Ha Long Bay, Sa Pa selected as trending destinations in 2024 by TripAdvisor
Ha Long Bay in the northern province of Quang Ninh and Sa Pa township in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai have been listed among the world’s trending destinations by the renowned travel site TripAdvisor.
Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO-recognised World Natural Heritage site (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Ha Long Bay in the northern province of Quang Ninhand Sa Pa township in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai have beenlisted among the world’s trending destinations by the renowned travel siteTripAdvisor.
Specifically, in the “Trending Destinations”category of the site’s Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best 2024, Ha Long Bay isranked third, while Sapa comes fifth. Topping the list is Tokyo of Japan,followed by the Republic of Korea’s Seoul.
Regarding Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO-recognised WorldNatural Heritage site, the world’s largest travel guidance platform wrote that travelersvisit Ha Long Bay for an up-close look at its amazing limestone islands, rockformations and caves. Whittled away over centuries by wind and water, they’rebreath-taking. It advised visitors to rent a kayak or a junk boat, or take atour to explore.
Terraced rice fields in Sa Pa (Photo: VNA)
Meanwhile, “the northwest market town of SaPa is colourful and charming, providing the perfect oasis in the midst of astrenuous mountain trek or rice-paddy tour. The Gothic stone church at thecentre of town is a bull’s-eye in the centre of shops and stalls, serving as areminder of the town’s French missionary influence. Dine on Vietnamese orEuropean-inspired cuisine downtown, and don’t miss the Saturday night"love market," one of the most potent- and strictest-single’s nightsimaginable,” it said.
Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best is theannual award by Tripadvisor. The award is meant to be given to destinationswhose hotels, restaurants and things-to-do received a high volume ofabove-and-beyond reviews and opinions from the community over a 12-monthperiod.
Fewer than 1% of Tripadvisor’s 8 millionlistings are awarded Best of the Best, signifying the highest level ofexcellence in travel./.
The renowned resort town of Sa Pa in Vietnam’s northern mountainous province of Lao Cai has gone through 120 years of tourism development. Since the French placed the first marker on Mt Fansipan in 1903 and built a resort to welcome guests, Sa Pa has become a national tourist area and aims to secure international standing.
Ha Long Bay-Cat Ba Archipelago in the northern Province of Quang Ninh and neighbouring Hai Phong City is the first Vietnamese inter-provincial site listed by the UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage. UNESCO’s recognition has enhanced the value of this vast, majestic, and beautiful area.
The northern coastal province of Quang Ninh served 170,000 visitors during the New Year holiday (December 30, 2023 – January 1, 2024), up 60% year-on-year.
A stone church is one of the ancient structures and iconic symbols of the misty resort town of Sapa in Lao Cai province. The Notre Dame Cathedral has become a popular tourist attraction, drawing a large number of visitors to the town in the northwest of Vietnam.
The first and only direct service connecting the two countries at the moment is set to operate three times per week using the modern wide-body Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.
Mu Cang Chai is home to nearly 83,000 hectares of forest, including almost 60,000 hectares of unspoiled natural woodland. Recognising this potential, local authorities have embraced a holistic strategy that protects biodiversity while promoting tourism.
Phu Quoc ranks among the top 10 leading tourist islands in Asia. As the largest island in Vietnam, it boasts stunning natural beauty, with expansive coral reefs resting beneath the sea and a number of beautiful, poetic beaches such as Sao, Truong, and Khem, known for their fine white sand and crystal-clear waters.
Vietnam's national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet are among the exhibitors, promoting key destinations such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Phu Quoc, as well as distinctive tourism products.
Alexander Musikhin, Vice President of ATOR and CEO of the Intourist travel agency, highlighted Vietnam as a top destination offering a unique blend of beach holidays and cultural excursions.
According to Seoul’s Tourism Industry Department, approximately 20,000 Vietnamese visitors travel to the city each year for medical treatment. Vietnam consistently ranks among the top 10 countries with the highest number of medical tourists to Seoul.
An analysis of accommodation search data based on check-in dates for June and July revealed that Nha Trang surpassed all other destinations in popularity among Korean users.
The programme is organised by the Khanh Hoa provincial Youth Union and the “Khanh Hoa people speak English” Project, and aims to promote the culture, history, cuisine and other tourism products of Nha Trang – Khanh Hoa to international visitors.
VNAT Director General Nguyen Trung Khanh called visa a golden ticket to pulling in crowds, but he is clear that it needs coordinated efforts across multiple sectors to keep the momentum going in this fast-moving global travel scene.
As a tourism hub, Hanoi is now actively developing strategies to attract Muslim travellers. In recent years, the city has seen a notable uptick in visitors from countries with large Muslim populations.
When tourists witness firsthand the passion and care of farmers, they’re willing to pay higher prices because they see the genuine worth behind every product.
During the first five months, China continued to be Vietnam's largest source market of tourists, followed by the RoK, China’s Taiwan, the US, and Japan.
After more than three months of operation, the popularity of the free tours in Bac Ninh province shows no signs of cooling down. Many tourists return every week in hopes of experiencing all the tours and visiting every destination.
Typical products of Phu Tho are being showcased at the Lao Cai International Travel Mart 2025, held in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai from June 5-8.
Featuring 130 stalls and delegations from 120 travel agencies representing more than ten countries and territories, the event is expected to provide a platform for establishing partnerships and attracting more visitors to Lao Cai in the future.
Kicking off the festival on the evening of June 7 will be the grand music concert titled “Nha Trang Say Hi”, featuring popular artists from the trending show “Anh Trai Say Hi”. The event will be broadcast live nationwide and conclude with a fireworks display over Nha Trang Bay.
Data from Booking.com reveals that during the peak summer vacation in June and July, beach trips continue to be a top priority for Vietnamese travellers.
The northern midland province of Phu Tho has carried out all-round measures to improve tourism infrastructure, services, and offerings, elevating visitor experience and reinforcing the province’s unique cultural identity.
Hanoi has directed lodging providers and tourist destinations to bolster preparations in staffing, service quality, security, and sanitation. Community-based lodging platforms such as Airbnb are also being promoted strongly to expand housing supply during the holiday period.
Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO-recognised World Natural Heritage site (Photo: VNA) 
Terraced rice fields in Sa Pa (Photo: VNA) 
