Vietnam

Stretching a thousand miles down the east coast of Southeast Asia, Vietnam supports a vast array of habitats. Between the mighty deltas of the Red River in the north and the Mekong in the south are endless beaches, fertile plains, lush rainforests, and high plateaus with rhododendron-covered peaks rising to over 9,000 feet. It’s no wonder that Vietnam is home to over 850 species of birds, among them more endemics than any other country in mainland Southeast Asia. We’ll visit both the north and the south, in the process combining avifaunal influences from the Himalayas, the Palearctic, and Malaysia, including a large number of Indochinese specialties that are difficult to find elsewhere in the region. With the ravages of the past well and truly behind it, Vietnam has emerged as one of Asia’s thriving economies and one of its most popular tourist destinations thanks to an excellent infrastructure and a welcoming spirit.