Indian daily The Economic Times includes Vietnam in its list of destinations that people can visit at short notice without fuss.

The English-language newspaper picked destinations that are easy to access by flight, easy to get visas to and easy to make travel plans that saves time on the trips.

It ranked Vietnam fifth on the list, mentioning many attractions like Ha Long Bay, the northern mountainous province of Cao Bang, Con Dao Islands off the southern coast and the Mekong Delta.

Vietnamese culture features an “intoxicating blend of different influences”, including the Indian/Hindu influence in the south, as seen in the architecture in temples and cuisines and Chinese influence in the north.

The newspaper also mentions the central Vietnamese attractions of Hoi An ancient town, royal tombs and pagodas.

Con Dao Islands in Vietnam. Photo by Shutterstock/Jimmy Tran

Among the exotic things to try in Vietnam, the newspaper says, is “ruou ran”, also known as snake wine, a common drink in Vietnam that locals believe increases health, vitality and has restorative purposes.

Cobra snake pickled in rice wine. Photo by Shutterstock/underworld

Five other destinations on the list are from Asia: Indonesia ranked first, followed by Laos, Fiji, Jordan, Vietnam and Sri Lanka.

Earlier, Vietnam had been named by Australian website Traveller as one of the best places that everyone should visit in 2019.

Vietnam has welcomed more than 15 million foreign visitors this year, setting a new record for the country’s tourism industry.

Tuan Hoang – VnExpress.net