Tucked away in the north of Vietnam, Ha Giang is a land of fantastic, staggering beauty. Steep, almost conical mountains, caves and grottoes adorn the landscape, where ethnic minority tribes still live and farm in ancient villages. New York Times travel writer Jennifer Bleyer visited the province of Ha Giang recently, with her husband and young daughter in tow. Here's how she described the region: "Such reverence, we soon learned, was warranted, and it wasn’t just because of the region’s spectacular landscape. In an ever-shrinking world, Ha Giang, with its uniquely preserved tribal culture (nearly 90 percent of the population is ethnic minorities), is one of those rare places that hasn’t been corralled by modernity or prepackaged for visitors...During the past two decades, as

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Vietnam has come a long way since the war. Although the Communist party still rules the roost, the country has become increasingly welcoming to foreigners and is now a popular destination for Western tourists. In fact, Gadling's Stanley Stewart recently visited Hanoi and found it to be a wonderful, timeless city: War and communism have preserved Hanoi from fifty years of progress. There are moments when it seems like the lost city of Asia, the one you can never quite find, the great teeming, squalid, fascinating metropolis of Marlene Dietrich films and 1930's novellas. The modern age has transformed Shanghai. Hong Kong and Bangkok are jammed with traffic and skyscrapers. The lanes of Old Peking have given way to boulevards wide enough for tanks. Hanoi alone has retained its street urchin

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In 2010, approximately 4.5 to 4.6 million international tourists will visit Vietnam.  Should you join them? Here are the top 5 reasons to get your Vietnamese visa and go check it out for yourself: 1. Phu Quoc Island This idyllic island features flawless, snow-white beaches, delectable seafood and a cornucopia of outdoor adventure activities such as riding motorbikes, sea kayaking and scuba diving. Visit it now, while it's still relatively undeveloped. It won't stay that way long. 2. Hoi An Hoi An is a charming tourist town that revels in its history. One of the highlights of visiting Hoi An is the "Hoi An Legendary Night," a monthly street festival that celebrates the full moon with traditional decorations, food, drink, songs and dances. If you like clothes, Hoi An is also

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One of Vietnam's most exquisite natural treasures, Ha Long Bay is located along the coast in Quảng Ninh province.  Local legend has it that the bay was created by a family of friendly dragons, send by the gods to help the Vietnamese defend their land against the Chinese.  Over 3,000 islands and islets rise out of the crystal blue waters, covered with jungle and surreal rock formations. Many of the islands have caves to explore, and some even have lakes. Is it any wonder that Ha Long Bay was nominated to be one of the World's 7 Natural Wonders in 2009? However, conservation-minded tourists should be careful that they don't inadvertently cause harm to this special place. Environmental Graffiti has an excellent first-hand account of a visit to Ha Long Bay that includes this caution: "

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