By Jerry Vaughn, Travel Talk

The cities and sights of Vietnam have changed dramatically since the war years.

While the names may bring painful memories from that period, the Vietnam of today is quite different and very intriguing.

Vietnam’s small capital of Hanoi sits at the heart of the northern Red River Delta and is a city of lakes, leafy boulevards and open parks with a French colonial feel. Hanoi was founded in 1010, and became the center of government for the Indochina Union under French rule in 1888. In 1954, it became the official capital of independent Vietnam.

Today, ancient crumbling buildings dating from the 11th century lie scattered among grand French colonial residences, while shrines and monuments to Vietnam’s first president, Ho Chi Minh, sit in the shadow of modern high-rise buildings. The ancient meandering streets of the Old Quarter are each named after the crafts and specialty trades traditionally practiced by the original artisan’s guilds in the 13th century. Each guild was grouped around a temple, or dinh, dedicated to the particular beliefs of the village from where the guild originated, and many of these temples are open to the public today. The streets of the Old Quarter preserve age-old customs, where trade takes one back half a century, and temples, pagodas and monuments reflect the historic character of Vietnam.

Hanoi is a good base for excursions to the beautiful Halong Bay, or into the Hoang Lien Mountains inhabited by several hill tribes. Halong Bay, renowned for its spectacular scenery and limestone grottos and caves, has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The bay is peppered with more than 3,000 tiny islands emerging almost mystically out of the green waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. It was in this area that events now considered suspect in early August 1964 set the stage for the dramatic escalation of the war in Vietnam.

• Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum: Ba Dinh Square was where in 1945, Ho Chi Minh read his Declaration of Independence and where Vietnamese independence is celebrated each year. Dominating the west side is the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum where the embalmed body of the “father of the modern state” and “liberator of the Vietnamese people” is displayed. The body of Ho Chi Minh is enclosed in a glass case, the traditional way to honor famous Communist leaders.

• Temple of Literature (Van Mieu): The Temple of Literature is Vietnam’s historical seat of learning and is the most sacred place for the disciples of Confucius. It is one of the few remaining buildings from the original city founded by Emperor Ly Thanth Tong in the 11th century, and is a well-preserved example of Vietnamese architecture. It became the site of the country’s first university in 1076. Over a period of 900 years, thousands of Vietnamese scholars graduated from the university. In the third courtyard is a pond, the Well of Heavenly Clarity, and beside it are 82 stone stelae, mounted on tortoises and engraved with the names of successful graduates.

• Sa Pa and Northwest Vietnam: Northwest Vietnam is still relatively untouched by the outside world and has some of the most beautiful scenery in Vietnam. Rich in history, the former French hill station of Sapa and Dien Bien Phu with its famous battlefields are here. Sa Pa sits high on the edge of a plateau surrounded by spectacular scenery and the Hoang Lien Mountains, which boast Vietnam’s highest peak, Fan Si Pan. Sa Pa functions as a market town and a gathering spot for local tribes who come into town to trade every weekend. Colorful tunics of the Dao and Giay people mix with the black and blue clothing and silver ornamentation of the Black Hmong tribe, while bright red scarves cover the heads of the Red Hmong who carry large woven baskets on their backs.

• Hué: Former capital of the emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty, the royal city of Hué is situated on the country’s central coast, midway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. It is a serene place, a small city of canals boasting splendid historical sites, and is dominated by its massive Citadel, and the former Forbidden Purple City. Most of its beautiful imperial architecture was destroyed during the 1968 Tet Offensive, when the North Vietnamese launched an attack on the south, yet despite a tumultuous history it retains much of its cultural identity and has been recognized as a Cultural World Heritage Site. Along with its historical sites, Hué is also the main starting point for day tours to the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone), a historical area spanning both sides of the former border between North and South Vietnam, and the Vinh Moc underground tunnels.

• Hoi An: The quaint riverside town of Hoi An was an important port town and one of the major trading centers in Southeast Asia during the 16th and 17th centuries. The cultural influences of the Japanese and Chinese merchants are still evident today in the town’s architecture, with the famous Japanese Covered Bridge and the distinctly Chinese atmosphere of the Old Quarter as part of its unique character. Hoi An is south of Da Nang, the major airbase during the war. The coastline that includes Hoi An was known to American troops as China Beach, and was a destination for relaxation. Two miles to the east of Hoi An is the beach of Cua Dai, considered to be one of the most beautiful beaches in Central Vietnam.

• Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): Ho Chi Minh City is at the heart of the southern part of Vietnam, between the northern edge of the Mekong Delta and the southeastern region of volcanic red soil. Ho Chi Minh City is intertwined with natural forest, vast plains, long coast and hundreds of rivers and canals. The Saigon River winds around the city and connects it with the East Sea.

Over the past three centuries, “Saigon,” once praised as the “Pearl of the Orient,” was known as an important trade center for Chinese, Japanese and Western merchants. It had also been christened the “Paris of Asia” for its wide boulevards lined with the stately trees and magnificent French villas.

Saigon served as the logistical base for American operations during the Vietnam War. On April 30, 1975, at 8:35 a.m., the last Americans (10 Marines from the embassy) departed Saigon, concluding the United States presence in Vietnam. North Vietnamese troops poured into Saigon and encountered little resistance. By 11 a.m., the red and blue Viet Cong flag was flying from the presidential palace. The war was over.

Today, Ho Chi Minh City is bulging with a population of nearly 7 million people. It’s Vietnam’s largest and most vibrant city. It’s also the nation’s economic engine and where Vietnam is most visibly entering the new era of Southeast Asia’s bustling economy. There are a number of interesting tours available that give you a good view of Vietnam, yesterday and today.

Jerry Vaughn is president of World Voyager Vacations in Federal Way. Contact: jvaughn@worldvoyagervacations.com.