Posted by admin on March 10, 2011 under Vietnam travel News | 
US travellers are becoming more interested in Asian travel destinations according to new information from a flight service called skycanner.com.
Eight of the top ten up and coming international travel destinations are located in Asia.
According to skyscanner.com, Taipei, Beijing and Tokyo come up big in flight searches and have “as much as three times the number of searches in 2010 compared to 2009.”
Shanghai has had the biggest increase in popularity and has risen by 243 percent in searches. Eastern Europe destinations are also getting a boost in interest among US travelers. Moscow, the capital of Russia ranks in 7th place with Kiev, the capital of the Ukraine ranking in 7th place.
What travel destinations are Americans searching for online? Here are the Top Ten from skyscanner.com
* Shanghai
* Taipei
* Beijing
* Tokyo
* Ho Chi Minh City
* Moscow
* Kiev
* Kuala Lumpur
* Singapore
* Hong Kong
Destinations such as London, Paris and Rome are perennial favorites among US travellers
These three UK and European cities are still the most searched for international travel destinations, according to Scott Carlson of skyscanner.com. However, Carlson said that there is an “apparent trend for Asian cities when we look at which destinations have seen the biggest increase in searches from 2009 to 2010.”
“As US travelers continue to look for new and exciting vacation ideas throughout 2011, I expect Asian destinations will continue to see a rise in popularity and may even usurp some of the more traditional and established destinations,” said Carlson of skyscanner.com
Posted by admin on under Vietnam travel News |
By Minh Nhat in HCMC
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| A boat launched by Life Heritage Resort in Ha Long Bay – Photo: Courtesy of Life Resorts |
Life Heritage Resort Halong Bay under Life Resorts Management Co. has launched four private deluxe boats in Halong Bay.
The boats, specially decorated with the history and local culture of the bay in mind, are built and operated to Certified Marine Standards and equipped with modern maritime safety features and equipment.
Each boat has a spacious 32 square meter cabin with an upper deck, a dining terrace and sun deck. Cabin facilities feature a separate living area with panoramic windows, swim deck, en-suite bathroom and shower, comfortable queen size beds, air conditioning and heating, and sun beds on the upper deck.
All the boats carry on board kayaks, swimming ladders, snorkel, masks and fins as well as rod and hand reel fishing equipment. Customers can design their own itinerary of the bay’s sights, limestone caves, islands and secluded beaches.
Six hour cruises cost US$220 for two persons, including set lunch. Additional persons up to a maximum of four are charged at US$65 each.
Hotel pick-up and drop-off from Hanoi or Hai Phong is available. The boats launch at midday everyday. For more information, please contact Life Heritage Resort Halong Bay.
Posted by admin on March 4, 2011 under Vietnam Travel Guide, Vietnam Travel in the South, vietnam beauty |
By Dang Hoang Tham in Kien Giang
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| The beautiful Hon Nghe Islet off Kien Giang Province – Photo: Dang Hoang Tham |
On my trip to Kien Giang Province, in the far south of Vietnam, I traveled to Kien Luong coastal district to see what is reputedly the most beautiful island in the Mekong Delta. To get to Hon Nghe Islet I took National Road 80 to Nga Ba Hon wharf and caught a boat.
The cruise departed early in the afternoon and we seemed to get lost in a wonderland, a small Ha Long Bay in the south. The cruise glided past many islands. The famous mountainous Phu Tu Islet was to the north surrounded by many smaller islands. The little islands have weird shapes – a stone castle, a whale and there’s the coconut tree covered Ba Lua Island.
After two hours we arrived at Hon Nghe Islet and went ashore in a small wooden boat. The first thing I saw, halfway up Lau Chuong Mountain, was a 20-meter-high statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha. The limestone mountain has many stalactite caves.
We decided to go to the old Lien Ton Co Tu Pagoda. We had to conquer hundreds of stone steps to get the sanctuary. On the way, we passed the statue of Sakyaminu Buddha and Chuong (Bell) giant rock which will made a “boong… boong” sound like a bell when I struck it with a small rock.
Further up are beautifully carved Arahat statues.
The pagoda is about 20 meters inside a stone cave. On the mountain walls are many statues of lion, tiger and dragons.
Night time in the pagoda is really peaceful and still. It was a full moon, so the ocean that looked amazing. The pagoda was blanketed in mist. Sometimes, the monks struck the wooden bell while they prayed. The gongs of the bell resonated with the other sounds in the forest.
Early in the morning, I got up to enjoy the dawn. It was a contrast to the stillness of the night; the islet was very busy with fishing boats, fishermen and traders.
Hon Nghe Islet is 320 meters high and 380 hectares. Tourists can take a boat trip to a fish farm to buy fish and discover the lives of local fishermen. The islet is also home to many species of birds.
Phat Co Don Cave can be accessed by a winding path. Inside, it is like a living room and there is a Buddha statue. Some other caves are also worth a visit.
Book mekong river cruise now to enjoy best rate!
Posted by admin on March 3, 2011 under Attractions, Vietnam Travel Guide, Vietnam Travel in the North |
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Black H’mong women sell tho cam (ethnic fabrics) in Sapa. One of the most wonderful highlands in Asia, Sapa is a magical combination of landscapes, ethnic cultures and fresh mountain air.
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It was too early. I struggled to peel my eyes open, wondering what the commotion outside was all about. The clock pointed to somewhere between 4 and 5 a.m.
It was Sunday, and I was at a hotel in Sapa. Cursing the thin walls of the hotel, I walked to the window to peer into the dawning light outside.
I had expected to see a few people milling about their morning business. Instead, I saw the streets flooded with hundreds of H’mong and Red Dao people in colourful ethnic attire heading to the Sapa market.
It was an exotic orchestra of people speaking foreign tongues, children running, babies whimpering, chickens clucking and pigs snorting.
It was impossible to sleep with all the noise, so I decided to get out and experience the traditional Sunday market myself.
Black H’mong women sell tho cam (ethnic fabrics) in Sapa. One of the most wonderful highlands in Asia, Sapa is a magical combination of landscapes, ethnic cultures and fresh mountain air.
Love in the marketplace
The sights, sounds and smells of Sapa’s market are as distinctive as the ethnic tribes jostling about. Locals go to the market not just to buy and sell but also to unwind after a long, hard week.
I had been watching H’mong girls wearing garlands of dried mushrooms on strings around their necks, when suddenly, a H’mong man caught the arm of one of the girls and tried to pull her away.
I was alarmed, but a shopkeeper explained, “It is cướp vợ custom. When a H’mong man finds the girl of his dreams, he and his friends try to pull her away. If they succeed, they take her to the man’s house for a few days before visiting the girl’s family to ask for her hand in marriage.”
Rustic grub
Just inside the market gates were stalls full of mountain fruits such as peaches, plums, chestnuts, and Indian taro.
But the locals were eating hearty breakfasts of mèn mén (corn wheat cake), and thắng cố (horse meat soup). The better off leaned over steaming bowls of ph^, an expensive treat in these mountainous regions.
To the right are stalls full of trinkets and local products. Here you can find everything from ethnic silver jewelry to mushrooms, tam thất (notoginseng), honey, and linh chi fungus.
I bought a kilo of dried buds of the tam thất to gift friends back home. The tam thất bud tea is believed to aid good sleep.
Fabrics in Sapa
Next, I headed to the second floor of the Sapa market, which is known as the heart of the market. This is the arena of women selling brocades from their little workshops.
Many of these local artisans have been working in dimly-lit, cramped shops for decades, weaving yards of intricately designed brocades. Owing to the fabric’s popularity among tourists, a lot of the women here can converse quite well in English.
Heavily embroidered colorful blankets, pillow shams, table covers beckoned from all around. I found myself attracted to the more esoteric designs of the H’mong people.
A Sapa native told me that H’mong girls are taught to weave, sew and dye fabrics from a very young age. When they grow up, they are entrusted with the responsibility of making clothes for her family. The better her needle work, the better a girl’s prospects for marriage.
The market continues bustling until late afternoon, when locals begin to pack up their goods and head back to their homes in the terraced hills of Sapa.
Though tourism is growing rapidly in this region, mercifully, the H’mongs and Red Daos have preserved their colorful culture. In the Sapa market, the ethnic people and their cultures come alive every weekend, fusing together the simple times of the past in a traditional, but evolving market.
Source: thanhniennews
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Posted by admin on under Vietnam Travel in the South, Vietnam travel News |
The Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Day 2011 will be held on the 23/9 (September 23rd) Park from April 7 to 10.
According to the Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism the annual event is an opportunity for travel companies to publicize their brands and offer their products to consumers.
Various activities including a singing contest, a photo exhibition of beautiful landscapes and hot tourist spots in the country and a food fair will take place during the festival.
A special parade honoring Vietnamese brand names will be broadcast live on HTV9 channel in the closing ceremony of the festival.
Last years event saw hundreds of thousands of visitors arriving for travel information and to book tours from travel agents.
Book hcmc hotels today to enjoy this great festival in ho chi minh city!
See best Saigon hotel: Caravelle Saigon, New World Hotel Saigon, Windsor saigon plaza, Equatorial saigon hotel, Renaissance Riverside saigon.
Source: SGGP
Posted by admin on under Attractions, Vietnam Travel Guide, Vietnam travel News |
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| Tourists take a boat trip along Ham Ho River in Binh Dinh Province |
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| Ham Ho is home to many giant rocks in diverse shapes – Photos: Thuy Trieu |
Everyone who visits Binh Dinh Province should visit Ham Ho ecotourism area.
Ham Ho is a 3-kilometer-long river section through an old forest in Tay Phu, Tay Son Districts, about 55 km from Quy Nhon.
Over millenniums the water has carved the rocks in the river into bizarre shapes.
Many precious trees grow in the forests around Ham Ho. An interesting time to visit is when the Loc Vung ornamental trees (lecythidales) flower. There are sturdy stilt houses on the banks of the spring for tourists to enjoy some refreshments and take in the natural beauty around them such as the bridges and rock pools. Adventurers can kayak on the spring, take a ride in a small canoe or trek to the mountain. You can set up a camp among the giant rocks near the lake and swim.
Staying overnight is a good way to get closer to nature and listen to insects, the murmuring streams and waterfalls.
Collected by Vietnam hotel
Posted by admin on under Vietnam Travel in the North, Vietnam festival, Vietnam travel News |
Located at Đông Triều district, Quang Ninh province, Quỳnh Lâm pagoda used to be the largest Buddhist centre for the entire country during the 17th and 18th century.
The pagoda was built at the Pre-Lý Dynasty (about the end of the 5th century, begin of the 6th century) and has been restored many times under the Đinh, Early Lê, Lý, Trần, Lê Dynasties.
Before the pagoda is a great lake, while the three remaining sides are surrounded by hills and mountains. It was embellished and completed in Lý, Trần Dynasties. During the 11th and 14th centuries, the end of Lê Dynasty, and in the 17th and 18th centuries, it developed into the main centre of Buddhism for the entire country.
In the 14th century, the Quỳnh Lâm Pagoda became an even more important Buddhist centre with the activities of the monk Pháp Loa Đồng Kiên Cương, a member of the second generation of the Trúc Lâm Buddhist sect. It was the centre for sacred books and for preaching Buddhism, as well as a training-site for future pagoda wardens. Many associations, famous in Vietnamese literature and history, were organized here.
In 1319, Pháp Loa calls for blood donation from Buddhist followers to print over 5,000 copies of Đại Tạng sutras, which are kept at Quỳnh Lâm Buddhist Institute. In 1328, he had a statue of Maitreya cast. A year later, he brought a part of the bone ash of Trần Nhân Tông (the 1st patriarch of the Trúc Lâm Zen sect) to put into the stone stupa in Quỳnh Lâm Pagoda.
In early 15th century, the pagoda was reduced to ruins and had to undergo many restorations. In 1727, the 7-storey Tịch Quang Stupa (grave of monk Chân Nguyên, who made great contribution to the pagoda) was set up, which measures up to 10 meters. The stupa’s top takes the shape of a banyan bud. To the stupa is attached a plate which notes down the biography of monk Chân Nguyên.
In mid-18th century, the pagoda underwent a major restoration. It now also has bronze bells and stone gongs.
This year’s ritual festivities of the Quỳnh Lâm Pagoda are held on March 5-8 (from the first to the fourth day of the second lunar month). However, the festive atmosphere often lasts through spring.
Source: quangninh.gov
Collected by Vietnam hotel
Posted by admin on under Vietnam Travel in the North, Vietnam travel News, vietnam hotel |
Northern provinces are accelerating efforts to woo investors into tourism development.
Deputy chairwoman of Yen Bai People’s Committee Pham Thi Thanh Tra said in the past six years the ‘Back to the Origin’ tourism programme in three northern provinces of Yen Bai, Phu Tho and Lao Cai has captured visitors’ special attention while stimulating investment into local tourism infrastructure development.
The statement was made during the launching of ‘Back to the Origin’ tourism programme 2011 which was jointly held by the three northern locations. Tra was also the head of these locations’ tourism cooperation board.
There are nearly 1,000 tourism residences, 500 hotels, 260 big restaurants and over 20 ecological and entertainment sites in these three locations currently. However, tourism infrastructure in these areas is backward.
Despite an abundance of state classified historical relics, biodiversity and picturesque landscapes, the tourism sector’s revenue in these areas is low due to the lack of quality tourism accommodations. As with Yen Bai, the province licenced 277 investment projects in the past five years, however the tourism sector only lured in several dozens of projects. The province’s leadership hopes the ‘Back to the Origin’ tourism programme 2011 would help bring more visitors to the province.
“Yen Bai is accelerating the construction of major tourism venues and strives to turn Thac Ba into a national standard resort,” Tra said.
Similar to Yen Bai, Phu Tho also remains unknown to many local and foreign visitors due to poor infrastructure. The province is concentrating efforts into bringing about a face-lifting to provincial hotel and restaurant system and popularising the homestay model to catch up visitors’ needs.
Deputy chairwoman of Phu Tho People’s Committee Nguyen Thi Kim Hai said the province would prioritise investment into tourism growth in the coming period.
Hai said tourism investment figures were upbeat. Particularly, the Viet Han Real Estate Company has joined hands with South Korea-based Samsung Group to engage in a big $5 billion resort which covers 2,500 hectares in Tam Nong district’s six communes. Site clearance will start from the second quarter of 2011 and the project will be put into use from 2018.
Besides, Xuan Truong Company Limited has worked on a building a road running from Hung Kings Temple to Xuan Son National Park and upgrading five stilt-houses of local people into tourism residences.
Phu Tho is calling investment for some major tourism projects such as those associated with Ao Chau resort or Thanh Thuy hot spring resort.
Of the three above locations, Lao Cai scores best in luring visitors. The province authorities recently licenced 11 projects by domestic investors worth more than $17 million.
Accommodating Sa Pa, a famous tourism site for its splendid beauty and special cultural diversity, Lao Cai is attracting many investors, including foreign ones.
Some effective foreign direct investment projects in the province currently are the Victoria Sapa hotel, a sapa hotel and foreigner-oriented electronic gaming project by Lao Cai International Hotel Joint Venture Company, or the Topas Ecolodge Sa Pa resort.
Source: VIR
Posted by admin on March 1, 2011 under Vietnam Travel in the South, Vietnam festival, Vietnam travel News |
Grand slam in mui ne
Boasting a long coastline, which is favourable for sea sports, Mui Ne bay in the central province of Binh Thuan’s Phan Thiet city, is selected to be the first destination of the 2011 PWA Grand Slam, to take place from Feb. 25-March 5.
According to the organising board, 12 members of the Professional Windsurfers Association (PWA), 116 professional windsurfers, including 20 female athletes have registered to attend the competition, the first of its kind in Vietnam.
Windsurfers will compete in men’s and women’s slalom and freestyle categories.
The Vietnam 2011 PWA Grand Slam is one of the most four important competitions of PWA in rating windsurfers, which are held annually.
Apart from the competition in Vietnam, the rest three tournaments will beheld in Aruba from June 19-26, Spain from July 27-1 and in Germany from Sept. 23-Oct. 3.
More information about phan thiet hotel can be found at http://vietnamhotels.net.
Source: VNA
Posted by admin on under Vietnam Travel in the Central, Vietnam festival, Vietnam travel News |
With the title “Nha Trang- the Sea of Rendezvous”, the Sea Festival 2011 will be held from June 11th to 15th by the Khanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee.
Unlike previously, the Sea Festival 2011 will take place at three famous tourism sites along the Tran Phu coastal street (Nha Trang City), Bai Dai Beach (Cam Lam District) and Doc Let beach (Ninh Hoa Town) with 50 activities such as the Miss Khanh Hoa Contest, Road Festival, Cau Ngu (fish worshipping) Ceremony, “Swallow’s Nest Festival”, Trade Fair of Vietnamese High-quality Products, Film Week, traditional art performances and so on.
Most of these activities describing “Nha Trang- Khanh Hoa- a civilized and friendly destination” will be at the February 4th Square with participation of many artists and art delegations not only from different provinces and cities and from the Republic of Korea, Cuba, France and China.
Noteworthy is that, the festival will observe a day to introduce Truong Sa Island District through a photo exhibition, songs of Truong Sa soldiers, a seminar and a film show on Truong Sa for local people and visitors to know more about this sacred part of the country’s territory .
Nha Trang Sea Festival is held every two years since 2003 to demonstrate traditional and modern cultural values with an effort to preserve and bring into play the nation’s cultural quintessence.
Book Nha trang hotel today at http://Vietnamhotels.net/ to get the best prices!
Source: ANTD
