Hanoi (VNA) – As Vietnam is open to international travellers, with noself-isolation, the New Zealand Herald daily has pointed out 10 reasons why thecountry is worth visiting.

1.The rich ethnic mix

Thereare 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam, making it the most complex culture inSoutheast Asia. The Viets are the biggest, accounting for 86 percent of thepopulation. The rest live mostly on the margins, leading simple rural livesstill characterised by distinct dwellings and ways of dressing. Ancestor andspirit worship is common.

Sapain the northern hills is a popular base for tourists wishing to visit minoritymarkets and villages as well as trek in the mountains. The province of HaGiang, further to the northeast, is less developed with an even richer mix ofminorities. Visit the excellent Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi for a goodgrounding.

2.Paradise island

PhuQuoc, a Vietnamese resort island, was largely undeveloped and unknown 20 yearsago. Things have moved apace and it is now a mainstream destination with asophisticated infrastructure of hotels, restaurants and activities(snorkelling, scuba diving, hiring a motorbike to explore the forested andhilly interior).

Butits essential charms remain intact: glorious white-sand beaches (especially onthe west coast), warm seas, spectacular sunsets and laid-back charm. In the farsouth, the five-mile cable-car ride to Hon Thom/Pineapple Island, with dramaticviews of the archipelago, is claimed to be the longest such sea ride in theworld.

3.Ha Long Bay

It'sa cliche, but it's also a must – you will not be disappointed, so long as youplan with care. If you can afford it, book a berth on a small luxury boat andhead east to the Bai Tu Long islands to beat the pack of day boats. Explore thefloating village of Cua Van, swim off an uninhabited island and enjoyexceptional levels of service and food on board.

4.Hanoi

Thelandmarks of Vietnam's cheerfully chaotic capital are the key to understandingmodern-day Vietnam. Your budget might not extend to the elegant SofitelMetropole, one of the world's great colonial-era hotels, but do drop in forlunch or tea. This takes you to the heart of the French quarter with itsneoclassical opera house, but also within strolling distance of peaceful HoanKiem Lake and, to the north, the bustling old quarter.

Inthe west, the Confucian Temple of Literature is another oasis while the complexof botanical gardens, Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and UncleHo's actual house reflect Vietnam's momentous history. Fuel up on the deliciousstreet food as you go.

5. Hoi An

Ratherlike a miniature Venice, this former trading port on the Thu Bon River pullsoff the unlikely feat of being both a shameless tourist trap and a timelessromantic getaway. That pretence is most successfully maintained at night whenthe streets are strung with paper lanterns and the old wooden traders' housesare crammed with groups of diners and drinkers.

Daytimeis for bicycle tours of the irrigated countryside nearby, a lazy day on Cua DaiBeach or an excursion to the evocative ruins of My Son, a Hindu temple site ofthe Cham kingdom dating back to the 4th century.

6.Cat Tien National Park

CatTien, 80 miles north of Ho Chi Minh City, provides 275 square miles of tropicalrainforest that protects several persecuted mammal species including elephant,civet and tiny mouse deer. It also has 350 bird species, making it one of thefinest bird-watching sites in Southeast Asia.

7.Ho Chi Minh City

HoChi Minh City may not be the country's political capital but its teemingstreets and chaotic, non-stop traffic are where the pulse of modern Vietnambeats most insistently. The War Remnants Museum, a monument to the horrors ofwar, is a sobering reminder of how far Vietnam has come in the pasthalf-century.

Otherwise,the best way of experiencing the city is to immerse yourself in those streetsand alleyways, on foot (be brave and bold at crossings) or by “xe om”(motorbike taxi). Highlights include Ben Thanh and Cho Lon markets and thesprawling Chinatown.

8.War and Peace

Mosttourist itineraries take in the Cu Chi tunnels on a day trip north of HCM City.Far more instructive is to head north on a day trip from Hue to Khe Sanh, a USbase besieged in 1968, and on to the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) and the fishingcommunity of Vinh Moc. During the war, the village dug itself into the earth toavoid US bombardment. Two thousand yards of tunnels are accessible to visitors.

9.Mekong Delta

Thecharms of these watery flatlands remain the simple ones of river life, floatingmarkets and rich agricultural land. Day trips are available from HCM City,whisking you down on new highways and bridges for boat tours, but it is betterto linger a day or two to get into the rhythm – either on a short cruise or ahomestay in the settlement of Vinh Long province.

10.Blissful retreat

TheCon Dao archipelago is a cluster of 16 small islands lying off the south coast.Only one island, Con Son, is inhabited. It used to be a penal colony, buttoday's incomers enjoy some superb beaches, scuba diving, inland trekking andbird-watching. The tiny island town, with its French colonial buildings, isdelightfully laid-back and there is an increasing range of accommodationincluding the ultra-luxe Six Senses spa resort./.