Hanoi has just been honored in two categories of the Travelers' Choice Best of the Best Destinations for 2023 by TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel guide website.

"Vietnam's capital is ranked third in the top 20 food destinations and 17th in the top 25 popular destinations," the site said.

Hoan Kiem Lake and Turtle Tower, Hanoi's iconic tourist destination. Photo: Pham Hung/The Hanoi Times

Tripadvisor describes Hanoi as "a charming Vietnamese capital that has aged well, preserving its Old Quarter, monuments and colonial architecture while making room for modern developments alongside it".

In its write-up of Hanoi, the site says: "Hanoi may have shrugged off several former names, including Thang Long or 'ascending dragon', sites such as Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and Hoa Lo Prison. Lakes, parks, shady boulevards and more than 600 temples and pagodas add to the charm of this city, which is easily explored by taxi."

Hanoi was also ranked 3rd in the "Best Culinary Destination" category. Famous dishes include pho (noodle soup), bun cha (grilled pork with vermicelli noodles), banh cuon (rolled rice pancakes), banh mi (Vietnamese baguettes), and ca phe trung (egg coffee).

In the category of "Destination is becoming a trend", Vietnam contributed two names, including Hoi An in the central province of Quang Nam (ranked 2nd) and Ho Chi Minh City (ranked 11th). Hoi An is described by this tourism platform as a destination for backpackers. When coming here, visitors should experience on-demand tailoring from professional tailors in the old town.

Ho Chi Minh City is famous for being the busiest city in Vietnam. Tripadvisor recommends a taxi tour around the city, passing by the War Remnants Museum, Ngoc Hoang Pagoda, and bustling Ben Thanh market with culinary experiences.

Travelers' Choice Best of the Best is an annual award voted for by travelers on Tripadvisor. The results are based on the number of opinions and reviews submitted by the user community in a given year.

The award is given to destinations whose hotels, restaurants and activities receive a high volume of above-and-beyond reviews and opinions from the community over 12 months.