#34 Vietnam

Vietnam is a place on the move. It's rapidly modernising after years as a communist backwater. There's a real buzz about the place. I've been to both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). They're really different places. Saigon is very frenetic, with an growing market for expensive hotels and delicious food. I good day trip is out to the old Viet Cong Kuchi tunnels, fitting in a visit to the Cao Dai temple. Very interesting.

Hanoi is a different beat altogether. Nearby, is the World Heritage listed Halong Bay. It also has the tomb of Ho Chi Minh, a few good museums and a whole bunch of really good art galleries/shops.