Taking a trip to Hang Cop Waterfall

Located in Tuy Son Commune in Xuan Tho District, 15 kilometers from Dalat City, Hang Cop (Tiger Cave) Waterfall is not too difficult to reach. The falls are also called Ong Cop, Ong Thuan, Da Sar, or Thien Thai, due to the ideal location among pine tree forests and flower gardens. Not having been intimidated by the name, we took a trip to Hang Cop on a smoggy morning to explore a newly-exploited tourist site in the city.

A view of Hang Cop (Tiger Cave) Waterfall.

After over five kilometers of pathway twisting under pine forests and slanting slopes of roots, we could hear the waterfall from afar. The atmosphere was not broken by city noises but was relaxing and peaceful. A tiger statue measuring five meters in height and 10 meters in length welcomes tourists at the entrance of the tourist site.

The waterfall is about 50 meters high and 10 meters wide, pouring down with speed and strength to make white foam cluster over granite slabs at the foot. The name Hang Cop was given by local people as the sound of the falls is like a tiger’s roar. Besides, Chil people tell a story of a fierce tiger which killed people and destroyed fields and gardens and a villager who drove the tiger away with an arrow to its leg. Chil people built a statue to commemorate the hero near the waterfall.

Yellow sunshine goes through the pine leaves, making a kind of light to soften the way. After wading through a small clear spring, we came to the top of the waterfall. From here, following cement steps down the abyss, the trees and their foliage are dense. At the foot, vapor spreads like mist and the stones emit cold, humid air. A column of white water pours down from the high mountain, buzzes into a deep pit, escapes by a twisty spring along big stones and quietly sinks into dense forest.

At nightfall we enjoyed wine with local specialties at the tourist site. Room rates are around VND100,000, tickets VND7,000 each, while food and beverages are rather cheap. A night in the jungle can be a pleasure with the cool climate, flowers and leaf fragrance, and the voices of wild nature.

People should visit Hang Cop Waterfall on the occasion of big festivals of the ethnic groups of the Lam Vien Highlands when tourists will have a chance to hold hands with Chil girls and dance by the fire.

A journey to Hang Cop Waterfall will be a trip like no other.

HCM City: More trains for national holidays

To serve the increasing demand for travel during the upcoming holidays - Gio To Hung Vuong (Hung Kings’ death anniversary), HCM City’s Liberation Day (April 30) and the May Day – the Saigon Railway Station will put an additional six pairs of trains on the Saigon – Nha Trang route.

On the occasion of the Hung Kings’ death anniversary (April 4), besides a daily train (SNT72), there will be two more trains (SN4 and SN6) for the HCM City – Nha Trang route on April 3.

The SN4 train will depart from the Saigon Railway Station at 10:10pm and the SN6 train will leave the station at 11:15pm on April 3. There will be one more train to bring passengers from Nha Trang to HCM City on April 5 and 6.

For the HCM City Liberation Day (April 30), there will be an additional four pairs of trains from HCM City to Nha Trang from April 29 to May 2.

The Saigon Railway Station said that the increase of trains for the Saigon – Nha Trang routes during holidays is to serve visitors from HCM City to the central region.

Revelling in traditional cuisine in Vietnam House

Built in 1992 and located in the center of HCMC, Vietnam House Restaurant is an impressive colonial-style house with Vietnamese folk design and decorations, making it a cozy and comfortable place. Diners will be at ease in the family-atmosphere of oriental culture and Vietnamese traditional cuisine with typical flavors of dishes of the northern, southern and central Vietnam.

Guests have meals at Vietnam House Restaurant.

The restaurant’s ground floor, with capacity for 40 guests, is ideal for those seeking tranquility and a traditional Vietnamese culinary experience accompanied with the sweet melody of piano tunes. Meanwhile, the first floor, with capacity for 80 to 90 guests, is for diners who have a passion for Vietnamese ethnic music and musical instruments, with performance from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. everyday. The second floor is suitable for private parties or buffets, with capacity for 100 guests and featuring a conference hall.

Recently, the restaurant is offering gastronomes a “Gift from Lotus” menu featuring outstanding dishes made from lotus. The lotus flower is endowed with a simple and noble beauty. It is a familiar item in Vietnamese life and in cuisine can be made to delicious and nutritious dishes.

Taking advantage of the lotus flower the chefs at Vietnamese House have made unique and outstanding dishes with lotus, including pork, shrimp and lotus rootlet salad, steamed rice with chicken wrapped in lotus leaves, sticky rice wrapped with lotus leaves, steamed duck with lotus, lotus bulb soup with pork and lotus seed sweet soup.

The pork, shrimp and lotus rootlet salad is a harmonious combination of lotus rootlets with prawns, pork, vinegar, sugar, spices and aromatic vegetable. Lotus rice is a typical feature in traditional Hue Royal dishes, as it provides high nutrition and dispels stress.

Sticky rice wrapped with lotus leaves is another Vietnamese folk dish. Lotus leaves are cut into hand-wide pieces and soaked in warm water, filled with sticky rice, pork and fried onion and then wrapped and steamed for 15 minutes.

Lotus seed sweet soup is served as dessert. The nutritious dish is an antipyretic treatment in hot summer days.

The “Gift from Lotus” menu also introduces other popular fare made from lotus such as squid stuffed with lotus seed and steam chicken with lotus bulbs.

Vietnam Houses Restaurant is located at 93-95 Dong Khoi Street, HCMC’s District 1, tel: (08) 3829 1623.

Shanghai airlines starts direct route to Hanoi

Shanghai Airlines launched its first direct flight from Shanghai to Hanoi on March 27 and took the return flight the following morning.

This carrier is offering a promotional campaign from now until the end of April with a 35 percent discount on return tickets, normally priced at US$280.

The Hanoi-Shanghai flights will depart on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday and the return flights on Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday every week.

Foreign arrivals down by 16 percent

Vietnam received approximately 992,000 foreign visitors in the first quarter of this year, down by 16 percent from the same period last year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

The number of visitors coming from Vietnam’s traditional markets such as China, the Republic of Korea, Japan and Taiwan sharply decreased by 11-25 percent as compared with last year. Only the US, Australian and Canadian markets saw rises of between 5-17 percent.

Travel companies blamed this downward trend on the global financial crisis and economic recession and the ineffective cooperation among domestic tourism businesses in implementing tourism stimulus packages.

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism is joining efforts with travel agencies to reverse the situation.

2 Guinness records awarded to Da Nang’s cable car

The Ba Na cable car system in the central coastal city of Da Nang has set two Guinness World Records – the longest single-string cable car system and the biggest height gap between its departure and arrival stations.

The Ba Na cable car system starts service on Mar. 25, 2009 (Photo: VNA)

The system, which connects the foot of Mount Ba Na with Vong Nguyet Hill, about 1,300 meters above the sea level, has a length of 5.042 kilometers and extends 1.29 km up the mountainside.

On Mar. 26, Guinness World Records representative Lucia Sinigagliesi handed over the Guinness certificate to the Ba Na Cable Car Service Company.

Sinigagliesi said Vietnam has so far received 11 Guinness world records. However, the Ba Na cable car is the country’s first record in the fields of science and technology.

One day earlier, State President Nguyen Minh Triet cut the ribbon to inaugurate the cable car system.

The first section has been built over the last 12 months at a cost of US$17.2 million. The remaining section, from Vong Nguyet Hill to the highest peak, is to start operation by the end of April with a further investment of $5.7 million. The Ba Na Cable Car Service Company plans to launch the second section on April 30.

The first section can transport up to 1,500 people per hour, with a 15 minute ride-time. The second will be able to service 1,000 people per hour.

The cable car system is built up to European standards with Austrian technology and equipment imported from Germany, Switzerland, and Sweden.

Tourists to Mount Ba Na are served drinks inside each cab as well as at the two stations. The cable car system is expected to boost the economy of Da Nang, which has lots of potential for tourism.

Visiting Betel Garden and Bang Lang Shrine in An Giang

On 954 Street in the upper reaches of the Hau River in Long Son Commune, Tan Phu District, An Giang Province is a garden where an endless betel vine (a betel is a climbing plant) grows profusely, enveloping the houses.

A view of Bang Lang Shrine.

Visiting the betel garden evokes ancient Vietnamese customs from the time of the Hung kings. There is a legend about the betel and that tells of a young man dying and turning into an areca tree; his wife in her grief dies beside him and turns into a betel plant, attaching herself to the tree. Traditionally Vietnamese people invite their guests to chew betel before starting a conversation, and betel and areca are essential betrothal gifts in weeding parties.

In Long Son Commune, the betel is a well known product. It has existed there for thousands of years, having originated from a famous betel from Ba Diem, and has made Long Son famous. Traders go there to buy 7,000 to 8,000 betel leaves a day to sell in Chau Doc, Tan Chau (An Giang), Hong Ngu, Dong Thap, and even to export to Cambodia

The betel garden of Nguyen Phu Trung in Long Hoa Commune in Tan Phu District is an amazing sight, with the betel vines climbing endlessly in the glistening sunlight on the immeasurably high betel trellis. Just a short walk from the garden is Bang Lang Shrine, built to worship Lady Thuong Dong Co Hy on an area of 1,000 square meters.

Near the shrine are three ancient, giant bang lang trees which blossom with purple flowers in winter, creating a sanctuary of calmness and providing an escape from the hustle and bustle of life. The local Cham people hold an annual Bang Lang Shrine Festival on the 15th and 16th of the third lunar month (April 9 and 10, 2009) to pray for a peaceful life and better crops. Visitors to Long Son during the festival will enjoy diverse artistic activities and local folk games in the jubilant atmosphere of the festival.

An Giang also holds a series of annual festivals such as Ba Chua Xu, Chol Chnam Thomay and Dolta festivals, and has many popular tourist attractions including ox racing, Sam Mountain in Chau Doc, Cam Mountain in Tien Binh, Tuc Dup Hill, a network of grottoes in Thuy Dai Son, Anh Vu Son, Co To, and many traditional craft villages.

A visit to An Giang will satisfy any traveler’s search for splendid scenery and traditional Vietnamese culture.

Name that tune

Tourists and locals in Hoi An love bai choi, a performance-slash-game in which participants bet on the missing words of poems or folksongs.

Whenever I arrive in Hoi An one of my first missions is have a bowl of cao lau, a centuries-old local noodle dish that is unique to Hoi An. On the second floor of a restaurant on Bach Dang street I munch on the noodles and gaze out at the port, imagining how Asian traders would have sat at this very spot eating noodles while keeping an eye on their ship.

This is said to be the origin of the name cao lau, which means literally “high upstairs”. The thick yellow noodles are topped with thinly sliced pieces of marinated pork, beansprouts and local herbs (mint, chives and cilantro) and crunchy banh da as well as a splash of fish sauce, soy sauce, some garlic, sugar, salt and pepper, et voila – one of the most perfect meals you’ll ever find in Vietnam.

Afterwards, I take a stroll down Tran Phu and Nguyen Thai Hoc streets. It’s nine in the evening and the streets are quiet (compared to Hanoi they’re deserted). The thick scent of joss-stick wafts out onto the streets as shopkeepers give thanks before shutting up shop for the day. Then as I wander aimlessly, I hear the faint melodies of traditional instruments in the distance. Intrigued, I try to locate the source.

I arrive at the An Hoi Bridge where a crowd has gathered. On a small stage built with bamboo musicians patiently wait for the crowd to settle. The band is made up with a drummer, a flautist, a two-chord fiddler, and a singer, who is dressed in a charming loose-fitting blouse. She explains that we are going to play bai choi, a folk game that originated in Binh Dinh and Quang Nam provinces in Central Vietnam.

It is a kind of traditional opera but involves the crowd. I sit on a small bamboo stool under a small stall and try to figure out how to play. There are people of all ages – from toddlers to pensioners – and as many locals as there are tourists. “It’s great fun and easy to play but only by being getting involved can you understand what it is like,” says Thanh Hai, a 34-year old Vietnamese tourist. “I never miss a chance to play when I come to town.

In fact I always plan my trips here when I know there’s a performance!” Hai explains for VND5,000 you receive a bamboo card in the shape of ping pong racquet. On the card will be a traditional ideograph, which will have a specific name. To start the game, the MC will lift up her bamboo vase of sticks and pull one out. She will then recite a poem or sing a folk song.

The last words will be the name of one of the cards the audience has picked. Players with the right card will receive a small silk flag from a man dressed as a soldier. After nine songs, if you have a card with three right names, you will be the winner (for each game there will be three winners). The prizes are relatively modest – you might win a box of candied fruit, watermelon seeds, a silk lantern or a DVD of bai choi songs – but of course it’s the taking part that makes it fun and both winners and losers seem delighted with themselves.

“To be a winner means that you will have luck all year,” says Truong Thi Luong, a 65-year old restaurant owner from Hoang Van Thu street. “I love the game because the songs and the rules express the cultural identity and lifestyle of our people in Quang Nam. You can use bai choi to understand the main characteristics of Hoi An and Quang Nam people – we are cheery, enthusiastic and liberal.”

Foreign tourists don’t have to learn Vietnamese to get involved, just remember the names of each bamboo card. In fact, while I’m there one German man was amongst the winners. “The game will be the reason I return to Hoi An! This game is very funny and the folk melodies are wonderful even though I can’t understand the meaning of songs!” says Felix, the lucky winner of a Hoi An silk lantern from Germany.

The Nam Hai scores “Best Destination Spa” award

The Nam Hai has brought home one of this year’s Asia Spa & Wellness Gold Awards, less than a month after the introduction of a new spa menu at the premier resort in the central province of Quang Nam.

The Spa outlet in the The Nam Hai in the central province of Quang Nam.

The accolade was announced at the annual Asia Spa & Wellness Festival, the region’s premier exhibition for the spa and wellness industry in Bangkok, Thailand. The seaside resort scooped the category of “Best Destination Spa,” which was voted by a panel of judges comprising notable socialites, editors of regional spa publications, tour operators and spa enthusiasts.

“What’s noteworthy about this award is that it was earned based upon what we used to offer,” said Herbert Laubichler-Pichler, the resort’s general manager. “Since the judges’ decision, we’ve actually improved our spa with the introduction of a menu long on singular treatments.”

The new menu includes The Nam Hai Indulgent Oriental Ritual, a three-hour experience that includes an aromatherapy foot polish, a four-hands jade massage designed to dissolve muscle tension and soothe the spirit, a Traditions D’Orient organic facial, an Asian-style foot massage and a Himalayan crystal body polish.

The choice of a bath strewn with rose petals while enjoying Champagne and canapés has also been added to the list of new spa options.

Owned by Indochina Capital and managed by GHM, The Nam Hai owes its spa concept to GHM’s corporate director of spa, Brenda Ramen, who drew from her travels in Asia when conceiving rituals and selecting products.

A tranquil lotus pond surrounds The Spa which features two spacious pavilions with eight spa villas, relaxation areas, steam showers and changing rooms. This facility has been nominated as ‘One of the World’s Top New Spas’ by Conde Nast Traveler (USA) and called one of the world’s ‘Top 75 Spas’ by Conde Nast Traveller (UK).

Grottos more than a picture

There’s a reason why Tam Coc tourist site in the northern province of Ninh Binh rivals Ha Long Bay on the tourist must-see list.

Perfect shot: The stunning landscape of Tam Coc attracts thousand of tourists every year.

Tam Coc, also known as Ha Long Bay on land, is home to an awesome stretch of giant limestone karsts jutting out of the rice paddies surrounding a small river.

Located about 8km southwest of Ninh Binh City, or 100km south from Ha Noi, Tam Coc, which literally means "Three Grottos", is a secluded oasis away from the big city.

The journey to Tam Coc starts from the Van Lam wharf – where visitors can step inside a typical scene from a northern village. There’s an ancient banyan tree, a river wharf surrounded by bamboo boats and a communal house.

"The landscape is seemingly untouched by time and that’s the way locals want it to stay," says Vu Thi Tuyet Nhung, a tour guide for Tam Coc-Bich Dong Tourism Site’s Management Board. "Although tourism has developed over the past few years, they still want to keep the original features of the region."

Tourist Tran Mui from HCM City, agrees. "Nobody uses motor boats here because they would disturb the natural landscape," he says, gesturing to the bamboo boats tethered by the jetty.

"Although the boats look flimsy, they are a defining feature of this place."

Bobbing up and down on one of the bamboo vessels, surrounded by the beautiful landscape and breathing in the fresh air – it’s idyllic, says Linh Nham, a visitor from Hoang Mai District in Ha Noi.

"Coming here makes me feel light-hearted and calm."

Rocking boat

Once you push off from the jetty, your little boat will take you down the river, which winds like a silk ribbon around the limestone mountains.

Colours change with every season. The bright green paddies that stretch out alongside the water turn golden when the harvest season comes in June. And come the wet season from August to September, the river is covered with purple water lillies.

It’s difficult to take a bad photograph here.

Krist Van Laere, a Belgian tourist, says he came to Tam Coc after seeing a photo of the area in his travel guide.

"I was really impressed by the photo. It was taken from above and showed the winding river, speckled with tiny boats, meandering through the rice fields. When I came here, I realised the picture was completely faithful to reality. It’s so relaxing and peaceful here."

Grotto extraordinaire

Serenity: Foreign tourists enjoy the relaxing and peaceful landscape of the Tam Coc.

Floating downstream, visitors eventually come to Ca Grotto – the first of three grottoes on the Tam Coc tour. This natural piece of art, dripping with stalactites and stalagmites, is known across the country as Nam thien de nhi dong (the second nicest grotto in Viet Nam). It is the longest and widest in the area.

If visitors come to the cave in the morning, they can see the cliff at the grotto’s entrance sparkling with the reflection of the dawn.

Once you enter the cave, it is dark and all other sounds seem muted apart from the gentle swish of oars as they sweep through the water.

Navigating the bamboo boats through the cave takes skill, says Hanoian tourist Nham.

"The rowers must be really good because they never bump into one another and seem to know exactly where they are going in the darkness," she says.

Having emerged into the sunlight again, the next cave over the river is 60m-long Hai Cave, which opens like an enormous mouth filled with long, sharp teeth. Droplets of water fall from the tips of the stalactites into the river.

The final grotto is only around 100m from there – named simply Ba Cave. It’s the shortest and the lowest cave on the journey. Visitors can reach up and touch the roof with their hands if they don’t mind being dripped on.

The next leg of the tour is on dry land – a trip to a small temple built by a local resident to worship the King of the Forest – Ong Ho (Mr Tiger).

According to tour guide Nhung, in the future, the tour will not end at this spot, but will go on to nearby Trang An Eco-Tourism complex and Hoa Lu, the capital of the country between AD 968 and 1009.

"The new trip should start in 2010," she says.

By prolonging the tour to equally tranquil spots that are more than easy on the eye, you can’t really go wrong.

Foreign arrivals in HCMC down in Q1

International arrivals in HCMC in the first quarter this year drops 7% against the year-earlier period to some 780,000, making the city’s target of attracting three million foreign visitors this year a hard nut to crack.

A group of foreign travelers take snapshots in HCMC. The city has seen international arrivals in the first quarter drop by 7% year on year.

The HCMC Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s tourism division told the Daily on Tuesday that arrivals in the first quarter makes up 26% of the whole year’s target, but the first three months normally is the busiest time for the hospitality industry.

International travelers coming by air total some 630,000, down by 13% year on year, and major source markets include the U.S., Japan, Korea, Australia, Taiwan, Canada, China, France, Singapore and Malaysia.

Nevertheless, the city sees a slight increase in revenue attributed to better performance with the domestic and outbound tourism segments compared to the same period last year.

The tourism division said in a report that some 200,000 local tourists have traveled abroad via Tan Son Nhat International Airport to favorite destinations such as China, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia in the year to date.

The report showed that the city tourism’s revenue reached VND7.7 trillion, up 15% year-on-year and equal to 22% of the whole year’s target of VND34 trillion. Hotel and restaurant service contributes an estimated VND6.16 trillion, up 12% year-on-year, while that from travel service is VND1.54 trillion, up 28%.

Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai, director of public relation communications department of Tan Dinh Trade and Travel Service Co., better known as Fiditourist, told the Daily that her company saw a fall in the inbound business, but witnessed 22% improvement in domestic and outbound segment in the first quarter of this year.

Mai said that some big tour operators in HCMC have enjoyed the nationwide tourism promotion program initiated by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, under which airlines are offering discount of up to 60% in airfares.

Mai said Fiditourist package prices for domestic tours have been slashed by between 32% and 40% depending on destinations, while outbound travelers could save from US$100 to US$300 a trip to other countries in the region.

She added that travel would likely pick up much more as many take the promotion chance to spend their vacation during the coming Summer holidays at local seaside destinations. Especially, several tours to the northern region are some VND2 million cheaper than before.

Vu The Binh, head of Travel Department under the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, told the Daily on the phone on Tuesday that it was not until March 29 to know the exact number of foreign arrivals in the country.

He, however, estimated that the numbers of foreign arrivals, local tourists traveling abroad and domestic tourists would decrease around 10% against the same period last year.

2009 Do Son tourism festival starts in April

The 2009 Do Son tourist festival will run from April 30 to May 3 at the Do Son tourist site, Hai Phong City.

This is the fourth consecutive year Do Son district has held the festival at the start of the tourism season and is hoping to attract over 2 million visitors.

This year activities will include a traditional buffalo fighting, a dragon boat race, a women water volleyball competition and a golf tournament at the newly-established Do Son Seaside Golf Resort.

Do Son is gradually improving its tourist services to make it become better known as an impressive venue for national and international seminars, conferences and other important events.

Sports tournaments in Phan Thiet to celebrate Vietnamese Sports Day

To celebrate Vietnamese Sports Day on March 27 authorities and organizations in Phan Thiet City hold tournaments from March 26 to March 29, including the 2009 Sea Links Club Championship at Sea Links golf court, which is expected to attract more than 100 golfers.

A view of 706B Street in Phan Thiet City.

Meanwhile, Suoi Cat Entertainment Park will host the first Boxing Championship 2009 with participation of more than 100 athletes from provinces and cities nationwide, including Daklak, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, HCMC, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Tay Ninh, Ca Mau and the host Binh Thuan.

Phan Thiet starts construction of Legend Sea resort

Dai Thanh Quang in the central province of Binh Thuan has broken ground for a luxury resort and department complex in Phan Thiet City’s Tien Thanh Commune.

The complex will feature a deluxe hotels, conference hall and MICE center, trade center, supermarket, luxury resorts and apartments as well as a park and entertainment area. The complex will be built on 278 hectares with projected cost of over VND11,000 billion.

The work is expected to enhance Tien Thanh-Ham Thuan Nam tourist site and promote local tourism.

706B Street sees completion next month in Phan Thiet City

The building of 706B Street in Phan Thiet City will be completed on April 18 to mark the 34th anniversary of the city’s Liberation Day (April 19, 1975-April 19, 2009), said Pham Vu Ngoc Phuong, deputy director of 515 Company, the owner of the project.

706B Street runs from Phu Hai Ward to Mui Ne Ward, along side endless sand dunes. At 52 meters wide and 16.4 kilometers long it is the biggest street in Binh Thuan Province. The project costs VND24 billion.

Vietnam’s tourism advertised on BBC

By late April 2009, Vietnam’s tourism will be advertised on global BBC and public means of transport in the United Kingdom, said a senior official from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on March 26.

The ministry’s Chief of the International Cooperation Agency, Nguyen Van Tinh, said that the government approved VND 25 billion (US $1.47 million) for tourism promotion in 2009. The funding for advertising on the BBC is US $204,000, with 320 times of 30 seconds each.

The advertising clip will be broadcasted within eight weeks in Asia-Pacific, six weeks in Europe, and six weeks in the US.

Tinh said that Vietnam’s tourism will also be broadcast on taxis in the UK, through the image of a Vietnamese girl who wears ao dai sitting on Ha Long Bay.

TRAVEL IN BRIEF 27/3

Tourism festival puts HCM City in the spotlight

The HCM City Tourism Festival 2009 will be held at the Dam Sen Park in District 11 between April 3 and 5.

The annual event, organised by the HCM City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in coordination with the city’s Tourism Association, will include a tourism fair with 120 counters, a culinary fair featuring southern cuisine, the HCM City Tourism Golden Voice Contest, a game show called "HCM City spotlight of Asia" and a tourism photo exhibition.

Light off Hour takes Earth Hour a step further

Hoi An has decided to hold a monthly "Lights off Hour" on the 14th lunar night as it joins the Earth Hour Campaign 2009 organised by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

While the Earth Hour campaign calls for the switching off of lights for an hour, doing this every month will also be a new tourism attraction for the ancient town. As part of the Earth Hour campaign, all light bubs and unnecessary electrical appliances will be turned off in the city for one hour, from 8.30pm to 9.30pm tomorrow. Residents and tourists are encouraged to join the programme.

The new Lights off Hour is themed on previous events like "Night in the Ancient Town" and the "City without Motors" that have proved popular among visitors.

Garuda Indonesia plans direct service to HCM City

Garuda Indonesia has disclosed a plan to launch direct services to HCM City after more than five years of operating daily flights between Jakarta and HCM City via Singapore.

The Indonesian carrier would commence the direct Jakarta-HCM City service after the airline takes delivery of new aircraft including the Boeing B737-800 that it has already ordered from US plane manufacturer.

Currently there are around 70 weekly flights between HCM City and Singapore.

Nam Hai wins Best Destination Spa award

The Nam Hai has won one of this year’s Asia Spa&Wellness Gold Awards, less than a month after the introduction of a whole, new spa menu at the resort in Quang Nam Province.

The "Best Destination Spa" was voted on by a panel of judges comprising notable socialites, editors of regional spa publications, tour operators and spa enthusiasts. The resort owes its spa concept to GHM’s Corporate Director of Spa, Brenda Ramen, who drew from her travels in Asia to conceive rituals and select products.

InterContinental Westlake gets green recognition

The InterContinental Ha Noi Westlake hotel has achieved the prestigious Green Globe Benchmarked Bronze status under the globally-recognised Benchmarking programme.

The programme recognises the hotel’s commitment to operating to the world’s highest environmental standards by benchmarking its energy and water consumption, total waste production and community commitment, along with implementing an integrated environmental and social policy. The hotel has achieved Best Practice results in Water Saving, Waste Sent to Landfills, Waste Recycling, Community Contributions and Pesticide Products.

Paris festival to promote tourism

The 2009 Viet Nam Sea Festival will be held in Paris, France, on April 28 and 29 to promote tourism programmes and attract foreign visitors to tourist sites in Viet Nam.

The festival will be organised by national carrier Vietnam Airlines and the Bank for Investment and Development of Viet Nam in co-ordination with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Vietnamese Embassy in France.

The event is expected to lure travellers to 30 top-rated tourist sites and areas in Viet Nam that have maritime tourism potential, and hundreds of travel agencies in France, Europe and Viet Nam will be in attendance.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, director of the Foreign Relations Department of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Tinh said: "Besides meetings and seminars, the festival will welcome guests and introduce traditional Vietnamese culture through performances, exhibitions and other activities."

The 2009 Viet Nam Sea Festival will be an opportunity for businesses to exchange information, seek opportunities and advertise Viet Nam's image abroad. "This is the first time that such a large-scale festival has been organised in Europe. If the global economic depression shows a decrease in investment and tourism, the festival will be a bright point, promoting Viet Nam's image to the European Union, as well as contributing to speeding up investment and tourism in the country", said Vietnam Airlines' General Director Pham Ngoc Minh.

Also on the occasion, Vietnam Airlines co-ordinated with tourist companies from France and Viet Nam to create two special promotional programmes for French tourists visiting from April 21 to June 19, and from August 21 to October 20, offering them a 25 per cent reduction in prices.

Bank chairman Tran Bac Ha said, "Together with opportunities to co-operate in tourism, the festival will help domestic enterprises contact investors in the EU that are interested in the nation's investment environment."

The Government would continue to promote advertising activities by paying more than US$200,000 to advertise Viet Nam's image on the BBC channel, as well as on taxies in London, after an effective campaign on CNN, Tinh said.

Vietnam to advertise on BBC World and taxis in UK

The Prime Minister has agreed to spend VND 25 billion on promoting tourism in 2009, and a part of which will be spent on advertising Vietnam’s image on BBC World and taxis in the UK, according to Nguyen Van Tinh, Head of the International Cooperation Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Nguyen Van Tinh, Head of the International Cooperation Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Tinh told VietNamNet that the ministry will have a working session with the BBC about the advertisement. Meanwhile, the advertisements on taxis in the UK is planned to be carried out in a larger scale and for longer time.

Could you please tell us about the program on advertising Vietnam’s image on the BBC? Is that true that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2008 once suggested the idea?

Vietnam once carried out the advertisement campaign on international media with the advertisement spots on CNN, about which people give different opinions about the efficiency. However, as we only advertised on CNN Asia, it had limited effects on attracting more international travelers.

According to the General Statistics Office, it is estimated that 340,000 international travelers arrived in Vietnam in March, down by 0.9% in comparison with February 2009. In the first three months of the year, 1.3 million travelers arrived in Vietnam.

The number of travelers to Vietnam from several markets keeps rising. The travelers from Canada, for example, increased by 28%, the US 27%, and Australia 15%. Meanwhile, the number of travelers from several markets decreased significantly, like from Thailand, down by 32%, South Korea 23%, China 21%, Japan 10%, and Malaysia at 8.6% over the same period of the last year.

In 2009, the advertisement will be carried out on BBC World with 320 spots. It is expected that each spot will last 30 seconds. There will be eight weeks of broadcasting in Asia Pacific, six weeks in Europe, and six weeks in America.

The BBC has said that the advertisement will cost US $204,000, not including the expenses on making the video clips for broadcasting, which is estimated to cost between US $15-20,000. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is working on with the Ministry of Finance on the sum of money.

How about the advertisement on taxis in the UK?

Last year, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism got a sponsor package worth £7,000 to advertise Vietnam’s images on public means of transport in the UK, especially on buses, for three months.

We plan to expand the advertisement on taxis this year, providing the images of Ha Long bay and sea tourism in Vietnam.

The Government last year approved the budget of VND 30 billion for tourism promotion, but the sum of money was not used up. Will the situation repeat in 2009?

It is true that the sum of money was not used up last year. However, the Prime Minister has asked to build up the regulations on using the sum of money. We have drawn up the regulations and are consulting with ministries and branches before the regulations are submitted to the Government.

As far as I know, many enterprises once protested the advertisement of Vietnam’s image on the BBC.

It is because they don’t know exactly the details of the campaign. We will advertise on BBC World, which means the images will be seen all over the wall. The BBC will send staff to Vietnam to make clips and will broadcast the clips after Vietnam approves the content. We will discuss the detail of the work next week.

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) has launched the program on slashing tour fees to stimulate the demand. Will the details of the program be provided on the advertisement shot?

The shots will last 30 seconds only. Vietnam needs to advertise its beautiful landscapes like the beautiful sea and Ha Long Bay.

When will the spots appear on BBC World?

I think in April 2009.

Loc vung flowers make Hoan Kiem Lake blush

After one month in yellow, loc vung trees on the banks of Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi, blossomed last night, turning the area around the lake into a sea of red.

Visiting Nga Nam floating market in Soc Trang

Soc Trang Province of Mekong Delta is famous for its ancient pagodas, orchids and ethnic cultural festivals, such as Chol Chnam Thmay and Oc Om Boc festivals, and especially for its popular boat tours on canals and rivers.

A view of Nga Nam floating market.

However, Soc Trang is well-known for the floating markets, of which Nga Nam floating market is the most striking.

Nga Nam is a new district in Soc Trang Province, having been separated from Thanh Tri District.

It is the intersection between Quan Lo-Phung Hiep, Xeo Chich, Xang Chim, Tra Ban and Phu Loc. From here tourists can head to Ca Mau, Bac Lieu, Can Tho, Phung Hiep, or go to Phu Loc and downstream to My Thanh, Tran De Port and mangrove forests along Soc Trang Sea.

Despite being in the remote district of Soc Trang, Nga Nam is busy from sunrise to sunset and even into the night.

The bustling life is due to floating markets such as Long Tan, My Quoi, Tan Long, especially Nga Nam.

Set in 1975 as the venue linking five canals flowing to five regions, Nga Nam floating market is the meeting place for trading boats and traders. Early morning or at twilight the market sparkles in the glistening rays of oil lamps and mantles as stars twinkle in the sky and shimmer on the water.

On holidays, especially Tet holidays, Nga Nam floating market are radiant with the bright colors of apricot flowers, daisies, peach flowers and other typical flowers of the Mekong Delta, as well as the dark green of watermelon. Everything is sold from wooden boats.

As with other floating markets, products hang in front of the bow of the ship so that buyers can easily see and buy. The only one product not hanging, but always available, is petrol.

As well as fresh agricultural products and seafood, Nga Nam also is a stop for rice traders. Tourists heading to the mangrove forests in Soc Trang often stop by Nga Nam to buy food stuffs before going on their boating adventure on the endless alluvium river to forests.

Nga Nam also lures tourists with its culinary culture and traditional fare. Tourists on boat trips around Nga Nam floating market can sense the typical flavors of the Mekong Delta from dishes made of bun (rice noodles) featuring the spices of Southern Khmer people and hu tieu (kind of noodle) cuisine of the Tieu Chau.

On arrival in Soc Trang, tourists may be inspired to explore the ancient architecture of well-known pagodas, stroll in orchid gardens, and experience nature in mangrove forest, as well as immersing themselves in the bustling atmosphere of life in floating markets.

France sea tourism festival spotlights Vietnam

Vietnam’s sea tourism potential will be under the spotlight at a festival scheduled to take place in Paris from April 28-29.

The festival, the first of its kind in France, will be jointly organised by Vietnam Airlines and the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV) and aims to introduce the country’s premier landmarks and tourist sites to foreigners, and realise the government’s goal to maintain economic growth, stimulate demand, and boost consumption and service exports.

Twenty-five tourism management agencies from sea tourism-rich provinces and cities, such as Khanh Hoa and Da Nang, will join leading hotel, travel and coastal resort businesses at the festival.

The France Chamber of Commerce and Industry and hundreds of investors and travel agencies from France and other European countries are expected to attend the event.

Local visitors will have the opportunity to better understand the traditional culture, land and people of Vietnam through a variety of performances, exhibitions and handicraft product displays, as well as activities featuring the daily life of coastal residents.

The festival is an invaluable opportunity for Vietnamese businesses to seek European partners, and particularly for BIDV to cooperate with the leading financial institutions of France and Europe .

BIDV will host a seminar calling for investment in tourism projects in Vietnam. The bank has arranged more than 2 billion USD for nearly 20 projects in popular coastal cities around the country, including Da Nang, Quang Nam, Khanh Hoa, Hai Phong and Quang Ninh.

Vietnam Airlines General Director Pham Ngoc Minh says the event will help promote Vietnam to the European community, thereby increasing investment efficiency and the number of visitors to Vietnam.

In early February, Vietnam Airlines participated in the annual Brussels Tourism Fair in Belgium, where experts forecast that Asia, and Vietnam in particular, remain attractive destinations for European travelers.

Cambodia keen to open tour to Phu Quoc island

The Cambodian Ministry of Tourism has decided to open a new tour that links its four coastal provinces with Phu Quoc island of Vietnam.

Cambodian Minister of Tourism Thong Khon said he hoped that the new tour connecting Phu Quoc island with the provinces of Koh Kong, Kongpong Som, Kampot and Posat, would help increase the number of foreign travellers, including those from neighbouring Laos and Vietnam, to Cambodia.

The minister explained that Phu Quoc island is emerging as an attractive destination for tourists in the region, and according to some forecasts, it can draw around 3 million visitors each year by 2012.

He noted Cambodia needs to improve its infrastructure facilities as well as the tourism environment in a move to develop the non-smoking industry in the years to come.

Minister Thong Khon added that Vietnam’s tourism sector has attracted a growing number of foreign visitors thanks to its increased amount of investment poured into tourism facilities and traffic infrastructure.

HCMC Tourism Festival set for next month

HCMC Tourism Festival 2009, organized by the city’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in collaboration with the HCMC Tourism Association, will take place at Dam Sen Cultural Park from April 3 to 5.

Cable car service in Ta Cu Mountain, Binh Thuan Province.

The festival will feature a Tourism Fair with 120 counters, southern culinary fair with 50 kiosks, the fifth HCMC Tourism Golden Voice contest, a game show called “HCMC spotlight of Asia” and a tourism photo exhibition.

In addition, restaurants and hotels owned by Ben Thanh Tourist, a prestigious brand in tourism, will organize many activities, promotion programs and game shows at counters at the festival.

Ben Thanh Tourist will also take this occasion to offer tourists new local and international tours. A cluster of tours to North and Central Vietnam will feature splendid landscapes, ancient pagodas and cultural and historic relics.

They include the four-day tour to Hanoi, Halong and Yen Tu priced at VND4.299 million per person, five-day tour to Hanoi, Bai Dinh Pagoda, Yen Tu and Halong priced at VND4.347 million per person; four-day tour to Danang City, Hoi An ancient town, My Son Sanctuary, Ba Na and Hue priced at VND3.199 million per person; and a five-day tour to Danang, Hoi An, Ngu Hanh Son, Lang Co and Hue priced at VND4.185 million a person.

As a special promotion, the four-day tour to Malaysia-Genting will include accommodation at the five-star ParkRoyal hotel for the price of a three-star hotel.

To mark the upcoming 20th anniversary, Ben Thanh Tourist is also introducing discounted tours to celebrate Liberation and Labor Day (April 30 and May 1). A tour to Ta Cu Mountain, Mui Ne, Con Dao, or just to Con Dao, promises a fascinating trip for discovering marine life, meanwhile the tour to Nha Trang City will be a relaxed holiday of stunning beaches, white sand dunes and diverse seafood.

For those interested in discovering ancient relics and learning more about Vietnamese culture and history, the Danang-Ba Na-Hue-Phong Nha tour, or the Hanoi-Ha Long-Yen Tu-Sapa tour are both good options.

International tours to Asian countries will include destinations such as Japan, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Cambodia, and deluxe tours to European countries will include Germany, Austria, Netherlands, the U.S. and France.

The HCMC Tourism Festival will present animated programs and games with attractive gifts, and Ben Thanh Tourist will hand out vouchers worth VND200,000 to VND500,000 to enjoy outstanding culinary programs at the Liberty Hotel and Vien Dong Hotel, and VND50,000 vouchers for breakfast at Ben Thanh restaurants.

For more information, contact Ben Thanh Tourist at 86 Ly Tu Trong Street, HCMC’s District 1. Tel: (08) 5202020, web: www.benthanhtourist.com.

President inaugurates world’s longest cable car

President Nguyen Minh Triet on March 25 cut the ribbon to inaugurate a cable car system in Da Nang, which sets two world records, the longest single-string cable car system with the biggest height gap between its departure and arrival stations.

The President was also among the first to use the service, which extends 5.042km and extends 1.29km up the mountainside.

The system, which connects the foot of Ba Na mountain with Vong Nguyet Hill, cost nearly 300 billion VND.

The cable car utilizes Austrian technology, the world leader in cable car technologies, and equipment produced by Germany, Switzerland, and Sweden. The system can transport up to 1,500 people per hour, with a 15 minute ride-time.

The Ba Na Cable Car Service Company plans to launch a second cable car service from the Vong Nguyet Hill to the Ba Na mountaintop on April 30.

The second cable car, which cost only 100 billion VND, extends 697.67 metres in length and is capable of servicing 1,000 people per hour.

More Australian tourists expected to visit Vietnam

Vietnam has the potential to become an extremely attractive tourist destination for Australians as many of the country’s tourist agencies are promoting low-cost tours.

Australian tourism agencies are currently offering overseas package tours for les than AUD 1,000 (nearly VND 12 million).

A promotion campaign is targeting at Australian households that have received between AUD 900-3000 in subsidies from their government’s economic stimulus package.

Australian students are eager to use this “government gift” to travel and consider it a welcome surprise from Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s administration.

Vietnam is a popular tourist destination for many students because of lower costs invaded. However, Vietnam currently faces fierce competition from other low cost competitors such as Indonesia and Fiji.

Sensing flavors of Phan Thiet Seafood

Phan Thiet City is famous for its stunning beaches, white sand dunes and many tourist attractions. It has also gained a reputation for its cuisine, especially seafood specialties, and for its trademark fish sauce.

Vietnam is internationally acknowledged for its diverse seafood, with squid being one of the most popular items on many menus. Phan Thiet City has built its image on a particular squid dish known as sun-dried squid, which has attracted many chefs and revelers to the city.

Muc mot nang is fresh squid that has been dried in the sun for one day. The squid, grilled with chilies and lemon and served in fish sauce, is available anywhere in the city but one of the best places to try this tasty specialty is Cay Bang Restaurant.

Another local favorite is steamed bo hom fish, nicknamed “Thiet giap bien” (sea armour) because of its square shape and the patterns on its body. It is sweet, juicy and nutritious, especially when combined with the flavors of aromatic herbs, salty fish sauce and sweet Phu Long griddle cake. Revelers can enjoy bo hom at many of the eateries on Pham Van Dong Street along Ca Ty River.

While steamed bo hom fish is typically a low-priced dish, steamed mu fish, mixed with fragrant vegetables and fish sauce prepared with lemon, sugar, garlic and chilies, is more expensive and provides high nutrition. Toan Duong Restaurant near Doi Duong beach and Sao Bien Restaurant are two of the more popular venues for this dish.

In addition to distinctive seafood Phan Thiet is also known for recipes made with dong. The dong is a reptile shaped like a lizard found in and around the sand dunes. It is served grilled, steamed, fried or minced with citronella and chilly at seafood restaurants around Hon Rom resort. Ca Ty Restaurant is famous for its grilled dong.

Cay Bang Restaurant is located on Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City.

Toan Duong Restaurant is located at 164 Le Loi Street, Hung Long Ward, Phan Thiet City (near Doi Duong Beach).

Ca Ty Restaurant is at 40 Phan Boi Chau Street, Duc Nghia Ward, Phan Thiet City.

Sao Bien Restaurant is at 22 Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City.

Hoi An launches Light Off Hour – periodic tourist product

Authorities in the central city of Hoi An have decided to hold a monthly “Light Off Hour” on the lunar 14th night, to join the Earth Hour Campaign 2009 organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) as well as to launch a new tourist product for the ancient town.

Tourists look at colored lanterns in Hoi An.

Light Off Hour is themed on previous events “Night in Ancient Town” and “City Without Motor” which are gradually losing their significance after eleven years of implementation. The new program aims to provide calmness as the city is lit with the sparkling lights of colored lanterns hanging on the corners of the streets, said Nguyen Su, Chief of Hoi An’s Party Committee.

All light bulbs and unnecessary electricity equipment will be turned off in the city for one hour, from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on March 28. Residents and tourists are encouraged to join the program and to use environment-friendly light, such as candles and lanterns.

The evening will also feature a flower lantern festival, traditional music show on the river and ethnic instrument performances.

In July the city plans to recreate Hoi An City as it was in the early 20th century, said Su, adding that tourists will experience the daily life of ancient Hoi An’s residents with trading activities and traditional costumes.

PM urges Vietnam Airlines to take off

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has asked Vietnam Airlines to take advantages of still-rising demand for traveling in the domestic and regional markets to maintain its role as a major air carrier in the country and grow up into one of powerful airlines in the region.

In his working session with the national flag carrier’s leaders on March 25, the PM said in the context of the global economic slowdown, which would lead to the sharp decrease in cargo and passenger transport this year, the airline should maintain its routes, flights and personnel, save fuel, improve services and pay attention to personnel training.

He also said that Vietnam Airlines must to make good its shortcomings in service quality and personnel training to preserve its prestige.

PM Dung voiced support for Vietnam Airlines’ move to purchase large airplanes and join global aviation alliance.

Vietnam Airlines General Director Pham Ngoc Minh reported that the airline transported more than 8.8 million passengers, and fetched up revenues of nearly 27 trillion VND and a profit of over 230 billion VND last year.

He said the carrier set a target of 9.4 million passengers in 2009 and revenues of 23.6 trillion VND, with attention paid to expanding markets, tightening expenditure management, ensuring security, improving service quality, and developing personnel.

Vietnam Airlines cancels int’l ticket commissions

The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines will adopt a zero percent commission policy for international tickets issued in the country as of April 1, 2009.

As a result, Vietnam Airlines’ booking offices will no longer receive the 3 percent commission on international tickets. Instead, they are allowed to collect service charges from 7-35 USD, depending on the route and seating class.

The charges will be applied to the first ticket issuance, and not to changes made after. The service charge will be decided based on the cost of the booking, ticket issuance, service management, and travel distance. These charged will be posted at all Vietnam Airlines’ booking offices.

Deputy General Director Trinh Hong Quang said the zero percent commission policy is a global norm, and Vietnam Airlines is following suit.

Thanks to the new policy, passengers can expect lower prices and can select travel agents based on competitive service charge levels