More than one million visitors from across the country visited the Hung Kings Temple historical complex in the northern midland province of Phu Tho during the Lunar New Year festival (Tet).

It has become a tradition for the Vietnamese people to express their gratitude to the Hung Kings, the legendary founders of the nation at the beginning of the year.

On the occasion, about 10,000 -15,000 visitors arrived in the site every day to respectfully commemorate the Kings.

According to the site’s Director Nguyen Xuan Cac, some temples such as Ha Temple and Gieng Temple in the complex have been refurbished to provide better services to tourists.

Several other works are expected to be completed soon in order to celebrate Hung Kings Temple Festival in 2012, which falls on March 31 or the 10^th day of the third lunar month.

source form: vov

According to the association, Lanta Tur Voyage is Russian leading tourism company, with thousands of agents in the world. In Vietnam, this company cooperated with a local firm to set up Lanta Viet, based on Truong Dinh Road, District 3, HCM City in 2010. In Binh Thuan province, Lanta Viet’s office is at Hai Au Resort, Phan Thiet city.

On January 27, after the parent firm in Russian announced bankruptcy, Lanta Viet’s office in Phan Thiet closed the door. All of its staffs have disappeared, including the Russian General Director Konstantin. Hundreds of Russian tourists in Binh Thuan have been desolate.

Nguyen Van Khoa, Chair of the Binh Thuan Tourism Association, said that Lanta Viet has abandoned its visitors and this is fraud. The association on January 30, asked for Binh Thuan police’s intervention to ban Konstantin from leaving Vietnam and force this company to take responsibility to their visitors and partners.

According to the association, Lanta Viet currently owes several resorts in Phan Thiet like BamBoo Village, Hoang Ngoc, Hai Au, etc. nearly VND10 billion ($500,000).

Klimov Vladimir, Russian consul in HCM City and Ngo Minh Chinh, director of the Binh Thuan Department of Sports and Tourism, visited some resorts in Binh Thuan to give encouragement to Russian tourists who were still stuck in Vietnam.

The consul said that Lanta Viet General Director Konstantin was in HCM City. The man presented himself at the Russian Consulate. The consulate asked Konstantin to not leave Vietnam and return to Binh Thuan to work with related agencies.

According to the consulate, around 50 Russian tourists returned home from HCM City on January 31. The remaining people will be brought home before February 8. Previously, over 100 tourists left Phan Thiet to HCM City on January 29 and 30. At present, around 200 Russian tourists are still stuck in Phan Thiet.

A total of 309 Russian tourists bought tours to Mui Ne in Phan Thiet city, Binh Thuan province, from Lanta Tur. In Vietnam, these visitors were served by Lanta Viet.

It is also reported that around 2,500 visitors of Lanta Tur are now stuck in many countries, including Vietnam, Thailand, India, etc.

source form: vietnamnet

Tens of thousands of monks, nuns, Buddhist followers and tourists nationwide have flocked to pagodas and Spring festivals at the beginning of the new-year, wishing for peace, good weather, happiness and prosperity for all.

The Bai Dinh pagoda festival opened on January 28 in Gia Sinh commune, Gia Vien district, in the northern province of Ninh Binh.

Most Venerable Thich Thanh Nhieu, head of Bai Dinh pagoda, said that going to the pagoda at the beginning of the new year is a spiritual cultural tradition of the Vietnamese people. From the first day of the new year, thousands of visitors went to offer incense and enjoy the pagoda’s atmosphere.

The pagoda on Dinh mountain dates back 1,000 years ago and the renovated one, with construction starting in 2003, is one of the largest pagodas in Southeast Asia. Its treasures include 12 national records, including a 30-tonne bronze bell, a 150-tonne Buddha bronze statue and 500 Arhat statues.

On the same day, a festival to celebrate the uprising of the Trung Sisters against Chinese rule 1,972 years ago was organised at a temple dedicated to the sisters in Hanoi’s outlying district of Me Linh.

The three-day festival aims to commemorate the two national heroines, inspire national pride and educate younger generations about patriotic traditions.

According to the Vietnamese historical account, Trung Trac and her younger sister Trung Nhi, rode elephants to lead the troops in battle and defeated Chinese troops coming from the north, gaining independence for the country after more than two centuries of domination by the foreign feudal invaders.

The revolt was briefly successful and Trung Trac established herself as ruler of an independent state, becoming the first royal leader and also the first female leader in the country’s history. She chose Me Linh as a new capital.

Also on the sixth day of the lunar year, the Huong Tich pagoda festival opened in Thien Loc commune, Can Loc district in the central province of Ha Tinh.

The spring festival has attracted 200,000 visitors since the first day of the new year, doubling numbers at last year’s festival.

On this occasion, Ha Tinh inaugurated a 900m cable car transport system, which includes 25 eight-seat cabins. It takes visitors only eight minutes for a round trip.

source form: vov

Ben Thanh market, one of antique architectural relics to be preserved

According to Nguyen Trong Hoa, Head of the Institute of Research and Development of HCMC, while old heritage buildings are by law   preservation sites, Ho Chi Minh City still lacks proper regulations to protect those that are classified as culturally more valuable.

Ho Chi Minh City is a political, economic, social and cultural centre in southern Vietnam, established in late 17th century. Over the past 300 years, it has become a splendid urban area with many cultural features, particularly its classic architecture which has given the city a timeless quality.

As in other big cities in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City has a mixture of architectural styles, from the modern to the traditional.

As compared to Hanoi, there are not as many old buildings here. Some people compare Ho Chi Minh City to Bangkok which has many high rise modern buildings.

Ho Chi Minh City’s heritage architecture merges well with modern high-rise buildings. The harmony between the old and the new is what gives the city its unique style.

The saying “Land is gold” suits Ho Chi Minh City, where the tiniest space is being used for doing business. It’s also the reason why there are so many narrow tall buildings in the city.

Besides also, there are hundreds of cute houses and beautiful villas around the city, some of which are built in the French style and some others are very simple. Some houses are almost falling down after the government built new roads.

Thus, it is important to quickly set regulations to preserve the old architectural landmarks in the city before they are destroyed from lack of care, Hoa stated.

“Now a group of Spanish experts will help the city to research and find ways to preserve some architectural monuments in district 5 and 6”, Hoa said.

Nguyen Huu Tin, Vice Chairman of HCMC People’s Committee said that the Committee has agreed to let the Institute of Research and Development in coordination with the Institute of Planning and Engineering of Ho Chi Minh City, outline a set of rules and regulations to preserve the city’s old heritage sites.

This task is expected to be complete before 2013.

source form: dtinews

The five-day event, co-hosted by the Ho Chi Minh City-based Phu My Hung Corporation and the Association of Orchids and Ornamental Trees, will open at 7:30pm on January 16 in the Phu My Hung urban area.

The annual event, first held in 2004, aims to highlight the country’s cultural traditions.

Visitors can participate in many activities, including a ceremony to release flowers, garlands and lanterns to float on the Ban Nguyet (Crescent) Lake, creating a festive atmosphere.

There will be a contest for the most beautiful Vietnamese flowers and ornamental trees with cash prizes worth VND250 million (USD11,892) in total.

The festival will have 500 stands displaying all kinds of flowers and plants from gardens of farmers and city residents, and 200 others selling Tet goods.

A cuisine area that serves authentic Vietnamese food will also be set up and musical performances every night will keep the event lively and exciting.

This year’s festival is expected to attract more than 1 million visitors, double the figure reported in previous year.

source form: dtinews

People go fishing at Bach Dang Wharf in HCMC’s District 1 in an afternoon

When the sunset comes, delighting the city with simmering lights from the towering buildings and street lamps, one can see large numbers of people fishing at night, most of them men who are businessmen, workers and students, among others. For all of them, going fishing is a hobby which they can only do after a hardworking day. ‘In unclean canals, there is not plenty of fish. From afternoon till late night, I can catch just a few, or nothing at all but I like it as it gives me peace of mind in this bustling city,” a man fishing along the canal on Vo Van Kiet Boulevard said.

That’s why when the dusk comes, enthusiasts bring fishing rods and baits, then sit on anything available along the canals such as grass, stones, bridge walls and motorbikes or the plastic chair they carry along. Popular fishing venues are along Tau Hu Canal on Vo Van Kiet Boulevard, Bach Dang Wharf and the Saigon River in District 1, Den Bridge in District 2, Thu Thiem Bridge and some sections in Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe canal basin in District 3.

It is funny to know that this is also a chance for them to meet friends, have a date with their partners or gather with family. “I often take my girlfriend to Bach Dang Wharf for fishing and to go sightseeing along the Saigon River at night. This is a beautiful place to enjoy fresh air, cool winds, and look at small and large boats in the river,” said Tran Quang Hai, a student in HCMC, adding this hobby is cheap and suitable for students coming from other provinces like him.

Under the dim light from street lamps and from cruising boats, families gather together, with the husband dropping the line, and the wife and kids eating snack and playing games. ‘We are workers, so we don’t have much money to visit luxury entertainment areas. We choose this kind of entertainment as a way to get together to talk about life and any other things,” said a migrant worker in District 7 identified as Hoang.

For some businessmen, this is also a time for them to get some peaceful moments and think about business plans. “It’s peaceful when going fishing like this. I can recall my childhood memories. I and some friends in hometown often went fishing our hometown’s stream,” said a middle-aged man going with a group of about ten.

The number of fish caught is not important for those people but the fishing hobby helps them improve patience and skills.

Over 9 p.m., some men still go fishing along Tau Hu Canal on Vo Van Kiet Boulevard

source form: dtinews

A visitor at the exhibition

The exhibition, which belongs to a community project named “The Story of a River”, initiated by artist Phan Le Chung, features the works of those who love photography and the Huong River.

These are the first works from the project, which is 5 months old. They are being shown at the headquarters of the Thua Thien-Hue Literature and Arts Association, at 26 Le Loi Street, in Hue.

The Huong River, famous for its beauty, is one of the symbols of Hue. However, it is facing the same pollution problems as rivers in other urban areas. This is the reason Phan Le Chung, a lecturer at Hue University, proposed the project.

His efforts have attracted the participation of a variety of people including professional photographers, freelance artists, 5 students from Phu Xuan Univerisity and even 20 pupils from Van Quat Dong Primary School.

The Huong River is surrounded by a rapidly increasing population. The “story” of the river is being depicted from different perspectives, some of which focus on the over-exploitation of sand, drought and litter. The photos and videos also depict the life of those who live near the river’s banks.

Phan Le Chung says that the project has been successful in changing the minds of many people on the need to protect the river. “It has also connected different people to their common interests.

Belows are some photos of the works at the exhibition:

The river provides livelihood for many people

A boy at a fishing village on Huong River

The old town of Bao Vinh has lost some of its charm with the appearance of new apartment blocks

The river is being threatened by the over-exploitation of sand

Upstream drought

Pupils from Van Quat Dong Primary School are collecting rubbish on Huong River

source form: dtinews

 

Local authorities, officials from the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), tourism operators and training institutions in the region gathered in Lao Cai City yesterday to discuss the plan. 

One of the first steps to be taken will be the establishment of the Northwest Travel Destination Management Board to co-ordinate inter-regional tourism.

Community-based tourism projects will be set up in ethnic villages to preserve local culture and protect the environment.

Part of the project will be to help local people make trips to successful community-based eco-tourism destinations to acquire experiences.

Particularly, there will be strong support on promoting tourism of the eight provinces on their official websites.

Representatives agreed for the need to build unique tourism products to harness the cultural and natural advantages of the region.

Deputy director of the VNAT Hoang Thi Diep said that the present approach to visitors did not meet demand, despite the large potential.

“We will work with local authorities to sort out the obstacles hampering tourist development of tourism and find out solutions,” she said.

Representatives said one of the top challenges was the low quality of human resources. Most people went into community-based tourism without any training.

This made training an important component of the project.

The northwestern provinces – Dien Bien, Yen Bai, Son La, Hoa Binh, Phu Tho, Ha Giang, Lai Chau and Lao Cai – this year received more than a million tourists who spent trillions of Vietnamese dong.

The new project will be funded by an 11 million euro (US$14.3 milion) grant from the European Union and 1.1 million euro ($1.43 million) from the Vietnamese Government.

source form: vietnamnet

The opening ceremony of Hue Festival will be held on April 7, 2012, showcasing distinctive music and dance programs, carnivals, religious rituals, traditional cuisine, and performances by famous artists from many countries around the world.

During the nine-day festival, various activities will take place, including the Imperial Night, Oriental Night, Nam Giao Offering Ritual, Ao dai Fashion Show, installation art displays, Hue Poetry Festival, and culinary shows.

The event is considered an ideal opportunity to promote Vietnam’s tourism sector and introduce traditional Vietnamese culture to international visitors.

source form: vietnamnet

Fansipan is located in Lao Cai province in Northwest Vietnam, 9 km southwest of Sa Pa Township in the Hoang Lien Son mountain range. Fansipan is dubbed “the Roof of Indochina”. It is one of few eco-tourist spots of Vietnam, with about 2,024 floral varieties and 327 faunal species.

Normally, each tourist often climbs Fansipan mount with a local porter,
who are mainly H’mong people.

Porters have to carry 30-40 or even heavier papooses on their back but they can
climb the mountain very fast.

Each porter often makes three trips to the peak of Fansipan. They carry
luggage and set up tents for tourists.

Porters are paid VND150,000 ($7) for a three-day trip.

Porters not only carry luggage for tourists and help them cross rugged
rock-tops, they are also tourist guides. 

Lo A Sinh from Ho village is among the youngest porters.

Porter A Lu is playing a pan-pipe at the height of 2,200.

The road is full of obstacles from the height of 2,200m. Tourists must use half-boots and
gloves while porters only wear plastic sandals or even climb with bare feet.

The weather on Fansipan is quite nice in October and November.

Porters are also fellow travelers of tourists.

Some porters are women.

Porters have the longest interval when tourists reach the top of Fansipan, at the height of 3,143m.

source form: vietnamnet