Vietnam
Best time to go: March or October/November.
Key attractions: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh city, Cu Chi tunnels, boat trips on the Mekong Delta, beaches at Da Nang, Nha Trang and Phan Thiet, temples of Hue and Nha Trang, the old merchant houses of Hoi An, rock formations at Ha Long Bay.
Visa: necessary for UK nationals – takes 10 days and costs £40 if you organise it yourself. Operators can do it for you, but this can take up to three weeks.
Currency: the Vietnamese Dong, a non-convertible currency, US dollars can be used in hotels and restaurants. About 22,000d = £1.
Getting there: Thai Airlines via Bangkok, Singapore Airlines via Singapore, or Vietnam Airlines via Paris.
Language: Vietnamese. English is spoken as a second language.
Time difference: GMT +7hrs.
Cost of living: can of coke 30p, Happy Saigon cocktail at the 1920s-style Majestic hotel in Ho Chi Minh city £2.50; can of local Ba Ba Ba beer 30p, 5min taxi ride for five people, 50p; six spring rolls 50p.