VietNam Travel: Vietnam

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Tuesday, February 15, 2011

A generally disappointing venture

A scene at the circus show Xin Chao! in September 23 Park in HCMC’s District 1 - Photo: The organizers

I am a fan of circuses, and the more traditional they are the better I like them. But Xin Chao!, though staged in the circus tent in Saigon’s September 23 Park on Pham Ngu Lao Street, is not a circus, but rather a pageant representing two episodes in Vietnam’s history plus an epilogue, all told in mime together with would-be-elegant costumes and lighting. There’s plenty of sound and fury, but in the end it doesn’t signify very much.

This show is neither a circus nor anything interestingly different. On the one hand you’re not going to learn much Vietnamese history from Xin Chao!, and on the other the thrills and splendour of the old circus are amost entirely absent. Various circus acts are incorporated to liven up what turns out to be a brief story (only Vietnam’s mythic origins and the ancient struggle with China are featured), but the music is unmemorable, whereas it’s the vibrant popular music that drives a traditional circus. Missing too is the circus’s sense of timing, and its characteristic panache.

It might be argued that, with harmonised costumes and lighting, this show adds an artistic dimension to the old routines. But it’s pointless to try to incorporate a sense of beauty into the genre because circuses are beautiful already, as the works of many old painters (such as Picasso) testify. And acrobats are the purest form of theatre there is.

Under a hundred patrons were present at Sunday’s performance, most of them foreigners. Indeed, the short last section of the show, supposedly representing Vietnam on Tuesday, could only be received with derision by any contemporary Vietnamese.

More attractive, because more authentic, is the animal-based circus from Hanoi that shares the venue over the Tet period. Only small animals are used (though there is a sleepy crocodile and a rather large snake), and the truth is that this is primarily a show for children. But the many children present when I attended responded to the event with clearly genuine, and extremely vocal, enthusiasm.

The prices for the two shows are very different - VND80,000 for the Hanoi circus and VND400,000 for Xin Chao! I could find no explanation for the difference except for the fact that more performers are involved in the latter. Neither of the shows, incidentally, is as enjoyable as that of the resident company, the excellent HCMC Circus, currently taking a break from its home turf.

Russia – key market for Vietnamese tourism

Russia is an important market for Vietnamese tourism and has high
expectations, said Vu The Binh, Chairman of the Vietnam Travel
Association.

Over the past five years, tourists from Russia
have always been among the leading groups of foreign visitors with the
highest growth of 20-30 percent, according to statistics supplied by the
Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT).

However, the
number of Russian tourists was still low in 2010 with about 100,000
visitors due to the geographic distance and a lack of promotions.

Tourists
from Russia like the coastal resorts and luxurious relaxing tourist
destinations. On average they also stay longer and spend more, around
1,600-1,700 USD, an annual increase of 50-80 percent, according to
estimates from Vietnam ’s travel agencies.

They are also interested in local products such as clothes, footwear, embroidery work, gemstones, handicrafts and silk.

Bui
Nguyen Tam Dang, Director of Vietravel’s overseas market group, said
that Russia has always been considered a market with huge potential.
In 2010, the number of Russian tourists welcomed by Vietravel rose by
20 percent against the previous years figure.

In Vietnam ,
Phan Thiet and Nha Trang in the central coastal provinces of Binh Thuan
and Khanh Hoa, are the leading destinations in terms of attracting
Russian tourists, said Dang.

Russia ’s airline Vladivostok Air
opened a direct route to Cam Ranh in Khanh Hoa province in late 2010
and could increase the number of Russian visitors to the central coastal
province by 50 percent in 2011, Dang estimated.

Travel agencies
operating in the Russian market say that Winter time is the high season
for Russian travellers. Their counterparts in Russia have also
promoted tours to Southeast Asian nations like Thailand , Indonesia
and Vietnam , instead of Egypt due to unstable political situation.

To
make the most of the opportunity, Vietravel says it is working with
service providers, especially hotels and resorts in Phan Thiet and Nha
Trang to attract more visitors from this promising market.

Localities
with the potential for maritime tourism like Da Nang City and Quang
Nam province in central Vietnam , are looking at ways of
attracting more Russian tourists.

Tran Chi Cuong, Head of the Da
Nang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s Travel Management
Division, said that along with the continued investment in coastal
tourist sites, the city will focus on promotions in Russia in the
future.

Vietnam’s tourism industry will attend the MITT
international tourism fair in March in Russia, and is creating a project
to develop key markets, including Russia./.

Where the sun rises and sets on the sea

A tourist poses for a photo beside the marker for Vietnam’s southernmost point in Ca Mau - Photo: Dang Hoang Tham

Ca Mau at the southern tip of Vietnam has more than 300-kilometers of coastline where the forest meets the sea.

About 350 kilometers from HCMC, the Mekong Delta province is famous for mangrove forests and a bird sanctuary.

We visited the province during the Tet holiday on the recently upgraded National Highway 1A, which made the journey much more comfortable than in the past. Ca Mau City is a proud young city with busy streets and industrial and trade centers.

The Ca Mau Gas - Electricity - Nitrogenous fertilizer IZ in the U Minh Ha Forest is one of the large-scale projects there.

We continued our journey to the southern tip of the country on a cruise to Tan An Commune in Ngoc Hien District, which was where tau khong so (army ships with no numbers) were stationed during the war.

At the tip there is a marker with the coordinates of 8.37.30 North and 104.43 East to mark the southernmost point of Vietnam. The area has been declared nature reserve there and there’s a tourist park.

An interesting fact is that each year, Ca Mau expands another 100m out into the sea.

From a 21-meter-high watchtower, the panoramic view filled us with love for the country, gratitude for the heroes who sacrificed their lives for the nation’s freedom and pride for the beauty of the motherland.

The point at Ca Mau is the only place in the country where people can see the sun rise and set on the ocean.

Friday, February 11, 2011

First sailing school holds party

Vietnam’s first sailing school, based in Mui Ne, will hold its official launch party on Saturday night, February 12.

MANTA Sail Training Centre, which is managed by sailing instructor, Julia Shaw, aims to promote sailing in the coastal resort town and establish sailing as a national sport in Vietnam.

Shaw said she is trying to establish sailing here with international safety and standards in place at the outset while helping the Vietnam government register Vietnam as a member of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF).

Membership would mean ISAF support to develop the sport plus permit local sailors to compete in ISAF events and allows Vietnam to run international events on ISAF rules.

Before coming to Mui Ne, the sailing coach, who recently held sailing training at the National Sports University in HCMC, had tried to set up sailing as an alternative livelihood for fishermen on Con Dao as part of marine conservation efforts.

“I came across the perfect site in Mui Ne for a sailing school, sixteen months ago, after a review of sailing centers along the coast for government,” the sailing instructor said.

“We started setting up the school after basic renovations and drawing a national sailing plan based on a range of international guidelines which was reviewed by Bernard Bonneau from ISAF last July.”

“Recently I have been blessed with great staff for development,” she said.

There will be drinking and dancing at Saturday’s “Rock the Boat” party followed by a day of sailing.

The dinghies at the center cover the range of Olympic and regional racing classes viable for Vietnam to ensure junior and senior teams can enter and train for international events.

The party starts at 8pm at 108 Huynh Thuc Khang Street just after the Mui Ne Village sign.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Vietnam’s northernmost point

Lung Cu Town seen from Dragon Mountain

Standing on top of Dragon Mountain in the northernmost Ha Giang Province is the Lung Cu flag tower, flying the Vietnamese flag, delineating the border between Vietnam and China.

Ly Thuong Kiet, a king in the 11th century, built the first tower to declare the nation’s sovereignty from neighboring China. The tower was rebuilt under the French and has been restored many times since. Twenty nine meters high, it has six relief patterns of the Dong Son drum on the base. The national flag is a massive 54 square meters in area, representing the 54 ethnicities of Vietnam.

Tourists take photos under Lung Cu Flag Tower - Photos: Pham Thai

In order to reach the peak at 1,700 meters above sea level, there are 283 stone steps.

Eight years after the previous restoration in 2002, the tower went through another massive change, including 283 new descending steps and an internal staircase. The reconstruction, however, meant that vehicles can no longer go to the top of the mountain so visitors have to take the stairs.

Dragon Mountain, 24 kilometers from Dong Van District, presents a clear view of Lung Cu town and the corn and vegetable farms of the LoLo ethnic people.

The climb from Lung Cu Town takes one and a half hours. The town itself has little to offer in the way of souvenirs or other attractions for tourists.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

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./.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Vietnam welcomes five-millionth foreign visitors

The Vietnam National Administration of
Tourism (VNAT) presented a gift and an insignia to Chinese visitor Zhu
Ying, the five-millionth foreign visitor of Vietnam this year, who
descended at Noi Bai National Airport on the evening of Dec.
24.

She was also offered a package tour of Hue-Da Nang-Hoi An for two people by the Vietnam-Hanoi Tourism Company.

VNAT
General Director Nguyen Van Tuan described it as an important event of
the tourism sector, affirming the position of Vietnam on the world’s
tourism map.

The tourism sector also presented gifts and
insignias to two other Chinese tourists, who were the 4,999,999th and
5,000,001st visitor to Vietnam.

The year 2010 is the
first year that Vietnam set a record growth of foreign tourists with
an increase of 1.2 million people from last year.

The year also sees the highest number of foreign arrivals to Vietnam over the past 20 years.

The achievements were attributable to tourism promotion campaigns launched in 2009 and 2010./.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Vietnam woos Malaysian visitors

A gala night to promote Vietnam’s tourism was held in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia, on Dec. 20 as part of Vietnam’s campaign to develop this
non-smoke industry in 2011.

The tourism promotion programme aims to introduce Vietnam’s land and people, culture and its incentives for tourists.

The
gala night, co-held by the Vietnam Tourism Administration (VTA), the
Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia and Malaysia’s Tourism Administration,
was attended by officials as well as representatives from tourist agents
and the media of the two countries.

Pham Quang Hung, Head of the
VTA’s International Cooperation Department, said Malaysia is Vietnam’s
top market among ASEAN. Next year, the tourism industry will focus on
Malaysia and Indonesia as these two regional markets are close to
Vietnam both in terms of geographical location and culture.

In
2010, Vietnam expects to welcome some 5 million foreign visitors. The
country set a higher target for 2011, prioritising near markets while
exploring distant others.

However, according to Hung, tourist
services should be improved and tourist guides should be trained
professionally in order to draw foreign visitors to return.

The
tourism promotion programme provided Vietnamese tourist businesses an
opportunity to directly meet and work with Malaysian tourist companies
and agents to exchange information and discuss contracts./.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Packed schedule for biggest-ever Vietnam Hat

Players competing at 2008’s Vietnam Hat Tournament - Photo: The organizers

Organizers have arranged an action packed schedule for players at the seventh Vietnam Hat ultimate Frisbee tournament that starts on Saturday at RMIT International University Vietnam, 702 Nguyen Van Linh Boulevard, District 7, HCMC.

Ten teams will be made-up from nearly 200 Ultimate Frisbee players from more than 10 countries. Teams will play between six and nine matches each, depending on if they progress into the final rounds on Sunday.

The organizers, Saigon Ultimate Club and RMIT Ultimate Club, said the teams are larger this year so players will have plenty of time to rest and rehydrate. The registration party is on at Le Pub tonight, 175/22 Pham Ngu Lao, District 1. (see www.lepub.org for info and directions) from 7pm till late. The tournament party on Saturday night with a costume theme of Beauty and the Beast will be at Lush Bar, 2 Ly Tu Trong, District 1 from 9pm. If not in costume, dress code applies.

The Saigon Times Daily is the proud media sponsor of the Vietnam Hat.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Visitors flock toVietnam as tourism booms

Vietnam attributed part of its success in potentially attracting
over 5 million foreign arrivals this year -- against its original target
of 4.2 million -- to a destination image promotion.

Deputy Head of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Hoang
Thi Diep told the opening session of a two-day Hanoi international
workshop on December 16 that the hospitality industry had intensified
investment in promoting iconic tourism images of national destinations
in foreign markets.

The industry has launched an
exclusive TV channel on tourism, contributing to increasing public
awareness about green tourism and tapping natural advantages as well as
cultural and historic interests and attracting investment in
hospitality.

The tourism TV channel has also
provided information on services and products for domestic holidaymakers
and foreign tourists, Diep reported.

The two-day
workshop attracted 150 participants, including representatives from the
UN World Tourism Organisation, international experts and travel agent
executives..,

Biggest-ever Vietnam Hat ultimate frisbee tournament this weekend

Saigon Ultimate club is holding the seventh Vietnam Hat ultimate frisbee tournament at RMIT this Saturday and Sunday - Photo: The organizers

Nearly 200 ultimate frisbee players from more than 10 countries will play at Vietnam’s biggest ultimate tournament ever this weekend.

The Saigon Ultimate Club (SUC) that is organizing the two day Vietnam Hat tournament at the fields at RMIT University in HCMC’s District 7 has had record registrations from Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Japan, Australia, China, the U.S. and Europe with nearly a third of the players Vietnamese.

“This is the largest ultimate tournament ever held in Vietnam. It’s half again as large as any previous tournament,” said one of the organizers, Aaron Toronto.

We’ll have 10 large teams this year and previously we’ve never had more than seven,” Toronto said. Last year the Vietnam Hat had 116 players, but this year the response has been huge especially from Singapore with 50 players and new Vietnamese players at universities in HCMC.

SUC has been busy this year promoting the sport with Vietnamese students and has generated a lot of new players from HCMC University of Technology in District 10, Vu Anh Vu, another member of the organizing committee, said.

The RMIT Ultimate Club has also been a driving force in developing the sport and finding the next generation of players, Vu said.

In a bid to give the new players international tournament experience the organizers made the registration price for Vietnamese players cheaper than for expats or international visitors this year. “We want Vietnamese to participate to grow the sport here and give people a great ultimate experience. That will help us develop,” Toronto said.

“Many Vietnamese don’t have the opportunity to go to international tournaments, so this is their best chance,” he said.

The unprecedented response from Singapore was because SUC has sent a lot of players to the Singapore Ultimate Tournament over the past few years and built up a good relationship, players said.

This year marks the seventh Vietnam Hat tournament so the theme for the competition and the party at Lush night club on Saturday night is “The Mystery of Seven”.

Hat tournaments are less competitive than team tournaments, so people have fun, make friends, play frisbee and party at night, Vu said.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Vietnam Dog Show 2010 kicks off on Sunday

A bulldog pup at the VKA dog show in 2009. This beautiful three-month old dog won best dog in show. - Photo: Kieu Giang

An important event for dog breeders and dog lovers, Vietnam National Dog Show 2010, will be held at Phan Dinh Phung Indoor Stadium at 8 Vo Van Tan Street in HCMC’s District 3 at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday.

The show will be divided into two parts. The first part in the morning is for dachshunds, retrievers, flushing dogs, water dogs, terriers, bloodhounds, pinschers and schnauzers, mastiffs, bulldogs, St Bernards, cattle dogs and Vietnamese breeds. While spitz, ridgebacks, primitive types, sheep dogs, toy dogs, sighthounds and pointing dogs will compete in the afternoon.

There will be four levels of competition including baby class, puppy class, junior class and open class to find out the best of breed (BOB), best of group (BOG), best in show (BIS) and the CAC certificate for the best dog in Vietnam.

The jury consists of Masao Tashimo, a Japanese professional handler and judge of many international dog shows and Vietnamese Belgian Du Thanh Khiem a researcher of the Phu Quoc dog breed.

This is the second time the Vietnam Kennel Association (VKA) has organized the event. This year marks the first cooperation between VKA and the Féderation Cynologique Internationale (FCI), the World Canine Organization.

VKA was established in 2009 to develop dog breeding up to a professional level.

Vietnam Dog Show 2010 kicks off on Sunday

A bulldog pup at the VKA dog show in 2009. This beautiful three-month old dog won best dog in show. - Photo: Kieu Giang

The jury consists of Masao Tashimo, a Japanese professional handler and judge of many international dog shows and Vietnamese Belgian Du Thanh Khiem a researcher of the Phu Quoc dog breed.

VKA was established in 2009 to develop dog breeding up to a professional level.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Vietnam On A Shoestring

The strip between HCM City and Hanoi has a lot of sights and experiences to offer and it does not have to cost an arm and leg

With places to stay along the coastal highway like the historical city of Hue with its famous royal citadel, and Hoi An, a world heritage site that sparkles of an evening with countless lanterns seeing Vietnam from the north-south highway is a great way to go.

Lying on the beach costs nothing and there are plenty of people who are happy to stay in a heritage site like Hoi An and cycle each morning to the beach. Lunch can be had on the beach for no more than a dollar or two. Of an evening, a bowl of pho (beef or chicken noodle soup) and some beers are cheap.

If your priority is budget not comfort, accommodation in a bungalow in a town like Hoi An can be found for around US$5, but for around double that you can have a nice hotel room with air-conditioning and a fridge.

In Halong Bay, a group of tourists can rent a junk to visit the bay for several hours or several days. Halong Bay is a beautiful area with 1,969 limestone islands. Visitors to Halong Bay must purchase a ticket from the Halong Bay management department, which gives the option of following one of two routes: Thien Cung Grotto, Dau Go Cave and other sites (excluding Sung Sot Cave), and Sung Sot Cave and other sites (excluding Thien Cung Grotto and Dau Go Cave).

Cycling is an interesting way to see the streets of Hanoi, with the slow moving traffic and interesting lakes. Once in the national capital, a number of very low budget accommodations can be found. They are not all hardcore backpacker hostels, either.

Hotel guestrooms in Vietnam are quite cheap so there is no need to take dormitory style accommodation to save money. On the contrary, a single or double room in a clean hotel will probably cost one or two dollars more than a bed in a dormitory holding 10 or more people.

A lot of backpackers choose Vietnam as their Southeast Asian destination. They recommend it for its lack of crowds and persistently low prices. Even though a boom in tourism started in the 1990s, the hectic scenes of Thailand have never eventuated in Vietnam. Vietnam has a similar vibe to Laos, but is a bit larger and offers a bit more diversity.

The beaches are superb, and some of the landscapes are amazing. Few people venture further north out of Hanoi but those who do discover the delights of the Sapa region and its fascinating hill tribe peoples. In general, all parts of Vietnam are full of friendly and outgoing people but the northern regions are particularly laid back and welcoming. Motorcycle tours are another popular backpacker choice. Rentals are available in HCM City and a lot of people head north rather than exploring the Mekong Delta to the south. Conditions are ideal for motorcycle touring with sealed roads and plenty of roadside mechanics.

Lunar New Year for Vietnam travel is a very busy period and really marks the height of the backpacker year here. Prices can be a little more at this time but there are still more than enough beds and rooms to go around. Some backpackers prefer to come to Vietnam toward the middle of the year but this may conflict with the wild weather of the wet season.

Vietnam Air accepts web check-in for int’l flights

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Con Dao, Ha Long among top ten tourist destinations

Vietnam’s Con Dao island in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau
has been listed among top ten the world’s best and romantic destinations
for 2011 by the UK’s Lonely Planet magazine.

Other islands in the list are Socotra from Yemen, Torres Strait from
Australia, Yacyana from Japan, Iles du Salut from Guiana (France),
Ulleungdo from the Republic of Korea, San Blas archipelago from Panama,
Penghu from Taiwan (China), Bay archipelago and Hog island from Honduras
and Ssese from Uganda.

According to the Saigon
Travel Service Company (Saigontourist), in the wedding season this year,
Con Dao also became one of the most popular honeymoon destinations for
young couples.

The magazine also listed Ha Long Bay,
in the northern province of Quang Ninh, as one of the 10 most
outstanding coastal destinations for tourists.

The other
nine locations are the Norwegian Fjords, the Amazon River, the Franklin
River in Australia, the Quetico Provincial Park in Canada, the Kerala
backwaters in India, New Zealand's Milford Sound Bay, the Greek islands,
Disco Bay in Greenland, and the Galapagos Archipelago off the coast of
Ecuador.

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism
reported that about 500 ships ply the waters of Ha Long Bay, carrying
millions of tourists every year. Quang Ninh has attracted 5.3 million
visitors so far this year, 2.5 million of whom visited Ha Long Bay./.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Pair drive from London to Saigon to clear landmines

Rebecca Harris (3rd, L) and Max Levell (2nd, R) pose for photos with the Rex Hotel Saigon’s staff after driving their Porsche overland from London - Photo: Courtesy of the Rex Hotel Saigon

Max Levell and Rebecca Harris from the UK-based humanitarian organization Mines Advisory Group (MAG) arrived at the Rex Hotel in HCMC’s District 1 on Saturday after a 60-day car journey through 17 countries.

The overland charity-jaunt raised funds for people in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam who are victims of unexploded ordnance.

Levell, 31, sells and restores classic Porsches while Harris, 26, trains horses. The couple from Windsor in the UK drove most of the 18,000 kilometers from London to HCMC in Levell’s 1966 Porsche 912, which he got for his 18th birthday.

“Neither of us can believe that we’ve actually driven here from London, crazy!” Levell said on their blogspot, londontosaigon.blogspot.com.

They crossed into Vietnam through the Lao Bao border gate in Quang Tri Province and were waylaid for a few days by floods in the Central, before passing through Hue, Hoi An, Danang, Nha Trang, Muine and HCMC.

They told the Daily a few minutes after they arrived at the Rex that they were thrilled to have completed the trip and very pleased the car made it without any mechanical problems.

They said they hoped their journey would encourage people to donate money to help clear landmines and unexploded ordnance in former conflict zones in Vietnam and everywhere.

The important work would free up land for agriculture and community development and educate the local population about the dangers of unexploded bombs. People can donate money directly to MAG via the online donations site: www.justgiving.com/londontosaigon2010

Since operations commenced in 1999, MAG Vietnam has conducted mobile clearance operations in more than 1,300 villages, cleared more than seven million square meters of land for agriculture and community development, and removed and destroyed close to 150,000 landmines / UXO

More information on the charity and MAG Vietnam, can be found at www.maginternational.org/vietnam.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Int’l recognition sought for Vietnam's largest lake

Int’l recognition sought for Vietnam's largest lake
Vietnam will apply for the inscription of the Ba Be National Park on the Ramsar List of Westlands of International Importance, the government said Saturday.

A report on the government's website said the Ministry of Natural Resources will apply for the inscription in accordance with the Ramsar Convention – an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands.

The Ba Be National Park in the northern province of Bac Kan was established in 1992, with the 500-hectare Ba Be Lake at its center. The park is home to 299 animal species and 417 plant species.

In 1995, the lake was named one of 20 in the world that needed to be protected at a global lake convention in the US. The lake is also one of the Heritage Parks of the regional bloc ASEAN, the government’s report said.

The Ramsar Convention came into force in 1975. There are now 160 contracting parties, with Vietnam joining in 1989. The Ramsar List includes 1,904 sites, known as Ramsar Sites, with a total surface of more than 186.5 million hectares.

Between rocks and beautiful spaces

It’s a pain in your calf, your thighs and what not, but boy, is it worth it!

Rocky terrain: High up among the mountains, a unique garden

Driving through rugged, rock-strewn mountain slopes is hard work, and made more difficult when the narrow path ahead is hidden among clouds.

We had been climbing all morning, up the rocky slopes that seemed to stretch into eternity.

A bumpy two-hour motorbike ride later, we finally reached the top. Spread out beneath us was a breathtaking view of the Ngoc Hue River snaking through the valleys below.

It was a clear day in early October, and we were in the Dong Van Stone Plateau, recognized as part of the Global Network of National Geoparks (GGN).

That it has stunning natural scenery and a rich culture is well known, but the stone plateau geopark must be one of the most difficult destinations to reach in Vietnam.

This only adds to its allure though, at least for those with a thirst for adventure.

Dong Van Highland, which spans four districts: Dong Van, Meo Vac, Yen Minh and Quan Ba, is known as the Sa Pa of Ha Giang because of its cool climate. Indeed, it has to be one of the few places in Vietnam where one can enjoy the midday sun without getting burned!

But we were experiencing winter here, although it was autumn in Hanoi. I was reminded of the terrible winter four years ago when thousands of cows and buffalos in the region died because of the cold snap.

HOW TO GET THERE

Book a trip through some travel agents in Hanoi like Dulichvietnam Open Tour (43 Luong Ngoc Quyen Street, tel: (04) 3 717 1444, email: info@opentour.vn); Green Trail Tours (Suite #1016 - B4 Building - Tran Dang Ninh Street, tel: (04) 3 754 5268, email: info@greentrail-indochina.com.

By motorbike: a big motorbike (Minsk, Win, Bonus, etc) would be more suitable. From Hanoi, follow National Road No. 2, passing Vinh Phuc and Tuyen Quang provinces. You need at least two days in Ha Giang to explore the area. Information on hotels for your stay can be found at www.hotels84.com/hagiang.htm.

Daughters of the soil: Brightly clad mother and daughter prepare soil for the next crop

A local guide advised us to return in spring or summer to see a different Ha Giang. “Spring is really a joy, with tricolored peach blossoms everywhere,” he gushed. “And in summer, the highlands are a rainbow of different colors, with green cabbages and golden terraced rice fields nestling in the mountains”.

The colors of nature are well complimented by the local people of Dong Van, who play a huge part in the popularity of this area.

We were lucky to chance upon a Sunday market, a perfect place for people watching, in Dong Van.

Carrying heavy vegetable baskets on their backs, dozens of young girls and old women in their best and brightest dresses milled around selling their wares and socializing. In sharp contrast, all the men wore black or dark colored tunics.

To get to the market on time, many sellers have to start their journey at midnight. However, there was no sign of tiredness on the cheerful faces.

“I rarely miss any market gathering because it is a chance for me to meet my friends,” said a young Mong girl who sells wine made from corn. She comes with her father who likes eating thang co (a kind of soup cooked with horse meat). Life looked easy for Mong men, many of who lay inebriated on the roadside, while their wives tended to them.

Leaving the market, we drove to the Lung Cu Flag Tower, the northern-most point in Vietnam. Set in the midst of a gorgeous landscape, the tower was the perfect spot to take in the beauty of Dong Van and breathe in the crisp mountain air. The treacherous journey was a small price to pay for the expansive views and much-needed escape from our city lives.

THE DESTINATION

* Dong Van Highland lies over 100km north-east of Ha Giang Town in Ha Giang Province, north of Vietnam, which is more than 300 km from Hanoi. The area is located at an average height of 1,000-1,600m above sea level and features limestone structures in various sizes and shapes and with different characteristics. Local and foreign specialists from Russia, Japan, Germany, Poland, and Belgium have found fossils of thousands of species that lived some 400-600 million years ago. New valleys, rocks and caves have been discovered here.

* In addition to the breathtaking scenic attractions, Dong Van is said to be home to around 250,000 people belonging to nearly 20 ethnic groups including the Tay, Nung and Mong who are preserving their centuries-old rich culture.

* Places to visit: Vuong’s House in Sa Phin Commune, Dong Van District – a national architectural heritage, Lung Cu Flag Tower, Dong Van Ancient Street (in Dong Van District), Ma Pi Leng Historical Relic, Khau Vai Love Market (in Meo Vac District) and Nui Doi (in Quan Ba District).

Between rocks and beautiful spaces

It’s a pain in your calf, your thighs and what not, but boy, is it worth it!

Rocky terrain: High up among the mountains, a unique garden

Driving through rugged, rock-strewn mountain slopes is hard work, and made more difficult when the narrow path ahead is hidden among clouds.

We had been climbing all morning, up the rocky slopes that seemed to stretch into eternity.

A bumpy two-hour motorbike ride later, we finally reached the top. Spread out beneath us was a breathtaking view of the Ngoc Hue River snaking through the valleys below.

It was a clear day in early October, and we were in the Dong Van Stone Plateau, recognized as part of the Global Network of National Geoparks (GGN).

That it has stunning natural scenery and a rich culture is well known, but the stone plateau geopark must be one of the most difficult destinations to reach in Vietnam.

This only adds to its allure though, at least for those with a thirst for adventure.

HOW TO GET THERE

Daughters of the soil: Brightly clad mother and daughter prepare soil for the next crop

The colors of nature are well complimented by the local people of Dong Van, who play a huge part in the popularity of this area.

We were lucky to chance upon a Sunday market, a perfect place for people watching, in Dong Van.

To get to the market on time, many sellers have to start their journey at midnight. However, there was no sign of tiredness on the cheerful faces.

THE DESTINATION

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Businessmen gear up for VAA caravan

Vietnam Advertising Association (VAA) will organize a three-day caravan for entrepreneurs starting November 26.

The 660km journey from HCMC to Dong Nai and Lam Dong provinces for business and charity purposes has attracted about 100 businessmen so far.

“This is a good chance to connect all VAA’s members and to collect suggestions for the upcoming term of office,” Dang Van Son, director of Phuoc Son Advertising Company, head of the organizing committee, said.

“We will also start to promote the Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AdASIA) which will be held in Vietnam in 2013,” Son said.

On the first day of the journey, after a game in Madagui in Lam Dong Province, the caravan will meet with local leaders and businessmen and take part in the opening ceremony of a local advertising association.

The organizers said, the next day there is a charity trip to Ta Nung Commune in Lac Duong District to donate 100 bicycles to poor studious students and a roundtable on “Solutions to develop Vietnam’s advertising” at the four-star River Prince Hotel featuring presentations by Unilever, Acecook and Trung Nguyen.

A talk on “Zen and Creativeness in Advertising” will be presented on the last day with a lecture on Zen techniques conducted by a monk at Truc Lam Monastery.

Cost is VND5 million including accommodation and meals at the River Prince Hotel and charity donations.

For registrations, call Trinh Van Thanh, deputy head of the organizing committee at 0903 884 477.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

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