Washington DC native Don Parrish, 73, has been called "the world's most travelled" person.
He has been to 193 United Nations countries and visited 500 World Heritage sites around the world.
The Telegraph asked him to suggest some of the world’s must-visit places based on his experiences and insights. A ranking based on his travel experiences and insights published by the U.K. newspaper named Vietnam among the top 10 interesting destinations.
Parrish had only 11 days to stay in Vietnam. Like many foreigners, he was impressed by the number of motorbikes on city streets.
Motorbikes are a popular means of transport in Vietnam's urban cities. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Nguyen |
He was even more impressed that the the motorcyclists were "self-organized" at busy intersections without traffic lights or traffic police.
“I was also mesmerized by their attitude to not focus on the war that had killed so many people, but to focus their energy on the future,” he said.
Parrish's list of the most interesting destinations included North Korea, Japan’s Iwo Jima, Socotra (Yemen), the Pitcairn Islands, Bosaso (Somalia), the South Pole, Mount Athos (Greece), Tristan da Cunha and Marion Island (South Africa).
Vietnam's rising popularity has been reflected in several high global rankings, with seasoned travelers and prestigious travel magazines highlighting the country's many attractions.
The U.S. News newspaper earlier this month named Vietnam as one of 30 best solo travel destinations alongside neighbors Singapore and Thailand.
Earlier this year, TripAdvisor readers ranked Vietnam as one of the 10 best places to go in the world.