Vietnam has a truly diverse food culture, so you won’t struggle to find something delicious to tantalise your taste buds. You'll discover mouth-watering popular dishes in a variety of dining places, ranging from lively street food stalls to lavish gourmet restaurants.

Banh Xeo are sizzling rice paper pancakes filled with shrimp, pork bean sprouts and egg, while Ban Cha (grilled meatballs) are a delicious lunch time favourite in Vietnam. Pho is a wonderful noodle soup made by simmering beef bones, spices and vegetables for hours, and Bun Bo Hue is a tasty meaty noodle dish from the former capital of Vietnam, Hue. Bun Thit Nuong is a popular dish comprising cold vermicelli noodles topped with grilled pork. Che Ba Mau is a wonderful three colour dessert featuring a layer of yellow mung bean paste,green pandan jelly and red beans, topped with coconut milk.

 Che Bap is a simple Vietnamese dessert which is made with sweet corn and tapioca starch or glutinous rice. Delicious fruit smoothies, made with a variety of fresh fruits, are very popular in Vietnam and Nu?c Sâm is a flavoursome herbal tea you’ll find across the country.

Various areas of Vietnam experience different seasons at varying times of the year, but generally a great time to visit is between November and April when there is minimal rainfall and temperatures are mild. The country's climate can be divided into three different zones – North, Central and South.
The weather in North Vietnam is humid and subtropical, South Vietnam experiences a tropical climate all year round and the central region of the country has a climate somewhere between the two. The temperature in Vietnam typically ranges between 70°F and 95°F throughout the year. Hanoi and the rest of the north experiences its dry season from November to April, with the northernmost regions becoming colder in December and January. Central Vietnam enjoys hot and dry weather between January and August, while the dry season in southern Vietnam is between November and April.      

Vietnam is brimming with thrilling things to see and do, with enthralling landmarks and attractions at every turn which will take your breath away. Nature reserves, water parks, boating trips, jeep safaris, wildlife parks and epic mountain ranges are among the attractions which await. Cruise along the Mekong Delta, sandboard down the dunes in Mui Ne, go canyoning in Dalat or explore the world's biggest caves in Phong Nha. There's also the chance to go scuba diving in Nha Trang, cycle through the rice fields in Mai Chau or walk the streets of the charming ancient town of Hoi An.
 Must-see attractions in the capital Hanoi include the Ngoc Son Temples, The Temple of Literature and the One Pillar Pagoda, while key attractions in  Ho Chi Minh City include Dam Sen Park, The tunnels of C? Chi and the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon. Vietnam boasts a plethora of superb national parks which offer exciting days out in the glorious sunshine – these include Cuc Phuong National Park, Hoang Lien National Park, Cat Tien National Park and B?ch Mã National Park. The country’s many excellent museums include the History Museum of Ho Chi Minh City, National History Museum in Hanoi, Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities and Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum. Major cultural attractions include Hung Temple, Huong Pagoda, Mausoleum of Emperor Tu Duc, Tran Quoc Pagoda, Phat Diem Cathedral, Ponagar Tower and the Presidential Palace in Hanoi. Key family attractions in Vietnam include Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden, Suoi Tien Theme Park, Dam Sen Cultural Park and the alpine coaster at Dasara Waterfall. Popular outdoor pursuits in Vietnam include kitesurfing, kayaking, trekking, caving, rock climbing, off-road biking, canyoning, ziplining and white water rafting.