Hoi An descends in Asia tourism ranking

With an overall score of 86.98 out of 100, Hoi An moved ahead of Singapore and Mumbai.

This year, India's Udaipur topped the list, followed by Ubud in Indonesia and Kyoto in Japan.

Thailand's Chiangmai and Bangkok rounded out the top five. The rest of the top 10 list were Taipei, Luang Prabang, Jaipur, Tokyo and Seoul.

This year's World's Best Awards survey was open for voting between Jan. 11 and May 10 as destinations around the world were lifting Covid restrictions. Survey rules have always allowed readers to reflect on their travel experiences over a three-year period.

Every year, for its World’s Best Awards survey, New York-based magazine Travel + Leisure asks its readers to weigh in with travel experiences around the globe and share their opinions on the top cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and other topics. Readers are asked to rate cities based on their sights and landmarks, culture, cuisine, friendliness, shopping, and overall value.

Hoi An in central Vietnam grew from a small rural village to the busiest trading port in Southeast Asia in the 16th century, and also became famous for its ceramics and high-grade silk.

The town has been a pioneer in the country since 2004 for ensuring pedestrian-friendly streets. Motorbikes and cars are banned from the town center from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Since the pandemic broke out in Vietnam last year, Hoi An has several times imposed lockdowns and closed tourists destinations to contain the pandemic.