Monday, December 17, 2012

Phan Rang Heaven for tourists

I have visited Phan Rang several times but each trip gave me a new experience and brought me to new cool places of this coastal central city of Ninh Thuan Province.
People who love to swim in the sea, to bathe in a stream, to trek to a mountain, to explore a forest can find all these things in this ideal destination from Vietnam travel news.
Apart from popular destinations in Ninh Thuan such as Vinh Hy Bay, Ca Na and Binh Tien beaches, Poklong Garai Tower, Bau Truc Pottery Village and My Nghiep Brocade Village, tourists are advised to visit Nam Cuong sand dunes, Hanging Lake on Nui Chua National Park, Mui Dinh Lighthouse, Chapor Waterfall, fossilized coral reef and Rai Cave.

The memory of passing through a sand dune on the way
to Dinh Cape in Ninh Thuan will be unforgettable.
To get to Phan Rang, which is about 330km away from HCMC, tourists can either take a train or bus/car. The best option is a two-way journey in an air-conditioned train to Thap Cham Railway Station in Phan Rang which costs VND900,000.

A tourist poses in front of a pre-historic fossil reef.

The first destination should be the red Nam Cuong sand dunes in Tuan Tu Culture Village in Ninh Phuoc District’s An Hai Commune. The 700 hectare Nam Cuong sand dunes amazingly shine in different color tones depending on the sunlight. The perfect time to admire the sand dunes is at sunrise when the first rays of the sun from the horizon reflect its light onto the place and gradually spread its light.

Tourists can then visit Nui Chua National Park in Ninh Hai District which is 7km from Phan Rang-Thap Cham City at around 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. to avoid the heat and humidity. The park has a unique semi-arid flora and fauna, sea turtle nesting beaches, protected prehistoric coral reef which faces the sea. Some might think that its surface looks like Mars as there are a lot of holes in different shapes and depth.

Especially, tourists cannot imagine that there’s a Hanging Lake on the peak of the park which is full of water from streams and underground springs in the area all-year round. The diameter of the lake is 80 meters. Its water is blue, and, especially in rainy months, the lake amidst the immense forest creates a beautifully proportioned picture.

Hanging Lake on the peak of Chua Mountain is a beautiful destination.
The next day you can discover Chapor waterfall which is located in Ma Lam Hamlet in Phuoc Tan Commune of Bac Ai District and is 60km from Phan Rang City. This is a natural waterfall and stream and falls down from a height of 50m to the ponds below. Tourists can freely relax on the pure and cool water of the stream below the waterfall or find a flat rock under a shade to enjoy a meal or take a snap in a very quite and peaceful space.

Mui Dinh (Dinh Cape) in Son Hai Village in Phuoc Dinh Commune which is 40km south of Phan Rang City and 10 km from the popular Ca Na beach is the perfect ending to your trip. However, this is not an ideal place for those who are not physically strong as you have to pass a sand dune in strong winds. The wind power can extinguish even a brave tourist’s will. If you can pass it, you are treated to a fantastic landscape of primitive, beautiful, white sand beach with rock cliffs at the foot of Dinh Mountain and a romantic lighthouse on the peak.

Tourists can buy friends and relatives some Ninh Thuan souvenirs like fish sauce, garlic and products made from grape. As for local specialties, banh can (a cake made from rice flour served with seafood) and banh canh (rice noodles with fish paste) are a must.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Ba Chua Xu Festival - An Giang


As usual in April of the lunar calendar, locals in Chau Doc District, An Giang Province in southern Vietnam and others in provinces nationwide go on a pilgrimage to Sam Mountain to worship Ba Chua Xu (Lady of the Region).
According to legend, nearly 200 years ago Sam Mountain was desolate, bushy and thinly populated. It was the home of many wild beasts. At that time, the invaders often pestered the life of locals here. One day, a squad of invaders climbed up Sam Mountain and found a beautiful stone lady statue. They wanted to take the statue but could not move it. In anger, they disfigured the statue, breaking off the left hand.

Shortly after, a little girl who had been playing joyfully in the village started shaking uncontrollably and began very flush. She called herself as Chua Xu Thanh Mau (Lady of the Region) and said that the statue of the Lady on Sam Mountain was destroyed by the invaders so the villagers should take the sculpture down from the mountain. When the villagers climbed up the mountain they were very surprised when seeing the statue.
They selected nine girls to carry the statue. When arriving at the foot of Sam Mountain, the statue became so heavy that the girls were forced to place it on the ground. The village elders understood this as a signal from the statue that this was the place that it wanted to remain so a ceremony was held and a shrine was built on the spot to dedicate to her. That day was the 25th day of lunar April. Since then, the locals usually hold the Lady worshipping ceremony. At present, on Sam Mountain still remains a vestige of a stone platform where the statue was located.

The Lady Shrine was initially built from bamboo and it was rebuilt in 1870. In 1972, the Shrine was again rebuilt but much larger than before. The architecture of the Shrine has the shape of Chinese script “nation” with a lotus-shaped tower and three-layer roof that is curved like the bow of the boat. The Shrine is roofed with blue tiles. The patterns and designs on the sanctum feature Indian art. Above are strong and beautiful genie statues using their hands to prop up the beams that were carved and engraved finely and sophisticatedly. The Shrine also boasts many red-lacquered panels and couplets. Particularly, the wall behind the statue and four ancient columns have been kept intact.

The statue bears the Oc Eo Culture with the fine arts motifs of the Ba La Mon (Brhmanes) religion originating from India, similar to the four-hand statue in Linh Son Pagoda in Oc Eo Township , Thoai Son District, An Giang Province.

At present, all rites of the festival are held solemnly. At midnight on the 23rd day and in the early morning of the 24th day of lunar April, the statue-bathing rite is carried out for nearly one hour by four or five prestigious middle-aged women in the village. They bathe the statue in water fragranced with jasmine, spray it with perfume and then adorn the statue with a new bonnet and gown. Although the ceremony is held behind a silk curtain, it attracts the participation of thousands people who stand outside the sanctum.

On the night of the 25th day of lunar April and in the early morning of the 26th day, Tuc Yet and Xay Chau, the major rites of the festival, are carried out.  At midnight, the Tuc Yet rite is performed by the main priest and four nobles. The offerings include a white pig, a plate of pig’s blood, a tray of steamed sticky rice, a tray of five-fruits, etc. To the ceremonial music and drum and gong beats, the main priest and four nobles offer the Lady incense, wine and tea and read sermons.
After the Tuc Yen rite is the Xay Chau rite. The main priest drips a branch of poplar in a water bowl and splashes the water while reading “first, praying to heaven for good things; second, praying to the land for a bumper crop; third, praying for mankind's longevity; fourth, praying for annihilating demons”. When he finishes the rite, he beats three salvos of drumbeats to begin the Hat boi (classical opera) performance on the stage before the central sanctum. At 4am on the 27th day of lunar April, the Chanh Te rite is held, but is less spectacular.

Ba Chua Xu Worshipping Festival has become a great cultural event in Southern Vietnam that annually attracts about 2 million tourists nationwide who hope to ask for blessings and witness a typical cultural feature in An Giang Province.

Cuc Phuong national park - Ninh Binh


Cuc Phuong National Park was first established in Vietnam. Based on the unique value of geological history, landscape and scientific significance of the flora and fauna in Cuc Phuong, the Prime Minister has signed the Decision No 72/TTg on 07/07/1962 on building protection and Cuc Phuong forest management became the basis of scientific research on plants and tropical silviculture.
Cuc Phuong top Vietnam tourism destination - is 100 km southwest of Hanoi. It lies at the border of 3 provinces of Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa, and is 60 km from the sea. The forest is 25000 ha in area, of which one-third is limestone mountains from 300 to 600 metres high against the sea level.
The virgin forest was discovered in 1960 and has been recognised as a national park. It has Dan Dan grotto, Ancient Men cave, hot springs with a temperature of 38 Celsius degrees, barashrea -htellata, dracontomelum... of nearly 1000 years old and from 50 to 70 metres high.

Cuc Phuong has up to 2000 species of plants. Orchid alone has 50 species, some giving flowers and sweet smell all year round. Cuc Phuong has 262 species of vertebrates and many precious birds and animals such as: bear, horse, wild pig, tiger, panther, weasel, squirrel, monkey, ect. There are semi nature reserves with deer, samba deer, yellow monkey, underpants parrot, flying squirrel, flying lizard, etc... . Cuc Phuong is also home to hundreds of rare birds.
Culture
In earlier times, Cuc Phuong was home to the Muong minority people (or tribe) and to this day a few scattered villages around the park's periphery still house these interesting people and their unique culture. If you visit these communities you can still see their traditional stilt houses, waterwheels, bamboo rafts and brocade looms.
Limestone karsts landscape 
Located on 2 limestone mountain ranges, the landscape of Cuc Phuong is a wonderfully rich ecosystem. The rocky outcrops of Cuc Phuong contain very valuable archeological vestiges such as a fossilized sea reptile, dated at 200 - 230 million years old and evidence of prehistoric people, who lived in the forest some 7500 years ago.
Around Cuc Phuong
From Cuc Phuong we would suggest that you take a trip to Van Long, where you can see Delacour's Langurs in the wild, to Tam Coc or to Pu Luong Nature Reserve - all within easy access. Just ask us and we will set you on the right path.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Vietnam always in Mexican’s hearts


After the 12th International Conference on Pre-school Education in Monterey, Mexico, Ms. Maria Guadalupe Rodriguez Martinez, member of the Mexican Labour Party’s Politburo and General Director of the Centres of Childhood Development (CENDI) stressed that the image of Vietnam was always in Mexican people’s hearts.
According to Ms. Martinez, Mexico and Vietnam have together shared difficult times in the past. At present, Mexican people are pleased to witness the great economic achievements of Vietnamese people with a high growth rate and modernization. Mexican people admire the Vietnamese hard-working spirit and especially value the solidarity of Vietnam with other nations in the world.

“I myself want to reaffirm that Mexico has always been a brother of Vietnamese people,” Ms. Martinez stressed.

Mentioning to the participation of Vietnam at the symposium on pre-school education, General Manager of CENDI praised the presence of the Vietnamese delegation at 10 symposiums held in Monterrey City, leading events in pre-school education in the whole country, Latin America and the world.

Ms. Martinez recognized Vietnam’s contributions to pre-school education and praised the attention and policies of the Party, State and government of Vietnam relating to future generations.

Over the past 46 years, Dr. Maria Guadalupe Rodriguez Martinez has received more than 20 domestic and international decorations and medals for the educational quality in general and pre-school education in particular. In 2004, Vietnam awarded the “For Educational Science Cause” campaign medal to Ms. Martinez.

Vietnam Food



Vietnam Food
Street Food: Here’s the stall where i had my first real pork roll in Vietnam. So great to have your favourite food in its native country. There was plenty of action around the stall.
Photo by micz

Vietnam Food street food vendor saigon
Street food vendor Saigon
Photo by jaschajabes

Vietnam Food Street food, Hanoi
Street food, Hanoi
Photo by barbararich

Vietnam Food
Street food at Hanoi: Food stalls in the small alley ways of the Old Town of Hanoi
Photo by kirksiang

shellfish in vietnam Food
Shellfish in Vietnam
Photo by shellfish

fried spring rolls in vietnam Food
Fried spring rolls in Vietnam
Photo by shellfish

Vietnam Food Banh Cuon
Banh Cuon
Photo by stylelab

Vietnam Food Banh Cuon
Banh Cuon
Photo by macha

Vietnam Food Vietnamese pancake
Vietnamese pancake
Photo by Mc559

Vietnam Food A lunch of elephant fish
A lunch of elephant fish: This showy fish is served in a rice paper wrapper with fresh greens and vermicelli noodles and dipped in nuoc mam. The plate on the left contains green sticky rice & mung bean in a banana leaf wrapper, friend spring rolls and sweet potato. Coca Cola in Vietnam tastes so much better to my palate. First, it’s less carbonated. Second, it is sweetened with palm sugar, not corn syrup. Third, it has a faint 5-spice flavor.
Photo by ultrapop

Vietnam Food Elephant Fish
Elephant Fish
Photo by globetrotteri

Vietnam Food Typical Vietnamese Coffee
Typical Vietnamese Coffee
Photo by mengteck

Vietnam Food Vietnamese Coffee With Sweetened Condensed Milk
Vietnamese Coffee With Sweetened Condensed Milk
Photo by kleinmatt66

Vietnam Food Roast Dog and Caged Cat
Roast Dog and Caged Cat – Cat Ba, Vietnam

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Buon Ma Thuot

The Central Highlands of Vietnam may be off the beaten track compared to some of Vietnam's more popular tourist destinations, but that doesn't mean the Highlands don't have something to offer. Dak Lak Province (also spelled Dac Lac) is one of these lesser known areas of Vietnam that nevertheless is well-worth a visit.

In southern Vietnam's Central Highlands, not too far from the Cambodian border, is the city of Buon Ma Thuot. Unlike Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Da Nang, all of which have seen a significant bump in western tourism over the past decade or two, Buon Ma Thuot remains well off the beaten track. In other words, in Buon Ma Thuot, you'll get to witness a glimpse of the “real” Vietnam.

Buon Ma Thuot (also spelled Buon Ma Thuat or Ban Me Thuot) is the capital of Dak Lak Province. A bustling small city of about 300,000 people, it is the largest city in the Central Highlands region, and provides a great launch pad for adventures into attractions of the Central Highlands.
Fifty kilometres from Buon Ma Thuot, you can find the Don commune, which is the home to some of the very best elephant trainers in all of Southeast Asia. With a long history due to their prominence as elephant traders, the Don commune includes Cham towers and tombs that date back to the 13th century. Long since covered with moss, the tombs were once the burial grounds of wealthy tribal chiefs

Dak Lak Province and its Elephants

Buon Ma Thuot is the capital city of the province of Dak Lak, a province of lakes and waterfalls, rich forests, and ethnic minorities. During French rule, Dak Lak was a region of plantations, and coffee is still the main export from Dak Lak today, but when the Vietnamese rebelled against their colonisers during the First Indochina War, the region's minority tribes led quite a few of the rebellions themselves. The tribes had the same response to the American forces who came in during the Vietnam War; fighting was heavy in the 1960s and 70s during the war, and the first North Vietnamese tank to enter Buon Ma Thuot remains in the centre of the city as a reminder of this era.
The most famous residents of Dak Lak Province, however, are its elephants. The people of the Central Highlands have been known as phenomenal elephant riders and trainers for centuries now, and most tourists who visit Dak Lak can't pass up the opportunity to go for a ride on the back of one of these elephants.

In 2009, the province began work on a 200 hectare elephant sanctuary to protect both wild and domestic elephants. Located in Yok Don National Park, the elephant sanctuary is designed to protect one of the region's most precious natural resources. Dak Lak only has less than 115 wild elephants remaining, and even the domesticated elephant population is starting to rapidly shrink due to improper care and breeding techniques.

Yok Don National Park

Yok Don is one of the largest national parks in Vietnam - however it must be said it is not one of the most exciting to visit. A large part of the area reserved as parkland - and the area you are most likely to see on a short visit - has been replanted recently, and so there is none of the impressive old-growth forest with old trunks and creepers intertwining, more a fairly regular plantation of trees.
While it is commendable that the government is making an effort to replant forest that has been lost, it is unlikely the casual visitor will get as much out of a trip to Yok Don as they might from Cuc Phuong or Cat Tien parks where on arrival the visitor is already in fairly deep jungle, and the wilderness lies not to far from where you sleep. That being said, the area outside the park, around Yok Don and Buon Ma Thuot - and in particular the waterfalls - is stunningingly beautiful and definitely worth exploring.

Dray Sap Falls

Not far from Buon Ma Thuot are the Dray Sap falls, beautiful, broad waterfalls set in a horseshoe shape. Beyond the first set of falls are two more, all equally impressive. Although the falls aren't particularly high, they are very long. Swimming in the pools beneath the falls is not advisable, although some people enjoy trying anyway.

The area around the waterfalls include old growth forests, including banyan trees and willows, crisscrossed by vines and other plant foliage. A variety of birds and other wildlife can be spotted amongst these older trees. At the entrance of the falls is a kiosk area, which sells cold beverages and plenty of postcards.
Although it's not as famous, the close by Gia Long waterfall is also worth seeing while you're visiting the Dray Sap falls. During the dry season, Gia Long disappears to a mere trickle, but even then the steep rock formations around the falls are worth climbing and exploring for adventurous types.

Lak Lake

A little more than fifty kilometres from Buon Ma Thuot is Lak Lake. Home to one of the palaces of the last emperor of Vietnam, Bao Dai, the valley and the 500 hectare lake is used as a resort getaway for wealthy Vietnamese. Today you can visit the palace of the emperor, and enjoy a panoramic view of the valley from his second floor balcony.

Tourists often enjoy traversing the lake in a dug-out canoe, travelling to different spots to see the lake's beautiful lotuses. Even though the lake is a very popular tourist destination, it's still wild, providing the local population with an abundance of fresh fish each year.
The Central Highlands region of Vietnam is filled with ethnic minorities and hill tribes that have inhabited the area for many centuries, and the area around Lak Lake is no different. On the south shores of the lake lies Jun Village, a traditional village of the M'nong people. With wood and rattan houses propped on stilts, and farm animals wandering through the street, Jun Village provides an educational glimpse into the daily lives of some of these rural hill people. For the adventurous visitor, you can rent a mattress for the night in one of the stilt longhouses for a mere £3.50.
Buon Ma Thuot and the surrounding area provide an intimate look at Vietnam that the tourists who stick to the big cities never get to see. If you're planning on exploring the Central Highlands, Buon Ma Thuot provides an excellent base of operations. From there, it's easy to trek out into various parts of Dak Lak Province, including Dray Sap falls, Lak Lake, and other popular spots.

Getting to and from Buon Ma Thuot

Buon Ma Thuot is a short but visually stunning 3hr drive from Nha Trang. The road from Dalat is also incredibly beautiful, though the road is extremely windy so it is not great for those who suffer from car sickness (read: most of your fellow passengers). From Buon Ma Thuot you may wish to continue on to Kon Tum or head back down to the coast at Nha Trang or Quy Nhon.
For exploring the region you are likely to need your own transport. Motorbikes can be hired in the town and there are numerous travel agents that can book tours, however you may wish to arrange these before you arrive.

Monday, December 3, 2012

National Tourism Year 2013 to be held in Haiphong City

The national tourism year 2013 will be held in Haiphong City aiming to introduce destinations, draw both local and international visitors in Vietnam tourism and foster tourism linkage among localities across the country. The opening ceremony will be held on May 11, 2013 to mark the 58th liberation anniversary of Haiphong.

The national tourism year 2013 will be held in Haiphong City aiming to introduce destinations, draw both local and international visitors in Vietnam tourism, and foster tourism linkage among localities across the country.
National Tourism Year 2013 to be held in Haiphong City
This was affirmed by the General Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, Nguyen Van Tuan, and the Vice Chairman of the Haiphong City People’s Committee, Le Khac Nam, at a press briefing to introduce to event in Ho Chi Minh City on September 13.
Themed “The Red River civilization”, the tourism year will provide a good chance for Vietnam to strengthen international integration and attract investment for tourism development as well as promoting local advantages to raise public awareness of the role and position of the tourism sector in socio-economic development.
The event will help international friends know more about local cultural identities.
A wide range of cultural, art, sport, tourism and trade events will take place during the whole year in HanoiHaiphong, Quang Ninh, Thai Binh, Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh, Bac Ninh, Hai Duong, Hung Yen, Ha Nam, Vinh Phuc, Phu Tho and Bac Giang provinces.
The opening ceremony will be held on May 11, 2013 to mark the 58th liberation anniversary of Haiphong. City centre and Do Son and Cat Ba towns will be the main venues for activities.

Handed-down Ap Xanh Wine


Even people who has made the Ap xanh wine for a long time and are quite famous in Phuoc Hoi commune, Long Dat district, also don’t clearly know the root of this hot jade shaking drink.
No one knows when Ap xanh Ba Dap (Áp xanh Bà Đập) wine was named. Some people said that this kind of wine had been made based on the fruit wine of French since years of being dominated. However, some others told that the wine appeared because the forefathers learnt the healthy remedy from Chinese then mixed this with wine for more suitable taste. Even people who has made the Ap xanh wine for a long time and are quite famous in Phuoc Hoi commune, Long Dat district, also don’t clearly know the root of this hot jade shaking drink.  
Mr. Nguyen Van Bong (Hoi My hamlet) states that the small hamlet of Phuoc Hoi commune specifically has up to 90% of families living on wine making career, with about 50 workshops. Similar to many other people of Phuoc Hoi wine making hamlet, Mr. Bong is just a “junior”, inheriting from forefathers. Although has a dozen of years experience in making Ap xanh wine, he only know that there are seven type of herbs are guessed by smell to be dai hau (đại hầu), galangal, licorice but the remaining types can’t be found because they belong to private secret of remedy handler that none of wine makers is able to figure out.    
According to the owners of wine workshops in Phuoc Hoi, there are only two people specializing in loading remedy for Ap xanh wine producing now, one of them is Mr. Duong Tan Phat in Phuoc Loi  hamlet. It’s said that his father previously was an expert in loading remedy for treatment to save people. Mr.Phat owns the specious remedy to make Ap xanh wine thanks to his grandfather who learnt it from a healer from central region and before his death, he passed on it to his family descendants …