Hoi An, HCMC among Asia’s 15 best cities as voted by Travel+Leisure readers

Hoi An scored 87.86 points out of 100 while HCMC scored 87.64. The cities were rated based on criteria such as sights/landmarks, culture, food, friendliness, shopping and value.

Lying along the Thu Bon River, Hoi An is characterized by its unique architectural ensemble that features iconic yellow houses and rich traditional heritage.

Once a convergence point for Asian traders, the ancient town is home to ancient temples and assembly halls with a touch of Chinese architecture, and a 400-year-old bridge built by Japanese merchants.

HCMC, thanks to political stability and low violent crime rates, is also an ideal destination for foreigners and is famous for its French colonial heritages.

Udaipur in India was named the best city in Asia this year, followed by Kyoto in Japan and Ubud in Indonesia.