Vietnam travel guide

You have one Southeast Asia trip. Two cities made the shortlist. Hanoi or Bangkok, which one do you choose? Bangkok is the reflex answer. It has the infrastructure, the name recognition, the Instagram grid. But here’s what most experienced Asia travelers will tell you quietly: Hanoi is the one that stays with you. The one...

Visiting Vietnam in September means arriving as the rice terraces of the northwest shift from green to gold. It is also a transition month, and the country does not share one climate. The north is easing out of its rainy season, central Vietnam is moving into its wettest months, and the south remains in the...

Phong Nha Cave lies within Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in central Vietnam and can be entered only by boat along the Son River. Visitors therefore travel first to Phong Nha town, where the boat pier is located. The nearest major transport hub is Dong Hoi, which has an airport and a railway station, about...

Con Dao or Phu Quoc? It is one of the most common island questions we hear from travelers planning Vietnam tours through the south, and the honest answer is that neither is better. Phu Quoc is the easy, varied, resort-style island, with direct flights from several Asian cities and plenty to do beyond the beach....

The Ha Giang Loop is a multi-day mountain road journey through Vietnam’s far north, beginning and ending in Ha Giang City. Most travelers cover about 300 to 350 kilometers over three to four days, usually on the back of a motorbike, past limestone peaks, terraced valleys and villages of ethnic minority communities. You do not...

Twenty days is enough to experience the North, Centre and South of Vietnam at a comfortable pace. It is not enough to see everything, and that is the point of planning well. A 20-day trip works best when you choose a few places and give each of them time, rather than trying to fit in...

Cambodia or Vietnam? Both are rewarding, and the right choice depends less on which country is “better” and more on what you want from your trip. Choose Cambodia if Angkor Wat is your dream, you prefer a slower rhythm, and you have around a week. Choose Vietnam if you want variety, with lively cities, mountains,...

Limestone karsts rising from rice fields, rivers running through caves, ancient temples and quiet village lanes: Ninh Binh offers nature, culture and a slower pace in one trip. The best things to do in Ninh Binh are spread across several areas, so a little planning helps. Here are 12 experiences, how to choose between the...