Vietnam tourism experts call for marketing push

Leaders and experts from the tourism industry met yesterday in Hanoi for an in-depth Tourism Promotion Conference, where they debated how Vietnam can become more successful in the lucrative and fast-growing sector.

Creative sparks: The International Fireworks Competition held in the central city of Da Nang helps lure tourists to the city. Authorities and tourism managers are ambitious to build up Da Nang as a city of events

In his address to the conference,Vietnam National Tourism Administration chairman Nguyen Van Tuan called for the establishment of Vietnamese tourism representative offices in Japan, South Korea and Russia.

Such a move would promote the industry in some of Vietnam's key partner markets, said Tuan, who also called for further co-operation with important partners Japan, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia and France.

He reported to the conference on the marketing initiatives since the year 2000 and submitted a strategy for tourism development until 2020, which he said would be a long and challenging process requiring a methodical strategy.

He said that important long-term initiatives included joining tourism fairs, organising culture-tourism weeks and inviting foreign travel agents and media to Vietnam.

"In my opinion, Vietnamese tourism is integrating with the region and the world and we should promote it professionally," Tuan said.

"We can no longer be vague when advertising Vietnam. We need to focus on our strengths and sufficiently implement all stages of marketing and promotion, including market research, advertising and building a brand name.

"As a seller, we need to be proactive. In addition to showing customers what we can offer, we also need to introduce them clearly to the product and offer them special deals if necessary."

He pointed out some advantages created in the development of Vietnamese tourism thanks to the support of international partners. These include a project with Luxembourg in developing human resources, a Spanish project for the empowerment for Vietnamese tourism in the period 2011-20, and the European Union (EU)'s Environmentally and Socially Responsible Tourism (ESRT) Programme.

Franz Jessen, head of the EU delegation, at the conference praised the partnership between the EU and Vietnam in the last 10 years.

He said tourism was one of the fastest growing and most crucial sectors in the world, and contributed substantially to Vietnam's growth and job creation. However, he warned that some key challenges are putting the potential of the sector at risk.

"International tourist numbers are going down, and the competition from neighbours is fierce," he said. "Marketing is one of these key areas where improvements are needed. If there is one single message on tourism marketing I would like to convey, it's that it needs funding," he said.

Jessen said that the spending on marketing per every arrival in Vietnam is around 1 euro (US$1.3) per year, three times less than Malaysia.

"Through the ESRT we have facilitated the development of a Tourism Advisory Board, bringing together some of Vietnam's representatives from the tourism private sector to help provide advice and guidance on the development of tourism in Vietnam," he said.

"I truly hope that the work and resources we have invested through the ESRT can become a building block to market Vietnam as an attractive tourist destination in the future. From a European perspective, I know that Vietnam represents great potential."

Participants at the conference included representatives from the national and local government, travel companies and international tourism organisations.

Representatives of tourism departments from around the country shared their experiences in promoting tourism in their localities.

Nguyen Xuan Binh, director of Da Nang City's Tourism Promotion Centre, expressed his ambition to build up a brand name for Da Nang as a city of events.

"We have had some success in promoting tourism through organising international events. For example, now when talking about firework competitions, people immediately think of Da Nang," he said. "Through our events we have introduced tourists to an image of a beautiful, friendly and peaceful city."

Similar conferences will be organised in other big cities to canvas more opinions from leaders and experts in the tourism industry. 

Clean up tour of Ha Long Bay

Handspan Travel Indochina will run a non-profit Ha Long clean up tour targeted at environmentally conscious travelers late this June.

Tourists participating in Clean up tour on Lan Ha Bay last year

The tour will bring some 30 visitors to the remotest parts of Halong Bay where they will kayak to collect floating refuse and other garbage on their way. 

This is the seventh consecutive year this tour will be organised on Lan Ha and Ha Long bays. 

According to the company's products & marketing manager, Guilhem Cavaill, tourists will use non-carbon emitting means of transport to visit the lagoons and sandy beaches which few tourists to these bays get a chance to see. The purpose, he said, is not only to have fun, but to clean up the environment and spread environmental awareness among locals and authorities. 

"The increasing volume of tourism to Halong and the recent surge of litter, such as plastic and styrofoam products and soap, among floating communities is a great risk to the environment," he said. The maritime biosphere has a lack of environmental consciousness among residents and visitors and inadequate conservation efforts. Important and irreversible damages has already been done, and now is the time to change this."

Tourists kayaking and collecting floating garbage on Lan Ha Bay 

This year, this tour will be hosted on Treasure Junk and supported by several companies and organistions. The tour will be held on the 22nd and 23rd of June, and will include a barbecue dinner party and an overnight stay on boat. The tour costs USD 90 per participant.

Vietnam Airlines adds more than 3,600 summer flights

 

 

The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines (VA) will add 3,641 flights or 700,000 seats on 12 routes, including eight domestic and four international, from June 1 to August 31 to meet passengers’ demands during this summer peak season. 

The airline said in a recent statement that it will thus be able to provide service for as many as 5.53 million seats during this period, an increase of 16 percent compared to the normal capacity, and 22 percent from the same period last year. 

An average of 39 flights will be added on a daily basis, while during the peak time, between June 15 and August 15, VA will offer 333 flights per day, it said. 

The number of services between Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang will be increased by 64 percent, while the respective figures for the Hanoi – Da Nang and Hanoi – Cam Ranh routes are 39 percent and 29 percent. 

Other domestic routes to have more flights include those between Hanoi and Phu Quoc, Cam Ranh, Da Nang, and HCM City, and between HCM City and Cam Ranh, Da Nang, Hai Phong, and Thanh Hoa. 

Services on the above routes will be increased by 19 to 64 percent. 

Four international routes with additional flights are Hanoi-Bangkok and HCM City-Bangkok, HCM City-Taipei and HCM City-Kaohsiung. 

Meanwhile, budget airlines Jetstar Pacific has offered cheap tickets between May 27-30 to welcome its 5th anniversary, and passengers can pay only 399,000 VND on Ho Chi Minh City-Buon Ma Thuot flights, 449,000 VND on Ho Chi Minh City/Hanoi-Da Nang and Vinh-Buon Ma Thuot, 779,000 VND on Ho Chi Minh City-Vinh/Hai Phong and 749,000 VND on Ho Chi Minh City-Hanoi, departing from September 10 to October 24. 

Besides, Jetstar will also provide tickets with only 499,000 VND on Ho Chi Minh City-Singapore, 1.85 million VND on Ho Chi Minh City-Indonesia and 3.18 million VND on Ho Chi Minh City- Darwin (Australia) between September 3 and November 11.

Source: VNA

 

Two more Asian records recognised for Vietnam

The Vietnam Book of Records (Vietkings) on May 28 reported that two more Vietnamese records have been recognised as Asian records, including the longest statue of Buddha entering Nirvana on the roof of a pagoda and the largest painting made from a single block of precious stone. 

The longest statue of Buddha entering Nirvana on the roof of a pagoda in Binh Duong

The statue of Buddha belongs to Hoi Khanh pagoda in southern Binh Duong province. It stands 22.5 metres high and weighs 620 tonnes. It is decorated with 20 reliefs on its base, depicting Lord Buddha’s life from birth to the moment he entered Nirvana and 840 lotus petals made of cement around the statue. 

The painting titled “Nine dragons fighting for a pearl” (“Cuu Long tranh chau”) is made from a precious stone block weighed more than 2 tonnes imported from Pakistan . It measures 1.83 metres high, 2.1 metres wide and 0.35 metres thick, depicting nine Asian dragons competing for a pearl, which symbolises spiritual strength, power, prosperity and success. 

Five Vietnamese records have been recognised as Asian records recently, including the largest Mitreya Buddha seated on Cam Mountain (Phat Lon pagoda in southern An Giang province) and the longest statue of Buddha entering Nirvana on a mountain (Linh Son - Truong Tho pagoda in southern Binh Thuan province). 

Meanwhile, Director Nguyen Van Luong sets an Asia’s record of making the most films on the country and people in the sea and island regions. Painter Truong Han Minh was recognised for having the most ink wash paintings auctioned for charity. Painter Dang Ai Viet sets an Asian record for the most portraits of Vietnamese Heroic Mothers.

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Trekking Mai Chau, Vietnam

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Vietnam, Egypt to enhance cooperation in tourism

 

 

Vietnam and Egypt have agreed on the need to conduct more bilateral activities in the spirit of the Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism Cooperation inked in 2006. 

The consensus was reached at talks between Head of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) Nguyen Van Tuan and Chairman of the Egyptian Tourist Authority Naser Hamdy in Cairo on May 27. 

During the meeting, host and guest discussed concrete measures to address difficulties facing the two countries’ travel companies. 

The Vietnamese side suggested that the Egyptian tourism sector work with Egypt Air on opening direct flights to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City as early as possible following the establishment of the airline’s representative office in Vietnam. 

The VNAT leader also laid special emphasis on the need for more information exchange to help promote the two countries’ tourism potential. 

He took the occasion to brief his host on the development of Vietnam ’s tourism over the past three decades, noting that while the number of international arrivals to Vietnam has experienced a three-fold rise over the past decade to reach 7 million visitors in 2012, an estimated 4 million Vietnamese people travel abroad each year. 

For his part, Naser Hamdy pledged efforts to promote the image of Vietnam in his country. 

Last year, Egypt welcomed 9 million foreign holiday-makers, he said, adding that the number of foreign visitors for the first three months of this year increased by 14 percent year-on-year. 

During his stay in Egypt from May 23-27, Tuan and his entourage held several working sessions with representatives of Egypt Air and a number of Egyptian travel agencies to seek cooperative opportunities.

Source: VNA

 

Positive development of local tourism souvenirs industry

 

 

The Da Nang People’s Committee Vice Chairman, Mr Phung Tan Viet, last Friday chaired a meeting to review the first 6-month’s implementation of Decision No 55/2012/QD-UBND which concerns Da Nang’s support policies for the development of the local tourism souvenirs industry.

A wide range of tourism souvenirs featuring local landmarks were displayed at the event.  They included handicrafts depicting the Dragon Bridge, key-rings engraved with an image of the Han River Bridge, painted gemstones, and perfumed wooden jewellery boxes. 

Nearly 100 products on display were given certificates in recognition of their initial success and their contribution to the development of the local tourism souvenirs industry.  In addition, some products were evaluated highly for their development potential.  They included night lamps and bracelets made of snail shells from the Dai Duong (Ocean) Gifts company, key-rings engraved with an image of the Han River Bridge and the Marble Mountains from the Pho Hoi Company, the natural stone handicrafts of Truc Xanh (Green Small Bamboo) Company, and Quang Huy Company’s products made from wood, rattan and bamboo depicting the Dragon Bridge.

The 8 local enterprises which have recently been given permission to make tourism souvenirs for sale in 2013, along with others in the future, will soon enjoy the city's preferential policies to develop their businesses.  Specifically, they will have the opportunity to access loans at low interest rates, business premises, and other benefits. 

The city’s relevant agencies will work closely with the local tourism association and hotels to advertise locally-made tourism souvenirs to visitors.

Source: Danang Today

 

Mai Chau enters American Top 10 tourism list

Mai Chau, a small town in the northern province of Hoa Binh was named by the US Business Insider as among the top ten incredible places for cultural tours. 

A corner of Mai Chau

The magazine described Mai Chau as a wonderful destination if visitors are interested in a deeper experience of Vietnam with a warm and welcoming population and unspoiled natural beauty. 

Just three hours outside of the capital Hanoi , Mai Chau is a mountainous region dotted with traditional stilt houses. Two ethnic minority groups - the White Thai and Black Thai - make up the majority of the population there, Business Insider reported. 

The Business Insider suggested the best way to immerse yourself in the region is through a homestay with local families. 

It said visitors can spend two days cycling across mountain trails and through rice fields, visit local villages, and watch a cultural performance by Thai villagers. 

Other destinations recommended by the Business Insider include Santiago in Chile, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Marrakech in Morocco, Shanghai in China, Trani in Italy, Budapest in Hungary, Lisbon in Portugal, Bordeaux in France, and Old Delhi in India.

Mai Chau was also named one of the top ten "fresh" Asian destinations by hotel booking site Agoda.com.

An unforgettable exploration of the great Mekong Delta, Vietnam

The  Mekong is a long river that stretches through the borders of 6 countries in Southeast Asia. I’d already travelled on the Mekong crossing from Thailand into Laos, so it was pretty cool to continue the journey on the same river through another 2 countries.

Mekong Delta, Vietnam

The border formalities on the river were quick and painless, and surprisingly informal. As we floated down the river further into Vietnam the scenery started to get really interesting. We saw basic looking houses right on the river built on stilts and rustic wooden fishing boats. Many of the people especially the kids would wave and yell “hello!” as we passed by. The orange sun was setting on the river and our hotel in the small town of  Chau Docwas in sight… when suddenly our boat stopped. We were less than 5 minutes away but the boat had run out of gas. Luckily another boat on the river was there to help bring us ashore.

Wooden fishing boats in Mekong Delta, Vietnam

The view from the hotel was fascinating, we could see boats buzzing across from all directions and small little houses right on the river built on stilts. The next day we got to explore the  Mekong river in more detail. We visited fish farms where people live and farm fish right in the water. The floating houses are built on top of fish cages. You lift up the floorboards and there they are splashing around underneath the house. The fish are fed a mixture of vegetables and fish bones. It was really interesting to see but it also made us question the healthiness of the farmed fish in the rather polluted looking river. After the fish farms we visited a local Cham village, part of the very small Muslim community in Vietnam. From there we visited a massive food market with fish, meat, fruits and vegetables. There were many fruits and vegetables I’d never seen before, and it was fun to experience the hustle and bustle of a local market that was selling food instead of cheesy souvenirs.

Floating Market

The next day we made our way to Can Tho, a fairly populated area along the  Mekong Delta. Along the three hour bus ride one could track the rapid progress of development in the country. Basic shacks built on stilts slowly gave way to more modern looking houses with TV antennas on the roofs. This was also the first time I truly understood how popular motorbikes were in this country.

The road was completely packed with motorcycle drivers who seemed to view lanes and basic traffic laws as mere suggestions. We arrived at our hotel in Can Tho mid afternoon with enough time to have a happy hour drink by the pool and unwind. The next day we had an early 5:30am start to see the floating market on the Mekong River. It was pitch black when we left and the sun started coming up just as our boat arrived. There were hundreds of wooden boats big and small, most of them carrying produce and food. We got to latch on to a boat selling produce and climb onto the roof for a birds eye view of the bustling market while eating fresh pineapple. At this point it was barely 7am and I really had to admire the work ethic of all the merchants who had already been up and working for hours.

After our tour of the market we had a Vietnamese cooking course. We learned how to make fresh and deep fried spring rolls, Vietnamese salad and deep fried prawns. Our cooking instructor was a very kind and patient young lady, although she did laugh at our deformed rolls saying “I’ve never seen one like that before”. We were quite impressed at how delicious our own creations were, especially the deep friend spring rolls. It probably helped that we were very hungry by that point. Later that evening we took a shuttle boat to the city centre to find something for dinner. It happened to be international women’s day which locals celebrated by bringing their girlfriends, wives and mothers out for dinner. 

Spring rolls

The charming public square by the river was full of mostly young couples, some holding roses or heart shaped balloons that they’d just bought. Everywhere we went people would say hello and some would even strike up conversations and ask where we were from. I think a lot of people like to practice their English and were also just genuinely friendly. For dinner we found a place on the river and I had chicken and veggies with soft noodles. Someone next to me had the crispy noodles which I wish I tried because they looked really good.

Biking in Mekong Delta

The next day we departed Can Tho and made our way towards Ho Chi Minh City. On our way we made a stop in Cai Lay, a small community in the Mekong Delta area. We took a short boat ride down a peaceful narrow river then rode bicycles through narrow little paths that wound through the bamboo forests. As we went children would excitedly say hello to us and wave their hands in the air.


After about an hour we stopped at an old couples house where they had a gorgeous little fruit orchard. We had the pleasure of tasting the freshest and most delicious exotic fruit I’d ever had in my life. 

Our local guide explained to us that the family would work 4 days out of the week then get drunk the other 3 days. I joked that I was going to stay behind, to which the old farmer replied by sitting me in the hammock and singing to me! Trust me it was very hard to leave this little slice of paradise. Our next stop was at a hundred year old house where we had a very tasty Vietnamese lunch which of course included deep fried spring rolls, which we were actually starting to get a little sick of by this point. Once we finished lunch it was time to get back on the bus and continue on towards Ho Chi Minh City.

I really felt like I got a good feel for the variety of people and cultures living in and along the Mekong River area and it was interesting to see how things changed as we got closer to the big city. It was a great introduction to the friendly people and incredible food in Vietnam which would only impress me more as the trip continued.

To find out more about travelling Mekong Delta with ACTIVETRAVEL ASIA(ATA) , you can refer:  http://www.activetravelvietnam.com/tour.php?op=detail&tourId=19

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Tons of activities at Nha Trang Sea Festival

 

 

This year’s sea festival from June 8 to 11 in Nha Trang City and Khanh Vinh and Ninh Hoa districts will consists of 65 activities.

The information was unveiled by the People’s Committee of Khanh Hoa Province in HCMC last Saturday.

Tourists to the locality will have a chance to join some interesting events like fishing at night, beach volleyball, bicycle race, draught beer and wine festivals, disco carnival on the beach, flower arranging/traditional cake making contest, and art kite flying.

One of the highlights of the festival is the International Sea Travel Expo (ISTE 2013) scheduled from June 6-8 at Diamond Bay Amphitheater with the theme “Sea, Islands and Tourism Development.” The expo is the perfect opportunity to promote Vietnam’s sea and island tourism and Khanh Hoa’s tourism sector to international tourists and to draw foreign investment.

It is expected that the expo will have 160 local and foreign booths and around 80 potential buyers coming to Khanh Hoa Province to meet partners and to gain more knowledge on local tourism products.

The festival has an opening ceremony, street carnival and the final round of Miss Vietnam’s Sea 2013 contest which will be broadcasted live on VTV and HTV channels. Some art troupes from Japan, the U.S. and Russia will take part in the event.

The organizer has launched the website www.nhatrangfestival.vn to update new information to tourists.

Source: SGT

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park

 Central Quang Binh Province is celebrating the 10th anniversary of UNESCO's recognition of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park as a World Natural Heritage Site.

 

The Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Hoang Tuan Anh, attended a ceremony on Saturday to mark the occasion. It was held in the park's Thien Duong (Paradise) Cave, one of the longest in Asia.

"Quang Binh Province should take advantage of the help of international organisations and scientists to protect and embellish the site," Anh said.

Each year, the park attracts about 400,000 visitors, but by 2015, this is expected to jump to 2 million a year, including 100,000 foreign tourists.

A large range of fauna and floral species have been found here including tigers, Asiatic black bear, Asian elephant, giant muntjac, Asian wild dog and the recently discovered sao la. 

A photo exhibition featuring the park will run until June 4 in Dong Hoi City in Quang Binh province. 

A writing contest on the park was launched early this month. Titled Learning about the World Natural Heritage Site of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, it aims to help people improve their awareness of the heritage of the world.

Source: VNS

Halong,Quang Ninh develops green and clean tourism

One of Quang Ninh’s solutions to improving provincial tourism in the last month was to promote an environmental clean-up campaign so as to provide tourists with a better impression of the province.

Drastic and synchronous solutions 

Halong Bay Vietnam

Many tourists to Quang Ninh used to be bothered by hawkers, beggars, and touts clinging around them or being overcharged at local restaurants.

Although local authorities applied measures to eliminate these issues, their efforts seemed not strong enough, and therefore, provincial tourism was effected.

Quang Ninh Province’s People’s Committee has actively directed, inspected, and handled these issues and also violations in tourism operation at some tourist sites including Bai Chay, Hoang Gia International Park, Youth Beach, and Bai Chay Tourist Boat Port.

Last month for example, Ha Long Bay Management Board, Quang Ninh’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Quang Ninh Province’s People’s Committee coordinated to handle 16 violations by seafood business, 10 street sellers, and five restaurants violating urban regulations; and organized 48 local tourism inspections within Bai Chay Ward.

Positive results

According to Quang Ninh’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, 3.7 million tourists came to visit Quang Ninh over the past four months, including more than one million international tourists, accounting for 49 percent of the province’s annual plan and an increase of 17 percent over the same period of last year. Only in April, 759 500 visitors came to Quang Ninh. Quang Ninh’s total revenue from tourism activities in the first four months hit VND1.74 trillion. During Ha Long Carnaval and holidays of April 30 and May 1, about 15,000 visitors came to Ha Long every day.

Ha Long Carnaval

Despite an increase in tourist number during holidays, local authorities managed to control tourism activities across the city and bay of Ha Long including recreation centers, motels, and hotels, helping tourists fully enjoy their tours.

Tran Thi Ngoc, a tourist from Hanoi, said “I was impressed by the marine tourism environment being cleaner than four years ago when I was there. Also, I was not bothered by street sellers and touts; and I wasn’t overcharged at restaurants.”

Mrs. Marita, an Australian tourist, said “ Ha Long Bay really deserves its world heritage title, as one of the new natural wonders of the world. I have been visiting fishing villages on the bay, exploring and experiencing the simple life here. It’s great. We’ve experienced enthusiastic and friendly staff.”

In the coming time, Quang Ninh Province’s People’s Committee will continue to work with relevant agencies to check and handle violations in tourism businesses in the province and raise local people awareness over the need for conservation of Ha Long, and more civilized behavior.

Kayaking is the best idea to discover every part of Halong for getting an insight to indigenous people life, to taste every corner of mystery lagoon, to gain surreal feeling throughout the dark tunnels.

To find out more about travelling with ACTIVETRAVEL ASIA(ATA) and for your chance to WIN a trip in every edition  http://www.activetravelvietnam.com/tour.php?op=detail&tourId=24. Plus you can become a fan of ATA's Facebook page and follow us on Twitter!

Red River Delta targets 5 million foreign visitors by 2020

The Red River Delta is developing tourism as the region’s key economic industry, aiming to attract 24-25 million domestic visitors and 4.5-5 million foreigners by 2020.
This goal is set in the region’s overall socio-economic development plan up to 2020, which was recently approved by the Prime Minister.

According to the development plan, the Red River Delta, comprising Hanoi, Haiphong, Hai Duong, Bac Ninh, Vinh Phuc, Hung Yen, Thai Binh, Nam Dinh, Ha Nam, Ninh Binh and Quang Ninh provinces, will be an eastern gateway to the world and be a direct connection between the two dynamic economic areas of Southeast and Northeast Asia.

The region will serve as a springboard for the country to make ‘strategic breakthroughs’ in socio-economic development, realize the economic restructuring plan, and renew the economic growth model.

Priority will be given to developing high quality transportation, consulting, design, finance and banking services. Innovation in telecommunications, education, training and health care will be encouraged, while trade, tourism, and science and technology will be promoted.

Growth for the service sector is targeted at 10 percent annually during the 2011-2020 period.

The region also strives to raise the per capita income to US$2,500 by 2015 and to around US$4,180 by 2020, which is 1.3 times the national average.

Focus will be placed on upgrading and modernizing the railway system towards forming high-speed rail routes from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, Lao Cai, Haiphong and Lang Son.

It is hoped that 35 percent of Hanoi residents, as well as 15-20 percent of people in Haiphong and similar urban areas in the region, will be using public transportation regularly by 2020.

Vestiges of world’s largest cave found in Quang Binh

Howard Limbert, an expert of the British Cave Research Association said that his team had found traces of a collapsed cave in Vietnam’s central province of Quang Binh which beats the record of the world’s largest cave of Son Doong. 
The expert made the announcement in talks with the local newspaper Saigon Giai phong on May 23. 

According to Limbert, the newly-discovered cave is only 2,000m long but it is 30m higher and 50m wider than Son Doong, which measures 200m high, 150m wide and at least 6,500m long. 

Unfortunately, the giant cave has collapsed, Limbert said, adding that it was formed by water and also destroyed by water. 

During their research trip of Son Doong Cave, scientists from the UK and the US found a streak of collapse running from north to south and numerous giant stalactites in the area in front of the cave. Tests on samples of stone and stalactites taken along the 2km-long streak showed that they were in a big cave formed tens of millions of years ago, connecting the back door of En Cave to the mouth of Son Doong Cave. However, huge floods had caused the cave to collapse at some time from 370,000 to 2 million years ago, according to the British expert. 

Limbert also said that his team has found 10 vertical caves in Xuong valley along Chay river within Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.

How to take the perfect trip to Vietnam

From the island-studded seas of the north to the meandering waterways of the south, Vietnam is a country defined by the diversity of its land and the resilience and generosity of its people. ACTIVETRAVEL ASIA  shows you how to take the perfect trip to Vietnam.

Halong Bay: best for coast

The mystical landscape of Halong Bay, where over 2000 limestone islets rise from the Gulf of Tonkin.

Halong Bay, Vietnam

Once upon a time, a friendly dragon lived in the heavens above Halong Bay. With invaders from the seas threatening Vietnam, the gods asked the dragon to create a natural barrier to protect its people. The dragon kindly obliged, performing a spectacular crash landing along the coast – digging up chunks of rock with its flailing tail and spitting out pearls – before grinding to a halt. This scene of devastation is now known as Halong Bay – Halong literally translates as ‘where the dragon descends into the sea’.

Less exciting explanations of this landscape involve eons of erosion by winds and waves – but nobody disputes the splendour of the end result. Rising from the shallows of the Gulf of Tonkin are thousands of limestone islands – towering monoliths lined up like dominoes, some teetering at worrying angles. The islands’ names testify to the overactive  imaginations of sailors who’ve spent too long at sea – Fighting Cock Island, Finger Island, Virgin Grotto. Having largely resisted human settlement, the islands have become home to other creatures. From above, sea eagles swoop down to pluck fish from the waters, carrying their prey – still flapping – high into the air, and squawking congratulations to each other from their nests.

Hanoi: best for city life

Fruit seller heading to market.

It’s rush hour in Hanoi, and the streets of the city’s Old Quarter throng with hundreds of scooters. The pavement and the central reservation are fair game in the chaos; zebra crossings exist more as a personal challenge than a guarantee of safe passage. Hanoi is a city that refuses to grow old gracefully – a millennium-old capital of crumbling pagodas and labyrinthine streets, now undergoing a werewolf-like transformation into a 21st-century Asian metropolis. In the Old Quarter, ancient temples now neighbour karaoke joints, and dynasties of artisans ply their trade next to shops selling cuddly toys the size of grizzly bears.

Few have studied the changing face of the city as closely as Do Hien, an artist who has spent a lifetime painting Hanoi’s streets. He welcomes me to his studio, and idly leafs through sketches of city life – couples waltzing beside the willows of Hoan Kiem Lake, and alleyways where hawkers prepare steaming bowls of pho. ‘Hanoi is a place that runs in your blood,’ Hien says thoughtfully, sitting cross-legged among stubs of incense sticks and paintbrushes strewn across his studio floor. ‘Had I not lived in this city I might not be able to paint like I do.’

Sapa: best for walking

An evening fog hangs over Sapa. Clouds sporadically open up a bit to reveal a village, a chunk of a mountain, a patch of jungle, before obscuring them from view again, like stage scenery sliding into the wings. Eventually the clouds lift, and the Hoang Lien mountain range emerges. It is a landscape of extraordinary beauty – the Asian highlands half-remembered from childhood picture books and martial-arts films. Above are peaks thick to their summits with greenery. Below, rice terraces run down the hillsides at right angles, as neatly as the folds in origami paper.

Sapa Town, Vietnam

Sapa is a town where the weather seems to operate on random rotation – switching between brilliant sunshine, thick fog, driving rain and occasionally a dusting of snow, before coming full circle to brilliant sunshine, often all within the space of a few minutes. A hill station settled by Vietnam’s French colonists, Sapa now serves as a trailhead for hikers happy to run the meteorological lottery of a walk in these mountains. ‘We have four seasons in one day here,’ my guide, shimmying along the edge of a rice paddy as a rain cloud approaches. ‘There’s no way to predict the weather – just be lucky!’

Sapa, Vietnam

We pass through a village, and our guide points to bamboo irrigation systems that send trickles down the hillsides and into rice pounders that see-saw with the current. ‘There’s a Hmong saying that “we flow with the water”,’ she explains. ‘It means we don’t worry too much, and take things easy.’

Hoi An: best for food

Hoi an, Vietnam

Hoi An is a small town that likes a big breakfast. As dawn musters strength on the horizon, a small army of chefs sets to work on Thai Phien street – firing up gas cookers and arranging plastic furniture on the pavements. Soon, the city awakes to sweet porridges; coffee that sends a lightning bolt of caffeine to sleepy heads; sizzling steaks; broths that swim with turmeric, chilli and ginger. In Vietnam, street food is a serious business – a single dish prepared day after day by the same cook, perfected and honed by a lifetime’s craft.

‘Food in Hoi An is about yin and yang,’ explains Le Hanh, a young female chef scrutinising vegetables at the morning market. ‘It’s about balancing hot with cool, sweet with sour, salty with spicy.’ True to Hanh’s philosophy, cooking in Hoi An goes big on contrasting flavours; food that plays good cop/bad cop with the palate. The sharpness of fish sauce blends with the subtlety of fresh herbs; cool lemongrass makes way for the eye-watering panic of accidentally chomping on a red chilli.

Mekong Delta: best for river life

A heavy rain is falling on the Mekong Delta, flooding the footpaths, swilling in the gutters, turning riverbank mud from light tan to a rich coffee colour. A tangled network of rivers, tributaries and canals, the waters of the delta criss-cross the lowlands of southern Vietnam, before emptying out into the South China Sea through mighty, yawning estuaries. For centuries, life here has ebbed and flowed in tandem with the current of the Mekong – an all-in-one launderette, bathtub, highway, toilet, dishwasher, larder, social club and workplace for the communities surrounded by its waters.

Mekong Delta, Vietnam

‘If you live on a river island with twenty other people you have to learn to get along with everyone,’ explains Mrs Bui Nguyen, beckoning strangers to shelter in her bungalow beside the Cai Chanh canal. ‘That’s the reason why people in the Mekong are so friendly!’ A 77-year-old who attributes her longevity to a lifetime avoiding doctors, Mrs Nguyen wistfully reflects on the delta of old – in days when the only artificial light came from peanut oil lamps dotted along the riverbanks; an age long before roads had reached the villages. Times have changed. 

However, human life still instinctively congregates on the water’s edge. Lining the riverbank nearby are grocers’ shops, cafés, a gym, a billiards club and a blacksmith’s. Floating markets, too, are still held every morning at nearby Cai Rang – with creaking barges from across the delta bashing into each other as they offload cargoes of watermelons, pineapples and turnips.

Read more:  http://www.activetravelvietnam.com/tour.php

BISTA - Bicycle for rent & Information of station Tourist Asia

 

 

BISTA (Bicycle for rent & Information of station Tourist Asia) service has just been launched in Nha Trang in an effort of the city to call visitors to contribute to protecting the environment, reducing traffic accidents and promoting the image of a sea tourist city. 

In fact, bicycle for rent has been popular for years, but only offered by some families along Tran Phu street or "Tây street" (foreigners street). The idea of organizing bike rental stations associated with providing tourist information (free of charge) was suggested by Asian Joint Stock Company and approved by Nha Trang People’s Committee to pilot tourist season this summer.

Mr. Nguyen Chi Cong, Sale manager of Asian Joint Stock Company, said: "Initially, 120 single and double bicycles will be arranged in 8 BISTA stations along Tran Phu - Pham Van Dong streets.

Each station has 10 single bicycles and 10 double bicycles. Customers may rent bicycle at one station and return at another station convenient for their schedule. In case there is problem with the bicycle, customers can change at the nearest station or inform the station to repair. Particularly, every station has staff in charge of providing city information for tourists as tours, prices, entertainment places... 

Currently, double bicycle for rent is 70,000VND/bike/day or 30,000VND/bike/hour. Single bicycle for rent is 50,000VND/bike/day, or 20,000VND/bike/hour. After 2 weeks of pilot program, a lot of tourists have used bicycles for city tour.

Source: TITC

 

Bai Tu Long gears up for peak summer season

Bai Tu Long Bay in the northern province of Quang Ninh is expected to stun holiday-makers as various tours to explore the beautiful bay will be launched this summer. 
Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Do Thong said on May 22 that three tours discovering Ha Long Bay – Hon Xep park, Vung Duc – Hon Xep park and Cai Rong port – Minh Chau island will be offered during the upcoming holiday. 

Besides, visitors can stay overnight in Hon Xep park, Van Canh island area and Lo O, he said, adding that three inland waterway routes to these destinations will also be opened soon. 

The provincial People’s Committee has assigned the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to work with the Transport Department, local police, the management board of Ha Long Bay and travel agencies to popularise the tours while promoting the image of Bai Tu Long Bay. 

With its long and clean sandy beaches, clear water, fascinating historical sites and untouched beauty, only 200 km from Hanoi, Bai Tu Long Bay has been labelled one of Northeast Vietnam’s wonders of nature.

Embraced by a string of splendid limestone mountains, the eco-system in Bai Tu Long remains untouched. 

There are hundreds of islands and hundreds of kilometres of coastline with white sandy beaches like those in Minh Chau, Quan Lan, Ngoc Vung and Son Hao. 

Bai Tu Long’s beauty lies in its limestone caves and historical sites such as Van Don pier, Tinh Hai pier, a citadel from the Mac dynasty on Ngoc Vung Island and Quan Lan Mountain on Quan Lan Island.

Why You Need to Visit Vietnam

If you only have time to explore one country in Southeast Asia, choose  VIETNAM !

Let’s admit it, when it comes to travel, Vietnam gets a bit of a bad rep. Before coming here all I heard were stories of travel scams, robberies, aggressive touts, and warnings that I’d be treated like a walking dollar sign. I was beginning to wonder whether I even wanted to spend a full month in this country, but 31 days later as my Vietnamese visa is about to expire, I am sad to leave Vietnam behind.

I’ll admit I’m relatively new to Southeast Asia, and have only covered three countries in the past three months, but Vietnam has left the strongest impression on me by far.

So what makes Vietnam so special?

A woman carried a yoke basket down the street in Hoi An, Vietnam

The People

The people are warm, kind, and love to laugh and smile. It is in this country where I have met some of the most caring locals.

The central market in Hoi An, Vietnam

When I was sick in Hoi An, it was the woman who runs the Green Moss restaurant who took it upon herself to get me all better. She prepared ginger tea with honey for me, gifted me with a mint balm to rub on my neck and my chest, urged me to wear a scarf to bed, and then checked up on me daily whenever she saw me cycling around town or eating at her restaurant.

In Vietnam people have helped me when I looked lost, locals I met on a train have offered to show me around their hometowns (for free! Further proof that I’m not just a walking ATM), and business owners have been courteous to me even when I didn’t eat at their restaurant or didn’t take their tour.

The Food

Vietnam has been an explosion of flavours! Most dinners Sam and I have eaten in this country have been silent because we’ve both been gorging on local delicacies like the food in front of our plates is about to disappear. We’ve been known to order four different dishes in one go because there’s just so much new food to sample.

Spring rolls, food in Vietnam

Whether I was learning to cook Vietnamese food in a dim lit kitchen with no ventilation (picture beads of sweat running down my back and hopefully not onto my food), or enjoying a meal at a local farm in the outskirts of Hoi An, the food was spectacular.

Some of my favourite dishes in this country have been bánh xèo (a rice flour pancake stuffed with pork, shrimp, onions and bean sprouts) and fresh spring rolls. Fresh, flavourful, healthy, filling – what else do you need in a meal?

The Options

Then there is the diversity that comes with travelling in such a big country. I can guarantee that Vietnam will not bore you with its possibilities!

Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Want to travel down the banks of the Mekong Delta and experience the chaos of vendors at work in a floating market? Do you want to get lost in Saigon’s back alleys as you go in search of the best pho? How about getting clothes custom made in Hoi An? Or can I interest you with a cruise of Ha Long Bay where you’ll be waking up to jagged karst mountains outside your boat? You could also spend your time in Hanoi drinking bia hoi at a little street side bar equipped with plastic children’s furniture? Or if you’re feeling a bit more culturally inclined, go for a hill trek in Sapa where you can do a home stay with the ethnic tribes that call this place home?

If any of this sounds interesting,  then you need to come to Vietnam already!

Halong Bay, Vietnam

I’ve spent the entire month in Vietnam saying things like,

“I could totally live in Saigon. Sam, how would you like to come back to Saigon?”

“I could totally stay in Hoi An longer. Sam, wanna stay in Hoi An longer?” (We extended our stay.)

“Sam, wouldn’t it be fun to spend more time in Sapa? I think living here might be fun. No?”

I can’t sing Vietnam’s praises high enough!

I’m not saying that this country won’t pose its own set of challenges – you’ll encounter that wherever you go. However, if you’re glossing over Vietnam because of the negative things you’ve heard in the past, then you’re doing yourself a huge disfavour.

Give Vietnam a chance, and it may just blow your mind.

Find out more information about a travel agency offering adventure tours explore Vietnam:  http://www.activetravelvietnam.com/
By AUDREY 

Central national park reopens to visitors

 

 

After nearly three years' infrastructure upgrading, Bach Ma (White Horse) National Park in central Thua Thien-Hue province reopened to visitors in late April. 

The 22,031ha park is located near Hue city and around 680km from Hanoi. 

The highest point in the park, Mount Bach Ma, is 1,450m above sea level. 

Visitors have been coming to Bach Ma since the 1930s, when the French colonialists built a hill resort here to escape the heat and humidity of the plains during the summer months. 

Its rich flora and fauna attract many tourists. Bach Ma is home to 233 species of birds and 55 species of mammals besides more than 500 species of plants.

Source: VNA

 

Homestay tourism launched in My Son

Visitors to the central province of Quang Nam can experience the local culture in My Son Village in Duy Xuyen district through a new community tourism model.

The community-based tourism village was inaugurated by the International Labour Organisation and the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism on May 14.

It has 237 families and is located close to the world cultural heritage site of My Son.

With 40 of the families taking part in it, the home-stay experience opens a new channel for sustainable tourism development at the heritage.

To ensure its effectiveness, locals have been taught basic English and given lessons in first aid and environmental protection.

Source: VNA