US magazine names Hanoi and HCMC in Asia’s best cities

Vietnam’s Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have been named among Asia’s ten best cities in 2015 by US travel magazine Travel + Leisure.

The Temple of Literature, a popular tourist attraction in Hanoi
The Temple of Literature, a popular tourist attraction in Hanoi

Hanoi remained in the same seventh position as last year while Ho Chi Minh City was added to the list for the first time, ranked number nine above New Delhi.

In the first six months of 2015, Hanoi drew over ten million visitors, of which 1.58 million were foreign travellers, up 8.8% from the same period of 2014.

However, Vietnam’s two major cities did not make it to the world’s top ten, led by the former Japanese capital Kyoto, which has been present on the list of Asia’s best cities for ten years in a row.

In Asia, the top three positions belong to Tokyo, Siem Reap and Bangkok. The Thai capital has won the Super Hall of Fame for being on the list for the 20th consecutive year.

The annual World’s Best Awards by Travel + Leisure showcase the greatest islands, cities, hotels, cruise lines, and airports, among other things, as voted by the magazine’s readers around the world.