Thailand’s capital, a large city that represents the country's majestic ornate shrines and vibrant life. 

Bangkok

The former seat of the Lanna kingdom, despite of its relatively small size, Chiang Mai truly has it all.

Chiang Mai

One of the most ancient capitals in the world with tremendously rich history and culture beneath it. 

Hanoi

The most vibrant city of Vietnam. Formerly named Saigon and known as the Pearl of The Far East in the early of 20th century. 

Ho Chi Minh City

The ancient city that once was one of the world's wealthiest and most cosmopolitan cities.

Ayuthaya

Once the capital of a powerful ancient kingdom, today one of the world's greatest archaeological sites with thousands of sacred pagodas.

Bagan

Beyond idyllic and gorgeous coastline, Bali is the ancient art, cultural charm, and beautifully tropocal state of mind.

Bali

A city of punks and prayer, serious religion and serious coffee, but is never lack of breathtaking mountainous scenery. 

Bandung

The epicentre of the Mekong Delta, Can Tho feels like a metropolis after a few days exploring the backwaters.

Can Tho

Rugged, craggy and jungle-clad Cat Ba, the largest island in Halong Bay, is located off the coast of Hai Phong City.

Cat Ba Island

From a sleeping fishing village to the "Queen City of the South" with full of iconic heritage spots, landmarks and lovely beaches. 

Cebu

A sleepy provincial town but is never short of historical and cultural meanings.

Chiang Rai

Originally French's summer capital during the colonial period, Dalat today continues to thrive beyond its history, unique climate features and beautiful architecture. 

Da Lat

One of the most beautiful coastal cities in Vietnam, known for spectacular sandy beaches, history as a French colonial port and ancient Champa culture.

Da Nang

A province in the northeast region of Vietnam, impresses visitors with its high karst plateau, steep hills, winding roads and ethnic diversity. It is ideal for outdoor activities such as trekking and camping.

Ha Giang

Designated a World Heritage Site in 1994, Halong Bay's scatter of islands, dotted with wind- and wave-eroded grottoes, is a vision of ethereal beauty and, unsurprisingly, northern Vietnam's number one-tourism hub.

Ha Long Bay

An exceptionally well-preserved example of a South-East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century.

Hoi An

Once a quiet fishing village, it grew into a fashionable escape for residents of Bangkok after the 1920s, when the Thai royal family built summer palaces here. 

Hua Hin

A historic city and old imperial capital of Nguyen dynasty, the last ruling family in Vietnam.

Once the world’s largest producer of tin, the charming Ipoh features finest colonial architectures standing side by side with magnificent cave temples pocketed in the limestone.

Ipoh

Jakarta, Indonesia massive capital, a vibrant city of an intriguing blend of culture and gorgeous historic buildings. 

Jakarta

Malaysia's third largest city, more than just a border city, a heritage district with a well-blent harmony of history, culture and dynamic.

Johor Bahru

One of Indochina's best preserved colonial era towns, a small provincial town in Southern Cambodia with the charming French colonial architecture and peaceful sleepiness.

Kampot

Known for its bustling markets, modern boardwalk, beaches and waterfront Kota Kinabalu City Mosque, yet its old-world charm and history are very much alive.

Kota Kinabalu

Being the capital and heart of Malaysia, this city is an eclectic and gorgeous hub of culture and class with full of history and heritage gems.

Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia "Cat City", packed full of history, museums, beautiful architecture and a gorgeous waterfront where you can catch some spectacular sunsets.

Kuching

Named a World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO, the city is a lovely blend of French, Chinese and Vietnamese influences that bring back the old Indochina time.

Luang Prabang

The city of history. It was here that colonial forces first made contact with Malaysia, leaving Malacca rich with imprints of British, Dutch and Portuguese. 

Malacca

Myanmar's second largest city, the former royal capital of the last monarchy in the country's history.

Mandalay

Being the "Pearl of the Orient," the city with much historic value is full of vitality and cultural sense.

Manila

The fourth largest city in Indonesia, a city of fascinating, crumbling Dutch-colonial-era charm. 

Medan

The Mekong Delta is a vast maze of rivers, stilt houses, and rice paddies.

Mekong Delta

A beautiful town of Sơn La Province in north west Vietnam, famous for by dreamlike natural scenery and idyllic rural landscape.

Moc Chau

City of Myanmar's most holy religious and historic sites.

Mon State

Also known as the Riviera of the South China Sea, offers a long stretch of beautiful coastline with white sandy beaches and the glimpse of the ancient time.

Nha Trang

Blessed with diverse topography of both mountainous and coastal areas, Ninh Binh contains all the scenic quintessence of whole Vietnam within its relatively small size.

Ninh Binh

A Dutch historical harbour town, once one of the main harbour in Dutch East Indies. Yet, the city offers beyond that the authentic and delicious Padang food. 

Padang

A city on Thailand’s eastern Gulf coast known for its beaches. A quiet fishing village as recently as the 1960s, it’s now lined with resort hotels, high-rise condos, shopping malls, cabaret bars and 24-hour clubs. 

Pattaya

The colorful, multicultural city that was once an important trading hub. Today, it is a special place beyond great eats and heritage buildings with the real multi-ethnic, artistic and natural depth. T

Penang

A coastal port city in Southeast Vietnam with a bustling little fishing port and a harbor full of vibrant lives. 

Phan Thiet

Cambodia's busy capital, a hub for both the Khmer Empire and French colonialists with the deep history dating back to the 14th century.

Phnom Penh

Unspoilt jungle, caves and underground rivers squeezed between the Laos border and South China Sea.

Phong Nha

Rapidly morphed from a sleepy island backwater to a must-visit beach destination with white-sand beaches and interesting attractions.

Phu Quoc

Among the world’s finest beach destinations, Phuket also beautifully gives a taste of its historic side.

Phuket

Known as the "Foggy City," Sapa is famous for both its fine, rugged scenery and also its rich cultural diversity

Sa Pa

A gateway to the ancient world and civilization through worldwide renowned and iconic Angkor Wat complex and beyond.

Siem Reap

A cosmopolitan city-state that became independent from the British in 1965 and is now one of the world's leading economy, yet full of richness in culture and history. 

Singapore

The bustling capital city of Laos with mixed French-colonial architecture and ancient Buddhist temples.

Vientiane

Established in the 16th century, Vigan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the best-preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town in Asia. 

Vigan

Myanmar's largest city, dubbed "The Garden City of the East" with spectacular architecture, history and culture

Yangon

The centre of Javanese arts and culture, Yogyakarta is known for its rich cultural heritage, magnificent ancient temples with full of mysteries. 

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Spanish tapas don’t intuitively seem like they’d fit into the Vietnamese food scene. But let’s look beyond the surface, shall we? Tapas are made for sharing, and this is very much a food culture built on communal dishes. 


This place also loves its seafood, and tapas like those served at Tomatito fit the bill nicely. We’re thinking specifically of the scrumptious salmon filled toast. And of course, soup is kind of a big thing in Vietnam. Who says a Spanish gazpacho can’t play that role?



There are a few tapas places scattered around Saigon, but few have the playful look and feel of Tomatito. This restaurant has billed itself as the place to get quote “sexy” tapas, foods with over the top names and flavors. 



Exhibit A: the Almejas booooooom! — that’s seven “o”s and an exclamation point, for those keeping score — a dish of spicy clams in chorizo served with a secret sauce personally prepared by Mr. Stijn Gradussen.

There are mini burgers, pork-and-beef sliders with a quote “Latin spicy touch” for extra sexiness. There are “empanadillas de la mama,” small, savory pastries stuffed with eggs, meat, olives and chimichurri. The Spanish name translates to “little empanadas like mom made.” Someone had a really cool mom.



And the restaurant itself is as vibrant as the food. A bold shade of fire-engine red dresses the interior as the name of the restaurant flickers in stunning neon over a handsome bar. There are a few other neat little touches, like red wallpaper featuring a matador with a bull’s head or the polka-dot covered Vespa that greets diners out front.





Tapas, Tapas, Tapas


Hidden down a narrow District 1 alleyway, Bandido is Saigon’s best new Mexican restaurant. An open floor plan and full bar greet patrons who wind their way up a narrow set of stairs. Vivid colors burst from the walls, ceiling and furniture. Day of the Dead décor leers down from above. It’s a visual feast for the eyes.

And all this before the actual feast begins. The food here, much like the space itself, is bold and beautiful. Spicy, colorful chorizo is a fan favorite. Crispy, batter-fried seabass with chipotle mayo is another. 

Almost everything should be wrapped in a homemade tortilla and topped with one of Bandido’s zesty sauces. In all honesty, the menu is so well thought out that it’s difficult to go wrong. 

It’s all inspired by Mexican street food and the nation’s colorful street culture, with a creative twist of course.

The aforementioned 1st-floor balcony and open-air second floor are great places to spend an afternoon escaping the Ho Chi Minh heat. Saigon’s Tê Tê is served on draft; however, when it comes to something boozy, Tequila is the real star of the show. Relax with a Hibiscus margarita or turn it up a notch with Don Julio Reposado.

In Vietnam, great Mexican food is tough to come by, yet Bandido checks all the right boxes.


Saigon's Best Mexican Eats

The "7 Sisters Restaurant" is a beautiful, romantic open air restaurant, where you can enjoy a wide array of Myanmar, Chinese, Thai and European dishes.

7 Sisters


We’ve all had that chat with some mates at one point or another. Usually it happens when everyone’s drunk enough to think it might actually be a good idea, but rarely do any of us follow through.


That’s right, A La Folie is the brainchild of four friends — conceived after several bottles of wine had been consumed and the fateful question arose; “why don’t we open a bar?”

For many, this would spell disaster. Awaking to find out you’ve agreed to go into business with your buds — opening a bar, no less — would send lesser humans into a state of apoplectic terror.


But not the guys at A La Folie, who seized the opportunity and saw it through. For us customers, the results have been a beautiful and wondrous thing.

Stan, Jan, Sebastian, and Duy all met in France — with Duy studying at culinary school, and the rest being childhood friends. One by one, they all found themselves drawn to Hanoi. For Duy, it was home, but for the others, it was an adventure. 

Five years have passed since A La Folie opened its doors. Now featuring Duy as head chef, the bar has expanded to include a bistro — serving up traditional French cuisine at some of the city’s highest standards.

Overlooking the tranquility of Truc Bach lake, A La Folie’s open front serves as outdoor seating, making it one of the chicest places to catch the sunset with a glass of wine or a nice cold beer.

For the friends though, it’s been tough. What happens to your life when your job consists of drinking with pals?


They’ve had to put limits on how much time they spend together, for the sake of their respective families, but there’s still a palpable depth of love in this brotherhood of booze.

Head down to A La Folie at any given time on any given day and you’re bound to find at least two of the owners there, sipping wine, relaxing, essentially living the dream — so why not join them?



Hanoi's Best French Cuisine

This restaurant has been running and serving authentic Burmese food for 2 decades.

A Little Bit of Mandalay

Authentic Lebanese and Middle Eastern cuisine

Al Nafoura Lebanese Restaurant

Angkor is a great Indian restaurant with a large selection of vegetarian and meat dishes.

Angkor India


A small expat suburb in Hanoi isn’t exactly the place you’d look to for authentic Tex-Mex fare, but, like a lot of things in Hanoi, this city has a way of surprising you.


Sandwiched between two Vietnamese barbecue spots, Anita’s Cantina is a revelation. Boasting big flavors and a cocktail menu that packs a serious punch, Anita’s Cantina is anything but subtle. 

The main brain behind the restaurant is Javier Rodriguez, who named the place after his childhood au pair, whose recipes would form the basis of his love for Mexican food.


Before opening Anita’s, Javier did pop-ups around town for two years, earning quite the reputation as a man who knows his way around a tortilla. 

Everything you eat at Anita’s is made in-house: from their tortillas to the four types of salsa they provide at every table. And it shows. When you dine at Anita’s, you feel like you’re eating at someone’s house. Or better yet, someone’s grandma’s house.


The food is wholly unpretentious, but complex and bold at the same time. Take their Pumpkin and Black Bean taco. For meat eaters, this might seem like inaccessible vegetarian fare, but take one bite and you won’t miss the meat. And if by chance you do, their Carnitas are sure to do the trick.


Be sure to look out for their weekly specials, the cha ca taco, in particular, for a cheeky twist on one of Hanoi’s most famous dishes. 

Despite the abundance of good local food in Hanoi, there are times when you just need a taco. For those times, Anita’s Cantina is the perfect stop. 

30 June 2020
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30 June 2020Best of today