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Major Cities of Vietnam
Vietnamese Cities are both modern and ancient
Vietnam is a country with a long history and ancient traditions which is very evident in the architecture of the many cities. Even though the country has endured conflicts and wars over the years it has emerged with its heritage in tact - every town and city can boast an unique building, pagoda or monument. These are some of the major cities, each boasting it's own unique beauty.
 Ho Chi Minh City - formerly Saigon, is the nation's largest city. During the period when Vietnam was divided, 1954-75, it was the capital of South Vietnam. It is on the west bank of the Saigon River, near the fertile Mekong River delta and the South China Sea.
The city is an urban metropolis where traditional Chinese, colonial French, Buddhist, Indian, Muslim and 60,s American influences mix with modern day architecture and culture to create a place that is truly unique and exciting.
Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam's chief industrial and commercial center. Industries include food processing and the manufacture of : textile, cement, chemicals, and tyres to name just a few.
A railway links the city to important cities to the north and has one of Vietnam's busiest shipping ports. A vast network of canals provides access to the Mekong River delta and beyond. Tan Son Nhut Airport, just north of the city, handles international and domestic flights
Da Nang City is located in the middle of Central Vietnam, between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, separated from Laos by the western Truong Son Mountains. It is on the East Sea and boasts 150 kms of coastline. Da Nang is an ancient city, closely related with the Sa Huynh cultural traditions. It has many imposing palaces, towers and temples.
Home to one of the largest Amercian military bases during the Vietnam War, Da Nang saw some of the heaviest fighting of the entire war.
Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam, located on the Red River, some 700 miles (1,100 km ) north of Ho Chi Minh City and 55 miles (90 km) from the port city of Haiphong. Hanoi is a transportation and industrial center, producing foods, metal goods, and textiles. The city's largest institutions of higher learning include Hanoi University of Technology; National Economics University; and Vietnam National University. The national library and museum are also here.
This is an ancient city whose modern development began with the arrival of the French in 1882. It was made the capital of French Indochina in 1902. During World War II, while occupied by the Japanese. Hanoi became the headquarters of the Communist-led Vietminh, who forced the withdrawal of France from Indochina in 1954. As the capital of North Vietnam, the city was bombed during the Vietnamese War. It became the capital of all Vietnam after North Vietnam's victory in 1975.
Da Lat sits some 300 kilometres northeast of Ho Chi Minh City – it is one of the most un-Vietnamese towns of Vietnam. It is located some 1,500 metres above sea level in the southern reaches of the Annamese Mountain Range. It was built by the French colonialists who preferred to retreat to Da Lat from former Saigon during the hot season.
Da Lat - The town, which today has a population of 130,000 was founded as late as 1897. The French colonial administration and French traders built large European-style villas to create an atmosphere resembling France.
A small lake know as Xuan Huong is in the middle of the town with a golf course to the North. Many of the villas have survived the Vietnam war undamaged and give the town an unique appearance. In the area around the town are several beautiful waterfalls.
 Nha Trang is a coastal city and the capital of Khanh Hoa province on the South Central Coast of Vietnsm. It is a city of around 300,000 population and is well known for its prestine beaches and excellent scuba diving. Nha Trang Bay is widely considered as amongst the World's most beautiful bays.
Nha Trang is fast becoming a mecca for International tourists – it was the site of the Miss Universe 2008 Pageant and it will host Miss World 2010
The city is the home of the famous Po Nagar Tower and is a centre for marine science based at the Nha Trang Oceanography Institute. The Hon Mun marine protected area is one of four first marine protected areas in the world admitted by the IUCN
Cần Thơ – the name comes from 'cầm thi giang' – river of poems. The city is located on the South bank of the Hâu River and is the biggest city in the Mekong Delta. The city is regarded as 'Western capital' with a population of 1.121.000, it is the political, economic, cultural and transportation centre of the Mekong Delta region. It is a friendly, bustling city 169 kms from Hô Chi Minh City and is connected to most popular centres in the Mekong Delta by road, river and canals.
Châu Doc is right on the border with Cambodia in the Mekong Delta region and was a part of Cambodia until the eighteenth century. The city has large Cham, Khmer and Chinese communities, each with their own distinct temples. Chau Doc is also well known for the nearby Sam Mountain, which features a number of Buddhist temples. It is a busy market town famous for local produce.
Hoi An – from the 16th to the 18th century this was the most important port and trading post in Vietnam . Today it is a quaint old town still showing the influences of the Chinese and Japanese traders who passed through. It is a small town boasting 844 structures that have been designated as historical landmarks. This is a joyous town, in the afternoons when school is out, the streets throng with skipping happy children.
Hué - located in central Vietnam was the capital of the Nguyen Dynasty that ruled Vietnam from 1802 to 1945. Nowadays it has a population of 350,000 which is not a particularly large city by Vietnamese standards. It is full of historical attractions, even though it suffered damage during the Vietnam War.
Surrounded by a thick, six-mile-long wall, the massive citadel on the north bank dominates the cityscape. Inside is the fortified and moated Imperial City, a city-within-a-city containing the ornate wooden Thai Hoa Palace, Halls of the Mandarins, a tranquil pond, and the "pleasure pavilion" of Dien Tho. The streets inside the fortress are laid out in a grid pattern and are perfect for exploring on a bicycle
Phan Thiet – is the capital city of Binh Thuan Province in southeastern Vietnam, 200 kms from Ho Chi Minh City with a population of 200,000. It is a friendly fishing port with many hidden charms like quaint colonial villas some decorated with glazed ceramic tiles, most with louvered windows and colonnaded facades. The town is embraced by a series of undulating hills, lush greenery and blissfully secluded dune covered coastline. The fishing industry is the main source of income for the local people. There is a growing number of sophisticated beach resorts emerging but they seem to have had little impact on Phan Thiet's gentle pace of life – the beaches are particularly beautiful and quiet.
The earliest seeds of what is commonly known as the Vietnam War were planted as far back as 1940. During the late 19th century France conquered the territory that now makes up the nations of both Vietnam and Cambodia.....Read more
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