A contrarian’s best bet: Vietnam

By Joel Widzer

Travel columnist

updated 12:55 p.m. ET Nov. 9, 2006

Joel Widzer Travel columnist • Profile • E-mail

I have traveled a lot this year. In fact, I have traveled 245,000 miles to 21 countries: Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Panama, Mexico, Canada, Spain, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Monaco, Italy, Czech Republic, Hungary, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Ethiopia, Korea and Vietnam.

And which is the Contrarian Traveler’s best bet?

Vietnam, hands down.

What’s exciting for travelers is that Vietnam is currently at a crossroads where backpackers and luxury travelers can both discover a land of great beauty and charm at very affordable prices. It may not last long. Though tourism in Vietnam has not hit tidal-wave proportions, it is certainly growing, even among late-coming Americans; in fact, more than 350,000 U.S. travelers made the trip last year. Some of those visitors spent their time at luxury resorts on white-sand beaches or in five-star hotels in charming towns, while others backpacked and trekked along routes that no other means of travel could offer. Whatever the chosen path, travelers could see glorious beaches and mountain vistas, witness the interesting routines of village life and enjoy open-armed hospitality. The hospitality is apparently genuine, untainted by memories of the millions of Vietnamese people who lost their lives during what we call the Vietnam War. When I asked one official if there was any lingering animosity from the war, he asked me, “Which one?” His point was that Vietnam’s history is an unsettled one, including recent wars involving France, the United States, China, Laos and Cambodia, and yet the Vietnamese people still welcome visitors with wide-eyed, cheerful manners.

I’m not a backpacker. I’m the kind of traveler that likes a good meal, a luxury spa and a soft pillow at the end of the day. Happily, Vietnam did not disappoint. Several luxury hoteliers have matched the charms of Vietnam with beautiful buildings and excellent service. Two of my favorites are the Sofitel Metropole Hanoi and the Park Hyatt Saigon. The Sofitel Metropole Hanoi graces the ancient capital city established nearly 1,000 years ago by the Ly dynasty. The award-winning hotel was built in 1901, at the height of the French Indochina colonial period, and it retains the charm of that era. The Park Hyatt Saigon is blessed with a prime location in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), right in Lam Son Square overlooking the elegant Opera House. The hotel is within walking distance of many cultural and historical sites including the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon and the Beh Thanh Market. The food is also excellent. The local award-wining restaurants presented cuisine with the panache of the finest French eateries, and the sumptuously light fare usually cost less than $15.

Outside the cities, Vietnam offers visitors some amazing sights, including the limestone grottoes at Halong Bay (a World Heritage site), lovely vistas over the Mekong Delta, and the harmonious blend of mountains, forests and streams of the Perfume Pagoda. Vestiges of the imperial past evoke dreamy images of the long-ago Orient, while the temples provide a welcome respite from the rush of the surrounding world, inviting contemplation. Indeed, Vietnam is a peaceful sanctuary, as yet untouched by the kinds of terrorist activity that have encroached on tourist areas in Bali and Thailand. In fact, one of the world’s largest risk management companies identified Vietnam as one of the safest destinations in the world.

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