Cycling
Vietnam is ideal for long-distance cycling as much of the country is flat and the shortage of vehicles makes for light traffic. Caution is needed, however, especially on busier roads as traffic can be very undisciplined. Bicycle hire is widely available. Mountain biking is available around Dalat area and well worth the try.
Watersports
In total, Vietnam has 3260km (2021 miles) of coastline. The most popular beaches are Vung Tau, just north of the Mekong Delta; and Nha Trang, near Da Lat, where the clear, turquoise waters offer good snorkeling and scuba diving. Snorkeling and diving equipment can be hired at most beach resorts. Other good beaches can be found at Phan Thiet (southcentral coast); Mui Ne (noted for its large sand dunes); and the magnificent Ha Long Bay, where some 3000 islands, covered in lush vegetation and dotted with beaches and grottoes, rise out of the Gulf of Tonkin. Access to the islands is by boats, which can be hired in Ha Long City.
Hiking
There is good hiking and horse riding in the beautiful countryside around Da Lat. Guides are recommended and can be hired locally. Generally, the northwest is the best region for hiking. Other good destinations include Bach Ma National Park, Cuc Phuong National Park (near Hanoi) and Lang Bian Mountain (in Da Lat), where guides are compulsory. In the north, Ba Be Lake National Park (which contains several lakes, waterfalls and caves) and Cat Ba National Park on Cat Ba Island also offer beautiful scenery.
Take an elephant trek in the central highlands or go sea kayak to inhabited islands off Nha Trang. Generally, the northwest is the best region for hiking. Other good destinations include Bach Ma National Park, Cuc Phuong National Park (near Hanoi) and Lang Bian Mountain (in Da Lat), where guides are compulsory. In the north, Ba Be Lake National Park (which contains several lakes, waterfalls and caves) and Cat Ba National Park on Cat Ba Island also offer beautiful scenery. Go hiking or horse riding in the beautiful countryside around Da Lat. Using guides is recommended.
Caving enthusiasts may head for the spectacular Pong Nha river caves, northwest of Dong Hoi. Snorkel lovers and scuba divers alike can indulge themselves into the magnificent blue ocean and sub water sites of Nhat Trang and Phan Thiet. Windsurfers and kite-surfers alike may go to the city of Vinh, which is not a favorite on most travel guide, but weather-wise its beaches boast the best wind conditions of the country. China beach located 15 km from Danang is a beautiful spot, swimming her can be quite dangerous at time, but when the wind is right, this is a surfer’s paradise and an international competition has been held there.
Boat trips are particularly popular in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam’s southernmost region, which consists of an intricate network of rice paddies, swamps and forests interlaced with canals and rivers. River cruises also operate on the Saigon River. It is a good way to see Ho Chi Minh City or the Perfume River, near Hue. You can fish for a day at phan thiet Eco-tourist site. Vietnam has only nine golf courses, three in the north and six in the south.
Singing
“Don Ca Tai Tu”, a kind of music which played by amateur artists is a kind of Vietnamese’s ethnic music which is taken form and developed from the late 19th century. It is the resource of “Nha Nhac Cung Dinh Hue” (the music in Hue Court) and folklore. “Don Ca Tai Tu” is a specific folk art-form in the Southern Vietnam. It is an art in which music is played and sung by Southern commoners and young people after working hours. This kind of music appeared over one hundred years ago and was played with four musical instruments: Dan Nhi (Dan Co) (a sort of vertical violin with two strings) , Dan Kim (two chord guitar), Dan Tranh (16-chord zither), Doc Huyen Cam (monochord). “Don Ca Tai Tu” is often performed in the places with charming landscape, especially, when entering the hick waterways, audiences will be heard the smooth singing voice of the Western girls and amateurs captivating their heart in the river. “Don Ca Tai Tu” will impress visitors since the first time of enjoying, because it is the Southern cultural identity in Viet Nam.
Moreover, when arriving at Western Waterways, tourists can not only enjoy “ Don Ca Tai Tu” , but also hear “ Vong Co” which originated from “ Cai Luong” ( Reformist) – a kind of old music.. “Vong Co” songs often manifest humans’ feeling and thought such as happiness, sadness, ridicule, fun, etc. All moods are expressed in each word of the song.
“Tu la tu phu tuong
Bao kiem sac phong len dang
Vao ra luong trong tin chang
Nam canh mo mang
Em luong trong tin chang
Oi gan vang quan dau i…o..”
That is confidence of a woman who is waiting for news form her husband who has been joining in the army but has not returned yet.
In addition to, visiting Mekong River Delta and sailing boat on the river or canals, tourists can hear a velvety voice of young man and woman in “Ho Nam Bo” which is the repartee between males and females. Ho Nam Bo is like a spiritual meal of people in the South Viet Nam.
Festival
A festival is an event usually celebrated by a local community. It displays the unique and typical characteristic of that community. Most of the communities all over the world celebrate festivals and so does the Khmer ethnic group. This community has a lot of festivals such as Chol Chnam Thmay, Okombok and Dotal. Among them, Chol Chnam Thmay is the most popular Khmer festival.
Chol Chnam Thmay is the most important festival among the traditional festivals of Khmer people in Mekong Delta River. At the beginning of Chet month (in Buddhist calendar), Chol Chnam Thmay is celebrated. It lasts three days, and four days in leap year. There are three official days; each of these days has its own name. The first day is named as Moha Sangkran (lễ rước Đại Lich) or Chol Sangkran Thmay. The next day is called Wanabat or Wonbof (lễ dâng cơm và đắp núi cát). Tngai Laeung Saka or Lomsak is the third and usually the last day of the festival. On these days, people come to visit their relatives, their friends and their neighbors, giving them the best wishes and good lucks. They also take part in numerous activities in the festival. Sometimes the festival lasts longer and it takes people almost a week to turn back to their everyday life.