Vietnam
Vietnam is a country that will fascinate you because of its history, cuisine, landscape, and people. Vietnam has historical influences from Japan, China, France, and America which is evident in the various place names, tastes, and architecture you'll experience.
From north to south, this rather long slip of a country has a lot to offer, such as the slow-paced hill tribe villages of Sapa, the limestone cliff-studded Halong Bay, the faded elegance of Hanoi's Old Quarter, the former imperial capital of Hue with its royal palaces and opulent mausoleums, the immaculately preserved town of Hoi An, the French-inspired boulevards and buildings of Ho Chi Minh City, and the floating markets of the Mekong Delta.
The Rivers of Vietnam are quite something giving you a very tranquil feeling with the large bamboo bushes on the banks, the dug out canoes masterfully navigated with a local in their ubiquitous leaf hat (nón lá) and colourful traditional clothing. It's easy to forget that just hours before you had been in a city of 8.9 million with just as many motorbikes!
