There are many anecdotes about the origins of the name of the mountain. Cam Mountain or Cam Son was the official name first written in “Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi” (Essays on the United Great Vietnam) which was compiled at the end of the 19th century. The book states, “… The mountain is sky-high with verdant trees and is one of the seven mountains. It is so high that few people can reach its peak”. According to the book “Gia Dinh Thanh Thong Chi” by Trinh Hoai Duc, this mountain, called Doai Ton, is over 160m high, 20 miles in diameter and has the shape of a tower.

Cam Mountain has an altitude of 705m and has a circumference of 28,600m. The weather on the mountain is influenced by tropical monsoons and has an average temperature of 250C. In spring, during the day, it is cool and fresh with green and lush trees but at night it is rather cold. In the early morning, the mountain is covered with a white fog. In the evening, it is covered with clouds. From the top of the mountain, visitors have a panoramic view of vast rice fields stretching to the Ha Tien sea and the southwestern border. With its renowned scenery the area has become a popular tourist site.

The mountain also has a fascinating natural environment with flowers all year round that create a “splendid painting”. It is famous for many peaks of different heights with different name, such as Thien Tue, Bo Hong, Ong Buom, Dau and Ba. The name of each peak is associated with a legend and each has a meaning. Pilgrims often visit these peaks to pray. Along the walkways, there are other attractions, such as Phao Binh and Chu Than Peaks; Rau Tan, Cuu Pham, Kin and Cay Que Temples; Ong Ho and Thuy Tien Caves, and Muoi Co Shrine.

With beautiful scenery, large forests of verdant trees including many century-old trees with a vast canopy of leaves, Cam Mountain has become an ideal eco-tourist site. Visitors to this area can enjoy the landscape of the southwestern mountains and taste different kinds of fruit, such as mangos, jackfruits, bananas, durians, avocados and custard-apples. They also have an opportunity to call at the shops or stay overnight in the inns to enjoy the atmosphere of the mountainous area. If they have more time, they can visit Phat Lon, Phat Nho and Trung Son Thien Tu Pagodas.

Van Linh Pagoda is situated near a forest of acassia aneura and acacia trees covering 14,400m2. In 1929, superior Buddhist monk Thich Quang Thien built a simple dwelling with leaves to lead a religious life. In 1940, this house became Van Linh Pagoda. In 1995, the pagoda was rebuilt into a religious complex of a larger scale. The most impressive features of this pagoda are the three towers before the front hall. They are 40m high and consist of nine layers, each exhibiting a statue of Buddha riding a beast. The statues, made from stone taken from Thanh Hoa Province, are over 2m high and have delicate carvings, creating a deep and solemn feature.

A must-see attraction is the 33.60m-high statue of Mitreya, the highest Mitreya statue in Southeast Asia. It is placed in a 20ha area of green trees, facing the Phat Lon and Van Linh Pagodas. This is the largest artwork and religious structure in the Bay Nui area. It is amazing that from any peak of the mountains, visitors can see the white statue of Mitreya with a generous and holy smile sitting amidst a green space.

Sunset over Tinh Bien District, An Giang Province seen from Cam Son Mountain.

Cam Mountain is a pilgrimage and tourist destination for people both from home and abroad. According to An Giang Tourism, every year over 1.2 million people visit this area and the number of visitors is largest during the spring festival from January to June of the lunar calendar.

 

“The payment for our shows does nothing to help our villagers make ends meet,” said Nep, 25, from Dong Giang District in the central province of Quang Nam. 

Her village, Bho Hoong, some 100km from the Hoi An beach and close to the historic Ho Chi Minh Trail, is typical of many throughout the country who are missing out on the cash from a burgeoning tourism industry.

Her village gets about 2,000 day visitors a year, attracted by the culture of the Co Tu ethnic minority group. But the locals get little benefit – any money the tourists bring goes into the pockets of the travel companies.

Quang Nam Province borders the central tourism hub of Da Nang, which has attracted significant investment because of its sandy beaches, coral reefs and world cultural heritage sites: My Son Archaeological Site and Hoi An Old Town. However, all the money was being spent on the coastal fringes and tourism in the interior is largely limited to day trippers.

Some 24 per cent of households in the province are still living under or close to the poverty line of $21 per capita per month.

In fact, Quang Nam was a vivid example of the unequal situation in tourism across Viet Nam in both quality and quantity of jobs, said International Labour Organisation country director Gyorgy Sziraczki.

He told a conference on poverty reduction through tourism, held by the ILO in Quang Nam yesterday, that much of the tourism development was limited to a few key areas while those in the rural interior had benefited little.

Globally, tourism development was strongly connected with employment, he said, since it was one of the world’s top job creators (230 million jobs, equivalent to 8 per cent of the overall number of jobs).

“Importantly, the sector requires varying degrees of skill and allows for quick entry into the workforce by youth, women and migrant workers,” Sziraczki said.

In Viet Nam, the $5 billion tourism sector employed about 434,000 people directly and 955,000 indirectly in 2010, up by two thirds against 2007. The industry was dominated by young and particularly female workers, who made up 58 per cent of the total workforce.

The contribution of tourism to job creation was expected to continue increasing as the country was ranked sixth in the world for tourism and travel growth.

The industry has targeted 10 million international visitors a year to generate an annual revenue of $18-19 billion by 2020. It expected to directly employ 940,000 workers by the end of the decade, more than double the 2010 number.

The growth in tourism and jobs had not been equal across the country, said Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism training department deputy director Nguyen Van Luu.

Some 34 per cent of the tourism workforce was concentrated in HCM City and surroundings and 33 per cent in Ha Noi and adjacent areas.

To benefit the poor, an ILO project in Quang Nam Province was expected to bring hospitality and tourism development opportunities to rural and mountainous areas.

The US$1.35 million project, funded by the Luxembourg Government, is helping local people better their lives from tourism by developing home-stay services and promoting their traditional weaving and other products, with “Made in Quang Nam” branding and “Products with a story”.

With ILO support, the provincial government has set a goal of increasing the business start-ups related to tourism in the interior by 10 per cent and raising the average income of the locals by one fifth by the end of next year, said provincial People’s Committee deputy chairman Tran Minh Ca said.

And while all this is going on, young minority dancer Nep has volunteered to take a lead in the “fight” for equality in tourism.

With her university degree – a rare achievement in the 67-household village – and being the daughter of a war hero, who is also head of the village, Nep is expected to persuade and guide other young villagers to use tourism as a vehicle to get out of poverty.

And with support from the ILO, they will be trained in how to negotiate with travel companies and fight for their benefits.

Nep is hoping for brighter days to come to her homeland and a bigger share of the tourism cake.

Gieng Temple is located at the last section of the Hung Kings Temple. Gieng Temple’s door is always open to welcome guests. Rumor has it that if a visitor looks at the image of his/her face reflected in a well named “Pearl Well” in the temple, he/she will be lucky and his/her dreams will come true.

After a day climbing to the top of the holy mountain of Nghia Linh, everyone wants to enter the temple to visit the legendary well. The well is considered a holy relic amidst the majestic worshiping place. It is made from a kind of hard stone and its mouth is half a meter tall from the temple floor. The sunlight, the red light from the shrine and the smell of aloe wood make tourists feel as if they were lost in a mysterious holy space.

Legend has it that the well has been there since the reign of King Hung the 18th. Once when the king and his servants were holding a ritual offering sacrifice to heaven on Nghia Linh Mountain, the princesses hung around. To the southeast of the mountain, Tien Dung and Ngoc Hoa princesses found a pool and looked at themselves in the clear water. They also drank the clear, refreshing water. Ever since, they often visited this place. As the two princesses taught locals how to grow water paddy and contain floods, people showed their deep gratitude by setting up the temple to worship them.

Gieng Temple was built in the 17th century, and the pool was turned into a well inside the temple and was named pearl well, perhaps thanks to its clear water.

Visitors to Hung Kings Temple and the pearl well were formerly invited to drink the water of the well, wash their faces or bring the water home. Unfortunately, the well is now covered by a metal net.

Gieng Temple is one of the four main architectural works at Hung Kings Temple amidst picturesque natural sceneries. Inside Gieng Temple is a wide lotus pond embraced by willows and shade trees that make an ideal rest stop for visitors.

Gieng Temple was constructed in traditional Vietnamese architecture with many compartments. The gate of Gieng Temple, resembling the main gate of Hung Kings Temple but smaller and shorter, comprises two floors and eight roofs. Either side of the gate are parallel sentences and statues of guards and tigers.

 

The annual one-day competition is expected to attract foreign and Vietnamese participants from provinces and cities nationwide, according to the event’s organising committee. 

The winner will be awarded VND10 million (US$476), while second and third places have an award of VND5 million ($238) and VND3 million ($143), respectively.

The Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort also announced its summer promotion programme running during the kite competition. Tourists who book a four-night stay at the resort during the period between May 3 to October 31 will get one night free.

* Vinpearl to host Asian food promotion

The Da Nang-based Vinpearl Luxury restaurant will host an Asian food promotion from April 23 to 30.

During this time, the restaurant will cater daily and nightly buffets with various traditional delicacies from Viet Nam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, India, China and Japan.

Chef Halim from Malaysia will impress gourmets with dishes such as Nasi Briyani, Penang Laksa, Prawn Percik and Pasembur at the restaurant on Truong Sa Street, Da Nang City.

Cao Bang Province is home to eight minority groups such as Dao, Thai and has much tourism potential.

The Pac Bo historical sites, and the beautiful landscapes of Thang Hen Lake, Pha Den Biodiversity site and Nguom Ngao cave already attract many visitors.

Among them, the grandiose and beautiful Ban Gioc Falls is one of the many tourist destinations. From the top of the limestone mountain range, Ban Gioc Falls drop deep into the blue river.

So far there is no tourist accommodation at this wonderful natural landscape site and much needs to be developed here, including proper traffic, as the area offers great natural produce, fresh air and wonderful weather.

The construction of a luxury resort will help the province to develop economically and keep borders safe.

A range of special cultural activities are planned

CNN Go describes Hanoi as “the birthplace of many quintessential Vietnamese dishes, such as pho and bun cha, and the city is often cited as one of the world’s great food capitals.”

According to CNN Go, Hanoi is also a street-eater’s paradise, with a plethora of options for those who want to eat like a local. In fact, many swear that the best food in Hanoi is found on the sidewalk, with dishes that often feature fish sauce, lemongrass, chilies, and cilantro and other fresh herbs.

“The city, which celebrated its 1,000th birthday last year, has put those centuries to good use perfecting its curbside nibbles. Although vendors often cook in small shop fronts, they serve their wares on the sidewalk, on small plastic tables and chairs that can seem woefully inadequate for overgrown foreigners,” CNN Go comments.

Below are the ten special cuisines of Hanoi:

1. Bun cha

Possibly the most delicious food available to man, bun cha is the lunch of choice all over Hanoi. Pork patties and slices of pork belly are grilled over hot coals and served with fish sauce, tangy vinegar, sugar and lime, which, when combined, creates a sort of barbecue soup that is eaten with rice vermicelli and fresh herbs. Accompanied by deep-fried spring rolls, this calorically rich dish is served with garlic and chilies on the side for an extra kick.

2. Pho

As the birthplace of pho, Hanoi is ground zero for the fragrant rice noodle soup served with fresh herbs that has become popular all over the world. It’s no surprise, then, that Hanoi’s pho is outstanding. Two variations are most popular: pho ga (with chicken) and pho bo (with beef). Pho is traditionally served as a breakfast food, so you’ll find pho sellers all over town from before dawn to mid-morning.

3. Bun rieu cua

Freshwater crabs flavor this tangy tomato soup that’s made with round rice vermicelli and topped with pounded crabmeat, deep-fried tofu and, often, congealed blood. An odoriferous purple shrimp paste is offered on the side, but don’t be afraid — it tastes delicious. Chilies and fresh herbs are the finishing touches for a complete one-dish meal.

4. Barbecue chicken

Ly Van Phuc is its official name, but the place is colloquially known as “Chicken Street” in honor of the tasty poultry being barbecued up and down this crowded alley. Grilled chicken wings and feet, sweet potatoes and bread that’s been brushed with honey before being grilled are served with chili sauce and pickled cucumbers in sweet vinegar. The simple, enticing menu is nearly identical for all the vendors on the street.

5. Sticky rice

In the morning you’ll find the sticky rice vendors out hawking their wares. Sticky rice is a hugely popular carb-rich breakfast food that comes wrapped in a banana leaf. There are dozens of variations on the dish. One is served with crushed peanuts and sesame salt, another involves white corn and deep-fried shallots.

6. Iced coffee

Coffee was brought to Vietnam by the French and is, along with baguettes, one of their lasting culinary legacies. Beans are grown in Vietnam and roasted, often with lard, before being ground and served in single-serving metal filters. Drinking a cup of cafe nau da, iced coffee with condensed milk, on a busy side street is one of Hanoi’s great pleasures.

7. Nem cua be

You can find many types of excellent spring rolls all over Vietnam, but nem cua be, made with fresh crab meat, are particularly good. Unlike regular spring rolls, they are wrapped into a square shape before being fried. Nem cua be are a specialty of Hai Phong, a seaside town not far away, but are fantastic in Hanoi as well.

8. Chao ca

Toast has nothing on chao ca, so if you’re looking for a satisfying breakfast in Hanoi, why not try a steaming bowl of fish porridge? Like Chinese congee, it’s a rice gruel made by cooking down the grains until they are nearly liquid. In Hanoi, it’s most often served with green onion, sprigs of dill and slivers of ginger.

9. Banh cuon

Banh cuon is a Northern Vietnamese dish that migrated to Hanoi. Thin steamed rice flour pancakes filled with minced pork and cloud ear mushrooms are served with nuoc cham, a fish-sauce-based dipping sauce, fried shallots and fresh herbs. Slightly goopy in texture, banh cuon are often eaten for breakfast or as an evening pick-me-up.

10. Muc nuong

There’s no greater pleasure than drinking on a busy Hanoi sidewalk, and what better to nosh on while you do–than muc nuong? Dried squid is grilled over hot coals before being shredded and served with a spicy sauce. It’s a chewy treat that is best washed down with shots of rice wine.

Overcrowding at the gateway