Vietnam among best places to visit in 2015: Fodor’s

The Southeast Asian country ranks 20th on the Fodor’s Go List 2015 released on Tuesday.

Fodor’s recommends Vietnam to its readers for its historic but fast-changing cities and stunning landscapes, fabulous food, the true friendliness of the people and reasonable costs.

The travel website said the 40th anniversary of the end of the war in 2015 is the perfect time for tourists to explore the “energetic cities from Hanoi to Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City which buzz with enticing restaurants and hotels while temples, colonial buildings, and markets retain their classic charm.”

Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi. Photo: fodors.com

New options will help tourists explore beyond the cities, whether they spend their night on a boat adrift the UNESCO-recognized Ha Long Bay in the northern province of Quang Ninh or admire the towns and rice paddies of the Mekong Delta on a river cruise or by bicycle, Fodor’s noted.

Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh Province. Photo: fodors.com

The website advises its readers to visit the country from November through March when the southern region is neither too hot nor rainy, while the north is cooler.

Hoi An Ancient Town in Quang Nam Province. Photo: fodors.com

Fodor’s insider tips suggest that travelers should not miss the Vietnamese markets, including floating ones, which provide windows onto daily life.

A rice paddy in the Mekong Delta. Photo: fodors.com

The top 10 places on the site’s list are the Arctic, Hudson Valley (U.S.), Namibia, Guatemala, the Florida Panhandle (U.S.), Newfoundland (Canada), Norway, Piedmont (Italy), Patagonia (Chile), and Romania.

Fodor’s is part of Random House LLC, which is the U.S. division of Random House, the world's largest trade-book publisher, according to its website.

The site offers its readers current and discerning shopping, dining, hotel and cultural recommendations, as well as captivating features and articles that convey the essence of each destination.

Its worldwide team of over 700 travel writers offers tourists the latest, most accurate coverage, and reveals local treasures and everything they need to know before they arrive in the destination, the site says.