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| Boats sail to Thung Nang (Sunshine Valley), a tourist attraction in Ninh Binh (Photo: VNA) |
According to VNA, “Ninh Binh has been named one of the most underrated destinations in Asia, and it’s often referred to as one of the most beautiful hidden gems on the Asian continent,” says Catarina Mello, an award-winning luxury travel content creator, photographer, entrepreneur and online educator, as cited by Forbes.
“It’s rising in popularity on social media, so it won’t stay a hidden gem for too long.”
Forbes also suggested some travel experiences in Ninh Binh, including enjoying scenic landscapes and tasting special cuisine.
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| Ninh Binh is home to many famous destinations such as Trang An, Hoa Lu, Tam Coc - Bich Dong. (Photo: VNA) |
In February this year, the province was chosen one of the world’s most welcoming regions, a category of the annual Traveller Review Awards 2023 announced by Booking.com, a hotel booking app covering 228 countries and territories.
Nguyen Van Minh, Director of the Ninh Binh tourism promotion centre, said the local tourism sector has continually carried out many measures to turn the province into a hospitable and ideal destination for domestic and foreign travellers.
In the first quarter of 2023, Ninh Binh welcomed 3.2 million tourist arrivals, surging 4.8-fold year on year. That included 3.1 million domestic visitors and nearly 126,000 international ones. Tourism revenue was estimated at nearly 2.5 trillion VND (106 million USD), up 5.5-fold from a year earlier.
The Travel reveals top 10 must-visit attractions in Vietnam
The Canada-based magazine The Travel has revealed its top 10 list of the nation’s best tourist attractions that visitors should not miss.
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| Phu Quoc Island (Photo: Internet) |
VOV reported that The Travel, the country is notable for beng distinctive, for fiercely defending its independence, and for its beautiful natural attractions.
“Vietnam is an astonishingly favored country. And even the most experienced globetrotters (may) agree with this. The country’s jaw-dropping beauty, ranging from spectacular rice terraces carved into steep hillsides to limestone peaks protruding from the azure waters, shouldn’t be overlooked,” says the magazine.
It stressed that one trip simply isn’t enough time to enjoy Vietnam's gorgeous offerings, meaning it might be on visitors’ bucket lists for some time.
Phu Quoc island topped The Travel’ list, with the magazine saying that Phu Quoc is an archipelago with beautiful beaches that promise gratifying vacation experiences.
In addition, Hon Thom island welcomes adventurers escaping from the bustling city with its rural island life.
Sao beach, Khem beach, and Hon Thom island are all recommended by the magazine due to their beautiful beaches, local pearl cages, and lush jungle-covered mountains. Water sports lovers can also immerse themselves in the clear waters by swimming, scuba diving, and kayaking.
Hanoi ranked second thanks to its diverse native culture coupled with a delicious food scene.
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| Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi (Photo: Internet) |
Food lovers can treat their taste buds to a mouthwatering Bahn Mi sandwich, a perfect combination of French and local elements.
The Museum of Ethnology is a must visit site in the capital that sheds light on the daily lives of the 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam, with artifacts portraying the religious beliefs and costumes of the local people.
Third place went to Hue, which is a captivating ancient city with streets lined with pagodas and art deco mansions. The ancient capital lures history and architecture buffs, especially the impressive Imperial City.
“One of the most peaceful pagodas in Hue is the Thien Mu Pagoda, which sits on the northern bank of the Perfume River. The pagoda’s architecture and romantic location draw tourists from around the world,” it noted.
Other must-visit attractions around the country include the Mekong Delta, Ba Be National Park in Bac Kan province, Cu Chi Tunnels located 70km from downtown Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An in the central coastal province of Quang Nam, Trang An in the northern province of Ninh Binh, and My Son in the central province of Quang Nam.
Con Dao new passenger port opens for tourists
A new passenger port in Con Dao island district in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau has received the first high-speed boat carrying over 200 passengers to the popular tourist destination, VNA reported the data of the Management Board of Ben Dam port.
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Con Dao passenger port project was put into operation in early March.
(Source: sggp.com.vn) |
The Con Dao passenger port project was approved in 2007 and then completed and put into operations in early March, having an initial investment of more than 57 billion VND (2.43 million USD).
The port, located in the centre of Con Dao, is designed to receive 398 DWT vessels and expected to make it easier for visitors to reach the destination, while easing overload for Ben Dam port.
Con Dao Island, off the coast of southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, is set to become a world-class site for marine, cultural, historic and spiritual tourism, according to a revised plan for Con Dao development by 2045.
The plan has been revised to better boost tourism on the island, protect and promote its historic relics and preserve the ecosystem of the Con Dao National Park, a Ramsar site of wetlands of international importance and home to 1,077 species of vascular plants and 155 species of fauna.
Last year, despite impacts of COVID-19, the district welcomed 523,515 tourists, an increase of more than 110% over the same period in 2021, including 9,215 foreigners.
The 16-island archipelago of Con Dao is located 180km from Vung Tau city, and about 230km southeast of Ho Chi Minh City. It has a land area of nearly 6,000ha and a water surface of 14,000ha./.