Location: Situated in South-eastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and South China Sea, lies the ancient and incredible country of Vietnam. its neighbouring Cambodia lies to the south west.  Vietnam is a country of vast contrasts, an incredibly vibrant culture and a vast array of attractions. From the endless waterways fo the Mekong Delta, to the romantic azure waters of Halong Bay, Vietnam promises a holiday of diversity and never ending attraction.

 

Size: Vietnam is approximately 331,688 km�in area (not including Hoang Sa and Truong Sa islands) larger than Italy and almost the size of Germany. The northern part of the country consists mostly of highlands and the Red River Delta. Phan Xi Păng,  is the highest mountain in Vietnam at 3,143 m. The south is divided into coastal lowlands

 

Capital: Hanoi

 

Population: With a population of over 86 million people and close on 40 million motor bikes, Vietnam is the 13th most populous country in the world.

Language: Vietnamese

 

The delta of the Red River (also known as the S�ng Hồng), a flat, triangular region of 15,000 square kilometers, is smaller but more intensely developed and more densely populated than the Mekong River Delta. The Mekong delta, covers about 40,000 square kilometers and lies no more than three meters above sea level. It is criss-crossed by a maze of canals and rivers and is home to hundreds of people. So much sediment is carried by the Mekong's various branches and tributaries that the delta advances sixty to eighty meters into the sea every year.

 

In Laos, the climate is tropical and monsoonal. There is a distinct rainy season from May to November, followed by a dry season from December to April. Local tradition holds that there are three seasons (rainy, cold and hot) as the latter two months of the climatologically defined dry season are noticeably hotter than the earlier four months. The capital and largest city of Laos is Vientiane, and other major cities include Luang Prabang, Savannakhet and Pakxe.