Posted by Louise G. from www.all-travel.com.

I just returned from a fabulous trip to Asia.  I booked EVA Air-business class for a wonderful price.  The planes are gorgeous and roomy, the food is wonderful, and the service impeccable.  In business, the seats go back, and they give you a real pillow and comforter, as well as slippers, tooth brush, eye mask, and other amenities.

I flew through Taiwan into Hong Kong for 2 nights.  We stayed at the Peninsula Hotel, which is right near the harbor and offers wonderful views.  It is a shopping mecca, with many glorious hotels. Although we were on the outskirts of a typhoon, we did visit Aberdeen, where many people live on boats, and had lunch on Victoria Peak.  We also visited a local Buddhist Temple-very modest and interesting.

We then flew to Hanoi on Vietnam Airlines.  All the planes are new, the service and food were great.  They manage to feed an entire plane on a 1 hour flight.  The uniforms are gorgeous, as are all the flight attendants!

Hanoi was wonderful.  There are very few cars, but many motor bikes.  Cabs are on the meter and are inexpensive.  While shopping is inexpensive, there are some very sophisticated hotels and delicious restaurants.  We stayed at the Metropole Hotel-an old grand hotel.  Service was wonderful, and so was the food.  We went to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, which is said to be similar to Lenin's in Russia.  We also saw the palace, which he refused to use, and his modest "house on stilts" near the palace.  We visited many wonderful temples as well.  One day we drove into the countryside and saw them doing traditional ceramics and other crafts.  The country side is dotted with small, very fancy cemeteries, which are fascinating.  The war is hardly mentioned, but interestingly enough, is referred to to as the "American War."  It is a safe city, and a friend and I walked all over for hours.  I would have liked to go to Sapa, a place farther North where hill tribes still dwell.  There is an Orient Express Train there, and a nice hotel.  I would also have liked to go to Hue, which is supposed to be beautiful. 

We flew to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon and still called that by the locals), and had 1 day there.  It is a larger, more Western city, not as interesting.  We stayed at the Park Hyatt, a very nice hotel, and also ate at the Sheraton.  The Park Hyatt is quieter and more intimate.  The Sheraton is a happening place.  Both are lovely with great food. We took a trip to an area where there are many tunnels used by the Viet Cong (people from the South who fought with the North), and actually climbed through a very short tunnel.  It was very interesting, as is the take on politics from the different perspectives of North and South.  Shopping is good, but not as good as Hanoi. 

We flew to Siem Reap to visit the ancient Temples of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, as well as other small temples. This was the highlight of the trip.  We stayed at Raffles, an older hotel nearer the Temples.  Food and atmosphere were great, but the hotel needs an update.  We visited Hotel de la Paix-a very fancy, modern Asian Hotel, which is gorgeous and fabulous food.  Everyone loved this property.  Words cannot describe  the Temples....unbelievable.  I could have spent weeks visiting them all.  One afternoon we went to a lake and took a boat ride, viewing the community that lives on boats and makes a living following the fish.  there is a school, hospital, church, etc-all on boats!  It was fascinating.  The people of Cambodia are sweet and friendly, and at least in Siem reap, all is safe and modern.  There are many nice hotels of all price ranges.

We ended in Bangkok-a city of beautiful Temples.  Once again we stayed at the Peninsula, on the river.  All the hotels on the river offer boat shuttles.  The shopping and sights are on the other shore, but the boats go all the time.  We visited the Jade Buddha Temple and the palace grounds, as well as took a boat trip up the canals, where many people still live in the traditional manner on the water. The Oriental Hotel is on the shopping side, and is very nice.  I also loved the Sukhotai, a hotel not on the water, but a beautiful property. 

All in all, the people were gracious and friendly wherever we went, and the food was delicious.  I hope to be able to visit again in more depth.