Vietnam'smost charming city, Hanoi is hometo about 4 million people. Less vibrant and more reserved than its cousin to thesouth, Hanoi is agreat place to explore on foot. If Ho ChiMinh City is defined by hustle and bustle and people on the move, Hanoi\'strademark is green parks and tranquil lakes.

170 km away from Hanoi, HalongBay is the World Natural Heritage site, one of the most beautiful places onearth. With its picturesque blend of land and sea, this one of the world\'s mostprecious beauty spots. Halongis covers an area of over 1,500 km, dotted with thousands of rocky islands, itreally is a natural sculpture on a gigantic scale.

Despite its commercialization during the last seven years, Sapa is stilla must-see on any northern Vietnam itinerary. On a clearday you will treated to views of steeply terraced rice fields, towering verdantridgelines, primitive mud-thatched villages, raging rivers and astoundingwaterfalls.

MaiChau is located in Hoa Binh province, approximately 135 km from Hanoi and 60km from Hoa Binh. From the top of Cun Mountain, one can admire the superbpanorama of MaiChau surrounded by a green valley and stilt houses. Many minorities,including the Thai ethnic group, live in Mai Chau.

After 70 km or 2 hours driving out of Hanoi,located on the limestone rocks of Huong Son Mountain in beautiful and mysticalsurroundings. Unlike other temples in Vietnam, the only way to reachthis sanctuary is floating along a narrow but extremely poetic stream by rowingboats that takes 45 minutes.

TamCoc means three caves, which takes about two hours driving from Hanoi (110km) to the South, and visitors may say that distance is not a matter afterseating in a boat rowed by one or two local persons in Hoang Long river and seethe first limestone mountains, which will run along their riverway for severalkilometers.

For many people, Dien BienPhu is always in the mind of the Vietnamese as well as many other worldwide,a great marking point of Vietnam in 1954, broke theFrench efforts in sieging Vietnam and Indochina.

Quang Tri is located in the central Vietnam near the crosswaysbetween North and South Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand.Several different minorities populate this province (Kinh, Bru-Van Kieu).From1954 until the defeat of the Americans in 1975, Ben Hai river marked thedivision of Vietnam.

Hue is one ofthe most popular destinations forvisitors to Vietnam. Straddling the PerfumeRiver, this mysterious, somber city is a historian\'s dream come true, withnumerous 19th century ruins, royal tombs and an excellent museum.

Lies in the central path of Vietnam. Da Nang wasthe landing point of both the French and the Americans during their stints in Vietnam. When theFrench established a garrison in Da Nang(then called Tourane), more soldiers died from disease than the associatedfighting in establishing the garrison.

Not far away from Danang(30km) Hoi An town is small and peaceful, the kind of place where you may getstuck for a few days, whether it is intentionasl or not. Originally known asFaifo, this antique town is bordered on its southern side by the Thu Bon River,along which there\'s a number of small cafes.

My Son,located 69 km southwest of Danang, wasan imperial city during the Cham dynasty, between the 4th and 12th centuries. My SonSanctuary is a large complex of religious relics that comprises more than 70architectural works.