Taiwan, Thailand most searched tourist destinations by Vietnamese in 2023

Taiwan dominated the list, followed by Thailand and Europe.

From January to October, a total of 332,000 people from Vietnam arrived in Taiwan, which was on pace to match the pre-pandemic level of 405,400 visitors for all of 2019, according to Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.

In the first 10 months of this year, Thailand received 900,000 Vietnamese, nearly twice the number of Thai visitors to Vietnam, according to official statistics.

Bali and Singapore ranked sixth and seventh on the list.

The top 10 list include five Vietnamese destinations Ha Giang, Can Tho, Phu Quoc, Phung Islet and Buon Ma Thuot.

The northern mountainous highlands province of Ha Giang came in fourth.

Situated on the northern border with China and around 300 kilometers from Hanoi, Ha Giang is known for its twisting, narrow roads and dangerous passes that are not easy for amateur travelers.

Most tourists opt for a motorbike ride to conquer the 350-kilometer-long Ha Giang loop that takes around 3-4 days depending on weather conditions.

The Mekong Delta city of Can Tho, famous for its floating markets, ranked fifth.

The southern island of Phu Quoc came in eighth though it is struggling with a tourism crisis, as a series of domestic routes connecting to the island were suspended due to low travel demand.

Situated on Tien River and just 12 km from downtown area of Ben Tre Province in Mekong Delta, Phung Islet ranked ninth. It is known for its lush array of fruits, especially coconuts, but also for the delicious specialty dishes of southeastern Vietnam.

Finishing the top 10 list is Buon Ma Thuot, the largest city in Vietnam's Central Highlands region, also known as a coffee capital.