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Vietnam
Attractions
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Hanoi
Vietnam’s capital city, Hanoi is a city of numerous
captivating faces. The traditional commercial bustle,
street markets, chaotic traffic and fascinating shop
house architecture of the Old Quarter contrast
dramatically with the quiet lakes, historic temples,
shady city parks and regal architecture of the French
colonial districts.
Hanoi’s 1,000 year history has lent the city this
fascinating blend of influences and styles - it's one of
Private Asia Tours ‘s favorite cities! Join us to
explore the shady gardens of the Temple of Literature,
Hanoi’s ancient university, with its colorful Confucian
temple.
Visit the vast Ba Dinh Square, Hanoi’s political centre,
and see Ho Chi Minh lying in state in his imposing
Mausoleum. Also visit his simple house on stilts, and
the historical displays of the Hio Chi Minh Museum.
Enter the gloomy confines of the infamous Hanoi Hilton,
the city prison built by the French and later used by
the North Vietnamese to house American fighter pilots
shot down over the north.
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Halong Bay
With its thousands of limestone islets emerging from the
South China Sea, Halong Bay is Vietnam’s premier natural
attraction.
Now a World Heritage site the bay’s towering cliffs,
jungle-topped islands, hidden caves, grottoes and calm
waters are a must-see for any visitor to the north of
Vietnam. Cruise this magical environment with Private
Asia Tours, aboard a private boat that will carry you
deep into the Bay’s more secluded inner reaches for a
memorable experience of this unique seascape
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MaiChau
Located in a beautiful upland valley, Mai Chau is a
mosaic of rice fields, bamboo groves, and scattered
settlements of the White Tai people.
It is the Tai who give this valley its unique
atmosphere, with their picturesque villages of bamboo
and timber houses raised on stilts. Tai women are
skilled weavers, with looms in use below most of the
houses and Tai weavings making a fine moment of a visit
to this area.
Stay with Private Asia Tours in a Thai family house
for a night of traditional hospitality and warmth. After
dinner, we may have the opportunity to see some Tai
dancing - or perhaps just bed down in the communal house
before an early rise for a walk around the valley.
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Sapa
Located in Vietnam’s remote north west mountains, Sapa
is famous for both its fine, rugged scenery and also its
rich cultural diversity. Its lush, deep river valleys,
in the shadows of Vietnam’s tallest peak Mount Fansipan,
are home to Blue H’mong and Red Dao communities, who
continue to maintain their strong traditions and warmly
welcome visitors to their homes.
Sapa is also famous for its street market, which
attracts villagers from the surrounding hills and is
particularly busy on Saturdays. The unique embroidery,
jewelry and clothes of the H’mong and Dao are good buys
here, and the sight of dozens of minority women in their
traditional clothing is a memorable part of any stay in
Sapa.
Let Private Asia Tours introduce you to the cultures
and landscapes of this unique region. We visit nearby
minority villages, take a walk to the river below Cat
Cat, see the Thac Bac Waterfall and spectacular valley
views up the nearby Tram Ton Pass.
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NinhBinh
Situated on the Red River Delta, Ninh Binh separates the
North and the Central Vietnam by Tam Diep Mountain
Range. It is surrounded by Hoa Binh, Ha Nam provinces on
the north, Nam Dinh Province on the east and Thanh Hoa
on the west and the south.
Ninh Binh’s topography is divided clearly into 3 parts:
the mountainous area in the west and northwest; the
delta and coastal area in the east and south. Ninh Binh
has Day, Van Sang rivers, and Non Nuoc, Canh Dieu
mountains. Annual average temperature is 23.4ºC.
In Ninh Binh, Hoa Lu Ancient Capital (in Truong Yen
Commune, Hoa Lu District now) was chosen as the first
capital of Vietnam feudal centralism regime and the Dai
Co Viet's political, economic and cultural centre with
the name of Kings Dinh Tien Hoang, Le Dai Hanh and Ly
Thai To in 10th century. In 1010, King Ly Thai To moved
the capital from Hoa Lu to Thang Long (Hanoi now),
opening a new era for Vietnamese people.
Ninh Binh owns beautiful Tam Coc, Bich Dong, Dich Long,
Hoa Son, Tien caves, Van Trinh Grotto and other special
landscapes following:
Cuc Phuong National Park is home of varies of strange
flora and fauna. Especially it is enjoyable to touch the
thousand-year-old cho xanh (parashrea stellata) and sau
(Dracontomelum Duperranum or Dancorra Edulis) trees,
50-70m high. The park is also suitable to watch birds,
butterflies and orchid flowers.
Phat Diem Cathedral is a solemn and interesting
architectural complex, reflecting the skilful and
excellent stone carving art of the Vietnamese workers.
Ninh Binh’s people have created such famous and
traditional products as Kim Son's fine arts, Hoa Lu's
high-class embroidery, hanger products and rocky
sculpture products for export, Gia Vien's rattan and
bamboo knitting products, etc.
Transportation
Located 90km far from Hanoi, Ninh Binh has convenient
waterway and road networks of transportation. The
Reunification Express Train from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh
City stops at Ninh Binh Town. National Highway No.10
connects to Nam Dinh, Thanh Hoa provinces and National
Highway No.12B links to Hoa Binh Province
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PhongNha Cave
Viet Nam's Phong
Nha-Ke Bang national park has been recognized as a world
natural heritage site by the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) at its
27th general assembly session being held in Paris from
June 30-July 5.
At the session, delegates from over 160 member countries
of UNESCO World Heritage Convention agreed to include
Phong Nha-Ke Bang park and 30 others worldwide to the
list of world heritage sites.
Phong Nha-Ke Bang park is now the fifth UNESCO
recognized site in Viet Nam after Ha Long Bay, the
imperial city of Hue, the ancient quarter of Hoi An and
the My Son historical site.
Phong Nha-Ke Bang national park, located to the north of
the majestic Truong Son range in
central Quang Binh province, is one of the world's two
largest limestone regions.
The over 200,000 ha of parkland includes beautiful
limestone formations, grottoes and caves, and boasts
lush forestland covering 95 percent of the park area.
The area is considered a paradise for researchers and
explorers of grottoes and caves, and Vietnamese and
British scientists have so far surveyed 20 with a total
length of 70km. Of them, 17 are in the Phong Nha area
and three in the Ke Bang area.
The Phong Nha cave itself which lends its name to the
whole system is probably the most beautiful of all,
containing many fascinating rock formations, enchanting
visitors with evocative names such as Lion, Fairy Caves,
Royal Court and Buddha.
 Besides
the grotto and cave systems, Phong Nha has the longest
underground rivers, the largest caverns and passageways,
the widest and prettiest sand banks, and the most
astonishing rock formations in the world.
According to initial statistics, the primitive tropical
forest in Phong Nha-Ke Bang houses 140 families, 427
branches, and 751 species of high-rated plants, of which
36 species are endangered and listed in the Viet Nam Red
Book. The forest is also home to 32 sets, 98 families,
256 races and 381 species of four land backboned
animals. Sixty-six animal species are listed in the Viet
Nam Red Book and 23 other species in the World Red Book.
In general, Phong Nha-Ke Bang's animals are more diverse
than in other natural reserves and national parks.
Phong Nha-Ke Bang also boasts dozens of mountain peaks
of over 1,000 meters still unexplored by men and seen as
ideal sites for activities like climbing and
exploration. Worthy of note are Peak Co Rilata with the
height of 1,128 m and Peak Co Preu, 1,213 m. Lying
between these peaks are valleys which promise tourists
exciting eco-tours.
In addition to the diversity in the ecosystem, Phong
Nha-Ke Bang is home to archeological and historical
relics, such as an ancient hieroglyphic script of the
Cham ethnic minority, King Ham Nghi's base built for the
resistance war against French colonialists in the late
19th century, and the Xuan Son ferry station, Ho Chi
Minh Trail and Road 20 used during the US resistance
war.
Central Quang Binh province has poured heavy investment
into upgrading.
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DMZ
In 1954, Ho Chi
Minh’s government in the north and the French colonial
administration in the south agreed an armistice that
involved a ‘temporary’ partition of Vietnam. The Ben Hai
River, in the extreme north of Quang Tri province,
became the arbitrary line dividing the two halves of the
country. When the southern ‘government’, backed by the
US, reneged on the national elections promised in the
agreement, Quang Tri became the theatre where most of
the important scenes of the Vietnam War were staged.
From then until the early seventies when the Vietnamese
army overwhelmed the defenses along the southern edge of
the DMZ, Quang Tri was a battlefield, one of the most
intensively bombed areas in military history. It left a
barren desert created by hundreds of thousands of tons
of high explosive, estimated to be the equivalent of
seven Hiroshima atom bombs, as well as napalm,
phosphorous and herbicide.
Today, nature has reclaimed much of the land, but
craters are visible almost everywhere in the area.
It has been estimated that nearly a third of the
ordnance failed to explode. Clearance is continuous, but
there are still enough live landmines, bombs and shells
to add to the tens of thousands of children and adults
killed or maimed by unexploded ordnance since 1975. The
numbers are dropping, but incidents of death or injury
among local people are reported almost every week.
Accidents affect children walking to and from school or
the market who mistake grenades for toys, farmers
ploughing or planting crops, building workers digging
wells or laying foundations, and poor peasants
attempting to dismantle a bomb or shell to sell the
scrap metal for a small amount of cash.
The main sites and paths are now free of danger, but
venturing off the beaten track is unwise unless you’re
accompanied by a professional guide.
Apart from war memorabilia, little remains of the
pre-war towns and villages. Nevertheless, there are a
couple places of interest beyond those directly linked
to the war.
Quang Tri town, once an important citadel town and the
provincial capital, is mostly an evocative ruin. There
are a few remains of the citadel, built in 1824 by King
Minh Mang, but not much else.
On the other hand, Dong Ha, the present provincial
capital, has flourished. It has a large deepwater port,
a direct route to Laos via the Lao Bao border gate 80kn
to the west, and is likely to be an important hub on the
planned trans-Asia highway. It has a decent hotel and is
a good centre from which to explore the DMZ in depth.
Near the Laos border, Huong Hoa is a unremarkable small
town in the foothills of the Annamite mountains.
Formerly known as Khe Sanh, it’s known for the coffee
produced from plantations developed by the French. The
interest for our visitors is a German project linking
Kraft Foods Germany and the Dutch ‘Douwe Egberts’ coffee
company with a Vietnamese Arabica coffee producer to
develop high quality coffee without exploiting the
farmers or damaging the environment.
A sizable proportion of Huong Hoa’s population is poor
Bru Van Kieu ethnic minority people – you’ll probably
meet women smoking long-stemmed pipes.
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Hue
Vietnam’s 19-20th Century capital under her last royal
dynasty, Hue is a quiet and attractive city home to some
of Vietnam’s most impressive feudal remnants.
Private Asia Tours will guide you through the landmark
Citadel, once the residence of the royal family, where
we climb the Citadel’s colossal Ngo Mon Gate for views
over the Thai Hoa Palace, with its interior of gold and
scarlet ironwood columns and royal paraphernalia.
Walk the grounds of the former Forbidden Purple City,
scarred by decades of war, and admire the Hall of the
Mandarins and the 2 tonne dynastic urns with their fine
bronze work. We take a dragon boat up the Perfume River
to the celebrated Pagoda of Thien Mu in its fine hilltop
location.
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Danang
Talking about Danang City, tourists may quickly think
that this is a picturesque city by the Han river, by the
coast of the Eastern Sea with distinctive attractiveness
compared with other sea cities... Furama
beach(430Wx288H)
Danang is favored by nature, situated in the middle of
the three world cultural heritage sites including the
ancient capital Hue, the ancient town Hoi An and the
holy land My Son. Such the position highlights the
Danang's role in Central Vietnam. This is the place for
welcoming, serving and being the entrepot for tourists.
Not only at the central point of the three world
cultural heritages, Danang City has also lots of
attractive spots which tourists feel unforgettable after
visiting the city.
Danang has the high and dangerous Hai Van pass with full
of perilous obstacles, engraved “the most grandiose
beauty spots in the world”, Son Tra peninsula - an ideal
rendez-vous for tourists. Surrounding Son Tra peninsula
are Da stream, Bai But, Bai Rang, Bai Bac, Bai Nom - the
beautiful alluvial plains which make interesting feeling
for tourists on being ingulfed in splendid of dawn and
the quietness of crepuscle in a picturesque l But
alluvial ground (004)(430Wx315H) and. The eco-tourism
resort Ba Na - Mo Stream is considered as Dalat, Sapa of
Central Vietnam and the legendary Marble Mountains - 'a
beautiful landscape of the southern heaven and earth'.
Mentioning Danang, tourists can not forget the poetic
Han river and its bridge - the first swing one in
Vietnam. This is the pride of Danang people. The Han
River bridge - the symbol for new vitality and the
developing desire of the city- was built with the
contribution of all the city's people. It seems that all
poetic features of the Han River can be only expressed
deeply in the space of Han river bridge with full of
wind and ventilation. It not only facilitates transport
and potentials for tourism, awaking economic potentials
of a vast area in the eastern city but is a cultural
spot of Danang people today left behind for the future
generations.
Danang is also endowed with sea - the vast tourist
source of inspiration. In addition to beautiful and
clean stretching beaches, Danang seaport is one of the
most well-known seaport in Vietnam.
Danang City by Han river - a poetic and beautiful sea
city plus the hospitability of the city people make it a
frequent destination for domestic and international
tourists.
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Hoian
The small town of Hoi An is the perfect place to break
your journey midway through Vietnam. Located on the
country’s magnificent central coast, this one-time
trading port retains an old world ambience and a rich
historical quality that resulted in its recent listing
as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Let Private Asia Tours escort you through the narrow
lanes and streets of the old town, lined with centuries
old shop houses combining the influences of the many
trading communities who visited Hoi An: French,
Japanese, Chinese.
See the Japanese Covered Bridge, the gaudy interior of
the Guangdong or Phuc Kien Chinese Assembly Halls; take
tea in an 18th Century home; jostle for space with the
fish mongers in the lively riverside seafood market,;
cycle out to Cua Dai Beach or take a sunset river cruise
- these are all part of the unique Hoi An experience.
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NhaTrang
Its fine beach, island and mountain views, fresh seafood
and gentle sea breezes have endeared Nha Trang to many a
Private Asia Tours traveler. We spend time cruising
the waters of the South China Sea, stopping to swim from
our boat and visit an island fishing village. Whether
eating on board, in the spectacularly located villas of
the former emperor Bao Dai, or in one of our favorite
barbeque restaurants, don’t miss the local seafood.
Nha Trang’s charms lie in its seaside surrounds, but you
might like to take a cyclo ride along the beachfront
boulevard to the city’s market, and on to the ancient
Cham towers of Po Nagar with their views over the
colorful fishing fleet to the sea. Or if sport takes
your fancy, why not join the locals as they gather on
the beach in the evening for a friendly game of
football.
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DaLat
A slice of Europe in the Central Highlands of Vietnam,
Dalat found favor with the French rulers for its cool
climate. Today, Dalat’s mild temperatures are popular
with Private Asia Tours’s travelers, as is the town’s
attractive landscape of colonial villas, gardens, lakes
and rolling hills.
Dalat’s colorful market features locally-made
specialties such as artichoke tea, candied fruits,
coffee and the finest cool climate vegetables and
flowers in Vietnam. Visit the former summer residence of
Vietnam’s last emperor, Bao Dai, and meet Dalat’s famous
artist monk Vien Thuc in his studio lined with thousands
of his quirky compositions. The brilliantly colored silk
weavings of the K’hor tribes people are a popular
purchase, as are finely detailed silk embroideries.
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PhanThiet - MuiNe
Located in Binh Thuan province, Phan Thiet is 200 km
from Saigon and lies south of Cam Ranh bay on the
southernmost stretch of Central Vietnam. Binh Thuan was
once a part of the Cham kingdom. In 1692, Lord Nguyen
Phuc Chu captured the area and named it Binh Thuan Dinh.
Binh Thuan is quite important in Vietnam's history, as
it was because of this area that in 1306 King Tran Nhan
Tong agreed to the marriage of princess Huyen Chan to
King Jaya Sinhavarman III of the Cham Kingdom. During
the revolution against the French, it was in this area
that the two patriots Phan Chu Trinh and Tran Quy Cap
had their start. Furthermore, according to local lore,
the area around Phan Thiet is where Han Mac Tu, the
disfigured poet, spent his time forlornly as he waited
for Mong Cam, the lady of his dreams.
Bairang
Bai Rang or Rang Beach is probably the most beautiful
beach in Phan Thiet. It is located 15 Km northeast of
Phan Thiet and is described by the locals as the beach
that is nestled in the middle of a coconut palm forest.
Other landmarks in the area of Rang beach are Da Ong Dia
(boulders of the Earth God), and Suoi Tien (Celestial
stream).
Muine Sand Dunes
However, by far the most popular among tourists are Mui
Ne Sand Dunes and Mui Ne Beaches located 12 miles East
of Phan Thiet. The sand dunes in this area are shaped by
the elements of the wind and therefore is a spectacular
site to the visitors.
Muine Fishing Village
Mui Ne gets its name from the local fishermen using this
area as a shelter during the stormy season. Mui
meaning nose or peninsula and Ne meaning to duck
or to take shelter. The combination of sun, sand and
deep turquoise water of the pacific ocean create a
breath taking and spectacular site to the visitors.
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Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon)
One of Asia’s most vibrant and welcoming cities, Saigon
(as it is still popularly known) is a cultural melting
pot with something to offer every traveler. Join Private
Asia Tours to discover the many faces of this city -
our home in South East Asia.
District 1 is the best place to start with its many
historic French-built landmarks - the Opera House, Notre
Dame Cathedral, and Hotel de Ville to name but a few. We
visit the remarkable Cu Chi Tunnels where the Viet Cong
hid during the Vietnam-American War, the former
Presidential Palace, and the sobering War Remnants
Museum. We’ll introduce you to the enormous variety of
exotic local produce at the sprawling Binh Tay Market in
Cholon, the city’s bustling Chinatown, and nearby the
colorful Thien Hau Pagoda. Visiting Saigon while it
passes through a remarkable and rapid phase of
transformation will fascinate and delight. Above all,
experiencing the heartfelt warmth and humour for which
the Saigonese are renowned will stay with you long after
you’ve departed for home.
In recent years Ho Chi Minh City has transformed into a
city offering visitors a fantastic abundance of
shopping, dining and nightlife. Explore the many new
shops and boutiques of a rejuvenated Dong Khoi Street -
the famous Rue Catinat of the French elite in the
colonial era - where fine silks and tailored clothes,
hill tribe crafts, Vietnamese antiques, ceramics and
embroideries vie for the attention of visitors. Or take
a browse through nearby streets and the central Ben
Thanh Markets for imitation designer labels and modern
fashions, jewelry, CDs, luggage, and an array of local
products - all amazingly cheap. Finish the day with a
Vietnamese feast at one of our favorite restaurants, or
perhaps try one of the city’s delectable French or
Western eateries. There’s a gastronomic treat awaiting
every taste bud and every budget. And if you’re in the
mood for a boogie, party on at a city bar or nightclub -
Metropolis, Monaco, or the infamous Apocalypse Now are a
must.
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Mekong Delta
Vietnam’s most fertile region, the Mekong’s riverine
environment is simultaneously unique and beautiful. From
Vinh Long, travel by sampan along narrow canals to
tropical fruit orchards and bonsai gardens; sample
freshly-picked fruits and the local delicacy, fried
elephant ear fish; and navigate though the waterborne
bustle of the area’s famed floating markets.
Many of our tours through Vietnam take a day trip from
Saigon to the province of My Tho, gateway to the Mekong.
We then take a boat ride to one of the islands located
in the middle of the Mekong River. On the island we
visit a fruit orchard and sample some delicious fresh
local produce. We take the opportunity to visit a local
family's house, enjoy their hospitality and share with
them some tea or rice wine.
Both our Vietnam Grand Adventure and Inside Vietnam and
Cambodia tours travel to the scenic little town of Chau
Doc.
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PhuQuoc
Located in the
Gulf of Thailand, the hear-shaped island lies just 62
nautical miles from Rach Gia and nearly 290 nautical
miles from Laem Chabang (Thailand). It covers an area of
567 sq. km (about 62 km long and 3-28 km wide) and is
situated at 10o01'-10o27' north latitude and
103o51'-104o50' east longitude. Its population is
approx. 85,000 (2001).
Phu Quoc is called the island of "99 mountains" because
of its many sandstone chains gradually descending from
the north to the south. The longest one is Ham Ninh
which stretches for 30 km along the eastern edge with
its highest peak called Mt. Chua (603m).
Phu Quoc has a monsoon sub-equatorial climate. There are
two seasons in the year: the rainy season (October only)
and the dry season (November to September). The average
annual rainfall is 2,879 m and the average temperature
is 27oC. Trips to Phu Quoc can be made all year round,
but the best time is dry season when the sky is always
sunny, clear and blue.
In the early 17th century, Phu Quoc was a desolate area,
where Vietnamese and Chinese immigrants earned their
living from sea cucumbers. From 1782 to 1786, Phu Quoc
became a stronghold of Lord Nguyen Anh, later Emperor
Gia Long, in his confrontation with Tay Son forces.
In 1869, the French occupied it and set up rubber and
coconut plantations in the island. From 1967 to 1972, a
P.O.W detention camp of 40,000 inmates during the war
covering on 400 hectares was built at An Thoi by the
Saigon regime.
After being liberated on 30 April 1975, Phu Quoc has
been converted into an ideal tourist destination for
nature and sea lovers.
Citizens of south-east Asia countries don't need to have
im-emmigrating certifications when entering Duongdong
town within 15 days. If they want to go to other places
from here (except restricted areas), they can get
im-emmigrating certifications given by im-immigrating
management Offices of Duongdong town. Foreign-tourist
ships can arrive or leave Duongdong harbor as the
projects signed with Vietnamese tourist companies.
Foreign tourist ships to Duongdong area & other areas
(except restricted areas) have to obey the laws
mentioned above.
Foreign cargo ships are allowed to arrive or leave
Duongdong town to deliver or get cargoes as the
contracts signed business-manufacturing organizations.
The crewmen on these ships can use their passports or
sailor's registers to enter Duongdong area issued by
foreign authorities. If they deliver or get goods in
other harbors of Kiengiang province, they have to obey
Vietnam's current law.
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CuChi Tunnels
It was one of the weirdest tourism experiences we've
ever had. As though Fellini and Disney had teamed up to
do 'Nam....
At the beginning of the tunnel complex, there's a wall
draped with clothing ... vests, cone shaped peasant
hats, capes in camouflage colors. Oh yes, and rifles.
Real rifles, but thankfully without the ammo.
You can rent these things. And wear them while crawling
through the tunnels. So much the better to feel like a
guerilla.
The Cu Chi tunnels of Vietnam are one of those horrible
remnants of a horrible war that most folks would
probably rather forget. So, of course, they've become a
tourist attraction.
The Cu Chi Tunnels lie 75 km northwest of Saigon ...
which nobody these days but the government and maps call
Ho Chi Minh City. At the height of the Vietnam war, the
tunnel system stretched from the outskirts of Saigon all
the way to the Cambodian border ... something like 250
kilometers of tunnels.
The tunnel system, built over 25 years starting in the
1940s, let the Viet Minh and, later, the Viet Cong,
control a huge rural area. It was an underground city
with living areas, kitchens, storage, weapons factories,
field hospitals, command centers. In places, it was
several stories deep and housed up to 10,000 people who
virtually lived underground for years.... getting
married, giving birth, going to school. They only came
out at night to furtively tend their crops.The ground
here is hard clay, which made this whole thing possible.
But even so, the planning and construction was
incredible. People dug all this with hand tools, filling
reed baskets and dumping the dirt into bomb craters.
They installed large vents so they could hear
approaching helicopters, smaller vents for air and
baffled vents to dissipate cooking smoke. There were
also hidden trap doors and gruesomely effective
bamboo-stake booby traps.
 Of
course, the U.S. military knew about the tunnels. The
tunnels not only allowed guerilla communication, they
allowed surprise attacks, even within the perimeters of
U.S. military bases. The U.S. retaliated with bombs,
eventually turning the region into what writers Tom
Mangold and John Penycate called "the most bombed,
shelled, gassed, defoliated and generally devastated
area in the history of warfare."
That was then.
Today, the trees and bushes have grown back. And since
1988, two sections of tunnels have been open for
tourism. There are what some guidebooks call the "real"
tunnels at Ben Binh. They remain unlit and mostly
unreconstructed, which means chunky Westerners shouldn't
even try.
Re-creation of underground conference room from which
Tet offensive was planned
The "fake" tunnels at Ben Duoc aren't fake at all.
They're merely renovated, widened for tourists and come
complete with lights and displays underground.
After declining the guerilla costumes and gear we went
for a hike through the woods while our guide pointed out
bomb craters (labeled by shell type) and smoke vents,
thoughtfully steered us around booby traps and let us
play a brief game of "try to find the trap door" ...
which, of course, we couldn't.
Finally, we came to the tunnels. We dropped through a
trap door to the first level, 10 feet below the surface,
and squeezed through narrow passageways to see bunkers,
a hospital, a kitchen and the actual command room from
which the 1968 Tet offensive was planned.
There are tables and chairs, bunk beds, crude cooking
stoves, dummies outfitted in guerilla garb and, for
effect, the occasional live person to give an authentic
touch.
Even with the tunnels widened it was a squeeze,
especially one serpentine stretch at the second level
where we had to drop to our knees and crawl while the
ceiling scraped our spines. There was a third level,
which is hardly 18 inches high and definitely would have
required wriggling on our stomachs. We gratefully
declined.
The day we did all this, the temperature was 98 degrees
with correspondingly high humidity, and the sweat gushed
so heavily we could hardly hold onto our cameras. It
gave us an incredible admiration for the people who
lived and struggled here.
After one last wriggle, we came up at a snack stand
where we got to taste the taro root and green tea that
tunnel residents ate.
Then off to the souvenir stand, zoo and shooting range
(where, if you knock down the target with your AK47 or
M16, you can win a gen-u-ine guerilla scarf).....
War is hell, and, sometimes, the aftermath is just plain
weird.
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CaoDai Temple
Cao Dai is an
attempt to create a perfect synthesis of world
religions. It is a combination of Christianity, Buddhism
, Islam, Confucianism, Hinduism, Geniism, and Taoism .
Established in the Southern regions of Vietnam in the
early 1920's, the religion was officially codified in
1926. The functioning center of Cao Daism is located in
the Tay Ninh province. Cao Dai literally means high
tower or palace, a metaphor for the spender of spiritual
growth. The central philosophy of Cao Daism pertains to
the duty that the faithful perform for themselves, their
family, society and the world at large. Much like
Confucianism, this element of the Philosophy pertains to
how the individual functions within the context of the
community.
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