Foreign tourists in front of Ben Thanh Market in downtown HCMC in November 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Cong Khang

British magazine Time Out has named Vietnam one of world's nine safest destinations for solo female travelers and it was the only Southeast Asian representative in this list.

"When it comes to the safest destinations for women backpacking in Southeast Asia, Thailand and Vietnam still vie for the top spot – but Vietnam is a good place to start," the magazine wrote.

Thanks to political stability and low violent crime rates, HCMC and Hanoi are also ideal destinations for foreigners.

Time Out editors also urged visitors to explore ancient villages in Hoi An, famous for its slow pace of life and tranquil atmosphere and enjoy cuisine in Hue that used to be the home of Nguyen Dynasty, Vietnam's last ruling royal family.

Currently, Hue has more than 1,200 dishes, including bun bo Hue (rice vermicelli with beef soup), Hue-style sweet soup, spring rolls and com hen, a rice dish with rural ingredients like baby mussels (hen) and fresh herbs.

In addition to Vietnam, the list also included Sri Lanka, Japan, Australia, Greece and New Zealand.

By Hoang Phong (vnexpress.net)

https://e.vnexpress.net/news/places/vietnam-among-worlds-safest-places-for-solo-female-travel-time-out-4730717.html