Southern Fruit Festival 2009 opens in HCM City

The festival opened at the HCM City-based Suoi Tien tourist site, with many new features. VietNamNet introduces the event in photos:

Southern fruit festival to feature strange fruits

LH-HS

Admiring the scenery on Thoai Son Mountain

Nestled in the lowlands of Long Xuyen, Sap Mountain or so-called Thoai Son Mountain has splendid landscapes filled with history of the opening of the Mekong Delta.

A panoramic view of Nui Sap Town from Thoai Son Mountain.

Thoai Ngoc Hau, a general during the Nguyen Dynasty, led the army and thousands of residents to dig the Thoai Ha Canal in 1818 with rudimentary tools. The canal is 30 kilometers long and runs through the foot of Sap Mountain, linking Long Xuyen City in An Giang Province and Rach Gia City in Kien Giang Province.

Nui Sap Town in An Giang Province’s Thoai Son District is about 25 kilometers away from Long Xuyen City on Road 934. To reach the top of the mountain, one may climb or rent a bike for VND5,000 per person to ride on a 4 meter-wide concrete path that winds and zigzags up for 1,500 meters.

Many pagodas varying in size, architecture and design are scattered on the road from halfway up to the peak. The most striking is a pink statue of Mitreya Buddha, eight meters in height and located at Duyen Phuoc Pagoda. The traditional pagoda with towers and curved roof has existed for many years, and was rebuilt in 1994. It is decorated with statues of dragons, lions, turtles and phoenix.

On top of the mountain the path ends at Doi (Bat) Cave, where many rocks are piled up on one another. Above the cave is a stone yard where passersby can sit and enjoy the fresh air and tranquility, viewing the scenery of immense green fields, far away rivers and canals, orchards and houses glistening in the sun.

On the way back down visitors will see what looks like a man-made painting, with Lake No.1, Lake No.2 and Thoai Lake linked together and crossing caves and tunnels in the mountain. Those are vestiges of stone exploitation that was developed into a tourist site.

Other noteworthy attractions to visit include Thoai Son Temple, site of the statue of General Thoai Ngoc Hau and a stele featuring the origin, landscapes and history of the mountain, and, in Nui Sap Town, the Thoai Ha Canal, Ong Bon Pagoda, Vong Dong stone mountain and Ba Pagoda.

Saigontourist reaches out to European cruise liners

The HCMC-based Saigontourist Travel Service Company is reaching out to more cruise ship operators from Europe to further sharpen its cutting edge at a time when international arrivals in Vietnam are on the decline.

Saigontourist has welcomed an estimated 40,000 cruise passengers and crewmembers in January-May, the same as last year’s period.

The country’s leading travel firm has managed to established new partnerships and is inviting new cruise ships from Europe to call in Vietnam, said Le Quang Thang, manager of the company’s Shorex & Port Agency Department.

He said that the company this year has cut new deals with three new European cruise liners, which are helping the company to maintain the number of cruise passengers in a difficult time for the travel industry.

Thang told the Daily on Tuesday that Saigontourist was catering to 350 German passengers from the Hanseatic cruise ship on a one-week trip taking in HCMC, Hue, Halong, Haiphong and Hanoi. The cruise ship left Vietnam yesterday.

The Hanseatic is just one of several European cruise ships contracted by the company this year to bring guests to Vietnam. Another Italian cruise ship named Costa Allegra has been continually dropping anchor in Vietnam as arranged by Saigontourist, and will bring around 4,800 foreign passengers this month and next.

“The total number of European cruise passengers catered to by Saigontourist is up 25% in the first five months of this year,” said Thang.

Saigontourist, Thang said, has welcomed an estimated 40,000 cruise passengers and crewmembers in January-May, the same as last year’s period.

“It’s a good result at a time of crisis like now owing to robust growth in the number of European cruise ship passengers,” he said and explained that many Asian cruise ships have suspended their trips to Vietnam because of the crisis.

“It means that international cruise liners are seeing Vietnam as a popular destination in the world’s cruising map,” Thang said.

Phu Quoc Island: A “waning heaven”

Phu Quoc is Vietnam’s largest island. Situated in the Gulf of Thailand, the island is part of Kien Giang province. The district of Phu Quoc includes the island proper and 21 smaller islets. Phu Quoc is called a “Tourist Heaven”.

A beach on Phu Quoc Island.

Under the government’s scheme, by 2020 Phu Quoc will be a sea ecological tourism centre, attracting 2-3 million visitors a year.

However, this “heaven” is losing its value through the exploitation and disfigurement of its natural assets.

In the name of tourism projects, many businesses have been destroying the natural landscapes of Phu Quoc. They are exploiting sand on the coast, causing coastal erosion, and menacing the scenery with concrete works.

In the Dinh Cau area, to expand its beach to serve tourists, the Phu Quoc Tourism JS Company exploited Con village in Duong Dong Town, which was famous for its beautiful, natural beach.

The firm sucked sand from the coast near Con village, causing a landslide, threatening Con villagers. Chairman of Duong Dong town Duong Minh Hung said that around 140m of coast has collapsed, endangering 17 houses.

However, of greater concern, the beautiful beach of Con village has been ruined. After two months of sucking sand from the beach, a “gulf” was created at the site which had been a nice beach in the past.

In Hang Yen, An Thoi town, a company named Gold Star destroyed the protective forest, sucked sand and built a dike to enlarge its beach.

Phu Quoc’s beach is being cut into small pieces by tourism projects.

Tourism companies are also trying to build high-rise buildings and hotels on the coast with weird designs, obscuring the view of the Phu Quoc sea.

Around 4km of coast from Duong Dong town to Cua Lap has been the “victim” of concrete. The Huong Bien Hotel built a stone dike of over 1m in height and nearly 500m length along the coast, breaking up the wonderful beach in front of the Dinh Cau area.

The Sai Gon-Phu Quoc Hotel also built some concrete works on the most beautiful beach in Phu Quoc. Many concrete architectural works cover a large area of land on the island.

Many construction works on Phu Quoc are copied from foreign ones, and look very strange, such as the Ngan Sao tourism site. On 300sq.m of beach, the investor built imitations of famous works in the world, like the sea lion of Singapore, the Opera House in Sydney, Australia as well as a Dutch windmill.

Getting lost in Ngu Hanh Son

Visitors to Danang City are often drawn to Ngu Hanh Son (five mountains representing the five basic elements of metal, wood, water, fire and earth), a fairy land with dreamlike scenery, pagodas, and grottoes. On my own journeys to the central coastal city over the last 15 years I have always found time to spend at those five mysterious mountains.

A view of Ngu Hanh Son.

Around seven kilometers from the center of Danang City, Ngu Hanh Son rises up in the shape of five fingers. The five mountains are Kim Son (Metal Mountain), Moc Son (Wood Mountain), Thuy Son (Water Mountain) and Hoa Son (Fire Mountain). King Minh Mang named them in the nineteenth century.

I have often stood on the peak of the mountains and watched the mountains changing in the colors of the sunlight, like a beautiful woman reflecting the windy East Sea.

Most tourists heading to Ngu Hanh Son visit Thuy Son, the highest and most impressive mountain. Every day visitors, pilgrims and incense sellers trek up thousands of stone steps under the shade of trees although they don’t know how many steps there are to the top of the mountain. They are most likely distracted from their fatigue by the fresh air and stunning landscapes. To the surprise of many passers-by, many of the tour guides here are not professional escorts but rather children and elderly people selling incense and souvenirs. They can tell hundreds of stories about the history and landscapes of the mountains.

There are a number of old pagodas and mysterious grottos on Thuy Son, most notably Tam Thai Pagoda, where pilgrims worship Mytrerya Buddha and 18 Arhats, as well as Linh Nham Grotto, Van Thong Grotto, Tang Chon Grotto and Huyen Khong Grotto. Huyen Khong Cave was the base for Vietnamese revolutionaries during wartime.

Thuy Son, covering 15 hectares, was discovered in the fifteenth century by King Le Thanh Tong under the Post-Le Dynasty. Monk Hue Dao Minh, the first person to live a religious life on the mountain, built a stele in Van Thong Grotto in 1460. The mountain is endowed with many trees with medicinal qualities and colorful wild flowers.

According to a legend of the Cham people, a golden turtle laid five eggs and when they hatched their covers turned into five mountains. The names given to the Ngu Hanh Son Mountains reflect the colors of their marble stones, which are pink in Thuy Son, white in Moc Son, red in Hoa Son, azure in Kim Son and brown in Tho Son.

After wandering on Thuy Son, tourists can stop at the Non Nuoc fine arts souvenir shops. Many of the items are made from rocks into statues of Buddha, lions and tiny bracelets and necklaces.

Local tourism gets a boost with ’world biosphere’ recognition

Every day, hundreds of visitors descend upon the lush green Cham Islands off the central coast of Hoi An Town.

Cham Islands, Ca Mau Cape recognised as global biosphere reserves

With pristine white-sand beaches and crystal-clear water, the area is renowned for both its beauty and vast biodiversity.

Now, locals of the eight-island cluster can boast one more glowing attribute of the area – UNESCO recognition of the islands as a global biosphere reserve.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) made the announcement Tuesday that the Cham Islands, together with Vietnam’s southernmost Ca Mau Cape, would receive the special designation.

The issue was discussed by UNESCO’s International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere Program on South Korea’s Jeju Island prior to the announcement.

Located 15 kilometers off the central Cua Dai coast, the Cham Islands, which are governed by Hoi An, serve as a protective barrier for the ancient town.

Lecturer Hans Dilev of the Danish Aarhus University said the Cham Islands are one of the few places in Vietnam that still possess a large area of vegetation and a wide range of rare and endangered animals.

The islands are located near the Bach Ma-Hai Van-Son Tra granite mountain range, formed around 230 million years ago. In 2004, Vietnam named the island area a national “sea reserve” – one of just two island reserves in the country at the time. The other was the Mun Islet reserve in Khanh Hoa Province.

Spanning more than 5,000 hectares, the reserve includes 165 hectares of coral reefs and 500 hectares of underwater plant life. They are also home to 947 aquatic species.

The vast biological diversity can also be seen in the Cham Island mountains, which stretch over 1,550 hectares. Within the immense island forests are many rare animal species, including the endangered long-tailed monkey and swallow. And of the hundreds of flora species in the area, more than 60 percent are used by locals.

Venkat Reddy, an Indian tourist who visited the islands last week, said that the Cham Islands are exceptionally clean and beautiful.

Reddy said that the islands deserve to be protected and that they have his vote for “world biosphere reserve” recognition.

Hoi An locals have worked hard over the years to attract more tourists by keeping the islands clean, and their efforts have paid off. Some 20,000 tourists now visit the area each year. Hoi An administrator Nguyen Su told Tuoi Tre newspaper, “The remaining task [for officials] is to help the residents become prosperous.”

With the recognition of the Cham Islands and the Ca Mau Cape, Vietnam’s number of global biosphere reserves now stands at eight.

UNESCO grants “world biosphere reserve” designation to create a balance between protecting biodiversity and natural resources and helping a country develop socioeconomically.

The Ca Mau Cape biosphere reserve spans over 371,000 hectares and comprises the Ca Mau Cape and U Minh Ha national parks of Ca Mau Province.

Studies by the provincial Department of Science and Technology have revealed an unusually large amount of biodiversity at the newly recognized reserve.

Ca Mau Cape National Park is home to 87 animal species, including the endangered long-tailed monkey and the silver langur.

U Minh Ha National Park, meanwhile, is home to seven reptile and three animal species listed in Vietnam’s “Red Book” of endangered species. It is also home to two reptile species and one other animal species in the international “Red Book.”

In addition, the park includes more than 6,000 hectares of a peat reserve dating back thousands of years.

Bui Cong Buu, chairman of the Ca Mau People’s Committee, told Tuoi Tre on Tuesday that with the new biosphere-reserve designation, the province will begin participating in international scientific research projects on the area.

“World biosphere reserve” recognition was granted to 22 sites worldwide on Tuesday, bringing the global total to 553 so far.

Private firm weighs wind energy plant for Con Dao

The domestic trading and real estate company Sy Cat has submitted a plan to Ba Ria-Vung Tau province’s authorities to build a wind energy plant worth some US$26 million on Con Dao island off the southern coastal province, in line with the province’s plan to turn Con Dao into an eco-tourism island.

Con Dao will have 50,000 residents by 2020, up 10 times compared to the current population.

A source from the provincial Department of Planning and Investment told the Daily on Wednesday that the department appreciated the project, considering it necessary for Con Dao’s socio-economic development.

Therefore, the department has sent a statement to the provincial government requesting approval for the wind energy plant on the island, 180km offshore Vung Tau City.

Under the investor’s plan, the wind energy plant will be built on 45 hectares encompassing Nhat beach and Da Trang beach.

Development in the first phase will take three years, and the plant will have a designed generation capacity of 10MW. When the demand rises and upon approval from authorities, the investor will build more facilities to double the generation capacity to some 20MW.

The private investor estimates the cost at VND445 billion, or US$26 million, and it seeks to operate the wind energy plant in 30 years.

The power will be sold to the island district at a price of 16.5 US cents a kilowatt in the first 10 years of operation, down to 15.7 cents for the next 15 years and 13.2 cents from the 25th year.

The project, if licensed, will be the second wind power plant on the island. Last year, Aerogie.plus Vietnam, a subsidiary of Swiss energy firm Aerogie.plus Solutions AG, received a license to develop the first wind power station in Con Dao, touted as a solution to protect the environment, reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and promote eco-tourism.

Hoang Nghia Doan, party secretary of Con Dao Island, had told the Daily on an occasion that wind power projects, including wind towers, should be designed in harmony with the natural landscape and contribute to the preservation of the environment and historic venues on the island.

The island district has only four diesel-fueled generators with a combined capacity of 3MW, which is far behind demand of electricity for daily activities of islanders and fish processing facilities.

As the cost for running diesel-fuelled generators is high, the annual budget used to offset losses from such operations amounts to some VND10 billion.

Con Dao Island is in fact an archipelago of 16 small islets with a total area of more than 7,670 hectares, and is some 45 minutes’ flight from HCMC. Con Lon is the largest island where there are currently four hotels and resorts.

The island is considered as one of the most attractive destinations in Vietnam owing to its long and tranquil beaches, good natural landscapes and historical relics.

Con Dao will have 50,000 residents by 2020, up 10 times compared to the current population, while the number of travelers to the islands is expected to reach 500,000 to 700,000 per year by then.

MOT wants to freeze domestic airline licenses until 2015

The Ministry of Transportation has proposed that no more domestic airlines be licenced until 2015. More than the present five carriers, says Transport Minister Ho Nghia Dung, would make it difficult to manage the aviation industry.

Airlines crying ‘crisis’

Dung told reporters that Vietnam’s policy is to encourage investment in the aviation industry. However, he added, Vietnam needs to have a clear roadmap for the industry’s development.

For many years, Vietnam had only one air carrier, Vietnam Airlines. Four other air carriers have been licenced in recent years, but only two – Jetstar Pacific and Indochina Airlines – are presently offering service in competition with Vietnam Airlines. Mekong Airlines and VietJet Air have licenses but are not operating.

If Vietnam licences many more airlines now, while the market remains limited, Dung said, this could create difficulties in state management work. He noted that no recently licenced airline has been operating well.

“Current market conditions don’t not ensure that all airlines could operate well if we licenced many more airlines now,” Dung said. “Three or four is a suitable number for the present.”

The deputy head of the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV), a component of the Ministry of Transport, has also argued against licencing of new airlines “in a way that allows a series of air carriers to be born, and then go bankrupt.”

Citing an example from Indonesia, CAAV maintains that one small problem with an airline can badly affect the image of the national aviation industry. In 2004 in Indonesia, crashes of planes flown by two small airlines were enough for Europe to slap a ban on all 52 airlines licensed by that country from entering EU airspace.

CAAV says government agencies also have to consider the current infrastructure situation when deciding whether to licence more airlines. Currently, all Vietnam’s airlines must park their aircraft overnight at either Tan Son Nhat (HCM City) or Noi Bai (Hanoi) Airport.

The overnight parking capacity of the two airports remains limited. 92 points are projected for 2015. Meanwhile, it is expected that Vietnam will have a fleet of 149 aircrafts by 2015. Moreover, the country’s capacity in aircraft repair and maintenance also remains limited.

Call of the ocean

Get set for the cultural festivities and record-breaking attempts that will heat up the central coastal city of Nha Trang this June.

Beautiful beaches, plush resorts and excellent scuba-diving have earned Nha Trang the tag as the most popular destination for local and international tourists.

Listed as one of the world’s most beautiful bays by Worldbays, Nha Trang Bay offers a number of tourism attractions including Vietnam’s most beautiful coral reef Hon Mun (Ebony Island), Dao Khi (Monkey Island), Hon Tam (Silkworm Island) and the 5-star island resort Vinpearl Land which is only 10 minutes by speed boat from the city center.

The famous Sea Festival held every two years since 2003 has continued to be a great success thanks to the natural assets and modern infrastructure of the capital of Khanh Hoa Province.

This year’s Sea Festival will be held June 6 -12 with about 60 festivities such as a film week, Cham minority ethnic group arts shows, kite flying festival, bicycle and Vespa parade, boat races and human chess games.

“The Sea Festival 2009 promises depth,” says organizer-in-chief and vice chairman of the provincial people’s committee, Le Xuan Than.

Local pottery and brocade making displays will also be showcased.

Fireworks and whales

A spectacular fireworks show on the sea with music arranged by Global 2000 will light up April 2 Square following the June 6 opening ceremony.

Nha Trang’s own Miss Vietnam Tourism 2008 Ngoc Diem will also be there.

Le hoi cau ngu (Fishing praying festival), an important cultural event, will be a highlight for visitors

Le hoi cau ngu are religious occasions for all the fishing villages on the central coast of Vietnam during the third to the seventh lunar month.

Ong Nam Hai (Lord of the South Sea) or Ca Ong – a type of blue whale found on the central coast of Vietnam - is believed to be the sacred guardian of all fishermen at sea. According to local legends the whales have rescued many ships in distress.

Locals will commemorate Ong Nam Hai and pray for peace and safety during the Sea Festival.

Sea villagers hold funerals and burials for Ca Ong when the whales die and drift into shore. Two Ca Ong temples can still be found in Nha Trang City today, one in Vinh Nguyen Ward, Tran Phu Street and one in Vo Thi Sau Street.

The bones of whales have been preserved for hundreds of years in a collection of wooden trunks in Vinh Nguyen Ward in Nha Trang. The trunks are only opened at praying festivals.

Representatives from all the 10 fishing villages around Khanh Hoa Province will travel to the festival to participate in the rituals including boat oar dancing and a palanquin march from the sea to the temple.

Bigger and better

French sculptor Marc Morvan, whose work is exhibited in the Elysee Palace in France, will leave his mark in Nha Trang with a metal dragon created from two tons of bomb and mine fragments left from the Vietnam War.

The artist has been working in Nha Trang since April with two Vietnamese welders to turn objects of war into an artwork for peace.

The 41-year-old creator of a sculpture of the Loch Ness Monster said the dragon could even be bigger if there was enough space. However, it is still the biggest metal dragon ever built in Vietnam.

The giant dragon; 4 meters tall, 6 meters long and one meter in diameter; will be displayed at the main park in June and will become one of the new tourist attractions of Nha Trang Town.

An admirer of the Vietnamese pho (rice-noodle) will set a record for the most pho bowls ever prepared.

The 3 meter wide and 1.5 meter tall soup pan is estimated to feed 700 participants and it has been registered for the Vietnamese record book.

During the Sea Festival 2009, Nha Trang also attempts records for the biggest giant wind bell, the first exhibit of 100 bag kites and 100 pinwheels on the beach, a 100-meter long oil painting, the biggest wifi coffee and the biggest work-out session on the beach.

Discovering ancient Vinh Hung Tower in Bac Lieu

The demand for travel is growing as more people have the financial means to satisfy their curiosity about exotic cultures.

A view of Vinh Hung Tower in Bac Lieu province.

There are many types of holidays from which to chose; while some prefer sight-seeing trips in natural environments, others are more interested in visiting ancient towers, pagodas and learning about old architecture and indigenous culture.

Vinh Hung tower is one of the attractions in the Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu where tourists can learn more about ethnic culture and the history of Cham people.

Located in Vinh Hung A commune, Vinh Loi district and about 20 kilometers from Bac Lieu township, the ancient tower is the only building in the Mekong Delta styled in the architecture of the Angkor of Khmer people.

Vinh Hung tower, also known as Luc Hien or Bhah Dhat tower, was found in 1911 and is recognized as a notable historical site in the South.

In May 1990 it was confirmed that the tower is built of bricks which, unlike other Cham towers, are so tight that it is impossible to see between them. The tower is rectangular, 9.3 meters high. Because of neglect the top and front collapsed and the area became overgrown with wild grass and lianas.

During an excavation in 1990, archaeologists found a 2.6-meter wooden pillar built in 928 as well as a head and hand of a bronze statue of Buddha, dating back to the first centuries BC. This confirmed that Buddhism was widely spread in the Mekong Delta at that time.

Archeologists also discovered popular Hindu objects of worship, such as Linga, Yoni, a set of Linga-Yoni, Somasutra pipe (holy water pipe) and a bronze statue of goddess Brahma.

As a result of the first excavation, local authorities carried out two more; the excavation in 2003 lasted 20 days. The tower was then rebuilt and decorated as it is today, in an ancient style in harmony with contemporary decoration.

The tower is the only ancient work in the Mekong Delta. It was recognized as an architectural relic in 1992 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Tourists who visit the tower not only have the opportunity to see many ancient artifacts but will also sense the tranquility and peace of the site. Pilgrims around the country flock to the tower especially in January to pray for good health and good luck.

When touring Bac Lieu a visit to Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary is highly recommended. The natural salt-marsh ecosystem of the coastal area is home to several water birds, mainly teal, stork, heron, night heron and cormorant. Also of interest in the area is Quan De pagoda, an example of the ancient architecture of Chinese people and Xiem Can pagoda, a Khmer pagoda which is over a century old, and was built, carved, and decorated in an original ethnic style.

An island unto itself

Want to escape from it all? Well, Cau Island has nothing... nothing except for pristine natural beauty.

Definitely bring a picnic and a tent, as you won’t find a piece of civilization on Cau Island.

Only 1,500 meters long and 700 meters wide at its biggest part, tens of thousands of rocks of different colors dot the beaches and mysterious caves can be found throughout the island.

Lay down on the smooth white sand, swim in the crystal clear water or explore the island and its caves. Bring your swimming goggles for coral diving and catch sea snails. They’re fresh and delectable treats with a little salt, pepper and lime juice.

In the still night, rest on the smooth surface of the rocks and feel the cool breeze or waves splash over you. See the stars or gaze at the hundreds of colorful boat lamps used by fishermen at sea.

Cau Island has a temple for worshiping the God Nam Hai, a whale god revered as the patron saint of the local fishermen. No one knows who built the temple, or when, but traditional ceremonies and prayers to the god have been preserved for generations. A large ceremony in reverence of Nam Hai takes place at the temple on the 14th-16th days of a lunar year’s fourth month.

About 9 km from the mainland some 110 km northeast of Phan Thiet, home of the famous Mui Ne beaches and sand dunes, Cau Island is about 45-60 minutes by boat from Lien Huong Town, Phuoc The, Vinh Tan and Vinh Hao communes, or Ca Na. Local fishing boats can be caught to the island at any of these locations.

The best time to visit Cau Island is between January to June, when the sea is calm and fishermen use the island as a base. The island is completely abandoned other times of year.

Village of Ninh Hiep resonates with culture, colourful history

Ninh Hiep, just 20km from the centre of Ha Noi, is no ordinary village. It resonates with a colourful history woven deep into the fabric of north Vietnamese culture.

Historical entrance: The gate of Ninh Hiep village was first built about a thousand years ago. The village used to be the cradle of culture for the region north of Ha Noi.

In the past, the village was the cradle of culture in Kinh Bac (an old name for the region to the north of Ha Noi). The village houses 23 relics of historical and cultural interest, including communal houses, temples, pagodas, shrines and places of worship. Five of them have been designated national heritage sites by what is now the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.

The village is made up of five hamlets, specialising in a trade. Each hamlet has its own temple dedicated to worshipping their own patron saint. The biggest pagoda is Nanh Pagoda, also knows as Ca (eldest) Pagoda. It has had a rich history.

It once belonged to the royal family, and was also a place of refuge of members of the Bac Ky Party Committee (the Committee of the Indochinese Communist Party for north Viet Nam).

The pagoda was also a popular spot for Party leaders Truong Chinh, Hoang Van Thu, Hoang Quoc Viet and Nguyen Luong Bang and other famous revolutionaries in the war against the French in the run up to the August 1945 Revolution.

Another pagoda, also an official piece of national heritage, is Ninh Giang. The building is a special piece of architectural work with nine lean-tos.

Ninh Hiep also houses several shrines, all of them with stone idols. The shrines are dedicated to Duke Nguyen Tho Truong who served the Le dynasty.

Pit of lime

Ninh Hiep is known to have produced many high-ranking scholars in the past. Under the Tran and Le dynasties (13th-16th centuries ), seven natives of the village got doctorates, and eight were conferred the title of Duke. One royal physician and two deputy royal physicians worked in the Court.

Education has traditionally been taken very seriously. According to one folk story, a young man from Ninh Hiep excelled in this studies and became a mandarin at the Court. But after an envious courtier imposed an injustice on scholar Duke Nguyen Tho Truong, the mandarin was so appalled he jumped into a pit of lime and died.

From then on all scholars from Ninh Hiep, whatever academic level they attained, refused to serve as mandarins. Instead they followed careers in medicine, with many herbalists from the village travelling across the region to work.

The Kieu Temple in Ninh Hiep was built to worship Ly Nuong, a celebrated herbalist who created a trade in processing medicinal herbals in the village. Every year on the 18th day of the first lunar month, a great number of Ninh Hiep natives return to the village from different parts of the country to attend his death anniversary.

Legend has it that in the 11th century, a girl called Ly Nuong was so pre-occupied with making herbal remedies that she gave no thought to finding a man.

One day, as she headed to the forest to pick medicinal herbs, Ly Nuong met a white-haired and healthy elderly woman. The woman stopped her and told her she was a very warm-hearted person and very talented in treating patients.

The old woman then handed Nuong a book, saying she should learn it by heart so she can teach future generations her skills. Nuong was convinced that she had been visited upon by a fairy.

The young woman tried her utmost to study the book and travelled far and wide to help the sick.

One day, after treating a patient who was seriously ill, Nuong sat down to rest under a big tree in Phu Ninh Hamlet (present-day Ninh Hiep). She stretched out and surveyed the country scene, with local people working diligently on the land. She decided to set up home there, and continued to teach younger people her knowledge.

When she died, local people honoured her as "Great Mother" and the ancestor of the village. They built the Kieu Temple to worship her.

Apart from medicinal herbs, another one of Ninh Hiep’s trade is weaving, especially the area’s special Nanh fabric. The craft is linked to the life of three queens who were native to the village: the first of which was Queen Chieu Phi who was a beloved wife of King Le Hien Tong. The village still houses her tomb.

Second queen

Her daughter, Princess Le Ngoc Han (1770-99), who later married King Quang Trung, became the second queen of the village. The third one was Princess Ngoc Binh, who was adopted by King Le Hien Tong. Following the fall of the Tay Son dynasty, Princess Ngoc Binh became the third wife of King Gia Long, founder of the Nguyen dynasty beginning in 1802.

The canvas and leather goods industry was established in 1905 by a former army corporal, Cai Ngu, who won the gold medal at the National Fair in Ha Noi in 1913. It is said that most of the workers in Ha Trung street ( in central Ha Noi) which specialise in this trade have family origins in Ninh Hiep.

The identification of Ninh Hiep people with their cultural traditions is the foundations of the traditional craft village. With this in mind, village authorities have initiated a programme to promote education, aiming to have one university graduate per 40 inhabitants.

To this end, a teacher’s club has been established bringing together all teachers in the locality, retired or in service, to serve as consultants to the local authorities in " increasing the knowledge of the public and for children’s education". The village also set up an Education Promotion Council and a Committee for Childcare.

The authorities have supported activities to preserve and develop the local cultural heritage. These include collecting, copying and translating ancient records such as royal honours, stele literature, and making an inventory of antiques. Sixty objects are of particular value, including bronze drums, bronze arrows, and presents from King Gia Long and King Tu Duc.

The village has held conventions on hosting traditional wedding ceremonies and funeral rites. Locals have also taken part in a programme on socio-cultural management.

Thousands of travellers including traders visit Ninh Hiep every month, according to an official of the village: "They come not only to buy cheap and quality fabric, but also to discover the hidden charm of our ancient temples and pagodas.

Ethnic minority village in Mai Chau

The villages of Lac and Van are home to many ethnic minority groups in Mai Chau, the northern mountainous province of Hoa Binh. The villages are attractive destinations for tourists.

An old house-on-stilts in Van Village.

Mai Chau is home to seven ethnic minority groups, mainly Thai and Muong.

Handicraft items, which are also souvenirs in Mai Chau.

A craftsman in Van Village.

Brocade-made bags and clothes are favourite souvenirs of tourists visiting Mai Chau.

Produce from the forest.

Tourists can learn about unique handicraft items...

... Or the simple life of local people.

They can enjoy Mai Chau’s boiled maize on the road.

Binh Thuan presses resorts to complete wastewater treatment upgrade

Sixty of Binh Thuan province’s 100 beach resorts, including most three and four-star enterprises, have brought their wastewater treatment facilities into compliance with national standards.

Binh Thuan has attracted around 900,000 tourists so far this year, up 8% compared to the same period of last year.

The province is pressing the rest to complete upgrades by September, the high season for international visitors. Resorts not in compliance by 31 December will lose their licenses.

Binh Thuan Youth, Culture and Sports official Le Thi Thanh Lien said the province has suspended four resorts and imposed fines on six others in the year to date.

During the period, Lien said, the province has inspected 20 resorts and all of them have been found to break regulations on environmental protection. The provincial government has taken punitive sanctions against half of them and will similarly deal with the rest.

Also according to Lien, Binh Thuan has attracted around 900,000 tourists so far this year, up 8% compared to the same period of last year. Of them, 134,000 are international visitors, up 36% year-on-year.

Airlines going discount route

The economic crisis has made the business performances of airlines lackluster, though it is now the peak season of the aviation industry. Airlines are trying to attract passengers by offering gifts and airfare discounts.

At Noi Bai airport

The economic recession has prompted the national flag air carrier Vietnam Airlines to travel to Paris to advertise itself and attract tourists.

Vietnam Airlines has set up a representative office on one of the most famous and up-scale boulevards in Europe – the Champs-Elysees. It has also been advertising itself and beautiful destinations in Vietnam through billboards on the streets and in subway stations in the French capital.

Moreover, it has announced preferential airfares for travel firms and special airfare programmes for those eligible for the state’s preferential treatment policy.

The budget airline Jetstar Pacific has been following a flexible policy under which it cuts or offers more flights after considering numbers of passengers. On May 26, Jetstar Pacific announced the termination of Hanoi-Can Tho flights from June 1, while it will provide more flights on north-south air routes, increasing the number of Hanoi-Da Nang/HCM City flights.

The budget airfare for the Hanoi-HCM City flight now is 830,000. Jetstar Pacific has also announced a programme on giving gifts to children of under 15 years who take domestic flights on the occasion of International Children’s Day.

Jetstar Pacific’s Deputy General Director Nguyen Thi Thuy Binh said that the airline has contacted passengers who booked tickets for Hanoi-Can Tho flights after June 1, and has arranged seats for them on HCM City-Hanoi flights and given every passenger a rebate of 100,000 dong.

Foreign airlines have also been trying to do more things for passengers. Hong Kong Airlines offers $0 fares (passengers only have to pay security fee, fuel and airport tax) to passengers with Vietnamese nationality who have the same birthday as President Ho Chi Minh (May 19) and fly from Hanoi to Hong Kong.