Da Nang a top summer draw for South Koreans

South Koreans, one of the biggest contingents of foreign tourists to Vietnam, are heavily favoring Da Nang City as a summer destination this year, according to the Ticket Monster website.

Ticket Monster Inc., one of the largest travel booking sites in South Korea, has named the central coastal city among top 10 places of choice by families and couples this summer based on the number of bookings in the next two months, said Seoul’s Yonhap news agency.

Da Nang, home to Asia’s most beautiful My Khe Beach and a neighbor to the popular ancient town Hoi An, came in second on the list, followed by Tokyo, Bangkok and the U.S. territory of Guam. The Japanese city of Osaka topped the list compiled by the website.

South Koreans are expected to surpass Chinese tourists and become the biggest group of visitors to Da Nang in the near future.

Vietnam’s third largest city has welcomed 538,000 South Korean tourists so far this year, accounting for a third of total foreign arrivals in the city, according to the municipal tourism department.

Apart from long and beautiful beaches and breathtaking natural landscapes, an open visa policy is also a big draw among South Korean holidaymakers. Vietnam offers a 15-day visa exemption for visitors from South Korea.

As many as eight airlines are operating services between Da Nang and South Korea, with a frequency of 84 flights every week.