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.

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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.

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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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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./.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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