On a new list of the world's top 15 destinations created by TripAdvisor, Hanoi ranks number 12.
As VnExpress reports, Paris tops the list, while London, Rome, Istanbul, New York and Barcelona are also featured. Southeast Asian destinations Siem Reap, Bali and Phuket also made the cut.
With its myriad alleyways, ancient temples and impressive markets, Hanoi's Old Quarter is one of the biggest draws of the capital. Originally comprised of 36 streets – each dedicated to selling one type of product – the area has now expanded, and offers an exciting, frenetic atmosphere alongside charming colonial architecture.
Hanoi has a lot more to offer travelers, though, and TripAdvisor recommends visiting the Women's Museum, which is dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the impact of women in relation to Vietnamese history and culture; and the Museum of Ethnology, which features an impressive array of traditional architecture and photography exploring the nation's 54 ethnic groups.
“The charming Vietnamese capital has aged well, preserving the Old Quarter, monuments and colonial architecture, while making room for modern developments alongside,” one traveler told the news source.
It's not the first time Hanoi has made the list, having been ranked 8th place in 2014 and also appearing in 2015 and 2016. It's perhaps also not surprising that Hanoi made the cut this year, after international arrivals in Vietnam increased in 2017 by 23%.
TripAdvisor also created a regional list, in which Hanoi came in at third place. The southern metropolis of Saigon and the ancient town of Hoi An also made the top 25 list for Asia.
When creating the list, TripAdvisor takes into account the quality and quantity of traveler reviews published on its website, which are gathered over a 12-month period. Some, however, are skeptical of TripAdvisor's credibility. In 2012, the British Advertising Standards Agency forced the website to remove the words 'honest' and 'trusted' from its website.
What's more, in 2017, a Vice reporter was able to pretend the garden shed he lived in was a restaurant. It slowly rose up the rankings until it became London's top-rated restaurant, which brings into question how accurate its ratings for entire continents can be.
See Trip Advisor's global destinations list below:
1. Paris, France
2. London, U.K.
3. Rome, Italy
4. Bali, Indonesia
5. Crete, Greece
6. Barcelona, Spain
7. Prague, Czech Republic
8. Marrakech, Morocco
9. Istanbul, Turkey
10. New York, U.S.
11. Phuket, Thailand
12. Hanoi, Vietnam
13. Siem Reap, Cambodia
14. Jamaica
15. Playa del Carmen, Mexico
