SmarterTravel: Viet Nam is the place to go, with good reasons
Update: Jun 26, 2015
Website SmarterTravel has listed nine reasons explaining why Viet Nam is becoming the best place to go in Southeast Asia, including food, language, hospitality, history and amazing sites.
Ha Long Bay - the UNESCO World Heritage site

The page hailed Vietnamese cuisine for its fusion of flavors from many cultures, such as the ubiquitous banh mi sandwiches and many other things in a list that could go on forever.

In addition, the country is a “three destinations in one” with the three distinct regions (north, central, and south) with varied climates during the same time of year, making it feels like three different countries.

Each area has its own unique scenery as well, from the mountains and bays in North Viet Nam to the farmlands of Central Viet Nam and the deltas of South Viet Nam.

The page also assures visitors that they will find it convenient to converse with Vietnamese people in English.

The friendly locals who are happy to help without expecting anything in return give another reason to check out the country, said the website.

Better still, it is pretty cheap to get to Viet Nam and when one is there, it is really inexpensive, the website said, noting that round-trip flights from New York to Ho Chi Minh City, which take about 20 hours, are in the 700USD range throughout the rest of the year. In Viet Nam, a stay at a five-star hotel can be under 70USD a night, and a budget traveler could easily do the country on less than 20USD a day, it said.

Viet Nam also offers plenty to those who love history, with such tours as War Remnants Museum, the Hoa Lo Prison Museum, and the Cu Chi Tunnels, all giving a no-holds-barred look back to the Viet Nam War.

Besides, the country is home to eight UNESCO World Heritage sites, including natural beauties like Ha Long Bay or Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, or more cultural areas such as Hoi An Ancient Town and My Son Sanctuary.

Furthermore, Viet Nam is a wildly diverse country. “When you travel from the north to the south, you'll feel like you're crossing international borders every time you travel a few hours,” SmarterTravel said, adding that in fact, Viet Nam is the most culturally diverse country in Southeast Asia-it's home to over 50 different ethnic groups, each of whom speak their own language.

Apart from that, friendliness and low-cost tours also add on the country’s attractiveness as a tourism destination.

Recently, Viet Nam has been also listed in the top 10 best destinations for solo travelers by Travel+Leisure.

VNA