Inside:marine* Water based activities* Our favourite marine destinations* Festivals & events with a marine twist* Map of top marine destinations

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ROMANTIC AND AMAZING THINGSWORLD OF

Located in the North is the beautiful bays with countless craggy limestone islands and lushgreen tropical forests that riveting visitors’ hearts, luring visitors’ footsteps into the majesticmaze of misty passages and waterways.

Spread along the Central of Viet Nam, between the coastal cities such as Hue, Hoi An andNha Trang, there are a number of beautiful beaches that are comforted by turquoise waterand surrounded by pristine Vietnamese villages all year round.

To the South is the mighty Mekong, arguably the Asia’s most famous river. With its originin the icy Tibetan plateau, Mekong snakes its way through some of the Orient’s most cap-tivating countries including China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia before makingits way to Viet Nam in a magnificent delta of canals, channels, silt islets and mangroveswamps.

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• Overnight boat cruise on Ha Long Bay - New NaturalWonder of the World• Watching the sunset on Phu Quoc Island over aglass of champagne• Living it up like a movie star in a Hoi An beach re-sort• Explore water world at the Cham Islands and NhaTrang

HIGHLIGHTS:

Finally, a venture off into the blue horizon brings thetravellers to a hidden paradise of picturesque islandswith lovely beaches, coral reefs and scenic bays. HereViet Nam’s underwater world comes to life in a spec-tacular kaleidoscope of colourful corals and movingpictures of tropical fishes.

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With its rich diversity of rivers, bays, lakes, beaches and islands, it is not surprising that VietNam is also a “paradise” of water based activities. Grab your surfboard and hit the waveson the central coast between November and March. Take in the tranquil beauty of the HaLong Bay limestone cliffs, caves and bays in a traditional wooden junk.

Witness the Mekong River Delta life with its floating markets, charming villages and bunchesof smiling kids at your own face from the back of a kayak. Or dive in the technicolour tropicalwaters of Nha Trang, Phu Quoc or countless other interesting destinations.

UNDERWATER ACTIVITIES

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Whilst Viet Nam may not have the largestwaves in the Asia-Pacific, decent breaks canbe found from Vung Tau to the Centralcoasts. Established surf spots can be foundat Da Nang and Mui Ne in Phan Thiet. Thebest time for surfing is between Decemberand March when the winter monsoons blowin from the North.

SURFING

One of the most popular water sports in VietNam is kayaking. Highlights include paddlingaround the limestone cliffs, caves and la-goons of Ha Long Bay. For a hit of adrena-line, kite surfing is popular along thebeautiful beaches of Mui Ne (December –March), or take on the rapids of the CentralHighlands.

WATER SPORTS

With its great array of rivers, bays and lakes,there is no better way to take in Viet Nam’smagnificent coastal landscape than from thequiet pace of a boat cruise. Explore Ha LongBay in a traditional wooden junk, many ofwhich come complete with modern deluxe

BOAT CRUISES

Viet Nam attracts a steady crowd of loyaldivers who come to enjoy an affordable diveexperience and take in the South sea’s un-derwater diversity. Visit Nha Trang for acces-sible shallow dives and snorkeling aroundsoft corals. Or head to the Cham Islands Ma-rine Reserve Area off Hoi An to dive cavesand swim-through over rocky reefs withhard and tropical corals swarming with smallreef fishes.

DIVING & SNORKELING

cabins, sun-decks, dining rooms and loungebars. Or alternatively board a river boat andexplore the Mekong’s lively world of water-ways, floating markets, rice fields, villages,pagodas and temples.

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Spanning more than 3,000km, Viet Nam’s coastline features infinite stretches of powderysand, hidden coves, lovely lagoons, impossible boulder formations and tropical islandsringed with yet more beaches. With such an expansive coastline, the different parts of VietNam’s coast have distinctly different climates, assuring you of great beach weather some-where in Viet Nam virtually all year round. Viet Nam’s beaches also almost always combinewith a range of other great experiences. From the boutique restaurants and trendy bars ofNha Trang (Khanh Hoa), to the world class mega-resorts of Non Nuoc Beach (Da Nang), andthe dramatic red and white sand dunes of Mui Ne (Binh Thuan) with its kite- and wind-surf-ing opportunities. Heading to the beaches in Viet Nam, each tourist will their own impres-sions.

BEACHESBEAUTIFUL

Although Vung Tau is not as spectacularbeach as Mui Ne and Nha Trang, it still hasits own beauty. Just 128km south-east of HoChi Minh City, Vung Tau can be easily ac-cessed by land or regular hydrofoil. This is apopular weekend destination for citydwellers, and provides the perfect place torelax.

VUNG TAU RNov-Apr May-Oct fully one of its most popular destinations inthe world. Under its tropical sunshine, visi-tors are offered an endless array of seasiderecreational opportunities; from simplywhittling away the day in a deck chair read-ing the latest best seller, to more adrenalinepacked activities of jet-skiing, parasailing,and diving island reefs. In the evening, NhaTrang City buzzes with life and offering arange of stylish boutique restaurants, barsand clubs. For a quieter and relaxed experi-ence, tourists can jump on a boat cruise toany of the nearby islands or head to Doc LetBeach, north of Nha Trang.

NHA TRANG RJan-Aug Sep-Dec

Key: RDry season Rainy season

Bordered by mountains and set beside abeautiful stretching bay dotted with morethan 20 islands, Nha Trang is one of the VietNam’s prettiest stretches of sand and right-

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BEACHES

MUI NE ROct-Apr May-Sep

Just a few hours from Ho Chi Minh City, Mui Ne is known for its dramatic mix of redand white sand dunes spanning dozens ofkilometres in length. Possessing a laid backappeal, Mui Ne is all about relaxing by theseaside, with consistent winds ideal for kite-and wind-surfing, and surf between Decem-ber and March do offer other more adrena-line-packed activities. The traditional fishingvillage of Mui Ne, completing with smallfishing harbor brimming with boats andbeaches are also well-worth a visit.

DA NANG - HOI ANRJan-Jul Aug-Dec

This 30km beach between Da Nang and HoiAn is comprised of fine white sands andpalm trees. To the north lies My Khe; popu-lar with the locals, the beach comes to lifein the early morning with Tai Chi classes, andin the afternoon with city dwellers seekingrelief from the heat of the day. In the centreis Non Nuoc, a playground with 5-star re-sorts complete with azure swimming pools,fine dining restaurants and world class golfcourses. Whilst to the south (east of Hoi An)is laid-back Cua Dai. Dotted with beach-sidecafés and restaurants beneath swayingpalms, Cua Dai is also a popular base withdivers visiting Cham Islands Marine ReserveArea.

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BAYS, RIVERS & LAKES

A member of the World’s 29 Beautiful Bays,Lang Co Bay is actually a complex of longwhite sandy beach, lagoons, rivers, moun-tains and tropical forests. For those travel-ling between Da Nang and Hue, Lang Co Bayprovides an excellent break in the journey.Here, visitors can try their hands at fishingthe brackish lagoon, go windsurfing at ChanMay Cape and Can Duong Beach, or head upto the nearby Hai Van Pass for a spectacularbird’s eye view of the bay.

LANG CO BAYis a must-stop destination for any visitor toViet Nam or resident alike. The mystery andmajesty of Ha Long Bay with its nearly 2,000islands dotted with grottoes and beachesrepresents the beauty of nature in itswildest and most pure form. Board a tradi-tional wooden “Junk” and cruise your wayaround the sculptural limestone cliffs andturquoise waters of the bay, or explorethings your way from a kayak. Whether youwant to see amazing floating villages, ex-plore hollow karsts concealing spectacularglittering caves, or simply park yourself upon a beach all day, Ha Long Bay is the placefor you.

HA LONG BAYThe uncontested maritime jewel of theNorth, World Natural Heritage - Ha Long Bay

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journey through six different countries tothe sea in a spectacular watery landscape ofgreen rice fields and sleepy fishing villagescrisscrossed by brown canals and rivulets.Often referred to as Viet Nam’s “rice bas-ket”, the Mekong River Delta’s rich alluvialsoils produce three rice harvests a year.Staying in one of the Delta’s many riverboats provides visitors with the chance totake in the beauty of nature and witness theunadorned village life it supports. For thosewho rise early there are the rewards of aspectacular sunrise and the chance to ex-plore the colourful, lively Cai Be FloatingMarket.

THE MEKONG RIVER

Escaping the summer heat or the heave ofa bustling city to the peace, tranquility, andfresh breazes of a bay, river or lake is a recre-ational way of each Vietnamese people, andthis is the way every visitor must do. With ahigh quality mix destinations includingWorld Natural Heritage - Ha Long Bay, Asia’smighty Mekong River, and the myriad ofother lakes and rivers found throughout thecountry each with their own distinct naturalbeauty and charm, there is no excuse not tohit the water.

Hidden in the distant misty limestone moun-tains of Northern Viet Nam lies Ba Be Lake,the Viet Nam’s largest natural lake. The factthat tourist facilities are mostly limited tohomestays only enhances Ba Be’s naturalcharm. Insteadof large high-rise hotels,honking traffic and large crowds is a quietgreen oasis of traditional stilt houses, glidingwooden canoes, and the songs of birds.With waterfalls, rivers, valleys and cavesbeckoning, Ba Be Lake is unique in Viet Namand well worth the journey north.

BA BE LAKE

Viet Nam is the finish line; where theMekong River ends its fantastic pan-Asian

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ISLANDS

Being the most isolated of all Viet Nam’s is-lands lends the Con Dao Archipelago an ex-clusivity few visitors or locals alike can claimto have experienced. Situated in the Southof Viet Nam, about 50km off the south-east-ern coast of Viet Nam, Con Dao is a group of16 mountainous sand-fringed islands andislets. Here, diving is among the best in VietNam with 1,300 species of sea life in thearea, including rare dugongs and sea turtlesas well as beautiful coral reefs. Other op-tions for things to do include taking a rain-forest walk on Con Son Island, hiring a boatand cruising the nearby islands, or renting amotorbike and finding your own piece ofparadise.

THE CON DAO ARCHIPELAGOPerched off the Hoi An coast and visiblefrom land are the Cu Lao Cham, or Cham Is-lands. The islands are famous locally fortheir prized swallow nests that make thepopular delicacy bird’s nest soup. Also aWorld Biosphere Reserve, the white sandencrusted islands are known as being a“kingdom of aquatic animals” and unsurpris-ingly popular with snorkelers and divers whocome to witness the area’s coral and shoalsof colourful fish. Half-day and overnight tripsare easily arranged from Hoi An, with theoption of a cultural home-stay or beachcamping.

THE CHAM ISLANDS

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This rugged island of limestone cliffs, deepvalleys, mountain spires and lush jungle andhas the feel of being straight out of JurassicPark. Unlike many of the other islands in thebay, Cat Ba has a resident population con-tained in a few fishing villages and town, andnumerous sandy beaches, with the mostpopular being the Cat Co. With over half ofthe island classified as a national park, thereare lakes, waterfalls and grottoes in spectac-ular limestone hills to be found. A trek alonga mountain trail also gives the visitor the op-portunity to meet some of the park’s curiousmix of wildlife, including the endangeredwhite-headed langur, wild boar, deer, squir-rels and hedgehog.

CAT BA ISLAND

With half of the Viet Nam territory coveredby ocean, it is not surprising that it is alsoendowed with many beautiful islands. Set-ting sail or flight to one of Viet Nam’s islandsprovides the perfect way to escape the hus-tle and bustle of the mainland. Indeed,there is something about being on an island,being cut off from civilisation that allowsone to reconnect with themselves, witheach other, and with nature. From the far-flung exclusivity of the Con Dao Archipelago,to the limestone cliffs and bays of Cat Ba Is-land, or the laid back charm of Phu Quocand the Cham Islands, heading off into VietNam’s wide open sea can be one of the bestdecisions one can make in Viet Nam.

Surrounded by more than 40km of whitesand beaches, warm tropical water in everyshade of green, quaint fishing villages, anda kaleidoscope of off-shore coral, a visit toPhu Quoc is high on the agenda of anyoneafter that perfect Viet Nam tropical islandholiday. While Phu Quoc has a range of ac-commodation from backpacker hotels to up-market hotels, development on the island isrestricted by its national park which hashelped to ensure the island retains much ofits laid back charm. Here, activities are plen-tiful; circumnavigate the island on a motor-bike stopping at its picturesque bays andbeaches, explore the coast by kayak, orscuba dive its reefs. Or for those less activelyinclined, simply fill your day relaxing on thebeach with your favourite book, only gettingup for a meal of sumptuous fresh seafood.

PHU QUOC ISLAND

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FESTIVALS IN THE BEACH AREA

In today’s rapidly changing world, ethnic and cultural groups strive to hold on to theirunique identity and spirit. In Viet Nam, one of the most popular ways of doing maintainingthis identity is through the staging of a festival or event. Festivals and events allow peopleto unite and collectively celebrate who they are, the richness of their heritage, and thethings most important to them. For visitors, attending a festival or event not only shedslight on who the Vietnamese people are, but will more often than not, also be a barrel offun. Here are our picks of some of the best festivals and events with a maritime theme.

Each month when the moon is full, the ancient streets of riverside Hoi An City are trans-formed into a riot of technicolour as a part of the Moon Lantern Festival. Without vehiclesand modern lighting, traditional lanterns of every shape and colour are hung around thestreets, in shops and houses. The city becomes a magical and wonderful fairytale that re-minding the peak time of crowded port. In place of the street crowds is the deep sound oftraditional music, comedy and romantic poet.

HOI AN LANTERN FESTIVAL The 14th day of every lunar month

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For centuries, Whale Festival has been the biggest water festival of the fishermen in QuangNam Province and Da Nang City. During the 2-day festival, all fishing boats and villagers re-turn home to take part in the festivities. Centred around paying respects to the Whale God,other activities include decoration of houses and boats, boat processions, and the playingof traditional orchestral music.

WHALE FESTIVAL The middle of the 3rd lunar month

The coastal city of Da Nang comes to life in the last week of April during its Annual Inter-national Fireworks Festival. Part competition and part festival, the Fireworks Festival in-cludes pyrotechnic displays of the champions at international competitions including thedisplay of the host - Da Nang City. The festival lasts 7 days with a number of acitivitiesnamely food and wine stalls, flower boat demonstrations, the sailing of flower lanterns,boat races, art exhibitions, and classical music and dance performances. It attracts hundredthousands of visitors.

DANANG FIREWORKS FESTIVAL The end of April

Oc Om Boc Festival is one of the most outstanding festivals in Viet Nam. It is organised bythe Khmer people of Soc Trang Province to thank Moon God for bringing good crops andabundant fishes for maintaining the health of the people. Besides the processions to beheld in pagoda or villagers’ houses, festival activities also include flying paper lanterns, sail-ing bananna tree ferries attached with lights to the river with the purposes of avoiding thedarkness and the wet of rainny season. Like other festivals, Oc Om Boc also a festive eventespecially traditional wooden ngo boat race.

OC OM BOC FESTIVAL The 15th day of the 10th lunar month

The 30km Da Nang-Quang Nam Coast incorporates My Khe B each to the north (favourite with the locals), Non Nuoc Beach in the centre

(excellent 5-star resorts and golf courses), and laid-back Cua Dai Beach to the south

(great beach-side cafés and restaurants). Seasonal surf can be found here.

Mui Ne Beach posesses a laid back appeal although its SeaLinks Golf Course, consistent winds ideal for kite- and wind-surfing, and surf between August and

December offer other more adrenaline-packed activities.

Surrounded by kilometres of white sand beaches, tropical water in every shade of green, quaint fishing villages, and a kalleidescope of off-shore coral, a visit to Phu Quoc should be high on the agenda of anyone after that perfect

tropical island escape.

Cat Ba Island’s landscape of limestone cliffs, deep valleys, mountain spires and lush jungle has

a Jurassic Park feel, and comes complete with fishing villages, sandy beaches, and a National

Park with a curious mix of wildlife including the goldenheaded langur.

In V ietnam the mighty Mekong River ends its

fantastic pan-Asian journey to the sea in a spectacular watery landscape of green rice fields and sleepy fishing

villages crisscrossed by brown canals and rivulets. Explore the Mekong’s lively world of waterways, floating markets,

rice fields, villages, pagodas and temples by boat cruise or

kayak.

Cat Ba Island’s landscape of limestonecliffs, deep valleys, mountain spires

and lush jungle has a Jurassic Park feel,and comes complete with fishing vil-lages, sandy beaches, and a nationalpark with a mix of wildlife including

the white-headed langur.It is about 30km far away from Da Nang-Quang

Nam Coast. It incorporates My Khe Beach tothe north (favourite with the locals), Non NuocBeach in the centre (excellent 5-star resort andgolf course), and laid-back Cua Dai Beach to thenouth (great beach-side cafés and restaurants).

Seasonal surf can be found here.

Mui Ne Beach possesses a laid back appeal although its SeaLinks GolfCourse, consistent winds ideal for kite- and wind-surfing, and surf between

December and March offer other more adrenaline-packed activities.

Surrounded by kilometres of white sand beaches, tropical water in every shade ofgreen, quaint fishing villages, and a kaleidoscope of off-shore coral, a visit to Phu Quoc

should be high on the agenda of anyone after that perfect tropical island escape.

In Viet Nam, the mighty Mekong Riverends its fantastic pan-Asian journey to

the sea in a spectacular watery landscapeof green rice fields and fishing villages

crisscrossed by brown canals andrivulets. Explore the Mekong’s lively

world of waterways, floating markets,rice fields, villages, pagodas and temples

by boat cruise or kayak.

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The most isolated of V ietnam’s islands, the Con Dao

Archipelago is a group of 16 mountainous sand-fringed islands and

islets and home to some of V ietnam’s best diving with 1,300 species of sea life

including rare dugongs and sea turtles.

The uncontested maritime jewel of the north, World Heritage Ha Long Bay is a must-stop destination. Board a traditional wooden

“Junk” and cruise your way around sculptural limestone cliffs and turquoise waters, or explore things from a kayak.

W ithin the misty limestone mountains of the north lies Ba BeLake, V ietnam’s largest natural lake. W ith waterfalls, rivers,valleys and caves to be explored, and traditional stilt-house

villages with homestay accommodation, Ba Be Lake is well-worth the journey north.

Dotted with more than 20 islands, Nha Trang is one of

V ietnam’s prettiest stretches of sand and one of its most popular resort destinations. Nha Trang also has accessible shallow dives

and snorkelling around soft corals and nudibranchs.

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The uncontested maritime jewel of the north, the World Natural Heritage- Ha Long Bay is a must-stop destination. Board a traditional wooden

“Junk” and cruise your way around sculptural limestone cliffs andturquoise waters, or explore landscapes from a kayak.

The most isolated of Viet Nam’s islands, the Con Dao Archipelago is agroup of 16 mountainous sand-fringed islands and islets and home tosome of Viet Nam’s best diving with 1,300 species of sea life including

rare dugongs and sea turtles.

Within the misty limestone mountainsof the North lies Ba Be Lake, Viet Nam’s

largest natural lake. With waterfalls,rivers, valleys and caves to be explored,and traditional stilt-house villages with

homestay accommodation, Ba Be Lake iswell-worth the journey north.

Dotted with more than 20 islands, NhaTrang is one of the Viet Nam’s prettiest

stretches of sand and one of its most popu-lar resort destinations. Nha Trang also has

accessible shallow dives and snorkelingaround soft corals and nudibranchs.

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Tel: (84 - 4) 39 42 37 60 - Fax: (84 - 4) 39 42 41 15Email: tmd@vietnamtourism.gov.vnWebsite: www.vietnamtourism.gov.vn

www.vietnamtourism.com

VIET NAM NATIONAL ADMINISTRATION OF TOURISM

Add: 80 Quan Su Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi, Viet Nam