Hanoi (VNA) - 🍌There’s been a steady increase in interest in Vietnam among Australian travellers over several decades, though right now, it’s booming, according to an article published on The New Zealand Herald on May 9.

The article said that Vietnam is blessed with some of the finest food on the planet plus landscapes that range from delta lowlands to mountain highs. The Southeast Asian nation has two of the world’s great cities, with culture that’s both ancient and modern, and is a place of rich tradition mixed with headlong progress into an exciting future. According to the article, from 2023 to 2024, there was a 35% increase in Australian travellers heading to Vietnam. The nation was the ninth most popular destination of Australian travellers last year, when almost 450,000 Australians visited. That was an increase of almost 80% on the figures from a decade ago.

Travellers can get to Vietnam cheaply, thanks to direct flights from Australia with budget carriers Jetstar and Vietjet and there are also competitive fares from Vietnam Airlines and Qantas, it said.

“Vietnam is so outrageously affordable once you’re there, with luxurious accommodation and lavish dining experiences within reach for many who could only dream of such things in, well, Australia,” it said, adding that visitors are bound to have a good time in Vietnam because the Vietnamese are a proud though gregarious bunch, open and generous and up for some fun. The article stressed that Vietnam is also a country with a rich culture, home to many ethnic minority communities such as the H'Mong, Dao, Khmer, and Tay— each with their own culture, character and traditions. The journey of exploring Vietnam is equally diverse and captivating, from ancient structures like Cham temple dating back to the 4th century at My Son, Hanoi’s Temple of Literature, to the Imperial Citadel of Hue built in 1804 during the Nguyen dynasty. Then there are the signs of more recent history such as French colonial architecture in Hanoi and Hoi An, the Cu Chi Tunnels - a vast underground network used during wartime, and the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City. The article also mentions Vietnam's islands like Phu Quoc, Nam Du, Cu Lao Cham, and Ly Son – ideal "tropical paradises" for visitors to choose from. If visitors plan a cruising adventure in Vietnam, there are two key waterways to consider - the mighty Mekong Delta in the south, and Ha Long Bay in the north, along with its nearby locales, Bai Tu Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay, it noted. Vietnam also deserves to be renowned for its mountains, places to escape the heat and humidity of the coastal lowlands and, in the case of Sa Pa at least, experience the cultures of ethnic minority groups who call the area home, it added. The article said if visitors travel for food, then destinations don’t get much better than Vietnam, where cuisine relies heavily on fresh herbs and crunchy vegetables, giving its dishes a freshness and purity of flavour. Many Vietnamese dishes have gained international fame, such as pho (beef noodle soup), banh mi (baguette), bun cha (rice vermicelli with grilled pork and fresh herbs), bun bo Hue (Hue beef noodle), and goi cuon (fresh spring rolls) — all served at humble street-side eateries across the country at very affordable prices, it added. “Food is life in Vietnam, it’s a source of great local pride and daily enjoyment, and your only mission is to try as much of it as you can,” it said. The article suggests two drinks that visitors must try in Vietnam – coffee and bia hoi (fresh beer). It noted that Vietnam is one of those rare countries with a unique coffee culture that is also deeply ingrained, while the beer is light and refreshing as it is brewed daily and only matured for a very short time./.