Guided walking & cultural
holidays
Touring: France, Vietnam & Bhutan |
VIETNAM - Hill tribes and coastal towns
Tour Overview
- Cuisine
- Culture
- Geography
& Climate - History
- Gallery
Geography & Climate
Shaped like an elongated S, Vietnam stretches the length
of the Indochinese Peninsula and covers a surface area
of 128,000 square miles - making it roughly the size
of Italy or, in the U.S., New Mexico. China lies to
the north, Laos and Cambodia to the west, and the South
China Sea to the east.
Topographically, Vietnam is a verdant tapestry of soaring
mountains, fertile deltas, primeval forests inhabited
by exotic fauna, sinuous rivers, mysterious caves, otherworldly
rock formations, and heavenly waterfalls and beaches.
The country may be thought of as comprising three unique
areas: north, central, and south. The north is known
for its alpine peaks, the Red River Delta, the plains
of Cao Bang and Vinh Yen, enchanting Halong Bay, and
historic Hanoi as well as for the diversity of its minorities.
Central Vietnam, also home to many ethnic minorities,
is characterized by high temperate plateaux rich in
volcanic soil, and by spectacular beaches, dunes, and
lagoons. It is also the location of the ancient imperial
city of Hué and the gorgeous old port town of
Hoi An.
In the south, visitors encounter modern life in Ho
Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) and the fertile alluvial
delta of the Mekong River. Vietnam's territory also
encompasses a large continental shelf and thousands
of archipelagic islands.
Vietnam's climate is as complex as its topography.
Although the country lies entirely within the tropics,
its diverse range of latitude, altitude, and weather
patterns produces enormous climatic variation. North
Vietnam, like China, has two basic seasons: a cold,
humid winter from November to April, and a warm, wet
summer for the remainder of the year. Summer temperatures
average around 22 C (about 70 degrees F), with occasional
typhoons to keep things exciting. The northern provinces
of Central Vietnam share the climate of the North, while
the southern provinces share the tropical weather of
the South. South Vietnam is generally warm, the hottest
months being March to May, when temperatures rise into
the mid-90's (low-30's C). This is also the dry season
in the south, followed by the April-October monsoon
season.
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