The UK-based travel website iWantSun listed Viet Nam among the top 10 countries to visit this year. The Luxpresso paper of India also rated Viet Nam as one of the places to discover in 2013.

Many foreigners see Viet Nam and Thailand as the most popular destinations in Southeast Asia. Visitors especially like Ha Noi, known for its charming cultural heritage. Hoi An and Hue are popular for their culinary delights and Nha Trang for its white sandy beaches.

On top of the UK"s iWantSun list were Mexico, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Turkey, the US, South Korea, Slovakia, Tanzania,and Grenada.

According to estimates by the General Statistics Office, more than 6.6 million international visitors came to the country in 2012, a year-on-year increase of 9.5 per cent.-VNS