If you haven&rsquot planned your winter or spring vacations yet, here is your chance to do chalk out an itinerary to one of the least explored Asian countries, Vietnam. Starting December 2019, VietJet, the country&rsquos budget airline, will operate two direct flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to New Delhi, which makes it convenient to plan a round trip, from the north of the country to the south. Rush to grab the promotional tickets VietJet is offering until August 22, 2019 for their inaugural flight. The offer can be availed between December 6, 2019 and March 28, 2020
Starting with Hanoi, you can explore some of the key attractions of the country, such as Ha Long Bay, Da Nang and Hoi An, and reach Ho Chi Minh City via Hue for the flight back home. We bring you a short itinerary you can follow on your holiday to Vietnam
Hanoi (Ha Noi), the capital of Vietnam, more than one thousand years old, has a rich history and culture. It is not difficult to notice the French influence on the city. The Old Quarters still retain its traditional lifestyle, and you will find some very old temples here. The city has a large number of museums to explore, such as the Fine Arts Museum, the Vietnam Art Gallery, Women&rsquos Museum, etc. Rub shoulders with the local residents out for their walks and other physical exercises at the Hoam Kiem Lake in the morning. And, in between taking in the city&rsquos many sights and shopping, take a break at the city&rsquos many coffee shops. Do not miss the Water Puppet Show at night.
Ha Long Bay, a Unesco World Heritage Site, can be covered on a day trip from Hanoi. But it would be more interesting to spend a night here, enjoying a cruise in the emerald waters of the bay, exploring the limestone caves, visiting the picturesque islands, etc.
From Hanoi, travel to Hoi An via Danang airport. Hoi An has many beautiful buildings reflecting a mix of Vietnamese, Japanese and Chinese architecture. Some of the common sights include the 16th century Japanese Bridge, old Chinese homes, old wooden houses repurposed as restaurants, cafes or craft galleries. From Hoi An, you may visit My Son, known for its temples and ruins reflecting the Hindu influence in the region.
On way to Hue from Hoi An, you can stop at the Cham Museum, a repository of stone sculptures from the Hindu Cham community. In Hue, the Imperial Citadel (a Unesco World Cultural heritage Site) and the Thien Mu Pagoda are must sees. To save time, you can take a flight out of Hue for Ho Chi Minh City.
The old city of Saigon was renamed after the country&rsquos famous revolutionary leader and president Ho Chi Minh. There is plenty to see here, including the Reunification Palace, the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Saigon Post Office, Cu Chi Tunnels, etc. A day-long trip along the Mekong Delta can be the grand finale before you leave Vietnam.
Even though India does not feature among the visa exempted countries yet, Indians can avail electronic visa (e-Visa) which takes three working days for processing, costs 25 USD, and is a single-entry visa, valid for 30 days.
