Hanoi Named Asia's Sixth Best City for Visitors

Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam was ranked sixth among Asia ’s best cities for tourists, according to an annual survey conducted by the US ’s prestigious Travel and Leisure Magazine.

 

Hanoi, the city of peace, scored 82.09 points. The ancient-intermingled-modern characteristics are charming travelers.

 

Established in 1010 under the regime of King Ly Cong Uan - the founder of the Ly Dynasty, Hanoi has the greatest number of listed historical sites in the country, with two sites per sq.km on average and old villas built during the period of French domination in the late 19th century.

Many of them are closely connected with the process of founding and safeguarding the country, such as the Co Loa Citadel, the Soc Son historical site, Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam (Temple of Literature) - Vietnam's first university which was built in 1070, and the house on stilts where President Ho Chi Minh, who was recognized as a world cultural celebrity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1990, lived and worked during the last years of his life.

Special dishes of all three regions of the country and the old quarter of Hanoi, with ancient houses and busy streets, are particularly appealing to foreign visitors, as here they can feel the pulse of a thriving city.

 

“The ranking brings honor to the city,” an official from the municipal department of tourism said, adding that the authorities is trying their best to keep the foothold in the region.

 

Since 2002, Hanoi has been chosen as one of five most attractive tourist cities in Asia by America's Travel and Leisure magazine.

 

The two Thai cities of Bangkok and Chiang Mai were ranked first and second, with 86.11 and 85.62 points, respectively. The Lao ancient city of Luang Prabang , 425 km north of Vientiane , was ranked tenth, with 79.92 points.

 

More of Asia ’s best cities included Kathmandu (Nepal), Kyoto (Japan), Hong Kong and Beijing (China), Udaipur and Jaipur (India).

 

Meanwhile, the Italian city of Florence was named as the world’s best city, followed by Rome (Italy) and Bangkok (Thailand), respectively.