VietNam Travel: January 2011

Friday, January 28, 2011

New appointment at Victoria Hotels & Resorts

Hanno Stamm

Indochina’s luxury hotel group, Victoria Hotels & Resorts (under EEM group), has announced a key appointment for their head office based in HCMC.

Hanno Stamm has taken over the position of managing director previously held by Eric Simard since 2002. At the same time, Stamm will keep his current position as General Manager of the Victoria Angkor Resort & Spa.

With almost 20 years experience in hotel groups such as Accor and Radisson, the German national joined Victoria Hotels & Resorts in July 2002 as Rooms Division Manager of Victoria Sapa Resort & Spa. In 2003, he held the position of General Manager of Victoria Chau Doc Hotel followed by Victoria Can Tho Resort in 2004 and Victoria Phan Thiet Beach Resort & Spa in 2007. Hanno Stamm has been Victoria Angkor Resort & Spa’s General Manager since May 2009. He is also a graduate of the Swiss hotel management school, Les Roches.

The group operates six luxury Indochina retreats embracing off–the-beaten-track mountain and beach spa resorts in Vietnam, two colonial-style hotels in the Mekong Delta, and an elegant spa resort at Angkor Wat in Cambodia. The agreement with Thien Minh Travel Joint Stock Company under which EEM was to sell its five hotel properties in Vietnam has been cancelled early January.

Can Tho gardener with golden thumb

Tran Thanh Liem tends to one of his golden watermelons that will be harvested on Friday

Farmer Tran Thanh Liem in Binh Thuy District in Can Tho City has a special talent growing gold in his garden. Liem has used his gardener’s green thumb to grow 100 pairs of yellow watermelons in the shape of gold ingots.

A pair of watermelons which weigh 2 to 2.5 kg each is priced from VND5 million to VND5.5 million. This is a new product for ancestral altar worshipping during Tet.

Liem told the Daily, “To shape the watermelons, I put them into a special mold 20 days prior to the harvest time.”

The talented farmer has also molded nearly 20 pairs of watermelons in cube shapes priced from VND2.5 million to VND3 million a pair. They have

A pair of watermelons molded into the shape of gold ingots is priced from VND5 million to VND5.5 million - Photos: Le Hoang Vu

already sold out so next year Liem will double the number of melons carved with “Van su nhu y” (everything to your liking), “Phuc Loc Tho” (happiness, prosperity and longevity) and “Chuc mung nam moi) (Happy new year) in the shape of gold ingots.

A moment to welcome Lunar New Year

Flower Markets

Three Tet flower markets are taking over the city’s three major parks: September 23 Park, Gia Dinh Park and Le Van Tam Park. The September 23 Park, across the roundabout from Ben Thanh Market, will be the city’s main flower market from Jan. 26 to Feb. 2.

Other flower markets in the city are in Dist. 5 (two spots), Dist. 6 (two spots), Dist. 7 (three spots; specially in Dist. 7’s Phu My Hung area, flower market & festival is at Crescent Lake), in District 8 (10 spots), Dist. 10 (two spots), Dist. 11 (three spots), Go Vap Dist. (two spots), Tan Phu Dist. (one spot), Thu Duc Dist. (five spots), Binh Tan Dist. (three spots), Cu Chi Dist. (four spots).

Fairs for Tet Holidays

- From Jan. 21-26 at Phu Tho Indoor Stadium, 1 Lu Gia St., Tan Binh Dist., HCM City.

- From Jan. 25-30 at Van Ho Exhibition Centre, 2 Hoa Lu St., Hanoi.

- From Jan. 26-31 at My Dinh National Exhibtion Palace, Pham Hung St., Hanoi.

Firework Shows

Firework shows will take place at five of high range and two other of lower range during the 15 first minutes of the Lunar New Year’s Eve on Feb. 3 at 0-0:15 a.m.

Caric Shipyard in Thu Thiem Ward, District 2, Administrative Centre project in District 7, Go Vap Cultural Park project in Go Vap District, Nga Ba Giong Memorial area of Heroic Martyrs in Hoc Mon District, Ben Duoc Temple of Heroic Martyrs in Cu Chi District, Ethnic Culture historical park in District 9 and Dam Sen Cultural Park in District 11.

Ong Do Street

Annually, on Pham Ngoc Thach (in front of the Youth Cultural House) and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai streets (in front of the Labour Cultural House), dozens of young and old calligraphers (ong do) in traditional Vietnamese dress are displaying their calligraphy skills and selling Vietnamese or Chinese calligraphy written in black and yellow ink on red paper. They are New Year greetings wishing people happiness, wealth or longevity.

A calligraphy market will open on Pham Ngoc Thach Street from Jan. 21 to Feb. 2. Artists from the cultural house’s calligraphy club and neighbouring provinces will show off skills at the market.

Another calligraphy market on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai from Jan. 23 to Feb. 1 features artists including members of the Workers Cultural House’s Vietnamese Calligraphy Club and students from city universities.

Nguyen Hue Flower Street

Nguyen Hue Street will be decorated with flowers and ornamental trees, with this year’s theme being New Heights.

The core activity of the festival is the Nguyen Hue Flower Street on Nguyen Hue Boulevard, which will open for seven days from Jan. 31 (7 p.m.) to Feb. 6 (10 p.m.).

Lightings & Door-shows

Lighting up two main streets of Dong Khoi, Le Loi and Chi Lang Park from Jan. 26 to Feb. 14 to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

Families living in these streets will be encouraged to decorate the front of their houses and participate in the Door-shows program from Jan. 31 to Feb 6.

Banh Tet Festival

The city’s 24 districts will organize the banh tet (cylindric glutinous rice cake) making contest to select the best cakes as token offerings to the Hung Kings and to produce 10,000 banh tet cakes for poor people to enjoy Tet on Jan. 28-Jan. 31.

Banh tet offerings will be made at the Temple for Hung Kings, the Ho Chi Minh Museum and the Ton Duc Thang Museum.

Tet Flowers Festival

Exhibitors and artisans will arrange and showcase flowers, decorative fish and birds, besides miniature models of well-known architecture works including Nha Rong Wharf made from flowers and foliages created by Japanese artists. Taiwanese exhibitors will also join the festival on Jan. 28 at 5 p.m.-Feb. 8 at 6 p.m.

The event will kick off in Tao Dan Park (55C Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St., Dist.t 1, HCM City) on Jan. 28, or five days ahead of the Lunar New Year. Apart from Tao Dan Park as the main venue, the organizer will also launch a minor flowers festival at Quoc Te Square, or Ho Con Rua as it is commonly referred to.

Homeland Spring

A special program with the performance of Vietnamese artists at home and abroad will take place at the southern gate of Doan Mon of the Thang Long Royal Citadel in Hanoi on Jan. 28 to welcome Vietnamese expatriates who return home for 2011 Lunar New Year festival.

This year’s program is to celebrate the successful hosting of the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi and the 11th National Party Congress. It is also to mark 100 years since Ho Chi Minh left Nha Rong Wharf on board a French ship to seek ways to liberate the country and 60 years since he returned homeland.

The program, jointly held by SCOV under the Foreign Ministry and other related agencies, will start with a incense burning ceremony at the Kinh Thien palace in the royal citadel.

Sheraton Nha Trang celebrates Tet in style

The Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel & Spa, is gearing up for its first Tet celebration with an exciting line-up of events and activities. On Jan. 29, the hotel will host a dinner for 30 children from the local Nhan Ai Orphanage and distribute li xi (lucky money).

On Feb. 2, the last day of the Year of the Tiger, guests are invited to enjoy a special buffet dinner priced at VND500,000++ per adult and VND250,000++ per child aged 3-11. Later that evening, Nha Trang lights up with a spectacular fireworks display, best viewed from Sheraton Nha Trang’s 28th-floor sky bar, Altitude. The entrance fee is VND500,000 nett per person, inclusive of two drinks of your choice (wine, beer, soft drinks). On the first morning of the New Year, the hotel will organize a calligraphy session in the hotel lobby and a traditional lion dance show.

Between Jan. 28 and Feb. 15, Sheraton Nha Trang is offering a special Tet package of VND2.3 million++ per room per night, inclusive of accommodation in a Deluxe Ocean View Room, buffet breakfast for two adults, free breakfast for children under 12 years sharing the room with parents (maximum two children per room), 15% discount on food and beverage and Shine Spa body treatments (except for packages), and 20% discount on laundry services. The festive package is applicable to Vietnamese nationals, overseas Vietnamese and expats working in Vietnam that book two nights or more.

For more information and reservations, call 058 388 0000 or email to reservations.nhatrang@sheraton.com

Saigontourist Tet celebrations

Lemongrass Restaurant on level 14 of the Palace Hotel Saigon has great city views and delicious meals - Photo: Courtesy of Lemon Grass Restaurant

Hotels and tourist sites under Saigontourist in HCMC are preparing food programs for the traditional Vietnamese Lunar New Year.

Rex Hotel Saigon (141 Nguyen Hue Boulevard, District 1, tel : 3829 2185)

The hotel will host a Tet welcoming buffet party on Lunar New Year’s Eve on February 2, accompanied with entertainment, lion dance, music performances and fashion shows.

Rex hotel is an ideal place for tourists to see the fireworks. Tickets are US$89 per adult and US$44 per child.

Continental Hotel Saigon (132 Dong Khoi Street, District 1, tel: 3829 9201)

The hotel will offer a set menu with typical Tet dishes priced from VND500,000 per person and VND800,000 for two. The program runs from January 30 to February 6.

First Hotel (18 Hoang Viet Street, Tan Binh District, tel: 3844 1199)

The program “Spring comes knocking” will be hosted every night of the first four days of the New Year (February from 3 to 6). Enjoy music shows, lucky draw and unicorn dances by Nhan Nghia Duong lion dance troupe.

Que Huong Liberty 4 (256 Pham Ngu Lao, District 1, tel: 3836 5172)

The hotel’s Gio Noi Restaurant will prepare a buffet with more than 60 dishes on weekend nights from Fridays to Sundays. Tickets are VND198,000 per adult and VND98,000 per child.

Liberty Central Hotel (179 Le Thanh Ton Street, District 1, tel: 6291 7977)

The hotel introduces new dishes made of ostrich including spring rolls, stir-fry, grilled with herbs or chilly salt. The hotel also serves buffet breakfast priced at VND199,000 per guest and lunch for office workers at VND59,000.

Thien Hong Hotel (52 Tan Da Street, District 5, tel: 3855 4435)

On Lunar New Year’s Eve, the hotel will prepare a buffet program with more than 30 dishes made in Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine, accompanied with music show and lucky draw. Tickets are priced at VND229,000 per adult and VND149,000 per child. Buy 10 tickets, get one free.

Bong Sen Saigon Hotel (117 Dong Khoi Street, District 1, tel: 3829 1516)

The hotel’s Buffe Ganh Restaurant will hold “New Year lucky buffet” program with an ethnic music show. The buffet lunch is priced at VND220,000 per adult and VND110,000 per child and buffet dinner is priced at VND320,000 per adult and VND160,000 per child.

On the seventh and twelfth floor, there will be buffets with lucky New Year traditional Tet dishes.

Van Thanh Tourist Area (48/10 Dien Bien Phu Street, Binh Thanh District, tel: 3512 3025)

The buffet called “Back to hometown for Tet” will run from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. from February 4 to 6 with traditional dishes. Guests can join folk games to win prizes and enjoy a piano performance. Tickets are priced at VND190,000 per adult and VND120,000 per child.

Binh Quoi 2 Tourist Area (At the end of Binh Quoi Street in Binh Thanh District, tel: 3556 5470)

The buffet called “Great dishes from the coast” will have over 70 seafood and barbecue dishes. Buffet lunch is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and buffet dinner is from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., along with flamenco music show, juggling and circus performances. Tickets are priced from VND170,000 per adult, inclusive of a jug of Russian beer and VND100,000 per child. Guests can take a cruise around Thanh Da Peninsula for VND50,000 per adult and VND30,000 per child. Buy 10 tickets on the cruise, get one free.

Saigon Ship Restaurant (Bach Dang Wharf, District 1, tel: 3823 0393)

The buffet named “Spring cruise on Saigon River” will be on for lunch from February 4 to 6, with more than 50 Tet dishes. Enjoy live music, juggling and circus performances. Tickets are VND190,000 per adult and VND120,000 per child. At night, the cruise leaves the wharf twice - 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Tan Cang Tourist Area (A100 Ung Van Khiem, Binh Thanh District, tel: 3512 8775)

The area will host a program “Back to hometown for Tet celebrations” from February 6 to 8” and “Tan Cang grilled hotpot” with more than 80 dishes and seafood hotpots. Tickets are priced from VND250,000 per adult and VND140,000 per child, inclusive of a jug of Russian beer, fresh ice-cream and fruit juices.

Tickets will be discounted 30% on February 8.

Binh Quoi 1 Tourist Area (1147 Binh Quoi Street, Binh Thanh District, tel: 3556 5891)

From February 4 to 7, the tourist area will hold buffet lunches and dinners with more than 70 selected dishes in the garden area, along with ethnic artistic performances. Tickets are VND180,000 per adult and VND100,000 per child.

The area’s restaurant will serve Vietnamese dishes, accompanied with juggling and music show.

Saigon Hotel (41 Dong Du Street, District 1, tel: 3822 4845)

The hotel will prepare a buffet for Lunar New Year’s Eve with about 40 Western and Asian dishes on the ninth floor overlooking the Saigon River and fireworks display. Tickets are VND399,000 per adult and VND199,000 per child, inclusive of one jug of beer, and free for children under 3.

Saigon-Phu Quoc Resort and Spa (1 Tran Hung Dao Street, Phu Quoc District, Kien Giang Province)

On Lunar New Year’s Eve, the resort will put a 6m-high yellow apricot tree on the floating sea stage. There will be a Tet party with traditional food, folk games, showmanship and a cruise along the beach. Tickets are US$69 per adult, US$35 per child.

Palace Hotel Saigon (56-66 Nguyen Hue, Dist. 1, HCMC, tel: 38292860)

The Golden Palace on level five of the four-star hotel will launch its buffet program named “Luck, Prosperity & Longevity” featuring fine seafood including abalone, oyster, shrimp, crab, caviar and salmon. The buffet will also serve Tet specialties, golden carp, royal meat roll and pork pies, golden roasted goose with a free flow of wine, beer, soft drink, fruit juice, tea and coffee.

The restaurant will be decorated with colorful fish and three deities of Luck, Prosperity and Longevity will welcome guests at the door.

It runs from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. from Lunar New Year’s Eve (Feb. 2) until the forth of the first lunar month (Feb. 6). The price on Feb. 2 is VND550,000++ per adult and VND350,000 from Feb. 3 to Feb. 6.

Lemongrass Restaurant (level 14, Palace Hotel Saigon, 56-66 Nguyen Hue Blvd., Dist. 1, HCMC, tel: 3829 1520)

On the New Year’s Eve (Feb. 2), the Lemongrass Restaurant on the 14th floor of the Palace Hotel Saigon will hold a Lunar New Year’s Eve Party featuring mouthwatering dishes made from sea food like grilled shrimp paste, grilled squid paste, shark fin & crab soup, tuna salad with Wasabi sauce, grilled tuna served with ginger sauce among others. There’s a free flow of drinks like Tiger draught beer, Heineken and soft drinks.

Enjoy folk music performance and folk dances. The hotel’s roof top on level 15 & 16 is an ideal place for watching fireworks and Nguyen Hue Flower Street. The buffet which is available from 7:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. on Feb 2 is priced at VND1.3 million ++ /adult, and VND830,000++/child.

Calibre Charner (level 1, Palace Hotel Saigon, 56-66 Nguyen Hue Blvd., Dist. 1, HCMC, tel: 3829 2860)

The restaurant offers two luxury set menus for New Year’s Eve. The first menu consists of Russian salad, potato soup with smoked salmon, grilled lobster, dessert and Palace flan. The second one includes salmon salad, abalone soup, American beef with baked potatoes and cakes for dessert. The buffet which is available from 7:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. on Feb. 2 is priced at US$59++.

Phan Thiet fun for Tet

A traditional boat race on Ca Ty River in Phan Thiet City - Photo: Khai Nguyen

Phan Thiet has announced the cultural and sports events for this year’s Lunar New Year 2011.

From Jan. 30 until Feb. 8 (the 27th of the 12th lunar month until the sixth of the first lunar month) there are numerous music performances, sports activities, folk games and lion dances at most of the province’s 18 wards.

Bien Xanh theater group will hold special music galas in the communes of Tien Thanh, Phong Nam and Thien Nghiep. Tien Loi – Tien Thanh Tourist Area will have a fireworks display on Lunar New Year’s Eve. After the 15-minute fireworks, a music performance named “Chao Xuan” (Welcoming the Spring) will be held at Nga Bay Stage and a music gala at Nguyen Tat Thanh Square.

The traditional boat race on Ca Ty River will be on the second of the first lunar month and the Mui Ne sand hill run will be on the forth of the first lunar month. At resorts and hotels in Phan Thiet, there’re banquets to welcome Lunar New Year, folk music performances, lion dances, Cham dances and traditional martial arts.

Con Dao in spring

A foreign tourist lies on Dam Trau Beach in Con Dao - Photo: Mong Binh

The white and pink peach blossoms in Con Dao signal the beginning of spring and the market in town is vibrant with floral colors.

Spring is the windy season in Con Dao, the archipelago off the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau. Strong winds increase the swell. The ocean is full of white caps and the crashing waves send white water high up the island’s many cliff faces. There are also havens for visitors to swim in the turquoise, calm sea.

Dam Trau Beach is one of the protected beaches on Con Dao, where locals and foreign tourists opt for relaxing strolls, rests and camping. This yellow-sand beach earned its name from an island legend about two lovers. The girl in the doomed love affair, Mai Thi Trau, committed suicide from the cliffs because she couldn’t tie the knot with the man she loved, who was revealed by her father to be her half-brother.

The love story has a sad ending, but a trip to Dam Trau Beach will certainly end in happiness for nature lovers. The small sandy bay is perfect for sunbathing, long walks and exploring the black cliffs that stretch into the water.

The cliffs divide Dam Trau Beach into two parts. The furthest beach from the road can be reached best at low tide. The tree-lined beach has a fresh water stream shadowed by a giant tropical almond tree whose leaves have turned red.

Red-leaved almond trees also line the esplanade and many of the streets in the sleepy little town on Con Dao. Most of them were planted over 100 years ago.

The best time to tour Con Dao is summertime when the sea and the weather are calm, but a visit to the archipelago in the windy season promises a lot of excitement.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Tet market at Furama Resort Danang

A calligrapher or ong do sells parallel sentences at the five-star Furama Resort Danang - Photo: Thanh Hai

The Furama Resort Danang in Danang City will host a Tet market from January 27 to 30 for tourists to enjoy a traditional Vietnamese Tet.

Guests of the five star resort can experience the color of a Tet country market and Vietnamese craft villages.

Witness people making banh chung (square glutinous rice cake filled with green bean paste and pork fat), fortune tellers in traditional costumes, ong do (calligraphers) painting parallel sentences, drawing portraits and creating Dong Ho and Hang Trong pictures. Watch the traditional art of making to he (sculptured figurines from colored rice dough), conical hats, stone statues and colorful lanterns.

The young ladies in traditional costumes at Tra Co Ly restaurant will serve delicious Tet dishes such as specialties of the central region, Quang noodles and Hoi An cao lau.

The resort is offering special rates from January 21 to February 2 with two nights for US$356++ per single room and US$416++ for twin room, inclusive of buffet breakfast, airport pick-up, wifi, and a buffet dinner at Café Indochine Restaurant.

Guests can book at www.furamavietnam.com or reservation@furamavietnam.com.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Hanoi receives 1.7 million foreign visitors in 2010

An estimate of 1.7 million foreign visitors flocked to Hanoi during
the National Tourism Year 2010, representing a year-on-year increase of
62 percent.

The figures were announced by Ngo Thi
Thanh Hang, Vice Chairperson of the Hanoi People’s Committee, at a
ceremony in Hanoi on Jan. 25 to review the implementation of the
National Tourism Year 2010, which highlighted Thang Long-Hanoi and its
1,000 year-old history.

The ceremony, jointly held
by the Hanoi People’s Committee and the municipal Department of Culture,
Sports an Tourism, was attended by Permanent Deputy Prime Minister
Nguyen Sinh Hung and the city’s authorities.

Hanoi
welcomed 10.6 million domestic arrivals last year, up 10 percent
compared with the pervious year. Especially, over 30,000 foreign
visitors and 1.2 million domestic tourists flocked to the city during
the 10-day grand celebration of the 1,000 th anniversary of Thang
Long-Hanoi, Hang said.

According to Hang, the
National Tourism Year 2010, hosted by Hanoi , had received a strong
support from ministries, agencies and the entire people.

It was organised with a wide range of activities to mark Hanoi ’s
millennium anniversary, thus, helping to promote the city’s position and
image to the world, Hang noted.

On the occasion,
the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the municipal People’s
Committee presented certificates of merit to units and individuals who
had greatly contributed to the success of the event.

Deputy PM Hung handed over the host of the National Tourism Year 2011 to the central coastal province of Phu Yen./.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Special activities to mark VN Tourism Year

National Tourism Year 2011 which highlights the southern central coastal
region will kick off in Phu Yen province on April 1.

The organising board said at a Jan. 25 press briefing that an artistic
programme to celebrate the 400 th founding anniversary of Phu Yen
province will also take place on the same day with People’s Artist Le
Ngoc Cuong, former Head of the Performance Arts Agency, as the programme
director.

Accordingly, over 30 special events will
be organised in eight southern central coastal cities and provinces of
Da Nang , Quang Nam , Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan,
Binh Thuan and Phu Yen during the event.

Highlights
for the event will include the International Yacht Festival in Mui Ne
beach, Binh Thuan province from March 17-20, an International Firework
Display in Da Nang city on April 29-30, the ASEAN Traditional Music
Festival on June 1-7 in Phu Yen, the Nha Trang Sea Festival on June
11-15 and the cultural, sports and tourism festival of ethnic groups in
the central and Central Highlands region in Phu Yen in July.

In preparation for the national promotion, the cities and provinces
have worked with the National Tourism Administration to conduct two
surveys in tourism destinations to create inter-regional tourism
products.

Phu Yen province, as the host of the
event, has also built up several cultural, sports and tourism
establishments and stepped up the development of infrastructure and
transport to meet visitors’ demands.

With the
theme, “Exotic Beach and Island”, National Tourism Year is an
opportunity to promote the country’s sea and island tourism, effectively
exploit tourism potential and boost investment promotion./.

Fifteen honored at Mai Vang Awards

Actress Lan Ngoc (C) wins most popular cinema actress for her role in Canh dong bat tan (Floating Lives) - Photo: Xuan Thao

The 16th Mai Vang (golden apricot) awards organized by Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper at Hoa Binh Theater in HCMC’s District 10 on Saturday honored 15 artists and works voted by readers.

The most popular drama award went to Ong ngoai – ba noi (mother’s father – father’s mother). The most popular drama artists went to actor Vo Minh Lam and actress Le Khanh. Hoai Linh was named in the comedian category. The most popular TV film went to Cong mat troi (The sun’s gate). The most popular cinema actor and actress went to Ly Hung and Lan Ngoc while Van Trang and Phung Ngoc Huy were the most popular television actor and actress. Phan Anh from Vietnam Idol 2010 was named best MC.

Dam Vinh Hung swept the awards in the music categories for male folk singer and pop singer. The song “Viet Nam nam 2020” (Vietnam in 2020) composed by musician Le Quang and sung by Dam Vinh Hung was named the most popular song of 2010. Female singers Thanh Thao and Cam Ly were respectively awarded the female pop singer and folk singer awards.

Mekong ornamental sales at 5 riverbank sites

The HCMC Department of Transportation has announced five sales locations along the city’s rivers for ornamental potted-plants from the Mekong Delta before Lunar New Year.

The five sites are a 400-meter long area beside Phu Dinh River in Ward 16, District 8; a 200-meter long area along An Tai canal side in Ward 7, District 8; a 1.7km strip along the Tau Hu Canal stretching from the bridge on Ngang Canal to Cha Va Bridge; a 470 meter-long area from Cha Va Bridge to Nguyen Quyen Street; an 800 meter-long area from the corner of Le Quang Kim & Hung Phu streets to Chu Y Bridge.

“Only the five listed locations can sell ornamentals in the city,” Phan Cong Bang from the HCMC Department of Transportation, said.

To transport flowers from Mekong Delta provinces to HCMC, Mekong Delta gardeners should follow two routes. The first one is from Cho Dem’s river - Ben Luc - Cho Dem Bridge - Binh Dien Bridge – Doi Canal - Tau Hu Cabal. The second is from Vam Co Dong River - Nuoc Man Canal - Can Giuoc River - Tau Hu Canal.

The island of god

Tourists take a boat along the canal in the Mekong Delta - Photo: My Tran

The rivers and channels of the amazing Mekong Delta contain many islands that are interesting to visit. The richly fertile island of Cu Lao May, or May Islet in Vinh Long Province is also known as the land of God.

To get there, take a ferry from Tra On Market for VND1,000. Xe om (motorbike taxi) are also available for VND2,000. The islet, which was formerly named Luc Si Thanh Island, located in Tra On District, covers about 4,000 hectares.

Once on the island explore the orchards of oranges, pomelo, rambutan and star apples by hired bicycle or motorbike. Tourists can also visit the rice paper making village and see how the paper that is wrapped around so many delicious Vietnamese rolls is made.

Hau Thanh Temple on the island is where King Tu Duc conferred the title of Hoang Thanh Bon Canh (The land of god) in 1852. The quiet temple is surrounded by trees. In the lunar fourth month every year, there is a traditional festival at the temple which attracts many pilgrims and visitors.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Tet fun minority style at Ethnology Museum

A swing game which will be played at the Ethnology Museum in Hanoi Photo: The organizers

Discover Vietnam’s minority tribes in person at the Ethnology Museum at Nguyen Van Huyen Street in Hanoi during Tet from February 6 to 8.

For the first time, Raglai people from Ninh Thuan Province, Dao and Na Mieo from Lang Son Province will all come to introduce their colorful culture, music, dances and indigenous festivals to Hanoi. Visitors will be able to see Lion dances of Nung people, gong performances of Raglai and the bamboo dance of Thai people on the same stage.

Other attractions include water puppet shows, calligraphy demonstrations and artists from Dong Ho painting village who will show you how to paint the folk characters that have made their village famous.

Many ethnic folk games will be played. Kids can have fun with traditional toys such as pin wheel, to he (figurines fashioned from colored rice dough), flowers and fruits made of dough, 12 animal designations made of clay. Guests can enjoy many kinds of food.

Peanut gets residence at Palace

Veteran rockers, Peanut, perform at the Palace Hotel Saigon - Photo: Courtesy of Saigontourist

Calibre Charner restaurant at the Palace Saigon Hotel has signed veteran local rockers, Peanut, as the nightly resident band.

The band that started more than 40 years ago in 1967 has made a recent comeback playing its own brand of classic rock. The four members, Bernard Tam (solo guitarist, singer and who can play guitar by teeth), Francois Thien (drummer), Michel Chi (Guitar bass, singer) and Patrick Trung (keyboard, singer), are brothers.

Covers from the 60s, 70s and 80s include Come together, Don’t let me down (Beatles), How deep is your love, I started a joke (Bee Gees), The house of the rising sun, We gotta get out of this place (The Animals), I can’t get no satisfaction (The Rolling Stones), Smoke on the water (Deep Purple) and Hotel California (Eagles).

The band is accompanied by a singer from the Philippines and four Vietnamese singers. They will perform from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.

On February 1, the band will perform from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., in front of the hotel in a Tet performance on Nguyen Hue Flower Street.

Calibre Charner is part of a relaxation, healthcare and beauty complex featuring restaurant, café, bar, karaoke, spa, gym and hair salon. Located in downtown Nguyen Hue Boulevard and surrounded by trade centers, buildings, banks and fashion shops, cafés, Calibre Charner, open 7a.m. to midnight, is an ideal venue for businessmen and tourists to take the view of Saigon life.

The menu includes breakfast with noodle soup with ox tails, Hue style noodle soup with beef, Nam Vang noodle soup and broken rice.

It has two set dinner menus for Tet on Lunar New Year’s Eve priced at US$59 per person.

On the fifth floor of the hotel will be a seafood buffet from February 2 to February 6. Tickets are priced at VND550,000 per adult on Lunar New Year’s Eve and VND350,000 per adult on February 3 to 6.

The Palace Hotel Saigon, 55-66 Nguyen Hue Boulevard, HCMC’s District 1. Tel: 3829 2860.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Fun with banh chung at Sea Horse Resort

Spring fair in Phan Thiet

A team makes a banh chung at Tuesday’s festival at the Sea Horse Resort in Phan Thiet - Photo: Khai Nguyen

Hundreds of holidayers in Phan Thiet cheered on their favorite team at a banh chung wrapping contest at a festival at Sea Horse Resort on Tuesday night.

The contest to make the square glutinous rice cake filled with green bean paste and pork fat was part of a banh chung festival held by the resort. Twenty three teams, many of them tourists from Russia, Germany, Estonia and Rumania, competed.

In 15 minutes, the teams had to wrap all the ingredients of a banh chung in banana leaves and tie it with string under guidance of the resort staff.

All the teams finished the cake on time but the most beautiful banh chung belonged to three teams from Russia.

A Vietnamese overseas lady, Le Thu Nguyet, said, “I am Vietnamese but this is the first time I have made a banh chung. It is a joyful experience after 23 years away from my country.”

All the cakes were boiled to serve guests. “Touring Vietnam, I can
discover many landscapes and learn interesting things interesting about culture, food and history,” said Billy Karksson,a tourist from Sweden.

The festival is held at the resort every year so visitors can know about the traditional Vietnamese Tet festival.

*Binh Thuan Province will hold its Spring Fair at Nguyen Tat Thanh Square in Phan Thiet City from January 22 to 27 with about 150 booths.

Organizers hope the fair will add extra color to the province’s Tet celebrations and bring luck to
enterprises to promote their businesses and find partners.

The fair will feature food, cosmetics, household utensils, souvenirs, fine arts products and home decorations.

Nightly music shows, children’s games, promotions and discount programs promise to make it a fun event.

Tombs and clouds on Truong Son Road

A view of East Truong Son

We reached Pleiku City in the Central Highland when night started to fall. The mountainous city was magnificent with lights everywhere and high buildings. We found a hotel to sleep to be ready for Truong Son Road, the Ho Chi Minh Trail, next day.

Early in the morning, after visiting Bien Ho (Sea Lake), a tourist destination that is five kilometers from the center of the City, we left Pleiku in a light drizzle for neighboring Kontum Town.

Truong Son Road is sinuous track that gets thinner as it climbs. Along the road are many weirdly named passes such as Lo Xo, Prom, P’Rao.

Scattering along the road are many graveyards of soldiers and locals, making us feel very somber. One member of my group, whose father died there in the war time but his body was never recovered, burned incense at some tombs hoping that one was his father’s.

This bridge on Truong Son Road crosses a waterfall - Photos: Pham Manh Anh

The rain continued so the trail was blanked in water and fog. Winding roads looked like silk scarves across the hills and everything looked dreamy and vaporous.

Along the road there were no residential areas, just some small villages spread far apart. The villagers pan for gold, or cut wood. There was no sign of cars, buses or trucks.

We stopped by Lo Xo Pass where clouds clung to the mountain sides. We all took out cameras and took photos as if we were standing in front of a watercolor painting that we were afraid would vanish.

We went back to the car as the FM radio broadcast that the monsoon would come the next day. It was time to leave but we all agreed to return next year.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Int’l yacht festival promotes yachting tourism

Yacht teams from 20 countries and territories in the world will take
part in the 2011 International Yacht Festival which will be held in Mui
Ne, in the central province of Binh Thuan from March 17-20.

Themed
“Yacht, Sea, Sand and Sun,” the second yacht festival will include
interesting sports, tourism and entertainment activities such as a yacht
exhibition, a yacht performance by professional athletes, plus
international music performances with the participation of artists from
the Czech Republic, the Republic of Korea, Australia and Russia
and arts performances from Vietnam.

There will be a
seminar on building a brand name for Vietnamese sea activities, along
with advertising and developing yachting amusements in Vietnam.

At
a press briefing in Hanoi on Jan. 20, Deputy Chairman of the Binh
Thuan provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Thu said the organisation
of the festival is to popularise Mui Ne beach attractions to domestic
and foreign tourists and develop Vietnam’s sea tourism.

The
event is also a chance for international yacht groups to consider
investing and building yacht production plants for export in Binh Thuan
to provide for the Asian market.

Boasting a 192 km coastal
line, Binh Thuan province boasts abundant sea resources with beautiful
beaches, historical and cultural monuments and captivating traditional
festivals which are suitable for sea tourism development.

The International Yacht Association ranks Mui Ne as one of the best beaches for sailing in Asia.

Mui
Ne welcomed 2.5 million tourists, 15 percent of whom were foreigners,
in 2010. Binh Thuan province aims to attract 3.5 million visitors –
including 500,000 foreigners – to the beach by 2015./.

Travel firms offer Tet tours for tourists

As the Tet (Lunar New Year) Festival is approaching, tourist companies
are eagerly preparing to launch tours to serve not only local
holidaymakers but also tens of thousands of foreign visitors.

Doan
Thi Thanh Tra, Head of the Saigontourist Travel Service Corporation’s
Marketing Department, said that as of January 26 (the 23rd day of the
12th lunar month) the company will begin to receive groups of foreign
tourists who want to experience the Vietnamese people’s biggest
traditional festival.

More than 8,500 visitors have booked tours
to Vietnam for the occasion and this is the 8th consecutive year that
Saigontourist has organised tours to serve holidaymakers from abroad as
well as foreigners who are working and living in the country.

If
booking a tour to Ho Chi Minh City, visitors will have a chance to enjoy
the flowers at the Tao Dan Park and learn about the spiritual lives of
the local people by visiting pagodas, where they can pray for good luck
during the Year of the Cat.

Visitors will have an interesting
experience by going on a sightseeing tour of Cho Lon market by pedicab
or visiting local families, enjoying traditional dishes and receiving
gifts for good luck from the owners.

Meanwhile, tours to the
Mekong Delta offer holidaymakers an opportunity to experience the
typical Tet atmosphere of the local residents, with exciting floating
markets and Don ca tai tu (music of the talented) singing. They can join
in with the hosts to pack banh tet (cylindric glutinous rice cakes) and
banh chung (glutinous rice cake).

In addition, Saigontourist’s
restaurants, hotels and tourist sites have also prepared menus with
typical and traditional dishes to serve domestic and foreign visitors
during the festival.

Other travel firms are planning to launch
their own tours, alongside the traditional ones, to attract tourists
during the holidays.

Duong Mai Lan, from the Vietravel Company’s
Marketing Department, said that most of visitors have chosen the central
ancient town of Hoi An, the central city of Da Nang and the Mekong
Delta as destinations.

Tours in the North will bring
holidaymakers to the capital city of Hanoi, the UNESCO-recognised
natural heritage Ha Long Bay, the northern mountainous town of Sapa, and
the Huong (Perfume) pagoda.

Tourists can travel along the Hong
(Red) river by ship and visit a number of riverside tourist sites such
as Tien Dung-Chu Dong Tu Temple and Bat Trang pottery village.

According
to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), the country
is targeting welcoming 5.3 million foreign visitors and serving 30
million domestic holidaymakers in 2011.

The tourism sector will
strive to earn revenue of more than 110 trillion VND (5.5 billion USD),
equivalent to 4.6 percent of the country’s estimated gross domestic
product (GDP).

To reach these targets, the VNAT has mapped out
plans to attract one million tourists from each of the key markets,
namely Thailand, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Europe./.

Kontum’s unofficial ethnology museum

Dakbla Restaurant in Kon Tum Province, which is famous for its waterfalls and ethnic villages, is an interesting place to recharge the batteries with a meal and a coffee, because of the restaurant’s collection of antiques and cultural artifacts of the local ethnic people.

Many artifacts are on display at the restaurant. They are objects that are used in the daily life of local ethnic people, giving tourists an insight into communities such as Bahna, Ede, Gia Rai and M’Nong.

Ho Cong Van, the owner of the restaurant, has collected the artifacts since the 80s when he taught literacy to the tribes. There are shields of Xedang people, bamboo chairs and animal leather of Gie Rieng people, masks of the Ede as well as many gongs, hunting knives, old statues and a shirt made of tree bark.

Seen from outside, the restaurant, at 168 Nguyen Hue Street, Kontum Town in the highland province, looks like other normal restaurants. Dakbla is the name of the river that passes through town. Visitors to Kontum often hire wooden boats to explore the river and surrounds. - Photos: Kinh Luan

Kontum’s unofficial ethnology museum

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Kontum’s unofficial ethnology museum

Young Translators Club wants members

Young Translators Club (YTC), a job organization of HCMC University of Social Sciences7 and Humanities, is calling for membership. Founded in November, the club is for young translators in HCMC, who are students, postgraduates, lecturers, entrepreneurs interested in doing translation as a job. The HCMC-based club specializes in translating for services, projects and research.

Services provide professional translations; projects consist of community activities, career orientation, and seminars. For instance YTC has started a song translation project at the website http://baihatdich.maudantoc.com. The research section is for translation of researches and publications.

To be a member of YTC you must be a Vietnamese national or foreigner living and working in Vietnam. For more information and for registration, please visit the website at http://dichgiatre.blogspot.com/p/members.html or contact the university at 10-12 Dinh Tien Hoang Street, HCMC’s District 1, email dichgiatre@gmail.com, or phone (848) 39102989 - 0902 848 163.

Young Translators Club wants members

Happy Tet snaps could win prizes

Locals and foreign visitors can join a contest to take the best photo of Tet (Lunar New Year) activities on Nguyen Hue Flower Street and the brightly streets of Dong Khoi, Le Loi and Nguyen Hue in HCMC.

According to organizers of the Tet Saigon 2011 contest, Saigontourist Holding Company and Doanh Nhan Sai Gon magazine, contestants can send in photos of the streets taken between December 30 to this February 6.

The organizing committee will have a website displaying the pictures and will present 16 winners with prizes on February 11. First prize is VND10 million, two second prizes of VND5 million each, three third prizes of VND3 million each, and 10 consolation prizes of VND1 million each.

Entrants can send pictures to the organizing committee at 7 Tran Quoc Thao Street, District 3, HCMC or visit the website http://www.doanhnhansaigon.vn for further information.

As part of the Tet festival 2011, the city will also organize a contest to make banh tet, hold fireworks, and stage music and light shows.

Like pervious festivals, the city’s government has entrusted Saigontourist to organize the festival. Flower street will be installed on Nguyen Hue Boulevard on Friday for it to open January 31.

InterContinental launches special meeting packages

The InterContinental Asiana Saigon Hotel last weekend held a function at the hotel to announce the Insider Collection, part of its InterContinental Meetings launched in the world since 2008. With Insider Locations, the hotel team presents an unusual mix of historical venues. For example, a planner can organize an offsite drink reception or a dinner at a historic local venue such as the HCMC Museum, or a day-long board meeting could be broken up with a private lunch at the Reunification Palace for a glimpse of Vietnam’s history.

Insider Speakers draws on inspirational personalities with local connections, ranging from celebrities, cultural experts and sports heroes, someone who can really strike a chord with delegates and enrich their experience beyond measure. With corporate responsibility high on every business’ agenda, Insider Community provides an ideal way of creating meaningful memories. The hotel has adopted four orphanages in order to improve the quality of life for underprivileged people in Vietnam through education, environment, health and social services. For a team-building experience that makes the most of the unique heritage or geography of the locale and helps delegates connect with each other like never before, Insider Interactions aims to take this a step further by discover one of the best Vietnamese culinary journey. Finally, Insider Breaks is a fulfilling experience, allowing delegates to enjoy a taste of Vietnamese own diverse and distinctive range of authentic dishes.

InterContinental launches special meeting packages

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

InterContinental launches special meeting packages

Vietnam bands wanted for Hard Rock battle

American Hitmen band performs at Hard Rock Cafe in HCMC’s District 1 - Photo: The organizers

Hard Rock Café has asked for Vietnamese entries in its search for four Global Ambassadors of Rock to play at its three day music festival, Hard Rock Calling 2011 at Hyde Park, London in June.

Last year the Hard Rock Calling concert featured Pearl Jam, Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, The Who and Eric Clapton.

To mark the 40th anniversary this year, the Hard Rock Café has launched the first Global Ambassadors of Rock Battle of the Bands and is calling for Vietnamese entries for the qualification round.

The best 12 bands will have an audition with a judging panel made up of famous musicians and rock music experts. The winner chosen from the 12 will represent Vietnam at the regional finals. Audiences worldwide can watch the videos of the bands performances at www.hardrock.com to vote for their favorites.

To register and for further information, contact Ms. Uyen Tran-Chloe of Hard Rock Café HCMC at 0932 624 627 or email to uyen.tran@vtijs.com or log onto the website www.hardrockcafe.vn.

The entry email should contain a demo sent in MP3 format, profile photographs and a 50-100 word bio. The last date for entries is February 27.

Vietnam bands wanted for Hard Rock battle

American Hitmen band performs at Hard Rock Cafe in HCMC’s District 1 - Photo: The organizers

Hard Rock Café has asked for Vietnamese entries in its search for four Global Ambassadors of Rock to play at its three day music festival, Hard Rock Calling 2011 at Hyde Park, London in June.

Last year the Hard Rock Calling concert featured Pearl Jam, Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, The Who and Eric Clapton.

To mark the 40th anniversary this year, the Hard Rock Café has launched the first Global Ambassadors of Rock Battle of the Bands and is calling for Vietnamese entries for the qualification round.

To register and for further information, contact Ms. Uyen Tran-Chloe of Hard Rock Café HCMC at 0932 624 627 or email to uyen.tran@vtijs.com or log onto the website www.hardrockcafe.vn.

The entry email should contain a demo sent in MP3 format, profile photographs and a 50-100 word bio. The last date for entries is February 27.

Tourism identifies its top ten events in 2010

The fact that Vietnam received a record five million foreign
tourists and 28 million domestic visitors, earning 96 trillion VND, has
been selected as one of the top ten tourism achievements in 2010.

The top ten list was announced by Nguyen Manh Cuong, Deputy Head of
the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) at a Jan. 18 press
briefing. The election is an annual activity carried out by VNAT’s “Du
lich” (Tourism) newspaper.

Among the events were: a
promotion programme named “Vietnam - your destination”, the 50 th
anniversary of the birth of the tourism sector (1960-2010); National
Tourism Year 2010 held in Hanoi and the programme “Strategy for
Vietnam’s tourism development by 2020, with a vision for 2030”, projects
to develop tourism in the 2011-2020 period and the campaign to promote
Vietnam’s tourism in China, Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia and Western
Europe.

Other outstanding highlights include the
launch of a tourism television channel; a national seminar on the
development of Vietnam’s tourism in the context of proactive
international integration, the international seminar titled “Tourism -
important momentum for socio-economic development”, a tour to plant a
flag on Fansipan peak on the occasion of the 1,000 th anniversary of
Thang Long Hanoi and the international tourism exhibition in Ho Chi Minh
City./.

Phu My Hung Flower Festival

A group of Vietnamese ladies wearing ao dai walk around last year’s Phu My Hung Flower Festival 2010 - Photo: The organizers

Phu My Hung Flower Festival 2011 will present a week dedicated to the Vietnamese craft of growing flowers starting January 26 at The Crescent in the Phu My Hung urban area in HCMC’s District 7.

The festival, co-organized by Phu My Hung Joint Venture Company and HCMC Ornamental Creature Association, expects to attract more than 500 enterprises displaying flowers, fruit and Tet (Lunar New Year) products.

One of the highlights will be a flower contest “Hoa dong co noi” for growers and gardeners to enter.

The festival also includes a flower-garland releasing festival to pray for happiness and good luck by the lake.

The lake will be decorated with giant lotus flowers which will be lit for photo opportunities. Different festival areas include Cat Square with flowers arranged in the shapes of cats, the apricot and peach blossom section, 12 animal designations of the lunar calendar and the legend about the man, Mai An Tiem, who discovered the watermelon.

Following the success of last year’s event, the organizers will hold
another orchid and frangipani contest.

There will be music shows at the festival every night till it ends Feb 1.

Phu My Hung Flower Festival

A group of Vietnamese ladies wearing ao dai walk around last year’s Phu My Hung Flower Festival 2010 - Photo: The organizers

Phu My Hung Flower Festival 2011 will present a week dedicated to the Vietnamese craft of growing flowers starting January 26 at The Crescent in the Phu My Hung urban area in HCMC’s District 7.

One of the highlights will be a flower contest “Hoa dong co noi” for growers and gardeners to enter.

The festival also includes a flower-garland releasing festival to pray for happiness and good luck by the lake.

Following the success of last year’s event, the organizers will hold
another orchid and frangipani contest.

There will be music shows at the festival every night till it ends Feb 1.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Phu My Hung Flower Festival

A group of Vietnamese ladies wearing ao dai walk around last year’s Phu My Hung Flower Festival 2010 - Photo: The organizers

Phu My Hung Flower Festival 2011 will present a week dedicated to the Vietnamese craft of growing flowers starting January 26 at The Crescent in the Phu My Hung urban area in HCMC’s District 7.

One of the highlights will be a flower contest “Hoa dong co noi” for growers and gardeners to enter.

The festival also includes a flower-garland releasing festival to pray for happiness and good luck by the lake.

Following the success of last year’s event, the organizers will hold
another orchid and frangipani contest.

There will be music shows at the festival every night till it ends Feb 1.

Friday, January 28, 2011

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