According to the 2009 census, Vietnam’s 86 million people belong to an astonishing 54 government-recognized ethnic groups. Through two floors of cultural artifacts, tools, media displays, dioramas, and more, the museum offers visitors a look inside the everyday lives and traditional practices of these distinct groups.
Full-size model of a Tai Dam (Black Tai) stilt house
One of the most compelling displays in the museum is a full-size stilt house on the second floor. This display allows visitors to explore the architecture and day-to-day domestic life of the Tai Dam ethnic group.
Several flat screen televisions around the museum display activities of the various ethnic groups, including textile weaving, cooking, and funeral and wedding rituals. In addition to these short videos, three-dimensional displays of rituals and ordinary activities seemingly come to life with striking costumes, art, and tools. These scenes, with such intricate details of texture and design, are spirited and lively, allowing you to imagine how they might unfold in the outside world.
Depiction of a religious ceremony paying homage to the Jade Emperor
The museum offers cultural programming, such as the popular water puppet shows. Water puppetry, performed in a pool of water, originated in northern Vietnam and has been performed for centuries as a way to mark important events. The shows are accompanied by live music.
The museum grounds also include a restaurant, coffee shop, gift shop, and bookstore. Guided tours are available in Vietnamese, French, and English. The building and grounds are wheelchair accessible.
The weird and wonderful park lies along the Mekong River as it winds south from Vientiane, the capital of Laos. It is served by an inexpensive bus from the terminal at Talat Sao in Vientiane or can be reached by tuk-tuk, the ubiquitous three-wheeled taxi. There is a small entrance fee.
Construction of the park began in 1958, initiated by Bunleua Sulilat a religious figure who created an idiosyncratic blend of Hinduism and Buddhism. Today, the public park serves as a popular tourist attraction, with visitors from all over the world riding rickety tuk-tuks and local buses to see the magnificent sculptures of animals, gods, and demons.
One of the largest sculptures is also one of the first to catch your attention. To the right of the entrance lies an enormous pumpkin-shaped sculpture, hollowed out with staircases so that visitors may climb to the top for a 360 degree view of the park. To enter the sculpture, visitors must first climb through the mouth of a terrifying demon.
A personal favorite of mine is the massive reclining Buddha, pictured below, which embodies the laid-back, relaxed attitude it behooves a traveler in Laos to take. Many visitors can be seen taking photos imitating this and other curious and impressive sculptures throughout the park.
Budget approximately an hour. Souvenir shops and snack stands can be found near the entrance. There’s seating for the weary sightseer toward the rear of the park along the river.
Beyond the Buddha Park, there’re several worthwhile attractions in and around Vientiane. The Great Sacred Stupa is a must-visit sacred monument emblematic of the country and its people. There’s also the much more recent Patuxai, a monument that celebrates victory over French colonial rule but is conspicuously French in its design — a testament to the complexity of the French legacy in the country.
Our Experts’ Choice awards are are based on recommendations from leading travel media. Winners are determined by taking into account placement in published “best of 2018” lists, as well as the quantity and quality of reviews for hotels, restaurants and attractions. We’re pleased to announce that the winner of this year’s award for best North American destination is New Orleans.
“The most unique city in America”, proclaims Fodors, and our experts agree. The Big Easy is celebrating its 300th birthday this year, making a city already known for is festivals and celebrations an even more exciting destination in 2018. Dubbed the “ultimate melting pot” by The New York Times on its list of 52 Best Places to Go in 2018, NOLA is a vibrant and enchanting oasis of diverse culture, food, music, art, and nightlife in the American South.
Wrapping up its third century, the “jubilant city”, featured on Frommer’s Best Places to Go in 2018, is particularly festive this year, with over 160 dazzling festivals, each with a tricentennial theme. Beyond Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest, the city’s most popular and well-known parties, New Orleans offers endless opportunities to soak up its unusual and fascinating charm.
Creole cuisine, with influences from “Europe, the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa and indigenous peoples” is another enormous draw to New Orleans (The New York Times). Travel + Leisure calls food in NOLA a “daily celebration,” and with Big Easy delicacies like beignets and po’boys, it’s always time to celebrate.
This year, on it’s Go To List 2018, Fodors highlights “hot newcomers like N7 and Turkey and the Wolf” that are keeping gastronomy in New Orleans fresh and exciting, “alongside 100-year-old decadent Southern dining rooms and po’ boy stands.” Cochon and Bayona, with TripExpert scores in the 90’s, are other outstanding options for Louisiana fare.
N7, new to the NOLA restaurant scene
Visitors to New Orleans will never be short on entertainment in this city known for frivolity. Bourbon Street is, of course, a can’t-miss, but Travel + Leisure recommends venturing beyond the obvious for the real “cultural depth” of the city. The Bywater district, with “its galleries, clubs, and restaurants,” is a trendy neighborhood worth spending some time in, according to Frommer’s.
City Park, TripExpert’s top-rated NOLA attraction, and Audubon Nature Institute also make the cut on US News & World Report’s Best Things To Do in New Orleans. Audubon’s facility includes the Audubon Zoo, the Audubon Aquarium, and the Audubon Insectarium. The North Rampart Street cable car line extension, new riverside parks, a burlesque opera, and Tango Fire, from the New Orleans Ballet Association are generating buzz this year. And don’t forget to sit back and enjoy some world-class jazz music, found just as often on street corners as in classy bars. As Lonely Planet explains, “Live music isn’t an event: it’s as crucial to the city soundscape as streetcar bells.”
The Great Lawn at City Park
New boutique hotels in New Orleans are recommended by Fodors for their “historic charm, modern comfort, and sense of place.” The Henry Howard, a beautifully restored mansion with Southern style, stands out for its friendly and cozy character, while The Quisby, located in central city, is a well-run hostel for the modern age. TripExpert recommends Windsor Court Hotel, Hotel Monteleone, and The Roosevelt New Orleans, A Waldorf Astoria hotel — our top three picks in New Orleans.
Last year, British Airways launched NOLA’s first direct connection to Europe in decades, making the Big Easy is even more accessible to visitors from abroad. With that “classic appeals like jazz, Mardi Gras, and Creole cuisine” that Fodors likes and up-and-coming restaurants, new hotels, and tricentennial events galore it’s no wonder that New Orleans is 2018’s Trip Experts’ Choice Best North American Destination.
Vogue sings New Orleans’ praises, and we couldn’t say it better ourselves: “the sultry, enchanting French-founded Crescent City feels like a mystical mix of tipsy euphoria and subtle seduction.” By “honoring the old and welcoming in the new and different,” NOLA has become a delightfully peculiar destination, a hub of culture and merriment ideal for a 2018 getaway.
Our Experts’ Choice awards are are based on recommendations from leading travel media. Winners are determined by taking into account placement in published “best of 2018” lists, as well as the quantity and quality of reviews for hotels, restaurants and attractions. We’re pleased to announce that the winner of this year’s award for best budget destination is
Barcelona.
Don’t let the fear of a European price tag deter you from this year’s best budget destination, Barcelona, because, as Marie Claire so accurately proclaims, “what makes the Catalan City ‘special’ doesn’t cost a penny.” Featured on Forbes’ Best Budget Travel Destinations For 2018 and The New York Times’ Bargain Destinations for 2018, Barcelona is home to a vibrant and unique culture while remaining “among the more affordable cities in Europe.”
Iconic Gaudí architecture, free museum days, public beaches, and donation-based walking tours are just some of the easily accessible attractions our experts’ highlight. Refinery29 notes that admission to “many of the site’s most famous landmarks are under 10 Euros.” Entry to Parc Guëll, which Budget Travel describes as “a sort of Gaudí Disneyland for the senses,” is just 7 euros for adults, with discounted tickets for seniors and children. Casa Batllo and Sagrada Familia, Gaudí’s other architectural masterpieces in the city, are pricier, but booking tickets online ahead of time can lower the cost and ensure admission.
Street art and outdoor movie screenings are even more free-of-charge activities recommended by The Guardian as some of the Best Ways to Enjoy Barcelona on a Budget. “Even the Picasso Museum has a free evening weekly, Thursdays from 6 to 9 pm, in addition to a free day every first Sunday of every month,” cites EuroCheapo, guaranteeing that some of the most famous and impressive art in the world is viewable on a budget. For history and architecture buffs, a walking tour through the Gothic Quarter is an enjoyable and informative way to get to know the city.
With art and culture around every corner, it’s easy to overlook one of the star attractions in Barcelona, which just so happens to have no admissions price — the beach! Sparkling Mediterranean seas and on-site amenities like lounge chairs and umbrellas make La Barceloneta Beach one of US News & World Report’s Best Things To Do in Barcelona and an excellent place to lay back and wiggle your toes in the sand in between museum visits and sightseeing.
Boqueria Market sits at #2 on US News & World Report’s recommendations for the city. The outdoor market is full of energy, history, and delicious, affordable food and drink. Wind your way through narrow aisles brimming with spectacular Spanish specialties, picking up “jamón ibérico, manchego cheese and salted cod (bacalao).”
And don’t miss the local wine, fresh juice, sweet, and tropical fruits. Consider creating a tasty homemade tapas dinner out of your purchases to enjoy with friends on the beach at sunset for the true Catalan experience.
Budget Travel praises Accor Hotels “a well-known hotel brand throughout Europe” offering “many budget-friendly options.” Generator Hostel is an affordable alternative, a boutique hostel in the city center, as is Hostal Girona, appreciated by EuroCheapo for its “low rates” and “impeccable cleanliness.” TripExpert recommends Equity Point Centric Hostel for its great Eixample location, its sunny rooftop, and, above all, its very reasonable prices.
With “flight prices down 20% for the first half of 2018,” Forbes’ confirms that Barcelona is a serious bargain hotspot this year. Some of the most exciting attractions in the Spanish city are surprisingly affordable, if not entirely free-of-charge, making it a destination full of culture, art, and food that visitors can truly make the most of, even on a budget.
Our Experts’ Choice awards are are based on recommendations from leading travel media. Winners are determined by taking into account placement in published “best of 2018” lists, as well as the quantity and quality of reviews for hotels, restaurants and attractions. Hawaii has earned this year’s Best Beach Destination designation.
Coastal Living puts the archipelago “back at the top of the A-list” for 2018 while Islands seconds the motion, saying vacationing in Hawaii is “always a good idea, but it’s an even better one now.” The critics are excited about new and renovated hotels and resorts and keen on rediscovering this classic island destination with its perfect weather and gorgeous beaches.
US News & World Report lists Oahu and Maui among the top five best places to visit in the USA, respectively, and the North Shore of Oahu is featured on National Geographic’s list of Places You Need to Visit in 2018. Kapalua Bay Beach on Maui, treasured for its “wonderfully private feel” and “clear azure waters” is one of Insider’s top picks for Best Beaches to Visit in 2018.
Whether you’re island-hopping or settling in on your favorite beach, an experience of luxury awaits. Nine Hawaii hotels have a TripExpert score of 90+ and more than 50 hotels have a score of 80+. The top 4 hotels are found on Oahu, the Big Island, Kauai, and Maui. Newcomer Four Seasons Oahu is much buzzed about and recently renovated Four Seasons Lanai is an exciting draw this year.
Waikiki, in Oahu’s Honolulu, boasts both TripExpert’s #1 hotel in Hawaii, the Halekulani Hotel. Guests of the Halekulani receive complimentary access to Experts’ Choice award-winning attractions like Iolani Palace and the Bishop Museum.
Oahu is also home to Hawaii’s #1 restaurant, Chef Mavro as well as Experts’ Choice winners La Mer and Alan Wong’s. Alohilani Resort in Honolulu is a new arrival of Fall 2017, featured on Travel + Leisure’s Hotel Openings to Watch Out for in 2017 for its dazzling centerpiece, “a fantastic Oceanarium in the lobby, which will filter water in directly from the ocean and serve as home to more than 1,000 protected marine life.”
Kauai and the Big Island offer spectacular natural wonders including Hawaii Volcanoes National Park where, if you’re lucky, you may get a glimpse of flowing lava along the ancient, jet-black lava rocks. Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area offers, an Experts’ Choice winner, offers a more rustic way to experience the natural beauty of Hawaii’s beaches with cabins overlooking the ocean.
Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area
Waimea Canyon and the Kauai’s Na Pali Coast feature breathtaking peaks and valleys full of hidden, cascading waterfalls and lush rainforest. Inaccessible by land, the only way to experience these magnificent natural sights are by helicopter tour, an activity well worth its price.
Plan your exploration of our 2018 Experts’ Choice Best Beach Destination for the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions in the Aloha State. We’ve got Hawaii covered from every angle and for every budget.
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