Vietnam really stands out for me in the world as a place that feels substantially different from the Western world we are used to, yet remains pretty darn safe for a Western tourist.

Given that it is also comparably inexpensive, it really is a fantastic place everyone should try to visit sometime.

Downsides: Lots of people have figured out how awesome Vietnam is already, so you certainly won't be the only tourist.

Also, after you've spent five minutes on a Vietnamese street corner you'll appreciate that riding the Ho Chi Minh Highway is indeed quite dangerous... but just for reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with being a tourist.