Hoi An named among world's most famous canals

Hoi An, September 18 (VNA) – Hoi An ancient city's Hoai River and its channels feature in the list of the 10 most-famous canals in the world, as announced by the US-based travel website www.touropia.com. The city's Centre for Culture and Sports confirmed that it was informed about the website's list on September 16. Hoi An, the UNESCO-recognised world heritage river, ranks fourth in the list. The other canals are the Stockholm Canals; canals in Alappuzha, India; Bangkok Klongs; Nan Madol in the Federated States of Micronesia; Suzhou Canals, China; Panama Canal; canals of Bruges; canals of Amsterdam; and the canals in Venice. Last year, the ancient city was chosen for the 2013 Townscape Award by the UN-Habitat Regional Office in Asia, and was listed among the top 10 Asian cities in US magazine Conde Nast's Traveler's Readers Choice Awards in 2012. Covering an area of 60sq.km, the city has developed 22.5sq.km with agriculture and forests and 11sq.km with lakes and channels. The Hoai River is the favourite rendezvous of local and foreign tourists, with lanterns being released on full moon nights every month. A survey showed that 27 percent of the international tourists visited the city to learn about the culture and history of Hoi An, the My Son Sanctuary and the biosphere reserve of the Cham Islands./.