Vietnam Overview

History
Vietnam has a history as rich and evocative as any other countries in the world. Sure, the American War in Vietnam captured the attention of the West, but centuries before that Vietnam was scrapping with the Chinese, the Khmers, the Chams and the Mongols. Vietnamese civilization is as sophisticated as that of its northern neighbor China, from where it drew many of its influences under a thousand-year occupation. Later came the French and the humbling period of colonialism from which Vietnam was not to emerge until the second half of the 20th century. The Americans were the last in a long line of invaders who had come and gone through the centuries and, no matter what was required or how long it took, they too would be vanquished.
This long history would help to explain the richness of Vietnamese culture as well as the diversified historic and historical sites along the country. Vietnam might as well have been among the best choices for history-lovers and veterans.

Culture
The richness of Vietnam's origins is evident throughout its culture and civilization which are believed to have been profoundly influenced by the two major ancient cultures, the Chinese and the Indian. Four great philosophies and religions have shaped the spiritual life of the Vietnamese people: Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism and Christianity. At present, there are 54 different ethnic minority groups inhabiting Vietnam with the largest number being the King (or Viet) people.
In the core of Vietnamese history development, all these different groups (both in terms of ethnic minority and religion) have been closely attached to one another in sharing the same tasks of fighting against foreign invaders, defending the country’s territory, gaining the right to live and the national independence and self-determination. Each group of people have developed their own language and identity, way of life and cuisine, architecture and art forms, ect… thus making the Vietnamese culture, long known for its variety, as well blended combination of different cultures.

Nature
Shaped like an elongated S, Vietnam stretches the length of the Indochinese Peninsula and covers a surface area of 128,000 square miles--making it roughly the size of Italy or, in the U.S., New Mexico. China lies to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the west, and the South China Sea to the east.
Topographically, Vietnam is a verdant tapestry of soaring mountains, fertile deltas, primeval forests inhabited by exotic fauna, sinuous rivers, mysterious caves, otherworldly rock formations, and heavenly waterfalls and beaches.
The most striking geological features in Vietnam are the karst formations in which erosion has produced fissures, sinkholes, caves and underground rivers. At Halong and Bai Tu Long Bays, an enormous limestone plateau has steadily sunk into the ocean and the old mountain tops stick out of the sea like bony vertical fingers pointing towards the sky.
Vietnam's climate is as complex as its topography. There are no good or bad seasons for visiting Vietnam. When a region is wet, cold or steamy hot, there is always somewhere else that is sunny and pleasantly warm.

Vietnam today
Vietnam has become a popular destination in the world’s tourism map thanks to its cultural and natural charms, its developing level of travel services and its being one of the safest places in the world. More and more visitors from all corners of the global come to Vietnam, longing for either a leisure or an adventure vacation (or sometimes both).
Both the positive and negative effects of the arrival of tourism are being felt throughout Vietnam. While positive contributions include dollars flowing into the local economy, the creation of jobs and the growing impact of globalization, it is important that travelers recognize and heed the potentially damaging costs if their visits on the country as a whole. The negative effects of tourism, both domestic and international, can be remarkably reduced by responsible travel and a general respect for local culture and customs. By minimizing negative impact, each visitor can make a difference.