Forbes
has interviewed 14 travel experts who make it their business to keep track of
the best bargains around the world to make a list of the most affordable
destinations to visit in 2017. And Vietnam is ranked as one of cheapest places
this year.
In
2015, the US magazine also listed the Southeast Asian country among the 10
coolest places to visit.
The
country stands out as a low-cost travel destination in South Asia for
affordable luxury resorts, healthy food at cheap prices and beautiful sights.
“Eat
your way through historic Hanoi, kayak in the emerald waters of Ha Long Bay or
relax in ancient Hoi An and the nearby beaches,” said Marybeth Bond, National
Geographic writer, who has firsthand knowledge of the destinations.
In
Hanoi, for just US$20, travelers can go on a city tour with a tour guide on
foot or by scooter, according to Forbes travel experts.
Affordable
accommodation also makes Hanoi as a budget-friendly city where tourists can
book a room for less than $70 per night.
Hanoi
has repeatedly entered lists of best-value destinations. The city has been
named the cheapest travel destination by TripAdvisor for the past three years.
Budget
tourism site Price of Travel also recommended it as the third cheapest tourist
spot in Asia for 2017, with daily expenses for a backpacker estimated at
US$18.16.
Visitors
to Vietnam are advised to learn the names and ingredients in the dishes because
there is a very high chance that they will want to order them again, said Bond.
Food
is serious business in the country where a street meal and a beer can cost the
same as a caramel macchiato at Starbucks.
With
the help of a local tour guide, travelers will be taken on an adventure to
taste a variety of street food such as banh mi and pho.
Forbes
travel experts said foreign travelers should download a handy app for languages
to pronounce correctly Vietnam’s national dish pho.
“Be
sure to take time to sip a bowl of steaming pho noodle soup,” she said.
By VNA