Highlights of the VIETNAMESE COAST

ith more than 3,260 kilometers of coastline on the mainland alone, Vietnam has plenty of pretty coastal towns and stretches of sand to lay down your towel. The shore sweeps from north of Halong Bay in the South China Sea down to the Gulf of Thailand in a long, serpentine “S.” The distance covered means you’re guaranteed a diverse geography along the way: in the north, jungle-clad karst peaks pierce the water, while in the south, there are palm-lined beaches and well-preserved Champa ruins, left behind by the country’s Indianized trading empire. Along the way you’ll find colorful waterside towns, busy fishing villages, World Heritage–listed architecture and some of the country’s most luxe hotels and resorts. Read on for all the highlights of a cove-hopping north-to-south exploration of Vietnam’s