Perched at an altitude of over 1,400 meters above sea level, Suối Giàng (Văn Chấn District, Lào Cai Province) emerges amidst floating white clouds as  a fairy-tale realm. Far from the hustle and bustle of modern life, this land quietly preserves a centuries old  green treasure - the ancient Shan Tuyết tea forests. In this serene space, we met Ms. Bùi Thị Hà, a Mông woman whose life is bound to the tea forests by resilience and a profound faith in the values of nature. Not merely a livelihood,  tea making  allows her to preserve the essence of heaven and earth within every bud. “In Suối Giàng, just stepping into the tea forest makes your heart feel at peace”, she says in a firm, soft voice. “These tea trees carry the breath of the mountains, bringing tranquility to anyone who visits”.

Right at the foot of the Lũng Cú flag tower - the sacred symbol of national sovereignty - lies a small village named Lô Lô Chải. This unique location makes Lô Lô Chải more than just a tourist destination; it carries a profound spiritual significance as the northernmost point of the country, a place where every Vietnamese person wishes to set foot at least once to feel the sacredness of the fatherland.

Roa lữ Giàng ơi! Roa lữ Giàng ơi... The cheers of thousands of people seem to tear through the night sky amidst the majestic Truong Son mountains on festival night, with a bright moon hanging high over Cà Roòng village. The Ma Coong people are in a frenzy during their Drum Beat Festival. Once the drumhead shatters, loving hearts are granted a “night of total freedom”, trembling together in harmony with the eternal breath of the wilderness. Enticed by a young writer's story, I traveled to Cà Roòng village to arrive when the festival began, as if fulfilling a long-awaited promise.

The bus left Hồ Chí Minh City at 2:00 AM, carrying us to the coastal region of Phú Yên, Đắc Lắk province, the land of yellow flowers on green grass. That name does not only evoke memories of the movie I See Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass (2015, directed by Victor Vu), but promises a gentle land where nature and people maintain a slow, sincere rhythm of life.

Hanoi, through the eyes of a Cuban girl like me, has always held a special allure - a place where the whispers of history intertwine with a vibrant, modern pulse. Even after three years of living in the capital to pursue Vietnamese Studies, I thought I had already felt the “heartbeat” of this city through my textbooks and lectures. However, it wasn't until I stepped onto a special train called “Hanoi - 5 Cửa Ô” (The Five Gates of Hanoi) that I realized I was embarking on a true voyage back in time - where history isn't just ink on a page, but a living, breathing reality echoing with every rotation of the wheels.

Beyond its beautiful natural landscapes, cool climate, and specialties like artichokes and hydrangeas, Đà Lạt also attracts tourists with its architecture. Its French architecture, in particular, proves alluring, with century-and a half old structures still standing in this foggy mountain city. In recent years, with rising demand for sightseeing and architectural discovery among tourists, the colonial villas of Đà Lạt attract many as a new must-see destination.

In 2023, Ambassador Saadi Salama wrote and published a memoir in Vietnam titled: Câu chuyện Việt Nam của tôi (My Vietname Story), with the dedication: “I am not a transit guest to Vietnam. Within me, there is a very large part of Vietnam”.

This coming May, a special journey titled “Heritage and Peace” will take place in Côn Đảo - a sacred land where historical depth, indomitable spirit, and the Vietnamese yearning for peace converge. Far more than a pilgrimage of gratitude, the program serves as a platform to promote Vietnam’s quintessential cultural icons: the lotus and the Áo Dài.

The National Tourism Year, a premier national-scale cultural and tourism event, occurs annually under the direction of the Government and the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. For 2026, Gia Lai will play the honored role of host province.

The year 2025 marked a significant milestone for Vietnam’s tourism industry, as the sector recorded growth that exceeded all expectations and established a distinct position on both regional and global tourism maps. With these impressive results, Vietnam emerges as a bright star in the Asia-Pacific region, with immense opportunities for 2026 and beyond.