VietNam Travel

Friday, February 11, 2011

Valentine’s Day with Saigontourist

A couple enjoys Valentine Day by the beach - Photo: TL

For Valentine’s Day, many city hotels under Saigontourist have delicious food programs for lovers to indulge in.

Grand Hotel Saigon (8 Dong Khoi Street, District 1, tel: 3829 4046)

The hotel’s Chez-nous on the ground floor will host the program “The night of couples” on February 14. Dine in the romantic surrounds by candle light serenaded by love songs and violin and guitar. Enjoy Western and Asian dishes together with chocolate deserts. Tickets are US$40 net/set for a couple, inclusive of a love cocktail and gifts.

Majestic Hotel Saigon (1 Dong Khoi Street, District 1, tel: 3829 5517)

The love party will be at the hotel’s Serenade Restaurant from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on February 14. Tickets are US$88 for couple, including Western and Asian menu, a couple of cocktails, a small bottle of imported liquor, a couple of love chocolates and roses. Guests staying at the hotel will be discounted 10%. A pianist, violinist and saxophonist will perform love songs by famous composer Trinh Cong Son plus dance shows of tango, waltz and cha cha.

Continental Hotel Saigon (132 Dong Khoi Street, District 1, tel: 3825 7679)

There will be a party just for couples at the La Fayette Restaurant on February 14 by candle light with piano and violin music.

The set menu cost VND900,000 per adult, inclusive of champagne, chocolate and roses. Happy hour from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. will be discounted 20%.

Dong Khanh Hotel (2 Tran Hung Dao Street, District 5, tel: 3923 6404)

The Dong Khanh Restaurant will prepare a buffet from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on February 14 with more than 30 Western and Vietnamese dishes and deserts made of ice-cream and chocolate. VND249,000 per adult and VND175,000 per child. Revelers will be given gifts.

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

The Valentine party will be prepared at the hotel’s candlelit First Hot Pot Restaurant with romantic violin music. VND500,000 per couple, inclusive of one drink.

Bat Dat Hotel (238 Tran Hung Dao Street, District 5, tel: 3857 8252)

The hotel will offer a buffet of 45 dishes made in Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine priced at VND279,000 per adult and VND199,000 per child. Buy 10 tickets get one free and one free cocktail for women.

Saigon Ship Hotel (Bach Dang Wharf, tel: 3823 0393)

Buffet featuring more than 30 dishes accompanied with performances of flute, guitar and Latin Eyes music band. Tickets are VND600,000 per adult.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Golf Card offers great discounts in Dalat

The Dalat Palace Golf Club is promoting a recently-launched benefit card scheme to allow customers to enjoy a range of deals and discounts to play golf and enjoy accommodation and services at the 5-star Dalat Palace Hotel and the 4-star Dalat Hotel Du Parc.

The holder of the Dalat Benefit Card, which retails at US$399 and is valid for a year, will receive big golf discounts, 20% off on rooms and 10% on massage/spa at both hotels, 10% on food and beverage at the golf club, and 10% on merchandise in the golf club pro shop.

“It’s a way of luring people back to Dalat,” said Lan Duong, general manager of the Dalat Palace Golf Club. “The thinking behind the Benefit Card was to offer visitors a value incentive to come up here and discover, or rediscover, what an experience we offer both in terms of the golf course and the hotels.”

The Dalat Palace Golf Club said golf had a presence in the area since the late 1920s, when a 9-hole course was laid out at the behest of Bao Dai, the country’s last emperor and an avid golfer. The course was completely renovated and expanded in 1995, when a new generation of golfers began falling for its mix of holes, landscaping and bent grass greens.

The benefit card has been introduced to encourage people to play and re-play their games. “Not only does the Card offer great value, it also encourages holders to really get acquainted with the place, something that is easier to do over 12 rounds rather than just the occasional visit,” Lan Duong said.

Lunar January is festival month

People in traditional costumes prepare for a buffalo to do the first furrow at Tich Dien Festival in Ha Nam Province on Wednesday - Photo: Hoang Ha

In Vietnamese folk culture, there is a saying: ‘Thang gieng la thang an choi (The first lunar month is the month to play and enjoy the festive time). In Lunar January everywhere around the country is buzzing with traditional cultural festivities. Typical of a wet rice civilization, Vietnamese people believe that when spring comes, the fun of harvest time also comes. People spend time with family, worship their ancestors and the gods of heaven and earth and go on a pilgrimage to the pagodas to pray for happiness, prosperity and luck for the whole year. That’s why traditional festivals bloom during this most beautiful season of the year. Here are some festivals happening during the first lunar month.

Huong Pagoda Festival

The Huong Pagoda Festival which opened on Feb. 8 (the sixth day of the first lunar month) in Hanoi’s outskirt district of My Duc, so far has attracted over 15,000 Buddhist pilgrims and tourists. The festival’s organizing committee and tourists planted five sakura trees donated by Japanese monk Yoshimizu Dai Chi at Tam Bao garden in Thien Tru Pagoda.

The Huong Pagoda Festival is the biggest and longest annual festival in Vietnam, lasting three spring months. It welcomes more than 1 million pilgrims and tourists each year. Nearly 200 high-quality boats have been added to the fleet of more than 4,000 boats to serve tourists during this year’s festival. While drifting on the river, tourists can enjoy traditional music shows.

A poetry night named “Tam Xuan” (the soul of spring) will be organized next Wednesday (Feb. 16 or the 14th day of the first lunar month), a Buddhist Culture Week and a Buddhist antique exhibition will start on Feb. 19. The highlight of the culture week is a ceremony to float flower garlands and colored lanterns on the Yen Stream featuring 2011 lotuses. The Huong Pagoda Festival runs until the end of March.

Dong Da, Soc Temple and Co Loa festivals in Hanoi

The culturally rich capital boasts over 100 festivals. The Dong Da Festival on the fifth day of the first lunar month (February 7) commemorates the battle of Emperor Quang Trung against invaders of the Qing dynasty. The highlight of the festival is a Fire Dragon dance. A group of young men wearing close-fitted white clothes, with red stripes and belts, and blue puttees, raise the dragon to their heads and perform the dance of the “hovering dragon.” Additionally, there are traditional martial arts, unicorn dancing, dragon dancing, wrestling, human chess, cock fighting and religious rites.

The Soc Temple Festival on the seventh day of the first lunar month (February 9) commemorates Thanh Giong, one of the four immortal gods of Vietnamese folk culture. People from eight communes in six districts around the Soc Temple gather to celebrate the offering ceremony to pay tribute to Thanh Giong. After being acknowledged as the intangible cultural world heritage in 2011 by UNESCO, the festival has gained much attention from local people and both domestic and foreign tourists. Catherine Muller, head of the representative office of UNESCO in Vietnam, told the Vietnam News Agency at the opening day that she appreciates the community spirit of the festival and this ancient festival has been well restored and promoted.

The Co Loa Festival from the sixth to the sixteenth day of the first lunar month (from February 8 to 18) at Co Loa Commune in Dong Anh District commemorates King An Duong Vuong who came to the throne in 257 BC. Local and neighboring people join in an offering ceremony in eight communes and enjoy various entertainment activities like traditional wrestling, volleyball, human chess, love duets, water puppetry, cock fighting, swinging and rice cooking among others.

Tich Dien Festival in Ha Nam

Locals and tourists on Wednesday (the seventh day of the first lunar month) flocked to Doi Son Commune, Duy Tien District in Ha Nam Province to celebrate the Tich Dien Festival (field ploughing festival) to commemorate the first ploughing festival since the year of 987 under the reign of king Le Dai Hanh. During the festival people participated in both cultural and sports activities like volleyball contest, swinging game, foot bridge challenge and tug of war among others. The highlight of the event was 15 big buffalos ploughing a field.

Lim and Ba Chua Kho festivals in Bac Ninh

The province has the Lim Festival, a famous folk music festival, from the 11th to the 13th day of the first lunar month. People come to enjoy the festival and see the performances of “lien anh” and “lien chi” (male and female farmers) who sing quan ho (love duets) and other types of songs in the pagodas, on the hills, and in the boats. Moreover there’s a weaving competition for girls who weave and sing quan ho songs at the same time. The Lim Festival also includes all the ritual stages, from the procession to the worshipping ceremony. The Lim Festival is a special cultural activity in the North. The festival celebrates the “Quan Ho” folk song which was recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2009.

Ba Chua Kho Festival which will be held on the 14th day of the first lunar month (Feb. 16) at Co Me Village, Vu Ninh Commune, Bac Ninh City, Bac Ninh Province is to commemorate Ba Chua Kho or The Queen of Stock and to pray for property and good luck.

Gau Tao and Long Tong festivals in Lao Cai

This highland province has the Gau Tao Festival of the H’Mong ethnic people from the third to the fifth day of the first lunar month, the Long Tong Festival of the Tay people in the rice fields near their village on the fifth or 15th day of the first lunar month, and the dancing festival of the Red Dao ethnic people on the first and second days of the new year.

Moreover, there are other festivals like Gia La Festival in Duong Noi Commune, Hoai Duc District, Hanoi from the sixth day to the 14th day of the first lunar month (Feb. 8 to 16); the Sai Temple Festival in Thuy Lam Commune, Dong Anh District, Hanoi on the 12th day of the first lunar month (Feb. 14); the Va Temple Festival in Trung Hung Commune, Son Tay Townlet, Hanoi on the 15th day of the first lunar month (Feb. 17) and the Tam Thanh Pagoda Festival in Lang Son City, Lang Son Province on the 15th day of the first lunar month (Feb. 17).

250 compete in Ta Cu Mountain trek

Athletes trek to Ta Cu Mountain in Binh Thuan Province - Photo: Khai Nguyen

In the chill of the seventh morning of Lunar New Year on Wednesday, thousands of locals and tourists went to watch the trekking contest to Ta Cu Mountain in Ham Thuan Nam District, Binh Thuan Province.

The contest, organized for the fifteenth time, attracted 250 male and female athletes from Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai, Tay Ninh, Binh Duong, Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Binh Thuan provinces. The course covered 6,300 meters for males and 5,300 meters for females, of which are 2,300 steps to Linh Son Truong Tho Pagoda.

After 40 minutes, Ta Thanh Xinh in Binh Thuan won in the men’s open division, while Nguyen Ngoc Quang in Dong Nai and Tran Cong Binh in Binh Thuan came second and third, respectively. In women’s division, Nguyen Thi Diem My of Binh Phuoc won the first prize while Nguyen Thu Hiep of Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Nguyen Thi Dung in Binh Phuoc pocketed the second and third prizes.

Binh Thuan and Ba Ria-Vung Tau won the team prizes.

In the individual division for men, Ta Thanh Xinh won, Tran Van Cong and Nguyen Hoang Duy came second and third. In the individual division for women, Huynh Ngoc Bao Tuyen came first while Nguyen Thi Hong Lin won the second and Huynh Thu Thu Thuy won the third prize.

Phan Thiet City and Tuy Phong District of Binh Thuan Province won team prizes.

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.

Diver weddings give new meaning to ‘deep love’

Couples ready to take the plunge before their underwater weddings - Photo: Courtesy of Vietravel

The Vietnam Dive Center, Vinadive, will attempt a record for underwater group weddings on Valentine’s Day for nine couples simultaneously.

The official 30 minute ceremony will be held underwater with rings exchanged, signings, professional photographers and newlyweds exchanging kisses.

All the traditional rituals of a wedding ceremony, including Champaign opening and wedding cake cutting in front of families and friends will be held on board the Vinadive ship at Mun Islet in Nha Trang.

For Valentine’s Day, Vinadive, under Vietravel Marketing and Tourist Company, is offering the whole package for VND8 million per couple, a discount of VND2 million.

The costs include the wedding attire for the bride and the bridegroom, flowers, party for the newly weds at Con Se Tre restaurant, honeymoon suite at a five-star hotel, and two T-shirts. The day before, Vinadive instructors will teach the couples to dive.

In 2007, Vinadive set a record by celebrating the first underwater ceremony in Vietnam.

For more information, contact Vietnam Dive Center Vinadive at 23D Biet Thu Street, Nha Trang City, or call +84 058 3526 575 or hotline 0905 007 317 (Mr. Minh), email vietnamdive@vnn.vn, or access www.vietnamdive.com.

Where to celebrate the day of love

A couple write their names on a heart-shaped cookie at the Valentines buffet at the Windsor Plaza Hotel Saigon’s last year - Photo: Courtesy of the Windsor Plaza Hotel Saigon

For Valentine’s Day, impress your partner with romantic dining, accommodation and gifts.

Caravelle Hotel (19 Lam Son Square, Dist. 1, HCMC, tel: 3823 4999)

All afternoon on Valentine’s Day, the hotel’s Lobby Lounge will brew sweet nothings and a remarkable high tea. When the day wanes, both Nineteen and Reflections restaurants are set to prepare meals once enjoyed by Aphrodite herself. Each dinner comes complete with a flute of Mumm Champagne. Dinner at each of the restaurants costs nearly VND1.3 million++ while the high tea costs VND398,000++ per person.

Lobby Lounge & Restaurant Nineteen – Ground Floor – Caravelle Hotel

Reflections Restaurant – Third Floor – Caravelle Hotel

Duxton Hotel Saigon (93 Nguyen Hue Blvd., Dist. 1, HCMC, tel: 3822 2999)

Wine and dine your Valentine at the hotel’s The Grill Restaurant with romantic music by the Stroller Band, candlelit tables, heart-shape chocolates and flowers for the ladies. Valentine’s dinner buffet is priced at US$30++/person.

Mövenpick Hotel Saigon (253 Nguyen Van Troi St., Phu Nhuan Dist., tel: 3844 9222)

There will be romantic dinner menus at all the hotel’s restaurants.

The first 15 couples to book a table on this special day will receive a complimentary stay at the hotel’s brand new deluxe rooms. The price is at VND620,000++ per person including free flowing house wines, beer, soft drinks, coffee and tea. Valentine’s dinner is available from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Legend Hotel Saigon (2A-4A Ton Duc Thang St., Dist. 1, HCMC, tel: 3823 3333)

For this cupid celebration, the hotel’s executive chef Romeo Bantiling and his team will prepare a sumptuous international buffet serving an array of fresh seafood and a lavish spread of gourmet dishes at the Atrium Café. Ladies will be surprised with a special gift attractively arranged by the chefs for the night. The Valentine’s Buffet is priced at VND500,000++ for lunch and VND960,000++ for dinner. Children from 6 to 12 are half price.

Deli Corner from Feb. 12-14 offers a range of delicious chocolates and heart-shaped cakes for you to take away.

Park Hyatt Hotel (2 Lam Son Square, Dist. 1, HCMC, tel: 3824 1234)

Create precious memories over a private dinner at Opera Restaurant with Italian dishes prepared by Chef Michele Gulizzi, including a bottle of champagne and a special Valentines Day chocolate. The price is VND3.7 million++ per couple. A distinctive evening for two at Square One Restaurant is another choice at the hotel.

Renaissance Riverside Saigon Hotel (8-15 Ton Duc Thang St., Dist. 1, HCMC, tel: 3822 0033)

The hotel’s Kabin Chinese Restaurant offers Valentine’s Day dinner with an eight-course “couple menu” and a bottle of sparkling wine while Poolside Terrace and Riverside Café have their own ways to delight couples. Also includes roses and chocolates during dining.

Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers (88 Dong Khoi St., Dist. 1, tel: 3827.2828)

The hotel’s Signature Restaurant offers a delectable seven-course degustation in truly intimate ambiance while Libai Chinese Restaurant offers a romantic dinner with a traditional flair. Saigon Café and Mojo coffee shop have something special for guests.

Sofitel Saigon Plaza (17 Le Duan Blvd., Dist. 1, HCMC, tel: 3824 1555)

Until Feb. 28, the hotel has the “Magnifique Romance” offer - a touch of French elegance to mark Valentine’s Day including a Valentine’s accommodation promotion, with double A/CLUB points, a bottle of champagne on ice and a romantic gift.

Windsor Plaza Hotel Saigon (18 An Duong Vuong St., Dist. 5, HCMC, tel: 3833 6688)

Sit down together to a magnificent Valentine’s buffet dinner with over 170 Western dishes at Café Central An Dong plus a gift from an angel and delectable heart-shaped cookies to decorate and declare your love for each other. The buffet price is only VND350,000++ per person. Ngan Dinh Chinese Restaurant’s chefs will prepare special dishes for one evening only on Valentine’s Day, including two glasses of wine and live music for around VND1.2 million++ per couple. TTOT Bar & Restaurant on level 25 also offers a lavish multi-course set menu for only VND550,000++ per person.

Vinpearl Nha Trang Resort & Spa (Hon Tre Island, Vinh Nguyen Ward, Nha Trang City, tel: 058 3590 611)

There will be a special program named “A moment of love – Speak for love” on Valentine’s Day featuring special buffets from Asian to Western cuisines for guests at Vinpearl Nha Trang Resort & Spa. The resort will be transformed into a paradise of multicolored flowers from the bedroom to dining table. Guests will receive a chocolate box from the resort to make their Valentine’s Day sweeter.

Saigon Domaine Luxury Residences (1057 Binh Quoi, Ward 28, Binh Thanh Dist., tel: 3556 6163)

This Valentine’s weekend, Saigon Domaine, a luxury serviced residence complex on the banks of the Saigon River on Thanh Da Island offers a special package. Guests who book a four-night stay (Feb. 11 -15) will get a special low rate of US$169 per night, with the fourth night for free. The package also includes a bottle of chilled champagne and fresh flowers in the room upon arrival.

The chef’s special Western set menu in the intimate al fresco setting of the River Garden is just US$19++ per person, and don’t miss the 25% discount off a romantic moonlight Thanh Da island boat tour.

VietNam Travel

Friday, February 11, 2011

Valentine’s Day with Saigontourist

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Thursday, February 10, 2011

Golf Card offers great discounts in Dalat

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Lunar January is festival month

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250 compete in Ta Cu Mountain trek

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Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Vietnam’s northernmost point

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Diver weddings give new meaning to ‘deep love’

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Where to celebrate the day of love

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