Vietnam's introduction by Luxury Travel Co., LTD (www.luxuryprivatetravel.com)

QUANG NINH, Viet Nam - June 22, 2013 - PRLog -- Bring your camera and plenty of film, this is Southeast Asia's most photogenic country. Conical hats bent double in rice paddies, bicycles and scooters by the thousand lined up at the traffic lights and junk boats bobbing in the harbour - it sounds like a movie set, but it's real, it's all here and it's not for show.

To my surprise: Arts and crafts are huge in Vietnam. Painting galleries, craft shops, silk weavers, tailors, sculptors and photographers can now be found in abundance.

Unbelievably: There are vast areas of the country that tourism barely touches. Try Ha Giang or the "Northwest Loop" for a taste of untouched Southeast Asia.

Don't tell anyone: Saigon has one of the best museums in Southeast Asia. The War Remnants Museum has detailed, often harrowing displays about the "American War", and is an essential insight into this resilient nation.

When to go

Vietnam is a confusing place for weather. The best times to visit each place are staggered throughout the year, meaning that it's impossible to visit the whole country at the perfect time. The best advice is to go to the country expecting variable weather, then you won't be disappointed. Very broadly, the best times for whole country visits are December, January, February, May, June, early July. If you're worried about the heat and humidity, go in December/January. If you're worried about the rain and the seasonal flooding, avoid August, September and October.

Accommodation style

Vietnam has a wide range of accommodation, much of it very competitively priced. Location is all important. If you are staying in Ho Chi Minh City you need to have easy access to the centre. If you're staying in Hoi An you need to deicde whether you want to be in the town, or get some peace and quiet on the outskirts, or closer to the beach. Hotels that are Vietnamese owned and run often claim they are one star above their true level, so factor that in when making buying decisions. Also be aware that spending 20% more could get you a hotel room that's twice as good - always worth thinking about if your budget is flexible.

Getting around

Roads in Vietnam are now good across much of the coastal strip - where the majority of the population lives. In the countryside conditions are improving, but if you're heading off to Ha Giang, remote areas of the mountains or the backroads of the Mekong Delta expect bumpy tracks rather than tarmac. Vietnam is well served by internal flights. Prices are slowly coming down, but don't compare to prices in Singapore or Bangkok. The Reunification Express is a famous train line that connects the north and south of the countries. Whilst it sounds terribly romantic, and there are some very scenic sections, it is basic in standard. There are boats that ply the rivers of Vietnam to suit most budgets. The most luxurious boats - for example the Pandaw - retain incredible atmosphere as they chug up the Mekong River. Halong Bay has a wide variety of boats - definitely stay overnight if you can to catch the sunset and sunrise.

Other info
Visas - required for most visitors. Whilst it is possible to get visas on arrival we think it's better to get your visa in advance of travel through the Embassy in your country, or an appropriate visa agency that can take away the hassle.

Language - the national language is Vietnamese. English is widely spoken by younger people. Amongst older generations you may find Russian speakers, and very occasionally French speakers. Guide languages available: English, Italian, French, German, Russian, Chinese, Spanish.