Vietnam & Kambodscha – Magie am Mekong

About the destination: Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, and also its second largest city, is one of the most charming cities in Asia with a unique character. Years of foreign occupation have left a mark on this city as it is shown in the interesting museums, the historical buildings, the pagodas, the mausoleum, and its own French quarter give the city a very distinctive atmosphere. The best way to get to know Hanoi is to walk around. The historical center is not very extensive, many places to visit are there or in the immediate surroundings, and walking is the best way to have some contact with the friendly people of Hanoi. Hanoi is known as a city of lakes as there are many lakes and trees all around the city, the biggest being the West Lake, Ho Tay, and the most famous in the city center being the Lake of the Restored Sword, Ho Hoan Kiem. The beautiful thing about Hanoi is the interesting contrasts of architecture, ranging from the traditional old buildings of the Old Quarter to the European style huge buildings of the French Quarter to the Communist monuments at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and surrounding areas, not to mention the beautiful traditional architecture of its temples such as the Quan Su Pagoda. Hanoi is a peaceful and hectic city, buzzing with street life and exotic markets yet serene around the tranquil pagodas and temples. The City of the Soaring Dragon is the place to be in Vietnam.

About the destination: Huế Northern accent is the capital city of Thừa Thiên–Huế Province, Vietnam. MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS - Ho Chi Minh Museum. Contains photos and information on Ho Chi Minh as well as the history of Hue in photographs. - Imperial Citadel. The former imperial seat of government and Hue's prime attraction, this is a great sprawling complex of temples, pavilions, moats, walls, gates, shops, museums and galleries, featuring art and costumes from various periods of Vietnamese history. - Thien Mu Pagoda. Perched on a bluff over the river and housing some very fine gold and silver Buddha images. The Thien Mu Pagoda overlooks the Perfume River and is the official symbol of the city of Hue. - Tombs of the Emperors. Another of Hue's great attractions are the Tombs of the Emperors, on the Perfume River south of the city.

About the destination: Hội An is a city in Vietnam, located on the coast of the South China Sea in the South Central Coast region, in the Quảng Nam Province. Hội An is recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The city possessed the largest harbour in south-east Asia in the 1st century and was known as Lâm Ấp Phố MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS - Japanese Covered Bridge's Pagoda. The Bridge is located on the west end of Tran Phu Street, but the ticket is ONLY required to access the annexed pagoda on one side of the bridge's interior; the bridge itself is free for crossing. - Quan Cong Temple. - Phung Hung House - Quan Thang House. - Tan Ky House.

About the destination: Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam. It is a modern, lively and bustling city. It is economically active, filled with lively markets and it is unequivocally the nation’s commercial center. Though the country’s most modern city by far, it retains a unique Vietnamese flavor and you can still see evidences of an illustrious Colonial past of this former pearl of the orient. In the core area, which locals still affectionately refer to as Saigon, you’ll find some of the city’s main attractions such as the Opera house, railway station, Notre Dame cathedral, Reunification Palace, the Saigon river and the Markets. To take a break from the city, you can take a tour to the Mekong Delta or to Da Lat, if you have more time. Da Lat, located in the highlands approximately 300km from the city is worth the trip as there is plenty to see and do including waterfalls, gardens, the old French Quarter and the local restaurants which served magnificent local food. The commercial and financial hub of Vietnam is an exciting and interesting sprawling metropolis that does its best to preserve the way of life and culture of this magnificent county.

About the destination: Phnom Penh, located at the confluence of the Mekong and the Tonle Sap rivers, is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. There is a very strong French influence in Cambodia, particularly Phnom Penh, so much so that the city was once known as the Paris of the East. The French developed the canal system, ports, roads and buildings. Even though most of the city’s French flair has disappeared, there are a few beautiful French colonial buildings remaining. The Riverside district with its charming river walk, is full of hotels, restaurants and bars looking over the river and is very handy for visiting the main tourist sites. The main tourist attractions in Phnom Penh are Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, the Killing Fields, the National Museum, the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda and the temple Wat Phnom. Today, Phnom Penh is one of the fast growing cities in Southeast Asia and you can find upmarket cuisine, a very good arts scene and a vast array of markets. Phnom Penh is a worthwhile destination and a convenient base to explore the rest of the country.

About the destination: Siem Reap is the capital city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia. It is a popular resort town and a gateway to the Angkor region. Siem Reap has colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old French Quarter, and around the Old Market. In the city, there are museums, traditional Apsara dance performances, a Cambodian cultural village, souvenir and handycraft shops, silk farms, rice-paddies in the countryside, fishing villages and a bird sanctuary near the Tonle Sap Lake. Siem Reap today—being a popular tourist destination—has a large number of hotels, resorts, restaurants and businesses closely related to tourism. This is much owed to its proximity to the Angkor temples, the most popular tourist attraction in Cambodia.