Vietnam Beyond the War: A Modern Journey

For those of us old enough to remember cassette tapes, corded phones, and life before the internet, it’s difficult not to associate Vietnam with war. For many, the mere mention of Vietnam conjures horrific images of a war-torn country devastated by bombings, Agent Orange, and prolonged suffering for everyone involved.

One of the most remarkable aspects of visiting Vietnam today, more than 50 years after the fall of Saigon, is how far the country has come in moving beyond its past. Today’s Vietnam could not be any further from the outdated perceptions that still haunt it, and the country that we recently spent two weeks exploring is a story of resilience, vitality, and grace.

From the lantern-lit streets of Hoi An to the stunning landscapes of the north and the elegant French colonial buildings of Saigon, a journey through Vietnam continually rewards the senses. Whether pedaling a bicycle across the fertile farmlands of the Mekong Delta or stopping to admire the ornate sandstone carvings on a thousand-year-old temple, I felt a prevailing sense of wonder, discovery, and ease throughout my travels.

The Vietnam of today is an astonishing success story of a once war-torn nation that is now thriving, propelled into the 21st century by entrepreneurial people who take great pride in their country and who welcome visitors with genuine warmth and high-level hospitality. This photo essay captures the things I loved most about Vietnam and showcases all the beauty found within.

Vietnam is for foodies, so bring a healthy appetite! Slurp a steaming bowl of phở (beef noodle soup) at a Michelin-starred restaurant, devour a heaping pile of bún chả (a Hanoi specialty of rice noodles with smoky, barbequed pork), or opt for a light and refreshing lunch of bánh cuốn (rice noodles, protein, and crisp veggies wrapped in rice paper and dipped in tangy fish sauce). If you are feeling adventurous, sip a glass of homemade rice wine infused with cobra, gecko, or seahorse – the locals believe it will cure what ails you!

Each city has its own unique variations of Vietnam’s culinary classics, and the common denominators are hyper-fresh ingredients, flavorful herbs, and recipes honed to perfection by decades of daily practice. The local food was so good, and so inexpensive, that we often opted to skip our included hotel breakfast in favor of eating freshly prepared street food from mom-and-pop vendors. Street food tours are a great way to experience the very best local delicacies while sitting in comically small plastic chairs and tables (it’s all part of the experience!). Some of our favorite foodie experiences were cooking lessons, making homemade rice noodles, and savoring flavorful, home-cooked meals with local families.

As the world’s second-largest exporter of coffee after Brazil, Vietnam has its own coffee culture and countless coffee houses to fuel your travels. The standard Vietnamese coffee packs a flavorful punch, consisting of dark-roasted robusta beans filtered through a metal filter and cut with sweetened condensed milk.

Other typical coffee drinks we encountered included salt coffee (to die for: think melted salted caramel ice cream with a shot of espresso!), coconut coffee, banana coffee (like a smoothie with a shot), egg coffee, and avocado coffee. We could not quite muster the courage to try the weasel coffee, which is made from ripe coffee beans eaten, digested, and excreted by Asian palm civets – maybe next time (but probably not!).

Although 76% of the population claims no religious affiliation, Vietnam is a deeply spiritual country, and evidence of sincere spirituality can be found everywhere. While some practice organized religions like Buddhism (13%) and Catholicism (7%), most Vietnamese adhere to spiritual beliefs focused on ancestor worship and influenced by Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism.

We were intrigued by the weathered whale temples of central Vietnam, where local fishermen worship whales as divine protectors of the seas, and it was beautiful to see the way the Vietnamese honor their deceased family members through death anniversary celebrations and prominent altars in their homes. Many Vietnamese believe that spirits wander the landscape around us, and we saw spirit houses and shrines set out to appease them practically everywhere.

Even with Vietnam’s rapid modernization, superstitions remain deeply woven into everyday life, and exact beliefs vary across Vietnam’s diverse population (including its 50+ ethnic minority communities). Our hotel in Saigon did not have an unlucky 4th floor on the elevator menu, and people still consult fortune-tellers when making consequential life decisions. We were relieved to learn that our visit didn’t coincide with Ghost Month, the 7th month of the lunar calendar, when the gates to the underworld open and “hungry ghosts” roam the Earth.

In addition to learning about Vietnam’s layered spiritual practices, another highlight of our trip was the openness, resilience, and warmth of the local people. The personal stories of our 40-something and 50-something-year-old guides were especially poignant. Those who lived through post-war Communism, before the country opened up to outside trade in 1986 and lifted the U.S. embargo in 1994, grew up in desperate poverty. We heard tales of food shortages that prompted eating rats and snakes to survive, being forced into arranged marriage at age 15 so the family could collect a dowry, and selling scrap metal from unexploded bombs on the black market to supplement the inadequate food rations from the government (11 ounces of meat for one family for a month apparently doesn’t last long).

Every one of these stories was told by someone who is now making a decent living working in tourism, with ample food, housing, and medicine, and kids who go to private schools. The personal stories of our guides and the people they introduced us to embody Vietnam’s radical transformation better than any book or museum ever could, and highlight how much depth and richness a good local guide adds to the travel experience. I feel incredibly lucky to have traveled to Vietnam today, at a time when people still remember the war and the difficult aftermath – their personal stories added an element of richness and understanding that will eventually be lost over time.

Communism and war didn’t just take a toll on the people; they also contributed to some loss of the country’s cultural heritage, and it’s amazing that anything remains when you consider that Vietnam is the most heavily-bombed country in all of history. It was shocking to see bomb craters still prominent at the fragile My Son Temple Complex, a collection of moss-covered temples built by a Hindu-worshipping society from the 4th to 13th centuries. I was wowed by the timeworn temples and their intricate carvings, and one can only imagine how grandiose the site was before many of the original 70+ temples were damaged by the war.

The Imperial City of Hue was another brilliant historical site impacted by war, but you would hardly know this because recent restoration efforts have helped meticulously reconstruct damaged structures using traditional methods. This sprawling, walled complex of ornate palaces, temples, and residences served as the capital for 13 emperors (and a whole lot of concubines!), and it was one of the most impactful sites we visited in Vietnam. We enjoyed a private dinner at a centuries-old garden house formerly occupied by the daughter of Emperor Dong Khanh, and it was thought-provoking to realize that this historical house is one of only a few that remain, the rest seized and ultimately destroyed by the government under Communism.

Our two weeks exploring Vietnam were a thought-provoking journey between two worlds. It is a country that has not forgotten its troubled past, while also refusing to be defined by it. Traveling through Vietnam today feels less like visiting a country shaped by war and more like witnessing the resilience of a culture that chose to move forward with determination and grace. It is a destination that rewards curiosity, prompts reflection and connection, and lingers in the mind long after you leave, not for what it once was, but for all the beauty in what it has become.

When you are ready to experience a deep and immersive journey through Vietnam for yourself, reach out and let us help you plan your ultimate adventure through this remarkable corner of Southeast Asia!

Your friendly travel expert,

Alexis