Any visitor to Hanoi will notice this cultural mix as they stroll through the city's Old Quarter - the famous thirty-six streets - where ancient trades are still carried on by descendants of the original craftsmen centuries after the businesses were founded. Then, just a stone's throw away you will encounter some magnificent villas and administrative buildings from the French colonial era.

Amid all this visitors will also find hidden temples, or more prominent buildings such as the Temple of Literature, evoking a past heavily influenced by the Confucian culture of neighbouring China.

In Central Vietnam the relics of the ancient Cham nation still remain - magnificent towers and ruins of a once great nation state stand to remind visitors to the country of Vietnam's central role in the nascent Asian trading and cultural world more than a millennia ago.

In Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) temples are dotted all around and the locals - and many visitors - still enjoy traditional rites performed on a regular basis at a variety of venues (some of which are available for hire to groups and corporate entities).

This is not to say that Vietnam doesn't have a unique culture all its own. Festivals and celebrations are almost a daily event throughout the nation. In Hoi An, visitors will enjoy a spectacular feast for the eyes every new moon as the town's people light lanterns and process through the ancient town, and the country's traditional music can be heard at many venues including restaurants, resorts and major hotels.

Go further from the steadily beaten path of majot tourism, perhaps into the hills in the central region, or the mountainous north around Sapa, and you will find the truly unique cultures of Vietnam's minority tribes. These colouful and culturaly diverse peoples inhabit the relams of the almost undiscovered, living lives unchanged for centuries and - so far - almost uninterrupted by the advance of modern technology. Their markets are a feast for the senses, their handicrafts treasures of the nation, their way of life a lesson in living in harmony with nature and the ever-changing seasons. And luckily for the visitor, they are not too hard to find.

And Vietnamese culture isn't just about the people and the history of the nation. Vietnamese cuisine is a reflection of the diverse mix of cultural influences that illustrate the national character. Visiting gourmets can learn the history, techniques and even some unique recipes of the local cuisine at cooking demonstrations and classes held at major hotels and selected restaurants in Hanoi, Saigon and - notably - Hoi An.

For those wishing to immerse themselves in Vietnam's unique, ancient and ever-interesting cultural melange, tour operators such as Saigontourist and Hanoitourism - among others - are readily at hand to arrange special events which include a cultural aspect: from traditional music to a fully costumed Imperial feast, sure to leave a special memory in any visit to Vietnam.