Cambodia and Vietnam 2012
ContentsCambodiaSaigonHoi AnHueHanoiMai ChauHanoi again/Tam CocSa Pa/Bac Ha Hanoi 3 CatBa Finish 
Cambodia and Vietnam 2012

Henning has planned and the tour guides to Cambodia and Vietnam, 2 April - 8 May 2012 and uses contacts from previous visit to Cambodia /Vietnam. Participants are Inge, Georg, Deip and Henning. Inge writes the journal.


Homepage viettour.dk
Den danske gruppe 2012


Youtube.com with video. Type viettour.dk
VKTOUR in Vietnam with Nguyen Khoa
Facts about Vietnam
Facts about Cambodia
Tact and tone in Vietnam
Catch the dragon with the mouse and get facts about Vietnam.
Vietnam news
Photo of ethnic minorities
Facts about 54 ethnic minorities
Vietnam maps
Danish Vietnamese society





Cambodia and Vietnam 2nd April to 8 May 2012
Monday 2 / 4 - Copenhagen> Flights> Bangkok.
Depart Copenhagen Thai Airways TG0951 pm. 14.30


Tuesday 3 / 4 - Bangkok> Flights> Cambodia-PhnomPenh.
Depart from Bangkok at. 8 to Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital. Arrival at. approx. 9. Sambath and Ratha picks us up and drive us to our hotel Royal Star, located near Ton le Sap river and royal palace. Cl. 11 we make a tour of Phnom Penh. First we visit Tocul Sleng Museum. It was only one school - since the prison where Pol Pot tortured and killed a large part of the 2 mill. He executed. Next stop is the large Russian market - Lunch - and then Pagoda Wat Phrom middle of town. Last we visit the Royal Palace. Dinner in town.


Wednesday 4 / 4 - Phnom Penh.
We eat breakfast on the rooftop deck overlooking the river - Departure at. 8.00. We go to the country to Sambaths and Ratha village. We visit Sambaths younger brother's farm "Sambo". After a little tour we go up on a small hill with a great view. Here is a pagoda, and living a part monks. Sambath says little about the pagoda. Afterwards we visit a school below the mountain, which I hope is open. We have lunch on the floor in a small dining room. Afterwards we're going to the village and share clothes off. It is now 5 time we do it. Afterwards we drive back to Phnom Penh to be relaxing and might. get blind massage. Dinner in town.


Thursday 5 / 4 - Phnom Penh.
We take a tuk tuk to the bus station and ascends a luxury bus at. 7.00. It takes 4-5 hours to get to Siem Reap. Here we stay at Mandaley Inn.
Cl. 16.15 off to watch the sunset over Angkor Wat, it costs $ 3 to taxi. I pay the ticket. We climb a small hill with good views. I first tried in 2000 there were approx. 200 people now 4-5000. Kl.18 when the sun goes down and we drive back to Siem Reap and eat dinner.


Friday 6 / 4 - Cambodia - Siem Reap.
Early up. We need to see the sunrise over Angkor Wat - again very popular. We drive from Mandalay Inn at. 5:00 tomorrow. In Angkor Wat, we sit and wait for the sun to get up at. 06.00. Then we eat breakfast at Angkor. We have breakfast at the hotel but there is much to the hotel and off again to Angkor. So I tend to have the system that I pay half of your breakfast. After breakfast we drive to Angkor Thom. It is the royal city with the fine temples. First stop: We walk through the gateway to Angkor Thom. We drive to bayonet temple. A shrine with many faces. Then we head to the Royal Palace. We enter the back door, but before we see a very large Hindu temple that has been under restoration for 10 years - and there are at least 10 years again before it is finished. Next is the Royal Palace, which is very dilapidated. We see King Kong Park with 2 swimming pools and ends with the place where the big elephant fights took place. Now we find our tuk Tuk'er.
card to Ta Phrom temple with the big trees, and we must have lunch at approaching noon. Last visit is the largest temple of Angkor Wat. Some historical stuff: Here in Angkor lived over 1 million people for 1000 years ago; comparison there lived in Paris 20,000; size as the Imperial Palace Beijing. It's been just as many stones as Cheops pyramid. We're back at the hotel kl.16. We meet for dinner at. 20.00 at the hotel with Chhair and his family and to my former guide Sophal.


Saturday 7 / 4 - Cambodia> Flights> Saigon
depature, but first we experience many things. We drive from Mandalay Inn at. 08.00. We take our tuk tuk. First stop is a temple built to commemorate victims of Pol Pot. It is called a Killing Fields Temple. There are also boarding school. If there are pupils at home, we see their housing. Now we have Chhier's wife, we see her Internet cafe, she brings us out to their homes. We see the home and their special pets, crocodiles. On the way back to Mandalay Inn we visit our tuk tuk leader home. It is also here Saphal estates. Back at the hotel there is time for a bath, so we're ready for the flight to Vietnam. We will be flying at. 17.30 to Ho Chi Minh City = Saigon pm. 18.30. Expect a taxi which drives us to the hotel. We go out and eat at. 20.30.


Sunday 8 / 4 - Saigon> train> Da Nang
We must get up early and have a great program. All cases must be down to my room the morning. When we come home from the trip, taking bath there in turn before we eat dinner at. 20.00
We drive from the hotel at. 07.00. First stop Chu Chi Tunnels built by the Vietcong off in French, but greatly expanded during the American occupation. There are approx. 250 km tunnels. Next stop Cao Dai, a religious movement, which is an amalgam of Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity. We must be in Tay Ninh pm. 12.00. Here begins the big parade. When we took pictures, we eat lunch in Tay Ninh. We drive back to Saigon and make a short stop outside the former presidential palace. We can not achieve, to get into, but there can be photographed outside. It was here that a North Vietnamese tank drove through the gate when the war ended 30.04.1975. 20 years of suffering was over, now the country would be rebuilt. However, there were many problems in the beginning. Pol Pot from Cambodia occupied part of South Vietnam. He believed that Vietnam was very weak. It inhabits many Khmer who is Cambodian in southern provinces. It took a month and then had earmarked Vietnam Pol Pot. This prompted the Chinese to move into the
northern province of Lao Cai, which we visit on tour to Sa Pa. Chinese smashed throughout Lao Cai before the Vietnamese had driven the Chinese back. Now there were new congestion times for Vietnam. The U.S. was the world to boycott all goods from Vietnam. There was great famine. It was at this time, all the boat people came to Denmark 1980-90. Today there is a market economy in Vietnam. Vietnam has the second highest growth rate in the world, surpassed only by China. The growth rate in Vietnam is over 10% - in Denmark, approx. 2.5%. Vietnam is emerging. We go out and eat at. 20.00 - and runs from the hotel at. 22.00. Buy some edible for the train journey. The train goes at. 23.00. Remember plastic mug!


Monday 9 / 4 - train> Da Nang.> Hoi An
We can sleep almost as long as we want. There seems modest breakfast and lunch. It is no great rush. We take what we like. At one end of the train is a canteen. Take a walk through the train, there are many vehicles. We can see how the landscape alternates. Between the hours. 13.00 and 14.00 are we in Da Nang. Some of the hotel picks us up at the station running us to the Hotel Hai Yen in Hoi An. Here we all rooms and rents bikes. We meet kl.20 and bikes go to eat.


Tuesday 10 / 4 - Hoi An
Bike Tour. We start from the hotel at. 9.00 and bicycles down to the harbor, embarking on one of the boats incl. bikes. A voyage in 12 minutes. We disembark at a boatyard, sees a carving in wood. We cycle around the small islands. It can be difficult to navigate if we do not have a local with. It is a thrill ride here comes almost never tourists. We're back in Hoi An between 12.00 and 01.00. Now we have lunch. Then we drive to the office where you can buy tickets to cultural sites in the inner city, costing 75.000VD = ca.25kr. and at 5 locations. Afternoon at leisure. Kl.20 Dinner at the hotel.


Wednesday 11 / 4 - Hoi An
For those who have the desire, drive and we sail at. 09.00 to an island, Champ Island, off the coast of Hoi An, ca. 20 km. We see the city where there are almost no tourists. After bybesøg we go to a Robinson Krusoe beach where we swim. You can dress on the beach. We get lunch that is included in the ticket $ 20
= approx. 110 kr We're back home at. 16.00. Dinner in town.


Thursday 12 / 4 - Hoi An.
running at. 8.30 to Village of Hope, handicap school with many hearing impaired. We go to Da Nang. This is where Chau, Phuc, Thoc and Do go to school - all sponsored by the Danish. Chau is now 16 years. I have paid her special education since she was 5 years. We eat lunch with the children.
Back in Hoi An, I have made an agreement with the tailor Bui, so she is ready and we bicycle over to silversmiths Phi and his wife Thao. If there is interest we can also visit a silk weaving. Here, a guide us around. Finally a trip to the beach 3 km away. Dinner in town at. 20


Friday 13 / 4 - Hoi An
Easy bike ride around in Hoi An and immediate environs. We leave the hotel at. 9.00. I will include show you this humble place "Rose" - now silk shop - where the royal family had lunch in 1998. Lunch at. 12. Afternoon at leisure to cultural sites or otherwise. Dinner in town at. 20


Saturday 14 / 4 - Hoi An
day off. However, I have a proposal for a morning. One of my friends are dir. for a larger hotel on the beach. Remember to collect clothes, silver and possibly purchase. sleepingbag. Party in Hai Yen.


Sunday 15 / 4 - Hoi An> car> Hue
We're going to Hue. We drive from Hai Yen pm. 7.30. There are c. 145 km. Our first stop will be at Marble Mountain. There are many steps up - but several beautiful temples. These temples are built by Emperor Minh Mang. His mausoleum, we see in Hue. Then we drive through Da Nang and over Hawan passport. We are in Hue approx. pm. 12. Accommodation at Hotel Riverside View.
bikes at. 12.30 for lunch at the deaf restaurant, then visit the royal palace Dai Noi, and if you have time, visit the Central Market. Cl. 20.00 cycles we go and eat well on an exciting restaurant with music and many dishes of food.
Back at the hotel if necessary. a drink - but we must get up early!


Monday 16 / 4 - Hue> train> Hanoi
Breakfast pm. 6.00 - then all the suitcases into my room. We're going to sail on the Perfume River, the Song Huong. We start from the hotel at. 7.00 and will be cycling 1,750 m to our boat that we take bikes on board. We cruise up the Perfume River. First stop Thien Mu Pagoda, a peaceful place. Became known worldwide, it was here that a monk was driving in his car to Saigon, pulled up in front of the presidential palace, went out on the site, poured gasoline over himself, lit fire to himself. The picture went around the world, it was in 1963. The war was a turning point. It was President Diem so, public opinion turned against the war in both the U.S. and Europe. At that time there were approx. 750,000 Allied soldiers in Vietnam. Now everything breathes peace and tranquility. Next stop Minh Mang mausoleum, a very beautiful mausoleum in a nice park, a place many go to an outing. Now we sail across the river, here we have the bikes of that is about. 3 km up to Khai Dinh Mausoleum, a completely different mausoleum. Here is the raw stone lots and lots of stairs. But a nice mausole
um with many mosaics. Here is a good view from the top. Back to the boat. Here there are now 2 possibilities you can ride back to Hue or sail. Those who take the boat comes around. 45 minutes later than us who cycle. Those who will sail to have bicycles on board. We go everyone on board, now we have lunch onboard. On the boat you can buy silk - one of the good buying places! Now we bike back to Hue approx. 10 km or will sail home. Buy a little palatable to the train, where the food is lousy. Keep sleeping bags and plastic mug!
We're going to Hanoi and the train goes at. approx. 16.30.


Tuesday 17 / 4 - Hanoi
Arrival Hanoi early morning, remember all parts. This time there is no hurry. We need a taxi to the hotel Camilia 4, 44 Hang Gaiy. When we reach the hotel, we have rooms. It is not certain that we can get rooms as early (before pm. 6), sleeping surely someone in them. We take breakfast. I'm doing a little walking tour of our neighborhood and around Hoan Kiem Lake - the most central point in Hanoi. On the way I order bikes - Kl.ca.9 we test our abilities on a bicycle, watch, learn Vietnamese bike style. I will do everything I can to teach you the technique. It may look difficult, but it is important to understand the way to do it and not say, "They are running crazy." Forget all Danish rules and learn some practical rules. Rule: See what you want, not undo, highlight what you are doing. If you pass other bikes and motorcycles, select what you want. Sometimes close to swing, run almost the wrong side, then there will be as few passengers as possible.
After the ride we can relax at Hoan Kiem Lake. When we are back at the hotel rooms would be ready. We are now going to Little Hanoi, where we eat lunch. Rest of day free. Dinner is at. 20.00 in town.


Wednesday 18 / 4 - Hanoi.
I have rented a car. We must see the modern Hanoi and a 1000 year old pagoda, Sai Temple. I hope Thuy take with us. Lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant. In the afternoon the Ethnic Museum - an outdoor museum with a large indoor section. I've put 2 hours of here. Dinner in town at. 20


Thursday 19 / 4 - Hanoi Hennings birthday.
We drive from the hotel at. 8.00.
We visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Running from the hotel at. 8.00. Remember long pants. After a tour of the park, where we visit Ho Chi Minh's residence. By the end of the very famous pagoda, the one-legged pagoda, Chua Mot Cot, brief visit to Ho Chi Minh Museum. Now we pedal to the old university also called the Literature Museum. We eat lunch near the museum. On the way back to the hotel I buy tickets for the water theater. We see the show late in the day.
Rest of day free. Bicycles must be put back because we do not need them tomorrow. Birthday Dinner at. 19.30
We go first to the museum of art. We make a quick review. Now the 15km bike ride West Lake, Two Tay around where we visit a very popular pagoda. When the festival, there will be many thousands. Here we are only a third round, so there is much to be done. We are back at the hotel at. 12.10, where we eat lunch. Afternoon free.


Friday 20 / 4 - Hanoi
We gotta go to Ninn Binh pm. 7.00. We drive to a small fishing village Kinga, where there are not many tourists. After a little trip, we eat lunch here. Then we drive to Hoa Luu. Here was Vietnam's first capital. This led King Lee 800-900 in Vietnam century. Our Khoa can tell much about this king. We see the 2 famous Pagodas.
are again 2 options: running with the car to Tam Coc
- or rent bikes and cycle the approx. 10 km of beautiful surroundings to Tam Coc - where we are accommodated at Hotel Tang Long. Dinner at the hotel.


Saturday 21 / 4 - Tam Coc
Bike ride around Tam Coc - and maybe a buffalo ride (New initiative!). Dinner at the hotel.


Sunday 22 / 4 - Tam Coc> car> Phu Cu> car> Hanoi
After breakfast, sail in small boats through 3 mountain caves VKR Holding - 2 in each boat -1 hour out and 1 hour back. Lunch at the hotel.
We are now running from Hung Yen province and the village of Phu Cu. Here we visit briefly my second ex adopted daughter Huy, 29, in her in-laws' house. She is a schoolteacher and her husband is military and work far from home. Then we drive to her childhood home, where we eat dinner at the farm's Square, and again test our voices.
After dinner back to Hanoi.


Monday 23 / 4 - Hanoi> car> Mai Chau - Ban Lach.
Departs hotel at. 7.00. There are 145 km to Mai Chau valley.
the outskirts of Hanoi we visit a silk factory. This is the opportunity to buy finished goods and silk in the piece. We see here the silk from cocoon to finished goods. The tour will now advance to Hoa Binh, the city with the large power station that we first look at the way home. In Hoa Binh we drive to left to Son La.
It is mountain driving straight to Mai Chau. The village we live in, Ban Lach, consisting of farmers. As a sideline to make these families ethnic clothes and things for tourists as well as serve as guest houses. We live in a house No. 1 in Hoa next to rice paddies. Here lives one of the many ethnic groups - there are 54 in Vietnam. These are white Thai. They emigrated 300 years ago and settled in this valley. Almost everyone can all speak and write Thai and of course Vietnamese - many also English. When we arrive, we will be accommodated on the 1st floor. We want the first day do a little bike ride. The bikes we have in the car from Hanoi. It will be a ride on small paths through several villages. Before bikes, we've eaten lunch. Hoa and her husband doing some of the best food in the village. After dinner we can stroll into the village before we take a beer or coffee on the 1st floor terrace.


Tuesday 24 / 4 - Ban Lach.
bikes from the village at. 8.00. We visit a school which is located approx. 10 km from Ban Lach. A tough outward, with many climbs where we have to pull. It will be easy on the trip home, where you must remember to brake, so the move is not too noisy. It is now 12th year I visit the school. Cl. 12.30 is lunch, and 15.00 do we have a bike ride, an incredibly beautiful ride, maybe a little cumbersome. Some places we carry the bikes. Why make such a trip? Because it is incredibly beautiful. We eat dinner at. 19.30. Tonight, village dances for us many ancient dance. We also try!. It takes place at Hoa's sister Thu. She is a very skilled weaver by the Vietnamese government use when displaying ethnic art abroad. Coffee or similar on the 1st floor terrace.


Wednesday 25 / 4 - Ban Lach> car> Hanoi.
We must return to Hanoi and running kl.7.30. We say goodbye to Hoa and Thu. First stop on the trip home is power plant in Hoa Binh. Then it goes to Hanoi, where we arrived at lunchtime. Afternoon free. Dinner in town.


Thursday 26 / 4 - Hanoi - Sa Pa
We drive first to the museum for art and doing a quick review. Next up is a 15 km bike ride around the West Lake "ToTay". We visit a lot of visitors to the pagoda, where there are thousands, when the festival. Here are 2 / 3 of the way back. We are at the hotel at. about. 12, where we eat lunch
Pak luggage again to 2 trains and 2 nights in hotel in Sapa. Remember a sweater for the evenings, when Sapa is located in 1700 meters altitude.
We must train to Lao Cai in a sleeping compartment PM 21 and is promoting pm. 6 the next morning to a 38 km drive up the mountain to Sapa.



Friday 27 / 4 - Sa Pa.
Travel News accommodated at Hotel Lotus
Here are 2 options: Visit to a flower park, located on the highest point in Sa Pa. There are spectacular views. Lunch in town - or a hard-treking trip down the mountain with lunch and local guide. Beverages can be purchased along the way. The first kilometers on the road - the rest of the terrain. You can buy bamboo sticks along the way, a "good idea" if it has been raining. Many ethnic women follow and help. They paid for the purchase of "goods" at the end. It runs through the many ethnic villages - Black Mong, Seid and Red Dzau. When we reach the bottom, will Kkao provide motorcycles with drivers for repatriation (4 $ = about 25 million). Dinner in Sa Pa.


Saturday 28 / 4 - Sa Pa
Kl. 9.00, we visit a Red Dzau village. It lies 10 km from Sa Pa. When we arrive, there are many who want to sell to us. They follow us around the entire village. When we're going over the rice fields, it is nice to have a hand from a Red Dzau. We go on breakwaters. Buy now not too early. Vendors must be enough to keep up. We drive back to the hotel goes up in the market where Dung Phung and her mother Luyen've made lunch for us U.S. $ 4 + drinks. I'll pay, we settle later. After lunch, we visit a Black Mong village of Cat Cat. We walk down the hill. We make a stop at one of the huts. We must get in and see how they live. When we see a small waterfall and a suspension bridge, we reached bottom. Then we go across a few miles. Here awaits a motorcycle to every one who takes us back to the market. Kl.20.00 we eat in town. After dinner, we look at life on the market incl. "Love market" in front of the church. This is where the different ethnic groups, young people look at each other - and "turns" for each other.
We must get up early tomorrow!


Sunday 29 / 4 - Sa Pa> Bac Ha> took> Hanoi
Start 6.30. Goodbye Sa Pa. Now the Bac Ha. Once we got our rooms, so Mai Hotel, we take the market. It is northern Vietnam's largest ethnic groups - 80% Flav Mong, a little Tay and Bac Ha Dzau. Here are many more than 50 km in buses or trucks. They sell everything. Tourists are far outnumbered. There are many places to eat for locals - and a few of the tourists. We agree, when we meet for lunch. Next trip will be at. 14.00. We take a trip up the mountain through plum orchards and visit a musician named Mr. Ho and taste his corn whiskey. It's a nice trip, duration approx. 2 hours. If you do more, I'll take you a trip to a Tay family. It is a trip to the opposite side. Come along if you like, duration 1 ½ hours. Dinner in the border town of Lao Cai,
where we also look at the border station to China and then night train to Hanoi.


Monday 30 / 4 - Hanoi
We arrive by train from Lao Cai pm. 6.00 and then take a city tour in Hanoi.
Dinner in town.


Tuesday 1 / 5 - Hanoi
day free. Dinner in town.


Wednesday 2 / 5 - Hanoi
We start from the hotel at. 9 with a small bike ride to the Army Museum - and after lunch - a little bike ride around Hanoi. The afternoon free. Dinner in town.


Thursday 3 / 5 - Hanoi> car / sail> Cat Ba
Travel News runs away kl.7.00 we go out and sail on Ha Long Bay. On our way we visit, however, only a center of many disabled people - especially hearing impaired, who suffer through their parents of the U.S. orange poison. It was here Oanh was working before I had sent her to school. She had until then never been taught because his disability. At this point, you have probably met this happy and positive girl.
When we reach Ha Long we change the car out with a boat that sails us to Cat Ba. We eat lunch on board and visit a beautiful stalactite cave. Khao tells of cave. Overnight on the boat and get a menu of fish / shellfish.


Friday 4 / 5 - Cat Ba
Travel News on Cat Ba at noon and drive to our hotel. Then there are several possibilities. Relax, walk the town with fish market and - industry or 2-3 hour boat ride in small boats in the harbor (4-5 in each boat a ¤ $ 6 per person.). Dinner in town.


Saturday 5 / 5 - Cat Ba
Travel News takes on a somewhat arduous trekking - is running at. 8 from the hotel. We start on the ground. En route stop at a beekeeper, where we can get a refreshment. Kl.ca.12 we reach a cove where a small "boat" sails us out to a larger one. Alternatively you can take the boat out and bang the hikers.
boat served lunch for approximately 4 $ = ca. 25 dollars, plus drinks. Then we sailed to a beach on an island, inhabited by monkeys - the only place in Ha Long Bay. When we do not want to swim more sail back to Cat Ba town. We eat in town.


Sunday 6 / 5 - Cat Ba
Free-Relaxation - Possibly. trip to the beach


Monday 7 / 5 - Cat Ba> sail / car> Hanoi> Flight> Bangkok
We must up very early and return to Hanoi. We sail from Cat Ba to Ha Long. Here comes our car and get us. On the way we make a stop at a ceramics factory. This is where Thuy's mother works. You can see the manufacture and purchase - if there is room in your suitcase .... We are at the hotel kl.ca. .15. Here I have rented a room where we can bathe in shifts.
17:00 Departure from hotel to the airport.
Departure to Bangkok kl.ca. 20.30 and expected arrival at. 22.30


Tuesday 8 / 5 - Bangkok> planes> Copenhagen
After midnight we fly to Copenhagen ..

_______________________________________________


Additional costs:
Visa Vietnam Cambodia U.S. $ 20.
must pay for lunch + drinks.
Extra tour Siem Reap about sunset. U.S. $ 3
Extra trip Champ Island U.S. $ 20
Motorcycles with driver 2 U.S. $ per. hour
Possibly. Overnight train Loa Cai - Hanoi 25 U.S. $.
Taxi to dinners in town - is shared by the group.
flowers or gifts - are shared by group
Gratuities to guides will pay each of us.




Viet's story - short:

Frenchmen occupied Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos in 1854. In Laos and Cambodia, there were no major protests, but in Vietnam increased resistance around 1900. In 1920 became Ho Chi Minh for the resistance. It was greatest in the northern provinces. The French exploited Vietnam's resources. They had no production in Vietnam, but sailed the raw materials for France. When WW2 started occupied japan s Vietnam. They had, however, use twice as many troops as normal because the strong resistance. When the war ended in 1945, Ho Chi Minh proclaimed Vietnam an independent country.
It held, however briefly, when the British occupied the country now. English closed again Frenchmen in, so freedom was brief. Ho Chi Minh had thought that when he helped the Allies, he would have freedom - but this did not work.
resistance grew and the French became more and more cornered. In northern Vietnam was a French fortress with modern guns, aerodrome and approx. 30,000 soldiers. They considered it to be impregnable. General Giap, one of the 20th century most strategists believe however that it could be done. He had no modern equipment, only faith in his case. He let all his guns disassembled and transported them as separate components through the rugged terrain of the mountains. It took a year. Then they were collected and could deprive the French by bombing its runways. The French had when they surrendered, lost half of the men. The French left Vietnam in 1954 - 100 years after they came.

At the peace conference in Geneva was Vietnam divided in two by a river on the 17th latitude. It is just north of Hue. North Vietnam's capital was Hanoi - South Vietnam was Saigon. The agreement was also that within 4 years would be held free elections in order to re-unify this country. When the time came for elections, the U.S. was nervous about the outcome, so they postponed it - and it was never held. America was scared of Korea, which is still a tinderbox. The threat from North Vietnam's supporters grew. The result was more troops and more violence from both sides. A turning point was when a monk from Thien Mu Pagoda in Hue in 1963, drove to Saigon and in front of the presidential palace doused himself with gasoline and torched it. The picture went all over the world and public opinion turned against the war. President Diem had to go by and the U.S. deployed a general as president.
In 1969, Ho Chi Minh dies. U.S. finds an excuse to bomb North Vietnam. The worst was orange napalm. It kills all growth. They had not reckoned with the affected people. This led, however, numerous miscarriages and also had an impact in the second generation. Chau Hoi An and Oanh Hoi Duong is the result of this.
At this time, the 750,000 Allied soldiers in Vietnam.
30th April 1975 was the end when North Vietnamese forces took Saigon by driving a tank through the presidential palace gates.

Now the country rebuild. Pol Pot came to power in Cambodia. He thought he had easy games in Vietnam, home to many Cambodians Africans. In 1979 Vietnamese therefore into Cambodia and ran it over the end of 8 days, deposed Pol Pot and installed a new regime.
While the Vietnamese were engaged in the south, the Chinese went into the northern part of the country and burned many houses. It took some Vietnamese. 2 months to drive the Chinese back.
Vietnamese were, however, new times of great difficulty, since the U.S. got the whole world to boycott goods from Vietnam. There was great famine. It is from this period (1980-85), we got all the boat people. In 1992
Mon Went to a market economy and since then it has progressed from Vietnam. Today they have a growth rate of more than 10% - in Denmark we have approx. 2 ½%.

Remember there are many cultural differences. The Vietnamese want to learn from us - not brought up by us.

does Vietnam: Viet - population + Nam - Rentals
population of more than 80 million. - And has 54 ethnic groups
Vietnam has a coastline of 3260 km
At its widest point, the country is 600km - and 50 km at the narrowest