According to the magazine, the ranking is based on surveys of more than 24,000 residents across 150 cities on food, nightlife, culture, affordability, happiness and overall quality of life, combined with votes from over 100 Time Out city experts.

Created with Intrepid Travel, the ranking highlights cities that are both great to visit and to live in, focusing on everyday urban experiences. This year, 11 Asian cities made the global top 50, including four in the top 10.

The capital city of Hanoi ranked 25th in the list.  Often described as a blend of old and new, Hanoi still leans toward its historic charm while undergoing rapid transformation. Time Out revealed that a new opera house with a mother-of-pearl dome is rising on West Lake, set to open in 2027, while construction has begun on the 135,000-seat Trong Dong (Bronze Drum) Stadium, expected to be the world’s largest football venue.

The city, the magazine noted, is also evolving, with a new generation of Vietnamese-led bars such as Workshop14, The Haflington and Nê Cocktail Bar gaining recognition in Asia’s 50 Best.

Hanoi received favourable ratings from locals across multiple categories, with 62% saying it is cheap to eat out and 80% saying grabbing a coffee is affordable. In addition, 73% recommended the city’s food scene, 67 % rated its nightlife highly and 72% said it is easy to make friends there.

Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City stood 38th on the list. The southern metropolis’ restless energy is fuelling a new wave of creativity in 2026.

Time Out stressed that the city was named Southeast Asia’s first UNESCO Creative City of Cinema, while the Ho Chi Minh City International Film Festival is set to return after its debut drew 280,000 visitors.

“In the culinary scene, young chefs are also making their mark, with CieL and Coco Dining earning Michelin stars, while new concepts such as the plant-based, zero-waste restaurant Tales by Chapter and Med – Vietnam’s first dedicated non-alcoholic bar – reflect a fresh, locally driven dining culture”, it concluded.

Ho Chi Minh City also scored highly for food and nightlife, with 75% of locals praising its food scene and 70% rating nightlife positively. The city also recorded a 75% overall happiness score, with the same proportion saying it is easy to make friends.

Rounding off the list of top 50 were Melbourne of Australia, Shanghai of China, Edinburgh of Scotland, London of the UK, New York of the US, Cape Town of South Africa, Mexico City, Bangkok of Thailand, Seoul of the Republic of Korea, and Tokyo of Japan.

Time Out names Ninh Van Bay among Asia’s most romantic island escapes

VOV.VN - Ninh Van Bay, a secluded coastal enclave off Nha Trang in south-central Vietnam, has been named one of Asia’s most romantic hidden gem islands by the British travel publication’s Time Out.