Cruise Nha Trang on King Yacht

King Yacht at Bao Dai wharf in the coastal city of Nha Trang. The new cruise takes in beautiful Nha Trang Bay - Photo: Hoang Long

Cruising is the best way to see Nha Trang Bay and what better way to cruise than the new four-star standard King Yacht.

The US$1 million 28m yacht can do speeds of 11 knots. With two decks including restaurant, bar on the lower and four rooms on the upper deck, visitors can indulge themselves on a lavish four-day tour of Saigontourist Travel Service Co. that departs from HCMC to meet The King in Nha Trang.

The yacht tour will start from Bao Dai Wharf in Nha Trang city and then cruise to Tre, Mun, Mot, Tam and Mieu islands. Cruise around Mun islet for swimming, coral reef diving and fishing before stopping at Tri Nguyen aquarium. Guests on board the motor yacht can also request stops at sights they choose along the way.

Mun Island’s marine protected area has 1,500 kinds of corals and hundreds of sea creatures making it a prime diving and snorkeling site. Saigontourist’s tour guides and instructors will guide visitors to discover the underwater world. Even people who cannot swim can easily explore the coral reefs, just 10 meters underwater.

The tour also visits sights around Nha Trang and the Thap Ba Hot Spring Mudbath.

The first tour will leave HCMC on January 22, and then head off every Saturday after that. Costs are VND 3.4-5.7 million a ticket. Guests can book by calling 08 3833. 6442 or logging onto http://www.dulichtet.com

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Dalat’s Hung King Temples

One of the Hung Kings Temples at the site

Ten kilometers from Dalat City on the road to HCMC is the beautiful Prenn Waterfall and a temple site to commemorate the Hung Kings. The temples by skilled artisans from Hue in 2004 for local people that can’t travel to Phu Tho Province in the lunar March for the Hung King’s death anniversary.

A tourist looks at the stone carving of hero Nguyen Trai - Photos: Duy Anh

The temples are one of the1,420 relic sites related to Hung Kings from the north to the south of Vietnam. On the Hung King day, people walk up the 500 meter path to the site, with lower, middle and upper temples which are replicas of the original temples in Phu Tho.

In front of the Upper Temple is Lac Long Quan-Au Co Park which has the six-meter high statues of Lac Long Quan and Au Co, the father and mother of Vietnamese people. A hundred rocks symbolize the eggs of Au Co Mother from the legend. The park also contains 18 large stones that are carved with the faces of national heroes such as Hai Ba Trung, Ba Trieu, Ngo Quyen, Tran Hung Dao, Le Loi, Ho Chi Minh.

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Dalat’s Hung King Temples

One of the Hung Kings Temples at the site

Ten kilometers from Dalat City on the road to HCMC is the beautiful Prenn Waterfall and a temple site to commemorate the Hung Kings. The temples by skilled artisans from Hue in 2004 for local people that can’t travel to Phu Tho Province in the lunar March for the Hung King’s death anniversary.

A tourist looks at the stone carving of hero Nguyen Trai - Photos: Duy Anh

The temples are one of the1,420 relic sites related to Hung Kings from the north to the south of Vietnam. On the Hung King day, people walk up the 500 meter path to the site, with lower, middle and upper temples which are replicas of the original temples in Phu Tho.

In front of the Upper Temple is Lac Long Quan-Au Co Park which has the six-meter high statues of Lac Long Quan and Au Co, the father and mother of Vietnamese people. A hundred rocks symbolize the eggs of Au Co Mother from the legend. The park also contains 18 large stones that are carved with the faces of national heroes such as Hai Ba Trung, Ba Trieu, Ngo Quyen, Tran Hung Dao, Le Loi, Ho Chi Minh.

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Dalat’s Hung King Temples

One of the Hung Kings Temples at the site

Ten kilometers from Dalat City on the road to HCMC is the beautiful Prenn Waterfall and a temple site to commemorate the Hung Kings. The temples by skilled artisans from Hue in 2004 for local people that can’t travel to Phu Tho Province in the lunar March for the Hung King’s death anniversary.

A tourist looks at the stone carving of hero Nguyen Trai - Photos: Duy Anh

The temples are one of the1,420 relic sites related to Hung Kings from the north to the south of Vietnam. On the Hung King day, people walk up the 500 meter path to the site, with lower, middle and upper temples which are replicas of the original temples in Phu Tho.

In front of the Upper Temple is Lac Long Quan-Au Co Park which has the six-meter high statues of Lac Long Quan and Au Co, the father and mother of Vietnamese people. A hundred rocks symbolize the eggs of Au Co Mother from the legend. The park also contains 18 large stones that are carved with the faces of national heroes such as Hai Ba Trung, Ba Trieu, Ngo Quyen, Tran Hung Dao, Le Loi, Ho Chi Minh.

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Dalat’s Hung King Temples

One of the Hung Kings Temples at the site

Ten kilometers from Dalat City on the road to HCMC is the beautiful Prenn Waterfall and a temple site to commemorate the Hung Kings. The temples by skilled artisans from Hue in 2004 for local people that can’t travel to Phu Tho Province in the lunar March for the Hung King’s death anniversary.

A tourist looks at the stone carving of hero Nguyen Trai - Photos: Duy Anh

The temples are one of the1,420 relic sites related to Hung Kings from the north to the south of Vietnam. On the Hung King day, people walk up the 500 meter path to the site, with lower, middle and upper temples which are replicas of the original temples in Phu Tho.

In front of the Upper Temple is Lac Long Quan-Au Co Park which has the six-meter high statues of Lac Long Quan and Au Co, the father and mother of Vietnamese people. A hundred rocks symbolize the eggs of Au Co Mother from the legend. The park also contains 18 large stones that are carved with the faces of national heroes such as Hai Ba Trung, Ba Trieu, Ngo Quyen, Tran Hung Dao, Le Loi, Ho Chi Minh.

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Blue blooded

Lam Kinh has an unmistakable royal bearing.

It is said to be one of the capitals that Vietnam has had in its long history, and although it is not as famous as Hanoi and Hue, Lam Kinh does not lack importance or historical prominence as the origin of the nation’s longest serving Le Dynasty (1428-1788).

Located 50 kilometers to the northeast of Thanh Hoa Town in the central province of the same name, Lam Kinh was declared the capital by Le Loi (1385-1433) as he used it as a base to launch an insurrection against the Chinese Ming troops between 1418 and 1427.

Le Loi came to the throne in 1428 and gave himself the name Le Thai To (the Founding Emperor) or King Le Thai To. However, Le Loi passed away after only five years on the throne.

The Lam Kinh Palace was once surrounded by four walls bordering an area of 314x254 meters that housed a royal citadel, an imperial residence, and an imperial temple area. These were situated in accordance with the Chinese character wang (王) which means “king.”

The structures have crumbled and turned to dust, and only the flagstones, which were once the columns that supported the buildings and shrines, stand to this day, six centuries later.

However, in an effort to redeem the site’s place in the country’s history, local authorities have so far rebuilt six imperial temples according to their descriptions in historical annals.

A giant banyan tree at Lam Kinh. The place was declared as the capital by Le Loi six centuries ago.

The temples are now dedicated to the worship of the Le kings together with Le Loi’s father and grandfather. All the altars, copper censers and royal tools inside the temples are original.

The restored temples apart, Lam Kinh is a place worth visiting for the special ambience of its royal tombs.

Vinh Lang (King Le Thai To’s tomb) is located 50 meters from the site’s center. Statues of soldiers and elephants are placed around the tomb as spiritual guardians. Near the tomb is a headstone etched with the king’s biography which was composed by Nguyen Trai (1380-1442), an illustrious scholar and a master tactician. It is decorated with the dynasty’s emblem - dragons placed in sacred fig leaves.

The other tombs are: Huu Lang (King Le Thai Tong); Chieu Lang (King Le Thanh Tong); Lang Khon Nguyen (King Le Thanh Tong’s mother Ngo Thi Ngoc Giao); Du Lang (King Le Hien Tong); and Kinh Lang (King Le Tuc Tong).

Another historic relic worth visiting is a temple about five kilometers from Lam Kinh where locals worship Le Lai, a national hero who sacrificed his life to save King Le Loi in 1418.

The calm, quiet atmosphere that pervades in Lam Kinh and surrounding areas makes for a solemn, reflective and soothing experience.

As part of the restoration and revival process, the Lam Kinh festival is celebrated during the eighth month of the Lunar Year with gusto, featuring several folk dances and games particular to the central region. The festival commemorates Le Loi’s death anniversary and is held on the 22nd day of the month, one day after a festival in commemoration of Le Lai’s death.

Do not leave without trying Lam Kinh specialties like roasted anabas and traditional rice cakes like che lam and banh gai.

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The Hmong king’s palace in Ha Giang

The palace of Vua Meo, where the king of H’Mong lived last century in Dong Van Plateau, Ha Giang Province - Photo: Lam Van Son

On a tour of Ha Giang Province we visited Dong Van Plateau and decided to take a day to see the palace where the king of the Hmong people lived early last century.

The king of the Hmong lived in this palace in the early 20th Century

Often dubbed Vua Meo (king of H’mong), the palace’s official name is Vuong Chinh Sinh. The Hmong king ruled over a vast territory from Dong Van Plateau to Meo Vac Town.

During his reign, the charismatic king attracted a lot of attention when he and other Meo residents joined forces with Ho Chi Minh to gain national freedom.

The palace is in Sa Phin valley in Lung Phin Commune, Dong Van District at the base of a mountain, backed by cliffs and topped by a mass of clouds.

Tall sa moc trees surround the palace that is built from stone, fir wood and terra-cotta tiles in the Chinese architectural style of the Man Qing era.

Our first impression was of a small market called Sa Phin market at the palace gates and a parking lot run by H’Mong people, many of whom are descendents of Vua Meo.

Covering a total area of 1,120 square meters, the palace was used as a residence and fortress during the Vuong Dynasty.

The two storey, 50 meter long palace that took eight years to build has four long houses and six wide houses with 64 rooms for the king’s wives, children and soldiers.

All the walls are 50-60 centimeters thick. Surrounding it is stone barrier which is 2 meters high and 80 centimeters thick.

The palace is divided into many areas such as dining room, bed room, kitchen, marijuana store, rooms of his wives, a prayer altar and an area for criminal executions.

After entering the main gate, we passed about four smaller gates to explore the site. There are two fortresses.

No one lives at the palace anymore but it has been well maintained by the provincial government. It contains wardrobes, fireplace, beds, flour-mill, crossbow and pan-pipe.

Still largely un-restored the palace is a great place to learn about the province’s interesting history.

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Thanh Hoa to build mini Lam Kinh with VND114 bil.

The construction of a mini version of VND114.8 billion Lam Kinh Historical Relic in Xuan Lam Commune has been approved by authorities in Thanh Hoa Province, reports VietnamPlus.

The project will mark the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.

Over the next five years, the sanctum area of the original Lam Kinh will also be restored to its former beauty during Le Trung Hung and Le dynasties.

The restoration will use precious wood and meticulous carvings of dragon images and patterns.

For nearly 600 years, Lam Kinh historical relic has been synonymous with national hero Le Loi, the leader of the resounding Lam Son uprising. Construction of Lam King began in 1433, immediately following the death of King Le Thai To, the first ruler of the Le Dynasty. Building a second capital, with monuments and mausoleums in Lam Son strengthened the loyalty of the people to the King and the reigning family.

Along with mausoleums, the Le Dynasty also built three temples in Lam Kinh. The Wind and Cloud temple was used to pray for favorable weather for the harvests. The second was for Society, where wishes for a wealthy life were made. The third, South Communion, was where Kings reported and expressed their gratitude to the heavens.

Through the changing times, the relics of Lam Kinh tell the history of Vietnam.

Wars and time have destroyed most of the magnificent architecture. The only things that can remind us of the splendor of the former capital are the moss grown terraces and stone pillars.

The project hopes to honor the significance of the sanctuary, making it a tourist attraction and festival site.

This year, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will collaborate with local authorities to host Lam Kinh Festival on September 28-30 to mark 592 years since the Lam Son Revolution, 582 years since Le Thai To’s enthronement, and 577 years since the death of Le Loi King.

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Thanh Hoa to build mini Lam Kinh with VND114 bil.

The construction of a mini version of VND114.8 billion Lam Kinh Historical Relic in Xuan Lam Commune has been approved by authorities in Thanh Hoa Province, reports VietnamPlus.

The project will mark the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.

Over the next five years, the sanctum area of the original Lam Kinh will also be restored to its former beauty during Le Trung Hung and Le dynasties.

The restoration will use precious wood and meticulous carvings of dragon images and patterns.

For nearly 600 years, Lam Kinh historical relic has been synonymous with national hero Le Loi, the leader of the resounding Lam Son uprising. Construction of Lam King began in 1433, immediately following the death of King Le Thai To, the first ruler of the Le Dynasty. Building a second capital, with monuments and mausoleums in Lam Son strengthened the loyalty of the people to the King and the reigning family.

Along with mausoleums, the Le Dynasty also built three temples in Lam Kinh. The Wind and Cloud temple was used to pray for favorable weather for the harvests. The second was for Society, where wishes for a wealthy life were made. The third, South Communion, was where Kings reported and expressed their gratitude to the heavens.

Through the changing times, the relics of Lam Kinh tell the history of Vietnam.

Wars and time have destroyed most of the magnificent architecture. The only things that can remind us of the splendor of the former capital are the moss grown terraces and stone pillars.

The project hopes to honor the significance of the sanctuary, making it a tourist attraction and festival site.

This year, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will collaborate with local authorities to host Lam Kinh Festival on September 28-30 to mark 592 years since the Lam Son Revolution, 582 years since Le Thai To’s enthronement, and 577 years since the death of Le Loi King.

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Thanh Hoa to build mini Lam Kinh with VND114 bil.

The construction of a mini version of VND114.8 billion Lam Kinh Historical Relic in Xuan Lam Commune has been approved by authorities in Thanh Hoa Province, reports VietnamPlus.

The project will mark the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.

Over the next five years, the sanctum area of the original Lam Kinh will also be restored to its former beauty during Le Trung Hung and Le dynasties.

The restoration will use precious wood and meticulous carvings of dragon images and patterns.

For nearly 600 years, Lam Kinh historical relic has been synonymous with national hero Le Loi, the leader of the resounding Lam Son uprising. Construction of Lam King began in 1433, immediately following the death of King Le Thai To, the first ruler of the Le Dynasty. Building a second capital, with monuments and mausoleums in Lam Son strengthened the loyalty of the people to the King and the reigning family.

Along with mausoleums, the Le Dynasty also built three temples in Lam Kinh. The Wind and Cloud temple was used to pray for favorable weather for the harvests. The second was for Society, where wishes for a wealthy life were made. The third, South Communion, was where Kings reported and expressed their gratitude to the heavens.

Through the changing times, the relics of Lam Kinh tell the history of Vietnam.

Wars and time have destroyed most of the magnificent architecture. The only things that can remind us of the splendor of the former capital are the moss grown terraces and stone pillars.

The project hopes to honor the significance of the sanctuary, making it a tourist attraction and festival site.

This year, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will collaborate with local authorities to host Lam Kinh Festival on September 28-30 to mark 592 years since the Lam Son Revolution, 582 years since Le Thai To’s enthronement, and 577 years since the death of Le Loi King.

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Thanh Hoa to build mini Lam Kinh with VND114 bil.

The construction of a mini version of VND114.8 billion Lam Kinh Historical Relic in Xuan Lam Commune has been approved by authorities in Thanh Hoa Province, reports VietnamPlus.

The project will mark the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.

Over the next five years, the sanctum area of the original Lam Kinh will also be restored to its former beauty during Le Trung Hung and Le dynasties.

The restoration will use precious wood and meticulous carvings of dragon images and patterns.

For nearly 600 years, Lam Kinh historical relic has been synonymous with national hero Le Loi, the leader of the resounding Lam Son uprising. Construction of Lam King began in 1433, immediately following the death of King Le Thai To, the first ruler of the Le Dynasty. Building a second capital, with monuments and mausoleums in Lam Son strengthened the loyalty of the people to the King and the reigning family.

Along with mausoleums, the Le Dynasty also built three temples in Lam Kinh. The Wind and Cloud temple was used to pray for favorable weather for the harvests. The second was for Society, where wishes for a wealthy life were made. The third, South Communion, was where Kings reported and expressed their gratitude to the heavens.

Through the changing times, the relics of Lam Kinh tell the history of Vietnam.

Wars and time have destroyed most of the magnificent architecture. The only things that can remind us of the splendor of the former capital are the moss grown terraces and stone pillars.

The project hopes to honor the significance of the sanctuary, making it a tourist attraction and festival site.

This year, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will collaborate with local authorities to host Lam Kinh Festival on September 28-30 to mark 592 years since the Lam Son Revolution, 582 years since Le Thai To’s enthronement, and 577 years since the death of Le Loi King.

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