American magazine "tips its hat" to Vietnamese entertainment "empire"

" For decades, entertainment giants like Disney or Universal have often followed a familiar formula: building stories on screen and then recreating them in theme parks. However, in Vietnam, a different direction is gradually taking shape ", this is the curious opening of the world's leading travel magazine - Travel + Leisure - in its latest article describing the development of Vietnam's tourism.

The article, titled “ The Sun World Atlas: How Vietnam is Mapping A New Language of Travel ”, gives a nod of admiration to Sun World - the theme park empire in Vietnam created by Sun Group. According to the American publication, instead of creating simulated worlds, Sun World chooses nature and local culture as the foundation for creating experiences. Iconic works therefore not only impress visually but are also closely linked to geographical context and cultural depth.

The Golden Bridge at Sun World Ba Na Hills is one of the structures that international visitors consider a symbol of Vietnamese tourism

“It is a golden bridge floating in the clouds, supported by giant stone hands; a nearly 8km cable car ride over the sea; a sacred mountain that has become a shared journey for millions of visitors; or an island where fireworks light up the sky each night like a ritual” , Travel + Leisure has dedicated many accolades to describe the Sun World system across Vietnam, from Da Nang, Phu Quoc to Tay Ninh, Sa Pa. According to Travel + Leisure, instead of relying on existing movie characters or scripts, Sun World is creating its own "film set" – a place where real-life experiences are powerful enough to become symbols and inspire popular culture in return.

In the North, Sun World Fansipan Legend transforms the journey to conquer the "Roof of Indochina" into an accessible experience while retaining its tranquility and sacredness. In Ha Long, the cable car routes and entertainment complexes offer a new perspective on the natural heritage. Meanwhile, in the Red River Delta, projects like Sun World Ha Nam or Sun World Sam Son utilize cultural elements – from water puppetry to folk myths – to create entertainment spaces with a distinctly Vietnamese character.

Sun World Fansipan Legend with a cable car system likened to a "miracle of Vietnamese intellect"

In Da Nang, Sun World Ba Na Hills is considered by an American magazine as the clearest manifestation of this vision: from a record-breaking cable car route, this place has developed into a complete tourist complex, where architecture, landscape, and experiences blend in a cinematic space.

In the South, Sun World Ba Den Mountain offers a journey combining spirituality and technology, while Phu Quoc is rated as a global-scale advancement. With the world's longest 3-rope cable car route spanning nearly 8km, the entertainment complex at Hon Thom, and iconic structures like the Kiss Bridge and regular firework displays, the pearl island is being positioned as a destination "built to confidently shine on the global map," especially in the context of preparing to host APEC 2027.

Black Lady Mountain (Nui Ba Den) is not just a purely spiritual destination but has become a masterpiece of multi-sensory experience in the heart of the sacred land

Travel + Leisure noted, if standing alone, each Sun World is enough to become a highlight. But when placed in the overall context, they form a deliberate strategy – where geography is transformed into stories, and tourism becomes a multi-layered, emotional experience.

“If the last century of tourism was a journey to see the world, then Vietnam is shaping the next – a way to experience it. Where destinations are not just to visit, but to feel, remember, and return to.”, Travel + Leisure concluded.