Water Experience in Vietnam

With about 2,021 miles of sea coast, the Red River Delta in the north and the Mekong Delta in the south, Vietnam is not short of water. And what better way to take advantage of these resources, than by taking a cruise?

The Red River has its source in China's Yunnan province, from where it flows east, entering Vietnam at Lao Cai then winding for more than 500 km through  northern Vietnam, passing by Hanoi, before emptying into the Gulf of Tonkin. The river is essential to the lives of the peoples of this part of Vietnam and beyond. The river provides the irrigation for nearly half the country's rice production. The delta is the hub of all economic activity in the north of Vietnam, where the majority of the region's population is concentrated. The importance of the river is reflected in its Vietnamese name, Song Cai, meaning "Mother River".

On either side of the river lie ethnic community villages and farming communities who have lived in this area for thousands of years. Cruises on the river, usually starting from Hanoi, will stop and give you the opportunity to visit the local villages and their handicraft markets. You can also visit nearby historic pagodas. Normally, meals will be served on board your cruise vessel.

South East Asia's greatest river, the mighty Mekong, is the world's 10th-longest river. Rising in the Tibetan Plateau, it flows through China's Yunnan Province, Burma, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia before opening out into the fertile Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam.

Sampans, made from the local go sao, the wood traditionally used for building quality ships, offer cruises to suit every visitor. Most sampans have private, air-conditioned rooms on either side of the ship, with a restaurant in the centre and a sun deck above. Here you can relax and watch the world float by. You can visit a visit a cat fish farm (the Mekong is famous for its catfish).

French writer Marguerite Duras spent some of her childhood in the town of Sadec and her story, The Lover, is set here and in 1992 was made into a successful movie. Movie lovers can visit the sights where it was shot. Nearby is Cai Be with its floating market, where you can go ashore to visit delightful flower gardens, the ancient Kiet House and local rice paper manufacturers. From here it is a starlit overnight cruise to bustling Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

But Vietnam's premier tourist attraction, the Jewel in the Crown, is undoubtedly the stunning Halong Bay to the east of Hanoi. Literally thousands of islands rise from the sea in karst formations. The area is host to a diversity of ecosystems including offshore coral reefs, freshwater swamp forests, mangrove forests, small freshwater lakes, and sandy beaches.

Traditionally shaped junks, but with modern facilities, offer cruises around this mystical bay. You can stay in your room and watch the karst, limestone islands go by, or stop and spend some time swimming on a quiet beach such as at Soi Sim Island. You can also visit the floating villages and floating markets and it is worth visiting Lan Ha Bay to the south of Halong to visit a traditional fishing village.

The memory of the place will be etched in your mind forever.