Vietnam

Vietnam stretches more than 1,600 kilometres along the South China Sea, and the country changes character as you move through it. In the north, Hanoi's Old Quarter hums with motorbikes, street-side pho and centuries-old temples, while Ha Long Bay and Ninh Binh offer limestone karsts rising from water and rice paddies. Sapa's terraced hillsides bring trekking and homestays with ethnic minority communities. Central Vietnam holds the lantern-lit town of Hoi An, the imperial citadel of Hue and the beaches around Da Nang. In the south, Ho Chi Minh City moves fast, and the Mekong Delta slows things down with floating markets and canal-side villages.

Vietnam is known for its food as much as its scenery. Regional dishes differ noticeably, from bun cha in Hanoi to cao lau in Hoi An and broken rice in Saigon, and eating well is part of nearly every itinerary. History is also close to the surface, through the Cu Chi tunnels, the War Remnants Museum and the French colonial architecture in many cities.

Timing depends on where you are headed. The north is generally most pleasant from October to April, though winter evenings can be cool. Central Vietnam is typically driest from February to August, with heavier rain and typhoon risk later in the year. The south is warm all year, with a dry season from roughly December to April. Because the seasons differ by region, many travellers plan the route around the weather rather than the other way round.

The country suits a wide range of travellers: couples after beaches and lantern-lit evenings, families who enjoy boat trips and cooking classes, solo travellers who like easy, well-worn routes, and adventure seekers drawn to trekking, caving and motorbike loops such as the Ha Giang Loop. Localtrav plans Vietnam trips around these details, arranging hotels, guided tours, activities and car rentals with drivers so that internal transfers and regional timing fit together, with the full price laid out clearly from the start.