Traditional games and sports
Chess (Cờ tướng). Chess is very popular all over the country. It's simple: from the highest strata of society to the sidewalks where cab drivers and street vendors clash, everyone plays! But beware, Cờ tướng is akin to Chinese xiangqi . While at first glance, the engraved tokens used are reminiscent of a checkers game, it is in fact a chess game, with some similarities and many variations to the game of chess as we know it in the West. The pawns and their movements are different, but they are divided into two camps on a 64-square board, and the aim is to take your opponent's pieces... and generals. Indeed, "Cờ tướng " means "the game of generals". Chess is sometimes even played outdoors, with live pawns bearing the character of the piece represented. In this case, which generally only occurs every ten years - but there are many exceptions to tradition - the game is played on the4th day of the Tet festival (Lunar New Year), attracting large crowds from all over the region to watch the game unfold on the esplanade of the village hall.
Tam cuc game. This 32-card game can involve 2, 3 or 4 players. It's often played with the family, especially during the Têt reunion days.
Shuttlecock (da câu). Two players are all you need, but it's usually played by four or five in a circle. The game consists in throwing the shuttlecock at each other with the foot, head or torso. Originally, the shuttlecock consisted of a metal ring wrapped in cloth, with a rooster feather in the middle. Modernized, the game is played with a feather shuttlecock and a net or a simple rope stretched between two trees, rather like volleyball. The game is commonly played in public gardens or even on sidewalks, and some players, sometimes among the oldest, demonstrate impressive flexibility and dexterity in their hands and feet.
Traditional wrestling (dau vat). Wrestling scenes are often depicted in traditional Dong Hô prints. This sport has military origins and is said to have been practiced as far back as the 13th-century Trân dynasty. Today, tournaments are held at village festivals. The two wrestlers are practically naked, face each other inside a sanded circle and must try to knock their opponent onto his back or knock his shoulder to the ground.
Martial arts. Viêt vo dao is the Vietnamese martial art. Every year, it attracts more and more enthusiasts worldwide, a growing number of whom come to train at the source, in the country's schools. Every village claims to be the repository of the authentic way, but it's the province of Binh Dinh, in the center of the country, that is considered the capital of Vietnamese martial arts. It regularly organizes traditional martial arts festivals.
Outdoor activities
Vietnam offers a wide range of sporting activities. Many large cities are equipped with swimming pools and tennis courts. But it's the outdoor activities, which blend in with the country's landscapes, that are the real draw. While cyclists will find splendid scenery on all the country's roads and tracks, other outdoor activities can also be organized in the north of Viêt Nam.
Kayaking. Vietnam offers superb opportunities for kayaking. Around the karst islets of Halong Bay, kayaking is a great way to discover the legendary site's superb caves and caverns, and to meet the inhabitants of the floating villages. Other possibilities include the splendid Ba Bê lakes or around Cat Ba island.
Treks. Mountainous and forested landscapes, karst reliefs planted in rice paddies at Tam Côc, the exceptional site of Halong Bay with more than 3,000 islands emerging from the Gulf of Tonkin - the country, particularly in the north, offers magnificent scenery for splendid walks lasting a few hours or treks lasting several days. Take care when choosing the right period, though: it's best to avoid the rainy season between May and August!
Trekking enthusiasts will be particularly happy in the provinces of Lao Cai, Ha Giang, Cao Bang and Hoa Binh. The Pu Luông reserve, covered with rice terraces, is a magnificent terrain for beautiful hikes. The Cuc Phuong National Park, with its primary forest and primates, or the splendid Dông Van plateau in Hà Giang province, known for its mountain tribes and spectacular hiking, are also particularly worth a mention.
But the must-see destination for hiking enthusiasts is the village of Sa Pa, perched at an altitude of 1,650 meters. The village is located in Southeast Asia's most important mountain range, formerly known as the Tonkin Alps. It is surrounded by peaks, including the highest, Fansipan (3,143 m). Tours of several days in the mountains can therefore be planned. To climb Fansipan, you'll need 2 or 3 days. The best time is between mid-October and mid-November, and climbing is only permitted with a guide. You can also explore the surrounding area by motorcycle or mountain bike. Specialized agencies in Hanoi can help you plan your stay in Sa Pa in advance.
Climbing. This discipline is still in its infancy in Vietnam, but it has its pioneers who explore sites and lay out routes. Among the most popular spots: Halong Bay (solo climbing over water) and Cat Ba Island; Ninh Binh province, less than 100 km south of Hanoi..
Golf. Golf first appeared in Vietnam almost a century ago, in the early 1930s, when Emperor Bao Dai, returning from a trip to France, had a 9-hole course laid out at Dà Lat. But it wasn't until the early 1990s that new courses were designed. In the north, the Chi Linh Star in the Hanoi region, the Vinpearl Golf in Hai Phong, the FLC Halong Bay Golf Club, the Phoenix Golf Resort in Hoa Binh and the BRG King's Island Golf Resort at the foot of Mount Ba Vi, 45 km west of Hanoi, designed by American architect Robert McFarland, feature three courses: Mountainview, Lakeside and Kings Course.
