Century-old Dong Ba Market remains true to roots

Despite competition from modern supermarkets, Dong Ba Market in Hue City, in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue, remains as bustling as ever.

Dong Ba Market in Hue City. – File photo 

"I don't feel that anything has changed because of the modern shopping trend. In fact, everything continues to go well," said Ngan Hanh, a conical hat vendor.

The 113-year-old market is a physical reminder of the former imperial capital's glory days. During the reign of Thanh Thai, the fifth king of the Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945), Duoc Market - the biggest market in Hue City - merged with a smaller one near the citadel's Eastern Gate called Dong Ba.

The merger aimed to meet the growing demand of what was then the largest city in Vietnam.

"Hue was the royal capital city with a big population and many different occupations, including royal family members, mandarins, secretaries and soldiers," said cultural researcher Ho Tan Phan.

The market was rebuilt twice, in 1967 and in 1987. Today, it remains a city institution, as famous as Dong Xuan in Hanoi and Ben Thanh in Ho Chi Minh City and a fixture in many traditional songs, poems and paintings.

Visitors can find almost everything they need, from luxury watches imported from Europe to small bunches of cheap local herbs.

For Hue residents who typically buy groceries one day at a time and rarely buy produce that isn't local, the modern supermarkets that cropped up in the early 2000s are no replacement for the bustling wet market.

"Everyone who knows about Hue understands how carefully the locals, especially the older generations, select ingredients for a meal," said Nguyen Khoa Hoai Huong, chairwoman of the market's management board. "Dong Ba still meets their needs, so we're confident that the market can remain open and prosper."

Many Hue natives consider Dong Ba the best place to taste local specialties such as "bun bo Hue" (Hue beef noodle soup), "beo nam loc" (rice flour cakes) and "bun thit nuong" (vermicelli with grilled pork and herbs). The market also offers "che", a traditional dessert that can be made with anything from lotus seeds to sweet corn, taro and pomelo.

When school begins, children prepare for the new academic year by buying notebooks, new shoes and clothes at Dong Ba, while families and groups buy food for banquets and death anniversaries. During Lunar New Year, city residents and people from surrounding rural areas head to Dong Ba to buy their holiday items.

Tourists can find specialties and handicrafts from all over the province, including Tinh Tam lake lotus seeds, Hue sesame candy, Hue grapefruit, Hien Luong village scissors, Ke Mon jewellery, Sinh village paper and Thanh Tien Village paper flowers.

In 2008 and 2009, local authorities allotted half of its land to large supermarkets. But Dong Ba remains home to 2,700 stands, although the market's management board has made some changes to lure shoppers and tourists.

"We succeeded in getting sellers at Dong Ba to fix their price for each item. No more bargaining and price cheating here," Huong said.

Sellers are also required to have clear information on the origin of goods. The board has also invested in giving the market a local character. During special occasions like national holidays or the biennial Hue Festival, female vendors don traditional ao dai.

"It was my idea and it has really worked," Huong said. "Ladies told me that wearing +ao dai+ makes them act more elegantly and communicate in a more gentle way, which gives a nice impression to tourists."

Source: Vietnam Plus

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Ba Mun Island - green pearl in Bai Tu Long Bay

Located in Bai Tu Long Bay in the northeastern province of Quang Ninh, Ba Mun Island is one of the largest and most beautiful clusters of isles with the greatest abundance of flora in Bai Tu Long National Park.

Bai Tu Long National Park. – Photo: quangninh.gov.vn

It is also an extremely interesting destination for those who love adventure and nature.

It takes only 45 minutes on a high-speed boat from Cai Rong wharf in Van Don District to Ba Mun Island. The first impression tourists have when arriving at the island is pristine natural landscape with green forests embraced entirely by blue sea.

The east of the island (known locally as the “exterior”) is pummeled by strong waves with water spray launching tens of metres high, while the west (the “interior”) features tranquil scenery and calm water that ripples against the side of boats.

Ba Mun covers an area of about 1,800 hectares with diverse flora and fauna including rare and valuable species. The most prominent plants are Tram Do (Syzygium zeylanicum), as well as Lim (Erythrophleum fordii), Sen (Madhuca pasquieri) and Tau (Vatica fleuryana Tardieu).

It is notable that the Lan hai orchid (Cypripedioideae), which was mistakenly thought to be extinct a few years ago, still exists here. At present, this orchid species is found only in Lao Cai and Ba Mun.

Ba Mun has several rare species of animals, including the golden deer, which is still quite populous and the only population in northeast Vietnam. Golden deer often search for food at night. Therefore, it is hard to spot them during the day but visitors can see their footprints.

There are a lot of other species of animals such as antelope, monkeys, langurs and more, as well as sea and migratory birds. With its diverse fauna, Ba Mun Island is the largest wild animal reserve in the southeast region. For this reason, locals often call it “ Animal Island”.

On Ba Mun Island, there are seven large streams with unique names such as O Lon To (big pigsty) and O Lon Con (small pigsty), as well as Mieu Danh, Van Lau, Cao Lo streams, and Che flume. The water runs all year round and is very clean thanks to large coverage of the forest. This is a valuable source of fresh water amidst the vast sea.

Travelling to Ba Mun, tourists can explore on their own, following some natural trails on the island or patrol routes serving forest management. It takes at least 3 days to complete a tour of Ba Mun Island and 5 hours if going around the island by motorboat.

The island has a wildlife rescue centre belonging to the Bai Tu Long National Park. Tourists can contact the centre in case they need any support.

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Phuoc Tich ancient village fails to lure tourists

The 600-year-old village of Phuoc Tich in central Thua Thien Hue Province has lost half its natural beauty according to locals, and the rest is under threat from road and dyke works.

New roads and dykes have been blamed for ruining the natural beauty of Phuoc Tich Village in Hue.

Many even complain that the replacement of a grass road with bricks has changed the view of the village. "The brick road gives the feeling of a northern village and is unfamiliar to us," one said.

Hoang Tan Minh, head of Phuoc Phu, one of the two hamlets in the village, said the 1.5km road through the village was tiled with bricks in 2007.

Recently, authorities from Phong Dien District built a dyke on the bank of O Lau River, which borders one side of the village. The work destroyed the village's bamboo forest and ended the use of many jetties along the river.

Cultural researchers and locals raised their voice and authorities apologised for the carelessness, but at that time the work was almost finished.

Meanwhile, many villagers are upset at rules that prevent them from repairing their houses unless it is done in the old style.

They say they cannot be bothered about tourism, because little of it has happened anyway.

"Only one group of visitors has paid a visit to our village, so no one can live on promises," said Nguyen Thi Khanh Ly, co-host of the 200-year old homes with wooden pillars and beams (nha ruong) owned by Nguyen Duy Thanh.

Locals feel the village has little service to offer visitors. "It is not enough for tourists. Visitors can only see old nha ruong," said Le Trong Dao, another villager.

The general dissatisfaction has led experts to warn that eventually, residents will modify their houses according to their own desires.

Last year, the Viet Nam Institute of Arts and Culture Studies in Hue worked with the Belgian Wallonie Heritage Institute to preserve old houses and a traditional kiln. But, unfortunately, the pottery products could not find a market.

According to Nguyen Thang Long, a researcher at the institute, getting locals involved is crucial for maintaining the operation of the kiln.

He said that when they saw economic benefits from the kiln, their attitudes would change.

The village is about 50km far from Hue City on the national highway route leading to Ha Noi. It was classified as national heritage in 2009, after the recognition of old Duong Lam Village in Ha Noi.

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Wildlife trek in jungle offers both challenges and rewards

The adventurers first laid their boots on the soft jungle soil by 7.30am and before long the first challenge for them was set. How to cross a fast running stream without the use of a bridge?

Quick flow: Crossing a stream with a temporary bridge made from a tree trunk challenged the young trekkers.

Local guides and porters cut down a tree to build a temporary overpass, and the trek into Kon Ka Kinh National Park continued on.

"A log bridge replete with a handrail made by creepers allowed us to venture into the otherwise inaccessible jungle and return home safely." said local guide Dinh Khanh Toan.

"Streams run very fast in flood season and it makes for a dangerous crossing. Local porters, who are from the ethnic Ba Na group, are experienced with jungle trips, and we really need them for the trip, there are four streams to cross on the trek," Toan said.

"It's a bit nerve wracking crossing the temporary bridge. However, I slowly passed the first stream with help from local guide and porters," said a team member Nguyen Quang Sang.

Jungle adventure

K'Bang District in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai was the starting point for a jungle adventure that Sang and a group of 20 young people took. They trekked three days and two nights into the lush forest home of some fabulous wildlife.

The trippers could see some endangered primates – gray-shanked douc langurs – and other local wildlife living in the area.

"You can see wild boar, reptiles, Tibetan bear and deer. However, tigers have not been seen in the area for years," Sang said.

The group spent a day at the headquarters of park, 70km away from the district, in preparation for the jungle trekking. They then took a van from K'Bang District – the closest drop-off point to the park's centre.

They had on hand all necessary belongings for the adventure; food, sleeping bags, leggings, bush-whackers, hammocks, compasses and Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers as well as some specialist equipment carried by the ranger.

The team, now swollen with the addition of local porters hired to carry some of the food, equipment and cooking tools, started the journey very early in the morning.

The van approached Ha Dung village, the team then took a 30-minute motorbike taxi drive to the trekking starting point because the 10km drive in is inaccessible to cars.

"The first few kilometres of the trek did not give us trouble as the terrain was quite low and easy. We walked with a fast pace through the first section of the forest," Sang said.

On the first day the team stopped by the second stream for lunch after a four hours trek. They quickly prepared a lunch of rice balls and canned food for a quick meal in 30 minutes.

"I had the first experience with unfamiliar and uncomfortable conditions away from home. It's very important to make a team line-up and follow discipline, if trailing behind in the jungle you could miss the trail," said tripper Hoang Duy.

"It's the first jungle trip for all of us, so the local guide and porters instructed us carefully during the trek," Duy said, adding that life in jungle is not easy.

It got dark in jungle in the late afternoon and the guide decided to make camp on a flat ground near the stream.

"The jungle trippers set a tent near a water source for the night's stay because they needed water to cook and wash. Anyway, trekking along the stream will lead us to the last stop or help us to find the way home in case you lose your way," said Sac, a Ba Na ethnic man.

"However, compass and GPS receivers will assist trippers when exploring the jungle. But we could see the stars (the Great Bear) to help us navigate in the right direction," the 27-year-old added.

The team took an hour to seek firewood to cook and keep warm at night as well as making preparations to prevent animals approaching.

Barbecue blaze: The adventurers on the trekking tour loved eating grilled meat.

Pork and chicken are a favourite for grilled dishes in jungle when it's very cold at night.

"It's quick to prepare dinner. Each member was assigned to make a dish for the wildlife lover's party. We roasted pork, chicken and cooked rice in a bamboo-tube over an open fire," said Hoang Thanh Huyen.

"Porters also carried in some jars of wine – a specialty drink of Ba Na ethnic group – in the Central Highlands region. We danced around the fire and had a very nice party," Huyen said.

"We have never had such exciting time in the jungle before," Huyen enthused.

"Sleeping bags were the best choice for avoiding mosquitoes. It keeps us warm when it's wet in the deep damp jungle," Huyen added.

The team slept in hammocks tied between trees under a canopy made of trees, leaves and some canvas.

Top of the rock

After having breakfast the next morning, the adventurers spent the second day climbing to a height of 1,400m above the sea level to the stand upon the White Rock precipice, the highest peak of the national park.

The trippers left heavy luggage at the camp because of the slopping paths, only food, snacks and water were brought for a spectacular lunch on the top of the rock.

"We were tired on the second day because of tough terrain. The path was not so long, but uphill gradient slowed our pace," Tran Ai Tam, the team leader said.

"We had to clear the way with bush-whackers, while others of us were sidelined to pick leeches out of our legs and hands," Tam said.

"The jungle has very high humidity and numerous animals living in it so it is a suitable environment for terrestrial leeches. However, the trippers use chemical sprayers or bag of salt to prevent leeches from sucking their blood," Tam, who has years of jungle experience, explained.

Tam said that climbing 400m up to the top of White Rock from the camp used up much time and power. The mount finally came into sight after five hours trailing up sloping terrain.

Sac, the local guide, said the mount gives an overview of the park when it's clear and sunny. They spent an hour enjoying lunch on the rock then the team returned to the camp.

On the second night the campfire party was fed left-overs of roasted pork, beef and chicken from the previous night.

"We could not store raw meat, so we cooked it all well for the second night dinner," said local guide, Phinh.

The team returned to the starting point by the next morning.

Local guide Toan suggested how to go about taking the tour. He also stressed that all trippers are prohibited from hunting or taking flora and fauna from the park.

"You should take a bus to Mang Yang District to book package tour in the park. Local guides and porters are available for days and nights trekking in jungle. Each porter asks only VND100,000 for a full day service, while a meal will be VND100,000 each," Toan said, adding entrance ticket costs VND80,000.

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In pictures: Romantic Yen Spring in the water lily season

When it comes to the Huong pagoda, people often refer to Yen Stream crowded with boats and pilgrims, boisterous voices but the scenery is different here in the fall.

The hectic and crowded atmosphere of the Huong pagoda festival is no more. The Yen Stream becomes peaceful and more romantic with tranquil space and blooming water lilies.

Without pilgrims, the stream is quiet.

The landscape looks like a water-color painting.

Water lilies usually bloom brightly in the morning and again in the afternoon.

The lilies are also picked as vegetables.

The clear water.

When the stream is not too crowded with tourists, the ducks dominate the stream.

The Hoi Bridge crosses the stream quietly.

Standing on the bridge, you can zoom out far away.

Some locals catch fish on the stream.

Many photographers traveled from Saigon to here just to take some pictures. This season, sometimes you just see a boat carrying travelers visiting the Perfume Pagoda, mostly foreigners and southerners.

The people indulge in tobacco smoke in small boats, ducks swim around... Specifically, you will be immersed in the colors of autumn and the bright color of lilies stretching across the stream. 

 

The autumn scene with clear waters, the deciduous trees is great for couples to take wedding photography.

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Hanoi, Saigon among world's cheapest cities for budget travelers in 2014

Priceoftravel website has published a list of the cheapest destinations in the world, including Hanoi and HCM City of Vietnam.

Hanoi ranks second in the list.

Recently, Priceoftravel published a list of the cheapest and most expensive cities in the world for backpackers in 2014.

The cheapest city is Pokahara of Nepal with an average cost of $14.32 per day. Hanoi ranked second with $15.88/day. Chiang Mai of Thailand came third with a total cost of $17.66/day.

Goa, India ranked fourth with $18.25 and HCM City came fifth with $18.27, followed by Kathmandu of Nepal ($18.46), Vientiane of Laos, Delhi of India, Luang Prabang of Laos and Bangkok of Thailand.

Priceoftravel also announced the most expensive cities for budget travelers, including Zurich of Switzerland ($122.22/day), Stockholm of Sweden ($109.69), Oslo of Norway, Interlaken of Switzerland, Venice of Italy, New York, London, Caracas of Venezuela, Helsinki of Finland and Copenhagen of Denmark.

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Vietnam eyes sustainable tourism

VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam's tourism industry hosted 6.9 million foreign and 32.5 million domestic tourists in the first 10 months of the year, the Conference on Responsible Tourism Policy heard yesterday.

Viet Nam's tourism industry hosted 6.9 million foreign and 32.5 million domestic tourists in the first 10 months of the year.— Photo binhdinh

The event aims to contribute to more intensive implementation of sustainable and responsible policy measures in tourism development and operation.

It also aims to stimulate public-private dialogue in policy design and to spread the incentives for tourism development at the provincial and destination level.

The director of the Viet Nam National Tourism Administration (VNAT), Nguyen Van Tuan, said the sector had a 10 per cent growth in comparison with the same period last year, earning a total of VND165 trillion (US$7.9 billion).

"We are expecting that the industry will reach its target two years ahead with a record of 7.4 million foreign and 35 million domestic tourists arriving by the end of this year," Tuan said.

"However, the tourism industry still faces big challenges of competitiveness and sustainable growth" he said.

The conference was organised by the European Union-funded Environmentally and Socially Responsible Tourism Capacity Development Programme (ESRT), the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and VNAT.

The collaborative effort has drawn over 200 policy makers, tourism industry managers and professionals representing national and provincial organisations into discussions on how to ensure more intensive and efficient tourism development in Viet Nam.

Participants will discuss measures and instruments for responsible policy development, comparative practice implementation and experiences, internationally recognised labels for environmentally friendly tourism businesses, safe coasts, accessible resorts, energy saving hotels and tourist capacities.

Deputy Head of the EU to Viet Nam's co-operation and development section Bryan Fornari said tourism has become a key industry in Viet Nam with growing number of tourists.

Viet Nam has seen a sharp rise in tourism real estate investments during the economic downturn in spite of the otherwise stagnant property and construction market.

According to VNAT, over 4,300 new rooms have been opened in Ha Noi, Da Nang, Hue, Nha Trang, Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Nghe An over the past 10 months.

"According to our survey, a tourist in [northern] Quang Ninh province stays one night and spends only $30 a day, while a Russian tourist could pay $2,000 for their 20-day vacation in [central] Phan Thiet," he added.

"Hon Tre Island in [central] Nha Trang alone earned VND1.2 trillion ($57 million) – a third of total revenue of Quang Ninh province," he said.

He said good quality tourism services would draw investment into Viet Nam, but developing a responsible tourism policy is a huge challenge that needs involvement of ministries, agencies and local administrations.

He said that the industry also faces a tough competition from Thailand and Cambodia.

The VNAT's director, Tuan, said the country's tourism industry will focus on quality and branding rather than overheated growth which brought unstable and unbalanced development to local communities.

It also needs appropriate solutions on how to balance between growth and traditional culture; conservation as well as financial benefits for the community, agencies, ministries and businesses.

He blamed the chaos of hydro-power plant planning and coal-mining exploitation for destroying some destinations, and mentioned other issues affecting the overall industry.

"Negative images of street vendors, overstating the price of services in some places have damaged the tourism industry here.

"Shortages of skilled workers in hospitality and high-quality service also drawback the development of tourism industry," he said.

"We should keep an eye on how to improve the quality service and the brand name of destinations rather than hosting record number of tourists."

The central Quang Nam province is home of two UNESCO-recognised world heritage sites.

Here, My Son Sanctuary, and Hoi An City with world biosphere reserve Cham Islands, have been successful in promoting sustainable tourism.

The unique cultural relics found in the 2,000-year-old Cham monuments and its associated cultural festivals, folk songs and games, cuisine and food are another draw card in the area.

A survey showed that 27 per cent of international tourists come to explore the culture and history of the heritage in the province.

Industry growth in the province rose by 40 per cent during 2006-11, with arrivals to Quang Nam totalling 2.8 million last year.

Source: VNS

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Unique temple made of shells in Cam Ranh

VietNamNet Bridge – The Tu Van temple was built in 1968 with corals and shells in Cam Ranh City. The most prominent element in the temple is the highest tower in Vietnam, which is also made from coral and shells.

The temple is located on 3/4 Road in the city of Cam Ranh, Khanh Hoa province. It is not only a destination for Buddhists but also tourists for its unique beauty. The temple bears the coastal flavor. From the gate to the main hall, the entrance to the temple is covered by the shade of pine trees. Along the way is a large lying Buddha statue. The most prominent work in the temple is the Bao Tich tower. The tower was built in 1995, 39m high, consists of two floors. The tower was designed and built by monks in five years. The tower has eight gates called Bat Chanh Dao. It is surrounded by 49 small towers. This work has been named as a national record of Vietnam as the highest bao tich tower. The uniqueness of the tower is that it is made of coral stone and decorated by shells. The gate is completely built by coral stone. The tower has two floors, the first floor is for visitors and the second is a Buddhist shrine. The inside space is mysterious. The walls and pillars are decorated by thousands of shells. Inside the tower. Patterns made by shells. The temple also has many statues. Many statues are also made of coral stone and shells.

Two dragons are entirely made of shells, taken from Ngu Hanh Son, Da Nang. The temple is also known as Chua Oc (Shell Temple).

Tri Thuc

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Phu Quoc lacks hotels for Russians

International visitors to Khanh Hoa rise 25%

More than 478,000 international tourists have visited Khanh Hoa province so far this year, up nearly 25% from a year earlier.

According to the Khanh Hoa Department of Culture, Sports, & Tourism, most of them came from Russia (up 190%), the Republic of Korea (up 60%), and Australia (up 40%).

The average length of stay was 3.3 nights per visitor.

The national flag carrier, Vietnam Airlines will operate direct flights between Hong Kong and Nha Trang as of November-two to four from the Far East region to Cam Ranh International Airport a day and two from Moscow to Nha Trang a week.

Khanh Hoa province currently has 540 accommodations with a total of 15,000 guest rooms, including 48 three-to-five star hotels with more than 8.500 rooms, and a lot of shopping centres.

In addition, there is a wide network of information bureau and customer care services to ensure a safe tourism environment for international visitors.

In an effort to attract more Russian visitors to Khanh Hoa, the provincial People Committee has proposed the Government upgrade Cam Ranh international Airport and grant visa exemption for tourists coming from major markets including Russia, Japan, and the Republic of Korea.

HCM City-Abu Dhabi air route launched

Etihad Airways, the national flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), opened direct flights between Abu Dhabi and Ho Chi Minh City on October 2.

Daily flights will depart from HCM City at 8.15am and arrive in Abu Dhabi seven hours later, using Airbus A330-200s.

Etihad Airways CEO James Hogan said these daily flights will provide approximately 3,700 seats every week, aiming to meet demands of travellers seeking business opportunities and freight between Vietnam and the UAE, Middle East and Europe.

In 2012, Vietnam’s export turnover to the UAE exceeded US$2 billion for the first time, up 82% compared to 2011, and is predicted to reach over US$4 billion this year.

Airbus A330-200, capable of transporting 13 tonnes of cargos, is expected to help increase the trade volume and value between Vietnam and the UAE, Europe and North America.

Etihad Airways currently conducts flights to 94 destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Oceania and America, using over 80 Airbus and Boeing aircraft.

Vietravel receives World Travel Awards and TTG Asia

Vietnam’s only representative, Vietravel tourist company, has been honorably awarded the title “Vietnam’s Leading Tour Operator” and “Vietnam’s Leading Travel Agency” of World Travel Awards 2013 (WTA).

This is the third consecutive year Vietravel has been nominated for the TTG Travel Awards 2013 voted by TTG Asia magazine.

The awards ceremonies will be held in Dubai on October 1 and 3.

Established in 1993, WTA, known as “the Oscars of the travel industry”, is recognised globally as the highest accolade in travel and tourism, and serves to recognise, acknowledge and reward excellence of customer service, product development and business performance throughout the tourism industry.

The company covers travel agencies, tour operators, hotels, national tourism organisations and airlines across the world.

Founded in 1974, TTG Asia is a leading travel magazine with 26 publications a year.

This year, there are 82 TTG Travel Awards in four categories including service providers (52 awards), leading travel agencies (16 awards), excellent performance (four awards) and Travel Hall of Fame for winning ten awards since 1989 (ten awards).

Moveable Feast offers a new dining experience

Have you ever moved through different restaurants to have your meal served? If not, try the inaugural Moveable Feast that will be held on Saturday, from 6.30-8.30pm.

The special feast will start with canapes and cocktails in the courtyard of the fashion store Chula, overlooking West Lake. The connoisseurs then will move to the Warehouse on Xuan Dieu Street, where they can enjoy a panoramic view of West Lake while indulging in their entree. Main courses will be served on the roof terrace of the Hanoi Cooking Centre before moving to Pots'n Pans to chill-out in style with sweets.

Electric buggies will provide the transport for diners to all locations. Tickets, including transportation, entertainment, meal and beverages, are available from Pots'n Pans, 57 Bui Thi Xuan Street; the Hanoi Cooking Centre, 44 Chau Long Street; and Chapi Aspirant, 38A Nguyen Truong To Street. For further info, contact Chapi Aspirant at (04) 39270479, email info@chapiaspirant.com.

Vietnam Airlines to add more flights during Tet

The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines plans to add more flights during the upcoming Tet holiday season to meet the increasing demand, from January 19 to February 16, 2014.

From October 2, the airlines will begin selling tickets for the Tet holiday season. The carrier plans to conduct 835 flights on nine of the busiest routes that are most in demand during Tet.

Vietnam Airlines will open an additional 385 flights on the Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City route, and 218 flights on the Da Nang-HCMC route.

On other routes, namely HCMC-Nha Trang/Vinh/ Hai Phong/ Thanh Hoa, the airline will increase an additional seven flights.

Besides these, the carrier will arrange a round-the-clock schedule for a number of night flights just before and after Tet, between January 25-29 and from February 2-9.

An Giang Province to close paths leading to Cam Mountain

The People’s Committee of the southern province of An Giang has asked authorities in Tinh Bien District to prohibit vehicles from travelling to Cam Mountain as there is likelihood of landslides during the rainy season.

Due to continuous heavy rainfall in recent days, paths to the peak of the mountain have become landslide prone and as many as three spots are already highly susceptible, including Do, Cuu Nan and a hill under Do.

According to the Institute of Geophysics, Cam Mountain has 220 landslide-prone sites along its 2.5 kilometer path up the mountain, and 126 big boulders have become a serious threat.

After authorities issue the ban, transport of essential items to people living on the mountaintop will take place in the early mornings and afternoons.

An Hao Commune authorities will help take children to schools.

Phu Quoc lacks hotels for Russians

Although travel firms plan to take Russian tourists in droves to Phu Quoc Island on chartered flights, the plan may not be realized as the island is lacking hotels meeting three-star standards or higher for tourists.

Since Phu Quoc International Airport was put into operation, Russia-based Pegas Touristik and its local partner Anh Duong Co. have many times studied tourism of Phu Quoc Island to take Russian tourists there.

“We need a maximum of 500 rooms per day but a lack of hotel rooms makes the plan uneasy to be executed,” said Hoang Thi Phong Thu, chairwoman of Anh Duong Co.

The firm has received supports from the island’s government and the airport’s management board in seeking hotels and plans to operate two to four chartered flights to the island each month at first.

“We hope to operate chartered flights this December or next January,” she said.

Le Minh Hoang, director of Kien Giang Province’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, admitted that the island did not have enough decent hotel rooms.

Phu Quoc currently has around 2,900 rooms, 2,400 of which are qualified enough for tourists. From now until 2015, small and medium projects will only supply 500-700 new rooms, which will still be insufficient, according to Hoang.

Pegas Touristik and Anh Duong are currently the two companies taking the highest number of Russian tourists to Vietnam. From October 20 to next April, there will be 72 chartered flights taking tourists from Russia to Cam Ranh Airport in Nha Trang City each month so that tourists can visit Khanh Hoa, Binh Thuan and Ninh Thuan provinces.

A representative of Pegas Touristik said last month that the firm planned to take around one million Russian tourists to Vietnam in the next five years.

Int’l conference on religious tourism opens next month

An international conference on religious tourism will be held in Vietnam for the first time next month by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The conference in the northern province of Ninh Binh on November 21-22 with 300 local and foreign representatives focuses on religious tourism as the highly potential tourism segment in Vietnam, according to the tourism ministry.

At the event, State officials, companies and tourism researchers will discuss related contents on planning, management, preservation and exploitation and development of tourism associated with religious activities.

It is expected that the contents on management and sustainable development of religious tourist attractions, the trend of tourism product development in combination with experiences of many nations in developing this kind of tourism activity will bring a new view for the country to develop the segment.

The tourism industry is still unable to have statistics and specific strategies on religious tourism as well as the contributions of visitors to the segment. However, tourism in provinces like An Giang, Ninh Binh and Quang Ninh reported that millions of visitors take tours and make pilgrimages at the same time or visit popular religious tourist sites in their localities annually.

Source: SGT/SGGP/VNA/VNS/VOV/ND

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Vinh Moc Tunnel – a tourist magnet

VietNamNet Bridge – When someone mentions Quang Tri Province, people may think about war memories, remnants and scars of time. However, Quang Tri has a proud history, of which the Vinh Moc Tunnel system is a huge attraction for tourists.

Cua Tung Beach has a small hole which links to Vinh Moc Tunnel system at Con Co section.

From Dong Ha City, the commercial hub of Quang Tri, it takes about one hour by motorbike along National Highway 1A to reach the Vinh Moc Tunnel complex in Vinh Moc Hamlet, Vinh Thach Commune, Vinh Linh District.

The path to Vinh Moc is shaded by bamboo lines and immense rice fields. The peaceful scenery makes passers-by forget the terrible past where many locals died as a result of U.S. bombs. Along the way, tourists can also see many historical relics.

The tunnel system is like a miniature village built underground at 10 meters to 23 meters deep. It is more than 1,700 meters long and there is an interlacing transport system underground. The deeper the tunnel, the narrower and colder it gets.

The small entrance to Vinh Moc Tunnel system.

It has three floors. The first is 12 meters deep and was the place for daily activities of locals while the second floor is 15 meters deep and was home to store food and weapons as well as for meetings. The deepest floor is 23 meters underground and is where locals protected themselves from bombing during the American War.

The system has a total of 13 doors, of which seven are linked to the sea with six linked to the hills. Around 180,000 people lived in the tunnel system for over two years.

The tunnel has been recognized as a national historical site and was opened for public viewing in 1995.

Source: SGT

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Inside world of Son Doong – the world’s largest cave

VietNamNet Bridge - Pictures of Son Doong Cave have covered newspapers worldwide, showing the "attraction" of the world's largest cave.

Son Doong Cave in Quang Binh province, central Vietnam, was worldwide known in 2009, when a group of British explorers and locals discovered the whole cave. Since then, the world has been surprised by spectacular scenery of the vast cave with a length of more than 9 km, with forests, rivers, stalagmites... All are inside the Son Doong cave, the world's largest cave.

To enter the cave, explorers had to use ropes to drop down 80m depth to begin the journey to explore the world in Son Doong cave.

Four years after the cave was revealed to the world, the tour to conquer Son Doong cave was tested in August, opening up the opportunity to explore the cave for tourists.

The test will continue in February and March 2014. Each group of tourists will have up to six people, with the cost of $3,000. More than 100 international visitors have registered for the tours in 2014.

The entrance to the Son Doong cave. Photo: Huffington Post.

Part of the cave roof collapsed a few centuries ago. Thus, rain and sunlight can reach here, creating favorable conditions for plant growth in the cave. Photo: Huffington Post.

An explorer enters into the cave. Photo: sondoongcave.

Green vegetation inside Son Doong. Photo: Huffington Post.

Trees along the entrance to the cave. Photo: Medavia.

The rocks named Chan Cho (dog foot) near the cave entrance. This large stalagmite is in the shape of a dog foot. Photo: Huffington Post.

Ken (cocoon) Cave with a narrow lake. Photo: sondoongcave.

A different perspective of the Ken Cave. It looks like mysterious eyes. Photo: soondoongcave.

The stalagmites. Photo: Medavia.

A stream inside Son Doong. Photo: Huffington Post.

Wading through a stream. Photo: sondoongcave.

A waterfall in the cave. Photo: Huffington Post.

Exploring the cave like doing the journey to the underground world. Photo: Huffington Post.

A tree in the cave. Photo: Medavia.

View from the Edam garden. Photo: Oxalis Fanpage.

The calcareous water droplets dripping, gradually forming "pearls" in the Son Doong cave. Photo: Medavia.

Rock veins covered with green algae. Photo: Huffington Post.

The "exotic sculpture" of nature. Photo: National Geographic.

Climbing in the Loong Con cave. Photo: sondoongcave.

A large gate at the mouth of the cave. Photo: sondoongcave.

The scene is flooded with light. Photo: sondoongcave.

Two British explorers Howard and Deb Limbert in the journey to discover the world's largest cave. Photo: Medavia.

 

A tree in the cave. Photo: LiveScience.

The camps of the first tourist group who were allowed to explore the Son Doong cave in August 2013. Photo: Ryan Boodt.

A river in the cave. Photo: soondoongcave.

Pha Le

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