Vietnam: Lunar January is festival month

Posted by admin on February 11, 2011 under Vietnam Travel Guide, Vietnam Travel in the North, Vietnam festival, Vietnam travel News | Read the First Comment

People in traditional costumes prepare for a buffalo to do the first furrow at Tich Dien Festival in Ha Nam Province on Wednesday – Photo: Hoang Ha

In Vietnamese folk culture, there is a saying: ‘Thang gieng la thang an choi (The first lunar month is the month to play and enjoy the festive time). In Lunar January everywhere around the country is buzzing with traditional cultural festivities. Typical of a wet rice civilization, Vietnamese people believe that when spring comes, the fun of harvest time also comes. People spend time with family, worship their ancestors and the gods of heaven and earth and go on a pilgrimage to the pagodas to pray for happiness, prosperity and luck for the whole year. That’s why traditional festivals bloom during this most beautiful season of the year. Here are some festivals happening during the first lunar month.

Huong Pagoda Festival

The Huong Pagoda Festival which opened on Feb. 8 (the sixth day of the first lunar month) in Hanoi’s outskirt district of My Duc, so far has attracted over 15,000 Buddhist pilgrims and tourists. The festival’s organizing committee and tourists planted five sakura trees donated by Japanese monk Yoshimizu Dai Chi at Tam Bao garden in Thien Tru Pagoda.

The Huong Pagoda Festival is the biggest and longest annual festival in Vietnam, lasting three spring months. It welcomes more than 1 million pilgrims and tourists each year. Nearly 200 high-quality boats have been added to the fleet of more than 4,000 boats to serve tourists during this year’s festival. While drifting on the river, tourists can enjoy traditional music shows.

A poetry night named “Tam Xuan” (the soul of spring) will be organized next Wednesday (Feb. 16 or the 14th day of the first lunar month), a Buddhist Culture Week and a Buddhist antique exhibition will start on Feb. 19. The highlight of the culture week is a ceremony to float flower garlands and colored lanterns on the Yen Stream featuring 2011 lotuses. The Huong Pagoda Festival runs until the end of March.

Dong Da, Soc Temple and Co Loa festivals in Hanoi

The culturally rich capital boasts over 100 festivals. The Dong Da Festival on the fifth day of the first lunar month (February 7) commemorates the battle of Emperor Quang Trung against invaders of the Qing dynasty. The highlight of the festival is a Fire Dragon dance. A group of young men wearing close-fitted white clothes, with red stripes and belts, and blue puttees, raise the dragon to their heads and perform the dance of the “hovering dragon.” Additionally, there are traditional martial arts, unicorn dancing, dragon dancing, wrestling, human chess, cock fighting and religious rites.

The Soc Temple Festival on the seventh day of the first lunar month (February 9) commemorates Thanh Giong, one of the four immortal gods of Vietnamese folk culture. People from  eight communes in six districts around the Soc Temple gather to celebrate the offering ceremony to pay tribute to Thanh Giong. After being acknowledged as the intangible cultural world heritage in 2011 by UNESCO, the festival has gained much attention from local people and both domestic and foreign tourists. Catherine Muller, head of the representative office of UNESCO in Vietnam, told the Vietnam News Agency at the opening day that she appreciates the community spirit of the festival and this ancient festival has been well restored and promoted.

The Co Loa Festival from the sixth to the sixteenth day of the first lunar month (from February 8 to 18) at Co Loa Commune in Dong Anh District commemorates King An Duong Vuong who came to the throne in 257 BC. Local and neighboring people join in an offering ceremony in eight communes and enjoy various entertainment activities like traditional wrestling, volleyball, human chess, love duets, water puppetry, cock fighting, swinging and rice cooking among others.

Tich Dien Festival in Ha Nam

Locals and tourists on Wednesday (the seventh day of the first lunar month) flocked to Doi Son Commune, Duy Tien District in Ha Nam Province to celebrate the Tich Dien Festival (field ploughing festival) to commemorate the first ploughing festival since the year of 987 under the reign of king Le Dai Hanh. During the festival people participated in both cultural and sports activities like volleyball contest, swinging game, foot bridge challenge and tug of war among others. The highlight of the event was 15 big buffalos ploughing a field.

Lim and Ba Chua Kho festivals in Bac Ninh

The province has the Lim Festival, a famous folk music festival, from the 11th to the 13th day of the first lunar month. People come to enjoy the festival and see the performances of “lien anh” and “lien chi” (male and female farmers) who sing quan ho (love duets) and other types of songs in the pagodas, on the hills, and in the boats. Moreover there’s a weaving competition for girls who weave and sing quan ho songs at the same time. The Lim Festival also includes all the ritual stages, from the procession to the worshipping ceremony. The Lim Festival is a special cultural activity in the North. The festival celebrates the “Quan Ho” folk song which was recognized as  Vietnam Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2009.

Ba Chua Kho Festival which will be held on the 14th day of the first lunar month (Feb. 16) at Co Me Village, Vu Ninh Commune, Bac Ninh City, Bac Ninh Province is to commemorate Ba Chua Kho or The Queen of Stock and to pray for property and good luck.

Gau Tao and Long Tong festivals in Lao Cai

This highland province has the Gau Tao Festival of the H’Mong ethnic people from the third to the fifth day of the first lunar month, the Long Tong Festival of the Tay people in the rice fields near their village on the fifth or 15th day of the first lunar month, and the dancing festival of the Red Dao ethnic people on the first and second days of the new year.

Moreover, there are other festivals like Gia La Festival in Duong Noi Commune, Hoai Duc District, Hanoi from the sixth day to the 14th day of the first lunar month (Feb. 8 to 16); the Sai Temple Festival in Thuy Lam Commune, Dong Anh District, Hanoi on the 12th day of the first lunar month (Feb. 14); the Va Temple Festival in Trung Hung Commune, Son Tay Townlet, Hanoi on the 15th day of the first lunar month (Feb. 17) and the Tam Thanh Pagoda Festival in Lang Son City, Lang Son Province on the  15th day of the first lunar month (Feb. 17).

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Con Dao in spring

Posted by admin on February 9, 2011 under Attractions, Vietnam Travel in the North, Vietnam travel News | Read the First Comment

By Mong Binh in HCMC

A foreign tourist lies on Dam Trau Beach in Con Dao – Photo: Mong Binh

The white and pink peach blossoms in Con Dao signal the beginning of spring and the market in town is vibrant with floral colors.

Spring is the windy season in Con Dao, the archipelago off the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau. Strong winds increase the swell. The ocean is full of white caps and the crashing waves send white water high up the island’s many cliff faces. There are also havens for visitors to swim in the turquoise, calm sea.

Dam Trau Beach is one of the protected beaches on Con Dao, where locals and foreign tourists opt for relaxing strolls, rests and camping. This yellow-sand beach earned its name from an island legend about two lovers. The girl in the doomed love affair, Mai Thi Trau, committed suicide from the cliffs because she couldn’t tie the knot with the man she loved, who was revealed by her father to be her half-brother.

The love story has a sad ending, but a trip to Dam Trau Beach will certainly end in happiness for nature lovers. The small sandy bay is perfect for sunbathing, long walks and exploring the black cliffs that stretch into the water.

The cliffs divide Dam Trau Beach into two parts. The furthest beach from the road can be reached best at low tide. The tree-lined beach has a fresh water stream shadowed by a giant tropical almond tree whose leaves have turned red.

Red-leaved almond trees also line the esplanade and many of the streets in the sleepy little town on Con Dao. Most of them were planted over 100 years ago.

The best time to tour Con Dao is summertime when the sea and the weather are calm, but a visit to the archipelago in the windy season promises a lot of excitement.

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Vinh Phuc sets sights on becoming a tourism hub

Posted by admin on under Attractions, Vietnam Travel in the North, Vietnam travel News, vietnam beauty | Be the First to Comment

Northern Vinh Phuc province hopes to be a “must” for tourists by 2015 and then become the country’s number one tourism and services hub by 2020.

VIR talks with Vinh Phuc Information and Tourism Promotion Centre director Duong Quang Ung about these ambitious targets.

Abounding with scores of picturesque landscapes and historical sites Vinh Phuc is seen as a fertile land for tourism development. Could you shed some light on this?

First and foremost, Vinh Phuc boasts a strategic position which adjoins Hanoi and it is near Noi Bai International Airport. The province also has the passage of arterial roads such as National Highway 2A and the Hanoi-Lao Cai-Yunnan railway.

Particularly, in the near future the trans-Asia road and the Kunming-Hanoi-Haiphong expressway will go across the province, creating an impetus to spur economic cooperation and development as well as cultural exchanges among countries and territories in the Mekong Subregion.

Transport conveniences will significantly bolster the province’s tourism and services development.

Second, geographically Vinh Phuc features highlands, midlands and plain terrain with extremely diversified lake, river and stream systems and scenic natural charms which are ideal locations for relaxation and refreshment. They are Tam Dao, Dai Lai and Tay Thien tourist sites.

Third, Vinh Phuc has bountiful tangible and intangible cultural values through nearly 1,000 relics such as Ha Tien Pagoda, Binh Son Tower, Huong Canh Temple, Hai Ba Trung Temple and Dong Dau archaeological site. Visitors will also be fascinated with local traditional feasts, peculiar crafts, melodious folk songs, traditional popular games as well as tasteful local dishes.

Fourth, in recent years more investments were poured into ameliorating the province’s tourism and service infrastructure, ranging from postal and banking system to hotels, restaurants and entertainment facilities, alongside rapid economic development. This is a catalyst to lift services development in the province.

Vinh Phuc’s tourism sector has experienced a turnaround which was reflected through the number of visitors and the sector’s total revenue in the past few years. What are major achievements?

In recent few years, Vinh Phuc has planned and deployed scores of tourism infrastructure development projects with investment capital taken from the state coffers to build roads, water supply and sewer systems and improve public lighting systems.

Apart from this, the province has magnified efforts to woo investments into tourism infrastructure and services facilities. In 2010, investments from province-based firms rose 150 per cent compared to 2009’s, mainly focusing on infrastructure development, hotels, holiday homes and golf courses, creating a facelift to the tourism industry.

Particularly, the building of a 2.5 kilometre long cable car system costing VND258 billion ($12.9 million) at Tay Thien cultural and festival site developed by the Lac Hong Investment Joint Stock Company is on the development progress.

According to statistics, Vinh Phuc is currently home to 152 tourism facilities, including 50 hotels with 2,650 rooms to satisfy visitors’ need.

With proper investments, the province’s tourism sector has been developing phenomenally in the recent years and attracted an ever-increasing number of visitors. In 2005, the province welcomed 986,000 visitors of whom 18,500 were foreigners.

The figures climbed to nearly two million visitors and 26,500 foreigners in 2010, respectively. The province raked in VND757.6 billion ($37.88 million) in tourism revenue last year, jumping 12 per cent against 2009.

Some said the local tourism sector had not developed on par with its prevailing potential and advantages. Is it true?

The tourism sector is still facing multiple challenges. For example, the demand for capital from tourism projects is enormous, far exceeding actual investments from the private business community and the state budget every year. Besides, tourism infrastructure has lagged behind growing development requirements.

In addition, the local tourism human resources are skill-strapped and technical infrastructure, particularly hotels, entertainment facilities and tourism services remains poor. Tourism offerings are limited with peculiar tour packages almost absent. Travel activities are underdeveloped with a single business offering outbound tours in the whole province currently.

Last but not least, the province’s tourism sector is yet to establish effective linkages with other localities’, particularly in promoting waterway tourism.

What are Vinh Phuc’s 2011 tourism development targets as well as solutions to spur growth?

Following the province’s the 15th Party Resolution, Vinh Phuc continues to push up socio-economic development, gradually raise service quality and take tourism as a development spearhead.

Great efforts will be made to further ameliorate local investment climate, effectively handle compensation and site clearance and woo investments from different sources into tourism development.

The province is set to promote investments into building tourism infrastructure with priority given to developing a sewer system at Tam Dao resort (second phase) in Tam Dao district, building Dam Vac spillway in Vinh Yen city and a road connecting to Thanh Lanh Lake in Binh Xuyen district. In the meantime, around VND300 billion ($15 million) will be pumped into golf courses, holiday homes, villas and hotels with investment capital from the private sector.

In respect to business targets, the province strives to attract nearly 2.2 million tourists with 27,800 foreigners and generate revenue of around VND847.7 billion ($42.3 million) from tourism, hotel and restaurant services in 2011. The revenue figure is expected to hit VND2.1 trillion ($105 million) by 2015 and VND3.5 trillion ($175 million) by 2020, respectively.

To make these goals come true, the province will come up with a raft of measures.

Firstly, efforts will be made to check up and draw detailed planning of pivotal tourism sites to effectively utilise state investments earmarked for tourism infrastructure, call for further private investments into the local tourism sector with emphasis placed on building four to five-star hotels as well as high-end resorts and entertainment facilities.

Particularly the province welcomes investments into promoting Dam Vac tourism, upgrading the Minh Quang-Thanh Lanh route and building Tay Thien cultural and festival site in Tam Dao district to lure visitors.

Besides, local authorities will take an iron hand on delayed tourism projects, particularly those at Tam Dao resort and timely introduce a tourism master planning and incentive policies so as to encourage investments from the private sector into the local tourism development.

Source: VIR

Collected by Vietnam hotels

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Enjoy yellow apricot flowers on the sacred Yên Tử Mountain

Posted by admin on January 30, 2011 under Vietnam Travel in the North, Vietnam travel News, vietnam beauty | Be the First to Comment

It is said that the peach flower is the symbol of Tết in the north, then the yellow apricot flower is its counterpart in the south. But today, the apricot is no longer unique to the south. A rare kind of apricot was discovered on Yen Tu Mountain in Quảng Ninh province.

Yellow apricot flower Yen Tu moutainYellow apricot flower Yen Tu moutain

The yellow apricot trees blossoms on the height of 1,000 metres above sea level. In 2007, some of locals and tourists accidentally discovered this precious species of apricot trees while visiting Yên Tử Mountain. They called them “Yên Tử yellow apricot flowers” to distinguish with the apricot flowers in the south.

According to several scientists, the Yên Tử apricot trees and other species of apricot trees in the South have the same origin: they belong to Ochna integerrima (Lour. Merr.) It is questioned whether the Yen Tu apricot trees or apricot trees in the south appeared earlier.

Yellow apricot flower Yen Tu moutain

Up to now, there is no research about the time of appearance of these apricot trees. A theory says that apricot trees at Yên Tử Mountain were transferred from the south of Việt Nam and they grow until today. Other theory says that the apricot trees at Yên Tử Mountain travelled from the mountain of southwest China then they went to the south of Việt Nam and other Indochinese countries.

Source: quangninh.gov.vn

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International exerts carry out a survey at Ho Dynasty Citadel

Posted by admin on January 29, 2011 under Vietnam Travel in the North | Read the First Comment

Ho Dynasty CitadelDiplomats and representatives of the UNESCO Vietnam on January 23 take a study tour at the Ho Dynasty Citadel in Thanh Hoa province to evaluate the architectural and historical values of this work.

They also visited the Nam Giao Esplanade relic and satellite relics. Thanh Hoa officials introduced information about the globally outstanding values of the Ho Dynasty Citadel.

At the end of the trip, UNESCO Vietnam chief representative Katherine Muller Marin said that she was very impressed with the Ho Dynasty Citadel, the Nam Giao Esplanade and the king’s well.

“I’m impressed by the way ancient people put together big flagstones in such a short time without any adhesive,” Marin said.

She was also impressed by the special design of the Nam Giao Esplanade and King Ho Quy Ly’s reformed ideas. She said that these elements are very important.

Pham Sanh Chau, chief of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Foreign Cultural Relations – UNESCO Department, said that Thanh Hoa authorities need to carefully prepare documents related to this site to get the best result at the 35th session of the World Heritage Committee in Bahrain this June.

Ho Dynasty Citadel was the capital of the Ho Dynasty, which is also called Tay Do (western capital) to differentiate it from Dong Do (eastern capital – Thang Long). This is a unique stone-made work in Vietnam. Around 20,000 cubic meters of stone were used to build the citadel and 100,000 cubic meters of land were excavated.

Collected by Vietnam hotel

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Three fairy peaches in the middle of Hạ Long bay

Posted by admin on January 28, 2011 under Vietnam Travel Guide, Vietnam Travel in the North, Vietnam travel News, vietnam beauty | Read the First Comment

Located 22km from south of Bãi Cháy Tourist Wharf, Ba Trái Đào (Three Peaches) is a famous tourist attraction in halong bay with three nice fairy beaches and romantic landscape.

Three fairy peaches

This island consists of three small mountains with the height of 23m. It features three small sand beaches embracing small islands. Seen from afar, these islands resemble three peaches.

The island connects to a legend of about the romantic love between a youngest fairy, who was very pretty with a young and poor fisherman. Because of feeling in love with him, she stole three peaches from Heaven for him, which if he ate, would give him eternal life, allowing them to live together forever.

The King of the Heavens got angry when discovering the robbery and turned the peaches into three stone islands. Chastised, the young fairy had to return the heaven and could never meet the fisherman again.

Despite of its sad love story, thousands of travelers, especially lovers, visit this island each year because of its fairy and quiet natural beauty.

Source: quangninh.gov.vn

Collected by Vietnam hotel

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Various activities to be held to welcome Spring in Hanoi

Posted by admin on January 26, 2011 under Attractions, Vietnam Travel in the North, Vietnam festival, Vietnam travel News | 2 Comments to Read

Hanoi Ancient CitadelVarious art activities to welcome the Party and Spring will be held from January 25 to February 20 at the Hanoi Ancient Citadel.

The information was released by Mr Nguyen Van Son, Director of the Preservation Centre for Co Loa Relic, Hanoi Ancient Citadel.

The organization board will introduce over 50 oil paintings reflecting life, culture, gastronomy, trade villages and trade streets in Thang Long – Hanoi from the 17th century to the 19th century, themed “Thang Long – Hanoi”.

Additionally, a documentary photo exhibition will be held with more than 100 photos about Thang Long – Hanoi sub-titled: scenery and urban areas; ancient streets; life and change; and colonial urban areas.

The organization board will also organize an exhibition and performance of calligraphy, themed “Spring in Thang Long Royal Citadel 2011”. Visitors will have the chance to contemplate over 100 unique ornamental plants.

Source: VIR

Collected by Vietnam hotel

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Saint Giong Festival to receive UNESCO certificate

Posted by admin on January 24, 2011 under Vietnam Travel in the North, Vietnam festival, Vietnam travel News, Vietnam's World Heritage | Read the First Comment

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Hanoi Municipal People’s Committee and the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO will organise a ceremony to grant UNESCO certificate to the saint Giong Festival as a world heritage in Hanoi on January 22.

The saint Giong Festival was the third cultural heritages in Vietnam recognised by UNESCO in 2010 along with the 82 doctorate steles in the Temple of Literature and Thang Long Royal Citadel.

It is an annual traditional festival held in many provinces across the country to commemorate the glorious victory of the legendary saint Giong, one of Vietnam’s Four Immortals, the four chief cult figures in the pantheon of genii worshiped by the ancient Vietnamese people.

The ceremony aims to promote the festival as well as the country and people to international friends and improve public awareness to preserve the priceless cultural value of the heritage.

Source: VOV

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Giant pottery products ready for Tet

Posted by admin on January 22, 2011 under Vietnam Travel in the North, Vietnam travel News | Read the First Comment

Giant pottery products ready for Tet Bat Trang village is putting the finishing touches onto a number of giant – and expensive – pottery products just in time for Tet.
Many well-to-do families are making their way to the pottery village of Bat Trang, in the Gia Lam district, Hanoi to order impressive pottery for the holiday. It is hoped that these elaborate products will bring good luck to the buyers in the New Year.

Craftsman To Thanh Son said that nowadays some rich families shun normal pottery during Tet, instead opting for objects that are large and expensive for prominent display on the ancestral alter.

One man from Ha Dong district of Hanoi put down a deposit of VND50 million (USD2,500) for a set of such objects, says Son.

Among Son’s flashiest objects is a joss-stick bowl worth USD4,000, which took between three and four months to for him to complete.

Some images from Bat Trang village:

Joss-stick bowl priced at VND20 million

Replica of Nguyen Dynasty plate: over VND6 million

A censer: USD4,000

A pair of light stands going for USD4,000

Pottery can reach into the tens of millions VND

Craftsman To Thanh Son shows off an especially expensive piece

Little Tet lions

Custom made pottery

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Dances and wine on the plateau

Posted by admin on January 14, 2011 under Attractions, Vietnam Travel in the North, vietnam beauty | Read the First Comment

Pom Coong Village in early morning

The winter cold is starting to ease so spring will soon be coming in the highland village of Pom Coong on Mai Chau Plateau in the northern province of Hoa Binh.Early in the morning, when the mist is lifting, the Thai ethnic people of the village send their kids off to school and the women in colorful brocade dresses walk to the farm with wooden papooses on their backs. When the night falls, the stilt houses are warmed by the sounds of pan-pipes, drumming by the tribal boys, girls’ singing and laughter and stories around the fire.

The simple things link people together, making them love their village and make it more beautiful. Pom Coong has become a famous cultural and tourism village on the plateau.

A Thai woman and girl on their way to the paddy field – Photos: Mong Binh

The village has nearly 70 households with more than 300 people. Traditionally, at sunset, people sit in stilt houses, which are just a bean row apart, to talk together. Stilt houses of the Thai people are higher than other ethnic group houses. The bamboo floor is about two meters above the ground, held up by wooden pillars. The roofs are often made of leaves and windows are large for more air and for bird cages to hang.In front of the stilt houses, Thai ladies  weave on looms to make brocade products to sell to tourists. The village is full of colorful products and colorful ladies.

Visitors to Pom Coong won’t forget the bamboo dances or Thai traditional dances by Thai boys and girls in the chill of the northern highlands. Enjoying specialties of Mai Chau Plateau and ruou can (wine drunk though a bamboo pipe from a jar) while joining in the dancing with Thai people by the fire, will be an experience that you will tell your friends about back home.

Have you made a plan for Tet holidays? If not, make a plan and pack a bag for Pom Coong.

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