"I Left My Heart in Vietnam" Vietnam by Rodan44

Like most Americans born after the end of the American-Vietnam conflict, all of my impressions of this country were based on movies such as Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, Apocalyse Now, Rambo, etc. Needless to say, my early view of Vietnam was of a dark, threatening place that no foreigner in their right mind would ever want to visit. It also didn't help that I grew up during the tail end of the Cold War, when we were still being taught that Communists were the enemy.

Still, even if you disregard the narrow perspective of American produced Vietnam war movies and any lingering Cold War paranoia, the realities alone would seem to be enough to deter most tourists (especially Americans) from ever considering Vietnam as a vacation destination. Several million Vietnamese were killed during the decades of war, first with the French and then the Americans. Those Vietnamese that had sided with the U.S. faced harsh retaliation by the new Communist government once they consolidated power over the entire country. By the time all the fighting finally ceased, the Vietnam countryside was littered with countless numbers of unexploded ordinance and landmines that to this very day continue to maim and kill innocent Vietnamese who are unfortunate enough to disturb them. Then there's the constant stream of human rights criticisms that are levied on the Communist government for repression of religious expression, free speech, independent media, and minority groups. Taking all this into account, what could possibly be the attraction in visiting Vietnam? It sounds so dangerous, and it's hard to imagine how the Vietnamese would not still harbor a deep resentment of Americans, considering that the war ended less than 30 years ago.

In February 2003, Trisanna and I along with our good friend Scott travelled to the capital of Vietnam, Hanoi, a city that only a few years ago would have been closed off entirely to Western tourists. We had just moved to Singapore in October of the previous year, and this would be our first trip to one of the under-developed (third-world) countries of Asia. Before arriving, we were both excited and apprehensive, not quite knowing what to expect. To our delight, we found Vietnam to be everything we had hoped for and more. In fact, we enjoyed it so much that we went again in October of 2003, this time to central Vietnam and the cities of Hoi An, Da Nang, Hue and the infamous DMZ. Not only is Vietnam exotic, scenic, and rich in history, but the people are incredibly friendly (and not just the ones who are trying to sell you something) and it is quite safe and accessible. Plus, it offers incredible value for money, with just about anything being cheaper than you can find anywhere else in Asia.

If your only view of this country comes from Hollywood movies or war documentaries, then you owe it to yourself to go there and see for yourself the real Vietnam. You will be amazed!

Please visit the Vietnam page on my personal website to see many more high quality photos from this destination.

• Pros:Natural beauty, dynamic cities, rich history, cheap, friendly
• Cons:Crowded, loud, polluted, chaotic
• In a nutshell:There is something amazing everywhere you look!