8 Vietnam tourist destinations emerging on Agoda
Online booking agency Agoda released a list of eight Vietnamese destinations experiencing significant growth in interest on the company’s portals, with the north's colonial retreat Tam Dao taking the lead.
Tam Dao, a popular resort town built by the French in the northern province of Vinh Phuc, saw a 279% increase in search traffic year-on-year, according to Agoda, which compared search data between the first three quarters of 2022 and 2023 to compile the list.
Located 90 kilometers northeast of Ha Noi, Tam Dao, or "three islands" in Vietnamese, used to be a favored summer retreat for French officials in the late 19th century. Thus, it boasts a wide range of old villas featuring traditional European architecture.
Tam Dao is an ideal place to visit all year round with temperatures ranging from 18 to 25 degrees Celsius.
The northern province of Bac Ninh recorded a 234% increase in search volume to land in second place on the list.
The region is famous for its quan ho folk singing, which was recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010.
The songs are performed as a kind of call-and-response of alternating verses between two women from one village who sing in harmony, and two men from another village who reply with similar melodies, but with different lyrics.
Bac Ninh is well-known for its many beautiful, ancient pagodas like Dau, But Thap, Linh Ung, Tieu and Lim.
The beach city of Sam Son in north-central province of Thanh Hoa ranked third on the list with a year-on-year increase in interest of 228%.
Sam Son, around 160 kilometers from Ha Noi, has become a frequently-visited destination for summer holidays in recent years, with accommodation and tourism services flourishing.
Sam Son seawater has a mild salinity and temperature, which are thought to be beneficial for physical health, and have been historically popular to help tourists rest and recuperate.
Phu Quy Island, 120 kilometers southeast of Phan Thiet along the south-central coast, ranked fourth as the island witnessed a year-on-year search growth of 180%.
Phu Quy has enjoyed 'travel fever' – with accommodation facilities and tourism services becoming overloaded – ever since Dau Giay – Phan Thiet Expressway opened to traffic in late April, cutting the travel time from Ho Chi Minh City to Phan Thiet to around two hours.
Phu Quy has 56 operating accommodation service establishments with a total of 678 rooms, including 17 hotels, 31 motels, and eight homestays with rooms for rent.
The beach resort city of Quy Nhon in the central province of Binh Dinh saw a year-on-year growth in interest of 178%, putting it at the fifth position.
The expansion of resorts and infrastructure in the city has piqued the curiosity of tourists at home and abroad, according to Agoda.
Perched between the tourist hotspots of Nha Trang and Hoi An, Quy Nhon is less crowded.
Last year, Binh Dinh authorities proposed an upgrade for Phu Cat Airport to double its capacity to five million passengers a year as tourism popularity grows.
At the sixth position is Cat Ba Island in the northern port city Hai Phong which saw an increase of 127% year-on-year.
The Cat Ba Archipelago includes over 360 islands, of which Cat Ba Island itself is the largest.
The limestone karst mountains of the island rise from the turquoise waters surrounding it, making the area an ideal destination for cruise tours.
Between May and October is said to be the ideal time to visit Cat Ba, where visitors can rent a boat or cruise to explore Lan Ha Bay with a myriad of limestone karst mountains and floating fishing villages.
The next is Tuy Hoa, the capital city of Phu Yen, which saw search growth of 103% year-on-year.
Like Quy Nhon, Phu Yen has risen on Vietnam’s tourism map thanks to infrastructure investment and tourism promotion campaigns.
Five years ago, there were no four-to-five-star hotels in Phu Yen, but now, high-end accommodation has been developed across the coastal province with various choices including Zannier Hotels Bai San Ho and a system of high-class hotels like Rosa Alba Resort, Stelia Beach Resort.
Convenient flight connections have also boosted Phu Yen's rising popularity.
Currently there are daily flights from Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh city to Tuy Hoa Airport in Phu Yen with round-trip tickets ranging from VND2-4 million ($85-170).
Rounding out the list is Yen Bai, which recorded a year-on-year search growth of 88%.
Yen Bai is home to Mu Cang Chai, a mountain district in the northern province famous for its terraced rice fields that the government plans to turn into a national tourist area.
Mu Cang Chai is a-seven-hour drive northwest of Ha Noi. The remote rural district is famed for its terraced rice fields, which change color depending on the time of the year.
Due to its rugged terrain, infrastructure has not yet been developed.
Between September and November is the most ideal time to visit Mu Cang Chai, with golden rice fields in full swing during the harvest season.
VNE