Whenever we are asked “Of all the places that you have been; where would you most like to go back to?” without hesitation one of the first places out of our mouths is always “Vietnam.”
The funny thing is that whenever we say that; typically the next question is: “Why would you want to go there in the first place?”
First off, Vietnam offers some beautiful countryside. From the Mekong Delta in the south to the Central Highlands in the middle to the needle pointed limestone peaks of Halong Bay and the verdant mountain plateaus in the north and northwest; there is some incredible physical beauty to behold all over Vietnam.
Secondly, the food in Vietnam is some of the very best in Asia if not all the world. It ranges from the most basic yet delicious Phở (noodle soup) and Bún Thịt Nướng (grilled pork) to extremely sophisticated elaborate presentations. To our palettes, Vietnamese food seems to have a much lighter and cleaner flavor than some other Asian cuisines. And added to that, in culinary terms, there is some residual benefit to the era of French colonialism.
But thirdly and possibly most important, the people of Vietnam are extremely proud of their country and delighted to share it with friendly visitors. Despite a long history of being invaded by larger and more powerful countries, visitors from all over the world are welcomed there.
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