Thứ Năm, 28 tháng 2, 2013

Wonderful Halong bay

 Ha Long Bay, in the Gulf of Tonkin, includes some 1,600 islands and islets, forming a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars. Because of their precipitous nature, most of the islands are uninhabited and unaffected by a human presence. The site's outstanding scenic beauty is complemented by its great biological interest. Explore more Halong tour through the lens of a foreign tourist.


By: Peter Veng-Pedersen

Thứ Tư, 20 tháng 2, 2013

Top 7 places for Vietnam trekking tour

Trekking and Hiking in Vietnam is one of the prime attractions for those looking for active adventure holidays in Vietnam. Apart from the sheer thrill factor of exploring the many untouched territories and marveling at the wonderful beauty herein, these Vietnam treks will also familiarize you with the indigenous flora and fauna of the country. Here is our guide to the top 10 destinations for trekking and hiking in Vietnam:

Sapa: Sapa is one of the most enchanting of the Vietnam popular destinations. It is situated among the greenery of the high Tonkinese Alps. The mountain terrain with magnificent scenery and rich nature, cool climate and colorful cultures of the ethnic minority peoples make Sapa and surrounding area a superb place for trekking.

Pu Luong Nature Reserve: Pu Luong in Thai language is the word for mountain and Pù Luông is not only the highest mountain of this Nature Reserve, but of the entire province Thanh Hoa. A place of outstanding beauty, blessed with rich forest, limestone panoramas, magnificent rice terraces and romantic villages nestled in the landscape.

Mai Chau valley: Located just about 130 km far from Ha Noi, Mai Chau tour is one of good choice for many tourists.

Ha Giang: Ha Giang has many of village where is quite wild and keeping almost intact cultures has not been through away by trade storm such as Tay people Tha, Tien Thang mountain village about 5 km far from Ha Giang city, LoLo people Sang Pang A mountain village in Meo Vac town…Foreign tourists especially like nature beautiful sceneries in Xin Man district and interesting natural forests which has many kinds of valuable woods.



Cat Ba National Park: is converged by forest and sea. Forest and sea are combined together to make the unique beauty.

>>> This is why North of Vietnam attracts visitors all year round

Cuc Phuong National Park: Typically tropical with an area of 7 hectare. This is a forest of limestone mountainous region with a lot of caves. There are also relics of approving that people had used from 12.500 years ago.

Nam Cat Tien: is a national forest which located in three provinces Dong Nai, Lam Dong and Binh Thuan, has many rich and attractive botanic and animals, is protected by the most strict methods.NCT has many kinds of millions years trees with more than 30m diameter. Stream, waterfall and mountain system is very gigantic and attracting…


Thứ Năm, 7 tháng 2, 2013

5 most common family activities during Vietnamese Tet

In Vietnam, there could be no other occasions more special than Tet for all members in a family to unite and enjoy a wide range of hilarious activities during the holiday. Below are the top five most preferable Tet’s activities Vietnamese people often do with family.

1. Watching firework on the New Year’s Eve moment

Firework shooting to announce the arriving of a New Year is a yearly event expected by any Vietnamese on the night. The show of light is organized in big cities of Vietnam like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue or Hoian, on the sky of the the best tourist attractions of the cities in order to provide best view and serve the largest number of viewers.

Fairework on the New Year's
The sparkling art show on the sky in combination with the booming echoes of every shots seem to make people’s hearts pumping faster and becoming more exciting to welcome the New Year. What would be cozier than members in a family hand in hand enjoying the night under the hilarious atmosphere?

 2. Family parties

Parties with full of delicious traditional dishes is the main theme for the whole holiday of  Tet. From the last day of the year, family’s members all unite to enjoy “Tất Niên” Meal (the last meal of a Lunar New Year) to share all the sadness and happiness and experiences gained through the year. Not only that, the parties are also time to review family’s tradition, show respect to elders and strengthen relationships between members.

Family parties
During Tet, family parties can start from nowhere and there is not any exact time table for them besides the three main meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner. A party may begin when some relatives or friends come to visit the host’s home at any time since foods and drink are stored at their fullest level during Tet.

3. New Year’s greetings

From the first day of the year, people start going around and greet their relatives and friends with the best wishes. This custom seems to be more common in villages than in big city because villagers live much more close than people in cities; also, they are often relatives of each other living in the same village. The order of people to be greeted is usually relatives first and then friends and colleague.

 Elders’ house would be the first destinations in which parents’ house is the very first one. This custom is not simple exchanging wishes between guests and hosts, it is the chance for brothers and sisters and friends to meet each other after a long separated year.

4. Lucky money for children and elders

This tradition is undoubtedly the most awaited Tet’s activity of all Vietnamese children. The custom is not a meaningless one since it does not only make children feel happier on Tet, it also educates them the value of money and how to save money for good purpose. Like its very definition, lucky money bring luck to children such as healthiness, intelligence and obedient and luck to the givers as well.
Lucky money for children

 5. Visiting pagoda

The lofty tradition reflexes religious belief of Vietnamese people has been preserved and developed for thousands years. People coming to pagodas and temple to pray for a happy new year with full of wishes may come true and showing respect and appreciation to Buddha and Gods who have been protecting and granting their wishes. Visiting pagodas could also a good way to enjoy Tet’s atmosphere and forget about all the stress and worry of the previous year in the sacred space there. Vietnamese families usually visit pagodas and temples with all of their members as well as going in grand family as a way to show sincerity.

Tran Quoc Pagoda


Source: VNO

5 things you should know to travel Vietnam on tet


1. Transportation:

This is one big concern that seems to occur to most holiday travellers. Without doubt, it is quite difficult to plan your trip when air, trains and coach are mostly fully booked. Tet holiday is when domestic travel volume rockets, especially South-North route before Tet and North-South after Tet.

  2. Accommodation:

Vietnamese people have recently trended to travel during Tet because they have a long holiday. Some destinations they usually choose such as: Dalat, Vung Tau, Nha Trang, Danang...So it should be better to book hotel in advance in case your rooms will be fulled.

 3. Sightseeing:



The bad news: many museums, mausoleums, indoors exhibition place and art houses will be closed for at least 4 days, from January 22nd to January 26th.

The good news: beach will be empty, cities will be vacant (on the actual date of Tet) - overall a great time for those who enjoy the tranquility.

 4. Food:

 To many's dismay, most restaurants will be closed during Tet, be it local or foreign-owned. Most will be open until late January 22nd (the last day of old Lunar year) and reopened in the 4th or 5th date of lunar January (or January 26th, 27th of solar calendar). Wet markets will still run though vendors are scanty. Thus Tet may not be the best time for culinary tour fans. But Tet is like no other events in the year - there is a great variety of Vietnamese food that is not available elsewhere or else-when such as Banh Chung, Boiled Chicken, Pickled Onions. If you are invited to a Vietnamese family, that would be the ideal case. Otherwise, a visit to Cho Tet - special wet markets selling New Year stuffs, will surely be an amazing experience, whether you are in a big city or rural mountain province. Get your camera ready!

 5. Shopping:

Like restaurants, many shops will be closed for the first few days of the lunar new year. Some market will still be open, with much fewer vendors than you normally see, even in major trading points like Dong Xuan market or Ben Thanh. To your surprise, many products will be sold at a very reasonable price because most sellers want to start a smooth sales year. Try not to haggle or if you do, do so politely or else it will be considered to bring about bad luck for the whole new year.

Source: VNO

Thứ Hai, 4 tháng 2, 2013

Top 7 destinations in Tet holiday 2013

Hanoi

Hanoi, one of the most beautiful of the colonial Indochinese cities, is often the start or end point of a trip to Vietnam, and what a great welcome or farewell it is. Oozing with charm, Hanoi has gone through wholesale changes since Vietnam swung open its doors to tourism, but it remains true to its essential personality and is an amazing city to experience.



Though considerably quieter than big sister Saigon, Hanoi still retains a vibrant atmosphere. From the early hours until late at night, the fig-tree shaded streets swarm with careening motorbikes, often with four, five or even six people aboard. A cyclo is available on most street corners, but unless you are making a particularly long trip, the best way to explore Hanoi is by foot.

Hanoi has a number of lovely parks and museums where you can while away the hours of a warm summer's afternoon - Lenin Park, south of Hoan Kiem district and just north of Bay Mau Lake are among the most popular, especially on holidays, when it's packed with picnickers.

Halong Bay

A cruise on Ha Long Bay - or the Bay of the Descending Dragon - for many represents the pinnacle of their experience in Vietnam. Easily one of the most popular destinations in the country, UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ha Long Bay is both mystical and magnificent, an incredible feat of nature that almost never fails to impress.



Last time we counted, UNESCO had picked out 830 World Heritage sites around the world, chosen for their cultural and historical importance, and also for their geological uniqueness. Ha Long Bay offers a little of all three.
Over the ages, Vietnamese fishermen with too much time on their hands began to see shapes in the stone massifs atop many of the islands, and named the islands accordingly - Turtle Island, Human Head Island, Chicken Island and so on.
In what constitutes one of the most fascinating cultural features of the area, some of these fisherman still live on the bay today - on floating fishing villages, where houses are set atop barges year round, the inhabitants catching and cultivating fish throughout.

Hue


The historic capital of Vietnam, Hue, sits astride a truly majestic and beautiful river, the Song Huong (Perfume River). The north-bank is host to its share of hotels and restaurants, but the area is dominated by the old fortified city known as the Citadel, spread across more than 5 square kilometers of ground, crowding out development on that side of the river. As a result, guesthouses, hotels and restaurants have sprung up on the south bank, starting with the river road, Le Loi Street, and stretching further south. The south bank of the river has been developed as park cum promenade, with an eclectic variety of public sculptures on display.



Hoian
 Pale yellow houses draped in bougainvillea, shop fronts lit with the glow of silk lanterns, women in conical hats lifting baskets of slippery fish from their boats -- life in old town Hoi An looks like a picture postcard of a Vietnamese country town. Of course, that didn't happen by accident. In 1999, the riverside town was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in an effort to preserve its core of historic architecture, a unique mix of Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, and European styles. The listing gave Hoi An resources and impetus to better protect and maintain its wonderful architecture, and to market itself as a tourist destination. It worked, and the town now attracts visitors by the droves.




Nhatrang

The city is indisputably beautiful, bordered by mountains, with the beach tracing an impressive long swoop along a bay dotted with islands. Topiary and modern sculpture dot the immaculately manicured foreshore.
Nha Trang offers plenty to keep tourists occupied from island-hopping boat trips and scuba diving, to mudbaths and historic sites. But the main attraction for most visitors is lounging around on deckchairs at a beachfront bar and drinking cocktails in comfort.


Dalat

Dalat is quite different from anywhere else you’ll visit in Vietnam. You would almost be forgiven for thinking you’d stumbled into the French Alps in springtime. This was certainly how the former colonists treated it – escaping to their chalets to enjoy the cooler climate.
The French feel is compounded by a radio mast shaped like the Eiffel Tower and the local bohemian artists’ predilection for swanning around in berets. Dalat is small enough to remain charming, and the surrounding countryside is blessed with lakes, waterfalls, evergreen forests and gardens.



Hochiminh City
As Ho Chi Minh City's cyclo drivers rest easy below vast neon billboards, the emerging Vietnamese middle class - mobile phones in hand - cruise past draped in haute couture on their imported motorcycles. Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City - Vietnam's largest and most exciting city.
Towering developments now pierce what was once a very low-key skyline. Five-star hotels and international shopping chains have replaced dowdy government guesthouses and empty shelves. Saigon has some of the best cuisine in the country, from cheap street eating to salubrious haute cuisine. A renewed interest in the arts has stimulated the art scene and many galleries and museums are slowly being spruced up. For a tourist there is a lot to do in Saigon.
And once you're done with the city, use it as a base to explore the surrounds - head out to the tunnels at Chu Chi, the Cao Dai temple at Tay Ninh or jet off to the sublime Con Dao. Then there's the entire Mekong Delta to explore. How much time have you got?