Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Phu Tu islet - a beautiful natural sculpture rocks


Situated in Kien Luong district, Kien Giang province, Phu Tu Islet is considered as a symbol of Ha Tien. The Islet, which lies more than 100m offshore, is a beautiful natural sculpture of rocks.

Phu Tu Islet, which lies more than 100m offshore, is considered to be a symbol of Ha Tien, Kien Luong district, Kien Giang province, Vietnam travel news reported. Tourists come there often don’t forget to take a picture to remember their trip to Ha Tien, a captivating land.


For tourists in Vietnam travel coming to Ha Tien, it is a magnet. Phu Tu Islet is a beautiful natural sculpture of rocks. It is known in English as the Father and Son rocks and they are seen about a hundred meters from the shore of Ha Tien.

Phu Tu Islet does offer a great view even though it is not the biggest attraction here. It is also a great place to take a postcard picture to remember your trip to Ha Tien.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Travel to Vietnam and enjoy Tom Long in Mekong River Delta

Tom long is a favourite food of the Mekong’s delicacy, a kind of small crayfish the size of a thumb, and is expensive for its size but worth every dong.


Tom long (Vietnamese: Tôm lóng) is a favourite food of the Mekong’s delicacy, a kind of small crayfish the size of a thumb, and is expensive for its size but worth every dong.
Mekong River Delta is famous for water culture, have many dissever kinds of fishs, crafts, shrims as well as other special product. This is one of the most attractive destinations in Vietnam travel.
Tom long lives in canals and waterways or along the banks of Tien and Hau rivers. The local farmers usually put bung, a tool to catch this shrimp, in the area with strong flows of water. The crayfish can even be raised in paddy-fields or small ponds.
To cook “tom long nau bong so dua” (Tôm lóng nấu bông so đũa), you need a half kilo of fresh catches. First, you need to wash them, cut their feelers and leave the shrimps in a basket until they dry.
The next step is to cook a pot of water, wait until it boils and add some salt. Then you need to mince some lemon grass, red pepper and merge it all into hot water.
After that, you put some sugar, monosodium glutamate, fish sauce, tomatoes, pineapple, and tamarind into the pot. The dish will be even tastier if you add some con me.
A half kilo of flowers of so dua should be prepared for the next step. When the water boils, you have to put tom long into the pot first.
When the shrimps turn red, put so dua flowers into the pot and turn off the cooker. What you have to do now is to add some flavor with mu om vegetables.
Enjoy the dish with hot cooked rice or bun (soft noodles), and dipping one shrimp into delicious fish sauce or a combination of salt and red pepper surely makes for a beautiful taste. The season to taste tom long is from January until the rainy season arrives.
You can find many tom long dishes in several restaurants in Mekong Delta provinces, including tom luoc nuoc dua (shrimps boiled with coconut milk), tom chien bot (shrimps fried with flour), tom tron goi ngo sen (shrimps mixed with lotus rootstock) etc. However, the most simple and attractive one is still tom long nau bong so dua.
This is such a special delicious food that tourists in Vietnam travel to Mekong River Delta should not miss.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Dong Hoi Citadel Symbolizes the brave of Vietnam

In the past, Dong Hoi Citadel held an important position in many periods of Vietnam history. Today, there is no more war in Vietnam, but the beautiful Dong Hoi citadel still stands vividly as an honorable symbol of the brave country.
Dong Hoi Citadel is located in Dong Hoi city, Quang Binh Province. It is a complex of high fences and towers, forming a fortress that protected the kings and the capital of the Nguyen dynasty since 1630. The citadel is 1'500 m away from Nhat Le beach; it is adjacent to Nhat Le River in the East side and the forest on the West side.
Dong Hoi Citadel symbolizes the brave of Vietnam
The construction of Dong Hoi Citadel was started in 1812, at the location where King Nguyen Phuc Nguyen built Tran Ninh Rampart and Dong Hai Post in 1774. When King Gia Long passed away, King Minh Mang asked a French general to re-design the citadel, and in 1824 he rebuilt it into an invincible fortress which has the shape of a star. The perimeter of the citadel is 1.860m; its height is 4m. The 1.35m-wide façade faces the West. In addition, the citadel has 3 other big gates: North, South and East, which are equipped with 8-roof towers. Each gate has a well-designed bridge which connects the citadel with the outside area. In 1842, when Kinh Thien Tri was reigning, he renovated Dong Hoi citadel to consolidate its strength.
Dong Hoi citadel held an important position in many periods of the country's history. In 1885, when the French army attacked it, people and the soldiers of Dong Ha defended and triumphantly won the battle, making the French retreat. During the Vietnam-France war from 1945 to 1954, the local inhabitants have also made several attacks at the citadel.
Nowadays, there is no more war in Vietnam, but the beautiful Dong Hoi citadel still stand vividly as a honorable symbol of the brave country, attracting tourists who travel to Vietnam.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Landscapes Don't Miss in Vietnam


From the island-studded seas of the north to the meandering waterways of the south, Vietnam is a country defined by the diversity of its land and the resilience and generosity of its people. Lonely Planet Traveller magazine shows you how to take the perfect trip to Vietnam.

Halong cruises Bay: best for coast

The mystical landscape of Halong Bay, where over 2000 limestone islets rise from the Gulf of Tonkin. Photo by Matt Munro
Once upon a time, a friendly dragon lived in the heavens above Halong Bay. With invaders from the seas threatening Vietnam, the gods asked the dragon to create a natural barrier to protect its people, Vietnam travel news. The dragon kindly obliged, performing a spectacular crash landing along the coast – digging up chunks of rock with its flailing tail and spitting out pearls – before grinding to a halt. This scene of devastation is now known as Halong Bay – Halong literally translates as ‘where the dragon descends into the sea’.
Less exciting explanations of this landscape involve eons of erosion by winds and waves – but nobody disputes the splendour of the end result. Rising from the shallows of the Gulf of Tonkin are thousands of limestone islands – towering monoliths lined up like dominoes, some teetering at worrying angles. The islands’ names testify to the overactive  imaginations of sailors who’ve spent too long at sea – Fighting Cock Island, Finger Island, Virgin Grotto. Having largely resisted human settlement, the islands have become home to other creatures. From above, sea eagles swoop down to pluck fish from the waters, carrying their prey – still flapping – high into the air, and squawking congratulations to each other from their nests.

Hanoi: best for city life

It’s rush hour in Hanoi, and the streets of the city’s Old Quarter throng with hundreds of scooters. The pavement and the central reservation are fair game in the chaos; zebra crossings exist more as a personal challenge than a guarantee of safe passage. Hanoi is a city that refuses to grow old gracefully – a millennium-old capital of crumbling pagodas and labyrinthine streets, now undergoing a werewolf-like transformation into a 21st-century Asian metropolis. In the Old Quarter, ancient temples now neighbour karaoke joints, and dynasties of artisans ply their trade next to shops selling cuddly toys the size of grizzly bears.
Few have studied the changing face of the city as closely as Do Hien, an artist who has spent a lifetime painting Hanoi’s streets. He welcomes me to his studio, and idly leafs through sketches of city life – couples waltzing beside the willows of Hoan Kiem Lake, and alleyways where hawkers prepare steaming bowls of pho. ‘Hanoi is a place that runs in your blood,’ Hien says thoughtfully, sitting cross-legged among stubs of incense sticks and paintbrushes strewn across his studio floor. ‘Had I not lived in this city I might not be able to paint like I do.’

Sapa: best for walking

Ripening paddies near Sapa. Photo by Matt Munro
An evening fog hangs over Sapa. Clouds sporadically open up a bit to reveal a village, a chunk of a mountain, a patch of jungle, before obscuring them from view again, like stage scenery sliding into the wings. Eventually the clouds lift, and the Hoang Lien mountain range emerges. It is a landscape of extraordinary beauty – the Asian highlands half-remembered from childhood picture books and martial-arts films. Above are peaks thick to their summits with greenery. Below, rice terraces run down the hillsides at right angles, as neatly as the folds in origami paper.
Sapa is a town where the weather seems to operate on random rotation – switching between brilliant sunshine, thick fog, driving rain and occasionally a dusting of snow, before coming full circle to brilliant sunshine, often all within the space of a few minutes. A hill station settled by Vietnam’s French colonists, Sapa now serves as a trailhead for hikers happy to run the meteorological lottery of a walk in these mountains. ‘We have four seasons in one day here,’ explains Giang Thi Mo, my guide, shimmying along the edge of a rice paddy as a rain cloud approaches. ‘There’s no way to predict the weather – just be lucky!’
We pass through a village, and Mo points to bamboo irrigation systems that send trickles down the hillsides and into rice pounders that see-saw with the current. ‘There’s a Hmong saying that “we flow with the water”,’ she explains. ‘It means we don’t worry too much, and take things easy.’

Hoi An: best for food

Hoi An is a small town that likes a big breakfast. As dawn musters strength on the horizon, a small army of chefs sets to work on Thai Phien street – firing up gas cookers and arranging plastic furniture on the pavements. Soon, the city awakes to sweet porridges; coffee that sends a lightning bolt of caffeine to sleepy heads; sizzling steaks; broths that swim with turmeric, chilli and ginger. In Vietnam, street food is a serious business – a single dish prepared day after day by the same cook, perfected and honed by a lifetime’s craft.
‘Food in Hoi An is about yin and yang,’ explains Le Hanh, a young female chef scrutinising vegetables at the morning market. ‘It’s about balancing hot with cool, sweet with sour, salty with spicy.’ True to Hanh’s philosophy, cooking in Hoi An goes big on contrasting flavours; food that plays good cop/bad cop with the palate. The sharpness of fish sauce blends with the subtlety of fresh herbs; cool lemongrass makes way for the eye-watering panic of accidentally chomping on a red chilli.

Mekong Delta: best for river life

A heavy rain is falling on the Mekong Delta, flooding the footpaths, swilling in the gutters, turning riverbank mud from light tan to a rich coffee colour. A tangled network of rivers, tributaries and canals, the waters of the delta criss-cross the lowlands of southern Vietnam, before emptying out into the South China Sea through mighty, yawning estuaries. For centuries, life here has ebbed and flowed in tandem with the current of the Mekong – an all-in-one launderette, bathtub, highway, toilet, dishwasher, larder, social club and workplace for the communities surrounded by its waters.
‘If you live on a river island with twenty other people you have to learn to get along with everyone,’ explains Mrs Bui Nguyen, beckoning strangers to shelter in her bungalow beside the Cai Chanh canal. ‘That’s the reason why people in the Mekong are so friendly!’ A 77-year-old who attributes her longevity to a lifetime avoiding doctors, Mrs Nguyen wistfully reflects on the delta of old – in days when the only artificial light came from peanut oil lamps dotted along the riverbanks; an age long before roads had reached the villages.
Times have changed. However, human life still instinctively congregates on the water’s edge. Lining the riverbank nearby are grocers’ shops, cafés, a gym, a billiards club and a blacksmith’s. Floating markets, too, are still held every morning at nearby Cai Rang – with creaking barges from across the delta bashing into each other as they offload cargoes of watermelons, pineapples and turnips.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Cham island- full of white sand, trees and clouds


Located approximately 10 km from Hoi An ancient town, Cham island covers approximately 15km2, with nearly 2,900 people, living as isolated from the mainland. The scene in this place kept still looks peaceful, pure and tinged wild, sexy desire for visitors to explore.
Cham Island includes a group of 8 small islands of Quang Nam province, a world Biosphere Reserve recognized by UNESCO. The islands are also recognized as Vietnam’s national scenic site.
The flora of the islands varied with verdant trees surrounding the island Lao, Hon Dai, Hon Chong, Hon Yen ... In particular, visitors can experience and participate in, mix rustic lifestyle, naive island of fishermen. Usually, Cham Island tour starts at 8 am, Bim Beach destination - a pristine beach, absent from the population, only full of white sand, trees and clouds, as a small oasis.
                                                                      Bim beach

Leaving Bim beach, visitors will continue to ship to  husband dump, then Village dumps. It is home to most of the islanders. The fishermen have sun tanning skins as sun and wind sea, and being extremely fun, will endeavor to show you the secrets of the birds nest and nests - a special high level of this region. You have also the opportunity to observe and learn about lobster diving career here. Not only that, the time to know where you will discover the marine world of coral Cham.

On the island there are other interesting attractions such as docks - a large lake, exploring the hidden vessels when the winter rain storms or visiting Tibetan temple  - more than 100 years of history ... In Ông beach, visitors can mix fresh atmosphere, try out the game as though attractive bay, windsurfing, water motor.
Many visitors came here said that "We've arrived in Cham island to enjoy fresh air, mix with innocent life, simplicity of fishermen on the island can not ignore the feeling bold game improvisation, as strong as "nature" of this beautiful island.

Quan An Ngon - Food adventures in Hanoi

If there’s one thing that tourists enjoyed most about their holiday in Hanoi, it’s eating all that delicious food! There’s so much to try it’s almost like an adventure in itself! Located on 18 Phan Boi Chau Str. or 1st floor, 25T2 Hoang Dao Thuy Str., Hanoi, Vietnam


The Quan An Ngon restaurant is absolute favourite so of course it’s high on the list of places to eat with fabulous tasty food and friendly efficient staff.
The Quan An Ngon restaurant - Hanoi
The Quan An Ngon restaurant – Hanoi
And if the tourists are the type of traveller who must sample local dishes wherever they go, they probably should visit this place. An entire selection of local fare can be found here and the food was certainly good without being over-priced.
The Quan An Ngon restaurant - Hanoi
The Quan An Ngon restaurant – Hanoi
The menu here is full of traditional food as chicken pho (chicken noodle soup), bun bo (beef vermicelli soup), bun cha (grilled pork and vermicelli), nem cua be (fried spring rolls), prawn fritters, young papaya salad, squid salad, mango salad with prawn crackers, fried tofu with fermented shrimp dip, fresh spring rolls, bbq squid, and che (sweet dessert) to share.
The Quan An Ngon restaurant - Hanoi
The Quan An Ngon restaurant – Hanoi
The food were absolutely sumptious and it’s great to have so many choices at one place. For those wary of ‘street food’ here is the answer – clean, quality Vietnamese food within a great courtyard atmosphere.
The Quan An Ngon restaurant - Hanoi
The Quan An Ngon restaurant – Hanoi
The Quan An Ngon restaurant - Hanoi
The Quan An Ngon restaurant – Hanoi
The Quan An Ngon restaurant - Hanoi
The Quan An Ngon restaurant – Hanoi
The restaurant is extremely busy and packed with both locals and tourists. The tourists shouldn’t expect much privacy but to share tables and will be slotted in wherever there is a space. If the customers  haven’t been to one before, these Vietnamese “food courts” are interesting and fun with a wide variety of foods on display.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Lung Cu - Ha Giang

Lung Cu (Ha Giang), the top piece of land located north of the country extreme, is a land of the Shan tea, honey wine and "Thang Co", the definition of traditional cultural identity in the ethnic Mong, Lo Lo, Giay. It was also the land of Peach, plum, white snow in the spring and bustling markets in the session.

Lung Cu commune includes nine villages, all at an average elevation of 1600-1800 meters above the sea. In winter weather is very cold and even snow fall. To the left is the Then Van, expand approximately 50 hectares, on the right is the watershed Nho Que River, originating from Mu Cang - Van Nam - China poured on Dong Van, Meo Vac, mountains after mountains creates one of the most magnificent landscapes in Vietnam.

Ethnic people in Lung Cu work mostly by cultivation on rice terraces. Especially peoples of Hmong, Lo Lo still conserve the traditional weaving industry, with the stages as the linen fibers, textile fabrics. The national flag tower on top of the dragon mountain dragon looks remotely like a tower, similar to the one in Ha Noi, nearly 20 meters high.

Springtime, tourists on Ha Giang, overcome 500 km from Hanoi by the National Highway No. 2 and national highway 4C, through rocky plateau Dong Van takes two days, tourists can reach Lung Cu. Tourists will enjoy the fresh air, listen to "Dan moi" calling friends, the sound of drum beat over a fire with corn wine.





Thursday, December 6, 2012

Bach Ma National Park


Despite being damaged by the Americans' use of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, Bach Ma National Park today has one of the most diverse ecological systems in Vietnam. With coastal regions, mountains, and lush green valleys, the plan biodiversity in Bach Ma is especially unparalleled by other national parks in Vietnam. The park is named for one particular mountain peak; “Bach Ma” means “white horse” and refers to the misty beard of white that continually encircles the mountain. Truly, Bach Ma National Park is one of Southeast Asia's last wonderlands.

History of Bach Ma

Few parks have a history as colorful as Bach Ma, which over the years was served as a base for French, American, and now Vietnamese operations.
As early as 1925, when the idea of conservation and wildlife protection was just beginning, French colonial authorities considered setting aside the area in order to protect the Edward's pheasant. The pheasant is today an endangered species, with only 1,000 – 3,000 remaining in the wild; many of these live within the park's boundaries.
In 1932, the Bach Ma summit was made a hill station by the French. They built nearly 140 villas and hotels, intending to accommodate French holidaymakers and government officials. To make it self-sustaining, they also added a post office, market, and hospital. When the French left Vietnam in 1954, the Vietnamese abandoned the little village and the jungle gradually began to reclaim it. Some of the remains of these buildings can still be seen today.
The South Vietnamese were preparing to turn the area into a national park in 1962, but the Vietnam War broke out and the American military used the Bach Ma ridge as a helicopter base. In 1991, the park finally gained protected status, and in 2008 it was expanded to 37,487 hectares.

Plants + Wildlife In Bach Ma Park

Wildlife lovers and ecotourists will be dazzled by the flora and fauna inside the park. With more than 130 species of mammals, including nine species of primates, more than 350 species of bird, 31 species of reptile, 21 species of frog, and almost 60 species of fish, almost any animal you wish to see in its native Vietnamese habitat can be found within Bach Ma. With a little luck, you might even glimpse a tiger or a leopard.
As for the plants, some of the area around the Bach Ma ridge itself still hasn't entirely recovered from the Vietnam War, but everywhere else the park is intensely lush. With lowland forests and mountain regions as well, there are over 2,100 species of plant within the park.
When you arrive, start at the Visitor Centre, where you can see exhibitions, book accommodations, and find tour guides. After a long hike past one of the park's waterfalls, you might decide to visit one of the traditional Katu villages, where you might catch one of the annual festivals or shop for some authentic Vietnamese hill tribe crafts.
In all, if you're visiting Hue or Da Nang anyway, you should definitely make the effort to take at least a day trip into Bach Ma National Park.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Da Nhim Lake, great scenery in Da Lat land

Da Nhim lake located on Dran commune, Don Duong district, Lam Dong province, so also called Don Duong lake, far 9.7 km from Da Lat city. Weather here intermingled between temperate and tropical, weather flow together.

All view Da Nhim lake is the great combination of mountain, lake and cloud which make a great scenery for Da Lat land, attract many tourists.
Da Nhim lake is the special works of Southeast Asia by Japanese design. From some kilometres, tourists can see two greatly pipelines run parallel to each other, nearly 2km long to water down from the mountains to factory at the foot of the pass.
At the confluence between Da Nhim river and Kronglet river is 1.460m long dam with a bottom of 180m long, surface 6 meters wide, nearly 38m high. Guests will be amazed even more when looking down at the bottom of the lake, this spot we build a tunnel water pressure up to 5km, 3.5 km wide running through the mountains give the Da Nhim river from the east to the west to the slopes Eo Gio. 
Not just a beautiful scenic, Da Nhim lake is also large hydro supplier for neighboring provinces as Lam Dong, NinhThuan, Binh Thuan and Khanh Hoa. Tourists to visit natural beauty Nhim lakes also have the opportunity to learn about the Da Nhim hydropower plant was built right on the lake. This is a large hydropower projects in Vietnamwas built from 1962 to 1964.
Nearby is a famous sightseeing places in Vietnam is Ngoan Muc Pass, also known as Pha River Pass in the territory of Ninh Thuan province-one of Vietnam's most beautiful mountain passes. Pass is in transition areas between thecoastal plain southern central and Da Lat highland, at hight of over 1,000 m compared with sea level, 18.5 km longwinding road has just folded, particularly the crab is almost a closed circle. So this is also the largest slope Pass inthe southern provinces.
Looking down on a pass from the brink that deep, steep. Standing on this pass, visitors can see all view of Da Nhim hydropower plant, saw the long white sand shoreline and poetic scenery of the lake. In the headlines so far, is plain of Phan Rang and Cai rivers colored blue. Ngoan Muc pass section is a picture of harmony with the cross-stream waterfall cliff and the flora is quite diversified.

With the charm of the lake, the project will be built here in the ecological tourist area Da Nhim lakes (the project is from the year 2008-2013). This is big eco-tourism, history, culture, tourism and entertainment in Vietnam in the future.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Vietnamese Ethnic Culture Village Calls for investment


PARIS, Dec 12 (Bernama) -- A project to build the culture-tourism village of Vietnamese ethnic groups was introduced to investors and friends at a talk held here on Saturday, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported.

As part of the exhibition themed "Vietnam - a destination for culture and tourism investment", the event was aimed at attracting investment for the project.
Located on an area of 1,544 ha, the village accommodates different sections, featuring villages of 54 Vietnamese ethnic groups, cultural and recreational activities, tourism services, world cultural heritages, parks, and a village management office.

Construction of the project began in 2007 and the village was inaugurated on Sept 19, 2010 to mark the capital city's 1,000th anniversary. The second phase of the project is underway and scheduled for completion in 2015.

Located about 40 km west from the centre of Hanoi, the village is expected to help preserve and promote cultural identities of 54 fraternal ethnic groups and become one of the major tourist attractions in northern Vietnam and Hanoi in particular.

Hoi An: Walking in the footsteps of history


Hoi An has been trading with the outside world since almost the 15th century.  Once one of the busiest ports in all of South East Asia, the docksides of this relatively small central Vietnamese town were once awash with the sound of Chinese, Japanese, American, European and Indonesian traders, all bringing their wares to Vietnam’s doorstep. Warehouses strained under the weight of the orient’s finest silks and spices. Everything, from elephant tusks to beeswax, from paper to porcelain, was brought here and from here to the world. 
Cycling over Cam Nam Bridge.
Hoi An still maintains a brisk trade with all its old business partners. However, it’s now Hoi An’s cash tills rather than its docks that ring to the sound of international commerce. Hoi An, with its traditional housing and narrow streets, all unspoilt by the passage of time, is a tourist mecca. Apart from the faces, little has changed in Hoi An since its commercial hey day. The nations of the globe still flock here, now to wander its ancient streets and marvel at a piece of Vietnam’s living history.

Hoi An’s close relation to the rest of the world has worked to define the very bones of the town. Chinese and Japanese traders, particularly, extended their long stays in port to establish permanent agencies here from which to manage their trade. From these beginnings, sprang the first permanent Chinese settlement in Southern Vietnam, whose congregational assembly halls still draw both the descendants of those early Chinese traders and tourists alike.



Cham ruins at My Son. - Photos: Simon Speakman Cordall
It was the links between Hoi An’s native Chinese and Japanese communities that was to give the town its most famous icon; the Japanese Covered Bridge. Built in the 1590s by the Japanese to connect them to their Chinese neighbours on the far side of the rivulet, The Japanese Covered Bridge has been drawing visitors ever since.

Within its narrow walls, around halfway across, stands the temple of the northern God Tran Vo Bac De, critically for sailors, the God of weather. One legend about the bridge is that it as built to subdue the enormous ‘mamazu’ dragon monster, whose global reach stretched from its head in India to its tail in Japan, the movement of which was supposed to cause earthquakes. Vietnam, and principally Hoi An, was thought to sit across its back, so building the bridge at this spot would pin the Mamazu down and protect those the traders and settlers had left behind.

However, Hoi An, and its surrounds, date back further than the international trade which later came to define the town. Around 55km outside of Hoi An’s centre can be found the ruins of My Son, once the political and religious centre of the Champa Kingdom. The Cham, who still exist within Vietnam today, once ruled the central provinces of modern Vietnam before being absorbed by the Vietnamese in around the 17th Century. My Son, the most significant and extensive Champa sites in Vietnam, dates back to the 4th -10th Century and its Indian influenced ruins are an easy motorbike ride away.

Though it may seem suffocated by the sheer number of tourists who make their way here, Hoi An’ beauty - unspoilt by either time or war - still offers visitors a unique glimpse into Vietnam’s historic past. To walk Hoi An’s historic streets is to walk in the footsteps of those traders and merchants who built so much of this town and, in their own way, helped to shape the Vietnam of today.

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Russian tourists lured in Southcentral region

The number of flights from Russia’s Far East region to Cam Ranh international airport in the southcentral region will increase from 7-9 to 21 per week as from October 25.


The decision was made at a meeting between the Khanh Hoa provincial People’s Committee and local departments on October 11 to serve the tours co-organized by Vietnam’s Anh Duong Production, Service and Import-Export Company and Russia’s Pegas Turistik Company.
These tours have been in operation since late October, 2011, through which as many as 60,000 Russian have come to visit Vietnam. 60-70 percent of them have preferred staying first in Nha Trang than in Binh Thuan, Ninh Thuan, Phu Yen and Quang Nam.
Hoang Thi Phong Thu, CEO of Anh Duong Production, Service and Import-Export Company, said almost all tourists were pleased to enjoy good accommodation, beautiful scenery and delicious food and often stayed for 7 to 10 days in 3-5 star hotels.
Since early this year, Khanh Hoa has received 383,000 foreign tourists, including 50,000 Russian, up 27 percent compared to the same period last year.
The province is expected to welcome 550,000 foreign tourists by late 2012.

Enjoy Dreamlike Beauty of Mui Nai Beach- Ha Tien- Kien Giang

Ha Tien in Kien Giang province is very famous for its beautiful landscapes. Many beaches, mountains, cave temples and pagodas are gathered here. The beaches are very clean and naturally beautiful. Of which is Mui Nai. Coming to this beach, tourists in Vietnam travel feel safe when swimming and they can join sports on the beach.

Annually, Mui Nai Beach in Ha Tien attracts thousands of tourists in Vietnam travel coming to visit. The beach is very beautiful and dreamlike with brown sand and blue sea. Tourists can swim and see the sunset in the evening. Tourists can enjoy sunbathing on Mui Nai beach without being disturbed. There are some lifeguards along the beach to keep people safe and prevent stealing or conflicts.

Enjoy Dreamlike Beauty of Mui Nai Beach- Ha Tien- Kien Giang
Mui Nai Beach- Ha Tien- Kien Giang
 Additionally, Mui Nai built a mini water park for the children nearby the beach. The children can play games, swim together and their parents do not have to worry about them. Next to the beach, there is a small market that sells sea food such as lobsters, sea crabs and squids. This market also sells souvenirs which are made from tortoise-shells for tourists in Vietnam tourism to buy as presents for their relatives and friends.

Enjoy Dreamlike Beauty of Mui Nai Beach- Ha Tien- Kien Giang
Mui Nai Beach- Ha Tien- Kien Giang
If you plan to come to Vietnam on the occasion of your holidays and especially you are a lover of beach, Mui Nai in Ha Tien, Kien Giang should not be missed on your journey!

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

The National Circus Gala

The National Circus Gala this week will be the last time the Ho Chi Minh City Circus performs at the September 23rd Park, its home for more than a decade. Nomadic life continues after 12 years in a downtown park.
The Ho Chi Minh City Circus at September 23rd Park. The park will soon become a bus station and the circus will have to relocate.

The park will soon become a bus station and the circus will have to relocate, and it is not the first time it has been asked to do so.
Nearly 70 artists will take part in the October 19-21 gala, a precursor to the International Circus Festival to be held in Hanoi next month.
It will feature some famous circus artists from Hanoi, Quang Tri and Hue, and the Vietnam Circus Association will nominate the top four performances to represent the country at the Hanoi festival.
But the gala is not the HCMC artists’ main concern right now since they have been asked to move out of September 23rd Park by the month’s end.
Phi Vu, 49, a versatile performer (a trapeze artist, a clown and other roles), told Vietweek that since its establishment in 1986, his troupe has been moved around several times.
“We have been living a nomadic life for many years, moving from a theater and swimming pool in District 5, then District 11, and recently, this [September 23rd] park. However, it looks as though this is not the final venue.”
The park in District 1 is not an ideal place for a circus, but its 3,000-square-meter area is the best and largest venue the HCMC Circus has had so far.
It gives them enough space for a full-fledged tent, a practice area, and room to care for a variety of animals including elephants, dogs, monkeys, horses, and a python.
Vu, who became the troupe’s first Meritorious Artist (a title granted by the government) in 1997 and has been a circus performer for 35 years, said it is not the first time that his troupe has been asked to move out of the park.
“In 2007 we were told we might have to go a different venue, the HCMC Zoo.
A performance by the HCMC Circus. The troupe will compete in the National Circus Gala October 19 to 21 in Ho Chi Minh City.
“[That] really puzzled us since it was too small for the substructures and equipment.
“Moreover, we were told to merge with other stage arts like puppetry to create something like a union of stage arts from the south. It would be messy to mix arts that do not match.”
Pham Van Xuyen, deputy director of the Vietnam Circus Association, told Phap Luat newspaper in an interview: “Technically, circus and puppetry cannot coexist under one roof due to their differences, and a strained merger never works.”
Ho Van Thanh, head of the HCMC Circus, told Vietweek that the first difficulty is fitting the tent in the zoo, where the allotted area is only 600 square meters.
“The next problem is the lack of space to keep tame animals amidst the wild ones. Moreover, the HCMC Wild Animal Protection Association does not allow us to care for our animals in the zoo, so we have to hire a private site for them. This will affect the training a lot.”

“Last but not least it takes a lot of money to upgrade to a soundproof tent in order not to disturb the high school next to the zoo. It will take a long time and money for us to do this and other things to set up in a different, much smaller place.”

Back in 2007, these arguments prompted authorities to allow the circus to stay on at their favorite place for five more years, although its infrastructure, including the tent and seating, animal enclosures and safety arrangements have deteriorated. The circus company has not had the money to maintain or upgrade its facilities.

Vu said the troupe has been asked to move out at the end of this month to make way for a bus terminal.

“But so far, concerned authorities have not offered any support.
“If we move to Gia Dinh Park in Go Vap District, around 10 kilometers from September 23rd park, as they want us to, our troupe will struggle even more. Audiences will not come from downtown areas to watch our show.”
Furthermore, Thanh said, the Go Vap Park would be just another temporary venue for his troupe.

“According to the government’s decision, our final destination will be an amphitheater in District 11. However, this is just a sketch that has remained on paper for years.”
Despite all the troubles the company has faced, including the lack of money and a permanent venue, it has tried to attract more viewers. The younger members of the circus, in particular, have been able to find name and fame for themselves in the international arena.
The company’s artists have won both national and international prizes, including a silver medal at the 1997 International Circus Festival in Hanoi and a bronze medal in North Korea in 2000.
It has also entertained audiences in many cities in France, Belgium, Taiwan and elsewhere.
Vu is also director of the upcoming National Circus Gala.
“Thanks to the money we have collected through extra shows and canvassing funds from enterprises and individuals, we are able to put up some good shows, not only for children but also adults, like the circus-drama ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ and this coming event.”
The circus has lost is popularity in Vietnam over the last two decades for various reasons. Both children and adults have favored other forms of entertainment (video games, reality shows etc.) Lacking funds to invest in training and offering better remuneration to the artists, circuses have laid themselves open to the charge of putting on monotonous shows and not being innovative.

In this situation, winning back the audience is not easy, Vu said.

“But this is the target of any art. We will never give up.”

It's hot and humid around year in Tay Ninh

The weather here is hot, humid around year with annual average temperature of 27.5 degrees.


Cao Dai Temple
Tay Ninh Town is 99km from Ho Chi Minh City. There are Moc Bai and Xa Mat border gates to Cambodia, Moc Bai Market is trade center of Vietnamese and Cambodian.
Coming to Tay Ninh, tourists are able to visit Ba Den Mountain, a famous complex of cultural and historical sites and beauty spots, and Binh Thanh Cham Tower, a monument of the Oc-Eo culture. Once a year, Ba Den Mountain Festival attracts many pilgrims come to pray, sightseeing and enjoy the entertainment.
Dau Tieng Lake is located on the way to Tay Ninh. The lake covers 27,000 ha and has a water reserve of 1,5 billion m3, irrigating Tay Ninh province as well neighbouring provinces. Dau Tieng Lake’s beautiful landscape of mountains, its fresh and pure atmosphere shall give visitors an agreeable feeling.
The weather here is hot, humid around year with annual average temperature of  about 27.50C, annual rainfall of 1,724mm. The dry season lasts between December and April, the rainy season lasts from May to November.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Waffles, Waffles and more


Caravelle Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City has unveiled some interesting culinary programs for November.

The talented chefs at Caravelle will serve six kinds of freshly baked waffles piping hot from the kitchen. Photo courtesy of Caravelle Hotel
The first features waffles served in the hotel's ground floor Lobby Lounge from November 16 to 22.
The talented chefs at Caravelle will serve six kinds of freshly baked waffles piping hot from the kitchen.
They will include toppings such as warm cherry stew with macadamia ice-cream, sautéed apples and vanilla bean sauce Anglaise, and the simple joys of natural icing sugar and maple syrup.
The price is VND128,000++ for a portion.
At the same time, the hotel’s Reflections Restaurant on the third floor will hold a special US beef promotion showcasing cuts of Black Angus strip loin, beef tenderloin, and rib eye.
Enjoy fresh beef grilled over live coals. Each cut will be priced by weight from 150 to 350 grams, and served with classic steak sauces and a choice of two delicious side dishes.
Prices range from VND450,000++ to VND990,000++ for 150 to 350 gram cuts.
Reflections Restaurant will also present a Ruffino wine dinner to bring the renowned wine flavor to guests on November 21.
The finest Sangiovese grapes from the most exceptional estates in Tuscany together with five courses of delectable gourmet cuisine are all the stars of the Ruffino wine dinner.
Made from grapes grown in the winemaking heart of Italy, Chianti Ruffino is renowned as one of the first wines to cross the country’s border and for its role in introducing Italian wines to the world.
Alan Wong, Ruffino’s brand ambassador in Asia, will represent the winery and the Folonari family at Reflections Restaurant, where guests will sample six vintages from Ruffino’s legendary cellars.
The evening begins with canapés and a welcome drink of Orvieto Classico DOC 2011. A stellar Riserva Ducale Chianti Classico 2007 will be served with the fourth course of roast beef tenderloin with breaded artichokes, smoked potato puree, and tarragon-flavored bacon mushroom ragout.
Price is VND1,480,000 nett per person.
Along with these programs, the Nineteen Restaurant on the ground floor will also lay out a lavish Thanksgiving feast on Thursday, November 22.
The Caravelle’s standout buffet restaurant is extending an invite to foodies, friends and families to partake of the most mouth-watering Thanksgiving dinner in town.
Its chefs are preparing specialties from all over the world, together with a heaping selection of fresh seafood, as-you-like-it action stations serving hearty grilled and barbecued meats, and an overflowing line-up of appetizers, cheeses, soups, salads, and desserts to satisfy your palate.
For traditionalists, there will be a succulent whole roasted turkey with stuffing, giblet and cranberry sauce, garlic potatoes, buttered vegetables, pumpkin pie, and more than enough gravy to go around.
Price is VND1,013,000 per person with a free flow of red, rose and white wines.

Cu Da village in Hanoi


At about 30km from Hanoi capital, Cu Đa village (Cu Khe commune, Thanh Oai district, Ha Tay province) has well-kept specifications of ancient Viet.

In any hamlets or any lanes. There are vaulted gates. Village roads are laid with slanting bricks. On road-sides, there are old houses in ancient Viet styles, villas in French styles and newly-built ones. Houses are numbered and it might be the one and only village in Vietnam where houses got numbered. There are now round two hundred old houses both in Viet and French styles, of these, 60 remain almost unchanged.
Houses in Cu Đa are low and deep in length, so they are always cool in summer and warm in winter. Architecture is specified in Nguyễn feudalist dynasty, nearly made of wood. On beams, pillars, there are delicate sculptures. In the middle of the houses, there are ancestral altars, panels and parallel scrolls.

The main village road is built along a riverside, every lane has a gate. This specific planning could be only seen in ancient Viet village where the economy relies on agriculture and trading. The most convenient position of the village is being close to the market and river (it’s next to Ha Đong town and Hanoi).
The village pagoda is classified as national relics, it’s Linh Minh Tu and a stone column is inscribed “the pagoda was renovated in 1695”. There also remains relic of the village altar to worship “earth and heavens” or Xã Tắc, considered to be the most magnificent. There are also houses that were built in years from 1920 – 1940 (in new architectural styles). On a river bank, there’s a flag-pole built in 1929, a communal house of the village-council, a school. At one end of the village (entry road), there’s a low earthen hill named Đống Già , it’s thought to be a centuries-old tomb since the old Chinese colony.

Unique Tourism Opportunities in Mekong Delta


In context of the current economic woes in the world, the tourism sector is still striving to attract more people to visit the Mekong Delta area in Vietnam, which is offering unique, stress free and exotic tours.


 A tourist guide is introducing story and structure of Huynh Thuy Le ancient house in the Mekong delta province of Dong Thap ( Photo: SGGP)
Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, the four countries strategically located in the lower Mekong sub-region, will jointly work towards boosting tourism potential in this area, as discussed in a recent meeting themed ‘Four Countries-One Destination’.
Discussions were held in the meeting on how to attract more investments for tourism projects in the Mekong Delta sub region, Vietnam’s rice basket, and a current target for tourism promotion by Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has approved a plan to develop tourism as a key economic sector in the Mekong Delta. The plan, which extends till 2020, will aid the country's economic transformation and help reduce hunger and poverty, according to the ministry.
Thanks to its cultural diversity and the range of tourism it offers, such as eco, community-based, sea and islands, and diverse culture, the Mekong Delta attracts millions of visitors each year.
According to the Mekong Delta Tourism Association, around 12.8 million holidaymakers have visited the region since the beginning of the year, a year-on-year increase of 6 percent and a turnover of more than VND2.6 trillion ($125 million), an increase of 25 percent compared to last year.
In provinces like An Giang, in October alone, the province has welcomed around 28,000 tourists, an increase of 2.6 percent compared to September. Among them were around 2,300 international travelers, an increase of 6.7 percent compared to September. October turnover alone was VND17 billion ($815,662), an increase of 3.9 percent compared to last month.
There was a hike in holidaymakers from North Vietnam to the Mekong Delta and Cambodia, said Nguyen Dai Ho, director of the Phuong Nam Travel Company in Kien Giang. Accordingly, the company in coordination with the Hon Gai Tourism Company launched a new route Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh - Tay Ninh - Ha Tien - Phu Quoc -Hanoi.
Kim Trang from the Hanoi Tourism Company shared that every month her company organizes a tour for six groups of 30 tourists who want to go to the Mekong delta city of Can Tho to listen to amateur music on a boat along the river, visit orchards in the Mekong delta province of Tien Giang, and the Mac Cuu mausoleum in the town of Ha Tien, in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang.
Tommy, a representative of Fantasy Tour Company, said Vietnam has the magnificent Mekong River which foreigners love as it flows through six countries. His customers are interested in culture of the region, the natives and the natural beauty, rather than luxury hotels and sea bathing.
Foreign tourists have a good eye for the Mekong River and 40 percent of tourists here are Japanese, said Nguyen Duc Tho, a tourist guide of HCMC-based Le Phong Travel Company.

‘Work as a Farmer’ day tour in the Mekong Delta has attracted many young tourists (Photo: SGGP)
Recently, Dien Quan Media Company led a world famous Chinese American chef Martin Yan for a sightseeing tour of the Mekong Delta for a 26 episode show titled ‘Martin-Taste of Vietnam’ to promote Vietnamese cuisine across the globe. The organizers are aiming to broadcast the show on several US channels in addition to domestic TV networks.
Le Van Hien, chairman of Cuu Long Tourism Company, said the Mekong Delta Tourism Association and local tourism associations should train more tourist guides, waiters, and restore traditional festivals of ethnic minority groups like Khmer, Chinese, and Cham.
More important was how to link the uniqueness of each province and build an alluring image of the whole region and offering specific tourism packages .
There is also need to attract more investments and improve the basic infrastructure and accommodation since the region has the lowest rates of five-star hotels and resorts in Vietnam, said Hai Dang, Director of Vietravel Tourism Company.

Six Senses Con Dao in Vietnam


A collection of images from Mr. Harper’s recent trip to Six Senses Con Dao, Vietnam.