Backpacking in Vietnam among 20 most ideal summer ideas: American magazine

By Hoang Phong June 3, 2022 | 03:00 am PT

A foreign tourist wearing traditional ethnic costume plays with an elephant in Buon Don District, Dak Lak Province. Photo by VnExpress/Hua Quoc Anh

U.S. magazine Travel + Leisure has recommended a backpacking trip to Southeast Asian destinations including Vietnam as among 20 best vacation ideas this summer.

It advised American tourists to go explore Bali, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia where they can take a cooking class, go temple-hopping or have an ethical elephant experience, which does not include riding.

"The region is famous for its far lower prices on food, hotels, activities, and excursions than most Westerners are used to," Travel + Leisure wrote.

In Vietnam, tourists can visit Dak Lak, home to the country's largest elephant population, in which provincial authorities have been committed to halting elephant tours to save the animal from extinction.

Visitors to Dak Lak can now take a tour with a limited number of people to trek through the forest and see elephants, learn about their history and why they live in Yok Don National Park.

Tour guides will also inform visitors of the long-standing tradition of training and taking care of elephants among the residents in the Central Highlands, particularly ethnic minorities.

The American magazine also recommended other travel experiences like hiking to Machu Picchu, going on safari in South Africa, exploring U.S. National Parks, wandering Europe by train, and driving the Pacific Coast Highway.