Vietnam has been named among the top 10 most popular destinations for Australians traveling overseas, according to the latest report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Hanoi Opera House has been assessed as one of the most beautiful buildings in Southeast Asia. Photos: Ngoc Tu

The report revealed that, in July, the number of Australians visiting the Southeast Asian country was 18,580, an increase of 8,200 compared to the previous month.

New Zealand continued to be the leading destination for Australian tourists, with 96,180 arrivals. Indonesia came second for welcoming 86,160 Australian visitors, followed by the UK (66,480), the US (54,300), Fiji (38,440), India (31,470), Singapore (27,000), Thailand (26,190) and Italy (23,590).

The number of Australians traveling to Vietnam has surged significantly after Australia and Vietnam reopened their borders.

The bureau reported, in July, there were about 968,490 overseas departures from Australia, a monthly surge of 87,630 from June. The figure in August was 947,010, a slight decrease compared to the previous month. The number of trips in July was 58.8% below pre-COVID-19 levels in July 2019.

ABS noted that the most popular reason for travel was 'visiting friends/relatives (48.2%). The median duration of trips away was 19 days.

Hoan Kiem Lake attracts many foreign tourists.

Previously, the Australian magazine Traveller ranked Vietnam as the best place to go in Asia for a holiday.

The magazine suggested some favorite destinations of Vietnam for foreign travelers. Long a staid domestic destination, beautiful beach-flanked Quy Nhon has acquired hipster mojo and is tipped as the next beach city in Danang. “Also becoming better known is the northern province of Ninh Binh, which has terrific limestone outcrops and World Heritage grottoes amid lush rice paddies,” Traveller noted.

Dalat [the capital city of Lam Dong Province], a former colonial summer retreat of the French, has elegant architecture amid pleasing scenery and attracts Vietnamese honeymooners and is also excellent for adventure sports such as trekking, mountain biking, and rafting. 

In northwest Vietnam, Dien Bien Phu is developing eco-tourism and offering indigenous village homestays amid stunning forested landscapes and Hmong culture.

Other destinations on the list are Thailand, India, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.