The most recent Asian dragon to awake from its slumber, Vietnam boasts 3,260 km of coastline, World Heritage UNESCO sites, teeming metropolises, a booming economy and a rich, historic culture.
Our two-week, whirlwind tour started in Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City -- a mind-boggling behemoth located in the southern part of Vietnam.
Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam's largest urban centre and its undisputed capital of commerce.
For tourists, Saigon -- as it's still called by all but the city officials who live here -- can seem a chaotic mess of traffic-clogged roads and endless construction.
Every city has its own symbol and without doubt, the motorbike would be Saigon's.
With more than three-million of these noisy, pollution-gorging beasts buzzing throughout the city daily, first-time visitors will be plunged into sensory overload.
Crossing the street is an experience unto itself and it is quite astounding more people are not run down.
Accommodation in Saigon, as would be expected in a city with an official population in excess of eight-million, offers tourists the gamut from one to five stars.
We stayed at the Park Hyatt in District 1, the centre of Ho Chi Minh City.
Eleven long years in the making (gossip has it construction of the hotel was the victim of unparalleled corruption -- hence the 11-year construction period), the Park Hyatt is the best hotel in Saigon.
Located mere steps from the historic Opera House and Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon, the Park Hyatt is an oasis of calm in an urban jungle. A marvellous pool and spa, stunning decor, lavish restaurants and superb artwork are but a few of the hotel's charms.
Other high-end hotels worthy of a stay include Caravelle, Rex, Continental, Grand, Majestic and The Sheraton.
Shopping in Saigon proved a bit of a challenge.
Sure, there are scores of markets and kiosks selling everything from silk to spices, but the quality of many of the goods -- especially garments -- was suspect.
Perhaps it's a globalization thing, but the malls we visited offered very little new and the prices were far from the steal we hoped they would be.
The Ben Thanh Market, located blocks from the Park Hyatt, teems with souvenir trinkets and prices here are very reasonable.
Bargaining is a must and English is understood.
Wood carvings, lacquer and spices are cheap and distinctive. Whether paying in dong or U.S. dollars, it's all money to the aggressive merchants.
Saigon shines when it comes to culinary experiences.
Vietnamese cuisine is known for its common use of fish sauce, soy sauce, rice, fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables.
Vietnamese recipes use many vegetables, herbs and spices, including lemon grass, lime, and kaffir lime leaves.
Throughout all regions of Vietnam, the emphasis is always on serving fresh vegetables and/or fresh herbs as side dishes along with dipping sauce.
Dipping delicate spring rolls in nuoc mam, a fish sauce that is as compulsory as ketchup for the Vietnamese, is a must while here.
We experienced gastronomic heaven at Hoi An on Le Thanh Son St. in District 1.
Full marks for not only stunning presentation and service but the five-course, Imperial Hue cuisine as well.
Le Bordeaux is the place to go for steak and Camargue is a Saigon institution offering French and fusion food.
Perhaps the most memorable part of southern Vietnam is a trip outside Saigon to the Mekong River in the Mekong Delta -- a two-hour drive south.
This is an area of fertile farming land, lush tropical orchards and numerous canals and waterways.
Places worth visiting in the delta region include numerous floating markets, riverside cottage industries, tropical fruit orchards and bird gardens, where thousands of white egrets congregate in the late afternoon to roost in the tree tops.
Canals off the river, which were originally built by the French, are used today as Saigon's drainage system and to transport fresh food back to the city. The river is brown due to all the silt carried from as far away as the Himalayas.
Enormous barges filled with dredged sand pass up and down the river 24 hours a day, seven days a week to deposit their cargo in rice paddys south of Ho Chi Minh City in a herculean effort to reclaim the paddys for urban redevelopment.
We chose to explore the river by boarding a sampan in My Tho, the capital city of the region with a population of 160,000. Our next instalment takes us to central Vietnam -- home to famous China Beach. Stay tuned.
