Foreign media: Vietnam among attractive tourism destinations

Hanoi (VNA) – The National’s website thenationalnews.com has listed five reasons for visitors to choose Vietnam as one of the tourist destinations in their travel plan.

Meanwhile, the US travel website - traveloffpath.com said Vietnam has become an attractive tourism place with an open entry policy.

Two years after it closed its borders because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam is back, welcoming vaccinated visitors since March 15, 2022.


In an effort to restore tourism activities in the new normal, Vietnam has reopened international and domestic tourism activities through air, road, rail, and sea routes in accordance with regulations on COVID-19 prevention and control for domestic and international tourists, and Vietnamese visitors going abroad.

In its article on March 17, traveloffpath.com reported that Vietnam finally opened for international tourism after more than two years of being closed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The country is said to be applying the easiest entry conditions among countries in Southeast Asia.

With Vietnam once again allowing tourists to enter the country for travel purposes – and without the requirement to book themselves onto a government-approved group tour, as was the case before – some visitors will be able to enter the country without a visa, it said.

Unlike other nations in Southeast Asia that have also reopened for tourists – Vietnam does not require visitors to present a COVID-19 vaccine certificate, or certificate showing proof of recovery, when entering the country. Also, there is no requirement to undergo any quarantine, whatsoever.

Basically, that now means that whether visitors are fully vaccinated – or not – all visitors follow the same guidelines for entry.

Tourists only need to follow minimal regulations when entering Vietnam, including taking a COVID-19 rapid antigen test no more than one day (24 hours), and a COVID-19 RT-PCR or RT-LAMP test no more than three days (72 hours), prior to their departure.

However, this does not apply to visitors that are aged 2 and under.

With regards to visa requirements, Vietnam has reopened its E-visa website – where citizens from 80 countries can apply for a 30-day (single entry) tourist visa.

The Southeast Asian country has also resumed its visa exemption scheme for nationals from thirteen nations – including the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy.

The website also compares the policies of four other Southeast Asian destinations that attract large numbers of foreign tourists, including Cambodia, the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia.

 
Meanwhile, five compelling reasons for tourists to travel to Vietnam are its long history, attractive underground river system, beautiful beach for surf-friendly waters, traditional crafts, and hill tribe villages.

According to The National, Vietnam’s cities have modernised at a sprint over the past 20 years. But tourists need not venture too far beyond the urban sprawl to savour traditional communities.

For example, only 60 kilometres west of the Hanoi capital, Duong Lam’s weathered streets are decorated by historic temples, shrines and assembly halls that have been designated as national cultural assets.

The appeal of this village is that it offers an insight into Vietnam’s peaceful rural communities, where traditional customs flourish.

The National also introduces the famous tourist destination Tam Coc-Bich Dong of Vietnam as a perfect combination of underground river system, amazingly fascinating caves, along with beautiful landscapes of valleys and paddy fields.

Vietnam is also attractive with the majestic scenery of high mountains, with the colourful picture of mountain peaks hidden in the clouds and dew, terraced fields and colourful clothes of ethnic minority groups.

The country also boasts peaceful and romantic beaches, which are suitable for surfing, the website said.

Visitors to Vietnam are also attracted by delicate and diverse traditional handicrafts, such as conical hat and ceramics, and earthenware.

From trekking and visiting ethnic highland villages, to exploring 1,200-year-old villages, and learning about traditional crafts, Vietnam offers countless unique travel experience, The National said./.