Vietnam

Vietnam stretches over 3,260 kilometers of coastline, from the terraced rice paddies of Sapa in the misty north to the floating markets of the Mekong Delta in the tropical south. Ha Long Bay's 1,600 limestone karsts rising from emerald waters are a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Southeast Asia's most iconic landscapes.

Hanoi's Old Quarter pulses with motorbike traffic, street-food vendors grilling bun cha over charcoal, and thousand-year-old temples tucked behind French colonial facades. In the centre, the imperial city of Hue guards ornate tombs and the Perfume River, while nearby Hoi An preserves centuries of merchant architecture — lantern-lit streets, tailor shops, and some of the best banh mi on the planet.

Ho Chi Minh City — still called Saigon by locals — is Vietnam's commercial engine: rooftop bars, craft coffee culture, and the harrowing exhibits of the War Remnants Museum. Beyond the cities, Phong Nha's caves rank among the world's largest, Dalat's cool highlands produce arabica coffee and artichokes, and the beach towns of Da Nang and Nha Trang draw surfers and divers year-round. Vietnam rewards slow travel — take the Reunification Express train, eat at every stop, and arrive changed.