Vietnam

Took the family to Vietnam for 15 days and it worked better than I'd hoped. The kids were fascinated by Hạ Long Bay — more than I expected from children who usually resist sightseeing. Food was manageable: even the pickiest eater in our group found things to eat, and bánh xèo went down well with eve…

First time in Vietnam and I tried to approach it with open eyes rather than preconceptions. Hội An was the base and a good one — central, manageable, and with strong food options including the best pho I've ever had. My Son Sanctuary was the big set piece and fully justified the trip. Two things wo…

I went to Vietnam with modest expectations and left completely won over, largely thanks to time spent in Hội An. The city has a pace and character that travel guides undersell. Found a great spot for bún bò Huế on day two and went back every day after that. Hạ Long Bay was the big planned experienc…

Visited Vietnam in shoulder season deliberately and the decision paid off completely. Phong Nha Caves without peak crowds is a totally different experience. Huế felt lived-in rather than touristy. Found a small place doing the best bánh xèo I've ever tasted — something that would have been invisible…

After a lot of research I thought I knew what to expect from Vietnam. Some things matched: Hội An Ancient Town is as spectacular as every review says, and Ho Chi Minh City has a genuine energy I'd read about. The bánh mì obsession is completely justified. What I wasn't prepared for: warm and entrep…

I came to Vietnam specifically for photography and the country delivered material at every turn. Phong Nha Caves at dawn was everything I'd hoped. Hạ Long Bay's streets at dusk are an endless source of light and texture. The people, once comfortable with a camera, are extraordinary subjects. extrao…

Three weeks is long enough to get past the tourist surface in Vietnam. The first week I was in Hạ Long Bay and the big sites like Hội An Ancient Town. The second and third I went further and slower. The food evolution was interesting — cao lầu everywhere but prepared so differently by region. incre…

Phong Nha Caves in Vietnam is extraordinary — the scale and history hit you immediately. But the experience around it has been thoroughly commercialised. Getting there, navigating the crowds, and dealing with persistent sellers around Hạ Long Bay centre made it more stressful than it should be. Awa…

We chose Vietnam for our honeymoon and it was perfect for us. The romantic atmosphere in Hanoi at night, the drama of Hoan Kiem Lake, the intimacy of small restaurants serving bún bò Huế — all of it added up to exactly what we were hoping for. incredibly affordable became an unexpected gift — somet…

I thought I was going to Vietnam for beaches, food, and Hoan Kiem Lake. I got all of those things. What I didn't expect was how emotionally affecting the trip would be. The history — particularly around Hội An — hit in ways that good travel sometimes does. warm and entrepreneurial people was the mo…