More provinces to offer free wifi for tourists

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan has encouraged the most-visited cities and provinces to launch a free wireless broadband program to attract more tourists, especially those from abroad.

At a nationwide web conference on polishing the nation’s tourism environment last week, Nhan said the tourist attractions of Ha Long and Nha Trang had started offering free wifi after the ancient town of Hoi An and the coast city of Danang.

Other tourism-reliant cities should do the same to enable visitors to stay online while on the go and look for services and tourism information on the web, he told the meeting.

The central province of Quang Nam started free wifi service in Hoi An in March at a cost of some VND25 billion, funded by various sources. After that, Danang did a similar scheme with 150 wifi hotspots set up citywide.

HCM City appoints young volunteers to assist foreign tourists

The Communist Youth Union in Ho Chi Minh City introduced a new plan on June 8 at 23/9 Park in District 1, to train young volunteers who will in future assist foreign tourists with key and relevant information on the City.

The teams will include young people who have good command of foreign language skills and be able to help and guide tourists within the City, especially in District 1 where most of the foreign holidaymakers converge.

The volunteers will be mainly based in three locations such as the T-Junction of Pham Ngu Lao-De Tham Streets, the crossroad of De Tham-Bui Vien Streets, and in front of the Army Command Station in Pham Ngu Lao Ward on De Tham Street in District 1.

The unique Bac Ha plateau horse race

Horsemen from ethnic groups on the Bac Ha plateau in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai gathered at the annual horse race festival on June 8.

The horse race has always existed in the mythology of the Bac Ha people and was designed for “barefoot cavaliers”, who have been friends with horses since they were born. It has now become part of the unique traditional culture of the "white plateau” and a popular attraction for both domestic and international tourists.

According to local resident Vang Van Hoang, in the old days, when the immense forests were adorned with white plum and apricot flowers, local people flocked to the Hoang A Tuong edifice to watch the horse race, which usually took place at the foot of Ba Me Con Mountain.

The horsemen gathered at the starting line and, when a shot signaled the start of the race, they galloped towards a specific point. When they reached their goal, they jumped off their horses, fired five shots, and grabbed a red ball before remounting their horses and returning to the starting line.

The traditional race is run bareback, which makes it even more exciting with spectacular performances.

During wartime, the race was suspended for many years as the horsemen went to the battlefield to fight for national independence.

The race was resumed in the spring of 1980 when the Bac Ha Military Command gathered more than 50 jockeys and horses from villages across the district to join the competition.

Twenty-seven years later, the race was officially restored as part of the annual tourism programme in eight northwestern provinces.

Increasing numbers of visitors have come to Bac Ha to witness this unique festival, with 30,000 watching the race in 2012, double the figure in 2009.

The restoration of the festival aims to help preserve the special cultural and spiritual values of local ethnic minority people, said Nguyen Anh Tuan, Chairman of the Bac Ha People's Committee.

Vang Van Huynh, who won last year's race, said only when they are on horseback, can he and his fellow riders show off the courage they inherited from their ancestors.

Visitors at this year’s festival will be able to join the exciting and animated atmosphere and enjoy a number of other activities including traditional dances, a food festival, farmer’s market, and various eco-tourism programmes.

Saigontourist opens office in Nha Trang

Saigontourist Travel Service Company last Saturday opened a branch in Nha Trang in the central province of Khanh Hoa, its sixth transaction office to be put into operation this year.

According to Saigontourist, in addition to introducing domestic and outbound tourism products to local tourists, Saigontourist-Nha Trang provides outbound tours departing from Cam Ranh International Airport and welcome Russian tourists flying directly between Cam Ranh and Russia. With this branch, tourism products concerning sea, islands, leisure, events and golf can be boosted.

On the opening day, the branch granted Saigontourist vouchers worth VND1 million each to the first ten customers buying package services. Besides, Saigontourist-Nha Trang will offer many airfare and domestic and outbound tour discounts from now until June 22.

Saigontourist Travel Service Company had over 450,000 domestic and international tourists last year with total travel revenue amounting to over VND2.085 trillion.

New hotel brand goes up in Hoi An

Thailand’s hotel investment and management firm Minor Hotel Group has introduced Anantara Hoi An Resort in the central province of Quang Nam, its second project in the country after the first in the south-central province of Binh Thuan.

Situated next to the Thu Bon River, Anantara Hoi An is a boutique resort with 93 guest rooms and other services.

This is one of the two resorts Minor Hotel Group has acquired from hotel management firm Life Resorts, including Life Heritage Resort Hoi An and Life Wellness Resort Quy Nhon. Total capital for the two properties and acquisition of the brand is US$16 million.

After turning the Life Heritage Resort Hoi An into Anantara Hoi An Resort, the group plans to re-brand the Life Wellness Resort Quy Nhon as Avani Quy Nhon Resort & Spa.

The Thai firm entered Vietnam in 1998 via a joint venture in Harbour View Hotel in Haiphong City. It launched the first project, Anantara Mui Ne Resort & Spa, in Binh Thuan Province two years ago.

The group now has 85 properties in operation across 12 countries, including Vietnam.

Saigon-Phu Quoc Resort and Spa’s stunning promotions

Phu Quoc Island, a peaceful tropical paradise in the warm turquoise waters, is known for its stunning beaches, untouched natural environment, splendid surroundings, and fantastic scuba diving, snorkeling and squid fishing as well as seafood specialties.

However, visiting this magical place does give you a bit of a dilemma. Where to stay? For accommodation, the Saigon-Phu Quoc Resort and Spa is recommended as an ideal spot. The resort has 98 bungalows and villas overlooking the sea and offers many entertainment services. The resort has two restaurants with a capacity of 300 guests, a conference hall with 200 seats and a spa together with many relaxing and entertainment services.

The resort is offering many attractive promotions. For a twin Panorama room, tourists just pay VND1.66 million per night from Monday to Thursday until July 31 and VND1.5 million for two nights at a twin room of Star Cruise level and up, available until October 31. The program is not applied for package services and other promotions. Guests will be also given a voucher for a sauna and massage.

Travelers can also pay from VND2.67 million for a package price to stay one night at Panorama room for two guests, inclusive of airport transfer, breakfast, 90-minute massage and sauna. Moreover, just pay from around VND2.6 million for a package price for two guests to stay at Panorama room for one night, inclusive of breakfast, airport transfer and main meal.

The resort also offers 36 free services including sauna, massage, airport transfer, wifi, swimming pool, tea, coffee, doctor on call, billiards, gym, kids’ playground, tennis (from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), golf course, bicycle, Chinese chess, table tennis and kayaking. The resort also has other services such as a bistro at President Villa, room service 24/7, an office selling air tickets, tours to travel around the island, scuba diving and squid fishing.

The resort has two new conference rooms with the capacity of 10 to 250 seats. The Saigon-Phu Quoc Resort and Spa is located at 62 Tran Hung Dao Street on Phu Quoc Island off Kien Giang Province, tel: (077) 3846 999, email: sgphuquocresorts@hcm.vnn.vn, web: www.vietnamphuquoc.com.

Phu Yen is looking for its place in the sun

Central Phu Yen province is angling to become Vietnam’s another new attractive tourism destination, following Danang, Quang Nam and Nha Trang, as the province’s transport infrastructure is improved.

In September, the province will inaugurate a new terminal at Tuy Hoa airport that has throughput capacity of 550,000 people per year. This new terminal will bring Phu Yen closer to tourists, who used to feel difficult in travelling to the province.

In addition, a tunnel through Cu Mong mountain pass is under the construction, making transportation from Khanh Hoa province, home to Nha Trang Bay, to Phu Yen more convenient.

“The biggest challenge for tourism development in Phu Yen is poor transportation network. But this problem is going to be removed. We are now calling for investors in the tourism sector,” said Tran Quang Nhat, Vice Chairman of Phu Yen Provincial People’s Committee. “We consider tourism a priority for provincial economic growth.”

Bordering with Binh Dinh in the north and Khanh Hoa in the south, Phu Yen owns a wealth of wild, sandy beaches, including Bai Xep, Bai Tram, Bai Mon-Mui Dien, Xuan Dai Bay, Vung Ro Bay and O Loan Lagoon. It could be described as the last long stretch of undeveloped sandy beaches in Vietnam.

The beauty of Phu Yen could explain why Sama Dubai, a member and a subsidiary of the United Arab Emirates’s Dubai Holding, considered investing billions of dollar to build luxury resorts in Xuan Dai Bay and O Loan Lagoon a few years ago. The developer discussed the project with the local authorities for about three years before Sama Dubai withdrew because of the global financial crisis.

“In three years negotiating with Sama Dubai, we could not call for other foreign investors to develop these beautiful sites,” said Nhat.

But now, Nhat revealed, a famous domestic hospitality and property developer is studying the opportunity to invest in O Loan Lagoon, which could be a break-through for the development of Phu Yen.

Brunei-headquartered New City Vietnam Company, in 2008, gained an investment certificate for a $4.3 billion project that would cover 565 hectares of land along a sandy, wild beach in Bai Xep area, comprising of three 4-star hotels with 900 rooms and four 5 star-hotels with 2,250 rooms. In addition to that, the investor will build other facilities like villas, residential areas, a diving zone, a sport centre, a water park, a commercial area, office buildings, a golf course, electronic gaming services and a healthcare centre.

Although the developer has not started the construction yet because of slow pace of site clearance, it is committed to pursuing this project.

In developing its tourism sector, Phu Yen maps out a plan for luring around 900,000 tourists by 2015.

Bright prospects for Lao Cai tourism

Typical tourism products of the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai have drawn increasing attention from foreign travel publications, a senior official of the provincial tourism sector has said.

Tran Huu Son, head of Lao Cai’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, cited that Australia’s travel magazine Lonely Planet has listed Sa Pa as one of the 10 best walking sites in the world for tourists, while Sri Lanka’s Serendib has described Bac Ha minority cultural market as one of the 10 most attractive markets in Southeast Asia .

Besides, US-based Travel and Leisure Magazine has named Sa Pa’s terraced rice fields as one of seven most magnificent examples in the world, he added.

Defining tourism as the key sector in the province’s economic development strategy, Lao Cai has exerted efforts to actively promote its tourism products through various events such as the Fansipan conquering programme and Bac Ha traditional horse racing, Son said.

Besides, Lao Cai has also taken part in many international tourism fairs to introduce its tourism information and its tourism cooperation programmes with seven other northwestern provinces to domestic and foreign visitors, added Son.

Nguyen Thanh Duong, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee emphasised the unique identity of Lao Cai and economic potential from the tourism sector. He underscored the necessity to maintain and develop the local cultural identity and artisans’ skillfulness and improve the quality of tourism facilities and services.

Lao Cai has implemented measures to better its tourism environment to attract more visitors. In the 2011-2013 period, the total number of tourists to the province totalled over 3.1 million. The tourism sector helped the province earn more than 5,600 billion VND and employs 8,150 locals.

Festival promotes Vietnamese cuisine in Bangkok

A month-long Vietnam food festival opened in Thailand's capital city of Bangkok on June 6, as one of meaningful activities to promote cultural exchanges between Vietnam and Thailand.

The opening event was attended by Vietnam’s Ambassador to Thailand Ngo Duc Thang and representatives of the Embassy of Vietnam in Thailand, the Thailand-Vietnam Culture Association, along with hundreds of overseas Vietnamese in Thailand and international friends.

Vietnam’s Ambassador to Thailand Ngo Duc Thang (in the middle) at the opening ceremony

The festival gives visitors a chance to experience unique and typical cuisines of Vietnam, while creating opportunities to strengthen cultural exchange and understanding among ASEAN countries in general and between Vietnam and Thailand in particular

A series of art works on the Vietnamese people and landscape by Vietnamese and Thai painters are also on display during the festival.

The festival runs until June 28.

ASEAN ministers committed to stronger tourism growth

Tourism ministers from ASEAN member countries have pledged to establish standards for tourism in the region as well asa common regional visa to boost tourism growth by up to 20%.

The tourism ministers were attending the 2013 World Economic Forum (WEF) on East Asiain Myanmar and issued apress release announcing they are committed to promotingASEAN countries as desirable touristdestinations.

Myanmar alsohopesto boost intra-regional trade and support a common visa for ASEAN nationals to be available by next year.

At the forum, Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia and the Philippines agreed to work on a Common ASEAN Smart Visa and signed aStatement of Intent to develop the visa.

The four countries said they hope to work with government agencies and relevant sectors to facilitate travel within the region througha common visa system.

This year’s WEF was entitled "Courageous Transformation for Inclusion and Integration”and brought together more than900 delegates, including a Vietnamese delegation led by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and over 500 business executives from 55 countries across the world.

Ha Long Bay to get clean public toilets

Tourist cruises, floating houseboats and onshore restrooms in northern Quang Ninh Province's Ha Long Bay will be equipped with bio-toilets and composting systems to keep the local water clean.

A pilot project, run by the provincial People's Committee and Japan's Chodai Co Ltd, will help prevent leakage of waste water to the sea, thus, reducing breakouts of dangerous bacteria.

The technology is said to be cheaper to install and operate than normal waste treatment plants.

Luxury Travel comes closer to home

Luxury Travel has just launched tours between Vietnam and Cambodia to run every month.

The 12-day Vietnam package leaves on the first day of each month from Ho Chi Minh City, while the 14-day Cambodian journey leaves Hanoi on the 15th of each month.

Both journeys will take in the “finest food, nature and culture” according to a statement from the company.

Luxury Travel CEO Pham Ha said: “In response to market demand, our set departure offering will enable our travel partners and their clients the opportunity to book luxury tours on a predictable and affordable basis. If you book, we guarantee you will enjoy it.”

“The beauty of our luxury tours is the first hand knowledge and excellent service of local travel experts. Our trips have been carefully designed to capture the creme de la creme, and allow you to really experience the culture, flow smoothly from place to place, and allow time for relaxation and personal discovery. You will stay at hotels with great character and we ensure that you will have unique, high end experiences,” added Ha.

Luxury Travel is a long established Asian specialist in luxury privately guided and fully bespoke holidays in Vietnam and the Indochinese Peninsula.

While Thailand is geared more toward mass market tourism, Vietnam is a destination that is attractive to a more selective class of travellers.

Vietnam is becoming more recognised as a safe and favoured destination for high-end Australian tourists, thanks to direct and convenient flights and improvements in the tourism infrastructure.

Source: Vietnamtours

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Love Valley is one of the most romantic sights in Da Lat. The valley is about 5 km from the city center to the north. This is an ideal destination for visitors this summer.

The plateau which is now known as Da Lat City was discovered by French bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin and was mapped in 1893. In the middle of the 1910s, the urban area of Da Lat was formed and gradually became a resort center for French governmental officials and the rich French people in Indochina.

 In 1930, the French named the green and romantic valley “Vallé d’Amour” (“Thung Lng Tình Yêu” in Vietnamese and “Valley of Love” in English). In the reign of King Bao Dai, the region was called the Valley of Peace. Since 1953, it has recovered the name of Valley of Love until nowadays. In 1972, a dam was built and Da Thien Lake came into being. In 1998, the Da Thien Lake – Valley of Love was recognized as a national landscape.

The attraction of the landmark is from natural and romantic features of a green and charming space. The reclamation and investment of humans also add more fascinating features for guests to contemplate sceneries there. From a hill of flowers and green trees to tiny paths draw many couples in love to come. Arriving at the valley, travelers will see the image of two pairs of hands exchanging rings, a statue of couples affectionate to each other, or even benches symbolizing well-match couples.

Covering 242 hectares, the Valley of Love is an ideal venue for those who love picnicking and camping. Poetic landscapes plus melodious sounds of the pine forest in the wind, and the 13-hectare Da Thien Lake make the scene there more stunning.

The Valley of Love has been chosen to host many interesting events such as the Valentine’s Day (February 14), the Kissing Festival in 2008 attracting the participation of 500 couples, or the Dancing Festival in 2009. Since 2011, a special park, the Rose Park, which is a garden of rose flowers of various colors, has been built on a romantic hill. There are iron frames designed into two hearts as a place for couples to make vows as well as append the love padlocks. And the keys are thrown into the lake in the center of the park near the statue of love.

At the foot of the hill is Da Thien Lake whose water is clear amidst the beautiful greenery. Many couples hire boats to hang around on the lake, and then sit under the shade of the immense pine forest to speak softly love to each other. The hill in the valley is covered by green grass and pine trees where guests can enjoy their private dreamland. Another path leads tourists to Mimosa Stream flowing from the downstream of Da Thien Dam surrounded by mimosa flowers. It is a heaven on earth as visitors can listen to the singing of the stream while smelling the scents of flowers.
The Valley of Love is deserved to be called a place imbrued with love thanks to its natural beauty. The road around Da Thien Lake is covered with shade trees and leads to Eden Hill, where there is a small garden, tiny tents, and tables and chairs made from stumps. Sitting on this hill, visitors can see the entire lake sparkling below.
In the Valley of Love, tourists can indulge themselves in the nature and let their minds drift away with the pine trees’ songs. For those who want to discover and conquer the height, they can go trekking or hire a car riding to Vong Canh Hill. Crossing through zigzag paths to reach Vong Canh Hill, tourists will contemplate a panoramic view of the Valley of Love full of pine trees, flowers and lawns.
On Vong Canh Hill, guests can witness the perfume production process of Miss Da Lat Company and visit its perfume showroom. Travelers can buy original souvenirs and over 100 types of perfume there. Leaving Vong Canh Hill, tourists can take a walk around the valley and visit souvenir shops to select their favorite gifts.
Many couples, even those who have cohabited for almost all their lives, often go hand in hand to the Valley of Love as though this were an exclusive venue for them only. Many love promises have turned out to be beautiful love stories from this love valley.



Souce: Vietnam-tours

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Asian Record Organisation (ARO) has recently hosted a ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City to announce the list of 12 Vietnamese dishes in the food record category of this organization.

 

 

These 12 dishes include Pho, Bun Cha and Bun Thang from Hanoi, Banh Da Cua (Crab noodles) from Hai Phong City, Com Chay (rice crackers) from Ninh Binh province, Mien Luon from Nghe An province, Bun Bo from Hue City, My Quang from Quang Nam, Pho Kho (dry noodles) from Gia Lai Province, Banh Khot from Vung Tau Province, Goi Cuon and Com Tam from Ho Chi Minh City.
 

This is not the first time Vietnam food is recognized by an international organization. This record however significantly helps introduce Vietnamese food to foreigners. “This is the first time I’ve tried Pho and it’s amazing”, said a Canadian who come to Vietnam for the first time at the ceremony.
 

ARO also recognizes some other records of Vietnam in the ceremony. Most of those belong to the fields of culture and environment, with some others in architecture and art fields.

Source: Indochina tours

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Recently, Vietnamese street-foods have just been recognized in the top ten gourmet tours of the famous online tourism magazine Lonelyplanet.

 

 

According to Lonelyplanet, the fastest and most effective way to explore a new destination’s cuisine is to take part in walking tours around that city, with a good tour guide who may lead you to the most favorite street-food restaurants or vendors.
 

Regarding tasting Vietnamese street cuisine, the magazine suggests a desirable tour may begin from Chau Long fresh market, which is located in the heart of the city, inside the Old Quarter area. On your culinary journey, Pho Bo (Pho with beef), Banh Xeo and Banh Cuon are indispensable. The final destination of the tour is recommended to be Duy Tri Coffee (No. 43A Yen Phu) where tourists may taste the unique egg coffee of Hanoi, and yogurt coffee as well.
 

Besides Vietnamese street-foods, other countries’ specialties are also presented to gourmets such as: Gastown’s Beer (Vancouver, Canada); cuisine market connecting two continents in Istanbul (Turkey), French street-food, Italian traditional food in the North Sea (San Francisco), Asian street-food in Georgetown (Penang), the Brick Lane restaurant (London), Hobart’s street-foods (Tasmania), Mexican street-foods and the traditional coffee, cheese and beer of Weilington.
 

Source: VNO

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In shape of a dragon, Vietnam appears on the world travel map as one of the most compelling destinations in Southeast Asia. Spend some time setting up Vietnam day trips to discover culture, music, and every interesting thing from the North to the South with Custom Vietnam Travel that itself means an invitation to charm, exoticism and adventure.
Best Vietnam Day Tour provider

It will be awesome experiences when joining with Custom Vietnam Travel, the best Vietnam Day Tours provider, Certificate of Excellence recogzied by TripAdvisor. The tours are well-organized with intensive tour guides give you the day tour itineraries with authentic cultural experiences and local characters with our bite-sized travel modules.

North of Vietnam Day Tours

In the North of Vietnam, we have a set of Vietnam day tours included Hanoi City tour, Mai Chau Valley, Citadel & Karst, Bat Trang Ceramic Village by Bike, Taste of Halong Bay, Buddhist Pagodas & Traditional Paintings, Duong Lam - The village of origin, Perfume Pagoda, Vietnam traditional villages that offer you chances to discover the timeless charm of Hanoi, splendid wonder of Halong Bay, colorful ethnic mosaics of Sapa and Ha Giang and the elite of Vietnamese culture through crafts by skilled artisans in the traditional village of Vietnam.

Hanoi

Vietnam's capital has a small city feel to it because of its many neighborhoods. Although congested, it is less chaotic than Ho Chi Minh City in the south. Hanoi is dotted with tranquil lakes, green parks and colonial and pre-colonial structures. Vietnam Day Tours will let you explore the quiet streets of the Old Quarter, near Hoan Kiem District. On the southern edge visit the historic Opera House, with its Art Nouveau design.

On the western boundary you can take a day tour the "Hanoi Hilton," Hoa Lo Prison, where American soldiers were held, or Quan Su Pagoda, an important Buddhist temple. Sample the noteworthy North Vietnamese cuisine by trying cha ca, a spicy fried fish dish, or pho, a noodle soup with beef or chicken and bean sprouts.

Do not miss seeing a Hanoi original entertainment, a water puppet show. Marvel as large, colorfully painted wood puppets emerge from the water to perform traditional Vietnamese tales on the surface of the water. Puppeteers manipulate the movements of the puppets from behind a curtain.

Northern Highlands

Cooler weather awaits adventure travelers to the Tonkinese Alps and ethnic minority hilltribe villages in the region. Depart from Sapa for day trips to hilltribe Dao, Hmong or Tay villages. Hire a guide to narrate and explain the customs, as it is illegal to trek without a guide. From September to November, lush shades of green indicate the time for harvesting the rice grown on hillside terraces while adding to the visual beauty of the Mount Fanispan region. Southeast Asia's tallest mountain is a 10,000-foot, multiple day climb. Hire a guide and gear in Sapa.

 Northeastern Coast

Artists, photographers, poets and dreamers flock to Halong Bay to admire the landscape. Take a day trip to emerald green Halong Bay to float past the towering limestone peaks that grace the area. Rent a kayak to explore caves or indulge in rock climbing, or plan a multiple day kayaking tour. Stay overnight at Cat Ba Island. Once a sleepy fishing isle, Cat Ba now boasts hotel accommodations and dozens of restaurants. Half the island is dedicated to the Cat Ba National Park, home to many rare or endangered species, including the golden-headed langur, leopard cat and giant black squirrel.

North-Central Vietnam

Cúc Phương National parkGenerally overlooked by international tourists, North-Central Vietnam is rich in cultural and natural attractions.

Tour a floating village, Kenh Ga, where locals row by using their feet on the oars. Visit Cuc Phuong National Park, Vietnam's first national park, formed in 1962.

Bird watchers flock to the mountain Rainforest Park for a chance to see more than 300 species of birds. Avoid crowds and see more wildlife by visiting mid-week.

Further south, visit Vinh, the birthplace of Ho Chi Minh, who led Vietnam from French colonialism to independence and served as both prime minister and president.

Centre of Vietnam Day Tours

Restaurant on Perfume river HueIn the Centre, we have the day tours available Hoi An -Countryside Experience, Hue motorcycle tour or you can build your own day trips that suit you the best. Hoi An with its quaint and nostalgic setting makes the greatest surprise while Hue offers a fantastic fusion of imperial architecture and refined cuisine. Incredibly created by nature, Phong Nha - Ke Bang still reserves a number of secrets for you to discover.

Home to historical sites, fantastic food and the country’s most iconic beach, central Vietnam deserves to rate as a top priority for travelers. Tourists wanting to avoid lengthy bus journeys will find Danang’s airport the perfect gateway to a fascinating set of the country’s most famous destinations, including three must-see Unesco World Heritage sites – history-seeped Imperial Hue, architecturally impressive Hoi An and the sacred ruins of ancient My Son.

Stretching all the way southward of Vietnam are stunning sandy beaches with year round crystal sunshine in Nha Trang, Mui Ne and Phu Quoc. The Mekong Delta with its immense water, endless rice fields and buzzing floating markets will also capture your heart.

Mekong Delta Vietnam Day Tours

The lusciously green beautiful Mekong Delta is the most Southern region of Vietnam. Formed by sediment continually being deposited from the Mekong River the area is extremly rich and fertile. With almost half of the area under cultivation it produces enough rice to feed the whole country and create a surplus that is exported putting Vietnam as the second largest rice exporter in the world after Thailand. Other products produced here include sugar cane, tropical fruits and fish.

The closest city in the Mekong Delta from Ho Chi Minh city is My Tho. Boat trips are the highlight of a visit here. You can cruise down the maze of small canals taking in the pleasant rural outlook of the local villages, stopping on the way to visit places of interest such as a family run coconut candy workshop, a honey bee farm, or a beautiful orchid garden.

Vinh Long is a popular destination for visitors to the delta region and offers a variety of boat tours including overnight excursions. Attractions include cruising down the small canals and visiting the fruit orchards and the conical hat making workshops.

A day trip out from Vinh Long to the bustling Cai Be Floating Market is an exciting shopping experience, cruising easily around the boats sampling the many exotic fruits and vegetables of the region.

Homestays at one of the Mekong Delta's rural properties can be arranged and is an unforgettable experience, giving you a unique insight into the day to day lives of the local people.
Can Tho with a population of 330,000 is the largest city in the region and is the main business centre in the Mekong Delta. A vibrant and friendly city with many colourful floating markets dotted around the rivers and canals. These are the main attractions to the area, combined with a wider variety of small and large boats for hire and the capacity to negotiate economical trips. Can Tho also has a large range of the best accommodation available in the Mekong Delta, with many good budget priced hotels and guesthouses.

The best time to set up day trips in Vietnam is from October to December and from March to May. Avoid public holidays if possible as the whole country is on the move.
 

Souce: Vietnam-Tours

Tags:  Vietnam Tours | Vietnam travel | Laos tours | Cambodia Tours | Indochina Tours

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More provinces to offer free wifi for tourists

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan has encouraged the most-visited cities and provinces to launch a free wireless broadband program to attract more tourists, especially those from abroad.

At a nationwide web conference on polishing the nation’s tourism environment last week, Nhan said the tourist attractions of Ha Long and Nha Trang had started offering free wifi after the ancient town of Hoi An and the coast city of Danang.

Other tourism-reliant cities should do the same to enable visitors to stay online while on the go and look for services and tourism information on the web, he told the meeting.

The central province of Quang Nam started free wifi service in Hoi An in March at a cost of some VND25 billion, funded by various sources. After that, Danang did a similar scheme with 150 wifi hotspots set up citywide.

HCM City appoints young volunteers to assist foreign tourists

The Communist Youth Union in Ho Chi Minh City introduced a new plan on June 8 at 23/9 Park in District 1, to train young volunteers who will in future assist foreign tourists with key and relevant information on the City.

The teams will include young people who have good command of foreign language skills and be able to help and guide tourists within the City, especially in District 1 where most of the foreign holidaymakers converge.

The volunteers will be mainly based in three locations such as the T-Junction of Pham Ngu Lao-De Tham Streets, the crossroad of De Tham-Bui Vien Streets, and in front of the Army Command Station in Pham Ngu Lao Ward on De Tham Street in District 1.

The unique Bac Ha plateau horse race

Horsemen from ethnic groups on the Bac Ha plateau in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai gathered at the annual horse race festival on June 8.

The horse race has always existed in the mythology of the Bac Ha people and was designed for “barefoot cavaliers”, who have been friends with horses since they were born. It has now become part of the unique traditional culture of the "white plateau” and a popular attraction for both domestic and international tourists.

According to local resident Vang Van Hoang, in the old days, when the immense forests were adorned with white plum and apricot flowers, local people flocked to the Hoang A Tuong edifice to watch the horse race, which usually took place at the foot of Ba Me Con Mountain.

The horsemen gathered at the starting line and, when a shot signaled the start of the race, they galloped towards a specific point. When they reached their goal, they jumped off their horses, fired five shots, and grabbed a red ball before remounting their horses and returning to the starting line.

The traditional race is run bareback, which makes it even more exciting with spectacular performances.

During wartime, the race was suspended for many years as the horsemen went to the battlefield to fight for national independence.

The race was resumed in the spring of 1980 when the Bac Ha Military Command gathered more than 50 jockeys and horses from villages across the district to join the competition.

Twenty-seven years later, the race was officially restored as part of the annual tourism programme in eight northwestern provinces.

Increasing numbers of visitors have come to Bac Ha to witness this unique festival, with 30,000 watching the race in 2012, double the figure in 2009.

The restoration of the festival aims to help preserve the special cultural and spiritual values of local ethnic minority people, said Nguyen Anh Tuan, Chairman of the Bac Ha People's Committee.

Vang Van Huynh, who won last year's race, said only when they are on horseback, can he and his fellow riders show off the courage they inherited from their ancestors.

Visitors at this year’s festival will be able to join the exciting and animated atmosphere and enjoy a number of other activities including traditional dances, a food festival, farmer’s market, and various eco-tourism programmes.

Saigontourist opens office in Nha Trang

Saigontourist Travel Service Company last Saturday opened a branch in Nha Trang in the central province of Khanh Hoa, its sixth transaction office to be put into operation this year.

According to Saigontourist, in addition to introducing domestic and outbound tourism products to local tourists, Saigontourist-Nha Trang provides outbound tours departing from Cam Ranh International Airport and welcome Russian tourists flying directly between Cam Ranh and Russia. With this branch, tourism products concerning sea, islands, leisure, events and golf can be boosted.

On the opening day, the branch granted Saigontourist vouchers worth VND1 million each to the first ten customers buying package services. Besides, Saigontourist-Nha Trang will offer many airfare and domestic and outbound tour discounts from now until June 22.

Saigontourist Travel Service Company had over 450,000 domestic and international tourists last year with total travel revenue amounting to over VND2.085 trillion.

New hotel brand goes up in Hoi An

Thailand’s hotel investment and management firm Minor Hotel Group has introduced Anantara Hoi An Resort in the central province of Quang Nam, its second project in the country after the first in the south-central province of Binh Thuan.

Situated next to the Thu Bon River, Anantara Hoi An is a boutique resort with 93 guest rooms and other services.

This is one of the two resorts Minor Hotel Group has acquired from hotel management firm Life Resorts, including Life Heritage Resort Hoi An and Life Wellness Resort Quy Nhon. Total capital for the two properties and acquisition of the brand is US$16 million.

After turning the Life Heritage Resort Hoi An into Anantara Hoi An Resort, the group plans to re-brand the Life Wellness Resort Quy Nhon as Avani Quy Nhon Resort & Spa.

The Thai firm entered Vietnam in 1998 via a joint venture in Harbour View Hotel in Haiphong City. It launched the first project, Anantara Mui Ne Resort & Spa, in Binh Thuan Province two years ago.

The group now has 85 properties in operation across 12 countries, including Vietnam.

Saigon-Phu Quoc Resort and Spa’s stunning promotions

Phu Quoc Island, a peaceful tropical paradise in the warm turquoise waters, is known for its stunning beaches, untouched natural environment, splendid surroundings, and fantastic scuba diving, snorkeling and squid fishing as well as seafood specialties.

However, visiting this magical place does give you a bit of a dilemma. Where to stay? For accommodation, the Saigon-Phu Quoc Resort and Spa is recommended as an ideal spot. The resort has 98 bungalows and villas overlooking the sea and offers many entertainment services. The resort has two restaurants with a capacity of 300 guests, a conference hall with 200 seats and a spa together with many relaxing and entertainment services.

The resort is offering many attractive promotions. For a twin Panorama room, tourists just pay VND1.66 million per night from Monday to Thursday until July 31 and VND1.5 million for two nights at a twin room of Star Cruise level and up, available until October 31. The program is not applied for package services and other promotions. Guests will be also given a voucher for a sauna and massage.

Travelers can also pay from VND2.67 million for a package price to stay one night at Panorama room for two guests, inclusive of airport transfer, breakfast, 90-minute massage and sauna. Moreover, just pay from around VND2.6 million for a package price for two guests to stay at Panorama room for one night, inclusive of breakfast, airport transfer and main meal.

The resort also offers 36 free services including sauna, massage, airport transfer, wifi, swimming pool, tea, coffee, doctor on call, billiards, gym, kids’ playground, tennis (from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), golf course, bicycle, Chinese chess, table tennis and kayaking. The resort also has other services such as a bistro at President Villa, room service 24/7, an office selling air tickets, tours to travel around the island, scuba diving and squid fishing.

The resort has two new conference rooms with the capacity of 10 to 250 seats. The Saigon-Phu Quoc Resort and Spa is located at 62 Tran Hung Dao Street on Phu Quoc Island off Kien Giang Province, tel: (077) 3846 999, email: sgphuquocresorts@hcm.vnn.vn, web: www.vietnamphuquoc.com.

Phu Yen is looking for its place in the sun

Central Phu Yen province is angling to become Vietnam’s another new attractive tourism destination, following Danang, Quang Nam and Nha Trang, as the province’s transport infrastructure is improved.

In September, the province will inaugurate a new terminal at Tuy Hoa airport that has throughput capacity of 550,000 people per year. This new terminal will bring Phu Yen closer to tourists, who used to feel difficult in travelling to the province.

In addition, a tunnel through Cu Mong mountain pass is under the construction, making transportation from Khanh Hoa province, home to Nha Trang Bay, to Phu Yen more convenient.

“The biggest challenge for tourism development in Phu Yen is poor transportation network. But this problem is going to be removed. We are now calling for investors in the tourism sector,” said Tran Quang Nhat, Vice Chairman of Phu Yen Provincial People’s Committee. “We consider tourism a priority for provincial economic growth.”

Bordering with Binh Dinh in the north and Khanh Hoa in the south, Phu Yen owns a wealth of wild, sandy beaches, including Bai Xep, Bai Tram, Bai Mon-Mui Dien, Xuan Dai Bay, Vung Ro Bay and O Loan Lagoon. It could be described as the last long stretch of undeveloped sandy beaches in Vietnam.

The beauty of Phu Yen could explain why Sama Dubai, a member and a subsidiary of the United Arab Emirates’s Dubai Holding, considered investing billions of dollar to build luxury resorts in Xuan Dai Bay and O Loan Lagoon a few years ago. The developer discussed the project with the local authorities for about three years before Sama Dubai withdrew because of the global financial crisis.

“In three years negotiating with Sama Dubai, we could not call for other foreign investors to develop these beautiful sites,” said Nhat.

But now, Nhat revealed, a famous domestic hospitality and property developer is studying the opportunity to invest in O Loan Lagoon, which could be a break-through for the development of Phu Yen.

Brunei-headquartered New City Vietnam Company, in 2008, gained an investment certificate for a $4.3 billion project that would cover 565 hectares of land along a sandy, wild beach in Bai Xep area, comprising of three 4-star hotels with 900 rooms and four 5 star-hotels with 2,250 rooms. In addition to that, the investor will build other facilities like villas, residential areas, a diving zone, a sport centre, a water park, a commercial area, office buildings, a golf course, electronic gaming services and a healthcare centre.

Although the developer has not started the construction yet because of slow pace of site clearance, it is committed to pursuing this project.

In developing its tourism sector, Phu Yen maps out a plan for luring around 900,000 tourists by 2015.

Bright prospects for Lao Cai tourism

Typical tourism products of the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai have drawn increasing attention from foreign travel publications, a senior official of the provincial tourism sector has said.

Tran Huu Son, head of Lao Cai’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, cited that Australia’s travel magazine Lonely Planet has listed Sa Pa as one of the 10 best walking sites in the world for tourists, while Sri Lanka’s Serendib has described Bac Ha minority cultural market as one of the 10 most attractive markets in Southeast Asia .

Besides, US-based Travel and Leisure Magazine has named Sa Pa’s terraced rice fields as one of seven most magnificent examples in the world, he added.

Defining tourism as the key sector in the province’s economic development strategy, Lao Cai has exerted efforts to actively promote its tourism products through various events such as the Fansipan conquering programme and Bac Ha traditional horse racing, Son said.

Besides, Lao Cai has also taken part in many international tourism fairs to introduce its tourism information and its tourism cooperation programmes with seven other northwestern provinces to domestic and foreign visitors, added Son.

Nguyen Thanh Duong, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee emphasised the unique identity of Lao Cai and economic potential from the tourism sector. He underscored the necessity to maintain and develop the local cultural identity and artisans’ skillfulness and improve the quality of tourism facilities and services.

Lao Cai has implemented measures to better its tourism environment to attract more visitors. In the 2011-2013 period, the total number of tourists to the province totalled over 3.1 million. The tourism sector helped the province earn more than 5,600 billion VND and employs 8,150 locals.

Festival promotes Vietnamese cuisine in Bangkok

A month-long Vietnam food festival opened in Thailand's capital city of Bangkok on June 6, as one of meaningful activities to promote cultural exchanges between Vietnam and Thailand.

The opening event was attended by Vietnam’s Ambassador to Thailand Ngo Duc Thang and representatives of the Embassy of Vietnam in Thailand, the Thailand-Vietnam Culture Association, along with hundreds of overseas Vietnamese in Thailand and international friends.

Vietnam’s Ambassador to Thailand Ngo Duc Thang (in the middle) at the opening ceremony

The festival gives visitors a chance to experience unique and typical cuisines of Vietnam, while creating opportunities to strengthen cultural exchange and understanding among ASEAN countries in general and between Vietnam and Thailand in particular

A series of art works on the Vietnamese people and landscape by Vietnamese and Thai painters are also on display during the festival.

The festival runs until June 28.

ASEAN ministers committed to stronger tourism growth

Tourism ministers from ASEAN member countries have pledged to establish standards for tourism in the region as well asa common regional visa to boost tourism growth by up to 20%.

The tourism ministers were attending the 2013 World Economic Forum (WEF) on East Asiain Myanmar and issued apress release announcing they are committed to promotingASEAN countries as desirable touristdestinations.

Myanmar alsohopesto boost intra-regional trade and support a common visa for ASEAN nationals to be available by next year.

At the forum, Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia and the Philippines agreed to work on a Common ASEAN Smart Visa and signed aStatement of Intent to develop the visa.

The four countries said they hope to work with government agencies and relevant sectors to facilitate travel within the region througha common visa system.

This year’s WEF was entitled "Courageous Transformation for Inclusion and Integration”and brought together more than900 delegates, including a Vietnamese delegation led by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and over 500 business executives from 55 countries across the world.

Ha Long Bay to get clean public toilets

Tourist cruises, floating houseboats and onshore restrooms in northern Quang Ninh Province's Ha Long Bay will be equipped with bio-toilets and composting systems to keep the local water clean.

A pilot project, run by the provincial People's Committee and Japan's Chodai Co Ltd, will help prevent leakage of waste water to the sea, thus, reducing breakouts of dangerous bacteria.

The technology is said to be cheaper to install and operate than normal waste treatment plants.

Luxury Travel comes closer to home

Luxury Travel has just launched tours between Vietnam and Cambodia to run every month.

The 12-day Vietnam package leaves on the first day of each month from Ho Chi Minh City, while the 14-day Cambodian journey leaves Hanoi on the 15th of each month.

Both journeys will take in the “finest food, nature and culture” according to a statement from the company.

Luxury Travel CEO Pham Ha said: “In response to market demand, our set departure offering will enable our travel partners and their clients the opportunity to book luxury tours on a predictable and affordable basis. If you book, we guarantee you will enjoy it.”

“The beauty of our luxury tours is the first hand knowledge and excellent service of local travel experts. Our trips have been carefully designed to capture the creme de la creme, and allow you to really experience the culture, flow smoothly from place to place, and allow time for relaxation and personal discovery. You will stay at hotels with great character and we ensure that you will have unique, high end experiences,” added Ha.

Luxury Travel is a long established Asian specialist in luxury privately guided and fully bespoke holidays in Vietnam and the Indochinese Peninsula.

While Thailand is geared more toward mass market tourism, Vietnam is a destination that is attractive to a more selective class of travellers.

Vietnam is becoming more recognised as a safe and favoured destination for high-end Australian tourists, thanks to direct and convenient flights and improvements in the tourism infrastructure.

Source: Vietnamtours

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Hoi An's lucrative tourism sector is facing major fears about the impact of erosion along the ancient town's famous coastline, with dozens of resorts in danger of disappearing underwater in the future.

In the last couple of decades, rising sea levels and changes to the river flow in the Thu Bon River estuary have resulted in a 20-ha area of Cua Dai beach eroding away, the head of the city's natural resources and environment office Nguyen Van Hien has claimed.

"It's the worst situation of its kind that I've ever seen. The beach is dramatically disappearing. It stretched out 200m just 10 years ago, but now it has narrowed to 40m. The rest is underwater now," he said.

"The erosion has even approached a main section of the 1.5km road connecting the beach with Hoi An. We can often see waves crashing heavily against it," he added.

The road in question has already had to be extensively repaired once following damage sustained during a storm two years ago.

Hien blamed the erosion on the booming construction of resorts on the beach and the lack of proper environmental assessments before dredging occurred in the estuary.

"The building of resorts near the sea has changed the flow and currents and taken away sand from the beach every year. This, in combination with rising sea levels, has deepened the erosion taking place on the beach."

Pham Hong Trang, a staff member at the Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort and Spa, said the resort's beach is now no wider than 10m during the summer.

"The resort was launched in 2000 with a beach that stretched out for 40m, but it is much smaller now. During summer, the view is mostly just waves crashing against the resort's dyke," Trang said.

Similar accounts have been reported at the Sunrise, Golden Sand and Palm Garden resorts along Cua Dai beach.

The rising sea level has eroded 10,000sq.m of the Hoi An sea eco-tour company's 30,000sq.m property and it is now having to invest heavily in order to save what is left.

The city has responded by launching a construction project for a 1.5km embankment at a cost of VND115 billion (US$5.5 million). The dyke will help protect the most heavily damaged section of the road from erosion.

"The embankment is one of the city's seven projects in the fight against climate change. We will also dredge rivers and upgrade roads," said Hoi An City's People's Committee Deputy Chairman Nguyen Van Dung.

The city will also invest VND7.5 billion ($357,000) to replant 140ha of Nipa palm along the Thu Bon river. It is hoped that this ecological forest will protect the city from sea erosion and ease the flow of the river as well as reducing sand drift on the beach.

The majority of forest land in the area was destroyed in recent years to make way for aquaculture farms. Many of these have now been revoked so that the replanting can commence.

Cua Dai beach is 5km from Hoi An's old quarter. It is a favourite location for tourists visiting the UNESCO-recognised city.

Source: Indochina Tours

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