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Vietnam
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A country where the colors are more vivid, where the landscapes are bolder, the coastline is more dramatic, where the history is more compelling, where the tastes are more divine, and where the life leads in the fast lane. This is Vietnam, the latest Asian dragon to wake up from its slumber. Vietnam is endowed by the nature with a bountiful harvest of soaring mountains, a killer coastline and radiant rice fields; Vietnam is a cracker. Inland, peasant women in conical hats still go to their fields; children ride buffalos along country path, and people who are from ethnic minority groups scratch out a living from impossible gradients.
Hanoi, the country’s captivating capital, rises early to watch the city exercise by Hoan Kiem Lake, then pay your respect in person to Uncle Ho at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (a truly surreal experience). Eventually you’ll be enticed out of the city by the stunning offerings of the country’s northern provinces. Nothing can prepare you for the beauty of Ha Long Bay and its 2000 limestone karsts, nor the experience of trekking around mountainous Sapa.
To feel the intellectual, cultural and spiritual heartbeat of Vietnam, make a stop in the old imperial capital, Hue- a home to ancient palaces and pagodas, tombs and temples, and host of the biennial arts festivals. This is the place to go for historical, cultural and culinary stimulation.
Hoi An might weigh you down - but in a good way - you’re bound to add kilos of made-to-order clothing to your luggage. With an estimate of 300 to 500 tailors working in this beautiful city, this is a fashionable heaven.
To escape the buzz of millions of motorbikes in Saigon, head west to the watery landscape of green fields and sleepy villages in the Mekong Delta. There is an adventurous galore on Phu Quoc Island to discover and stunning white-sand beaches to relax . Back on the east coast at Mui Ne Beach, you’ll be challenged internally by yourself with a similar dilemma: action or inertia?
Vietnam has it all. Go expecting the unexpected, be ready for an adventure as much as a holiday, and it is Vietnam that deliver all of this to you!.
Cambodia
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There’s a magic about Cambodia that casts a spell on many who visit this charming yet confounding kingdom. Ascend to the realm of the gods at the mother of all temples, Angkor Wat is known as a spectacular fusion of symbolism, symmetry and spirituality of Cambodia.
Just as Angkor is more than its Wat, so too is Cambodia more than its temples. The chaotic yet charismatic capital of Phnom Penh is a hub of political intrigue, economic vitality and intellectual debate. All too often overlooked by hit-and-run tourists ticking off Angkor on a regional tour, the revitalized city of Siem Reap is finally earning plaudits in its own right thanks to a gorgeous riverside location, a cultural renaissance, and a dining and drinking scene to rival the best in the region.
Cambodia has its beaches that are as beautiful as those of Thailand without the tourist tide; wilds as remote as Laos but even less explored; cuisine as subtle as Vietnam but yet to be discovered; and temples that leave Burma and Indonesia in the shade. This is the heart of the Southeast Asia. Everything in the region offers packed into one bite-sized country. If you were only planning to spend a week in Cambodia, it’s time to think again.
Laos
After years of war and isolation, Laos that has a Southeast Asia’s most pristine environment, intact cultures and quite possibly the most chilled-out people on earth is fast earning cult status among travelers. It is developing quickly but still has much of the tradition that has sadly disappeared elsewhere in the region. Village life is refreshingly simple and even in Vientiane, it’s hard to believe this sort of languid riverfront life exists in a national capital. Then, of course, there is the historic royal city of Luang Prabang, where you can watch hundreds of saffron-robed monks moving silently among centuries; Old monasteries are as romantic as a scene that you’ll experience anywhere in Asia.
Away from the cities, there is so much more to see, such as: the Plain of Jars in Xieng Khuang Province, the forested mountains of Northern Laos, the gothic limestone karsts around the backpacker-haven Vang Vieng and in the deep south, past the market town Pakse, is Si Phan Don (Four Thousand Islands), where the mighty Mekong spreads out and all the hammocks are taken.
The Lao wilderness is drawing travelers looking for nature, adventure or both. Kayaking, rafting, rock-climbing and biking are all available, but it’s the community-based trekking that is the most popular because it combines spectacular natural attractions and the chance to experience the ‘real Laos’ with a village homestay – while spending your money where it’s needed most.