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Introduction •
Culture
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Environment, History &
Money •
Activities &
Transportation
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Attractions & When To Go •
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- Real Asia Ltd. provides you tailor made holidays composed according to your specific wishes. We strive to show you the Real Asian way of living without the big tourist traps. Below pages gives you a good impression on the country. Just e-mail us if you have any inquiries. Real Asia starts here.
Real Asia is een Nederlandse Tour Operator gevestigd in Bangkok - Thailand. We verzorgen reizen in de gehele Indochina regio. Boeken direct in Azie is vaak goedkoper dan in Nederland. Tevens kennen wij de regio op ons duimpje en kunnen u daarom de mooiste arrangementen aanbieden.
Vietnam Travel Programs (click here)
General Information
Once, the name `Vietnam' signified not so much a country as a brutal jungle war or a spectacular failure of American power. In recent years, however, the lifting of Vietnamese government restrictions and the boom in leisure traveling, have enabled more contemporary and relevant portraits of the country to gain currency in the West. An understanding of history still goes a long way in Vietnam, since the country has a unique civilization and a highly cultured people, but nobody needs to swat to be entranced by the sublime scenery, the delicious cuisine and the opportunity to witness the invigorating, early days of Vietnam's renewed contact with the West.
Facts at a Glance
| Full country name: Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Area 329,566 sq km | ||
| Population: 75 million (growth rate 2.3%) | ||
| Capital city: Hanoi (pop 1 million) | ||
| People: 85% ethnic Vietnamese, 3% ethnic Chinese, also Khmers, Chams (a remnant of the once-great Indianised Champa Kingdom) and members of some 60 ethnolinguistic groups (also known as Montagnards, `highlanders' in French) | ||
| Language: Vietnamese, Russian, French, Chinese, English and a variety of Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian local dialects | ||
| Religion: Buddhism is the principal religion but there are also sizeable Taoist, Confucian, Hoa Hao, Caodaists, Muslim and Christian minorities | ||
| Government: Communist People's Republic | ||
| Prime Minister: Phan Van Khai | ||
| President: Tran Duc Luong | ||
| Visas: In most cases travellers are better off getting visas arranged by travel agents rather than tackling the Vietnamese embassies themselves. A 30-day Vietnamese visa costs US$40 from an agent in Bangkok; unfortunately, visa extensions seem to be a thing of the past. | ||
| Health risks: dengue fever, hepatitis, malaria, rabies, typhoid, tuberculosis and a minor threat (especially to pregnant women) of dioxins found in the defoliant Agent Orange | ||
| Electricity: 220V, 50 Hz | ||
| Weights & Measures: Metric with local variations | ||
| Tourism: 650,000 visitors per year. |