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A Tourist's Guide to Love

An executive goes through an unexpected breakup, then accepting an assignment to go undercover and learn about the tourist industry in Vietnam. An executive goes through an unexpected breakup, then accepting an assignment to go undercover and learn about the tourist industry in Vietnam. An executive goes through an unexpected breakup, then accepting an assignment to go undercover and learn about the tourist industry in Vietnam.

• Steven K. Tsuchida
• Eirene Donohue
• Rachael Leigh Cook
• Ben Feldman
• 67 User reviews
• 26 Critic reviews
• 49 Metascore
• 1 nomination

• Amanda Riley

• Brian Conway

• Maya Conway

• Sam Gonville

• (as Quinn Trúc Trán)
• Auntie Diem
• Female Cousin
• Male Cousin
• Durian Vendor
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

• Trivia This is the first Netflix original film shot in Vietnam.
• Goofs In the Saigon Silver Star brochure shared at 11:09, the Ho Chi Minh Airport code is shown as SNG when in reality, it is SGN.

User reviews 67

• Apr 22, 2023
• How long is A Tourist's Guide to Love? Powered by Alexa
• April 21, 2023 (United States)
• United States
• Netflix Site
• Hành Trình Tình Yêu Của Một Du Khách
• Hoi An, Quang Nam, Vietnam
• Cook and Muse Entertainment
• Head First Productions
• Muse Entertainment LLC
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 34 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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Rachael Leigh Cook, Scott Ly celebrate travel, Vietnam and more in 'A Tourist's Guide to Love'

"A Tourist's Guide to Love" is available to stream Friday on Netflix.

A new romantic comedy is giving audiences wanderlust vibes and reminding others to believe in love.

In "A Tourist's Guide to Love," Rachael Leigh Cook plays Amanda Riley, a travel executive who goes to Vietnam after an unexpected breakup to learn about the country's tourist industry. Along the way, she meets Sinh Thach (played by Scott Ly), her Vietnamese expat tour guide, who helps her discover the magic of Vietnam and all of the beauty the country has to offer.

"The country speaks for itself. We're lucky enough to be able to give it a postcard version," Cook, who is also a producer on the film, shared during an interview with "Good Morning America."

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"I thought this was a wonderfully organically diverse story about people from all different cultures, all different walks of life coming together to have a really incredible adventure," she added.

The movie, which arrives to Netflix on Friday, was filmed in several places in Vietnam, including Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Hội An and Hà Giang.

The project was also the first international production to film in Vietnam since the global pandemic, according to the streaming service.

"I knew that I wanted to do a movie that celebrated travel," Cook said. "Coming out of COVID, we haven't had as much community and a sort of global perspective. So this really felt like a good fit."

Many who worked on the film shared a personal connection to it, including Ly.

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The actor, whose family fled their home in Vietnam during the Vietnam War, said that working on "A Tourist's Guide to Love" was a meaningful experience for him due to his familial connections.

"For it to be this first project that I get to really kind of sink my teeth into, play the lead role and have so much on my shoulders -- for it to be in Vietnam, from where my parents came from -- for it to be something that I could really just relate so well to, it was the perfect fairytale story," he said.

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"I got emotional too," he added. "My mom is always like, 'Hey honey, I teach you how to be a good person. You go out there and you experience life, and you go and do whatever you want to do.' So she knows she brought me to this country."

"My mom's a great supporter," he added.

Screenwriter Eirene Tran Donohue took inspiration from her own life when she was unexpectedly dumped by her boyfriend before her own trip to Vietnam, Cook shared. At an event, Donahue called the film her "love letter to Vietnam," according to Netflix .

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"There are almost no American movies set in Vietnam that aren't about the trauma of war," she told Tudum . "It was really important to me to tell a story about life now -- one that was full of joy and love and celebration. I wanted to change the conversation about Vietnam, to highlight it as a modern, thriving country whose stories are worthy of being told."

With the film's themes of adventure, love and travel, Cook also said she hopes it inspires interest in exploring Vietnam -- and she hopes the film inspires audiences to "believe in love if their belief had waned."

Ly added that he hopes the film will inspire others to overcome their fears.

"I want them to know that any challenges or kind of fears they have, you can overcome them," he said. "You just got to find the right people. ... The opportunities [are] always there. You gotta take that leap, that's always the hardest step."

"When you take that first step, the next stuff is easier and easier and then you pull people in and you become like a magnet," he added. "Then, positive energy will come at you and like for me, I did that step and then Rachel came into my life and this project came into my life and then these other things came into my life."

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‘A Tourist’s Guide to Love’ Review: Rachael Leigh Cook Eats, Prays, and Loves Her Way Through Vietnam

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Rachael Leigh Cook has done all that: She’s been a teen breakout star in an iconic high school comedy (“She’s All That”), transitioned to cringe sponsored movies (“Spirit Halloween”), and made the leap to Hallmark Christmas queen (“Tis the Season to Be Merry”). Now, she’s deftly parlayed her everywoman likability into the sweet made-for- Netflix movie “A Tourist’s Guide for Love.”

Yes, “made-for-Netflix” is a category all on its own. While “The Irishman” is considered to be a Netflix Original, “made-for-Netflix” separates the mass-produced movies like the nearly-perfect “Falling for Christmas” and calming background noise of “Murder Mystery 2” from the real Oscar contenders. It’s a sliding scale of quality under the streaming titan’s content umbrella, and Cook’s latest film, “A Tourist’s Guide to Love,” feels like an adaptation of a sweet viral BookTok romance novel — in the best way possible.

Cook stars as tightly-wound Los Angeles career woman Amanda, who is assigned to go undercover in Vietnam to scope out whether the tour travel company she hires is worth buying out. Just before she jets off to her dream vacation, Amanda is slapped with some unsavory news: Her predictable and practical boyfriend (Ben Feldman) puts their relationship on “hiatus” as he relocates to Ohio. Worse? He doesn’t pop the question like Amanda had expected in her planned-out perfect scenario.

Cue up the steamy Vietnamese tour guide Sinh (Scott Ly), and soon enough, Amanda’s rigid rule-following goes right out the window, much like her neatly-packed luggage that went missing at the airport. And while that sounds predictable, other beats of the film take their own path. “A Tourist’s Guide to Love” could have easily opted for Americanized, voyeuristic quality when it comes to capturing the lushness of Vietnam, or even exoticizing Sinh’s character as a local craving Amanda’s sensibilities while in turn teaching her own to loosen up.

Thankfully, “A Tourist’s Guide to Love” is smarter — and more tasteful — than that.

Amanda does do some “Eat, Pray, Love”-ing during her trip — one that is doomed already by her deceptive reason for the vacation, which could involve buying out Sinh’s family business — but rather, it’s Sinh’s excitement and passion for Vietnamese culture that roots the film, not just the characters’ budding romance. “A Tourist’s Guide to Love” is a road map for how to love adventure abroad, with dashes of Vietnamese trivia and spiritual facts along the way.

Director Steven K. Tsuchida (“Younger,” “Cobra Kai,” “Resort to Love”) doesn’t shy away from shooting the rich cuisine of Vietnam like a CNN travel show reminiscent of Anthony Bourdain’s “Parts Unknown.” Rom-com touchstones are woven in with cultural traditions; a night market scene is used to adorably show Sinh teaching Amanda how to properly bargain, all while he’s slyly imparting wisdoms like if the vendor doesn’t lower the price, purchasing a symbolic phoenix rising scarf just wasn’t meant to be.

Sure, there’s an inherent eye roll here and there — the traffic tip to jet across the street sans crosswalk is to “always move forward, never back” — but Sinh’s effortlessness translates nicely and makes Amanda learn life lessons by way of local customs. As Sinh warns, their trip and impending romance is not a list of tourist attractions or relationship milestones to be checked off; rather, it’s letting the spontaneity of a life-changing adventure come naturally.

A third act love triangle throws a realistic wrench in the wanderlust romance, with Amanda realizing she was too comfortable and therefore too complacent in her “little corner of the world.” This is a rom-com, albeit “made-for-Netflix,” but one that has an important message that more streamers need to hear.

Eirene Tran Donohue penned the script, with Cook producing the feature, along with Joel S. Rice for Muse Entertainment. “A Tourist’s Guide to Love” is the first U.S. film to be almost entirely shot in Vietnam, and marks the first international production to film in Vietnam since the global pandemic. The winning production make a case for more films to be set in Vietnam, hopefully opening up Netflix’s international production presence just as it deepens Cook’s rom-com roots extend far past the Hallmark Channel to more roles (and parts!) unknown.

“A Tourist’s Guide to Love” is now streaming on Netflix.

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Netflix's A Tourist's Guide to Love: Plot, Cast, Release Date, and Everything Else We Know

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Get ready to experience the trip of a lifetime with Netflix's new romantic comedy, A Tourist's Guide to Love . When Amanda tries to come to terms with a sudden breakup, her company sends her across the world to Vietnam. What happens next is anyone's guess, though it involves a love triangle , a life-changing adventure, and an even more life-changing decision.

Variety exclusively announced that Rachael Leigh Cook would headline the project as Amanda in 2021. The film is actually based on an idea the actress had, which was brought to life as a screenplay by Eirene Donohue ( A Sugar & Spice Holiday ). In addition to starring in and thinking of the idea for the film, Cook is also a producer.

Ready to find out if you are a tourist or traveler? Here's everything you need to know about A Tourist's Guide to Love .

A Tourist's Guide to Love: The Plot

After being blindsided by a breakup instead of the proposal she was expecting, Amanda heads to Vietnam for her job and tries to find herself while experiencing everything the country has to offer. With Sinh as her guide, it looks like she may find everything she is looking for and even something she isn't as she explores Vietnam. The provided synopsis gives a bit more details on the purpose of her trip.

After an unexpected breakup, a travel executive (Rachael Leigh Cook) accepts an assignment to go undercover and learn about the tourist industry in Vietnam. Along the way she finds adventure and romance with her Vietnamese expat tour guide (Scott Ly) when they decide to reroute the tour bus in order to explore life and love off the beaten path.

Despite being sent to learn about the tourist industry, with the help of Sinh, Amanda seems to discover something new about herself and figure out what, and who she wants. Based on the trailer, the film appears to have a pretty standard rom-com setup, with her ex-boyfriend even flying to Vietnam after her. Of course, this creates a love triangle between the guy she thought would marry and the one showing her around Vietnam.

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It looks like audiences will get to see a variety of places around Vietnam, from the cities to farms out in the country. The trailer also features scenes of a dragon dance, which could hint at the time of year the film takes place and a lantern activity on a river or lake. The dragon dance is part of several different festivals, but as confirmed in Tudum , Amanda is traveling in Vietnam during Tết or the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. This will add to the cultural experience she, and the audience, have during the film.

A Tourist's Guide to Love: The Cast

Rachael Leigh Cook is Amanda Riley, the woman who doesn't get put on hold. The actress is known for her work in She's All That , the TNT miniseries Into the West , and Hallmark films like Autumn in the Vineyard and Frozen in Love . Scott Ly is Sinh, the tour guide and love interest. Despite the trailer using the language "introducing," the actor has appeared in episodes of Bones , Animal Kingdom , and FBI: Most Wanted . Ben Feldman is John, the ex-boyfriend. Audiences may recognize him from the shows Drop Dead Dive and Superstore or the films As Above So Below and Cloverfield .

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Additional cast members include Missi Pyle ( Dirty John , Impulse ), Nondumiso Tembe ( Avengers: Age of Ultron , Six ), Andrew Barth Feldman ( High School Musical: The Musical: The Series ), Glynn Sweet ( London's Burning ), Alexa Povah ( The King's Man , Rocketman ), Jacqueline Correa, Morgan Dudley ( Henry Danger , The Prom ), Nsưt Lê Thiện ( The Emperor's Gift ), and Quinn Trúc Trần.

Release Date

A Tourist's Guide to Love will be available to stream starting Apr. 21.

Everything Else We Know

True to the nature of Amanda's trip, production did take place throughout Vietnam in 2022. Director Steven K. Tsuchida described the experience of being one of the first American films to ever film entirely on location in Vietnam to Tudum.

"To be able to film in so many locations in Vietnam was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The excitement of [Ho Chi Minh City] was captivating, while the traditions of Hanoi were enriching. The diversity and culture of Da Nang, Hội An and My Son [sanctuary] was breathtaking. And living and filming in Hà Giang was spiritually moving."

The portrayal of the country, particularly because most American films featuring the area are about the Vietnam War , was essential to writer Eirene Donohue. When speaking with Tudum, the writer described what it meant to her to write a film taking place in Vietnam.

"There are almost no American movies set in Vietnam that aren't about the trauma of war. It was really important to me to tell a story about life now. One that was full of joy and love and celebration. I wanted to change the conversation about Vietnam, to highlight it as a modern thriving country whose stories are worthy of being told."

Moreover, the film is personal to the writer. She experienced a similar breakup just before going to Vietnam for five weeks. While there, she met her life partner at the very end of her trip.

"On my last week in Vietnam, I met a Canadian backpacker who was very much a free spirit and very adventurous... He was supposed to be my holiday fling, [but] we have been together ever since — 22 years."

While you wait for A Tourist's Guide to Love , check out the best romantic comedies on Netflix you can watch in the meantime.

A Tourist's Guide to Love cast: who's who in the romantic movie

A Tourist’s Guide to Love cast is led by Rachael Leigh Cook. But who else is in the romantic movie?

A Tourist’s Guide to Love is a romantic movie that follows a woman named Amanda, who heads to Vietnam where she's on a mission to decide whether her travel agency should purchase a smaller outpost there.

But, while there, she finds herself becoming interested in Sinh (Scott Ly), a tour guide 

The Netflix movie is partly based on screenwriter Eirene Tran Donohue’s real-life experiences: She told Tudum : "This idea was based off of the time in my life when, right after college, my safe stable boyfriend unexpectedly broke up with me right as I was about to leave for a five-week trip to Vietnam.

"While I was in Vietnam I realized that that relationship, which was a good one, wasn't actually the best fit for me."

Rachael Leigh Cook as Amanda

Amanda Riley is an American visiting Vietnam who finds herself in an international love triangle while she's there trying to make business decisions, leading to an unexpected romance overseas.

She's played by Rachael Leigh Cook who has starred in The Baby-Sitters Club ,  Love, Guaranteed , 11:14 , and  He’s All That .

Scott Ly as Sinh

Sinh is Amanda’s tour guide in Vietnam, who she develops a connection with during her time there, something that takes them both by surprise!

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This marks Scott Ly’s first major film role, after years of appearing on television. Fans might recognize him from Criminal Minds , The Young and the Restless , Animal Kingdom , and FBI: Most Wanted.

Ben Feldman as John

John was Amanda’s boyfriend of five years until he moves to Ohio and the couple break up. He's the third part of this complicated love triangle.

Fans might recognize him from TV comedies like  Superstore  and  Silicon Valley. He also starred in the found footage movie Cloverfield and horror hit Friday the 13th .

Missi Pyle as Mona

Mona is Amanda’s business partner and longtime friend, so she's a trusted figure when it comes to her professional and love life.

Missi Pyle is known for her work in Galaxy Quest, Bringing Down the House, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, and Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory .

Quinn Trúc Trần as Anh

Anh is Sinh’s cousin and tour guide co-host so she has a key role in the movie.

Actress Quinn Trúc Trần is a Vietnamese-Australian actor and  A Tourist’s Guide to Love  is her second project. Fans may recognize her from My Mr. Wife.

Nsưt Lê Thiện as Ba Noi

Ba Noi is Sinh and Anh’s grandmother and provides a lot of the movie's comic relief, according to Tudum!

Actress Nsưt Lê Thiện has also starred in Goodbye Mother , Until You , The Emperor’s Gift , and Blood Moon Party.

Who else is in A Tourist's Guide to Love?

• Jacqueline Correa
• Andrew Barth Feldman
• Morgan Dudley
• Glynn Sweet
• Alexa Povah

A Tourist's Guide to Love is out now on Netflix.

Lucy joined the WhatToWatch.com team in 2021, where she writes series guides for must-watch programmes, reviews and the latest TV news. Now she works for our sister site TechRadar in the same role. Originally from Northumberland, she graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a degree in Film Studies and moved to London to begin a career writing about entertainment.

She is a Rotten Tomatoes approved film critic and has a huge passion for cinema. She especially loves horror, thriller and anything crime-related. Her favourite TV programmes include Inside No 9, American Horror Story , Stranger Things and Black Mirror but she is also partial to a quiz show or a bit of Say Yes to the Dress ! 

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Netflix’s Tourist’s Guide to Love Sheds Light On The Beauty Of Vietnam

• Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. More content below

A Tourist’s Guide To Love is a film about a travel executive who takes on a new mission to investigate the tourism industry in Vietnam undercover. During her journey, she begins a romantic and adventurous relationship with her Vietnamese ex-pat tour guide after an unforeseen breakup.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Scott Ly (@scottly.ig)

Directed by Steven Tsuchida and penned by Eirene Tran Donohue, the film aims to urge audiences to explore beyond the usual tourist spots. The film shows a side of Vietnam that is not shown in mainstream Hollywood movies.

“There are almost no American movies that I can think of set in Vietnam that aren’t about the trauma of war,” Donohue, who based the script on her own life-changing trip to Vietnam. “It was really important to me to tell a story about life there now, one that was full of joy and love and celebration.”

The film not only highlights the beauty of Vietnam through various cities and landscapes, but also depicts adventure and romance. It touched on what travel experiences should be about. The main characters stress the importance of living in the moment and embracing travel as an experience and not an itinerary.

This film highlights the beauty of Vietnamese culture. It explores the different cities and experiences that one could have when visiting this beautiful place.

“We filmed in Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An, Da Nang, Ha Giang and Hanoi, all of which are wildly different places in look, history and energy,” said Rachael Leigh Cook who plays Amanda to Netflix . “Our goal, that I feel like our director Steven Tsuchida accomplished, is that you feel like you had a seat on the bus with us.”

Here are some of the cities that the movie explored.

Ho Chi Minh City

With a population of over 8 million people, Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city in Vietnam and was previously known as Saigon. As the cultural and economic center of the country, the city is bustling with activity.

It is a vibrant and dynamic hub of modern skyscrapers and historic landmarks. Ho Chi Minh City has busy street markets, and delicious street food. The Vietnam city attracts tourists from around the world and is a highly sought-after destination.

Hoi An is a small coastal city in central Vietnam. Most people know are aware of it because of Ancient Town. The town is a melting pot of Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese cultures.

The old town features well-preserved historic buildings, narrow streets and canals. It also is famous for its lanterns. They are sold throughout the town and lit up at night. It creates a magical atmosphere.

Da Nang is a coastal city in central Vietnam, located between the popular tourist destinations of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. It is the fifth largest city in Vietnam and has a population of over a million people. Da Nang is known for its beautiful beaches, lush landscapes, and rich history. It served as an important trading port during the Cham dynasty. The city also has a modern and cosmopolitan vibe with a variety of shopping and dining options. Popular attractions in Da Nang include the Marble Mountains, the Museum of Cham Sculpture and the Dragon Bridge.

The Vietnam city of Ha Giang is home to many minority communities. Visitors to Ha Giang can trek through the mountains, visit traditional villages and witness the local culture and way of life. The province has regional specialties, such as thang co and grilled duck.

Hanoi is the capital and second-largest city in Vietnam with a population of over 8 million people. Located in the northern region of the country, Hanoi has rich history, cultural landmarks and delicious cuisine. Hanoi is home to many museums, including the Vietnam National Museum of History and the Ho Chi Minh Museum. Visitors can enjoy traditional water puppet shows, explore the famous Hoan Kiem Lake and sample local street food.

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A Tourist's Guide to Love Takes Viewers to Incredible Filming Locations in Vietnam

The Netflix rom-com is giving us major wanderlust.

Ho Chi Minh City

Formerly known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city in Vietnam. It’s where Amanda starts her trip. Along with the tour group, she browses Ben Thanh Market , one of the city's many lively markets where visitors can grab anything from fresh produce to garments and handcrafted items.

In Hoi An, an ancient town on Vietnam’s central coast, the tour group goes sightseeing, visiting spots like Quon Cong Temple . Hoi An turned out to be Do’s favorite place to film. “The town’s character is so unique,” the production designer says. “My team and I designed and created a total of four main locations within Hoi An.”

Do’s team set out to elevate the existing value of each location. The tailor shop was one such spot, created at a Yaly Couture shop. “Knowing their newest collection was not on current display, I took the privilege of turning their vintage courtyard into a brand-new showcase area with the most unique pieces of Yaly’s latest designs,” Do says. “And with the appropriate addition of the peacocks and some jays, this center area was transformed into an authentic colorful royal garden for our scene.”

The dreamy lantern-lit street that Amanda and Sinh wander down is another creation. While Hoi An is known for lanterns and small lantern-covered streets, none as elaborate as the one in the film existed. So, Do's ordered more than a thousand lanterns in various shapes and sizes. At more than half a mile long, it was constructed over four hot summer days—and it still stands. “We were very honored when Hoi An People’s Committee and Department of Culture asked production to leave this set intact for future tourists to enjoy,” Do says.

When Amanda and Sinh partake in the water lantern festival, they’re on the bank of the Thu Bon River . That experience “is a treat to even a Vietnamese person because the actual festival only happens once a year, and it is rare for a tourist to conveniently be in Hoi An during such time,” Do explains.

Filming also took place at the Hoi An Hotel , which functioned like a studio since it was closed at the time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We were going to name it Da Nguyet (Moon Watching) Hotel, but since the flower vines, after months of pandemic, had beautifully covered the sign of the hotel, we decided to let nature be the voice.”

The coastal city of Da Nang was tapped as a filming location for its sandy beaches. About an hour away from Da Nang and Hoi An, filming also took place at My Son Sanctuary . The Unesco World Heritage site encompasses the remains of tower temples and “was the religious and political capital of the Champa Kingdom for most of its existence,” according to Unesco . Surrounded by mountains, the area is set in a stunning geological basin.

Sinh’s family home is located in Hà Giang, on the banks of the Lô River in northeastern Vietnam. “Hà Giang, and Hà Giang city in particular, was an incredible opportunity to show Vietnam’s cultural ethnic heritage and roots,” Do says of the area. It took the cast and crew six hours to get there from Hanoi. “Its rustic, countryside beauty with fields and terraces of rice really lent the off-the-beaten-track value to the film.”

The pure beauty and cultural value aren’t the only aspects that made filming in the location extra special. “It could very well be the last time that that old village is filmed, as Hà Giang is developing at such a rapid speed, meaning a traveler would need to drive eight, even 10 hours to see the likes of that kind of village again,” Do says.

Vietnam’s capital of Hanoi served as the backdrop for the film’s final scenes. Both the interior and exterior for the water puppet show were shot at Thang Long National Water Puppet Theatre , which is located in the heart of the city and near one of Vietnam’s most famous lakes called Ho Hoan Kiem. “The traditional art of performing water puppet shows dates back as far as the 11th century from the people whose life were nurtured by the water of the Red River,” Do says. “For us, it was a mission to bring this art form into our film.”

The heartwarming moment between Amanda and Sinh at the end was filmed at the iconic roundabout in front of the Hanoi Opera House , which was built by the French from 1901 through 1911 and was inspired by classical Greek architecture and Paris’s Palais Garnier.

In Hanoi, filming also took place at the Tirant Hotel . Located on Gia Ngu Street in the Old Quarter, the hotel has operated since 2011. Surrounded by beloved restaurants and entertainment venues, it’s ideal for both business and leisure travelers.

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• Netflix’s ‘A Tourist’s Guide to Love’ - A step closer to the beauty of Vietnam

A Tourist’s Guide to Love is the first Netflix’s film shot in Vietnam, telling about an unintentional love of Amanda with the adventurous and exciting Sinh. Especially, the film showcases the beauty of local landscapes along with that of Vietnamese people and culture through six main filming locations: Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hoi An, My Son and Ha Giang

After the premiere on Netflix, A Tourist’s Guide to Love soon to claim its position as the most-watched movies globally on Netflix.

A typical rom-com that anyone might be looking for on a lazy Saturday, however, A Tourist’s Guide to Love certainly celebrates the country, showcasing multiple cities and landscapes as Amanda (played by She’s All That’s Rachael Leigh Cook) and her new friends discover the wonders of Vietnam. They find adventure and romance in markets, streets, temples, and ancient villages that actually were the set for some of the film’s most beautiful scenes.

As someone who had never been to Vietnam before this production, my fervent hope is that it’s worth the watch just to get a sense of this incredible country… We filmed in Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An, Da Nang, Ha Giang and Hanoi, all of which are wildly different places in look, history and energy…

Cook tells Tudum of Netflix.

Eager to explore Vietnam by yourself but can’t get away right now? Make your way through the most memorable Vietnam locations in A Tourist’s Guide to Love below. No passport needed of course.

Ho Chi Minh City

A bustling metropolis, a hub of commerce and culture. Since the city is well known for its lively streets, impressive skyscrapers and vibrant nightlife, travellers can find many interesting things and places to experience. The city offers an eclectic mix of colonial architecture, historic landmarks, and cultural attractions. It’s also home to the city’s famous Ben Thanh Market. Other places to be considered are: The Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon - a stunning example of French colonial architecture and features many stained glass windows and intricate carvings; The Saigon Central Post Office - a must-visit for architecture lovers, with many rooms to explore and ornate details to marvel at; Cu Chi Tunnels - an impressive network of underground tunnels during the resistance war of Vietnamese people. Not far from the centre city, the Mekong Delta provides a wonderful cruising tour for sprawling views of paddy fields and houseboats creating signature floating markets.

The Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica

Hoi An Ancient Town

Hoi An, the gorgeous coastal town of Vietnam famous for its handcrafted lanterns, yellow hue households which are rich in cultural experiences to dive into. The Ancient Town, which is a UNESCO-listed heritage site, is simply a spectacle. For a taste of local life, you can pay a visit to Tra Que Vegetable Village where farmers grow the lushest greens, or Sampan’s Distillerie d’Indochine to sample the one and only Vietnam-made rum. Whether to satisfy culture hunters or lazy souls preferring relaxing on a pristine beach, Hoi An is a wonderful destination that surely offers something for everyone. You should experience unmissable activities such as riding the iconic basket boats, experiencing farm life at Tra Que Vegetable Village, checking out the Lune Centre, getting an education at the Hoi An Silk Village.

A coastal city in Central Vietnam known for its sandy beaches. With a huge arc of gently curving sand at the coastline, Da Nang boasts beach areas to suit a range of sunseekers. And what else? My Son Sanctuary, located not far from the City of Bridges. The sanctuary is an architectural complex of many Champa temples with extremely unique architecture, influenced by Hinduism. All temples in the My Son sanctuary are made of brick and stone, facing the East - the direction of the rising sun. On the walls of the temples and towers are sophisticated, elaborate and meticulous carvings with many sophisticated details.

Linh Ung Pagoda

Serving as Sinh (Scott Ly) hometown, where Amanda and friends celebrate Tet as guests. The north-eastern mountainous province of Ha Giang, home to 22 ethnic groups, also well-known as the place where “flowers grow in rocks”. Ha Giang in the spring will be coated in the scent of flowers, especially cherry blossoms, plum flowers, mustard flowers and pear flowers in March. Spring is also the season of festivals. In Ha Giang in October-December, visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy the subtle fragrance, witness with their own eyes a purple colour of the buckwheat flowers covering all the small villages.

A view of Nho Que River from above

Besides primitive and majestic landscapes, Ha Giang also owns historical relic sites such as the Heaven’s Gate and Quan Ba twin mountains (Quan Ba District); the Vuong Family Palace and Lung Cu Flagpole (Dong Van District); Ma Pi Leng Pass (Meo Vac District); Tien (Fairy) Waterfall – Gio (Wind) Pass and the Ancient Rock field of Nam Dan (Xin Man District); and Quang Ngan mineral stream in Vi Xuyen District, etc.

The Temple of Literature (Ha Noi)

The adventure finally comes to an end in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, embracing and nurturing the well blended of tradition, ancient and contemplative elements. Ha Noi is a home of many historical relics such as the Temple of Literature - Vietnam’s first university and educated hundreds of well-known scholars and mandarins. Ha Noi is also a place to have fun and explore with many art shows such as water puppet dances, The Quintessence of Tonkin,... a shopping hub and a true place to wander and taste street food.

Water Puppet Show

Viewers of A Tourist’s Guide to Love can find the film a slapstick comedy, fish-out-of-water gags, copious shopping montages, a secret to be revealed and a last-minute dash to say “I love you”, but this time they’re set against the backdrop of present-day Vietnam, which gives this artwork an unusual feeling of novelty. “A Tourist’s Guide to Love” is essentially a travelogue with a plot, and, somehow, a motivation for you to pack your suitcase and come to Vietnam, to explore, relax and play and all above, to live freely and fully in Vietnam.

We hope to see you in Vietnam, in person, really soon!

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A Tourist’s Guide to Love summary and ending explained

A Tourist’s Guide to Love follows Amanda, who travels to Vietnam for work but ends up finding love and the adventure that was missing from her life. The film is now streaming on Netflix.

Warning: This article contains heavy spoilers

Plot summary

Amanda is a travel executive. Her company, Tourista, is planning to acquire a small tour company called the Saigon Silver Star in Vietnam. Her boss, Mona, needs someone to go to Vietnam and assess if Saigon Silver Star is worth the investment or not.

When Amanda’s boyfriend decides to move to Ohio and asks her for a hiatus instead of proposing to her after five years of being together, Amanda opts to go to Vietnam. She will take a tour with Saigon Silver Star as Tourista’s undercover secret shopper.

In Vietnam, Amanda meets Sinh Thach, her tour guide, and his cousin, Anh, whose father owns Saigon Silver Star. She is also introduced to the rest of the tour group. She then finds out that Sinh, who is extremely resourceful, spent some part of his childhood in the US.

While Amanda likes to plan and prepare in advance, Sinh likes to go with the flow. He does not even follow a set itinerary, but he promises to make Amanda experience the real Vietnam.

Sinh makes Amanda try adventurous things that she would not have tried otherwise, and she starts enjoying the trip. He even makes her buy new clothes for Tet, the Vietnamese new year.

Amanda has a long list of places she needs to visit. When she fails to visit those, Sinh takes her to beautiful places across the city of Hoi An. Amanda realizes that this is exactly what she needed to see.

He also tells her about his life and how he started working as a tour guide for his uncle, and as the tour progresses, Amanda and Sinh start growing closer. Amanda also starts understanding that there is more to a country than popular tourist destinations. 

When Sinh takes the group to My Son Sanctuary, Amanda decides that she wants more of such experiences that are not planned or even in her guidebook. To fulfill her wish, the tour group takes an impulsive detour.

The group is taken to Sinh and Anh’s family village, and the members stay with Sinh and Anh’s relatives. Their grandmother takes an instant liking to Amanda and offers to let her stay at her place.

The group takes part in the preparations for Tet, which is just two days away. They do everything that the villagers do, including cooking and cleaning, and experience the life that they lead on a daily basis.

At the same time, Sinh and Amanda start liking each other and have meaningful conversations on various occasions. When Sinh tells Amanda that his uncle is retiring soon and he is planning to take over the business, Amanda fails to tell him that his uncle is selling the business.

Later, she talks to Ahn, who knows that her father is planning to sell the company, but Amanda does not even tell her the real reason she came on this tour or that it is her company that is buying the business.

On the day of Tet, the members of the tour group bond with each other and celebrate the festival in traditional Vietnamese style. Amanda admits that she has started loving the idea of throwing away the guidebook and following her heart.

While walking alone with Sinh, she tries to tell him the truth about the purpose of her trip. Sinh mistakes her hesitation for something else, and Amanda loses the courage to come clean. The two kiss, but that does not make things easy for Amanda.

The group then bids goodbye to the villagers and travels to Ha Noi. Sinh’s grandmother knows that he likes Amanda, so she asks him not to mess this up.

A Tourist’s Guide to Love ending explained in detail:

Does amanda get back together with john.

To Amanda’s surprise, she finds her ex-boyfriend, John, waiting for her in Ha Noi. John has come to apologize to Amanda and win her back, but his presence makes both Amanda and Sinh uncomfortable, as they both have feelings for each other.

On one side, there is adventurous and exciting Sinh, and on the other side, there is John, who is comfortable. Furthermore, John is only going to be in Ohio for a while, and then he can live with her, but Sinh lives in Vietnam.

John tells Amanda that the thought of marriage scared him, and that is why he was moving to Ohio, but he is ready to make a sacrifice for Amanda and marry her. 

Amanda does not think that it should be a sacrifice; if John really wanted to be with her, he would have asked her to move to Ohio with him. The two decide to part ways, as they realize that they are not right for each other.

Does Tourista acquire Saigon Silver Star?

Amanda discards her previous assessment of the tour, as she now thinks that the tour is perfect and should not be changed. She asks Mona to submit their offer when Mona tells her that another company is trying to buy Saigon Silver Star. 

When Ahn finds out that her father has sold the company, she tells Sinh about it in front of the group, and John accidentally spills the beans about Amanda’s job. The whole group finds out Amanda’s true purpose for being here.

Amanda tries to explain, but Sinh, who is upset and angry, refuses to listen. Sinh thinks he is losing the job that he loves, his dreams for the company, and the woman he likes — Amanda.

Amanda then convinces Mona to let Sinh lead Tourista in Vietnam, as he knows how to give people an authentic cultural experience. Mona agrees, and Tourista becomes Saigon Silver Star’s partner; Sinh and Ahn will get to run the business as they do now.  

Do Amanda and Sinh end up together?

After sorting everything out with Mona, Amanda goes to confess her feelings to Sinh, but she finds out that he is leaving the city to go to his father’s place. He leaves behind a scarf for her that she wanted but could not buy earlier.

She chases him to the opera house and even overcomes her fear of crossing the road without traffic lights to get to him. She reaches him in time and apologizes to him for lying. 

She tells him that he changed her beliefs and taught her a different way of living her life. She believes that she can live a happy life with him, and the two mark the beginning of their relationship with a kiss.

Also Read: The Marked Heart season 2 summary & ending explained

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Netflix Viewers Praise A Tourist's Guide To Love For Its Vietnamese Representation

You can find more than one Rachael Leigh Cook romantic comedy on Netflix these days, and her latest movie has garnered praise from viewers for its Vietnamese representation. 

"A Tourist's Guide to Love" stars Cook as a travel industry professional named Amanda who decides to use a work trip as a fresh start after her long-term relationship ends. Once in Vietnam, Amanda meets her charming tour guide, Sinh (Scott Ly), who encourages her to embrace spontaneity. Though the film falls victim to all of the classic rom-com clichés — like a proposal gone awry, and an unexpected love triangle — there's one thing that everybody is praising: viewers love that Amanda has a Southeast Asian love interest.

Over on Reddit,  u/RLB210 explained it straightforwardly: "A movie about a WF traveling to Asia and falling in love with an attractive proud Asian male will soon be the #1 movie on the world's largest streaming service with 52% female user base." They continued, "This is also great positive southeast Asian male representation, something we haven't seen."

Beyond the romance, the audience appreciates that the movie features positive representations of Vietnamese culture. "Vietnam is also portrayed very well and respectfully which is a nice change to how the Western media usually portray Asian countries. Altogether, I consider it a decent effort and a solid win in the continuance of achieving positive AM representation," wrote Reddit user u/Striking_Impress8077 .

That's a win-win, for sure. Nonetheless, while the film may have some great qualities, most viewers do agree that "A Tourist's Guide to Love" is nothing to write home about.

Netflix viewers love the Vietnamese representation, even if the movie is lackluster overall

There are some great movies streaming on Netflix , not to mention a few duds, but viewers think that "A Tourist's Guide to Love" falls somewhere in the middle. Amanda and Sinh bring out the best in each other, a fact made all the more apparent when Amanda's ex-boyfriend makes an unexpected appearance towards the end of the film. Even though fans appreciate seeing more Vietnamese representation on a popular streaming service, the general consensus is that the plot of "A Tourist's Guide to Love" is too formulaic. 

"IMHO, it's a predictable by the numbers romantic movie featuring [an] Asian man instead of a European and Vietnam instead of some idyllic Euro country. Watch it for the beauty of Vietnam and that's about it," said Reddit user u/Travelonaut . For some, Vietnam itself is the star of the film. "Bad movie overall, but good for AM representation. Pretty boring if not for the overall scenes of Vietnam," wrote Reddit user u/asianmovement .

Few would debate the fact that this rom-com employs tired plot devices and predictable dialogue, but viewers are still tuning in to see Scott Ly's performance. Reddit user u/Bruise_Leee couldn't help but agree with these common sentiments, writing, "The movie was only ok, but it's a good win for Southeast Asian Males for once."

Despite these lukewarm reviews, it's nice to see Netflix making an effort to diversify their content, and hopefully it continues with future projects.

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Where to travel in vietnam after watching ‘a tourist’s guide to love’.

The most epic hotels in Hanoi and Hoi An, plus relaxing beach resorts to the south.

By Kathryn Romeyn

Kathryn Romeyn

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Netflix’s A Tourist’s Guide to Love, starring Rachel Leigh Cook, Scott Ly and Ben Feldman, was filmed in Vietnam, and the new romantic comedy is reigniting interest in traveling to the country, long a beloved destination of foodies and nature lovers.

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The Four Seasons in Hoi An recently introduced a new culturally focused four-night package including excursions to two UNESCO-designated treasures, including the Imperial City of Hue’s pagoda and tomb complex. An optional add-on includes a local food tour via Vespa — the resort’s La Sen restaurant transforms into a street food market every Saturday night — or visit to the ruins of My Son Champa Sanctuary.

A Tourist’s Guide to Love shot scenes all across Vietnam — from Hoi An and the leafy capital city of Hanoi to such other cities as Da Nang, Hà Giang and Ho Chi Minh City.

In Hanoi, Capella Hanoi (from $350 a night) opened in 2021 with 47 uniquely decorated rooms and suites featuring plenty of exuberant operatic flourishes thanks to designer Bill Bensley, plus a handful of transportive dining outlets including an authentic Japanese teppanyaki for wagyu-focused dinners. The latest offering: a $184,000 (starting rate) three-night Royal Suite experience including one-way private Gulfstream jet flight on Sun Aviation from L.A. to Hanoi (noshing on Nobu en route) with fully customizable cultural experiences, outings, and decadent dining.

Vietnam even has options for island escapes. For relaxing indulgence in opulent digs there’s Regent Phu Quoc (from $349 a night), new in 2022, with its own luxury yacht, a Japanese-French fine dining restaurant, rooftop gin bar, and suites and villas that can be personalized with virtually any imaginable amenity. The ocean-view swimming pools lined with cabanas are enchanting.

And Six Senses Con Dao (from $1,272 a night), also in the country’s sunny south, has unveiled a new Yogic series and sustainable renovation of its singular four-bedroom oceanfront pool villa made of reclaimed teak wood, where Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt once stayed (from $5,900 a night). 

A version of this story first appeared in the April 26 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe .

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War History Online

8 Incredible Vietnam War Films Every History Buff Must See

Posted: June 25, 2024 | Last updated: June 25, 2024

The lives of the 2.7 million individuals who served in Vietnam were permanently changed. The realities of the war also changed cinema. The war's harsh realities also left an undeniable mark on cinema. Rather than presenting the conflict in simple terms, Hollywood filmmakers dove into the nuanced complexities of what happened overseas. Presented below are just a few films that most accurately show the challenges soldiers encountered during their service in the Vietnam War.

Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)

In the 1987 film Good Morning, Vietnam , Robin Williams portrays Adrian Cronauer , a US Air Force sergeant who worked as a disc jockey for the American Forces Network (AFN) during the Vietnam War. Although the movie draws inspiration from Cronauer's real-life experiences, it brings in fictional events that did not happen. However, this fictionalization does not take away from the film's impact.

Throughout Good Morning, Vietnam , Cronauer frequently challenges his superiors while offering humor and entertainment to his fellow soldiers. The movie also highlights the perils faced by individuals not directly engaged in combat during the Vietnam War era. Despite never being deployed, Cronauer witnesses a building being destroyed by a bomb and experiences a landmine explosion while traveling in a Jeep.

The Deer Hunter (1978)

The Deer Hunter (1978) follows the story of three Pittsburgh-area soldiers, portrayed by Robert De Niro , John Savage and Christopher Walken , who've just returned home from Vietnam. While serving overseas, the trio were held at a prisoner of war (POW) camp, and the film shows flashbacks of the torture they experienced while imprisoned.

The Deer Hunter is among the list of movies that show what many servicemen experienced upon return home from serving in the Vietnam War. Many consider it to be the first film to actual take this route with its storyline, giving viewers a firsthand look at how post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) impacts soldiers' lives.

Forrest Gump (1994)

The 1994 film Forrest Gump touches on nearly every important historical moment that occurred between the 1950s and '80s. Therefore, it's no surprise the team behind the movie wanted to tackle the Vietnam War.

During his time in the US Army, Forrest Gump, played by Tom Hanks , becomes best friends with fellow soldier, Bubba. Sadly, Bubba is killed during a firefight in the field, and his friend's runs through Vietnamese fields to rescue his comrades showcase how chaotic such conflicts can become. Gump's nativity also gives viewers a glimpse into just how many young men either enlisted or were drafted into service, not knowing what they'd be up against.

Coming Home (1978)

Coming Home (1978) is a movie that deals with the trauma felt by soldiers who were injured while fighting during the Vietnam War. In the film, Jon Voight portrays Luke Martin, a US Marine who returns home paralyzed. He subsequently falls in love with Jane Fonda 's Sally Hyde, a married aide at a VA Hospital.

A number of the servicemen who fought in Vietnam came home with permanent injuries, and many more suffered from PTSD that went untreated. Coming Home treats these issues with care and nuance.

Platoon (1986)

Platoon (1986), nominated for eight Oscars at the 59th Academy Awards, is considered to be one of the most realistic Vietnam War movies ever released. Writer and director Oliver Stone served a tour in Vietnam in 1967 with 2nd Platoon, Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Infantry Regiment. He was stationed near the Cambodian border, and received a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart for his service.

Platoon portrays the dangers American troops frequently faced while serving in Vietnam. In addition to facing off against the Viet Cong , there was also the possibility that those living in villages would attack soldiers with either guns or grenades .

The Post (2017)

One of the more recently-released movies on this list, 2017's The Post highlights how the American press covered the fighting during the Vietnam War. This star-studded film features such A-list actors as Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep and Bob Odenkirk.

The Post was directed by Steven Spielberg , who's spent decades shining a light on America's most important topics. The film focuses on when The Washington Post published the Pentagon Papers , which helped elaborate on US actions in Vietnam.

Da 5 Bloods (2020)

Da 5 Bloods (2020), directed by the legendary Spike Lee, highlights how differently White and African-American troops were treated during the Vietnam War. Generally, Black soldiers were treated as second-class citizens both at home and abroad during the conflict. A prime example of this was Robert McNamara's Project 100,000 , which disproportionately targeted African-Americans and those living below the poverty line.

In the film, African-American veterans return to Vietnam decades after their service, in search of their commanding officer and buried treasure. The movie earned both Academy Award and Screen Actors Guild nominations.

Apocalypse Now (1979)

Apocalypse Now (1979) wasn't necessarily a believable movie, but it does take place during the Vietnam War. The epic war film was directed by Francis Ford Coppola and features Martin Sheen's Capt. Benjamin L. Willard, who's tasked with hunting down Marlon Brando 's Col. Walter Kurtz.

More from us: Marine Movies That Best Represent What It's Like to Be a Leatherneck

While the movie's storyline may not have been all that realistic, Apocalypse Now captures the constant sense of danger soldiers serving in Vietnam had to deal with. It was also incredibly successful, earning eight nominations at the 52nd Academy Awards and going on to win the Oscars for Best Cinematography and Best Sound.

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This pub walking tour has been named the best thing to do in the UK by TripAdvisor for two years running

Beers and brews on london’s traditional drinking scene are a top hit with travellers, article bookmarked.

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A historical walking tour of London ’s pubs has been crowned the top UK tourist experience by TripAdvisor for the second year in a row.

The trusted review platform revealed the winners of its annual Travellers’ Choice “Best of the Best Things to Do” Awards for 2024 after analysing traveller reviews and ratings between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024.

TripAdvisor examined the world’s top overall experiences and attractions, alongside nine sub-categories including food and drink, water sports, family-friendly and sustainable experiences.

The £25 per person ‘ Historical Pub Walking Tour of London ’ run by Liquid History Tours won the UK experience category. It came 19th in overall world experiences with its five-star rating from 4,660 reviews.

One review of the three-and-a-half-hour tour said: “Great way to spend an afternoon learning about history in London and getting some fun facts about the pub culture of this great city! Our guide Will was great. Knowledgeable, friendly, and enthusiastic to share a fun side of London life. I highly recommend this tour, regardless of whether you are a beer drinker.”

The second most loved experience was the ‘Original Harry Potter Locations Tour’ in London closely followed by a musical look at The Beatles’ lives in Liverpool in third place.

As for world winners, a £5 walking tour of picturesque Porto in Portugal took the top spot for experiences while New York ’s Empire State Building reigned tall as the world’s best attraction, according to the review data.

Closer to home, a ‘Guided Celtic Park Stadium Tour’ in Glasgow was named the best in the world for a family day out and Alton Towers Resort took eighth in the world for the amusement park category.

Edinburgh ’s historic castle won the inaugural sustainability category with over 30,000 ‘Excellent’ and 15,000 ‘Very good’ reviews.

When it came to the top UK attractions, the Scottish capital also hosts four out of the top 10 including The Real Mary King’s Close, the Royal Yacht Britannia and the National Museum of Scotland.

TripAdvisor’s top 10 world tourist experiences

• The Unvanquished Tour in Porto City Center, Porto, Portugal
• All-Inclusive Ubud Private Tour, Ubud, Bali
• All-Inclusive Amsterdam Canal Cruise by Captain Jack, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• Small-Group Explore Angkor Wat Sunrise Tour with Guide from Siem Reap, Siem Reap, Cambodia
• Chichen Itza, Cenote and Valladolid All-Inclusive Tour, Cancun, Mexico
• The Best tour in Florence: Renaissance & Medici Tales - guided by a STORYTELLER, Florence, Italy
• Classic Inca Trail Trek 4D/3N to Machu Picchu (Group Service), Cusco, Peru
• Budapest Danube Cruise with Buffet Dinner, Performances and Music, Budapest, Hungary
• Full-Day Ninh Binh Highlights Tour from Hanoi, Hanoi, Vietnam
• Silfra: Snorkeling Between Tectonic Plates, Reykjavik, Iceland

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3 Takeaways From Putin’s Trip to Vietnam

The state visit by President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia to Vietnam had a very different backdrop than his trip to North Korea, as Hanoi has deepened ties with Washington.

By Sui-Lee Wee and Paul Sonne

President Vladimir V. Putin’s state visit to North Korea appeared to have a singular focus on military matters: The two sides dramatically revived a Cold War-era mutual defense agreement. A day later, in Vietnam, the Russian leader was far less provocative, at least early in his visit.

Vietnam values its relations with the United States, which would be jeopardized if Mr. Putin were to make fiery statements about Washington standing beside Vietnamese officials. So even though Vietnam and Russia have deep military relations and a shared communist history, leaders in Hanoi instead focused talks with Mr. Putin on boosting ties in areas like trade, education, energy, and science and technology. The Russian leader kept his formal remarks muted, though he let loose later when he took questions from his press pool before taking off. Most of the questions were about North Korea.

There were no major breakthroughs, but the show of unity with Vietnam was designed to give Mr. Putin a veneer of international legitimacy at a time of increasing isolation in the West.

Here are three key takeaways from his visit.

It was a diplomatic show of sorts for Mr. Putin.

Unlike North Korea, which is a pariah in the West, Vietnam has been courted by the United States in its effort to contain China’s growing global influence. Within the past year alone, Hanoi has also hosted President Biden and China’s top leader, Xi Jinping.

Mr. Putin’s visit to Vietnam is part of an effort by the Russian leader to show that despite Western attempts at isolating him over his invasion of Ukraine, he is still accepted by world leaders. His trip late last year to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, two key American partners in the Middle East, underscored the point.

He was given a 21-gun salute at the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, an important historical site in the center of the capital. In typical scripted fashion, Vietnamese schoolchildren — waving both Russian and Vietnamese flags — lined streets in Hanoi as Mr. Putin’s motorcade drove by. It was Mr. Putin’s fifth trip to the country since 2001 but his first since his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Vietnam and Russia share a long history bound by ideology. In 1950, the Soviet Union was among the first countries to give diplomatic recognition to what was then the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, or North Vietnam.

Nguyen Phu Trong, the powerful head of the Vietnamese Communist Party, told Mr. Putin that as someone who had lived and studied in Russia, he still recalls fondly “this great and beautiful country of Russia with warm feelings,” according to Vietnam’s Tuoi Tre newspaper.

For decades, Moscow became Vietnam’s biggest donor, providing military aid when Hanoi was fighting its wars against France and the United States — a fact that Mr. Putin took pains to remind the Vietnamese on Thursday.

“The Soviet Union, as you noted, provided effective assistance in the heroic struggle of the Vietnamese people against the French and then American invaders, and subsequently contributed to the peaceful construction of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,” Mr. Putin said, as Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stood at his side.

Vietnam has stopped short of voicing support for Russia’s war on Ukraine but has also been careful not to alienate Moscow.

Last weekend, Hanoi skipped the Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland. It has also abstained on four United Nations resolutions condemning Russia’s attack on Ukraine and voted against the motion to remove Russia from the U.N. Human Rights Council.

Mr. Putin’s rhetoric was muted in Hanoi.

Unlike in his meeting a day earlier with the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, Mr. Putin, in public, held back on the fiery rhetoric against the United States through most of the day, when appearing at formal events with Vietnamese counterparts.

On Wednesday, sitting across from Mr. Kim, he railed against Washington as a hegemonic and imperial power trying to force its will on the world through its satellite countries. He signed a defense pact vowing to aid North Korea in the event of a war and threatened deeper cooperation with Mr. Kim’s military.

In Vietnam, the Russian leader stuck to uncontroversial statements about trade and historical relations. The messaging appeared to be calibrated with his Vietnamese counterparts in mind.

Vietnam, which upgraded ties with the United States last year, has been careful with the optics of Mr. Putin’s visit. Ahead of his trip, officials in Washington made it clear that they were not happy, saying that no country “should give Putin a platform to promote his war of aggression and otherwise allow him to normalize his atrocities.”

Vietnamese media has focused the visit on the bilateral relationship and their long historical past as friends during the Cold War era.

“Whatever Russia can offer, I don’t think Vietnam would jump at it and give any impression or appearance that we are aligned with Russia in an anti-Western front,” said Hoang Thi Ha, a senior fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.

Although Russia has long supplied weapons to Vietnam, there was little public talk of arms procurement or defense. Mr. Putin’s new defense minister, Andrei R. Belousov, accompanied the Russian leader in North Korea but then seemed to drop off the trip, with Russia’s defense ministry publishing images of him touring a military health complex back in Russia on Thursday.

For Vietnam, it was a display of its ‘bamboo diplomacy.’

Hanoi says its highest level of bilateral ties are with seven countries: Russia, China, the United States, India, South Korea, Japan and Australia. Maintaining ties with one allows it to counterbalance the others.

Both Russia and Vietnam have profited greatly from exploiting Vietnam’s oil and gas deposits in the South China Sea. Mr. Putin pledged to supply oil and gas products to Vietnam for the long term.

Huong Le Thu, deputy director for Asia at the International Crisis Group, said Mr. Putin’s visit was a showcase of Vietnam’s ability to “sustain a relationship with all actors, despite the mutual great power rivalry and competition.”

Mr. Trong, the party chief, calls this approach “bamboo diplomacy,” in which, displaying the flexibility of bamboo branches, the country is able to balance multiple relationships with major powers.

“It is centered around Hanoi’s interests, rather than anyone else’s,” Ms. Huong said.

Sui-Lee Wee is the Southeast Asia bureau chief for The Times, overseeing coverage of 11 countries in the region. More about Sui-Lee Wee

Paul Sonne is an international correspondent, focusing on Russia and the varied impacts of President Vladimir V. Putin’s domestic and foreign policies, with a focus on the war against Ukraine. More about Paul Sonne