Vietnam's teardrop island off the Cambodian coast mixes powdery Long Beach sunsets with fishing-village seafood at prices that feel like typos. Visa-exempt entry for short stays keeps admin painless. The south's Sao Beach does the white-sand-turquoise-water thing; the north stays sleepy and rural. November to March is dry, golden and — by tropical standards — outrageously good value.
Featured in Ten affordable tropical escapes that won't empty your savings · Tropical
Vietnam's island in the Gulf of Thailand is the country's fish-sauce capital, and everything downstream benefits: bún quậy noodles you season yourself, herring salad rolled at your table and night-market seafood priced by the basket. The Dinh Cau night market in Dương Đông is the main event — pick your fish from the tank and name your cooking style. November to March brings dry weather and flat, swimmable seas.
Featured in Ten tropical escapes where the food is half the point · Tropical