Takahiro Kido and Yuki Murata, famed for their works with the up-and-coming Japanese post-rock band Anoice, will perform on the first day of the highly anticipated Hanoi Sound Stuff festival on Friday 13 April 2012 at Museum of History, No. 1 Pham Ngu Lao, Hanoi .

Takahiro Kido is the founder, leader and composer of the band Anoice, whose albums have been released under American labels Important Records and Ricco. Their works have received critical acclaim not only from music enthusiasts but also from legendary bands such as Mono (Japan)and Sonic Youth.  Kido has also released five solo albums in which he blends various classical musical instruments with a touch of electronics. Yuki Murata, in addition to her work with Anoice, is also hailed for her eclectic piano style in two well-received improvisational albums ‘Films’ and ‘Home’.

In their maiden Vietnam performance, Kido and Murata will perform their solo works as well as Anoice. Also on the same day, Hanoi Sound Stuff curator Tri Minh and Danish Music Award as Innovator, Michael Moller, Sweet Sussieand the experimental DJ Manni Montana (both from Austria)are also set to rock the stage.

Hanoi Sound Stuff Festival is an annual event founded in 2008 by electronic artist Tri Minh, serving as a creative outlet to explore fine electronic and experimental music and promote collaboration between international and Vietnamese artists. This invigorating music festival also supports disadvantaged and disabled children’s development.

(vietnamonline.com)

The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971, and has continued to provide a national framework for wetland preservation ever since.

The convention embodies the commitments of its member countries to maintain the ecological character of their Wetlands of International Importance and to plan for the “wise use”, or sustainable use, of all of the wetlands in their territories.

The Tram Chim National Park has become the country’s fourth Ramsar site after Xuan Thuy Natural Wetland Reserve in the northern province of Nam Dinh, which was recognized in 1988; the Bau Sau (Crocodile Lake) Wetlands and Seasonal Floodplains in Cat Tien National Park, selected in 2005; and Ba Be National Park in Bac Kan northern province, recognized in 2011.

Tram Chim covers an area of 7,588 hectares, which is home to 130 species of plant, 100 species of vertebrate animals, 40 species of fish, and 147 types of water birds – of which 13 are listed as endangered.

The most distinguished resident bird is the Sarus Crane (Grus antigone), which has been recognized as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red Book.

Foreign travelers coupled Ba Always be Lake (Photo: SGGP)

The particular n . domain associated with Quang Ninh has increased priced price ranges after Haya Prolonged These types of ended up being called one of the world’s new seven wonders of mother nature. People that enthusiastically chosen to the UNESCO globe cultural customs website as the more effective normal miracles around the globe have been disappointed.

The actual domain features brought up vacationer turmoil featuring its new prices scheme that is certainly almost increase for Ha Prolonged These kinds of excursions at the time of Dec One particular.

It’s critical for the countrywide tourism sector to settle the issue right away and satisfactorily.

In the same manner ethnic along with historic web sites throughout the nation have got hiked their access solution prices along with total impunity.

Journey companies along with visitors are scared the tourism industry has tirelessly exploited all-natural means and delightful landscapes without any expenditure and also improvement technique. Additionally all-natural sources will not previous once and for all.

Vacation corporations have got proposed many tips to increase vacation, including refund involving significance obligation on 25 seater cars, minimizing Cask through 5-7 % pertaining to take a trip businesses along with motels, supplying tax repayment policy for travelers to further improve sales associated with community goods and also preferential treatment plans regarding opportunities.

When businesses make investments their particular capital throughout vacation, they ought to get a discount regarding transfer taxes about construction gear as well as supplies.

The national tourism sector also considers too little entertainment providers and buying regions with regard to travelers.

Vietnam tourist is targeted on investment in infrastructure, but traveler companies need amusement and purchasing locations to herald income.  

Photo: Tuoi Tre

UK tourist arrivals picked up strongly after Vietnam Airlines launched direct flights between London and Hanoi and HCMC last December.

The airline, which operates four weekly flights on the routes and will introduce daily flights in 2015, has also organized a host of marketing activities to attract British tourists.

The UK was last among Vietnam ‘s top 10 markets in 2005.

VNAT will also focus on exploiting the promising market through promotions, road shows, and familiarization tours to Vietnam for British travel agencies this year.

Source: VNA

The festival is going on for 9 days, from 7/4 – 15/4/2012 in the ancient capital of Hue. Festival Hue 2012 is also the first major event to raise the curtain for Vietnamese National Tourism Year 2012. The theme of this upcoming festival is “Cultural heritage and integration and development – The venue of historic cities”.

More than 100 sketches about typical architectures of Vietnam by Thailand painters are being shown in the exhibition “New and Old Architecture in Vietnam”, taking place at Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum , from November 18th to 24th, 2011.

Many valuable constructions across Vietnam, from ancient village gates in the north of Vietnam toNotre Dame Cathedral in Ho Chi Minh City, have been sketched by four Thailand painters along their ways exploring the country.

According to Professor Hoang Dao Kinh, a renowned Vietnamese architect, the painters do not only reflect the architectural beauty of the constructions, but bring about their own feelings and the “soul” of architectures as well.

Coming to the exhibition, besides enjoying nice sketches, visitors can appreciate the talent of four Thailand artists through their live drawing show.

The exhibition grand opens at Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum, 97A Pho Duc Chinh Street, District 1, at 6pm on Friday, November 18th, 2011. A light buffet is served at the opening ceremony. Free entrance is opened for everyone.

(source: http://www.vietnamonline.com)

Rock Storm 2011 – the biggest nationwide rock show of the year is going to kick off on 12 November 2011, 8 AM at My Dinh National Stadium, Hanoi with a scale of more than ten thousands audiences. The enthusiasm, inherited from last years’ shows, is promising a night of burning passion.

The bands in this show are the most popular bands in Vietnam which has been carefully selected and casted, including: “Ngu Cung”, Rosewood, Final Stage, Re-cycle, “I-Tễu”, “Quai vat ti hon” and “Cuoc song S”. Performances are directed by the famous director Duc Trung and staged by Japanese musical expert Masaaki Azuna.

The show will feature food and drink carts, run by local students, which aim to create a wholesome event for music lovers and youngsters alike. All proceeds from the show will benefit Operation Smile Vietnam and the Disadvantaged Good Students Foundation.

The show is expecting to draw a large crowd, however there has been rising concern over the stadium being not an ideal venue for a rock show, for the common lack of proper equipments can hamper the sound and the surrounding setting is not quite suitable in general.

This night is only the start of a journey through 7 cities in Vietnam: Ha Noi, Hai Phong, Hue, Da Nang, Bien Hoa, Can Tho and Ho Chi Minh City.

Show schedule:

Hanoi: 12 November
Hai Phong: 19 November
Hue: 26 November
Danang: 3 December
Bien Hoa: 10 December
Can Tho: 17 December
Ho Chi Minh City: 24 December

Tickets:

In Hanoi, tickets cost 20,000 vnd each ($1) and are available at:

1. 191 Chua Boc, Dong Da, Hanoi – 043 8530785
2. 314 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi – 043 8216722
3. No. 1 Tang Bat Ho, Hanoi – 043 9331824
4. 35 Quang Trung, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi – 043 9447927
5. Ro Café, 107 Lang Ha, Dong Da, Hanoi – Hotline: 0936 838 665; 0902 056 902; 0904.337.427; 0916.678.633

(Source:http://www.vietnamonline.com)

Vietnam tourism’s promotion slogan and website address will appear on electronic advertising boards in 12 matches of the Premier League from the middle of this month until the year-end.

Besides, promotion posters and video clips will be shown within one month in 60 stadiums where matches of leading football clubs such as Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham, and Everton take place.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Culture has spent VND3 billion (USD144,230) on this programme, in cooperation with Sports Revolution, a telecom firm from the United Kingdom, said Tran Nhat Hoang, director of Cultural, Sport and Tourism Promotion Centre.

“The cost of VND3 billion is just enough for promotion in ten matches, but we are given two extra matches and advertising posters,” Hoang told the Daily on Monday.

This programme, in combination with Vietnam Airlines’ promotion campaign, will have better effects as the air carrier has advertised Vietnam’s tourism in the Premier League on posters since August in preparation for the opening of the direct flight between Vietnam and the United Kingdom in December, he said.

Seeing that the United Kingdom is a potential market, Vietnam has made many tourism promotions in this country over the past two years, including advertisements on taxi-cabs and tourism magazines such as National Geographic UK.

In related news, the Guardian has announced the tourism awards 2011, in which Vietnam together with Japan, Maldives, Peru and New Zealand were voted to be the five favorite destinations of tourists.

With its awesome landscape and year-round cool, Ba Na serves up the perfect alternative to the hustle and bustle of the city. However, the resort’s only accessible by a tortuous but spectacular 20km road running from the foot of the mountain across mist-covered hillsides.

The first attraction to thrill tourists is the clear skies and puffy clouds floating over the valleys below and spectacular panoramic views of Da Nang City, Thung Bay (with its semi-circle coastline from the foot of Hai Van Pass Tunnel to Son Tra Peninsula), My Khe Beach, Ngu Hanh (Marcle) Mountains, and Thu Bon River (embracing fertile fields in Quang Nam province).

The blue waves of the Eastern Sea lapping Cham Island are visible and the picturesque landscape is breathtaking.

Tourists can enjoy four seasons in one day: spring in the morning, summer at noon, a little of autumn in the afternoon, and a cold winter bite at night. Ba Na’s weather is unique. In Ba Na, rain often falls only halfway up the hill, leaving the peak and the sky above clear and the views spectacular.

The French turned Ba Na into a resort in 1901. In 1912, a progressive governor general of Indochina designated the area as a forestry reserve. However, in 1930, the French reclassified Ba Na as a holiday resort for French officers and built hotels and villas. After decades of war and neglect, the structures fell into disrepair. Then, in 2000, developers reclaimed Ba Na from the jungle. A tourist town rose from the ruins.

The areas greatest asset is its pristine eco-system and temperate climate. Ba Na is famous for its bio-diversity. Its flora and fauna contain over 544 tree species (including six rare species) and 256 vertebrates, all of which are recorded in Vietnam’s Red Book.

Endangered vertebrates include the crested argus, the Asian black bear, the yellow-cheeked gibbon, and lignum aquilariae, along with several other species yet to be listed that are thought to survive in small numbers, protected only by the pristine wilderness.

Stone steps lead adventuresome tourists to 18th century Linh Ung Pagoda, which houses ancient documents about the temple’s history and boasts a 30m tall statue of Buddha.

French wine cellars built during the colonial period which are still used for aging the locally grown products, are another attraction. Wine-tasting tours are popular with many visitors.

Suoi Mo (Mo Stream) near the magical Thach Tien Waterfall is another favourite spot for tourists during muggy summer days. Mist created by the waterfall looks like “fairy hair”.

The Ba Na area has many facilities, including villas, hotels, restaurants, tennis courts, and many other services. Most impressive is the new cable car that links the Ba Na Peak to Mo Stream. Strung between 22 pillars, its 94 cars can carry 1,500 people on a wonderful journey through the jungle.

People often call the unspoiled environment of Ba Na “Green Fairy”, for it provides a great opportunity for visitors to Da Nang to savor the jungle and enjoy an unforgettable experience among the clouds.