Hoi An ancient town in Vietnam’s central region has been listed by CNN as one of the 16 most relaxing places in the world. 

Ancient town among 16 most relaxing places in the world. Photo by CNN

A luxury spa or a week-long retreat in the Himalayas isn’t needed for a touch of tranquility as the world boasts many places to be at peace for a few days and Hoi An is just one such place.

It’s no surprise the UNESCO-recognized ancient town is a Mecca for tourists, according to CNN. When the sun is out by the riverside it’s hard to find anywhere more serene in this wonderful country.

It also recommended visitors discover the cafés that line the river serving bia hoi - a fresh, light local beer that’s brewed daily - and sit in the shade with glass in hand and watch the world go by, which is every bit as relaxing as an afternoon on the town’s long stretch of sand.

Others on the list include the Seven Sisters chalk cliffs in England, Zermatt in Switzerland, Provence in France, Ise Jingu in Japan, the Yoga Barn in Bali, Sidi Chamharouch in Morocco, Saruni Samburu Safari Camp in Kenya, Nayara Springs in Costa Rica, and Wilderness Hotel in Finland.

Hoi An was a leading trading port in Southeast Asia in the 17th and 18th centuries. Cultural exchanges also took place, influencing the town in ways that remain visible today. Its architecture is a combination of Vietnamese, Japanese and Chinese, with a little Western as well. It became a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 1999.

Hoi An was also named among the Top 13 best destinations for solo travelers by Momondo, a UK travel fare aggregator and travel fare metasearch engine.

It also made a list the 10 most-intriguing travel destinations in Southeast Asia in 2018, as voted by readers of Rough Guide, another UK-based travel site. In 2017 it was ranked seventh among the world’s 15 best cities, as voted by readers of Travel + Leisure, a US travel site. Its Hoai River and channels in the town center made the list of the ten most famous canals in the world on the US-based travel website touropia.com in 2014.

Hoi An welcomed 2.68 million visitors, including 2 million international tourists, in the first half of this year, increases of 70 per cent and 230 per cent year-on-year, according to its people’s committee.

VN Economic Times