Vietnam

From the long stretch of the Red River through the ancient capital city of Ha Noi, to the central beaches of Da Nang and Nha Trang, to the sprawling southern metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta spewing into the South China Sea, Vietnam is a stunning country with much to be discovered. In Vietnam’s cities, delicious scents of cooking meat merge with the grumbles of teeming motorbikes to create a cacophonous assault on the senses. In the countryside, peace descends on the rice paddies lit by iconic red sunsets and you’re welcomed by the friendly smiles of Vietnam’s sizable rural population.

Divided into three distinct climates, the North, Central and Southern regions differ in dialect, culture and cuisine. Top attractions in the North of Vietnam include the city of Ha Noi, the nation’s capital, and its twisting ancient alleyways and amazing street food. Outside of Ha Noi lies Cat Ba Island, home to Ha Long Bay where stacks of rock jut out of the green sea. In Central Vietnam resides the city of Da Nang, a top tech hot-spot tipped to be East Asia’s new Silicon Valley, and the long sandy beaches of Mui Ne and Nha Trang. In the South is the city of Ho Chi Minh, formerly Saigon, once the largest city in the world and home to a new-age buzz that rivals Singapore or Kuala Lumpur.