Phu Quoc Island - Vietnam

Ever wonder what the cutie island in the Cambodian south is or who owns it? (Check the map) As you can see it is closer to Cambodia than to Vietnam's mainland town of Ha Tien which is just 46 kilometers away. Well, don't argue with me because Vietnam will surely go to war with you if you claim that it's Cambodia's. Lol. Anyway, this tiny island called Phu Quoc Island is a famous fishing haven of the Vietnamese people. The relatively large number of fish being caught here makes the island a leading producer of fish sauce.

The island of Phu Quoc boast the spectacular beauty of its white sandy beaches, coral gardens offshore, different species of flora and fauna, friendly locals, and slow yet relax atmosphere.

Since many tourists are flocking the island, the Vietnam government decided to develop it into an eco-tourism destination by 2020. Its new international airport capable of accommodating large sized airlines is under construction and promised to be completed by 2012. Sounds nice eh? Well, let's just hope that its beauty will be preserved and won't be short-lived. 

Good luck to our Vietnamese friends. More power to you!

Halong Bay - Vietnam

Made up of 1,969 islands of different sizes, Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its spectacular beauty of limestone karsts. It is located in Quảng Ninh province of Vietnam that stretches from Halong City, Cam Pha, and part of the district of Van Don which creates a 120 km coastline. 

Ha Long Bay literally translates to "Descending Dragon Bay" in Vietnamese. It is a popular travel destination for locals and tourists alike. The bay has an area of 334km² consists of 775 islands that has gone through millions of years of formation.

I checked online what makes Halong Bay more popular and here's what i got from Wiki.

In popular culture

• In Régis Wargnier's 1992 film Indochine, two characters drift around Ha Long Bay for several days following a pivotal scene.
• It was the theme of Robocon (Asia-Pacific Robot Contest) held in Vietnam in 2007: "Discover Ha Long" 
• The band dredg wrote a song titled Ha Long Bay.
• In 1974 Halong Bay was the set for Scaramanga's (Christopher Lee) Lair in the James Bond Movie The Man With The Golden Gun.
• In the 1997 James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, James and Wai Lin attempt to chase down Elliot Carver (played by Jonathan Pryce) in the Ha Long Bay area.
• It was featured on the Amazing Race 10 on "Leg 4", which was originally aired on October 8, 2006.
• It was featured in the programme The Hairy Bikers' Cookbook.
• It was featured in the penultimate episode of the UK television show "By Any Means" in November 2008, when Charlie Boorman and his team were stranded in their boat.
• It was featured in a full length episode of the UK television show Top Gear, Series 12, on 28 December 2008.
• A background stage that looks very similar to Ha Long as well as bearing a crate that has the word "HALONG" written on it, is featured in Capcom's Street Fighter IV.

Cool huh? And because of its beauty and popularity, one can also enjoy a romantic cruise on the bay.

Reunification Palace - Vietnam

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Turned into a museum, the Reunification Palace was originally the official residence of the South Vietnam President during the Vietnam War. Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh), was captured by the North Vietnamese army on April 30, 1975. It was the event that the American led war ended, and the start of the communist rule in Vietnam as a whole.The site was also the place of the handing over of power, or known as "The Fall of Saigon".

The Reunification Palace was partially destroyed during the war. North Vietnamese soldiers with their tanks marched on the street and destroyed the gates of the palace. It was reconstructed to its current form in 1966 and is still used for official operations or functions.

Visitors can see the conference rooms and the presidential receiving room. Not only are those rooms open to the public, because even the basement which is the most fascinating part of the building can also be accessed. It holds the telecommunications room, the war room, and some other rooms and tunnels as well.

"Vietnam -rich in history"

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Notre Dame Cathedral - Ho Chi Minh City

Christened as "Paris of Asia" due to the French villas and impressive trees that lined the boulevard, Ho Chi Minh City is one of the liveliest city of South East Asia. The saying "time is gold" is apparent because the people are always in a hurry.

The best way to see the beauty of the city? Set yourself on foot.....

One of Ho Chi Minh's (formerly Saigon) famous landmarks is Notre Dame Cathedral. It was constructed between 1863 and 1880 with two bell towers reaching 58 meters (190 feet) in height. A refined statue of the Virgin Mary stands in the garden in front of the cathedral.

The original materials used for the construction of the building were imported from France. But just like the countries who suffered during the war, Ho Chi Minh's Cathedral was never spared. Most of the tiles were damaged and the replacement tiles which were quite of a number were since made locally.

Changes made to the cathedral were ostensible, yet it seems that nothing has been changed..It's still as splendid as it was....

Ban Gioc Waterfall- Vietnam

A thirty meter high Ban Gioc Waterfall, is the largest one in Vietnam. It ranks as the fourth largest waterfall along the border after Iguazu, Victoria, and Niagara Falls. It is located in Cao Bang Province near the Sino-Vietnamese border. Endemic species of plants were rediscovered recently in the gorge, and also treasures of bandits in the cliff-side caves.

The flowing water from Quy Xuan River creates mist in the air that makes the waterfall's temperature remarkably cool. French people started building cottages during the 1920's for relaxing, and to enjoy the magnificent beauty of nature's gift to the Vietnamese people. "How lucky a country to have such a marvelous gift" eh?

As you can see, the sight depicts a palpable sense of beauty mixed with village atmosphere that makes the waterfall truly remarkable." Does that rhyme?"