The Southeast Asian country of Vietnam is one of the world’s fastest-growing tourist destinations. Vietnam has a rich and diverse culture, stunning natural scenery, adventurous cuisine, and a vibrant art and craft scene. Some of the most fascinating facts associated with this beautiful country have been mentioned below.

Vietnam Has The World’s Largest Cave

The Sơn Đoòng Cave in Vietnam’s Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park is the world’s largest cave by area of cross-section as well as volume. It is so huge that it has a fast-flowing river. The cave is believed to be 2 to 5 million years old. The action of water on the soluble limestone bedrock has created the massive cave that we see today. Some of the world’s tallest stalagmites have been discovered at this cave. The walls of this gigantic cave have collapsed in two places along its length allowing sunlight to stream in. A vibrant plant community has grown in such places.

Water Puppetry Is A Popular Vietnamese Tradition

Making puppets dance in water is a well-known tradition that is unique to Vietnam. It originated in the Red River Delta as far as the 11th century. Puppets made of wood and covered in lacquer are moved in waist-deep water of a pool with the help of a large bamboo rod supporting the puppets below water. Village ponds, potable water tanks or artificial pools serve as the stage of such puppet shows.

Vietnam Has A River That Smells Like Perfume

Named the Perfume River, it is a that begins in the Dãy Trường Sơn mountain range and drains into the Tam Giang lagoon. On the way, it crosses the Vietnamese city of Huế in the Thừa Thiên-Huế Province. During autumn, flowers from orchards located upriver from Huế fall into the flowing river and lend a perfume-like aroma to its waters, hence the name.

Vietnam Is Renowned For Its Motorbike Culture

Visitors to Vietnam often wonder why so many people are using motorbikes on the road. Over 87% of Vietnamese households own a motorbike. The country also has one of the world’s highest motorbike ownership rates. 45 million people own a motorbike in the country. The affordability and efficiency of motorbikes make them popular among the Vietnamese. Cars in the country are very expensive leading to motorbikes being the most popular choice for private vehicular transport.

Vietnam Holds A Love Market For Ex Lovers

Every year on the 26th and 27th days of the lunar calendar’s third month, the hillside village of Khau Vai in Vietnam holds a unique festival called “Love Market.” Ex-lovers from the local villages flock to this festival to meet and greet each other and remember their past days. The festival is based on local lore about two lovers who were relationship led to inter-tribal clashes between the tribes to which they belonged. In the end, they decided to stay apart for the greater good of their communities but meet once a year in Khau Vai. The “Love Market” celebrates the deep bond between these two ex-lovers.

The Enchanting Ha Long Bay Is In Vietnam

Thousands of limestone outcrops and islets of various shapes and sizes with the sea zig-zagging between them creates a dramatic scenery that enchants all who visit the site. It is the Ha Long Bay of Vietnam, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Quang Ninh Province of the country. The bay and its limestone features also support great biodiversity both marine and terrestrial. 14 endemic species of flora and 60 endemic species of fauna are found in this biodiverse region.

Vietnamese Have Embalmed The Body Of Their Beloved First President

Hồ Chí Minh was a Vietnamese politician and revolutionary who served as the first Prime Minister and President of North Vietnam. However, he passed away due to heart failure at his Hanoi home before the end of the Vietnam War. He was 79 years old at the time of his death. His body was embalmed soon thereafter. It is currently on display in a mausoleum in Hanoi’s Ba Đình Square.