A tourist takes a photo of St Joseph's Cathedral in Hà Nội after the social distancing regulations were eased. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Tùng

HÀ NỘI — The New York-based travel magazine Travel + Leisure has named Việt Nam on its list of the top 17 destinations for tourists after the COVID-19 crisis ends.

According to the magazine, the social distancing period helps people to lean into leisure while spending time at home, but it’s always been travel that fuels them.

In a recent article, Karen I. Chen, the magazine’s editorial producer, wrote she wishes to lie on a gorgeous tropical beach and go to packed street food stalls and hole-in-the-wall restaurants, eating insanely good food when travelling in Việt Nam.

Chen and her friends originally had plans to visit the Philippines and Việt Nam in May, but those plans, like so many others this year, have since been thwarted.

“I’ve travelled all over East Asia and Southeast Asia, but these two countries I’ve yet to check off my bucket list — and from what I hear, I’ve saved two of the best for last."

It’s incredibly unfortunate that Asians have experienced racism around the world just because the first outbreaks of the virus occurred in Asia. In the end, it’s a global pandemic that has affected all travellers. “I can’t wait to get a chance to go back and spend some tourism dollars in this incredibly vibrant, culturally rich part of the world,” Chen wrote.

Besides Việt Nam, the list of Travel + Leisure magazine includes many other famous tourist destinations worldwide such as Santorini (Greece); Jamaica; Midwest, New Orleans, Palm Springs & Texas, Puerto Rico (the US); Copenhagen (Denmark); Australia; London (the UK); Paris (France); Mexico; and Italy.  

Earlier in 2019, the magazine nominated Hội An ancient town in central Việt Nam as the best city in the world, with ancient roots, distinct architecture, a contagious energy, and one of the best street food scenes on the planet. — VNS