Vietnam Beauty

Little village on the paddy

2009-11-03T02:53:00.000-08:00

Rising from the rice fields of Ha Giang Province, Tha Hamlet offers a glimpse of rural northern life.

About ten kilometers outside the provincial capital of Ha Giang, the jagged mountains give way to just enough space for the small village of Tha Hamlet.

Parting the hills are brown stilt houses standing over rice paddies, ponds and pig pens. Smoke rises from the palm-leaf roves. Irrigation divides different sections of the village.

The village paths are mostly hardened mud.

Inhabited by a Tay ethnic minority community, the village became an official Tourism Village in 2007, thanks to its traditional homes, unique agriculture and famous terraced rice paddies, which rise up into the hills surrounding the hamlet.

Since then, the village has received government support to maintain tourist infrastructure, such as a concrete road and accommodation.

Living off the land

Some 113 Tay ethnic minority families with more than 500 people live together on the 40 hectares of agricultural land.

Their brown homes seem to grow right out of the village’s fields and ponds. Underneath the stilts, residents keep their tools, vehicles and kindling. On the side of each house is an open area for drying rice.

The paths in the hamlet take pedestrians up along the edge of ponds and rice paddies. The raised mud lanes look soft but they are sturdy and can support anyone, even in the rain. Fish breed in many of the ponds.

The terraced rice fields and ponds are shallow and always filled with water thanks to a stream flowing from the mountains into the village.

The fields are mostly khau mang rice, a new cross-breed variety particular to Ha Giang farmers. The glutinous rice can keep for a long time without loosing its fragrance. Tha’s rice is highly sought after both inside and outside Ha Giang. And its price is still half as much as normal rice.

The ponds are filled mostly with bong fish, which used to be reserved only for kings during the feudal era. But now bong is so popular among every day people that its numbers are dwindling throughout northern Vietnam.

A large bong can weigh up 15- 20 kilograms and its meat is rich and flavorful. Tha Hamlet residents traditionally serve local bong to visitors in the traditional Tay style.

They often make goi, a dish with the raw fish and vegetables. The fish is marinated in tai chua juice before serving. Tai chua is a chayote-like fruit native to the northwestern mountainous provinces of Hoa Binh and Bac Giang. It is both sour and sweet. Other than goi, the fish is also eaten like Japanese sashimi, sometimes accompanied by dill.

ON LOCATION

Tha Hamlet is 10 km from Ha Giang Province’s eponymous capital, which is 320 km north of Hanoi along the National Highway 2.

To get to Ha Giang Province from Hanoi, take a motorbike along the Thang Long Bridge toward Phu Tho Province’s Viet Tri Town. From Viet Tri head to Tuyen Quang Province, where roads to Ha Giang are easily accessible.

By bus, start from the My Dinh Bus Station in Hanoi.

You can combine a visit to Tha Hamlet with a tour to Dong Van and Meo Vac, the northernmost districts in Vietnam. A trip through Tha, Dong Van and Meo Vac will take you four days along a rugged 300-km road.

Tourists can sleep at one of four households in Tha Hamlet that offer beds at inexpensive prices.

The real dirt on the northwest

2009-11-01T17:06:00.000-08:00

Bike tours to the rugged region offer a more direct experience of the life of its people. It is probably not everyone’s cup of tea, but discovering Vietnam’s rugged and scenic northwest on a motorbike is more than an exhilarating experience.

Those who have undertaken it say it enables them to see “life as it truly is for the Vietnamese people.” Dramatic landscapes and sweeping panoramas become more direct and intense when the visitor is not enclosed within a vehicle. Watching the rural population doing about its business also becomes a more intimate affair.

TOUR INFORMATION

A view of Sa Pa, Lao Cai

Hanoi – Hoa Binh – Son La – Dien Bien – Lao Cai – Hanoi
7-day trip with 5 days of motorcycling
Motorcycling grade: Moderate to Challenging
From US$546 per person
Contact:
Active Travel Vietnam
31 Alley 4, Dang Van Ngu St., Hanoi
367 Ngo Quyen St., Son Tra Dist., Da Nang
50 Bis Co Bac St., Dist. 1, HCMC
Support number (24/7 service): (04) 3 573 8569

“We started the itinerary to four mountainous provinces – Hoa Binh, Son La, Dien Bien, Lao Cai – in the northwest region with a 130 km ride to Mai Chau,” said Andre Prince, who took the 7-day journey with six friends from Canada.

Together with a tour guide, they left Hanoi at 8:30 a.m. and rode the dirt-bikes (175cc and 250cc Yamahas and Hondas) west to Mai Chau, home to the Thai ethnic minority.

They traveled on road No. 6 passing expansive rice paddies and scenic villages and stopped for refreshment before tackling 70km of undulating roads with great views of mountains and valleys before reaching Mai Chau at noon.

“We were really impressed by the traditional stilt-houses, the dances and meals at Pom Coong, a village of the White Thai ethnic minority,” said Andre.

The group left for Son La Province the next morning.

Kien, the tour guide, said the motorbike trip of about 1,000 km is wonderful for those who have good health and like more adventure in their travels. The tour is also great for finding several vantage spots for photography, he added.

Besides the tea plantations in Moc Chau Plateau – the destination of the best green tea in Vietnam that grows along the roads on the hillsides in Son La, the valley of Dien Bien Phu also offers magnificent views.

Here “the ride is more adventurous with more winding roads and longer passes, while offering more colorful minority groups and more stunning scenery,” said Andre, adding that the highlight of Dien Bien Province could be the impressive Pha Din

Pass, which means Heaven-Earth. According to local legend, it was the frontier between Heaven and Earth. Pha Din is some 1,000m above sea-level.

“Climbing and descending the slopes with their many bends and deep gorges is a really unforgettable experience,” Andre said.

The fourth day was scheduled for Lao Cai, where stops at H’mong and Dao villages refreshed the crew after a 225 km ride along stunning gorges and the Nam Na River.

Fittingly, Sa Pa was the pinnacle of the trip, where the group stayed for two days and visited several ethnic minority villages deep in the forest.

“Sa Pa is a paradise for trekking lovers. It has so many routes with views of beautiful terraced fields, diverse minority groups and the highest peak in Indochina, the Fansipan.”

The group also got off their bikes to take a jeep ride downhill to the Muong Hoa Valley, where they trekked on dirt paths through pine forest, terraced fields and H’mong villages. En route they stopped to visit minority schools and had a picnic lunch by the river.

‘Tourism Year’ to start next month in Hanoi

2009-10-05T21:59:00.000-07:00

A year-long program to promote tourism in Hanoi will start next month, marking the 999th anniversary of the capital city, the Vietnam National Tourism Administration announced Friday.

Under the theme “Thang Long-Hanoi, the Millennium Convergence”, the National Tourism Year 2010 program in Hanoi will officially open on October 10 with quan ho folk singing, martial arts performances and calligraphy exhibitions.

Fifteen other major events will then be organized throughout next year, said Nguyen Van Tuan, head of the administration.

The National Tourism Year was initiated in 2003 by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism. Each year a locality will be selected to host the program to promote local tourism products.

Source: VNA

Specialties of Yen Tu Mountain

2009-08-27T00:39:00.000-07:00

For seasoned hikers or those looking for a challenging outdoor adventure, a trek up the 1,600-meter peak of Yen Tu Mountain in the northern province of Quang Ninh offers a unique experience and spectacular scenery.

Locals prepare fresh bamboo shoots picked on Yen Tu Mountain in the northern province of Quang Ninh

However, for those looking for a more gentle ascent, a gondola is also available and allows for a great birds-eye view of the mountain.

Yen Tu attracts thousands of visitors and pilgrims each year thanks to its breathtaking natural beauty and relic areas relating to the Vietnamese King Tran Nhan Tong (1258-1308).

The third emperor of the Tran Dynasty came to the area after his abdication and began a new life as a Buddhist monk. He also founded the Truc Lam Zen School, the first Vietnamese Buddhist Zen institution.

During the Yen Tu Festival in spring, hundreds of the area’s inhabitants journey up the mountain’s steep rock steps, slopes and perilous pathways to sell local specialties to visitors. They sell many of the natural resources found in the mountain’s forests including bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and medicinal herbs.

In particular, tourists visiting Yen Tu Mountain will notice a plethora of bamboo-shoot sellers on the way to Giai Oan Spring.

Those who sell the shoots, medicinal leaves, roots, lingzhi mushrooms and other plants and herbs begin their workday early in the morning when the first visitors sets foot on the mountain.

Yen Tu bamboo shoots are normally packed in bags and sold for VND10,000-20,000 (US$0.60-1.10). They are also preserved and packed in jars to sell to tourists and many local restaurants feature them in their menus.

The shoots release a distinct flavor if they are boiled and eaten with salt and sesame seeds and it is said that bamboo grown high on the mountain is tastier than that grown at the foot.

Locating the shoots in the forest is difficult work, however, and can take up to a week. But the hard work is worth the effort and locals can earn up to VND10 million ($560) from selling forest products during the Yen Tu Mountain festival.

Sourced from thanhniennews.com

The ancient home in Ha Giang

2009-08-20T20:56:00.000-07:00

The northern province of Ha Giang, located at the highest latitude of the country, is popular for its Quang Ngan Waterfall, Than Thuy-Thien Bao National Frontier Pass and Dong Van Highlands, which are popular for camping and hiking.

The northern province of Ha Giang, located at the highest latitude of the country. (Photo: travelatvietnam)

We come to Ha Giang on a misty morning. The scenery is blanketed with peace and cold. But the romantic view of windy passes and mountain trails seem to be broken in our eyes when we see a couple, a drunken man with tottering steps followed by an austere-looking lady with a full backpack.

"They are Meo people. The women have to do everything, even mining and digging roads, while the men just drink with friends as they follow matriarchy," said our driver Binh while negotiating rugged boulders on a crumbled section of road.

About 20 kilometers from Dong Van district is Sa Phinh commune which is famous for its mountains, forests, hidden grottoes and caves, plum and peach trees, persimmon orchards and is home to ethnic H'Mong people. H'Mong are known for their agility on treacherous mountain roads and trails.

We reach the commune at 9 p.m. when the dewdrops are already sitting on the samu leaves. The market on that day is deserted. Only a group of children on the way back home from school gather around to gape at the tourists.

Seen from above, the Vuong family palace looks like an ancient Japanese or Chinese pagoda. Striking in the endless green of dense groves, this red-tiled building is surrounded by two layers of square stonewall.

Legend says that the house was built by Vuong Chinh Duc, a notorious drug baron.

Not as impressive as the luxurious design of so many modern buildings, the ancient house of the Vuong family arouses the curiosity of tourists because of its ancient architecture and the story of the drug baron.

The house is actually a complex of buildings as the baron had to provide rooms for many wives and servants and store weapons, drugs and food.

Vuong Chinh Duc led the troops that drove the French army out of Dong Van. After the victory, Duc appointed himself as king of the Meo people and became known as King Meo.

Entrance tickets to the palace are VND10,000.

VietNamNet/SGT

Central noodle dish in Can Tho

2009-08-04T02:03:00.000-07:00

A delicious treat not just for kids.

People from the central region visiting the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho might be happy to know they can get some home-style dishes 1,000 km away in the south.

A bowl of My Quang, a famous central region dish served at Hoang Cung Restaurant in the Mekong Delta’s Can Tho City

Hoang Cung Restaurant has been serving My Quang (Quang Nam-style rice noodle) for a few years. To make it authentic, the restaurant buys noodles from the central province through a supplier in Ho Chi Minh City. According to the manager, the restaurant also brings in cu nen (a kind of spice similar to garlic) and chili to maintain the original flavors.

The restaurant manager says My Quang has all the elements to keep his central Vietnamese customers happy. Good quality rice noodles, peanut oil and cu nen are the three indispensable ingredients. The other ingredients such as pork, shrimps and egg can be changed at diners’ request.

A bowl of My Quang consists of noodles, shrimps, boiled egg, pork, roasted peanuts, grilled rice paper, green chili and vegetables.

Compared with other kinds of noodle dishes, the traditional My Quang is simpler. The noodles are big and a bit hard and there is almost no soup.

No-one knows the origin of My Quang for sure, but some say the dish started out as a treat that mothers would give their children. The central region is quite poor, so instead of buying candy for their kids – moms would make them a special bowl of noodles and put in a bit of everything left over from other meals.

In fact, My Quang is not just from Quang Nam there are versions in Quang Ngai, Quang Tri and Quang Binh provinces as well. It is, however, usually regarded as a dish of Quang Nam.

To enjoy My Quang in Can Tho, go to Hoang Cung Restaurant at 55 Phan Dinh Phung St., Ninh Kieu District.

Sourced Thanhniennews

Da Lat’s bushels of blossoms

2009-08-04T01:58:00.000-07:00

Renowned as a floral haven, the central town of Da Lat boasts unrivaled beauty.

Nestled 1,500 meters above sea level on the Langbiang Plateau in the southern area of Vietnam’s Central Highlands, the picturesque landscapes of Lam Dong Province’s Da Lat Town attract large numbers of tourists annually.

Thanks to its fresh, cool air, majestic waterfalls and thousands of brilliant flowers, the community is a favorite destination for both Vietnamese and foreign visitors alike. The name Da Lat originates from the ancient hill tribe people who once populated the region and means “stream of the Lat people.”

Arriving in Da Lat, situated 320 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City, tourists are always astonished at the town’s overflowing bounty of flowers.

Blossoms can be seen everywhere in countless varieties including orchids, mimosas, pansies, wild sunflowers and roses. There are also many rare types of flowers found in few other places in the country.

The easiest to spot are the orchids, dubbed locally as “queen of the flowers.” Of the world’s 100,000 species of orchids, as many as 500 types are grown in the town.

Da Lat also boasts a unique species of orchid called lan hai, which received much attention and praise when it was displayed at an orchid exhibition in Tokyo, Japan a few years ago.

The flower was named for its resemblance to a type of embroidered shoe worn by noble women, known in Vietnamese as “hai.”

With the height of 60 meters, Dambri has become the most visited waterfall

Horses can be hired for a tour around the Valley of Love, known in Vietnamese as Thung lung tinh yeu

The picturesque landscapes of Da Lat attract large numbers of tourists annually

Another popular type of Da Lat flora is the mimosa, a six-meter-tall tree with small yellow flowers which grows only in hot countries.

The tree, which originates from Australia, comes into bloom three times a year during the dry season. Da Lat is home to two types of mimosa trees, one is a long-leafed variety and the other is short-leafed.

Local songwriter Tran Kiet Tuong found great inspiration in the mimosa and wrote a song based on the tree’s beauty.

According to folklore, Da Lat girls would often place mimosa flowers between the pages of a book, and then send it to their boyfriends. The pressed flowers would retain their sweet scent, and act as a fond reminder of the girls. Like the mimosa itself, this practice is said to have stemmed from Australia.

Among thousands of varieties of flowers, the Da Lat rose is a particular favorite nationwide. Aside from being sold in the town’s markets, roses are also transported to larger markets in other provinces and cities, including Hanoi and HCMC.

The flowers come in all sort of colors and shades including pink, violet and yellow.

The yellow roses are known locally as “Josephine,” after the wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, while other roses are also referred to after famous movie stars and nobility.

Watercolor waterfalls and more

The town of Da Lat is also well known for its breathtaking waterfalls, including the Prenn, Cam Ly, Dambri and Pongua.

Prenn Waterfall, located at the foot of Prenn Pass and about 10 km from the center of Da Lat, is considered a symbol of the town. Behind the cascading water is a bamboo bridge where visitors can cross through a spray of refreshing mist. Tourists can also explore the surrounding area, home to a wide variety of animals.

Locals compare the scenery at Prenn Waterfall to that of a watercolor painting. The water pouring over the top of the fall creates a sheet of silver, which flows into a swirling pool of white foam at the bottom. A nearby photo shop allows visitors to have their photo taken at the falls to commemorate their trip.

Tourists can also take a horse or elephant ride while touring the area, or rent a canoe to discover the waterfall’s surrounding canals.

Nearby Xuan Huong Lake, spanning five square kilometers, is another picturesque area and popular with honeymooners.

This manmade lake, which was named after famous Vietnamese poet Ho Xuan Huong who lived in the 18th-century, was also a site where many indigenous people of Highland Langbian ancestry made their homes.

In 1984, scientists found many ancient relics at the bottom of the lake belonging to the hill tribes that once lived in this area.

Another well-known Da Lat lake is Tuyen Lam, located five kilometers south of the town.

Tuyen Lam is known as the lake where rivers, springs and forests converge. The immense area stretches over 350 hectares from the beautiful Tia Spring and Da Tam River to Voi Mountain.

Da Lat is also known for its Valley of Love, known in Vietnamese as Thung lung tinh yeu.

Situated about five kilometers outside of town and spanning about 242 hectares, the Valley of Love is filled with scenic, rolling pine tree-clad hills, perfect for picnics.

For those who love to hike, the 1,900-meter tall Lang Biang Mountain takes around three hours to climb. For others who would rather drive up, jeeps can be hired for around US$10.

Other tourist attractions in Da Lat Town include the Da Lat Market, Lake of Sighs, and the summer Palace of Bao Dai, the last king of Vietnam.

According to Sato Kohara, a Japanese fine arts student touring the area, “I have visited many sites in Vietnam, but still felt surprised when I arrived here. This site is peaceful, romantic and fresh.

“If I have a chance to visit Vietnam again, I will return to this site together with my friends,” she adds.

Sail to Sunny Valley

2009-08-04T01:04:00.000-07:00

En route to the famous Tam Coc-Bich Dong tourist site in the northern province of Ninh Binh is Thung Nang (Sunny Valley), a popular new destination for locals and tourists exploring Vietnam’s north.

The name “Thung” in Vietnamese means a depression inundated with water and surrounded by mountains. In Thung Nang, locals used to plant rice seedlings, but now, due to the increase in tourism, the local government has built a dam to prevent drainage and opened the tourist site all year round.

Thung Nang resembles Tam Coc Bich Dong with its caves, grottos and boat travel, but it’s considered wilder and is noticeably less crowded. Thung Nang is only five minutes by motorbike from Bich Dong.

To reach Thung Nang from Thach Bich wharf, tourists have to travel nearly three kilometers on a boat. During the ride, travelers will have a chance soak up the surrounding beauty. True to its name, Thung Nang is a water valley abundant in sunlight and breathtaking views.

Sitting on the boat and going through two grottos, travelers get a first-hand look at the local fauna and flora that Thung Nang is renowned for.

While traveling by boat, tourists can ask the captain to stop anywhere. It is highly recommended to park in front of the caves for a quick photo break. The grottos inside of the mountains and the stalactite deposits are a tantalizing sight, and if curiosity gets the better of you, follow these natural landmarks to nearby valleys.

The best time for traveling is February, March and April. In other months, the high water levels in the grottos sometimes prevent visitors from enjoying the exquisite views.

A short visit to Mieu Son Lam (Forest and Mountain Shrine) offers visitors a unique glimpse into the world of antique shrines, which are seamlessly nestled into their lush surroundings.

The price for each person for an hour-long boat ride is VND10,000 (US$0.50).

Sourced: thanhniennews

Chùa Một Cột - One-Pillar Pagoda

2009-07-22T02:09:00.000-07:00

The One Pillar Pagoda (Vietnamese:Chùa Một Cột, formally Diên Hựu tự , which litterally means “long lasting happiness and good luck”) is a historic Buddhist temple in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. As you visit Hanoi, you may come to various other monuments, parks and historical places. Yet, the One-Pillar Pagoda reflects the architectural splendour that the country has grown.

Where is it located? The unique pagoda is located in the western part of the city, near Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, Ong Ich Khiem St., Ngoc Ha, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.

The Legendary story: According to legend, ageing Emperor Ly Thai To of the Ly dynasty, who had no children, used to go to pagodas to pray to Buddha for a son. One night, he dreamt that he was granted a private audience to the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, who was seated on a great lotus flower in a square-shaped lotus pond on the western side of Thang Long Citadel, gave the King a baby boy. Months later, when the Queen gave birth to a male child, the Emperor ordered the construction of a pagoda supported by only one pillar to resemble the lotus seat of his dream in the honour of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. According to a theory, the pagoda was built in a style of a lotus emerging out of the water.

Formation: Emperor Ly Thai Tong had this temple constructed in gratitude for the mentioned significant legendary event in 1049, by erecting a pillar in the middle of a lotus pond, and a temple of lotus-shape, exactly similar to what he saw in the dream. This unique shape of the pagoda together with the special story has been of great absorption to hundreds of thousands of international tourists!

This Pagoda was located in what was then the Tây Cấm Garden in Thạch Bảo, Vĩnh Thuận district in the capital Thăng Long (now known as Hanoi. It was built of wood on a single stone pillar 1.25 m in diameter, and it is designed to resemble a lotus blossom, which is a Buddhist symbol of purity, since a lotus blossoms in a muddy pond. Before the pagoda was opened, prayers were held for the longevity of the monarch, hence being considered a temple at that time. During the Ly Dynasty era, the temple was the site of an annual royal ceremony on the occasion of Vesak, the birthday of Gautama Buddha. A Buddha-bathing ceremony was held annually by the monarch, and it attracted monks and laymen alike to the ceremony. The monarch would then free a bird, which was followed by the people.

As time went by, the pagoda succumbed to many ravages caused by the colonial powers. In 1954, the French Union forces destroyed the pagoda before withdrawing from Vietnam after the First Indochina War, and it was rebuilt afterwards.

Today’s form: What you see today of the pagoda is a new form recovered in 1955 when it was refurbished with a concrete pillar from its remnants by the Vietnamese government. Today's structure can be just called the replica of the original pagoda, which was a large building. Locals believe that if you pray here, it will invoke well-beings and prosperity.

Opening time: The pagoda is open daily from 08:00 a.m to 05:00 p.m. Entrance is free.

Ho Guom - Lake of the Restored Sword

2009-07-22T02:04:00.000-07:00

Ho Hoan Kiem (or Lake of the Restored Sword) was once part of the Red river (song Hong). Throughout thousands of years of geographical changes, the lake moved eastward to its present position kilometers from the river. Before the famous historical legend of King Le Loi here, Hoan Kiem Lake used to be called Luc Thuy Lake (or Green Water Lake) since the water was green all the year round. In 15th century, it was named Hoan Kiem Lake after the legend of Emperor Le Thai To, which is somehow similar to the story of King Arthur and the Lady of the Lake's.

Now please close your eyes and turn back time to the Le Dynasty 6 centuries ago to witness the legendary story. During the war against the Minh aggressors, King Le Thai To was given a precious fairy Sword by the Golden Turtle God. After 10 years of continuous struggling, the King finally defeated the Chinese and reclaimed the nation’s independence. After that, on a nice day, while boating on lake Luc Thuy, a large turtle came towards him.

It immediately grabbed the sword with its mouth and submerged. The king mourned the lost of such a valuable sword, yet could not find either the turtle or the sword. He realized that the God must have lent him the sword to drive back the enemy, but then that his nation was free, the sword must be returned. Hence, King Le Thai To named the lake Ho Hoan Kiem or Lake of the Restore Sword after this episode.

Since the reign of King Le Trung Hung (XVI century), every King in the Le dynasty, and Lord Trinh have all contributed to the beauty of the lake. Lord Trinh Giang built Khanh Thuy shrine on Ngoc island on the north end of the lake. He also had the two man made hills built across from Ngoc son Shrine. At the end of the Le Dynasty, Khanh Thuy was toppled by Chieu Thong. A philanthropist named Tin Trai built Ngoc Son pagoda, which was renamed into Ngoc Son shrine during the reign of Thieu Tri III (1843) as it was no longer a Buddhist shrine. Instead, it became a shrine of Van Xuong, a deity, in charge of literature and the various tests required to become a Mandarin. It has also been a shrine of General Tran Hung Dao, a national Hero who secured numerous victories against the Mongols.

Hence, Hoan Kiem Lake is now situated inside a complex of Ngoc Son Temple, The Huc Bridge, Pen Tower in the surroundings, making a sparkling colorful natural picture! Ngoc Son has undergone a lot of renovations, one among which was the addition of Thap But (translated as Pen Tower) on its hill, which was once called Dao Tai. Three words were inscribed on the tower: "Ta Thien Thanh" or "write on blue sky". Inside the gate a pool resembling the shape of an ink well was added. Beyond the ink well is The Huc bridge, which means "where the sun light is absorbed". The bridge leads to Dac Nguyet Lau (or "Moon Light tower") - Ngoc Son shrine. Beyond the gates to the shrine, there are two walls called bang Rong and bang Ho (dragon and tiger slate), where the names of those who passed the national test were inscribed.

What could not be missed in this beautiful complex is the Turtle Tower, which lies in the middle of the Lake, so as to remind Vietnamese people of the Turtle God of his great assistance. It was told that King Le Thanh Tong used to fish here. Lord Trinh also built the structure to house his entourage while visiting the lake.

Mai Chau- a famous destination in the northern of Vietnam

2009-07-13T19:31:00.000-07:00

If you are in Vietnam or intend to travel Vietnam, take Mai Chau valley (Hoa Binh) as a beautiful destination of Vietnam.

Mai Chau is located in Hoa Binh Province, approximately 135km from Hanoi and 60km from Hoa Binh Town. From the top of Cun Mountain, one can admire the superb panorama of Mai Chau surrounded by a green valley and stilt houses. Stilt houses border both sides of the roads.

The houses are quite large with palm leaf roofs and polished bamboo-slat floors. The kitchen is located in the center of the house; the cooking as well as the making of the colorful tho cam, the material used by Thai minority to make their clothes, takes place in the kitchen. The windows are large and decorated with patterns. Each house also has a pond to breed fish. Many minorities, including the Thai ethnic group, live in Mai Chau.

Tourists especially enjoy the minority specialty dishes including rice cooked in bamboo and grilled meat. They also enjoy watching traditional dancing, music performances (bronze, drums, gongs), and Thai minority singing and dancing. The remote minority villages are attractive sites for tourists.

Spring rolls with a difference

2009-07-13T18:14:00.000-07:00

Apart from its scenic spots and tourist sites, Quang Nam Province’s Da Nang City in the central region is famous for its food.

One of the better-known food specialties is the pork rice paper roll which is a dish visitors should not forget to try.

It is a kind of spring roll made with boiled pork. The meat must be taken from the rump of a pig which weighs exactly 70 kilograms. It is cut into slices not too thick and not too thin. Each slice has a layer of fat and skin at both ends, which is why it is called two-ended meat.

The meat is considered delicious if it is fragrant, sweet and fatty enough. The fat must be transparent and the cooking temperature has to be just right – a skill few cooks or restaurants can master.

To enjoy pork rice paper rolls, you are advised to use your hands instead of chopsticks or a fork. Spread a sheet of rice paper on your palm and lay on salad vegetables such as lettuce, banana flowers and carambola slices, then add some slices of boiled pork. Roll it up and dip it into a sauce before eating.

For the rolls to be delicious, the sauce is just as important as the boiled pork. A good sauce must taste sweet, salty and fragrant. It must have the sour taste of lemon juice and the hot taste of chili.

You can hardly imagine how delicious the rice paper with boiled pork tastes by just reading about it. Why not to try exploring its special flavor?

Places to eat Quang Nam-style pork rice paper rolls

1. Da Nang City

* Ba Huong Restaurant: 5 Trieu Nu Vuong Street
* Ba Huong Restaurant: 2/364 2/9 Street
* Mau Restaurant: 35 Do Thuc Dinh Street

2. Ho Chi Minh City

* Hoai Pho Restaurant: 285/94A Cach Mang Thang Tam St., Ward 12, District 10.

Ingredients to make the delicious central-style spring roll with a special kind of pork called “two-ended meat”

Sourced: thanhniennews.com

Yen Tu Festival

2009-07-10T15:25:00.000-07:00

Situated within the immense arched mountain range of north-eastern Vietnam, Yen Tu Mountain in northern coastal Quang Ninh Province bears at its peak the Dong Pagoda: at an altitude of 1,068m above sea level. The beauty of Yen Tu consists in the majesty of its mountains mingling with the ancient and solemn quietness of its pagodas, shrines and towers. Yen Tu has been a centre of Buddhism for many centuries, and is the starting point of the Buddhist sect of Truc Lam. Travellers to Yen Tu Festival to stay away from the mundane and go on a religion pilgrimage in the midst of the mighty nature.

The history...

Under the Ly Dynasty, Yen Tu held the Phu Van Pagoda, with Yen Ky Sinh as its warden. But Yen Tu only really became a Buddhism centre when Emperor Tran Nhan Tong surrendered his throne to establish a Buddhist sect called Thien Truc Lam and became the first progenitor with the religious name Dieu Ngu Giac Hoang Tran Nhan Tong (1258-1308). He ordered building hundreds of constructions, large and small on Yen Tu Mountain for leading a religious life, sermonizing. After his death, his successor, Phap Loa Dong Kien Cuong (1284 - 1330) the second progenitor of Thien Truc Lam, compiled a set of book “Thach that ngon ngu” and ordered the building of 800 pagodas, shrines and towers with thousands of value statues throughout 19 years of religious life. Some famous pagodas are Quynh Lam, Ho Thien. There is the third progenitor of Thien Truc Lam, Huyen Quang Ly Dao Tai (1254 - 1334), in the sermonizing centre of Phap Loa.

Passing through to the Le and Nguyen Dynasties, Yen Tu became the focal point of Vietnamese Buddhism, and was often subject to restorations. It is a meeting place of different styles from various historic periods: visible in the many different designs and decorations that ornate its constructions.

The mountain scenery and beautiful pagodas and hermitages, inspired King Tran Nhan Tong, who reigned over the country from 1279 to 1293, to pass the throne to his son to lead the life of a Buddhist monk at Yen Tu. There, he founded the Truc Lam medication sect, making Yen Tu the country’s leading Buddhist center.

... and the festival

Yen Tu Festival commences annually on the 10th day of the first lunar month and lasts for three months. Tens of thousands of pilgrims begin their journey to the uppermost shrine after a solemn ritual held at the base of Yen Tu Mountain.

During the festival, the people near and far flock to Yen Tu which was regarded as the Buddhist land to show their belief and aspiration or to get rid of all sorrows and sadness. Other go to Yen Tu to do sightseeing and to enjoy the pure atmosphere of a mountain region. Foreign visitors come to Yen Tu to witness a famous beauty spot, a mysterious tourist attraction. Many cultural and historical values are carefully preserved in Yen Tu, where is also home to a rare ecosystem in Vietnam.

In the wide ensemble of vestiges in Yen Tu, there are 11 pagodas and hundreds of shrines and towers. One form of entertainment is to climb the peak to where the Dong Pagoda was built (1,068m above the sea). On the way, you will see pagodas, a tower, a stream and a forest. At the top, after having burned joss-sticks, you seem to be lost in nature somewhere between the sky and the earth. When clear, you can perceive almost all of the northeast area from here.

The route of the pilgrimage from the foot of the mountain to the pagoda is nearly 30 km. The highest point of Yen Tu is Dong Pagoda, which is located 1,068 m above sea level. You can get to Hoa Yen Pagoda at the altitude of 534m by the cable car system recently put into operation and will see on this peak two 700-year-old frangipane trees. From there, you will continue walking up stairs to pagodas of minor note lined up along the path leading to Dong Pagoda. There you will feel like walking on clouds. If the weather is agreeable, from this summit you can admire the dramatic landscape of the northeast of Vietnam.

The complex of historical sites and beauty spots in Yen Tu features various pagodas, shrines or stupas now appearing now disappearing under the thick foliage of the primary show their belief, or doing away with all sorrow and sadness. Others go to Yen Tu to do sightseeing and to enjoy the pure atmosphere of a mountain region. Foreign visitors come to Yen Tu to witness a famous beauty spot, a mysterious tourist attraction. Anyone who makes all the way to the Bronze Pagoda feels the magnificence of Yen Tu and forests. Atop Yen Tu Mountain, one feels like standing by the Heave Gate shrouded in white cloud. On clear days one can have a partial view of the northeastern region

Source: vietnam-beauty.com

Ho Chi Minh City

2009-07-09T16:00:00.000-07:00

Introduction & Location

If you have visited a number of cities in Vietnam but forgot Ho Chi Minh City, you have not known much about Vietnam for real. It is considered the capital of the Southern area of Vietnam. It is located near the Mekong delta, about 1,760 kilometers south of Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city in Vietnam with the population of 7 million in the area of 2095 square kilometers (908 square miles). Ho Chi Minh City is the second heart and soul of Vietnam, to Hanoi. It's a bustling, dynamic and industrious center, the largest city in the country, the economic capital and the cultural trendsetter. Yet within the teeming metropolis are the timeless traditions and beauty of an ancient culture.

History

Ho Chi Minh City (abbreviation HCMC), commonly known as Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam and the former capital of the Republic of Vietnam. The city used to be a small fishing village, inhabited by Khmer people, Cambodia before becoming a land under Nguyen dynasty rule in 1698, being conquered by France from 1950 to 1975. Throughout its long history, HCMC appears to be not only a modern and dynamic city but a cultural and historical one as well.
Following the Fall of Saigon in 1975, Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City. Nevertheless, the old Saigon moniker is still used by both Vietnamese and foreigners.

Weather

You are going to visit Sai Gon? The best time to visit weather-wise is the dry season between December and April, when the humidity is more manageable. The clouds start getting heavy around November and stay through March. The Tet Festival in late January or early February is an exciting, if extremely hectic, time to visit. Being only 10.5° above the equator and between 5 and 10m (16-35ft) above sea level, Ho Chi Minh City is almost a template for tropical weather. Temperatures rarely vary from about 30°C (86°F).

People and Culture

Exploring deeply inside Sai Gon, tourists may be surprised at the diversity of ethnic minorities in the magnificent city and its surroundings. Apart from Kinh (or Viet) people, there are a number of others, for example, Chinese, (the largest Chinese community in Vietnam), Khmer, Cham, Nung, and Rhade, etc. Each of them has their own cultural characteristics, languages, costumes, lifestyles, and religions such as: Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Ancestor Worship, Roman Catholic, Protestant, Cao Dai, Hoa Hao, Islam, Hinduism, and Bahá'í Faith. Yet, the vast majority is Kinh people, whose common characteristic is to be friendly, hospitable, open-hearted, and straightforward.

These days, lots of Sai Gon’s youngsters and youths could speak English fairly well. They are more and more fond of communicating with foreigners in English for practice. More importantly, they are helpful, which fully reassure first-time foreign visitors to this city.

HCMC, as known, is now growing up to be an industrious, modern and dynamic city, with a lot of new modern constructions of Western architecture. However, here and there you can still see ancient monuments such as Notre Dame Cathedral, Thien Hau Pagoda, Phung Son Tu Pagoda, etc., making it a special picture of “an integrated rather than dissolved city”. HCMC is called "the Pearl of the Far East" or "Paris in the Orient" thanks to this special fascinating beauty, capable to have most travellers lengthen their stay.

Places of Interest

Being a city embracing both traditional and modern beauty, HCMC is an ideal destination of interest for every generations with different characters.

You are young, active and playful? There are uncountable places of entertainment for you in this fast-growing dynamic city. Dam Sen Water Park is worth your try. Opened in 1999 with new water slides added each year, this water park offers some truly unique water slide experiences (including the amazing "Space Bowl")! Or you may like to watch films? Galaxy cinema with up-to-date films on big screen would be your premium choice. Though not as huge as that in some other countries, it is one amongst the top places of entertainment in Ho Chi Minh City these days.

If you prefer places of religion and history, here we go! Notre Dame Cathedral (Nhà thờ Đức Bà) is the old architectural monument, which is much enchanting. Incense Thien Hau Pagoda is dedicated to Lady Thien Hau, the sea goddess, who left two giant turtles to keep an eye on things in her absence. A festival is held in her honor on the 23rd day of the March lunar month. Don't miss the gorgeous sculptures in the walls of the courtyard outside the temple! Quan Am Pagoda, the oldest pagoda in town, and Phung Son Tu Pagoda, which is dedicated to the God of happiness and virtue. The pagoda itself is dusty and dwarfed by high-rises under construction nearby, but the small, sculpted grounds are a good place for a rest from the hectic city. Besides, you should also visit some premium museums of the city, such as the Ho Chi Minh City Museum, Museum of Vietnamese History, and Revolutionary Museum and the War Remnants Museum.

Further more, HCMC is a city that churns, ferments, bubbles and fumes. The streets are a jumble of street markets, shops, pavement cafes, stands-on-wheels and vendors selling wares spread out on sidewalks. It's impossible not to be infected by its exhilarating vibe.

Dynamic economical outlook

As mentioned, HCMC is now one of the two most significant economic centre of Vietnam. Around 300,000 enterprises are trading in high-tech, electronics, processing and light industries, in construction, building materials and agro-products on a whole. Further foreign investment is now pouring into the city. Month by month, year by year, buildings, construction of entertainment, tourism, and companies come up. Higher education in Ho Chi Minh City is much concentrated, with about 76 universities and colleges and a total of over 380,000 students. The health care system of the city is relatively improved with a chain of about 100 public-owned hospitals or medical centers and dozens of private-owned clinics. Transportation is more and more convenient with four means of transport system: airlines, rail, road and marine. What is more, mass media is day by day fast developing. It is also the home of hundreds cinemas and theatres, parks, and luxury and standard hotels. Well, what can you see from this much-to-say view? I can only see rapid growth and great economic as well as tourism potential!

Summer fun on Con Dao Island

2009-07-02T21:28:00.000-07:00

The Con Dao Islands (also known as Poulo Condore) are an archipelago of 15 islands situated in the South China Sea, around 250 kilometres, or a 45-minute flight, from Ho Chi Minh City.

Summer is here, and from the southern island of Con Dao, you can cruise to the neighboring islets, enjoy bathing and fishing, or walk through splintered sunlight in a tropical jungle.

Con Dao is 180 kilometers off the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau and comprises 16 islets and is known worldwide for the groups’ notorious prisons and barbaric oppression during war times.

Con Dao island, known as “The Hell on Earth” under the French regime and during the American War, draws many visitors who come to learn the history. Fishing is one of the interesting activities on this beautiful island. Some sportsmen have great luck in the channels between islets. Most people prefer the tamer waters near Wharf 914. Live bait is available at the market, which is a short walk from the wharf. Some sellers give the bait away.

“It is very small, I cannot sell it to customers to make food. So you can take it, just for fun”, a seller told us when we asked for a couple of small fish to try our luck.

You might not catch too many fish but you never feel lonely because the wharf is usually crowded with fishermen and kids. The kids are there just for fun. Despite going home empty-handed most of the time, these kids are ready to help you catch a fish and tell you what you are doing wrong and why your bait is no good and snap your camera for you when you do land a fish. They spend the great majority of their lives on the beach and usually have enough free time to keep you company all day.

On a full moon, when the tide ebbs, the islets grow taller giving you a chance to have a nice long walk straight into the ocean. Some nights you can walk more than one kilometer under the moon. You will bump into many friendly locals out here hunting for cuttle-fish.

This can also be a romantic setting, but the opportunity only lasts for a few hours and then the sea quickly reclaims the exposed skin of the island. Give yourself plenty of time to start walking back in.

There are 13 flights to the Con Dao every week.

Sourced: VietNamNet

Hanoi’s Old Quarter - 36 old streets

2009-06-30T12:03:00.000-07:00

There is an old Vietnamese proverb, "Hanoi has thirty-six streets and guilds - Street Jam, Sugar Street, Salt Street ...". In a modern and dynamic city, it seems the old town, it's Hanoi old town - represented the eternal soul of the city. These days, most Vietnamese are bearing the words "Ha Noi - Ba mươi SAU PHO Phuong" (translated as "Ha Noi - 36 Districts" or "Hanoi - 36 old streets"), or "co-Hà Nội PHO "(translated as" Hanoi Old Town), the top track and special historical eye to see in the capital, attracts international visitors thanks to its largely original condition.

Where is the Old Quarter located? Located between the Lake of the Restored Sword, the Long Bien Bridge, a former city rampart, and a citadel wall, the Old Quarter (consisting of 36 old streets inside) started as a snake and alligator-infested swamp. It later evolved into a cluster of villages made up of houses on stilts, and was unified by Chinese administrators who built ramparts around their headquarters. The area was named "Dominated Annam" or "Protected South" by the Chinese.

How old are the streets? It would be a big surprise should you know that Hanoi's Old Quarter came into being at the time King Ly Thai To selected Thang Long as the country’s capital in 1010, that is, the streets have a nearly 1,000-year old history and became crowded & lively in 15th century. What makes them unique is that many of them remain in their very ancient architecture of the 15th century. Up to now, it has been the oldest continuously developed area of Vietnam.

What are their names’ origins? Due to their long-lasting age, they are called “Old Quarter” or “36 Old Streets” (as consisting of 36 member streets). Similarly to the Guilded age of Europe, “Ha Noi's 36 districts” is Vietnam's version of the guild concept. In the past, as artisans moved to the capital city to do business, they gathered together in this area to share the resources. As a result, many of the streets were named after the crafts sold at that individual street. Pho Hang Bun (Vermicelli), Pho Hang Ma (Paper Product), Pho Hang Bac (Silver), etc. are examples of the streets carrying the name of the products sold there.

The phrase “36 pho phuong” often causes much confusion for most people; “Phố” means a street or a place for merchants to gather to do business, while “Phường”, a district or a guild of artisans specializing in a particular trade (phuong cheo, phuong tho, etc.). Yet, in any case, both are right to some extent.

Specialized craft streets and guilds: Most tourists are eager for exploring the old streets well-known for each one’s specialized industry. Hang Gai Street offers silk clothing ready-made and tailored, embroidery, and silver products. Hang Quat, the street that formerly sold silk and feather fans, now stuns the visitor by its brilliantly colored funeral and festival flags and religious objects and clothing. To Tich Street connects the above two and is still the wood turner's street. Hang Ma glimmers with shiny paper products, such as gift wrappings, wedding decorations and miniature paper objects to burn for the dead. Lan Ong Street is a sensual delight of textures and smells emanating from the sacks of herbal medicinal products: leaves, roots, barks, and powders, etc. Coming here, you may feel as if you were in a classical-styled area in terms of both architecture and product types!

36 old streets or more? Although the old section of Hanoi is often called the "36 Old Streets," there are more than 36 actual streets. Some researchers believe that the number 36 came from the 15th century when there might have been 36 guild locations, which were workshop areas, not streets. When streets were later developed, the guild names were applied to the streets. Others attribute the 36 to a more abstract concept. The number nine in Asia represents the concept of "plenty." Nine times the four directions makes 36, which simply means "many". In fact, there are now more than 70 streets in the area.

Vung Tau Beach

2009-06-29T17:08:00.000-07:00

About 125km Southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, there appears Vung Tau City, which is located in Vung Tau peninsula, the curved point of ‘S’ letter (map of Vietnam). This is the border of the South and the West of Vietland, where we can see the sun on the East Sea (or South China sea), both rising and setting.

To most tourists, Vung Tau is most interesting and loved for its extensive beaches. Tourists always prefer sightseeing at Front Beach (Bai Truoc) to go swimming in Back Beach (Bai Sau).

The first beach is Bai Truoc (translated as “front beach” in Vietnamese), in the West of the city, where the sun goes down. Bai Truoc is considered the façade of Vung Tau city. It is also called by other names such as Tam Duong beach or Hang Dua bay. Besides the best location, the beach is also preferred for having many restaurants and elegant hotels. Sparking, colorful and bright light boulevard make Bai Truoc more beautiful.

Opposite to Bai Truoc is Bai Sau, Back beach (or Thuy Van beach). Back Beach is well-known for its over 10 km of fine sand seaside. The beach is always excited and busy with almost tourists both from the city itself and the world. At weekends or on holidays, there are thousands of people coming here for swimming and entertainment. In Bai Sau, there is a popular kind of entertainment: Paradis, the upgraded swimming and relaxing area, and a system of modern hotels, welcoming all tourists. Other beautiful beaches are Bai Dua and Bai Dau.

From Bai Truoc, Halong street curls to Bai Dua, pineapple beach. The reason for placing that name dated a long time ago, when the beach had many pineapple trees, thus it was called Bai Dua (or Pineapple garden). Many Vung Tau people also call the beach Lang Du, which originated from the local’s first restaurant’s name.

Right in here, the sea goes far into the land and the rock mountain goes from the land to the sea establishing romantic and hidden small beaches. The beach attracts a big amount of tourists. Nearby, the Temple of Southern sea Saint and Tinh Xa nirvana are tourist-attractive sites, which were built on one of these rock mountains.

Bai Dau, Mudberry Beach, is at the foot of Nui Lon, in the North of the city. There used to be a lot of mudberry and ratten so it is also named Ratten beach. Nevertheless, today, there is no longer any mudberry and ratten. So now, instead, when mentioning about Bai Dau, people think of a windless and rocky beach. Tourists should walk on about a few meters to see a 30m-high statue of Mother Maria shining in the green picturesque forest and sea landscape.

Anh Vu Mountain - The natural beauty

2009-06-18T19:45:00.000-07:00

The Son of the enormous range (Seven Mountains) along Highway 91 from Long Xuyên to Chau Doc, Anh Vu, or Ket, Mountain is a popular destination for travelers.

Along the road on rough mountain Vu Anh, there are many restaurants and restaurants with specialties in the greenery of the gardens. Our group stopped "hammock Rest Stop" and was warmly greeted by friendly faces. We ordered Palm fruit juice, a specialty of this region, and asked the way to the mountain. After a few minutes of rest in the hammocks, we have in the mountains.

In a minute, the mountain was for us and we were surprised by its splendor and beauty, but we have just reached Ket tourist zone, near the top of the mountains. The use of the stairs, we began to conquer this mythical mountain.

There are more than 10 interesting sites on the mountain at the foot of the page and along its slopes, that tourists should not miss, such as wells and Fairy Truc Lam, Ngoc Hoang, Thay Phat, Phat Huynh Long Mau and temples.

Mo Ket, a giant stone, is a rest area located halfway between the mountains and the mountains from here, appears to be moving as clouds passing through the bodies are always changing. Temperatures here average 18 to 24 degrees Celsius, despite the heat, at noon. Dai is nearby mountains, like a huge rock garden and an ancient temple, both worth a visit.

It is interesting that there is a property on the top of the mountain Ket. It is well appointed Fairy and is a must for those who conquer this mountain. Well looks like a cave, adhering to rocks and the water is soft and fresh. No one knows its origin or source.

The Son of range, and Anh Vu mountain in particular, are known to the monks who lead a religious life in the mountains, such as Doan Minh Huyen, the founder of the Buu Son Ky Huong Buddhism with its origins. The mountain is open for tours and religious.

Do Temple Festival

2009-04-17T21:29:00.000-07:00

On 9 / 4 (15 / 3 lunar calendar), thousands of visitors cross the ward Dinh Bang (Tu Son town, Bac Ninh) to visit Do Temple Festival where worship the 8 Kings of Ly Dynasty.

As is the focal point of the festival should attract groups and thousands of participants, with an average length up to more than 2 km.

Dragon dance team performing assets in to the Dragon Yard.

Go to the Kinh Bac, visitors cross the opportunity to also enjoy the display of their songs on the boat ...

... or cock fighting, honor and dark folk. The festival lasts until the end on 10 / 4.

Bai Dinh Pagoda

2009-03-25T10:42:00.000-07:00

This is the biggest pagoda in Vietnam, is under construction, expected in 2010 will complete on occasion of the memorial in 1000 King Ly Thai To moved from Hoa Lu to Thang Long (1010 - 2010), (April / 2008 inaugurated Phase 1).

Located behind a series of limestone mountains in the Gia Sinh Commune, Gia Vien District, Ninh Binh province, the site lies on the construction disorder on the way, so it's hard to imagine its beauty as well as on the solemn pagoda in the truest meaning of the word as the tradition. However, its size and large imposingness can all feel if it worth a visit. He leans back Bai Dinh Mountain with an altitude of 200m. Area for the construction of Ba Dinh pagoda is 80ha, which is on the mass of "Bai Dinh pagoda for the culture" of Trang An tourism

Currently, this mass is executing many items of Pagoda including Tam The (Past, Present and Future) Temple, Sanctuary and Bodhisatva Kwan Yin statue, Dharma Temple, Bell-tower, Three-door temple gate, and dormitory area for Buddhist monks, etc. In front of Pagoda valley, a hundred of excavators, bulldozers and power-shovels are digging land and build up a dike to make a huge semicircular lake, which will be taken water from the river crossing to create a landscape of “on shore and under boat” like the Yen Stream flowing under the foot of Huong Tich Pagoda.

The pagoda was in a mountainous area near the old Bai Dinh Pagoda - founded by the Monk Nguyen Minh Khong (1065-1141), located in caves than 200 meters high mountain in the Bai Dinh Pagoda. According to feng shui theory, the pagoda, with his back leaning on Bai Dinh Mountain, and its front looking down the Hoang Long River, has a very good situation. Moreover, with the location too far from a residential area in a hilly region, with old trees attract birds nest, the new pagoda has a quiet atmosphere and offers visitors a peaceful impression.

The pagoda complex stretches over 100 hectares with three temples (past, present, future), Tam The, Phap Chu and the temple to honor the goddess of mercy, and one bell tower. The length from the gate to the highest temple of Tam The is 800 meters. Running from low to high are two corridors of houses, placing 500 arahats at a height of over two meters.

Bai Dinh is also known for his record-breaking work, as are the three statues of Buddha in the past, present and future, a weight of 50 tons per statue in Tam The temple and Buddha statues weighing 100 tonnes in Pháp Chu Temple and two bells have weight of 36 tons and 27 tons.

The pagoda, which is only five kilometers away from two popular tourism destinations of co do Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Vietnam from 968 to 1010 and the Trang An cave area, could become the center for tourism of Ninh Binh Province when it is completed.

My Son Sanctuary

2009-03-23T09:27:00.000-07:00

My son is the most important place in Vietnam from the ancient Champa Kingdom which flourished between the 2nd and 15 century. Descendants of civilization Champ still live along the coast of Vietnam, although they are now fully integrated into the Vietnamese society.

Located in a narrow valley in Duy Tan Commune, Duy Xuyen District, Quang Nam Province. 70km southwest of Danang City, 20km away from the Tra Kieu Citadel, and 40km away from the Ancient Town of Hoi An. My Son Sanctuary is a group of temple-towers of Cham people, an imperial city during the Champa kingdom, an example displaying the evolution and change in culture, a foremost evidence of Asian civilisation which is now extinct. With its great value, in December 1999, the complex of My Son Cham Towers has been recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Aside from religious celebrations, which allowed the dynastic royals to spiritually connect with the gods, My Son was also a cultural and religious centre and was the burial place of kings and religious leaders. My Son has been selected by UNESCO as a world heritage listed site, at its 23rd meeting, under the criteria C (II) and criteria C (III):

Criterion (II): The My Son Sanctuary is an exceptional example of cultural interchange, with the introduction the Hindu architecture of the Indian sub-continent into South-East Asia.

Criterion (III):The Champa Kingdom was an important phenomenon in the political and cultural history of South-East Asia, vividly illustrated by the ruins of My Son.

My Son Sanctuary is a large complex of religious relics that comprises more than 70 architectural works. They include temples and towers that connect to each other with complicated red brick designs. The main component of the Cham architectural design is the tower, built to reflect the divinity of the king.

According to records on the stone stele, the prime foundation of the ancient My Son architectural complex was a wooden temple to worship the Siva Bhadresvera genie. In the late 16th century, a big fire destroyed the temple. Step by step, historical mysteries were unveiled by scientists.

History

Through stone stele and royal dynasties, they proved My Son to be the most important Holy Land of the Cham people from the late 4th to the 15th centuries. For many centuries, the Cham built Lip, a mutually linked architectural complex, with baked bricks and sandstone. The main temple worships the Linga-Yoni, who represents the capability of invention. Beside the main tower (Kalan) are several sub-towers worshipping Genies or deceased kings. Although time and the wars have destroyed some towers, the remaining sculptural and architectural remnants still reflect the style and history of the art of the Cham people. Their masterpieces mark a glorious time for the architecture and culture of the Cham, as well as of Southeast Asia.

Each historical period has its own identity, so that each temple worshipping a genie or a king of a different dynasty has its own architectural style full of different impression. All of the Cham towers were built on a quadrate foundations and each comprises three parts: a solid tower base, representing the world of human beings, the mysterious and sacred tower body, representing the world of spirits, and the tower top built in the shape of a man offering flowers and fruits or of trees, birds, animals, etc., representing things that are close to the spirits and human beings.

Architecture

According to many researchers of the ancient Cham towers, the architectural art of the Cham towers at My Son Sanctuary is the convergence of different styles, including the continuity of the ancient style in the 7th-8th centuries, the Hoa Lai style of the 8th-9th centuries, the Dong Duong style from the mid-9th century, the My Son and My Son-Binh Dinh styles, etc.

Among the remnants of many architectural sites excavated in 1898, a 24 metres high tower was found in the Thap Chua area and coded A I by archaeologists and researchers on My Son. This tower is a masterpiece of ancient Cham architecture. It has two doors, one in the east and the other in the west. The tower body is high and delicate with a system of paved pillars; six sub-towers surround the tower. This two storey tower looks like a lotus flower. The top of the upper layer is made of sandstone and carved with elephant and I ion designs. In the lower layer, the walls are carved with fairies and water evils and men riding elephants. Unfortunately, the tower was destroyed by US bombs in 1969.

After the My Son ancient tower complex was discovered, many of its artifacts, especially statues of female dancers and genies worshipped by the Cham people, worship animals and artifacts of the daily communal activities, were collected and displayed at the Cham Architecture Museum in Danang city. Although there are not many remnants left, those that remain display the typical sculptural works of cultural value of the Cham nationality. Furthermore, they are vivid proof, confirming the history of a nationality living within the Vietnamese community boasting of a rich cultural tradition.

What to do?

From the parking area, you will take a Jeep or minivan to the site (about 2km away). Near the ticket office, there is a Champa museum displaying artifacts and the history of the site. You can visit the museum briefly before visiting the temples.

My Son was divided into 10 main groups labeled A to K. All of the sites are connected by reasonably well-labeled walking tracks. You can explore the ruins by foot, with nothing more challenging than a slight hill to cover.

There are traditional dance performances at various times throughout the day, mostly in the morning for the benefit of the tour groups. The stage is right before you reach the first group of ruins, across from the souvenir shop. It is also interesting if you come to My Son by car and return to Hoi An by boat.

When to go?

The best time is between February and April, when rainfall is low and temperatures are comfortable. During summer, the temperatures can get hot, during the rainy season, particularly during October and November, it can rain constantly and there is a high probability of flood and typhoons.

The Beauty of Da Nang City

2009-03-20T09:25:00.000-07:00

Danang is located in the central part of Vietnam which has diverse geographical features such as plains mountains forests rivers sea and islands. The city has an international airport seaports railway and roads. It is also the gateway to Pacific Ocean of the trans-Asian route. These facilities promote trade within Vietnam with its neighbouring countries and with the rest of the world. Danang is also a famous tourist destination.

Exhibition of stone statue along with Han river bank.

Son Tra Peninsula Resort

O Nam Beach viewed from Hai Van pass.

The dawn of Bac My An beach.

The sunset of Thanh Binh beach.

Bach Dang street leads to Han river bridge.

Photo by: Nguyen Anh Khoa

Floating market of Cai Be

2009-03-20T09:06:00.000-07:00

Cai Be, one of the many well-known floating markets in the western region of southern Vietnam was formed in the Nguyen Dynasty in the 19th century. The Cai Be Floating Market is always busy, bearing all the characteristics of the locals’ life in the western region.

Cai Be floating market in the Mekong Delta, where locals hang fruits and vegetables from the masts of their ships to announce what's for sale. You can see some following photos to explore more.

The market has many types of foods, not fruit only.

They spend all day on their boat for sale.

Ordinary and simple river of the Western.

They live, eat and sleep together with their water environment.

A corner of the trade center in the town.

Tourists can find a relaxing and quite place out of their city.

Photo by: Le Giang, Hoang Phi Hai

Stone Plateau in Ha Giang Province

2009-03-12T11:33:00.000-07:00

Ha Giang is the first place of land north extreme, the mountains here are very high, connected to each other endlessly long. On beneath of the valley and the river is many peaceful villages. Images by Tran Phuc Thinh Le and Tran Thanh Son share.

As beautiful as water painting on the moutain pass of Ha Giang.

Small River is viewed from Ma Pi Lang peak.

You will never forget this landscape if you have once visited Quan Ba "Sky Gate".

Viewing from Dong Van peak, everything seems small.

Secret Stone Cave in Dong Van Plateau.

Mountain Couple in Quan Ba.

Pathways run through many moutains.

The beauty of Forest and Moutain from Dong Van peak.

The territory of Meo Vuong locates between valleys and stone moutains.

The Beauty of Tam Dao

2009-03-12T11:23:00.000-07:00

Town of Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc), about 80km far from Hanoi, is an ideal place for nursing on holiday weekend with clouds, mountains, trees and vestiges of the old French villas. Image read by Pham Tuan Anh sharing:

Sunset of Tam Dao.

The limb became denuded in the Winter.

One corner of the mountain clouds.

Three top of the mountain formed the Tam Dao.

Kinds of beautiful flowers.

Pathway.