Country Overview:
LanguageCorps' programs are the ideal way to maximize the impact of your stay in this unique country - a land that overwhelms most visitors with the sublime beauty of its natural settings from the Red River Delta in the north to the Mekong Delta in the south.
Vietnam offers an opportunity to see a country of traditional charm and rare beauty rapidly opening up to the outside world. This thriving nation possesses one of the world's fastest-growing economies, yet it is home to some of Asia's most beautiful scenery. Divine beaches dot the coast, while inland the soaring mountains are often cloaked by dense, misty forests. Mirroring the country as a whole, the Vietnamese people are hard working and industrious, and at the same time strikingly friendly and optimistic.
Ho Chi Minh City is the heart and soul of Vietnam. It's a bustling, dynamic and industrious centre, the largest city in the country, the economic capital, and the cultural trendsetter. Yet within the teeming metropolis are the timeless traditions and beauty of an ancient culture.
|
This is a city that churns, ferments, bubbles and fumes. The streets, where much of the city's life takes place, are a jumble of markets, shops, pavement cafes, stands-on-wheels and vendors selling wares spread out on sidewalks. It's impossible not to be infected by its exhilarating vibe: its vibrant, wildly energetic combination of native heritage, French cultural influence, and Western capitalism. Still referred to as "Saigon" today, HCM City is the hub of financial activity and is the largest and most developed city in Vietnam. There you will witness a mix of the old and new where modern skyscrapers are juxtaposed with fading colonial buildings, Chinese-style pagodas, and historical landmarks such as the Notre Dame Cathedral, Old Post Office and the Reunification Hall. Ho Chi Minh City has a vibrant nightlife with many local and Western bars and cafes concentrated in the city center. The city is also the culinary capital of Vietnam. You can sample a variety of foods ranging from Vietnamese regional specialties to international cuisine. The best Vietnamese, French, and Chinese restaurants in Vietnam are found in HCM City. |
While working in Vietnam, you should absolutely tour the countryside and visit the beaches and islands. The landscape surrounding HCM City is lush with greenery, while wide sandy beaches and breath-taking islands are within easy drives.
Farther north, mountains and sea - often with little or nothing in between - dominate the landscape. The cool highlands conceal the Phong Nha caverns and the mind-boggling mountain passes of Ngang and Hai Van. The Red River Delta, where the ancient Viet people settled, is surrounded by yet more mountains scattered with grottos, waterfalls, mountain lakes, and diverse ethnic groups like the H'mong, Dao, and Hoa. Dien Bien Phu, Fansipan Mountain, and the uniquely lovely Halong Bay are sites not to be missed.
The south has two seasons: the wet (May to November, wettest from June to August) and the dry (December to April). During the wet season, there are heavy but short-lived downpours almost daily, usually in the afternoon. Wet season daily highs are around 31ºC / 88ºF. The dry season begins "cool" (in January the overnight lows are about 21ºC / 70ºF), though late February through May are the hottest months. Things cool down slightly when the wet season begins.
Being only 10.5º north of the equator and 5m-10m above sea level, Ho Chi Minh City has a tropical climate. Temperatures vary little with the seasons, averaging 26ºC / 79ºF in January and 28ºC / 82ºF in July. Average humidity is 80%, and annual rainfall averages 1979mm. The coldest temperature ever recorded in Ho Chi Minh City was 14ºC / 57ºF.
In the North, the rainy season ends in September, and there are four distinct seasons. Daily averages in Hanoi vary from around 20ºC / 68ºF in mid-winter to around 28ºC / 82ºF. in mid-summer.