14 Day Cambodia and Vietnam Explorer

Smaller, quieter, greener and more dignified than Ho Chi Minh City, the nation’s capital can sometimes look like a provincial French city. This, like most things in Vietnam, is changing fast as economic restrictions are lifted and old regulations are forgotten. Life (and traffic, unfortunately) is returning to the streets and shopping no longer means a trip to a dreary government department store. Still, the city remains quiet enough for cycling to be the ideal means of getting around, and many hotels and cafes rent bicycles.

Places to visit include the fascinating 11th-century Temple of Literature (site of Vietnam’s first University), the 15th-century Old Quarter, some enchanting lakes and temples, and the Mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh.

Budget accommodation can be scarce in Hanoi, especially between June and September, but many people rent rooms and with some searching you should find something. Whatever your budget, you’ll pay more for accommodation in Hanoi than elsewhere in the country. Hanoi has plenty of domestic and international air connections, and is connected with Ho Chi Minh City by the Reunification Express train.

The Mekong is a river in Southeast Asia. It is the world’s 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is 4,909 km (3,050 mi), and it drains an area of 795,000 km2 (307,000 sq mi), discharging 475 km3 (114 cu mi) of water annually.