Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best is the annual award by Tripadvisor. The award is meant to be given to destinations whose hotels, restaurants and things-to-do received a high volume of above-and-beyond reviews and opinions from the community over a 12-month period.

Fewer than 1% of Tripadvisor’s 8 million listings are awarded Best of the Best, signifying the highest level of excellence in travel.

Specifically, in the “Top Destinations” category, Hanoi capital city is ranked fourth, and Hoi An ancient city in the central province of Quang Nam gets the 10th position among 25 destinations around the world.

In its description of Hanoi, the site said that “the charming Vietnamese capital has aged well, preserving the Old Quarter, monuments and colonial architecture, while making room for modern developments alongside. Hanoi may have shrugged off several former names, including Thang Long, or ‘ascending dragon,’ but it hasn't forgotten its past, as sites such as Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and Hoa Lo Prison attest. Lakes, parks, shady boulevards and more than 600 temples and pagodas add to the appeal of this city, which is easily explored by taxi”.

The capital city also tops the list of the 25 food destinations in the world.

As for Hoi An, the site wrote: “This city on the central Vietnamese coast is a well-preserved example of the important Southeast Asian trading port it was from the 15th-19th centuries. Already a common stop for backpackers, it is becoming better known to tourists. On the 14th day of each lunar month, the town trades its electric lights for traditional coloured lanterns. Sights include the Japanese Covered Bridge and the Quan Cong Temple.”

Meanwhile, Ha Long Bay in the northern province of Quang Ninh and Sa Pa town in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai come third and fifth, respectively, in the “Trending Destinations” category.

“The northwest market town of Sa Pa is colourful and charming, providing the perfect oasis in the midst of a strenuous mountain trek or rice-paddy tour. The Gothic stone church at the centre of town is a bull’s-eye in the centre of shops and stalls, serving as a reminder of the town’s French missionary influence. Dine on Vietnamese or European-inspired cuisine downtown, and don’t miss the Saturday night "love market," one of the most potent- and strictest-single’s nights imaginable,” it said.

Regarding Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO-recognised World Natural Heritage site, the world’s largest travel guidance platform wrote that travelers visit Ha Long Bay for an up-close look at its amazing limestone islands, rock formations and caves. Whittled away over centuries by wind and water, they’re breath-taking. It advised visitors to rent a kayak or a junk boat, or take a tour to explore.

Ha Long Bay is also ranked second among the world’s 25 nature destinations, while Hoi An comes second in the list of the 25 destinations for honeymoon.

In the “Culture Destinations” category, Hue city in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue gets the eighth position.

“Hue is clustered around the Perfume River, which splits the capital of the Nguyen Dynasty in two. There are endless must-see historic sites, especially those that are UNESCO World Heritage designated. Sightseeing can include the ornate Imperial Citadel, colourful Thanh Toan Bridge, royal tombs and the Forbidden Purple City,” TripAdvisor said./.VNA