Posted by admin on April 25, 2011 under Vietnam Travel in the South, Vietnam travel News, vietnam hotel | 
Many hotels, restaurants and resorts of Saigontourist, welcome clients with gastronomic programs on the occasion of the upcoming public holidays, Liberation Day (April 30) and May Day (May 1).
Hotel Majestic Saigon (1 Dong Khoi St., Dist. 1. Tel: 08.38295517)
On April 30, the Serenade Restaurant on the hotel’s seventh floor will launch a special service from 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Customers will be served with Heineken beer, white or red wine, soft drinks or mineral water and enjoy the firework display. The service costs an adult VND429,000 and a child VND215,000.
At the same time, M. Bar on the eighth floor will also offer a similar service. Clients will get a drink— white or red wine, cocktail, Heineken beer, mineral water or soft drinks—as well as enjoy a firework display and a music show. The service prices are VND499,000 for an adult and VND250,000 for a child.
First Hotel ho chi minh (18 Hoang Viet St., Tan Binh Dist. Tel: 08.38441199)
Hoa Su 1 Restaurant will serve a buffet with more than 40 typical Vietnamese dishes of northern, central and southern regions on the night of April 30. During the buffet, diners will enjoy a variety show, join a lucky draw with prizes from Nescafé as the sponsor, and see the hotel’s chefs perform the culinary art. The buffet tickets cost an adult VND300,000 and a child VND180,000.
The First Grill Restaurant will hold a music show with a buffet. The buffet includes delicious dishes that previously won gold medals at national gastronomic competitions. Diners will also join a lucky draw in the end.
The First Hot Pot Restaurant will offer a 10% discount for diners who pay on April 30 and May 1. Clients will also be invited a glass of champagne.
Dong Khanh Hotel (2 Tran Hung Dao B St., Dist. 5. Tel: 08.39236404)
A buffet with more than 30 dishes, including hot pots, will be served from 6 p.m.-9:30 p.m. The hotel will give a 10% discount voucher to those clients who buy 5-10 tickets. Any client that buys 11-15 tickets will be eligible for a Dong Khanh silver card, and a Dong Khanh gold card will go to those who buy more than 16 tickets. The hotel also has special prices for groups of clients.
The buffet costs an adult VND199,000 and a child VND139,000.
Bat Dat Hotel (238 Tran Hung Dao St., Dist. 5. Tel: 08.38551662)
Buffets with selected Vietnamese and Chinese dishes will be served from 6 p.m.-9:30 p.m. on April 30 and May 1. The buffets go with a music show and a sing-together program (clients can sing songs on the stage at their wish). Buffet prices are ND200,000 for an adult and VND120,000 for a child, including drinks, ice-cream and a glass of cocktail. The hotel donates one free ticket to any customer that buys five tickets before April 30.
Que Huong-Liberty 4 Hotel (265 Pham Ngu Lao St., Dist. 1. Tel: 08.38364556)
The hotel will serve buffets with grilled fresh seafood on April 30 and May 1, from 6 p.m.-9:30 p.m. The cocktail and draft beef are complimentary. Buffet prices are VND269,000 for an adult and VND139,000 for a child.
Diners that join a lucky draw will possibly win a voucher for two people to spend a vacation at Madagui Resort in Lam Dong Province. Those that book tickets before April 25 are given a 10% discount.
Liberty Central Hotel (179 Le Thanh Ton St., Dist. 1. Tel: 08.62917977)
The Central Restaurant will serve lunch and dinner buffets with more than 30 dishes on April 30, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
At the dinner buffet, the 120-seat restaurant will give diners a lunch voucher and free soft drinks. Lunch and dinner buffets cost an adult VND199,000 and VND299,000, and VND109,000 and VND199,000 for a child.
Binh Quoi 1 Tourist Area (1147 Binh Quoi St., Binh Thanh Dist. Tel: 08.35565891)
Buffets with more than 70 southern dishes and traditional southern music will be served from April 29-May 3. On April 29, there will be one buffet from 5 p.m.-8:30 p.m. On the other days, two buffets will be held from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
The buffets cost an adult VND200,000 and a child VND110,000.
Van Thanh Tourist Area (48/10 Dien Bien Phu St., Binh Thanh Dist. Tel: 8.35123025)
There will be dinner buffets with over 40 dishes on April 30 and May 1. Diners will also play folk games for prizes and children can entertain themselves with games such as painting statues, making flour objects and making sand pictures. Buffet prices are VND190,000 for an adult and VND120,000 for a child.
Oscar Hotel (68A Nguyen Hue Blvd., Dist. 1. Tel: 08.38292959)
From April 26 to May 1, the hotel will serve dinner buffets with more than 45 selected Vietnamese dishes, especially seafood. Drinks are complimentary. Buffets on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday cost an adult VND240,000 and a child VND110,000. Buffet prices on Friday, Saturday and Sunday are VND270,000 for an adult and VND130,000 for a child.
Grand Hotel saigon (8 Dong Khoi St., Dist. 1, Tel: 08. 3823 0163)
Chez-Nous restaurant launches a buffet program ‘Tastes of countries’ on April 30 and May 1 from 6.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. featuring French style lobster cream soup, baked turkey American style, Russian style barbecue, Korean roll rice and sushi. Customers will get a complimentary drink of Chilean wine or Russian draught beer, soft drink and mineral water. Classical music will be played during the buffet. The price is VND499,000 per adult and VND399,000 per child.
Continental Hotel (132 Dong Khoi St., Dist. 1, Tel: 08 3825 7679)
Next weekend a gala buffet featuring 30 European style dishes will be held at La Fayette restaurant. Free drinks are served to guests. Buffet prices are VND450,000 per adult and VND230,000 per child.
Tan Cang Tourist Area (A100 Ung Van Khiem St., Binh Thanh Dist., Tel: 08 3512 8775)
A buffet featuring 80 grilled dishes and hot pots will take place at the garden space next to Saigon River for the holiday weekend. Guests will be offered a free glass of Fifth Ocean draught beer for every ticket. The buffet will be scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The prices are VND250,000 per adult and VND140,000 per child. Tickets can be delivered to customers.
Saigon Ship Restaurant (Bach Dang Wharf, Nguyen Hue Blvd., Dist. 1, Tel: 08 3823 0393)
A lunch buffet with more than 48 dishes will be held from 11 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. next weekend. The ship departs at 11:30 a.m. and follows the round turn of Bach Dang Wharf and Thanh Da Peninsula. Tickets are priced at VND190,000 per adult and VND120,000 per child.
A dinner buffet will be scheduled from 5.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. (boarding time is 5 p.m.) and from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. (boarding time is 7 p.m.). The ship will follow the Bach Dang Wharf – Ben Nghe Wharf – Bach Dang Wharf route.
Posted by admin on April 23, 2011 under Attractions, Vietnam travel News |
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 Hanoi is piloting the preservation of the Old Quarter through a project to restore Ta Hien Street. |
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The VND15-billion (USD717,703) will restore 52-metre Ta Hien Street, where most structures were built early 20th century, using French and traditional Vietnamese architectural styles.
The project will be a sort of trial run for a larger programme to restore the Old Quarter. The programme is a joint effort between Hanoi and the city of Toulouse, France.
The Hanoi Old Quarter Management Board will restore building facades as well as public infrastructure on the street. Residents on this street will even get new furniture. To date, restoration on three homes has been completed.
The restoration project to cost VND15 billion
A loft is set up at Ta Hien-Luong Ngoc Quyen
10 houses with sloping roofs, in the french style
The opposite side of the street, buildings in traditional Vietnamese style
Main doors, roofs and windows will be upgraded, along with the street, water and lighting systems
Restoration agreements
Intersection of Ta Hien-Luong Ngoc Luyen
Loft gives access to upper floors
Restoration takes into account original design
Ta Hien Street
Life goes on as usual
Windows have same design, but with new Inox locks
Trial run for a programme of cooperation
Soon to be upgraded
Visitors drink beer underneath the construction site
New sign for a shop
Source: dtinews
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Posted by admin on April 21, 2011 under Vietnam Travel in the South, Vietnam travel News |
After living in the nation which founded the ancient sport, you would have thought that by now I would have gone at least a dozen times.
But no, for some reason I had maybe gone to the dogs literally but not physically. Greyhound racing is a great spectacle and even inspired Damon Albarn of English BritPop band Blur to feature his favorite pastime, away from music, on the front cover of the award-winning Parklife album.
So a trip to Vung Tau with a group of friends didn’t see me believing I had much chance of fulfilling my ambition. Greyhounds in Vietnam? Not likely.
We checked into the Petro Hotel and when I was coming down the lift I looked out the window and in my amazement saw a greyhound track. Double-take time but yes at reception they confirmed that races were taking place as they do every Saturday evening at the 5,000-capacity Lam Son stadium in 15 Le Loi Street.
I grabbed my friends quickly and dragged them along and what a great experience it was. A seat close to the finish-line and the chance to have a beer as you put a few bets on, what more can a man wish for? A winner, perhaps and with two races to go it duly arrived but not a big lift as it was second favorite. I was unfortunate with my forecasts of 1-2-3. Three times having 1-2-4. I then did a spot of digging and found out this is the only greyhound racing track in the country.
It was the brainchild of Aussie Bevan Williamson in 2002 with the initial investment to finance the air-conditioned 400-meter track coming from Australia but the sand, of course, comes from Vung Tau beach.
Sunday and time to go home but not before we got down to the real business of the trip – the beach and the seafood. The beach I was warned was not great but as it is the closest to Saigon, it is popular but I thought it was nice and everyone I met seemed to be loving being away from the city.
On our way home my friends told me we would be missing the chance of a lifetime if we didn’t go to seafood restaurant Ganh Hao, and boy were they right – it was out of this world.
Honestly, I’d eaten seafood almost daily since relocating to Vietnam but nothing prepared me for the crab and prawn delights of this piece of heaven. Wow. Even thinking about it now makes my mouth water and it was so cheap.
It’s worth going to Vung Tau just to dine at Ganh Hao on 3 Tran Phu Street alone. What’s a three-hour drive or 90 minute ferry journey to this little gem of a restaurant. It’s fair to say my first visit to the Ba Ria–Vung Tau region won’t be my last.
(Source: Saigon Times)
Collected by Vietnam hotel
Posted by admin on under Vietnam Travel in the Central, Vietnam travel News |
Ngu Hanh Son Mountain elevator will be operational just in time for Reunification Day on April 30 to take advantage of the national holiday.
The management board of Ngu Hanh Son tourist area in Ngu Hanh Son District, Danang City confirmed the news that will make it easier for tourists to visit Linh Ung Pagoda at the top of the mountain.
The unique elevator system is 50 meters high and has two cabins. It was built in seven months and is in a vertical direction alongside the mountain. The elevator can carry about 20 guests at a time at a price of VND30,000 per person. The price is double the current entrance ticket to visit the pagoda but is worth it for the convenience.
Ngu Hanh Son (The Marble Mountains) is about eight kilometers southeast of Danang City. It’s a cluster of five marble mountains lying close to the sea. An interesting journey to Ngu Hanh Son will be one of the most relaxing times for visitors as it is like a fairytale land with a dreamlike scenery, pagodas, mysteries and grottos.
In the early 19th century, King Gia Long, the founder of the Nguyen Dynasty, passed the area and named the five mountains as Ngu Hanh Son.
He also named each of them according to one of the five elements of the universe: Kim Son (metal of gold), Moc Son (wood), Thuy Son (water), Hoa Son (fire), and Tho Son (earth). And thus, the five mountains that compose the Marble Mountains are not ordinary creations but are filled with history and folklore.
The area attracts about 60,000 tourists every year.
Posted by admin on April 16, 2011 under Vietnam Travel in the Central, Vietnam festival, Vietnam travel News |
The Danang International Fireworks Competition 2011 will be held on April 29-30 on the banks of the Han River.
It is the fourth such competition and will attract five teams: the Jubilee Fireworks Company (England), the Hanwha Company (South Korea), Parente Fireworks A&C SNC Company (Italy), Panda Fireworks Company (China) and the host team Da Nang (Viet Nam).
Many foreign and domestic tourists are expected to watch the displays on Reunification Day, April 30, and International Labour Day, May 1.
Da Nang has planned its own design and artistry to be set off in harmony with music by composer Tran Ai Nghia.
With the theme Sparkling Han River, the 21-minute performance will have four parts featuring the beautiful landscape and people of the central province.
Da Nang has hosted the competition every year since 2008.
International teams are selected on quality, capacity and ranking in world fireworks competitions. Their displays are bound to be unique and colourful.
Collected by Vietnam hotel
Posted by admin on under Vietnam Travel in the South, Vietnam travel News |
It’s Tourism Year 2011, so where else can you visit to mark the occasion than the central province of Phu Yen.Sea tourism has such a huge potential in Phu Yen with its 189 kilometers of coastline including popular resorts like Cu Mong, O Loan lagoons, Vung Ro, Xuan Dai bay, Bai Mon Beach or Mui Dien Cape. Of which, Da Dia Cliffs is one of the most striking locations with its huge pile of hexagonal and pentagonal shaped basaltic rocks with part of the area under sea.
Due to the sea crashing onto the cliffs all year round, the black and yellow rocks look very smooth and shiny. In the center of the cliffs is a depression filled with still water.
Moreover, there are many stunning beaches that tourists should not miss such as Bai bang, Bai Bau and Bai Rang.
Phu Yen is also a land of long tradition, enriched culture and home to many historical relics and events. Coming to Phu Yen, tourists have the chance to listen to a Tuy An dan da (stone musical instruments) performance, a fish worshipping ceremony or gongs festival with mountainous ethnic groups.
Phu Yen beach
The Saigon Phu Yen hotel, under management of Saigontourist, is an ideal site for tourists’ accommodation. Opened last August, the hotel has 87 rooms, 10 villas, a hall with a capacity of 300 people and a restaurant serving Vietnamese, Western and Asian food and a bar.
The hotel has introduced two new food programs including a buffet on weekend evenings, featuring more than 30 dishes and priced at VND59,000 per adult and VND49,000 per child with a discount room rate at VND400,000 per night.
For tours around the province, tourists can book at Saigon Phu Yen Tourist Joint Stock Co. with tours to Da Dia Cliffs, sunset and dawn at Dai Lanh lighthouse, discovering Vung Ro Bay, beach games, trekking to primeval forests or visiting craft villages.
Posted by admin on March 30, 2011 under Vietnam travel News |
Vietnam has for the first time participated in the Putrajaya International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta, which took place in Malaysia from March 17-20.
Along with five balloons carrying Hạ Long bay posters, Vietnamese team also had a stall advertising Halong bay in the festival to call on international friends to vote for Hạ Long Bay as one of the world’s seven natural wonders.
The festival saw a total of 27 balloons of the US , Japan , Belgium , Switzerland , Netherlands , New Zealand , France , Germany , the UK , India , Thailand , Malaysia , Vietnam and Dubai ( United Arab Emirates ).
According to the Organising Board, the event attracted 300,000 domestic and foreign spectators.
Posted by admin on March 29, 2011 under Vietnam travel News |
Travel firms re-open tours to Tibet
The HCMC tourism sector will welcome foreign travel agents and media to promote the city’s image as they change their marketing strategy, an official said.
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A foreign tourist takes photos of the artists who perform at Tan Son Nhat International Airport to welcome the first international visitors to HCMC early this year.(Photo: SGT)
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La Quoc Khanh, deputy director of the city’s Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism, told the Daily that due to budget constraints there would be changes across the board.
Company trips to travel fairs in foreign countries will be cut but familiarization trips will be encouraged as the department focuses on marketing programs and will join travel fairs in new markets like the Middle East and Northern Europe.
“With the major markets we will join up with the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) to save money,” he said.
This year, VNAT has planned to join travel exhibitions such as TRAVEX 2011 in Cambodia, FITUR in Portugal, MITT in Russia, ITB Berlin in Germany, JATA Travel fair in Japan, ITB Asia in Singapore, and World Travel Market in England.
Khanh said the tourism department asked for VND15 billion from the State coffers for its promotional activities. “The city government will give around VND7.8 billion, others will discuss their contribution later. This year will be difficult for the industry,” he said.
The city’s tourism sector has spent around VND19 billion on promotional activities last year, with around VND12 billion of the sum contributed by businesses and other sources.
The department expects HCMC to welcome 3.5 million foreign visitors this year, up 11% compared to last year and hopes to earn VND49 trillion, up 20%.
* Some travel firms in HCMC will re-launch tours to China, including trips to Tibet, during the favorable weather from May to early November.
Saigontourist Travel Service Co. will start a nine-day China tour to take tourists to Shenzhen, Chengdu, Lhasa, and the famous mountains of Shizhong and Emei.
The tour costs VND34.1 million per tourist. Saigontourist expects the first group to start the tour on May 3 from the city.
Viking Travel & Media has planned a nine-day tour from HCMC to Tibet from July. Along with popular programs to the rooftop of the world, the company will offer a two-day tour for tourists to drive Toyota Landcruiser 4500 cars to visit Namtso Lake. The lake was selected as one of the five most beautiful lakes in China by Chinese National Geography magazine along with other attractions in Shigatse.
The tour costs over VND51 million per person.
Tran Xuan Hung, director of Viking, is also excited about an alternative 21-day trip. He said: “It’s a special pilgrimage tour of Tibet.”
Hung said that in the first weeks guests travel on a similar program but from day eight the magic begins with the special pilgrimage tour to Kailash Mountain in western Tibet and other attractions.
VietNamNet/SGT
Collected by Vietnam hotel
Posted by admin on March 28, 2011 under Vietnam festival, Vietnam travel News |
This year’s HCM City Tourism Day 2011 will highlight special aspects of five popular destinations – HCM City, Da Lat, Binh Thuan, Phu Quoc and Hai Phong, organisers of the annual event said.
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| Popular place: Flowers bloom in Da Lat, one among five highlighted destinations on HCM City Tourism Day. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Ha |
La Quoc Khanh, deputy director of the city’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said at a press briefing that a photographic exhibition will present markets in Sai Gon market, flowers in Dalat, beaches in Mui Ne, Phu Quoc island, and the red flamboyance of poinciana flowers in Hai Phong.
The central province of Quang Binh had become the first destination to be promoted under the department’s plan begun last year to highlight a different destination or destinations every year.
“The HCM City Tourism Day is an important festival that can stimulate tourism demand at a difficult time,” Khanh said.
It can be seen as a supermarket where travel companies promote and sell their products, and customers can freely choose what they like.”
Other countries have achieved significant results by organising similar events, notably Singapore (29 years) and Malaysia (22 years), he said, adding that this was the seventh year in Vietnam.
However, this “supermarket” remains a relatively new concept in Vietnam and both travel companies as well as customers were yet to use such events as a major resource, he said.
Hence, most travel companies who participate in the event focus on promoting their brand name instead of selling their product directly.
However, 92 per cent of travel firms that joined the event last year have registered to so again, proving its success, Khanh said.
“Using the insights gained by the department from Tourism Day festivals in other countries, it has given practical suggestions to travel firms on ways to participate in the event and gain maximum benefits,” he added.
Khanh said major firms like Saigontourist, TST and Viet Media Travel are expected to leave significant impressions on this year’s event.
In the context of inflation and an increase in prices of most goods and services, the festival will enjoin participants to stand by the Government’s efforts to keep prices stable as much as possible, Khanh said.
The city Tourism Association has petitioned the Ministry of Finance to cut value-added tax by 50 per cent, corporate income tax by 50 per cent and allow travel companies to pay taxes two months late, an association representative said at the briefing.
The four-day event is being organised at the city’s September 23 Park in downtown HCM City from April 7.
The event will feature a travel fair, a Southern food festival, Golden Voice of HCM City Tourism contest, tai tu traditional music performances as well as the photo exhibition.
Though the organisers were expecting to attract 80 companies to fill 150 booths, an additional four booths have been booked this year.
“The event aims to help travel companies publicise their brands and promote their services for the coming summer season,” Khanh said.
A dominant theme of HCM City Tourism Day 2011 is “Tourism Brand” and those brands that have made a mark in domestic and overseas markets will be honoured at the festival.
It will name the top ten names in many categories including: destinations, inbound travel companies, outbound travel companies, domestic travel companies, tourism websites, luxury saigon hotels, shopping stores, hotels for businesspeople, hotels for MICE (Meeting-Incentive-Conference-Event), tour companies and restaurants.
A grand closing ceremony honoring top Vietnamese tourism brands will be broadcast live on the HTV9 channel.
Organisers said they expect to attract 200,000 people to the HCM City Tourism Day 2011 festival who will book tours and take advantage of other tourism services.
Posted by admin on under Vietnam Travel in the North, Vietnam tour, Vietnam travel News |
VIETNAM – In a fitting tribute to its French colonial history, Emeraude Classic Cruises is now offering guests complimentary crêpes on every journey through the splendors of Ha Long Bay.
Guests will enjoy this new interpretation of an old tradition on the sundeck of the paddle steamer every day from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Emeraude’s award-winning cuisine is displayed to best effect with this crêpe station, which will offer a selection of fillings inspired by European and Asian dishes.
The first Emeraude paddle steamer was built by a French family, the Roques, who were investors in Indochina in the late 19th century. The current near-replica, which comes complete with en suite bathrooms, air conditioning and classically appointed cabins, hearkens back to the days of French colonial adventures in Vietnam.
Crêpes, an enchanting afternoon treat reminiscent of the Emeraude’s origins, are a delightful addition to the variety of amenities Emeraude Classic Cruises offers its guests in ongoing efforts to add variety and flair to its renowned Halong Bay cruises.
