Ha Long City

Ha Long needs 2 days, ideally with an overnight traditional cruise (junk boat) sailing among the bay's limestone islets. October-December brings the best weather, with less rain and humidity. It's inexpensive, though high-end cruises raise the budget. Its Ha Long Bay, with nearly 2,000 vegetation-covered limestone islets rising from the sea like a traditional Vietnamese painting, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the 7 natural wonders of the modern world.