decoration, much of it imported from France.

Miraculously escaping the ravages of Vietnam's modern wars, the merchant city of Hoi An brings visitors back into old Vietnam. The town was once a major international port, and the influence of the Japanese, Portuguese, French, Dutch, and Chinese merchants who walked its streets lingers in its architecture. See merchant houses and shops from the 1700s with their unique wooden doors, a picturesque Japanese-style covered bridge, and imposing assembly halls for Chinese residents with your Tour Director.

Surf's up. China Beach, once famous as an R&R destination for American soldiers (and from the American TV show "China Beach"), now holds a different honor: In 1992, it was the site of Vietnam's first international surfing competition. The beautiful Marble Mountains, said to represent each of the five elements (water, wood, metal, earth, and fire), surround China Beach. The mountains contain mysterious caves and caverns, many now dedicated to deities.

From the 7th through the 17th centuries, Champa culture flourished in southern Vietnam. The culture was heavily influenced by India and brought both Hinduism and Buddhism into the country as well as creating a superb artistic heritage. See the highlights of Cham sculpture in this museum, including elaborate altars to Shiva and intricate animal figures.

Hospitals, latrines, cafeterias, meeting rooms, hallways -- all underground. Anti-colonial forces began digging these tunnels in the 1930s for resistance maneuvers against the French and Japanese, and continued to expand the 75-mile network during the Vietnam War. To escape American troops, they would stay underground for days or weeks at a time. Frustrated, American soldiers carpet bombed the entire area; large holes show the site of these explosions. Squeeze down the tiny tunnels, now a major tourist attraction.

An elegant Mediterranean city built on marshland, the economic center of Vietnam, a metropolis of heavy Soviet architecture and sprawling American-style hotels. Ho Chi Minh City (still often called by its former name of Saigon) comfortably -- and profitably -- combines Vietnam's competing colonial influences. See French symbolism at the Notre Dame Cathedral and City Hall, either of which would look right at home on the Côte d'Azur. The War Remnants Museum looks unflinchingly at the wars with both the French and the Americans, and at the damage inflicted on the country and its residents during the wars. You can almost step back into that time at the Reunification Palace, preserved as it was on the morning of April 30, 1975, when South Vietnam surrendered to North Vietnam.

Praying for an end to the war, Buddhists from Japan donated a large bell to the newly built Vinh Ngheim Pagoda. The pagoda now stands as the city's largest and most beautiful temple. Since the early 1800s Ho Chi Minh City's various Chinese populations have been settling into the crowded, lively streets of the Cholon district, bringing their own regional specialties and skills to the area. All are on display at the Binh Tay market, where sellers aggressively push their food, gifts, clothing, and more. Need an escape? The Thien Hau Pagoda offers a spiritual renewal, with bright decorations and clouds of incense. Get a deeper look at Vietnam's crafts at a traditional lacquerware workshop. Considered the best in the world, Vietnam's lacquer bowls, boxes, and trays can take up to four weeks to make.