bammo2 said:
Vietnam is top of my list at the moment.
travel
Spent a month in Viet Nam and loved it. From canoeing down the Mekong Delta, to Ho Chi Min (Saigon) and all the war museums etc. Some really grim but interesting stuff.
For example, all the former members of South Vietnamese Army who fought against the Viet Cong had to go to re-education camps after the war. They are not allowed own property or hold down certain types of jobs, so most of them earn a living riding bikes with a seat on the front which carries two people - some sort of rickshaw thing.. Anyway, most of them are missing limbs etc and considering how crazy the traffic and the sheer amount of bikes in Ho Chi Minh, its incredile how half of them are still alive.
Another thing in Ho Chi Minh is that there are a number of shops which sell replicants of famous paintings. you can see "artists" painting near mirror images of Mona Lisa ,Monets etc and then selling them for $5 or something - US$ is the currency most people use which is slightly ironic!!
Other highlights, the de-militerised zone (DMZ), Hue, Denang, hoi an etc. Chi Chi tunnels - if your claustrophobic, these tunnels are your worst nightmare!
When you go to some of the countryside its amazing to see the landscape where agent orange was sprayed. Nothing grows there.
A lot of the people in south viet nam refuse to go to North Viet nam - a lot of hate still exists. Anyway, when you go north, Hanoi is a great city - has a big lake in the middle and all the streets are named after what the shops sell - e.g. there is a copper street, spice street etc.
Halong Bay is also amazing - you might have seen it from James Bond movies - huge rocks jutting out of the sea - there are hundreds of them and you can get a boat ride that cruises around them. Lots of caves etc in some of these rocks which are very interesting.
Also, in north vietnam, they eat Dog... quite bitter. Thats all I am saying!!
Anyway, Viet Nam is amazing and highly recommend it to everyone!!