Eight,Wonders,Vietnam,UNESCO,l travel,insurance Eight Wonders of Vietnam

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UNESCO lists five World Heritages inthe country, but An Adventure Beat editor  list presents a morevaried picture: the Eight Wonders of Vietnam. If many of a certain generation tried to avoid going to Vietnam at all costs, now thesesame travelers may be tempted to explore a densely textured destination ashistoric, culturally rich and scenically stupefying as any country on Earth.1) Ha Long Bay Legend has it that the dragon that created civilization dove into these waters(Ha Long means "descending dragon") to his rest. There is a mythic,supernatural quality to this bay on the Gulfof Tonkin, east of Hanoi, that must be experienced to believe.Limestone "haystack" islands draped in jungle foliate erupt from theplacid bay, fishermen in dragon-headed boats lay their nets, caves both aboveand below water level invite exploration. There are some 700 islands in thebay, and nowadays you can sea kayak among them with local tour operators —although in ancient times the Vietnamese general Tran Hung Dao outwitted theChinese navy here. 2) Hanoi's Old Quarter :Few capitals necessarily qualify as "wonders" — Pariscomes to mind — but Hanoibelongs in that class. It was first made capital of Vietnamin 1010 A.D., along a bend in the Red River,and even today, 996 years later, it's still a rush of urban energy and pastoralease. Walk around the central district's Hoan Kiem Lake in the cool morninghours, while the locals do their daily tai chi; shop in the narrow streets ofthe Old Quarter where tradesmen have practiced in the same shops for up to 25generations; dine European, Asian, or fusion at one of the many restoredcolonial mansions.  3) Cao Dai Temple Even knowing in advance that the Cao Dai religion counts among its saintsVictor Hugo, Louis Pasteur, and Sun Yat-Sen does little to prepare the visitorfor the psychedelic splendor of its Holy See. Primary colors run riot overplaster dragons, flowers, and figurines crawling up the pillars and walls,while the all-seeing eye (a Masonic symbol also found on the US Great Seal) iseverywhere. The temple is just a short drive from Ho Chi Minh City, and elaborate services andceremonies are held almost daily.  4) Mekong Delta The Mekong's route begins 2,500 miles upstream in Tibet,and its course through China,Burma, Laos, Cambodiaand Vietnamis a waterway through the exotic. It flows into the South China Sea through adelta of many streams (its Vietnamese name, Cuu Long, means Nine Dragons), afertile region known as "the ricebowl of Vietnam." The highlight formost visitors are the floating markets of Cai Be and Vinh Long, where you canget everything from fruits, flowers, and handicrafts to exotic snakes — anddishes as memorable as the “elephant's ear” fish (not endangered). 5) Tonkinese AlpsThe Tonkinese Alps create the barrier between Vietnamand China to the north, andtheir highest peak is Mount Fansipan (10,312 feet).Most people don't think of going to Vietnamto go mountain climbing, but consider this multi-day trek anyway, not only forits spectacular views into Chinabut for the hilltribe villages you pass through en route. The route begins inSapa, a popular tourist center in the midst of hill country, then forgesthrough valleys of terraced rice fields into ever more remote villages peopledby animistic minorities, such as the Dao, Hmong and Nung. Frommer's Guide onthe Tokinese Alps. 6) Endangered Wildlife With its centuries of warfare and commerce, napalm and revolution, it's hard tothink of Vietnamas a wildlife hot spot, but it is becoming increasingly recognized as such.Exotic creatures such as several rare species of langurs, gibbons and monkeys;wild boars and the extremely rare brown-antlered deer vie with lizards, snakesand birds for life listers. Although habitat loss in this growing country is aproblem, an even bigger one is the catholic appetite of the Vietnamese palate –and the illegal trade in endangered species and restaurants that serve them.7) Phong Nha-Ke Bang The most recent of Vietnam'sWorld Heritage Sites is the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. Travelersto Southeast Asia are well aware of thewidespread karst formations of the region (Ha Long Bay is one such). Karsttopography is limestone-based, riven with caves and cracks, given to weirdshapes and striking vistas. The formations in Phong Nha-Ke Bang are among theworld's oldest, 400 million years old; its geomorphology is complex and amotherlode for earth sciences.8) Hoi An Village Designated a World Heritage Site in 1999, Hoi An is the former main port of Vietnam in the 16th century, and today844 of its historic structures are preserved as landmarks. You can walk downthe crooked streets surrounded by the atmosphere and odors of times gone by,take a sampan ride down the Do River or the streams that lace the town, huntthe traces of the foreign traders – Japanese, Chinese, Dutch, and Indian – whomade Hoi An the center of culture in old Vietnam. Helpful hint: visit duringfull moon, when the shop owners turn off the lights and illuminate the streetswith candle lanterns.