(VOVWORLD) - With thousands of islands to choose from, picking the best island in the Philippines could be pretty overwhelming. But Apo Island is frequently among the top 10 islands recommended by people who have visited the Philippines. This week our guest Merci Ferrer, Co-Convener of the War on Waste - Break Free From Plastic in Negros Oriental, where Apo Island is located, will tell us one reason why.

(VOVWORLD) - Lao people celebrate scores of traditional festivals and holidays throughout the year. Most of them, including the Boun Ork Phansa Festival, are based on Buddhism and interwoven with the seasons and Laos’s agricultural lifestyle. Boun Ork Phansa marks the end of Buddhist Lent, a three-month retreat during the rainy season. In this week’s Cultural Rendezvous, Lao student Boualaphan Phonesavanh will tell us about this festival and what Lao young people think of it.

(VOVWORLD) -Cuisine is the first thing people notice when visiting a country. Ukrainian cuisine is closely linked to the customs, culture, and way of life of the Ukrainian people. It is famous for its diversity and flavors. People in Ukraine like to eat tasty food cooked from fresh products and many Ukrainians are real masters at cooking. And with me on today’s show is Mr Roman Stratichuck, owner of a very famous Ukrainian restaurant in District 2, HCM city, he will introduce some world famous foods and drinks from Ukraine.

(VOVWORLD) - One of the most difficult parts of living in or visiting a foreign country is understanding its culture, customs, and traditions. We recently talked to Tommy Sorongan, a reporter with CNBC Indonesia, and Rudy Hartono, President of the Borneo Listeners Club about potential cross-cultural miscommunications in Indonesia.

(VOVWORLD) - The Midsummer Festival is one of Sweden’s most important holidays, a highly anticipated event when family and friends get together – at least, when there’s no raging pandemic. Today our guests, Gosta Palmkvist, a Swedish man and his Vietnamese wife, will tell us all about Sweden’s Midsummer festival.

(VOVWORLD) -Americans will consume about 150 million hot dogs on the Fourth of July. For many of them, 4th of July is just an excuse to relax in the sun, toss back a few beers, and watch fireworks with family and friends, but the history of America’s Independence Day is much richer and more exciting than you might think. Joe Fitzsimmons, an English language teacher and photographer is here with us on our weekly Culture Rendezvous to tell us all about the Fourth of July holiday and how Americans celebrate it.

(VOVWORLD) - Yoga has become immensely popular in Vietnam and is growing rapidly, especially after the first ever International Yoga Day, June 21, was observed in Vietnam in 2015. Due to COVID-19, this year’s International Day of Yoga must be held online. On this occasion, Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Pranay Verma talked to VOV about how Yoga can help people during the pandemic and about International Yoga Day events in Vietnam.

(VOVWORLD) - Serbia is a country located on the Balkan Peninsula in the southeast of Europe and has a population of roughly 7 million. Today we have Marko Nikolić, a Serbian writer who lives in Hanoi, to share with us some ins and outs of Serbia’s culture.

(VOVWORLD) - In recent years, the Danish word ‘hygge’ and the simple lifestyle of the Danes has been trending around the world. ‘Hygge’ can be translated as "cosiness" or “happiness”, but it’s more than that. Let’s talk with Danish native Nellly Scheuer to find out what ‘hygge’ really means.

(VOVWORLD) - Bali, a resort island of Indonesia, has been known for its jaw-dropping dramatic dances using the whole body. The Balinese like a blend of seriousness and slapstick and their dances reveal this; like a vaudeville show, the audience cheers on the good guys and boos at the bad guys. Today, we have 36-year-old Putu Dudyk Arya Putra, a lecturer at Institute Desain Bisnis Bali, a freelance photographer and a dancer at many Balinese rituals, to tell us more about Balinese dance.