Asean Travel And Tours

  Gavin Quinn burst into tears as he crossed the border into Vietnam on his bicycle, finishing a nearly 12,000-kilometer journey through 20 countries. "Vietnam feels like a dream to me," he says, standing on the shores of Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh. The UNESCO World Heritage is both his inspiration and final destination for the 374-day cycling odyssey. Gavin Quinn in Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh, July 2025. Photo by courtesy of Gavin Born in Dublin, Ireland, Quinn, 28, works in the media industry. He has always dreamed of traveling the world and combining his three greatest passions: adventure, exploration and cycling. In 2022 he completed a 5,000-kilometer ride across Europe by bikepacking, a self-sufficient method of travel where all essential gear is carried on the bike. "Cycling is the most seamless and slow-paced way to see the world," he says. He was inspired to make the life-changing decision of cycling from Europe to Asia after stumbling on a photo of Ha Long Bay....

A sign for a public restroom. Photo by Pexels Hanoi is asking businesses and residents to offer free restrooms to tourists as millions are expected to visit the capital city during Vietnam's 80th National Day celebrations. In a directive issued July 14, officials encouraged businesses and residents to make free restroom access a permanent cultural practice, as part of the city's "Bright – Green – Clean – Beautiful" campaign. The National Day events, including large-scale parades and ceremonies, are expected to attract around 30,000 participants and millions of tourists. But Hanoi faces a chronic shortage of public toilets, with only 351 facilities citywide, including 176 permanent brick structures, 91 stainless steel units and 84 mobile restrooms. To tackle the problem, Hanoi's chairman Tran Sy Thanh earlier proposed incentives for hotels, restaurants and malls to let the public use their restrooms for free. Some districts are already taking action. On Nguyen Van ...

Korean singer Daesung's latest vlog captures his love for Vietnamese cuisine, featuring roasted suckling pig and spring rolls at a Ho Chi Minh City restaurant he has visited twice. Daesung, a member of the Korean group Big Bang, posted a vlog over 10 minutes long on his channel on June 26, documenting his journey exploring Ho Chi Minh City and his concert in May. The video opens with the 1989-born singer recording himself dining at Tan Hai Van Restaurant at 152 Nguyen Trai Street, a place he had visited in August the previous year. On his return, Daesung again enjoyed his favorite dishes, including coconut smoothie, roasted suckling pig, and seafood spring rolls. In the video, he says he could "eat 10 spring rolls at once" and comments that the pork tasted "better than last time." The restaurant, open for 30 years, specializes in Cantonese cuisine with a menu of over 500 dishes. Their famous items include roast duck, roasted suckling pig, and dim sum. At the end...

  Quang Ninh targets welcoming 20 million visitors this year, including 4.5 million international tourists, with projected tourism revenue of 55 trillion VND (about 2.1 billion USD). The number of overnight stays is expected to reach 8 million. The northern province of Quang Ninh is aiming to position itself as a premier international tourism hub and one of Asia’s top travel destinations, under a newly-approved tourism development scheme to 2030, with a vision to 2045. Endorsed by the provincial People’s Committee on April 17, the scheme sets out a strategic roadmap to transform Quang Ninh into a gateway connecting the Red River Delta and the country as a whole with the broader region and global tourism markets. This development strategy is firmly rooted in the principles of green growth and circular economy, with the “Four-Season Tourism” model serving as a focal point to unlock the province’s year-round potential. Under the scheme, Quang Ninh will be developed into a hub for inte...

  Ha Long Bay is a surreal landscape of limestone karsts erupting from the ocean like tidal waves made solid by magic and time. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, this natural wonder of the world has since become the single most popular tourist attraction in all of Vietnam. The 1500km2 bay is cupped by the Vietnam coastline just south of the Chinese border and dotted with thousands of uninhabited islands, floating fishing villages, and labyrinthine cave systems teeming with fossils, rock formations, myths, and mysteries. Snorkel and Dive to Explore Coral Reefs Though many travel guides focus on the landscape above the water, there’s a whole universe thriving below the surface. Ha Long Bay is home to more than 140 different species of coral, including rare varieties. These coral reefs cover up to 30 and even 60 percent of the area around islands like Cong Do, where legal restrictions, as well as geographic isolation, protect marine life from boat traffic, pollution, and ...

Hanoi authorities are investigating after a viral video showed a foreign tourist narrowly escaping serious injury while filming a train on the popular Train Street in the old quarter. The male tourist is seen using his phone to record a passing train when he is struck on the leg and knocked over. A bystander quickly pulls him to safety. A table is also knocked over and it rolls onto the tracks, causing panic among onlookers. A video shows a foreign man being struck on the leg and knocked over on Hanoi's Train Street while filming with his phone. Video by Facebook/Nghia Nguyen Following the incident, on June 14 authorities in Hang Bong Ward ordered increased surveillance at entry and exit points in the area. A ward's representative said on Monday that the incident happened in late 2024 and the foreign tourist suffered minor injuries. Train Street, famous for a railroad track being in close proximity to cafes and residences, was made off-limits in September 2022 due to safety con...

  As tourism rises, this humble street dish has become a must-try for visitors to Ha Long Bay “Head straight and turn into the alley near the big Indian almond tree,” locals in Quang Ninh Province’s Ha Long City, home to the famed Ha Long Bay in northern Vietnam, tell visitors who ask where to find the best bánh cuốn (steamed rice rolls) with chả mực (squid cake). Steamed rice rolls, or bánh cuốn, are a popular dish found throughout Vietnam, though the toppings and accompaniments vary by region. In Hanoi, bánh cuốn is served with fish sauce and chả quế (deep-fried cinnamon-flavored pork rolls); in Cao Bang Province, it comes with eggs and bone broth. In Ha Long, it is paired with chả mực, or squid cake. As tourism grows in Ha Long, this humble dish rises in popularity, offering a distinct and essential culinary experience in the city. One of the oldest and most popular places to try bánh cuốn chả mực in Ha Long is Goc Bang, a street-side stall tucked into Alley 1 on Nha Hat Street ...