English vital for tour-bus drivers

The tourist industry has asked the Ministry of Transport to modify some the suggestions the ministry recently made in a draft to update and improve the quality of transport services for visitors.

The new rules require tourism buses to have labels issued by the Ministry of Transport.

In the draft, the ministry suggested that drivers have a simple command of English and, where necessary, have some knowledge of other languages spoken by the three to four million foreigners who flock to Viet Nam each year.

It also suggested that business licences for tourist cars and vans last for 15 years. However, the tourist industry said it would prefer 10 years.

The draft suggests tourist cars be properly labelled with signs issued by the ministry. This has brought support from transport companies.

Director of the Department of Travel under the Viet Nam Administration of Tourism, Vu The Binh, said the difficulty was that in Ha Noi and HCM City, vehicles were often kept out of city centres in rush hours. However, this was where foreign tourists usually stayed.

Nguyen Thi Thu Hien, vice head of the Transport Unit of the Department of Road Transport, said the ministry would further consider the regulation.

Binh said labels for tourist vans would be issued within a week. The vice general director of the ABC Transport Group, Ngo Phuong Thinh, said this would be a good move.

"The provision of tourism labels will help companies become more trusted and more professional in the eyes of foreign tourists," she said. "However, there must be a clear issuing process so that companies can get these labels in the shortest time."

Vice general director of the Mai Linh Corporation, a nationwide transport group, Dinh Phuong Thuy, agreed, adding that companies would not stop business to wait for a label.

Many disagreed with the draft circular’s suggestion that tourist cars should be licensed for 15 years from production date.

"The duration should be only 10 years. For my company, cars that have been used for four to five years must be liquidated because many tourists refuse to travel in such cars," said Dinh Phuong Thuy.

Caroline Bruckler, a German tourist in Ha Noi, said she always wanted to travel in a new and safe car. "I think most people would think the same," she said.

Thuy also suggested the draft circulation also cover regulations on seat-belts for tourism vans, since this was a very important matter with foreign tourists.

Language certificate

The draft circular requires drivers of tourism vans to have an A-level, foreign-language certificate and another certificate for first-aid. Drivers of cars with more than 45 seats, will have to have a certificate stating they are skilled at keeping itineraries and using an itinerary observation device.

Tran Anh Son, vice director of Tan Son Nhat Airport Service Company, said a foreign language should not be compulsory, since cars with 35 seats or more always carried tour guides who usually spoke a foreign language.

"We should only encourage drivers of cars of 16 seats or below to have a foreign language certificate," he said.

Vice director of Ha Noi’s Department of Culture, Information and Tourism, Nguyen Tien Dung, agreed, saying language skills would take time for drivers to acquire, thus creating opportunities for makers of fake certificates.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Information and Tourism, Tran Chien Thang said the ministry would accept opinions on the draft circular until it comes into effect on July 1.

TRAVEL IN BRIEF 17/4

Binh Thuan plans summer attractions for visitors

The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Binh Thuan Province has announced several cultural festivals to attract tourists during summer and winter holidays.

Festivals in summer focus on water sports and competitions, highlighting cultural and artistic programmes including a fish praying festival and Phan Thiet cultural week. Winter events include a kite festival at Poshanu Temple in late December

The department says Phan Thiet is expected to receive about 25,000 visitors on Liberation Day and Labour Day (April 30 and May 1).

Thai caravan travellers visit central provinces

More than 10 cars with steering wheels on the left were part of a caravan tour from Thailand welcomed by Huong Giang Travel Agency in Hue last week.

During the five-day visit to central provinces, the Thai tourists visited Vinh Moc Tunnel in Quang Tri Province, the Phong Nha-Ke Bang world heritage site in Quang Binh, the former imperial city of Hue, Lang Co Beach, the Cham Museum and Non Nuoc stone carving village in Da Nang, and the historic city of Hoi An.

Love market highlight of Sa Pa cultural week

The 2009 Cultural and Tourism Week will start on May 1, featuring various activities, including the love market in Sa Pa town and the cloud festival on Ham Rong Mountain, which spotlights the traditional culture of ethnic minority groups in northern mountainous provinces.

A photography exhibition, The Colour of Sa Pa, will also be on show during the week together with a musical programme and a culinary arts fair. The week will also feature nearly 100 types of orchids which are indigenous to Hoang Lien Son forests and mountain ranges in Sa Pa.

180 horses to contest annual 1,500m Lao Cai race

The annual Bac Ha (Northern) horse race is scheduled to take place in Lao Cai Province on May 30, with 180 horses running.

The jockeys, who must be male aged between 18-40, must show their skills on the 1,500m race course during individual and team events. The winning team takes a VND10 million prize and the winner of the individual event will receive VND5 million.

The horse racing tournament aims to make Lao Cai and other north-western provinces attractive destinations.

Company launches regular bus tours to Laos

Mai Linh Tourism Company on Monday launched two bus tours between the central coastal city of Nha Trang and the southern Lao province of Champassak.

The Vietnamese company uses 16-seat buses for the tours. Both take two days and one night to go through six provinces in Viet Nam’s central region and Central Highlands, as well as the Lao province.

The first tour starts on Mondays and the second starts every Thursday

Each tour costs VND850,000.

More holidaymakers turn to Zen tourism to release stress

Environmental project re-searcher Trinh Ngoc Hien looks healthier and has a lively gait after returning home from a weekend of relaxation and meditation (known as Zenrelax).

All in the mind: Travellers practise meditation at Vam Sat-Can Gio nature park in HCM City.

He is among a growing throng to join Buddhist monks at zen retreats throughout the country to learn how to breathe and release the stresses of daily life, often in natural surroundings.

"When I joined Zenrelax I found it unique," says Hien, 45, "and the fact it was located in HCM City’s Vam Sat-Can Gio nature park made me feel healthy. All the worries of daily life and work were taken away.

"When you take the weekend course, it is important to strictly follow the teacher’s guidelines," Hien says. "They are designed to help participants find their ego and bring their mind to a state of peace, to remove troubles from their thoughts and any stress they have."

Before practising Zenrelax, participants are offered a boat tour of the Vam Sat mangrove forests and a look at the Tang Bong Tower, a famous temple structure with wonderful views of the forest.

The boat will then take its perspiring passengers to bathe in a clean river where they can bob about, refresh and relax.

Nguyen Hung Dung, of HCM City, says he now practises deep breathing every day after retreating with Zenrelax.

"As a result, I have reduced my weight and I’m now quite healthy," he says. "I always have a fresh mind compared with before."

"Learning Zenrelax is not so difficult. Most important is to learn the right way to breathe.

"You don’t need free time to practise breathing. You can do it at work, at home or before going to bed."

Punters: A boat tour of the Vam Sat mangrove forests relaxes visitors enjoying a weekend of meditation.

Superior monk Luong The Vy says there are different kinds of Zenrelax (thien buong thu), including relaxing while you are breathing, sitting and lying, which aim to help practitioners enjoy being leisurely and peaceful.

" After 10 to 15 minutes, your body and your mind will be treated because during that period new vitality from nature will pass into your body through the right breathing and relaxing," Vy says.

Businessman Hoang The Lien says before he did a Zenrelax programme, his business used to stress him out.

"Now I try to arrange my time to practise Zenrelax to release the stress and improve my health."

Lien says he takes any opportunity, such as short breaks during work and 10 minutes before going bed.

"Since joining the programme my health has much improved and, most importantly, I have a fresh mind, without any headaches, to deal with my business."

With Buddhism’s 2,000 years of development and hundreds of beautiful pagodas and temples across the country, Viet Nam has great potential to take advantage of a swing to Zentourism.

Zen Buddhism, arrived in Viet Nam about AD580 but it was popularised and developed under the Ly-Tran-Trinh-Nguyen dynasties which had a big influence on the Vietnamese lifestyle and culture.

Viet Nam has about 120 zen monasteries and most rural and urban areas boast an old temple or a pagoda. Their hidden charms and wildness, along with the unique spirit and religious lifestyle of the Vietnamese, are a major lure for travellers.

Agents organising tours to discover Buddhist architecture and history enable tourists to research and participate in daily activities of monks and nuns and carry out zen arts such as flower arrangement, making tea, bonsai and culinary pursuits.

Tourists have visited pagodas and temples for years, as well as joining pilgrimages and festivals. Now they have the services of zen cafe and zen tea as well as zen parks and zen spas at hotels.

Taking a giant step further, the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau has plans to build a VND30 billion culture-zentourism destination called the Chon Khong monastery.

Plans include a stone garden, a zen-yoga centre and areas for calligraphy, diet cooking lessons, local herb garden, a Buddha statue, a Buddha museum, and a place for tea making.

A manager of the Asia Sun Travel says zentourism is an important development strategy for her company.

"When living standards improve and modern life puts more pressure on people, they will try to find a peaceful place at a temple or pagoda to relax their body and their mind and discover special items of Buddha culture."

A Thai travel operator says he is investigating zen places in Viet Nam to expand his business.

"With similarities like Thailand, Viet Nam’s zentourism will be rapidly developed," he says.

Enjoying sweet palmyra fruit in Bay Nui

Bay Nui, also known as That Son (Seven Mountains) in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang is an ideal destination for nature lovers. It is also home to countless palmyra trees.

A view of green palmyra trees in An Giang Province.

On the way to Bui Nui, especially from Tinh Bien to Tri Ton districts, the sight of thousands of palmyra trees reaching straight up to the sky is a dazzling sight.

It takes from 30 to 40 years for palmyra palms to grow to their full height of 20 meters. The fruit is sweet and succulent and is a popular mainstay in the mountain areas. It is also a source of income for local farmers.

Every morning, as the golden rays of dawn shine through the early mist, local vendors load their poles on their shoulders and head to popular tourist destinations such as Lam Vien Tourist Park in Cam (forbidden) Mountain to sell the palmyra fruit. For just a few thousands of dong travelers can enjoy the sweet and fragrant mountainous fruits.

Palmyra has many uses; it can be frozen and sold as a refreshing soft drink, fermented with wild plants and made into palmyra beer and made into a sugar which is used in a sweet soup. Palmyra fruits are also mixed with water and made into soft, crispy rice which is served with sugar and ice.

There are many more tasty dishes made from this versatile fruit, including palmyra candy, palmyra jelly and palmyra cake which is made from sticky rice mixed with palmyra rice. The sticky rice is fermented and stored for a year before being mixed with the palmyra rice, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed for an hour. The resulting cake has a sweet fragrance and dark yellow color.

Palmyra is enjoyed in all its forms by tourists to Bay Nui.

Offshore paradise

Spending a couple of days floating on the waters of Halong Bay is always an unforgettable experience for Duc Hanh

I arrive in Halong at noon. The sun is high in the sky and burning bright. On the pier countless wooden junks, sailboats, speedboats and tiny bamboo boats bob in the water expectantly as tourists arrive from Hanoi in vans, cars and buses.

Personally after a four-hour-stint on the road, I’m dying to get out the water and feel the sea breeze running through my air. I presume as normal with Halong tours we’ll be left “sitting on the dock of the bay” for the best part of an hour, but almost instantly a speed-boat arrives with a flourish and as soon as we pile on board we’re zooming towards our large and handsome junk, the Indochina Sails, which the captain proudly announces is 44m long and 8.5m wide – and indeed it seems a fine, seaworthy vessel to me!

In my time I’ve been on board a few of the bay’s shabbier junks. It is one point worth making: when it comes to visiting Halong Bay don’t go for the budget trips! Thankfully there are more than a few classy junks to choose from these days that are also reasonably priced.

On board the Indochina Sails, there’s a restaurant, a bar, a massage room, a gift shop and even a library. Guests can also avail of binoculars, snorkelling equipment or top-of-the-line Canadian made kayaks. As we set off into the bay, I make use of the binoculars and survey the glorious setting all around us.

A trip to Halong is first and foremost about relaxing so within minutes every single passenger arrives on deck to sip drinks in the sunshine while basking at the brilliance of bay. Sun-shy, I stretch out on a lie-low on the more shaded lower deck and listen to the the sound of the boat chopping through the waves. As time slowly passes, I happily doze off in the salty air.

Eventually a call for lunch stirs me from my light slumber. A Vietnamese five-course lunch is devoured by the hungry guests even though we’ve hardly worked up an appetite. Afterwards, we drop anchor by Ti Top Island. The tiny island takes its name from the cosmonaut Ghermann Titop of the former Soviet Union, who came here on a trip with President Ho Chi Minh in 1962.

To mark the significance of their visit, Uncle Ho named it Ti Top Island. Thirty-five years later, in 1997, Ti Top returned. Deeply moved, he wrote in the souvenir book of the Management Board of Halong Bay: “My deepest thanks to destiny, which has allowed me to come back to this tiny island.”

It’s a small island, but certainly one to be proud of. It is quiet and airy atmosphere as well as its clean white sand and clear waters. The beach is ideal for swimming nearly all year round. The island’s main attraction is possibly the pagoda-styled lookout point at its peak.

After climbing the 427 stone steps that wind up to the summit, one is treated to a most incredible 360-degree view of Halong Bay. Heading back to my cabin to shower and change for dinner, I discover a card inviting me to a wine tasting. So when we’re ready, we head back to the deck to sample the offerings of Chilean, South African and American grapes.

We sip and savour the taste on our palettes as the sun slowly drops behind the surrounding islands and the twilight dwindles – just another perfect Halong moment. Slightly tipsy after a sampling the wine, I’m happy to head for the restaurant and fill my stomach.

Sweet melodies of a traditional Vietnamese dan bau (a monochord instrument) fill the air as we feast on an international buffet with Vietnamese sweet-and-sour salad, crab and corn soup, fried rice, BBQ crab, shrimp, oysters and cuttlefish as well as seasonal fruit and green-bean and lotus seed cake for dessert.

With a canopy of glittering stars above us, a refreshing coolness in the air and flashes of fluorescent lamps from the cuttlefish boats in the distance, at night the bay is truly magical. It is pure bliss just to sit around with the other travellers, your friends or partner.

Some may be tempted to try an adventurous night activity and join fishermen casting out nets for cuttlefish before heading for bed but I’m perfectly happy to sit and quietly contemplate life with a nightcap. After a deep and dreamless slumber, the voices of vendors who have rowed up to our junk to sell snacks, seafood, souvenirs and cigarettes wakes me up.

Once roused, I head up to the deck where I’m informed we are heading to Ngoc Vung Island before kayaking around Cong Do fishing-village. Aye, aye Captain. We disembark the Indochina Sails and clamber onto a smaller wooden boat to dock on the shores of Ngoc Vung island where we are presented with mountain bikes for a cycling trip across this ruggedly beautiful island, which sits amongst the awe inspiring Halong archipelago.

Ngoc Vung (Mother Pearl) island is 50km from Halong City’s Wharf. Once – or so it is said – all around the island you could plunge below and find a plethora of pearls, hence the name Mother Pearl island. You can also find the most incredible deserted beaches!

From the wharf, we cycle along a coastal road that skirts the island’s hilly terrain while near the shore fishermen caulk their bamboo boats with tar. The road from the wharf to beach is rather short, just 5km. When we arrive the white sandy beach sparkles and glistens under the sunshine.

There is not a soul bathing on the beach – truly for tourists looking for a remote hidden getaway spot this fits the bill. The island is 12sqm in area with over 1,000 inhabitants living mainly off fishing, farming, aquaculture and afforesting.

But there are no bars or restaurants, no showers or toilets. But that’s why we’re here: to escape the crowds! After swimming, sun-bathing and walking along the beach, we head back to the boat where our tour guide introduces us to our kayaks. Again, taking a leisurely pace, we paddle around Cong Do, a floating fishing village in Bai Tu Long bay, 25km southeast of Halong wharf.

Here you can find shrimp, crab, fish, squid and aquatic plants. If you’re not shopping for dinner, it’s fun just to soak in the incredible atmosphere of a true Halong fishing village. Personally, it just reminds me that I’ve been promised a seafood dinner tonight back on board the Indochina Sails!

Full steam ahead captain! The Indochina Sails is currently offering a Sensational Summer Savings promotion package for a three day and two night cruise. Check out www.indochinasails.com

Da Lat train station to get facelift

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has allocated VND500 million (US$ 28,000) for restoration of Da Lat Railway Station, a national heritage site.

Designed by two French architects called Moncet and Reveron, the station was built from 1932 to 1938 and was considered the most beautiful in Indochina at the time.

The station is in the shape of nearby Mount Lang Bian and is almost 70 meters long. It is a unique architectural work that combines European style with that of stilt houses in the Vietnamese highlands.

An 84km route used to connect Da Lat with Phan Rang Town on the central coast. The route included a 17 km cog railway section in the mountainous area to prevent the trains from sliding downhill. At that time, steam locomotives were used.

The Da Lat - Phan Rang railway route was cancelled in 1976 due to low effeciency in transportation. Then, the station was recognized a national heritage site in 2001.

In 2004 seven kilometers of the Da Lat-Trai Mat section was restored and the station put into operation again to serve tourists.

The station is now managed by the Saigon Transport Service Company.

Selling cheap than sitting idle

Air ticket fares decreased by 20-30 percent, even 50 percent for some flights. Travel tours supported by airlines also reduced sharply from 20-30 percent.

Some tours cost only a little more with common tickets fares. The global economic slowdown makes foreign airlines seek every way to attract tourists, pushing domestic airlines into hard competition.

In late March, Shanghai Airlines opened a direct flight between Shanghai and Hanoi with a fare of USD 280 for round trip tickets, a decrease of USD 110 compared to average ticket fares.

The Hanoi-Shanghai-Hang Zhou-Su Zhou-Wu Ji-Beijing tour, also supported by Shanghai Airlines, cost USD 596 for seven days-six nights.

A small calculation showed that the tour cost is much cheaper with air fares. This is a special offer performed by airlines to book to capacity within the first days of operation.

In early April, Korean Airlines offered 20-30 percent discounts on ticket fares from Hanoi to the Republic of Korea (RoK), the US and Europe. Mr. Lee Sang Kum, Chief of Korean Airlines representative office in Hanoi said that the airlines coordinated with Sam tour Travel Co., (RoK), to establish tours to RoK that were 25 percent cheaper with common ticket fares. While ticket fares on the Hanoi – RoK route is USD 620 for a round trip, Hanoi – Seoul – Everland – DMZ tour within five days, four nights costs USD 729.

In fact, this action aims to compete to find destinations during the global economic slowdown. And, airlines have utilized the motto: “Selling Cheap than Sitting Idle.”

Despite being alone, Vietnam’s national flag carrier (Vietnam Airlines) also found its individual market to stimulate demand to destinations. Ms Giang Bich Nguyet, a representative from Vietnam Airlines, said that in late 2008, Vietnam Airlines organized Fam trips with participation of both domestic and foreign travel agents to speed up the number of tourists on the routes of Vietnam – Japan and Vietnam – Hong Kong.

Vietnam Airlines also assisted domestic travel agents in air ticket fares to establish tours at preferential cost, aiming to attract more tourists to Vietnam. However, some representatives of domestic said that travel agents, room prices in domestic tourist sites still cost high and tour prices are hard to discount compared with foreign rivals.

Tien Giang Province, a beautiful and rich area

Since the 17^th century, the fertile land in the North of the Tien River has been reclaimed and developed by generations of inhabitants into an area with rich rice fields, fruit gardens, and busy trade along the river banks. Gradually, the brisk market towns of My Tho and Go Cong emerged in the fertile Cuu Long (Mekong) River Delta. This area is Tien Giang Province.

Taking a ride for 75km from Ho Chi Minh City along Highway 1A you will arrive at My Tho City, then going further you will visit Cho Gao and Go Cong Districts. Turning to Cai Lay and Cai Be Districts, you will see the My Thuan Bridge spanning the Tien River to Vinh Long Province.

The second biggest cable-stayed bridge across the Tien River to Ben Tre Province replaced the Rach Mieu Ferry. With asphalted roads running to all hamlets and a series of natural and man-made canals, Tien Giang Province has a convenient land and water-way transport system to all communes, districts and other provinces in the Mekong River Delta and to Ho Chi Minh City.

An area abundant in agricultural and aquatic products

Tien Giang Province is a granary. Apart from a stable output of 1.2 million tonnes of rice per year, of which more than 300,000 tonnes are for export, Tien Giang ranks first among the provinces in raising and providing pigs with a herd of more than 500,000 hybrid pigs that yield lean meat.

Each year, the province provides 800,000-plus tonnes of fruits to domestic and foreign markets, ranking first in the output as well as fruit cultivation area (72,500 hectares).

Many farmers specializing in growing mango, mangosteen, rambutan, star-apple, durian and longan trees apply high technology in selecting strains and in farming, which results in bumper harvests.

The names of some fruit-growing areas in the province have become familiar brands, such as Hoa Loc mango (in Cai Be District), Vinh Kim star-apple (in Chau Thanh District), Go Cong cherry, Co Co shaddock, Tan Phuoc pineapple and Cho Gao blue dragon.

Tien Giang Province has many natural fishing grounds that yield high productivity. In recent years, the province has developed the raising of catfish, tiger prawns and other valuable aquatic products.

In Go Cong District, fishermen, who were engaged in fetching oysters on the thick alluvial coast, have raised oysters on 2,000 ha of alluvial grounds that yield high output.

Each year the whole province produces about 120,000 tonnes of aquatic products. Since 1990, the Province’s GDP has increased annually 10% and the export turnover in 2005 is estimated to reach USD 145 million.

An attractive tourist spot

It does not take much time to go from Ho Chi Minh City to Tien Giang Province. Visitors can take a cruise on the large Tien River or take a boat ride steered by a young girl wearing a loose-fitting blouse and a conical hat, through canals shaded by water coconut trees.

They will have a chance to visit fruit gardens and enjoy the tastes of ripened fruit right off the tree. In Thoi Son Island, they will visit villages with orchards where they can taste the local traditional food prepared by villagers and enjoy a traditional opera performance, lovely songs and ditties of Southern Vietnam as well witness the making of local traditional handicrafts.

Going along the Tien River upstream, visitors will visit Cai Be floating market where hundreds of boats and canoes gather to sell and buy the local products.

Along the banks of the river, service shops are always crowded with people. Sometimes there is clear bell ringing from Cai Be Church built in the early 20^th century.

This year, Tien Giang Province is expected to receive more than 500,000 domestic visitors and 300,000 foreign tourists.

In the atmosphere of an area criss-crossed with many rivers and canals as well as fruit gardens, they will visit historical relics, temples and pagodas, such as the cultural relic of Oc Eo in Cho Gao District and learn about the history of this area through valuable exhibits full of Phu Nam culture in the early Christian Era.

They also visit the historical monument of the Rach Gam-Xoai Mut Victory, where they will be told about the renowned naval battle of national hero Quang Trung, and visit 200-year-old Vinh Trang Pagoda which has Asian-European architecture, to contemplate the quintessence of the sculptural art of Southern Vietnam.

There are other historical places, such as the royal mausoleum inscribed with the merit of the family of queen mother Tu Du, who was the grandmother of King Tu Duc, in reclaiming Go Cong area. Buu Lam Pagoda in My Tho City, where patriots Nguyen Sinh Sac and Phan Chu Trinh once stayed, is the most typical ancient work of the Viet people in the Southern plain in the 19^th century.

The provincial characteristics are also reflected through the festivals to commemorate the Ap Bac Victory and Nam Ky Uprising, the worshipping ceremony to honour national heroes Truong Dinh and Nguyen Huu Huan and the traditional festivals of the Viet, Khmer, Hoa and Cham ethnic groups.

Tien Giang Province also boasts Dong Tam snake-raising station that provides venoms for making medicines and an ecological zoo where different genes of rare and precious animals in the Southern area are conserved and there is a museum of almost all species of pythons and snakes in Vietnam.

Tien Giang Province:

Area: 2,236sq.km.
Population: 1,668,000 people.
Geography: It borders on Long An Province to the North, Ben Tre Province to the South, Dong Thap Province to the West and the sea to the East.
Administrative units: My Tho City and seven districts including Cai Be, Cai Lay, Tan Phuoc, Chau Thanh, Cho Gao, Go Cong Dong and Go Cong Tay.
Climate: Temperate with the dry and rainy seasons.

Long weekend helps tour companies break the bank

A large number of people have booked domestic and foreign tours to take advantage of a long weekend spanning Liberation Day and Labour Day on April 30 and May 1, according to tourism companies.

Thuy Linh, a Saigontourist official, said her company has made more than 4,500 bookings since the end of March.

Rach Gia-Phu Quoc, Vung Tau, Ha Long, Con Dao, Phu Quoc, Phan Thiet, Nha Trang, and Tay Nguyen are the most popular destinations, she said.

IKO Travel, her company’s economy tour, is the most popular because of its attractive price, she said.

Other tour operators also said tours to Phu Quoc and Con Dao are fully booked.

Hotels and resorts in Nha Trang, Vung Tau, and Phan Thiet are also almost full up, they said, with some keeping a few rooms in reserve to get high prices during the holiday period.

Many hotels and resorts in Nha Trang and Mui Ne have doubled their normal room tariffs.

The number of bookings for foreign tours is also high,

Instead of charging higher prices, Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai of Fiditour said her company is offering discounts of US$100-300 during the holiday period.

It only costs $435 for a four-day tour of Beijing, $375 for a four-day tour of Shanghai, $490 for a five-day tour of Kunming, and $460 for a four-day tour of Brunei and Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.

Vietravel has announced many tours, including a seven-day trip to Japan and a six-day trip to South Korea at $910.

Saigontourist said Korean Air is offering a five-day tour package from HCM City to South Korea at only $699 that includes three-star accommodation and airport transfers.

Vietnam Airlines conquers European market

The national flagship Vietnam Airlines will hold the 2009 Vietnam Sea Festival in Paris, France on April 28-29 to promote tourism and attract foreign visitors, especially from France and Europe, to tourist sites in Vietnam.

Le Dung, Chief Representative of Vietnam Airlines in Paris, says while international airlines encountered many difficulties arising from the impact of the global economic recession in 2008, Vietnam gained some achievements in the European market.

The national flagship earned total revenue of EUR165 million from the European market in 2008, up 20 percent against 2007. In the French market alone, the revenue was up 24 percent.

On the routes connecting Paris to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the number of passengers increased by 87 percent on average and Vietnam Airlines began to bring in profits.

Although the national flagship operates only 3 direct routes from Vietnam to France, Germany and Russia, it has opened ticket agencies in most Western, Northern and Central European countries.

France will continue to be a major market for Vietnam Airlines, says Dung. French tourists, particularly, older people, are interested in travelling to Vietnam because of traditional cultural, historical and economic relations.

In addition, there are many overseas Vietnamese in France and the country is also an important gateway to major countries in Europe. Therefore, Vietnam Airlines has decided to increase the number of flights to France from 6 to 8 a week in late October.

More events to advertise Vietnam’s potential for tourism are expected to take place in the near future.

Travel firms resume tours to Thailand

Local travel companies have resumed their tours to Thailand while airlines report bookings for their flights to and from Bangkok on the way to normalcy after anti-government protesters dispersed in the country’s capital city last week.

Pagoda at Chalong Phuket. (Photo: Internet)

Vietravel and TST have re-organized their tours to Thailand four days after temporary postponement and call-offs for the reason that political uncertainties in Bangkok could endanger the safety of their guests.

Lai Minh Duy, general director of TST Tourist, told the Daily that his company started to take Vietnamese travelers to Thailand including more than 20 people departing for Bangkok last Friday following the improvements in Bangkok.

Tran Doan The Duy, outbound director of Vietravel, confirmed that the company on Friday arranged a tour to Thailand for some 25 Vietnamese holidaygoers who had made bookings ahead of the large-scaled demonstrations in Pattaya and Bangkok.

Duy told the Daily on the phone that Vietravel saw less Vietnamese people book tours to Thailand these days, but this was just a slight decline. He added that Vietravel would arrange one tour a day on average for Vietnamese travelers to Thailand between now and the holidays on April 30 when Vietnam celebrated the country’s reunification and May Day.

Nguyen Thanh Hai, outbound manager of Fiditour, told the Daily that political unrest in Thailand had placed little impact on bookings at one of the leading tour operators. He said that more Vietnamese people would continue to go on vacation in the neighboring country of Vietnam given the aforesaid holidays and the approach of summer.

Like travel companies, airlines have shrugged off their worries as their bookings had bounced back after several days of cancellations and postponement from leisure passengers for fear of political turmoil in Bangkok.

Bui Duc Hanh, Hanoi station manager of Thai AirAsia, told the Daily on the phone that only a small number of passengers of the low-cost carrier asked for cancellations or information about political unrest in Bangkok.

Hanh said the impact of what happened in Bangkok last week on the airline’s operation was nothing compared to the closure of Bangkok airports including Suvarnabhumi in late last year. He revealed Thai AirAsia now posted seat occupancy rate of some 75% for the daily flights between Hanoi and Bangkok and more than 80% for the HCMC-Bangkok service.

Thai Airways, which operates the largest number of daily flights between Vietnam and Bangkok, said its seat occupancy for the flights on this route just slid because of some cancellations during the days when protesters crowded certain areas in Bangkok.

The Bangkok-headquartered airline believed the load factor would soon increase when tour operators and individuals increased bookings as things in Bangkok had changed positively.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) sent a report to the Daily last week, saying that the situation in Bangkok had returned to normality.

“The Kingdom’s various tourist attractions and shopping districts are open for business as usual and tourists and visitors can continue to enjoy the variety of sites, food and experiences,” TAT said in the update report.

Tourists permitted to bring right-hand drive cars to Vietnam

According a draft decree on right-hand drive cars in Vietnam, only foreigners are allowed to own and drive this kind of car in Vietnam.

A group of right-handed steering wheel cars from Thailand in the central region of Vietnam.

Right-hand drive cars have to meet technical and environmental standards of Vietnam.

Besides observing regulations of the Transportation Association, drivers must have driving licences and obey Vietnam’s traffic laws.

Right-hand drive cars have to run on roads that allow the circulation of this type of cars, running in groups with guiding cars.

For right-hand drive cars coming from countries that haven’t signed agreements on right-hand drive cars with Vietnam, the diplomatic agencies of that country have to send diplomatic notes to the Vietnamese Transport Ministry to ask for permission. The Transport Ministry will consider them and answer.

Some groups of tourists using right-hand drive cars, called caravan tourists, have recently came to Vietnam from Indochinese countries. Because of the lack of regulations on this type of car, travel agents and the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism had to ask for the prime minister’s permission.

Beyond Vinh Hy Bay

Vinh Hy is blessed with unique beauty and charm; no matter how often you visit Vinh Hy and the surrounding areas, you will discover a new attraction every time.

Rocks like artworks lie on the way from Vinh Hy Bay to tranquil beaches.

First time visitors typically choose to take a cruise in the bay in Ninh Thuan Province to see the coral reefs and the many islands and rocks with their fascinating shapes, like an ear or a turtle, or a hand with fingers stretching to the sky.

Travelers on their second or third visits tend to opt for the boat voyage to the off-the-beaten-track areas. The pristine beaches and beautiful rocks will impress even the most seasoned traveler.

There many beaches to choose from suitable for both amateur and strong swimmers, such as Ba Dien (crazy woman), Tien (fairy) and Coc (cup) beaches in the bay, and Thung, Hoi, Binh Tien beaches which slope gently to the sea.

It takes more than an hour to reach these tranquil beaches, but the scenery on the way is breath-taking and the reward once you arrive is gentle waves, breezes blowing in from the sea and the sweet sound of waves lapping against the shore, especially if you are willing to take the 30 minute boat trip to some of the more remote beaches.

A boat driver called My told the Daily that he has transported numerous groups of tourists through the walls of high and rocks perched by the sea, all of whom have been overwhelmed by the picturesque beauty of the area.

The waves are constantly crashing against the walls of rocks. Over time the scene may change as the rocks are transformed by the waves, however the beauty and magnificence of Vinh Hy continue to attract visitors from near and far.

A one-day free-and-easy cruise is priced from VND2.8 million (around US$157) for a glass-bottom boat which can accommodate 50 passengers in a time. The rate is around VND1 million if you want a boat to cruise within Vinh Hy Bay and nearby sites of interest.

It is advisable to book the sea cruise at least one day ahead of your arrival during off-peak season and one week ahead during holidays. For more information about the boat cruise in and out Vinh Hy Bay, call Ninh Thuan Tourism Co. on (068) 3836405.

Over 1,300 promotional air fares on sale to simulate domestic travel

Vietnam Airlines, after two months of carrying out “Impressive Vietnam” to stimulate domestic travel, sold over 1,300 promotional fares with a 60 percent discount on round-trip routes for travel agents in Ho Chi Minh City.

Vietnam Airlines now applies the promotional fare rate for 10 travel agents in Ho Chi Minh City and plans to consider discounts for 10 more members in its domestic travel stimulus group.

However, this is the first time the program has been conducted, thus some travel agents had to negotiate to sell out the reduced price tours. As scheduled, the number of tourists on discounted price tours will increase next month, especially during the April 30^th and May 1^st holiday.

Vietnamese tourists flocking to nearby countries during May holiday

Travel firms polled by VietNamNet said that they have stopped accepting new bookings for tours on the April 30 – May 1 holiday. The number of travelers in the north signing up for tours abroad is sharply higher this year.

Vietnamese travelers now like traveling abroad

Do Son beach

Deputy Director Nguyen Cong Hoan of Hanoi Redtour said that his agency expects to serve 45 groups of travelers on the May holiday. Over 800 travellers have booked tours to other countries, a sharp rise from a year earlier.

To date, Hanoi Redtour has closed out bookings for 35-36 tours and can accept only one or two travelers more for each of its other 10 tours (two to Malaysia and Singapore, two to Hong Kong and six to China by land).

Meanwhile, Hoan said, only 500 travelers have booked domestic tours. Popular destinations include Da Nang City, Hoi An, and the beach resorts of Nha Trang in central Vietnam, Phu Quoc Island off the southern coast, and Cat Ba Island east of Hanoi.

Duong Mai Lan, head of research and development Division for Vietravel Hanoi also said that most of his firm’s tours for the May holiday have been fully booked. Lan said that Vietnamese travelers now tend to go abroad on holiday. This year the number of travelers registering domestic tours has increased by 10% only, while the number of travellers abroad has increased by 40%.

Outbound tours lure increasing numbers of Vietnamese travelers because tour fees have increased by 5-10% only this year. Regional destinations like Singapore, Korea and Shanghai (China) are being intensively promoted.

Deputy Head of the Saigontourist Business Development Division Nguyen Xuan Thien told VietNamNat that 2,000 travelers booked outbound tours with his firm in April 2009. South Korea has proved to be the biggest draw thanks to the low tour cost ($699/traveler), while Hong Kong is the second choice. Thailand has become less attractive recently to Vietnamese travelers because of the uncertain political situation there.

However, Thien believes that travelers from Vietnam’s northern region are more likely to choose to travel abroad than people in the south, since there are many domestic tour choices for southern residents. Approximately 2,000 travelers in groups and 1,100 individual travelers have booked domestic tours with Saigontourist.

Vietravel said that it will serve 5,000 travelers with domestic tours, and 2,500 travelers with tours abroad this May holiday, an increase of 25% over the same period of the last year.

Travel firms confirmed that domestic tour fees have increased by up to 30% over a year ago.. Explaining the higher charges, Hoan of Redtour said that the service fees all have increased during the holiday, including hotel, restaurant and parking fees, while air carriers do not offer discounts for air tickets on a number of routes during the holiday.

Staying at home to avoid traffic jams and crowds

While many Vietnamese try to travel on holiday, others, fearing the bad traffic regularly seen on holidays, have made other plans.

Nguyen Thu Oanh, who works for a foreign invested enterprise, recalled her May holiday trip two years ago. Though Oanh and friends booked hotel rooms two weeks in advance, they still could not reserve rooms, and had to stay at a newly built mini-hotel where they received bad service.

Pham Thanh Hong, 50, said that he and other members in the family will not go on tours this holiday, but will instead visit relatives in the countryside, where they can enjoy fresher air than in Hanoi.

Mai from Dong Da district in Hanoi said that she and her husband plan will take their two children to the park and entertainment places in the city during the holidays.

Jetstar Pacific increases flights on domestic routes

The low-cost carrier Jetstar Pacific (JP) will increase a series of flights on domestic routes between big cities such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Danang, and Can Tho from June 1^st.

In particular, JP will operate one more flight departing from Hanoi to HCMC at 7 am to meet the demand of businessmen. With this, JP will have 11 flights a day on the Hanoi-HCMC route.

Daily flights between HCMC and Danang will be increased to four. Flights departing from HCMC to Danang will leave at 6.45 am, 10.45 am, 3 pm and 7.30 pm while from Danang to HCMC departures will be at 8.30 am, 12.30 pm, 4.45 pm, and 9.15 pm.

The Hanoi- Danang route will have two flights a day. Flights departing from Hanoi to Danang will take off at 7 am and 3.25 pm and from Danang to Hanoi departures will be at 8.45 am and 5.10 pm.

For the Hanoi-Can Tho route, there will be one flight a day, replacing four flights a week. Flights will take off at 10.10 am from Hanoi to Can Tho and at 12.50 pm from Can Tho to Hanoi.

Other routes between HCMC and Hue, Vinh, Hai Phong and between Hanoi and Nha Trang will remain unchanged with one flight a day.

French cyclists reminded of home on tour of Viet Nam

A group of European cyclists say they chose Viet Nam as a destination because of its French-built structures and traditional customs that still linger despite years of change.

Christian Serniclay, one of 28 tourists travelling across the country for 26 days by bicycle, said Viet Nam reminded them of France.

The cyclists, all of whom are French except for two from the Netherlands, are members of the Federation Francaise de Cyclotourisme, which organises cycling tours in France and Europe as well as Viet Nam.

Christian said they were especially fond of cities in the Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) and the hilltop town of Da Lat, which contains many villas built by the French.

The buildings in the Hue City and the historic houses in Hoi An town as well as the capital city of Ha Noi are often European tourists’ favourites.

"We love cities that still keep the traditional traits of the country," he said.

Their final destination across 14 cities and provinces is HCM City, where they visited French-built structures, including the building that now houses the City’s People’s Committee, the HCM City Opera Theatre and Notre Dame Cathedral.

Christian said that while HCM City was a modern city it had kept its soul.

"The city at night is beautiful and we love to have a night walk around it," he said.

However, Christian thinks the city could lose tourists because there are too many motorbikes and automobiles and virtually no bicycles.

Friendly locals

Of the group of bicyclists, only Christian has previously visited Viet Nam.

"We have met many friendly and open people who have always welcomed us and helped up when we had trouble along the way," Christian said.

When they first came to Viet Nam, they hoped to interact with local people.

"That’s why we love to visit markets, where we can easily talk with locals," said Christian, adding that many people in HCM City had been friendly and warm.

His group became friends with a Vietnamese girl named Nguyen Thanh Nga who had helped them with their trip.

In return, they taught her some French words and invited her to visit France.

"Nga can have a wider view of France and Europe through meeting us," Christian said.

Cycling tours

Despite encountering difficulties, including hot weather and bad roads, the cyclists have had a good trip.

As a representative of the Federation Francaise de Cyclotourisme, Christian said he wanted to organise cycling tours across the country and hoped the local press and internet would publish news about the federation’s cycling tours and locally owned Viet Nam Adventure.

Tourists heading to Sa Pa en masse for upcoming holiday

The nation’s unification day (April 30) and May Day still a week away, tickets for the Hanoi-Lao Cai trains for the holiday are all sold out. All hotels and inns in Sa Pa are fully booked.

Foreign visitors in Sapa.

Due to hot weather in the last several days, the number of travellers from northern provinces wanting to head to Sa Pa has sharply risen.

The prices of hotel rooms in the resort town have increased quickly, especially for the time from April 28 to May 2.

The director of the two-star Darling Hotel, Do Lan Huong, said that the common price is VND500,000 to VND600,000 per two-three star room, from VND800,000 to VND1 million for luxury room (over 3-star hotels). The Victoria Hotel is asking $165-$235/room a day.

Though the prices have surged, all big hotels in town, namely the Victoria, Chau Long, Hoang Gia, Green Bamboo, Darling and Trade Union, are fully occupied and booked until May 2.

The vice head of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Sapa district, Pham Tien Dung, said that the district forecast and prepared facilities to welcome tourists this summer. Some hotels and inns have been newly built or repaired but the town can’t meet the sudden increase of tourists for the coming holiday, estimated at 2-3 times more than the corresponding period of last year.

“This is good sign for us because the economic crisis isn’t hitting Sapa’s tourism industry. At this moment, all big hotels and restaurants in the town are fully booked,” Dung said.

Sapa has nearly 160 hotels and inns, with a total of 3,000 rooms, sufficient for around 5,000 to 6,000 visitors. Sapa authorities plan to send tourists to villages in Ta Van, Ban Ho and some households in Sapa town.

“We will control prices and service quality at these places to protect the interests of tourists,” Dung confirmed.

Sapa authorities are urgently preparing the “Sapa Culture and Tourism Week 2009”, which will open on the evening of May 1 at Van Hoa Park.

The five-day festival will include various events, such as an orchid contest, a folk-song contest, a food festival and the Sapa love market.

Hanoi: Five-star hotel occupancy rate only reach 52%

2009 showed that room usage at 10 five-star hotels in Hanoi only reached 52 percent, a 10 percent decrease year on year.

This resulted from a sharp decrease in the number of tourists and foreign businessmen, in spite of room prices being reduced to USD 139 a night on average, a decrease of 14 percent year on year.

Ms. Tran Thi Huyen Thanh, Director of the Sen Rung Travel and Trade Joint-stock Co., said that in the Northern and Central Coastal provinces, three-star hotels reduced costs by 10-30 percent, four-star hotels offered a 15 percent discount in room cost during summer 2009 and five-star hotels also discounted 20 percent.

However, Ms Thanh complained that these decreases were too low and made it difficult to impress foreign tourists.

CBRE Managing Director Richard Leech said that five-star hotels need to reduce room rate to maintain the occupancy rate of 65 percent of 2008. As forecasted, Hanoi will have 1,800 more rooms at four-five star hotels during the 2009-2011 period.

Int’l tourist arrivals forecast to reach 5.2mil by 2012

The global market research firm RNCOS has projected that the number of international visitors to Vietnam will reach 5.2 million in four years’ time, with an annual growth rate of 6.5%.

VNAT’s figures show more than 992,000 foreigners visited Vietnam in the first quarter of this year, a contraction of 16.1% compared to the same period last year.

RNCOS’s “Vietnam Tourism Industry Forecast to 2012” report puts international tourist arrivals in the country at 4.3 million this year, 4.5 million next year, 4.8 million in 2011 and 5.2 million in 2012.

The company’s forecast for this year is the same as the Vietnam National Administration of Vietnam’s (VNAT). Earlier this year VNAT said the country would be able to attract 4.3 million international tourists in all of 2009.

The RNCOS projection means the number of foreign visitors to Vietnam would steadily grow in the four-year period and is described by hoteliers and tourism experts as “exciting” in the current gloomy state of the world tourism industry.

Asked about the RNCOS forecast, five-star Sofitel Dalat Palace’s general manager Tony Chisholm said things and projections could change at a time when the global financial crisis was deepening its impact on the world’s economy and the tourism industry.

Chisholm told the Daily on Tuesday during his business trip in HCMC that it took more than one year for the world to fix the current woes which have resulted in a fall in demand for travel in many countries, particularly the major markets like America and Europe.

He said the current situation would make life much tougher for luxury hotels in Vietnam, whose room occupancy is forecast to fall below 50% between now and October this year, a period which hoteliers often call a “low season for tourism in Vietnam.”

A market survey which the property service company CBRE announced earlier this month put room occupancy at 5-star hotels in Hanoi in the first quarter of this year at an average of 52%, 10 percentage points lower than the year-earlier period.

But, an executive of a 5-star hotel in the capital city told the Daily on the phone on Tuesday that the room occupancy rate of 52% was higher than reality, as the market fell sharply in the period and would continue this trend in months to come.

He blamed the decline on the global crisis which has caused the budgets of both business and leisure travelers to shrink.

VNAT’s figures show more than 992,000 foreigners visited Vietnam in the first quarter of this year, a contraction of 16.1% compared to the same period last year.

Chisholm said the current difficulties made Sofitel Dalat Palace adjust its strategy with a focus shifted to guests in Vietnam and those from regional markets.

Despite tough times ahead, RNCOS still forecast growth in this emerging market for international visitors. “Vietnam’s tourism industry will benefit from the growing attractiveness of the country as a new destination, which has been boosted by its image as a haven of stability in a turbulent region,” the report says.

“Vietnam is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Asia-Pacific region,” RNCOS says in the executive summary of the report. It adds that the World Travel and Tourism Council recently named Vietnam as the world’s fourth fastest-growing tourist destination.

However, RNCOS predicted that the increase in the number of tourist arrivals would decline in 2009 due to the global crisis.

According to the company, Vietnam recorded around 4.25 million foreign visitor arrivals last year, up around 2% from 2007. The 2% growth was much lower than that in 2007 when the number of foreign visitors to Vietnam grew 16% year-on-year to reach 4.17 million. In 2008, the country’s tourism industry generated total revenue of more than US$4 billion, according to the company.

The RNCOS report says outbound tourists from Vietnam also reached an all-time high in 2008 when 410,000 people traveled abroad. The country’s outbound tourism achieved annual growth of some 11.6% between 2005 and 2008.

Vietnam’s outbound tourism, according to RNCOS, is expected to register annual growth of 13% in the 2009-2012 period given increasing disposable income and more active operations of low-cost carriers.

Visiting Coi Nguon Phu Quoc Museum in Kien Giang

Coi Nguon Phu Quoc Museum in Phu Quoc Island will open on April 30 to mark the 34th anniversary of the Reunification Day of the country.

A view of Coi Nguon Phu Quoc Museum in Kien Giang.

This museum is the result of the profound passion for preservation of a young couple, Huynh Phuoc Hue and Nguyen Thi Phuong Dai. Nestled by a small hill on Tran Hung Dao Street, Dong Duong Toan Commune, Phu Quoc District in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang, five-storey Coi Nguon Phu Quoc Museum is an ideal destination for those who want to learn about the history of the island. The museum is surrounded by a green park with trees, kennels for Phu Quoc dogs, sea eagles and a souvenir shop.

“We worked as guides for tourists visiting the island and suddenly we recognized our passion for the splendid landscapes of our hometown. For more than ten years we have been collecting and storing artifacts involving the island,” said Huynh Phuoc Hue, adding that the museum was called Coi Nguon Phu Quoc (Phu Quoc’s Root) in the hope that tourists will understand more about the island which has more than 300 years of history.

The museum has been designed to tell a story with 540 items presenting the history of Phu Quoc. In one part of the museum visitors can get lost in the woods of dozens of precious timbers hundreds of years old, or in another area see the wooden boat used by national hero Nguyen Trung Truc to gather food from ships sunk by French army in 1868. Also on display are fishing boats, a primitive fishing village which produces fish sauce and grows pepper and displays of 2,645 antiques including ceramics, stone, bronze and fossilized woods. A collection of fossilized wood dating to the 15th century BC that has been analyzed at an archaeological workshop in Hanoi is also on display.

Moreover, visitors will have a chance to contemplate valuable collections including a set of 50 stone axes, 30 pieces of folk art and 300 documents in Vietnamese, English and French about the land and people of Phu Quoc.

The couple have also installed over 100 folk and contemporary paintings about Phu Quoc in the museum.

Shopping on Cam Mountain in An Giang

Cam (Forbidden) Mountain, also known as Thien Cam Son (heaven’s forbidden mountain), is the highest and largest of the superb That Son (seven mountains) in An Giang Province, and is famous for its wonderful scenery, ancient temples and pagodas and cultural life of local residents.

The winding road leading to Cam Mountain in An Giang Province.

Located in An Hao Commune in Tinh Bien District, An Giang Province, the majestic mountain sits imposingly in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta at an altitude of 710 meters above sea level.

During annual festivities lasting from the 4th to the 7th lunar month (May to August) Cam Mountain is busy and lively with pilgrims, tourists and the vibrant ambiance of traders on the mountain sides.

There are about 500 households with 3,000 residents living on the mountain, plus about 1,000 visitors to the mountain every day; therefore the trading activities, in particular of agricultural products and foodstuffs, are always hectic and lively.

The market on Cam Mountain is nestled halfway up the mountain on a 3-meter-wide pass blanketed by endless green trees. The market, named Thien Tue Hamlet Market, is open for one hour every morning when the sun is rising and the fog is dispersing, so people call it “misty market”. Goods are not arranged on counters or stalls but rather are displayed in baskets, pots and heaps. The foods sold here are varied, with chicken, pork, beef, duck and many vegetables, especially bamboo sprouts and some strange vegetables which are only available on the mountain.

Avocado is the main fruit of the mountain and is sold for VND4,000 per kilogram. As many pilgrims trek to the mountain every day to pray for good luck and health, bread vendors here can also earn a lot of money. However, the specialty of the mountain is the medicinal plants which visitors can buy at small shops from the base to the peak of the mountain. There are dozens of herbal remedies, even fungi and honey. Moreover, some are fried, including the flying gecko, mountain snake, scorpion, and wild animal parts such as elephant feet and horns, porcupine quills, bear hands and pangolin leather.

After strolling around the mountain to visit the temples and see the splendid mysteries of nature, passer-by should stop at one of the small restaurants perched along the mountain sides to enjoy mountain cuisine, from hot-pot of wildlife to the specialty of the Mekong Delta, banh xeo (pancake), which are enjoyed with many kinds of healthy vegetables.

Upon reaching the Great Buddha Pagoda, pilgrims can relax and try some dishes in small restaurants around this area, as well as in some coffee shops scattered on the mountain. The panoramic view from here is spectacular, with the valleys, white falls and smaller mountains below.

When trekking on Cam Mountain to enjoy the magnificent and mysterious landscape and to pray for good luck and health at pagodas, visitors can also go shopping and experience the varied cuisine of the mountain.

Travel demand waxes as long holiday weekend approaches

The increasing number of holiday-makers, despite the economic difficulty that could be keeping travelers at home, has made many local tour operators upbeat about their business performance leading to the holidays of April 30 and International Labor Day.

Travelers ask for information about tours to the central seaside resort town of Nha Trang at Saigontourist Travel Service Co.’s booking office in downtown HCMC on Tuesday.

“We see a positive sign in travel demand this year as there are many holiday-goers booking trips to destinations around the country,” Vo Anh Tai, director of the Saigontourist Travel Service Company, told the Daily.

This year, the two holidays, April 30 and May 1, get stretched into a four day weekend as April 30 falls on a Thursday, a good chance for people to make longer journeys to tourist attractions around the country.

Tai said Saigontourist had so far reached 80% its target with over 4,000 travelers having booked both domestic and international trips for this long holiday weekend and that some tours to Phu Quoc Island, Korea, Europe, and America had already been closed, and tours to Nha Trang and Mui Ne were nearly full.

Tai said that most domestic tour prices were the same as last year but some prices were cut by 15% to 20% thanks to the promotion program of Vietnam Airlines.

Nguyen Ngoc An, director of Dinh Trade & Travel Service Co, better known as Fiditour, said that her company had seen a strong increase in travel demand for this year’s holiday weekend.

An attributed the increase in bookings by local travelers to hot weather and stable tour prices this year when the company introduced 60 new domestic and international tours.

He said Fiditour expected to serve 12,000 tourists for the forthcoming holiday weekend, 20% more than last year, and that the company had to open more tours to Nha Trang, Phan Thiet and Dalat to cater to the demand in the coming days.

Vietravel is on track thanks to the longer holidays this year. A company representative said Vietravel had targeted to serve 5,000 domestic travelers and 2,500 international travelers.

Strong demand this year will make it difficult for people to book last minute accommodations at favorite destinations such as Mui Ne in the central coast city of Binh Thuan.

Most resorts in Mui Ne, such as Bamboo, Coco Beach, Hoang Ngoc and Tien Dat, are fully booked for April 30 and May 1. Some resorts there have hiked room rates by 20% to 35%.