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| Hoi An in the central region is one of the 100 best walking cities across the world. (Photo: GuruWalk.com) |
Hanoi comes 42nd in the global rankings, as it is known for its rich history, French colonial architecture, and vibrant markets.
Although many choose to navigate Hanoi by motorcycle, discovering the city on foot offers a deeper immersion into the millennia-old history of Vietnam, giving guests the chance to sample its delicious street food and experience the dynamic urban life in one of Asia’s most fascinating cultural hubs, the article wrote.
Elsewhere, the 87th position went to Hoi An in the central region. The ancient city is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian trading port from the 15th to the 19th century.
Known for its old town illuminated by colourful lanterns, unique architecture, and custom tailoring, Hoi An enchants all who visit, the website reported.
As the nation’s vibrant commercial centre, Ho Chi Minh City is in 99th position in the world. The southern city offers a mix of French colonial architecture, modern skyscrapers, and historical sites like the War Remnants Museum, all of which are well worth exploring on foot.
Spain is the most walkable country, according to the findings, with 28 cities making the top 100 list. France features seven times, while the UK appears three times along with Poland, Colombia, and Vietnam. Only one city from the United States makes the cut.
The 100-strong list is based on booking and search data for 800 cities across 120 countries made on the GuruWalk website between April 2023 and April 2024.
The company, which offers free walking tours worldwide, compared the number of bookings and page visits per destination in order to compile the list.
Vietnam’s tourism popularised in Italy’s Marche region
According to VNA, the “Vietnam - Timeless Charm” tourism brand was brought closer to Italy in a recent tourism promotion event held in Macerata city, Marche region, by the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy in collaboration with local authorities and the MRNC 12 Racing Team.
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| Foreign visitors to Binh Tay market, HCM City |
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ambassador Duong Hai Hung affirmed that Vietnam’s visa waiver expansion to 45 days for Italians and a distinct possibility of a direct route will create favourable conditions for trade and tourism cooperation between the two nations.
Meanwhile, President of Marche region Francesco Acquaroli said he stands ready to facilitate cooperation with Vietnam.
Deputy Mayor of Macerata city Francesca D’Alessandro told the Vietnam News Agency the city wishes to bolster cooperation with Vietnam, helping the people of both sides get a better insight into each other’s standout cultural traits.
Vietnam is an appealing tourist destination while Macerata city and Marche region, home to a number of Italy’s renowned manufacturing and processing firms, could play a role in connecting Vietnam with its partners in the country, she said.
According to Director of Vietnam Airlines agent in Italy Massimo Gaggianesi, Vietnam and Italy are discussing the possibilities to operate a direct flight between Vietnam and Italy on the outset of 2025.
As part of the activities held within the “Vietnam – Marche bridge” programme, Ambassador Hung had working sessions with local leading officials as well as met with the business community and the principal of Macerata Univerity to discuss specific measures for comprehensive cooperation with Southern Italy.
Hung recommended local officials to support activities to promote trade, investment, culture, and education between the two sides, and committed to helping Vietnamese and Italian firms to grasp cooperation and investment opportunities.
Meanwhile, local leaders said they want to maintain connectivity with Vietnam to support the business communities of both sides.
Da Lat night train service offers unique tourist experience
The Da Lat - Trai Mat railway night services, launched on April 14, promise a new experience for passengers to gain a better sense of the enchanting beauty of Da Lat at night - a popular mountain resort town in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, reported VNA.
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| The Da Lat - Trai Mat railway night services is launched on April 14. (Photo:https://baochinhphu.vn/) |
This unique tourism product is attracting numerous tourists after three days of free tickets from April 11 to 13.
On the nearly 7km route, tourists have a chance to enjoy not only the night-time scenery of Da Lat but also novel services such as buffet and live music on the two carriages with both classical and modern design.
This is the remaining part of the 84km Thap Cham - Da Lat railway route built by French rulers and became operational in 1932 to connect the south-central province of Ninh Thuan with Lam Dong.
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| The introduction of live music, free wifi, and wedding service on this route adds to its attractiveness to visitors (Photo: VNR) |
Before boarding, tourists can explore and take check-in photos at Da Lat Station, a unique architectural structure inspired by Langbiang Mountain and the traditional “Rong” house - a variation of stilt houses unique to the Central Highlands in Vietnam.
Dao Anh Tuan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saigon Railway Transport JSC, said that in 2023, the Vietnam Railway Corporation (VNR) embellished and upgraded Da Lat Station - a national historical relic site, train carriages, and the Da Lat - Trai Mat railway line.
The introduction of live music, free wifi, and wedding service on this route has also added to its attractiveness to visitors, he noted.
Trains are scheduled to depart Da Lat Station at 6:15pm and 8:20pm and leave Trai Mat Station at 7:15pm and 9:20pm. Fares range from 72,000 VND to 100,000 VND (2.9 - 4 USD) for each way, according to the VNR.
Da Lat, the capital of Lam Dong province, is surrounded by hills, pine forests, lakes, and waterfalls.
Known as the “City of Eternal Spring” for its distinctive temperate climate, it was developed as a resort town by the French in the early 1900s. Many reminders of the colonial heritage remain, creating a unique feature of the destination.
22 new caves discovered in Quang Binh
Twenty-two new caves with unique features have been found by the British Cave Research Association (BCRA) in the central province of Quang Binh, VNA reported the data of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park’s Management Board.
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| The newly found caves have a total length of 11.7km |
The caves have a total length of 11.7km. Of the new discovers, 20 were found in Lam Hoa commune of Tuyen Hoa district, as well as in Hoa Phu and Hoa Son communes of Minh Hoa district, while the rest are inside Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.
The search for the new caves involved explorers from the UK, Australia, and New Zealand who had worked for three weeks with support of tour guides and a number of locals.
Howard Limbert, the leader of the team, said that the newly caves are mostly wet, and although they are small, they are quite intriguing compared to many others found in Quang Binh. He further added that unlike Son Doong, En, and many other caves which have only one main entrance, this new cave system has multiple entrances and exits. Some of the new are even interconnected, creating multiple cross paths that make exploring inside extremely captivating.
In order to exploit the caves for tourism and exploration activities, the BCRA recommends that Quang Binh conduct further researches to evaluate their safety, ceiling heights, flow, and geomorphology of the caves.
With about 500 caves discovered, Quang Binh is renowned as the country's kingdom of caves. There are over 40 caves in the locality which are open to tourists. Son Doong is the world's largest, while En and Pigmy come in at second and fourth./.