As an American who remembers well the war in Vietnam, to be a tourist in Vietnam means to revisit the war on some level. Vietnam will always be the place where a terrible war was fought and millions of people, including more than 58,000 Americans suffered and died.

But Vietnam is a country with a long history that preceded those dark years, and with the march of time, and the growth of its booming Asian economy, Vietnam has become a fascinating and wonderful travel destination. The country is experiencing a rebirth, and the pace of its changes are truly remarkable. With the government committing millions to preserve its cultural and historical sites and to improve infrastructure, tourism is fueling this change and is, I believe, a positive force in the country’s development.

The following is a detailed report that follows our 10-day trip itinerary and includes traveler’s notes on the places we visited, hotels we stayed, excursions we made and some observations.

Hanoi to Halong Bay

A comfortable 2 hour flight from Hong Kong brought us to Hanoi in the north, capital of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. We were met by Van, our lively young tour guide, and transferred by minibus to our hotel, one of the loveliest of the grand old French hotels in Vietnam, the Sofitel Metropole. There we had showers and a lavish Sunday brunch with oysters from the South China Sea, along with a vast array of salads and deserts, and a good French wine.

We ventured from our beautiful hotel feeling like aliens just landed from another planet. When a pair of cyclo (pedicab) drivers offered to pedal us around for a few dollars, we climbed aboard and off we went for a taste of Hanoi’s Old Quarter. This is the thousand year old commercial center of the city that evolved alongside the Red River and the To Lich River that once flowed through the city in a network of canals. As we were pedaled at a brisk pace through the maze of narrow streets I clicked away on my digital camera, astonished as I tried to capture the amazing scene of people and activity. I could have spent days strolling this area, and I’m sure I would been rewarded with a good dose of Vietnamese culture, not to mention endless opportunities to buy lovely things at very low prices, but our itinerary called for our departure next day.

But not before an evening experience of the famous centuries old Water Puppet Show at a little theater near lovely Hoan Kiem Lake in the center of Hanoi. This was a charming show with wood puppets moving on a pond, operated by puppeteers standing in water behind a screen. Historical vignettes and folk tales were reenacted, with Vietnamese musicians playing traditional instruments as musical background.

The next morning we saw more of Hanoi—the lovely architecture of its ochre colored French provincial buildings, green parks with people of all age groups playing badminton, lakes and shaded streets. We also saw crowded boulevards, and everywhere bicycles and an alarming numbers of scooters. We saw that a little scooter can carry a couple, a triple or even a family of four, or an amazing volume of goods.

We visited Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and the central square where President Ho Chi Minh read Vietnam’s first Declaration of Independence (from the French) in 1945. We visited Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House, and the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university, dating from 1070.

In the afternoon we traveled north to Halong City, for an overnight before our boat trip on Halong Bay. Magnificent Halong Bay, with its 3000 islands rising from the waters of the Gulf of Tonkin, is one of the natural marvels of Vietnam and in 1994 was designated a World Heritage Site.

We enjoyed the trip in our private junk, a rustic old boat, with our guide Van (who steadfastly guarded her skin from the sun—white skin being an important asset to all Vietnamese women), and a skipper and cook. We landed on an island where Van lead us through a deep cavern filled with stalagmites and stalactites, and lit so we could see and take some snapshots. Later we landed again at an island with a sandy beach so that I could have a refreshing swim in the South China Sea. Then as masters of our junk, we feasted as we were served course after course of the freshest seafood—little spotted crabs, prawns, shrimp, squid, and a delicious white fish wrapped in green leaves and seasoned with lemon grass.

NEXT PAGE | Amazing Vietnam: Hue, Hoi An

I confess, I am hopelessly enchanted and ensnared by the wonderful mystery that is India. I feel compelled to visit India again to continue my personal discovery of this fascinating, ancient, visually splendid, surprising and deeply affecting destination. I promise that anyone with the desire and the opportunity to travel to India will be rewarded with an unforgettable host of experiences, impressions and images. And key among those will be the open and welcoming faces of Indian people, and the warm hospitality that the gentle traveler will surely receive. The following are notes from a two-week long journey I took through South India with a small group of intrepid travelers, during the Monsoon season. The trip was provided by SITA Tours—the number one tour operator in India. It was designed for travel agents, so the trip was rigorous and fast-paced, with many overnight hotel stays and visits to other hotels as well as tourist sites. However, I found that this did not stop me from absorbing an avalanche of sights and sensations as we traveled through the region of southern India between the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.

Print of an Indian Maharajah

Part 1: Trans-Pacific flight-Singapore, Cochin, Kumarakom, Thekkady

Days 1 Trans-Pacific flight-Singapore. A long flight brought me to Singapore, where we had an eight-hour layover. Rather than hang around the airport, a colleague and I had made arrangements to relax and have a fine lunch at the stylish and luxurious riverfront Hotel Fullerton. I took a walk along Orchard Street to get a feel for modern and urbane Singapore, and to visit the famous 100-year-old colonial landmark, Raffles Hotel. It’s easy to enjoy a day in Singapore if you have a long layover, as many trans-Pacific travelers do, before a night flight onward.

Day 2-3 Cochin. We arrive Cochin, an old (very old—over 1000 years old) port city on the Malabar Coast, the Western coast of the south India state of Kerala. Cochin is a cluster of islands surrounded by a network of rivers, lakes and estuaries. The Jews arrived fleeing Babylon in the 6th century B.C. and the Jewish community had a long presence here. The Portuguese were here in the 15th and 16th centuries, controlling the important spice trade until the late 1700’s when power passed to the Dutch and then the British East India Company. At Indian Independence in 1947 Cochin became a leading port and naval base. Cochin expresses the eclecticism of Kerala with its old European buildings and beautiful synagogue , the oldest in the British Commonwealth, its palaces, its Mosques, its Chinese fishing nets from times when Kerala traded with the Chinese court. We walked the streets of Jew Town and wandered through wonderful curio shops crammed with handcrafts and antiques. Our hotel was the Taj Malabar, the first of many lovely Taj hotels that we would enjoy on this trip.

Day  4 Kumarakom.  Before breakfast I had a swim in the infinity pool that gave me the illusion of swimming into the Arabian Sea.

Then on to Kumarakom, an enchanting village on the banks of Vembanad Lake and jumping off point for the lush backwaters area. In Kumarakom we were shown to our accommodations at the Taj Garden Retreat, strolling through lush gardens and lagoons en route to our units. These were a bit rustic and showing signs of tropical decay, but were also charming and spacious cottages with high ceilings, old Kerala style furniture, outdoor bathtub and shower, and a verandah overlooking a pond. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch with shrimp and fish and spicy dishes. Toward sunset we met at the hotel’s pier to and went out on a wooden open-air boat. As dusk came and the sky filled with color, a tabla player and a flutist lulled us into the moment. Our talk ceased, and our group of jet-lagged travelers relaxed and began to realize where we had arrived, so many air miles from home.

Later we went by boat to another unique hotel property, the Coconut Lagoon, part of CGH Earth Casino Group of Hotels. This Kumarakom resort, accessible only by water, is an eco-resort, and a place with a particular vision, and a particular loveliness. Accommodations are in theravads, traditional wooden bungalows and mansions, old Kerala-style homes, some of them more than 400 years old, that have been moved and carefully preserved and made into beautiful, rustic accommodations. The resort also offers an Ayurveda spa, a yoga and meditation center, and a butterfly sanctuary. We enjoyed a fabulous buffet featuring Kerala cuisine, which is remarkably varied and delicious, and very surprising for my palate. The beauty of our open air restaurant, a restored traditional tile and timber mansion, the fantastic food, our gracious host, the wonderful friendly service of the wait staff, the sounds and fragrance of the tropical evening—this was a very memorable evening at a unique hotel.

Day 5 Kumarakom—Backwaters. This morning we took a boat ride through the Backwaters, an isolated and beautiful treasure of South India. The Backwaters is a series of canals and lagoons that snake their way through tropical forests, rice paddies and tiny villages on the water. I snapped photo after photo, trying to capture the sights of people going about their daily life on the water’s banks: a woman cleaning fish with a cat worrying; a man paddling a boat full of silver fish; workers wearing brilliant colors in the green expanse of a rice paddy. We saw the luxury houseboats that can be rented to travelers who wish to spend a night or two on the backwaters—these are quite spacious and look like they would be quite comfortable and great fun for a group of friends traveling together. Air conditioning would be essential, however.

For lunch this day we were hosted by Kumarakom Lake Resort, the finest luxury heritage resort in India. Set on 25 breathtaking acres of lush gardens and lagoons, its villas and suites are exquisite reproductions of 16th century Kerala royal opulence.  The resort features modern comforts and New Age amenities including Ayurveda spa and meditation center, health club, multi-cuisine restaurants and many other luxuries, all in a one-of-a-kind ambiance that will astonish and delight the fortunate guest of such a place.

For dinner we were guests of the other 5-star, world class resort on Vembanad Lake, the Radisson Spa & Resort. This is another dazzling Kumarakom property, and it boasts one of the very finest spas in India—definitely a world class spa and the best we saw in India.  The resort is built on 18 acres and features villas with private pools, spacious lagoon view cottages, and all modern amenities.

Day 6 Thekkady. Back on the winding road in our 8-passenger van with our “Master Pilot,” our excellent driver Manozh at the wheel and Alex, our tour guide riding shotgun. We travel rough mountain roads, stopping at a tea shop en route, a little place at the edge of a gorge choked with tropical forest, and on the mountain walls in the distance many cascades. We leave Kerala and enter Tamil Nadu provide to arrive Thekkady.

Thekkady is a unique 300 square mile wildlife sanctuary, surrounding a lake fed by the Periyar River. Here we visit another ecolodge-type property with a unique setting and atmosphere—and I realize it is another of the CGH Earth Casino Group of Hotels properties—this one called Spice Village. Set in the Periyar wilderness it truly is a nature resort, a quiet extension of the rainforests and plantations of the area. Modeled after the jungle dwellings of the local tribes, the cottages are built of split bamboo and elephant grass. The extensive organic gardens and spice trees provide us with perhaps the best, most delicious and beautifully presented vegetarian lunch buffet I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying. This was Kerala cuisine made with the freshest of ingredients and spices. The resort offers boat safaris in Lake Periyar, trekking, spice plantation visits, Ayurveda spa, yoga and meditation, and culinary programs.

Again I sense the unique vision that seems to pervade the CGH Earth Casino Group of Hotels properties that I have seen.

NEXT PAGE | Madurai, Tanjore, Pondicherry and Mahabalipuram, Kanchipuram and Chennai (Madras)

The following is a detailed report that follows our trip itinerary and includes traveler’s notes on the places we visited, impressions of our river cruise and hotels, meals and wines we enjoyed, notes on some hotels and excursions we made either with a group or on our own.

Part 1: Nice, Eze, Aix-en-Provence, Arles

Days 1-2 PARIS CONNECTION. Our 10-½ hour flight from San Francisco is not too painful, until we arrive Charles deGaulle airport, which is undergoing major renovation. Unfortunately we are herded onto airless, overcrowded shuttles and bused around the construction site for mile after uncomfortable mile. Not a very nice welcome to La France! At last we arrive F terminal for our connecting flight to Nice. A long wait at Hertz for our rental car, and we are finally en route, Steve driving and me straining over a French map, as we make our way to the city of Nice, capital of the French Riviera.

NICE is also under construction! Which makes it difficult to get to Hotel Massena. Located on Place Massena, it will one day be a fine location to stay and a good moderate hotel—but for us it is a serious challenge to get to the single street not blocked off that provided access to the hotel.  A brief rest in our tiny room, and then we’re out on foot, to explore Old Nice and the waterfront. We choose a tiny bistro,  Lou Pistou, for our first meal: artichoke ravioli with a lovely sauce with violets, spinach and crisp white Cotes de Provence wine. Madame gives us friendly service and Steve tries out his rusty French, while Monsieur cooks our meal in a postage-stamp size kitchen.

Day 3 NICE. Good breakfast in the hotel dining room. Up early we explore old town and hike up Castle Hill park. Visit the old Jewish cemetery. At the top we have a great view of the entire city and coastline. We wander the flower, fruit and fish market at Cours Saleya. Pick up our Citroen and enjoy an easy pleasant drive out of Nice to the medieval village of Eze. Patrick from the Tourist Office provides us with a delightful walking tour of Eze, the old fortified city with its cactus garden and beautiful church. Then we are welcomed like VIP guests at the terrace restaurant of Hostellerie Chevre D’Or. Shaded by a market umbrella, we dine on the sunny terrace, perched high up on the cliffs above the magnificent Mediterranean coastline. Our chef’s menu luncheon consists of terrine of liver and pistachios followed by delicate white fish with mushrooms and shallots on creamy polenta, followed by salad of watercress and a patty of fresh and delicious goat cheese, for which we are offered a selection of herb toppings. A crisp Cote de Provence white and a dessert creation that included butterscotch glace, mousse and spun sugar wafers, and then café creme. After lunch we meet with Fabienne, the charming sales manager of the Chevre D’Or for a site inspection of the hotel.  The hotel shows itself to be as unique as its setting is awesome. Rooms and suites are fashioned out of various historic buildings around the village, and each is different to accommodate the old walls. The several we saw looked very comfortable, very luxurious and very much with a sense of place. The gardens and public areas offer perfect spots for rest and relaxation. This hotel is truly a  one-of-a-kind rare gem.

In the afternoon we continue the coast road to Monaco, where we stroll in the garden exotique and up to the Palais and through some of the old town. We miss our turnoff to Nice and take a route through suburbs clogged with traffic. Difficulty again getting to our hotel because of construction. Back in our room we enjoy a bottle of Sancerre and try to stay awake as long as we can.

Day  4 NICE-AIX-EN-PROVENCE.  A morning walk on famous Blvd. Anglais. I have a quick peek at the tired old Hotel Negresco, and then we hit the road again, highway A8 out of Nice to Aix en Provence.  In Aix we check into Hotel Cezanne, a good 3 star hotel with big Provencal style rooms and helpful staff. Out in the streets crowded with students, Steve remembers his student days here many years ago. His first time back, he is dismayed by traffic, crowds and the luxury chain boutiques that seem to have replaced the patisseries and small shops. My impressions are of a lively city populated by well-heeled and chic young people. We have dinner in a crowded Italian restaurant on Cours Mirabeau. Gnocci and a good red Cote de Rhone.

Day 5 AIX-EN-PROVENCE. Petit dejeuner at tiny sidewalk café on the street below our room. A morning walk to the old town and farmers market, visit to the Cathedral and Cezanne atelier. Took a taxi to the outskirts of town, to find ourselves in an  unattractive area of car lots, until we turn into a tree-laned driveway and then the grand entrance to the beautiful Chateau de la Pioline. Here we have one of the best dining experiences of our trip. Lunch was served en plein air on the chateau’s large patio shaded by centuries-old lime trees. The day was warm and sunny, and an occasional gust of wind picked up fallen leaves. The tables were spaced far apart and set elegantly, and every one held diners enjoying a long leisurely lunch, a French custom that became dear to us in the course of our trip. The menu this day included a soup of baby clams in a rich saffron broth, whitefish on creamy risotto, a fabulous duck entrée for Steve, a delicious white burgundy Chateau Grand Seuil, and desert of chocolate crème brulee. The kind of lunch that leads to an afternoon nap. Before leaving, though, we toured the formal French gardens and park-like grounds, and saw several of the 33 rooms and suites. The Chateau is run as both a 4-star luxury boutique hotel and as a site for groups and special events.

Day 6 AIX-EN-PROVENCE-ARLES.  We find highway A7 Route de Soleil headed for Salon de Provence. Some tense moments when we get in the credit card line at the tollbooth and the machine rejects all our credit cards. We exit at the town of Cavaillon, an important town in the Ardeche region. We have a café and then stop into the tourist office for maps. Our next stop is the town of Apt where the Saturday market is in full swing. We enjoy the sights and sounds and buy a carton of paella, which we eat by the river.

We continue to the medieval mountaintop village of Gordes where we enjoy the view from a little streetside café with local wine and fat ripe figs. Continuing on, we detour off the main road for a quick look at Les Baux—an amazing geological wonder. Then the final stretch to Arles, where we fill the gas tank—40 euro for ½ tank—and return the car. A short cab ride takes us to Quai Lamartine, where our riverboat, the Princesse de Provence is docked. A nice welcome, but the cabin seems small, the beds are like bunks, and we’re not sure what to expect. Our tablemates are a lively group from Virginia and Denver and we get acquainted with our young German waitstaff.