This comes as a result of the 2023 Telegraph Travel Awards, with votes cast by almost 30,000 people in the widest-ranging travel survey of its kind. 

Launched in 1998, the annual awards has just returned this year after a long hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year sees Cape Town (South Africa) top the rankings, together with Rome and Venice (Italy), Seville (Spain), and Vancouver (Canada) among the top 5.

No destinations in Southeast Asia were listed among the top 10. Singapore was placed in 20th position, followed by Chiang Mai (Thailand) in 23rd, and Hanoi (Vietnam) in 27th.

In the top 10 cities outside Europe and the Americas, or the best in the rest of the world, three Southeast Asian representatives were included, namely Singapore in sixth, Chiang Mai in seventh, and Hanoi in eighth.

Since 2014 Vietnam has always been among the top 20 favourite countries of the Telegraph Travel Awards. This year, it continues to be among the top 20 in 18th position, just above Thailand in 19th.

In the top 10 favourite countries in Asia and the Middle East for 2023, Vietnam ranks third after Japan and Sri Lanka.