Today Viet Nam is a thrilling place to be. Resplendent with colour, exotic smells, and delicious tastes, it has risen from the ruins with its spirit intact. From the border with China in the north to the rice mills of the Mekong Delta in the south, this land of rivers and lush, emerald green paddy fields hums with activity. There are unspoiled beaches, peaceful lagoons, dense jungles and rugged mountains with roaring waterfalls. Visitors are graciously accepted and the Vietnamese people, in spite of their history of hardship and suffering, are always smiling and friendly.