An Istanbul ferry crossing the Bosphorus at sunset

Türkiye

Where East meets West, in history and in landscape

Mount Kazbek and Gergeti Trinity Church above Stepantsminda

Georgia

Green valleys, snow peaks and Caucasian hospitality

The Maiden Tower and the gardens of Baku's Old City at dusk

Azerbaijan

The Land of Fire, where East meets West

Positano's coloured houses on the cliffs above the sea, Amalfi Coast

Italy

An open-air museum of elegance and fine food

The Matterhorn reflected in the Riffelsee above Zermatt

Switzerland

Alpine peaks, clear lakes and quiet luxury

The Seine at sunset by the Pont Alexandre III, Paris

France

The home of perfume and art, and a European charm that never fades

Neuschwanstein Castle above Hohenschwangau in the Bavarian Alps

Germany

The heart of Europe, alive with a long past and modern invention

Prague Castle and St Vitus Cathedral above the Vltava

Czechia

The heart of Europe, alive with fairy-tale castles and history

Wawel Castle and Cathedral above the Vistula in Kraków

Poland

Central Europe's historic jewel, where history lives on

The Geirangerfjord seen from the Eagle's Bend on a June day, green slopes falling to the water

Norway

Land of fjords and northern lights

Nyhavn's painted houses and wooden boats reflected in the canal at sunset

Denmark

Home of hygge and Scandinavian design

Riddarholmen and its church spire lit at blue hour across the water in Stockholm

Sweden

Scandinavia's jewel and the nature of the north

The Moscow Kremlin and its towers lit at dusk, reflected in the Moskva river

Russia

The secrets of the tsars, on a grand scale

Turquoise water and a wooded islet off the beach at Ksamil on the Ionian coast

Albania

The Ionian coast and the Ottoman stone towns

Yerevan's rooftops beneath the snow-capped twin peaks of Mount Ararat

Armenia

Caucasus nature and the charm of history

The three pyramids of Giza and the queens' pyramids in the desert

Egypt

The cradle of civilisation, the Nile and the Red Sea

Chefchaouen's blue medina below the Rif mountains

Morocco

Africa's enchanting gateway, where heritage meets the modern

Sidi Bou Said's white houses and minaret above the Gulf of Tunis

Tunisia

The green land of the Mediterranean, cradle of civilisations, home of Carthage

Dubai skyline with Burj Khalifa reflected in still water at dusk

The United Arab Emirates

Modern wonders, two hours from home

Tegallalang rice terraces near Ubud, Bali, framed by coconut palms

Indonesia

Where untouched nature meets the spirit of Asia

The Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia

Cultural variety and modern cities in the heart of tropical nature

The Singapore skyline across Marina Bay at sunset

Singapore

A city of the future, polished and orderly, at the heart of Asia

Aerial view of Phang Nga Bay, its limestone islands rising from the sea above mangrove channels

Thailand

The land of smiles: tropical shores and a living culture

Panorama of Ha Long Bay's limestone islands seen from Ti Top island

Vietnam

The legends of Ha Long Bay, Asian heritage and dramatic landscapes

Aerial view of a Maldivian island fringed by white sand and a turquoise lagoon

The Maldives

A tropical retreat of quiet luxury

Sunset over the Church of Saint George, carved into the rock at Lalibela

Ethiopia

Land of beginnings, volcanic nature and deep African history

Sunset over the sea with Table Mountain and Lion's Head, from Sunset Beach, Cape Town

South Africa

The Rainbow Nation: safari, mountains and ocean

A street of yellow houses and hanging lanterns in Hoi An's old town

Photo: Steffen Schmitz (more photos) (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Culture and heritage · Vietnam

A lantern evening in Hoi An

A walk through the old town at sunset, a small boat on the Thu Bon river, and a candle set afloat on the water.

Hoi An · Vietnam

The experience

As the sun sets over Hoi An, thousands of coloured silk lanterns light the streets, the yellow houses and the bank of the Thu Bon river, and the old town, a World Heritage Site since 1999, becomes a picture made of light.

The walk starts before sunset with a private guide, among Chinese assembly halls, old merchant houses and the covered Japanese Bridge. Then a small wooden boat takes you onto the river, where you set a paper lantern with a candle on the water, as the townspeople do.

On the full-moon night of each lunar month the old town turns off its electric lights and the lanterns alone remain: Hoi An's most beautiful night. We find the date for you when planning.

The evening can begin with a lantern-making class and end with dinner by the river. The old town is for walking, so wear comfortable shoes.

Start your trip

Message us on WhatsApp