The UK-based travel website iWantSun listed Vietnam among the top 10 countries to visit this year, while the Luxpresso paper of India also rated Vietnam as one of the places to discover in 2013.

Many foreigners see Vietnam and Thailand as the most popular destinations in Southeast Asia. Visitors especially like Hanoi, known for its charming cultural heritage. Hoi An and Hue are popular for their culinary delights and Nha Trang for its white sandy beaches.

On top of the UK’s iWantSun list were Mexico, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Turkey, the US, the Republic of Korea, Slovakia, Tanzania, and Grenada.
 
According to the General Statistics Office, 6.85 million international visitors came to Vietnam in 2012, a year-on-year increase of 9.5 percent.-VNA