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Vietnam Open Tour News & EventsMONDAY 21 DECEMBER, 2009 |
 Hoi An to open night tours next year
Hoi An Town in the central province of Quang Nam will open at night from January 2, 2010, offering tours of several sightseeing sites along with food and drink services. During night trips, visitors can choose places they want to go to instead of being restricted to places listed on tickets, as happens during the day, local officials said. While certain places like ancient houses and club-houses won’t open at night, tourists will still have chance to enjoy lantern nights, traditional music performances and food and drinks at a floating market on the Hoai River. They can also join folk games and learn to make lanterns that are set adrift on the river. The night trips at the town, recognized as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 1999, are expected to cost VND40,000 per person for Vietnamese citizens and VND90,000 each for foreigners. VietNamNet/VNA
Fresh ideas needed to boost Mekong tourism
Thus, most tourists who visit, never return. The Mekong Delta is a large and heavily populated region with a warm climate and few natural disasters. In addition, its natural beauty and abundant waterways makes the area an attractive eco-tourism destination. However, experts say these attributes have not been taken advantage of. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the number of visitors to the Mekong Delta in 2008 accounted for just 8 percent compared to other regions visited in the country. On average, foreign tourists spend just one day in the region while Vietnamese tourists stay an average of two days. In 2004, the Tien Giang Tourist Company began offering fishing tours. One week later, other eco-tourism companies began offering the same packages. Now, visiting fruit gardens, rowing boats, fishing, and traditional music performances appear as part of nearly every tour. This has led to unhealthy competition amongst businesses who try to offer the lowest prices and ultimately end up sacrificing service. At a seminar on sustainable development for Mekong Delta tourism held recently in Can Tho, Dr. Dinh Van Hanh from the Vietnam Institute of Culture and Arts, Ho Chi Minh Sub-Institute said that because most tours are the same, travelers have no reason to return after their first visit. To address the lack of creativity, HCMC tour operators proposed developing an excursion that would take visitors through more of the Mekong Delta provinces, highlighting the different attractions of each area. Moreover, each province would benefit financially. However, the program failed to take flight as many thought it would be too expensive to instigate the tour and companies didn’t like the idea of sharing profits. Cultural, historic attractions overlooked The Mekong Delta lacks an abundance of famous landscapes as compared to the central and northern regions. However, it boasts many interesting architectural works and historical relics like Doi Pagoda in Soc Trang Province, Binh Thuy Communal House in Can Tho City, and Ba Om Pond in Tra Vinh Province to name a few. According to statistics from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Mekong Delta has 150 national cultural and historical relics in all. In addition, the region hosts traditional festivals like Chol Chnam Thmay, Dolta, and Ha Xan. But experts say businesses have failed to realize the area’s potential cultural attraction in creating tours with variety. According to Dr. Pham Trung Luong, deputy head of the Institute for Tourism Development Research, tourism development strategies should be tailor-made for each locality. For example, Long An, Tien Giang, Ben Tre, and Dong Thap provinces should focus on tours to cultural and historical relics and trade villages. Meanwhile, Vinh Long, Can Tho, Tra Vinh, Hau Giang, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu and Ca Mau provinces should exploit shopping, eating, and floating market tours. An Giang and Kien Giang provinces should prioritize sea, island, and mountain tourism and facilitate trips into Cambodia and Thailand. Only by capitalizing on each province’s strengths and diversifying tours will visitors be enticed to return. VNN/SGGP
HCMC targets 2.8 mln foreign arrivals next year
Ho Chi Minh City, the nation’s commercial and tourism hub, hopes to welcome 2.8 million foreign visitors in 2010 after posting the first decline in arrivals since 2003 this year. La Quoc Khanh, deputy head of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the drop of 7 percent in foreign arrivals had been expected since the middle of this year, when the city’s tourism sector began to feel the effects of the economic slump and the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic. Foreign arrivals to the city in 2009 were estimated at 2.6 million, much lower than the target of 3.1 million set earlier. The last time the city posted a year-on-year decline in arrivals was in 2003 when the SARS epidemic hit the tourism sector in the entire region was badly affected. Khanh said he hoped the situation would improve next year. “At first we only set a target of 2.7 million arrivals for 2010. But after tour operators and hotels reported their bookings numbers, we raised it to 2.8 million,” he said Thursday. Overall arrivals to Vietnam in the first 11 months were down 12.3 percent. Still, the figure in November alone surged 38.6 percent from a year ago, according to the Vietnam National Tourism Administration. The administration expected arrival numbers to continue to go up from the end of this year. VNN/TBKTSG/Thanh Nien
Vietnam joins Asian Cruise Services Network
Krai Panyarachun, the director of Bangkok-based SEA Tours, was elected as ACSN’s President and directors from the other travel agencies are now members of the board. Apart from SEA Tours, other members include Saigontourist (Vietnam), JTB (Japan), Aju Incentive Tours (the Republic of Korea), PC Tours (Hong Kong), Bali Triloka Candra (Indonesia), Asian Overland Services (Malaysia), First Travel (Cambodia), Anglo-French Travel (Singapore), Myanmar Voyages (Myanmar), Micato India (India) and Gemini Tours (Sri Lanka). According to director Krai Panyarachun, besides working out a strategic business plan and operational programme for next year, ACSN will design a website to advertise the network around the world. VietNamNet/VOV Kermis in fog This fair has been open for less than two years by ethnic minority groups in Y Ty commune, Bat Xat district, the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai. Located at 266 meters above sea level, Y Ty is covered by clouds year round. From November to April, this land is always in thick fog both day and night. The kermis is not only a market, but also a place for the cultural activities of Ha Nhi, Giay and H’mong peoples.
Le Anh Dung shot the kermis:
Le Anh Dung Places to be in HCMC on Xmas and New Year’s Eve Hotels and restaurants are working hard to offer memorable evenings to mark year-end holidays.
A foreigner walks past the Seventeen Saloon Bar in downtown HCM City. And as usual, many hotels and restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City are gearing up for the Christmas and New Year season with special deals and packages designed to lure customers in a very competitive market. Some of the more attractive ones this year are at the Renaissance Riverside Hotel Saigon in District 1 – a favored place for year-end parties. Many companies and families choose the restaurant in the hotel for parties of around 30 persons. At US$29 net per person, a yearend lunch or dinner buffet in the elegant Me Linh grand room, with beer and soft drinks free for two hours, the deal is very competitive. In addition, the hotel serves special Christmas Eve cakes to customers. They can enjoy the cakes there or take them home. Other restaurants in the hotel offer different deals. Among many other places holding parties or special events for Christmas and the New Year is the Seventeen Saloon bar. The bar will hold a “Sparkling with colors” celebration of Christmas at 103A Pham Ngu Lao Street, District 1 and at its branch in Da Nang City. Santa Claus and the Snow Princess will welcome guests at the specially decorated bar, a choir will sing famous carols and a popular Filipino band will make Christmas Eve rock. The bar will hold a “Happy New Year” party on December 31. Some five-star hotels have a few surprises in store. At the Mövenpick Hotel Saigon on Nguyen Van Troi Street in Phu Nhuan District, the especially attractive package involves discounted room rates with many perks including a free Christmas Eve buffet. The hotel will offer free Tiger beer and soft drinks for two hours on Christmas Eve, and free decorations according to the theme of the festival. The Vietnamese buffet for the festival is priced at VND396,000++ and the international buffet at VND450,000++ per person. A special menu of Christmas specialties will cost VND486,000++ per person. If customers choose to stay at the hotel, they will get the Christmas Eve buffet free, a fruit basket, and discount of up to 20 percent on all food and beverages. From December 23 till 25 room rents will drop from the normal $179++ for a double room and $149++ for a single room to just $99++ and they can use all services at the executive lounge at no cost. Customers can also enjoy traditional turkey, fresh seafood dishes or famous Chinese dishes and Swiss style appetizers at the hotel’s Café Saigon Restaurant. The Christmas Eve dinner will also include a choir performance, live music and a lucky draw. Santa Claus will be on hand to distribute gifts among children. The Christmas Eve buffet on December 24 is priced at $55++ per person. The room rents for the New Year, though will be $189++ for a double and $149++ for a single room. Customers staying at the hotel for the New Year will be picked up and dropped off from the airport or any other location within a 10-kilometer radius. A complimentary glass of champagne will be served by the Café Saigon Restaurant as a lucky wish for the New Year. The New Year Eve celebration on December 31 will cost $65++ per adult (half for children below 12) with free flow of cocktails, beer, wine and soft drinks. VietNamNet/Thanh Nien Hunting for air tickets to fly on Tet days Passengers complain that they cannot book air tickets to fly on Tet holiday, though Tet two months is two months away. It is very difficult to get a ticket from December 24 of Lunar Year (February 8, 2010) and afterwards Nearly all booking agents have reported that they have no more air tickets for short distance flights. As for the key route of “We have only one ticket for the flight on the eve of the Lunar New Year. Will you take it?,” an officer of Hoa Binh booking agency told However, After having a quick look at the computer’s screen, the officer said: “Jetstar Pacific ran out tickets in July. Only Vietnam Airlines still has air tickets because it has decided to provide additional flights”. “If you are still indecisive, the ticket will be taken by another passenger,” he added. The ticket was booked 10 minutes after
The En Viet booking agent said that though Vietnam Airlines has decided to provide more flights on the Tet holidays, the number of flights is still far below demand. It is very difficult to get a ticket from December 24 of Lunar Year (February 8, 2010) and afterwards. “Tickets are booked as soon as additional flights are announced,” an officer said. According to En Viet, only business class tickets are still available for HCM City-Hanoi flights, while no seat on economy class is left. Meanwhile, short distance flights, such as those from According to the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, the number of passengers who will fly on the Tet holiday is expected to increase by 20 percent The aviation market on the Tet holiday will witness the ‘solo performance’ of Vietnam Airlines which plans to provide 850 additional flights for the Hanoi-HCM City and HCM City-Da Nang air routes, from February 1, 2010 to February 28, 2010. Vietnam Airlines has said that it plans to increase the number of flights on peak days for some short distance routes, including the ones from Meanwhile, Jetstar Pacific has run out of tickets and keeps quiet about plans to increase number of flights on the Tet holiday. Meanwhile, it remains unclear when Indochina Airlines will resume flights. The air carrier has halted flights after it had to return its only charter aircraft due to financial difficulties. VietNamNet/VNE Year-end night market at Hanoi Old Quarters Around 1km stretching through Hang Dao – Hang Giay streets, the Dong Xuan night market has become a destination during weekends of Hanoians.
The night market spreads across Hang Dao, Hang Ngang, Hang Duong and Hang Giay streets. It opens at 6.30 every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night.
Clothes are the most popular goods.
Low-cost and on sale products are very attractive to students.
Many Chinese souvenirs are also available.
The night market is a venue for lovers.
A girl is trying on a sun glasses.
Foreign visitors.
A street painter.
This old woman, 78, earns her living from selling Chinese humming-tops
A boy goes to the market with his mother. VietNamNet/VNE Forest of stone Thousands of rocks in different shapes and sizes create the uniqueness of Ham Ho, also known as the "Forest of Stone", in the central province of Binh Dinh.
At the beach: Children enjoy swimming in a ‘natural swimming pool’ in Ham Ho. The name "Forest of Stone" originates from the vast quantities of rocks at the site. Not only is it surrounded by giant limestone cliffs, there are uncountable stones in the streams, which have different names due to their shapes such as Hon Vo Ruou (The Wine Jar Stone), Hon Ban Co (The Chessboard Stone) and Hon Dau Chan (The Footprint Stone). Although there is a path leading to the site, most tourists prefer to get there by water. With a cost of VND30,000 per person, the visitors can take a boat gently down a small stream under the thick shadow of trees, which one tourist dubbed a "green tunnel". "I felt like I was visiting a tunnel of dreams created by the thick leaf canopies with the sound of water murmuring through rocks, birds singing and wind playing with the trees," Hai Thach, a forty-something visitor said. Floating on the water brought a different feeling to Thu Ha, a visitor from Da Nang. "Although the boat is not a traditional Venetian gondola, I felt like I was in Venice," she said. A bright, awe-inspiring scene of giant cliffs and curving streams appears as the visitors exit the "green tunnel". From here, the visitors can disembark and start their journey of discovery in the wild beauty of Ham Ho. By wading through the stream and climbing over many huge rocks to reach the river’s source, the visitors will have the chance to witness the untouched natural beauty of the Hai and Ba waterfalls, the Misty Summit and the Sac and Ba chasms. "I felt dizzy. The stream filled with rocks of different shapes and sizes, captured the imagination of everyone. Some stones looked like a herd of elephants, some looked like galloping horses, while some others looked like huge crocodiles," Thach commented. The unique terrain in Ham Ho has also created several ponds that make ideal natural swimming pools. However, the tourists favourite is a pond called Vung Trau Nam (Buffalo’s Pond), where "the stream bed is not too deep, the shore slope gentle and the water cool and clear", teenager Minh Thien said.
Rock garden: The unique landscape of Ham Ho is created by thousands of rocks of different shapes and sizes. "The stone bed is quite hard, but it is quite cool. We don’t ask for anything other than that on such a hot summers day," a young tourist said. The Ham Ho site also offers trekking tours for those who are interested in discovering the jungle. Tourists can select a one-day or an overnight tour. Hai Khoa, a student at Quy Nhon University, said he experienced a night in the jungle last year with a group of his classmates. Khoa and his friends have visited the site several times because "the terrain of Ham Ho suits young tourists who are eager to discover and strong enough to climb the cliffs". The temperature in Ham Ho is lower than other neighbouring areas, another reason why a huge number of tourists flock to the site during the summer. However, the locals suggest that Ham Ho is at its best in the spring, when the jungle is full of new life and the climate is fit for walking and picnics. In the flooding season, visitors can witness schools of fish swimming upstream to lay their eggs. The fish sometimes leap into the air as they battle the current. That’s why there is a waterfall in Ham Ho called Thac Ca Bay, which means flying fish. According to Nguyen Kien Trung, a tourist guide of the Quy Nhon-based Central Tourism Company, the Ham Ho tourist site welcomes thousands of visitors during the holidays. "However, foreign tourists make up a very small percentage," he said, without giving an exact figure. When visiting Ham Ho, visitors should not ignore the local specialities, such as crispy fried stream fish served with wild vegetable and rice pancake, roasted sugarcane bird (a kind of bird only lives in the sugarcane farms around the site) and snails. Such tasty delicacies can be found at the Hoa Loc Vung restaurant at the site. Trung has revealed that the local authority is planning to build a cable car system at Ham Ho, in an attempt to attract more tourists. "The cable car will offer visitors the chance to contemplate the imposing landscape of the area from above," Trung said. VietNamNet/Viet Nam News Charming with Hue conical hat Strolling around Hue City in peace and stillness, tourists will catch the images of local ladies in white ao dai (Vietnamese long dress) and non la (conical hats) on their heads walking gently under green trees along the streets. It is no doubt that if the ao dai is the traditional dress for Vietnamese women which firstly reveals hidden charms of Vietnamese women in tourists’ eyes, the conical hat is the second thing to make a strong impression on tourists to Vietnam by its charm and romance.
However, in Hue, the conical hat has existed for a long time not only as a sun safe device but also as traditional jewelry depicting hidden charms and simplicity of Vietnamese women. Therefore, they are made a bit differently than regional conical hats, thinner and lighter and more artistic. “Hue conical hat is also plaited with palm leaves but thinner and its stitches are tinier and more gentle. Especially, artisans weave typical images of Hue such as Thien Mu Pagoda, Trang Tien Bridge or even poems into the hat and make it distinct,” said a local artisan identified as Quyt. As decorated with poems, Hue’s non la is also called non bai tho. However, those poems and other images of ancient pagodas or bridges are not being seen clearly, but fancifully under the sunlight. And those vague images are meant to present shyness and profoundness of Hue ladies. Today, in the modern society, the conical hat is not used as widely as before. However, Hue locals still preserve the traditional craft as an indigenous cultural feature at Huong Village on Huyen Tran Cong Chua Street, near Tu Duc Momentum. Recently, many souvenir shops have grown up at the village. Coming here, tourists not only can contemplate Hue’s conical hat but can also witness the progress of making a non la. Quyt has to find and cut palm leaves and spread them onto the ground to dry. She wakes early to make the leaves straight in the dry season when the temperature can make the leaves curved. The next step for the artisan is to whittle bamboo sticks into rounds and then plait the leaves as the shape of the bamboo frame and weave them together. So, to make a conical cat, an artisan needs about three days. Each conical hat is a work of arts, requiring perseverance, dexterity and diligence. VietNamNet/SGT As bustling as Ganh Do in the early morning When the sun does not appear on the horizon, fishermen of Song Cau District in the central province of Phu Yen row their thuyen thung (basket boat) offshore to catch fish, shrimp and whatever they can from the sea to sell at a small but bustling port called Ganh Do to earn a living.
Fishermen and their relatives open their nets to take fish to Ganh Do in the morning. Depending on the net and the mesh space, the fishermen catch shrimp, squid and fish from the sea before rowing their boats back to the shore at Ganh Do in Xuan Tho Commune when the sun rises high above the horizon around 9 a.m. When coming onshore, the fishermen are greeted by their wives and children who step into the water to help their husbands and fathers push the basket boat up to the beach and then take out what they have in the net. The higher the sun rises, the more basket boats come onshore in lines, making Ganh Do a destination full of colors as each boat has colorful flags. Fishermen talk with the people onshore about the day’s catch, the sea and topics of interest when they unfold their nets. The couples open the net in the boat to take fish and shrimp while children play and run around the boats and rocks, giggling and shouting their joys of the morning. Situated by reefs and rocks, Ganh Do looks like a festive venue in the morning and from a far distance. Now is not the good season to go out to sea in the central region as fishermen cannot net a lot because the sea is rather rough, Trung says after cleaning sweat drops on his forehead by his right hand. He says the best time to net plenty of fish, shrimp and squid is from February when the sea is calm. Ca com, a kind of small fish like anchovy, is one of the specialties of the Tuy An Sea and the main ingredient for locals to make original nuoc man (fish sauce), whose reputation has gone beyond the province. Ganh Do can be approached by car or motorcycle as it is located near National Highway 1A. Visitors can hire a taxi motorcycle in Tuy Hoa City or get on a coach to travel 50 kilometers northward on this highway. VietNamNet/SGT News for Friday 18 December, 2009
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