Posted by admin on April 27, 2011 under Vietnam Travel in the North, Vietnam festival, Vietnam travel News, Vietnam's World Heritage | 
A laser, sound and water performance lasting up to 90 minutes will be at the heart of the annual Ha Long Carnival held in the northern province of Quang Ninh from April 29 to May 5.
The provincial authorities have invested a record sum of more than VND138 billion (US$6.57 million) in preparation for the performance, titled Mysterious Ha Long By Night, to be held on Bai Chay Beach on May 2.
The Ha Long Sparkling with Colours street festival will hit the town on May 1, along with a series of cultural events including a poetry – music show, a competition for MCs, a culinary festival, a tennis tournament, a bonsai exhibition and a cock fighting festival.
“The carnival is even more important than usual, with the vote for Halong bay as one of the New7Wonders of Nature at its peak,” said Ha Quang Long, director of the Quang Ninh Culture, Sports and Tourism Department.
The local authorities have prepared facilities for tourists to vote for Ha Long during the week by telephone. Tourists can dial +2 392 201 055; +1 869 760 5990; +1 649 339 8080 and +44 758 900 1290. After hearing the introduction, tourists can press 7712 to vote for Ha Long Bay.
The bay is currently second in the polling behind South Korea’s Jeju Island. In total, there are 28 finalists on the New7Wonders list.
The New Open World Corporation will end voting and announce the seven new wonders on November 11 this year.
The tourism week is expected to attract around 500,000 tourists to the bay, accounting for eight to ten per cent of the average annual visitors to the province.
Source: VNS
Posted by admin on January 24, 2011 under Vietnam Travel in the North, Vietnam festival, Vietnam travel News, Vietnam's World Heritage |
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
Posted by admin on January 19, 2011 under Vietnam tour, Vietnam travel News, Vietnam's World Heritage |
The tourism authority has chosen the World Heritage sites, the 1,000-year-old capital of Hanoi and the unique central coast as Vietnam’s highlights at the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2011.
Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong, deputy head of the marketing department of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), told the Daily on January 10 VNAT, the tourism authorities of Ho chi minh city, Danang, Phu Yen and Nghe An, and around 40 travel firms and hotels would join the event in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh from January 15 to January 21.
The Vietnamese delegation will showcase Vietnamese tourism products and services, and work with foreign buyers at the ATF Travex, a three-day travel trade mart set for January 19.
ASEAN member countries are among the main source markets of the domestic tourism sector along with China, Europe, and Northeast Asia. Tourist arrivals from ASEAN, mostly Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Cambodia, have also been on the rise in the past two years.
Cambodia is a case in point, with around 254,600 Cambodians visiting Vietnam in 2010, up 87% year-on-year.
The yearly forum will be attended by the 10 ASEAN countries to seek to promote ASEAN as a tourist destination. This year it goes with the theme “A World of Wonders and Diversity” and features other activities such as conference and travel exhibitions.
The ASEAN Tourism Conference will look into topics such as ecotourism and sustainable tourism in the region and management of tourism services in heritage sites.
According to a statement of the organizing committee, over 500 exhibition booths are occupied and around 1,000 buyers have put their names down to join the event.
Source: travelweekly.asia 
Posted by admin on January 11, 2011 under Vietnam festival, Vietnam travel News, Vietnam's World Heritage |
The Motherland Spring 2011 Program will take place in Thang Long Citadel, the world’s heritage, on January 28, 2011, according to the latest announcement by the State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese (SCOV).
The annual event, organised by the SCOV, is designed for overseas Vietnamese all over the world.
The Program 2011 aims at honoring the 1,000th birthday anniversary of Thang Long–Hanoi and the upcoming 11th Party National Congress.
Party and State high-ranking leaders, heads of foreign representative agencies will join the event.
Overseas Vietnamese people can contact with the nearest Vietnamese representative agencies for registration.
Those who are now staying in Vietnam can visit the SCOV to register and take invitation at the address: No. 32, Ba Trieu Street, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi
Posted by admin on under Vietnam travel News, Vietnam's World Heritage |
A representative of UNESCO in Vietnam affirmed continued assistance to Vietnam in its preservation of cultural heritages in 2011. The organisation will stand side by side with Vietnam in preserving and promoting heritage values via new cooperation programmes and projects, UNESCO Chief Representative in Vietnam Katherine Muller Marin said at a press briefing in Hanoi on Dec. 21.
UNESCO recognition of the doctoral laureates’ steles in Van Mieu Quoc Tu Giam; Thang Long royal citadel; Dong Van stone plateau, and Giong festival as world heritages showed Vietnam’s success in preserving, promoting and upholding the value of heritages in 2010, Katherine said.
The success also represents the efforts and consideration of the government, she said.
The UNESCO Chief Representative called for Vietnamese people and relevant agencies to be more responsible in the preservation and popularisation of cultural heritages.
Posted by admin on December 7, 2010 under Vietnam Travel in the North, Vietnam travel News, Vietnam's World Heritage |
A ceremony to receive UNESCO recognition of Dong Van Stone Plateau as a member of the Global Network of National Geoparks (GGN) was held in the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang on December 1.
The chief Representative of the UNESCO Office in Hanoi , Katherine Muller Marin and Secretary General of UNESCO Vietnam National Committee Pham Sanh Chau, handed over the UNESCO certificate to Ha Giang Province.
Addressing the ceremony, Secretary General of UNESCO Vietnam National Committee Chau said that the success of Dong Van Stone Plateau Geological Park is the result of pure determination to create Vietnam ’s first geological park in Ha Giang.
Chau also highlighted the selection of a geological park development model by Ha Giang People’s Committee to eradicate hunger, reduce poverty and step up socio-economic development.
The plateau is Vietnam ’s first pilot model of a geological park for the future and this will promote Vietnam ’s image around the world, said Chau.
It will help eliminate hunger and reduce poverty for more than 250,000 local people on the plateau, he added.
Dong Van Stone Plateau was recognised as GGN member on October 3, 2010. The plateau has now become Vietnam ’s first geological park and only the second geological park in Southeast Asia, after the Langkawi Geological Park in Malaysia .
Dong Van, which has remained untouched for hundreds of millions of years, has mammoth rocks spread over the four districts of Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Meo Vac, and Dong Van, and is 1,000m above sea level.
The plateau is 80 percent limestone and has the fossils of thousands of species of prehistoric creatures from 400-600 million years ago.
It is also home to several cultures that have sprung up over the centuries. The 574 sq.km plateau now houses 250,000 people belonging to 17 different ethnic groups in Vietnam.
Source: VNA
Posted by admin on December 6, 2010 under Attractions, Vietnam Travel Guide, Vietnam Travel in the North, Vietnam travel News, Vietnam's World Heritage |
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 Hạ Long bay is in the list of top ten destinations by boat, according to the website www.lonelyplanet.com , one of the world’s leading tourism website.
Nowadays, more and more travelers are fancy on taking part in boat journeys because of its interesting experience. That traveling by boat takes longer can help visitors take more time to adjust to being somewhere different and the journey gives them a heightened sense of involvement with their surroundings. Therefore, the aspect of their view is turned around and they will see people and places from a different perspective altogether.
Thus, www.lonelyplanet.com has given a suggestion on ten ideal destinations for those who love boat journeys all over the world.
The article says that “Bobbing on the emerald waters of Hạ Long bay and moving through its 3000-odd limestone islands is simply sublime. The tiny islands are dotted with beaches and grottoes created by wind and waves, and have sparsely forested slopes ringing with bird tunes.
There are more than 300 boats based at BãiCháyTouristWharf waiting to sweep you away to the World Heritage waters. Day tours last from four to eight hours, though (recommended) overnighters are also available”.
Other destinations include Fjords (Norway), Amazon River (South America), Franklin River (Australia), Quetico Provincial Park (Canada), Kerala’s backwaters (India), Milford Sound (New Zealand), Island-hopping (Greece), Disko Bay (Greenland) and Galapágos Islands (Ecuador).
Source: Quangninh.gov |
Posted by admin on November 19, 2010 under Vietnam travel News, Vietnam's World Heritage |
Viet Nam’s rapid urbanisation during the past several years has produced many benefits, but one of the drawbacks has been the growing threat that modernisation poses to the nation’s heritage.
This month’s issue of our news magazine Outlook examines efforts to preserve the nation’s rich culture – from historical sites to centuries-old art forms.
Outlook, which goes on sale in Ha Noi, HCM City and other major centres this morning, reports that ensuring effective preservation of historically important relics and art forms faces many challenges, including a lack of funds for preservation work.
We travel to Hoi An to report on the threat of urbanisation and a booming tourism sector to the city’s old quarter, while in the Central Highlands, we find that the local gong culture is in danger of being lost as a dwindling number of musicians chose to keep their traditional art alive. We also report on successes in restoring the highly refined and unique art form of nha nhac (court music), and talk to the director of the Institute for Preservation of Monuments, Le Thanh Vinh, about recent successes in heritage preservation.
Elsewhere in this issue, we visit the sleepy village of Lo Hanh, tell the story behind Nguyen Dinh Thi’s revolutionary anthem The Hanoian and meet an English singer who has been wowing local audiences with his fluent performance of Vietnamese songs.
Readers can also catch up on what’s hot in the country’s culinary, sports and arts scenes – and check out our listings for everything from bars to embassies.
Outlook retails for VND15,000 at news-stands, major hotels and restaurants, at the head office of the Viet Nam News at 11 Tran Hung Dao Street, Ha Noi, or at our HCM City office at 120 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street.
Posted by admin on November 18, 2010 under Vietnam Travel Guide, Vietnam's World Heritage |
By Kim Tan | dtinews.vn |
Vietnam’s Saint Giong Festival was among 46 other candidates recognised as world intangible cultural heritages on November 16.
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| By now Vietnam has had 6 world intangible cultural heritages. |
The Saint Giong Festival is a unique tradition in Vietnam, held annually from the 6th-12th of the fourth lunar month at Phu Dong Temple (in Gia Lam District) and Soc Temple (Soc Son District) in Hanoi. The festival commemorates the legendary folk hero who grew from a three-year-old child into a giant overnight to help drive out invaders from the country.
The festival is a chance for visitors to watch the performance of traditional rituals and artistic activities which have been handed down from generation to generation.
The list of 47 new world intangible cultural heritages were announced at the 5th section of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritages in Nairobi, Kenya.
Among 147 nominations from 32 countries for recognition as world intangible cultural heritage status were submitted to UNESCO in 2010, 54 were selected for the 2nd round.
However, at the meeting held in Nairobi from November 15-19, only 47 nominations from 29 countries won the recognition. These new world intangible cultural heritages include 6 traditional handicrafts, 12 festivals, 6 traditional know-hows, 20 performing arts, and 3 traditional cuisines.
By now, 212 heritages from 106 countries have been recognised as world intangible cultural heritages. Vietnam has 6 heritages on this list. They include: Hue royal court music, Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) gong culture, the Bac Ninh love duet singing, the Thang Long Royal Citadel, the 82 doctoral stone steles in the temple of literature and now, the Saint Giong Festival.
(Collected by Vietnamhotels.net)
Posted by admin on October 6, 2010 under Vietnam Travel in the North, Vietnam festival, Vietnam travel News, Vietnam's World Heritage, vietnam beauty |
VietNamNet Bridge – Eight years since it was excavated, the royal citadel opened to the public the first time on October 2 at 18 Hoang Dieu, Hanoi.
The opening ceremony took place with a welcome speech by Do Hoai Nam, Director of the Vietnam Institute for Social Sciences. According to Nam, visitors would see outstanding parts of the Thang Long Royal Citadel and evidence of 1000 years as Vietnam’s capital city, through the dynasties of Dai La, Dinh, Le, Ly, Tran, Mac, Nguyen to the Ho Chi Minh age.
Tong Trung Tin, Director of the Vietnam Institute for Archaeology, explained that the organizing board chose more than 150 outstanding items to introduce. “Visitors will see layers of culture through vestiges of foundations, roads, wells, ponds, etc. All are typical examples that make the citadel a world cultural heritage site,” Tin stated.
However, Tin worried that large numbers of visitors may harm this site. “I recommend visitors to follow instructions to protect the relics. This is also a request of the World Heritage Committee,” he added.
Eight zones opened for public inside the Thang Long Royal Citadel:
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Flagpole: A relic built in the Nguyen Dynasty in 1804.
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Doan Mon: The major gate to the citadel, built in the Le Dynasty (15th century).
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Hau Lau: Built in the early 20th century, this was home for the imperial maids.
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The grounds of Kinh Thien palace where the Le kings held audiences. This palace was built on the ground of the Can Nguyen Palace of the Ly Dynasty and Thien An palace of the Ly and Tran eras.
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Bac Mon: The northern gate of the Hanoi citadel in the Nguyen dynasty.
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House D67 and trench D67, both built in 1967 as offices for General Vo Nguyen Giap and General Van Tien Dung.
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The exhibition room with 150 outstanding items excavated in the Thang Long Royal Citadel and photos and mock-ups of the citadel.
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House N32 exhibits more than 700 objects excavated in the Thang Long Royal citadel, including construction materials, reliefs, and daily instruments from the Dai La to Ly, Tran, Le dynasties.
The citadel will open until November 2, from 8am to 12pm and 1pm to 5pm. The 18 Hoang Dieu relic will open form October 2 to 11 and October 14 to November 2. From October 24 to November 2, the relic will open only on Wednesday and Sunday. The relic will close as of November 3 for preservation and research.
Hanoi’s 1000-year history at Thang Long citadel’s grounds:
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| Ancient wells. |
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| Ancient tiles. |
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| Ancient wate pipes. |
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