6 Vietnamese destinations named in Lonely Planet’s travel bucket list
Six Vietnamese destinations have made it to the list of top 500 places that Lonely Planet says you must visit.
Two of the destinations are located in the north – the Hanoi Old Quarter, ranked 31th, and Ha Long Bay, ranked 65th in the Ultimate Travelist 2015.
Two places in the central region listed in the top 500 are the historic town of Hoi An, ranked 83th, and Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Quang Binh Province, ranked 168th.
The tunnels of Cu Chi, an immense network of connecting underground tunnels located in the Cu Chi District of Ho Chi Minh City, and Phu Quoc Island off southern Vietnam coast are also in the list, at 306th and 418th places.
In comparison, Malaysia has three spots on the list, Singapore has two, and Thailand has eight.
Last year foreign arrivals to Vietnam hit more than 7.8 million, up 4 percent from 2013.
Between January and July this year, the figure was around 4.4 million, a 9.4-percent decrease annually.
Lonely Planet said the rankings were compiled from the highlights found in every one of its famous guidebooks throughout the years.
The list was whittled down to a shortlist and the publication then asked readers to vote for their top 20.
The Temples of Angkor in Cambodia topped the list this year. Described as the “Hindu heaven on earth,” this complex of more than 1,000 temples, shrines and tombs that form a virtual city of spires in the jungles of northern Cambodia, takes the crown.
In response to a question about the appeal of Vietnam to travelers, a Lonely Planet spokesperson pointed out the fact that the guidebook dedicated to Vietnam, with many recommendations, is currently in its 14th edition, with the next edition due for publication in July 2016.
