……….Thank you for your mail. With great pleasure I like to answer your questions. Now we were back in Italy and we had a wonderful vacation in Vietnam. We had really a nice stay in Halong Bay on White Dolphin. The thing of which we were very surprised was, that we had the White Dolphin only for us two. We really appreciated it. The staff was very kind, friendly and always ready. The room was fantastic…… The guide was very friendly and he told us many information about Halong Bay, floating villages, caves etc. He did a good work. We booked the trip through the Halong Bay…. in Hanoi. The program we got, was very interesting… it was ok. The trip in White Dolphin was one of the most beautyful thing we saw and did in Vietnam. With great pleasure we will reccomend this trip to other persons.

Kind regards

Josef Fritz

A tourism festival will be held in the northern coastal city of Halong from April 29 to May 2, 2010 as the city is making every effort to promote itself as a tourism destination and mobilise votes for Halong bay as among seven new world nature wonders.

According to the Quang Ninh provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, all festive activities will be held in the city centre and the Bai Chay tourist resort.

Visitors to the city will have an opportunity to indulge in a vivid and colourful carnival, enjoy delicious food at a gastronomy fiesta and capture various photos of cultural activities such as lion dance festival and Halong beauty pageant.

The festival is aimed at promoting the tourism potentials of Quang Ninh Province and campaign for Halong Bay in the run for world’s seven new nature wonders. It is also an event that links to the East Asia Inter-regional Tourism Forum (EATOF) to be held in the province next year.

(Source: VNA)

The way leads to Hua Ma Cave in Ba Be National Park

New cement steps have been built outside and inside Hua Ma Cave, paving an easy way for travelers to stroll up and down the new tourist destination in Ba Be National Park in the northern province of Bac Kan.
Hua Ma in Quang Khe Commune is ranked among the most beautiful and interesting caves in the national park because of its magnificent stalactites and the legend that has been told for generations.

This legend has put it that a king and his entourage once approached an area near the Hua Ma Cave, and the horse of the king was unable to cross a stream in the area. After several unsuccessful attempts to cross the stream the king got off his horse and asked locals for the reason. Then he found out that the area was home to wandering souls of the casuists, whose merciful cry was often heard from the cave at night.

The king told his soldiers to kill horses and let the heads drift along the stream. The king also ordered the erection of a temple nearby and made his way into the cave to sit there and recite Buddhist scriptures in the hope that the wandering souls would be released. From that day, no-one has heard the merciful cry from Hua Ma Cave.

It is from this legend that the name of the cave came into existence as Hua Ma means the horse’s head in local dialect. Nowadays, visitors can see the stalactites that more or less resemble a throne where the king was seated on.

More magnificent stalactites shine under the electrical lights along the path in the cave. The old and young stalactites look like towers, lotus flowers, stone poles and other shapes depending on the imagination of visitors.

To visit Hua Ma Cave, visitors can walk or travel by small passenger car through eight kilometers from the administrative section of Ba Be National Park. On arriving at the cave, they have to walk up 300 meters to the three-meter-wide, five-meter-high entrance, and then stroll down into the cave, which is more than 500 meters long and 40-50 meters wide. Do not forget to bring a flashlight to see more stalactites far from the path or in areas which are in darkness.

Ba Be National Park is about 300 kilometers from Hanoi and 50 kilometers from Bac Kan Municipality. Tours to Hua Ma Cave and other attractions in this national park can be booked at the travel office of the park or the travel firms in Hanoi.

(Source: SGT)

Bai Tram Bay has it all: mountains, ocean, breakfast at 3pm

Leaving the airport near the city of Qui Nhon, we embarked by car on National Highway 1A southward to Bai Tram Bay in Phu Yen Province, a central coastal area famed for its seductively sandy beaches.

Leaving Phu Cat Airport in the central coastal city of Qui Nhon, about 700km from HCM City, take National Highway 1A southward to Bai Tram Bay in Song Cau District, Phu Yen Province. If you are staying at Bai Tram Hideaway, the resort will pre-arrange your transport by car.

It was early morning and the road was all but deserted. The surrounding countryside was a sparkling, lush green and we could feel the freshness of the ocean air.

Before reaching Cu Mong Lagoon in Xuan Tho fishing village near the bay, we decided to stop at a small roadside restaurant to stifle our hunger pains.

The dishes – green bean and pork porridge, boiled liver, and organ meats served with banh hoi (rice noodle), herbs and sweet and sour fish sauce – were tasty treats that no traveler should miss.

We continued our journey on the 5km road leading to Bai Tram Bay in Xuan Canh Commune about 30km from Quy Nhon. Though the road was steep and winding, it offered a glimpse of the area’s natural beauty and local traditions.

Refuge: Surrounded by mountains on one side and a white, sandy beach on the other, Bai Tram Hideaway is a truly secluded vacation spot.
The surrounding landscape of the village market, rice fields and shrimp and green mussel farms all created a vivid picture of the area’s rural lifestyle.

Here, tourists can sleep overnight in a simple homestay or relax at Bai Tram Hideaway’s luxury villas, a newly opened five-star resort.

From Bai Tram Bay, the entire area below the Cu Mong Pass, which is a gateway to the central coastal region, can be explored.

Overlooking the ocean, the resort Bai Tram Hideaway is nestled inside a 900m crescent-shaped beach surrounded by verdant mountains.

The resort’s entrance offers guests a splendid view of the entire area, including sandy beaches and green fields.

Developed and managed by the Amsterdam-headquartered La Perla International Living, the resort consists of 200 villas designed in a Vietnamese style, spread over 90ha of land with a secluded beachfront, giving the place a true hideaway sensation.

“All of the villas were designed to ensure that visitors enjoy the ultimate beachfront lifestyle in a tropical ambience, where the daily stress of modern living can be forgotten,” Khanh Van, marketing manager of La Perla International Living (Viet Nam), said.

“We focused on building an environmentally friendly resort so the villas were built with a coconut-leaf roof and clay walls, keeping it natural, though the interior is equipped with modern facilities to ensure the best comfort,” Van says.

Stephen Post, La Perla International Living’s hospitality director, says the concept of Bai Tram gives guests the opportunity “to recharge their batteries in a short time with a long-lasting effect.”

The main building of the resort, which overlooks the ocean, has a lounge, restaurant, bar and swimming pool.

Entering the building, guests walk down a small path that crosses a rice field and fruit and herb garden, which are taken care of by locals and farmers who work as resort staff.

The organically grown rice, vegetables and herbs provide the resort’s kitchen with a wealth of fresh food for use in local and international dishes.

“What you eat in Bai Tram is healthy and of high quality. We use these ingredients in our cooking classes,” Stephen says.

Sascha Spiegel, the resort’s acting general manager, says guests, especially children, can learn more about rural life by working in the fields and garden or taking part in the cooking classes held in a cottage in a rice field.

Bai Tram is famous for its lobster fishing, and freshly caught grilled lobster is a specialty of the restaurant, Sascha says.

Fish food: A floating restaurant in a fishing village near Bai Tram Hideaway serves fresh seafood and local rice wine.

Meal times at the resort are flexible, unlike many other hotels.

“We have a no time limit policy,” says Stephen. “That means if you want to have breakfast at 3pm, it’s not a problem. Guests can choose their favourite location to enjoy a meal. It can be near the mountain, on the beach, in the rice field, or in the villa, the restaurant or beside the lap pool.”

Taking advantage of all the resort has to offer, we warmed up in the early morning by swimming in our villa’s private pool while other guests took to the beach after climbing up the hill to watch the sun rise.

Exploring the bay’s surroundings is an alternative for those who are more physically active.

In the late morning, we chose to walk while other guests rode motorbikes. The trekking offered us interesting insights into the local culture.

By late afternoon, we departed by boat from the beach to view the sea, rocks and shrimp farms around the Cu Mong Lagoon.

We were astonished to see how blue and clean the deep sea was and were excited to spot a few local residents netting fish in the ocean.

Although some of the resort staff were with us, we were still a little frightened as it was the first time that some of us had been offshore in a boat.

In the late afternoon, guests can opt to go fishing in the lagoon while watching the sun set behind the mountains.

The resort’s kitchen staff is available for most of the day and evening to prepare dishes made with freshly caught fish.

Before having dinner, our group visited a small fishing village in Xuan Binh Commune, about a 20-minute drive from Bai Tram, an area famous for its seafood, particularly snails and crabs.

Surprisingly, there were no tables at the floating restaurants in the village, so we all sat down on a floor mat. It was the freshest seafood that I had ever had, two-thirds the price of similar dishes in HCM City.

After a hard, long day of touring and trekking, we opted for a facial and foot treatment late at night. The spa and massage treatments at the resort were a stimulating but soothing end for our weary city souls.

(Source: Viet Nam News)

A view of King Khai Dinh's salutation court which can be found below the structure where his tomb is located - Photos: Salome Mic Mic Villaflor.

If you are interested to get a glimpse of Vietnam’s royal past, Hue is the right place to go.

Located at the central part of Vietnam, Hue is the country’s ancient capital and the stronghold of Vietnam’s royal families some 60 years ago.

My holiday wandering brought me to this place, which I have been targeting for an educational trip, for quite sometime. However, with its 1080-kilometer-distance from HCMC, it took me an overnight stay on the train. A long travel, so to speak. But once I saw what I came for, the restlessness resulted from a long trip were all forgotten.

Treading into the grounds where the Emperors were buried brought me back to how Vietnam was, during Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945). The tombs of seven royal rulers, Khai Dinh, Tu Duc, Gia Long, Minh Mang, Thieu Tri, Duc Duc and Dong Khanh showcase how these royal leaders lived and led their people during their reign.

There were 13 Emperors and Kings during Nguyen Dynasty but only seven tombs were built and preserved for tourist attractions, outskirts of Hue . Those tombs were constructed with walls, ceilings, gates, salutation court, temples, ponds, pavilions, and gardens. A guide told me that most of the architectural design of these tombs remained the same even after the war.

After an informative trip to the different tombs, there’s that heavenly Lady Pagoda for a quick stopover where you can meditate while resting from a day’s visit to the royal tombs.

On the streets of Hue, there are also students, oftentimes come in number, wearing their white long dress ao dai with long flowing hair and a conical straw hat, riding in bicycles. It’s a perfect opportunity to capture in the pictures Vietnamese school girls in their white traditional dress.

Hue’s richness in culture and heritage were enough comfort, for me, to take another 16-hour bus ride to Hanoi.

I left the place in a pensive mood, thinking myself lucky to be able to visit a place that is important to the country’s history.

(*) Salome Mic Mic Villaflor is a Filipino working and living in HCMC.

(Source: SGT)

By Salome Mic Mic Villaflor in Hue (*)

Tourists enjoy a boat trip in Pu Mat National Park in the central province of Nghe An.

With a rich ecosystem of diverse flora and fauna, beautiful scenery and intriguing historical sites, Pu Mat National Park is an ideal tourist destination year-round.

In the ethnic Thai language, Pu Mat means high steep slopes.� It is considered the largest area in the country in terms of the biodiversity of tropical and subtropical forests in the northern Truong Son Range. Like other national parks in Vietnam, Pu Mat National Park offers great opportunities for ecotourism.

Pu Mat is situated on the eastern side of the Truong Son Range along the Vietnam-Laos border. It lies in the southwest of central Nghe An Province, 120 kilometers from Vinh Town and covers more than 91,100 hectares.

The park sits at an altitude ranging from 200-1,814 meters. It has nearly 2,500 plant species and is home to 727 animal species. In particular, the park is home to rare animals such as a species of deer known as sao la (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis), a species of rabbit known as tho van (Nesolagus timminsi), and a species of bird known as niec co hung (Aceros nipalensis).

After Pu Mat National Park was certified by UNESCO as a world heritage site in November 2007, the People�s Committee of Nghe An Province turned part of it into a tourist site called Khe Kem Waterfall Tourist Resort. Currently, the resort at Pu Mat National Park has around 40 rooms and offers an array of services to serve tourists.

Scenic spots that visitors should not omit include Khe Kem Waterfall, Oc Cave, Mo Vit Yard, and Giang River. In addition, several historical sites are also places of great interest. Included is Ma Nhai Stele � a site commemorating the Tran Dynasty army�s triumph over Mongol invaders of the China�s Yuan Dynasty nearly 700 years ago; and Tra Lan Citadel where the resistance against Ming invaders took place in the 15th century.

Hoi An ancient

The ancient quarter in Hoi An Town will be dedicated exclusively to pedestrians and non-motorized vehicles for five days a week from today, according to a regulation issued by the town People’s Committee.
The ancient quarter of the town in central Quang Nam Province will have no sounds of motorbikes or other vehicles in the week except for Thursdays and Sundays.
In the future, everyday of the week will be for pedestrians and non-motorized vehicles in the ancient quarter, said Le Van Giang, chairman of the town’s People’s Committee.
More than four years ago, Hoi An authorities began to turn the ancient quarter into a walking section for pedestrians and non-motorized vehicles for four days a week. This has become an attractive feature for tourists.
In related news, the People’s Committee of Hoi An Town has announced special price incentives for people who visit for the Lunar New Year on January 26.

Tourism development has yet to taint the scenic charms of Vietnam’s northernmost area.

A misty and peaceful bend in the road at the Dong Van Plateau in Ha Giang Province

Ha Giang Province’s Dong Van District features stunning vistas of plateaus framed by jagged rocks and wistful passes through lush green mountains without the distractions of tour buses, travel groups, large hotels or anything resembling a tourist trap.
The area, 350 kilometers north of Hanoi, is characterized by limestone plateaus, karst outcroppings and hospitable people, 1,025 meters above sea level.
Dong Van Plateau’s hidden grottoes, persimmon orchards and unexploited forests dotted with multicolored orchids are a world away from anything most travelers have ever seen.

Riding in and out of dense forests above valleys and rivers is like traveling on a different planet. A few rural homes seen in the distance, sometimes 10-20 kilometers away, are the only evidence of any inhabitants. A rice terrace here and there and a lonely road or two are the only changes the terrain has sustained in thousands of years.

A trip to the pass on an early Sunday morning provides a glimpse into the lives of the Dao, H’Mong and Tay people at the Dong Van Market. The locals here make a hard living off rough terrain in the rocky highlands, using small caves and stone holes for cultivation.
Much of the soil in Dong Van is infertile and growing crops and raising livestock is no easy task. Yet the groups sell a variety of abundant local specialties such as mint honey and free-range chickens on the roadside.
An indispensible part of daily life here, the area’s jagged rocks are used to build homes, fences, mills and benches.
The result is a pastoral landscape of gorgeous stone peaking out from corn fields mixed with the bright colors of traditional clothing worn by the local women.
Ma Pi Leng Pass, located between Meo Vac Commune and Dong Van, is a 15-kilometer canyon road above the Nho Que River, which weaves its way like a silver ribbon through limestone ravines.
The pass’ peak is aptly named Cong Troi (Heaven’s Gate), and is the best place to enjoy a panoramic view of the valley below, particularly on a late afternoon when you can see a beautiful sunset overlooking the river.