(VOVWORLD) -CNN Travel on Thursday listed 18 most underrated travel destinations in Asia, including Vietnam's Da Lat and Lan Ha Bay.
 These lesser-known spots (like Vietnam's Lan Ha Bay, pictured) will make you hungry for travel again, CNN says. (Photo: vntrip.vn) |
According to details given by CNN, with its fresh mountain air and pine forests located in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, Da Lat has proved to be a popular destination for local people that isn't as well known among international travelers.
Standing at 1,500 metres above sea level, the city's cool weather is a welcome reprieve from the tropical humidity that can be found elsewhere in the country.
It noted that based around the romantic Xuan Huong lake, Da Lat boasts everything from French colonial architecture, a holdover from its days as a hill station, to the "Crazy House", the Seussian creation of architect Dang Viet Nga which boasts twisting stairwells and whimsical sculptures.
“Plentiful waterfalls and a vibrant flower industry mean that delights abound in the city for honeymooners and nature lovers,” the website notes.
Ha Long Bay in northern Vietnam is no secret -- the UNESCO-listed waterway has long been popular with backpackers and luxury travelers alike, CNN said.
But visitors who want to ply the waters with a lot fewer neighbors should head to Lan Ha, south of Ha Long Bay. Like its more famous sibling, Lan Ha Bay is a stretch of shimmering water broken up by limestone (karst) islands that can be enjoyed by day trip (kayak, canoe) or overnight (cruise ship, junk boat).
Most travelers get here by bus or car from Hanoi or Haiphong, and it's easy to set up door-to-door service with tour companies in advance.
Leave from Cat Ba Island to explore Lan Ha Bay's grottoes, caves and white-sand beaches, CNN Travel said.