Vietnam is a country that's experiencing monumental growth right now and is firmly looking to a future of economic prosperity and global integration. As the Vietnamese like to say, "Vietnam is a country, not a war."
One still sees laborers with baskets slung over their shoulders carrying chickens bound for market and other scenes that seem straight out of the past. But now, these porters are weaving though brand-new motorbikes parked in front of stylish cafes where young people chatter about the latest fashion and music on cell phones.
Recently accepted into the World Trade Organization, the country is ramping up its tourism infrastructure, and just in the last 10 years has made tremendous strides. Recently the readers of Conde Nast Travel + Leisure voted the Park Hyatt Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City and Sofitel Metropole in Hanoi as two of the top 50 hotels in Asia.
In addition to properties that offer decadent luxury at fantastic prices, there's a thorough network of regional flights that make traversing the long and narrow country a breeze. The country's long coast--there are 2,100 miles of it--offers water sports, fishing adventures and pure bliss on the beach.
Ho Chi Mihh City is still known as Saigon by residents. Its airport receives the lion's share of the international flights, and in 2004 United Airlines launched the first scheduled flight of a U.S. airline to Vietnam in almost 30 years. Made up of two main tourist areas--Dong Khoi and Pham Ngu Lao--the city offers both quiet luxury and a thumping down-in-the-street nightlife.
The Dong Khoi area is the place to find first-class hotels, luxury shopping and the main tourist highlights. Reunification Palace, site of the famous photograph of a tank crashing through the gates to seal the communist forces victory, is a must-see, and has a number of trendy Vietnamese restaurants nearby. For those with an interest in military history, the War Crimes Museum is an intense, sobering look at the reality of war.
Pham Ngu Lao is the area favored by independent travelers, but your adventurous attendees who want to get a taste of the rollicking Saigon of yore should definitely pay this district a visit. Bars and clubs are open all night and in a few short blocks there's every type of cuisine imaginable.
A few hours bus ride away is Mui Ne, a sleepy fishing village that's a perfect beach getaway. A number of upscale resorts line the white sands here and many properties sport meeting space and on-site restaurants and bars. Mui Ne also has mountainous sand dunes that will bring out the Lawrence of Arabia in the meekest attendee--the sunset jeep tours are recommended. For the even more adventurous, Mui Ne is one of the windsurfing hot spots in Asia.
Nha Trang is another beach destination--boasting mud baths, island tours, luxurious spas, and the best scuba diving in Vietnam. It's a mid-size modern resort town where those who like the nightlife can party like there's no tomorrow and gourmets can practice their own brand of indulgence. Restaurants here put the day's catch on ice and grill meals right on the sidewalk--there's a mouth-watering aroma that wafts over the city as the sun goes down.
Farther north is the capital city of Hanoi, where the old and new come together. Hoan Kiem Lake is the center of the main tourist area. To the north and west of the lake are a number of restaurants that range from local favorites to top-of-the line. South of Hoan Kiem Lake is where the nicest hotels are concentrated as well as a handful of upscale dining options, most with traditional Vietnamese music performed live nightly. Besides Hoan Kiem Lake itself, the must-see in Hanoi is a water puppetry performance at the national theater on the lake's edge.
If your group has time, a day trip to Halong Bay--where karst formations jut out of the water like so many fangs--is a memorable experience. Junk boat cruises, with food and drink, are available for charter. For an after-meeting or incentive destination, a trip to Sapa, queen city of the mountainous north, is worth the eight-hour train ride. Lovers of hand-made fabrics can buy blankets, purses and clothes directly from the hill tribe women who make them.
This is only the very beginning of all that Vietnam has to offer--whether it's for high-level networking events, incentive trips or board retreats, Vietnam is ready to shine.
