Once synonymous with tragedy and conflict, Vietnam is experiencing a rebirth of sorts, and the new Vietnam shows few scars of its war-torn past. Many historical sites have been fully restored and the country’s economy is booming. The infrastructure for tourism continues to develop rapidly, making Vietnam one of the best travel bargains in Asia.

Vietnam’s main attractions are beautiful scenery, rich culture, beaches, delightful cuisine, courteous people, Vietnam War sites, hill-tribe cultures and ancient temples, courts and pagodas illustrating Vietnam’s shifting dominant cultures throughout its 4,000-year history. Modern technology and ancient practices coexist in Vietnam. Internet cafes, cell phones and gleaming motorbikes are ubiquitous in the towns and villages, but people still till the rice fields with the help of bullock plows.

Vietnam will appeal to adventurous travelers who are interested in Southeast Asian culture and who can maintain a flexible attitude within Vietnam’s still-emerging tourism industry. A handful of luxury resorts have been built around Vietnam’s major tourist destinations, offering relaxation without worry to those who desire to be indulged and pampered on their holidays. Vietnam has been on our list of “Sweet Sixteen” travel destinations for quite some time. For more information about Vietnam, see Darlene Silvestri’s informative article about her own travel adventure there by clicking here.

This month’s Travel Video Share, entitled Reverie of Vietnam, was created by London and Rome based photographer Oliver Astrologo. We’ve seen Oliver’s work before in our Travel Video Share Series (e.g., Venezia, featured back in November of 2017). Oliver is known for digging deeper and capturing more than just the typical tourist hotspots in his travel videos. His work gives you a real taste of the culture and the lives of the people who reside in the particular destination that he features, and the same holds true with this production highlighting Vietnam. So now, sit back and enjoy Reverie of Vietnam!

The Avant Team