Asean Travel And Tours

High-rise buildings along the coast of Da Nang City in central Vietnam. Photo by Kim LienDa Nang ranked second in a list of Asia's five cheapest destinations to retire for foreigners with a monthly average cost of living for expats of US$867, according to a recent report. Thailand's Chiang Mai topped the list with the average cost of living at $667 a month, according to GOBankingRates, a personal finance publication run by Nasdaq. The Philippines' Cebu ranked third where the monthly average living costs stood at $840, followed by Taiwan's Taipei at $1,268, and Japan'’s Kyoto at $1,565. "Da Nang offers pristine beaches, scenic mountains, a warm climate and modern amenities. With its affordable housing options, excellent healthcare facilities and growing expat community, Da Nang is a no-brainer," the U.S. publication said. Da Nang, home to 1.2 million people, is considered Vietnam's third most important city after Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. In 2018, Pan

Yangon is the largest city in Myanmar, and one of the most popular destinations for international tourists. Foreign nationals traveling to Yangon need to meet Myanmar’s entry conditions, this may include applying for a visa. This page explains the visa requirements for Yangon and how to complete the online application. Yangon visa: Is It Necessary? Most foreigners need a visa to visit Yangon. The Yangon visa requirements are the same as those for the rest of Myanmar visa requirements. Over 100 nationalities can get a visa for Yangon online. Tourists who wish to see Yangon can fill out the online application form to request a Burma visa. The eVisa system is 100% online. Applicants do not need to visit an embassy or visa application center at any point. Tourist and business eVisa for visiting Yangon There are 2 different types of eVisas for Yangon: tourist and business. Tourist visas are for vacations and sightseeing. The Myanmar tourist visa is valid for stays of up to 28 days. The Myan

A list of all 155 national parks in Thailand’s Central, Eastern, Northern, Northeastern (Isan), and Southern regions. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) would like to advise tourists on the opening/closed status of Thailand’s national parks, to ensure they can best enjoy the picturesque natural beauty and abundant flora and fauna on offer around the country. The following list includes national parks in Thailand’s Central, Eastern, Northern, Northeastern (Isan), and Southern regions. The status of the national parks – whether they are open, closed or partially open – is based on the annual monsoon season and other annual factors, such as weather conditions. Visitors are kindly asked to abide by the guidelines and rules in place at the national parks, for the enjoyment, health, and safety of all. Please do note that the bringing into and use of single-use plastics and foam containers at any of the 155 national parks in Thailand is banned. Plastic food containers, plastic glasses, p

  Street food vendors are seen in the Laos capital of Vientiane. Photo by AFP Nearly 399,000 Vietnamese tourists came to Laos in the first half of this year, the second biggest number of foreign visitors to Laos during the period, according to the Lao Tourism Development Department. A recent report by the department shows that Laos welcomed over 1.67 million international arrivals in the first six months of this year. Topping the contingent is Thailand (over 668,000), followed by Vietnam, China (over 317,000), South Korea (nearly 73,000), and the U.S. (30,455). Tourists from ASEAN countries accounted for the largest number of the visitors to Laos, with nearly 1.1 million, followed by the over 427,000 visitors from other countries in the Asia-Pacific region. In the first half of this year, Laos attracted only over 100,000 visitors from Europe, and over 41,000 visitors from the Americas. According to the Lao media, the higher number of foreign visitors can be attributed, in part, to inte

Foreign tourists take a group photo at Southeast Asia's deepest canyon Tu San in Ha Giang Province in northern Vietnam. Photo courtesy of Ha Giang Department of TourismThe exemption of tourist visas for citizens of all 27 EU member countries would help Vietnamese tourism compete with neighbors like Thailand and Singapore, experts say. "Vietnam should consider waiving visas for all EU citizens to boost its tourism industry and strengthen its ties with the European Union," Martin Koerner, head of tourism working group at Vietnam Business Forum, told VnExpress International. "It will attract more visitors from the EU market, which has a population of over 500 million and a high demand for travel as well as high budget." The European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam last week called on Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to waive visas for the remaining 20 countries in the 27-member EU. Now only nationals of Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland can e

A group of foreign tourists at Phu Bai International Airport in the central Thua Thien-Hue Province, April, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Vo Thanh A common point among some of the popular tourism destinations I have been to is that the people there are friendly and enthusiastic and offer proper services. Earlier this year I went on my first trip to France. It was late at night when the plane landed in the capital. The first thing I saw was a huge sign saying, "Paris vous aime" (Paris loves you). Throughout the Charles de Gaulle airport were countless such welcoming signs. I traveled with my daughter and we were the only Vietnamese on that flight. When it was our turn to go through immigration, the French customs officer, a young man, smiled, glanced at my passport and said "Xin chao, ban co khoe khong?" meaning "Hello, how are you?" in Vietnamese. We were surprised and uncertain for a moment if the French officer had just greeted us in Vietnamese. He didn't

A banh mi filled with stewed pork thigh on Huynh Van Banh Street, Ho Chi Minh City. Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post named Vietnamese banh mi as one of the best Asian breakfasts. Colonial influences are reflected on the breakfast tables of Vietnam, with the local "fast food" breakfast of choice being banh mi, a small baguette sold on every corner, SCMP wrote. The most basic and popular banh mi in Vietnam is a fusion of cold cuts and vegetables like coriander, cucumber, pickled carrots and daikon combined with condiments from French cuisine such as pate, chili and mayonnaise. However, a wide variety of popular fillings are used, including fried eggs, grilled pork, and meat balls. The official origin of banh mi is yet to be verified, but many agree the idea was introduced to Vietnam in the mid-19th century, when the country was part of French Indochina, to become a staple by the early 20th century. Banh mi is a symbol of Vietnam's cuisine and has built quite a globa