Hanoi (VNA) – Laos has been listed among top 20 must-visit destinations in 2023 by the UK's Telegraph newspaper.

Laos is the only Southeast Asian country to enter the list, which also includes several Asian nations such as Japan and Sri Lanka.

The Telegraph highlighted the country’s year-old swanky high-speed train and the breath-taking views and convenience that it offers.

It slices through the northern mountains from capital Vientiane, curving along the north bank of the Mekong River to Vang Vieng, where the sugarloaf mountains tower over the ragtag settlement on the banks of the Song River, said the article.

A journey that takes four to five hours by road on bum-numbing buses now reaches the fabled UNESCO-protected temple town of Luang Prabang in 55 minutes, it said.

According to local media, Laos was earlier hailed by CNN as one of the 23 best places to visit in 2023. The National Geographic also listed Laos as one of the 25 leading destinations for 2023.

In 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, Laos enjoyed strong growth in tourism, at 14.4%, with 4.79 foreign visitors and revenue of 934 million USD, equivalent to nearly 5% of the country's GDP. Experts held that Lao tourism will recover this year and China’s reopening is also expected to contribute to the process./.
VNA