Ha Noi, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh city honored in TripAdvisor’s leading awards

Ha Noi has been honored in two categories of the Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best 2023 by TripAdvisor – the world's largest travel guidance platform.

Specifically, the capital city is ranked third among the 20 Best Food Destinations, and 17th in the 25 Popular Destinations.

In its description of Ha Noi, the site said that “the charming Vietnamese capital has aged well, preserving the Old Quarter, monuments and colonial architecture, while making room for modern developments alongside.

Ha Noi may have shrugged off several former names, including Thang Long, or ‘ascending dragon,’ but it hasn't forgotten its past, as sites such 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 appeal of this city, which is easily explored by taxi”.

Some renowned dishes of Ha Noi include pho (noodle soup), bun cha (grilled pork with vermicelli), banh cuon (rolled ricepancakes), banh mi (Vietnamese baguettes), and ca phe trung (egg coffee).

TripAdvisor also revealed that its Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best 2023 honors Hoi An ancient city and Ho Chi Minh city in its “Trending Destinations” category.

Accordingly, the UNESCO heritage site of Hoi An ancient city is ranked 2nd and Ho Chi Minh city 11th in the list of 25 trending destinations in the world.

In its description of Hoi An, the site wrote: “This city on the central Vietnamese coast is a well-preserved example of the important Southeast Asian trading port it was from the 15th-19th centuries. Already a common stop for backpackers, it is becoming better known to tourists. On the 14th day of each lunar month, the town trades its electric lights for traditional coloured lanterns. Sights include the Japanese Covered Bridge and the Quan Cong Temple.”

As for Ho Chi Minh city, TripAdvisor assessed Vietnam's bustling largest city sets the cultural and economic pace for the country. “The former Saigon boasts charming French colonial architecture and wide boulevards, usually thronged and choked with traffic.”

It advised tourists to use taxi to tour the sprawling city, and visit the War Remnants Museum, the Jade Emperor Pagoda, and the Ben Thanh Market, and take a tour through the Mekong Delta.

Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best is the annual award by TripAdvisor. The award is meant to be given to destinations whose hotels, restaurants and things-to-do received a high volume of above-and-beyond reviews and opinions from the community over a 12-month period.

Fewer than 1% of TripAdvisor’s 8 million listings are awarded Best of the Best, signifying the highest level of excellence in travel.

VNA-THANH BINH