Wild Beach Resort & Spa offers attractive package promotion

The Wild Beach Resort & Spa located on the beach of Ninh Phuoc Village, Ninh Hoa District in Khanh Hoa Province will celebrate Vietnam’s Reunification Day (April 30) and Labor Day (May 1) by offering an attractive promotional package called All Inclusive!

The package rate at VND2.9 million per person includes two nights in a uniquely designed room overlooking green gardens or the sea, three meals a day, a welcome drink upon arrival, in-room WIFI and access to beach activities such as kayaking, beach volleyball, surfing and kite-flying. This rate also includes taxes and service charges. Groups of 15 or more will be offered a complimentary barbecue on the beach.

“This year, Vietnam’s Reunification Day falls on a Friday. It means you will have at least four days off work so there is no better reason to have a wonderful trip to the beach with your family or friends,” said Dong Son Lam, General Manager of the resort, in a statement.

“With this package, you don’t have to worry about where to go, what to do, what to eat, how much more you have to pay… because we will take care of it for you. It’s ‘All Inclusive!’”

The package is for twin-sharing and available from April 20 to May 5. Conditions apply. For bookings or further information, call (84-58) 3622 694 or email: info@wildbeachresort.com.

(Source: SGT)

Memories of Thang Long via trade villages

Ben Thanh Tourist is offering a four-day and three-night tour to Hanoi and Halong every Thursday in a series of special tours to celebrate 1,000 years of Thang Long- Hanoi.

Thang Long, the former name of the Vietnamese capital from the Ly Dynasty, was founded in 1010 when Ly Thai To relocated the royal court. The Dai La Citadel, as it was originally known, subsequently changed its name to Thang Long and then Hanoi.

Half of the tour is for visiting attractions in Hanoi and neighboring provinces, especially Bat Trang Pottery Village, Dong Ho Folk Painting Village and Dong Ky Carpentry Village for tourists to witness the skills of the craftsmen.

Of the villages, Bat Trang is the most popular attraction. Located by the Red River, the village is popular for being an ancient pottery handicraft village and for retaining unique Vietnamese culture in the 21st century.

Most of Bat Trang’s pottery products are produced the same way they were 700 years ago. The products of the village are not only famous in the country but also in Japan, Korea, Australia and Europe.

The tour includes visiting Halong Bay in Quang Ninh Province, a one night stay at the Tuan Chau Resort and a trip to visit other attractions in Hanoi. The tour takes in most of the major sites in the capital, including Hoan Kiem Lake, Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam (Temple of Literature), the National University, Dong Xuan Market, Quan Thanh Temple, West Lake, Tran Quoc Pagoda and One Pillar Pagoda.

The tour is VND2.85 million per Vietnamese and VND3.05 million per foreigner, not including air tickets.

Ben Thanh Tourist

Add: 86 Ly Tu Trong Street, District 1, HCMC

Tel/Fax: (84-8) 3520 2020 / 3829 6269

(Source: SGT)

New domestic air route to Mekong delta launched

The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines on March 28 launched a new air route from Ho Chi Minh City to the Mekong delta city of Can Tho and the southern resort island of Phu Quoc and vice versa.

The first flight of the route was carried out on ATR-72 plane.

The HCMC-Can Tho-Phu Quoc flights will serve passengers every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday.

Vietnam Airlines offers passengers to the newly-open route with a discount price of VND304,000 (USD18) for each section (from HCMC to Can Tho, Can Tho to Phu Quoc and vice versa) till May 30.

This was Vietnam Airlines’ 31st domestic air route and the third one to the Mekong delta region.

In recent years, demands for travelling from HCMC to Can Tho increased sharply. The airlines expects that along with the Hanoi-Can Tho route, the new air route would help bring passengers to Can Tho and other Mekong delta provinces, even to Phu Quoc, the country’s largest resort island, off shore Kien Giang Province.

In the first quarter of this year, Vietnam Airlines opened five new domestic and international air routes and is actively making preparations to join the global airline alliance Skyteam in June.

(Source: VNA)

French-style village being built on Ba Na Mount

The Ba Na Cable Car Service Joint Stock Company is building a French-style village on Ba Na Mount to serve domestic and foreign tourists.

The construction project with a combined investment capital of USD15 million includes 80 two-storey houses scattered throughout the forest.

Dang Minh Truong, Chairman of the company’s Management Board, said that the village is designed to revive an old resort whose facilities date back to the early 20th century. The resort was considered the largest resort paradise in Indochina at that time.

Apart from the village, the company is building an entertainment park boasting a 3D cinema, a snow city, game centres and artificial mountains for climbers, Truong said, expecting the USD25-million park will be completed at the end of next March.

Located 46km southwest of the central coast city of Danang, Ba Na is endowed with a mild climate and beautiful natural scenery. The French colonials discovered the area in 1901 and built a dozen villas exclusively for their officials.

Ba Na in 1986 was recognised by the state as a natural reserve with rare fauna and flora in need of protection such as bassia, perfumed wood and pheinardia ocellata.

At present, Ba Na is one of the most famous tourism and resort sites in Vietnam.

(Source: VNA)

Yangon-Hanoi flights to boost tourism sector

A recently launched direct flight service between Yangon and Hanoi is opening up tourism opportunities for both Myanmar and Vietnamese businesses, tourism experts said last month.

Mr Tony Pham Ha, the owner and chief executive of Hanoi-based Luxury Travel, said his company had already received a number of bookings for package tours to Myanmar.

“Many Vietnamese Buddhists want to do a pilgrimage to Myanmar, and many businesspeople want to seek investment opportunities there,” Mr Pham Ha told The Myanmar Times by email last month.

“I’m very upbeat about this. Although this is a new destination and just at the promotion stage, we’ve already received lots of inquiries from tourists in Asian and Western countries,” he added.

Luxury Travel will operate a luxury package with a Myanmar partner company, Yangon-based Golden Image Travel and Tours.

On March 2, Vietnam Airlines, the country’s largest carrier, began direct Hanoi-Yangon-Hanoi flights, with services scheduled for every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

U Phyoe Wai Yar Zar, Vice Chairman of the Myanmar Marketing Committee (MMC) said the new route would boost Myanmar’s tourist arrivals.

“It will also increase connectivity with the member states of ASEAN and potentially boost arrivals of tourists from third countries,” he said.

Luxury Travel and Golden Image are also offering Vietnam packages for Myanmar tourists, Golden Image managing director U Htun Lwe said.

“We will operate from March when Vietnam Airlines starts to fly to Myanmar. In the future we will also jointly offer package tours from Myanmar to Vietnam," he said.

Mr Pham Ha said he hope to welcome Myanmar people to visit and holiday in Vietnam.

“We are working with tour operators and travel agents from Myanmar to promote Vietnam. We would like them to do a familiarisation (FAM) trip to see the highlights of our country; the cities, beaches and world heritage sites, such as Halong Bay,” he said.

Luxury Travel is promoting Yangon, Bagan and Mandalay as its three main destinations in Myanmar. Tour prices will start from US$1799 per person for a private party of two people and is valid for bookings and travel before March 31, 2011.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, Myanmar attracted 1864 Vietnamese travellers in 2009, up from 1084 in 2008.

(Source: The Myanmar Times)

Ceremonial singing at Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

Hanoians will have a chance to enjoy a ca tru (traditional ceremonial singing) show by UNESCO’s ca tru club at the outdoor stage of the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology on March 28.

Born in about the 15th century and reaching its golden peak in the 19th century, ca tru, an UNESCO intangible cultural heritage, like many ancient and highly developed arts, has many forms, but the most widely known and widely performed type involves three performers: a female vocalist, a lute player and a spectator (who also takes part in the performance).

The female singer provides the vocals while playing her phach (small wooden sticks on a small bamboo platform) to serve as percussion. She is accompanied by a man who plays the dan day, a long-necked, 3-string lute used almost exclusively for the genre. Last is the spectator (often a scholar or connoisseur of the art) who strikes a trong chau (praise drum) in praise of the singer’s performance, usually with every passage of the song.

After enjoying ca tru, visitors can enjoy a puppet water show.

Tickets are available at the museum, Nguyen Van Huyen Street, Cau Giay District, Hanoi and are VND25,000.

(Source: SGT)

Safari park to add wild touch to city’s anniversary

Hanoi’s first safari park will be opened at the Bao Son Paradise Park in Hoai Duc District on March 27 together with five other entertainment facilities to celebrate the 1,000th birthday anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.

The zoo will put on display many rare animals of Africa such as white lions, white and yellow tigers, hyenas, pumas, dinosaurs and giraffes. The park also imports different kinds of birds, parrots and reptiles to entertain the visitors.

Asides from animals imported from Africa, the Bao Son Paradise Park has also received a number of rare species of monkey and bird that are listed in the Red Book, as gifts from the Wild Animal Rescue Centre No. 1.

The safari park is one of the six new entertainment facilities that are to be launched on March 27 to contribute to festivities on the occasion of the 1,000th birthday of the capital city.

The five other facilities include an ocean world, a modern 4D cinema, a 2,000-seat convention hall, a restaurant and theatre and a tennis course.

So far, most of the 34 entertainment facilities within the park have been completed, welcoming thousands of tourists, local and foreign alike, every day.

Construction of the Bao Son Paradise park started in 2005 with an estimated investment of VND1.7 trillion (USD90 million). The tourism complex serves as a place to preserve old architecture works of Vietnam and Hanoi and promote the fine cultural values as well as the unique natural beauty traits of Vietnam.

(Source: VNA)

Safari park to add wild touch to city’s anniversary

Hanoi’s first safari park will be opened at the Bao Son Paradise Park in Hoai Duc District on March 27 together with five other entertainment facilities to celebrate the 1,000th birthday anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.

The zoo will put on display many rare animals of Africa such as white lions, white and yellow tigers, hyenas, pumas, dinosaurs and giraffes. The park also imports different kinds of birds, parrots and reptiles to entertain the visitors.

Asides from animals imported from Africa, the Bao Son Paradise Park has also received a number of rare species of monkey and bird that are listed in the Red Book, as gifts from the Wild Animal Rescue Centre No. 1.

The safari park is one of the six new entertainment facilities that are to be launched on March 27 to contribute to festivities on the occasion of the 1,000th birthday of the capital city.

The five other facilities include an ocean world, a modern 4D cinema, a 2,000-seat convention hall, a restaurant and theatre and a tennis course.

So far, most of the 34 entertainment facilities within the park have been completed, welcoming thousands of tourists, local and foreign alike, every day.

Construction of the Bao Son Paradise park started in 2005 with an estimated investment of VND1.7 trillion (USD90 million). The tourism complex serves as a place to preserve old architecture works of Vietnam and Hanoi and promote the fine cultural values as well as the unique natural beauty traits of Vietnam.

(Source: VNA)

USD 2.6 million for sustainable tourism in Quang Binh

Some USD2.6 million from the “Greater Mekong Subregion Sustainable Tourism Development” project will be injected into the central province of Quang Binh to preserve and upgrade ecological tourism in the locality.

This is part of a five-year ADB-funded project, starting from 2009, to boost socio-economic development with focus on poverty reduction, infrastructure, heritage preservation in five provinces of Vietnam.

Of the funding, over USD2.1 million will be provided by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the remaining, about 400,000 USD will be reciprocal capital.

The project will concentrate on the preservation of the Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, which is home to two villages living in the core zone and six others in buffer zones, the project’s director, Le The Luc, said, adding that their livelihoods mainly depend on forestry that leads to the degradation of the whole park.

The investment will be spent to upgrade Phong Nha and Tien Son caves, use environmentally friendly materials like composite for making boats to reduce pollution while developing some services serving ecological tourism in other tourist sites.

Apart from setting up a database on local geography, ethnic minority groups and their traditional culture, the project will develop pastoral and community-based tourism to help improve earnings of people in buffer zones. Thus, more than 56,500 people are expected to directly or indirectly benefit from the project.

(Source: VNA)

SPSC Tour offers discounts and cash

Saigon Tourism Petroleum Services One Member Co. Ltd. (SPSC Tour) has launched promotion tours with 30%-35% discounts and is offering VND1 million to each tourist who books a tour on March 22 or 29.

Cao Pham Hang, Director of SPSC Tour, says the five promotion package tours include the six-day Hanoi-Halong-Sapa priced from VND6.7 million, the four-day Hanoi-Halong-Ninh Binh priced from VND4.23 million, and the five-day Danang-Son Tra-Hoian-Ba Na priced from VND3.6 million.

The others are the Danang-My Son-Hue-Phong Nha priced from VND4 million and the three-day Phu Quoc priced from VND3.8 million. The tours start next month.

“We are receiving promotion air tickets from Vietnam Airlines to arrange the tours so tourists need to book the tour one month before departure,” Hang said, adding that the company would give more promotions for groups of four or more and for groups of families.

As for outbound tours, the company is offering VND1 million to tourists who book tours to Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macau or China on March 22 or 29.

The company has also launched 11-day tours to India and Nepal.

(Source: SGT)

Central region to have new beach resort

The central province of Quang Ngai broke ground on March 20 for the construction of a multi-purpose marine tourist site at a cost of VND400 billion (USD21.2 million).

The project will offer services in convalescence, swimming, surfing, boating, entertainments, shopping, gymnasiums and accommodations for between 500 and 700 clients a day and night.

The 24.4ha resort will mark off 2.4ha for green space and gymnasiums while beaches alone cover 6ha. Hotels and convalescent homes will occupy 8.6ha and traffic roads and car parking, 4.1ha.

Once completed in late 2012, the project is expected to provide stable jobs for over 800 local work-hands.

(Source: VNA)

Back to the ancestral land

Hanoi is the land long-standing of history, from the mysterious Hoan Kiem Lake to magnificent Tan Mountain, everywhere engraved with vestiges of the history. Visiting the ancestral land on the occasion of its 1,000th anniversary is a chance to review its landscapes and cultural and historical relics.

A four-day-three-night tour to Hanoi, Phu Tho, Yen Tu Mountain, Tuan Chau Island and Halong Bay, departing every Thursday until October, takes in the most famous destinations in the North.

On the first day tourists will be taken to visit Hung Temple in Phu Tho Province, about 80km from the center of Hanoi.

Hung Temple is a complex of majestic buildings located on Nghia Linh Mountain, consisting of Ha Temple and Pagoda, Gieng Temple, Trung and Thuong Temples, and Hung Kings Tomb, built in the fifteenth century.

From April 14 to 23, Phu Tho Province will host the Hung Temple Festival 2010 to celebrate the death anniversary of the Hung Kings. There will be a boat race on the Lo River, banh chung, banh day (glutinous rice cakes) cooking contests, fireworks displays and craft exhibitions.

The second day is for trekking to Yen Tu Mountain in the northern coast province of Quang Ninh, a scenic spot and historical relic of Vietnam’s Truc Lam meditation sect.

The mountain is about 1,060m high and about 50km from Halong City. The route of pilgrimage from the foot of the mountain to the pagoda at the top is nearly 30km. On the way there is splendid scenery and beautiful ancient pagodas and hermitages of the 10th century built by King Tran Nhan Tong, who reigned over the country from 1279 to 1293. King Tran Nhan Tong’s mausoleum, Hoa Yen Pagoda, where many copper statues are worshipped, and Dong Pagoda are all here.

At noon, tourists will move to Bai Chay Bridge to take a panoramic view of Halong Bay and Cai Lan Port. Tourists can stroll around Tuan Chau Island, the most beautiful and the only populated island among the 2,000 islands in UNESCO’s World Heritage Halong Bay. It is also renowned for its stunning natural surroundings, including pine trees, lakes and breathtaking beaches.

Staying overnight in Halong City, tourists will discover many interesting things from local culture to ancient relics.

On the third day, tourists will be given a cruise on Halong Bay which is home to many mysterious caves and fascinating islands as well as stunning beaches.

The islands in Halong Bay are mainly limestone and schist. Most lie in the southeastern part of Bai Tu Long Bay and the southwestern part of Halong Bay. These islands represent the most ancient images of a geographical site having a tectonic age of 250 to 280 million years and they are the result of many times of rising and lowering of the continent to form a karst.

Viewed from above, Halong Bay looks like an extremely vivid drawing. This is a wonderful masterpiece of the creation that turns thousands of islets into fantastic sculptural works of graceful shapes, both familiar and strange to human beings. The islets look strong and magnificent but also mild and vivid. Among them we feel as if we were astray in a petrified legendary world. There are many names given to the islets according to their shapes such as Human Head Islet, Dragon Islet, Sail Islet, Male and Female Chicken Islet and Incense Burner Islet.

On these islets are breathtaking caves, such as Thien Cung, Dau Go, Sung Sot, Trinh Nu, Tam Cung and others. They are mysterious and filled with stalactites.

At noon, on the way back to Hanoi, tourists can visit craft villages making ceramics, green bean cakes and other northern specialties.

The morning of the final day is for discovering historical and cultural relics around Hanoi such as Uncle Ho’s stilt house, One Pillar Pagoda and the Temple of Literature and to buy souvenirs and indigenous specialties at Dong Xuan Market.

Ben Thanh Tourist

Add: 86 Ly Tu Trong Street, District 1, HCMC

Tel: (84-8) 3520 2020

(Source: SGT)

Nearly VND 12 billion to upgrade Hanoi’s ancient citadel

The Hanoi Housing Development and Investment Corporation on March 19 kicked off a VND12 billion (USD613,000) project to refurbish the moat surrounding the Son Tay Ancient Citadel.

This is one of the five projects under the Municipal People’s Committee’s plan to improve the environment of lakes in the inner city to mark Hanoi’s 1,000th founding anniversary. The project is expected to be completed within four months.

Located in Son Tay Town, 42km from central Hanoi, the Son Tay Ancient Citadel was built in 1822 under the reign of King Minh Mang to defend the western gateway of the city of Thang Long, which is now Hanoi. Its walls were made of laterite, an extremely strong type of stone.

Covering an area of 20ha, the square-shaped citadel is surrounded by a 20m-wide, 2,000m-long moat. It has four gates, namely the Front (Tien), the Back (Hau), the Right (Huu) and the Left (Ta).



Inside the citadel, there are an 18m-high flagpole, a ceremonial place called Kinh Thien Hall, a lotus pond, a water well and soldiers’ camps.

During the 1870-1980s, the citadel was the Nguyen Royal Court’s defence centre during the resistance war against French colonialism.

Time and war have destroyed many areas inside the unique military fortification, which was recognised by the State as a national historical and architectural relic in 1994. In February 2009, the Hanoi People’s Committee decided to preserve and restore the Son Tay Ancient Citadel to serve the millennium celebration of Thang Long-Hanoi.

Together with the moat, several other sections in the citadel such as the flagpole, water well and Vong Cung - a place for the King and mandarins to relax and offer scarifies – have also been restored and upgraded.

(Source: VNA)

Jetstar Pacific offers discounted fares

Low-cost carrier Jetstar Pacific has said all its branches are applying the same promotion programme on its 129 domestic and international routes beginning last week.

The discounted fares for domestic fights will be VND315,000 (USD16) on the HCMC-Danang and Hanoi-Danang routes while a Hanoi-HCMC flight will cost VND600,000 (USD30) per ticket. Prices will be applied to flights from May 6-25 and September 7-October 27.

Tickets for flights on the HCMC-Hue and HCMC-Vinh/Hai Phong routes from September 7 to October 27 will be sold at VND350,000 and VND650,000, respectively.

International air fares in the programme are also discounted. Tickets from Singapore to HCMC can be got at as low as USD25 while a flight from Darwin, Australia to HCMC will cost just USD69, excluding taxes.

(Source: VNA)

Half price for rooms to watch fireworks competition

To answer the demand of travelers coming to watch the fireworks competition in Danang City, the Golden Sand Resort & Spa has put on a program called Danang Fireworks Festival from March 26 to 31 with all room types discounted up to 50%.

The promotion includes free breakfast buffet for two, free fruits on the first day and two bottles of mineral water each day. The Golden Sand offers free transportation for guests to visit Hoi An ancient town. Anyone using this promotion gets a free ticket to watch the fireworks on March 27 or 28 and free transportation to Danang City on the same nights.

For more information, contact

Golden Sand Resort & Spa Hoi An

Tel: (84-510) 3927 555

Fax: (84-510) 3927 560 (SGT)

(Source: SGT)

Lazing along Lac Lake

Lac Lake is one of the largest natural lakes in Viet Nam and is considered by many to also be the most beautiful. Covering more than 500ha at an elevation of 500m, it is one of the most famous landscapes in Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands).

Peaceful: About 100,000 tourists take in the poetic landscape surrounding Lac Lake area every year.

Spectacular mountains and primitive forests surround the lake. Reflections of the pine trees turn the water a beautiful deep green, which can be seen between the lotus flowers that float on the surface.

A twisty path, lined with old trees, tall grass and wild flowers, meanders along the hillside to Bao Dai Palace at the summit. It was originally the summer residence of King Bao Dai, the last king of the Nguyen Dynasty, which has been renovated into a hotel.

From the palace, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the lake and the surrounding forests. Glimpses of Mnong villages can be seen through breaks in the leafy canopy. In good weather, Chu Yang Sin, the highest mountain of the southern Central Highlands, can be seen.

King Bao Dai built the palace in 1940 as a place to rest and hunt. The palace was built in a Western architectural style combined with traditional Central Highlands decorations.

Many generations have passed on legends about Lac Lake through their tradition of oral history. The lake gave Dac Lac Province its name. ‘Dac' in the Mnong language means water, river, stream or lake. ‘Lac' was the name of a young man with overwhelming courage and strength who found the source of water resource for villagers in the area.

Locals tell the legend: Once upon a time, a long time ago, for reasons unknown to man, the God of Fire and the God of Water declared war on each other.

After a fierce fight, the defeated God of Water was forced to hide by turning himself into a boulder. Consequently, there was a huge drought. For many years there was no rain and all the plants and animals perished. Villagers waited in misery for any drops of rain.

Quest

Cultural: Traditional rong houses of Mnong ethnic residents offer tourists a glimpse of local culture.

Then one day, a poor youth named Y Lac started on a quest to find water for the village. He walked day after day until he became so tired one afternoon he had to sit down on a boulder to eat and rest. His eyes happened to fall upon a small eel coiled up deep within a crack in the rock. He caught it and put it into a pan from which it could not escape. The next morning, Y Lac noticed a drop of water, like a pearl, at the bottom of the pan.

The youth somehow knew that the eel was the God of Water transfigured, so he released it and followed the eel as it slithered away. After a very long journey, the eel disappeared and an immense lake suddenly appeared in front of the youth's eyes. Lac Lake was formed.

Visitors to Lak Lake these days can hear stories about the past, sail around in dug-out canoes, take elephant rides and enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of mountainous Mnong villages. Tourists can also go trekking over streams in the forests to enjoy the beauty of the diverse flora and fauna while listening to the songs of the birds and the breath of the wind.

When night falls, imbibe in a glass of wine, listen to Tay Nguyen boys and girls sing and dance by the firelight to the sound of gongs, while enjoying the elders tell khan tales. For dinner, indulge in a helping, or two, of newly harvested fragrant mountain rice paired with fried thac lac fish, one of the area's specialities.

There seems to be an inexhaustible supply of thac lac fish in Lac Lake. The thac lac specimens here are larger and, some say, more tasty than those found in other lakes because of their abundant food sources and the pure water that originates from the mouth of the Krong Ana which runs from Chu Yang Sin Mountain.

A visit to Lac Lake promises wonderful experiences for tourists to dance with the locals, wander through the forest on an elephant's back and enjoy unforgettable specialities around the campfire next to stilt houses.

Lac Lake is located about 52km south of Buon Ma Thuot city, in the Central Highlands province of Dac Lac, along National Highway 27 on the road to Da Lat city.

(Source: VNS)

Experience southern flavor at Gao Giong

To satisfy a craving for rustic countryside and fresh air and a curiosity for typical southern culture, Gao Giong Eco-Tourism Park is ideal. Once touring the park, tourists will be attracted by the simplicity and uniqueness and impressed in totally different ways from the luxury and modern aspects of urban life.

Tourists fish at a lotus pond in Gao Giong Tourism Park in Dong Thap Province

Lying obediently in the dense cajuput forests in Cao Lanh District and separated from the resettlement area and the roaring traffic, Gao Giong boasts peace and tranquility in the extreme. The small path to the park runs between green rice fields dotted with houses and small gardens scattered along alluvial canals. All of the scenery embraces stillness and a deserted atmosphere.

The first image welcoming tourists is a ticket booth with a cottage roof and a girl in traditional southern costume called ao ba ba who will sell tickets for VND10,000. After buying tickets, tourists will be taken to another cottage house to enjoy grilled lotus seeds with hot tea and an introduction of the highlights of the park.

The excursion starts by scaling a tower to take a panoramic view over the park. Then there is a cruise on a wooden boat controlled by local ladies in traditional dress and conical hats to drift on the canals under the shade of the cajuputs. Meandering sampan cruises reveal the wild life, the sweet smell of the cajuput forest, the farmers harvesting from the honey bees in the tree tops and fishermen casting their nets.

For lunch, tourists can choose rustic dishes of indigenous specialties such as fried ro fish, fish hot pot and grilled loc fish with lotus leaves or boiled shellfish.

In the stillness of lunchtime, tourists can take fishing rods to relax at the lotus ponds where many fishes settle.

In the afternoon when the sun touches down for the night, tourists should stroll up to the bird yard to view sunset and watch the birds on their way back to their nests. The bird sanctuary covers 35 hectares with diversified species including egrets, wild ducks, herons, and especially, a rare sparrow listed in the Red Book.

The sounds of the birdsong and the sight of so many flying creatures perched on the cajuput trees are enthralling. At dawn and at sunset, the melodies of the birds, wild and sweet songs of nature, stir up the inherent stillness.

Drifting along the canals under the shade of the cajuput trees, contemplating hundreds of birds singing happy songs and getting lost in a poetic and deserted space, excursionists will take home unforgettable memories of the Mekong Delta, home of interlacing canals, rivers, orchards and endless green rice fields as well as floating markets.

(Source: SGT)

Artist crafts hand-made cages with care

With a drill, a saw, a clip and skilful hands of an artisan, simple bamboo trees were given a soul and transformed into works of art.

Can carves the bird cages by hand out of bamboo.

People who attended the Craft Village Festival 2009 at Thuong Bac Park, in the former imperial city of Hue, could not hide their surprise at a sophisticated bird cage donned with the special name Thap Nhi Hoa Giap Quan Tien (Twelve Flowers with Fairies) which made people feel as if they were in a fairyland.

The work was by forty-five-year-old Doan Minh Can of Phu Duong Commune, Phu Vang District, central Thua Thien-Hue Province. It won first prize in the Craft Contest 2009.

A hook on top of the cage was a stylised phoenix with two pliant wings which could flap. Four hook-shades carved with images of fairies riding tigers and tortoises enclosed a gourd, carved with people and trees.

Another larger globe where a bird could perch was engraved with two dragons next to three dao tien (peaches grown in heaven, according to Vietnamese legend) used for containing food.

A set of exquisitely carved fairies and 12 animals guarded the globe and peaches. A smaller globe was also covered by three fairies in different poses and the three legs of the cage were carved with flowers and fairies.

To people’s surprise, a relievo at the base of the piece was the most skilful and special feature of the cage. The relievo was carved with lively images of 12 animals together with fairies on a background of mountains, houses, trees and flowers. It was so detailed, people could even see the fairies’ beards.

It was also deliberately divided into four parts and each part held a mortar. In Viet Nam and China a "mortar" is a group of three animals that are compatible together such as Than-Ty-Thin (monkey-rat-dragon) and Hoi-Mao-Mui (pig-cat-goat). The animals which are incompatible with each other (tu khac) are not put together like Dan-Than-Tî-Hoi (tiger-monkey-snake-pig).

It was the sophisticated uniqueness that won the piece top prize at the contest.

"The examining board of nine leading specialists and famous artisans in the field – both inside and outside the country, all agreed to give first prize to the special cage," said the head of the contest’s organiser board, An Van Khanh.

Conquering bamboo

Twenty-seven years ago, after graduating from high school, Can decided to study at the sculpture workshop "Golden hands" run by artisan Le Dang Duan and went on to work for a wooden sculpture company.

Three years later, the company was dissolved. Can went back to his Duong No Village and set up his own wood workshop that made furniture. Two years later, with the purpose of developing his career, Can returned to his study at an art sculpture workshop began by famous artisan Phan The Hue who carved works of art for the imperial palaces of the Nguyen dynasty.

In 1989, Can returned home and started producing on his own work while training other people.

Choosing bamboo as the medium for his work came from a desire to find his own style.

"Wood could no longer be exploited and increasing work made me find a new material," Can said.

Then he discovered bamboo, a popular material which can be found in all of Viet Nam’s villages, to be ideal for his work.

However, it was not easy to carve the material. It was quite "fastidious" and different from wood. Wood can be carved both horizontally and vertically while bamboo can only be worked vertically. It also required very gentle and careful carving or it would crack.

Can had to make his own set of tools comprising hundreds of items specialised for bamboo carving. Day by day, he discovered different "characteristics" of bamboo and learned to use them, making them into sophisticated works of art.

"The most interesting part of using bamboo lies in the fact that it is a special and difficult job so it is not easy to find similar products made out of the material," Can said, adding that his workshop was always busy with orders.

In the early days, he made small artistic products including ashtrays, teapots, dishes and carved pictures. Located on a busy commuter road many tourists on their way to Hue’s villages, his workshop attracted a lot of customers. His products often sold at a high price due to their special nature and his foreign language skills. Visitors were interested in the meticulous, sophisticated and skilful pieces. In order to keep up with growing demand, Can researched more designs to advance his products.

His workshop, with over 10 workers, was divided into different sections for choosing bamboo, splitting, drying, curving and carving. Over the past 10 years, he has brought about a bamboo carving ‘revolution’ in Duong No, an agricultural village by the Pho Loi River. Together with bricklayers, carpenters and wood carving, bamboo carving has become a unique career path in the peaceful village.

Special bird cages

Can stumbled across bird cages by chance but went on to make them his primary product.

"One day I saw a rare bird in a luxurious house but a simple cage. It occurred to me to make beautiful cages suitable for such houses," Can said.

He went home and decided to make the cages without a second thought. People who are keen on raising birds as a hobby liked the cages very much and rushed to buy them. People living far from his village also tried to buy the products.

"It is hard for me to remember how many cages I have made and sold. They are now in Hue, Da Nang, Quy Nhon, Nha Trang and HCM City. Some have made it as far as mainland China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and South Korea," he said.

Can also gave special names to his bird cages including Thap Bat La Han (Eighteen Arhats) and Bat Tien Quan Thu (Eight Fairies with Animals). Each cage could ranges from VND25-30 million (US$1,400-1,580) depending on their sophistication and the customers’ requirements.

This was not the first time Can has won a prize. He won gold at a souvenir making contest in Hue in 2006. One year later, he took third price at the fifth Craft Products Contest and silver at the contest in 2008.

"I always win prizes at contests I attend," he said, unable to hide his pride in his work.

The road less travelled

Been there, done that. This is what people generally say after they've visited a tourist spot and enjoyed all the comforts and entertainment the place has to offer. Then they go to the next beautiful spot on their agenda.

Locals work in a pepper plantation on Phu Quoc Island.

On Phu Quoc Island, the unspoilt beaches, the perfect conditions for fishing, scuba diving or snorkelling, and other leisurely pursuits like hiking and shopping have been bringing in increasing numbers of visitors every year.

When we went there, the island was already a famous place and we thoroughly enjoyed all its attractions. On the last day the tour, our guide took us to the Duong Dong Market so we could buy local specialties as presents to take away.

From the market, we wandered across the Nguyen Trung Truc Bridge, also named Duong Dong Bridge which spans the river of the same name. There we saw an old woman selling medicinal herbs. Curious, we wanted to find out what she was selling.

That one meeting with the old vendor of herbs changed the nature of the tour for us. It made us look afresh at the island, seeing it not just as a extraordinarily beautiful place, but also as a place with a healing touch and its own local stories that we could learn if we paid close attention.

The wise old woman told us she'd been selling these herbs for more than 30 years. Most of fresh herbs had been picked from Phu Quoc's forest. She also told us that Phu Quoc was an isolated island and its residents used herbal remedies from the forest to treat diseases and other forms of illness.

Pick a peck of peppers

This incident opened our eyes to other possibilities in Phu Quoc, where tourism activities were mainly concentrated on its south side.

We decided to visit the northern part of the island that sees visitors far less frequently. We was told that the easiest way to get there was by motorbike so we rented a trusty looking Honda and followed our map.

Just 15 minutes later, we reached a small pepper plantation. The vines grew lush and think around supporting poles to a height of about 5m. Fresh peppers were plucked from the vines and processed into various specialty products that retained their natural green colour and flavour. We learnt that this was a specialty of the island that was used widely in instant soups and dry-meals on account of its special characteristics and subtle flavour.

"It is said that Phu Quoc pepper is much more aromatic and spicy than other varieties of pepper found elsewhere in Viet Nam," a local girl told us.

She said that from October to May, harvested peppercorns are dried in the sun and turned into the black pepper we see in the market place. They are also soaked in water for about 10 days and shelled to produce white pepper, she added.

Wandering around the pepper plantation, we met a holidaying German family who were taking a tour of the agricultural, forestry and fisheries industries of Phu Quoc. The parents wanted their children to see both the wild life of Phu Quoc and experience a different culture.

After talking with them for sometime they asked if we wanted to join them for the rest of the day. The more the merrier, we thought, and agreed quickly. We bought a few kilos of peppercorns and headed to the forest.

We felt the cool and fresh air of mountains and forests throughout the 20km ride, and every second of it was exhilirating. Several times, our bike ran across small brooks which were flowing across the path.

Almost without knowing it we were in the forest, with just one path to explore it. Huge, century-old trees stood beside the the sandy path. Many of them had broad, woody flanges at the base of the trunk.

We tried to find another path to get deeper into the forest, but the vegetation was too thick. It was a pity we could not record the sound of thousands of insects and birds singing at the same time. What an experience!

A forest ranger told us said Phu Quoc's forest was the only virgin forest left in southern Viet Nam. The 29,135ha forest was named a National Park in 2001.

From the forest's edge, we headed to Ganh Dau Commune. The temple to national hero Nguyen Trung Truc was our first destination.

Ganh Dau is also famous for its unspoilt beaches with landscapes which were much more pristine than we could ever have imaged.

A worker pours the fish sauce into a tank at a local fish sauce processing workshop.

This part of the island was pretty windy the day we visited. There were almost no tourist facilities here either. Villagers earned their living by fishing. People seemed to live a simple but happy life here. They did not have much, but we felt by their demeanour that they had almost all they needed.

There were a number of restaurants located on the shoreline. The waters were shallow and crystal clear. We saw a restaurant on one of the beaches that looked like a local hangout. The food was exceptional and, as elsewhere in the country, reasonably priced.

We sat content, soaking in the colour of the water, the soft sand beaches, the dark green of the forests and the sunlight that added a special shine to everything around.

On the way back, we visited the Khai Hoan fish sauce factory. Here, fish is mixed with salt and placed in wooden barrels. This company owns hundreds of 10-tonne barrels. After one year of salting, the contents are filtered four times to get high quality and potent fish sauce.

We added a few bottles to our fresh peppercorns and headed home. Been there, done that. And will do so again.

(Source: VNS)

Luxury tours to mystical Myanmar

Vietnam Airlines recently announced it would open a direct route between Hanoi and Myanmar’s Yangon on March 2, operating four flights a week with Fokker 70 aircraft. It is a great bridge to link Hanoi and Yangon.

Myanmar remains one of the most mysterious and undiscovered destinations in the world. A land of breathtaking beauty and charm yet only recently emerging into the modern world.

The Luxury Travel Company (www.luxurytravelvietnam.com) is Vietnam's first luxury tour company and full travel service agency. Luxury Travel is experienced in providing special services and unique tourism products to luxury global travelers and now offers its guests a unique and creative travel experience, to explore the culture, traditions and Burmese people.

With new routes of Vietnam Airlines, the company is promoting 9 days Classic Tour of Myanmar from Hanoi Capital, Vietnam. This itinerary includes the three most important cultural destinations in Myanmar: Yangon, Bagan, and Mandalay. This tour prices start from USD1799 per person for a private party of two people. This offer is valid to book and travel before March 31, 2010.

This offer includes accommodation costs at deluxe rooms at luxury properties, nearly all meals, regional flights, and international flights from Hanoi, private transfers, private pick up and drop off service. The tour can be booked at the last minute, and can be customized to suit individual interests and schedules.

Guests are also free to request helicopter tour, restaurant reservations, meetings with artists, cooking instructors and designers, shopping recommendations, spa reservations, tours with special-interest lecturers, and exclusive access to local activities and cultural events.

“This tour introduces Myanmar from an insider’s perspective, includes an expert Burmese guide accompanying you throughout your tour, providing an unrivalled level of service and insight, and the opportunity to meet local families, tour villages, and visit lesser-known temples and attractions, discover the charm of this mystic land of Burma. Tour is private, departs daily, and can be customized to suit individual interests and schedules,” said David Nguyen, Sales and Marketing Manager Of Luxury Travel Co., Ltd.

(Source: Vietnam Business Forum)