Peace at the end of the road

Memories of a battle-torn Cu Chi in her youth, when she fought in the tunnels, have spurred a veteran soldier to turn the land into a park to preserve its history.

Brighter times: The 22.5ha park contains 53 traditional houses from different parts of the country.

Tran Thi Tuyet Nga first arrived in Cu Chi in 1961 when the area was peaceful and plentiful. When she went back 10 years later, Cu Chi was a desolate battlefield during the American War, where nothing could survive above ground. Nga lived in a tunnel, fought and witnessed thousands of comrades sacrifice their lives.

Her memories of those times inspired her. She had a dream to build something wonderful there and in 1991 the first bricks were transported to Bo Cap (Scorpion) pier, Phu Binh Hamlet, An Phu Commune, Cu Chi District.

It has taken 18 years of hard work, determination and sacrifice and nearly VND100 billion (around US$7 million) for Nga and her partners to convert the swampy, crater-filled battleground into the attractive "A Glance of Viet Nam" tourism park.

Covering 22.5ha, the park contains 53 houses, 8km of road and 2.3km of irrigation canal. The designers had to use 700,000cu.m of fill and 4,000 cajuput piles to reclaim it from the swamp. Nga’s vision was to make a place that celebrated everything that Viet Nam had to offer.

On the boardwalk: Many structures have been built at the tourism park.

The temple for country is the most exciting place. The mortar used to build the altar contains soil and water taken from famous landmarks of Viet Nam, including the country’s most northern part of Lung Cu Mountain in Ha Giang; Dien Bien Phu where the army was victorious against the French; Co Loa ancient citadel – the legendary capital of ancient Viet Nam; and Truong Son National Cemetery, where 10,000 War martyrs are laid to rest.

"The temple for country is the place where we pray for a strong and wealthy Viet Nam," Nga, chairwoman of the park, said.

Outside the temple, three ironwood piles from the Bach Dang River in the northern port city of Hai Phong are on display.

They were used by General Ngo Quyen to defeat the Chinese navy’s invasion in 938.

An exhibition has displays of artifacts from the Dinh, Le, Ly and Tran dynasties, and various wars over the past several thousand years.

There is a 55m long map of Viet Nam with surrounds designed like a Vietnamese bronze drum.

One of the park’s great achievements is the selection of traditional houses from different parts of the country – a typical northern house, a traditional southern residence, a mud house from the central province of Binh Dinh, a ruong wooden dwelling from Hue, a rong long house from the central highlands, and a long house of the E De ethnic people.

All houses here were made of local materials using workers from the area.

Leafy environment: About 500 different types of trees, including 50 kinds of bamboo are planted in the park.

"We want everything to be as real as possible. I hope the collection will be meaningful for visitors," Nga said.

The park is also set up like a craft village featuring craftspeople doing rattan and silk weaving, wood carving, aquaculture rice cultivation, ornamental planting, embroidery and conical hat making. The craftspeople have been brought from their villages and are happy to talk about how they do it. "I’ve lived and worked here for eight years. My job is much more stable than if I worked outside," wood craftsman Nguyen Thanh Trung said.

The park also has a collection of 500 different types of trees, including 50 kinds of bamboo.

"Viet Nam is the home of bamboo and we aim to make more products from it," Nga added.

Restaurants serve food from the three regions.

Recently the park has included music and dance performances by young Thai ethnic women from the northern province of Yen Bai.

A traditional playground lets children see the games their ancestors played when they were kids.

"The park is good for families to discover their culture and history," Nguyen Van My, director of Lua Viet Tour company, said.

"We would like to do something for the land. It is a way for us to promote our culture in a unique way," Nga said.

The tourism park is 60km from downtown HCM City.

(Source: Viet Nam News)

Reflecting on life

The water surface is so still you can see the veins of the leaves of the trees above reflected in it.Truoi Lake, which is named after the location, lies in a grassy valley nestled between mountains.

Traquility base: The reflection of a tree-covered hill on Truoi Lake.

Drive 30km from the ancient citadel Hue, take a right turn after Truoi Bridge in Phu Loc District, then go 10km on a road bound on both sides by bamboo to reach the lake.

The banks of the two-hectare lake touch the feet of four mountains.

The mountains, which are foothills on the northern side of Bach Ma (White Horse) Mountain Range, are covered by primary forest. Bach Ma, reaches 1,444m above sea level and is slightly cooler than Da Lat City in the Central Highlands. The French started building their resort villas in Bach Ma since 1925.

The mountains now serve as a tourism site and a nature reserve – known as Bach Ma National Park, famous for its amazing white clouds that look like horses on the mountain peaks all year round.

Everyone knows Bach Ma Mountains but Truoi Lake is a well-kept secret. "The lake’s low tourist profile has kept it clean from rubbish," says Tran Thi Le, who runs the only boat services on the lake.

Le says the lake’s crystal clear water is thanks to the mountain streams, which feed it. "The water is extremely cool as well," the 56-year-old boat-woman says.

Water from the lake now supplies an adjacent reservoir in the district’s Loc Hoa Commune that supplies water for households and farming. To control the water level in the reservoir a unique dam with a tower built in the Nguyen dynasty style has been constructed at the lake mouth.

"I have never seen any kind of water in my hometown as clear as in this lake and the water is really cool," says Nguyen Hong Linh, a young girl from Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta, as she splashes around excitedly.

Because the lake supplies the reservoir, residents hope it will stay clean forever.

The only service on the lake is Le’s and her colleagues’ boat service, which costs VND15,000 each person to cross the lake to the pagoda on the other side or VND300,000 per trip around the lake or to go further upstream to visit some waterfalls.

"Tourists often want a tour to take photographs," Le says.

There is another service on the lake banks – a hat renting service for VND3,000 per hat or VND7,000 to buy. The seller is quite faithful and friendly.

Pagoda under cloud

Steps to heaven: The 173 stairs to the recently built Truc Lam Bach Ma Zen Monastery.

A pagoda on top of one of the mountains is silhouetted against the sky.

Truc Lam Bach Ma is the nation’s fourth Zen monastery belonging to the Vietnamese Buddhist zen sect. It was built only last year and the other the ones are in Quang Ninh Province’s Yen Tu, Vinh Phuc Province’s Tay Thien and Da Lat City’s Phuong Hoang mountains.

It has traditional pagoda gates, bell towers and halls for Buddhist practice.

It is an amazing experience to climb the 173 stairs to its gates. In Buddhist theory, one of the ways to see Buddha or to be zen is to clear the mind. Climbing up the stairs, while keeping count of the number of steps and breaths, blanks your mind. Amazingly there are no thoughts during the climb.

Zen zenith: View of Truoi Lake from the gates of Truc Lam Bach Ma Zen Monastery.

The lake is also used as a tool for Buddhist practice. When you travel on it, thanks to its beauty, transparency and peace, you take light breaths and make gentle movements to not disturb the water surface. That’s a meditative practice in Buddhist theory. Buddhists consider the lake as a place to wash the guilt from their body before seeing Buddha.

Looking back at the boat from the pagoda gates before going back down the stairs, one can see the sitting Buddha on a tree covered hill jutting into the lake. The Buddha, who is a welcome to the pagoda, looks at peace in nature.

Not far from Hue City and Lang Co Beach Tourism Zone, Truoi Lake and its Zen monastery are a reminder of Hue’s poetry and its Buddhist tradition.

(Source: Viet Nam News)

Up to the forest, down to the sea

The sunlight of early morning wakes the hidden charms of the white-sand beaches and forests of Chua Mountain National Park in Ninh Thuan Province and shows the path to a number of unparalleled natural attractions.

The unspoiled Binh Tien Beach viewed from Chua Mountain National Park

The little-trodden path takes in Binh Tien, Cha La and other pristine beaches lying in front of the foothills and the stone mountains and the trees within the national park in the central province.

However, Nguyen Si Hung of the Ecotourism and Environmental Education Department in the central province does not want his guests to sit or lie on the sand too long and too early as he knows these beaches are ideal resting areas at the end of the journey.

Hung lets his guests stay for a while to shoot pictures of these quiet beaches in the glow of dawn and then asks them to continue their steps up toward the path through the bushes to the national park.

The running water of a far-off stream lifts the spirit of Hung’s guests from being a little tired after some 20 minutes of trekking. And a few more minutes of walking leads to the Binh Tien Stream.

Hung easily makes his way through the bushes and trees by the stream but it is a hard job for his guests to follow him in the alien forest. However, the more they go upstream, the more astonishing their scenic reward is.

The Binh Tien Stream flows down to Cha La Beach

The stream, the boulders, the greenery, the tree-clapped mountains and the waterfalls form a picturesque background for photo shooting. Near and far from the stream are wild flowers and some trees whose leaves are in unusual colors as a result of cold nights and hot afternoons in the national park around this time of year.

The stream has some areas large and deep enough for swimming, and those who do not like soaking their body in cool water can sit or lie leisurely on the flat boulders to rest and admire the running water and small but eye-catching waterfalls in the stream. This is one of the biggest streams ever discovered in the nearly 30,000-hectare national park.

Hung says the stream winds its way down from the mountains all the way to Cha La Beach. After an hour of letting his guests eat, chat and swim, Hung takes them downstream and then crosses the stream to proceed to Cha La Beach, where many boulders sit firmly on the sand and the turquoise sea is, of course, a great place to swim.

A ten minute trek from Cha La Beach is the arch-shaped Binh Tien, a beach whose white sand and beauty is exposed under the sunlight and can be seen from the national park.

Binh Tien Beach is recognized as one of the most beautiful beaches of central Vietnam and is accessible by road some 40 kilometers from Ninh Thuan Province’s Phan Rang Municipality or by boat from the visit-deserving Vinh Hy Bay.

It goes without saying that the off-the-beaten-track Binh Tien Beach is a destination of choice for locals and a number of tourists, particularly on weekends.

(Source: SGT)

Vietnamese Days in India to take place next month

A “Vietnamese Days in India” programme will take place on the occasion of the upcoming official visit to India of Chairman of the Vietnam National Assembly, which is slated for February 23-27.

The Prime Minister assigned the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) to work with relevant ministries and agencies and the National Assembly’s External Relations Committee to complete the programme.

In 2009, Vietnam selected India and Spain as venues for “Vietnamese Days in Foreign Countries”.

The aim of “Vietnamese Days in Foreign Countries” is to promote Vietnam’s image, investment, trade and tourism and strengthen its relations with other countries.

(Source: VNA)

France to host the 2nd Long Bien Bridge Festival

After the success of the first Long Bien Bridge Festival in October 2009, the second of its kind will be jointly held by the Vietnam Embassy in France and the Maison des Art (House of Art) company to mark the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long –Hanoi.

The Maison des Art wants to use the image of the popular bridge in a display of culture and art. It will also organise a boat trip along the Red River from the ancient capital city of Hoa Lu in northern Ninh Binh Province, to Hanoi, the northern port city of Haiphong and Halong Bay in Quang Ninh.

Urban Sax, a professional music events organiser, will create a boat using cranes to lift a dragon made in an S-shape to represent Vietnam.

Around 100 dancers from Vietnam and France will perform from sunset until dawn under a sky full of kites, illuminated from the river by a lighting system installed in numerous small boats.

The idea of the dragon boat originated from the legends of Vietnamese icons Lac Long Quan and Au Co.

When the boat docks under Long Bien Bridge, a performance accompanied by a blend of modern music and traditional music will be held.

To promote the event, the Maison des Art will put on an exhibition in Paris with paintings and video installations by French artist Serra. Another art exhibition will be held with Long Bien Bridge as the theme.

The company will also organise a boat trip on the Seine River to draw the attention of French people.

By the end of January, the Maison des Art will meet with the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and People’s Committee of Hanoi to finalise its plan.

(Source: VOV)

Danang to hold international fireworks contest

An international fireworks contest will be held with 4 international teams taking part to mark the 35th anniversary of the Central City’s Liberation Day (March 29).

The Deputy Director of the Danang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Nguyen Huu Chien, said that the Vietnamese team has well prepared for the contest. The other international teams have been asked to come early to have enough time for preparation.

The organising board will issue 10,000 tickets, costing VND200,000 each for tourists and another 10,000 free tickets for guests.

Alongside the contest, a number of cultural activities will also take place in the city.

(Source: VOV

Delta province sprouts flower fest

Cao Lanh Town in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap will be blanketed in flowers during Tet (the Lunar New Year), with a flower festival being held for the third year successive.

Van Mieu Park and a street near it will be the main venues for the three-day festival, to open on February 13, as part of the nation’s 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long - Hanoi.

It will be titled Hanoi – Ngan Nam Van Hien, Dong Thap – Tram Nam Sen Vang (Hanoi – 1,000 years of culture, Dong Thap – hundreds of years of golden lotus).

The park’s entire six hectares will be covered with flowers while cultural activities will highlight the city’s achievements and development during the last year.

Artisan Tran Van Lam will make Vietnam’s biggest ngu qua (five fruits) tray which will depict two dragons and Hanoi’s One-Pillar Pagoda.

There will be around 20 other events, including a water-puppet show, tea performance, cai luong (reformed theatre) show, calligraphy exhibition, cock-fighting, and others.

The flower festival will be broadcast live on local television.

(Source: VNS)

Hanoi urged to boost preparations for millennium

City lights up streets for Tet holiday

Nguyen Hue Boulevard in downtown HCMC will be transformed into a street of flowers for the country’s biggest holiday, Tet (Lunar New Year) Festival. The theme this year, Xuan Binh Minh (Spring Dawn), was chosen to illustrate the city’s belief in resurgence of tourism after the global financial crisis. The flower festival, which will take place from February 11 to 16, is divided into six areas with different themes: Vang Thai Duong (The Sun), Xuan Yeu Thuong (Spring of Love), Binh Minh Tu Hoi (Gathering in the Dawn), Suc Manh Doan Ket (Strength of Solidarity), Goc Que Huong (A Corner of Motherland), and Huong ve Thang Long (Looking toward Thang Long Citadel). An apricot flower garden with dozens of apricot pots and hundreds of Mokara orchid branches will be placed in the Uncle Ho statue park in front of City Hall. Yellow and red flowers in square and round shapes, which are symbolic of Vietnam’s traditional banh chung (square glutinous rice cake), and banh day (round glutinous rice cake), will surround the feet of apricot trees. The arrangement aims to honour President Ho Chi Minh, as well as express the hope for a happy and successful year. The sacred object of the year, two tigers, will be placed near a century-old tree at the top of Nguyen Hue Boulevard, opposite Cay Lieu (Willow Tree) roundabout. Lacquer objects by Nguyen Minh Phuong have made many objects for Nguyen Hue Flower Street in recent years. The Spring of Love section from Le Loi Street to Mac Thi Buoi Street will feature bamboo, timber, mangrove, and stone. Rows of trees and mountain ranges will be stylised into flower forests and flower waves. Because this Tet coincides with Valentines’ Day, images of love including giant hearts, a pair of flower shoes, and spring roses will be displayed for visitors to take photos. The Gathering in the Dawn section will be around the Dong Ho (Clock) roundabout, pictured, where huge mirrors will be installed. Huge hills of flowers named Song Hoa Binh Minh (Flower Waves in the Dawn), and Binh Minh Tay Nguyen (The Dawn in Central Highlands) will beautify the section called Strength of Solidarity, stretching from Huynh Thuc Khang to Hai Trieu streets. Tigers will be fashioned in many shapes and materials like wood and bronze-plate. The image of five tigers that symbolises the five basic elements will be printed on the fabric of lamps. The section A Corner of Motherland will include paddy fields, golden straw hills, white stork’s wings, and papooses filled with popcorn. Drums and flower trellises will also decorate the area. This is the sixth consecutive year Saigontourist organised Nguyen Hue Flower Street. (Source: VNS)

Classical concert kicks off “German Year in Vietnam 2010

Almost 200 German and Vietnamese musicians will play together in a classical concert at the Hanoi Opera House on January 23, kicking off the “German Year in Vietnam 2010” to mark the 35th anniversary of Vietnam-Germany diplomatic ties.

German conductor Jonas Alber, who has conducted many well-known orchestras in Germany and the world, along with musicians from the Berlin Symphony Chorus and the Vietnamese National Symphony Orchestra will take part in the musical event, said Marina May the manager of the German Year in Vietnam project to reporters in Hanoi on January 18.

A similar concert will take place in Ho Chi Minh City on January 24.

The German-Vietnamese cooperation programme in art highlights images of a cultural, creative and modern Germany in the areas of cinematography, music, photography, dance and fashion design.

There will be a special focus on environmental protection, urban climate change, planning, transport and architecture through a series of activities such as seminars, fairs, exhibitions and visiting artists during the years.

At a press conference, German Ambassador to Vietnam Rolf Schulze and Nguyen Sanh Chau, Director of Department of Cultural Diplomacy under Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affair, said that the “German Year in Vietnam” and the “Vietnamese Year in Germany” have been sponsored by German President Horst Kohler and Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet.

The organisation of the events reflects the extent of the two countries’ relationship in the areas of economics, politics, culture and education as well as the close ties that have grown between the two countries over the past 35 years. The year will also see continued implementation of Vietnam’s policy on cultural diplomacy, a major part of the Vietnamese government’s comprehensive diplomatic policy, which includes politic, economic and cultural diplomacy.

“German Year in Vietnam” will help the Vietnamese people to better understand Germany and its people as well as help Vietnam to learn more about promoting the country abroad and organising external cultural activities, Chau added.

(Source: VNA)

Celebrating Tet holiday on Phu Quoc

Phu Quoc Island, the peaceful tropical paradise in the warm turquoise waters of the Gulf of Thailand, is well known for its stunning beaches, untouched natural environment, splendid surroundings and fantastic scuba diving, snorkeling and beach massage services. This island district of Kien Giang Province is a favorite tourist destination for the Tet holidays. To meet the demand, Vietnam Airlines has increased its flight frequency and tour operators are offering many attractive programs promising a wonderful vacation.

The Saigon Phu Quoc Resort and Spa will host enjoyable and significant programs from February 13 to 16.

On February 13, or New Year’s Eve, tourists can show their talent for wrapping banh tet, banh chung or banh day (glutinous rice cake filled with green bean paste, pork fat and onion slices traditionally made at Tet) with materials provided by the resort under the instruction of the resort’s chef. The price is VND999,000 per couple, inclusive of ingredients, a chef guide, a certificate and memory photos.

On that special night, tourists can also celebrate at an old house in a fishing village. Here, tourists can wrap and boil banh tet, prepare a fruit tray worshipping ancestors and pick lucky buds for the new year. Tickets are VND2.5 million per person, inclusive of bus transfer, tour guide and mineral water.

On the first day of the new year (February 14), tourists can take a boat or canoe trip to Dinh Cau Temple, a symbol of Phu Quoc Island, to find out about the legend and burn incense to pray for good luck and happiness. Tourists will then be taken out to sea for some fishing. Fishermen believe that if you are successful on the first day of the year, you will be successful throughout the year. The program is VND3 million per person.

On February 14, 15 and 16, tourists can visit Sung Hung Co Tu Pagoda, Su Muon Pagoda and Dinh Cau Temple to explore the ancient architecture, discover traditional Vietnamese customs and pray for good things for the year.

After that, tourists can buy souvenirs and specialties at Duong Dong Market. Tickets are VND999,000 per person, inclusive of car transfer, tour guide and mineral water.

The Saigon-Phu Quoc Resort and Spa is a four-star facility with 90 villas, rooms and bungalows, all with a sea-view and modern facilities. The resort provides free of charge in-house doctor, wheelchairs, wifi, airport transfer, tennis court, golf course, gym, discotheque, kayaks, bicycles, canoes and beach umbrellas.

Saigon Phu Quoc Resort
Add: 1 Tran Hung Dao Street, Phu Quoc District, Kien Giang Province
Tel: (84-773) 3846 999

(Source: SGT)

Exploring Vinh Long on a restaurant boat

Travelers on Song Tien Restaurant Boat will have a chance to discover the unique beauty of Vinh Long and enjoy diverse foods

Vinh Long is located between the Tien and Hau rivers and likened to the Mekong Delta in miniature. It is the land of crisscross waterways, islets and orchards of four-season fruit trees. It is also famous for succulent fruits such as Nam Roi pomelo and Tam Binh thick-skinned orange, which are exported to many countries around the world.

In addition, Vinh Long is usually associated with An Binh Islet, Van Thanh Temple, Tien Chau and Phuoc Hau pagodas, My Thuan Bridge and Vinh Sang Farm.

An Binh Islet amid the Tien River is a destination suitable for ecological tourism. Tourists can take a boat ride to discover orchards, enjoy don ca tai tu (southern amateur opera), taste local specialties, and join in home-stay to experience daily activities at local residents’ houses. This kind of tourism is favored by quite a few international tourists when they travel to this region.

Festivities in Vinh Long are fairly diverse, which enable tourists to take part in Ky Yen Festival, Chol Chnam Thmay (New Year) and Donta festivals of Khmer people.

Song Tien Restaurant Boat under Saigon-Vinh Long Tourism Joint Stock Company managed by Saigontourist is currently one of the big tour operators in Vinh Long.

Song Tien Restaurant Boat is docked at a wharf by the Song Tien Park in the center of Vinh Long, about 5km from My Thuan Bridge. The boat is 7m high, 10m wide and 40m long and can accommodate 350 guests. It is designed elegantly and airily, and is equipped with all conveniences for a tourist boat, such as the main deck for serving breakfast and drinks, the first floor for serving food and the top floor for café.

Coming to Song Tien Restaurant Boat, besides being welcomed by young attentive serving staff, guests have a chance to enjoy specialties of the Mekong Delta prepared from prawns and fish, such as prawn steamed with beer, sand goby, plotosus canius, loach and eel, to name just a few. Especially, hot pots in the flavor of the countryside will satisfy various gastronomic demands of gourmets.

From 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on every Saturday and Sunday, guests can have a view of the Tien River, and contemplate famous My Thuan Bridge in the Mekong Delta.

In addition, the restaurant boat provides services for tourist groups, wedding parties, meetings, birthday parties and conventions, accompanied by attractive promotional programs that are offered to guests booking parties of more than 15 tables. The boat can combine sightseeing on the Tien River and enjoying delicious food in a party upon request.

Song Tien Restaurant Boat
Add: 4 Hung Dao Vuong St., Vinh Long City, Vinh Long Province.
Tel/Fax: (84-70) 2470 477 / 3834 925

(Source: SGT)

Tourist balloon tries out in Nha Trang

A balloon was put on a trial run in Nha Trang by the Hon Tam Nha Trang Sea Joint Stock Company on January 23.

The balloon is scheduled to begin official operation on the 80th anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (February 2, 2010).

This is the first tourist balloon in Nha Trang from which people can get an aerial view of the city and one of the world’s most beautiful bays.

The 1.2 million-euro balloon will carry 25-30 passengers per 20-minute flight.

The company sent two officials to France for a training course on flying the balloon. It also invited French and German specialists to Vietnam for installation and technical assistance.

(Source: VOV)

Outstanding craft villages honoured

On January 23, the Vietnam Craft Village Association presented certificates of merit and conferred ”Craft Village 2009” title on six outstanding craft villages, nine businesses, 29 artisans and six products that represent the nation’s culture.

Despite facing the global financial downturn in 2009, many exemplary craft villages showed their creativity and dynamically overcame every difficulty to preserve and develop the values of Vietnam’s traditional craft villages.

This is the third time these outstanding organisations and individuals have been honoured.

On the occasion, The HCMC-based Vietbooks Corporation and the Vietnam Record Book Centre announced a programme to search for craft groups and artisans and a meeting of highly skilled artisans who represent the best of Vietnam’s traditional crafts and express profound gratitude to ancestors that taught them the traditions.

(Source: VOV)

Singapore to help Vietnam build terminals for cruise tourism

The Singapore Tourism Board and tourism entrepreneurs will make their second fact-finding trip to Vietnam this quarter for a survey to help the country build terminals for cruise ships considered vital for developing the cruise tourism industry, an official said.

Vu The Binh, Director of the Department of Travel under the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, said that Singapore consultants and entrepreneurs would survey a sea route from the central city of Danang to Nghe An to find suitable locations for cruise terminals. This survey follows a similar trip to other destinations in the country last year.

“Along with this assistance, Singapore will share experiences in operating cruise terminals as well as discuss cooperation between the two countries’ tourism companies to woo international cruise passengers,” he said.

Vietnam’s tourism officials in 2008 went to Singapore to work with the Singapore Tourism Board and a Singapore cruise company to learn ways how to develop the cruise industry. These activities are part of a cooperation agreement between the two sides to develop the cruise tourism industry for Vietnam as well as to set up a circle route from Hong Kong to Singapore and Vietnam.

Binh said that the plan to build terminals for cruise ships now enjoy good conditions as the Prime Minister has approved a master plan to build the seaport system for Vietnam, under which some cruise ports will be built in the years to come.

“The important thing is that we find the best locations for such terminals. That’s why we need to cooperate with Singapore to learn from their experiences,” Binh said.

He said the tourism sector would meet with the Ministry of Communications and Transport about such developments.

Cooperation between Singapore and Vietnam to develop cruise tourism in Southeast Asia was also mentioned during the Vietnam trip this month by Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Tourism officials have proposed sea routes for cruise tourism from Singapore to Malaysia and on to Thailand and Vietnam before ending up in Hong Kong.

Vietnam has a huge potential to develop cruise tourism, as the country is situated between North and South Asia, and is in close proximity with two cruise hubs of the region namely Singapore and Hong Kong.

However, the cruise industry in the country is still underdeveloped. Vietnam welcomed nearly 300,000 cruise passengers in 2002 but after since the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003 the number has fallen strongly to even under 100,000 passengers last year.

There are no cruise terminals in the country for cruise ships, and international cruise ships have to drop anchor at cargo ports.

(Source: SGT)

Japanese trust fund helps preserve Thang Long Citadel

The Japanese Fund-in-Trust will provide Vietnam with more than USD1.1 million in non-refundable aid to help preserve a cultural heritage site in Hanoi.

The agreement, which is valued at more than USD1.2 million, was signed in Hanoi on January 20 in the presence of Mitsuo Sakaba, Japanese Ambassador in Vietnam, Katherine Muller-Marin, UNESCO’s representative in Vietnam, and members of Hanoi’s authorities.


With the remaining USD93,000 being contributed by Vietnam, the project will be completed in 36 months and starts in January this year.

It is designed to support scientific research that assesses the archeological, architectural, and socio-economic values of Hanoi’s former Thang Long Citadel and will come up with proposals to conserve and make full use of those values.

The project will also help to develop a management plan for the site and will focus on providing Vietnamese specialists and managers with methodologies used in urban and historical archeology, as well as preservation methods and managerial skills.

Muller-Marin said that the preservation of these valuable heritages is necessary, to help enrich the younger generations’ knowledge of Hanoi and understand what helped to create the oldest capital city in Southeast Asia.

The Thang Long-Hanoi Citadel Area has been rated as a special national relic site and has been submitted to UNESCO for recognition as a world heritage site.

(Source: VNA)

Kien Giang Province leases forest for tourism

The Mekong delta province of Kien Giang has approved a forest lease plan for tourism development in the 2010-2015 period, which is considered to be a bold move to preserve forest and tap its eco-tourism potential.

Under the plan, all economic sectors will be mobilised to engage in forest management and protection. The plan is expected to help mitigate forest destruction and encroachment, gradually improve forest quality, and maintain forest preservation and sustainable development, said Lam Hoang Sa, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee.

It will also take advantage of the forest environment for eco-tourism development, he added.

The plan has biding regulations for tenants to ensure the diversity of the flora and fauna in the leased forests, the Vice Chairman said, adding that if the forest environment and panorama are destructed, the renters themselves will also suffer losses.

The total area of forest for lease is more than 6,800ha in U Minh Thuong, An Minh, Kien Luong, Kien Hai and Hon Dat districts, and Ha Tien Town.

(Source: VNA)

Back to good old days of banh chung, banh tet

The apricot and peach trees in early bloom signal the advent of Vietnam’s biggest holiday of the year, or Tet. Around the country, families are preparing glutinous rice and other ingredients to make banh chung and banh tet for this Lunar New Year.

Staff of the HCMC-headquartered travel firm Vietmark are also rolling up their sleeves to arrange a tour that will take participants to the good old days of banh chung, a square glutinous rice cake filled with green bean paste, pork fat and onion slices, and banh tet, which is akin to banh chung except it is cylindrical in shape.

Truong Hoang Phuong of Vietmark says the two-day banh chung tour will begin in the quiet ecotourism area of Cao Minh in Dong Nai Province on February 6, or the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month when Vietnamese place offerings to see off the Kitchen God.

Also regarded as the soul of the kitchen in many households, the Kitchen God is believed to return to Heaven seven days ahead of the Lunar New Year to report the activities of every household over the past year to the Jade Emperor. Then, this emperor of the heavens rewards or punishes a family based on his yearly report.

The tale of the Kitchen Gold still remains vividly in the belief of many families to this day, but the tradition of cooking banh chung and banh tet just before Tet is fading away as it takes more time and effort to make these cakes than it does to buy them in the market at anytime of the year.

Fortunately, many families, especially those in the countryside, still keep the long-lasting tradition through which youngsters can learn much about the past and the indispensable rituals for Tet.

As usual, grandparents and parents tell their nephews and nieces and children about their life chores in the past and compare past and present traditions of Tet. Such stories told by a fire used to cook banh chung and banh tet provide young generations with an insight into the change in traditions and values as time goes by.

Vietmark wants to help revive the good ambience of cooking banh chung and banh tet on a fire by organizing this tour. Phuong says the primary objective is to create an opportunity for family members to surround a brazier of red-hot charcoal used to cook the cakes and exchange their sad and happy memories of the year.

Participants will be taught to make banh chung and banh tet from ingredients provided by the tour organizers and then cook these cakes properly so they will be most enjoyable on the threshold of the Year of the Tiger at the ecotourism area.

Phuong said Cao Minh was a quiet tourist site nearly 50km from HCMC and near the dam of Tri An Hydropower Plant in Dong Nai. There, participants will stay by the fire to talk about Tet in addition to topics of interest, or sleep in a tent provided by the organizers.

The next morning, the organizers will award prizes to the best banh chung and banh tet.

The banh chung tour is VND870,000 per person and includes round trip car fare, two person tents, food, drinks and insurance. For more information, contact

Vietmark Co. Ltd.
Add: the 1st floor of building at 166D Tran Hung Dao Boulevard, District 1, HCMC
Tel: (84-8) 5404 5404

(Source: SGT)

1,700 visitors travel to Vietnam by sea

The Voyages of Discovery Cruise Ship carrying 900 passengers on board on January 21 began a tour of Vietnam from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang, Danang and Halong.

Passengers mainly from the UK will stay in Vietnam until January 27.

On January 24, another Cruise Ship, the Spirit of Adventure, with 800 passengers on board will conduct a tour of Vietnam going the opposite way from Halong to Danang, Nha Trang and Ho Chi Minh City.

These are the first two ships to have docked in Vietnamese ports in 2010.

(Source: VOV)

TV to show the history of Hanoi

HCMC Television began broadcasting a documentary chronicling the history and culture of Hanoi on January 21

The 140-part Thang Long – Ngan Nam Thuong Nho (Nostalgia for 1,000 year-old Thang Long-Ha Noi), which began shooting last year is one of HCMC’s projects to celebrate the 1,000th anniversary of the nation’s capital.

Each 10-minute episode describes historic events in Hanoi since the day King Ly Thai To moved the capital from Hoa Lu in what is now Ninh Binh Province to Thang Long (now Hanoi) in 1010.

"The affection felt by the southern Vietnamese toward Hanoi, even though many of them have never been there, is also dealt with in the documentary," film director Do Ben said.

Produced by HCMC Television Film Studio, Nostalgia for 1,000-year-old Thang Long-Ha Noi will be screened at 22.40pm on HTV 7, and at 23.30pm on HTV 9 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

(Source: VNS)

Luxembourg trains personnel for tourist services

The Luxembourg government will provide EUR2.95 million to carry out a EUR3.3 million project to help train personnel for the tourism and hotel sector in Vietnam.

A protocol was signed in Hanoi on January 20 by the Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Tran Chien Thang and the Luxembourg Ambassador in Vietnam Marc Ungeheuer.

The project will take place in Hanoi and Hai Phong City in the North, Danang and Nha Trang cities in the Central region, Ho Chi Minh City, Vung Tau and Can Tho cities in the South as well as Dalat City in the Central Highlands over three years.

Ambassador Ungeheuer said at the signing ceremony he believed in the development of Vietnam’s tourist industry, which can generate many more jobs to enable local people to escape from the poverty trap.

He stated that by improving the capacity of the human resources in the tourist industry will help it to become more competitive and attract increased numbers of visitors from overseas.

The project is the fourth of its kind in Vietnam sponsored by the Luxembourg government. The three previous projects, which had a combined value of over EUR10.3 million, have been in operation in Vietnam since 1997.

(Source: VNA)

Discovering Northwestern Vietnam’s Culture

Far from a conventional tourism product, the “Returning to the roots” program organized in early 2010 seeks to showcase the unique cultural attributes of Yen Bai, Lao Cai and Phu Tho

Bui Thi Kim Dung, Vice Chairwoman of the Lao Cai People’s Committee and the official in charge of tourism cooperation among the three provinces in 2010, says that the program will be sufficiently diverse to reflect the potential of this region.

Ready
Dung says the program is one of the 10 major tourism events which northwestern provinces will organize in 2010 to mark 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long - Hanoi, and will therefore be brimming with innovative approaches aimed at capturing the interest of tour operators.

“The program will be effectively organized to diversify the tourism products of all the three provinces involved. Together with culture-based tourism and ecotourism, it will become a unique tourism product,” Dung stresses.

The opening ceremony will be held on February 27 (the 14th day of the first lunar month) at the square of the Lao Cai - Cam Duong New Urban Town, in conjunction with the main activities, including Thuong Temple Festival (Lao Cai), “Festival in the Cloud” in Sapa, the Bac Ha Open horse race, a contest for explorers wishing to conquer Fansipan and Lao Cai City’s tourism festival.

Yen Bai will also launch many activities such as the Dong Cuong Temple Festival, the Dai Cai- Luc Yen Temple Festival, celebration of its 110th anniversary and Muong Lo Culture - Tourism Week.

Phu Tho, meanwhile, will kick off a variety of traditional festivals on the occasion of the Lunar New Year, the Hung Temple Festival.

One of the highlights of the program is the international mountain-climbing contest themed “Thang Long Hanoi - millennium anniversary.” This event is part of the activities organized to mark the capital’s 1,000th anniversary which have already received the nod from the Prime Minister.

The contest will lure competing teams from ASEAN countries and China, in addition to tourism enterprises, diplomatic delegations and international organizations in Hanoi and HCMC.

Tran Huu Son, Director of the Lao Cai Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, says that the contest is special as it features special ceremonies of ethnic minority races such as H’mong and Dao. The use of folk songs throughout the entire event, the flagpole-erection ceremony included, has been discussed in detail.

Cooperation for development
Five years of tourism cooperation among Lao Cai, Yen Bai and Phu Tho has reaped considerable success in cultural interchange and socio-economic development.

A host of unique tourism products have been created to attract tourists, foster socio-economic development, create jobs and improve living standards. Many tours to the region have come about, including “Colors of the highlands” and “Heritage Trip to Northwestern Vietnam.”

The provinces have focused on restoring historical landmarks, improving facilities such as hotels, offering supporting services and developing products such as souvenirs to cater to demands from tourists. Many other localities have also indicated their interest in learning from Lao Cai, Yen Bai and Phu Tho to flesh out sustainable, regional tourism development strategies.

However, tourism experts and tour operators say that the “Returning to the roots” program has not been impressive enough to generate their interest and some tourism products still lack regional attributes.

Son says that in 2010, the program will take more concrete steps to capitalize on the potential of all three localities to develop trade, tourism and services in these localities and expand ties with southwestern China. The highlights include spiritual trips, as well as visits to highland markets and terraced fields.

(Source: SGT)

Binh Thuan tourism should mean more than Phan Thiet

Authorities of Binh Thuan have pledged decent investment in the next six years to make the coastal province a worthwhile destination for visitors who have known of its main city of Phan Thiet as a town of resorts for weekend accommodation and relaxation.

The provincial government has agreed to spend VND30 billion between 2010 and 2015 upgrading tourist attractions in Phan Thiet City, thus enabling the province to launch city tours and to give tourists more to see beyond the mere service of accommodation, a tourism official said.

Hoang Van Toan, Head of Division of Tourism under provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that a plan mapped out by the department to upgrade beauty spots there had been approved by the provincial government.

Under the plan, popular tourist attractions like Duc Thanh School, Van Thuy Tu Temple, the Cham relic of Po Sha Nu, Suoi Tien, and Mui Ne sand hills will be given facelifts. The infrastructure system will be developed in the period to bring visitors to newly-opened tourist sites such as Duc Thang communal temple, the Ca Ty River, Xuan An old house and other attractions.

“Phan Thiet City has many attractions that should be introduced in city tours to woo more tourists. But before such a potential can be tapped, the tourism sector needs to improve related services and facilities,” Toan said.

He added that destinations in Phan Thiet such as Van Thuy Tu, Duc Thanh, and Po Sha Nu tower have become tedious for tourists due to the lack of investment.

“There are no new attractions to cater to the need of tourists. What we need is to enrich our products,” Toan said.

He said the province’s tourism industry has targeted an annual growth rate of over 10% in the 2010- 2015 period, but added this was a high target.

“We received more than two million tourists last year so the growth rate of over 10% per year is high for the new period,” Toan said.

Binh Thuan attracted 2.2 million local and international tourists last year, up nearly 10% compared to 2008. Its tourism revenue totaled nearly VND1.9 trillion, up 32.8% year-on-year.

(Source: SGT)

Hotel sector to develop sustainable hotel system

The Department of Hotel under the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) is preparing a program to give the tag Sustainable Brand to hotels that meet criteria on friendly environment and sustainable tourism development.

Nguyen Phuong Anh, Deputy Director of the Department of Hotel, said that the department had completed 82 criteria those hotels need to meet for recognition. After the Lunar New Year holiday, the department will send the criteria to hotels for feedback and then the pilot activities will begin in the following months.

“We will make the pilot activity for some of the three-to five-star hotels in Hanoi first and then expand it to other localities,” Anh said.

She said the criteria would help hotels develop as environmentally friendly and sustainable. Along with protecting the environment, the criteria will include minimizing the impacts of hotel operations on society and heritage sites and encourage hotels to use local human resources.

“We’ve included the Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism Criteria. We want to develop the system of environmentally friendly and sustainable hotels in line with the development trend of the hospitality sector to raise the competitiveness of hotels in Vietnam,” Anh said.

The program was approved by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism with the aim to promote Vietnam as a destination for tourists.

Anh said the department expected to give the tag to hotels that complete the pilot activity, and then expand the program to other hotels across the country in 2012. The department will send experts to help hotels carry out the program.

“Hotels can join the program if they want. It’s not compulsory. However, we will carry out more activities to promote hotels with the Sustainable Brand tag,” Anh said.

She said the department would promote such hotels on the website of the VNAT and on related websites about the green environment of international organizations as well as join the international green hotel system.

According to the VNAT, the country has around 10,900 tourist accommodations with 215,000 rooms, including around 184 three-star standard accommodations of nearly 13,200 rooms, 95 four-star standard accommodations of nearly 11,630 rooms and 35 five-star standard accommodations of over 8,800 rooms.

(Source: SGT)

Folk painting making proposed for UNESCO recognition

The northern province of Bac Ninh is compiling a record of the making of Dong Ho folk woodcut painting to submit it to the UNESCO for its recognition.

This was revealed by Tran Van Tuy, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Bac Ninh, which has recently won the UNESCO’s recognition of its Quan Ho (duet singing) as an intangible cultural masterpiece of the humankind.

The making of Dong Ho folk woodcut painting was originated from Dong Ho Village, Thuan Thanh District, Bac Ninh Province.

Traditionally, Dong Ho painting, which reflected a wide range of themes, especially good luck wishes, historical figures, and folk allegories, was part of the essentials in each Vietnamese family during the traditional Tet (Lunar New Year) Festival.

According to the villagers, the making of Dong Ho painting was dated back to the 11th century during the reign of the Ly Dynasty. However, researchers said the craft began under the rule of the Le Dynasty.

Making the painting, Dong Ho craftsmen used raw materials from nature, including making sheets of printing papers from bark of “do” tree and creating colours from earth, burnt bamboo leaves, sea shell.

Printing the picture, they used the woodblock which is applied with paint and pressed it on a sheet of paper like a stamp. The process was repeated with different colours until the craftsman felt satisfied with the painting.

The finished painting was later covered with a layer of rice paste to strengthen the durability of its illustration and colours and afterwards dried under the sun.

As the traditional craft has faded with time, efforts have been made to preserve it, with Nguyen Dang Che, one of the few remaining experienced craftsmen of the village establishing his own Dong Ho painting centre in 2008.

(Source: VNA)

Cultural heritage site safeguarded in Truong Sa archipelago

A project is underway to preserve a cultural heritage site in Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago.

The project includes building a monument in honour of Ho Chi Minh and fallen combatants. It is to show the Vietnamese people’s gratitude for them and to educate the younger generations living in the south-eastern part of the country.

The project is scheduled to be completed in the second quarter of this year. According to the Chairman of the Truong Sa People’s Committee Vi Duc Thanh, the funding of VND13.8 billion for the project comes from the People’s Committee of Nghe An Province and Rang Dong Company in the southern province of Binh Phuoc.

This year, the island district of Truong Sa will also complete the construction of the Capital Guest House at a total cost of VND16.5, funded by the Hanoi municipal authorities.

(Source: VOV)

Viva Macau to open direct flights to Hanoi

A direct service between China’s Macau and Hanoi will start operating on February 13 to celebrate the start of the Lunar New Year, announced Viva Macau Airlines on January 19.

The low-cost airline will run three flights every week on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

To mark the occasion, the airline is offering a special off-peak economy fare for USD25 one-way while the price of business class tickets will be USD199, without taxes and surcharges.

The promotions programme is being held from January 19-25 and the departure times are from February 18 to October 24.

Viva Macau Airlines began operating in Vietnam three years ago, flying direct to Ho Chi Minh City. Currently, it conducts one return flight everyday from Macau to HCMC.

(Source: VNA)

Saigontourist promotes MICE tourism

The Saigon Tourist Travel Agency (Saigontourist) has become a leading brand name for MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) tourism through its efforts to promote this new type of tourism.

A strong brand name, competitive prices and professionalism have helped the agency win many contracts to serve big MICE tourist groups.

Since the beginning of January, Saigontourist has received a large number of visitors including 420 guests from the International Insurance Corporation, 150 guests from Bayer Company and a group of 77 European visitors to Vietnam.

Saigontourist’s all-in-one service has been expanded to most of the countries and territories around the world.

In addition to its high-quality service, Saigontourist has a number of professional partners including hotels, and resorts across the country which offer competitive prices and free insurance.

(Source: VOV)

Hue plans sustainable tourism development

The People’s Committee of Hue City hosted a workshop on making plan for Hue’s sustainable tourism development by 2020 on January 19.

Jordi Gable Lopez, Director of bilateral programme of the Spainish Agency for International Cooperation in Hanoi, co-organiser of the workshop, said he hoped that the project will contribute to improving the city residents’ life besides preserving cultural preservation values and facilitating tourism and economic development.

Started in August 2008, so far, the project’s major components, including setting up a centre for visitors, have been completed.

The imperial city of Hue, recognised as the world heritage site by the UNESCO is the starting point of a tour crossing the Central Vietnam.

Rich in history and tradition, the city’s unique music and cuisine facilitate its tourism development.

(Source: VNA)

Ben Tre Coconut Festival opens

The opening ceremony of the second Coconut Festival was held on January 15 at the foot of the Dong Khoi monument with floral displays, a coconut fashion show, a culinary contest and several children activities.

The Ham Luong Bridge, built with a total investment of about VND787 billion (US$42.5 million), had a soft opening on the occasion, before officially opening to traffic on April 30, the National Reunification Day.

The festival organising board has said that visitors this year not only have a chance to discover the unique character of the province’s "coconut culture" but participate in many meaningful activities.

Besides promoting the province’s socio-economic achievement, the festival this year aims to educate, foster and uphold the revolutionary spirit, patriotism and solidarity of the Vietnamese people.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Nguyen Quoc Bao, vice-chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said "Ben Tre would like to promote its potentials, especially the abundance in coconut trees, to people in and outside the country in a bid to lure more investment into the coconut sector and others in the province."

Bao asserted the essential role of the coconut tree, saying that the coconut industry had attracted more than 10,000 workers into the sector.

Export revenue of coconut-based products accounts for nearly 50% of the province’s total export value, which is equivalent to US$100 million per year.

Land devoted to coconut cultivation has soared by 10,000ha over the last decade.

The special event intended to raise people’s awareness of the value of the coconut in terms of socio-economic development and the environment, he said.

It also aimed to show respect to the farmers, craftsmen, businesses and scientists who had brought the best coconut seeds to the province, offering a variety of coconut-based products to both local and foreign markets, Bao noted.

Visitors this year have a chance to not only discover the unique character of the province’s "coconut culture" but participate in a variety of activities, according to the festival organising board. A trade fair comprising 280 booths with hundreds of coconut products, seedlings, trade-village products, industrial and handicraft goods, and tourism promotions will be a highlight of the festival.

The coconut festival this year includes many interesting events including a coconut culinary contest and a coconut fashion contest.

A demonstration of fine arts and handicrafts was held where skilled local craftsmen make handicraft items, such as knitting baskets made out of coconut leaf, and spinning and weaving carpets with coconut fiber.

One of the special events at this year’s festival is the Enterprise for Future Generation programme, in which 100 scholarships, each worth VND500,000, was offered to needy students in the province.

As part of the programme to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Ben Tre Uprising, a night festival floated flower garlands and coloured lanterns on the Ben Tre River to show the nation’s deepest gratitude to revolutionary martyrs who made the ultimate sacrifice during the two wars against invaders.

The festival also hosted a meeting of former members of the Doi quan toc dai (Ben Tre’s women army during the 1960s resistance war against the US).

The closing ceremony of the "small and medium sized enterprise week" will be held on January 21, and businesses that have contributed to the development of the coconut industry in the province will be awarded.

(Source: VNS)

Five more luxury hotels operational in Hanoi for National Tourism Year

Hanoi plans to put into operation five more luxury hotels, offering an additional 2,000 rooms during National Tourism Year 2010.

They include four five-star hotels, namely Hanoi Plaza, with 600 rooms, the PetroVietnam hotel complex with 350 rooms, Keang Nam Vina complex with 500 rooms and Crowne Plaza Hanoi, 393 rooms.

The city now boasts 213 hotels with nearly 10,000 rooms, including 36 three to five-star hotels.

Last year, the room occupancy rate was 55.41%, a fall of 21.7% compared to 2008.

The average duration of stay was 2 days per foreign tourist who came from major markets as Japan, the Republic of Korea, France, Australia, China and ASEAN countries.

The city’s tourism sector expects a surge in the number of foreign tourists during the national tourism year, helping raising the rate of hotel room occupancy.

(Source: VNA)

Vietnam Airlines flies new route

The national flag carrier, Vietnam Airlines launched its new direct flight route from Hanoi to Kansai in Japan on January 13.

The airline plans to operate five flights a week on an Airbus A321 with 168 economy-class seats and 16 business-class berths.

The new route will be serviced by flight No VN944, taking off from Hanoi at 00:10 daily, excluding Tuesdays .and Fridays. Flight No VN945 will depart from Kansai on the same days at 11 am and arrive at 14:45 at Noi Bai International Airport.

The carrier decided to bring the route into operation to meet the demand of customers as Japan Airlines stopped its Kansai-Hanoi route.

According to Vietnam Airlines (VNA), it is an important step to expand its market in Japan.

Director of the airline's representative office in Japan, Nguyen Quoc Tuan, said Vietnam Airlines was determined to open the route with a desire to enhance commercial, investment and tourism activities between the two countries and Hanoi-Kansai in particular, despite the difficulties of global aviation.

The route should encourage tourists to visit Hanoi and other famous destinations including Ha Long Bay, central Danang Province and Nha Trang in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa; especially the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.

He said with an extensive flight network. Hanoi hoped to become a hub for visitors heading to Cambodia and Laos.

With this launch, the total number of flights per week operated by the airline to Japan will increase to 31.

The flights will operate out of Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat airports to the Japanese cities of Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka, as well as Kansai.

Statistics released from the carrier showed that it accounted for half of the total direct flights between Vietnam and Japan in the first nine months of last year.

(Source: VNS)

Mu Cang Chai charming and peaceful

Mu Cang Chai, lying at the foot of the Hoang Lien Son Mountain Range in Yen Bai Province about 350 kilometers from Hanoi and 1,000 meters above sea level, is one of the poorest mountainous regions in Vietnam and is home to many terraced fields which have been recognized as a national heritage and as Asia’s most beautiful terraced fields.

A view of Mu Cang Chai's terraced fields

The wonderful landscape is made of endless terraced fields lying together in the valleys of La Pan Tan, Che Cu Nha and Ze Xu Phinh and stretching to the horizon.

Dawn is a busy time, especially in the market.

Under the sun, the green and the gold of the fields create attractive curving lines that dazzle the eye. Clinging to the mountainsides, the fields mingle with the white and blue of the clouds and sky.

This is a place to breathe slowly and deeply to embrace the scents of the rice and the fertile earth and the clean air, driving away the smell of calculation so common in big cities.

The honest and innocent faces of the farmers who work the land here in their colorful costumes reveal a sense of simple happiness.

People often visit Mu Cang Chai in the post-harvest time and are sometimes asked by locals, “Why you come here at this time, nothing nice to take photos?”

However, Mu Cang Chai’s terraced fields after the harvest are not sad or deserted. They remain charming as each stalk, now yellow, is piled up nicely. Somewhere in the distance a house is visible against the yellow and green.

So peaceful! But people who nourish a dream of preserving nature worry that one day modern civilization will devour the land and replace the primitive beauty with company headquarters, factories and resorts.

Spending the night in this remote area where the Mong ethnic tribe lives is an experience worth the effort.

(Source: SGT)

Revealing Sa Dec by tour

Ben Thanh Tourist introduces a tour to the Mekong Delta’s Sa Dec Town, which is famous for its colorful flower villages and old houses and pagodas.

Upon reaching the city, tourists will be taken to Huynh Thuy Le ancient house, an outstanding example of the combination of Eastern and Western architecture. The house was built in 1889 by Huynh Thuy Le who was the inspiration for the famous French writer Marguerite Duras to write her novel L’amant (The Lover). Le is the main character in the love story telling of Duras and Le’s first meeting on a ferry connecting Sa Dec and Vinh Long. The novel has been made into a successful film.

The house, covering about 250m², makes a fine impression with its elegant French architecture, traditional Vietnamese design and meticulous Chinese decorations and has been recognized as a national relic.

The next stop is Kien An Cung Pagoda, another national relic in the city. Built in 1920-1924, the pagoda is renowned for its elegant Chinese architecture. The pagoda wears a solid and imposing décor, attracting tourists with its sophisticated interior decorations and its peaceful, green outer yard. Tourists can burn incense here to pray for good health and good luck in the New Year.

The Sa Dec Flower Village has been famous for its variety of flowers and bonsai trees for over 100 years. The village, considered one of the ornamental plant centers of the southern region, covers about 60ha with 600 families and nearly 3,600 gardeners.

In January, this village is busy with the gardeners preparing for the Tet holidays. Sa Dec flowers, including daisies, roses, orchids, apricots and bonsai trees, are shipped all over the country, especially to HCMC.

The next day is a boat trip on the Co Chien River to An Binh Islet, an orchard covered oasis crossed by several rivulets. The islet is known for its Vinh Sang Tourist Area where tourists can ride an ostrich or hunt for crocodiles. The area also has 20 species of rare wild animals. Visitors can see bears, spotted deer, monkeys, pythons, pelicans and rabbits.

Ben Thanh Tourist
86 Ly Tu Trong Street, District 1, HCMC
Tel: (84-8) 3520 2020

(Source: SGT)

Ancient Pottery Village of Phuoc Tich

Located near the O Lau River in Phong Hoa Commune, Phong Dien District, Thua Thien-Hue Province, Phuoc Tich Village is famous nationwide for the craft of making pottery. The village was established over 500 years ago in the 15th century under the reign of King Le Thanh Tong (1460-1497) with the initial name of Dong Quyet and subsequently renamed Phuoc Tich during the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945).

Making pottery products at the village’s festival.

Visiting the village, tourists have a chance to behold not only various pottery wares and beautiful landscape but also 37 ancient wooden houses which were built with a typical architectural style of three compartments and two lean-tos, an ancient gate, two rows of green tea bushes and a brick-covered courtyard. Each house is closely attached to the history of a family which still preserves some antiques and heirlooms made of ceramic or wood from many centuries ago.

Phuoc Tich pottery products, including small jars, pots, lime-pots, flower vases, plates, cookers, etc., have a dark red colour of baked clay, which have been used mainly by Hue families. Some pottery wares of Phuoc Tich Village were used by kings in the Nguyen Dynasty, such as pots to cook rice, etc.

An old kiln in the village.

Between 1989 and 1995, the pottery craft of Phuoc Tich seemed to come to a standstill. However, after Festivals Hue 2006 and 2008, the craft has gradually been restored. In 2006-2007, the authority of Phong Hoa Commune and Phong Dien District invested in restoring the craft. The Francophonie in Walomine, Belgium is coordinating with the Vietnam Institute of Culture and Arts to give support to building kilns that produce heat up to 1,400-1,5000C to help preserve and develop the craft.

Every year Phuoc Tich villagers jubilantly hold the festival to honour their craft making ancestors on November 5 of the lunar calendar at Doi Temple. With its unique value in terms of architecture and traditional craft, Phuoc Tich Village was ranked by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a national relic.

(Source: Vietnam Pictorial)

Plans for tours of Hanoi by electric car

The district of Hoan Kiem in central Hanoi and the Dong Xuan Joint Stock Company will introduce two inner city tours using battery-charged electric cars.

The city tours are designed to take visitors around places of interest in Hanoi’s old quarter, according to the developers.

The first tour will travel through the trade streets and the capital city’s biggest wholesale and retail market at Dong Xuan while the other will visit streets renowned for their cuisine as well as craft streets, historic temples and pagodas.

Twenty battery-charged electric cars will be initially imported from China to use on the tours, said the Dong Xuan Joint Stock Company, adding that they hope the tours will start running in the first quarter of this year.

(Source: VNA)

Exploring nature at Ba Be Lake

Ba Be Lake, which is called the green pearl amidst Tay Bac Forest and has been recognized as a national forest reserve area, is suggested as a must-visit destination for those who want to flee the heat, smoke and busy city life to relax in nature. Those who once drift on Ba Be Lake can not forget the splendid surroundings and daily activities of the ethnic Tay people living along the lake.

The lake is nestled in Ba Be National Park, lying in the limestone mountainous area at a height of 178 meters in Ba Be District, Bac Kan Province. From the center of the province, tourists can take a car or motorbike for about 65 kilometers and then cross the winding mountainous areas to reach the site.

In 1995, this 500 hectare lake was recognized as one of 20 fresh water lakes in need of preservation. In 2004, it was acknowledged as an ASEAN heritage park.

Legend says that this area used to be a very large valley sheltering Nam Mau Village. Each year, the villagers gather to hold an offering ceremony worshipping Buddha.

One year, a leprous old woman came to the ceremony but was neglected and asked to keep away from the others. Luckily, a widow welcomed her and gave her food. The next day a monsoon overwhelmed the valley but the house of the widow was somehow raised above the water line and protected. After that, the flooded valley turned into three lakes which today form Ba Be Lake.

There are several beautiful caves, grottos and ponds here for tourists to discover.

From the wharf, Puong Grotto is the first stop. The grotto is dozens of meters high and hundreds of meter long where the Nang River flows through. From Puong Grotto, tourists come straight to Dau Dang Waterfall which is 30 meters high and looks like a sparkling silver carpet.

The next stop should be Tien Pond in a valley surrounded by forest. The pond is over 1,000 square meters and is clean and pure. To reach the pond, tourists have to cross about one kilometer through the forest but on the way are a lot of wild species.

Tourists are welcomed to stay the night at the Pac Ngoi Stilt House Tourist Village and enjoy corn wine of the Dao Khua Quang ethnic people.

Do not forget to take a boat trip around the lake to admire the splendid landscapes and explore the daily activities of the ethnic people. If standing on the peak of the mountain, tourists can take a panoramic view of the lake as a picturesque painting.

(Source: SGT)

Connecting the Central’s heritage sites

Central Vietnam is endowed with many stunning attractions, especially the area from Quang Binh Province to Quang Nam Province where UNESCO has recognized Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Hue ancient city, Vietnam royal music, My Son Sanctuary and Hoi An ancient city as world heritage sites. The region’s beaches, especially in Danang and Quang Nam and on Cham Island, are splendid. Ba Na Mountain and the Truong Son Mountain Range are both magnificent and legendary.

Connecting these world heritage sites is one of the strategic tourist products of Fiditour during the upcoming Tet holidays and through the year 2010.

The five-day-and-four-night tour explores attractive destinations, fascinating landscapes and diverse cultural and historical relics in Quang Binh, Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Nam and Quang Tri provinces and in Danang City.

The tour departs from HCMC by air. The itinerary opens with famous sites in Quang Tri Province including La Vang Holy Sanctuary, where Catholic pilgrims worship the Holy Mother, and Hien Luong Bridge-Ben Hai River, the former demarcation line between the North and South.

Continuing, the tour moves up the lovely Son River to discover Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Quang Binh Province, known as the kingdom of grottoes. The park abounds in natural masterpieces including the country’s longest underground river, largest cavern and widest (and prettiest) sand bank, not to mention some of the world’s most astonishing rock formations.

The tour then follows Truong Son Road to visit Truong Son Graveyard, the Ben Tat and Dakrong suspension bridges and Van Kieu Ethnic Village before heading to Thua Thien-Hue to visit Phuoc Tich Ancient Village on the O Lau River. The peaceful scenery and the ancient relics will give tourists an insight into traditional Vietnamese culture and history.

Next is Hue ancient city to visit Hue Citadel where 13 kings of the Nguyen Dynasty settled. At night, tourists can take a boat trip on the Huong River to enjoy traditional Hue singing and the vivid lights of the flower lanterns.

On the way from Hue to Hoi An, the tour stops for sun bathing at the unspoiled Lang Co Beach.

In Hoi An, tourists will enjoy the tranquility, the colors of the lantern lined streets and the traditional folk games of the ancient city.

The highlight of the tour is Cham Islet, 20km offshore Hoi An ancient city and recognized by UNESCO’s International Coordination Council of Man and the Biosphere Program as a global biosphere reserve.

This speck of land remains cool and fresh year round, even in summer, with its immense green forest.

The final stop before returning to HCMC is Ba Na Mountain, an ecotourism area that offers all four seasons each day, spring in the morning, summer in the afternoon, fall in the evening and winter at night. Standing 1,500m above sea level, this mountain is equipped with a tram for a spectacular view toward Danang City.

Fiditour
Add: 129 Nguyen Hue Boulevard, District 1, HCMC
Tel: (84-8) 3914 1414

(Source: SGT)

More foreign artists to attend Hue Festival 2010

Around 40 groups of artists from 29 countries and territories have registered to perform at the Hue Festival 2010 under the theme “Cultural heritage with integration and development” to be held in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue from June 5-13.


The focal point of this year’s festival will be the charming Dai Noi (Royal Palace) in the evenings with many interesting banquets and games. Besides the Royal Palace and An Dinh Forbidden Palace, a number of places in the city, the surrounding parks and tourist attractions will see many festivities, with daily performances of folk’s games and food available in most of the streets.

Along with various cultural shows from overseas artists, the festival will revitalise some unique royal traditions like the Xa Tac Platform Ritual, the Royal Night and the Discovery of the Huong (Perfume) River’s Legend.

To mark Lord Nguyen Phuc Lan’s choice of Hue as the country’s former imperial city, festival organisers will stage a special programme depicting local people’s journey to reclaim the southern land and military maneuver in the past.



(Source: VOV)

Lang Pagoda

Lang Pagoda, also called Chieu Thien Pagoda, is located on the land of the old Lang Village (present-day Lang Thuong Ward, Dong Da District, Hanoi), 6km west of the city centre. The Pagoda was built in the 12th century under King Ly Anh Tong’s Dynasty (1138-1175) to worship Buddha, King Ly Than Tong (who reigned from 1128 to 1138) and Buddhist monk Tu Dao Hanh – a famous monk during the Ly Dynasty.

According to the legend, Buddhist monk Tu Dao Hanh reached the peak of his holiness and extraordinary magic. He died at Thay Pagoda and then was reincarnated as the son of Sung Hien Hau (younger brother of King Ly Nhan Tong). King Ly Nhan Tong didn’t have a son so he conferred the title of crown prince on Sung Hien Hau’s son who later became King Ly Than Tong. When King Ly Than Tong died, his son, Ly Anh Tong, ordered the construction of Chieu Thien Pagoda in memory of his father.

Lang Pagoda is a large harmonious symmetrical architectural complex with an airy space and has 100 compartments. It was once considered the first pagoda in the west of Thang Long Imperial City.

The Pagoda has a three-door gate, large brick-paved path, an octagonal house, the main part of the pagoda, a bell house, a guest house, an ancestor-worshiping house, a mother-worshiping house and a garden of tomb towers. There are a couple of unique stone dragons on the two sides of the stairs leading to the forecourt. The stone stele erected in 1656 was carved with the image of two fairies with their wings spread.

The Pagoda has retained many precious objects of historical and artistic values, such as the stele “Tao Le”, 1.4m high and 0.8m wide, erected in the 4th year of Thinh Duc (1656) with delicate patterns, Phuc Dien stele and 13 others from King Tu Duc’s Dynasty to King Bao Dai’s Dynasty. It has also preserved ancient tablets of the Le, Tay Son and Nguyen dynasties, 30 panels, 31 couplets, a big bell and a great bronze plaque cast in the year of Mau Ngo (1738), etc. Of particular interest, in the inner harem exists the statue of Tu Dao Hanh that was made from rattan and red-lacquered. According to a research, based on the graphic strokes and layers of paint observed at the slits on the statute, the statue dates back to the Le Dynasty. According to a researcher from the Centre for Southeast Asian Prehistory Research, the two layers of cloth used to make the statue are dated hundreds of years apart and the bronze around the statue’s core is of the early Bronze Age. Inside the statue there are seven ancient coins with the scripts recording the name of the dynasty and an ancient bronze mirror. Prof. Doctor Do Van Ninh said that these coins were cast in 1644-1646 which are also mentioned in records in the stele on “the Management of Chieu Thien (Lang) Pagoda”.

Every year, on the 7th of lunar March (the birthday of Monk Tu Dao Hanh), the Lang Pagoda’s Festival is held jubilantly with traditional unique rites imbued with cultural features of the old Thang Long Citadel.

(Source: Vietnam Pictorial)

Minutes in stillness and peace at Giac Lam Pagoda

Giac Lam Pagoda, built in 1744 and considered the oldest pagoda in HCMC, is recommended as a place to learn about traditional culture and architecture.

Tourists visit Giac Lam Pagoda in HCMC's Tan Binh District

Located on 17,000 square meters, the pagoda is dressed up in Chinese architecture in combination with traditional southern Vietnamese décor and features a garden, yard, sanctum, meditation area, altars and a charnel house.

The sanctum, where believers worship Sakyamunin and the 18 Arhats, is most striking and attracts a great deal of attention from tourists visiting the site. Here, visitors can contemplate 113 Buddha statues. Seven are made of bronze and the rest are wooden. They are divided into two sets: large and small. The small set was sculpted in the seventeenth century with portraits and typical facial features of Chinese people. The large set was made in the eighteenth century with portraits and typical facial features of Vietnamese.

“Just apart from a short path, but the pagoda’s space is cozy and still, distinguished from the outside busy atmosphere. At the sanctum, firstly I can discover the culture, next the history of the nation, as well as of Buddhism, clearly presented in the décor of each statue, pillar and each decoration on the walls and roof,” said Stephan Lanz, a tourist from Switzerland.

The tranquil world is enhanced by a tree border and a garden with a lot of kinds of flowers and bonsai. Locals visit the pagoda every day to worship Buddha, enjoy the fresh air and relax and experience the sacred atmosphere of the sanctuary.

For foreign tourists, this is a place to explore Vietnamese culture and history as the pagoda has been recognized as a national relic.

Whoever wants to stay overnight to experience the praying monks and locals are welcomed by the pagoda manager who will serve free vegetarian food.

The pagoda is located at 118 Lac Long Quan Street in HCMC’s Tan Binh District and is open daily from 5 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.

(Source: SGT)

Trang An Eco-Tourist Site

Our boat left a wharf on the Sao Khe River and led to Trang An Eco-Tourist Site, a wild but very attractive area in Gia Vien District, Ninh Binh Province.

Our small boat went smoothly on the river whose water is so clear that the riverbed can be seen. The space was so tranquil that the only sound heard was that of the oars slapping the water. Afar, green mountains with white flowers of reed trees growing on the mountain foot made a beautiful scene. While enjoying fresh air and the landscape in the soft light of the mountainous area we had a feeling of being lost in a fairylike world.

It was strange to us that our boat could not go along a straight water route as in another tour to Tam Coc – Bich Dong grottoes (also in Ninh Binh Province), but followed a circular route of over 10km. About 200m away from the wharf our boat reached Trinh Temple which is locally known as Dot Temple. The Temple is dedicated to Dinh Thang and Dinh Thuoc, the great generals in the Dinh Dynasty (10th century) who were credited with helping King Dinh Tien Hoang defeat the invaders, bringing peace to the country. Going further, our boat arrived at the first grotto named Dia Linh which is over 400m long.

Inside the grotto, rows of stalactites in various strange shapes hang from the roof of the cave. In addition, water dripping from the roof made the space more illusory.

Just as our boat came out of the grotto, a vast watery space surrounded by imposing limestone mountains appeared in front of us, creating a feeling of being in a gigantic natural well. Its water was calm and so limpid that bushes of green seaweed at the bottom looked like a grass cover.

The boat ran through another grotto and then entered another watery space. Each grotto and watery space has its own wild beauty and is given a name, such as the Wine Brewing Grotto, Si Watery Space, Tran Temple, etc. There are about 50 grottoes in Trang An. The positions of mountains and river are harmonious with each other. When the boat was running through the Wine Brewing Grotto we were told that there had been a very deep gulf with pure water in this grotto, so the locals used to fetch the water to brew wine to offer to the king. Along the route some boats called at a wharf for tourists to visit Tran Temple. Trang An Eco-Tourist Site is known not only as a beautiful spot but also a sacred place for Buddhist followers.

Coming to Trang An, tourists also visit Bai Dinh Pagoda complex on Bai Dinh Mountain in Gia Sinh Commune, Gia Vien District, Ninh Binh Province. The complex consists of the ancient Bai Dinh Pagoda situated at a height of nearly 200m, which, as legend goes was built in the Ly Dynasty (the 11th century), and the new Bai Dinh Pagoda which is being built on an area of 107ha with many architectural works of national record.

At the foot of the mountain there is Ngoc (Jade) Well with blue water. It was embellished and expanded in 2006, being 97.3m in circumference, 30m in diameter and 19m deep. Legend has it that in the old days Bonze Nguyen Minh Khong used to fetch water from this well to prepare herbal medicines to treat diseases for people.

Everyday, groups of Buddhist followers and tourists from far and near come to visit the pagodas and contemplate the architectural and sculptural works as well as the beautiful landscape of Vietnamese Buddhism during the early 21st century.

The inauguration ceremony of Bai Dinh Pagoda will be organised in 2010 on the occasion of the 1,000th anniversary of the year King Ly Thai To (1010 - 1225) issued the Royal Proclamation to move the capital from Hoa Lu (Ninh Binh Province) to Thang Long, present-day Hanoi.

(Source: Vietnam Pictorial)

Café for art lovers

Hollywoodome Café is offering a new way for coffee drinkers and art lovers to relax because here you can order a drink and go around the café to contemplate the antiques, watch a movie or swing to the music.

The café is divided into four spaces which cover a range of tastes. On Level 1 there is a mini movie theater for you to see all kinds of films from classical to HD films while enjoying food and drinks.

The space on Level 2 is suitable for nostalgic people with an art museum covering the entire floor with many antiques, models in strange shapes such as an ancient camera or a big black and white television and especially Hi-end music machines.

Young people will find Level 3 an interesting place to sing and dance to some hot and catchy DJ music pumped through a modern sound system.

The movie garden on Level 4 is airy and comfortable under the open sky with piano and violin melodies.

The café has six LCDs with HD technology for sharp images and a European lighting system to shine on the movie garden.

“I created the Hollywoodome for everybody to find their favorite spaces. Any guest who wants to change his/her emotion can go around the café to contemplate the four spaces,” said the owner of the café, who did not want to state his name.

Not stopping there, at each corner of the café the owner has created space for young amateur photographers to exhibit their photos.

“Drinking coffee does not mean staying at the same place all the time. Moving to let your eyes, your emotion change is also a best way to relax,” the owner added.

Sometimes the café is turned into a stage for a television talk show to introduce the work of people in the television field.

The Hollywoodome organized some contests to seek actors, actresses, models, emcees and promotion girls and will establish a club for young actors and actresses as the first fruit of its previous talent contests. “I want to turn the Hollywoodome into a wholesome, cultural and educational playground for young talents to express hemselves,” the owner explained.

Food and drinks at the Hollywoodome are delicious, diversified and reasonably priced. Generally, foods are from VND25,000 to VND60,000 while barbecue dishes are from VND45,000 to VND60,000 per dish. Hot pots are from VND120,000 to VND150,000.

Hollywoodome
Add: 87B Mai Thi Luu Street, District 1, HCMC

(Source: SGT)