Vietnam Travel » Vietnam travel guide

Large project on tourism applied to Northwest area

admin — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:18:12 +0000

Information from Vietnam National Administration of Tourism reveals that one of the greatest projects on development of Vietnam’s tourism industry will be launched in 2012 in 8 mountainous provinces in the North West area. These 8 provinces include Dien Bien, Yen Bai, Son La, Hoa Binh, Phu Tho, Ha Giang, Lai Chau and Lao Cai. Local authorities believe that this project will bring about a fresh new atmosphere to tourism in this area.

The main purpose of this project is to massively promote tourism in these regions via different channels of media and advertisement to attract more tourists visiting a hundred of tourism destinations located in these provinces. Conserving the unique culture and protecting the environment of minor communities are also amongthe priorities of this plan.

Sapa Love market – one of the most attractive occasion of minor communities in Northwest region

To ensure the success of this project, Northwest Travel Destination Management Board is created to monitor the project progress, as well as be responsible for training local people to adapt to requirements of the project. Fund to operate this project is from European Union and Vietnamese government budget with total number of EUR 12.1 million.

Northwest area is considered one of the most important tourism regions of Vietnam with a million travellers visiting each year and contributing trillions of VND to Vietnam’s GDP. Special tourism products of this area to attract tourists are magnificent landscapes of nature and unique tradition of numerous minor communities.

Vietnam now boasts Timeless Charm as new slogan

admin — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 03:45:01 +0000

After the dismissal of the previous “A different Orient”, with little time left on the 2011 calendar, it seems that Vietnam National Administration of Tourism has finally decided on its new slogan for the period 2012-2015. The decision was made final on December 27th, and the new logo and slogan would then be used throughout any promotion or campaign in this four-year term.

The new logo features a lotus, the iconic flower of the country, which has five distinctively colored petals. Its early bloom state is meant to symbolize both outreach to the outside world and a prime time for the industry. Each of the five colors carries its own subliminal message, with sea tourism, ecotourism, adventure, history and culture tourism, and finally the warm hospitality of the Vietnamese people.

The timeless beauty of Vietnam

The slogan carries over the charm from previous “A hidden charm”, which some argue over the last couple years have taken hold onto the mind of some international travelers, and “timeless” is meant to speak of the long possibilities for enjoyment in the country.

Drawing experience from the public backfire that dooms “A different Orient”, officials have decided to withhold the new logo from public opinion this time and only announced its final selection 4 days prior to the New Year.

(Source:vietnamonline.com)

OF THE ONES THAT GIVE BACK

admin — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 07:13:35 +0000

The new breed of tourists these days do not just come, ask for what they want and leave. Many want to make the experience fulfilling to both the hosts and the guests. That’s when the so-called responsible travel comes in. But in Vietnam, where businesses are over-clocked trying to make up for the lost time, the seemingly short number of companies that offer the service is driving many uneasy.

There are two things to consider in evaluating a community-benefitting and eco-friendly tour company. Those that are mindful enough often promote both aspects. As the name suggests, first the firm has to include local input in developing its approach. It is to show respect for the indigenous culture and to help preserving their ways, not interfering or altering. Since the cultural differences between that of tourists and one of native people can be staggering, practices that are considered absolutely normal for outsiders can be quite inappropriate for the people.

Worse yet, some habits are fast learned and can replace traditions, which in turn create devastating damage, sometimes permanently. Case in mind: in 4000-year-old Vietnam, if the sudden surge in profit of the new trade drives any particular group away from their once main source of income and gradually depending on it, it completely changes the way they have been for thousands of years. Some traditions will be abandoned as they are no longer needed, creativity once focused on the rice field now diverted to the art of haggling, modern housing replaced old stilt shed to serve the need of “homestay” tourists. Already, in Sapa, the old love-market is done for and the hallow ground now hosts performance shows that only pretend to be genuine, with their foul twists spotted easily. Nostalgia alone will not bring it back for the romance-loving poets that have once watched from afar and written countless verses about its charm. Some claims much of the damages are irreversible.

The second aspect of responsible travel may be more familiar. As international media these days are flooded with news of global warming wreaking havoc on the environment, it is only logical that travelers have started asking for eco-friendly tours. Companies begin to offer information about their itinerary’s impact on the environment. Some opt for using organic food, low-emission means of transportation and green accommodation.

The world-famous Intrepid Travel, which has a variety of Vietnam tours, goes as far as including their carbon emission per passenger for the entire trip. Also, being true to their commitment, there are notes on the physical demand and cultural shock ratings as well. Many native tour operators have not yet adapted such hard-core approach.

Of the local companies, here and there, some have recently given in to the calling. There are the pure-blood Footprint, the warm-hearted Paradissa and the prideful Viet Adventure. They come from different backgrounds, with different approaches, but all share the goal of preserving the land and giving back to the people. One sees such goal well imprinted in the principle of the “responsible travel club” members (www.rtcvietnam.org). With the new-found interest of the government and non-governmental agencies in helping to build sustainable industries, they set out to encourage tourists to take trekking and biking tours, go in large groups, to stay and dining in eco-friendly locations.

Meanwhile, some healthy portion of the profit goes back to building the community. Paradissa loves to stress the importance of the community in their sustainable business model. In the mere-one-page About Us, manager Anh Do decides to repeat the word “local” 21 times. That is one Vietnamese man devoted to his society and his course!

There are the downsides to responsible travelling. First, all those organic foods are going to cost, and for the average Tea-Party loyalist, the nonsense at twice the price of irresponsible enjoyment sounds like a bad investment. Then there is the shock when the ever-pleased tourists can no longer do things their way but rather have to adapt. Third, as far as eco-friendliness concerns, there is a certain amount of physical endurance involved. The corporate lawyers who have no idea what a gym is may find it out-of-the-question. Being a niche product that is demanding of its customers, it is quite hard, if not near impossible, for responsible travelling to catch on with the mainstream.

Now, if the likes of Gates and Buffett truly represent the new trend, one may hold on to the notion that indeed one day it may catch on just fine.

(source:vietnamonline.com)

A guide to Christmas in Hanoi 2011

admin — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 07:07:11 +0000

Christmas is coming to town in Hanoi, along with truly freezing weather Hanoians are expecting for their winter season. Although Christmas is not an official holiday for Vietnamese, but this has still been a popular occasion for people to get on the road and enjoy uproarious atmosphere here, especially in recent years when the economy catches up with cities worldwide. This is a sign of merge between Western and Eastern culture in Vietnam, as well as internationalizing trend in Vietnam’s society.

Good thing to foreigners and expats in Hanoi is that big Christmas events are now not only organized at some grand churches in the city, but also held by numerous organizations and entertaining destinations. Check the information below for some ideal events in Hanoi to participate in at this Christmas (this guide will be updated daily so bookmark this page to stay tuned!):

16 DECEMBER

Aussie Xmas Bash at The American Club (19-21 Hai Ba Trung)

Get a loud night of Christmas atmosphere and live music performed by bands Always, Zamina and DJ Vaughn. Fare is VND 100,000 (USD4.8) for members (AusCham, Dragons, Swans and VGAC) and VND 120,000 (USD5.8) for non-member, including one free drink, Photos with Santa, Christmas cakes and food. The event is held by Australian Chamber of Commerce, KOTO, Vietnamese Graduates from Australia Club, Hanoi Dragons RUFC, Synergy Music Production and Vietnam Swans.See full poster of Aussie Xmas Bash here.

17 & 21 DECEMBER

Ginger bread house workshop at Hanoi Cooking Center (44 Chau Long)

This is one of the best things you can offer to your beloved child if your family is in Hanoi this Christmas: give them an opportunity to make, and laugh while making, the gingerbread house in Hanoi. Hanoi Cooking Center is holding gingerbread house short class with all the warmth of the winter holiday.It costs only VND350,000 for your kid to join and VND 230,000 to bring a kit home.

19 DECEMBER

Christmas Concert at Hanoi Opera House (1 Trang Tien)

On December 19th, Hanoi Opera House will host a Christmas concert, featuring famous music pieces by Mozart, Chopin, Verdi, Romance, Rondo, to name a few.Tickets can be purchased by emailing ticketvn@gmail.com or at the Opera House, starting from VND 150,000 (USD 7.5).

Read further information about Christmas Concert at Hanoi Opera House.

23 DECEMBER

Red & White Christmas Party at Handi Resco Tower (521 Kim Ma Street)

A fabulous Christmas Party organized by Event Club, associated with other students clubs, at RMIT University Hanoi. The event creates not only a unique Noel night with intimate atmosphere, but also a romantic party with main theme of a beautiful love story.Organized by RMIT University students club.

Further details to follow.

24& 25 DECEMBER

Purple Christmas Dinner with Brazilian Cuisines at Au Lac Do Brazil (6A Cao Ba Quat)

Au Lac Do Brazil is holding special dinner with authentic Churrasco and Bossa Nova music for December 24th and 25th. Dinner price is at 890,000 ++ for adults and 590,000++ for children (Christmas dinner) and 750,000 ++ for adults and 400,000 ++ for children (Christmas Day meal).Both outlets at 6A Cao Ba Quat in Hanoi and in Phu My Hung resident area of Ho Chi Minh City are holding the same Purple party.

(Source:vietnamonline.com)

VietJet Air launched with massive discount

admin — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 04:52:48 +0000

Amid the cooling off of the domestic air market competition, with VNA taking over Jetstar Pacific, Indochina and Trai Thien getting their licenses taken away, a new player has decided it is time to join the game.

Late November 2011, VietJet Air announces the launch of its first and only domestic route, Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh, after 4 years of preparation. With its aim to competing in the low-cost market, VietJet is making quite a splash with its launching promotion campaign.

VietJet Air’s promotional campain with shock prices

The carrier is running a discount week offering customers who reserve tickets the chance to purchase for only VND 100,000 (around USD 5) one way. The campaign is applied for tickets which are reserved from 8:00am, 5 December 2012, to 11:59pm, 11 December 2011, and depart from 25 December 2011 to 30 April 2012.

Discounted tickets are available each day within the promotional week and automatically settle based on the condition of flights. These promotional tickets are inapplicable for refund, rename or re-schedule. Customers do not have the option to choose seat either.

(source:http://vietnamonline.com)

Ha Long Bay is New Wonder of Nature

admin — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 04:29:29 +0000

Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay is one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature, announced the New7Wonders Foundation on November 12 after the first count of global voting ended a day earlier.

In alphabetical order, the seven winners are the Amazon, Ha Long Bay, Iguazu Falls, Jeju Island, Komodo, Puerto Princesa Underground River and Table Mountain.

The New7Wonders of Nature campaign have been carried out over the past four years, starting with more than 440 locations from about 220 countries.

The New7Wonders of Nature have been chosen from the 28 finalist candidates, according to Bernard Weber, founding president of Switzerland-based New7Wonders Foundation.

According to the foundation, the results are provisional and based on the first tally of votes. The votes still need to be checked, validated and independently verified.

Once the voting validation process is complete, in early 2012, New7Wonders will then work with the confirmed winners to organize the official inauguration events.

The foundation also noted that it is possible that one or more of the provisional winners will not be confirmed during the validation process. New7Wonders will issue a media update if that occurs.

“When the New7Wonders of Nature are confirmed, they will join the man-made New 7 Wonders of the World in becoming part of global memory for humankind forever,” Weber said.

Ha Long Bay is located in the northern province of Quang Ninh. It features thousands of limestone karsts and isles of various sizes and shapes. The bay has a 120-kilometer long coastline and is approximately 1,553 square kilometers in size, with 1969 islets.

Several of the islands are hollow, with enormous caves. Others support floating villages of fishermen, who ply the shallow waters for 200 species of fish and 450 different kinds of mollusks.

Another feature of Ha Long Bay is its abundance of lakes inside the limestone islands. For example, Dau Be island has six enclosed lakes. All these island lakes occupy drowned dolines within fengcong karst.

(Source:Thanh Nien News )

Ly Nha Ky becomes ambassador for Vietnam tourism

admin — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 08:07:11 +0000

Actress Ly Nha Ky has been appointed ambassador for the Vietnamese tourism for a year starting September 2011 by the Department of International Cooperation under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Actress Ly Nha Ky

An ambassador is required to have specialized knowledge about tourism, a capacity to communicate to foreign audience in English or other languages and an ability to raise funds from social sources to promote domestic tourism.

With this new role, Ky will participate in various public events, press conferences and cultural exchange activities.

The 29-year-old actress today’s afternoon met with Bernard Weber and Jean Paul De la Fuente, president and director at the New 7 Wonders Foundation during a press conference to campaign for Ha Long Bay as a new natural wonder.

Born in the beach city of Vung Tau, Ky moved to Germany to pursue studies when she was 16. At 24, Ky returned to Vietnam and started her acting career. She is known for several TV series and movies such as Beloved Women and Big Businessman, Private Detective, The Eternal Love and The Reverse Wind.

Previously, Ky was an ambassador for Operation Smile Organization in 2009 and vice-chairwoman of the Sheen Hok Charitable Organization in Vietnam in 2008.

Source: TuoiTre News

The forgotten ‘A Xoo Tunnel’ in Quang Nam Province

admin — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 02:13:33 +0000

Deep down towards the east of the Truong Son Mountain Range in the central province of Quang Nam lies a forgotten historical tunnel named by the local ethnic people as the A Xoo Tunnel.

The ‘A Xoo Tunnel’ in Quang Nam Province. (Photo: Sggp)

Located in A Nong Commune of Tay Giang District this tunnel was built in 1968-1970 by soldiers and the K’tu ethnic people as a hiding spot, a place to store food and weapon caches and serve as a temporary hospital during the American war.

This 100 metre long tunnel runs through the mountain and has seven off shoot tunnels.

Some sections of the tunnel were damaged during the “carpet bombing” by American troops.

A Lang Dan, chairman of the Tay Giang War Veteran Association, was one of the people who took part in building the tunnel. The Tay Giang authorities rediscovered the historical tunnel and have restored it in many damaged places.

Now, the tunnel has become a historical site for schools in the district who take students there on field trips, in the hope of imparting knowledge of past revolutionary heroes to the younger generation.

Efforts are also being made to advertise the site so that more national and international visitors can view this culturally historical site in future.

Source: SGGP

Tourism projects in Binh Dinh Province at a standstill

admin — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 07:17:57 +0000

Nine tourism projects under construction at the Nhon Hoi Economic Zone in Binh Dinh Province have now been shelved, as local authorities and residents have become impatient with their slow progress.

A tourist complex under construction on Thi Nai Lagoon. (Photo: Sggp)

The projects were all worth a total of VND15, 400 billion (more than US$730 million).

The Vinh Hoi tourism complex, a 100 percent foreign-invested project, was licensed in December 2006.

However the investors, Viet My Tourism and Hotel Company, have received only 135 hectares of land and have already spent VND76.33 billion (US$3.6 million) on construction. Many key works could not be implemented due to problems of compensation and site clearance.

The first phase of the project, covering an area of 325 hectares, was to be built with an investment capital of US$250 million. Vinh Hoi tourism complex was to include a five-star resort hotel, a conference center, an 18-hole golf course, a sporting complex and an eco-tourism preservation site. This luxurious eco resort is expected to be fully operational by 2014.

Another project worth VND390 billion (US$18.5 million) by the My Tai Company on Trung Luong Tourism Site, has built a hedge and four villas since the construction began four years ago.

The 650-hectare Hai Giang Tourist Complex by Hai Giang JSC has already spent VND23.7 billion (US$1.1 million) from its total capital of VND3.4 trillion (US$163 million) on building a road leading to the complex, since the construction began two years ago. As planned, the tourist complex should open in 2015.

Progress on many projects such as the Linh Phong Pagoda and the Vietnam Pearl Complex has been stalled, due to slow construction progress.

The provincial people’s committee has asked the Nhon Hoi Economic Zone to cooperate with local authorities to speed up site clearance work, handing of compensations and relocation of residents, to create favourable conditions for investors.

Most of the projects faced difficulties in clearing the ground space, high bank loan interest rates or lack of capital, said Nguyen Ngoc Toan, deputy chief of the Economic Zone Management Board in Binh Dinh Province.

The province government will also revoke licenses of projects if investors are too slow in implementing these projects, the deputy chief added.

Source: SGGP

Dong Vehicle diamond level liked by site visitors

admin — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 03:58:03 +0000

A Dong Lorrie Stone Skill level while in the upper mountainous land associated with Ha Giang drawn 31,000 visitors, including in excess of 15,1000 foreigners, aiding add to the province’s tourist revenue so that you can VND41 million inside Come july 1st.

Spanning earnings part of almost a pair of,600 square.m., a Dong Truck Natural stone Level of skill encased thirty four % of your province’s populace.

The excitement associated with Dong Lorrie since the 1st geopark around Vietnam plus the secondly within Southeast Asian countries from the International System regarding Country wide Geoparks (GGN) in April a year ago received built a good inspiration regarding neighborhood tourism growth.

‘ Giang land produced neighborhood societal communities plus travel and leisure infrastructure that allows you to bait a lot more than three hundred fifty,500 vacationers next year, earning about VND300 billion dollars inside profit.

As well, since 3 years ago, Haya Giang region invested above 989 million VND to produce 91 water reservoirs around the Dong Vehicle Natural stone Skill level, this thirty seven have already been concluded and put in to work with.

The operation of the particular tanks assists remedy long-lasting normal water shortages in addition to improve the existence involving ethnical fraction individuals from the province’s several terrible tremendous mountain areas, such as Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Dong Lorrie in addition to Meo Vacuum.

In addition they help raise global financial growth and observe after political security from the national boundaries part of the land.