Readers of travel guide publisher Rough Guides have chosen Vietnam as one of the 20 most beautiful countries to visit.
The UK travel site mentioned the “impressive” rock formations in Halong Bay, a four-hour drive to the west of the capital Hanoi, and terraced rice fields in the northern highlands Sapa town was described as a “not-to-be-missed” site in Vietnam .
Van Don International Airport, which opened on December 30, has made it easier for foreign tourists to visit Halong Bay, which was named among the world’s seven new natural wonders by Swiss organisation New Open World in 2011.
Foreign visitors to Vietnam rose 20 per cent to a record 15.4 million last year, making it the world’s fourth fastest-growing travel destination, according to a UN World Tourism Organisation report.
Vietnam is a one of three Asian countries on the list, ranked 20th, while India was placed 13th and Indonesia sixth