A million miles from Hollywood

travel vietnam Railing against a negative image imposed by countless violent war movies, Vietnam has much to offer travellers weary of the backpacker trail. Melissa McClements finds beautiful countryside, spectacular beaches, courteous people and exotic food he pot-bellied American hauls himself out of the taxi. His red face crumples in the sharp sunlight, as he stands transfixed by the street scene swirling around him. A stick-thin boy darts from the crowd, grabs his hairy forearm and presses it to his diminutive nose. A quick inhale of this bizarre creature and, giggling madly, he scampers off.

Arriving in Vietnam can be like landing on another planet. And for many locals, a fleshy Caucasian is the closest thing to an alien they've ever seen. Vietnam is a country famous for a war. As one of the world's last communist states, it is also a country emerging from years of international isolation. It was only in 1994 that the socialist regime introduced obtainable tourist visas. As a result, many Vietnamese still regard tourists as a fascinating phenomenon: fuzzy, pink-skinned sources of wonder.

Hollywood has not done much for the Vietnamese tourist industry. Who would want the crazy-eyed, blood lusting Vietnamese of The Deer Hunter as holiday hosts? Such celluloid misrepresentation has cast the Vietnamese as wily torturers of blue-eyed boys, and their homeland as a tropical hellhole. Last Sunday a sharp reminder of the bitter victory over America took place as the country celebrated the 25th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam war. The ancient architects of the defeat of the greatest superpower in the world stood frail but upright as soldiers and villagers alike marched past Reunification Palace in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon. Railing against its Hollywood image, Vietnam is a country with a fascinating cultural heritage and an extremely courteous people. Despite the tragedy of the recent past, even Americans are now treated with the greatest degree of civility, alongside the inevitable curiosity.

The visitor will most likely be splurged out on to the pavement in Ho Chi Minh City after a hair-raising taxi ride from the airport. The city formerly known as Saigon is a sprawling, bustling metropolis in the south of Vietnam. The nation's industrial heart, Ho Chi Minh City whacks the visitor like a sensorial avalanche. It also boasts one of the world's most chaotic urban traffic systems. The roads resemble an amphetamine-powered version of The Wacky Races. Tens of thousands of mopeds buzz frantically through the city streets in a communal Evil Kinevil frenzy. Sticking to the right, obeying one-way signs or stopping at red lights are all optional. Pedestrian tourists will develop a profound empathy with the proverbial chicken.

Ho Chi Minh City is more of an experience than a sightseeing extravaganza. It's possible to spend hours just sitting watching the circus of street life. However, in a country with such a looming past there are certain must-sees. The War Crimes Museum is a blood curdling collection of the horrors of the war and a brutal reminder of what these smiling people have so recently endured.

The Reunification Palace was built as a presidential residence for the Southern Vietnamese president in 1966. Conceived as the zenith of futuristic architecture, today the building pays an unwitting homage to Sixties design. The exterior looks like a post-war council block in Clydebank, while the interior is a symphony in plastic and beige. Retro furniture aside, this building has immense historic significance. Communist Viet Cong stormed the front gates on April 30, 1975, officially putting an end to nearly 30 years of war.

A long, spindly coastal-strip of a country, Vietnam's tourist route follows the seaboard north from Ho Chi Minh City right up to Hanoi and beyond. The first stop on the tourist route out of the city is the hill town of Dalat in the southern central highlands. Situated at a cool altitude of 1500 metres, Dalat makes a welcome chill-out zone. It is also the most common destination for Vietnamese honeymooners and features the tack-tastic Valley of Love theme park, where you can have your picture taken with Vietnamese cowboys in full John Wayne regalia. This phenomenon should surely be the subject of a doctorial thesis in social anthropology: why do lovestruck Vietnamese pay to have their photo taken next to fellow countrymen dressed up as stereotypical representatives of the country that nearly destroyed them?

A day's bus journey from Dalat takes tourists to the coastal town of Nha Trang. Situated behind a long stretch of golden beachfront, this city is fast evolving into one of Vietnam's premier resorts. The setting is spectacular. Blue mountains frame the crescent shaped beach in an idyllic bay. On the backpacker circuit, Nha Trang is infamous due to the hardcore party boat trip to surrounding islands offered by local tour guide Mamma Hanh. For $7, tourists sail off for a day's imbibing of stomach-churning mulberry wine on a ramshackle boat, boasting the loudest sound-system in the country. Mama Hanh's boat stops off at several different islands, where drunken tourists disembark to stagger about the beach to a backing-track of cheesy Vietnamese pop. This pantomime is enacted to the delight of the locals, who are maybe writing their own social anthropological report on disturbing Western behaviour patterns.

Slap bang in the centre of Vietnam is Hoi An, a charismatic old port bearing all the architectural hallmarks of its commercial heritage. From the 17th to the 19th centuries, this was one of South East Asia's great trading centres, visited by the Dutch, Portuguese, Japanese and Chinese. The French too have inevitably left their mark, adding to the international architectural mix. Hoi An is beautifully preserved, having managed to avoid the destruction of US bombs.

Historic charm aside, fashion is the real reason most people visit Hoi An. It is possible to indulge in made-to-measure suits and outfits here at a ludicrously low cost. There is nothing the local tailors won't turn a skilled hand to. High quality copies can be made of just about any garment pictured in a fashion magazine, so dedicated followers should come prepared to get properly stitched up. Expect to pay around $30 dollars (US) for a suit, $10 for a dress and $25 for a winter coat.

If it's possible to be dragged away from the addictive dressmaking shops of Hoi An, a short hop to the north takes the traveller to Hue, the former capital and cultural heart of Vietnam. The most striking landmarks in the town are the tombs of the Nguyen Dynasty, which ruled Vietnam from 1802 to 1945. These extravagant structures pop up along the banks of the famous Perfume River. Incidentally, visitors expecting Chanel No. 5 scented waters will be bitterly disappointed. As with most Vietnamese rivers, waste runs freely from local sewers and emits a gag-inducing odour.

Hue makes a good jumping-off point for the Demilitarised Zone or the DMZ. This was the scene of some of the worst fighting of the American War. Undetonated mines still lurk around the designated military sites and visitors should consequently side step any scrap metal objects at all costs. To help avoid annihilation, and to appreciate the weighty history of this area, it's essential to hire an English speaking guide. Without someone to explain the significance of each military site, the barren landscape gives very little away.

If loud and industrial Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam's Glasgow, then sedate and stately Hanoi, featuring a historic old town and most of the country's governmental offices, is its Edinburgh. The comparison ends here though, as architecturally the Vietnamese capital is much more gallic than celtic, bearing a close physical resemblance to a provincial French town. It's relaxing to wander through the narrow streets of the old quarter in a way that braving the streets of Ho Chi Minh City could never be.

Whilst the southern metropolis might bear the name of the great communist hero, his preserved body lies for all to see in the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi. Preserved might be a euphemism, as there is a rumour that his diminutive corpse is slowly rotting in the tropical humidity. Allegedly, the body makes regular trips to Russia, where embalmists attempt to stall its rapid disintegration. This seems a very undignified end for a remarkable historical figure - especially considering his final request that his ashes be symbolically scattered over both north and south Vietnam, linking his beloved homeland.

On Vietnam's extreme north-eastern seaboard, the spectacular vistas of Ha Long Bay constitute the north's prime pulling power. Thousands of limestone islands are carved out of the huge bay in a staggering variety of shapes and sizes, creating an otherworldly landscape. According to local legend, a heavenly dragon was once called upon by the Vietnamese Emperor to stop a Chinese invasion. The dragon spat out thousands of pearls, which formed islands and mountain chains in the path of the enemy. The name Ha Long actually means "dragon descending" and the bay remains the Loch Ness of Vietnam. There are ongoing sightings of sea-monsters and fantastic creatures lurking in the emerald green waters.

From the spectacular scenery of Ha Long Bay to the tropical beaches of Nha Trang or the sheer lunacy of the streets of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam makes a fascinating travel destination. And now is the time to go, as the burgeoning Vietnamese tourist industry threatens to take off. The country is set to become an essential stop- off on the South East Asian backpacker's circuit, if it hasn't reached that point already. And despite the best efforts of the socialist government, large-scale commercialisation overshadows the country's rickety network of tour operators. Foreign investors, with dollar signs flashing in their eyeballs, are itching to exploit the beauty of Vietnam and, sadly, sour this idiosyncratic nation's many charms.

For the time being, the Vietnamese - from conical hatted farm- hands to slick city businessmen to toothless old lady street vendors - will provide a warm welcome Where to stay Ho Chi Minh City Posh: Delta Caravelle, 19-23 Lam Son Square, District 1 (823 4999). Reasonable: Thanh Huyen, 175/1 Pham Ngu Lao, District 1 (836 8435) Hanoi Posh: Sofitel Metropole, 15 Ngo Quyen (826 6919) Reasonable: Love Planet, 98 Ma May (828 4864) What to eat Vietnamese cuisine is much gentler than the chilli-packed curries of Thailand or India. The principal seasoning is fish sauce (nuoc mam). It is an acquired taste, but once experienced it's addictive.

For the adventurous carnivore Vietnam provides a wide array of exotic meats. Speciality meats include snake, dog, goat and frog. Restaurant menus also boast delicacies such as cow's uterus and fertilised duck eggs. The Vietnamese believe that there is nothing better for your health than chewing on a boiled duckling embryo.

Ho Chi Minh City The Bodhi Tree, 175/6 Pham Ngu Lao. Cheap and cheerful vegetarian fare. Hoang Yen, 5-9 Ngo Duc Ke. Popular local haunt. Vietnam House, 93-95 Dong Khoi. Slightly pricier, but excellent Vietnamese food with traditional live music.

Hanoi San Ho, 58 Ly Thuong Kiet. Seafood specialists. Moca Cafe, 14-16 Nha Tho. Bistro serving everything from cinnamon cappuccinos to smoked salmon. Seasons, 95B Quan Thanh. Pricey but superb Vietnamese food in a restored colonial villa.

Bit Tet (Beefsteak), 51 Hang Buom. Inexpensive, top quality local dishes.

Cash The local currency is the Vietnamese Dong, of which there are around 22,000 to the pound. As this is a closed currency no hard cash can be taken in or out of the country. Travellers should, therefore, bring most of their spending money in US dollar traveller's cheques, as it is difficult to change Sterling in any format. It is also advisable to bring a certain amount of US dollars in cash, as there is a strong black-market economy, which means that big bills are often paid in dollars.

Silks, art and laquerware are all great buys in Vietnam and most tourists spend a lot of time shopping. Bartering is an integral part of Vietnamese culture and the first price offered is generally highly inflated. Before becoming a bartering fanatic and haggling over every 1000 Dong, it is worth bearing in mind that the national average income in Vietnam is less than $200 US per annum.

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