Vietnam’s four sites awarded “Top Destination in Asia”

TripAdvisor’s “Top Destination in Asia” award was presented to Hanoi , Ho Chi Minh City , Hoi An and Ha Long of Vietnam at a ceremony held in Singapore on June 18.
TripAdvisor’s “Top Destination in Asia” award was presented to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City , Hoi An and Ha Long of Vietnam at a ceremony heldin Singapore on June 18.

Of the Top 25Destinations in Asia, Hanoi ranks 14th; Ho Chi Minh City, 15th; HoiAn in central Quang Nam province, 17th; and Ha Long in northernQuang Ninh province, 25th.

At the award ceremony,Robin Ingle, Senior Vice President of TripAdvisor, the world's largesttravel site, told Vietnam News Agency’s Singapore-based reporter thathaving four winners in the top 25 is extremely impressive.

“Vietnam’s tourism industry is now appealing very broadly toglobal travellers and it is doing a phenomenal job,” she said.

TripAdvisor writes on its web “The charming Vietnamese capital hasaged well, preserving the Old Quarter, monuments and colonialarchitecture, while making room for modern developments alongside.Hanoi may have shrugged off several former names, including ThangLong, or "ascending dragon," but it hasn't forgotten its past, as sitessuch as Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and Hoa Lo Prison attest. Lakes, parks,shady boulevards and more than 600 temples and pagodas add to the appealof this city, which is easily explored by taxi.”

It describes Ho Chi Minh City as “Vietnam's bustling largest city setsthe cultural and economic pace for the country”; and Hoi An as “thecity on the central Vietnamese coast is a well-preserved example of theimportant Southeast Asian trading port it was from the 15th-19thcenturies”.

It encourages travellers to visit Ha Long Bay “foran up-close look at its amazing limestone islands, rock formations andcaves”.

Maria Pilar Bosch Jorda, a Spanish,told VNA’s reporter that she will fly to Ha Long Bay this Friday. Sheadded: “All my friends have been in Ha Long Bay and Hanoi and theyall told me that it's so amazing to go there and even if (the trip) isshort you need to go there now".

A Singaporeangirl, Christina Angela Aureus, said that she hasn’t visited Vietnambut after this ceremony, she will definitely visit Ho Chi Minh Cityand Hanoi. She said “I heard that Vietnamese noodles and coffee arevery very good. I will definitely try them.”

The fifthannual awards recognises 412 outstanding destinations in 38 marketsacross the globe, including those of Africa, Asia, Australia, theCaribbean, Central America, China, Europe, India, Mexico, the MiddleEast, South America, the South Pacific, and the United States.

The Travellers' Choice Destinations awards honour top travel spotsworldwide based on millions of valuable reviews and opinions fromTripAdvisor travellers. Award winners were determined based on thepopularity of destinations, taking into account travellers' favouritesand most highly rated places.-VNA

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