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| An aerial view of the ancient city of Hoi An (Photo: baoquangnam.vn) |
According to Nguyen Thanh Hong, Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Tripadvisor's rankings are based on reviews from tourists over the past 12 months.
Bali (Indonesia) topped the list thanks to its long beaches with fine white sand and beautiful sceneries. Hoi An was placed second on the list, and it was the only Vietnamese representative to make the list.
Other destinations named were the Maldives, the Republic of Dominica, Mauritius, Khao Lak (Thailand), Santorini (Greece), and Venice (Italy), among others.
These locations are places to enjoy honeymoons with beautiful landscapes and romantic dinners for couples.
The list is within the framework of Tripadvisor's Travelers' Choice Awards Best of the Best 2024 to honor destinations with restaurants, hotels, and entertainment activities that receive a number of votes that far exceed visitors' expectations. Less than 1% of the 8 million applications are awarded Best of the Best.
Hoi An was once an important bustling trading port of Southeast Asia from the 15th to 19th centuries. At the same time, this was also a popular stop for those traveling and has become more popular with foreign tourists and is especially attractive to people from Japan, China, and the Republic of Korea.
On the 14th day of every lunar month, Hoi An organises "Full Moon Night in the Old Town" and other festivals with colorful lanterns shimmering romantically in the light of the river, bringing traditional characteristics of the ancient city.
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| Cau Bridge in Hoi An (Photo: vneconomy.vn) |
In addition, the locality also has famous attractions such as Cau Bridge, Quan Cong temple, and ancient houses along with small mossy streets for pedestrians.
During the recent Lunar New Year (from February 8 to 14), the province welcomed 305,000 visitors, an increase of 35% over the same period last year, of which international visitors reached 97,000, a surge of 42% while domestic tourists accounted for 208,000, up 31% year on year.
Airlines serve over 1.5 mln passengers during Lunar New Year 2024
Airlines in the country served more than 1.5 million passengers, including 748,600 international and 762,400 domestic, during the recent Lunar New Year 2024 from February 8-14, the Vietnam News Agency quoted the figures of the Vietnam Aviation Administration (VAA).
Air passengers and cargo during the period expanded by 11% year on year, it said, adding that although the domestic market saw a downward trend of 13.2%, the international market flourished at 54%.
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| Airlines serve over 1.5 million passengers during Lunar New Year 2024 (Photo: VNA) |
Cargo transportation also showed a similar trend, with the growth of the total market accounting for 7.3%. The domestic market decreased by 11% but, on the contrary, the international market increased by 10.5%.
During the reviewed period, the number of takeoffs and landings at airports across the country reached 14,500, a contract of 0.7% year on year.
The total transport volume of Vietnam’s airlines landed up at more than 1.1 million passengers, a fall of 2.7%, and more than 2,800 tonnes of cargo, an increase of 16.7% over the same period in 2023.
Gold price decreases on God of Wealth Day
Domestic gold price decreased by 150,000 VND (6.1 USD) per tael (37.5 grams) at the beginning of trading on February 19 - God of Wealth Day (the tenth day of the first lunar month) compared to the price at the end of February 18, with many fluctuations expected on the market during the day, said the Vietnam News Agency.
At 8.50 am, Phu Quy Jewelry Group listed its buying price of SJC gold at 75.4 million VND per tael and the selling price at 78.2 million VND per tael, down 350,000 VND per tael and 150,000 VND per tael, respectively, compared to the end of February 18.
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| Gold price decreases on God of Wealth Day (Photo: VNA) |
The Saigon Jewelry Company (SJC) bought SJC gold at 75.4 million VND per tael, down 400,000 VND per tael, and sold at 78.42 million VND per tael, unchanged from the end of the previous day.
Vietnamese prefer buying gold to mark God of Wealth Day – the tenth day of the Lunar New Year, as legend has it that the God of Wealth returns to heaven on the tenth day of the first lunar month each year. Vietnamese people consider this God of Wealth Day, so they have a tradition of buying some gold for good luck and prosperity throughout the year.
Vietnamese team ranks fifth in Clipper Round World Yacht Race
The Vietnamese sailing team named "Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam" finished in fifth place in the 2023-2024 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race after docking at Ha Long International Cruise Port in the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh at 10:35 am on February 19, the Vietnam News Agency reported.
Members of the team were very excited after completing a long journey in this fifth leg of the race.
The captain of the "Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam" team, Josh Stickland, expressed his joy, stating that the team is proud to be named after the Ha Long Bay. He said this is the first time he arrived at the Ha Long International Cruise Port, adding that the port and Ha Long city are beautiful.
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| The Vietnamese sailing team named "Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam" finishes in fifth place in the 2023-2024 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. (Photo: VNA) |
Meanwhile, Tyson, a crew member of the team, expressed his pride in what the team had accomplished.
A day earlier, the teams “Qingdao” and “Zhuhai” were the first to dock at the Cruise Port at 1:20 pm and 1:55 pm on February 18.
The race, drawing nearly 400 sailors aboard 11 sailing yachts, is divided into eight legs and 16 separate races, including six ocean crossings. They can choose to either complete the full circumnavigation or opt for one or multiple legs.
The Vietnamese destination is on the fifth leg within the Asia-Pacific Challenge where sailors will take part in the race and different activities during the 10-day event.
As planned, the teams will make a stop in Quang Ninh until February 27 for rest and relaxation. There will be numerous sightseeing activities at tourist landmarks, with cultural exchanges along the way.
It is the only race in the world where the organisers supply a fleet of identical racing yachts, each with a fully qualified skipper and first mate to safely guide the crew. Crews must complete four levels of intense ocean racer training before they compete.
The Clipper Race was first organised in 1996 in the UK. Since then, almost 6,000 race crew from diverse backgrounds representing more than 60 nations have undergone training and taken part in the competition.
Renowned for its grueling nature, it is one of the most formidable challenges in the natural realm and an unparalleled test of endurance and resilience./.