Asia

Vietnam is a sensory overload in the best possible way—a land where chaotic, motorbike-filled streets somehow harmonize with serene emerald waters and world-class street food that costs less than your morning coffee. And whether you’re dreaming of the bustling energy of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, cruising the limestone pillars of Ha Long Bay, or cycling through the ancient, lantern-lit streets of Hoi An, we’ve got the insider intel to get you cheap flights to Vietnam. Ditch the premium price tags, snag the best Vietnam flight deals, and finally make your Southeast Asian adventure happen without breaking the bank.

Taking the stress out of a trip to the coast :-)

Frankfurt

Germany

Da Nang

Vietnam

Vietnam is a sensory overload in the best possible way—a land where chaotic, motorbike-filled streets somehow harmonize with serene emerald waters and world-class street food that costs less than your morning coffee.

Da Nang, Vietnam 🌴 in €1020s-€1140s rtn

Your ultimate cross-country adventure is loading... 

Ho Chi Minh City

Munich

Hanoi

Vietnam 🛤️ in €670s-€690s rtn 

How does a spontaneous luxury holiday sound? ✨

Vietnam 🌿 in €1100s-€1160s rtn

London Gatwick

Forget the stereotype that England is nothing but endless gray drizzle, overpriced tourist traps in London, and people obsessing over the weather. We’re here to help you get past the postcard clichés and uncover the real magic, from the rolling hills of the Cotswolds and the moody peaks of the Lake District to the buzzing, eclectic streets of Manchester. We’re always hunting down the best England flight deals so you can save your cash for the actual essentials—like proper pub grub and a decent pint. This is your insider’s guide to booking cheap flights to England, and proving that the best of the UK is well within reach if you know how to search for it.

England

We’re here to help you get past the postcard clichés and uncover the real magic, from the rolling hills of the Cotswolds and the moody peaks of the Lake District to the buzzing, eclectic streets of Manchester.

Hanoi 🍜 in £360s-£370s rtn

Bangkok

Ditch the overpriced travel guides and stop treating cheap flights to Thailand like a myth. From the chaotic, delicious street eats of Bangkok to chasing paradise on the dreamy, Instagram-perfect islands of Phuket and Krabi, Thailand is waiting—and we've got the insider articles and outrageous Flights to get you there without breaking the bank. Whether you're looking for last-minute flights or planning your perfect Thailand travel adventure for next year, this page is your ultimate cheat sheet for unlocking the Land of Smiles on a budget.

Thailand

Ditch the overpriced travel guides and stop treating cheap flights to Thailand like a myth. From the chaotic, delicious street eats of Bangkok to chasing paradise on the dreamy, Instagram-perfect islands of Phuket and Krabi, Thailand is waiting.

Thailand and Vietnam 🛵 in €570s-€590s rtn

Non-stop? ✅ High season? ✅ Fancy premium economy? ✅ What's not to love?!

Ho Chi Minh City 🏙️ at €1556 rtn 

Great deal - Prices only seem to go this low infrequently and briefly, so I don't think I would have got them this cheap without JFC alerts

Postcard from Tom

Postcard from IndomitableWayfarer77167

Thank you for this email!! I booked it straightaway and we are off to Saigon, Vietnam in September for 2 weeks!! Only &pound;313 return from Gatwick, (less than &pound;400 each including row 2/ row 8 seats and baggage!)
<div>What a super result!!</div>

Postcard from Elaine

I flew from Luxembourg to Hanoi one way for only around &euro;270. Amazing offer, and I recommend it fully.

China Southern Review from Leonard

Very spur of the moment but couldn&#39;t pass such a deal, thank you!! 

Postcard from AudaciousRover74453

We Booked 2 Business Class tickets from Vancouver to Hanoi then returning from Bangkok to Vancouver. 58 days in South East Asia visiting Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand. 
This is going to be a real adventure.

Postcard from Trevor & Janet

Scotland

Italy

Mexico

Hey there, Travellers,
I'm heading to Senegal next month, and I can more or less guarantee that I will be attacked by the world's deadliest animal. That's not pessimism; it's just realism.&nbsp;
Apparently, the it isn't a hippo (though I hear they're pretty scary), and it's not a snake or a spider; it's actually the most annoying animal in the world, too&mdash;<a href="https://ourworldindata.org/deadliest-animals">the mosquito</a>.
I might try something new to keep them at bay and spend my whole trip&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/evaamsen/2019/04/05/skrillex-music-is-not-enough-to-keep-you-safe-from-mosquitoes/">blasting dubstep beats</a>, rendering myself the most annoying animal instead. But if you have any better, tried-and-true methods for keeping the bitey beasts away, please share your wisdom <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/detour-228-scotland-by-public-transport-the-creme-de-la-creme-of-cable-cars#comments">in the comments</a>.
Happy travels and safe landings,

Katy - Editor of The Detour

The Cr&egrave;me de la Cr&egrave;me of Cable Cars: As Chosen by You

With journeys spanning more than 30 countries and ten years, Akasha's best memories live in the pages of her passport. She always consults her tarot (and her cats) before any big trip. Currently based in Ireland, when she isn't travelling, she&rsquo;s probably drawing in a caf&eacute; somewhere.

By Akasha

The only line we&rsquo;ll happily wait in? The cable car queue&hellip;&nbsp;
Turns out we&rsquo;re not the only ones with this niche obsession! A few weeks ago we asked for your thoughts on the best cable cars you&rsquo;ve been on.&nbsp;
From Chile to China, our latest rabbit hole crisscrossed through centuries of architectural feats&mdash;including France&rsquo;s mercifully brief (yet whimsical)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGbzYqcl6OI">underwater death trap</a>.&nbsp;
Your recommendations poured in too, along with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/jacksflightclub/permalink/2753016238387553/">some incredibly dizzying pics</a> in our Facebook community.&nbsp;
And we must say, they were pretty&nbsp;uplifting. Take a look! 
<h2 dir="ltr">Cableb&uacute;s, Mexico City</h2>
Manufacturer: Doppelmayr (Austria) / Leitner (Italy)
Objective: Mass transit system connecting high-altitude neighborhoods to the Mexico City Metro
Launch Date: 2021&nbsp;
Vertical Ascent: Varies by line; Line 2 traverses the Sierra de Santa Catarina volcanic ridge
Capacity: Each cabin holds 10; capable of transporting 3,000 people per hour per direction
Track Length: About 10,550 meters (Line 2)
Transit Length: 36 minutes (Line 2 total journey)

<a href="https://www.flickrhelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/40048459562388-Copyright-Licenses-on-Flickr">CC image</a> courtesy of Ted McGrath <a href="https://flic.kr/p/2pxDixx">on Flickr</a>

&ldquo;A great way to view Mexico City from above is by <a href="https://getlostinmexicocity.com/mexico-city-cable-car/">using Cableb&uacute;s</a>, Line 2 is the longest cable car in the world taking around 45 minutes, costing 7 MXP per journey (30 pence). You need a Tarjeta Card to tap in.
It&rsquo;s also an easy connection from the metro system; you just need to change cable cars at Xalpa to continue the journey. It&rsquo;s well worth getting off at&nbsp;<a href="https://mexicocity.cdmx.gob.mx/venues/mercado-quetzalcoatl/?lang=en">Quetzalcoatl </a>for the local market. Great views of the rooftop murals, and don't miss the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUWl-i9jY4-/">parked airplane</a> (turned library) on the ground.&nbsp;
Top tip: don't travel at rush hour, instead go off-peak to avoid the crowds&rdquo; - GallantHiker6933

Mexico City&rsquo;s cable car system isn&rsquo;t just for tourists! The line connects local communities in between Indios Verdes &amp; Cuautepec, cutting down on lengthy commute times and unsafe conditions. Not only that, it&rsquo;s helped reduce air pollution in this mega metropolis. Line 2 holds the Guinness World Record for the longest public cable car on earth (10.55 km), and over 100 massive murals and 3,000 brightly painted rooftops were commissioned specifically to be viewed from above.

<h2 id="prada-costabella-italy">Prada Costabella, Italy</h2>
Manufacturer: Graffer (Italy)
Objective: Direct transit from Prada (San Zeno di Montagna) to the Costabella ridge on Mount Baldo
Launch Date: August 2022 (Complete overhaul and reopening)
Vertical Ascent: Elevates passengers 838 meters
Capacity: Each "open basket" holds 2; capable of transporting 400 people per hour
Track Length: About 3,000 meters of cable (across two sections)
Transit Length: 22 minutes in total

&ldquo;Lake Garda. Rickety-looking&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prada-costabella.it/en/">birdcage thingies</a>! You could hear everything as there was no glass. Saw an eagle swoop right below us.&rdquo;&nbsp;- Emma

Rickety indeed! If you can get over <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VftUF7j_rLg">climbing into a metal cage</a> for one section of your journey, Funivia Prada Costabella&rsquo;s cable cars lead to mountain huts and the highest peaks of Monte Baldo with insane views of Lake Garda below. The baskets don&rsquo;t stop to let you on, and we&rsquo;re not sure which is more anxiety-ridden: the running jump start or the leap of faith to get off.

<h2 id="vung-tau-cable-car-vietnam">Vung Tau Cable Car, Vietnam</h2>
Manufacturer: Doppelmayr (Austria)&nbsp;
Objective: Direct transit from <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g303946-d8331363-Reviews-Front_Beach-Vung_Tau_Ba_Ria_Vung_Tau_Province.html">Front Beach</a> (Bai Truoc) to the summit of <a href="https://asialegend.travel/blog/big-mountain-vung-tau-guideline-for-first-timers">Big Mountain</a> (Nui Lon)
Launch Date: February 2010
Vertical Ascent: Elevates passengers 210-250 meters above sea level&nbsp;
Capacity: Each cabin holds 8; capable of transporting 3,000 people per hour&nbsp;
Track Length: About 455-500 meters of cable&nbsp;
Transit Length: 10 minutes

<a href="https://www.flickrhelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/40048459562388-Copyright-Licenses-on-Flickr">CC image</a> courtesy of &nbsp;Фотобанк on <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/moscow-live/44911896115/in/photolist-7XwdPi-7TBUga-8v2zZj-2bHoAJQ-2bqHd1t-P4eHwz-2bqHfDK-P4eHxX-2cPpZ2B-2cPpZ7X">Flickr</a>

&ldquo;When in the <a href="https://www.vietnamcoracle.com/vung-tau-city-by-the-sea/">criminally underrated Vung Tau</a>, a couple of hours south of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in September last year, I took the modest 5-minute cable car alone on the way to Hồ M&acirc;y Park - a mountain-top amusement resort that is as bizarre as it is fun.&nbsp;
Needless to say, I went in the middle of a full-on thunderstorm, and (even though I generally love cable cars) decided that the only way to 'survive' was to make no sudden movements and grip the metal bars with a force that Newton himself had never discovered.&nbsp;
A dramatic recollection? Yes. A fun evening? Also yes. Give it a go...?&rdquo;&nbsp;- RapturousWanderer78593

At its summit, you&rsquo;ll find a <a href="https://sklegendvungtau.com/Services/may-lake-tourist-area">mountaintop water park</a> (and an artificial lake), the first in Vietnam. Its &ldquo;Adventure Oasis&rdquo; is the world&rsquo;s longest water coaster designed exclusively for kids. 
<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/jacks-coolest-cable-car-rides">See more cable cars, ft. bendy roads and Balkan bobsleighing...</a>

Reader's Corner

A Local's Guide to Scotland by Public Transport

The Detour Editor Katy is a budget travel aficionado who has already travelled to more than 50 countries. Whether she's at home or on a foreign adventure, she has a particular talent for stumbling upon tasty Georgian restaurants.

By Katy

<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/local-guide-to-scotland-by-public-transport">Open the full article &rarr;</a>
When I was a student, I spent a couple of summers working in the Visit Scotland information centres in Aberdeen and Glasgow. People from all over the world would drop in for a map, some tips, help with accommodation, or to book a tour&mdash;but they all had a different idea of how they wanted to see the country and in what timeframe.&nbsp;
The majority of visitors staying longer than a few days tended either towards a self-drive road trip or a full-on guided tour. Both have their merits, of course, but I was surprised at how few people thought of taking public transport to get around the country. This has only intensified in recent years with the surge in popularity of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.northcoast500.com/">North Coast 500</a>.

Here&rsquo;s where I confess: I don&rsquo;t drive&mdash;rather, I can&rsquo;t drive. Buses and trains are my go-to whether I&rsquo;m at home or away. All it takes is a little patience and planning (and a decent podcast), and you really can reach most places without getting behind the wheel.&nbsp;
So here are some tips from me, a local and a public transport nerd, to help you make the most of travelling around Scotland without a car.
<h2 dir="ltr" role="presentation">Trains</h2>
ScotRail is the main train company operating routes across Scotland. Others do operate within Scotland, but they tend to be long-distance routes connecting us across the border. These include LNER, Avanti, TransPennine, CrossCountry, and Lumo. Additionally, the Caledonian Sleeper runs a night train service 6 days a week (no Saturdays) <a href="https://www.sleeper.scot/about/our-trains/">between London and various parts of Scotland</a>.
Our <a href="https://www.scotrail.co.uk/plan-your-journey/our-routes">train network</a> is actually pretty decent, connecting even more remote parts of the country and often syncing up with island ferries. That&rsquo;s especially handy for any of you planning to tackle the <a href="https://www.westhighlandway.org/the-route/">West Highland Way</a>, go on a <a href="https://www.edinburghwhiskyacademy.com/blogs/feature/exploring-scotland-s-distilleries-by-train-and-on-foot">distillery crawl</a>, or even just enjoy a <a href="https://www.airbnb.co.uk/s/stonehaven--united-kingdom/homes?refinement_paths%5B%5D=%2Fhomes&amp;place_id=ChIJCUqwt7MYhEgR5yb_p6JQLZg&amp;adults=2&amp;query=stonehaven%2C%20united%20kingdom&amp;flexible_trip_lengths%5B%5D=one_week&amp;monthly_start_date=2026-04-01&amp;monthly_length=3&amp;monthly_end_date=2026-07-01&amp;price_filter_input_type=2&amp;channel=EXPLORE&amp;ne_lat=56.56973657468622&amp;ne_lng=-2.5626367884672447&amp;sw_lat=56.547377010487565&amp;sw_lng=-2.605995674858775&amp;zoom=14.636762951783304&amp;zoom_level=14.636762951783304&amp;search_by_map=true&amp;search_type=user_map_move&amp;price_filter_num_nights=5&amp;search_mode=regular_search">windswept coastal retreat</a>.
It&rsquo;s easy to get swept up in the romance of a Scottish train journey, especially on the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/travel/article/20231204-the-west-highland-line-one-of-the-worlds-most-scenic-train-lines">West Highland Line</a> from Glasgow to Mallaig. Just look out for flying cars along the way&hellip; If you stick it out all the way to the end, you&rsquo;ll be treated to <a href="https://www.wayfaringkiwi.com/things-to-do-in-mallaig/#Things_to_do_in_Mallaig">rugged coastal beauty</a> featuring cozy pubs with live music and a roaring log fire.

<h2 dir="ltr">Buses</h2>
Anyone who has ever travelled on a budget in the UK has taken a long-distance bus ride. Sure, they take a little longer than the train, the legroom can sometimes be pretty rotten, and the single lavatory often makes itself known to everyone onboard. But it&rsquo;s always affordable, and sometimes it&rsquo;s your only option.
While the train network is decent, Scotland has a lot of rural spots in between that rely on bus connections. Taking a long-distance coach between bigger towns is a good start, but if you want to reach <a href="https://www.visitscotland.com/things-to-do/attractions/castles/scotland-castle-trail">those castles</a> and <a href="https://www.wowscotlandtours.com/blog/how-to-visit-the-old-man-of-storr/">rock formations</a>, you&rsquo;ll likely need to catch a local country bus from the closest hub, too.&nbsp;
Take the <a href="https://maltwhiskytrail.com/">Speyside Malt Whisky Trail</a>, for example&mdash;a major draw for international visitors who love a tipple. Somehow, the steam billowing from the distillery chimney stacks, nestled in among the hills and on the banks of roaring rivers, actually adds to the charm of these <a href="https://must-see-scotland.com/is-moray-in-the-highlands">(almost) Highland</a> towns and villages.
The buses here even go beyond our charming borders. Living on an island, it always feels like a novelty when I see a bus to a different country, but it is possible, even in Glasgow. If you want to avoid the cheap Ryanair hop from Scotland to Ireland, simply spend 9 hours on a coach*, and you&rsquo;ll be breathing in the brisk Donegal air before you know it.
*the coach may or may not board a ferry across the Irish Sea to Belfast before continuing west.

This summer, our friends at Lupine Racing are running a 3-day public transport race across the UK and Ireland! Join us for a fast-paced challenge by land and sea before a splendid summer soiree.

See You on the Scenic Route: a Public Transport Race Across the UK & Ireland!

<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/local-guide-to-scotland-by-public-transport">Read more, including island hopping, unlimited travel passes, and all the nitty-gritty...</a>

Travel Tips

All the important (or silly, or strange) travel news from across the web this week.
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">A man was arrested at the Nairobi airport for attempting to smuggle 2,000 Kenyan ants into China, and we&rsquo;re not sure which is weirder: this news story or the fact that it&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz7gd57z33zo">not the first time this has happened</a>. </li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">The US <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-restarts-global-entry-program-under-pressure-industry-2026-03-11/">reopened Global Entry this week</a>, after shutdown-induced lines kept international arrivals waiting for hours on end. </li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">An excellent reminder to switch your phone to airplane mode: These passengers got hit with <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/jan/12/mobile-phone-air-sea-charges-satellite-roaming">shockingly huge fees</a> when their devices kept trying to connect from the air. </li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Six guinea pigs <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxgd571497o">mysteriously appeared on the isle of Jersey</a>, and quickly scattered to evade capture. So if you&rsquo;ve got an island holiday coming up, keep an eye out for furry fugitives! </li>
<li>And finally, you might have forgotten your passport before trying to board a plane, but at least you weren&rsquo;t <a href="https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/jet2-flight-glasgow-turkey-delayed-36852518">supposed to be the one flying it</a>.</li>
</ul>

Travel News

A Local's Guide to Visiting Scotland by Public Transport & the Crème de la Crème of Cable Cars

China

Malaysia

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Ireland

<h2 dir="ltr">Tianmen Cable Car, China</h2>
Manufacturer: Poma (France)
Objective: Direct transit from <a href="https://chinaexplorertour.com/2025/destination-guide/zhangjiajie-dayong-ancient-city-travel-guide-tips-info/">Zhangjiajie City</a> to the summit of <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g494933-d1871611-Reviews-Tianmen_Mountain_National_Forest_Park-Zhangjiajie_Hunan.html">Tianmen Mountain</a>
Launch Date: September 2005
Vertical Ascent: Elevates passengers 1,279 meters above sea level
Capacity: Each cabin holds 8; capable of transporting 1,000&ndash;1,200 people per hour
Track Length: About 7,455 meters of cable&nbsp;
Transit Length: 28&ndash;30 minutes

&ldquo;Tianmen Mountain 99-Bend Road a few months ago.&rdquo; - Slava

At 7,455 meters, <a href="https://www.zhangjiajieguide.com/attractions/tianmen-mountain/cable-car.html">this cable car</a> takes you to Heaven&rsquo;s Gate&mdash; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVgEzzBDy0z/">literally</a>. Unlike most cable cars that start at a mountain base, this one begins right in the city center near the railway station and flies over residential rooftops and farmland before ascending to the cliffs.

&ldquo;When in the <a href="https://www.vietnamcoracle.com/vung-tau-city-by-the-sea/">criminally underrated Vung Tau</a>, a couple of hours south of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in September last year, I took the modest 5-minute cable car alone on the way to Hồ M&acirc;y Park - a mountain-top amusement resort that is as bizarre as it is fun.&nbsp;
Needless to say, I went in the middle of a full-on thunderstorm, and (even though I generally love cable cars) decided that the only way to 'survive' was to make no sudden movements and grip the metal bars with a force that Newton himself had never discovered.&nbsp;
A dramatic recollection? Yes. A fun evening? Also yes. Give it a go...?&rdquo;&nbsp;- RapturousWanderer78593
<a href="https://www.flickrhelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/40048459562388-Copyright-Licenses-on-Flickr">CC image</a> courtesy of &nbsp;Фотобанк on <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/moscow-live/44911896115/in/photolist-7XwdPi-7TBUga-8v2zZj-2bHoAJQ-2bqHd1t-P4eHwz-2bqHfDK-P4eHxX-2cPpZ2B-2cPpZ7X">Flickr</a>

At its summit, you&rsquo;ll find a <a href="https://sklegendvungtau.com/Services/may-lake-tourist-area">mountaintop water park</a> (and an artificial lake), the first in Vietnam. Its &ldquo;Adventure Oasis&rdquo; is the world&rsquo;s longest water coaster designed exclusively for kids.

<h2 id="langkawi-skycab-malaysia">Langkawi SkyCab, Malaysia</h2>
Manufacturer: Doppelmayr (Austria)
Objective: Direct transit from the<a href="https://panoramalangkawi.com/oriental-village/"> Oriental Village</a> to the summit of <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g23318796-d25262663-Reviews-Machinchang_Peak_Hiking-Padang_Matsirat_Langkawi_Langkawi_District_Kedah.html">Machincang Mountain</a>
Launch Date: November 2002
Vertical Ascent: Elevates passengers 708 meters above sea level
Capacity: Each cabin holds 6; capable of transporting 700-800 people per hour
Track Length: About 2,200 meters of cable
Transit Length: 15 minutes (total journey including middle station stop)

&ldquo;I just went on <a href="https://panoramalangkawi.com/">the cable car in Langkawi</a> that is apparently the world's steepest! I'm not scared of heights but apparently this was near my limit, as my stomach was in knots on the way down! Superb views though, so definitely worth it!&rdquo; - ZestyCruiser17980

A 550-million-year-old ride. Sort of. The cable car climbs Gunung Machincang, the oldest rock formation in Southeast Asia&mdash;predating dinosaurs by hundreds of millions of years! On a perfectly clear day you can look north to Tarutao National Marine Park in Thailand. But if any gusts of wind exceed safety limits, the cable car&rsquo;s high-tech wind sensors shut it down, occasionally leaving tourists at the tea station for a &ldquo;forced&rdquo; break.

<h2 id="sarajevo-cable-car-bosnia-herzegovina">Sarajevo Cable Car, Bosnia &amp; Herzegovina</h2>
Manufacturer: LEITNER AG (Italy)
Objective: Connecting the Bistrik neighborhood in the Old Town to the Vidikovac peak on Mount Trebević
Launch Date: Originally opened May 3, 1959; reconstructed and reopened April 6, 2018
Vertical Ascent: Elevates passengers from 583 m to 1,160 m&nbsp;
Capacity: Each cabin holds 10; capable of transporting 1,200 people per hour
Track Length: About 2,100 meters of cable
Transit Length: 7 to 9 minutes

"Sarajevo, top of the cable car next to the bobsleigh." - Scott
<hr>
"Another vote for Sarajevo" - Ed

Before Bosnia-Herzegovina&rsquo;s brutal war in the 90s, Mount Trebevic was a beloved place of peace for hikers. The cable car&rsquo;s inauguration in 1959 meant greater access to &ldquo;the lungs of the city&rdquo; for all of Sarajevo&rsquo;s residents. And in 1984 it became an important venue for the Winter Olympics, with the <a href="https://www.heartmybackpack.com/blog/olympic-bobsleigh-track-sarajevo-bosnia/">world&rsquo;s most modern bobsleigh track</a> newly built on the mountain&rsquo;s slopes.
Eight years later, the mountain became the enemy when the cable car guard became the first victim of the war in 1992. From the mountaintop, countless bullets rained down on Sarajevo, killing more than 11,500 people during a 1,425-day siege&mdash;the longest blockade of a capital in modern history. After the war, the cable car fell by the wayside until a $4 million donation from an American doctor, Edmond Offerman, and his Bosnian wife, scientist Maja Serdarevic Offerman,&nbsp;<a href="https://snagalokalnog.ba/en/as-dr-edmond-offermann-returned-the-cable-car-to-sarajevo-love-and-his-wife-maja-are-to-blame-for-everything/">revitalized the restoration project</a>.
April 6th, 2018 was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2018/apr/06/sarajevo-reopened-cable-car-lifts-city-out-of-the-past-bosnia-herzegovina-serb-siege-yugoslavia">the date of revival</a>, an important date marking both the city&rsquo;s WWII liberation and the start of the 1992 siege. The upper station is now named after Ramo Biber, the guard who was tragically shot dead two decades before. At the reopening, Sarajevo's mayor declared, &ldquo;We have renovated the last destroyed symbol of Sarajevo. This is a monument to love.&rdquo;

<h2 dir="ltr">Bonus Rec from the Jack's team: Dursey Island Cable Car, Ireland</h2>
Manufacturer: British Chairlift Company Limited&nbsp;
Objective: Lifeline transport for residents and farmers across the turbulent Dursey Sound
Launch Date: December 5, 1969
Vertical Ascent: Runs approximately 22&ndash;25 meters above the seawater
Capacity: Holds 6 passengers (or 1 person and 1 coffin); transports approx. 48 people per hour
Track Length: About 374 meters across the open sea
Transit Length: 7.5 to 10 minutes

&ldquo;Ireland's only Cable Car sways from the Beara Peninsula, Cork, to Dursey Island. One time the island was inhabited by hundreds of people; now it&rsquo;s home to 4 people and hundreds of sheep! Go early to have time to see the island and keep in mind the last car back is at 7:30 pm. Bring your own food and water (there&rsquo;s no shops on the island). And dress warm.&rdquo; - Henry, Member Experience

During Dursey&rsquo;s booming days, the island was infamously hard to reach, often capsizing boats in its treacherous tides. For that reason, Ireland&rsquo;s only cable car was built, being only one of two in Europe that crosses open water (the other is in Barcelona).&nbsp;
In its glory days, it was the only cable car on the planet that transported not just humans but livestock. Cows and sheep dangled above the Atlantic until 2012, when a health and safety ban was introduced. That said, funerals take absolute priority to this day, so if a coffin needs to cross to the island&rsquo;s burial ground, you better be prepared to wait.&nbsp;

<h2 dir="ltr">Honorable Mentions</h2>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation"><a href="https://www.christchurchattractions.nz/christchurch-gondola/">Christchurch Gondola, New Zealand</a> - 1,000 meters of pure silence and uninterrupted views of the city and the Southern Alps.&nbsp;</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation"><a href="https://en.loenskylift.no/">Loen Skylift, Norway</a> - One of the steepest cable cars in the world soars above fjords</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hFklJ3cmzC8">Mi Teleferico, La Paz, Bolivia</a> - The world&rsquo;s longest and highest cable car, used by 200,000 people per day, covering 30 km.&nbsp;</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/C9XKiEsEozY">Ngong Ping 360, Hong Kong</a>&nbsp;- This glass-bottom cable car is not for the faint of heart&mdash;but those views!&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=cable+car+great+wall+of+china&amp;oq=cable+car+great+wall&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBwgAEAAYgAQyBwgAEAAYgAQyCQgBEEUYORiABDIHCAIQABiABDIHCAMQABiABDIICAQQABgWGB4yBggFEEUYPDIGCAYQRRg9MgYIBxBFGD3SAQgzNDgzajBqNKgCALACAQ&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&amp;vld=cid:81a81627,vid:pOPNevckhpM,st:0">Mutianyu Great Wall Cable Car , China</a> - A chairlift up and toboggan back down have to be the coolest ways to see one of the world&rsquo;s seven wonders.</li>
</ul>

Cloud Nine, Literally: the World's Coolest Cable Car Rides, As Chosen By the Jack's Community

Canada

Uzbekistan

South Korea

Japan

Kyrgyzstan

Kazakhstan

Hey there Travellers,
You'll all be glad to know that I made it back from Portugal last weekend without so much as a drop of wine spilled down my front.
However, it's safe to say that my jeans were feeling a little tighter after a few days of sampling the Portuguese cuisine. Nobody warned me that I'd still be dreaming of that mustardy <a href="https://tasteporto.com/pt/portuguese-francesinha-the-deconstructed-version/">pica-pau</a> sauce a week later!
And no sooner had I returned than, once again, the good old&nbsp;Pastel de Bel&eacute;m was named <a href="https://www.tasteatlas.com/best/foods-by-category">sweet pastry of the year</a> for 2025. But would you visit just for its custardy goodness?&nbsp;
A few weeks ago, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/jacksflightclub/permalink/2654233541599157">we asked our Facebook Community</a> what food they'd travel abroad for time and time again. For me, it's an authentic&nbsp;<a href="https://polinachesnakova.com/blog/2020/3/29/imeruli-khachapuri">Imeruli khachapuri</a>, for others it's a Costa Rican breakfast, or Indian street food.
So tell me, dear readers, what's the tasty treat that you'd hop on a plane for right now? <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/detour-216-island-life-bc-and-diy-pan-asian-adventure#comments">Let us know in the comments</a> (so we can organize a grand Jack's Food Club tour, obviously).
Happy travels and safe landings,

Win 5 Nights in Dreamy Puglia

We&rsquo;ve teamed up with DAYMADE to give one lucky Jack's member an unforgettable 5-night escape for 2 to Puglia &mdash; flights, hotel, sunshine, all sorted.
It&rsquo;s totally free to enter. Just pop your details in, and you&rsquo;re in the draw.
Someone&rsquo;s going&hellip; why not you?

In Partnership with DAYMADE

A Taste of Island Life: Day Trips from the British Columbian Capital

A San Diego native, Olivia left home a few years ago to live on the road. Since then, she's had homebases everywhere from Quebec to England to New Orleans, but she always ends up back on the West Coast.&nbsp;

By Olivia

This week, Jack's released a new <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/jacks-guide-to-victoria">city guide to Victoria</a>: British Columbia's provincial capital, located at the southern end of Vancouver Island.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The island,&rdquo; as it's colloquially known, is truly the jewel of the Pacific Northwest. It's roughly the size of Belgium, and packed with seaside villages and lush woodlands. Everywhere you turn, there are rocky coastlines, moss-covered pine trees, and boardwalk caf&eacute;s.
While the charming capital city is worth a few days on its own, it'd be a shame to stay in town when there's so much beauty right in your backyard. And you don't have to look very far to catch views around here! Even a quick stopover in Victoria comes with some pretty lovely day trips.&nbsp;
So if you find yourself contemplating a visit to the island (and any cheap YYJ fares that you just so happen to see in your inbox), allow me to introduce you to some local sights...
<h3 dir="ltr" id="butchart-gardens">Butchart Gardens</h3>
This is THE day trip from Victoria &mdash; the one pretty much every visitor takes.&nbsp;

<p dir="ltr" id="its-not-hard-to-see-why-the-butchart-gardens-cover-55-acres-of-land-in-beautiful-floral-displays-descend-into-the-manicured-sunken-garden-meander-through-a-forest-of-japanese-maples-and-admire-fountain-after-bubbling-fountain-while-its-worth-seeing-at-any-time-of-year-springs-rose-blossoms-and-autumns-bright-red-foliage-make-for-especially-colorful-visits">It&rsquo;s not hard to see why!&nbsp;<a href="https://butchartgardens.com/">The Butchart Gardens</a> cover 55 acres of land in beautiful floral displays. Descend into the manicured Sunken Garden, meander through a forest of Japanese maples, and admire fountain after bubbling fountain. While it&rsquo;s worth seeing at any time of year, spring&rsquo;s rose blossoms and autumn&rsquo;s bright red foliage make for especially colorful visits.
You can reach the Butchart Gardens from downtown Victoria in about 30 minutes by car, or with a one-hour bus ride aboard the 75 or 30.
<h3 dir="ltr">Nanaimo</h3>
Pronounced nah-NYE-mo, this is the second-largest city on the island. It&rsquo;s got a much more small-town feel, with a cute downtown and Old City Quarter.

Other than whale-watching and ferry connections, its biggest claim to fame is the Nanaimo bar: a chocolatey, coconutty, custardy treat that just might ruin you for every other caf&eacute; dessert.
You can get to Nanaimo from Victoria by city bus or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.islandlinkbus.com/">Island Link</a>, but driving the full ~90 minutes yourself is much more fun. The highways will take you through several charming villages worth the stop &mdash; my favorites are Cowichan Bay, Duncan, Chemainus, and Ladysmith. Expect cozy shops, dockside restaurants, small local museums, and tons of gorgeous bay and island views.
<h3 dir="ltr">Provincial and Regional Parks</h3>
The island may only have one &mdash; difficult-to-reach &mdash; National Park, but it&rsquo;s covered in Provincial and Regional Parks. These protected areas include dense, mossy woodland, waterfalls, tons of lakes, and rocky coastlines.

I could fill an entire article just with outdoor day trips from Victoria, but a few highlights within a mere half-hour&rsquo;s drive include Thetis Lake (Canada&rsquo;s first nature sanctuary), Mount Wells (known for wildflowers and a challenging summit hike), and Goldstream (massive trees and a beautiful waterfall).
<h3 dir="ltr">Sidney</h3>
One of my favorite things about Vancouver Island is the abundance of lovely coastal towns, and Sidney is one of the coolest and most accessible from Victoria.
Unique highlights here include the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea (a small but very well-done aquarium), a fish market frequented by the local seals, and a pier that offers an excellent view of the Gulf. On clear days, you can even spot Washington&rsquo;s Mount Baker across the water.

It&rsquo;s also home to the Victoria airport, and the first big town you&rsquo;ll see if you arrive at Swartz Bay on the ferry. This means you&rsquo;ll likely pass through Sidney anyway, so take some time to look around!
<h3 dir="ltr">Salt Spring Island</h3>
If you only take one more ferry during your trip, it should be the one to Salt Spring! This island is around the size of Aruba, and it&rsquo;s become quite the artistic outpost on the Gulf. The main town, Ganges, is packed with galleries and nifty boutiques, plus there&rsquo;s a weekly street market each Saturday where local artists take to the sidewalks.
It&rsquo;s also one of the best hiking spots in the area &mdash; drive down to Ruckle Provincial Park and follow the trail along the coast for some gorgeous, peak Pacific Northwestern views.

To get there from downtown Victoria, either drive or take one of several direct buses up to Swartz Bay, then hop on the ferry to Fulford Harbour. You&rsquo;ll be much better off with a car on Salt Spring Island, but <a href="https://www.bctransit.com/salt-spring-island/schedules-and-maps/">buses do run every couple hours</a> and cover most of the highlights. 
Want to learn more about Victoria? <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/jacks-guide-to-victoria">Check out the guide</a>.

Silk Road to Sakura: A Choose-Your-Own Adventure

&ldquo;I am looking into planning the itinerary for our big trip to Asia and it is a bit confusing where to start and what to do with visas (China). But we are planning to fly less and use rail and buses to enjoy the scenery. 
Our departure airport is Manchester and we&rsquo;re aiming to be gone from the last week of March to about June. We definitely want to include: Uzbekistan, China, South Korea, Japan, and maybe Vietnam. Rough budget around &pound;2000.&rdquo;&nbsp;- Nehla

Navigator Akasha finds phenomenal Flights faster than you can decide where you want to take a trip to next. A pro at finding the best of the best fares, she's also a master at sharing must-visit spots for when you land.

Answered by Akasha

Hi there, Nehla! Wow, what an adventure! Consider me officially jealous. Slow travel is by far one of the best ways to connect with the land and the people (and yourself!) on a deeper level. It&rsquo;s the anti-checklist trip.&nbsp;
I&rsquo;ve done some research and dug up your best options for traveling overland, and flying when necessary.
<h2 dir="ltr" id="stage-1-manchester-to-uzbekistan">Stage 1: Manchester to Uzbekistan</h2>
Currently, <a href="https://www.google.com/travel/flights/search?tfs=CBwQAho8EgoyMDI2LTAzLTI1KAFqDAgDEggvbS8wNTJid3IMCAISCC9tLzBkbDNncgwIAxIIL20vMGZzbXmQAY4CQAFIAXABggELCP___________wGYAQI&amp;tfu=EgoIABAAGAAgAigB&amp;gl=GB">one-way fares</a> from Manchester to Samarkand or Tashkent in March are pretty decent, in the &pound;240s&ndash;&pound;380s.
Uzbekistan is a firm bucket-lister at Jack&rsquo;s, with Detour Editor Katy the first of us to chart a course through its mesmerizing blue mosques and mausoleums.

&ldquo;In Samarkand, your journey will no doubt start at<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/mar/31/registan-samarkand-square-history-cities-buildings"> Registan Square</a>, the city's most iconic landmark. It is dominated by three ornately tiled madrasahs&mdash;Ulugh Beg, Sher-Dor, and Tilla-Kari. Each one is a masterpiece, and pictures seriously do not do them justice.&nbsp;
There are hundreds of small alcoves and rooms to explore within the Madrasahs, not to mention handmade Uzbek crafts for sale. Needlework and embroidery are an integral part of the Uzbek culture, and you'll find gorgeous examples at shops all throughout the city.
If you look carefully, inside certain shops you&rsquo;ll spot narrow spiral staircases heading up. Follow them, and you&rsquo;ll emerge onto beautiful balconies overlooking the square, where you can grab a cuppa and watch the people go by.
Another highlight of Samarkand is <a href="https://www.baytalfann.com/post/the-beauty-history-of-shah-i-zinda">Shah-i-Zinda</a>, which is more or less a village of brightly-coloured mausoleums. To snap the best shots, plan to visit early in the day. The narrow pathways get pretty crowded, so a bit of patience is needed for unintentional photobombers.&rdquo; - Katy

<h2 dir="ltr">Stage 2: Uzbekistan to China</h2>
Option 1: Flying from Uzbekistan to China
Obviously, <a href="https://www.google.com/travel/explore?tfs=CBwQAxopEgoyMDI2LTA0LTA4agwIAxIIL20vMGZzbXlyDQgEEgkvbS8wZDA1dzNAAUgBcAKCAQsI____________AZgBArIBBBgBIAE&amp;tfu=GioaKAoSCVmL8zotQUhAEXruTojanVpAEhIJfdK0362sN0AR9NydEDUQTUA&amp;gl=GB">flying from Uzbekistan to China</a> is the easiest and quickest option and will cost you around&nbsp; &pound;100-&pound;180. Flying non-stop, you can either fly to Urumqi (close to the border with Kazakhstan), Guangzhou, Xian or Beijing.&nbsp;

Option 2: Crossing overland into China&nbsp;
Alternatively, if you&rsquo;re up for an adventure, you can cross overland into China, either via <a href="https://caravanistan.com/border-crossings/kazakhstan/#kazakhstan-%e2%80%93-china-border-crossings">Khazakstan</a> or <a href="https://caravanistan.com/border-crossings/kyrgyzstan/">Kyrgyzstan</a>. It&rsquo;s more difficult to cross from Kyrgyzstan because the region that borders it is Xinjiang, which is <a href="https://caravanistan.com/east-turkestan/">quite tightly controlled</a>, and they don&rsquo;t usually let foreigners visit. You&rsquo;d have an easier time crossing from Khorgos (Horgos) in Kazakhstan. The road is better, and you can cross by bus.&nbsp;
While you&rsquo;re in Kazakhstan, you might want to consider crossing the steppes by train; this <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2021/oct/22/across-kazakhstan-by-rail-a-photo-essay?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other&amp;fbclid=IwY2xjawOmN9FleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF5czdqRWlPU21WOWlvYmtzc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHl-dy5BRK4EbERMEiciMj5sJvKtWQcnvqEoTDjGx1kX5jg-U2dvxJt_U0Kr4_aem_karr_pNUs9Emx9HVMjFJ1g">dreamy photo-journal</a> certainly entices me to!
From Tashkent, you can take <a href="https://www.railrussia.com/routes/tashkent-almaty">a train overland to Almaty</a> (Khazakstan) in about 17 hours, and then catch a bus from <a href="https://thetripgoeson.com/almaty-to-urumqi/">Almaty to Urumqi</a> (China). The bus takes about 19&ndash;20 hours and costs around &pound;30 on average. This is by far the easiest way and beats trains with changes or separate border buses.&nbsp;
From Urumqi Railway Station, direct connections span Xinjiang regionally, as well as east to central China via the <a href="https://www.chinadiscovery.com/china-trains/urumqi-high-speed-train.html">Lanzhou-Xinjiang High-Speed Railway</a> &mdash; no transfers needed for most.
This 12-hour train route follows the ancient Silk Road via the oasis town of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RR-hlrRZrs">Turpan</a>. From here, it travels through some of China&rsquo;s wildest terrain, whizzing past lunar landscapes like the rainbow mountains of Zhangye and <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/china/gansu/dunhuang/attractions/mogao-grottoes/a/poi-sig/1496278/355964">the caves of the thousand Buddhas in Mogao</a>. This is one of the most important collections of Buddhist architecture in the world.&nbsp;

<h2 dir="ltr">Stage 3: China to South Korea</h2>
Option 1: Flying from China to South Korea
It&rsquo;s very <a href="https://www.google.com/travel/explore?tfs=CBwQAxooEgoyMDI2LTA0LTA4agwIAhIIL20vMDE5MTRyDAgEEggvbS8wNnFkM0ABSAFwAoIBCwj___________8BmAECsgEEGAEgAQ&amp;tfu=GgA&amp;gl=GB">easy to fly</a> between the two countries &mdash; expect to pay around &pound;60 one-way.
Option 2: China to South Korea via ferry
I imagine you'll train-hop from Urumqi across China to the Beijing area. From Beijing, hop on a high-speed train to Qingdao (3&ndash;4 hours, around &pound;40 for economy seats), where you can take <a href="https://4corners7seas.com/asia/china/china-korea-ferries/">a ferry to Incheon, South Korea</a>. The Weidong ferry sails every Mon/Wed/Fri at 17:30 and takes about 17&ndash;18 hours, costing around &pound;85+.&nbsp; 
<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/silk-road-to-sakura-a-choose-your-own-adventure">Continue reading...</a>

All the important (or silly, or strange) travel news from across web this week.
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Storm Bram&nbsp;<a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/storm-bram-flights-trains-ferries-cancelled-weather-warnings-b2881568.html">brought chaos to travellers</a> in the UK and Ireland this week, disrupting everything from flights to trains to ferries. </li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">No photo can truly do the Northern Lights justice, but these <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2025/12/08/25-award-winning-northern-lights-photos-to-inspire-your-next-adventure/">25 award-winning photographers</a> have gotten pretty close. </li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Spirit&rsquo;s bankruptcy is <a href="https://simpleflying.com/is-american-spirit-merger-in-the-cards-new-court-filing-draws-speculation/">drawing rumours of an American Airlines buy-out</a>. Now, would their celebrity couple name be Spamerican or Amerit?&nbsp; </li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">After several shipping containers full of fruit were <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/uk/cruise-ship-iona-delayed-fruit-overboard-b2879752.html">accidentally plunged into waters off the Isle of Wight</a>, officials have warned locals not to eat any loose bananas they find washed up on shore. Darn it, there goes our whole lunch plan! </li>
<li>And finally, let's&nbsp;paws on a warm and fuzzy note: From donuts to shrines, this entire neighborhood in Tokyo is <a href="https://japanjourneys.jp/tokyo/lifestyle/things-to-do/cat-lovers-need-to-visit-yanaka-right-now/">themed around its feline residents</a>. It's&nbsp;purr-fect!</li>
</ul>

A Taste of Island Life in British Columbia & a DIY Pan-Asian Adventure

Sometimes, we receive a question from the Jack's Community that sets our soul alight. The kind of question that excites us, ignites our wanderlust and transports us across continents.&nbsp;
This was one of those questions.&nbsp;
Navigator Kash fell so far down a pan-Asian rabbit hole that she's yet to fully emerge, so it's only right that we share all the goods she dug up along the way.
<hr>

Hi there, Nehla! Wow, what an adventure! Consider me officially jealous. Slow travel is by far one of the best ways to connect with the land and the people (and yourself!) on a deeper level. It&rsquo;s the anti-checklist trip.&nbsp;
I&rsquo;ve done some research and dug up your best options for traveling overland, and flying when necessary.

<h2 dir="ltr">Stage 1: Manchester to Uzbekistan</h2>
Currently, <a href="https://www.google.com/travel/flights/search?tfs=CBwQAho8EgoyMDI2LTAzLTI1KAFqDAgDEggvbS8wNTJid3IMCAISCC9tLzBkbDNncgwIAxIIL20vMGZzbXmQAY4CQAFIAXABggELCP___________wGYAQI&amp;tfu=EgoIABAAGAAgAigB&amp;gl=GB">one-way fares</a> from Manchester to Samarkand or Tashkent in March are pretty decent, in the &pound;240s&ndash;&pound;380s.
Uzbekistan is a firm bucket-lister at Jack&rsquo;s, with Detour Editor Katy the first of us to chart a course through its mesmerizing blue mosques and mausoleums.

&ldquo;In Samarkand, your journey will no doubt start at<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/mar/31/registan-samarkand-square-history-cities-buildings"> Registan Square</a>, the city's most iconic landmark. It is dominated by three impossibly ornately tiled madrasahs&mdash;Ulugh Beg, Sher-Dor, and Tilla-Kari. Each one is a masterpiece of Islamic architecture, and pictures seriously do not do them justice.&nbsp;
There are hundreds of small alcoves and rooms to explore within the Madrasahs, not to mention handmade Uzbek crafts for sale. Needlework and embroidery are an integral part of the Uzbek culture, and you'll find gorgeous examples at shops all throughout the city.
If you look carefully, inside certain shops you&rsquo;ll spot narrow spiral staircases heading up. Follow them, and you&rsquo;ll emerge onto beautiful balconies overlooking the square, where you can grab a cuppa and watch the people go by.
Another highlight of Samarkand is<a href="https://www.baytalfann.com/post/the-beauty-history-of-shah-i-zinda"> Shah-i-Zinda</a>, which is more or less a village of brightly-coloured mausoleums. To snap the best shots, plan to visit early in the day. The narrow pathways get pretty crowded, so a bit of patience is needed for unintentional photobombers.&rdquo; - Katy

Tip: When it comes to your first glimpse of public transport in this area of the world, you&rsquo;re in for an absolute treat in Tashkent. Its <a href="https://twinperspectives.co.uk/the-most-beautiful-metro-stations-in-tashkent-2025/">metro stations are more like museums</a>. A myriad of mosaics and motifs, each spinning tales of the Silk Road and crumbled empires.&nbsp;

Option 2: Crossing overland into China&nbsp;
Alternatively, if you&rsquo;re up for an adventure, you can cross overland into China, either via <a href="https://caravanistan.com/border-crossings/kazakhstan/#kazakhstan-%e2%80%93-china-border-crossings">Khazakstan</a> or <a href="https://caravanistan.com/border-crossings/kyrgyzstan/">Kyrgyzstan</a>. It&rsquo;s more difficult to cross from Kyrgyzstan because the region that borders it is Xinjiang, which is <a href="https://caravanistan.com/east-turkestan/">quite tightly controlled</a>, and they don&rsquo;t usually let foreigners visit. You&rsquo;d have an easier time crossing from Khorgos (Horgos) in Kazakhstan. The road is better, and you can cross by bus.&nbsp;
While you&rsquo;re in Kazakhstan, you might want to consider crossing the steppes by train; this <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2021/oct/22/across-kazakhstan-by-rail-a-photo-essay?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other&amp;fbclid=IwY2xjawOmN9FleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF5czdqRWlPU21WOWlvYmtzc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHl-dy5BRK4EbERMEiciMj5sJvKtWQcnvqEoTDjGx1kX5jg-U2dvxJt_U0Kr4_aem_karr_pNUs9Emx9HVMjFJ1g">dreamy photo-journal</a> certainly entices me to!

Tip: This website, <a href="https://caravanistan.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Caravanistan</a>, is a great resource for destinations all along the Silk Road. Here&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1Ml8xrhk9Jwr00_GdccYtBrEYScU&amp;ll=41.93493861474455%2C79.74287294999999&amp;z=3">a handy map of border crossings</a> on the Silk Road.

From Tashkent, you can take <a href="https://www.railrussia.com/routes/tashkent-almaty">a train overland to Almaty</a> (Khazakstan) in about 17 hours, and then catch a bus from <a href="https://thetripgoeson.com/almaty-to-urumqi/">Almaty to Urumqi</a> (China) the bus takes about 19&ndash;20 hours and costs around &pound;30 on average. This is by far the easiest way and beats trains with changes or separate border buses.&nbsp;
From Urumqi Railway Station, direct connections span Xinjiang regionally, as well as east to central China via the <a href="https://www.chinadiscovery.com/china-trains/urumqi-high-speed-train.html">Lanzhou-Xinjiang High-Speed Railway</a> &mdash; no transfers needed for most.
This 12-hour train route follows the ancient Silk Road via the oasis town of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RR-hlrRZrs">Turpan</a>. From here, it travels through some of China&rsquo;s wildest terrain, whizzing past lunar landscapes like the rainbow mountains of Zhangye and <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/china/gansu/dunhuang/attractions/mogao-grottoes/a/poi-sig/1496278/355964">the caves of the thousand Buddhas in Mogao</a>. This is one of the most important collections of Buddhist architecture in the world.&nbsp;

<h2 dir="ltr">Stage 3: China to South Korea</h2>
Option 1: Flying from China to South Korea
It&rsquo;s very <a href="https://www.google.com/travel/explore?tfs=CBwQAxooEgoyMDI2LTA0LTA4agwIAhIIL20vMDE5MTRyDAgEEggvbS8wNnFkM0ABSAFwAoIBCwj___________8BmAECsgEEGAEgAQ&amp;tfu=GgA&amp;gl=GB">easy to fly</a> between the two countries &mdash; expect to pay around &pound;60 one-way.

Option 2: China to South Korea via ferry
I imagine you'll train-hop from Urumqi across China to the Beijing area. From Beijing, hop on a high-speed train to Qingdao (3&ndash;4 hours, around &pound;40 for economy seats), where you can take <a href="https://4corners7seas.com/asia/china/china-korea-ferries/">a ferry to Incheon, South Korea</a>. The Weidong ferry sails every Mon/Wed/Fri at 17:30 and takes about 17&ndash;18 hours, costing around &pound;85+.&nbsp;

Tip: It&rsquo;s easier (and cheaper) to buy tickets in person than online, and you&rsquo;ll want to arrive no later than two hours before departure to fill out customs declaration and boarding cards. The amenities on board are basic, so pack snacks accordingly, or consider splurging for a higher tier like Business or Royal class.

<h2 dir="ltr">Stage 4: South Korea to Japan</h2>
Option 1: South Korea to Japan via ferry
Once you arrive in Incheon, you can then take an AREX train or subway to Seoul, which takes about an hour and costs around &pound;5.&nbsp;
At this stage, a few days of rest and rejuvenation probably wouldn&rsquo;t go amiss! In Seoul, a visit to <a href="http://google.com/search?q=siloam+sauna&amp;oq=Siloam+Sauna&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBwgAEAAYgAQyBwgAEAAYgAQyBwgBEAAYgAQyBwgCEAAYgAQyBwgDEAAYgAQyBwgEEAAYgAQyBwgFEAAYgAQyBwgGEAAYgAQyBwgHEAAYgAQyBwgIEAAYgAQyDQgJEAAYhgMYgAQYigXSAQgxMTAwajBqN6gCALACAA&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">Siloam Sauna</a> offers traditional Korean spa relaxation for you weary travellers. Alternatively, a gentle hike up Achasan Mountain will do wonders for the spirit, and afterward, reward yourself with a quiet tea at <a href="https://firefortysix.com/2023/07/08/a-relaxing-afternoon-interlude-at-tteuran-teahouse-in-ikseondong/">Tteuran Tea House</a>.
From Seoul, you can then take <a href="https://www.koreantrain.com/train-seoul-busan">a highspeed KTX train to Busan</a> (stop off in the city known as <a href="https://southkoreahallyu.com/gyeongju-south-korea-things-to-do/">&ldquo;the museum without walls&rdquo;</a> if you have the time). From Seoul straight to Busan it takes about 2hrs 15 mins and costs around &pound;30.&nbsp;

Next up, <a href="https://whirled-away.com/ferry-south-korea-japan/">hop on an overnight ferry across to Fukuoka</a>. The ferry prices usually fall somewhere between &pound;46 and &pound;77 depending on the season and what kind of seat or cabin you pick. All in, you&rsquo;re looking at roughly &pound;76&ndash;&pound;108.&nbsp;
Another option is the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcleb7YgKGA">PanStar Cruise Line</a> to Osaka, offering a longer, more cruise-like experience that honestly might be worth the detour!
Option 2: Flying from South Korea to Japan
If you&rsquo;d rather get there fast, <a href="https://www.google.com/travel/explore?tfs=CBwQAxoqEgoyMDI1LTEyLTI0KABqDAgDEggvbS8waHNxZnIMCAQSCC9tLzAzXzNkQAFIAXACggELCP___________wGYAQKyAQQYASAB&amp;tfu=GgA&amp;gl=GB">flights from Seoul</a> to places like Tokyo, Osaka, or Fukuoka are typically pretty cheap and only take around 1.5&ndash;2 hours, with fares starting from &pound;40&ndash;&pound;70 if you catch a deal.

Tip: In Tokyo, instead of sticking to Shibuya, Asakusa, or Ginza, venture to neighbourhoods like Yanaka, Shimokitazawa, Kiyosumi‑Shirakawa, or Kichijoji for more local energy. 
<a href="https://monocle.com/travel/yanaka-neighbourhood-guide/">Yanaka</a> offers a quiet, nostalgic Tokyo with over 70 different temples, wooden houses and cozy eateries - and <a href="https://japanjourneys.jp/tokyo/lifestyle/things-to-do/cat-lovers-need-to-visit-yanaka-right-now/">most importantly, cats</a>!

<h2 dir="ltr">Stage 5: Japan to Vietnam</h2>
Option 1: Ferry and Overland
This one is tricky. You can do it overland by heading back to China by ferry (although the <a href="https://www.shinganjin.com/en/schedule/">Kobe/Osaka&ndash;Shanghai service</a> was suspended this week due to ongoing tensions), and then travelling south by train.
If you want to go for it, just be aware that there&rsquo;s a time investment involved! The crossing takes 45&ndash;48 hours, then it&rsquo;ll be around another 10 hours by train from Shanghai to the Vietnamese border.
Trains crossing from China into Vietnam <a href="https://www.indochinatour.com/china-vietnam-tour/china-to-vietnam.html#:~:text=hub%20in%20China.-,The%20Train%20to%20Vietnam%20from%20China%20is%20Available%3A%20A%20Very%20Scenic%20Route%20from%20Nanning,-Instead%20of%20flying">were not reinstated after the pandemic</a>. That means you&rsquo;ll have to alight at Pingxiang, take a taxi to the border crossing, and then hop on a train from Dong Dang on the Vietnamese side to continue towards Hanoi.

Option 2: Flying from Japan to Vietnam&nbsp;
You can catch <a href="https://www.google.com/travel/explore?tfs=CBwQAxorEgoyMDI1LTEyLTI0KABqDAgDEggvbS8wN2Rma3INCAQSCS9tLzAxY3JkNUABSAFwAoIBCwj___________8BmAECsgEEGAEgAQ&amp;tfu=GgA&amp;gl=GB">a direct flight from Tokyo</a> to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City in about six hours, with economy fares that can drop as low as &pound;80&ndash;&pound;90 one way.
In Hanoi, I recommend starting your mornings early at <a href="https://lilystravelagency.com/quang-ba-flower-market/">Quang Ba Flower Market</a> to see the city come alive with traders&rsquo; fresh flowers before the crowds arrive.&nbsp;
You can also use buses, trains, or the app Grab (similar to Uber) to catch a motorbike or taxi to quieter districts or artisan villages like Bat Trang and Duong Lam.&nbsp;
In <a href="https://artsandculture.google.com/story/0AUR6zBKq7ucyg">Bat Trang</a>, arrive in the morning to watch artisans shape pottery by hand, and try making a small piece yourself. In <a href="https://wander-lush.org/duong-lam-ancient-village-hanoi-day-trip/">Duong Lam</a>, take a bus or Grab through scenic rice paddies, then walk or cycle among clay-tiled houses and temples. Bring cash and wear comfortable shoes, and consider visiting on weekdays for a quieter, more authentic experience of local crafts and village life.

Tip:&nbsp;If you decide to go south, take a look at our <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/jfcs-guide-to-ho-chi-minh-city">Ho Chi Minh Guide</a> &mdash; it&rsquo;s packed with Katy&rsquo;s tips for your trip.

<h2 dir="ltr">Stage 6: Homeward Bound</h2>
Flying back home
Once you&rsquo;re done exploring Vietnam, getting back to the UK is easiest via London: there are several direct flights from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City to London, and from there it&rsquo;s just a quick hop on a domestic flight or train to Manchester.&nbsp;
Total flight times from Vietnam to London are roughly 13&ndash;14 hours for a direct route, with fares ranging from &pound;390s&ndash;&pound;600 depending on the airline, season, and how early you book. Currently, <a href="https://www.google.com/travel/flights/search?tfs=CBwQAho4EgoyMDI2LTA2LTE1KABqDAgDEggvbS8wZm5mZmoMCAMSCC9tLzBobjRocgwIAhIIL20vMDRqcGxAAUgBcAGCAQsI____________AZgBAg&amp;tfu=EgoIABAAGAAgAigB&amp;gl=GB">fares in June </a>are reasonable at &pound;396.&nbsp;

<h2 dir="ltr">Rough totals</h2>
Overland/ferry-heavy route: &pound;1,400pp
Mostly flying: &pound;1,200pp

<h2 id="visa-notes">Visa Notes</h2>
Uzbekistan
<ul>
<li data-start="288" data-end="412">UK, EU, Canadian &amp; US Passports: Most will qualify for up to 30 days visa-free for tourism. Longer stays require a visa, usually via the official e-visa portal.</li>
<li data-start="288" data-end="412">Other passports: Many nationalities still qualify for visa-free entry or simple e-visas, but rules vary. Check your specific passport eligibility on the <a href="https://e-visa.gov.uz/">Uzbek government visa site</a>.</li>
</ul>
China
<ul>
<li data-start="640" data-end="900">UK, US &amp; Canadian Passports: A visa is usually required, depending on the exact duration and destination of your visit. The current process involves an online pre-approval form on <a href="https://www.visaforchina.cn/VIE3_EN/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">visaforchina.cn</a>, followed by an in-person biometrics appointment at a Chinese Visa Application Service Centre. Fees average about &pound;130. Allow 3&ndash;4 weeks total.</li>
<li data-start="903" data-end="1128">Other passports: Most European countries, as well as Australia and New Zealand, will qualify for 15-days visa-free entry to China. These rules change frequetly, and requirements, fees, and processing times can differ, so travelers should always check the rules for their specific nationality.</li>
</ul>
South Korea
<ul>
<li data-start="1150" data-end="1270">Most UK, European &amp; North American passports: No traditional visa needed for trips up to 90 days, but you must <a href="https://www.k-eta.go.kr/">apply for the K-ETA</a> before travel.&nbsp;Some passports may require a short-stay visa, so check the K-ETA site for nationality-specific entry rules.</li>
</ul>
Japan
<ul>
<li data-start="1150" data-end="1270">Most UK, European &amp; North American passports:&nbsp;Visa-free for up to 90 days. You may be asked to show proof of funds and onward travel/accommodation.</li>
<li data-start="1582" data-end="1742">Other passports: Japan offers visa-free entry to many countries, but not all&mdash;travellers should confirm whether their passport is on Japan&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/short/novisa.html">visa-exempt list</a>.</li>
</ul>
Vietnam
<ul>
<li data-start="1760" data-end="1813">UK &amp; European passports: Most qualify for visa-free entry for up to 45 days.</li>
<li data-start="1816" data-end="1994">Other passports: Visa exemptions vary greatly by nationality. Many travellers will need an e-visa, which is generally straightforward to obtain via <a href="https://evisa.gov.vn/">Vietnam&rsquo;s official portal</a>.</li>
</ul>

Safe travels! I&rsquo;d love to know which routes you end up choosing! And <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/postcards">send us a postcard</a> on the road!

Silk Road to Sakura: A Choose-Your-Own Adventure

Spain

Mauritius

Costa Rica

Gambia

Cambodia

Laos

South Africa

Portugal

As soon as the temperatures begin to drop, the requests for winter sun recommendations start piling up in our inbox. And we don't blame you at all; winter sun holidays are about the only thing that get us through those dark and dreary months!
Some of you are just in need of a quick, cheap winter break, while others are on the hunt for good spots to combine a vitamin D top-up with a bit of remote working.
As a general rule, we&rsquo;d suggest you head south for extra daylight and temperatures above 16 &deg;C (well known for being the point at which it becomes&nbsp;<a href="https://www.taps-aff.co.uk/#search">&ldquo;Taps Aff&rdquo; weather</a> here in Scotland). If you want a little more to go on, we&rsquo;ve drawn up a short-list of exciting winter sun spots beloved by the Jack's team and Community alike.
<h2 id="cadiz">Cadiz, Spain</h2>

Temperatures: 16-18 &deg;C in January - March
Why should I visit?&nbsp;It's supposedly the oldest city still standing in Europe, dating back to the 12th century. Beautiful cathedrals, Roman ruins and authentic&nbsp;<a href="https://www.manvsglobe.com/best-taps-restaurants-bars-where-to-eat-cadiz-spain/">tapas bars</a>&nbsp;are tucked away around every corner in the narrow alleyways of the Old Town.
The locals also know how to throw a party, rehearsing all year for their world-famous&nbsp;<a href="https://theculturetrip.com/europe/spain/articles/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-cadiz-carnival/">Carnival</a>&nbsp;that takes places over 11 days in late February - March.
<h2 id="mauritius">Mauritius</h2>

Temperatures:&nbsp;22-27 &deg;C in November - March
Why should I visit?

"What&rsquo;s not to like with Indian and East African influences mingled in with British and French culture? People are hospitable, weather is great (remember it&rsquo;s summer in January) rum tastes good, and I&rsquo;d be happy to return tomorrow!" - Avril

Temperatures&nbsp;- 16-17 &deg;C in November - March
Why should I visit?&nbsp;- You'll find it hard not to rush outdoors and breathe in the Azores&rsquo; fresh mountain air. The islands are <a href="https://www.muchbetteradventures.com/magazine/hiking-in-the-azores-a-guide-to-the-best-hikes-in-azores/">made for hiking</a>, with trails leading you to waterfalls, around volcanic craters, and along the craggy coastline. And although you may never have heard of a&nbsp;<a href="http://grutadocarvao.amigosdosacores.pt/en">lava tube</a>, we bet you&rsquo;ll want to snoop around inside one now that you know it&rsquo;s possible on S&atilde;o Miguel Island.
We&rsquo;d also recommend&nbsp;<a href="https://www.winetraveler.com/portugal/azores-islands/">visiting a local winery</a>&nbsp;or two - just for science, of course. Despite the extreme growing conditions out there in the middle of the Atlantic, wine has been made there for hundreds of years.
<h2 id="c">Costa Rica</h2>

Temperatures&nbsp;- 16-27 &deg;C in January - March, depending on the area
Why should I visit? Sorry to be clich&eacute;d, but there genuinely is something for everyone in Costa Rica. Sun, sea, surf, and sand? Check. Mountains, rainforests, volcanoes, and lakes? Check. Colourful birdlife, howling monkeys, and <a href="https://www.slothconservation.org/blog/with-a-little-help-from-my-friends-sloths-moths-and-algae">green-tinged sloths</a>? Also check.
Plus, the Jack's team is&nbsp;obsessed&nbsp;with <a href="https://puravidamoms.com/what-is-salsa-lizano-from-costa-rica/">Lizano Salsa</a>!

&ldquo;We enjoyed Costa Rica this past January, although we only stayed in Tamarindo for a week. If we had more time we would travel to other areas in Costa Rica. In January, we had little rain if any and it was hot. Perfect time to go on boat cruises and lounge around the pool.&rdquo; - Sharrie

Temperatures&nbsp;- 32-34 &deg;C in January - March
Why should I visit?&nbsp;- For one thing, the people of Gambia are famously friendly, earning it the nickname &ldquo;The Smiling Coast of Africa&rdquo; (okay, that may have something to do with the&nbsp;<a href="https://face2faceafrica.com/article/ever-wondered-why-the-gambia-is-called-the-smiling-coast-heres-why">shape of the country</a>, too).
Despite being reliant on tourism, the country&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gambia.co.uk/blog/a-beach-lovers-paradise">beaches remain uncrowded</a>, and you don&rsquo;t have to hike for hours to find a secluded spot. You can have all the luxury of a Caribbean resort for much less. Then again, it&rsquo;s easy to immerse yourself in local life by staying in&nbsp;eco lodges&nbsp;and hitting non-touristy spots like Tanji, with its <a href="https://www.mewithmysuitcase.com/2022/09/tanji-fish-market.html">fish markets</a>.
Word to the wise: if you&rsquo;re not into fish guts and strong aromas, sit this one out.
<h2>Cape Town</h2>

Temperatures&nbsp;- 25-29 &deg;C in November - March
Why should I visit?&nbsp;

&ldquo;It has everything. We used to spend three months there for many years. Cape Town has masses of things to do apart from 1000 wine estates to visit. Then there are amazing safaris to go on. The food and wine scene is fantastic.&rdquo; - Christine

Oh, and the <a href="https://onegirlwholeworld.com/africa/boulders-beach-foxy-beach-penguins-south-africa/">tiny penguins</a>, obviously!
<h2 id="s">South East Asia</h2>

Temperatures&nbsp;- 15-30 &deg;C in November - March
Why should I visit? Okay, okay, we know this is a whole region, but we find it hard to pick just one spot. Northern regions of Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam will offer cooler jungle vibes, while central areas will be a little warmer, just right for checking out some temples. And then there are the coastal spots, and all those famous Thai beaches.&nbsp;
If we had to choose, we'd say: don't! Take your time, and work in some winter sun on the beach as well as the jungle fun.

&ldquo;Thai beaches are always a good idea, especially in January. It certainly isn't the rainy season in, e.g., Phuket then! Koh Lanta and other nearby islands, plus beaches North of the airport, have a slower pace than the racier party beaches in the South, near Phuket town. Or for cheaper, more developing options: Cambodia or Vietnam.&rdquo; - Catherine
<hr>
"Asia is a very good option to spend January in! Countries like Vietnam (the only one I have been to Asia so far, which I absolutely loved), Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, see temperatures around 30C which can make it appropriate for swimming! The other perk of Asia compared to other areas in the world is it's cheap!"&nbsp;- Marilena

There you have it, readers - our top suggestions for trips to wash away the winter blues.
Where's your favourite winter sun destination? Let us know in the comments!

Jack's Top Winter Sun Destinations

Formerly known as Saigon (a name still used by locals and hashtags alike), Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam&rsquo;s most populous city, and the gateway to the Mekong Delta. Alongside Hanoi, it&rsquo;s one of the two major international hubs that you&rsquo;re likely to arrive at on a trip to Vietnam, however few tourists take the time to visit the city itself. 
During 2024&rsquo;s Black Friday sales, I managed to make my Vietnamese dreams come true and grab a really great fare from London to Ho Chi Minh City for &pound;454 return. Before heading north to Hội An, I spent 4 days moving to the beat of Saigon&rsquo;s drum. Here&rsquo;s everything you need to know to get yourself sipping <a href="https://www.lordlucy.com/post/vietnamese-iced-coffee">c&agrave; ph&ecirc; sữa d&aacute;</a> in no time!
 A quick note on the links in this guide: we&rsquo;re not affiliated with any external sites we&rsquo;ve chosen to include, so we&rsquo;re not getting any kick-backs or commission. We&rsquo;ve only included resources we think will genuinely be useful to help you make a decision on whether this destination is for you.

<h2 dir="ltr">Getting There</h2>
Ho Chi Minh City is a relatively easy city to reach by air from all over the world.&nbsp;
Vietnam&rsquo;s national carrier, Vietnam Airlines, operates non-stop routes to major hubs in Europe, like London, Paris, Frankfurt and Munich. They also offer connections to major cities across Asia and Australia, as well as one non-stop route across the Pacific to San Francisco.
Connecting flights are even easier to come by, with cheaper fares taking you via China and India, or fancier airlines like Emirates, Singapore Airlines, and Cathay Pacific offering layovers at their hubs.

Here&rsquo;s a handy Jack's Flight Club guide on what to expect when booking your flight to SGN:
From Europe:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Expected average Jack's price range: &euro;480&ndash;&euro;580 rtn</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">How many cheap flight alerts we&rsquo;d expect in a year: 8+</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Lowest price we&rsquo;ve ever seen: &euro;306 rtn</li>
</ul>
From the UK:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Expected average Jack's price range: &pound;420&ndash;&pound;480 rtn</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">How many cheap flight alerts we&rsquo;d expect in a year: 8+</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Lowest price we&rsquo;ve ever seen: &pound;330 rtn</li>
</ul>
From the USA:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Expected average Jack's price range: $650&ndash;$850 RT</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">How many cheap flight alerts we&rsquo;d expect in a year: 8+</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Lowest price we&rsquo;ve ever seen: $483 RT</li>
</ul>
From Canada:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Expected average Jack's price range: $900-$1000 RT</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">How many cheap flight alerts we&rsquo;d expect in a year: 6+</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Lowest price we&rsquo;ve ever seen: $750 RT </li>
</ul>
Of course, you might be into the idea of ticking off a few more places in Southeast Asia during your trip, like Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. There is a huge range of flights available between Ho Chi Minh City, the rest of Vietnam, and other Asian hubs, both with budget airlines such as Vietjet, and with the national carrier, Vietnam Airlines.
When planning any international transfers, allow plenty of time to navigate security and immigration at Tan Son Nhat International Airport. The lines are long and checks can be quite thorough &mdash; the whole process took me around 1 hour without any complications.
The Domestic terminal is a different story &mdash; check-in/bag drop, security, and finding your gate is all very straightforward. You&rsquo;ll probably find that arriving in this terminal is the more time-consuming part, especially if you need a bus transfer to the terminal or have checked luggage. There are so many domestic flights here that it can take ages for things to move and your bags to be delivered (and the air conditioning in the baggage hall is not cut out for the heat!).

Pre-book an airport transfer, regardless of which terminal you arrive at &mdash; this will take at least some of the chaos out of navigating an otherwise hectic and poorly signposted arrivals area! I got mine via Booking.com after making my hotel reservation, which made the whole transfer process seamless. If you want a cheaper option once you arrive, the local ride-share app, Grab, felt safe and easy to navigate.&nbsp;

Katy's Pro Tip

Ho Chi Minh is also well-connected via bus and rail. Vietnam itself has an extensive rail network running the length of the country, from the Chinese border in the north, all the way to Ho Chi Minh City in the south.&nbsp;
Sleeper trains and <a href="https://vinpearl.com/en/sleeper-bus-in-vietnam-ultimate-comfort-for-your-journey">luxury sleeper buses</a> offer lots of comfortable options that&rsquo;ll help you avoid short-haul flights across SE Asia. From HCMC, you can reach Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in around 6 hours by bus, where there are onward rail connections towards Thailand. If you want to visit Laos, you&rsquo;ll first have to head north from HCMC to Hue, or all the way up to Hanoi.
For context, the train between Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi takes around 35 hours and stops off at all the major cities along the coast, including Nha Trang, Da Nang (for Hoi An), Hue, and Ninh Binh. If you enjoy the journey as much as the destination, this is a great way to see the country. Just make sure you book a <a href="https://www.seat61.com/Vietnam.htm#what-are-vietnamese-trains-like">&lsquo;soft sleeper&rsquo; cabin</a>, otherwise you might be in for a rocky ride.
We recommend the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seat61.com/Vietnam.htm#hanoi-hue-danang-saigon-by-train">Man in Seat 61</a> for up-to-date info on trains in Vietnam and onward connections to other parts of Southeast Asia.

<h2 dir="ltr">Visas</h2>
Whether or not you need a visa to visit Vietnam will depend on the passport you hold. From the UK and much of Europe, you can stay for up to 45 days without a visa, while visitors from the USA and Canada are usually eligible for an e-visa. These should be requested in advance, and cost 25 USD for a single entry or 50 USD for multiple entries at the time of publishing (May 2025).
The rules for each country are updated regularly, so it&rsquo;s important to check your own government guidelines before travelling.
Note: The palm-fringed island of Phu Quoc in the Gulf of Thailand is <a href="https://vietnamvisavoa.com/phu-quoc-visa-waiver-for-foreigners-updated-2024-a252">exempt from all Vietnamese visa requirements</a> for up to 30 days. This only applies if you travel directly to and from Phu Quoc without visiting any other area of Vietnam (connecting flights on the way there or back within Vietnam are allowed).

<h2 dir="ltr">Cash &amp; Currency</h2>
The currency in Vietnam is the đồng (VND), though you&rsquo;re unlikely to ever see one đồng on its own. At the time of publishing (May 2025), $1 USD was worth around 26,000 đồng &mdash; just enough for a local beer in a comfy bar.
Your money will likely go a long way in Vietnam, with a bed in a hostel dorm costing less than 200,000 VND per night ($8/&pound;6/&euro;7.50), and 5-star accommodations for under $100/night.
Vietnam is generally a cash-based society. You&rsquo;ll be able to pay by card in hotels, restaurants, coffee shops and chain stores like 7-Eleven, but you definitely need cash for shopping at local independent businesses or street vendors.&nbsp;
Vietnamese đồng is not a closed currency, meaning you can purchase it outside the country by ordering from your local bank or exchange office before your trip. However, ATMs and exchange services are widely available in the big cities in Vietnam, so you don&rsquo;t need to bring large amounts of VND with you.&nbsp;

Head to jewelry and gold shops to exchange your USD &mdash; they usually offer the best rates! If you need to withdraw cash from a local ATM, use Tpbank and VP Bank to avoid extra fees.

<h2 dir="ltr">Seasonality</h2>
Vietnam is a very long country, so the weather and climate can vary quite a lot from north to south. There are two main seasons in Ho Chi Minh City: wet and dry. But of course, it&rsquo;s not that clear-cut, so let&rsquo;s break it down:
<h3 dir="ltr">December&ndash;February</h3>
You can expect pretty stable weather conditions during the winter months &mdash; daytime temperatures average around 30 &deg;C/86 &deg;F, falling to around 22 &deg;C/72 &deg;F at night. There may be a little rain, but it won&rsquo;t last long. In fact, you&rsquo;ll be glad of a little respite from the humidity!
Lunar New Year (aka Tết) is a major event in Ho Chi Minh City. The date changes every year, but it usually takes place sometime between late January and mid-February.&nbsp;
The two weeks following Tet tend to make the city a little quieter than usual, with many local businesses closing for staff to spend time with their families. Aside from Lunar New Year&rsquo;s Day itself, though, the usual visitor attractions remain open throughout.
Streets, shops, bars, and restaurants across the city are all decked out in red lanterns and yellow trees adorned with traditional red envelopes.&nbsp;
The celebrations on Lunar New Year&rsquo;s Eve itself involve a huge fireworks display, which you should absolutely enjoy from one of the city&rsquo;s many rooftop bars. If you&rsquo;re looking for somewhere central, I recommend <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g293925-d5774553-Reviews-The_View_Rooftop_Bar_Eatery-Ho_Chi_Minh_City.html">The View</a>, tucked away atop a hotel, above the madness of Bui Vien Walking Street.

<h3 dir="ltr">March&ndash;May</h3>
The temperature starts climbing in March, with April typically being the hottest month of the year. You can expect it to get up to 38 &deg;C/100 &deg;F during the day. May stays pretty toasty, but it&rsquo;s also when the major downpours start. The humidity definitely starts picking up in April as it moves towards the monsoon season.
<h3 dir="ltr">June&ndash;August</h3>
The summer months are that hair-frizzing combination of hot and humid, sitting around 30 &deg;C/86 &deg;F. You&rsquo;ll likely be in for some rain showers, but they tend to come hard and fast, then clear quickly, so lounging by the pool is still an option.
<h3 dir="ltr">September&ndash;November</h3>
September and October are the wettest months of the year in Ho Chi Minh City. The average rainfall doubles, and skies tend to be pretty cloudy. It&rsquo;s the ideal time to pack your rain jacket and grab an off-season hotel bargain, avoiding the usual tourist crowds at the major sights. Don&rsquo;t be fooled, though &mdash; the city is always busy!
Vietnam&rsquo;s Independence Day celebrations take place on September 2nd each year. If you&rsquo;re in Ho Chi Minh City during this time, you&rsquo;ll be able to catch a day of parades, street performances, and fireworks displays.&nbsp;

2025 marks 50 years since Ho Chi Minh (or "Uncle Ho," as they call him) declared independence from France, so expect these celebrations to go bigger and better!

<h2 dir="ltr">Travel Style</h2>
Ho Chi Minh City is big and buzzing.&nbsp;But despite the hubbub, the city vibes are pretty relaxed on the whole &mdash; street-front coffee and tea shops are the go-to meeting places, usually overflowing with caffeine-seekers lounging by the roadside.&nbsp;
Solo (female) travellers should feel pretty safe going it alone in Ho Chi Minh City. You&rsquo;ll rarely find yourself alone on a darkened street, and despite the hustle and bustle, people rarely invade your personal space here.
LGBTQ+ travellers in Vietnam, particularly in a large city like Saigon, are unlikely to face particular discrimination. Same-sex relationships have never been criminalized in Vietnam, and the ban on same-sex marriage was lifted in 2015.&nbsp;
That said, Vietnam as a whole is a fairly reserved country, so public displays of affection are uncommon and will probably draw stares, regardless of your gender or sexual orientation.&nbsp;
Ho Chi Minh City&rsquo;s gay scene is small but lively. Keep an eye on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/fulldisclosure_vn/?hl=en">Full Disclosure Entertainment</a>&rsquo;s regular schedule of comedy, music and drag nights, or head to one of the <a href="https://housingsgn.com/top-10-vibrant-lgbt-bars-to-explore-in-saigon/">many LGBTQ+ bars</a>. Bonus points for a roof terrace!

<h2 dir="ltr">Getting Around</h2>
I&rsquo;ll be honest, getting around Ho Chi Minh City can be pretty hectic. The roads are packed with mopeds, and just <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/travel-hub/vietnam-where-learning-to-cross-the-road-isnt-childs-play">crossing the street on foot can be a whole ordeal</a>.&nbsp;
Public transportation in the city is not the most elaborate. <a href="https://hochiminhcitymetro.com/line-1/">Ho Chi Minh City&rsquo;s first metro line</a> opened in December 2024, connecting the downtown area of District 1 with the very north of the city. There&rsquo;s not much that would take visitors all the way up there, other than <a href="https://english.suoitien.vn/">Suoi Tien Theme Park</a>, self-proclaimed as the &lsquo;most weird park in Vietnam.&rsquo; However, the metro is pretty convenient for getting between the more central sights without breaking a sweat.
Being pretty new, the stations are shiny and modern. There are three ways to <a href="https://vinpearl.com/en/ho-chi-minh-city-metro#2.3.+Buying+the+metro+tickets">buy your tickets</a>:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Tap your contactless bank card at the ticket gate, and the fare will be automatically deducted.</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Download the HCMC Metro app and purchase a ticket. You&rsquo;ll get a QR code ticket to scan on your phone.</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Purchase a paper ticket from the counter in the metro station &mdash; both cash and card payments are accepted.</li>
</ul>
The city is currently building a network of 6 metro lines, 2 monorails, a tram line, and a light rail airport link. But until those are completed, public buses are your best bet. There are over 150 different lines, but thankfully Google Maps knows where they all go and will tell you the best route to take to your destination.
While the buses are cheap, you should expect them to be busy, and often a little slow. You&rsquo;ll need to pay in cash once you board &mdash; usually 6,000&ndash;7,000 VND &mdash; and the driver can give you change if necessary.
With the heat and traffic getting quite intense at times, I&rsquo;d recommend downloading the <a href="https://www.travelvietnam.com/traffic-transportation/grab-in-vietnam-uber-alternative-of-vietnam.html">Grab ride-share app</a> and using that to get around when you&rsquo;re travelling longer distances.&nbsp;
You&rsquo;ll need to provide personal details, including a passport number, when you sign up. But after that, it works just like the ride-share apps you&rsquo;re used to back home. As a bonus, you can even opt for the full Ho Chi Minh City moped experience and request a GrabBike &mdash; don&rsquo;t worry, the driver will provide a helmet!

<h2 dir="ltr">Useful Links</h2>
Local Vietnam <a href="https://localvietnam.com/travel-guide/things-to-do/ho-chi-minh-city/">Ho Chi Minh City Travel Guide</a> &mdash; great all-rounder site for any extra info and destination inspo you might need
<a href="https://www.seat61.com/Vietnam.htm#hanoi-hue-danang-saigon-by-train">The Man in Seat 61</a> &mdash; primarily info on trains in Vietnam and beyond, but also mentions where to grab onward bus connections

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