Saigontourist offers pilgrimage tours

Tourists at Thien Mu Pagoda in Hue City - Photo: Kinh Luan

In Vietnam, the first month of the Lunar New Year is time to make pilgrimages to pagodas to pray for a happy life, good luck and good health in the year ahead. Pilgrimage tourism is becoming a part of modern Vietnamese culture and an attractive tourist product for foreigners.

Pilgrimage tours to the north visit famous pagodas and temples, providing inner peace and interesting architecture such as Tran Temple in Nam Dinh Province, But Thap Pagoda in Bac Ninh Province, Temple of Literature, Tran Quoc, Ngoc Son and Quan Thanh Pagda in Hanoi.

Yen Tu Mountain in Quang Ninh Province is known as the mother land of Vietnamese Buddhism. The mountain is 1,068 meters high and is where the Truc Lam Buddhism sect was first based. 

The highlight of the pilgrimage to the North is Huong Pagoda. The pagoda is in natural surroundings so pagoda visitors can explore the mountain, caves, streams and forest. Discover the mystique of the incense filled Huong Tich Cave, boat tours from Duc Wharf and the picturesqueYen Stream.

The Hung King Festival will be held at Hung Temple in Phu Tho Province April 6-12 with traditional artistic shows, ethnic rituals and indigenous foods.

In the South, most provinces have pagodas and temples such as Vinh Nghiem, Ong  and Giac Lam Pagoda in HCMC, Dai Giac, Long Thien and Buu Phong pagodas in Dong Nai Province.

Binh Duong is famous for Ong and Ba pagodas. Dalat, the city in mist and pine trees, has Truc Lam Monastery Zen, Thien Vuong Co Sat and Linh Phuoc pagodas.

The interlacing canals of the Mekong Delta will transport you to floating markets, fertile orchards and fascinating pagodas like Ba Chua Xu and Thoai Ngoc Hau , Tay An and Nguyen Trung Truc in in Chau Doc Town, An Giang Province. Ha Tien, a province known for beautiful beaches, like Mui Nai, Bai No, Bai Ot, has Tam Bao, Thach Dong and Mac Cuu temples. If My Tho is famous for Vinh Trang Pagoda, Tra Vinh is well-known for Hang Pagoda.

Temples and pagodas in the Central are very imperial and elegant. Thien Mu Pagoda and Truc Lam Bach Ma Monastery Zen in Hue City, Long Son Pagoda and Cham’s Posah Inu Temple in Nha Trang City or Linh Son Truong Tho in Phan Thiet name a few. If visitors climb Ba Na Mountain in Danang City, there’s Linh Ung Pagoda.

Pilgrimage tours offered by Saigontourist Travel Service Company include a four-day tour to Huong Pagoda-Hanoi and Halong Bay priced at VND3.7 million to VND4.8 million, a four-day tour to Hanoi, Hung Temple and Halong Bay departing on April 12 and priced at VND3.7 million, a two-day tour to Do Temple and Yen Tu Mountain priced from VND1.6 to VND1.7 million, departing from Hanoi on Feb. 17, 19, 24 and 26 and March 3, 5, 10, 12, 17 and 19, a three-day tour to Linh Ung Pagoda priced at VND2.5 million to 2.9 million, departing from Danang on February 18 and 25 and March 4, 11 and 18, a four-day tour to Hoi An City to enjoy Nguyen Tieu Festival priced at VND2.7 million to VND3.2 million, exclusive of flight ticket and departing from Danang, a four-day tour to explore Hue City priced at VND2.7 million to 4.1 million, departing from Danang on February 19 and 26 and March 5, 12 and 19 and a four-day tour to Cai Be-Vinh Long-Can Tho-Chau Doc and Ha Tien in Mekong Delta priced at VND2 million to VND2.8 million, departing on February 17, 19, 24 and 26 and March 3, 5, 10, 12, 17 and 19.

Saigontourist Travel  Service Company is at 45 Le Thanh Ton Street, HCMC’s District 1, tel: 3827 9279, email: info@saigontourist.net.

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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.

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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./.

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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.

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Discover the mysteries of Tet with Saigontourist

Guests watch as banh chung (square glutinous rice cake filled with green bean paste and fat pork) is made on Phu Quoc Island - Photo: Courtesy of Saigontourist

For the Tet holidays next month, Saigontourist Travel Service Company has prepared a selection of cultural discovery tours to the country’s three regions.

Travelers can cruise to the canals of the iconic Mekong Delta, take a journey to experience the history of the Central or admire the landscapes in the North in the chill of winter. In every corner of every street you will sense the festive atmosphere of Tet (Lunar New Year).

Recommended tours include a three-day trip to the Highlands priced at about VND1.7 million, departing on February 4 and 6, a four-day tour to Dalat priced around VND2 million, departing on February 3-10, a three-day tour to Phan Thiet City priced at about VND2.6 million, departing on February 4,5 and 11, a five-day tour to Nha Trang-Dalat priced from VND3.06 million, departing on February 4, a two-day tour to Cai Be-Vinh Long-Can Tho priced from VND1.5 million, departing on February 4 and 6, or a four-day tour to Cai Be-Vinh Long-Can Tho-Ha Tien priced from 2.04 million, departing on January 29.

There are also tours to the northwest regions to visit Sapa, Dong Van Plateau, and trips to Hanoi, Ninh Binh.

The options for ocean lovers
include Vung Tau, Nha Trang, Mui Ne, Phu Quoc, Con Dao and Ha Long. A four-day tour to Nha Trang is priced from VND2.4 million, a two-day tour to Vung Tau for VND1.5 million.

For the highlands, discover the way ethnic people enjoy Tet with gong performances and ruou can parties by the fire. In the Mekong Delta, tourists can enjoy Tet on boats filled with colorful fruits and flowers.

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Writers win big cash prizes

The author of Bien, Truong Anh Quoc (L), wins first prize at the writing awards- Photo: Tuong Vi

Nine short story and novel writers received cash prizes on Sunday in the “Van hoc tuoi 20” (Literature Age 20) contest organized by the Writers’ Association in HCMC, Tuoi Tre newspaper and the Youth Publishing House.

Truong Anh Quoc won the VND50 million first prize with his story Bien (The Sea). Second prize winner of VND30 million was Co con gai ngo nguoc (Naughty daughter) by Vo Dieu. Two third prizes of VND20 million went to Visa by Hai Mien, Giang duong yeu dau (Beloved amphitheater) by Mai Anh Tuan.  There were five fourth prizes worth VND10 million - Tam Tru (Reside Temporarily) by Do Duy; Nhung giao dien an (Hidden Interfaces) by Thien Di; Giac mo ben goc vu sua (Dream by star apple tree) by Nguyen Thi Manh Ha; Nhung chuyen dieu (Moves) by Nguyen Thien Ngan and Thue bao quy khach… (Your subscribers…) by Huong Thi.

Entries had opened in March last year till April this year with 197 works of fiction entered nationwide. Most entrants were born in the 1980s, but the oldest was born in 1937 and the youngest only 17.

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Parkson contest mixes obsessions

Next month Parkson Vietnam is holding a contest that will satisfy two popular obsessions – shopping and celebrities.

Twelve Parkson customers will each be individually teamed with a celebrity, given a sum of money and told to go shopping at Parkson department stores around the city.

Held during HCMC’s month of promotions, “Shopping hunt with the stars” is the first event of its kind in Vietnam with famous actors, singers and super models’ participating including Thanh Hang, Minh Hang, Truc Diem, Thanh Thuc.

The teams will be given VND20 million, taxi fares and lunch, a list of items from brands including Goodman, Revlon, Gosto, Olily, Wacoal, Jeep and Guess to buy at any of the four Parkson shopping centers in HCMC, and an hour to buy them. The items will all be discounted by 50%.

The total value of the contest is about VND450 million including first prize of VND180 million (for a team), second VND80 million, and third VND55 million.

Tham Tuck Choy, general director of Parkson Vietnam, said in a statement it would be exciting for the entrants to go shopping with celebrities and win valuable prizes.

Parkson Vietnam will also hold a promotion on National Day, September 2. For every purchase of VND1.5 million, customers will receive a VND100,000 discount voucher.

Through September 4 to October 3, a VND100,000 cosmetics voucher is free for every purchase of VND 1,200,000 at the cosmetics department. On members day (September 4 and 5), and  every Tuesday of September members will receive extra purchase points and a free voucher for purchases over VND1,500,000.

Parkson arrived in Vietnam in 2005 and has six shopping centers in Hanoi, Haiphong and HCMC.

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