Vietnam - The Hidden Charm

A sweet little mystery in the highlands

2011-10-29T20:12:00.000-07:00

If you set off from Hanoi in the early morning, you can be in another world by the afternoon – Dong Van town sits over 1,000 metres above sea level in a green valley surrounded by rocky mountain ranges in the awe-inspiring province of Ha Giang, one of the most spectacular rural destinations in all of Southeast Asia – truly, a far cry from the bewildering heat and hectic streets of Hanoi at the height of summer.

The town is the capital of Dong Van district, one of four districts surrounding the Dong Van Geopark, a karst plateau featuring large tracts of limestone with many fossils of creatures that walked the earth 400 to 600 million years ago.

The plateau’s average elevation is 1,400-1,600m above sea level. The route up the mountains to the town is precipitous and slow-going, but the views of the imposing rocky mountain ranges make the trip a constant pleasure.

Near Dong Van town we came across a group of H’Mong people preparing for a local music contest that was to be held in the morning. Some of them were playing a khen (pan-pipe) and a ken la (leaf-horn) while others were harmonizing their sweet voices.

The town’s old quarter was lit up with red lanterns hanging from the window ledges of houses along every street and all around the market. As night fell, the town took on a wonderfully fanciful light in the midst of the mysterious rocky highland.

The locals always celebrate the full moon nights on the 14th, 15th and 16th of the lunar calendar to preserve and promote the town’s cultural heritage and customs. During these festivals, cultural and artistic activities take place in the old market. Visitors can taste the local cuisine, watch musical performances, or check out some of the traditional handicrafts, and much more.

In the evening, an ebullient crowd of H’Mong begins to gather. Soon there are more than 300 artisans and artists from all corners of Ha Giang province ready to perform. A small stage has been set up for the occasion and there is music and dancing; everyone is happy to be part of the show. We listen to the melodies as well as the sounds of the valleys, forests and mountains, and everyone smiles.

There are 40 houses in the centre of Dong Van’s old quarter, which are most beautiful at sunrise or sunset when the dark grey houses are suddenly brightened by golden sunlight.

The town was built in the early 20th century and, in the beginning, mainly Tay and Hoa people lived here. During the 1940s and 1950s, the Kinh, Dzao and Nung tribes also settled in the area. The two-storey houses are a combination of architectural styles and there is influence from the Zhongnan region of China. The houses are built with tick earthen walls, dark brown wooden frames and stairs and dark grey Chinese yin and yang tile roofs. Each house has a yard and three-step staircase made from bluish limestone pillars. The houses are designed according to the principles of feng shui, balancing the natural and structural energy that courses through the environment.

By nine in the evening, the old quarter is empty and quiet. The ceremony is over; the winners have been awarded their prizes and almost everyone has wandered off home. I stroll over to the old market which was built in 1920 as a central trading place for local tribes to exchange clothes and tools. At night, the market is closed for business, but open for romance. Some of the young women are beautifully dressed and the young men do their best to woo the ladies by playing their khen or ken la. Leaving the young ones, I step into Pho Co Café, which is located in one of the oldest houses in town; the owners claim it was built in 1890. By a flickering oil lamp I sit sipping my hot tea and gazing out at the street through the faded wooden window bars. I can hear the sound of a khen and a ken la playing in response.

The café stays open till midnight and I am perfectly consent to sit there, soaking up the sense of mystery exuded by Dong Van town. As I walk home through the shadows in the still night, I am already looking forward to the first rays of golden sunlight that will herald the dawning of the day.

Tourism connected communities around the world

2011-09-05T11:21:00.000-07:00

World Tourism Day (WTD) 2011 under the theme "Tourism - Links cultures" will be held in Aswan (Egypt) on 27 September.
In his broadcast message, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said: "Tourism has made great contributions to the global solidarity, as an instrument of peace, connecting communities around the world. This is also the industry to create more job opportunities, help shorten the gap in wealth, contributing to the economic growth of nations, cultural links and understanding people. "

On this occasion, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is organizing a photo contest on the social networking site Twitter, which focuses on themes that link the culture of tourism. The prize is a trip around Egypt, was awarded the WTD 2011 in Egypt.

Fifth Ha Giang Sports and Cultural Festival opens

2011-08-18T21:50:00.000-07:00

The fifth sports and cultural festival for ethnic minority groups opened in the northernmost mountainous province of Ha Giang on August 17.

The fifth sports and cultural festival for ethnic minority groups opened in the northernmost mountainous province of Ha Giang on August 17.

11 local sports teams and art troupes have registered to take part in different programmes, including shows of traditional costumes of ethnic groups, folk songs, and games.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Sen Chin Ly, deputy chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, who is also head of the organizing board said that the fifth Ha Giang sports and cultural festival is a major event aimed at highlighting the cultural traditions and ethnic solidarity movements in the province.

The event also provides an opportunity for them to enhance the spirit of mutual understanding and assistance.

The festival will close on August 20.

(Source: VOV)

Travelers flock to beaches to avoid summer heat

2011-07-28T09:22:00.000-07:00

After a quiet June, the number of domestic travelers keeps increasing in July. Islands, tourism sites and beautiful beaches these days receive more travelers who want to relax on brine.

Choosing nearby beaches

In Long Bien district in Hanoi, many 30-40 seat coaches are present early in the morning of Saturdays and Sundays, which come to pick up travelers to beaches. Two weeks ago, local residents were eager to register trips to Cua Lo, Tuan Chau, Halong Bay and Sam Son beaches. A group of coevals left for Cua Lo last week. Meanwhile, NA, a company located in the district, organized a tour for its staff to Van Don-Quan Lan.

According to Nguyen Cong Hoan, Deputy Director of Hanoi Redtours, the number of travelers witnesses a boom in July. The number of registered tours to the central region and the south has increased by 50 percent. Especially, people now favor the tours to Nha Trang and Da Nang, thanks to many choices with airlines and high quality of services. Meanwhile, those travelers, who choose to travel to the north, regularly register the tours to Quang Binh, Hue and Lang Co.

Tran The Dung, Deputy Director of HCM City-based The He Tre travel firm, said that not many people traveled in June, because their children had to take high school final exams and prepare for the university entrance exams. Therefore, the trips have been delayed until July.

Dung has reported a 20 percent increase in the number of travelers in July in comparison with the same period of the last year. Meanwhile, Vietravel hopes that it will serve 125,000 travelers in 2011’s summer, an increase of 25 percent over the same period of the last year.

The tours to beaches remain the most favorite tours for travelers. However, they tend to go to nearby beaches this summer instead of going farer in order to save money. Travelers in HCM City take short distance tours to Vung Tau, Phan Thiet or Ninh Chu.

The national flag air carrier Vietnam Airlines has reported that the domestic aviation market in the first six months of the year, witnessed a 20 percent growth rate in comparison with the same period of the last year. Airlines have all provided more flights to serve the increasing number of tourists. The flights to Da Lat, Phu Quoc, Hai Phong and Hue City have seen the number of passengers up by 30-40 percent.

Con Dao, Phu Quoc islands attract northern travelers

Con Dao and Phu Quoc are now not the choice of southern travelers any more, because of the high tour fees (the lowest rate is 4.5 million dong per traveler for 3-day-and-2-night tour). Meanwhile, the two localities have become the choice of more and more northern travelers, especially when direct flights from Hanoi to Phu Quoc have been launched. Besides, there are also the flights from Can Tho to the island.

The tours to Phu Quoc island (travelers can take directly flights with Air Mekong), including the ones provided by Vietravel (9.8 million dong per traveler for 4-day-and-3-night tour, 4-star resort), by Hanoi Redtours (7.9-8.5 million dong for 4-day-and-3-night tour, 3-star resort) have been selling very well.

With direct flights, travelers, instead of transiting in HCM City and wasting three hours at the HCM City airport, can go directly to Phu Quoc, where they have lunches and walk on Sao beach with white sand and blue sea water.

Nguyen Duy Quang, a business officer of Air Mekong has revealed that the direct flights from Hanoi to Phu Quoc always have the occupied seat percentage at 90-95 percent. In the three months of 2010’s summer, the airline only served 100 passengers who flew from Hanoi to Phu Quoc, while the number of passengers is expected to reach 400 in June-August of 2011.

Meanwhile, Dung from The He Tre said the number of southern travelers to the islands has decreased. In previous years, the firm served 600-700 travelers, while the number is thought to drop to 300-400.

(source: vietnamnet.vn)

Northern village preserves rich architectural heritage

2011-06-20T07:02:00.000-07:00

Located by the Nhue River, 15km west of Hanoi, the ancient village of Cu Da is famous for its soya sauce and glass noodles. The suburban village has been attracting an increasing number of tourists in recent years, not only for its local specialities, but its traditional houses which reflect both the architectural and cultural values of the northern rural region.

Home to more than 100 wooden houses, the village is a popular tourist attraction for people in search of a glimpse of the past. Most of the tiled houses, which are hundreds of years old, were built from go xoan (bead tree or Chinaberry tree). The houses form a complex in the typical traditional architectural style of the Hong (Red) River Delta region.

A main house includes an ancestral altar, a set of wooden couches and a tea table. In the wings of the house are bedrooms for the owner and his eldest son. The other space is used for the women's living quarters.

The outbuildings are smaller than the main house and used as kitchens and dining rooms, and for storage. The traditional house of Trinh The Sung in Dong Nhan Cat Hamlet is considered the most beautiful and untouched of its kind. Built in 1864, the house consists of 35 wooden pillars, decorated in intricate carvings. With a similar architectural style, the 360m² house of Dinh Van Du in the same hamlet welcomes many visitors. According to the owner, six generations of his family have lived in the 200-year-old house.

The typical architecture of the northern rural area can also be found in the archways leading into the village's 12 hamlets.

The simple beauty of Cu Da together with its traditional houses have been used as the setting for a number of Vietnamese movies and TV series, including the famous Bao Gio Cho Den Thang Muoi (When the Tenth Month Comes), and the recent Leu Chong (Going to Royal Exam).

The village is not only home to traditional houses, but also modern colonial French villas, more than 20 of which can be found across the village.

Among the French villas, the estate of Trinh Thi Hong in Ba Gang Hamlet is considered the most beautiful. The two-storey house still retains almost all of its original features, including flowery motifs, a wrought iron balcony, tiled floors and a wooden staircase that combine to make an intriguing mix of French and Vietnamese styles.

(Source: VNS)

Giong Festival at Phu Dong Temple

2011-05-18T07:45:00.000-07:00

The Giong Festival of Phu Dong and Soc temples which has officially been recognized as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity by the UNESCO since November 2010, is held annually from the seventh to the ninth days of the fourth lunar month in order to commemorate the mythical hero Saint Giong at Phu Dong temple in Gia Lam District (his birth place) and from the sixth to the eighth days of the first lunar month at Soc Temple in Soc Son District (his ascending place to heaven).

This year, the Giong Festival at Phu Dong Temple was held solemnly with a large-scale from 9 to 11 May 2011 in Phu Dong Commune, Gia Lam District, Hanoi with many traditional rituals and special symbolic performances. Besides the water procession and the ritual dedicated to the Saint at the temple, the flag processions and re-enactments of the Saint’s feats against foreign invaders were the highlight of the festival.

The focal and the most exciting time of the Giong Festival that many people expected was the battle re-enactment taking place at 12.30p.m on 11 May 2011 with the participation of more than 1300 people. The battle was elaborately arranged with the roles of Masters (Ong Hieu) such as the Flag Master, the Drum Master, the Gong Master, the Army Master, and the Children Master – the generals of Saint Giong being played by young men and 28 girls played the enemy generals.

During the festival, there are other traditional games such as Chinese chess, human chess, cock fighting... and art performances of villagers as traditional opera (cheo), love duet (quan ho).

The Giong Festival with special national cultural characteristics and high community features is attracting a large number of domestic and international visitors come to visit and study.
(source: vietnamtourism.com)

Fireworks approved for opening National Tourism Year 2011

2011-04-02T04:09:00.000-07:00

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan has agreed to allow the People’s Committee of Phu Yen Province to organize a fireworks display during the celebration of the 400th founding anniversary of Phu Yen and the opening ceremony of National Tourism Year 2011 in the evening of April 1.

According to the organizing board, an art program to welcome the two events will have the participation of more than 400 artists, including more than 100 professional ones. The stage for the opening ceremony will have capacity of more than 7,000 seats, located at the square of Tuy Hoa City.

As expected, more than 40 ambassadors will attend the opening ceremony of National Tourism year 2011.

(Source: CPV)

Queen Mary brings tourists to Nha Trang

2011-03-22T10:04:00.000-07:00

The world’s largest cruise liner, Queen Mary 2, with over 2,430 tourists aboard, visited Nha Trang Bay in the central province of Khanh Hoa on March 21.

The tourists, mostly from the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States and Canada, visited scenic and relic sites as well as enjoying special dishes and shopping in the locality.

On the afternoon of the same day, the cruise liner left Nha Trang Bay and sailed to Thailand.

Statistics from Khanh Hoa tourism sector show that in the first three months of this year, Nha Trang Bay welcomed 13,000 arrivals on 12 international cruise liners.

(Source: VNA)

Soc Trang's Clay Pagoda recognised as a cultural relic

2011-03-14T19:29:00.000-07:00

A pagoda known for its clay Buddha statues has been recognized as a historical and cultural relic of the Mekong Delta Province of Soc Trang.

The pagoda's original name was Buu Son Tu, but pilgrims usually call it Chua Dat Set (Clay Pagoda). Built by the Ngo family more than 200 years ago, the pagoda is now run by members of the family's fourth generation.

Visitors to the Clay Pagoda can see 1,800 small and large Buddha statues and a great number of prayer objects made of clay. The pagoda is also well-known for having four pairs of giant candles that weigh 200kg each. They are 2.6m high, with a diameter of one meter.

The candles were made in 1940. Two of the candles have burned continuously since the death of head priest of the pagoda, Ngo Kim Tong, in 1970, and have burned off only half the wax.

(source: VNS)

Vietnam tourism promoted in Dubai

2011-02-25T06:04:00.000-08:00

A conference to promote Vietnamese tourism was jointly held by the Vietnamese Embassy in UAE, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, the Vietnam Airlines and the Sharaf Travel in Dubai on February 23.

Speaking at the conference, the Vietnamese Ambassador, Nguyen Quang Khai, reviewed the industry’s achievements over the past years.

Despite the global financial crisis, the number of tourists coming to Vietnam reached 5.1 million in 2010, an increase of 20% over 2009, bringing US$ 4.5 billion of revenue to the country.

The ambassador encouraged UAE travel agencies to operate tours in Vietnam and pledged that the embassy will cooperate with Vietnamese travel companies to offer preferential conditions for UAE tourists.

Participants at the conference praised the country’s fast development in the industry and expressed their wishes to strengthen their cooperation with Vietnam.

(Source: VOV)

Hanoi discovery

2011-02-14T23:10:00.000-08:00

Each foreign tourist arrives in Hanoi and when they return to their home, they all have an individual impression. Hanoi is ancient and peaceful; Hanoi bustles and is full of vitality; Hanoi has precise and unique gastronomy; Hanoi is brilliant with colors; and Hanoi is passionate and charming.

Common impressions for tourist to easily recognize are the friendly, enthusiastic and hospitable people of Hanoi. Living in California, US, Dr Gish chooses Hanoi capital as the tourism destination for his family. He said that his family had visited many famous landscapes, enjoyed traditional delicious dishes in Hanoi and contacted many people. However, the most memorable impression for his family was the vibrant vitality of Hanoi’s traditional culture.

“Hanoi leaves good impressions for me because the city has preserved its cultural heritages, for example, Tortoise Tower in Sword Lake, daily life and business activities of inhabitants in the Old Quarter. I think that Hanoi is trying to preserve its essential cultural values of previous years and be determined to develop a modern city at the same time,” Dr Gish said.

Sharing these thoughts with Dr Gish, Mr. George Saxton also loves to visit historical sites in Hanoi. For him, these are memorable places during his visit. “I’m sure to remember Sword Lake, Ngoc Son Temple, the Temple of Literature, the house on stilts where Uncle Ho lived and the whole area. I like the way the house on stilts is preserved, that is what I remember about Hanoi.”

For Ms Marcia of Maryland, US, dishes like pho (noodle soup), cha ca (fried fish), rice vermicelli and meat rolls or coffee in Hanoi are all wonderful but her most memorable impression about Hanoi is completely different. It is the people and cultural character of Hanoi. Hanoi’s culture is charming and plentiful. One of the most beautiful images among Asian countries she has ever seen is the image of Vietnamese women in long-dresses and “any time I close my eyes I see that image”. “I also like the image of farmers growing rice in the fields,” she happily said. That is what she remembers about Hanoi.

That is also the comments of Ms Johnson from Idaho, US. She said that it is hard to use any word to fully describe the people in Hanoi. Therefore, she has to come back Hanoi many times. “Hanoi people are very wonderful and enthusiastic and eager to help strangers. The first time we came to Hanoi was in 1995 we were a little worried of not being welcomed, but unexpectedly every one treated us very kindly. We were helped any time we needed assistance. We had close friends and they treated us very well when we were there. We can not talk all about the wonderful people in Vietnam,” Ms Johnson said.

Living in Hanoi for many years, James Rhodes and his wife from Alabama, US, were eager to return Hanoi in the autumn to welcome the capital’s 1,000th birthday. Hanoi attracts him and his wife with special things.

“The thing we like most in Hanoi is the Viet Nam National Symphony Orchestra. This is a wonderful orchestra. I must say that we have listened to symphonies all over the world but the Viet Nam National Symphony Orchestra is excellent. Additionally, in Hanoi, the folk music is also good. This year, we come back to celebrate the 1,000 years of Thang Long – Hanoi and we don’t intend to leave this city. We choose to live in Hanoi because this is a cheap city and people there are friendly. My wife and I decided to choose Hanoi as our home.

Mr. Steve Ball living in Maine, US said that for him, Hanoi is an ancient city. Hanoi truthfully reflects the culture of Viet Nam, this is a beautiful city for tourists to visit, go for a walk and are welcomed. Mr. Steve always encourages his friends to come to Hanoi.

“I want to send sincere congratulations to all people of Hanoi capital on the occasion of the Hanoi’s 1,000th birthday. I desire that Hanoi continues to develop prosperously. I myself also expect to arrive in Hanoi to share this happiness with the people in the capital about this event. I wish the best things for Hanoi people. Good bye and see you in Vietnam,” he said on the occasion of Hanoi’s 1,000th birthday.

Hanoi Travel Guide
(source: vietnamtourism.com)

Tet holiday in Vietnam

2011-02-08T19:57:00.000-08:00

Tết Nguyên Đán, more commonly known by its shortened name Tết or "Vietnamese Lunar New Year", is the most important and popular holiday and festival in Vietnam. It is the Vietnamese New Year marking the arrival of spring based on the Lunar calendar, a lunisolar calendar. The name Tết Nguyên Đán is Sino-Vietnamese for Feast of the First Morning, derived from the Hán nôm characters 節元旦.

Tết is celebrated on the same day as Chinese New Year, though exceptions arise due to the one-hour time difference between Hanoi and Beijing resulting in the alternate calculation of the new moon. It takes place from the first day of the first month of the Lunar calendar (around late January or early February) until at least the third day. Many Vietnamese prepare for Tết by cooking special holiday foods and cleaning the house. There are a lot of customs practiced during Tết, such as visiting a person's house on the first day of the new year (xông nhà), ancestral worshiping, wishing New Year's greetings, giving lucky money to children and elderly people, and opening a shop.

Tết is also an occasion for pilgrims and family reunions. During Tết, Vietnamese visit their relatives and temples, forgetting about the troubles of the past year and hoping for a better upcoming year. They consider Tết to be the first day of spring and the festival is often called Hội xuân (spring festival).
Tet - Lunar New Year in Viet Nam - is the most important festival tradition, observed by all Vietnamese, even those abroad. Every family in Viet Nam, whether they have money or not still tries to buy traditional goods such as flowers, sweets and square rice cakes for this special occasion.

A few bloggers around the country are posting their perceptions on the lead up to the Year of the Dog. Royby, a blogger from Ho Chi Minh city mentions that Tet should bring good luck and prosperity for the following year if…your house is overflowing with food, drink

In my blog, I write that the western New Year festival is not the most important for the Vietnamese; the lunar New Year is the one that every Vietnamese celebrates. The preparation for Tet is chaotic, with shopping being the number one priority. Some Hanoians travel as far as Lang Son, on the Vietnam-China border for supplies where goods are dirt cheap and , of course, made in China. Virtual-Doug, an American blogger currently living in Hue, watches as walls are painted and houses are cleaned in preparation for Tet. There is always a race on for builders to finish all construction work before the end of the year to ensure good luck for the occupants.

For a Vietnamese like me, currently living away from home, seeing everyone preparing their houses, shopping for their children and themselves makes me happy with anticipation. The Vietnamese government has banned the use of fire crackers, which is sensible as the injury and death associated with them no longer occurs. However, the local authorities in the big cities do organize official fireworks displays which are attended by thousands of families who want to see in the New Year with a bang!

Motorcycle travel in Vietnam

2011-01-13T19:25:00.000-08:00

A motorcycle represents freedom: the freedom of the open road, the freedom of speed, the freedom to go. Bikers are cowboys reinvented. They aren't content to go the way of the package tourist. They see things for themselves and they form their own judgments. It's an attitude as much as a mode of travel.
Few people stop to consider the advantages of motorcycle travel in foreign countries. In most places you can rent a scooter without a motorcycle license. They're easy to operate, fast and efficient, and more than enough for the roads you'll find. In Vietnam you can also rent a Russian Minsk, the 125cc workhorse of the former Communist world. It's a noisy, gas-guzzling beast of a machine that farts clouds of blue oil smoke thick enough to befuddle any pursuer: something to keep in mind if you tend to hang out in a lot of military dictatorships. In a land of scooters, it's also generally the biggest bike on the road.

Midsummer Hanoi smothers beneath a throbbing heat haze. Beads of moisture condense and trickle down a glass of syrupy iced coffee just as the sweat rolls down your back. The narrow streets of the old town are choked with scooters and bikes, and baggy-trousered old ladies in conical hats balancing a pole dangling two pots over a shoulder. The noise - shouts and honks and roaring exhaust - creates an aural blanket that hems you in like the heat. It's oppressive. It's stifling. And it made me long for wide open spaces.

Motorbiking in Hanoi isn't for the faint of heart. The streets are a solid mass of humanity whose movements are seemingly linked like those of a school of fish. It's a chaos of moving metal with no apparent rules, save for some bizarre form of telepathy. I learned how to navigate it the first time I tried to cross the road. I waited timidly for nearly ten minutes, hoping for a break in the flow, until I finally ran out of patience and just stepped out into it and began to walk. The trick is to stare straight ahead and keep a steady pace. The traffic will flow around you like a stream around a rock. If you slow down, however, or try to dodge it in a panic, they'll get confused - and you'll get flattened.

The same thing happens when you decide to hop on your own heap of mechanized mayhem and join that flow. I'd only ever driven a motorbike a handful of times, and of course I didn't have a license for one. But hey, how hard could it be? I found a reputable bike shop, slipped the proprietor some cash, and I was off with a roar and no questions asked.

I have to admit it was a little unnerving at first. Every time I stopped at an intersection, I was handlebar-to-handlebar with someone else, totally surrounded on all sides by revving engines two inches away. To even shift in my seat meant brushing up against someone. And then the light would change, and we'd be racing like mad in one vast polluting pack.

Navigation brought its own unique set of challenges. A left turn down a side street meant gradually edging head-on into the onrushing stream. Unbelievably, the traffic always parted Red Sea-magically and made way before me. Within half an hour I was racing through the city streets like Luke Skywalker on an Imperial Speeder Bike.

It takes a while to get beyond the urban sprawl, but once out of the city you can open the throttle and feel the breeze in your helmet-less hair. This rural Vietnam is a world away from the scams of Hanoi capital. Pale green rice paddies wilt limp in the heat, backed by steaming jungle hills and jagged karst. You have no place to go, no agenda, and nothing but time. The people you'll meet on route are just as un-rushed. A roadside group of uniformed schoolchildren stop to point at you, jaws agape. When you pause at a roadside stall for "pho" (rice noodle soup) or iced coffee, you'll be greeted by shy surprise, followed by curiosity and giggles. You'll even be waved off with a laugh and a joke when your friend tries to photograph a military helicopter base. That would never happen in the city!

Minsk - an old Russian motorbike. It really does set you free. You can daytrip lightly and reach untouched places just outside even the largest "tourist" destination, or you can strap on the saddlebags and wander the map wherever the Road Gods take you.

Do not miss your chance to see real Vietnam on motorbike!

Discovering Vietnam by train

2011-01-11T19:41:00.000-08:00

Vietnam is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Asia. It offers so much to do in so little time. Besides being steeped in rich history and culture, Vietnam is also beautiful and relaxing all over the country. Of course, there is a decision to be made about how to get from land to land in this gorgeous area. The best suggestion would be to travel Vietnam by train. There is no other way to see so much and relax in amazing comfort at the same time.
To travel in Vietnam by train you will need to obtain train tickets for each route. This is a bit difficult in the least and is far more cost effective than air travel. The best way to get train tickets is to go through a travel agent or book tickets online at www.vietnamrailways.net. You will need to find out how many destinations that you intend to visit while you travel in Vietnam. The travel agent will be able to work out a great package deal for you that will get all you want to see into the amount of days that you have available. There are also several preset travel Vietnam by train deals that give you only the best of what the land has to offer. Check with your travel agent to determine what the best package is for you and the pricing that is available.
When you travel up and down the country, there are many destinations that you will surely want to visit to make the vacation unforgettable to say the least. Sapa is one such destination. To travel Vietnam by train and not stop in Sapa is a big mistake. Besides being one of the most beautiful tourist attractions in Vietnam, it has a rich nightlife and pictures for everyone. Stop in for some of the best cuisine that the reagion has to offer.
Hue is another must see destination when you travel in Vietnam by train. Hue is well-known for its charming and peaceful city in the central of Vietnam. This is no surprise considering the overall appeal of the city and its historical richness. Be sure to visit one of the wonderful cafés that line most of the central streets.
Finally you will want to stop in at Saigon - the largest city in Vietnam. Saigon provides something for everyone. The night is always alive in Saigon with nightclubs and jazz centers as well as great theater and film houses. Do not leave until you have visited some of the fine restaurants in the area as well. You will not regret it for sure.
Next time you take a vacation be sure to check into a package that will allow you to travel Vietnam by train. Not only will you travel to some of the finest locations across the continent, you will do so in high style and comfort, not having to worry about long lines to get through an airport terminal.
Happy Travels!

Literature Temple In Hanoi

2011-01-01T22:36:00.000-08:00

The Temple of Literature is one of the most popular landmarks of Ha Noi (Pho Quốc Tử Giám, Tel 845 2917, admission 5000 Dong). The term “temple” may mislead a lot of people into believing the complex is a religious site.
Văn Miếu, in fact, is a Confucian memorial place dedicated to the centuries of education and literature in Vietnam. Founded in 1070 by King Ly Thánh Tông, the temple was built to pay tribute to the Chinese philosopher Khong Tu (Confucius), his scholars and people with high academic achievement. In 1076, the Quốc Tử Giám (or Imperial Academy) was founded. As Vietnam’s first university, it was initially opened to educate the aristocrats, nobles and royal family members. In the later years, the school was opened to talented commoners. In old Vietnam society, Si (literary bureaucrats and scholars) were given the highest regard. Below them in the social ranking are the Nong (farmers), Cong (craftsmen and workers) and Thuong (merchants). Functioned within 1076 to 1779, Văn Miếu was the only place where mandarin class was taught. Through its history, over two thousand doctors have graduated from the university. Known as "pagode des Corbeaux" during the French colonization, the whole of Văn Miếu encompasses a profound traditional meaning of both a Confucian temple and the first imperial university of Vietnam.

The long narrow complex consists of five courtyards lined out in order and divided by walls. The first area is the entrance where the main gate (Văn Miếu Môn) with two stone dragons stands. On it, the inscription “Ha Ma” reminds visitors of former times, regardless of their social ranking, to dismount their horses before entering Văn Miếu. As the entrance leads to three pathways running the length of the complex, the center path heads straight through another gate to the second courtyard indicated by two small gates on both sides. Here, its main course leads to Khuê Văn Các (Pavilion of Literature) and two other small gates on its side. These first two courtyards are basically quiet and serene exuding a peaceful haven with its well-trimmed lawns and grown trees providing suitable shade to the garden’s entirety.

The third courtyard separates the Khue Van area from the Gate of Great Synthesis (Đại Thành Môn). A square lake, the Well of Heaven’s Clarity (Thien Quang Tinh), sits at the center of the courtyard and is surrounded by walls. On both sides of the lake are pavilions with stelae, each sits upon stone tortoises and holding inscriptions of names, birth places and achievements of doctorate recipients from periods 1442 to 1780, where the Vietnam capital was moved to Hue. There are 82 stelae presently standing in Văn Miếu, where some 34 others are believed to have been lost over the years.

The entrance of the fourth courtyard from the latter directly faces a pavilion, named the Great House of Ceremonies, where a large red lacquered statue of Confucius stands. Bordered on either sides are two great pavilions which used to host alters of 72 of Confucius’ greatest students. Now, the buildings house several gift shops, souvenir item displays and a museum. In the fifth courtyard (Thai Hoc) stands the Quốc Tử Giám, Vietnam’s first university founded in 1076 King Ly Can Duc, but this was destroyed by French bombing in 1947.

Having gone through several destructions and restorations, the Temple of Literature still retains its original features. Signifying a hallmark of education in ancient Vietnam and its great value to the Vietnamese people, the longevity of the temple and its structure is astounding. A place worth-exploring, Văn Miếu is not just among the finest historical and cultural sites in Hanoi, but in the whole Vietnam as well.

(Source: vietnam.com)

Hanoi to host homeland spring programme

2010-12-28T23:08:00.000-08:00

The Xuan Que Huong (Homeland Spring) programme is scheduled to take place in Thang Long Royal Citadel, Hanoi on January 28, 2011 to welcome the traditional Lunar New Year (Tet) Festival, said the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese (SCOV) on December 14.
As part of a series to celebrate the successful hosting of the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi and the 11th National Party Congress, the programme is to be jointly organised by SCOV under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other related agencies.

The programme will see the presence of high-ranking leaders of the Party and State, ambassadors, chiefs of foreign diplomatic missions in Vietnam and overseas Vietnamese, along with press agencies.

The “Xuan Que Huong” programme is held annually and attracts a large number of overseas Vietnamese, helping preserve national traditions and cultural identity as well as promoting national unity.

(Source: VNA)

Con Dao Island Vietnam

2010-12-12T08:41:00.000-08:00

Con Dao Island has been voted as one of best ten islands of the world for a romantic holiday in 2011 by Lonely Planet Magazine (England).

Con Dao comprises 16 islands and islets and was known worldwide for the political prisons during the French colonial time and American war time. At present, it is considered as a heaven for tourism with smooth beaches shaded by evergreen trees, fresh air, clear blue waters, primitive forests and abundant wildlife. White sand dunes slope gently to the sea, luring tourists not only to swim, play with the waves and discover the beauty of the coral reefs with scuba diving, but also to fish or squid.

Apart from Con Dao Island, the list of top ten islands includes: Socotra (Yemen), Torres Strait (Australia), Yaeyama (Japan), Iles du Salut (Guyana), Ulleungdo (Korea), San Blas Archipelago (Panama), Penghu (Taipei, China), Bay Archipelago and Hog Island (Honduras), Ssese (Uganda).

The Lonely Planet Magazine has also chosen Halong Bay Vietnam among the top ten destinations by boat. Other destinations in the list include Fjords (Norway), Amazon River (South America), Franklin River (Australia), Quetico Provincial Park (Canada), Backwaters of Kerala (India), Milford Sound (New Zealand), Greek islands and Disko Bay (Greenland), Galapágos Islands (Ecuador).

Thuy Hang (Edited)
(Source: TITC)

Ha Giang receives UNESCO certification on Dong Van Plateau

2010-12-04T19:24:00.000-08:00

A ceremony to receive UNESCO recognition of Dong Van Stone Plateau as a member of the Global Network of National Geoparks (GGN) was held in the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang on December 1.

The chief Representative of the UNESCO Office in Hanoi, Katherine Muller Marin and Secretary General of UNESCO Vietnam National Committee Pham Sanh Chau, handed over the UNESCO certificate to Ha Giang Province.

Addressing the ceremony, Secretary General of UNESCO Vietnam National Committee Chau said that the success of Dong Van Stone Plateau Geological Park is the result of pure determination to create Vietnam ’s first geological park in Ha Giang.

Chau also highlighted the selection of a geological park development model by Ha Giang People’s Committee to eradicate hunger, reduce poverty and step up socio-economic development.

The plateau is Vietnam ’s first pilot model of a geological park for the future and this will promote Vietnam ’s image around the world, said Chau.

It will help eliminate hunger and reduce poverty for more than 250,000 local people on the plateau, he added.

Dong Van Stone Plateau was recognised as GGN member on October 3, 2010. The plateau has now become Vietnam ’s first geological park and only the second geological park in Southeast Asia, after the Langkawi Geological Park in Malaysia .

Dong Van, which has remained untouched for hundreds of millions of years, has mammoth rocks spread over the four districts of Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Meo Vac, and Dong Van, and is 1,000m above sea level.

The plateau is 80 percent limestone and has the fossils of thousands of species of prehistoric creatures from 400-600 million years ago.

It is also home to several cultures that have sprung up over the centuries. The 574 sq.km plateau now houses 250,000 people belonging to 17 different ethnic groups.

(Source: VNA)

Cat Ba Island

2010-11-19T06:59:00.000-08:00

The Spectacular Home of the Cat Ba Langur
Cat Ba Island is situated in Ha Long Bay, 50 km to the east of Hai Phong City, in Northern Vietnam. It is the largest of 366 islands in the Cat Ba Archipelago, and has a surface area of about 140 square km. The Cat Ba Archipelago shares the distinctive rugged appearance and scenic beauty of the Ha Long Bay Area that was declared a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, in 1994. The area is one of the best examples in the world of a Karst landscape invaded by the sea. Some 1500-2000 large and small islands and cliffs rise steeply from the shallow marine waters. Many of these islands reach towering heights of 50 to 100m with sheer vertical cliffs on all sides. Spectacular rock relief and bizarre rock formations provide evidence of a long history of erosion and landscape evolution through the sculpturing power of water. The greatest part of the islands’ mountain range like most of the smaller offshore islands of the Archipelago, are covered by tropical moist limestone forest. Cat Ba Island also has coral terraces, sandy beaches, freshwater wetland areas, tidal flats, mangrove forests and willow swamp. Spectacular scenery and a high diversity of landscapes make Cat Ba a special place and it has become a main destination for national and international tourists.

The People
Cat Ba Island is currently inhabited by about 13500 people, living in 6 communes, of which Cat Ba Town is the largest. Archaeological remains suggest that people have inhabited the Cat Ba area for at least 6000 years. Local livelihoods in the villages are built on subsistence agriculture and fishing. Comparatively new sources of employment and income at the local level are shrimp and fish-farming, and tourism.

The National Park and Biodiversity Conservation
Cat Ba National Park was established in 1986. After a re-arrangement of the park boundaries in 2006, the park now comprises of 109 square km of land area and an additional 52 square km of inshore waters and mangrove covered tidal zones. Cat Ba National Park was Vietnam’s first national park to include both terrestrial and marine ecosystems.

Cat Ba Island, its national park and the surrounding area are nationally and internationally recognized for their importance to biodiversity conservation, exemplified through the recognition of the Cat Ba Archipelago as a UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve, in 2004.This is not only because the area has a high number of different ecosystem and habitat types, but also because it possesses a great variety of plant and animal species, many of which, like the Cat Ba langur, are now rare and endangered.

About 1400 vascular plants, including 23 Endangered and Critically Endangered species (Red Data Book of Vietnam; IUCN Red List) have so far been recorded. Large and partly endangered mammals include the Cat Ba langur, the Southern Serow (Naemorhaedus sumatraensis), Rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta), Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), black giant squirrel (Ratufa bicolor), and civet cats (Viverricula indica, Paradoxurus hermaphroditus). The cave, land snail and butterfly fauna is rich including the most northerly cave-adapted crab species, plus four species of true cave snails. The region is considered a hotspot for land snail diversity and might also be conserving a considerable number of bat species including rare ones.

In 2007 a reptile survey was conducted in Cat Ba National Park by Dr. Thomas Ziegler, from Cologne Zoo and Nguyen Quang Truong, from the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, in cooperation with the Cat Ba Langur Conservation Project. It led to the discovery of the Cat Ba Tiger Gecko (Goniurosaurus catbaensis), endemic to Cat Ba Island, adding to the list of endemic and rare species and once more emphasizing the need for nature conservation on the island.

(Source: catbalangur.org)

Ha Giang Vietnam

2010-11-11T09:26:00.000-08:00

Ha Giang is the province located in the North East of Vietnam, next to China. Ha Giang Vietnam is the home of many different hill tribe groups and Ha Giang is also the province which owns amazing natural landscapes in Vietnam. Ha Giang province in Vietnam has amazing, picturesque mountain ranges, rock plateau and spectacular river of Gam and Nho Que. Ha Giang in Vietnam is known for its harsh nature as major area of Ha Giang in Vietnam is Rock Mountain but this offers unique and incredible countryside and landscapes of wonderful nature in Ha Giang.

The tour to Ha Giang in Vietnam will let travellers explore amazing land of Vietnam where travellers will experience wonderful creatures from Mother Nature. Travellers will enjoy spectacular landscape of Quan Ba, amazing twin mountains, implausible Nho Que River, magnificent view of from the top of Lung Cu Peak, colourful local markets and meet friendly hill tribes living in Ha Giang province in Vietnam. The tour to Ha Giang in Vietnam also let travellers visit ancient villages of Han, known as Chinese people living in Pho Ban and Dong Van. Travellers will experience daily life and amazing traditional houses made of wood, rock in Ha Giang in Vietnam. Travellers will also meet friendly H'mong, Dao, Tay or Lo Lo people in Ha Giang in Vietnam.

(Source: bluebelltours.net)

Ho Chi Minh City's potential for tourism

2010-11-01T10:33:00.000-07:00

World travelers agree that Vietnam has become a superb travel destination. Having overcome years of colonization and wars, it has arisen as a vibrant and exciting part of Southeast Asia
. So as you plan for your journey, consider the beautiful city of Ho Chi Minh. Many still call it Saigon. Tourists refer to it as “the pearl of the orient.” “Energetic” would be another way to describe Ho Chi Minh City. When it comes to enjoying life, the Vietnamese have elevated it to an art. In addition to a multitude of festivals and celebrations, the city is home to a plethora of nightclubs, bars and karaoke halls. Among the top favored haunts, Apocalypse Now, Q Bar and Cheers are a must. You can also spend the evening at the opera or witness a performance of puppetry.

If you bring an extra suitcase, you’ll be glad you did. The shopping opportunities are beyond extraordinary. In Ho Chi Minh you can purchase exquisite lacquer handicrafts. The jewelry is truly unbelievable and certainly unique. There are plenty of markets selling regional clothing, military memorabilia and other souvenirs at excellent prices. And in your quest for out-of-the ordinary items, you’ll come across antique shops stocked with unimaginable treasures.

As you make way through the busy streets, you’ll observe a wealth of landmarks. Be sure to visit the Emperor Jade Pagoda. It’s not just a lavish representation of Chinese architecture, but a most revered sacred temple.

Learn about the bravery of the Vietnamese people, as embodied in an icon like the Cu Chi underground tunnel. It took twenty-five years for its completion, and was the site of the bloodiest episodes in the country’s history.

Pay special attention to the Paris Square, where you’ll encounter the imposing Notre Dame Cathedral. It was built in the 19th century and is truly a work of art.

If you’re wondering when would be the ideal time for your trip, the months of April, May or October offer the best weather. But if you’re in town during the hot season, head out to the water parks. You’ll cool off and have a ball. In Ho Chi Minh, you’ll discover the new Vietnam.

(Source: Dan Viet Travel)

Perfume Pagoda

2010-10-23T20:53:00.000-07:00

After 70 km or 2 hours driving out of Hanoi, located on the limestone rocks of Huong Son Mountain in beautiful and mystical surroundings. Unlike other temples in Vietnam, the only way to reach this sanctuary is floating along a narrow but extremely poetic stream by rowing boats that takes 45 minutes.

An iron boat can carry 3-5 people and a large wooden boat – up to 20 locals. The stream is edged by rice, grass, small paths, and temples here and there. A local pilgrim can spend here traditionally three days to visit entirely the area and pray at all the temples. The first temple they often stop is called Den Trinh (i.e. The Shrine for First Presenting), where Vietnamese burn the first jossticks to inform the local deities about their presence and pray for a good trip and good luck for the year ahead. If you are anxious to reach the main Wharf of Huong Son mountain to start the uphill trip to see the Main Grotto of Huong Tich, you may skip this temple, especially in the peak season between January and early April.

The uphill trip takes an hour climbing on the ancient flat and sometime slippery stones, which have been here thousand years ago. The road is "breathtaking" in all aspects – you will have some exercise, and at the same time have chance to take some stops to contemplate beautiful scenery and daily life of local farmers, who plant cassava and apricots in the valleys, who run quickly on the slippery stone with their burdens of tapioca, apricots or medicinal herbs whilst you are careful with your steps. The main pagoda is set in a huge grotto containing a highly decorative shrine. Each stalactite and stalagmite inside, which are soaked by undercurrent, is combined with a legend about its miracle and good luck. Most of them became small shrines by now. Remember that the stone grotto is huge and very cool, so stop for a while at the entrance to dry your sweat before coming in.

The main festive days of Chua Huong stretches from January to early April, busy and exciting. Sometimes it's drizzling and the Vietnamese all believe that the real good things will reach you if you catch rainwater after praying in a sacred pagoda. And among all the sacred temples and pagodas in Northern Vietnam, Chua Huong is even more attractive and mysterious not only for its spectacular scenery, but for the painstaking road you passed over to reach to the top.

(Source: Footprint)

Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park

2010-10-23T02:24:00.000-07:00

The Park is considered a paradise for researchers and explorers of grottoes and caves and is the home to 140 families, 427 branches, and 751 species of precious plants

Phong Nha - Ke Bang is a national park in the center of Quang Binh province in north-central Vietnam. It protects one of the world's two largest karst regions with several hundred caves and grottoes. Its name derives from Phong Nha cave, the most beautiful one, with numerous fascinating rock formations, and Ke Bang forest. The plateau is probably one of the finest and most distinctive examples of a complex karst landform in Southeast Asia.

Location:
Geographically, the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park (PNKBNP) is located in central Vietnam, about 500km south of the capital, Hanoi, within the Quang Binh Province.

The western boundary of the Park partially forms Laos-Vietnamese border, which is only 42km from the sea. The Park is found within the geographical co-ordinates of 170 20'-170 48' N and 1050 46-1060 24' E in Bo Trach and Minh Hoa Districts.

Recognition by UNESCO in 2003
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park was first nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. The dossier submited to UNESCO was for the recognition of Phong Nha nature reserve as a world natural heritage under the name “Phong Nha Nature Reserve”. The reason given for the nomination was that this nature reserve satisfied the criteria of biodiversity, unique beauty and geodiversity (criteria I and iv).

It was recognized as a world natural heritage site at the UNESCO's 27th general assembly session being held in Paris in June 30th – July 5th, 2003. At the session, delegates from over 160 member countries of UNESCO World Heritage Convention agreed to include Phong Nha-Ke Bang park and 30 others worldwide in the list of world heritage sites. Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park meets with criteria viiii in accordance with UNESCO’s appraisal scale since it displays an impressive amount of evidence of earth’s history and is a site of importance for increasing human understanding of the geologic, geomorphic and geo-chronological history of the region.

Physical features:
Criterion (viii): Phong Nha is part of a larger dissected plateau, which also encompasses the Ke Bang and Hin Namno karsts. The limestone incontinuously demonstrates the complexity interbedding with shales and sandstones. This, together with the capping of schists and apparent granites has led to a particularly distinctive topography.

Looking into the caves, you may recognize discrete episodic sequences of events, leaving behind various levels of fossil passages, formerly buried and now uncovered palaeokarst (karst from previous, perhaps very ancient, periods of solution); evidence of major changes in the routes of underground rivers; changes in the solutional regime; deposition and later re-solution of giant speleothems and unusual features such as sub-aerial stromatolites. The location and form of the caves suggest that they might owe much of their size and morphology to some as yet undetermined implications of the schists and granites which overlay the limestone. On the surface, there is a striking series of landscapes, ranging from deeply dissected ranges and plateaux to an immense polje. There is evidence of at least one period of hydrothermal activity in the evolution of this ancient mature karst system. The plateau is probably one of the finest and most distinctive examples of a complex karst landform in SE Asia.

Cultural heritage:
The oldest evidence of human occupation of the area are Neolithic axe heads and similar artefacts found in some of the caves. There are some relics of Ham Nghi King, a final King of the Nguyen dynasty before the French colonial period, at the Maria Mountain in the north of the Park. Currently the Arem, Ma Coong and Ruc ethnic groups live in two villages in the core zone of Phong Nha Ke - Bang National Park. Until 1962 these indigenous people lived in the forest in houses made of bamboo and leaves or in the caves, living from forest products and hunting. They used simple tools and their clothes were made from the bark of a toxic forest tree (Antiaris toxicaria) and lianas.

Since 1992 the Government of Vietnam has set up two new settlements for these 475 people, who are the two smallest ethnic groups in Vietnam. These people are familiar with a number of economically valuable species, especially precious timber such as Mun and Hue (Diospyros spp., Dalbergia rimosa), and oil-extraction from species such as Tau (Hopea hainanensis) and many medicinal plants. The Phong Nha Cave has long been a site of religious and touristic importance, with an old Cham Temple discovered in the cave and it was a site of worship in the ninth and tenth centuries. During the war with the USA the Phong Nha - Ke Bang forest and caves were a garrison and weapons store for the Vietnamese army.

Conservation value:
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is of high conservation value as one of the largest areas of intact forest habitat remaining in Vietnam. As part of a continuous forest block with the neighbouring Him Namno Biodiversity Conservation Area in Laos it forms one of the largest areas of forest on limestone karst in Indochina. The presence of tall lowland forest, which is regionally threatened as a habitat type, in the National Park increases the area's conservation value.

Tourist activities
The number of tourists has increased dramatically since the park was listed in UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. Tourism activities in the area are the responsibility of the Trading and Tourism Department of Quang Binh province, with 280 international standard rooms in the province and 8 vehicles with capacities of 4 to 15 seats for tourist transportation. The forest guards of Son Trach commune in Bo Trach district are placed on tourist security duty.

Quang Binh Province has invested into upgrading the Phong Nha-Ke Bang visitor site to turn it into one of Vietnam's major tourist destinations.

Multiple eco-tourist projects have been licensed for development and the area is being heavily developed by the province to turn it into a major tourist site in Vietnam. Phong Nha Ke Bang is part of a tourism promotion program called: "Middle World Heritage Road" which includes the ancient capital of Hue, the Champa relics of My Son, the city of Hoi An, nha nhac and the Space of Gong Culture in the Central Highlands of Vietnam.

Tourist activities in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park are organized by local travel agencies and vary in form:

    * Tour for expedition of caves and grottos in boats and with professional cave expedtion means.
    * Ecotourism, discovering the florae and fauna in this national park in the Ke Bang Forest.
    * Mountain climbing: There are extreme sloping mountains here with a height of over 1,000 m, which is a real challenge for adventurous climbers

In order to facilitate the increasing flow of tourists to the site, the Dong Hoi Airport was constructed and is due to be operational at the end of 2008.

Phong Nha-Ke Bang, together with Ha Long Bay and Fansipan of Vietnam, is listed as a candidate for 7 new world natural wonders vote. As of February 12, 2008 it ranked 10th in the voting list

In summary, Phong Nha displays an impressive amount of evidence of earth’s history. It is a site of very great importance for increasing our understanding of the geologic, geomorphic and geo-chronological history of the region.

(Source: Vietnam-Beauty)

Cat Ba National Park in Vietnam

2010-10-21T19:11:00.001-07:00

Cat Ba National Park is centred on Cat Ba Island, the largest island in Halong Bay. The Cat Ba archipelago itself comprises 366 islents and islands. Together they cover an area of 20,000 hectares of limestone islands. When I visited Halong Bay with a group of AsiaExplorers members, we had an opportunity to kayak in Cat Ba National Park. The kayaking session was long and exhausting, but ultimately fulfilling, as we rowed from island to island, and on our return journey, even had to row across the open sea.

Most of the islets dotting Cat Ba National Park is covered with vegetation, although there are sheer limestone cliffs where hardly anything grew. Nonetheless, it is not uncommon to sea tenacious shrubs clinging to those otherwise barren cliffs, and on occasion, we even saw mountain goats and monkeys on the cliffs. The feeling of kayaking through the labyrinthine maze of islands, where the only sound was that of your oar on the water, was simply magnificent.

There is at least one floating village in the national park. They earn a living through shrimp and fish farming, and from the occasional tourist boat that drop by. As soon as our junk arrived, the villagers rowed towards us with their wares, nothing of value and nothing that we need.

How to go to Cat Ba National Park?
The easiest way to reach Cat Ba National Park is to book a tour of Halong Bay. There is plenty to choose from in Hanoi, but if you wish to use the tour that I used, you can contact Mr. Johnny of Visit Beyond at address 29 Hang Hom Street, Hanoi. Phone: +84-4-39287124, Email: vietnam@visitbeyond.com.

VISITING REMOTE BA BE LAKE

2010-10-14T08:52:00.000-07:00

We weren’t quite sure what to expect from our final road trip in Vietnam. Ba Be Lake was not even mentioned in our two guidebooks, but we had been happy with the itinerary up to this point, so we figured we would trust the travel agency.

The original itinerary had called for our two nights in Ba Be Lake to be a home stay with a local family. After our experience in the loft with the rice bags in Sapa we were thinking that one home stay was enough and we requested the hotel option. Ms. Trang, who was our contact person at the agency, emailed us back assuring us that a hotel stay was fine, but she asked that we visit the home first and then make the decision. We said this would be OK, but I was wondering about the propriety of visiting a home and then, in effect, saying, “No thanks, we’d rather not stay.”

Phong and Quang picked us up at 8:00 AM for what would be a long day of driving. It was a 6-hour drive to the lake, plus taking time for a lunch stop and a break to visit a museum along the way. The final leg of the trip was on a narrow, winding road up and over a high mountain then down into a fertile valley.

We arrived at the home of Col. Ngon Van Toan and his family. The Colonel had retired from the North Vietnamese army in 1994 after a 30-year military career. He did not speak English but he greeted us warmly holding his 11-month old granddaughter, who was an absolute charmer. The house was a traditional wood stilt house, but it was built on cement pylons. It had two large rooms. One was set up for the family with cooking areas and partitioned bedrooms, and the other was for guest quarters, which featured real beds separated by plywood sides and curtains. Pam gave me the OK, and we told Phong we would skip the hotel option and bunk in with the Toan family. We used what daylight was remaining to explore the neighborhood and get acquainted with the family’s farm animals.

In the evening we joined the family sitting on the floor in front of the TV and watched the four generations of ladies do the meal preparation. Col. Toan’s daughter and daughter-in-law did most of the cooking, while his wife did the prep work, and his mother kept the baby entertained. A more accurate statement is that the baby entertained all of us.

The colonel was an intriguing gentleman. He came across as a gentle and gregarious family man, educated and intelligent. One wall of the guest quarters was filled with plaques, certificates, and citations from his military career. It was one of those times I would have loved to have had one of those computers of the future, which will provide instantaneous interpretation, allowing us to carry on a detailed conversation in any language. I looked upon him as a grandfather and a contemporary of my own father, but after recording my passport information in his guest log he informed me that I was only a year younger than him. Occasionally I get reminded that I’m not really sitting still while the rest of the world is getting older.

We were served dinner in the guest quarters at a small coffee table, so we didn’t have to negotiate all the dishes on the floor like the rest of the family, but the Colonel joined us for a couple of rice wine toasts, as did his son, who arrived home mid-way through the meal. By 9:00 the temperature had dropped considerably, and we were ready to crawl under the heavy blankets and read ourselves to sleep.

We began waking up, with help from numerous roosters, starting at about 5:00, but it was 7:30 by the time we finally rolled out from under the blankets and wandered into the family area to sit around the fireplace and watch the preparation of “banana cakes.” The batter, which resembled a pancake batter, was poured into a wok containing an inch of bubbling oil (origination unknown), where it would solidify and cook for about five minutes. When Toan’s daughter-in-law placed a large plate full of these in front of us we looked at each other skeptically, but after the first bite we were banana cake fans. They were really delicious.

The rest of the day was spent exploring Ba Be Lake. Our driver, Quang, joined Phong, Pam and I as Col. Toan’s son, whose name was Sun, manned the small motorboat and we traversed the large, scenic lake. We left the lake area and continued down a shallow tributary past a small village and farming area. There were villagers all along the way going about their daily chores of fishing, doing laundry, working the fields, etc. We eventually reached our destination, which was a large cave through which the tributary ran. We docked the boat inside the cave and explored. We could hear the sounds of a large colony of bats hanging from the ceiling, resting up for their nocturnal flight.

We returned to the small village, which we had passed earlier, and disembarked for a short hike to a place along the river featuring some small waterfalls. Then we returned to one of the homes, which doubled as a small restaurant, where lunch was being prepared. Our host for lunch was a gregarious older man who insisted on numerous toasts of homemade moonshine poured from a plastic water bottle. I reasoned that since the liquid did not melt the plastic bottle it was probably OK for consumption.

One of our many lunch dishes was fried water buffalo. Pam actually braved a bite or two, but declared it a “guy dish” and returned to her rice and chicken. After a tasty and filling lunch we bid our hosts farewell, boarded our motor launch, and returned to the lake. Once we were back on the lake we met up with a young lady in a dugout canoe. Pam and I and Toan’s son shifted into the canoe, and we spent the next hour and a half traveling in the style that has probably been used for the last thousand years on scenic Ba Be Lake.

We spent the evening enjoying the hospitality of our hosts and another huge meal. While we were touring the lake a group of four French women arrived so we had a total of six tourists, two guides, and two drivers sharing the guest quarters for the evening. None of the girls spoke English so we didn’t visit much, but it was a congenial group and we didn’t really mind sharing our bedroom.

The next morning, after another round of banana cakes, we bid farewell to all the members of the Toan family and started our long drive back to Hanoi. Along the way we asked Phong if we could stop at one of the brick making operations we had seen along side the road. When we did so we attracted the attention of a group of children and eventually the owner of the factory came out to visit. When Phong explained to him that I was an American businessman who owned a factory he became very friendly and asked several questions about my company and about the places Pam and I had visited on our travels. After sharing with me that he paid his workers about $50 per month he asked about salaries in the U.S. When I told him that my employees all made over $100 per day he took a quick look over his shoulder to make sure none of his employees overheard that piece of information.

Back in Hanoi we checked back into the Majestic, took hot baths and dressed for dinner. Phong took us to the French Quarter to the upscale Tonkin Restaurant, where we enjoyed a fish dish served in a clay pot and some tasty pepper steak. After returning to the hotel we visited the night market, which was set up on the street in front of the hotel.

Our last day in Hanoi was filled up with hitting the main tourist sights. We lined up at Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum to get a glimpse of old Uncle Ho lying in state. I think Pam accurately described the experience as “creepy.” We then visited the Ho Chi Minh Museum, the small stilt house where he lived in his last years, the famous One Pillar Pagoda, and a large museum dedicated to the Ethnic tribes of Vietnam. We also had lunch at famous restaurant called Cha Ca La Vong. It serves only one dish and has been doing so for over eighty years. It is called cha ca fish served at the table in a frying pan sitting on a charcoal brazier. After tasting it we can understand why it has been around for so long and why the recipe remains a closely held family secret.

Our last official stop of the tour was at the Hoa Lo Prison, known during the war as the Hanoi Hilton. While most of the prison was torn down to make room for a high rise hotel what remains is now a museum mainly dedicated to the Vietnamese patriots who were held and tortured there by the French authorities during the French colonial period, but there are also two small rooms that contain exhibits and photos of American pilots that were held there. The exhibits tell about how well all the prisoners were treated. Hmmm, perhaps just a bit of mismanagement of historical facts.

The following morning was spent getting the last of our foot massages and packing our bags. Phong and Quang picked us up at noon for our trip to the Hanoi airport and our flight to Siem Reap, Cambodia. Our eleven days in North Vietnam were filled with new adventures and great memories. As for the people we met, we found, as we have on all of our travels, that we are more alike than different. And, the differences are never enough to prevent us from being friends and learning from each other.
(Source: Realtravel.com)

The 1000th anniversary of Thang Long - Ha Noi

2010-09-29T10:19:00.001-07:00

Hanoi will organise firework displays in 29 locations on October 10 to mark the grand ceremony of the 1,000 th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi. The 15-minute fireworks will be set off following the end of an artistic fireworks programme at the My Dinh National Stadium in Tu Liem district on October 10.

Four locations for high-range display will include Hoan Kiem Lake (Hoan Kiem district), Ly Tu Trong Garden (Tay Ho district), Thong Nhat Park (Hai Ba Trung district), and Van Quan Lake (Ha Dong district).

The other 24 locations will be for low-range displays.

Some 31,000 people will participate in the march and parade at the Ba Dinh Square on October 10 to mark the event.

Over 12,000 army soldiers and officers, police and local security force with 10 helicopters will join the march.

The demonstration will be the largest in Vietnam to display forces and achievements of Hanoi and the country over the past 1,000 years, especially those in the national renewal process, the honour of civilised and heroic capital and the city of peace.

According to Le Tien Tho, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the event will begin with a torch procession from the Ho Chi Minh Museum to his mausoleum and light up at the torch tower. After the tower was light up, a ceremony to salute the national flag and shooting of 21 battery salvos will take place. Later, there will be an art performance on Hanoi .

The event which will be broadcast live by the Vietnam Television will conclude by pigeon and balloon release by 1,000 children.

On September 28, procession of Vietnam ’s largest embroidered picture to Hanoi completed.

Embroidery artisans held a ceremony to offer the picture as gift for Hanoi ’s birthday. Pham Quang Nghi, municipal Party Committee Secretary, on behalf of Hanoi received the gift.

The 4m-long and 3m-wide picture was made by nine artisans of XQ Da Lat embroidery painting company during 1000 days.

The embroidered picture features a brilliant lotus and the letter “S” for Vietnam in the lotus lake, with a temple, clouds, moon, cranes, and old villages.

Also on September 28, the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) opened a photo exhibition on the 1,000 year-old capital city.

On display are 100 photos by VNA reporters and its freelance photographers. They depict Hanoi now and then, President Ho Chi Minh and Party and government leaders with Hanoi , as well as historical events of the capital city.

The exhibition will run until October 2.

For the same purpose, a ceramic statue of the old tortoise of Hoan Kiem Lake made by artisan Tran Do from Hanoi ’s Bat Trang Pottery Village was handed to the Hanoi Culture-Sports-Tourism Department on September 28.

The 4-tonne tortoise was made as a replica of the tortoise which is being displayed at the Ngoc Son temple.

The same day, the delegation of Hanoi’s Party’s and People’s Committees, People’s Council and Fatherland Front paid floral tributes to Kings Dinh and Le at their temples and King Ly Thai To stele in the northern province of Ninh Binh on the occasion of the capital’s birthday.

Hoa Lu is the first ancient capital of the feudal Vietnamese State and the firm military stronghold of the Dinh, pre-Le and Ly dynasties for 42 years. One year after ascending the throne, King Ly Thai To decided to move the capital city from Hoa Ly to Thang Long (now Hanoi) in 1010.
(Source: VNA)

Hanoi - Old Streets and Traditional Trades

2010-09-22T12:07:00.000-07:00

Hanoi has an old quarter of 36 streets, each being closely attached to a traditional trade that is clearly shown by its name, such as Hang Muoi (salt) Street selling salt, Hang Manh (curtain) Street selling bamboo curtains, Hang Bac (silver) Street selling silver jewellery, etc.

Mentioning the old streets of Hanoi, the essay “Notes taken on rainy days” by Pham Dinh Ho writes: “Dien Hung ward (present-day Hang Ngang) and Dong Lac ward (present-day Hang Dao) are places where many cloths and silk products are sold.” According to Hanoi researcher Nguyen Vinh Phuc, all kinds of papers, such as Giay ban (tissue paper), Giay moi (inferior tissue paper), Giay boi (coarse paper) and other popular papers made by people in Buoi and Cot Villages were sold on Hang Giay Street in the past. Some streets were named after a legend or special ana, such as Hang Chao (rice porridge) Street which was the place selling rice porridge to candidates who came to the capital to attend “Thi Hoi” (National Examination) and “Thi Dinh” (Court Examination) or Trang Tien Street near Hoan Kiem Lake where once existed a coin casting workshop of the Nguyen Dynasty (the 19th century).

At present, the number of old streets in Hanoi is a matter of controversy because someone said that 36 is only a symbolic number. However, it is correct to say that people on each old street engaged in a trade. In the past, people from all parts of the country flocked to the capital to set themselves up in business. Following the trade motto “It needs friends when trading and it needs to establish guilds when selling”, they lived together in one place and gradually established guilds specializing in trades and products.

Due to this unique feature, Hanoians usually think of one street where they can buy what they want. For example, the locals usually venture to Hang Manh Street to buy bamboo curtains, Thuoc Bac Street to buy medicinal herbs, Hang Chieu Street to buy mats, etc.

Hanoi is undergoing drastic changes daily and the old quarter with “Hang” streets are also affected by the process of development. Hotels, restaurants, coffee shops, etc., have mushroomed on these streets, so only a few streets with the traditional trades remain, such as Hang Bac, Hang Ma, Hang Manh, Hang Chieu, Hang Dong, etc. The others have engaged in other trades, for example, Hang Than Street now sells Banh com (green rice flake cakes), teas and cigarettes in service of wedding ceremonies; Hang Vai Street sells bamboo products; Hang Chao sells mechanical and electric products to meet the demand of customers in the modern life. In addition, many new streets with new trades have been established in Hanoi, such as Hai Ba Trung Street selling electronic products, Ly Nam De Street selling computers, Luong Van Can Street selling children toys, Hoang Hoa Tham Street selling ornamental trees and Dang Dung Street selling second-hand mobile telephones.

Strolling through the old quarter or “36 streets” of Hanoi one can perceive the beauty as well as typical feature of these streets which should be preserved by not only the authorities but also the locals.

(Source: Vietnam Pictorial)

Getting Around Ho Chi Minh City

2010-09-03T07:33:00.000-07:00

To visit the main tourist attractions you will need at least two full days. The main Ho Chi Minh City Sights include the Hotel de Ville, the Reunification Palace, the Museum of Ho Chi Minh City, the War Remnants Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Jade Emperor Pagoda. If you're quite adventurous it's also worthwhile taking a taxi to the Chinese district of Cholon where you can visit a number of busy pagodas and and street markets. Not many tourists head out this way so you may feel a little out of place but it's worth doing just to observe life on the streets and provided you use your common sense there's no reason to worry about heading off the beaten track.

Most of these main sights are within easy walking distance but if you want Ho Chi Minh City transport taxis are a great option as they're metred and cheap. An alternative is to take a cyclo which is quite an experience in the crazy traffic and well worth doing before the local government bans them all.
Street Seller Outside Majestic Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City Jade Emperor Pagoda Ho Chi Minh City

As you walk the streets you might be surprised at the amount of wealth around as top name international hotels and designer shops selling Rolex and Lacoste, etc. rub shoulders with street sellers offering little more than cigarettes and chewing gum.

When shopping in HCMC you can pick up some bargains if you're interested in good quality branded products. In Ben Thanh Market you'll find good quality Ralph Lauren polo shirts and Billabong type t-shirts very cheaply as well as excellent North Face rucksacks for a fraction of the price paid in the west. Many of the factories making these products are on the outskirts of HCMC. Nowhere else in Vietnam sells such quality branded goods as here, in fact I bought a bag in Hanoi which a week later I noticed was branded as "The North" (not "The North Face"). Ben Thanh is one of a number of markets in HCMC which is well worth a visit.

(Source: www.vietnam-travel-guide.net)

Halong Bay Vietnam

2010-08-10T00:57:00.000-07:00

A pleasant city in Northeastern Vietnam, Halong City is perhaps best known for the UNESCO World Heritage listed Halong Bay on it's doorstep. The bay is truly a natural wonder. Thousands of limestone islands tipped with thick jungle rise dramatically from the ocean, like the dragons fabled to have made their homes here thousands of years ago.

As the number one tourist attraction for the Northeast, Halong Bay attracts thousands of foreign tourists every year. Halong Bay is at it's best in the warm months, when a cruise will give you that perfect holiday feeling. The food on the boat is delicious, the cabins large and comfortable, and lounging on the top deck with a cold drink with the magnificent backdrop of the bay is an unforgettable experience, especially at sunset .

One of the great natural wonders of Asia, Halong Bay is the single most popular side trip from Hanoi. The beauty of the bay and its 3000 islands is so awesome that an excursion there should be considered an essential part of any visit to Northern Vietnam. A one or two day trip also makes a delightful and inexpensive romantic getaway if you meet someone special.

After five hours on a hellish road (which is slowly being repaved), you will be rewarded with some of the most spectacular and memorable sightseeing of your trip. Hire a boat in Halong City or Hong Gai to take you as far from shore as possible, and simply meander among the islands, fjords and inlets. There is plenty to explore in the 4000 square kilometer body of water, and it is easy to find peaceful places to swim, fish, or just relax without seeing another soul, yet surrounded by majestic scenery.

Despite what geologists may claim, the bay was actually created when an immense dragon plunged to Earth here before recorded history. Its mighty tail carved the great stone seabed violently before the creature flew away to the place where legends are born. This fable does not seem so far fetched as you sail among thousands of limestone outcroppings, which look like so many blades thrust deep into the mist from below the sea. Many are barren, weathered and rocky. Others are cloaked in vegetation so dense that it is impossible to see the stone beneath. At dusk, they all take on mysterious shades of gray, mauve and olive.
Several of the larger islands have extensive caves, which are open to visitors for about a dollar. Although they are poorly lit and have slippery pathways, they offer a little adventure to liven up a long, lazy day of boating.

The water is warm, clean and clear, so swimming is always a pleasure here. Be prepared with swimwear and a towel. (Going au naturalle will be horrifying to your boat crew and should not be considered an option.) On most boats it is necessary for you to bring your own beverages, even though the crew may cook your lunch aboard.

Travel agencies in Hanoi offer an overnight trip, including all transportation, two days of sailing on the bay, accommodations in a modest hotel and four good meals, all for under $25. If you have an extra day, you can add a night the wildlife sanctuary on nearby Cat Ba Island.
Abbreviated excerpt from The Men of Vietnam.

Vietnam targets 1 million Chinese visitors

2010-08-09T22:25:00.000-07:00

The Vietnamese tourism authority said it expected about 1 million Chinese holidaymakers to visit the country this year, double last year's number.

Nguyen Van Tuan, general director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) attributed the rise to a series of promotional campaigns run in major Chinese cities over the last two years. He said China was a key market for the country's tourism industry.

According to VNAT, in the first six months of this year, 437,000 tourists from China visited Vietnam, 92.5% more than the same period last year.

La Quoc Khanh, deputy director of the HCM City Department for Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the number of Chinese holidaymakers visiting the south of the country was rising by 25% annually.

Travel firms have also reported significant growth in visitor numbers from China. Lien Bang Travelink said the number of tourists using the company's services had increased by 30% since the beginning of the year compared to the same period in 2009.

Tu Quy Thanh, the company's director, said Chinese tourists previously used to spend three to four days primarily in the north of the country but that now they were fanning out and travelling to the central and southern regions.

Thanh added that high-end travellers from China were now spending more money than their counterparts from the West.

However, Thanh said that communication problems were a source of concern and that Vietnamese travel firms were finding it difficult to find Chinese partners.

He also said that Vietnam could not compete with regional countries such as Bangkok or Singapore in terms of shopping malls or medical facilities. He also said that other countries such as Indonesia , offered a greater array of cultural attractions, and that Japan was a better destination for luxury products.

However, he said that Hanoi, Ha Long Bay and HCM City were holding their own in terms of cultural appeal and proving increasingly attractive to Chinese holidaymakers.

(Source: VNA)

Hoi An ancient town

2010-08-08T08:13:00.000-07:00

The ancient town of Hoi An, 30 km south of Danang, lies on the banks of the Thu Bon River. Occupied by early western traders, Hoi An was one of the major trading centers of Southeast Asia in the 16th century.

Hoi An has a distinct Chinese atmosphere with low, tile-roofed houses and narrow streets; the original structure of some of these streets still remains almost intact. All the houses were made of rare wood, decorated with lacquered boards and panels engraved with Chinese characters. Pillars were also carved with ornamental designs.

Tourists can visit the relics of the Sa Huynh and Cham cultures. They can also enjoy the beautiful scenery of the romantic Hoi An River, Cua Dai Beach, and Cham Island.

Over the last few years, Hoi An has become a very popular tourist destination in Vietnam.

Light Bright

NO FLUORESCENT LIGHTS. NO MOTORCYCLES. NO TELEVISION. ON THE 14TH DAY OF EACH LUNAR MONTH, THE RIVERSIDE TOWN OF HOI AN GIVES MODERN LIFE THE NIGHT OFF.

In a wood-fronted shops a woman in traditional dress sits at a desk, bathed in the light of a lantern made from a simple bamboo fish-trap. Outside, two old men are absorbed in a candlelit game of Chinese checkers. These scenes, straight out of the 19th century, still take place in Hoi An, a sleepy riverside town in the central province of Quang Nam.

Hoi An has long been a cultural crossroad. More than five centuries ago the Vietnamese nation of Dai Viet expanded its territory southwards, encroaching on the Indianized Kingdom of Champa, which covered much of what is now central Vietnam. Hoi An, located on the Hoai River, emerged when Japanese and Chinese traders built a commercial district there in the 16th century.

These diverse cultural influences remain visible today. Visitors will find Hoi An's Old Quarter lined with two-storey Chinese shops, their elaborately carved wooden facades and moss-covered tile roofs having withstood the ravages of more than 300 years of weather and warfare. These proud old buildings, which back onto the river, remind visitors of another era, when Hoi An's market was filled with wares from as far afield as India and Europe. Colourful guildhalls, founded by ethnic Chinese from Guangdong and Fujian provinces, stand quietly, a testament to the town's trading roots.

While Hoi An's old-fashioned charm is always visible, on the 14th of every lunar month modernity takes another step back. On these evenings the town turns off its street lamps and fluorescent lights, leaving the Old Quarter bathed in the warm glow of coloured silk, glass and paper lanterns. In ancient times, Vietnamese people made lamps out of shallow bowls filled with oil. Later, foreign traders introduced lanterns, ranging from round and hexagonal designs from China to diamond and star shaped ones from Japan.

Let there be light

When developing plans to preserve their town's ancient character, Hoi An residents decided to revive the practice of using coloured lanterns. Starting in the fall of 1998, one night each month is declared a "lantern festival". On the 14th day of each lunar month, residents on Tran Phu, Nguyen Thai Hoc, Le Loi and Bach Dang streets switch off their lights and hang cloth and paper lanterns on their porches and windows. Television sets, radios, street lights and neon lights are turned off.

In the ensuing quiet the streets of Hoi An are at their most romantic, the darkness broken only by jeweltoned lanterns in all manner of shapes and sizes.

Strolling through the lantern-lit streets is like walking into a fairytale. It is all the more picturesque since motor vehicles are banned from Hoi An's Old Quarter. On Trai Phu Street, stop at the beautifully preserved Faifo Restaurant to sample some traditional Chinese-style pastries. Or walk on to the Treated Café, where bamboo baskets, commonly used to wash rice, have been transformed into unique lanterns. These basket lamps are but one example of people's creativity as they experiment with new shapes and materials, including lights made from hollow bamboo tubes.

A Warm Glow

The 14th day of the lunar month is a Buddhist day of worship. Residents place offerings of food and incense on their ancestral altars and visit one of Hoi An's many pagodas. The scent of incense and the sounds of people singing add to the town's enchanted atmosphere. On these evenings, visitors will get a rare glimpse into another era. These nights are a welcome reminder of life's unexpected beauty.
(Source: www.vietnamtourism.com)

Vietnamese Tet (Tet Nguyen Dan)

2010-08-08T07:53:00.000-07:00

Vietnamese Tet (Tet Nguyen Dan)

Time: The 30th day of the twelfth lunar month of the previous year to the 3rd day of the first lunar month of the new year.
Place: Nation-wide.
Objects of worship: grandparents and ancestors.
Participator: The biggest national festival that attracts to people through the country.
Characteristics:
- Nice clothes, or traditional costumes.
- Ritual of ancestral worshipping and a rite to see Tao Quan (Kitchen God) off.
- Best wishes for a prosperous New Year and family gathering.

Tet is the biggest and the most sacred festival. It is the most attractive to a majority of the Vietnamese.

Tet falls on a time when the old year is over and the New Year comes by lunar calendar. This is also the time when the cycle of the universe finishes: winter ends and spring, the season of birth of all living things, comes.

Tet is an occasion for pilgrims and family reunions. It is a time when one pays respect to his/her ancestors and grandparents who have brought up him/her. It is an occasion when everyone sends each other best wishes for a new year, stops thinking about unhappy things and says good things about each other.

On the 23^rd day of the twelfth month by lunar calendar, there is a rite to see Tao Quan (Kitchen God) off. The rite to say goodbye to the old year is held on the 30^th or 29^thday (if that month has only 29 days) of the twelfth month by lunar calendar. The rite to welcome the New Year is held at midnight that day. The rite to see off ancestral souls to return to the other world is often held on the 3^rd day of the first month by lunar calendar when the Tet holidays finish and everybody goes back to work.

There are various customs practiced during Tet such as ancestral worshipping, visiting a person’s house on the first day of the new year, wishing Tet wishes, giving lucky money to young children and old people, wishing longevity to the oldest people, opening rice paddies or opening a shop.

(Source: www.vietnamtourism.com)

Vietnamese Religions

2010-08-08T07:51:00.000-07:00

The major religious traditions in Vietnam are Buddhism (which fuses forms of Taoism and Confusianism), Christianity (Catholicism and Protestantism), Islam, Caodaism and the Hoa Hao sect.

Buddhism

Buddhism was first introduced to Vietnam in the 2nd century, and reached its peak in the Ly dynasty (11th century). It was then regarded as the official religion dominating court affairs. Buddhism was preached broadly among the population and it enjoyed a profound influence on people's daily life. Its influence also left marks in various areas of traditional literature and architecture. As such, many pagodas and temples were built during this time.

At the end of the 14th century, Buddhism began to show signs of decline. The ideological influence of Buddhism, however, remained very strong in social and cultural life. Presenty, over 70 percent of the population of Vietnam are either Buddhist or strongly influenced by Buddhist practices.

Catholicism

Catholicism was introduced to Vietnam in the 17th century. At present the most densely-populated Catholic areas are Bui Chu-Phat Diem in the northern province of Ninh Binh and Ho Nai-Bien Hoa in Dong Nai Province to the South. About 10 percent of the population are considered Catholic.

Protestantism

Protestantism was introduced to Vietnam at about the same time as Catholicism. Protestantism, however, remains an obscure religion. At present most Protestants live in the Central Highlands. There still remains a Protestant church on Hang Da Street in Hanoi. The number of Protestants living in Vietnam is estimated at 400,000.

Islam

Islamic followers in Vietnam are primarily from the Cham ethnic minority group living in the central part of the central coast. The number of Islamic followers in Vietnam totals about 50,000.

Caodaism

Caodaism was first introduced to the country in 1926. Settlements of the Cao Dai followers in South Vietnam are located near the Church in Tay Ninh. The number of followers of this sect is estimated at 2 million.

Hoa Hao Sect

The Hoa Hao Sect was first introduced to Vietnam in 1939. More than 1 million Vietnamese are followers of this sect. Most of them live in the south-west of Vietnam.

Mother Worship (Tho Mau)

Researchers describe the Vietnamese mother-worship cult as a primitive religion. Mother, Me in the Vietnamese language, is pronounced Mau in Sino-script. The mother worship cult might be originated from the cult of the Goddess in ancient ages. In the Middle Ages, the Mother was worshipped in temples and palaces. Due to the fact that it is a worshipping custom and not a religion, the Mother worshipping cult has not been organised as Buddhism and Catholicism have. As a result, the different affiliations of the cult have yet to be consistent and different places still have different customs.

The custom of Mother worship originated from the north. In the south, the religion has integrated the local goddesses such as Thien Y A Na (Hue) and Linh Son (Tay Ninh).

In fact, the Mother worship cult was influenced by other religions, mainly Taoism.

(Source: www.vietnamtourism.com)

Vietnamese traditional costumes

2010-08-08T07:29:00.000-07:00

Traditional costumes of the Vietnamese people tend to be very simple and modest. Men wear brown shirts and white trousers. Their headgear is simply a piece of cloth wrapped around the head and their footwear consists of a pair of plain sandals.
For formal ceremonies men would have two additional items, a long gown with slits on either side, and a turban, usually in black or brown made of cotton or silk. In feudal times, there were strict dress codes. Ordinary people were not allowed to wear clothes with dyes other than black, brown or white. Costumes in yellow were reserved for the King. Those in purple and red were reserved for high ranking court officials, while dresses in blue were exclusively worn by petty court officials. Men's dress has gradually changed along with social development.

The traditional set of a long gown and turban gave way to more modern looking suits, while business shirts and trousers have replaced traditional long sleeved shirts and wide trousers. Traditional costumes still exist and efforts are increasingly being made to restore traditional festivals and entertainment which incorporate traditional costumes.

Young women wear light brown-colored short shirts with long black skirts. Their headgear consists of a black turban with a peak at the front. To make their waist look smaller, they tightly fasten a long piece of pink or violet cloth.On formal occasions, they wear a special three layered dress called an "ao dai", a long gown with slits on either side.

The outer garment is a special silk gown called an "ao tu than" which is brown or light brown in colour with four slits divided equally on its lower section. The second layer is a gown in a light yellow colour and the third layer is a pink gown. When a woman wears her three gowns, she fastens the buttons on the side, and leave those on the chest unfastened so that it forms a shaped collar. This allows her to show the different colors on the upper part of the three gowns. Beneath the three gowns is a bright red brassiere which is left exposed to cover the woman's neck.

Over time, the traditional "ao dai" has gone through certain changes. Long gowns are now carefully tailored to fit the body of a Vietnamese woman. The two long slits along the side allow the gown to have two free floating panels in the front and at the back of the dress. The floating panels expose a long pair of white silk trousers.

An elegant looking conical palm hat, which is traditionally known as a "non bai tho" (a hat with poetry written on it), is worn as part of a woman's formal dress. This traditional conical hat is particularly suitable for a tropical country such as Vietnam, where fierce sunshine and hard rain are commonplace.

To make a conical hat, a hat maker chooses young palm leaves that have been been dried under continued sunshine. Attached beneath the almost transparent layers of dried palm leaves is a drawing of a small river wharf. Below the drawing, there is a piece of poetry to be recited by the hat wearer.

In recent years some foreign fashions have been introduced to Vietnam; however, the traditional "ao dai" remains preferable to women in both urban and rural settings.

In general, Vietnamese clothing is very diverse. Every ethnic group in Vietnam has its own style of clothing. Festivals are the occasion for all to wear their favorite clothes. Over thousands of years, the traditional clothing of all ethnic groups in Vietnam has changed, but each ethnic group has separately maintained their own characteristics.

In the mountain areas, people live in houses built on stilts, wear trousers or skirts and indigo vests with design motifs imitating wild flowers and beasts. In the northern uplands and the Central Highlands, the young women have made skirts and vests with beautiful and coulourful decoration in a style convenient for farm work in terraced fields and to travel on hilly slopes and mountain gorges.
(Source: www.vietnamtourism.com)

Vietnam Climate

2010-08-08T07:14:00.000-07:00

Vietnam is located in both a tropical and a temperate zone. It is characterized by strong monsoon influences, but has a considerable amount of sun, a high rate of rainfall, and high humidity. Regions located near the tropics and in the mountainous regions are endowed with a temperate climate.

The monsoon climate also influences to the changes of the tropical humidity. In general, in Vietnam there are two seasons, the cold season occurs from November to April and the hot season from May to October. The difference in temperature between the two seasons in southern is almost unnoticeable, averaging 3ºC. The most noticeable variations are found in the northern where differences of 12ºC have been observed. There are essentially four distinct seasons, which are most evident in the northern provinces(from Hai Van Pass toward to the north): Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.

Every year there are 100 rainy days and the average rainfall is 1,500 to 2,000mm. The humidity ranges around 80%. The sunny hours are 1,500 to 2,000 and the average solar radiation of 100kcal/cm² in a year.

Because Vietnam is affected by the monsoon, that why the average temperature is lower than the other countries which are located in the same longitude in Asia. The annual average temperatures range from 22^oC to 27^oC. In comparing with these countries, the temperature in winter is colder and in summer is less hotter in Vietnam.

Under influence of monsoon, and further because of the complicated topography, the climate in Vietnam always changes in one year, between the years, or between the areas (from North to South and from low to high). The climate in Vietnam is also under disadvantage of weather, such as typhoons (advantage there are 6-10 storms and tropical low atmosphere in year, floods and droughts are threaten the life and the agriculture of Vietnam).

Hanoi
In Hanoi there are four distinct seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. But it is able to be divided into two main seasons: the rainy season from May to September (it’s hot, heavy rain), and the dry season from October to April (it’s cold, little rainfall). The annual average temperature is 23.2^oC, but in winter the average temperature is 17.2^oC. The lowest temperature ever recorded was 2.7^oC in 1955. The average summer temperature is 29.2^oC, with the highest ever recorded being 42.8^oC in 1926. On average, there are 114 rainy days a year with around 1,800mm of rainfall.

Haiphong

It's one province in the North then Haiphong is influenced by a tropical monsoon climate too. There are 4 seasons and the annual average temperature is between 23^oC and 24^oC. Rainfall total is between 1,600 and 1,800mm. The weather is warm throughout the year.

Quang Ninh

The climate is symbolic of the climate of North Vietnam; featuring all four seasons. In summer (from May to September), it's hot, humid and rainy, while monsoons flourish. In winter (from October to April), it's cold, dry, and sees little rainfall.The average temperature is over 25^oC. Annual rainfall totals between 1,700 and 2,400mm.

Thua Thien Hue

It features a tropical monsoon climate, featuring all four distinct seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. The spring is cool and warm, the summer is hot, the autumn is cool and the winter is cold. Average temperature is 25^oC. The best time for tourists is from November to April next year.

Danang

Its climate is tropical, with two distinct rainy and dry seasons. The average annual temperature is between 28^oC and 29^oC, and storms hit the area every year in September and October.

Khanh Hoa

The climate here is oceanic tropical monsoon, but is quite mild. The average annual temperature is 26.5^oC. Annual rainfall totals over 1,200mm.

Lam Dong

The climate here is cold, with an average annual temperature of 18^oC. Dalat is a city town, the climate is temperature and there are the beautiful natural landscapes with the waterfalls, lakes and pine groves, and is well known as Vietnam’s flower city.

Ho Chi Minh City

The climate is divided into two seasons, with the rainy season lasting from May to November. The average annual temperature is 27.5^oC without winter, and yearly rainfall totals 1,979mm. Tourism is convenient for all 12 months of the year.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau

The climate here is tropical monsoon. The average annual temperature is 27^oC, rarely stormy, rich in sunshine. Vung Tau is without winter so resorts can active throughout the year.

(Source: www.vietnamtourism.com)