Vietnam has been named among the 14 best destinations that are worthy of a visit in 2019, according to a list released by Forbes, a US business magazine.

Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An’s new spa services. 

Eclipsed by other Asian cities for decades, Vietnam finally is getting its moment. Forbes said that pho is always flavorful, the Buddhist pagodas remain breathtaking and the festivals continue to be vibrant. But the magazine adds on some elevated experiences: Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An’s new spa services (Visiting Masters and Mindful Moments initiatives); InterContinental Da Nang Sun Peninsula Resort’s basket boat piloting and lantern-making lessons; and Pullman Da Nang Beach Resort’s unique coffee-making class.

Singapore tops the list, followed by Hudson Yards in New York (the US), Williamsburg in Virginia (the US), California’s Central Coast, Vietnam, Grand Canyon, St. Barts, Istanbul, among others.

Earlier, Vietnam has been named among the most beautiful countries in the world, according to a list released by Rough Guides, a UK travel guidebook and reference publisher.

“From the impressive rock formations of Ha Long Bay to the terraced fields of mountainous Sa Pa, Vietnam has a huge wealth of easily accessible natural beauty,” Rough Guides wrote.

Its cities are alluring too, whether you prefer the modern skyscrapers of Ho Chi Minh city or the appealing contrasts of Hanoi. Vietnam is a country on the move. Just 40 years after the end of the American War, the country has rebounded with vigour. Direct flights arrive from cities worldwide, roads are being upgraded, new hotels are springing up and Vietnam’s raucous entrepreneurial spirit is once again alive and well.

Vietnam aims to receive about 18 million foreign visitors and carter to 85 million domestic ones in 2019, and earn more than VND700 trillion (US$30.2 billion) from tourism, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Hanoitimes