VIETNAM at a glance

from Minh Nguyen

to best friends
 Introduction
• Area: 330.000 km2 (2/3 of France)
• Population: 85 mil
• Capital: Ha Noi (Hà Nội)
• 4000 yrs of history, 1000 yrs of war and colonial
(China, U.S., France, Japan, Mongolia)
• The last war has ended from 1975

• Vietnam is one the SAFEST place in the world

(4.1 mil foreign visitors in 2007)
 Diversity
• People: 54,
minorities can be found in highlands and
midlands (Sapa, Tay Nguyen,..)
• Climate: tropical 20-350C,
but temperate can be found in Sapa, Da Lat
• Culture: mix of ancient and modern
• Gastronomy: 3 typical regions:
North, Central (spicy) and South (sweet)
Hot-spots

}
Ha Noi: cultural and political capital
Ha Long bay: one of world natural wonders
Sapa: cultural discovery & highland landscapes

}
Hue: the former dynasties capital
Da Nang: beautiful sandy beaches
Hoi An: ancient town, UNESCO heritage

}
Ho Chi Minh (Saigon): economical capital
Da Lat: poetic, romantic city
Mekong Delta: life on rivers
Traditional
clothes
(1)

‘Ao tu than’

World leaders
in forms of
Vietnam

‘Ao ba ba’
 Traditional arts

‘Hat boi’ ‘Cai luong’

‘Cheo’ ‘Roi nuoc’

Gastronomy (soup-based)
‘Pho’ ‘Bun bo’

‘Hu tiu’ ‘Banh canh’

 Gastronomy (cont.)
‘Cha gio’ ‘Banh xeo’

‘Banh cuon’ ‘Banh khot’

Ha Noi

(1)
Ha Long bay
Fighting cock islet
Sapa
Hue
Da Nang
Hoi An
Ho Chi Minh City
Saigon

Cyclo
Cu Chi Tunnel
Da Lat
Mekong Delta
 ‘Ao dai’

..the spirit, the heart of Vietnam..

 Miss Vietnam

2004

2004 2005 2006 2008

Nguyen Thi Huyen Vu Huong Giang Mai Phuong Thuy Nguyen Thuy Lam
Top 15 Miss World Top 17 Miss World
 Spirit
Technology Sport especially football

The champion team in A family celebrates victory

Asia-pacific Robot contest of national football team

Patriotic and community-oriented generations

Tet holiday
(2)

(1)
The most famous fish sauce is from
Phu Quoc island
Fish sauce
Procedures to make fish sauce
Pottery, ceramic, porcelain
and
villages of art
(1)
‘Tho cam’
 Tropical fruits
‘Chom chom’ or
rambutan: cool
sweet taste

‘Sau rieng’ or
durian: strong
sweet, buttery
taste and special
strong smell

‘Mang cut’ or
mangosteen: light and
pure refreshment with
little sour taste

‘Thanh Long’: fresh,

soft and little sour
Lotus and flowers

Lotus in
form of
dancing
 Bonjour Vietnam
Raconte moi ce nom étrange et difficile à
prononcer
Que je porte depuis que je suis née.
Raconte moi le vieil empire et le trait de
mes yeux bridés,
Qui disent mieux que moi ce que tu n'oses
dire.
Je ne sais de toi que des images de la
guerre,
Un film de Coppola, [et] des hélicoptères en
colère ...
Un jour, j'irai là bas, un jour dire bonjour à
ton âme.
Un jour, j'irai là bas [pour] te dire bonjour,
Vietnam.
Raconte moi ma couleur, mes cheveux et mes
petits pieds,
Qui me portent depuis que je suis née.
Raconte moi ta maison, ta rue, raconte moi cet
inconnu,
Les marchés flottants et les sampans de bois.
Je ne connais de mon pays que des photos de la
guerre,
Un film de Coppola, [et] des hélicoptères en
colère ...
Un jour, j'irai là bas, un jour dire bonjour à mon
âme.
Un jour, j'irai là bas [pour] te dire bonjour,
Vietnam.

Les temples et les Boudhas de pierre pour mes pères, Singer:

Author:
Marc Lavoine, Les femmes courbées dans les rizières pour mes mères, Pham Quynh Anh,
a french who Dans la prière, dans la lumière, revoir mes frères, a vietnamese french,
has never been Toucher mon âme, mes racines, ma terre... was born in Belgium
in Vietnam
Un jour, j'irai là bas, un jour dire bonjour à mon âme.
Un jour, j'irai là bas [pour] te dire bonjour, Vietnam (2 fois)
 Other places to visit..
• Phong Nha cave, one of new world natural wonders
• Huong pagoda, traditional and religious destination
• Ninh Binh
• Binh Thuan
• Nha Trang, wonderful gravel beaches
• Phu Quoc island, the most beautiful beach on the world*
• My Son holy land
• Con Dao island, an ancient isolated prison
• Cat Ba island
• …

*Concierge.com
 And..
• Export: crude oil, coal, garment, shoes, rice,
seafood, coffee, rubber…
• Agriculture is the strength
• Political: socialism, one-party
• Religion (1999): No religion (80,8%), Buddhism
(9,3%), Christian (6,7%), Muslim (0,07%),..
• Border: Cambodia, China, Laos, Thailand;
by ocean to: Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore
 More information?
• Wikipedia.org
• Wikitravel.org
• Travel.com.vn
• Sample of ‘Cai luong’
• Sample of ‘Roi nuoc’
• Sample of ‘Hat cheo’
• Sample of ‘Hat boi’

• minhntb@gmail.com