Top 10 trending destinations for travelers to explore in 2022

Booking.com, one of the world’s leading digital travel platforms, has revealed its top 10 Vietnamese trending destinations to visit in 2022, including both unique and lesser known sites which are filled with hidden gems.

According to the website, while the pandemic continues to take its heavy toll on the economy, 2022 will hopefully offer a more optimistic year for the travel industry.

Thang Tam of Vung Tau city ranks first in the list as it is an interesting and impressive destination for spiritual culture lovers, according to Booking.com.

Booking.com’s annual Travel Predictions research found that four out of five (80%) of Vietnamese travelers say that they wish to make up for lost vacation time caused by the pandemic. In addition, nearly half (43%) would rather go somewhere off the beaten track in 2022, as opposed to going to a well-known destination.

Thang Tam of Vung Tau city topped the list as it is an interesting and impressive destination for spiritual culture lovers, according to Booking.com.

“If you get the chance to visit, don't miss dropping by Thang Tam God Temple - a complex of 3 relics: Thang Tam Temple, Ba Temple and Ong Fish Mausoleum. Apart from having an ancient architectural design and valuable cultural and historical values, this place is also visited by many tourists to pray for luck and peace,” says the platform.

The southeastern province of Tay Ninh ranked second in the list, as it is home to Caodaism, one of the most intriguing indigenous religions in southern Vietnam and the Black Virgin Mountain, known locally as Nui Ba Den, the highest mountain in the region.

According to Booking.com, the Cao Dai Great Temple is definitely a must-visit site for culture lovers, for it is one of Asia's most unusual and astonishing religious structures. Indeed, it appears to blend the architectural motifs of a French church, the intricate designs of a Chinese temple, and the grandeur of an Islamic mosque.

Third place went to Meo Vac, a rural district of Ha Giang province. It is a small and scenic valley surrounded by karst mountains and is home to the H’Mong ethnic group. As a result of its charms it represents a great destination for 84% of Vietnamese travelers who want to have authentic experiences that are representative of the local culture of their chosen destination.

“Its unique culinary specialty, Thang Co, a dish made from the organs of cows, pigs, and buffalos, and cooked over a big pan is definitely a must-eat for 70% of Vietnamese travelers who want to try new and different cuisines while traveling in 2022,” says Booking.com.

“For adventure lovers or photographers, a trip to Meo Vac would be incomplete without a motorbike ride to Ma Pi Leng Pass to admire spectacular views of the mountains, the deep green winding river of Nho Que, and mossy stilt houses that are sometimes hidden by moving clouds,” the article concludes.

The other destinations to make the top 10 include Pu Luong in the north-central province of Thanh Hoa, Pleiku in the Central Highland province of Gia Lai, and Bao An in the southern province of Ninh Thuan. This is in addition to Bien Hoa - the capital city of Dong Nai province - and Cam Ranh of the south-central province of Khanh Hoa.