Vietnam occupies a narrow strip of land close to the eastern borders of Cambodia and Laos, hemmed in by rugged mountains to the west and by the South China Sea – or the East Sea, as the Vietnamese call it. To the north and south of its narrow waist, it opens out into the splendid deltas of the Red River and the Mekong, where you will find the paddy fields, dragonflies, buffaloes and conical-hatted farmers that constitute the classic image of Vietnam.

However, over the last few decades, Vietnam has changed out of all recognition. Less than forty years since the American military offensive, this resilient nation is once again buoyant with hope. Its infrastructure is better than ever, new hotels are springing up and its raucous entrepreneurial spirit is once again alive and well as the old-style Communist system gives way to a socialist market economy. Visitors returning home will talk not of bomb craters and army ordnance but of shimmering paddy fields and sugar-white beaches, lively cities and venerable pagodas; Vietnam is, without doubt, a phoenix risen from the ashes.

The speed with which Vietnam’s population has been able to put the tragic events of its recent past behind it, to focus its gaze so purposefully on the future, may come as a surprise to those expecting to encounter shell-shocked resentment of the West. It wasn’t always like this, however. In 1975, the north and south were reunited, ending twenty years of terrible civil war. This was followed by a decade or so of hardline centralist economic rule. The shake-up of “doi moi” – a process of restructuring – beginning in 1986, signalled a new beginning for Vietnam. Today, fervent commerce grips the nation: from shopping malls and designer boutiques to the bustling street markets and the booming cross-border trade with China. From a tourist’s point of view, this is a great time to visit – not only to soak up the intoxicating sense of vitality and optimism, but also to witness a country undergoing profound transformation. Of course, doi moi is an economic policy, not a magic spell and, for much of the population, life remains hard. Indeed, the move towards a market economy has predictably polarised the gap between rich and poor. The average monthly income for city-dwellers is around US$100, while in the poorest provinces workers may scrape by on as little as US$30 a month – a difference that amply illustrates the growing gulf between urban and rural Vietnam.

There is an equally marked difference between north and south - a deep psychological divide that was around long before the war, which is ingrained in Vietnamese culture. Northerners have always been considered reticent, thrifty and law-abiding. In contrast, their southern compatriots are seen as dynamic and entrepreneurial. Unsurprisingly, this is reflected in the broader economy, with the south as the driver of growth, boasting lower unemployment and higher average wages, whilst the increasingly glitzy Ho Chi Minh City looks more to Bangkok and Singapore than Hanoi.

Visitors to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and the other major centres will find plenty of intriguing and exciting places to visit. However, it’s the country’s striking landscape that most impresses. In stark contrast to the flat rice land of the deltas, Ha Long Bay’s labyrinthine network of limestone outcrops loom dramatically out of the Gulf of Tonkin – a magical spectacle in the early morning mist. Any trip to the remote upland regions of central and northern Vietnam is likely to focus upon the ethnic minorities who reside there. Elaborate tribal costumes, age-old customs and communal longhouses await those willing to trek into the sticks. As for wildlife, the discovery in recent years of several previously unknown species of plants, birds and animals speaks volumes for the wealth of Vietnam’s biodiversity and makes the improving access to the country’s national parks all the more gratifying.

Title Image Credit: guido da rozze (Image Cropped)