True love, many say, knows no boundaries. Versatile performer Suchitra Pillai couldn’t agree more. Vietnam played a great role is etching her love story, “It holds a very special place for me since it’s where my husband Lars proposed to me. Our courtship took place while he was posted there. It was a long distance romance, but nothing a flight couldn’t remedy!” Sitting by the beautiful Xuan Huong Lake or enjoying Vietnamese cà phê at the Bluewater restaurant, she relishes every moment spent there.

An avid Buddha collector, Suchitra deems Ho Chi Minh City as a paradise with an array of antiques to choose from. She added two spectacular sculptures, one of the female incarnation of Buddha with many hands and heads, and one with carved horns and a Buddha in the centre to her already vast collection. If you’re looking for curios and handicrafts, she suggests you head to the Dalat market. She strongly recommends you don’t leave Vietnam without the traditional dress ao dai, which means flowing tunic. It’s a long, form-fitting Chinese-collared kurta with slits up to the waist best teamed with a pair of parallel pants, “The elegant outfit has never failed to evoke good reactions from people each time I’ve worn it.”

Comfort is key when it comes to packing clothes for a holiday. “I carry a lot of easy-to-wear clothes like loose trousers, shorts, a few T-shirts, a few dresses for dinners or parties, swimsuits and sarongs for the beach and most importantly, a pair of sunglasses and a hat or cap to beat the daytime heat,” says Suchitra. Vietnam’s chilled out culture doesn’t compel you to wear make-up on a daily basis unlike a Milan or Tokyo, so her make-up kit was rather basic comprising a blush, kaajal, mascara, eye-liner, two eyeshadows for any occasion, a lip balm, a few lipsticks, moisturiser, face cleanser and toner.

Vietnam might continue to be viewed through the lens of war, but it's fascinating architecture and scenic sights are yet unexplored. Suchitra’s must-visit is the Vinpearl Resort off the coast of Nha Trang; a wondrous haven to lose yourself in. The adventurous streak in her led her to explore the Cu Chi tunnels to get a feel of what it was like to live underground in tunnels and bunkers. But if you’re claustrophobic, it’s better to refrain from venturing there! Vietnam may have broadened her horizons with its distinct culture and historical depth, but it will remain imprinted in her heart as this is where she began a new life.

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