Hoi An, HCMC among world’s top trending destinations: Tripadvisor

Hoi An viewed from the above. Photo by VnExpress/Dac Thanh

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 colored lanterns. Sights include the Japanese Covered Bridge and the Quan Cong Temple.”

As for HCMC, Tripadvisor said 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 southern city, and visit the War Remnants Museum, the Jade Emperor Pagoda, and the Ben Thanh Market, and take a tour through the Mekong Delta further south.

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.