Hanoi from a bird's-eye view. (Photo: dulich.laodong.vn)

The list has Hanoi ranked at 98th while Ho Chi Minh City is at 85th place.

Hanoi boasts rich tourism resources, including nearly 6,000 historical and cultural relic sites and about 1,800 intangible cultural heritage elements. These include places such as the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, the Temple of Literature, the Old Quarter - Hoan Kiem Lake, Hai Ba Trung (Trung Sisters) Temple, Soc Temple, Thay Pagoda, and Tay Phuong Pagoda.

It is also home to the country’s largest number of craft villages, including famous ones like Bat Trang Pottery Village, Van Phuc Silk Village, Ha Thai Lacquer Village, and Quat Dong Embroidery Village.

This year saw Hanoi boast 48 restaurants among the 103 Vietnamese ones selected by Michelin Guide, including three granted one Michelin star.

Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City is home to a number of historic sights, including the Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon, a neo-Romanesque and Gothic cathedral built by French colonists in the late 1800s. Other places include the Cu Chi Tunnels and the War Remnants Museum.

The southern metropolis is also a fast-paced city that boasts a bustling nightlife and delicious local cuisine.

Aside from Vietnam, three other Southeast Asian countries was also honored in the list, namely Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Paris of France topped the list for the third consecutive time. It was followed by Dubai of the UAE, Tokyo of Japan, and Madrid of Spain.

The Top 100 City Destinations Index 2023, produced in partnership with data company Lighthouse, looked at leading cities from around the world and ranked them based on criteria including tourism, sustainability, economic performance, and health and safety.