Vietnam

Vietnam is one of those countries that changes everything. Long and narrow, snaking 3,000 kilometres from the Chinese border to the Mekong Delta, it offers diversity few countries can match. And a history, ancient and recent, felt in every corner. The north is mountainous and mysterious: Ha Long Bay with its thousands of karst islands, Sapa's terraced rice paddies, old Hanoi with its ancient quarter where life overflows in every alley. The centre holds imperial history: Hue with its citadel, Hoi An with its lanterns and colonial architecture. And the south is the Mekong Delta, Ho Chi Minh City with its frenetic energy, beaches beginning to rival Thailand's. What makes Vietnam unique is its authenticity. Despite the tourism boom, it remains a country where local life dominates: markets not for tourists, cafés where Vietnamese spend hours, temples where devotion is real. The food is legendary—perhaps Asia's best—and the people, curious and welcoming, make you feel at home.