Originally Posted by fountainhall

I would be wary about both Kathmandu (which I visitied ages ago and loved) and Colombo in view of the very difficult political situation in both countries. Nepal has just kicked out the king and is experimenting with a Maoist government. No-one knows how this will turn out. Friends who have just returned from Colombo said they could not feel comfortable as the threat of violence (a result of the decades-old war) is never far away. If you don't mind the heat and humidity, I'd certainly prefer Hanoi.