Phong Nha Cave reveals further secrets

Experts from Phong Nha-Ke Bang Eco-tourism and Culture Centre have just discovered two lakes in Phong Nha Cave.

 

First image of the 70-square metre lake in Phong Nha Cave 

The centre Director Le Thanh Loi said the lakes were around 500 metres from each other. The first stretches 70 square metres while the other is over 300 square metres. Experts have yet to determine how deep Xuyen Son Ho Lake is.

This is the second discovery this year at Phong Nha Cave after a colour-changing stalactite was detected in July.

From October 1 this year, the centre will open the Xuyen Son Dong cave for tourists and will hold a contest to name the 300-square metre cave.

Asian tour operators to meet in Hanoi

 The 11th annual meeting of the Council for Promoting Tourism in Asia (CPTA) will be held in Hanoi from October 9-13, expecting to attract delegates from Tokyo, New Delhi, Seoul, Taipei, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Ulaanbaatar, and Tomsk.

The meeting will evaluate the work implemented during the past years and design plans to carry out new projects.

Participants will define responsibilities of state tourism management agencies and municipal governments, as well as tourism agencies and businesses in developing tourism sectors in CPTA member cities.

They will seek measures to lure more visitors to Asia through cooperative projects, programmes and campaigns.

They will also focus discussions on strengthening cooperation between member cities, and between tourism promotion agencies and businesses.

The host city of Hanoi plans to introduce its tourist potential, tradition, culture, history, beauty spots and tourist products and services.

Hung Yen’s unique Ban soy sauce village

The Ban craft village produces arguably the most delicious soy sauce in Ban Township, Yen Nhan District, Hung Yen Province.

 

A woman makes Ban soy sauce in Ban Village, Hung Yen Province 

Ban soy sauce is so popular because it is made from large-grain sticky rice, small-grain soy bean, and in particular dinged-well water. There is only one well in Ban Village to supply the water to make the soy sauce, which is its sole purpose. Therefore, coming to Ban village to witness the sauce’s production in Hung Yen is recommended to tourists as it is a fascinating sight around harvest time.

March to August is that time for the villagers, so expect to see hundreds of jars in diverse sizes filling yards in every household. Making soy sauce is not difficult but making Ban soy sauce is an art-form.

Producers have to wash the rice carefully then soak it in water and cooked into sticky rice, next scatter the sticky rice onto a large bamboo flat basket and dry it in an airy place until the rice turns yellow. Soy beans must be roasted until the bean is brown and then the beans are soaked in a clean jar for one week. After the beans have fermented, producers will add a little salt and more soy beans into the water and stir regularly. The sauce must be fermented on sunny days.

Coming to Hung Yen, tourists will also be suggested to visit the Pho Hien relic complex, of which Mau Temple is a highlight and a mystery. Once stepping into the temple, travelers will be amazed by the huge seven-hundred-year-old tree which makes a domed gate for the temple. Another attraction tourists should not miss is the huge longan tree, called Nhan To, in front of Hien Pagoda. Around 300 years old, the tree is a sacred place for locals as they believe the tree brings prosperity to the land.

Another relic of the Pho Hien relic complex worth visiting is Thien Hau Temple, Dong Do-Quang Hoi Temple and Chuong (Bell) Pagoda which is endowed with poetic scenery and boasts a stone bridge spanning a lotus pond and 18 statues of Arhats. Hung Yen Literature Temple holds a collection of ancient steles.

Pho Hien also has stunning Vietnamese architecture, which is decorated with the colors of folk belief and religion, and some are considered high in artistic value. Along with their architectural features, these relics have preserved utensils for religious offerings, palanquins, hammocks, horizontal lacquered boards and many pairs of wood panels with skillfully-inscribed parallel sentences.

More importantly, the relics of Pho Hien preserve their innate ancient beauty. With the wet rice civilization and culture, we catch the colors of bronze, stone, wood, tile and soil on each roof, door and path, which create a sense of immortality of each relic.

With its role as a key link from the traffic artery of the Red River, Pho Hien was once a frontal port of Thang Long Citadel that opened to the sea, ranking second in importance to Hanoi, as goes an old Vietnamese saying. Today, Pho Hien residents are embracing an ambition to revive its glorious past.

Huge expansion plan for Da Lat City

Vietnamese and French architects are co-operating on a master plan to restore and expand the central highlands city of Da Lat into an entity covering 3,300 sq.km.

The plan, which is presently being discussed in Paris, aims to preserve the unique style of the city laid down by colonial rulers 120 years ago.

But it means incorporating the surrounding districts of La Duong, Don Duong, Duc Truong and part of Ham La district.

The plan is being discussed at a workshop in Paris by Viet Nam's Ministry of Construction and the French Interscene Company, Lam Dong Province People's Committee and the Southern Urban Planning and Rural Institute.

Ministry deputy Phan Thi My Linh said Da Lat City, which is 1,500 metres above sea level, became a hill retreat and later a tourist destination based on its unique ecosystems, cool climate and European architecture.

The city, with its many pine trees, twisting roads, marigolds, and temperatures about 10 degrees cooler than on the plains, is also known as the "city of eternal spring".

Linh said the city was also a cultural, economic and political centre; a place for scientific and technical research; and the national training centre for agriculture and high technology.

Interscene Company's director Thierry Huau said the natural landscape and the urban environmental development had been taken into account.

Lam Dong People Committee's chairman, Nguyen Xuan Tien, said the development of Da Lat was a must, but his province wanted a sustainable, well preserved city.

Tien said the workshop had gathered opinions and ideas from scientists, managers, professionals and architects from Viet Nam, France, Belgium and Canada to complete the ministry's submission to Government.

The overall plan is expected to be released later this year to celebrate the 120th birthday of Da Lat and to mark the 40 years of diplomatic relations with France.

According to a forecast, Da Lat will soon have a population of 620,000-650,000 people (now it has 516,000 people). By 2030, the population is expected to rise to between 700,000 and 750,000 people.

The annual number of visitors to Da Lat is expected to reach five or six million in 2020 and nine or 10 million in 2030.

Unicorn head making thrives in Nam Dinh

Gao village in Thanh Loi commune, Nam Dinh province, has preserved the age-old tradition of making unicorn heads for the annual full-moon festival which falls in the middle of the eighth lunar month.

During the subsidized economy several decades ago, the villagers decided to establish a cooperative that only made unicorn heads for the festival. 

The cooperative created intricately designed unicorn heads from materials such as used papers, inks, and bamboo supplied by the State, and delivered them to State companies to sell.

Having experienced many upheavals over the years, only three households in the village now earn a living from making unicorn heads. They still maintain the traditional manual work, from building and painting the bamboo frames to arranging and gluing decorative papers to create the final product.

The village is most well-known for making large-sized unicorn heads. Hung, a local villager, says he inherited the craft from his father who specialised in large unicorn heads. He used his own initiative to develop lighter, more durable unicorn heads using cloth instead of paper.

He says he is happy because the trade continues to grow and flourish, and his new products are selling well.

At another house in the village, the entire family is working hard around the clock to deliver products to their dealers on schedule. A small unicorn head costs just VND8,000 (38 cents).

Although the full-moon festival is celebrated only once a year, Gao villagers hope to preserve their traditional craft and make enough money to cover some of their daily expenses.

Making large-size unicorn heads

Cloth pieces are used instead of old papers

The unicorn head is made of rattan and bamboo splints

Gluing the head

The inner framed layer of the head

Unfinished products

Painting the head

Drying the products in the sun

Putting the finishing touch to the product

Buffalo fighting festival attracts over 30,000 visitors

The 2012 Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival, often took place in Do Son district of the northern port city of Hai Phong, has attracted over 30,000 local people and tourists.

Buffalo fighting festival in Do Son

This year’s festival saw competitions among 16 buffaloes selected from qualifying rounds at ward and district levels.

After 15 matches with impressive performances, buffalo No. 25 from Van Son ward became the champion. Buffalo No. 01 from Minh Duc ward came in second and buffalo No. 11 from Van Huong ward, third.

Both the winners and losers are then killed to worship the God and their meat is equally divided to everybody.

The traditional festival, which is held annually on the ninth day of the eighth lunar month, demonstrates the martial spirit of people. It helps promote the locality’s images and tourism potential.

Legends say that a long time ago, there was a severe drought. All creatures looked toward the sea, praying for the Creator’s favour. In the most miserable moment, suddenly, they saw two buffalos fighting fiercely on the wave crests and the rains started to pour down, reviving all creatures. People, therefore, organise the fighting performance annually to show their great gratitude to the Buffalo.

Vietnam Mid-Autumn Children's Festival

Mid-Autumn Children's Festival or Tet Trung Thu is a wonderful time to visit Vietnam. The festivities last for several days and there is singing and shouting. Children wear masks, parade happily in the streets and bang their drums. Parents buy lanterns and toys for their children and prepare their favorite dishes. Special cakes are made and exchanged, and fruits are plentiful.

The festival is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, the day of the first full moon closest to the autumn equinox when the moon is at its fullest. The autumn equinox always falls on September 23. This year, the Children's Festival will occur on September 30. At the spring and autumn equinoxes the duration of day and night is equal and the sun appears directly overhead at noon at the equator. After September 23 the days become shorter and the nights grow longer.

During the Children's Mid-Autumn Festival, although the moon is then at its greatest
distance from the earth, it appears larger than at any time of the year and takes on a reddish glow. In the West, this large, full autumn moon is called a harvest moon. In its partial phases, the moon represents the incompleteness of life and potential for completeness, fullness and prosperity. The Mid-Autumn celebration is then a celebration and a prayer for the fullness and completeness of life.

In many ancient agricultural cultures, when the nights got longer and the light and heat from the sun decreased, there were prayers and ceremonies urging the sun not to forget to rise again the next year. The theme of light after darkness is a key to understanding fall festivals. In ancient times in northern Europe farmers held a great festival with bonfires and they rolled firewheels down hills to recall the descent of the sun and then to invoke its ascent and return. The lanterns which Vietnamese children play with on this festival day recall the wish for the return of the sun's warmth and light. There are several different shapes of lanterns including the five-star lantern representing the sun and the frog-shape representing the moon. There are lanterns which spin around when a candle is placed inside, symbolizing the seasonal spinning of the earth around the sun.

  During the festival, children wear paper-mache masks of Ra Hu who looks somewhat like a tiger. According to the myth, during the creation of the world the gods stirred up the sea to activate the ambrosia of immortality. The demon Ra Hu, lord of the nine planets and ruler of the gods of the nine planets, stole it and the sun god punished him by cutting off his head. The myth also says that Ra Hu ate pieces of the full moon and that is why it has phases and eclipses. Children wear the masks and growl like tigers to frighten Ra Hu so he will not gobble up the entire moon. Nowadays there are also many kinds of plastic masks, including Mickey Mouse and Superman, to frighten off the monster.

The masks, lanterns, toys, decorations and drums are sold on Hang Ma Street in the commercial quarter of Hanoi. Days before the fifteenth of the month the street is crowded with children and their parents. In the evening, pagodas and temples, especially those temples dedicated to goddesses, are open for worshippers to light incense and make offerings of flowers and fruit and to pray.

Several types of special cakes called Moon Cake are eaten at the festival time and are sold all over town. Some cakes take on the shape of a carp. In Vietnamese tradition the carp represents the soul of the moon. Other cakes are round and white and still others are square and golden brown. The brown ones represent the yang elements, or the sun, and the white ones are the moon. Most of the children don't know the symbolism but just enjoy the taste. We see a yin and yang aspect to many of Vietnam's seasonal festivals. In the balance of the female and male elements of the universe, the fall festival represents the ascendancy of the female powers over the male, the prominence of the moon over the sun's influence.

Moon Cake are not raised like Western cakes. They 

are filled with lotus seeds, orange peel, ground 

beans, and sometimes egg and pork fat for flavor. It is traditional that one offers a box of these special cakes to someone that you want to please or owe a favor, like your landlord or the local police. In addition to cakes, fruits are plentiful during this time, especially watermelon and grapefruit. Grapefruit sections can be transformed into animal shapes like the rabbit of the moon, who according to legend pounds the ambrosia of immortality at the foot of a cassia tree. In addition to the rabbit, there are other mythical inhabitants of the moon. One is the three-legged toad, an incarnation of the moon maiden who stole the elixir of immortality from her husband. And the old man who, as a punishment for displeasing a revengeful god, is forever cutting down cinnamon trees which regrow as soon as his ax chops them.

The dragon dance is an important aspect of many festivals including the Mid-Autumn Children's Festival. The dragon dance expresses the duality of Vietnamese festivals. The dragon dance is a re-enactment of the earth and sky duality, the yin and yang of the world. The Lord Earth, called Ong Dia in Vietnamese, is the dancer who dances around the dragon, urging it on. Ong Dia has a very round, happy smiling moon-face. He represents the wealth or fullness of the earth.

The meaning of the Mid-Autumn Festival has been transformed over time. Originally it was not specifically for children. The Vietnamese people believe that only when one is innocent and pure can they get close to the natural and sacred world. So by becoming like children, they can acquire attributes of the gods. Because of its interesting legends and customs, and because the weather is mild, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a special time to see Vietnam.

Street food offers unique cultural experience to tourists

 

Last week, Viet Nam News asked readers to write in with their experiences of street food in Viet Nam and suggestions to turn it into a genuine tourist attraction. Here are a selection of the replies...

Sandeep GS, Indian, Ha Noi

One of the delights of visiting Viet Nam is its amazing cuisine. Food is generally superbly prepared and reasonably priced. Due to this, Viet Nam has one of the best street food scenes an overseas traveller can hope for, and a trip to Viet Nam just isn't complete without tasting the street food.

I think street food shops can be turned into an important tourist attraction. With increasing immigration and globalisation, many Vietnamese street food dishes have become popular favourites around the world. And with more publicity tourists will try to avoid expensive restaurants in favour of having a street food experience.

However, street food vendors are often poor, uneducated and lack appreciation for hygiene and safe food handling. Consequently, street food is perceived to be a major public health risk.

To ensure that more and more people including tourists are attracted to street food, Government intervention is required to ensure that the standard of safety and hygiene is high enough to minimise the risk of foodborne disease.

Perhaps a rule should be made that states that all street food vendors must be registered with the authority. Once this is done and data acquired, the Government could provide the services, which include basic infrastructure, microbiological lab analysis etc, as well as educating vendors in basic food handling and safety. This would increase public and tourist confidence in street food safety, boosting sales and becoming a major tourist attraction.

Also, Government intervention via promoting street food through various media outlets and food fairs would also go a long way to positively promoting this industry to local and foreign tourists. In turn, this would add to the economic growth of the country. Providing small credit funds to vendors would also help to renew or improve their stalls and increase hygiene and safety standards, generating more customers and revenue to the nation.

Andrew Burden, Canadian, Ha Noi

One of the reasons I moved was because of the food!

In HCM City, there's a corner in District 1 where I walk by and smell meat stewing for pho. It's open 24 hours, and even if I'm not hungry I sometimes pass, just for the smell. Now that's good food!

The most important thing to consider about food is authenticity. I grew up in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The pizza chef was from Italy. Greek salad was made by a man with a big black moustache from Athens. Growing up I tried Japanese sushi using chopsticks and quickly learned not to mix too much wasabi with my soy sauce. Actually that's a lie, I never learned, always miscalculated and felt a hot head rush burning my nostrils, tearing my eyes. That was part of the fun.

Viet Nam is lucky to have two world famous foods: pho and Vietnamese spring rolls. (I also like bun cha). I think you need to promote and export authentic Vietnamese products such as locally produced fish sauce and protect brands internationally. This will not only help the local economy, but raise awareness of authentic tastes and local recipes. Invite international guests to cooking schools. Kimchee is Korean, Pad Thai is Thai, but pho is…not just noodle soup with meat. But what makes it special?

I like the balance that Thai food has with sweet and sour, spicy and salty. I like the Japanese way of presenting food simply and in bite-size portions. Viet Nam should explain the long history of its food with a list of ingredients and teach how and when to add them to the dish.

The street may be busy, the chairs may be made from cheap plastic, but if the food is hot, fresh, fast and most of all authentic, people will always come back for seconds, thirds, and so on.

Dante Janvier, Filipino, HCM City

When I booked a tour to Viet Nam via a travel agency, they promised that I would have a chance to try real Vietnamese food. I was very eager. However, I was only taken to eat food in restaurants.

The travel company explained that street food in Viet Nam fails to meet food safety and hygiene standards. However, most Vietnamese eat street food on a daily basis and nothing bad happens to them. Why not let me try?

Since visiting, I've searched the Internet and found many blogs and websites by foreigners about Viet Nam's street food. The likes of travelfish.org, savourasia.com, streetfoodtourshanoi. blogspot.com, and stickyrice.typepad.com are all very helpful and dispell a lot of myths and criticisms about street food safety.

I also found a number of great street food places in Ha Noi on Google Maps, which is an awesome resource for tourists.

However, why don't the Vietnamese themselves take advantage of such far-reaching hi-tech resources to promote their street food. It's time for Viet Nam to change the way they invite foreigners to their country.

Chris McLaren, Scottish, HCM City

I have lived in Viet Nam for a year now and regularly eat street food. I love the way the Vietnamese make simple food very tasty, even rice. I especially like the way I can have small amounts of many dishes during one meal. 

I like Pho and all of the other noodle soups. Spring rolls are delicious too, as is the seafood, especially soft shelled crab. Something that I never associated with Viet Nam before coming here!

Unfortunately, the lack of hygiene does put certain visitors off. Watching people throw bones and other rubbish under the table looks unclean to many foreigners. Also many street food places prominently display parts of the animal not normally eaten in other countries, like intestines. Foreigners are squeamish!

Making Vietnamese food recognised internationally will be difficult as a lot of food eaten here is associated with China or Thailand. I know there are a number of unique dishes here but marketing them abroad may be difficult as they aren't the easiest to cook.

Jessie Jang, Korean, Sydney

After a two week vacation in Ha Noi it'd be impossible for me to pronounce the exact names of the street food dishes I tried. However, anytime, anywhere, I can still remember the amazing tastes, colours and "spirit" of pho, bun cha, bun bo, bun rieu, and banh cuon.

When you're told the names of street food dishes, you don't think of them as normal or familiar because they only tell you main ingredients. However, the minor ingredients hidden inside, which you can only feel when you try the dish, are key to entering into a totally different world of taste and emotion. There are herbs, mint, fruits, spices and so much more, all mixed together. It's wonderful!

Eating on the streets in Viet Nam is a rewarding experience. You feel the city's culture and pace of life. So, ignore any inhibitions you may have and embrace the street food experience.

The true Vietnamese taste lies in its street food. Believe me! 

Source: VNS

 

Ha Noi aims to craft better image for villages

 The capital city's tourism authorities have unveiled a plan to make numerous craft villages in the city more attractive to tourists, building on successes like the Van Phuc Silk Village.

Deputy Director of the Ha Noi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mai Tien Dung, said the city has more than 1,000 traditional craft villages, but has not yet developed craft village tours.

Dung blamed this on poorly developed infrastructure and tourist services at the craft villages and the lack of the awareness among local people about tourism development and its potential to boost their living standards.

He said the department would support travel firms and craft villages in attracting more tourists by promoting a model where visitors can learn more about the production processes, place orders and buy readymade products.

In related news, Thua Thien-Hue Province has announced that it would host a national handicraft festival in 2013, aiming to strengthen the role of craft villages in tourism development.

Source: VNS

 

Vietnam in top 10 cycle routes recommended by National Geographic

The road from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam is recently listed as one of the best cycle routes in the world by the National Geographic. 

The prestigious National Geographic travel guide, Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World’s Greatest Trips, cataloguing the most famous and lesser known trips of a lifetime picked the World’s Top 10 bike trails on the planet, chosen for their beauty, length and excitement.

According to this list, Vietnam ranked fifth in the list, follow by Canada, Chile and Australia. It is described as suitable for who want to mix the bikes and beaches. Traveler will be passing through the 746 mile- (1,200 kilometer) route, between the country’s two biggest cities, taking along vast stretches of sandy coastline; it’s no picnic, as road surfaces vary considerably and there are many natural obstacles like the Hai Van Pass, the historical division point between North and South Vietnam. 

Recommended cycling tour by Active Travel Asia

With 8 Years of local travel Expert’s experience, Active Travel Asia (ATA) has a
deserved reputation for innovation, for quality of service and for providing once-in-a-lifetime active holidays including hiking and trekking, biking, motorcycling, kayaking, overland tours and family travel packages in Indochina. ATA's accumulated expertise allows travelers to maximize traveler’s precious holiday time and to experience the very best of traveler’s chosen destination. The tour packages and custom itineraries will take travelers through exotic destinations to really experience the culture, history and nature of Asia.

ATA would like to suggest the most impressive cycling tour for travelers who want to explore Vietnam by bicycle. The Biking Ho Chi Minh trail tour brings travelers a great chance to learn about the Vietnamese modern history and see it beautiful nature.

The so-called Ho Chi Minh Trail is one of the most renowned legends of the American War. The complicated road system winds along the Truong Son Range, which that facilitated movement of soldiers and war supplies from North Vietnam to battlefields in South Vietnam. Now the historic trail is being turned into a highway and hotels and towns are springing up speedily beside it. The route is incredibly beautiful with new mountain views around every corner, very little traffic, and virtually no tourists.

On the way, traveler will have chance to explore Pu Luong nature reserve, or amazing caves at Phong Nha Nation Park. The trip concludes in Hoian, a charming ancient town in centre Vietnam. 

When to travel: The custom trip is offered weekly year-round. But the best time to travel is from Sep to May. This trip is private and travelers can start any time they want.

Price: Starting at $1,425 per person for the group of seven. It includes AC bus for the whole trip, bike truck for the biking section, mountain bikes with helmet and biking gloved, boats in Phong Nha & Hue, hotels based on twin shared, mechanic for the biking section, English speaking guide for the whole trip, meals as indicated in the itinerary, water and snacks every day, sightseeing fees and entrance fees.

More information at http://www.activetravelvietnam.com/tour.php?op=detail&tourId=65 

Supported by Active Travel Asia – Explore the hidden land!

Hanoi Office:

Add: Floor 12 Building 45 Nguyen Son Street, Long Bien district, Hanoi, Vietnam

Tel: +844 3573 8569

Fax: +844 3573 8570

Email: info@activetravel.asia 

Website: http://www.activetravel.asia/

Nha Trang Bay

Nha Trang Bay, covering 507 sq.m with 19 named islands and dozens of small rocky outcrops, is located in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province, and was acknowledged as one of the most beautiful bays in the world in 2003.

The beautiful landscape has become a popular tourist destination with interesting island tours that attract an increasing number of visitors from both Vietnam and abroad.

The seaside park along Tran Phu and Pham Van Dong streets is many kilometers long and features hundreds of hotels and stunning white sand beaches, in addition to a number of popular tourist activities such as airship tours, parachuting, sailing, water motoring, water-skating and waterskiing, which promise a wonderful, exciting time for tourists.

There are tours of Tri Nguyen Fish Lake, Tam Island, Mot Island and Mun Island where tourists can relax at comfortable seaside resorts, enjoy seafood at the fishing villages and play in the sea.

With its tourism complexes, beautiful beaches, islands and appealing tours, Nha Trang Bay is an ideal destination for tourists in Nha Trang City.

Hon Chong Beach along Pham Van Dong Street

A beach along Tran Phu Street

Tourists can get a panoramic view of Nha Trang Bay and Nha Trang city parasailing from the park along Pham Van Dong Street

Nha Trang Bay holds domestic and international sailboard races

Vinpearl's beach on Hon Tre Island is considered the most beautiful natural beach on Nha Trang Bay

Tam Island is one of the most beautiful islands in Vietnam

Thrills at Vinpearl Land

The aquarium tunnel at Vinpearl Underwater World

Tourists can hire a boat at Cau Da Wharf for private tours

Tourists visiting a fishing village on Nha Trang Bay

Relaxing on a boat

Swim in the sea and see coral reefs

Tourists can hire a boat at Cau Da Wharf for private tours

Tourists visiting a fishing village on Nha Trang Bay

Relaxing on a boat

Swim in the sea and see coral reefs

Cruise, cuisine and culture on Saigon River

Authentic cuisine, dancing, music and many more typical Vietnamese traits are available for visitors to experience on board the three-deck wooden boat Vietcruiser that travels along the Saigon River every Saturday, with chartered voyages six days a week.

 

The dancing show on Vietcruiser

The journey to experience Vietnamese specialties begins when guests step aboard Vietcruiser, as local girls in traditional attire, including ao dai, treat you with cakes and fruit of different regions and seasons.

On the bamboo trays are banh tet (cylindrical glutinous rice cake filled with green bean paste and pork), banh pia (flour cake with salty yolk, durian, green bean paste and taro), and many other sweet and salty cakes made from rice powder and other ingredients. Litchi, chom chom (rambutan), Vietnamese tea and other seasonal fruit on offer will add some flavor before the trip starts

A buffet dinner begins once the 39-meter-long, 8.5-meter-wide Vietcruiser departs Nha Rong Wharf in downtown HCMC at around 7:15 p.m. During the cruise on the Saigon River at night to Thanh Da in Binh Thanh District and back to base, guests can walk around the serving counters on the ground floors to select goi (mixed salad), goi cuon (spring roll), grilled squid and shrimp, and other dishes featuring flavors of different localities in Vietnam.

Music and dances depicting cultural and historical glimpses of Vietnam are on show throughout the voyage that ends around 9:30 p.m. The melodious sounds of dan tranh and dan bau and other Vietnamese musical instruments will relax guests on board. Craftsmen are also a fixture on the Vietcruiser to make to he (toy figurine), which is made into toys for children to play at traditional festivals in the country from a mixture of glutinous and ordinary rice powder. With this material, the craftsman can shape animals, flowers or characters from folk stories and also do requests for guests. When dinner is over, a good idea for passengers is to sit and relax at their seats or go to the upper deck to view HCMC at night

Tickets are priced from VND390,000 and allow guests to enjoy a wide selection of Vietnamese food specialties as well as music and dancing shows during the weekend voyage on the 256-seat boat. For the ticket price you also get some free drinks.

Note this is a special promotion price until the end of October.

 

The craftsman shapes to he on the boat
 

Romantic autumn in Hanoi

The scorching heat has gone and a temperate climate has pervaded Hanoi, particularly at night and in the early morning as a sign of the start of autumn - or the romantic season as many people call it.

The scene of Hoan Kiem lake in Hanoi in daytime

The capital’s beauty lies in its quiet streets full of yellow leaves, leaves on trees having turned yellow or red and picturesque sunsets at the city’s many lakes.  

The signs of Hanoi in autumn are hoa sua (milky flower) in blossom on Nguyen Du Street, the scent of hoang lan flower overwhelming Phan Dinh Phung Street and its vicinity. These integral parts of Hanoi have inspired a large number of poets and musicians, including Phu Quang.

Hanoians say a stroll on Thanh Nien Street between West Lake and Truc Bach Lake will help visitors fully understand what autumn in Hanoi is like and why it brings lovers closer. Autumn in Hanoi is very beautiful but many argue it is an even more romantic setting in October.

Capital folk say the autumn there has to be felt to be properly appreciated. This is why numerous poems and ballads have been produced but are considered unfinished stories, leaving the chance for others to continue the next chapters.

 

Hoan Kiem (Sword Lake) during autumn sunset 

Belgian region helps restore Hue ancient house

 

 

 

 

A 175-year-old house has been restored to its former glory in Phuoc Tich ancient village, the central province of Thua Thien-Hue. 

This is the first time Nha Ruong, a typical kind of houses in the old time in Hue and the central region, to be restored under a cooperation project between Thua Thien- Hue province and the Wallonie-Bruxelles region of Belgium . The project aims to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of ancient villages to help tourism development. 

Formed in 1470 under the reign of King Le Thanh Tong, Phuoc Tich is the second village in Vietnam recognised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a national cultural and historical relic site. 

Spreading along the poetic O Lau River, about 40 km north of Hue city, the village still preserves over 100 ancient houses. People here live on making pottery. 

Phuoc Tich is now a popular tourist destination in Thua Thien-Hue.

Source: VNA

 

Cooking in Hoi An in top 10 most interesting travel experience

Besides surfing in Hawaii, Yoga in India, cooking in Hoi An is one of the activities ranked in the top 10 special travel experiences in the world. This is voted by the Lonely Planet, the "lodestar of backpackers".

It wrote: "On the banks of the Hoi An River, the Red Bridge Restaurant and Cooking School is one of many restaurants offering courses to meet the growing demand for tutorials in quality Vietnamese cuisine. One-day and half-day cooking tours will match your culinary skills, from non-existent to cordon bleu. Starting with a trip to a local market, where you’ll select ingredients and learn by observing street vendors, you’ll then return to the restaurant for an expert demonstration before putting your new-found knowledge into practice. Expect to serve up rice-paper rolls and marinated beef, decorated with a pineapple boat. Classes usually last about three hours, include four dishes and cost around US$40 per person. Take a camera so you can remember each dish you master."

The nine remaining activities include:

1. Surfing in Hawaii, USA

Learning to surf here is special. Polynesia was the birthplace of surfing – he’e nalu (wave sliding) was first observed here by Europeans in the 18th century – but Hawaii remains the focal point for the world’s coolest lifestyle. Plenty of surf schools and instructors will patiently teach you how to read the ocean for swell, paddle into a wave and, critically, learn to stand and ride at beginner spots such as Waikiki Beach and Puena Point. Between sessions you can watch the pros shred heaving monsters at reef breaks such as Pipeline, Off the Wall and Sunset Beach. Learn to bottom turn with the Waikiki Beach Boys; two-hour lessons cost US$99 and run twice daily from Monday to Saturday.

2. Archaeological research trips at Crow Canyon, USA

Crow Canyon Archaeological Center offers up to 11 trips annually for those willing to get their hands dirty as they dabble in amateur archaeology. Visitors’ accommodation is in one of 10 ‘hogans’, circular log cabins built in the traditional Navajo style, at the centre’s 28-hectare campus. The campus is part of a site that was occupied by Ancestral Puebloans of Mesa Verde more than 1000 years ago. The trips, lasting seven to 10 days, allow visitors to explore the land in relation to what is known about the region’s indigenous occupants, through studying the interaction of light, landscape and architecture, or participating in a dig. Find out more about resources for teachers and students at www.crowcanyon.org.

3. Yoga in Rishikesh, India

A trip to the birthplace of yoga is an obvious choice if you’re looking for a mystical experience inside and out. Not only does yoga promote relaxation through meditation; research conducted by the University of Texas has revealed it can help alleviate the negative side effects of cancer treatment. At Rishikesh, in the serene foothills of the Himalayas, special retreats invite novices to practice stretching, breathing and contemplation alongside qualified yogi masters. Depending where you stay you might also be encouraged to help out in the organic garden and cook for the group, in between soul-enriching excursions into the mountains. Ashrams offer courses to suit your level, from a few weeks to three months; get a feel for serenity at www.yogashramrishikesh.com.

4. Spanish in Patagonia, Argentina

The small town of Bariloche, surrounded by glacial lakes, forests and the valleys and mountains of the Andes, is so inspiring you’ll probably learn more Spanish here in a month than you might elsewhere in a whole year. Sometimes called ‘the Switzerland of South America’, Bariloche is the base for most Patagonian language schools, so there’s always a good mix of international students should you wish to slack off from speaking Spanish. There are plenty of optional excursions too, from nearby skiing at Cerro Catedral, South America’s premier downhill resort, to a refreshing day trip through thick forest to the glorious Cántaros waterfall. Select courses from one-week intensives to six weeks of private tuition; visit www.spanishinbariloche.com.

5. Calligraphy in Kyoto, Japan

Anyone looking to make their mark using the traditional characters of Japanese calligraphy will find the course run by the Women’s Association of Kyoto simultaneously frustrating and rewarding. Calligraphy written in Japanese is not at all easy, so you’ll need to keep focused if you want to make your instructor proud. After receiving a lecture about the history of the Japanese literary art form, you will be shown and told how it’s done. Then it’s over to you, grasshopper, as you sketch your favourite Japanese character, such as the symbol for ‘peace’ or ‘love’, before adding your signature. One lesson is enough to ensure you pity Japanese school kids forever. WAK JAPAN offers courses based in Kyoto; book online for a discount.

6. Mountain biking in Marin County, USA

Thanks in large part to the pioneering efforts of bike designer Joe Breeze, Marin County, and in particular Mt Tamalpais, has become famous worldwide as the birthplace of mountain biking. Located just north of San Francisco across the Golden Gate Bridge, there’s no more rugged or exciting arena to develop a passion for downhill riding. Throughout summer, countless tour operators, catering to kids, women, amateurs and pros, offer tuition and guided trail riding, including bike hire and transport to the start of hundreds of trails among more than 2550 hectares of redwood groves and oak woodlands. Trails range from the gently sloping and visually spectacular to the you-must-be-kidding-me steeply insane. For trail maps, customised tours and bike hire information visit www.mountainbikingmarin.com.

7. Kung fu at Shaolin Temple, China

Every year foreigners can apply to attend classes at the Shaolin Temple, amid the beautiful Song Shan mountains in China’s Henan province. Trainees at the 1500-year-old monastery, the birthplace of kung fu, embark on a steep learning curve led by extraordinarily disciplined ‘warrior-monk’ tutors. You won’t notice who you’re sharing a dorm with, as the gruelling regime starts at 8.30am (Chinese students begin at 5am) and lasts until at least 7pm. For inspiration, watch the coaches prepare for daily tourist performances, in which they snap iron bars with their heads and break glass by throwing a pin at it. Visitor opening hours are 8am–7pm daily, all year; http://www.infohub.com offers a 10- to 30-day training tour for budding Bruce Lees (around US$2000).

8. Bush-survival skills in Esingeni, South Africa

If you can last a one-week survival course in South Africa‘s pristine wilderness, then chances are you’ll emerge feeling more human than you’ve ever felt before. Qualified field experts lead small-group tours from the Esingeni Bush Camp, based on a private game reserve. Participants learn how to construct a shelter, make a fire, locate and prepare food, and extract water from plants. You will also be taught how to navigate using the stars as you traverse the countryside, which is abuzz with unfamiliar sights, sounds, smells and animals. Anyone who has imagined what life was like before the agrarian revolution can find out here. Book a five-day bush survival course at www.conservationacademy.co.za.

9. Stove building in Cadmalca, Peru

At the Cadmalca Community Lodge in Peru’s remote northern highlands, a simple but potentially life-saving ecoproject allows travellers to do something challenging and useful, while becoming immersed in a culture they would otherwise find difficult to access. In return for being lodged and shown around by a local host family, visitors will source the construction materials for a cooking stove that’s ideally suited to high altitude conditions – and then build it. The stoves have been shown to help reduce serious respiratory conditions associated with cooking over the open fires that are contained in the majority of mountain huts. Tours last seven days and depart from Lima; book before you arrive and expect to pay around US$1600.

A walk through Van Phuc Silk Village in modern times

Van Phuc Village, in Ha Dong District, has been famous for silk weaving since the Ly Dynasty, their products being used by the the royal family and exported to foreign lands.

 

 Locally-made silk displayed in shops

Recently, the local Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism made plans to upgrade Van Phuc Village to promote it as one of the major tourist villages in Hanoi.

Van Phuc Village, which sits along the Nhue River, is about 10km from the city centre. It has retained many of the features of a traditional village - banyan trees, old wells and the regular market meeting. One modern adaptation is the textile machines, which can be heard throughout the village.

Currently, there are over 1,000 textile machines in Van Phuc, each worths VND20 million (USD960), but even with the machines a lot of skill and effort is required in the silk making process. Though the old hand looms are no longer in use, people can still view them in the village shrine. The silkworms are mostly bought from Bao Loc, Ha Nam or Nam Dinh provinces. Those of Bao Loc are especially sought-after for their quality and colour.

The villagers are not only trying to revive their traditional craft, but also market their wares to the outside world once more. They have started to use the internet for promotion and join international trade fairs.

The project to build a centre to show the silk production process is near completion and will be up and running in October.

 

The old banyan tree in Van Phuc Village

 

Textile machines are widely used

 

Tourists from Thailand visit Van Phuc Village

 

Old hand looms from 19th century

Exhibition on silk production near commpletion

 

Local assembles a VND20 million textile machine

The silk market in Van Phuc Village