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Sneak off to Vung Tau for some Vitamin D. Photo by Lee Starnes. Take me there. This southern beach town is the perfect escape from the endless hubbub of Ho Chi Minh City. Succumb to the delights of succulent seafood and unparalleled Vietnamese hospitality, only a mere hour and a half away from Saigon.

Distraught on how to even begin to tackle the wealth of coffee opportunities in Saigon? Here is your ultimate guide to coffee around the city. Vietnamese coffee’s reputation is well-known and well-deserved. The French brought coffee to this region in the 19th century and to this day, Vietnam has become the second-largest producer in the world after Brazil.

At the stroke of midnight the mission started. We were about to become nocturnal souls in search of cafés that open all night long, gathering all kinds of people and stories. It turns out that Ho Chi Minh City — another of those big metropolises that never sleeps — offers a wide list of cafés that remain open 24 hours to cover every customer’s need.

At the end of an alley in District 3 you will come across Hey Camel Ceramics. In there you will find stylishly designed pottery and you will have the chance to dig your hands into clay and, who knows, become an artist. We spent a morning getting to know the founder and creative director, Leandro Marcelino.

The king of snacks, banh xeo is everywhere in Ho Chi Minh City. But which joint makes the best? Natalia Martínez went on little tour in search of the winner. Photos by Francis Xavier. Anchored in Vietnamese food history, banh xeo is one the most iconic dishes served at this country’s tables. This snack actually holds a fascinating and surprising story, which disproves the hypothesis that this crepe is a gift from the French cuisine of the late 19th century.

During my first days in Ho Chi Minh City I wandered around its streets on foot, as I was too afraid to join the motorbike madness. It surprised me how many of these streets were a smorgasbord of food; I had never been in a place where there was an opportunity to eat in every single corner and alley.

“Why don’t expats like snails?”. “Do you think it really is a pastime?”. “What makes it so special?”. These were some of the questions that my editor asked me while discussing my recent contribution about snails and shellfish to this publication. Since my arguments seemed a bit weak during our conversation, I decided to make it up to him and try to convince you, the reader, why eating Vietnamese seafood is a great experience which you should enjoy as much as I do.

When we get wet in Vietnam, we get really wet. Jon Aspin and Natalia Martinez take a look at some of the things that really matter when the heavens open up, and asked the whole Word team for their top tips. Stop denying it. Who do you think you are? The Australian Prime Minister? All the signs of climate change are here.

La gastronomía cada vez tiene más influencia en nuestro estilo de vida, es uno de los sectores que más crece y más evoluciona y quizás, en los últimos meses, te hayas encontrado con alimentos, mezclas y recetas que nunca antes se te habrían ocurrido. Patas, ojos, son muy viscosos y más proteicos de lo que crees.

Cuando Willem (28 años, Holanda) cerró las puertas de su casa y se echó la mochila a los hombros desconocía el largo camino que le esperaba por delante. Al comenzar su aventura se propuso otra meta al margen de lo que ya significa recorrer el mundo conociendo infinidad de países y sus culturas. Quería sembrar un poco de alegría allí por donde pasara y para lograrlo quiso hacer algo tan sencillo como ofrecer a la gente unos cuantos de sus pancakes.