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Anyone aching for a fresh rom-com is in luck: The new movie A Tourist’s Guide to Love has officially hit Netflix. It follows travel executive Amanda (played by She’s All That’s Rachael Leigh Cook) who goes undercover in Vietnam to learn about the tourism industry and recover from a breakup. While there, she meets a tour guide named Sinh (Scott Ly). 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. We spoke with its Ho Chi Minh City–based production designer, An Do, to learn behind-the-scenes details about these incredible filming locations. Warning: Reading on may cause severe 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.
Hoi An
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.”
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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.”
Da Nang
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.
Hà Giang
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.
Hanoi
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.
You love filming locations. So do we. Let’s obsess over them together.
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Kelly Allen is the current Associate Editor at House Beautiful, where she covers design, pop culture, and travel for digital and the print magazine. She’s been with the team for nearly three years, attending industry events and covering a range of topics. When she’s not watching every new TV show and movie, she’s browsing vintage home stores, admiring hotel interiors, and wandering around New York City. She previously worked for Delish and Cosmopolitan. Follow her on Instagram.
