Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City: where should you visit first?

Once war-torn, now sublime, Vietnam is long, lovely and languorous.

Whether you choose to live like royalty or scrimp on a shoestring in Vietnam, you’re going to have a memorable trip.

Wrapped around the east coast of mainland Southeast Asia like a mythical Naga serpent, Vietnam naturally lends itself to overland travel. Its two biggest cities – Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) – are divided by 1100km of rice paddies, tropical jungles, historic townships, wartime relics, national parks and sandy beaches, and most people plot an itinerary that takes in both of these lively hubs.

Flying to the United Arab Emirates from the United States just got easier.  Etihad Airways, one of the national airlines of the UAE, just announced new service between Boston and Abu Dhabi, beginning on March 31, 2024.

Hanoi has always been a city of tales and legends. Its ancient name, Thang Long, which means “the Rising Dragon,” comes from a tale about Emperor Ly Thai To witnessing a golden dragon ascending when he moved the capital here in 1010. The city is now the heartland of Vietnamese literature — home to many of our finest writers, literary festivals and book fairs.

It's not often that I'm treated with a stay at a five-star hotel. It's even less often that I can stay at a hotel that's been ranked even higher than five stars — in fact, it's only happened once, earlier this month.

Walk into almost any newly opened restaurant or wine bar these days and you’ll find natural wines on the wine list. Even if they’re not actually described as natural, the chances are many on the list will be. If you’re wondering what exactly natural wine is, you’re not alone. 

Planning a road trip this summer? For the sake of safety and peace of mind, your own and others’, add this to the pre-departure to-do list: a review of your driving habits. After all, while there’s nothing you can do to change other drivers’ bad habits, you are at least in control of your own.

In an era of high airfares, travelers will often get creative to find cheaper flights—and while that craftiness can be admirable, it’s also a bit risky. Case in point: A strategy known as “skiplagging” has been making headlines after a teenager who was flying with American Airlines last week from Florida to New York, and planned to get off in the connecting city of Charlotte, North Carolina, was prohibited from boarding the original flight and asked to rebook a direct flight to Charlotte.

Ticked off New York City’s big sights and wondering where to go next? From sinking a pint in Brooklyn's Red Hook to sampling Italian delicacies in The Bronx, Stephen Keeling picks the city’s off-the-beaten track highlights.

They’re two of the biggest cities in the United States. They’re two of the most famous cities in the world. Los Angeles and San Francisco have been written about, sung about, and eulogised a thousand times on the silver screen.

France remains one of the most visited countries in the world – and it's easy to see why. From the bucolic charm of Provence to the metropolitan allure of Paris, the country's diversity can make deciding where to go a challenge. We've put together this quiz to help.