Vietnam destinations among Asia’s hidden gems that make the US look like a dump

Phong Nha-Ke Bang. Photo: Thetravel.com

Phong Nha-Ke Bang, Con Dao islands and Hue in Vietnam have been ranked 18th, 12th and eighth among the 20 hidden gems of Asia will surely inspire wanderlust and make you want to get back to this wonderful place again and again, according to a list released by The Travel, a website on vacation destination.

“Vietnam has plenty of outstanding beaches, tasty street snacks and hidden gems that are yet to be discovered by the traveling enthusiasts. Central Vietnam is especially interesting because it serves home to the cities of Hoi an and Hue and to a number of natural wonders one of which is Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park,” The Travel wrote.

The Travel advises travelers that by visiting this UNESCO World Heritage Site you can see the world’s largest cave complexes which were only discovered recently, beautiful underground rivers and the oldest karst mountains in Asia.

In addition, the third hidden gem of Vietnam on the list is the city of Hue. “On the one hand we’re lucky that this town isn’t getting the attention it should because knowing about it, we can travel there and enjoy it while it’s not crowded, but on the other hand, it’s a pity that so many people miss this place when traveling to Asia,” The Travel wrote.

According to The Travel, it will take you only an hour to get to Hue from Hanoi by place. There are plenty of things to see, but what you should definitely pay your attention to the historic imperial ruins and the Perfume River.

Con Dao island is another hidden gem of Vietnam and another secret hideout for those who are drawn by the magic of tropical beaches. This slice of paradise is quite isolated and it looks otherworldly. But it wasn’t always like this. “When Americans and French ruled Vietnam, this place was used as a huge prison for outlaws. So you can spend half of your day enjoying empty beaches and drinking cocktails, swimming in the clear sea and enjoying the jungles and use another part of the day to see the colonial-era prisons and learn about the lives of their former inmates,” The Travel wrote.

Kashmir (India) tops the list, followed by Jiuzhaigou (China), Iskanderkul Lake (Tajikistan), Coonoor (India), Cardamom Mountains (Cambodia), Koh Phayam (Thailand), Sidemen (Bali), Hue (Vietnam), etc.

Vietnam welcomed some 11.616 million foreign visitors in the first nine months of 2018, an 22.9% increase from the same period last year, the General Statistics Office (GSO) has said in a monthly report.

Arrivals by air, road, and sea in the reviewed period recorded annual increases of 17.4%, 62.1%, and 0.5%, respectively, while growth was also seen in the numbers of visitors from all five continents.