The first time my husband and I went to Vietnam, he found a travel agent working through an agency near Hanoi run by Vietnamese nationals. Unlike many low resource countries, Vietnam, having fought many wars against colonialists and won, has developed a tourism industry that is run by and employs nationals. Our guide Thanh was from a hill tribe in the mountains of North Vietnam near the China border. There are various minority tribes in the region. Vietnam has policies to make sure opportunities are given to these minority tribes, to develop economically and to become educated.
Vietnam is a large, beautiful and ecologically varied country. Thanh set up a typical itinerary many Americans have taken: to Halong Bay, Hoi-An, and Hanoi, Mui Ne Beach and the Cu Chi Tunnels. All are wonderful to see. He also accompanied my husband later on a series of hikes in the hill country that resulted in a commitment to build a school. But that’s a story for another day.
Southern Vietnam is hot and humid. Swollen feet, rip-off taxis or sullen tuk tuk drivers in HCM city. A taxing visit for us. After that Thanh arranged for us to bus to the city of 
Dalat. Da-Lat is a town at the top of the Central Highlands. For those of you not old enough to have some knowledge of Vietnam War venues, the Central Highlands were known as a place where northern NLF troops battled American backed southern troops during the Tet offensive in 1968. Before that, it was a place for R&R for the French during their ill-fated colonial period, because of its temperate climate.
Now it is a popular honeymoon city for Vietnamese, complete with its own 
“Niagara Falls”. It has plenty of touristy fun for those looking for biking, springtime “luge” thrill rides, and cheesy swan and emu rides. Known as “the city of eternal spring” (as is Medellin, Colombia), this hilly city is full of pine trees, a large central lake and the cleanest air I have ever experienced. In fact, I was so struck by its clean air and its beauty, I impulsively decided it would be a great place to retire. After a second visit by myself I remembered I would need to learn to speak Vietnamese and none of my American friends would ever see me again, so that bubble burst.
We found the most beautiful old French resort to stay in that I have ever seen: Ana Mandara. Affordable luxury for most first worlders and now many Vietnamese. The Trip Advisor reviews don’t do it justice. Some people wouldn’t appreciate Heaven because it has too many stairs.
Here are some things to do I recommend for a 2-4 day stay.
- Visit the Crazy House. A delightful froth of a tiny house overlooking the lake. A Vietnamese version of a Hobbit house.
2. Coffee tasting tour. The coffee raised in this region is superb, perhaps only eclipsed by the coffee grown in the Laotian highlands.
3. Minority tribe culture tour. With their longhouses and very different features, it is easy to imagine them getting to Vietnam from somewhere in the Pacific Islands in huge outrigger canoes 1000 years ago. And the stone marimbas are wonderful.
4. Walk around the town and the pine forests. Breathe in the fresh temperate air. Have a massage. Relax.
Reader’s warning! We took this trip 8 and 10 years ago. Things change! What was wonderful then may have been ruined by too many tourists and not enough concern for environmental and character preservation. Do your own research on current conditions. The Halong Bay link, for example, talks about more and less environmentally responsible tour companies.
Other states, other lives, other souls 