Ha Noi's pho and a cruise through Ha Long Bay are unmissable, says Business Insider.

Pho is served at a shop in Ha Noi. (Photo by AFP/Hoang Dinh Nam)

U.S. news site Business Insider has published a travel bucket list for Asia with 50 attractions, foods and experiences you have to try, and two of them are in Viet Nam.

One is a steamy bowl of pho in Ha Noi. The noodle soup is known amongst most tourists and loved by many, so much so that there have been heated online debates about how it should be served.

Basically, it is a bowl of soft rice noodles in a broth carefully prepared with different herbs and served with beef or chicken, shallots and chili and lemon to taste.

The soup is considered a national dish and can be found all over Viet Nam, although it is more a Ha Noi specialty and may taste a little bit sweeter and thicker in Ho Chi Minh City.

Around four hours drive to the west of Ha Noi is Ha Long Bay, a natural marvel with more than 1,500 islands and inlets popping up from emerald waters that are perfect for a boat cruise.

A view of Ha Long Bay. (Photo by AFP)

The bay has become famous since UNESCO named it a natural heritage site.

Last year, the U.S. travel guide site Smarter Travel named it amongst the 27 best ecological spots in the world.

Tourists can book an overnight cruise on the bay to watch sunrise or sunset in a spectacular setting. Just to be fair, safety is a big concern and local authorities have considered banning overnight trips as well as replacing wooden boats with metal ones following a number of fires.

A private seaplane operator also launched a service over the bay in 2014.

Other Asian travel experiences recommended by Business Insider include hiking through the quartzite sandstone columns in China’s Zhangjiajie National Park, which inspired the sci-fi Avatar, taking a floating market tour in Bangkok, riding a camel in Mongolia, visiting the colorful Meenakshi Temple in India, going shopping in South Korea, enjoying dim sum in Hong Kong and exploring the ruins of Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

(Source: VNExpress International)