ow can tourists enjoy Sai Gon? Any recommendation for them to learn more about the most boisterous city in Viet Nam?
 A city tour starts with some scenic spots and ends with a romantic meal on board a restaurant boat. It’s a normal tour. But now, the newly launched boat tour on Nhieu Loc Canal will surely allow visitors to explore the city from a different perspective, especially at twilight. 

Departing from a wharf on Hoang Sa Street, travelers will spend one hour and a half paddling along 4.5 kilometers of the 10-kilometer Nhieu Loc Canal which runs through many districts. 
The tour allows guests to see daily life as well as many iconic structures of the city such as bridges and pagodas. The tour guide in ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress) will explain to visitors the histories of Nhieu Loc Canal and tourist sites along the way together with the development of HCMC.
 On the boat, passengers will be served with coconut juice and tropical fruit while indulging themselves in cool breeze. Moreover, tourists will have a chance to enjoy don ca tai tu (southern amateur music) and harmonica performances by artists on two other boats. As night falls, travelers can float paper lanterns on the canal and make a wish.
 Source: VNS

One of the most well-known "haunted" houses in Da Lat has had a makeover to cash in on its "notorious" history among tourists and visitors.

 Da Lat is said to have a number of "haunted" houses, but few as "infamous" as one house at the foot of Prenn Pass, Mimosa Valley built in 1930, which has undergone numerous repairs until, in 1986, it was sold to a French-Vietnamese man who died in a plane crash soon after buying it. 

The house was abandoned, but it has attracted "stories" of murder and ghosts. A security guard committed suicide there in 1997, and taxi drivers in the city tell of one driver, who took a woman there on a short drive and died a few days later. As rumours about the house grew, it attracted more and more curious visitors. But years of neglect left it in a shambles. 
In early 2015, the house was sold to a businessman in HCM City. He cleaned up the garden, gave the house a facelift, and has reopened it for visitors.

Condé Nast Traveller (CNT) just released the results of its annual Readers' Choice Awards, and for the fifth year in a row, accordingly Vietnam ranked 12th among the top 20 destinations travellers want to visit. 

Vietnam ranked 12th among the top 20 destinations travellers want to visit. 

Wandering Chef Anthony Bourdain says going to Vietnam changed his life. “It just seemed like another planet; a delicious one that sort of sucked me in and never let go” he told CNT. We’d be happy just to sip Vietnamese coffee and eat pho all day, but the adventurous can descend into the world's largest cave, Son Doong, in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. 
Italy is the No. 1 destination on the list that travellers wish to visit once in their lifetime. According to the CNT readers, who've voted for Italy as the number one country to visit in the world for five years in a row, Italy is all about leisure - sip wine for hours in Venice's Piazza San Marco, make friends whilst laying in hammocks on a villa in Tuscany, or sunbathe on the cliffs of Riomaggiore. France, the country that gave us cabaret, champagne, and hundreds of cheese varietals is one of the most romantic places on earth. In the springtime - an excellent season for a trip to France - the editors of CNT praise Morzine for some of the most beautiful hiking you can imagine. Under two hours by car from Morzine, Lake Annecy is an enchanting detour. Spain, the US and Greece ranked third, fourth and fifth respectively. The awards are based on the ratings and feedback of more than 128,000 readers - the highest level of participation in the magazine's history. Other Readers’ Choice Awards include the world's best cruise lines, hotels, spas and airlines, among others. 


Source: DTI

Dong Van Karst Plateau in Ha Giang Province was recognized in 2010 by UNESCO as a world geological park. The plateau is a true masterpiece of nature where man is small against the vastness of the sky, mountains and clouds.
 Your journey begins in Ha Giang. After driving for about 40 km along steep roads, you will reach Dong Van Karst Plateau. At an altitude of 1,600m above sea level, the Plateau covers more than 2,350 square kilometers encompassing Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Dong Van, and Meo Vac districts. 
This natural curiosity of limestone peaks and black granite resulted from a very long geological history and provides evidence of the evolution of the Earth's crust. 
 Along the 100km road from Quan Ba to Dong Van, you pass Quan Ba heaven gate, Co Tien mountain, the Vuong residence - a national relic site, the Lung Cu flag tower, and Ma Pi Leng Pass which was called a "geological monument" by the French. The access road is quite rough but the scenery compensates your efforts.

 Below, the Nho Que River meanders like a silk ribbon around the base of the high cliffs. Ngoc Anh is a tourist from Ha Noi. “It is incredibly amazing! I never imagined that our country had such a wonder", she said. "It was a blast discovering this UNESCO World Geopark, to wander in the flower meadows and rice terraces and climb Ma Pi Leng Pass and admire the Nho Que River. This is unforgettable! 

Even though the access road is not yet improved, I was not discouraged”, Anh added. On this barren land live several ethnic minorities: Mong, Dao, Tay, Nung, Lolo and Pu Peo who fiercely guard their cultural identities to the delight of tourists. 
Ma Ngoc Giang, Deputy Head of the Management Board of Dong Van Geological Park, said, “Tourists, especially foreigners, are attracted by the rich and authentic ethnic culture. The traditions and cultures of these ethnic groups are under preservation. Our project aims to preserve stone walls, tiled roofs, clay houses and ethnic costumes”. If you want to meet ethnic groups in their traditional colorful costumes, it is essential to visit the Dong Van market. It is the meeting place of minorities, where women take the opportunity to do a little "shopping", while men prefer to drink and toast. If your trip coincides with the third lunar month, don’t miss the annual Khau Vai market. It is here that the ex-lovers meet again after many years of separation, sometimes accompanied by their husbands or wives. There is no jealousy. 

On the contrary, the ex-soul mate is quite respected. French tourist Angier Marcel shared, “The landscape is wonderful. There are beautiful rice fields and not many tourists. It is very beautiful. The setting is authentic with interesting ethnic groups and superb villages. We will come back for sure and advise our friends to visit these places”. 
 Breathtaking scenery, authentic heritage, untouched beauty, exotic markets and friendly people – they are what Dong Van Karst Plateau can offer.

The Da Nang International Airport (Da Nang) and the Noi Bai International Aiport (Hanoi) ranked 23rd and 28th, respectively, in the website’s 2015 Airport Survey. 
The annual survey asked travellers to rate their airport experiences based on factors such as services and facilities, terminal cleanliness, customer service and comfort. Travellers who actually slept in the airport were also able to rate the terminal on its “sleepability”. 

These airport ratings, comments and reviews submitted throughout the year make up its annual Best & Worst Airports list. While Da Nang airport’s inclusion in the Best Airports in Asia list is not a surprise, Noi Bai’s presence in the list is. Last year, The Guide to Sleeping in Airports listed Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat, two biggest international airports in Vietnam, among the worst in Asia. 
 Due to its low ranking, the director of Noi Bai airport issued a public apology and pledged to improve the quality of service at the country’s second biggest airport. Tan Son Nhat remained in the Top 10 Worst Airports in Asia list this year, ranking 4th, a big drop from last year’s 8th. According to The Guide to Sleeping in Airports, Tan Son Nhat’s status has deteriorated further thanks to allegations of corruption. Numerous survey respondents reported that customs officers ask for bribes in order to move through the process faster, and those that declined paying quickly faced problems with their paperwork. Other complaints include poor Wi-Fi signals, dirty bathrooms and limited selection of restaurants.
 Last year, Da Nang airport was voted among top 3 best airports in the world in a survey by Hong Kong’s Dragonair.

Six hotels and resorts in Viet Nam are among the finest properties in all of Asia, according to readers of Conde Nast Traveler magazine. 

The prestigious international travel magazine unveiled the results of its annual Readers Choice Awards earlier this week, with Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, MGallery La Residence Hue Hotel & Spa, Sofitel Saigon Plaza and Park Hyatt Saigon making the Top Hotels in Southeast Asia (excluding Bangkok and Singapore) list. The Nam Hai and Anantara Hoi An were included on the Best Resorts in Asia list. As with last year, Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi was the highest-rated Vietnamese hotel (third), and The Nam Hai the highest-rated Vietnamese resort (12th). Both properties, as well as MGallery La Residence Hue Hotel & Spa, are members of the Quintessential Collection Viet Nam, an exclusive group of hotels and cruises that recently launched a website (www.quintessentialcollectionvietnam.com) that will serve as a resource for affluent travellers in Viet Nam. . 
Source: VNS

The spectacular scenery around Da Lat lends itself to challenging treks, bike rides and other adventure activities. None of the local waterfalls is worth visiting in the dry season (Dec–May), with the possible exception of Tiger Falls, though you might enjoy a boat ride on one of the local lakes or a cable-car ride from Robin Hill to Lake Tuyen Lam, where kayaks are available for rent. Another popular jaunt is by train to Trai Mat, taking time out to admire the adornments on the Linh Phuoc Pagoda.
 The Valley of Love Thung Lung Tinh Yeu, or the Valley of Love, sits five kilometres north of Da Lat. Bao Dai and his courtiers used to hunt here in the 1950s, before a dam project in 1972 flooded part of the valley and created Lake Da Thien. The valley’s still waters and wooded hills are actually quite enticing, though the music blasting from souvenir stalls and the buzzing of rented motorboats do not enhance the aura of romance. Kitsch diversions such as pony rides round the lake escorted by a cowboy are also on offer. 

 XQ Historical Village 
More a tourist trap than a place of historical worth, though worth popping into if you’re visiting the adjacent Valley of Love. Here you’ll find several traditional houses displaying the process and product of silk embroidery picture-making. You can watch the girls painstakingly producing images thread by thread, then walk through an exhibition of landscapes, still lifes, portraits and more surreal compositions, all woven from silk. 
 Lat Village 
The village’s thatch-roofed bamboo stilthouses are occupied by Chill and Ma, but mostly Lat, groups of Koho peoples eking out a living growing rice, pulses and vegetables. The various paths running through the village are easy to follow so a guide is not essential, though one can be easily arranged through any of Da Lat’s tour operators. 
Ankroet lakes and falls
 If you go it alone and hire a motorbike for the day, you could combine a visit to Lat Village with a jaunt out to Ankroet lakes and falls, signposted 8km along the road to Lat. The falls are more secluded and attractive than most in the area but there is little water during the dry season.
 Lang Bian Mountain 
 From Lat Village, you’ll see the peak (2169m) of Lang Bian Mountain looming above you to the north. It’s a 4hr ascent on foot, though by car you can drive up to the canopy of pines on the lower peak. Inevitably, a schmaltzy legend has been concocted to explain the mountain’s formation. The story tells of two ill-starred lovers, a Lat man called Lang and a Chill girl named Bian, who were unable to marry because of tribal enmity. Broken-hearted, Bian passed away, and the peaks of Lang Bian are said to represent her breast heaving its dying breath. Bian’s death seems not to have been wholly in vain: so racked with guilt was her father, that he called a halt to tribal unrest by unifying all of the local factions into the Koho.

 Robin Hill and Lake Tuyen Lam
 As you leave Da Lat to the south on Highway 20, a slip road to the right leads to the top of Robin Hill, crowned by a huge cable-car terminus. Rides in the cable car once offered fantastic views over the slopes around the city, which are now marred by construction work. The twelve-minute trip deposits you at Lake Tuyen Lam, a placid and attractive expanse of water on which you can take a boat trip. Any taxi or xe om driver in town will be willing to take you here, but it’s also possible to get to the falls independently with your own wheels. 
Datanla Falls 
The Datanla Falls are some of the most impressive in the area, and can easily be combined with a visit to nearby Lake Tuyen Tam. In Koho, datanla means “water under leaves”, and that pretty much sums up the place: from the car park, it’s a steep fifteen-minute clamber down to the falls, probing some splendidly lush forest. The falls themselves are not terribly thrilling, their muddy waters cascading onto a plateau spanned by a wooden footbridge that provides a hackneyed photo opportunity. The more famous Prenn Falls are a further 6km out of town, but though extremely popular with local tourists a visit cannot be recommended – the park’s attractions include bears, deer and monkeys kept in wretched conditions

.Chicken Village
 CHICKEN VILLAGE (ask for Lang Con Ga) is just like any other Vietnamese village, apart from the bizarre, 5m-high cement cockerel that stands proudly on a plinth in the centre, its mouth open in mid-squawk. Whether you’re a potential buyer of textiles or not, it’s interesting to take a look at the rudimentary looms that the women need to strap themselves into to operate. It’s also possible to go rambling through the nearby fields and foothills without a permit. 
 Trai Mat 
The nearby village of TRAI MAT is just 7km from Da Lat, and ideally placed for a short excursion. Most head there by train, the line taking you east past some interesting, if not terribly beautiful, countryside. The village itself rewards exploration – Linh Phuoc Pagoda is the main draw, but if you have more time (or are willing to get a xe om back), grab a bite to eat or hunt down the beautiful Cao Dai temple on a rise just east of the village.

 Linh Phuoc Pagoda 
The highlight of Trai Mat is Linh Phuoc Pagoda, an incredibly ornate building which showcases the art of tessellation, whereby small pieces of broken china or glass are painstakingly arranged in cement. The first thing to catch the eye is the huge dragon in the courtyard to the right of the main building, constructed from over twelve thousand carefully broken beer bottles. Artwork inside the pagoda is even more intricate, with mosaic dragons entwined around the main hall’s pillars, while stairs lead up on the left to colourfully inlaid galleries, shrines and good views. The deep sound of resonating bells, rung by devotees, makes the main hall very atmospheric.
 Tiger Falls 
Located at the end of a precarious switchback road are the Tiger Falls, the most popular in the area with visitors. A steep concrete stairway leads down to the base of the falls, which tumble from a great height and offer good photo opportunities. The falls are a very popular destination for Vietnamese, so you’re unlikely to be able to enjoy the place alone. Pools and boulders around the base of the falls make ideal spots for a picnic. By the restaurants you’ll see a statue of a primitive hunter and another of a huge hollow tiger, whose mouth you can climb into for a photo. 

To book tour Dalat contact us

If tourists do not buy a tour at a travel firm, they can depart from the ancient town of Hoi An and head for Cua Dai Beach where they take a 20-minute motor boat ride to Cu Lao Island, or a wooden boat ride which costs less but lasts an hour. 

Cu Lao Cham covers 500 hectares and has eight islets - Hon Lao, Hon Dai, Hon Mo, big and small Hon Kho, Hon La, Hon Tai, and Hon Ong.

 It is home to around 3,000 people. The two most beautiful beaches on the island are Xep and Chong
. If travelling in groups, tourists can set up a camping site, a fire and enjoy barbecued seafood on the beach.
 At night, the island is very peaceful and safe for visitors. Those who want to learn about the daily chores of islanders should choose to stay at a local family at a cost of VND 50,000 (US$2.23) per person per night. Tourists can get up early in the morning to buy fresh seafood which can be cooked by themselves or the home owner. Life on Cham Island is tranquil and slow while local people are friendly. Especially, they are aware of environmental protection. No nylon bags can be found on the island, so banana leaves, newspaper and carton paper are used for wrapping instead. 

 The ideal time for visiting Cham Island is summer when tourists can dive and snorkel to admire coral reefs and take a boat tour of beaches and fishing villages around the island. Another destination that tourists should not miss on Cham Island is Bai Lang archaeological site where tourists can admire pottery and glass artifacts. It is an important site in the relic system of Cham ethnic people in Hoi An City and the central region. 

Source: SGT

If you’ve ever visited Viet Nam, you probably know that October is the best time to take tours to the highlands of the country.
 Da Lat, Sa Pa and Ha Giang are known to be the best among the suggested tourist sites. 
Enjoying Tam Giac Mach (Triangle Oast) flowers in Ha Giang 

 Ha Giang province is famous for the luring fields of Tam Giac Mach flowers, often in full blossom over a period of 3 months, from October to December. 
 Apart from the flowers, visiting Ha Giang, tourists also have the chance to admire the grandeur of the landscapes, especially the mountains in Quan Ba district, the terraced fields in Hoang Su Phi, the Hmong king’s palace in Sa Phin valley, and the flag pole in Lung Cu, the land in the far north of the country. 
 Discovering golden terrace fields in Sa Pa 
Sa Pa, a district of the northwestern province of Lao Cai, is famous for terraced rice paddy fields in the harvest season. Sa Pa is beautiful all year round but most visitors seek to reach Sa Pa in October, for this is the time the rice in the terraced fields is ripe and ready for harvest. Sa Pa townlet, the capital of Sa Pa district, is well known for a number of attractive destinations, such as the Silver Waterfall, the foggy Heaven Gate, and the Love Market held each Saturday. 

 Getting lost in the wild sunflowers in Da Lat 
Well known for various kinds of flowers, Da Lat city is, however, often remembered with the image of the golden wild sunflower, often in full bloom in October. The wild sunflower is most attractive on the morning when the dawn has just broken the darkness. It is the time when the dew is still lingering on the yellow petals of the flowers and the whole city seems to be covered in yellow. Such a brilliant and splendid flower fades very quickly, in just 2 or 3 weeks. Therefore, if you really wish to admire the “yellow season” in Da Lat, you must be prepared to be there as soon as the flower starts blooming.

Trang Tien ice cream is well known for its special flavour, which a countless number of Hanoi generations have a passion for. 
      Visitors who have an opportunity to visit Hanoi and enjoy Trang Tien ice cream will not forget the distinctive feature of Hanoi’s culinary culture of standing and eating ice-cream. 
     Trang Tien ice cream is famous for the wide variety of flavors including bean, chocolate, young glutinous rice, and milk, which are sweet and delicious. People can feel the ice cream melting in their mouth. Since its first appearance in 1958, Trang Tien ice cream has maintained its reputation thanks to the particular quality and flavors. 
     Despite its fame, the price is very reasonable —everyone can enjoy it Trang Tien ice cream parlor is always crowded with people, especially in the afternoon. People queue up from outside to buy ice cream. 
     Not only Hanoians, but also people from other provinces and foreigners have a habit of eating ice cream when dropping in on Trang Tien Street”. Hanh, another shop keeper added “Customers vary. Small children, pupils, students and adults are very fond of Trang Tien ice cream”. There are no chairs; people eating ice-cream on Trang Tien Street have to stand and enjoy the cool and sweet flavour melting on their tongue. 

Despite the inconvenience, a lot of people come here every day. Lan, a student of Hanoi University of Foreign Studies, said “I often come here and eat at least 2 ice-cream every day. When I’m busy and cannot come, I have a feeling of missing something”. According to Lan, Trang Tien ice-cream has not only a special flavour but also another distinctive feature which distinguishes it from others: “Eating while standing” Ha, Lan’s classmate said “In summer, there’s not even space for standing. People hustle to buy ice cream. There’s no restaurant that is as crowded with people as this one. It’s a habit of Hanoians”. Trang Tien ice-cream attracts not only Hanoians but also other visitors because of its simple but attractive flavour. Being asked about her feelings on Trang Tien ice cream, Julie Gaunt, a 22-year-old English girl, said “Good, very good. 
      Accidentally when crossing the shop, the tourist guide introduced us to Trang Tien ice-cream. I was so curious, then queued in the line and enjoyed it with everyone. The ice-cream is very tasty and the way of eating is so special”. Julie Gaunt comes here to enjoy ice cream whenever she has free time.
 Source: Hanoi times

Ha Noi has recently been named in the “30 places to see before you turn 30″ by the Business Insider UK.

According to the site, “with its intense weather, food, and impressively preserved city and countryside sites, Viet Nam is an up-and-coming destination rivaling many other Southeast Asian countries that have long been popular tourist sites”. It suggests tourists visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, stroll the Old Quarter and pop around to many temples via taxi while coming to Ha Noi. India’s Mumbai topped the list, followed by Cuba’s Havana, Peru’s Machu Picchu – Incan ruins, and the Great Pyramid of Giza in Cairo. Recently, Business Insider also listed Viet Nam among the 30 best places to travel alone.

Ta Hien is a small street lying in famous Old Quarter of Hanoi, near Hoan Kiem Lake. The street just stretch 200 meters, but it is one of the most crowded streets in Old Quarter particularly and in Hanoi generally. Ta Hien has the most specific features of both old Hanoi and modern Hanoi. 
It is named “international crossroad”, drawing many foreign visitors and also Hanoi people. 

On the small and crowded street of Ta Hien, you can find variety of best Hanoi street foods such as Nem chua, Vietnamese bread, noodles, sweet porridges,… 
Especially, in summer, Ta Hien is famous for beer Summer in Hanoi is quite hot and dam. And that is the reason why people choose cool beer as a preferable drinking. In the afternoon, hundreds foreign travelers and Vietnamese people gather in this small street and enjoy a cup of iced beer after a hard-working day. They just sit on a small-sized plastic chair, hold their beer mug, order some snack foods and chat with their friends. Other foreigners would like to sit in corner of the street and watch the daily life as well as the very charming clutter of Hanoi. 

There are lots kinds of beer for you to choose, including draught beer, bottled beer, cask ale or black beer. Vietnamese beer is reviewed sweet and pretty slight, so you can take more than 5 mugs without getting drunk. The snack foods to serve with the beer are also diverse, from traditional ones such as nem Phung, fried nem, nem, boiled peanut to Western ones such as fried chip, cheese stick,…

 The prices are generally cheap. The common thing among beer restaurant in Ta Hien is its simple and street style. Everything is on street sides with plastic chairs used for both seat and table. The customers can order a mug of beer and sit for hours without being interrupted. 
The comfortable and friendly atmosphere as well as great beers and foods are the main reasons for the attraction of Ta Hien Street. The hotter the weather is, the more people come to Ta Hien.

 Sometimes in weekends, there is no empty seat. The street starts getting crowded after 5pm, when the sun is about to come down and the street is getting cooler. Ta Hien Street is more and more drawing thousands backpackers from everywhere around the world. It is an unforgettable memory when you stop here to have some beer after long day of exploring the Old Quarter.

A lasting impression for any visitor to Vietnam is the beauty of the women dressed in their Ao dais. Girls dressed in white pick their way through muddy streets going home from school or sail by in a graceful chatter on their bikes. Secretaries in delicate pastels greet you at an office door and older ladies in deep shades of purple, green or blue cut a striking pose eating dinner at a restaurant. 

The Ao dai appears to flatter every figure. Its body-hugging top flows over wide trousers that brush the floor. Splits in the gown extend well above waist height and make it comfortable and easy to move in. Although virtually the whole body is swathed in soft flowing fabric, these splits give the odd glimpse of a bare midriff, making the outfit very sensual.

 Rapidly becoming the national costume for ladies, its development is actually very short compared to the country's history. Pronounced 'Ao yai' in the south, but 'Ao zai' in the north, the color is indicative of the wearer's age and status. Young girls wear pure white, fully lined outfits symbolizing their purity. As they grow older but are still unmarried they move into soft pastel shades. Only married women wear gowns in strong, rich colors, usually over white or black pants. 

The Ao dai has always been more prevalent in the south than the north, but austerity drives after 1975 meant it was rarely anywhere seen for a number of years as it was considered an excess not appropriate for hard work. The nineties have seen a resurgence in the Ao dai's popularity. 
It has become standard attire for many office workers and hotel staff as well as now being the preferred dress for more formal occasions," says Huong, a secretary for a foreign company. "I feel proud of my heritage when I wear it." 

For visitors, the pink and blue of the Vietnam Airlines uniform creates a lasting memory as they travel.
 Early versions of the Ao dai date back to 1744 when Lord Vu Vuong of the Nguyen Dynasty decreed both men and women should wear an ensemble of trousers and a gown that buttoned down the front.
 It was not until 1930 that the Ao dai as we know it really appeared. Vietnamese fashion designer and writer Cat Tuong, or as the French knew him, Monsieur Le Mur, lengthened the top so it reached the floor, fitted the bodice to the curves of the body and moved the buttons from the front to an opening along the shoulder and side seam. Men wore it less, generally only on ceremonial occasions such as at weddings or funerals. But it took another twenty years before the next major design change was incorporated and the modern Ao dai emerged. 
During the 1950s two tailors in Saigon, Tran Kim of Thiet Lap Tailors and Dung of Dung Tailors, started producing the gowns with raglan sleeves. This creates a diagonal seam running from the collar to the underarm and today, this style is still preferred. Its popularity is also spreading well beyond Vietnam's borders.

Ao dai in 1920s

 For years Vietnamese immigrants preferred to adopt Western dress and blend with their new community but now the Ao dai is seeing a revival amongst overseas Vietnamese. At least here in the United States this may be partly due to the arrival of Tram Kim, known as Mr. Ao Dai. He shifted to California in 1982 and opened a new branch of Thiet Lap Tailors in Garden Grove, Orange County, leaving his Saigon store to his son. There are even annual Miss Ao Dai pageants held and the prestigious Long Beach show attracts entrants from across the country. 
The clothing has also inspired French designers including top names such as Christian Lacroix and Claude Montana, and variations of the tight sleeves, fitted bodice, high collar and flowing trousers have been seen on the catwalks of Europe. Comfort has not been forgotten at the expense of fashion and beauty. The cut allows the wearer freedom of movement and despite covering the whole body, it is cool to wear. Synthetic fabrics are preferred as they do not crush and are quick drying, making the Ao dai a practical uniform for daily wear.
 Every Ao dai is custom made, accounting for the fit that creates such a flattering look. Stores specialize in their production and a team of cutters, sewers and fitters ensure that the final product will highlight the figure of the wearer. 

APEC leaders

Thuy, a fitter in Ho Chi Minh City, says, "To create the perfect fit, customers take their undergarments and shoes with them for the fittings." The pants should reach the soles of the feet and flow along the floor. Its popularity may be its undoing as the garment is now being mass produced to make it more available and cheaper. The gown length appears to be gradually shortening and today is usually just below the knee. 
Variations in the neck, between boat and mandarin style, are common and even adventurous alterations such as a low scooped neckline, puffed sleeves or off the shoulder designs are appearing as ladies experiment with fashion. Colors are no longer as rigidly controlled and access to new fabrics has created some dazzling results. But most visitors to Vietnam agree that the tailors already have the perfect cut. It is hard to think of a more elegant, demure and yet sexy outfit, that suits Vietnamese women of all ages, than the Ao dai. 


 Once you travel Vietnam, you will see how wonderful my country is with charming beauty!