Dalat Images - Please Click Slideshow to View Static Images

The French doctor Alexandre Yersin discovered Dalat in 1893, developing it into a hillside retreat for the French colonists sweltering in the lowlands. Little did he know that one day it would become one of the most beloved cities of Vietnam. Dalat has many villas built by French officials during the early part of the 20th century, many restored to original, as well as more modern Vietnamese renditions of villas for weekend retreats from Saigon. Dalat is also known for its quirky atmosphere, being favored colony for Vietnamese bohemians and artists.


Dalat Images - Images by John Lander

Saigon Images Gallery - Please click slideshow to go to collection

Though officially named Ho Chi Minh City since 1975, nobody but nobody who lives here calls the city anything but Saigon. (Even the state-run Vietnam Railways refers to it as Saigon rather than Ho Chi Minh City). Saigon is noted for its variety of cuisine, thanks in part to its location near the abundance of fresh ingredients in the Mekong Delta. Though busier and more hectic than the capital Hanoi, Saigon hums with life and pizazz. It's hot, tropical climate give Saigon a more sultry anything-goes atmosphere as well.


Saigon Images - Images by John Lander

Hoi An Images Gallery - Please click slideshow to visit collection

Once upon a time, Hoi An was Southeast Asia's busiest port. When traffic moved elsewhere the town took a long nap. This preserved the town's unique architecture, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Chinese temples jostle Sino-Portuguese shophouses while down along the riverfront, elegant mustard-hued villas with colonnades remind us of Colonial France. Chinese temples and assembly halls, vibrant with reds, golds and fire-breathing dragons bring us back to Asia. Hoi An is so renowned for its unique retro charm and great food it is maybe not so surprising that few think of it as a beach town. If you can manage to tear yourself away, one of Southeast Asia's broadest and cleanest beaches is a short bicycle ride away. The quiet surf, lack of crowds and minimal hustle will make you wonder why all those beachbums flock to Bali or Phuket. Cua Dai Beach is, for the time being, part of the time warp that is Hoi An. Enjoy the serenity while it lasts.


Hoi An Images - Images by John Lander

Hanoi Images Gallery - Please click slideshow to view collection

Hanoi's Old Quarter is one of the city's most unusual and lively places. Although there are two official marketplaces here, the entire area is in fact one large market. In the quarter, you can browse for giant red candlesticks, silk, snake wine, woven mats, coffee, musical instruments, "ghost money" or lacquerware - or just have a bowl of pho noodle soup. Just navigating the maze of streets and alleys is an adventure. Though it is easy to get lost in the Old Quarter, simply climb into a rickshaw or cyclo and let the driver show you around.


Hanoi Images - Images by John Lander

Phu Quoc Images Gallery - Please click slideshow to visit collection

Phu Quoc Island may have been overlooked by the producers of "The Beach" but not by devoted beach bums. A string of beach resorts with no street vendors? No souvenir sellers? Such beaches still exists on Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island. Development on the island is just starting to take off, with the island's many clean beaches easily outdoing anything that Phuket or Bali has to offer. With year-round sunshine and an average temperature of 87 degrees, some would call Phu Quoc "paradise" especially when you add in all the fresh seafood - cooked Vietnamese style. The island is shared by fishermen, backpackers and weekenders from Saigon. So far. In the past, Phu Quoc was only for the adventurous, taking battered ferries from the mainland after a hell ride on a local bus from Saigon. Today, Vietnam Airlines flies five times a day for 35$ one-way for the 50 minute flight from Saigon. High-speed ferries are also available from the mainland, taking only 2 1/2 hours.


Phu Quoc Images Gallery - Images by John Lander

Saigon Images Gallery - Please click slideshow to go to collection

Though officially named Ho Chi Minh City since 1975, nobody but nobody who lives here calls the city anything but Saigon. (Even the state-run Vietnam Railways refers to it as Saigon rather than Ho Chi Minh City). Saigon is noted for its variety of cuisine, thanks in part to its location near the abundance of fresh ingredients in the Mekong Delta. Though busier and more hectic than the capital Hanoi, Saigon hums with life and pizazz. It's hot, tropical climate give Saigon a more sultry anything-goes atmosphere as well.


Saigon Images Gallery - Images by John Lander