VietNam Travel: September 2010

Thursday, September 30, 2010

31,000 to parade for Hanoi grand anniversary

Around 31,000 people are expected to take part in the biggest-ever parade to celebrate the Grand Anniversary of Thang Long-Ha Noi at Ba Dinh Square on October 10, reports Tuoi Tre newspaper.

It will begin with a torchlight procession from Ho Chi Minh Museum to President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum at 7:55 a.m. Then, there will be a flag-raising ceremony with a 21-gun salute and a speech delivered by President Nguyen Minh Triet.

Ten helicopters will carry Party flags, national flags and red flags with the slogan “Celebration of the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi” over Ba Dinh Square to open the military, police and civil defense parade.

A motorcade will follow carrying the Ly dynasty dragon, the Hanoi symbol and the UNESCO certificate to acknowledge the Imperial Citadel as world heritage and 13 groups representing veterans, workers, farmers, the intellectuals, enterprises, youth, women, ethnic minority people, religious organizations, overseas Vietnamese, international guests and the media.

Then there will be a 30 minute music performance and 1,000 children will set doves free and release balloons into the air to wrap the parade officially.

The program is expected to take about two hours.

The parade will show the strength and achievements of the nation’s capital over the past 1,000 years of building and development. It would also be a display of the national pride of the Vietnamese people and help bolster Vietnamese faith in the Party.

Audiences will be able to watch the program live on channels of Vietnam Television. Twenty giant TV screens will be set up around the city.

Thailand promotes tourism in Vietnam

Thailand will continue its focus on developing strategic tourism areas,
especially in labouring countries like Vietnam, a Thai official
said.

Thai Deputy Minister of Sports and Tourism
Vichai Srikwan made the remark at a press briefing in Ho Chi Minh City
on September 30.

As many as 16 tourism agencies
from Thailand are taking part in the International Travel Expo (ITE
HCMC 2010) in HCM City , Vichai Srikwan said, expressing his hope
that the Thai participants would be satisfied when meeting with partners
from different tourism markets across the world, including Vietnam .
He considered the expo as an opportunity to expand tourism cooperation
between Thailand and other nations.

Vichai also
took the occasion to report on his country’s tourism development as
well as marketing strategies carried out by the Thai Tourism
Administration (TTA).

Thailand plans to welcome 15.5 million foreign arrivals next year, reaping about 18.5 billion USD.

The number of Vietnamese tourists to Thailand each year stands at
370,000 while the number of Thai arrivals to Vietnam is 100,000.

In the first seven months of this year, Thailand welcomed 240,000 Vietnamese arrivals.-/.

Travel agents flock to HCMC for exhibition

Almost 125 leading travel agents from 35 international markets are
showcasing their products at an international tourism exhibition in
HCM City, which opened on September 30.

Of
them, nine are international tourism promotion agencies from India,
Cambodia, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Taiwan,
mainland China and Turkey.

Host country Vietnam has sent
representatives from 10 local tourism promotion agencies in the central
and southern provinces to attend the event. Local hospitality giants
such as Saigontourist, Vietravel, Windsor and the Green Plaza Hotel
Danang are also present.

The event will finish on
November 2 with the signing of various business contracts between
domestic and international travel partners. Visitors are also welcome at
the travel agents’ pavilions where package tours and special holidays
are offered at knock down prices as well as a number of promotional
programmes.

A “Vietnam Night” will take place for
the presentation of a “Tourist Prize” for travel agents from Cambodia,
Laos and Vietnam, in recognition of their contributions to the
hospitality industry.

An ASEAN forum on tourist
investment was also held from September 29-30, which witnessed a meeting
between the tourism ministers from the three Indochinese countries and
Myanmar.

The quartet reached a consensus on
steps to boost cooperation in tourism. They include regular exchanges of
information and experiences in planning, image, attracting investment
and diversifying tourist products. The ministers also called for mutual
assistance when holding tourism investment forums and more cooperation
between management agencies and travel agents./.

Multicolored activities at Hanoi’s 1,000th anniversary

Just two days until the opening of the Thang Long-Hanoi Grand Anniversary. The festive atmosphere is everywhere in Hanoi. Here is the detailed program of activities for the ten-day anniversary (October 1-10) as announced by organizers.

October 1

- 8 a.m.: Opening ceremony at Ly Thai To Flower Garden (in front of the Hoan Kiem Lake)

- 9:30a.m.: Art shows at five stages around Hoan Kiem Lake

- 2 p.m: Exhibition of literary and art works about Hanoi at 2 Hoa Lu, Hai Ba Trung Street

- 3 p.m.: Photo exhibition about Hanoi at 45 Trang Tien Street, Hoan Kiem District

- 7:30 p.m.: Exhibition of Vietnam and Hanoi’s economic-social achievements at the Vietnam Exhibition and Fair Center, 138 Giang Vo Street

- 7:30 p.m.: Film week at the National Cinema Center, 87 Lang Ha Street

- 8 p.m.: Video conference between Hanoi and other provinces on VTV channel, special arts show and ao dai performance around the Hoan Kiem Lake

- 8 p.m.: A concert by artist Dang Thai Son at the Hanoi Opera House

October 2

- 8 a.m.: Exhibition of artifacts about Hanoi’s 1,000 years at the Thang Long Royal Citadel, 9 Hoang Dieu and 19 Nguyen Tri Phuong Street

- 9 a.m.: Introduction of a bookshelf about Thang Long-Hanoi at the National Library, 31 Trang Thi Street

- 2 p.m.: Announcement of a comprehensive scientific research work about Hanoi at the Hanoi Opera House

- 8 p.m.: Introduction of new songs about Hanoi at Ba Kieu Temple

- 8p.m.: Thang Long-Hanoi International Tourism Festival to open at Bao Son Heaven Park

October 3

- 7 a.m.: Ha Noi Moi newspaper marathon race around Hoan Kiem Lake

- 8 p.m.: Thang Long-Hanoi in Ho Chi Minh Age art show at Hang Day Stadium

October 4

- 8:30 a.m.: Award ceremony of the contest about knowledge of Thang Long-Hanoi’s 1,000 years and the city’s heroes at the Hanoi Opera House

- 3 p.m.: Exhibition of Vietnamese heroes and great men in Vietnamese culture at the Revolutionary Museum, 25 Ton Dan Street

- 3:30 p.m.: Exhibition of famous battles and military campaigns in Vietnam.’s military history at the Vietnam. Military History Museum, 28A Dien Bien Phu Street

- 5 p.m.: Calligraphy exhibition and festival at the Temple of Literature

- 8 p.m.: Award ceremony of the national press contest about Thang Long-Hanoi’s 1,000 years at 8 Huynh Thuc Khang Street

- 8 p.m.: Thang Long-Hanoi ancient dance show at Ly Thai To flower garden

October 5

- 9 a.m.: Introducing the Hanoi ceramic road on Yen Phu Road

- 2 p.m.: Bat Trang ceramic – Tradition and Modernity exhibition at Bat Trang village

- 2 p.m.: Hearts for Thang Long-Hanoi exhibition at the Hanoi Cultural Friendship Palace

- 8 p.m.: A music show of famous Vietnamese artists at the Hanoi Opera House

- 8 p.m.: A great show entitled “Thang Long Spirit – Song for the Country” at Hang Day Stadium

October 6

- 8 a.m.: Hanoi Kite Festival at My Dinh Square

- 8 a.m.: Martial arts performance at Quan Ngua Sports Palace

- 8:30: Inauguration of Hanoi Museum

- 2 p.m.: Inauguration of Hoa Binh Park at Tu Liem District

- 2 p.m.: Inauguration of President Ho Chi Minh – President Ton Duc Thang statues at Thong Nhat Park

- 2 p.m.: Old Hanoi photo exhibition at Hanoi Museum, Pham Hung Road

- 2.30 p.m.: Inauguration of Kim Dong Theatre at 19 Hang Bai Street

- 8 p.m.: Inauguration of Worker Theatre at 42 Trang Tien Street

- 8p.m.: Inauguration of Dai Nam Theatre at 48 Hue Street

- 8p.m.: Hanoi food festival at Ho Tay Water Park

October 7

- 8 a.m.: International workshop on Hanoi’s sustainable development at 11 Le Hong Phong Street

- 9 a.m.: Award ceremony of international contest about Hanoi at the Hanoi Opera House

- 8 p.m.: Traditional music show at the Hanoi Opera House

October 8

- 7 a.m.: Cultural and arts program for youngsters at outdoor stages around the Hoan Kiem Lake

- 8 p.m.: Meeting of 1,000 heroes and heroic mothers at the National Convention Center

- 8 p.m.: Carnival at State Bank of Vietnam Square, 49 Ly Thai To Street

October 9

- 8 a.m.: Inauguration of Thanh Tri and Vinh Tuy bridges

- 9:30 a.m.: Inauguration of Thang Long Avenue

- 8 p.m.: Shows by international art troupes at outdoor stages in Hanoi

October 10

- 8 a.m.: Meeting and marching at Ba Dinh Square

- 8 p.m.: Cultural and art festival at My Dinh National Stadium

During the festival, there will be 245 performances by local artist troupes and 38 performances by foreign troupes.

Multicolored activities at Hanoi’s 1,000th anniversary

October 1

- 8 a.m.: Opening ceremony at Ly Thai To Flower Garden (in front of the Hoan Kiem Lake)

- 9:30a.m.: Art shows at five stages around Hoan Kiem Lake

- 2 p.m: Exhibition of literary and art works about Hanoi at 2 Hoa Lu, Hai Ba Trung Street

- 3 p.m.: Photo exhibition about Hanoi at 45 Trang Tien Street, Hoan Kiem District

- 7:30 p.m.: Exhibition of Vietnam and Hanoi’s economic-social achievements at the Vietnam Exhibition and Fair Center, 138 Giang Vo Street

- 7:30 p.m.: Film week at the National Cinema Center, 87 Lang Ha Street

- 8 p.m.: Video conference between Hanoi and other provinces on VTV channel, special arts show and ao dai performance around the Hoan Kiem Lake

- 8 p.m.: A concert by artist Dang Thai Son at the Hanoi Opera House

October 2

- 8 a.m.: Exhibition of artifacts about Hanoi’s 1,000 years at the Thang Long Royal Citadel, 9 Hoang Dieu and 19 Nguyen Tri Phuong Street

- 9 a.m.: Introduction of a bookshelf about Thang Long-Hanoi at the National Library, 31 Trang Thi Street

- 2 p.m.: Announcement of a comprehensive scientific research work about Hanoi at the Hanoi Opera House

- 8 p.m.: Introduction of new songs about Hanoi at Ba Kieu Temple

- 8p.m.: Thang Long-Hanoi International Tourism Festival to open at Bao Son Heaven Park

October 3

- 7 a.m.: Ha Noi Moi newspaper marathon race around Hoan Kiem Lake

- 8 p.m.: Thang Long-Hanoi in Ho Chi Minh Age art show at Hang Day Stadium

October 4

- 8:30 a.m.: Award ceremony of the contest about knowledge of Thang Long-Hanoi’s 1,000 years and the city’s heroes at the Hanoi Opera House

- 3 p.m.: Exhibition of Vietnamese heroes and great men in Vietnamese culture at the Revolutionary Museum, 25 Ton Dan Street

- 3:30 p.m.: Exhibition of famous battles and military campaigns in Vietnam.’s military history at the Vietnam. Military History Museum, 28A Dien Bien Phu Street

- 5 p.m.: Calligraphy exhibition and festival at the Temple of Literature

- 8 p.m.: Award ceremony of the national press contest about Thang Long-Hanoi’s 1,000 years at 8 Huynh Thuc Khang Street

- 8 p.m.: Thang Long-Hanoi ancient dance show at Ly Thai To flower garden

October 5

- 9 a.m.: Introducing the Hanoi ceramic road on Yen Phu Road

- 2 p.m.: Bat Trang ceramic – Tradition and Modernity exhibition at Bat Trang village

- 2 p.m.: Hearts for Thang Long-Hanoi exhibition at the Hanoi Cultural Friendship Palace

- 8 p.m.: A music show of famous Vietnamese artists at the Hanoi Opera House

- 8 p.m.: A great show entitled “Thang Long Spirit – Song for the Country” at Hang Day Stadium

October 6

- 8 a.m.: Hanoi Kite Festival at My Dinh Square

- 8 a.m.: Martial arts performance at Quan Ngua Sports Palace

- 8:30: Inauguration of Hanoi Museum

- 2 p.m.: Inauguration of Hoa Binh Park at Tu Liem District

- 2 p.m.: Inauguration of President Ho Chi Minh – President Ton Duc Thang statues at Thong Nhat Park

- 2 p.m.: Old Hanoi photo exhibition at Hanoi Museum, Pham Hung Road

- 2.30 p.m.: Inauguration of Kim Dong Theatre at 19 Hang Bai Street

- 8 p.m.: Inauguration of Worker Theatre at 42 Trang Tien Street

- 8p.m.: Inauguration of Dai Nam Theatre at 48 Hue Street

- 8p.m.: Hanoi food festival at Ho Tay Water Park

October 7

- 8 a.m.: International workshop on Hanoi’s sustainable development at 11 Le Hong Phong Street

- 9 a.m.: Award ceremony of international contest about Hanoi at the Hanoi Opera House

- 8 p.m.: Traditional music show at the Hanoi Opera House

October 8

- 7 a.m.: Cultural and arts program for youngsters at outdoor stages around the Hoan Kiem Lake

- 8 p.m.: Meeting of 1,000 heroes and heroic mothers at the National Convention Center

- 8 p.m.: Carnival at State Bank of Vietnam Square, 49 Ly Thai To Street

October 9

- 8 a.m.: Inauguration of Thanh Tri and Vinh Tuy bridges

- 9:30 a.m.: Inauguration of Thang Long Avenue

- 8 p.m.: Shows by international art troupes at outdoor stages in Hanoi

October 10

- 8 a.m.: Meeting and marching at Ba Dinh Square

- 8 p.m.: Cultural and art festival at My Dinh National Stadium

During the festival, there will be 245 performances by local artist troupes and 38 performances by foreign troupes.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Multicolored activities at Hanoi’s 1,000th anniversary

October 1

- 8 a.m.: Opening ceremony at Ly Thai To Flower Garden (in front of the Hoan Kiem Lake)

- 9:30a.m.: Art shows at five stages around Hoan Kiem Lake

- 2 p.m: Exhibition of literary and art works about Hanoi at 2 Hoa Lu, Hai Ba Trung Street

- 3 p.m.: Photo exhibition about Hanoi at 45 Trang Tien Street, Hoan Kiem District

- 7:30 p.m.: Exhibition of Vietnam and Hanoi’s economic-social achievements at the Vietnam Exhibition and Fair Center, 138 Giang Vo Street

- 7:30 p.m.: Film week at the National Cinema Center, 87 Lang Ha Street

- 8 p.m.: Video conference between Hanoi and other provinces on VTV channel, special arts show and ao dai performance around the Hoan Kiem Lake

- 8 p.m.: A concert by artist Dang Thai Son at the Hanoi Opera House

October 2

- 8 a.m.: Exhibition of artifacts about Hanoi’s 1,000 years at the Thang Long Royal Citadel, 9 Hoang Dieu and 19 Nguyen Tri Phuong Street

- 9 a.m.: Introduction of a bookshelf about Thang Long-Hanoi at the National Library, 31 Trang Thi Street

- 2 p.m.: Announcement of a comprehensive scientific research work about Hanoi at the Hanoi Opera House

- 8 p.m.: Introduction of new songs about Hanoi at Ba Kieu Temple

- 8p.m.: Thang Long-Hanoi International Tourism Festival to open at Bao Son Heaven Park

October 3

- 7 a.m.: Ha Noi Moi newspaper marathon race around Hoan Kiem Lake

- 8 p.m.: Thang Long-Hanoi in Ho Chi Minh Age art show at Hang Day Stadium

October 4

- 8:30 a.m.: Award ceremony of the contest about knowledge of Thang Long-Hanoi’s 1,000 years and the city’s heroes at the Hanoi Opera House

- 3 p.m.: Exhibition of Vietnamese heroes and great men in Vietnamese culture at the Revolutionary Museum, 25 Ton Dan Street

- 3:30 p.m.: Exhibition of famous battles and military campaigns in Vietnam.’s military history at the Vietnam. Military History Museum, 28A Dien Bien Phu Street

- 5 p.m.: Calligraphy exhibition and festival at the Temple of Literature

- 8 p.m.: Award ceremony of the national press contest about Thang Long-Hanoi’s 1,000 years at 8 Huynh Thuc Khang Street

- 8 p.m.: Thang Long-Hanoi ancient dance show at Ly Thai To flower garden

October 5

- 9 a.m.: Introducing the Hanoi ceramic road on Yen Phu Road

- 2 p.m.: Bat Trang ceramic – Tradition and Modernity exhibition at Bat Trang village

- 2 p.m.: Hearts for Thang Long-Hanoi exhibition at the Hanoi Cultural Friendship Palace

- 8 p.m.: A music show of famous Vietnamese artists at the Hanoi Opera House

- 8 p.m.: A great show entitled “Thang Long Spirit – Song for the Country” at Hang Day Stadium

October 6

- 8 a.m.: Hanoi Kite Festival at My Dinh Square

- 8 a.m.: Martial arts performance at Quan Ngua Sports Palace

- 8:30: Inauguration of Hanoi Museum

- 2 p.m.: Inauguration of Hoa Binh Park at Tu Liem District

- 2 p.m.: Inauguration of President Ho Chi Minh – President Ton Duc Thang statues at Thong Nhat Park

- 2 p.m.: Old Hanoi photo exhibition at Hanoi Museum, Pham Hung Road

- 2.30 p.m.: Inauguration of Kim Dong Theatre at 19 Hang Bai Street

- 8 p.m.: Inauguration of Worker Theatre at 42 Trang Tien Street

- 8p.m.: Inauguration of Dai Nam Theatre at 48 Hue Street

- 8p.m.: Hanoi food festival at Ho Tay Water Park

October 7

- 8 a.m.: International workshop on Hanoi’s sustainable development at 11 Le Hong Phong Street

- 9 a.m.: Award ceremony of international contest about Hanoi at the Hanoi Opera House

- 8 p.m.: Traditional music show at the Hanoi Opera House

October 8

- 7 a.m.: Cultural and arts program for youngsters at outdoor stages around the Hoan Kiem Lake

- 8 p.m.: Meeting of 1,000 heroes and heroic mothers at the National Convention Center

- 8 p.m.: Carnival at State Bank of Vietnam Square, 49 Ly Thai To Street

October 9

- 8 a.m.: Inauguration of Thanh Tri and Vinh Tuy bridges

- 9:30 a.m.: Inauguration of Thang Long Avenue

- 8 p.m.: Shows by international art troupes at outdoor stages in Hanoi

October 10

- 8 a.m.: Meeting and marching at Ba Dinh Square

- 8 p.m.: Cultural and art festival at My Dinh National Stadium

During the festival, there will be 245 performances by local artist troupes and 38 performances by foreign troupes.

Multicolored activities at Hanoi’s 1,000th anniversary

October 1

- 8 a.m.: Opening ceremony at Ly Thai To Flower Garden (in front of the Hoan Kiem Lake)

- 9:30a.m.: Art shows at five stages around Hoan Kiem Lake

- 2 p.m: Exhibition of literary and art works about Hanoi at 2 Hoa Lu, Hai Ba Trung Street

- 3 p.m.: Photo exhibition about Hanoi at 45 Trang Tien Street, Hoan Kiem District

- 7:30 p.m.: Exhibition of Vietnam and Hanoi’s economic-social achievements at the Vietnam Exhibition and Fair Center, 138 Giang Vo Street

- 7:30 p.m.: Film week at the National Cinema Center, 87 Lang Ha Street

- 8 p.m.: Video conference between Hanoi and other provinces on VTV channel, special arts show and ao dai performance around the Hoan Kiem Lake

- 8 p.m.: A concert by artist Dang Thai Son at the Hanoi Opera House

October 2

- 8 a.m.: Exhibition of artifacts about Hanoi’s 1,000 years at the Thang Long Royal Citadel, 9 Hoang Dieu and 19 Nguyen Tri Phuong Street

- 9 a.m.: Introduction of a bookshelf about Thang Long-Hanoi at the National Library, 31 Trang Thi Street

- 2 p.m.: Announcement of a comprehensive scientific research work about Hanoi at the Hanoi Opera House

- 8 p.m.: Introduction of new songs about Hanoi at Ba Kieu Temple

- 8p.m.: Thang Long-Hanoi International Tourism Festival to open at Bao Son Heaven Park

October 3

- 7 a.m.: Ha Noi Moi newspaper marathon race around Hoan Kiem Lake

- 8 p.m.: Thang Long-Hanoi in Ho Chi Minh Age art show at Hang Day Stadium

October 4

- 8:30 a.m.: Award ceremony of the contest about knowledge of Thang Long-Hanoi’s 1,000 years and the city’s heroes at the Hanoi Opera House

- 3 p.m.: Exhibition of Vietnamese heroes and great men in Vietnamese culture at the Revolutionary Museum, 25 Ton Dan Street

- 3:30 p.m.: Exhibition of famous battles and military campaigns in Vietnam.’s military history at the Vietnam. Military History Museum, 28A Dien Bien Phu Street

- 5 p.m.: Calligraphy exhibition and festival at the Temple of Literature

- 8 p.m.: Award ceremony of the national press contest about Thang Long-Hanoi’s 1,000 years at 8 Huynh Thuc Khang Street

- 8 p.m.: Thang Long-Hanoi ancient dance show at Ly Thai To flower garden

October 5

- 9 a.m.: Introducing the Hanoi ceramic road on Yen Phu Road

- 2 p.m.: Bat Trang ceramic – Tradition and Modernity exhibition at Bat Trang village

- 2 p.m.: Hearts for Thang Long-Hanoi exhibition at the Hanoi Cultural Friendship Palace

- 8 p.m.: A music show of famous Vietnamese artists at the Hanoi Opera House

- 8 p.m.: A great show entitled “Thang Long Spirit – Song for the Country” at Hang Day Stadium

October 6

- 8 a.m.: Hanoi Kite Festival at My Dinh Square

- 8 a.m.: Martial arts performance at Quan Ngua Sports Palace

- 8:30: Inauguration of Hanoi Museum

- 2 p.m.: Inauguration of Hoa Binh Park at Tu Liem District

- 2 p.m.: Inauguration of President Ho Chi Minh – President Ton Duc Thang statues at Thong Nhat Park

- 2 p.m.: Old Hanoi photo exhibition at Hanoi Museum, Pham Hung Road

- 2.30 p.m.: Inauguration of Kim Dong Theatre at 19 Hang Bai Street

- 8 p.m.: Inauguration of Worker Theatre at 42 Trang Tien Street

- 8p.m.: Inauguration of Dai Nam Theatre at 48 Hue Street

- 8p.m.: Hanoi food festival at Ho Tay Water Park

October 7

- 8 a.m.: International workshop on Hanoi’s sustainable development at 11 Le Hong Phong Street

- 9 a.m.: Award ceremony of international contest about Hanoi at the Hanoi Opera House

- 8 p.m.: Traditional music show at the Hanoi Opera House

October 8

- 7 a.m.: Cultural and arts program for youngsters at outdoor stages around the Hoan Kiem Lake

- 8 p.m.: Meeting of 1,000 heroes and heroic mothers at the National Convention Center

- 8 p.m.: Carnival at State Bank of Vietnam Square, 49 Ly Thai To Street

October 9

- 8 a.m.: Inauguration of Thanh Tri and Vinh Tuy bridges

- 9:30 a.m.: Inauguration of Thang Long Avenue

- 8 p.m.: Shows by international art troupes at outdoor stages in Hanoi

October 10

- 8 a.m.: Meeting and marching at Ba Dinh Square

- 8 p.m.: Cultural and art festival at My Dinh National Stadium

During the festival, there will be 245 performances by local artist troupes and 38 performances by foreign troupes.

Rejuvenate the spirit at Long Thuan Garden

A bridge across Chan Lac Lake

Local nature lover and designer Sy Hoang invites visitors to come and recharge their batteries in his large traditional style garden in HCMC’s District 9.

The beautiful garden boasts ornamental trees, bonsai and grassy areas, where visitors can escape the sounds of traffic for a while.

A wooden house where Sy Hoang worships Buddha and practices meditation - Photos: Uyen Vien

The garden has a long narrow hall, where a lot of workshops and painting and design classes are held.

There is a lake called Chan Lac that has wooden chairs made of cart wheels scattered along the banks.

In the lake is a floating stage where artists hold folk art performances of the three regions - North, Central and South. Behind the stage is a Buddhist worship house where the artist and his mother pray and practice meditation.

A wooden house in the garden has displays of pottery and wooden artworks that the designer has collected for many years.

Sy Hoang took eight years to build the garden with an investment of VND40 billion. He also planted a mini rice field that can produce about 100 kilograms of rice a year.

The artist is collaborating with Hanh Huong Viet Travel Company in HCMC’s District 3 to hold one-day tours called “peaceful spirit” twice a month on Sundays. The tour departs from 6 a.m. and closes at 8:30 p.m. with many activities such as meditation practice, exchanging life experiences, releasing fish, hanging lanterns to pray, Buddhist worshipping and vegetarian meals.

Visitors can also enjoy fashion and traditional music shows.

“I hope that one day, children can sit under the trees to paint and businessmen can find peace for their soul in this garden, said Hoang.

He said he expects to develop areas to teach fashion design and cooking and wants it to be a venue for cultural exchange and ethnic performances.

This month, there are two tours on October 17 and 24 at VND695,000 per person.

For bookings, visit www.hanhhuongviet.vn or call (08) 3884 0608.

To get there take the Ben Thanh – Long Thuan bus to District 9 from Ben Thanh Bus Station. It takes about one hour by motorbike from the center of the city.

Song of the gibbons

Tourists catch a boat from the national park headquarters to visit the primate rescue center

If the wind is blowing from the right direction you can hear the gibbon’s song from your bungalow at Cat Tien National Park about five hours drive from HCMC. The sound comes from an island in the Dong Nai river not more than a kilometer from the park headquarters and accommodation.

One of the juvenile gibbons at the center - Photos: Mong BInh and Wendy Derham

On the island there is the Dao Tien Endangered Primate Rescue Center that specializes in rehabilitating golden cheek gibbons for release into the wild. The gibbons there sing all day long – it is a strange haunting song whose high pitch is more like a drawn out note from a keyboard synthesizer than a primate’s voice. The sound takes a little getting used to as it is quite loud.

Gibbons that live in the wild at Cat Tien National Park sing songs that declare their territory or let other gibbons know that that they are looking for a mate. The songs are normally sung in the morning and they reverberate around the jungle for miles. But at the center the gibbons sing all day long – perhaps because they are in such close quarters.

The primates are there mostly because they have been rescued or confiscated by rangers from poachers or households or petrol stations that kept them as pets or mascots. Sometimes because of the growing awareness of wildlife conservation in Vietnam households surrender them voluntarily and they wind up in the rescue center that was set up by Monkey World - Ape Rescue Centre in 2008.

To visit the center just talk to the rangers at the park headquarters and they will arrange a boat to take you across to the island. From where the boat drops you off there is about a 15 minute walk to the center – so remember to take some water. It is not really set up for tours but it’s worth visiting for an hour or two to see these beautiful but endangered primates. Some of the rangers don’t speak English well so if you want to find out more about the gibbons, one of the Western staff there may be able to help you.

If you are hoping to get to cuddle one of the cute gibbons, you will be very disappointed. The center is very strict about human contact, not even the staff are allowed to touch them. You are not even allowed to walk up to their big cages, which are set well about 20m off the path. To prepare them for the wild the gibbons are exposed to a minimum of human contact. Do you will have to be satisfied with seeing them from a distance.

Visitors must walk on the path between the large cages. There’s six or seven big cages and a special nursery for the juvenile gibbons and with a fenced off tree area so they can learn the physics of swinging through the jungle.

The island also has a semi wild area where gibbons are let go prior to being totally released into the national park. The semi wild area is bordered by the river and a special fence that the center built this year.

Monkey world set up the Endangered Asian Species Trust (E.A.S.T.) to help continue this conservation work in to the future so if you want to support the work they are doing, including rehabilitation, research and awareness raising at schools, then donate at the office or buy a T-shirt or hat.

Song of the gibbons

Tourists catch a boat from the national park headquarters to visit the primate rescue center

One of the juvenile gibbons at the center - Photos: Mong BInh and Wendy Derham

Song of the gibbons

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Song of the gibbons

Tourists catch a boat from the national park headquarters to visit the primate rescue center

One of the juvenile gibbons at the center - Photos: Mong BInh and Wendy Derham

Song of the gibbons

Song of the gibbons

Tourists catch a boat from the national park headquarters to visit the primate rescue center

One of the juvenile gibbons at the center - Photos: Mong BInh and Wendy Derham

Song of the gibbons

Hanoi’s grand anniversary to honor ao dai

Models perform ao dai at a fashion show in HCMC - Photo: Kieu Giang

A huge ao dai (Vietnamese long dress) festival will take place in the program “The fanciful night on Sword Lake” on the evening of October 1, kicking off the festival for the grand millennial anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi, reports Vietnam News Agency.

Collections of ao dai from Vietnam’s three regions - the North, South and central -will be paraded by models from Ngoc Son Temple to The Huc Bridge and But Temple on Sword Lake. The dress collections will be displayed along a specially-built 350m catwalk decorated with woven mats, conical hats, and lively dioramas depicting Hanoi in ancient times.

The 45-minute ao dai performance, which will be broadcast live nationally on TV, will be followed by a 15-minute light festival and fireworks display.

Vietnamese designer Duc Hung will bring his four seasons collection to the festival.

“Hanoi has four seasons with distinctive characters which inspired me to create this collection,” said Hung.

Hung said he carefully selected made-in-Vietnam materials and colors for his collections, using brocade for spring, silk for summer, voile for autumn, and velvet for winter.

Hung’s ao dai collections will also present colors representing Vietnamese festivals of three regions such as pink for peach blossoms for Tet in the North, Hue purple for the Central and bright yellow representing the apricot blossoms of the South. Hung has designed 500 sets of ao dai as gifts for the festival to promote the Vietnamese long dress for international friends - Japan, France and Russia.

Hung’s ao dai collection will again be paraded to the sound of bronze drums in the program “Thang Long – the flying dragon city” on the evening of October 10 at the My Dinh National Stadium.

Thousands attend Buddha statue unveiling at pagoda

Thousands of monks and pilgrims from around the country attended a ceremony on the weekend to sanctify a giant Buddha statue at Phat Tich Pagoda in the northern province of Bac Ninh, reports VietnamPlus.

Ten thousand lit candles lined the path from the pagoda’s gate to the top of Phat Tich Mountain where the giant Buddha statue sits. After the ceremony there was a10-minute fireworks display.

The VND75 billion stone statue, which is 27 meters high and weighs 3,000 tons, is a replica of the Buddha Amitabha statue from the Ly Dynasty. It was invested by the government with support from other organizations and individuals around the country.

The statue is one of biggest stone Buddhas in Southeast Asia and is Vietnam’s first giant stone statue.

Phat Tich Pagoda, built between the seventh and 10th century in Phat Tich Commune, Tien Du District, Bac Ninh Province, is recognized as a national relic that houses numerous objects of cultural value from the Ly Dynasty including a statue of Buddha Amitabha on a 1.87m high lotus pedestal carved out of blue stone, a tower garden, and a stone board engraved with images of musicians and dancing girls.

Thousands attend Buddha statue unveiling at pagoda

Ten thousand lit candles lined the path from the pagoda’s gate to the top of Phat Tich Mountain where the giant Buddha statue sits. After the ceremony there was a10-minute fireworks display.

The statue is one of biggest stone Buddhas in Southeast Asia and is Vietnam’s first giant stone statue.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Thousands attend Buddha statue unveiling at pagoda

Ten thousand lit candles lined the path from the pagoda’s gate to the top of Phat Tich Mountain where the giant Buddha statue sits. After the ceremony there was a10-minute fireworks display.

The statue is one of biggest stone Buddhas in Southeast Asia and is Vietnam’s first giant stone statue.

Ninh Thuan bun cha ca

A bowl of bun cha ca in Ninh Thuan Province - Photo: Mai Ly

Bun cha ca (rice noodle soup with fish paste) is a popular breakfast dish in the coastal areas of the south. In Ninh Thuan Province, bun cha ca is served at most street-side shops and restaurants for the cheap price of VND6,000.

The main ingredients of the dish are white rice noodles, fish pieces and fish cakes but there’s an art to making a tasty bowl of bun cha ca.

The fish cake must be made of good fish such as thu phan, moi or song. To make the cake, remove the bones and grind the meat with spices and a bit of saffron flour to make it an attractive yellow color.

Then knead the ground fish meat into a sticky paste and roll it into a ball which is flattened with the hands before being placed in a hot oiled fry pan.

The pieces of fish are then fired and cut into pieces. The soup must be boiled from sweet pork bones, fish bones and some fried shrimp. Then the fish is added and the cake is cut up into slices before being added in.

The dish is always served with many kinds of vegetable such as bean sprouts, sliced rau muong (water spinach), salads, banana flowers and many kinds of aromatic vegetables. A bit of fish sauce, and some drops of lemon and chili sauce will complete the taste.

Ninh Thuan bun cha ca

A bowl of bun cha ca in Ninh Thuan Province - Photo: Mai Ly

The main ingredients of the dish are white rice noodles, fish pieces and fish cakes but there’s an art to making a tasty bowl of bun cha ca.

Then knead the ground fish meat into a sticky paste and roll it into a ball which is flattened with the hands before being placed in a hot oiled fry pan.

The birdnest caves of Yen Island

Yen Island in Quy Nhon City where the swifts build the nests that make birds nest soup Photo: Vietnam+

From the central coast city of Quy Nhon, the towering cliffs of Yen Island look like a giant dinosaur defending the city from storms and heavy seas.

The picturesque island, which is also called Phuong Mai Peninsula, is famous for its cliffs and caves where birds build the nests used in the much-prized health-giving birds’ nest soup.

To visit the island in Nhon Ly Commune, Quy Nhon City take a two hour boat from the wharf on Tan Islet in Hai Cang Ward. The long journey will be rewarded when you see the caves, ten thousands of years old and stone cliffs rising vertically from the waves. The floors of the caves are large but strewn with rocks making it the perfect place for swallows to make their nests.

Once inside the caves you will be overawed by their size of the interior. The bird nests are everywhere, strung about in chains. The mothers feed their hungry young and fan them with their wings, while the little ones chirp loudly. The sounds of the birds, the dripping of water and the waves below are amazing.

Nguyen Hong Van, director of the management and exploitation board of birds’ nests in Binh Dinh Province, said that there are 30 caves on Yen Island, mainly located in two villages of Nhon Hai and Nhon Ly. In small caves such as Rung Cao, Doi, Ba Nghe, Can and Ham Xe, every year, people collect from 100 to 300 bird nests. For the large caves such as Ca, Doi Trong, Doi Ngoai, Luong and Kho, especially, the caves whose mouths open toward the East or Southeast, that are cool and airy and have fresh water dripping from the ceiling, locals can collect 14,000 to 15,000 bird nests per year.

In spring when the weather becomes warmer, visitors can see flocks of birds filling the sky. To take the nests from the walls of the cliff and from the cave ceilings, people build bamboo scaffolds often using them like bridges. Some caves are very high so that people use up to 300 lengths of bamboo to make each scaffold that may be five lengths of bamboo tall to reach the ceiling. The way to take the nest is very meticulous. For a nest that is out of reach, people use a stick with a nail on the top for a hook. In the dry weather, before taking the nests, the locals inject water into it to soften it and avoid it breaking.

The harvest season starts from April in the lunar calendar as the breeding season is lunar January and February. In lunar April they take the first harvest. The second harvest starts when the nestlings become strong enough to fly. People can collect a few nests in the third harvest stage which has the best quality nests.

The island also has many historical and cultural relics dating from the Cham era to Nguyen Dynasty such as Phat Loi Pagoda with its mysterious Cham statue, Tam Hoa Mountain, the site of Tay Son troop’s glorious victory in the eighteen century and Ho Ky Fortress.

Vietnam Airlines cuts international tickets by 85 percent

Vietnam Airlines cuts international tickets by 85 percent The national carrier Vietnam Airlines has announced an up to 85 percent discount on nearly 90,000 international flight tickets bought between September 30 and October 10.

Passengers planning to take off between October 15 and December 31 and between April 1 and May 31 can buy the discounted tickets at Vietnam Airlines agencies nationwide or via its website www.vietnamairlines.com.

The tickets will also be available at the International Tourism Exhibition between September 30 and October 2 organized at Saigon Seminar and Exhibition Center at 799 Nguyen Van Linh Street.

Under the program, round trip tickets to Southeast Asian countries will be discounted 85 percent, to Laos and Cambodia 74 percent, to China, Hong Kong and Taiwan 80 percent, to Japan and South Korea 82 percent, Australia 50 percent and European countries such as France, Germany, Russia 40 precent.

But the program will not be applied on flights around April 30 – the country’s reunification day and May 1 – Labor Day, which is the travel prime time as people have days off.

Vietnam Airlines cuts international tickets by 85 percent

The tickets will also be available at the International Tourism Exhibition between September 30 and October 2 organized at Saigon Seminar and Exhibition Center at 799 Nguyen Van Linh Street.

But the program will not be applied on flights around April 30 – the country’s reunification day and May 1 – Labor Day, which is the travel prime time as people have days off.

Rice done right

Tay Ninh Province is approximately 90 kilometers to the northwest of Ho Chi Minh City.

The area remains a popular tourist destination thanks to its lush forests and serene pagodas. But, for most foodies, Tay Ninh’s major draw is its local delicacies. Between banh trang phoi suong Trang Bang (Trang Bang dew-wetted rice paper) and banh canh (a thick Vietnamese noodle made from a mixture of rice and tapioca flour), the province is worth the visit.

Banh trang phoi suong Trang Bang

Rice paper is everywhere in HCMC. It typically appears at the table in piles of store-bought rounds and eats with the consistency of a raincoat.

To offset this, some moisten the sheets with water and fill them with tasty bits of meat and fresh herbs.

Trang Bang District’s “dew-wetted rice paper,” however, is the result of a painstaking, seven-step process.

The special ingredient is the rice itself. Tay Ninh varietals are known for their delicate fragrance and the trick to making good paper is remaining true to the grain’s original flavor.

When cooks want to make the rice paper, the grains are soaked for two to three hours.

The wet grains are then mixed with a little salt and ground into a sort of paste.

The processed mush is then spread in two thin layers on a cloth that is hung over a cauldron full of boiling water. The mixture is then spread out over a bamboo grid and left to dry in the sun.

The resulting paper is grilled over a fire of peanut shells. The cooks use a shallow pan to cook the double-layered paper and sniff the resulting smoke to ensure the fragrance is not lost.

HCMC LOCATIONS:

Hoang Ty Restaurant850 Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Street, Binh Thanh District

Tel: (08) 3 899 8820

691 B Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Street, Binh Thanh District

(08) 3 898 8789

106 Cao Thang Street, District 3

Tel: (08) 3 833 2077

Banh canh Trang Bang441 Nguyen Tri Phuong Street, District 5

Tel: (08) 3 856 1268

180 Ly Thai To Street, District 3

Tel: (08) 3 832 2532

The paper is then left out overnight, to be moistened by the evening dew. Ideally, these famed rice paper makers will yield a wrap that is, at once, soft, tender and springy. Most importantly, the final product should still bear the smell of the original rice plant.

Pork is also a crucial ingredient in the dish, therefore, it must be chosen carefully. Tay Ninh favors lean cuts from the rump which is selected for its thin skin.

The meat is then paired with locally-grown fresh herbs like basil, peppermint, and chives. Locals from the district are known to throw in thin slices of mango bud and perilla. Add some strips of pickled carrot and Daikon and you’re almost there. But this roll is nothing without the nation’s famed sweet and sour dipping sauce - comprised of fish sauce, sugar, garlic, lime and chili.

It costs around VND90,000 for a portion which easily feeds two.

Banh canh Trang Bang

Another Tay Ninh favorite is the famed banh canh Trang Bang (thick noodle soup with pork hock). The dish is comprised of a bowl of delicious bone broth filled with springy noodles, and spiced fish sauce.

A fatty and chewy smoked ham hock is plopped down in the center of the dish, which can intimidate some foreign eaters.

Ham hocks in the New World are typically smoked, stewed and discarded. But here in Vietnam, they are chewed gnawed and sucked clean of marrow.

Thick skinned, and chock full of tasty tendons, the hock should be tacked with a combination of spoon and pork chops. Just eat it! You won’t be sorry.

Thanks to a little help from the tapioca flour, the chewy banh canh noodles will have absorbed a good deal of that divine swine flavor.

A bowl of banh canh costs between VND27,000–40,000 depending on where you’re dining.

Sunday, September 26, 2010