Travel in Vietnam

STR reported that China hotel RevPAR was up 36.9% in the week ending July 22nd. That was up against a drop of -15.7% in the year-ago week. Versus the week in 2019, RevPAR was up 5.4%. The South China Morning Post published an article on how cash-rich investors are looking to buy hotels in Hong Kong, taking advantage of discounts of as much as 30%.

Vietnam has long drawn travelers in search of street food—traditional dishes passed down and perfected over decades by multi-generational food hawkers. Never was this more apparent to global audiences than when Anthony Bourdain and President Barack Obama famously met over bowls of bún chả, a northern Vietnamese grilled pork noodle salad, at a family-owned establishment in Hanoi back in 2016.

Mercure has partnered with Munchies and TOPJAW to inspire the palates of world travelers with 50 amazing food & drink experiences around the globe.

For the first time, Disneyland Resort is releasing its lineup of special events and limited-time festivities for the coming year, with 2024 highlighted by the resort-wide Pixar Fest celebration beginning in the spring. Guests can book Disneyland Resort theme park reservations up to 180 days in advance with the expanded reservation calendar, and the slate of scheduled events can help them plan their visits earlier. With distinctly Disney experiences and exciting happenings all year long, no two visits are the same. As it enters an era of boundless growth and innovation, Disneyland Resort is also investing in the development of more guest experiences, with work underway on Pixar Place Hotel; the upcoming attraction, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure; and the continued transformation of the Downtown Disney District.

Born and raised in Hebei—the province that, on the map, appears to wrap two arms around Beijing in a loving hug—restaurateur Amy Li moved to the Chinese capital some 26 years ago to live and work. In the time since, she and husband Jonathan Ansfield have run several food businesses (the latest, Vietnamese restaurant Susu, was conceived after a friend observed a dearth of such cuisine in the city.) Li loves Beijing's multifaceted nature, citing both the “powerful sense of order” wrought by such landmarks as the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and the Wall as well as the messy chaos of Old Beijing's hutong—here, she lays out what you can't miss of the old as well as the new on a visit.

It's one thing to book a lie-flat business-class seat to travel overseas with some added comfort. What might qualify as "next-level," though, is doing so on a private jet that will fly you around the world, stopping on every continent (excluding Antarctica) along the way.

In September, hours after landing in Paris, I headed straight to Signature Montmartre, a French-Korean bistro friends had been lavishing with praise. But already this is a series of words I find startling. I had lived and worked in Paris awhile during college; I go back when I can; until this trip, I didn't recall noticing a Korean shop or restaurant here. The bistro's lights shone from large windows like an inviting beacon, guiding me to food that was, as reported, astonishing: French cuisine shot through with distinctly Korean flavors, like tender prawn-filled perilla in a curry aioli, followed by a fig tart with jujube cream, one of the most delicate, fascinating pastries I've ever had.

A foreign film shooting in India will now be able to claim up to 40% of the expenditure incurred (in India) with the maximum limit capped at INR 300 million ($4 million). An additional five percent bonus will be given for “significant Indian content.”

Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, November 21. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

After Sri Lanka and Thailand, Vietnam is likely to be the next destination to offer visa-free entry to Indians. According to local media, Vietnam Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung suggested it allow Indians and Chinese to visit without a visa for a short period. As of now, only nationals of Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland can enter Vietnam without a visa.

Viking has revealed the new Viking Tonle, set to debut in October 2025, sailing between Kampong Cham, Cambodia, and Mỹ Tho, Vietnam, as part of Viking’s popular 15-day Magnificent Mekong itinerary.

Thanks to its beaches, historic sites, mountain hikes and irresistible food, Vietnam draws travelers from all over the world. 

It's 10 p.m. and I'm riding pillion on a vintage Vespa through the traffic-choked streets of Ho Chi Minh City. Hair is lashing my face and sweat is pouring off my brow. My baby-faced driver doesn't speak a lick of English, nor I Vietnamese, but I know my euphoric smile says it all: I'm having the time of my life.

Who doesn’t want to visit Vietnam? This Southeast Asian powerhouse has it all: beautiful beaches, unparalleled history, diverse cultures...and did we mention the food?

Tours and activities operators in Asia expect at least another 6 to 12 months of pent-up travel demand. However, maximizing this opportunity depends on addressing capacity bottlenecks, especially in markets like Japan. 

Imagine spending your vacation days exploring ancient temples in Cambodia, indulging in the vibrant street food culture of Vietnam, or exploring the neon-lit skylines of Japan’s cities—all while enjoying the comforts of home.

Vietnam’s cuisine has been shaped over generations by a rich tapestry of cultural influences. French colonialism introduced baguettes, leading to dishes like banh mi sandwiches; Vietnamese spring rolls are made with Chinese-style rice paper; and Indian and Thai influences are showcased via the widespread use of spices like star anise and curry powder.

Like so many travelers, my family spent the first couple of years of the pandemic dreaming of visiting a place that was very far away and had become very, very inaccessible to visitors. In our case, it was South Korea, where my wife was born. We'd last visited in 2015, when our daughter was learning to walk and our son, as I've often joked since, was with us but we didn't know it yet. We promised the family there that we'd be back within five years, but COVID-19 intervened.

Vietnam might not have the reputation of its Southeast Asian neighbours when it comes to leaning palms and turquoise waters, but its 3400km of coast hides its fair share of resplendent beaches – not to mention the handful of tropical, coral-ringed islands bobbing off shore. Whether you’re looking for a stretch of sand near one of the country’s buzzing cities, a spot suitable for families, or a quiet cove to escape the crowds, here’s our pick of the best beaches in Vietnam.

Breathtaking landscapes appear at every turn in Vietnam. From the window of a trundling train you'll witness an endless patchwork of impossible-green rice paddies, while in Halong Bay a horizon studded with incisor-like limestone islands makes an ethereal sight. From Mui Ne in the deep south, where you can wonder at a Sahara-esque scene of wind-sculpted sand dunes from the basket of a hot-air balloon, to the stupendous karst mountains of the far north, Vietnam offers up a bewitching array of superlative landscapes.