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Vietnam Open Tour News & EventsTUESDAY 10 NOVEMBER, 2009 |
 Trekking up Co To Mountain Phung Hoang Son, or Co To Mountain, is the most beautiful among the several mountains of the That Son Range in the mountainous area of the Mekong Delta province of An Giang. The mountain is acclaimed as an ideal destination by pilgrims and tourists to experience the feeling of conquering the peak of a mountain and to take in a panoramic view of An Giang Province.
The That Son Range offers ancient relics, temples, pagodas and spectacular landscapes such as Cam Mountain, Ket Mountain, Van Linh Pagoda and Tuc Dup Hill. After experiencing all this, tourists should trek to the top of Co To Mountain. It takes about 90 minutes to get to the top, longer if you stop to take pictures or bring small children. It is recommended to start the climb at 9 a.m. when the mist melts and the view is clear. The path to the top of the mountain is a tortuous stone stairway winding up the mountain wall but shaded by dense green groves. Tourists should prepare equipment such as a mosquito net, hammock, flashlight, lighter and knife as well as dried food such as bread and noodles and some medicine. Do not forget water and a pair of good shoes. Co To Mountain is home to just some dozens of households that farm for a living. They grow mangoes, jackfruit, durians, bananas, papayas, pineapples and avocadoes, so there are orchards and also farms growing vegetables, beans and pumpkins. At mid-day, after some tiring hours of climbing, tourists can take a rest at Nam Can, a small palace sheltered in the shade of rocks and seasoned trees. When the sun gasps out its lasts rays of light on the face of the mountain, tourists who want to stay overnight can light a camp fire, sit down together and chat about the legends associated with the mountain and the forest which was once the terrain of lions and tigers. There are stories of hunters or seekers of treasure as well as monks who lead their life for Buddha on this mountain. One of the special scenic spots of Co To Mountain is San Tien (Fairy’s Yard). It is a rock yard with an area of more than 300m. Near the far end of the yard below the top of the slope, there is a footprint in a rock which legends says was left by a fairy who stepped from Co To Mountain to Cam Mountain, about eight kilometers away. At dawn, the mountain wakes up and the air is pure. Tri Thon Town sits below with houses close together next to the rice fields, and with orchards, ponds and rivers. Co To Mountain offers nature at its finest. Sleeping on the top of the mountain and admiring the moonlight glistening through the trees is a remarkable experience. VietNamNet/SGT
Little village on the paddy
In the remote mountains of Vietnam’s far northwest, Tha Hamlet still has one paved road.
VietNamNet/Thanh Nien Picture perfect
It can be, and is, called many things - photo travel, photo fieldtrips, guided photography tour, specialized travel and photo workshops. But it is basically a journey of discovering a nation through your own lens – figuratively and literally. And whatever the discoverer’s interest is – landscapes, people’s portraits, historical landmarks or sites, or a combination of many things – Nguyen Huy Son can be a friend and guide on the journey. This is his livelihood. The forty-year-old Son started out as tour guide in 1996, but the idea for tours focused on photography flashed through his mind when he started to learn the skills from his uncle, a senior photographer. Since then, many other noted Vietnamese photographers like Huynh Ngoc Dan or Thai Phien have designed their own photo tours, but Son is still holding his own. That he has “survived” several years of competition shows his photo tours meet clients’ expectations. The fact that Son is a professional tour guide fluent in English gives him an edge over other photographers, and he does not find it difficult to make the tour an attractive one. Vital ingredients “Backpack, camera and heart - these are three indispensable parts of my photo tour. I want to give my customers the best native Vietnamese images possible,” said Son. In Son’s photo tour, there are no limitations or strict schedules or set routines. Your moods and needs are priority. Son keeps in touch, understands your wishes through daily emails, and gets you to the right locale at the right time with the right lighting for the best photo opportunities. He works along, but Son’s connections with well-known firms offering transportation and accommodation serve him, and his customers well. “No matter what level of experience the tourist has, the trip is always fun and useful, with life’s tiny lessons captured on your way through the lens.“ Son provides detailed consultancy about the best months to travel, best time to shoot and specific local events that will bring you home with unique photos and memories lasting a lifetime. “My tour is open to every walk of life, any person who has real passion in photography and travel. Usually, for each tour, I guide groups of ten or under, the less the better.” “Most of my clients have basic knowledge of photography, some of them are extremely professional. Good discipline, respect for each other and sharing the journey’s fruits always make for a happy ending.” Son also works in association with a government-owned tour company, Ho Chi Minh City’s Ecotour. This ensures safe financial arrangements. The length and location of each photo tour depend on the client’s wishes, including the subjects covered and the region visited. Time to settle Son ruefully admits the constant journeying over the last decade has taken him away from a family life. At 40, he feels the need for it. “It’s time for me to turn into a man with a cozy home to return to.” Besides being a noted photo tour operator, Son is a proficient photographer in his own right, having exhibited abroad in California, with numerous national photography awards under his belt including: third prize for Vietnam Tourism Photography Contest in 2005, first and third prize for Vietnam Tourism Photography contest in 2004. At present, Son is working on a “top secret” plan and intends to broaden his photo tour by linking it with bird-watching and bike tours. TOUR INFORMATION The cost could be at least US$1,000 for a week-long tour all inclusive – accommodation, ground transportation, food, on-vehicle snacks and bottled water; and airport transfers.
History and aura shroud Cam Mountain
Next to the temple, Cam Mountain has beautiful bamboo forests and is home to a large cave with looming stalactites. Cam Mountain where the ancient Truc (Ivory Bamboo) Temple is located, is covered by lively green forests of bamboo. The lion-shaped mountain is in Kim Bang District in the northern province of Ha Nam, 8km from Phu Ly Town, the province’s centre. The ancient temple on the legendary mountain has a miraculous cave attracting pilgrims and tourists. History and legend The mountain was covered in ivory bamboo for hundreds of years. Do Chi Vien, 63, a member of the temple’s management board, recounts the history of the temple hidden in the bamboo’s green shadow. General Ly Thuong Kiet (1019-1105) commanded a naval fleet to fight against the enemy in 1089 on the Day River. When the troops were near the mountain, suddenly a hard wind blew the regiment’s signal flag to the mountain’s peak. Kiet took this as a sign and lead the troops to the mountain, lit incense for the gods and prayed for victory. He ended up being victorious. Once again, he held a ceremony at the mountain to express gratitude to the gods, and hosted a feast for the troops and the villagers. General Kiet considered the mountain to be holy and banned anyone from violating it in any way. Since then, he named the mountain Cam (Banned). The villagers set up a temple to commemorate the victory and worship him once he died. The temple was nestled amongst the ivory bamboo bushes on the mountainside and so was named after the tree. After hundreds of years, the wooden temple has been restored many times, but the ancient characters and carved art on the doors and roof were maintained. Every year, the villagers hold a festival in the lunar month of January to remember General Kiet’s festival of long ago. The one-month festival includes many folk games such as cock fighting, wrestling, tug of war and boat racing. Dancing and the singing of folk songs are the highlight of the festival. A troupe of 30 amateur artists perform in the temple’s courtyard. Young virgins are chosen carefully for this honour. Natural wonders Next to the temple, Cam Mountain is really beautiful with its bamboo forest. It hosts a large cave with unique stalactites. The mountain has not been developed and has retained its primordial beauty. Every year since 1991, the site has welcomed about 24,000 tourists, according to Vien. With the caves inside the mountain, the mountain has been given another name, Ngu Dong (Five Caves) Mountain. All five caves share a common entrance. The mouth leads tourists to a 400m-long cavern containing five rooms split naturally by stalactites. Under yellow light, a curious world appears in the caves as Vien narrates about the caves and the figures that appear in the stalactites. A statue of General Kiet is placed majestically between a stone tiger and an eagle at the entrance to the cave that Vien says are natural, not human-made. I’m not different from other tourists. When I see the stripiness on the tiger and feather on the eagle, I am amazed that water spent thousands of years to create them. Vien pointed out several special features of the stalactites: a stone flag seems to be flying on the cave’s ceiling; a war drum is below with the soldier appointed to beat the drum relaxing next to it with his head on his arm. Not far from the soldier, a woman carrying her baby looks for her husband who went into battle. Two other stalactites look like a couple’s hands which are clapsed as the man says farewell to his wife on his way off to war. The cave gathers the four supernatural creatures of dragon, phoenix, kylin and tortoise, symbols of sacredness, power, longevity and fortune in Vietnamese culture. Located in a charming natural area, the spot wows tourists with its beauty and ties to history. Dinh Van Thuan, a local man, says that he is proud of the tourist area. "While Ha Nam Province hasn’t developed its tourism sector, such precious destinations like the Truc Temple and the Five Caves should be preserved and invested in to attract more and more tourists to the area." This beautiful spot, with a total area of 2,042ha, will be invested in from now to 2020, according to Vu Manh Diem, Kim Bang District’s Culture and Information officer. Two hotels will be constructed to welcome tourists, and the temple’s management board will carve a bronze bell weighing 100 tonnes. It’s expected to be the largest bell in Viet Nam. VietNamNet/VNS Boating on the Saigon River Mentioning HCMC, people immediately think of well-known sightseeing spots in the city center such as Ben Thanh Market, Notre Dame Cathedral, the HCMC Post Office or Reunification Palace. These are fine places to visit but why not escape the city’s boisterous atmosphere for a while to enjoy a boat trip on the Saigon River to see the city from a different perspective.
It’s easy enough to take a junk tour and tourists may even ask the junk owner to go to their favorite spots. Going around on the river, we see Nha Rong Wharf where Ho Chi Minh left to save the country and the Thu Thiem Ferry where people are on their way to or from work. Sitting on the junk, wind off the river blows a cool gust through our hair like it wants to play with us. The price for a junk tour is not expensive, just VND80,000 for an hour. If tourists go in a group the price is cheaper because each junk holds ten persons. VietNamNet/SGT
Vietnam tourism on the border line
In the golden age, 2004-2005, Under the new regulations, tourists from other third countries can even drive vehicles themselves through the gates. In the last three years, 2006-2008, The sheer size of Luu Duc Ke, Director of Hanoitourism, is pleased with the great strides taken in opening up the borders but is troubled by what “dumping” from Chinese tour companies Ke says that ultra low prices are being offered to tourists which means that once they cross the border costs are cut so hard their trip is affected. “They are scrambling for travelers by dumping on the market,” said Ly Mon, director of Ha Long Travel Firm. National tourism body VNAT calls it a kind of ‘swindling’ in tourism and says it must be stopped. What to do to attract more cross-border tourists? Participants at the workshop on border tourism held in Lang Son province on November 6, 2009 emphasised that the first thing provinces need to do to attract travelers is to improve infrastructure. Director of the Lang Son province Culture, Tourism and Sports Department Hoang Van Tao said that Lang Son needs some hundreds of billions of dong to build roads for tourism sites. The current road is just 3.5 metres wide which does not fit 50-seat buses. Therefore, travelers have to get into smaller buses when traveling to some places. Vu The Binh, a senior official of the Vietnam National Tourism Administration, agreed that the bumpy roads cannot attract many travelers. Especially, the roads in the central region which suffer landslides in flood season. Meanwhile, Tao from Lang Son province authorities says they must get better at receiving their guests. The Huu Nghi border gate in Lang Son province, for example, can receive 20 travelers at a time – not the thousands that it needs to. Ha Yen - vietnamnet News for Thursday 05 November, 2009
View all news for Thursday 05 November, 2009 on one page Recent News
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