A relatively new city founded in 1698, Ho Chi Minh City came to life during the French colonial era in the late 19th century when builders constructed wide boulevards, old-style Parisian buildings and spectacular cathedrals such as the Notre Dame. The influences also go well beyond architecture; the city now boasts plenty of fine dining options, cafes and boutiques that capture a distinctly European essence.

It is also during this time that Ho Chi Minh City transformed into a major commercial hub, with ships from India, China and Europe calling at the city’s port. The trading activity at Ben Thanh Market, the largest in the city, has never stopped since. After the French left in 1954, Ho Chi Minh City remained as the capital of South Vietnam until reunification in 1975, and continued to thrive till today.

Ho Chi Minh City is also known as the American base for the Vietnam War. Visitors who are curious about this aspect of the city’s history can head to the Cu Chi Tunnels, an extensive underground defense system that’s now listed as a national monument.

Full of historical soul, Ho Chi Minh City is served by an international airport and is also the embarkation point for Mekong river cruises aboard the Aqua Mekong.

For new visitors to Hanoi, the city often revolves around the Old Quarter. A maze of 36 streets dating back to the 13th century, the Old Quarter is a collection of well-preserved colonial and pre-colonial, Chinese-influenced architecture. Wander among the contemporary Vietnamese art galleries, fashion boutiques and cafes of this colorful neighborhood or hop in a cyclo for a less strenuous tour.

Weaving past the constant stream of mopeds, visitors can unravel even more layers of history and culture. Learn the story about Vietnam’s founding father and Vietnam war at the Ho Chi Minh Museum and the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum. Other cultural highlights include the Confucian Temple of Literature and St Joseph’s Cathedral, but the city’s thousands of street food vendors would argue that a good bowl of phở (rice noodles) can be as good an introduction to Vietnamese culture as any!

The other focal point of activity in Hanoi is Hoan Kiem Lake. In this unexpected oasis in the city, culture meets entertainment at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theater. Devised by rice farmers here more than a thousand years ago to entertain their children, the traditional artform of water puppetry lives on here, featuring lively wooden figurines dancing and acting to live traditional Vietnamese music.

Hanoi is served by an international airport.

 

Hue

Travelers driving to the ancient city of Hue in Vietnam will mount the scenic Hai Van Pass, a 1,627 foot (496 meter) climb that stretches 21 kilometers (13 miles) to a crest that frequently reveals a sea of clouds underneath.

This central Vietnam city along the Perfume River served as the base of power during the Nguyen Dynasty from 1802 until 1945, when Emperor Bao Dai was forced to abdicate to Ho Chi Minh’s revolutionary forces.

 

Da Nang

Although Da Nang became legendary for R&R (rest and relaxation) on China Beach during the Vietnam War, this now booming coastal city halfway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) traces its history much further back to the Hindu Cham Kingdom more than 2,100 years ago.

Da Nang was also notable as the first point of colonial invasion by the French in 1847. Among the many hotels and resorts there today are charming vestiges of colonial days gone by. By the waterfront, the sight of fisherman returning from the East Sea in their traditional woven basket boats is one to behold. Today, Da Nang is a popular golfing destination for luxury travelers.

 

Hoi An

Thirty kilometers south of Da Nang, the UNESCO World Heritage town of Hoi An offers a stroll back in time. The city is a well-preserved 15th to 19th century melting pot, a trading hub where the Dutch, Portuguese, Indian, Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese merchants exchanged cinnamon, pepper, paper, ceramics and silk.

Festive temple lanterns, originally brought to Vietnam from China, dapple the facades surrounding Hoi An’s iconic Japanese Covered Bridge. Local legend asserts this shrine once housed a monster so colossal that its head was in India, while the body lay across Vietnam and its tail stretched all the way to Japan.