Travel & Leisure Asia Votes Vietnam As The Best Destination For New Year

Asia is a melting pot from the tropical paradises of Southeast Asia to the towering peaks of the Himalayas, from the tranquility of historic temples to bustling cities filled with energy, and from pristine beaches that exude serenity to the timeless beauty of colorful festivals.

The New Year is just around the corner, and one of the best ways to celebrate the beginning of 2024 is by traveling. However, planning a last-minute New Year trip outside India can be tiresome due to visa and flight considerations. The year-end has opened the doors for smooth international travel. Several popular destinations, like Malaysia, Thailand, and Sri Lanka, have granted visa-free access to Indians for the New Year.

You can enjoy a hassle-free vacation to iconic destinations like Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Dubai, Doha, and more.

For those after an overseas holiday with built-in charm, serenity, scenery, shopping, great food, cultural splendor, and astonishing value, then Vietnam is a standout option, the newspaper wrote about the country.

Travel to Vietnam for the New Year, and you can choose to celebrate the end of 2023 in Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Noi, or Ha Long Bay. Photo: Tran Vu Quang Duy

These days guests can add relaxation to the list thanks to ever-improving transport systems, professional tour operations, and glossy resorts and hotels. Although gateway cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are compelling enough, both represent churning whirlpools of entrepreneurial energy.

Travel to Vietnam for the New Year, and you can choose to celebrate the end of 2023 in Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Noi, or Ha Long Bay. These tourist destinations host grand countdown celebrations with fireworks lighting up the sky at midnight.

Explore the bustling streets of Ho Chi Minh City, where you can see Vietnamese food, culture, and history thrive through its tourist attractions and vibrant nightlife, like Ben Thanh Market, Binh Tay Market, Cu Chi Tunnel, Ho Chi Minh City Opera House and Bui Vien Street. Head to Ha Long Bay for a truly tropical experience and enjoy the pristine beach along with the breathtaking grottos. Experience Ha Noi’s innovative art galleries, rooftop bars, and charming cafes as you navigate popular streets like the Old Quarter, Hang Bac Street, and Hang Dao Street.

In Hanoi, at this time of year, guests can expect warm and sunny days with low levels of humidity, although nights can be chilly. Photo: Vietnam Tourism

December is the beginning of the dry season in the south, therefore it is the prime time to explore the liquid landscape of the Mekong Delta. Along with the floating markets, the fecund bird life, and the water meadows, visitors shouldn’t miss the staggeringly beautiful region around Chau Doc, located near the Cambodian border.

In Hanoi, at this time of year, guests can expect warm and sunny days with low levels of humidity, although nights can be chilly. The one area of the country off the agenda in this season is the northern hills, which are freezing in December.

Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s southern economic hub, will organize two firework shows and a series of countdown parties on December 31 to ring in the upcoming New Year.

Fireworks on Saigon River Tunnel in downtown Ho Chi Minh City. Photo courtesy of Ivivu.

A high-altitude firework display is scheduled to be set off at Saigon River Tunnel in the downtown area, while a low-range firework show is slated to take place at Dam Sen Cultural Park in District 11.

Each firework display will last for 15 minutes on New Year’s Eve.

Countdown parties will be launched on Nguyen Hue pedestrian street, one of the city’s busiest entertainment hubs, from 8 p.m. on December 31.

From December 23 to January 1, city authorities will hold various activities to welcome the New Year, including the inauguration of the Sunflower Park, paragliding and hot air balloon rides, food festivals, and art performances.

Visitors can take a canoe service to enjoy fireworks at the Tan Cang tourist area with a ticket price of VND499,000 ($20.5) per person.

This year, there will be a three-day break for the New Year holiday in Vietnam. While the official day off for New Year is on January 1 by the Labor Code, as it would be a Monday, combining it with the weekend would make it a three-day holiday.

Online travel platform Agoda ranked HCMC third in a list of the 10 best global destinations to celebrate New Year after Singapore and Bali.

“Revel in the festive atmosphere with fireworks over the Saigon River and vibrant nightlife in District 1,” Agoda wrote.

To compile the list, Agoda uses ChatGPT 4.0 to identify the list of travel destinations and to create the first draft of this release. Midjourney AI was used to generate an image depicting multiple scenic New Year’s Eve destinations from around the world.

According to the municipal Department of Tourism, HCMC expects to welcome five million international tourists this year, a 44.3% increase year-on-year.

As of October, the city had welcomed more than 4.1 million foreign visitors, accounting for 82% of this year’s target.

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