About the destination: Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, and also its second largest city, is one of the most charming cities in Asia with a unique character. Years of foreign occupation have left a mark on this city as it is shown in the interesting museums, the historical buildings, the pagodas, the mausoleum, and its own French quarter give the city a very distinctive atmosphere. The best way to get to know Hanoi is to walk around. The historical center is not very extensive, many places to visit are there or in the immediate surroundings, and walking is the best way to have some contact with the friendly people of Hanoi. Hanoi is known as a city of lakes as there are many lakes and trees all around the city, the biggest being the West Lake, Ho Tay, and the most famous in the city center being the Lake of the Restored Sword, Ho Hoan Kiem. The beautiful thing about Hanoi is the interesting contrasts of architecture, ranging from the traditional old buildings of the Old Quarter to the European style huge buildings of the French Quarter to the Communist monuments at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and surrounding areas, not to mention the beautiful traditional architecture of its temples such as the Quan Su Pagoda. Hanoi is a peaceful and hectic city, buzzing with street life and exotic markets yet serene around the tranquil pagodas and temples. The City of the Soaring Dragon is the place to be in Vietnam.

About the destination: Siem Reap is the capital city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia. It is a popular resort town and a gateway to the Angkor region. Siem Reap has colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old French Quarter, and around the Old Market. In the city, there are museums, traditional Apsara dance performances, a Cambodian cultural village, souvenir and handycraft shops, silk farms, rice-paddies in the countryside, fishing villages and a bird sanctuary near the Tonle Sap Lake. Siem Reap today—being a popular tourist destination—has a large number of hotels, resorts, restaurants and businesses closely related to tourism. This is much owed to its proximity to the Angkor temples, the most popular tourist attraction in Cambodia.