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tlmthe travel & leisure magazine
summer 2012 £3.50
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
WONDERFULWORLD
IN FROM THE COLDHot and happening Berlin
SANGRIA ISLANDSSpain’s Balearics
HIGH AND MIGHTYBritain’s castles
ASIAN BEAUTYVietnam opens up
SAFARIS IN STYLESvelte on the veldt
ONE IN, ALL INThe rise of all-inclusive holidays
CLEAR WATER, SOFT SANDFlorida's Gulf Coast twins
PLUSSouth Wales golfThe ChilternsOlympic LondonAutumn getaways
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Nature’s awesome marvels
OFC-TLMsummer12v9M2_Layout 1 20/07/2012 14:35 Page 1
As my kayak quietly glided through the lime-stone formations of Vietnam’s Halong Bay,only monkey calls from amongst the pinkginger trees broke the silence. My oarbrushed through crystal-clear water, skim-ming fans of colourful coral under the sur-
face, as we explored the ancient UNESCO WorldHeritage-listed site.
This peaceful kayak cruise was a direct contrast to thebuzzing sea of motorbikes and chattering crowds thathad greeted me on arrival at frenetic, fragrant and fasci-nating Ho Chi Minh City.
Vietnam, once shorthand for war, is fast-becomingone of Asia’s rising stars and a new direct air servicefrom Vietnam Airlines is making it more accessible forUK tourists. While Thailand charms with its popularbeaches and neighbouring Laos and Cambodia attractintrepid backpackers, Vietnam offers a taste of Commu-nist South East Asia with a touch of comfort.
Vietnam’s troubled and varied past has left a uniquelegacy of architecture, culture and cuisine.
Summer 2012 tlm n the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk 73
Rising starSynonymous with conflict until relatively recently, Vietnam is undergoing rapid modernisation andis now one of South-East Asia’s fastest-growing tourism hotspots. But, as Amy Watkinsdiscovered, visitors can still easily find timeless echoes of its distant past besides vestiges of war,frenetic cities and unspoilt natural beauty
off the beaten track n vietnam
Summer 2012 tlm n the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk 73
Emer
aude
Cru
ises
Viet
nam
Airl
ines
AMAWaterways
n Halong Bay
n Kayakingoff Emeraude
n Ho Chi Minh City
Offthe BTtlmsummer12v1pp73-76_T&L 22/07/2012 21:58 Page 73