Vietnam’s beauty appears on National Graphic through pictures featuring girls in ao dai, romantic sandy banks in Binh Thuan, terraced fields in northwestern Vietnam…
Terraced rice paddies ring the Vietnamese countryside in bright green. The crop,
a staple of Southeast Asia, has been grown in Vietnam for thousands of years.  Perched on the edge of the Mekong Delta and a stone’s throw from Cambodia, Chau Doc is a
river city where the local economy depends on fishing. The Mekong’s iconic floating houses,
wooden boats, and fish farms offer a glimpse into Vietnam’s hardworking agricultural communities. This riverboat captain ferries passengers through the ancient trading town of Hoi An, a U.N. World
Heritage site. Considered a well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian trading port,
Hoi An’s harbor mouth is now filled with fishermen and guided boat tours. A woman rows a boat along the Thu Bon River in Hoi An, Vietnam. Hoai River, Hoi An town. An ancient house in Hoi An. Cao Dai Ceremony: Cao Dai is a Vietnamese religious movement that unifies elements of Buddhism,
Taoism, Confucianism, and Catholicism. Formally established in 1926, this syncretist faith maintains
that all religions are the same in principle. Cao Dai temples dot the Mekong Delta region, with the
epicenter at the Holy See in Tay Ninh province, southern Vietnam. A peddler in Hoi An town. Hmong Women, Bac Ha: A festive event held every Sunday, the Bac Ha market in northern
Vietnam is an occasion for neighboring ethnic groups to gather for gossip, food, and handicrafts.
Within a sea of color, Hmong women stand out in their vibrant head scarves and elaborately embroidered tops. Child in a Red Dao Village in Sapa.
 A young girl of the Red Dao Hill Tribe of northern Vietnam gets help from her
grandma putting on her earrings. Hmong Woman and Child, Cao Son Sapa Valley: Nestled among the Hoang Lien Son Mountains in northwest Vietnam, the Sapa Valley
is home to a diversity of hill tribes. Due to variable climate conditions and steep terrain, the productivity
of farming in the region is at the mercy of nature, as only one crop can be cultivated within a single year. A young girl enjoys a meal in Ho Chi Minh City.  Noon Gate, Hue: Of the ten entrances to the city of Hue, the most dynamic is the Noon Gate, or Cua
Ngo Mon, which leads to the Imperial Palace. Constructed in 1833 during the reign of Emperor
Minh Mang, this southern gate has borne witness to significant political announcements,
destructive battles, and modern-day processions. Old Quarter, Hanoi: Pedestrians and motorists surge through Vietnam’s capital city at night.
Keeping a thousand years of history intact, the Old Quarter preserves the original layout and
architecture of the 36 streets that made up old Hanoi. Each street name still reflects the
trade specializations of its 20th-century inhabitants. A woman burns incense inside a Ho Chi Minh City temple.  Three young girls gather in their ao dai, the traditional dress of Vietnam, to offer prayers
at a vigil held at Tay Phuong Pagoda on the outskirts of Hanoi.  Tour boats moored in Ha Long Bay at dusk enjoy a serene seascape of limestone sculptures hewn by nature.
This UNESCO World Heritage site is host to a diversity of ecosystems including sandy beaches,
mangrove forests, and offshore coral reefs. Some of its roughly 1,600 islands and islets boast
beautiful grottos with hidden ponds and unusual stone formations. A buffalo boy in Sapa. Street scene, Hanoi. A fruit vendor in Hanoi.
 A balloon peddler on the busy streets of Hanoi. Man in Rain, Ho Chi Minh City. Cua Lo Beach, Nghe An province. Sand dunes, Binh Thuan. Ba Vi National Park, Hanoi. Three girls look up to Elephant Falls, Da Lat, Vietnam. Food ready to go, Hoi An. A woman peers through an incense display at her shop in Hue. Red Shanked Douc Langur at the Endangered Primate Center in Vietnam. Scooter This lady was coming home late on her bicycle and passed by the big tree.
 Traffic police.  A fisherman's wife and son waiting for him to return. Mui Ne harbor |
Introduction
