Castaway Island: The party island from hell ... What should have been the highlight of our two weeks in Vietnam, a trip to Halong Bay, was probably the low point of my life to date, ...

Where to try it: Tuan Chau Island, Halong Bay, Vietnam. Cha Muc: Arguably one of the most famous cuisines of the area are the chewy, crunchy and flavor-packed cha muc, or squid cakes and rolls.

Halong Bay has become one of Vietnam’s major attractions since the 1990s. We set sail on a Vietnamese junk tour to see its spectacular, otherworldy limestone karsts.