Thursday, July 31, 2008
Ba Be Lake is a place with some of the most wonderful sceneries in Vietnam. The lake is in Ba Be National Park, which is about 250km north of Hanoi. It is near Bo Lu and Pac Ngoi villages, the home of Tay ethnic people.
Ba Be Lake is on a limestone mountain, at a height of 150m above sea level. As it looks similar to Halong Bay, the lake is also called "Halong Bay on the mountain." It has a water surface area of 500ha. It is more than 8km long, nearly 2km at its widest, and 20-35m deep. The lake is made up of three river branches - Pe Lam, Pe Lu and Pe Leng.
Around the lake are primeval forests and mountain peaks with the height of more than 1,000m. Seen from above, the lake shrinks in the middle and looks like a corridor between cliffs. In the center of the lake, there are islets with many species of orchids and birds. The lake has an abundant source of freshwater aquatic animals, with precious kinds of fish such as giant carp.
Two outstanding features of Ba Be Lake are its original scenery and geological conditions. It is one of the few lakes in the world on a limestone mountain. Studies show that the region of karst has been in existence for 450 million years. After millions of years, the limestone has been transformed into unique scenery for the lake.
Travelers to Ba Be Lake can boat on the lake or visit nearby tourist places in the national park such as Tien Pond, Po Gia Mai Island, Puong Cave and Dau Dang Waterfall. If they visit at the time of Long Tong Festival on the 10th and 11th days of the first lunar month, they can see traditional games, performances of martial arts, and the horn dance of Tay, Dao, Mong, Nung and Kinh tribal groups.
In 1995, at the world freshwater lake conference in the United States, Ba Be Lake was recognized as one of 20 special freshwater lakes in the world that should be protected. In September, 2005, the Vietnamese Government had its officials apply for world natural heritage site recognition for the lake.
Ba Ria Vung Tau (Baria - Vungtau)
Ba Ria Vung Tau (Baria - Vungtau)
Ba Ria-Vung Tau
Area: 1,982.2 sq. km.
Population: 897,600 habitants (2004)
Capital: Vung Tau City
Administrative divisions:
- Town: Ba Ria.
- Districts: Chau Duc, Xuyen Moc,Tan Thanh, Long Dien, Dat Do, Con Dao.
Ethnic groups:Viet (Kinh), Hoa, Cho Ro, Khmer...
Geography
Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province is located in the Southern Vietnam, to the northeast of the Mekong Delta. It shares its border with Dong Nai Province to the north and Binh Thuan Province to the east, Ho Chi Minh City to the west and East Sea to the South - east.
Ba Ria-Vung Tau is southern coastal province comprising a plain, 100m above sea level, declining gradually to 80km of beautiful swimming beaches. The national park on the island of Con Dao features important historical and cultural remains.
Climate: The province is favoured by sunshine and sea breezes, and has an average temperature of 28 degrees. There are two distinct seasons: the dry (from November to April) and the rainy (from May to December).
Tourism and Economy
Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province is a large tourist center. It has over 100km seashore with beautiful swimming beaches, as well as many lakes and thermal springs. The offshore bench has two kinds of importance resources: petrol and seafood.
In Vung Tau City there are Thuy Van, Chi Linh, Back, Front, and Dau beaches; Long Dien District has Long Hai Beach; Xuyen Moc District has Ho Tram, Ho Coc beaches. In Con Dao Island, tourists are able to swim in Dam Trau, Hon Cau, and Hon Tre beaches... then they can climb in Thanh Gia Mountain, Nho Mountain. If tourists would like to improve their health, they could go to Binh Chau Hot Spring, which its temperature comes up to 80ºC, then visit Binh Chau – Phuoc Buu Natural Preservation Zone.
Other popular places are Communal House of Dao Ong Tran, Ben Da Church, Bach Dinh vestige, Long Phuoc Tunnels, Minh Dam Revolutionary Area... and over one hundred Buddhist pagodas and temples such as Niet Ban Monastery, Thang Tam Communal House, Linh Son Pagoda, Dinh Co Temple…
Located in the 90km southern part of Vung Tau, Con Dao Island has a dense forest, which is Con Dao National Park with rich flora and fauna. The sea in this area is home to various valuable marine species. Especially, tourists have a chance of watching the turtle laying the eggs. It also used to host a convict prison during French colonial era, and later, during the American War.
Aside these, tourist can participate in some traditional festivals as Dinh Co Festival, Nghinh Ong Festival (Welcoming the Lord Whale Festival), play golf or watch dog racing in Lam Son stadium in Vung Tau City every Saturday…
Transportation
Vung Tau is 129km from Ho Chi Minh City, 95km from Bien Hoa (Dong Nai), 513km from Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa)
Road: Ba Ria – Vung Tau has National Highway 56 to Dong Nai Province, National Highway 55 to Binh Thuan Province, National Highway 51 to Ho Chi Minh City. Express buses leave for Bien Hoa, Ho Chi Minh City, My Tho and some others.
Air: There are flights from Vung Tau to the Con Dao Islands.
Boat: Vina Express operates hydrofoils from central Ho Chi Minh City to Vung Tau.
Con Dao Island
Really 16 islets covering 72.2 sq km, that were once used as a prison for Vietnamese communists.
Long Hai Beach
Clean white sands. A peaceful haven with expansive ocean views.
Binh Chau Hot Springs
Located in the Xuyen Moc District national park, the springs cover more than a square kilometre and bubble through 70 subterranean outlets. The water temperature ranges from 40 to 84 degrees.
Vung Tau city
A beautiful seaside town built on 5km of coastline, 128km north east of Ho Chi Minh City. Vung Tau is seldom affected by tropical storms. An ideal spots for relaxing, swimming and sun bathing.
Hai Dang
A vintage lighthouse built in 1870 that stands 170m above sea level on Hai Dang Mountain.
Suoi Tien
Its name refers to a legend that on bright nights angels come down from heaven to bath here.
An Giang (ChauDoc - LongXuyen - AnGiang)
Area: 3,406.2 sq. km.
Population: 2,170,100 habitants (2004)
Capital: Long Xuyen City.
Administrative divisions:
- Town: Chau Doc.
- Districts: An Phu, Tan Chau, Phu Tan, Chau Phu, Tinh Bien, Tri Ton, Cho Moi, Chau Thanh, Thoai Son.
Ethnic groups: Viet (Kinh), Khmer, Cham, Hoa.
Geography
An Giang Province is located to the west of the Mekong Delta between the Tien and Hau rivers and shares a 100km border with Cambodia in the north – west. It also shares border with Dong Thap Province in the east, Cantho City in the south – east, and Kien Giang Province in the south – west.
An Giang has two main types of topography: midland areas and low mountains. The low mountains is Bay Nui (Seven Mountains) in Tinh Bien and Tri Ton districts. Vinh Te Tunnel runs along with the province’s border in the west, which connects from Chau Doc to Ha Tien.
Climate: An Giang is divided into two seasons: the rain (from May to November), and the dry (from December to April next year). The annual average temperature varies 27ºC. The highest temperature is 35ºC – 37ºC from April to May and the lowest ones is 20ºC – 21ºC from December to January next year. The annual rainfall is 1,400 – 1,500mm.
Tourism and Economy
An Giang is main province in rice output. The province also has corn and aquatic products as basa fish, shrimp, cuttle... An Giang is also renowned as traditional handicraft such as Tan Chau silk, Chau Doc fish sauce and other consume products. Especially, long-standing handicraft weaves fabric industry of Cham ethnic group.
An Giang is famous for particular festivals as Ba Chua Xu, Chol Chnam Thomay, Dolta festival and ox racing. Other famous sites and attractions include Sam Mountain in Chau Doc, Cam Mountain in Tien Binh, Tuc Dup Hill, grottoes network of Thuy Dai Son, Anh Vu Son, Co To, and many historical vestiges.
Transportation
An Giang has a relatively convenient land and water transport system. National Road 91 connects to Cam-pu-chia. Buses run from Chau Doc to Long Xuyen, Cantho, and other destinations in the Mekong Delta.
Long Xuyen City is 62km from Cantho, 125km from My Tho, and 190km from Ho Chi Minh City. Chau Doc Town is 96km from Ha Tien, 117km from Cantho, 179km from My Tho, and 245km from Ho Chi Minh City.
An ode to Ha Long Bay
An ode to Ha Long Bay
It was my fourth visit to Ha Long Bay, but the first time my mother and I could together float on the sea, from sunset to sunrise on a large wooden junk.
Our three days and two nights on a the wooden junk named Valentine, of Indochina Sails may just be our most memorable trip together since I was 10 years old and accompanied my mother to visit the sea for the first time.
Now I was a 20-something girl, old enough to stretch by my mother’s side on two deck chairs and enjoy the darkness surrounding the numerous white limestone towers, not to mention the melodious ballads flying up from the wooden deck into the sky.
It was our first night on board, a moment so tranquil that it made a western couple stand up and waltz. At the time, our junk was still moving slowly ahead, passing through the cool sea-breeze and many gigantic limestone towers, which impressed us with their bizarre shapes in the darkness.
This wasn’t what we were expecting when we joined the newly - designed cruise.
We were excited the moment we took a tender to step onto the gigantic wooden junk, which resembled an ancient French-style palace floating on the sea. Passing through the glittering dining room, with its windows facing the sea, we reached our cabin. My mother and I immediately saw beyond the wooden doors: two parallel white sheeted beds, a jar of white Madonna lilies, two large windows covering almost half of the brown wooden wall, and a splendid view of the sea outside.
Our first day was spent relaxing on the deck and in our cabin, although there were various activities tourists could enjoy partaking in on land, such as visiting Bat Cave, Cua Van fishing village or Soi Sim Beach. Most of us were not interested in stepping off the junk, since it served as an idyllic day-trippers’ paradise. Lying on the beds at night, we could see both the high limestone towers and bright stars glittering in the dark sky.
We went to bed early that night. Perhaps it was the effect of consuming a few glasses of good red wine on deck, or the cool breeze coming in from the large window mixed in with the intoxicating air from the cream lilies, that served as soothing lullabies.
The second day began filled with energy as we woke up early to participate in a tai chi session on the sun deck. We then transferred to the day-trip boat and cruised to the bay’s most untouched areas. A buffet-style breakfast was served on the boat, which was not only impressive in its various delicious Western dishes, but also served very good Vietnamese pho (noodle soup).
By the time we completed our breakfast we had reached Ngoc Vung Island. It was sunny and none of us could refuse to take a light bicycle trip through untouched forests to enjoy the natural scenery here. After half an hour, we found ourselves in front of the endless white sand-beach with not a single human shadow in sight. From afar, the sea could appeared as an emerald. I changed into a bathing suit while my mother chose to relax under the cool shadows of the pine forest.
The highlight of the trip turned out to be kayaking in the afternoon, when our boat reached Cong Do area. All of us were very eager, although my mother seemed hesitant. She had never squeezed into a kayak before and she didn’t know how to swim.
Our yellow kayaks followed each other, moving in the low surf, with the warm waters of the sea lapping, and the cool breeze wrapping around us. The high rock formations seemed much higher when looked up and could make our way through all the narrow slots between the towers to discover a strange area where big boats couldn’t reach.
Our second day came to a good end with a delicious dinner, a grilled seafood feast, after which we went off to see people catching squids offshore. Passengers who caught squids could be found at our table for a second dinner, laughing away as they shared their funny stories.
The next morning our ship steamed forward to Sung Sot Cave, one of the bay’s most impressive limestone caverns. The entrance required a hike up stone steps to a spot high above the bay. More steps led into receding chambers, past humongous stalactites and stalagmites that resembled giant sandcastles.
Our cruise ended in the afternoon with us waving to the staff as we returned to land.
Many hesitate to vacation in a sailboat, but it is worth trying, for once you go, you will want to go again and again. It is advisable to go in a group, as you can share together all the wonderful moments of sitting standstill in the cool sea-breeze, listening to love ballads, sipping Vallformosa red wine, while the limestone towers all around move softly as the boat keeps drifting ahead.
Ha Long is like a story whose ending I thought I had reached but in reality I discovered that it has many alternative endings that need to be discovered, again and again.
Where the wild things grow
After a 40km drive from Hanoi and a long slog up the mountain side, I’m delighted to reach the ruins of Dam pagoda. Found halfway up the mountain, the thousand-year-old pagoda is now overgrown with weeds and bushes. Nature is once again the master of the land.
Walking towards the pagoda I try to picture it as it would have been – once upon a time. No doubt the structure was an imposing one. Large steles with feral looking animal-sculptures still stand tall, if not quite as tall as they once were, at around 5m.
On one pillar two dragons flanking a moon is symbol of Phallus Linga while the surf waves below represents Yoni, the feminine base, both imported motifs from Buddhism in India.
The pillar not only expresses the artistry of the sculptors and profound philosophy of my Vietnamese forefathers. – their aspiration for favourable weather, a prosperous country and reproductive race are evident.
Historically, the pagoda has also been known as Tam Cam pagoda, named after a folk tale about two half sisters,
Tam and Cam, which is sort of a Vietnamese version of Cinderella. After Tam’s mother dies, her father remarries and Cam is born. Tam is the more beautiful of the two sisters, but she’s horribly mistreated by her step mother.
While Cam enjoys a life of leisure, Tam toils under the sun. On the night of a royal banquet, The Goddesss of Mercy – or in some versions Buddha – helps Tam dress up in beautiful clothes, but in her haste she loses a slipper in a river.
The King happens upon the slipper and is so dazzled by its beauty he declares that any maiden at the celebration whose foot fit the slipper would be made his first wife.
Of course, no one’s foot fits, not even Cam’s much to her mother’s chagrin, until Tam arrives in her gown, minus one slipper. A marriage is quickly organised, though no one lives happily ever after just yet, as Tam is killed by the step mother, while Cam is sent to the palace to replace her. To cut a long story short, Tam eventually is reincarnated, while Cam is made into mam Cam – you know like mam tom.
Anyway, Dam pagoda was built in 1086 during the reign of King Ly Nhan Tong on Dam or Dai Lam mountain, the highest peak of Lam Son mountain range.
It was built by order of the Second Queen Mother Linh Nhan (or Y Lan, the infamous imperial concubine).
In her old age, she felt regret for her once nefarious ways – she compelled the First queen mother and 76 other imperial maids to commit suicide, amongst other things – so she built a number of pagodas to ease her troubled mind.
Dam pagoda was so immense it took eight years to complete and covered an area of 8,000sqm. The buildings had their backs to the mountain and were placed on four stone steps along the mountain slope. Each step was made from thousands of carved stones.
To make transporting materials to the construction site easier, a canal named Con Ten (which means Arrow) was built to link the mountain with Duong river.
Legend has it that after finishing the pagoda, seven families living on the foot of mountain were assigned to open and close all the doors.
Besides its harmonious architecture, which of course ticked all the right boxes of feng shui philosophy, Dam pagoda is also well-known for its sculptures which are considered the forerunners of classic Vietnamese sculpture.
But time wears out us all and after a period of neglect, the once opulent building fell to ruin last centruy.
The main building was destroyed in 1946 during the war against the French colonialists,” says Do Thi Quyen, the pagoda’s main caretaker.
A small, spare pagoda was built in the old foundation. Only Quyen lives there now with an allowance of $10 a month.
This paltry sum is merely enough for her to purchase some rice and vegetables. However, the old woman works hard cleaning up the grounds, gardening and clearing weeds and bushes on the old pagoda’s stone walls.
It seems that the weeds are growing too fast for one woman to stop them, but Quyen is an optimist.
“I believe that in the near future, our pagoda will be re-built as big as it was in the past. Monks came here to visit and said they would return here to build a new pagoda,” Quyen says with a smile.
I stand one more time by the pillar with the dragons roaring over the waves. It’s not by chance that a copy of the pillar is displayed in the front yard of the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi. Generations of Vietnamese artists have come here for inspiration and to admire the technique.
I take a seat and watch the sun moving across the landscape. The paddy fields stretch as far as the eye can see. A canal lined with lotus flowers flows towards the river. Old villages with brown tiled roofs sit quietly down the mountainside. The ancient pillar still stands between heaven and earth.
Nha Trang’s new island escape
Nha Trang’s new island escapeCoral reefs, edible lizards, and white sandy beaches are all a part of Hon Sam’s attraction. The familiar retreat for Vietnam beach lovers, Nha Trang, has added a new attraction – Hon Sam (Sam Islet).Hon Sam, which is managed by Nha Trang-based Long Phu Tourist Company, opened to tourists this month, so now is the chance to be one of the first to enjoy it.The layout of the islet makes it particularly special.It has two small mountains at either end, with beaches in between both sides within easy walking distance of each other.There’s a view of Nha Trang Town from the sandy beach on one side and nearby Thi Islet can be seen from the opposite side.The ocean surrounding the island is crystal blue and inviting, while Hon Sam’s flora is vivid green.There are natural forests and orchards of longan and oranges, which make contrast with other islands in the area.Daily tours around Hon Sam include caves and nature walks.Hon Sam is home to con dong (a species of sea reptile) which is prized for its delicious meat.The Long Phu Tourist Company plans to start farming these lizards.Tourists who love adventure can go sailing, motorboating, diving and rowing on bamboo rafts to nearby islets.Divers should not miss the magnificent coral reefs south of Hon Sam.To enjoy fresh seafood, tourists can take boats out to fish pens off the island to choose their own fish, which the restaurants on the islet will cook for them.Dang Thai Luyen, director of Long Phu Tourist Co., said all the services and facilities are still in the early stages and there will be more tourist activities in the future.
Exploring the land of martial arts in festive time
Exploring the land of martial arts in festive time
Local people in Binh Dinh Province are busier than ever this time as the festive air in this land of martial arts is getting hotter as the Tay Son-Binh Dinh Festival is only four days away.
For the forthcoming festival, which runs until August 3, a series of artistic and architectural works such as Quang Trung Museum, Temple of Admiral Bui Thi Xuan, the Twin Tower park and an artistic fountain on 28,600 square meters on Nguyen Tat Thanh Street have been restored and constructed.
A 180-page handbook on Binh Dinh's tourism in three languages of English, Chinese and Vietnamese and a 30-page manual in English and Vietnamese featuring 15 tourism destinations in Binh Dinh Province have also been published and hit bookstores countrywide and the tourism spots, hotels and travel agents, Binh Dinh newspaper reports.
Main events will include Tay Son martial arts, King Quang Trung battle drum performance, Miss Martial Lands pageant, and a classical drama performance highlighting the distinctions of the province.
There will be an incense and flower offering ritual at Tay Son sanctuary on August 1, and a drama with over 700 artists playing the roles of King Quang Trung and troops in the Tay Son uprising to remind visitors of a glorious time in Vietnam's history.
Binh Dinh is a coastal province with a rich seafood reserves for delicious and nutritious dishes. Therefore, tourists wandering to the land during this festive time should also not forget tasting the specialties of this area such as Chim mia (sugarcane bird), Nem Cho Huyen (fermented pork of Huyen market), bun Song Than (Song Than rice vermicelli), and banh it la gai (sticky rice cake with coconut or green bean stuffing wrapped in pinnate leaf).
As Tay Son is a sugarcane-growing area, sugarcane birds in big flocks often gather there and the locals catch the birds to make the special dish. The birds are roasted and should be used with Bau Da rice alcohol, a special drink from Bau Da Village of Binh Dinh Province.
Nem Cho Huyen is also another must-try when coming to this land. The specialty comes from Vinh Thanh hamlet, Phuoc Loc Commune, Tuy Phuoc District, and making the specialty is a tradition passed from generations to generations.
In this area, the fermented pork wrapped in guava and banana leaves is the popular finger food of the locals and it stands out from other nem in other areas for its not - so - tender, not - so - sweet flavor.
Bun Song Than (rice vermicelli from the river of deity) is also another traditional specialty of this land. The rice vermicelli is made by locals of An Thai Village of An Nhon District in the province.
It is said that the kings of the Nguyen Dynasty found this specialty so delicious that they summoned the craftspeople making this specialty to the former capital city in Hue to make the dish. However, without the water of the Kon river, which is also called the river of deity, the dish lost its special taste.
Before leaving the province, tourists could buy some banh it la gai as a gift for their families and friends. This cake is made from sticky rice and sugar wrapped in pinnate leaves and stuffed with coconut or green bean. It is a rural and simple cake but it could not be left out in the special days of the locals such as Tet holiday, death anniversary or wedding.
Local people in Binh Dinh Province are busier than ever this time as the festive air in this land of martial arts is getting hotter as the Tay Son-Binh Dinh Festival is only four days away.
For the forthcoming festival, which runs until August 3, a series of artistic and architectural works such as Quang Trung Museum, Temple of Admiral Bui Thi Xuan, the Twin Tower park and an artistic fountain on 28,600 square meters on Nguyen Tat Thanh Street have been restored and constructed.
A 180-page handbook on Binh Dinh's tourism in three languages of English, Chinese and Vietnamese and a 30-page manual in English and Vietnamese featuring 15 tourism destinations in Binh Dinh Province have also been published and hit bookstores countrywide and the tourism spots, hotels and travel agents, Binh Dinh newspaper reports.
Main events will include Tay Son martial arts, King Quang Trung battle drum performance, Miss Martial Lands pageant, and a classical drama performance highlighting the distinctions of the province.
There will be an incense and flower offering ritual at Tay Son sanctuary on August 1, and a drama with over 700 artists playing the roles of King Quang Trung and troops in the Tay Son uprising to remind visitors of a glorious time in Vietnam's history.
Binh Dinh is a coastal province with a rich seafood reserves for delicious and nutritious dishes. Therefore, tourists wandering to the land during this festive time should also not forget tasting the specialties of this area such as Chim mia (sugarcane bird), Nem Cho Huyen (fermented pork of Huyen market), bun Song Than (Song Than rice vermicelli), and banh it la gai (sticky rice cake with coconut or green bean stuffing wrapped in pinnate leaf).
As Tay Son is a sugarcane-growing area, sugarcane birds in big flocks often gather there and the locals catch the birds to make the special dish. The birds are roasted and should be used with Bau Da rice alcohol, a special drink from Bau Da Village of Binh Dinh Province.
Nem Cho Huyen is also another must-try when coming to this land. The specialty comes from Vinh Thanh hamlet, Phuoc Loc Commune, Tuy Phuoc District, and making the specialty is a tradition passed from generations to generations.
In this area, the fermented pork wrapped in guava and banana leaves is the popular finger food of the locals and it stands out from other nem in other areas for its not - so - tender, not - so - sweet flavor.
Bun Song Than (rice vermicelli from the river of deity) is also another traditional specialty of this land. The rice vermicelli is made by locals of An Thai Village of An Nhon District in the province.
It is said that the kings of the Nguyen Dynasty found this specialty so delicious that they summoned the craftspeople making this specialty to the former capital city in Hue to make the dish. However, without the water of the Kon river, which is also called the river of deity, the dish lost its special taste.
Before leaving the province, tourists could buy some banh it la gai as a gift for their families and friends. This cake is made from sticky rice and sugar wrapped in pinnate leaves and stuffed with coconut or green bean. It is a rural and simple cake but it could not be left out in the special days of the locals such as Tet holiday, death anniversary or wedding.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Can Tho - a delta gem
Can Tho - a delta gem
The Mekong Delta has such a lot to offer the curious tourist by way of culture, unique food and a special environment.
About 170km from HCMC, Can Tho is one of the Mekong Delta’s tourism hubs. The delta is Vietnam’s biggest granary and it is a great tourist attraction, too, because of its people’s friendliness, seasonal flooding, life in harmony with the environment that is crisscrossed with rivers and canals, and its population of 17 million people of Kinh (majority Vietnamese), Chinese, Khmer and Cham origins.
Eco-tourism involving exploring the waterways and countryside culture is a feature of the delta in general and of Can Tho City in particular. It is the gentleness of rivers’ waves and the sight of sampans and small boats on the canals that are lined with coconut trees and fruit-rich groves. There are durians, pomelos, rambutans, mangos, and many other kinds of tropical fruit. Sitting on a river bank and enjoying the fresh environment, the smell of water and paddy fields, and the common foods with tempting smells such as countryside-roasted fish and wine-steamed chicken eaten with pure de (Vietnamese traditional liquor) moves the hearts of many international tourists.
Can Tho is a must-visit because of its floating markets like Phong Dien and Cai Rang, part of the culture that has tourists flocking to the region. Small boats and sampans travel here and there at those markets and offer products of various kinds, an activity that can be experienced in few places elsewhere.
At night, tourists can travel on Ninh Kieu Wharf to enjoy the fresh air and local delicacies, as well as listen to don ca tai tu, a kind of southern traditional music. In addition, spending time in orchards and sleeping as a homestay with the locals are also special services in the region.
The Mekong Delta has such a lot to offer the curious tourist by way of culture, unique food and a special environment.
About 170km from HCMC, Can Tho is one of the Mekong Delta’s tourism hubs. The delta is Vietnam’s biggest granary and it is a great tourist attraction, too, because of its people’s friendliness, seasonal flooding, life in harmony with the environment that is crisscrossed with rivers and canals, and its population of 17 million people of Kinh (majority Vietnamese), Chinese, Khmer and Cham origins.
Eco-tourism involving exploring the waterways and countryside culture is a feature of the delta in general and of Can Tho City in particular. It is the gentleness of rivers’ waves and the sight of sampans and small boats on the canals that are lined with coconut trees and fruit-rich groves. There are durians, pomelos, rambutans, mangos, and many other kinds of tropical fruit. Sitting on a river bank and enjoying the fresh environment, the smell of water and paddy fields, and the common foods with tempting smells such as countryside-roasted fish and wine-steamed chicken eaten with pure de (Vietnamese traditional liquor) moves the hearts of many international tourists.
Can Tho is a must-visit because of its floating markets like Phong Dien and Cai Rang, part of the culture that has tourists flocking to the region. Small boats and sampans travel here and there at those markets and offer products of various kinds, an activity that can be experienced in few places elsewhere.
At night, tourists can travel on Ninh Kieu Wharf to enjoy the fresh air and local delicacies, as well as listen to don ca tai tu, a kind of southern traditional music. In addition, spending time in orchards and sleeping as a homestay with the locals are also special services in the region.
View from the top
View from the top
While earmarked for major tourism development, Son Tra Peninsula for the time being remains a perfectly sleepy little getaway spot for those in need of exotic exploration.
For visitors to Danang who are tired of flopping around the beach all day and need some adventure, the clean and green natural beauty of Son Tra Peninsula is just the ticket. Just a few minutes drive from downtown Danang, Son Tra is a stunning mixture of mountains, sea and sandy beaches.
The peninsula rises up to 693m above the sea level and while it has long been an imposing sight from the city, it has remained relatively unexploited as a tourism spot, despite grand plans on the drawing board. From the top of the mountain there’s a breathtaking panoramic view of Danang City, the sea and more than 30km of beach which stretches all the way to Cua Dai Beach nearby Hoi An.
From a distance this stunning coastline looks like a long silk cloth flapping in the wind. When the French established a garrison on Son Tra Peninsula more soldiers are said to have died from an outbreak of disease while building it rather than during battle. A small cemetery, near Tien Sa Beach, by the port to the north of Danang, stands in their memory. During the American War, Son Tra was also home to a notorious base camp serving as the US military command post complete with a helicopter-pad.
There are two radar stations built by the Americans in 1965, which were known as “Indochina’s eyes of god”. The satellites are now used for civil aviation purposes. Son Tra serves as the lung of the locality as it is covered by lush green forest. In fact, Son Tra is a natural preservation zone covering more than 4,400ha containing diversified tropical flora and rare species at risk of extinction.
Son Tra is called Monkey Island as it was once home to a healthy colony of monkeys, although sadly visitors today are less likely to see many monkeys around. The sea around the island is still pristine with colourful coral and turquoise water making it a perfect location for scuba diving.
Although currently scuba divers and snorkeler should be careful as the sea can be a little bit rough. If you can’t resist diving there, you can check out the various diving packages offered by the Furama Resort down the road.
Son Tra is home to various beautiful beaches although they are not as long as Non Nuoc and Cua Dai. Visitors can enjoy fresh air and seafood in any number of small restaurants set up by locals. Grilled shrimp, fried squid and roasted crab are the perfect choice after bathing in the deep blue sea.
At the start of this decade the local authorities managed to lobby the central government to allocate part of the peninsula for tourism. Now there is a 20km-long road under construction that will run around the island offering breathtaking views of the sea and fishing boats below.
While earmarked for major tourism development, Son Tra Peninsula for the time being remains a perfectly sleepy little getaway spot for those in need of exotic exploration.
For visitors to Danang who are tired of flopping around the beach all day and need some adventure, the clean and green natural beauty of Son Tra Peninsula is just the ticket. Just a few minutes drive from downtown Danang, Son Tra is a stunning mixture of mountains, sea and sandy beaches.
The peninsula rises up to 693m above the sea level and while it has long been an imposing sight from the city, it has remained relatively unexploited as a tourism spot, despite grand plans on the drawing board. From the top of the mountain there’s a breathtaking panoramic view of Danang City, the sea and more than 30km of beach which stretches all the way to Cua Dai Beach nearby Hoi An.
From a distance this stunning coastline looks like a long silk cloth flapping in the wind. When the French established a garrison on Son Tra Peninsula more soldiers are said to have died from an outbreak of disease while building it rather than during battle. A small cemetery, near Tien Sa Beach, by the port to the north of Danang, stands in their memory. During the American War, Son Tra was also home to a notorious base camp serving as the US military command post complete with a helicopter-pad.
There are two radar stations built by the Americans in 1965, which were known as “Indochina’s eyes of god”. The satellites are now used for civil aviation purposes. Son Tra serves as the lung of the locality as it is covered by lush green forest. In fact, Son Tra is a natural preservation zone covering more than 4,400ha containing diversified tropical flora and rare species at risk of extinction.
Son Tra is called Monkey Island as it was once home to a healthy colony of monkeys, although sadly visitors today are less likely to see many monkeys around. The sea around the island is still pristine with colourful coral and turquoise water making it a perfect location for scuba diving.
Although currently scuba divers and snorkeler should be careful as the sea can be a little bit rough. If you can’t resist diving there, you can check out the various diving packages offered by the Furama Resort down the road.
Son Tra is home to various beautiful beaches although they are not as long as Non Nuoc and Cua Dai. Visitors can enjoy fresh air and seafood in any number of small restaurants set up by locals. Grilled shrimp, fried squid and roasted crab are the perfect choice after bathing in the deep blue sea.
At the start of this decade the local authorities managed to lobby the central government to allocate part of the peninsula for tourism. Now there is a 20km-long road under construction that will run around the island offering breathtaking views of the sea and fishing boats below.
Children at a market day
Children at a market day
Market days are a special cultural trait of most northwestern ethnic minorities. It is usually organized once a week. Therefore, all people – from old to young, boy to girl – are eager to attend a market day. It is a great festival.
Though the mountains are still sunk in curtains of milky fog, children are beautifully dressed. Their faces are radiant with happiness. Some are carried on their mothers’ backs while others are bustling together on the lanes down to the fair. Little girls are attracted to colorful brocade skirts, skillfully hand-made silver earrings and necklaces while the boys are attracted to the dancing crowds, khen (fluting panpipe), folk games such as nem con (throwing a ball of cloth with tassels), dap nieu (breaking earthen pots), and more.
At the market, not only children’s eyes are dazzled with new and interesting things but their taste buds as well, with ice cream. They receive presents like cloth, bracelets, piglets or hens from their parents. To those who live in mountainous regions, these presents are practical.
The children have never gone to a supermarket, visited a zoo, or played computer games. But on a market day, the folk dances, the cool ice creams and the hot pots of thang co (a specialty of simmered meat and inner organs) have never failed to bring them the joy that such modern activities would for urban kids.
Market days are a special cultural trait of most northwestern ethnic minorities. It is usually organized once a week. Therefore, all people – from old to young, boy to girl – are eager to attend a market day. It is a great festival.
Though the mountains are still sunk in curtains of milky fog, children are beautifully dressed. Their faces are radiant with happiness. Some are carried on their mothers’ backs while others are bustling together on the lanes down to the fair. Little girls are attracted to colorful brocade skirts, skillfully hand-made silver earrings and necklaces while the boys are attracted to the dancing crowds, khen (fluting panpipe), folk games such as nem con (throwing a ball of cloth with tassels), dap nieu (breaking earthen pots), and more.
At the market, not only children’s eyes are dazzled with new and interesting things but their taste buds as well, with ice cream. They receive presents like cloth, bracelets, piglets or hens from their parents. To those who live in mountainous regions, these presents are practical.
The children have never gone to a supermarket, visited a zoo, or played computer games. But on a market day, the folk dances, the cool ice creams and the hot pots of thang co (a specialty of simmered meat and inner organs) have never failed to bring them the joy that such modern activities would for urban kids.
Traveling to Mon Beach
Traveling to Mon Beach
Nestled at the foot of Mui Dien (Dien Cape) in the central coastal province of Phu Yen, Mon Beach is pristine and endlessly fascinating.
The arc-shaped beach, which is surrounded by boulders and hills, has captured the attention of travelers who love to swim in turquoise waters and lie on white sandy beaches.
In the past, the beach remained quiet year-round and was only accessible from Vung Ro Port. However, a new asphalt road recently opened, making the beach more accessible for coaches and cars. The road is linked to National Highway 1A between Cu Mong Pass and Ca Pass and winds through hills along the shore.
Traveling on the road for 30 minutes leads to a path that eventually leads to the serene beaches. The path can be a bit tough for unadventurous travelers, but completely worthwhile for the natural scenery including a freshwater stream and sand dunes.
Once at the beach, one can jump into the water to cool off or relax and explore Mui Dien Lighthouse, which is located 110m above sea level.
Travelers interested in a unique view must climb up the lighthouse's spiral staircase. The view from the top stretches from the East Sea to the easternmost beaches and rock formations in Vietnam. The lighthouse is also a great location to see the sunrise and sunset.
The lighthouse was built by the French in 1890 and closed in 1945. The former Saigon reopened the lighthouse in 1961, but deserted it due to the war. The lighthouse was reopened for the third time in 1997.
Nestled at the foot of Mui Dien (Dien Cape) in the central coastal province of Phu Yen, Mon Beach is pristine and endlessly fascinating.
The arc-shaped beach, which is surrounded by boulders and hills, has captured the attention of travelers who love to swim in turquoise waters and lie on white sandy beaches.
In the past, the beach remained quiet year-round and was only accessible from Vung Ro Port. However, a new asphalt road recently opened, making the beach more accessible for coaches and cars. The road is linked to National Highway 1A between Cu Mong Pass and Ca Pass and winds through hills along the shore.
Traveling on the road for 30 minutes leads to a path that eventually leads to the serene beaches. The path can be a bit tough for unadventurous travelers, but completely worthwhile for the natural scenery including a freshwater stream and sand dunes.
Once at the beach, one can jump into the water to cool off or relax and explore Mui Dien Lighthouse, which is located 110m above sea level.
Travelers interested in a unique view must climb up the lighthouse's spiral staircase. The view from the top stretches from the East Sea to the easternmost beaches and rock formations in Vietnam. The lighthouse is also a great location to see the sunrise and sunset.
The lighthouse was built by the French in 1890 and closed in 1945. The former Saigon reopened the lighthouse in 1961, but deserted it due to the war. The lighthouse was reopened for the third time in 1997.
Cao Lan ethnic group celebrates Cau Mua Festival
Cao Lan ethnic group celebrates Cau Mua Festival
The Cao Lan ethnic minority people, who live in the northern province of Tuyen Quang, have an age-old culture which is vividly demonstrated in many festivals, including Cau Mua. People attending the festival pray for good weather, bumper crops, and prosperity.
Though the festival is held on the 10th day of the 1st lunar month, all villagers, be they old or young, eagerly prepare for the event even on the first days of the Lunar New Year. They contribute some rice, meat or fruit to the votive ceremony to be held in the communal house.
On the evening of the 9th day, villages are decorated with colourful flags and flowers and the elderly and their offspring come to clean the communal house and burn incense there. Early on the 10th day, the sound of flutes from communal houses encourages everybody to rejoice.
The first part of the festival is the votive ceremony to the Than Nong, Than Lua and Than Moc or Genies of Agriculture, Fire and Wood respectively. This aims to acknowledge their teaching the people to cultivate, acquire fire, and use wood to build houses. The offerings include incense, flowers and various kinds of cakes, including the banh chung (glutinous sticky rice cakes). Heading the ceremony is a person highly respected in the village. When the votive ceremony starts, he reads “We, the villagers, respectfully pray for success, luck and joy in our work, with all our dreams coming true. We pray for good weather, with enough water for cultivation, buffaloes for ploughing. We pray for good health and omens, for being free from calamities and catastrophes.”
After the votive ceremony is the merrymaking, starting with the sound of gongs. It attracts local villagers, especially young boys and girls and children. The games played include nem con (a cloth ball throwing game). A circle that symbolizes the mother of all species is put on. Anyone who throws the cloth ball through that circle will be the luckiest person of the year. The ball that is half-blue and half-red symbolizes phoenixes that are believed to fly to the moon to bring rice varieties to villagers.
There are many other games played during the festival, including swinging, cock fighting and especially giao duyen (alternate singing). Not only youngsters but also the elderly participate in singing songs of love and good neighborliness.
According to folklore researcher Ngo Duc Thinh, ancient people thought that cultivation needed auspices from a supernatural force, and therefore the Cau Mua Festival is held to worship the earth, the rice and agriculture-related genies. The festival is a unique expression of the Cao Lan identity and indigenousness that no other ethnic groups have.
The Cao Lan ethnic minority people, who live in the northern province of Tuyen Quang, have an age-old culture which is vividly demonstrated in many festivals, including Cau Mua. People attending the festival pray for good weather, bumper crops, and prosperity.
Though the festival is held on the 10th day of the 1st lunar month, all villagers, be they old or young, eagerly prepare for the event even on the first days of the Lunar New Year. They contribute some rice, meat or fruit to the votive ceremony to be held in the communal house.
On the evening of the 9th day, villages are decorated with colourful flags and flowers and the elderly and their offspring come to clean the communal house and burn incense there. Early on the 10th day, the sound of flutes from communal houses encourages everybody to rejoice.
The first part of the festival is the votive ceremony to the Than Nong, Than Lua and Than Moc or Genies of Agriculture, Fire and Wood respectively. This aims to acknowledge their teaching the people to cultivate, acquire fire, and use wood to build houses. The offerings include incense, flowers and various kinds of cakes, including the banh chung (glutinous sticky rice cakes). Heading the ceremony is a person highly respected in the village. When the votive ceremony starts, he reads “We, the villagers, respectfully pray for success, luck and joy in our work, with all our dreams coming true. We pray for good weather, with enough water for cultivation, buffaloes for ploughing. We pray for good health and omens, for being free from calamities and catastrophes.”
After the votive ceremony is the merrymaking, starting with the sound of gongs. It attracts local villagers, especially young boys and girls and children. The games played include nem con (a cloth ball throwing game). A circle that symbolizes the mother of all species is put on. Anyone who throws the cloth ball through that circle will be the luckiest person of the year. The ball that is half-blue and half-red symbolizes phoenixes that are believed to fly to the moon to bring rice varieties to villagers.
There are many other games played during the festival, including swinging, cock fighting and especially giao duyen (alternate singing). Not only youngsters but also the elderly participate in singing songs of love and good neighborliness.
According to folklore researcher Ngo Duc Thinh, ancient people thought that cultivation needed auspices from a supernatural force, and therefore the Cau Mua Festival is held to worship the earth, the rice and agriculture-related genies. The festival is a unique expression of the Cao Lan identity and indigenousness that no other ethnic groups have.
“Halong Bay on land”, a popular destination for tourists
“Halong Bay on land”, a popular destination for tourists
With its spectacularly shaped limestone mountains surrounding northern Vietnam’s largest wetland, Van Long Nature Reserve in Ninh Binh Province is becoming an attractive destination for tourists.
According to the Ninh Binh Tourism Department, Van Long Nature Reserve attracted 45,000 visitors, mostly foreigners, in 2007. Visitors from France, the Republic of Korea and Japan were the largest groups to include Van Long, along with the old capital of Hoa Lu and Tam Coc-Bich Dong tourist site also in Ninh Binh Province, in their travel itinerary.
The Van Long wetland which is in Gia Vien District, about 90km south of Hanoi covers a total area of 2,643ha. There are 457 species of high-class flora throughout the reserve, of which eight species have been listed in Vietnam’s Red Book.
The reserve is home to 39 animal species including the rare white breeched langur, tibetan bear, serow, loris and panther. Nine species of reptiles including the python, king cobra, varan and gecko and the near extinct insect species, the belostomatid, are all found in the reserve.
Van Long wetland, which is described as a Halong Bay on land, also has many beautiful caves and grottos. A popular activity among visitors is a boat ride to discover the beauty of the 100m Bong Grotto, four-storey Duoi Cave, or the most beautiful Ca Grotto half submerged with a 250m length and multiform magnificent stalactites and stalagmites.
Those visitors interested in history cannot overlook sites such as Chi Le, Mai Trung and Dich Long pagodas or King Dinh Tien Hoang Temple.
The development of tourism around Van Long has supported a face-lift of the area, with roads, schools and craft villages benefiting from upgrades and many hotels being built. The area has been selected by local authorities for the province’s master plan on tourism development by 2010.
With its spectacularly shaped limestone mountains surrounding northern Vietnam’s largest wetland, Van Long Nature Reserve in Ninh Binh Province is becoming an attractive destination for tourists.
According to the Ninh Binh Tourism Department, Van Long Nature Reserve attracted 45,000 visitors, mostly foreigners, in 2007. Visitors from France, the Republic of Korea and Japan were the largest groups to include Van Long, along with the old capital of Hoa Lu and Tam Coc-Bich Dong tourist site also in Ninh Binh Province, in their travel itinerary.
The Van Long wetland which is in Gia Vien District, about 90km south of Hanoi covers a total area of 2,643ha. There are 457 species of high-class flora throughout the reserve, of which eight species have been listed in Vietnam’s Red Book.
The reserve is home to 39 animal species including the rare white breeched langur, tibetan bear, serow, loris and panther. Nine species of reptiles including the python, king cobra, varan and gecko and the near extinct insect species, the belostomatid, are all found in the reserve.
Van Long wetland, which is described as a Halong Bay on land, also has many beautiful caves and grottos. A popular activity among visitors is a boat ride to discover the beauty of the 100m Bong Grotto, four-storey Duoi Cave, or the most beautiful Ca Grotto half submerged with a 250m length and multiform magnificent stalactites and stalagmites.
Those visitors interested in history cannot overlook sites such as Chi Le, Mai Trung and Dich Long pagodas or King Dinh Tien Hoang Temple.
The development of tourism around Van Long has supported a face-lift of the area, with roads, schools and craft villages benefiting from upgrades and many hotels being built. The area has been selected by local authorities for the province’s master plan on tourism development by 2010.
Lan Village in Ha Giang Province
Lan Village in Ha Giang Province
Ha Giang Province located in Vietnam’s northern pole has many attractive destinations such as Quan Ba twin mountains, Dong Van Plateau, terraced fields in Hoang Su Phi… Visiting Ha Giang, tourists have opportunity to learn culture of 23 ethnic groups. One of the destinations is Lan Village in Yen Phu Commune, Bac Me District
From Ha Giang Town, following National Highway No 34 about 50km to center of Bac Me District’s town, keeping on going 1km and then turning left over 2km, tourists will reach Lan Village with charming houses on stilts among green fields
Lan Village has been established for many years with typical custom of Tay ethnic group. They concentrate in villages at foot of low mountains. Their typical house building is house on high stilts and roof, wall, stilt, stairs are made of wood
Lan Village’s traditional crafts are brocade weaving, wet rice and maize growing. Entering each house, tourist will see Tay people’s work tool such as steamer for glutinous rice cooking, rice mortar, rice-hulling mill … Place of ancestor worship is in the center of house, family’s activities take place around.
Tourists enjoy maize wine
Visiting Lan Village, tourist will feel villagers’ friendliness and hospitality. They always smile and converse with tourists, introduce about their village, habit and daily activities… Costume of Tay people has simple colour and pattern but still make charm of Tay girls stand out. Tourist don’t also miss enjoy local specialities such as Shan tuyet tea, maize wine, sticky rice, kind of rice-cake… If tourists want to learn about method of maize wine cooking, the villagers will introduce with pleasure and tourists can enjoy taste of this wine beside cooking fire
Visiting Lan Village in festive season, tourists have opportunity to hear the traditional songs of Tay people such as then song, coi song, luon song, umbrella dance…
With traditional culture and unique beauty, Lan Village attracting domestic and international tourists is one of 25 tourism-culture villages of Ha Giang Province.
Ha Giang Province located in Vietnam’s northern pole has many attractive destinations such as Quan Ba twin mountains, Dong Van Plateau, terraced fields in Hoang Su Phi… Visiting Ha Giang, tourists have opportunity to learn culture of 23 ethnic groups. One of the destinations is Lan Village in Yen Phu Commune, Bac Me District
From Ha Giang Town, following National Highway No 34 about 50km to center of Bac Me District’s town, keeping on going 1km and then turning left over 2km, tourists will reach Lan Village with charming houses on stilts among green fields
Lan Village has been established for many years with typical custom of Tay ethnic group. They concentrate in villages at foot of low mountains. Their typical house building is house on high stilts and roof, wall, stilt, stairs are made of wood
Lan Village’s traditional crafts are brocade weaving, wet rice and maize growing. Entering each house, tourist will see Tay people’s work tool such as steamer for glutinous rice cooking, rice mortar, rice-hulling mill … Place of ancestor worship is in the center of house, family’s activities take place around.
Tourists enjoy maize wine
Visiting Lan Village, tourist will feel villagers’ friendliness and hospitality. They always smile and converse with tourists, introduce about their village, habit and daily activities… Costume of Tay people has simple colour and pattern but still make charm of Tay girls stand out. Tourist don’t also miss enjoy local specialities such as Shan tuyet tea, maize wine, sticky rice, kind of rice-cake… If tourists want to learn about method of maize wine cooking, the villagers will introduce with pleasure and tourists can enjoy taste of this wine beside cooking fire
Visiting Lan Village in festive season, tourists have opportunity to hear the traditional songs of Tay people such as then song, coi song, luon song, umbrella dance…
With traditional culture and unique beauty, Lan Village attracting domestic and international tourists is one of 25 tourism-culture villages of Ha Giang Province.
Con Dao – a pearl island
Con Dao – a pearl island
Through 113 years (1862-1975), Con Dao, an archipelago in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province was a “Hell on Earth” where Vietnamese revolutionary fighters were detained. Now, due to having a sea economy potential, valuable nature reserves and ecological tourism, Con Dao is being built into an affluent and attractive island area.
After a flight of 45 minutes from HCMC, tourists will arrive at Con Dao, a complex of green islands, large forests and smooth white sand banks emerging from the immense sea. Following a new smooth asphalted road, 30km long running from Co Ong Airport through the northeast-southwest of Con Dao to Ben Dam Port, they will reach Con Son Town, the centre of the island district.
Con Son Town has a peaceful beauty. Islands are scattered around the town, such as the Hon Ba, Hon Bay Canh, Hon Cau, Hon Bong Lau, Hon Tho, Hon Tre, Hon Trac..., each of them having its own beauty, making marvellous scenery. Near Con Son Bay there are lines of dracontomelum trees of nearly a hundred years old and gangway 914 where many children like to gather to play, swim and fish.
Tourists can participate in a forest trekking tour in Con Dao National Park which consists of 16 big and small islands covering an area of nearly 20,000ha. The park has a rich treasure of 1,300 species of sea creatures, from small ephemera to big animals and many species of rare and precious birds, such as the Nicobar pigeon, Ducula bicolor and Sula dactylatra. Most forests in the park are primeval forests of the island tropical ecosystem. In this area, the forests and sea still retain wild features and the atmosphere is calm and pure, suitable for developing eco-tourism and various forms of coastal resorts. Con Dao National Park is implementing a programme on protecting and preserving biological diversity, including the programme on preserving sea tortoises, dugongs, etc…
Between March and June when the sea is calm, a great number of tourists go to Con Dao by ship or plane. Every year, about 10,000 people visit Con Dao where they can take a cruise on the sea or relax by swimming, diving, trekking in the primeval forest and visiting islands. On the way up to Thanh Gia Mountain with a summit of 677m above sea level, visitors will go through the forest and see rare and precious animals. Looking down from the mountain top when the sky is blue they will see the overall view of Con Dao with vast primeval forests, immense sea and smooth sandy beaches. Also, visitors can go to Ong Dung Beach to enjoy the view, have a rest, angle and dive. Lucky visitors can watch tortoises laying eggs on Hon Cau or Hon Tre and groups of hundreds of turtles crawling on the white sand.
Now, many hotels with modern facilities and attractive tourist sites have been built on Con Dao. Recently, ATC Company has built Con Son Resort, 12,000m² in area, along the coastline. Saigon Tours Company on Con Dao has built a resort near Con Son Bay. MH Golden Sands Company (US) has devised a project on building a 6-star tourist site on Con Dao.
The pearl island of Con Dao is becoming a beautiful and rich island district which has attracted an increasing number of visitors.
Through 113 years (1862-1975), Con Dao, an archipelago in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province was a “Hell on Earth” where Vietnamese revolutionary fighters were detained. Now, due to having a sea economy potential, valuable nature reserves and ecological tourism, Con Dao is being built into an affluent and attractive island area.
After a flight of 45 minutes from HCMC, tourists will arrive at Con Dao, a complex of green islands, large forests and smooth white sand banks emerging from the immense sea. Following a new smooth asphalted road, 30km long running from Co Ong Airport through the northeast-southwest of Con Dao to Ben Dam Port, they will reach Con Son Town, the centre of the island district.
Con Son Town has a peaceful beauty. Islands are scattered around the town, such as the Hon Ba, Hon Bay Canh, Hon Cau, Hon Bong Lau, Hon Tho, Hon Tre, Hon Trac..., each of them having its own beauty, making marvellous scenery. Near Con Son Bay there are lines of dracontomelum trees of nearly a hundred years old and gangway 914 where many children like to gather to play, swim and fish.
Tourists can participate in a forest trekking tour in Con Dao National Park which consists of 16 big and small islands covering an area of nearly 20,000ha. The park has a rich treasure of 1,300 species of sea creatures, from small ephemera to big animals and many species of rare and precious birds, such as the Nicobar pigeon, Ducula bicolor and Sula dactylatra. Most forests in the park are primeval forests of the island tropical ecosystem. In this area, the forests and sea still retain wild features and the atmosphere is calm and pure, suitable for developing eco-tourism and various forms of coastal resorts. Con Dao National Park is implementing a programme on protecting and preserving biological diversity, including the programme on preserving sea tortoises, dugongs, etc…
Between March and June when the sea is calm, a great number of tourists go to Con Dao by ship or plane. Every year, about 10,000 people visit Con Dao where they can take a cruise on the sea or relax by swimming, diving, trekking in the primeval forest and visiting islands. On the way up to Thanh Gia Mountain with a summit of 677m above sea level, visitors will go through the forest and see rare and precious animals. Looking down from the mountain top when the sky is blue they will see the overall view of Con Dao with vast primeval forests, immense sea and smooth sandy beaches. Also, visitors can go to Ong Dung Beach to enjoy the view, have a rest, angle and dive. Lucky visitors can watch tortoises laying eggs on Hon Cau or Hon Tre and groups of hundreds of turtles crawling on the white sand.
Now, many hotels with modern facilities and attractive tourist sites have been built on Con Dao. Recently, ATC Company has built Con Son Resort, 12,000m² in area, along the coastline. Saigon Tours Company on Con Dao has built a resort near Con Son Bay. MH Golden Sands Company (US) has devised a project on building a 6-star tourist site on Con Dao.
The pearl island of Con Dao is becoming a beautiful and rich island district which has attracted an increasing number of visitors.
Tam rice - a unique Saigon fare
Tam rice - a unique Saigon fare
After harvesting rice, farmers need to separate the grains from the stalk, then husk these grains to remove their outer layer. Each grain contains a small germ called tam, which falls off the grain during the husking process.
These days, the grains, once removed from the stalk, are immediately brought to a rice-milling factory, where they undergo a series of processes, comprising husking, grinding, winnowing, and so forth. The endproducts are white, shiny grains of rice and tam.
It is easy to distinguish between tam and broken rice, since a grain of tam is round and smooth. Once cooked, it does not expand as much as a grain of rice and tastes distinctly sweeter. Tam rice is difficult to prepare - the simplest way, it seems, is by soaking the grains in cold water for a few hours before cooking them in a large pot. This way, the rice remains warm, but not dry, for an entire day
In Saigon tam rice can be found virtually everywhere, deep down alleys or in big restaurants. A few hawkers selling this fare are so famous that they open a series of eateries, all numbered, to offer this special dish to people living as far as America. Most claim that their tam rice is original, but how on earth could there be so many original tam rice stalls?
Whether tam rice, a delicious fare itself, is considered high-end food depends on the side dishes, as well as the quality of tam used. Customers can order tam rice with such simple fares as sliced pork skin and fried eggs or more expensive dishes such as grilled chicken and pork, or braised prawn. Fish sauce, pickled vegetables and deep-fried shallots are indispensable and offered for free even if customers just order a plate of plain rice.
Grilled pork rib is the most common side dish, offered by both Vietnamese and Chinese restaurants selling tam rice. There are various ways of marinating the pork rib, but the basic ingredients include salt, pepper, shallot, garlic, sugar, cooking oil or fat. The cooks can use either fish sauce, soy sauce or smashed tomato depending on whether they wish to give the dish a Vietnamese, Chinese or Western flavor
In Saigon there are a few restaurants specializing in grilled food, both Western and Asian. Their menu include grilled pork, beef, mutton, chicken marinated with unique spices from Indonesia, Hong Kong, Russia, Spain or America. The side dishes comprise of salad, French fries, smashed potatoes and even tam rice. This explains why those who first come across tam rice in these restaurants may feel a little puzzled.
However, authentic Saigon's tam rice only goes with either grilled pork rib, sliced pork skin, or cha (steamed minced pork coated with a layer of eggs). The fish sauce must be contained in a bottle, and served with minced chili only, instead of pickled vegetables, cucumber and tomato. In the past, hawkers did not grill the pork ribs near the street, but now they do so as a marketing strategy to entice passers-by with the irresistible aroma. Mix the spring onion, soaked in fat, with the rice, and customers will find all their senses invigorated as they tuck into the dish, until the very last grain.
After harvesting rice, farmers need to separate the grains from the stalk, then husk these grains to remove their outer layer. Each grain contains a small germ called tam, which falls off the grain during the husking process.
These days, the grains, once removed from the stalk, are immediately brought to a rice-milling factory, where they undergo a series of processes, comprising husking, grinding, winnowing, and so forth. The endproducts are white, shiny grains of rice and tam.
It is easy to distinguish between tam and broken rice, since a grain of tam is round and smooth. Once cooked, it does not expand as much as a grain of rice and tastes distinctly sweeter. Tam rice is difficult to prepare - the simplest way, it seems, is by soaking the grains in cold water for a few hours before cooking them in a large pot. This way, the rice remains warm, but not dry, for an entire day
In Saigon tam rice can be found virtually everywhere, deep down alleys or in big restaurants. A few hawkers selling this fare are so famous that they open a series of eateries, all numbered, to offer this special dish to people living as far as America. Most claim that their tam rice is original, but how on earth could there be so many original tam rice stalls?
Whether tam rice, a delicious fare itself, is considered high-end food depends on the side dishes, as well as the quality of tam used. Customers can order tam rice with such simple fares as sliced pork skin and fried eggs or more expensive dishes such as grilled chicken and pork, or braised prawn. Fish sauce, pickled vegetables and deep-fried shallots are indispensable and offered for free even if customers just order a plate of plain rice.
Grilled pork rib is the most common side dish, offered by both Vietnamese and Chinese restaurants selling tam rice. There are various ways of marinating the pork rib, but the basic ingredients include salt, pepper, shallot, garlic, sugar, cooking oil or fat. The cooks can use either fish sauce, soy sauce or smashed tomato depending on whether they wish to give the dish a Vietnamese, Chinese or Western flavor
In Saigon there are a few restaurants specializing in grilled food, both Western and Asian. Their menu include grilled pork, beef, mutton, chicken marinated with unique spices from Indonesia, Hong Kong, Russia, Spain or America. The side dishes comprise of salad, French fries, smashed potatoes and even tam rice. This explains why those who first come across tam rice in these restaurants may feel a little puzzled.
However, authentic Saigon's tam rice only goes with either grilled pork rib, sliced pork skin, or cha (steamed minced pork coated with a layer of eggs). The fish sauce must be contained in a bottle, and served with minced chili only, instead of pickled vegetables, cucumber and tomato. In the past, hawkers did not grill the pork ribs near the street, but now they do so as a marketing strategy to entice passers-by with the irresistible aroma. Mix the spring onion, soaked in fat, with the rice, and customers will find all their senses invigorated as they tuck into the dish, until the very last grain.
Sand, stones and surf
Sand, stones and surf
Though there’s a lovely beach, people really come to Co Thach for the famous coloured stones and pagoda.
Long stretches of brilliant white sand, old pagodas and colourful stones are only some of the attractions at the Co Thach tourism area in the central coastal province of Binh Thuan.
Co Thach is a rocky mountain created from thousands of large and small rocks piled on each other as though they were arranged by people, not nature. The rocks form many mysterious caves and grottos.
The tourism area, which lies between the rocky area and the turquoise water, has clean beaches and is distinctive because of the stones of different sizes and colours scattered on the beach.
Said to have existed for hundreds of years, the rocky area spreads over an area 1.5km wide and 20km long, also recognised as a Vietnam Guinness Record for being the largest of its kind area in the country.
Tourists enjoy swimming and looking for beautiful stones in Co Thach. The stones, which have different shapes and sizes, appear in seven colours, including immaculate white, black, light yellow, grey brown, dark violet and cobalt blue.
Another attraction is the Hang Pagoda which is located inside the Co Thach Rock. The pagoda, about 64m above sea level, was built in the mid-19th century by Monk Bao Tang.
It was restored many times from 1956 to 1964 and was officially recognised as a national relic by the Ministry of Culture and Information in 1993. Its varied architectural style is derived from its many restorations over the years.
A three-door temple gate leads to a long path to the main hall, which is surrounded by tall blocks of marble. On the right of the gate is a statue of a sitting tiger and on the left a lying elephant. Ancestral temples, a preaching hall, and a refectory can be seen as well as a bell and drum towers.
The pagoda is adorned with solid altars made of valuable wood, on which stand dozens of Buddha statues of different sizes and ages.
Many rare relics are also kept in the pagoda’s buildings, including parallel sentences inscribed in gilded Chinese and Nom (traditional Vietnamese script) calligraphy and inlaid with mother-of-pearl, netlike panels, scrolls and other old documents.
In addition to beautiful landscapes, Co Thach’s cuisine also lures travellers. Muc mot nang (cuttlefish dried in the sun) and dom nuong (grilled clams of different colours) are among the most popular dishes with visitors.
Though there’s a lovely beach, people really come to Co Thach for the famous coloured stones and pagoda.
Long stretches of brilliant white sand, old pagodas and colourful stones are only some of the attractions at the Co Thach tourism area in the central coastal province of Binh Thuan.
Co Thach is a rocky mountain created from thousands of large and small rocks piled on each other as though they were arranged by people, not nature. The rocks form many mysterious caves and grottos.
The tourism area, which lies between the rocky area and the turquoise water, has clean beaches and is distinctive because of the stones of different sizes and colours scattered on the beach.
Said to have existed for hundreds of years, the rocky area spreads over an area 1.5km wide and 20km long, also recognised as a Vietnam Guinness Record for being the largest of its kind area in the country.
Tourists enjoy swimming and looking for beautiful stones in Co Thach. The stones, which have different shapes and sizes, appear in seven colours, including immaculate white, black, light yellow, grey brown, dark violet and cobalt blue.
Another attraction is the Hang Pagoda which is located inside the Co Thach Rock. The pagoda, about 64m above sea level, was built in the mid-19th century by Monk Bao Tang.
It was restored many times from 1956 to 1964 and was officially recognised as a national relic by the Ministry of Culture and Information in 1993. Its varied architectural style is derived from its many restorations over the years.
A three-door temple gate leads to a long path to the main hall, which is surrounded by tall blocks of marble. On the right of the gate is a statue of a sitting tiger and on the left a lying elephant. Ancestral temples, a preaching hall, and a refectory can be seen as well as a bell and drum towers.
The pagoda is adorned with solid altars made of valuable wood, on which stand dozens of Buddha statues of different sizes and ages.
Many rare relics are also kept in the pagoda’s buildings, including parallel sentences inscribed in gilded Chinese and Nom (traditional Vietnamese script) calligraphy and inlaid with mother-of-pearl, netlike panels, scrolls and other old documents.
In addition to beautiful landscapes, Co Thach’s cuisine also lures travellers. Muc mot nang (cuttlefish dried in the sun) and dom nuong (grilled clams of different colours) are among the most popular dishes with visitors.
A must-see beyond landscapes in hilly city
A must-see beyond landscapes in hilly city
Thank to cool weather all year round, the hilly resort city of Dalat in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong is often a chosen destination for many travelers, especially in the hot season of summer.
For many, Dalat seems too familiar with natural landscapes like lakes, waterfalls, houses and old villas nestled in pine tree forests. However, there are still attractions travelers should not miss once visiting the mountainous city in the summer, for their typical features.
Old Railway Station
French architects designed and built the typical railway station in 1930, which was seen as one of the most beautiful works in Indochina. The station is located some 2km from the heart of Dalat, and it is now classified as a relic of national-level architecture.
Once there, travelers can take a distinctive railway tour on an old train powered by steam. The trip will take visitors traveling from Dalat City to Trai Mat, which is located some 7km from the station. On the road, passengers will have a chance to see pine tree forests and fields of flowers and vegetables stretching along the railway.
The train travels two trips per day, depending on the number of guests. Tickets are priced from VND30,000 to VND80,000 per person.
Roller coaster in the forest
This is a thrilled game testing strong heart of gamers. It has just been installed at Datanla Waterfall which is located some 4km from Dalat City as additional entertainment services for guests' options once visiting the city.
Visitors will feel either fluttering or cheering when sliding downward to the foot of the fall, winding through old pine trees. Visitors can leisurely walk on foot, following staircase steps to the foot of the fall for sightseeing. Tickets for the game are priced from VND30,000 per person.
Lac Commune
Lac Commune is located at the foot of Langbian Mountain in Lac Duong District, some 12km from the undulating city of Dalat. It is home for some 1,000 families of ethnic minority people, and place where the French doctor Alexandre Yersin came and was welcomed by the locals with can wine and grilled meat.
Visitors can touch on the daily life of the locals by wandering to ethnic villages for seeing women weaving traditional brocades in their houses on stilts.
For sportive visitors, they can conquer the legendary mountain Langbian, which is imposingly standing some 1,500m above the sea level, from where conquerors will possibly see down there Dalat City looming in clouds in the distance.
Visitors can stay over night there for enjoying can wine and dancing with ethnic girls besides flickering flames accompanied with typical sounds of gongs.
Thank to cool weather all year round, the hilly resort city of Dalat in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong is often a chosen destination for many travelers, especially in the hot season of summer.
For many, Dalat seems too familiar with natural landscapes like lakes, waterfalls, houses and old villas nestled in pine tree forests. However, there are still attractions travelers should not miss once visiting the mountainous city in the summer, for their typical features.
Old Railway Station
French architects designed and built the typical railway station in 1930, which was seen as one of the most beautiful works in Indochina. The station is located some 2km from the heart of Dalat, and it is now classified as a relic of national-level architecture.
Once there, travelers can take a distinctive railway tour on an old train powered by steam. The trip will take visitors traveling from Dalat City to Trai Mat, which is located some 7km from the station. On the road, passengers will have a chance to see pine tree forests and fields of flowers and vegetables stretching along the railway.
The train travels two trips per day, depending on the number of guests. Tickets are priced from VND30,000 to VND80,000 per person.
Roller coaster in the forest
This is a thrilled game testing strong heart of gamers. It has just been installed at Datanla Waterfall which is located some 4km from Dalat City as additional entertainment services for guests' options once visiting the city.
Visitors will feel either fluttering or cheering when sliding downward to the foot of the fall, winding through old pine trees. Visitors can leisurely walk on foot, following staircase steps to the foot of the fall for sightseeing. Tickets for the game are priced from VND30,000 per person.
Lac Commune
Lac Commune is located at the foot of Langbian Mountain in Lac Duong District, some 12km from the undulating city of Dalat. It is home for some 1,000 families of ethnic minority people, and place where the French doctor Alexandre Yersin came and was welcomed by the locals with can wine and grilled meat.
Visitors can touch on the daily life of the locals by wandering to ethnic villages for seeing women weaving traditional brocades in their houses on stilts.
For sportive visitors, they can conquer the legendary mountain Langbian, which is imposingly standing some 1,500m above the sea level, from where conquerors will possibly see down there Dalat City looming in clouds in the distance.
Visitors can stay over night there for enjoying can wine and dancing with ethnic girls besides flickering flames accompanied with typical sounds of gongs.
Exploring life along Hau River
Exploring life along Hau River
Chau Doc Town is located in the southern province of An Giang on the border with Cambodia. Visitors to the town can learn about the daily activities of people who live on the river in the Mekong Delta in the Hau River, also called Bassac River, the popular entry and exit road between Cambodia and Vietnam.
For a tour of life on the river, tourists should start at the T-junction section of Hau River and Chau Doc River, where the bustle and hustle begins in the wee hours of the morning.
First stop would be the floating fruit market in a traditional sampan where hundreds of boats of all sizes gather to unload and pick up many kinds of fruits of the region in line with the season.
The best time to visit is between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. and, like other floating markets, to advertise their goods the vendors tie samples of what they sell onto tall poles so that everyone can see their goods.
The route from the market passes by a floating fishery village along the river which is made up of many fishery houses where the locals raise fish, mainly catfish. Each floating house is about 4m wide and 7m long and has an 8m deep cage under the water where from 20,000 to 150,000 fish are raised. The fish farmers and their families also live in these floating houses and have small rafts next to their houses to grow vegetables.
At the fishery houses tourists will observe a scene of hundreds of fish eating the food released by the fish farmers; the fish-food, which is a combination of fish stomach and mash, is also produced at the fishery house.
The next stop is the Cham weaving craft village on the bank of Hau River, where the young Cham ladies weave textile, embroidery and sewing products on their looms. Each day the girls in his family weave about seven pieces of cloth 1.6x2.3m in size.
The Cham people here still preserve their traditions, for example they do not eat pork, snake or tortoise and they visit their Islamic temple five times a day. The children in the village go to regular schools with other Kinh people and learn the Cham language at night at the temple
Further downstream at T-junction section is Chau Giang Ferry from Chau Doc Town to Phu Hiep, a Cham community with several mosques, especially the Mubarak Mosque which was designed by an Indian architect.
Chau Doc Town is located in the southern province of An Giang on the border with Cambodia. Visitors to the town can learn about the daily activities of people who live on the river in the Mekong Delta in the Hau River, also called Bassac River, the popular entry and exit road between Cambodia and Vietnam.
For a tour of life on the river, tourists should start at the T-junction section of Hau River and Chau Doc River, where the bustle and hustle begins in the wee hours of the morning.
First stop would be the floating fruit market in a traditional sampan where hundreds of boats of all sizes gather to unload and pick up many kinds of fruits of the region in line with the season.
The best time to visit is between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. and, like other floating markets, to advertise their goods the vendors tie samples of what they sell onto tall poles so that everyone can see their goods.
The route from the market passes by a floating fishery village along the river which is made up of many fishery houses where the locals raise fish, mainly catfish. Each floating house is about 4m wide and 7m long and has an 8m deep cage under the water where from 20,000 to 150,000 fish are raised. The fish farmers and their families also live in these floating houses and have small rafts next to their houses to grow vegetables.
At the fishery houses tourists will observe a scene of hundreds of fish eating the food released by the fish farmers; the fish-food, which is a combination of fish stomach and mash, is also produced at the fishery house.
The next stop is the Cham weaving craft village on the bank of Hau River, where the young Cham ladies weave textile, embroidery and sewing products on their looms. Each day the girls in his family weave about seven pieces of cloth 1.6x2.3m in size.
The Cham people here still preserve their traditions, for example they do not eat pork, snake or tortoise and they visit their Islamic temple five times a day. The children in the village go to regular schools with other Kinh people and learn the Cham language at night at the temple
Further downstream at T-junction section is Chau Giang Ferry from Chau Doc Town to Phu Hiep, a Cham community with several mosques, especially the Mubarak Mosque which was designed by an Indian architect.
Early morning in Truc Lam Zen Monastery
Early morning in Truc Lam Zen Monastery
Millions of tourists have dropped in Truc Lam Zen Monastery when they come to Dalat. Some just want to enjoy the beauty of this pagoda, which is located on Phung Hoang Hill side above Tuyen Lam Lake and surrounded by pine wood.
Others come here to have some peace and get away from their hectic lives. Only a few people have been fortunate enough to contemplate the sunbeam streaming in the Truc Lam Zen Monastery.
Truc Lam Zen Monastery is about 7km from Dalat. Designed by Ngo Viet Thu, it was built in 1993, and inaugurated in 1995. There are three separate areas: an external monastery and two internal areas for Buddhist monks and Buddhist nuns.
This is the biggest research monastery of the sect of Vietnam's Truc Lam School of Zen, which was founded 8 centuries ago. In the pagoda grounds there is a huge bell tower with a large bell called Dai Hong Chung (great bell), 1.98m high and over 1 ton in weight, which was made by Hue artisans. A poem is carved on the bell expressing the philosophy of human life by King Tran Nhan Tong.
Inside the pagoda is a sanctum, flower garden, ornamental plants and stairs down to the orchard next to Tuyen Lam Lake.
About 50 Zen students take rums every day from 5a.m. cutting the grass, picking up garbage, cleaning the paths and such. On arriving there guests are allowed to view the sights and take photos or videos freely around the external monastery.
However, the internal monastery is different; it is just for meditation. The monks do not recite the Buddhist scriptures in Sanskrit or Han language, rather in Vietnamese, so that everybody can understand. This pagoda does not organize sumptuous sacrifices or resort to sortilege, or tell fortunes by the traditional Chinese diagrams.
Near the sanctum is a guesthouse. There are three shifts for sitting in religious ecstasy at 3:30a.m., 2:30p.m. and 7:30p.m., each lasting two hours. After the first sitting everybody gathers to clean before tourists visit the monastery. That is when the early sunbeams pour into the monastery, signaling a new day
Millions of tourists have dropped in Truc Lam Zen Monastery when they come to Dalat. Some just want to enjoy the beauty of this pagoda, which is located on Phung Hoang Hill side above Tuyen Lam Lake and surrounded by pine wood.
Others come here to have some peace and get away from their hectic lives. Only a few people have been fortunate enough to contemplate the sunbeam streaming in the Truc Lam Zen Monastery.
Truc Lam Zen Monastery is about 7km from Dalat. Designed by Ngo Viet Thu, it was built in 1993, and inaugurated in 1995. There are three separate areas: an external monastery and two internal areas for Buddhist monks and Buddhist nuns.
This is the biggest research monastery of the sect of Vietnam's Truc Lam School of Zen, which was founded 8 centuries ago. In the pagoda grounds there is a huge bell tower with a large bell called Dai Hong Chung (great bell), 1.98m high and over 1 ton in weight, which was made by Hue artisans. A poem is carved on the bell expressing the philosophy of human life by King Tran Nhan Tong.
Inside the pagoda is a sanctum, flower garden, ornamental plants and stairs down to the orchard next to Tuyen Lam Lake.
About 50 Zen students take rums every day from 5a.m. cutting the grass, picking up garbage, cleaning the paths and such. On arriving there guests are allowed to view the sights and take photos or videos freely around the external monastery.
However, the internal monastery is different; it is just for meditation. The monks do not recite the Buddhist scriptures in Sanskrit or Han language, rather in Vietnamese, so that everybody can understand. This pagoda does not organize sumptuous sacrifices or resort to sortilege, or tell fortunes by the traditional Chinese diagrams.
Near the sanctum is a guesthouse. There are three shifts for sitting in religious ecstasy at 3:30a.m., 2:30p.m. and 7:30p.m., each lasting two hours. After the first sitting everybody gathers to clean before tourists visit the monastery. That is when the early sunbeams pour into the monastery, signaling a new day
Where swimmers can touch corals
Where swimmers can touch corals
On calm days, vacationers may opt to travel by boat to Hon Do Island in Van Phong Bay just before or after their lunch to touch and see a world of coral reefs exposing their colors and shapes under the sunlight.
The corals may not be as colorful as those at the seabed near the shore of Hon Mun Island in Nha Trang Bay in the same central coastal province of Khanh Hoa, but they grow so near the water surface that people can touch them when swimming.
Even those who cannot swim can easily explore the world of coral reefs in Van Phong Bay. All that is needed is a life jacket, a pair of swimming goggles and a snorkeling tube. When the boat arrives at the coral habitat one can jump from the boat and float freely on the water to see the world of coral reefs. As one nears the shore the corals are close enough to touch; they feel like a piece of velvet cloth.
For stronger swimmers and divers, there are more chances to discover the underwater world, where schools of fish in different colors and types shelter or wander and dart around the corals. Other creatures of the sea will accompany the divers on a wonderful tour that is more or less the same to "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland."
When swimming and diving at the waters of Hon Do, remember not to stand on the coral reefs as it will hurt the corals.
The best time to dive and see coral reefs at Hon Do Island is when the sun is high in the sky because the scorching sunlights will shine through the bobbing turquoise water and reflect the color and beauty of the corals.
Hon Do is less than an hour by boat from Dam Mon, a beautiful lagoon nestled at Van Thanh Commune in Van Ninh District. The area located at the end of a newly built road leading to Hon Gom Peninsula is a retreat, where vacationers can rest in hammocks tied to coconut trees along the beach to enjoy the sweet sound of gentle waves lapping against the shore after swimming in the sea.
From Dam Mon, visitors can hire a boat for a cruise around Van Phong Bay, which is 50km from Nha Trang City. Considered a tropical paradise, Van Phong Bay in Van Ninh and Ninh Hoa districts is home to beautiful white-sand beaches, sand dunes, islets and peninsulas featuring a diverse eco-system with almost untouched forests and various species of plants and animals.
Experts rank the 15,000ha bay Van Phong as one of Asia's most ideal sites for eco-tourism and scuba diving. It also boasts magnificent mountains with many rocks carved naturally into art works.
Visitors to the bay can shrug off the worry of their daily chores and enjoy the many activities available, including windsurfing, snorkeling, mountain climbing, rowing and fishing for squid and cuttle-fish at night.
On calm days, vacationers may opt to travel by boat to Hon Do Island in Van Phong Bay just before or after their lunch to touch and see a world of coral reefs exposing their colors and shapes under the sunlight.
The corals may not be as colorful as those at the seabed near the shore of Hon Mun Island in Nha Trang Bay in the same central coastal province of Khanh Hoa, but they grow so near the water surface that people can touch them when swimming.
Even those who cannot swim can easily explore the world of coral reefs in Van Phong Bay. All that is needed is a life jacket, a pair of swimming goggles and a snorkeling tube. When the boat arrives at the coral habitat one can jump from the boat and float freely on the water to see the world of coral reefs. As one nears the shore the corals are close enough to touch; they feel like a piece of velvet cloth.
For stronger swimmers and divers, there are more chances to discover the underwater world, where schools of fish in different colors and types shelter or wander and dart around the corals. Other creatures of the sea will accompany the divers on a wonderful tour that is more or less the same to "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland."
When swimming and diving at the waters of Hon Do, remember not to stand on the coral reefs as it will hurt the corals.
The best time to dive and see coral reefs at Hon Do Island is when the sun is high in the sky because the scorching sunlights will shine through the bobbing turquoise water and reflect the color and beauty of the corals.
Hon Do is less than an hour by boat from Dam Mon, a beautiful lagoon nestled at Van Thanh Commune in Van Ninh District. The area located at the end of a newly built road leading to Hon Gom Peninsula is a retreat, where vacationers can rest in hammocks tied to coconut trees along the beach to enjoy the sweet sound of gentle waves lapping against the shore after swimming in the sea.
From Dam Mon, visitors can hire a boat for a cruise around Van Phong Bay, which is 50km from Nha Trang City. Considered a tropical paradise, Van Phong Bay in Van Ninh and Ninh Hoa districts is home to beautiful white-sand beaches, sand dunes, islets and peninsulas featuring a diverse eco-system with almost untouched forests and various species of plants and animals.
Experts rank the 15,000ha bay Van Phong as one of Asia's most ideal sites for eco-tourism and scuba diving. It also boasts magnificent mountains with many rocks carved naturally into art works.
Visitors to the bay can shrug off the worry of their daily chores and enjoy the many activities available, including windsurfing, snorkeling, mountain climbing, rowing and fishing for squid and cuttle-fish at night.
Around Xuan Huong Lake on a cool evening
Around Xuan Huong Lake on a cool evening
Visitors to Dalat should not miss the beauty of Xuan Huong Lake. Located in the city center, surrounded with a pine-tree forest and flower gardens, the lake is the perfect destination for a stroll in the “city of flowers”.
As night falls couples gather at the lake to enjoy the cool and romantic evenings, a unique feature of Dalat. While it is popular by day to tour the lake in a horse-draw carriage, on the tramway or on a tandem, at night the tandem is definitely the favored choice. Riding around the lake, going up and down the hills of Dalat, warms up the riders on a cool evening and gives them an appetite for the local snacks available from the street vendors on the banks of the lake.
The booths of these vendors are small, consisting of rattan loads on a carrying pole and some small low chairs for guests and lighted with oil lamps, yet, it is exotic to be at the booths, waiting for a grilled corn, grilled squid and cuttlefish, boiled eggs or shellfish and drinking a glass of hot soya in the cool evening. For those seeking something more cozy and private there are a number of coffee shops around Xuan Huong Lake.
Saturday and Sunday are the best days for a stroll up the Hoa Binh pedestrian area from Xuan Huong Lake as no vehicles are allowed to enter on the weekends.
This is the site of the Dalat night market, known as the Market of Underworld by locals, which is open from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Here one can shop for souvenirs and clothes, especially second-hand sweaters and pullovers which are very inexpensive, and enjoy some local snacks.
Visitors to Dalat should not miss the beauty of Xuan Huong Lake. Located in the city center, surrounded with a pine-tree forest and flower gardens, the lake is the perfect destination for a stroll in the “city of flowers”.
As night falls couples gather at the lake to enjoy the cool and romantic evenings, a unique feature of Dalat. While it is popular by day to tour the lake in a horse-draw carriage, on the tramway or on a tandem, at night the tandem is definitely the favored choice. Riding around the lake, going up and down the hills of Dalat, warms up the riders on a cool evening and gives them an appetite for the local snacks available from the street vendors on the banks of the lake.
The booths of these vendors are small, consisting of rattan loads on a carrying pole and some small low chairs for guests and lighted with oil lamps, yet, it is exotic to be at the booths, waiting for a grilled corn, grilled squid and cuttlefish, boiled eggs or shellfish and drinking a glass of hot soya in the cool evening. For those seeking something more cozy and private there are a number of coffee shops around Xuan Huong Lake.
Saturday and Sunday are the best days for a stroll up the Hoa Binh pedestrian area from Xuan Huong Lake as no vehicles are allowed to enter on the weekends.
This is the site of the Dalat night market, known as the Market of Underworld by locals, which is open from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Here one can shop for souvenirs and clothes, especially second-hand sweaters and pullovers which are very inexpensive, and enjoy some local snacks.
Vinh Hy - beautiful virginal bay of Ninh Thuan
Vinh Hy - beautiful virginal bay of Ninh Thuan
Around 40km northeastern away from Phan Rang – Thap Cham City is Vinh Hy Bay, one of the most beautiful natural landscapes of Ninh Thuan Province.
Nestled between two popular tourist destinations of Nha Trang City (Khanh Hoa Province) in the north and Phan Thiet - Mui Ne in the south, the bay still reserves its rural beauty with white sand beach, steep rocky mountain ranges, caves and spectacular waterfalls.
To reach the bay, tourists from HCMC have to pass over 350km by land. There are two routes for tourists to choose: the first and easiest one is from National Highway 1A to the north and then turn right.
The second, longer yet more interesting one is the newly open coastal road from Binh Chau - Phuoc Buu (Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province) to Lagi Town (Binh Thuan Province) then tourists follow National Highway 1A to Phan Rang City and turn again to the coastal road, passing Nui Chua National Park to the bay.
Around 40km northeastern away from Phan Rang – Thap Cham City is Vinh Hy Bay, one of the most beautiful natural landscapes of Ninh Thuan Province.
Nestled between two popular tourist destinations of Nha Trang City (Khanh Hoa Province) in the north and Phan Thiet - Mui Ne in the south, the bay still reserves its rural beauty with white sand beach, steep rocky mountain ranges, caves and spectacular waterfalls.
To reach the bay, tourists from HCMC have to pass over 350km by land. There are two routes for tourists to choose: the first and easiest one is from National Highway 1A to the north and then turn right.
The second, longer yet more interesting one is the newly open coastal road from Binh Chau - Phuoc Buu (Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province) to Lagi Town (Binh Thuan Province) then tourists follow National Highway 1A to Phan Rang City and turn again to the coastal road, passing Nui Chua National Park to the bay.
Oc gao of Phu Da
Oc gao of Phu Da
The beginning of the fifth lunar month is the season of oc gao (a small edible snail) in Phu Da in Cho Lach District, Ben Tre Province. Visitors who row to an island might witness the lively scene of people searching for snails, for this special food has created many jobs for Ben Tre residents.
Alternatively, a visit to Ba Ngoi garden in Vinh Binh Commune, Cho Lach District will reveal how locals classify snails with a home-made machine or cut shipworms from the snail shells.
Typically there are about 20 workers cutting shipworms, however, around 50 are at work at peak times in the Doan Ngo Festival (the fifth day of the fifth lunar month), according to Nguyen Van Nho, technician of Phu Da snail cooperative.
Classifying snails pays VND250 for each kilogram. Shipworms are bought at VND500 per kilogram by the cooperative for duck food. The season of oc gao lasts until the seventh lunar month.
At Ba Ngoi garden, visitors may also enjoy oc gao boiled with citronella for just VND10,000 for a large serving. The snails here live in muddy soil and are smaller and fatter, and more delicious, than those other places. Other foods to try are rice pancakes filled with mussels and bamboo sprouts for only VND8,000 each.
Crispy cake skin, greasy coconut milk and peanut-and-rice cake flour, sweet mussels and bamboo sprouts used with many kinds of garden vegetable are all well-known dishes of southern Vietnam.
The other interesting side of Dam Mon
The other interesting side of Dam Mon
Most leisure tourists leave Dam Mon (Mon Lagoon) in Van Phong Bay after they have cruised to some of the attractions in the wonderful bay in Khanh Hoa Province. But for the few who opt to go trekking, the sand dunes and bushes in this beautiful region of Central Vietnam will be a satisfying adventure.
The sand dunes are located in Van Thanh Commune, Van Ninh District, on the other side of the road to Dam Mon from National Highway 1A. Trekking through these yellow sand dunes is a hard but interesting walk as there is much to explore in the half-desert area.
Along the 4.5km-long path from the road are some ponds which provide water for the wild bushes to grow and bear their clusters of flowers, even in the dry season. The path cuts across these ponds so trekkers have to take off their shoes to wade through in order to keep their shoes dry for the tough hike ahead.
Further along the path trodden by fishermen are hills of stones which have been carved by strong winds and sand into natural wonders of different shapes. Near by is the highest slope on the path so this is an ideal place to stop for a rest and enjoy this natural work of art at the same time.
The wild apricots always bear their bright yellow clusters of flowers in spring, particularly in late January or February when Vietnamese people celebrate their Lunar New Year or Tet, the biggest and longest holiday in this country. Occasionally the plants will surprise visitors with late blossoms in early summer. The apricot plants and other trees grow well in the half-desert area of sand dunes, providing shade for passers-by looking for a place to rest out of the scorching sunlight. Sometimes, the birds will provide entertainment with their songs as they fly around the forest.
Magnificent views of the mountains and waters of the East Sea come into view near the end of the path, which is a good spot for taking pictures of the sea sparkling in the light of the sunset or sunrise.
The path leads to Bai Na, a nun touched white-sand beach and a breathtaking reward for trekkers as they wash away the sweat, dust and exhaustion. This arch-shaped beach is one of the most beautiful beaches that I have ever seen anywhere.
A trek across the sand dunes should be planned for either in the early morning or after 3 p.m. when the sun is not as hot. It takes about two hours or more to complete the hike.
The best way to return to Dam Mon is by boat. The journey takes approximately two hours and on route the boat passes Mui Doi (Twin Cape) of Hon Gom Peninsula in Khanh Hoa Province and stops at Van Phong Bay. The cape is where the morning sun first shines on Vietnamese land.
Most leisure tourists leave Dam Mon (Mon Lagoon) in Van Phong Bay after they have cruised to some of the attractions in the wonderful bay in Khanh Hoa Province. But for the few who opt to go trekking, the sand dunes and bushes in this beautiful region of Central Vietnam will be a satisfying adventure.
The sand dunes are located in Van Thanh Commune, Van Ninh District, on the other side of the road to Dam Mon from National Highway 1A. Trekking through these yellow sand dunes is a hard but interesting walk as there is much to explore in the half-desert area.
Along the 4.5km-long path from the road are some ponds which provide water for the wild bushes to grow and bear their clusters of flowers, even in the dry season. The path cuts across these ponds so trekkers have to take off their shoes to wade through in order to keep their shoes dry for the tough hike ahead.
Further along the path trodden by fishermen are hills of stones which have been carved by strong winds and sand into natural wonders of different shapes. Near by is the highest slope on the path so this is an ideal place to stop for a rest and enjoy this natural work of art at the same time.
The wild apricots always bear their bright yellow clusters of flowers in spring, particularly in late January or February when Vietnamese people celebrate their Lunar New Year or Tet, the biggest and longest holiday in this country. Occasionally the plants will surprise visitors with late blossoms in early summer. The apricot plants and other trees grow well in the half-desert area of sand dunes, providing shade for passers-by looking for a place to rest out of the scorching sunlight. Sometimes, the birds will provide entertainment with their songs as they fly around the forest.
Magnificent views of the mountains and waters of the East Sea come into view near the end of the path, which is a good spot for taking pictures of the sea sparkling in the light of the sunset or sunrise.
The path leads to Bai Na, a nun touched white-sand beach and a breathtaking reward for trekkers as they wash away the sweat, dust and exhaustion. This arch-shaped beach is one of the most beautiful beaches that I have ever seen anywhere.
A trek across the sand dunes should be planned for either in the early morning or after 3 p.m. when the sun is not as hot. It takes about two hours or more to complete the hike.
The best way to return to Dam Mon is by boat. The journey takes approximately two hours and on route the boat passes Mui Doi (Twin Cape) of Hon Gom Peninsula in Khanh Hoa Province and stops at Van Phong Bay. The cape is where the morning sun first shines on Vietnamese land.
Tam Giang Lagoon - a place for explorers of indigenous culture
Tam Giang Lagoon is where three rivers - Huong, Bo and O Lau - meet before they flow into the sea through Thuan An Estuary in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue.
Many traditional craft villages along the three rivers, natural beauty and nearby mangrove forests have made the lagoon a popular destination for tourists.
Sailing down the Huong River from Thuan An Estuary, tourists can visit Dia Linh Hamlet in Huong Vinh Commune, where the craft of wood carving is still preserved.
Thuy Tu Village consolidated by the silt of the Bo River and characterized by the red-roofed houses is recommended as the next stop. The villagers earn a living by making tiles.
An Thuan Village is also worth visiting. There, tourists can learn more about the process of making green rice flakes with the added hot and tasty flavors of ginger, sesame and peanuts.
Thin fishing boats in the transparent water and the fishing nets here and there add beauty to the lagoon.
Tourists could tour Thai Duong Ha fishing village where locals still preserve their traditional lifestyle, rituals and festivities like Cau Ngu (a festival in which fishermen pray for the best catch) and the burial of the whale.
Ru Cha is a very rare primitive mangrove forest in the lagoon, just opposite Thai Duong Ha Village, in Thuan Hoa Hamlet in Huong Phong Commune.
Ru Cha was mostly leveled during the war but now the 5ha area is well restored and protected. Tourists can spend some time trekking this wetland reserve through the short Cha trees with big roots.
Many small caves which small crab use as shelter can be found at the roots of these trees. Be careful when approaching the trees whose resin makes your skin a little bit itchy but the leaves of Mop trees nearby are good for rubbing away the itch caused by Cha resin.
Tam Giang Lagoon is where three rivers - Huong, Bo and O Lau - meet before they flow into the sea through Thuan An Estuary in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue.
Many traditional craft villages along the three rivers, natural beauty and nearby mangrove forests have made the lagoon a popular destination for tourists.
Sailing down the Huong River from Thuan An Estuary, tourists can visit Dia Linh Hamlet in Huong Vinh Commune, where the craft of wood carving is still preserved.
Thuy Tu Village consolidated by the silt of the Bo River and characterized by the red-roofed houses is recommended as the next stop. The villagers earn a living by making tiles.
An Thuan Village is also worth visiting. There, tourists can learn more about the process of making green rice flakes with the added hot and tasty flavors of ginger, sesame and peanuts.
Thin fishing boats in the transparent water and the fishing nets here and there add beauty to the lagoon.
Tourists could tour Thai Duong Ha fishing village where locals still preserve their traditional lifestyle, rituals and festivities like Cau Ngu (a festival in which fishermen pray for the best catch) and the burial of the whale.
Ru Cha is a very rare primitive mangrove forest in the lagoon, just opposite Thai Duong Ha Village, in Thuan Hoa Hamlet in Huong Phong Commune.
Ru Cha was mostly leveled during the war but now the 5ha area is well restored and protected. Tourists can spend some time trekking this wetland reserve through the short Cha trees with big roots.
Many small caves which small crab use as shelter can be found at the roots of these trees. Be careful when approaching the trees whose resin makes your skin a little bit itchy but the leaves of Mop trees nearby are good for rubbing away the itch caused by Cha resin.
Lu Cam - a 200-year pottery village
Lu Cam - a 200-year pottery village
There is a pathway of which both sides are lined with Cai and Kim Dong rivers leading to a 200-year-plus pottery village, a 10-minute drive from central Nha Trang City.
Lu Cam Village in Ngoc Hiep Commune is known for baked-clay stoves. Despite great social and economic changes, the craft still exists there.
Nearly 200 years ago when trade by sea was active, the village on the bank of the Cai River made various kinds of pottery such as jars, stoves and vases and these products were sold to many places, including the coastal areas of Phan Rang and Phu Yen.
However, waterway transportation ate into profit, so pottery was taken to the marketplace mainly by bike or people.
Lu Cam stoves are still favored although other kinds of stove like electric and gas stoves are dominant on the market. Vietnamese families often use a clay stove to grill meat or cook some dishes.
When the traditional Lunar New Year holiday comes, the pathway is full of stoves that are dried under the sunlight before they are put into a big charcoal oven for baking.
On a 1,000m² area is a house where Lu Cam pottery has been made for generations. Ten years ago, there was a charcoal oven in front of the yard used for baking several thousand stoves at a time. The oven was then over 50 years old.
Due to the fall in consumption, it was replaced by two smaller ovens that are able to bake 500 and 1,000 stoves at a time each.
There are many steps taken to produce such a simple stove. Clay is mixed and stuffed with water and divided into small parts and each is enough to make a stove. The outer cover of the stove is made from galvanized zinc sheets to prevent clay from sticking on the mould. After finishing the first mould, artisans will design the stove shape, and attach handles and other parts. After that the stoves will be dried under the sun for 24 to 48 hours and then put into the oven.
The final step is to wait for the stove to cool, then stick the grid and bring it to the market. A finished stove costs VND8,000. Resellers can cover it with galvanized zinc to increase its durability and sell it for VND18,000 to VND20,000 per unit.
Lu Cam pottery village is a recommended destination for foreign tourists. In this tour, tourists can take part in the stove making process.
There is a pathway of which both sides are lined with Cai and Kim Dong rivers leading to a 200-year-plus pottery village, a 10-minute drive from central Nha Trang City.
Lu Cam Village in Ngoc Hiep Commune is known for baked-clay stoves. Despite great social and economic changes, the craft still exists there.
Nearly 200 years ago when trade by sea was active, the village on the bank of the Cai River made various kinds of pottery such as jars, stoves and vases and these products were sold to many places, including the coastal areas of Phan Rang and Phu Yen.
However, waterway transportation ate into profit, so pottery was taken to the marketplace mainly by bike or people.
Lu Cam stoves are still favored although other kinds of stove like electric and gas stoves are dominant on the market. Vietnamese families often use a clay stove to grill meat or cook some dishes.
When the traditional Lunar New Year holiday comes, the pathway is full of stoves that are dried under the sunlight before they are put into a big charcoal oven for baking.
On a 1,000m² area is a house where Lu Cam pottery has been made for generations. Ten years ago, there was a charcoal oven in front of the yard used for baking several thousand stoves at a time. The oven was then over 50 years old.
Due to the fall in consumption, it was replaced by two smaller ovens that are able to bake 500 and 1,000 stoves at a time each.
There are many steps taken to produce such a simple stove. Clay is mixed and stuffed with water and divided into small parts and each is enough to make a stove. The outer cover of the stove is made from galvanized zinc sheets to prevent clay from sticking on the mould. After finishing the first mould, artisans will design the stove shape, and attach handles and other parts. After that the stoves will be dried under the sun for 24 to 48 hours and then put into the oven.
The final step is to wait for the stove to cool, then stick the grid and bring it to the market. A finished stove costs VND8,000. Resellers can cover it with galvanized zinc to increase its durability and sell it for VND18,000 to VND20,000 per unit.
Lu Cam pottery village is a recommended destination for foreign tourists. In this tour, tourists can take part in the stove making process.
Visiting Dau Tieng Lake in Tay Ninh Province
Visiting Dau Tieng Lake in Tay Ninh Province
Dau Tieng Lake, located in Phuoc Minh Commune, Duong Minh Chau District, Tay Ninh Province, is the largest irrigation reservoir in Vietnam with a capacity of 1.6 billion cubic meters, enough for watering 63,000ha of farmland in Tay Ninh and HCMC plus 40,000ha in the provinces of Binh Duong and Long An through the Saigon and Vam Co rivers.
Especially, the lake is also a frequent place for sightseers for its beautiful landscape of mountains, mysterious islets and its fresh and pure atmosphere. Being far away from the residential area, the lake has crystal like, clean water and on sunny days, the water reflects the blue color of the sky.
Stretching along the lake is the Cau Mountain and a valley next to a primeval forest close to its bank, and scattered here and there in the lake are small islets. The lake's bank with its green grass coverage could be an ideal place for camping and visitors coming there could go fishing or watching the locals catch fish in the lake.
Cau Mountain has a height of 198m with a diverse floristic composition and protective forest extending to 1,600ha. At the top of the mountain is Thai Son Pagoda, which attracts many pilgrims in the 15th day of the 1st lunar month.
Next to Cau Mountain in the rubber plantation is Cau Nom Lake, which also has very pure and clean water with fresh air and tranquilizing atmosphere. There is also Tha La peninsula with an area of 57ha next to the lake. On the peninsula, locals grow many tropical fruit trees such as mango and longan.
To reach the lake, tourists can follow the National Highway No.13 to Thu Dau Mot Town in Binh Duong Province. When reaching the second highway toll station on Binh Duong Boulevard, tourists turn right Nguyen Chi Thanh Street and run through this street for about 30km and turn right at the T-junction of Thanh Tuyen Commune in Ben Cat District. Tourists then come to the center of Dau Tieng Town of Dau Tieng District and follow this street to Dau Tieng Lake.
Dau Tieng Lake, located in Phuoc Minh Commune, Duong Minh Chau District, Tay Ninh Province, is the largest irrigation reservoir in Vietnam with a capacity of 1.6 billion cubic meters, enough for watering 63,000ha of farmland in Tay Ninh and HCMC plus 40,000ha in the provinces of Binh Duong and Long An through the Saigon and Vam Co rivers.
Especially, the lake is also a frequent place for sightseers for its beautiful landscape of mountains, mysterious islets and its fresh and pure atmosphere. Being far away from the residential area, the lake has crystal like, clean water and on sunny days, the water reflects the blue color of the sky.
Stretching along the lake is the Cau Mountain and a valley next to a primeval forest close to its bank, and scattered here and there in the lake are small islets. The lake's bank with its green grass coverage could be an ideal place for camping and visitors coming there could go fishing or watching the locals catch fish in the lake.
Cau Mountain has a height of 198m with a diverse floristic composition and protective forest extending to 1,600ha. At the top of the mountain is Thai Son Pagoda, which attracts many pilgrims in the 15th day of the 1st lunar month.
Next to Cau Mountain in the rubber plantation is Cau Nom Lake, which also has very pure and clean water with fresh air and tranquilizing atmosphere. There is also Tha La peninsula with an area of 57ha next to the lake. On the peninsula, locals grow many tropical fruit trees such as mango and longan.
To reach the lake, tourists can follow the National Highway No.13 to Thu Dau Mot Town in Binh Duong Province. When reaching the second highway toll station on Binh Duong Boulevard, tourists turn right Nguyen Chi Thanh Street and run through this street for about 30km and turn right at the T-junction of Thanh Tuyen Commune in Ben Cat District. Tourists then come to the center of Dau Tieng Town of Dau Tieng District and follow this street to Dau Tieng Lake.
Phuoc Hai Fish Market
Phuoc Hai Fish Market
Tourists who set foot on Phuoc Hai Fish Market are immediately overcome by the fishy smell and the liveliness of the setting as local residents call out noisily to each other in this fishing village.
Alongside the local fishing boats, many others from Binh Dinh, Binh Thuan and Khanh Hoa are also moored at Phuoc Hai fish depot.
The market, located in Phuoc Hai Township, Dat Do District, is one of the oldest fishing villages in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province. The village springs to life at 3 a.m. in the morning, when darkness still covers the coastal village of Phuoc Hai, as fish catching vessels return from the open sea. The junks come and move their large catch of innumerable fish onto the shore. The fish are everywhere as trolleys are pushed in and out to help transfer fish.
When they are on land, the fish are classified by types and then put into big plastic baskets or skips for transfer onto loaded vans. By around 8 a.m. all the boats are in and their loads have been emptied, the only sight is the bustling vans carrying seafood to further areas
However, behind this excitement and exuberance is the knowledge that risks are taken every day on the ocean, made greater by the exhaustion of those fisher men
Tourists who set foot on Phuoc Hai Fish Market are immediately overcome by the fishy smell and the liveliness of the setting as local residents call out noisily to each other in this fishing village.
Alongside the local fishing boats, many others from Binh Dinh, Binh Thuan and Khanh Hoa are also moored at Phuoc Hai fish depot.
The market, located in Phuoc Hai Township, Dat Do District, is one of the oldest fishing villages in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province. The village springs to life at 3 a.m. in the morning, when darkness still covers the coastal village of Phuoc Hai, as fish catching vessels return from the open sea. The junks come and move their large catch of innumerable fish onto the shore. The fish are everywhere as trolleys are pushed in and out to help transfer fish.
When they are on land, the fish are classified by types and then put into big plastic baskets or skips for transfer onto loaded vans. By around 8 a.m. all the boats are in and their loads have been emptied, the only sight is the bustling vans carrying seafood to further areas
However, behind this excitement and exuberance is the knowledge that risks are taken every day on the ocean, made greater by the exhaustion of those fisher men
Visiting Dai Tong Lam Pagoda
Visiting Dai Tong Lam Pagoda
Along National Highway 51 on the way to the coastal city of Vung Tau, Dai Tong Lam Pagoda is located in Tan Thanh District in the coastal province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, 70km east of HCMC.
The pagoda is better-known as Van Phat Quang as its 10,000 statues of Buddha are red-lacquered and inlaid with gold mounted on the pagoda's walls.
Dai Tong Lam Pagoda, which was built by superior Buddhist monk Thich Thien Hoa in 1964, is located on a quiet 54ha plot consisting of many pagodas, Zen monasteries, Buddhist temples, and a junior Buddhism college, and is considered the Buddhist center of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province.
The pagoda has been recognized by the Vietnam Record Book for its four exceptional records, namely the biggest sanctum covering over 3,000m², the biggest granite statue of Bodhisattva Metteyya weighing over 40 tons, the biggest number of statues of Buddha in a pagoda - with over 10,000 - and the Buddhism training center with most learners -1,250 monks and nuns.
The splendor of the current architecture model of Buddhism bearing the hallmark of the national culture is seen via the complex of Dai Tong Lam Pagoda. The new main temple, or sanctum, overlooking four directions shows a splendid place like the elysium. Above the curved tiles are dragons cleverly carved that make them look like hovering over nine layers of cloud.
Attractions for tourists also include the charming landscape along with a lotus pond and fresh air. The entrance leading to the main temple is shaded with two lines of big trees, while under the old fig tree lays a huge statue of Buddha Sakya Muni being deep in religious contemplation. Overlooking in the distance behind the trees sits the Metteyya temple.
On the left side of the pagoda is a place where 48 statues of Buddha Amitabha made of granite 3.3m in height, 3.5 tons in weight standing under the open sky. A concrete 14.5m-high statue is arranged in the middle. The entrance is paved with red tiles to reduce the heat of summer days.
Especially, in the complex of Dai Tong Lam Pagoda, Thien Hoa nun monastery has been known as a "rice pancake pagoda" for many years. The pagoda serves vegetarian food such as rice pancake (bank xeo), vermicelli and sour imitated- crab soup (bun rieu), vermicelli made of cassava, and noodles soup (pho) from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. everyday.
Last but not least, pilgrims can cast off their affliction and tiredness to mingle themselves with nature in a tranquilizing space if they have a chance to visit Dai Tong Lam Pagoda.
Along National Highway 51 on the way to the coastal city of Vung Tau, Dai Tong Lam Pagoda is located in Tan Thanh District in the coastal province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, 70km east of HCMC.
The pagoda is better-known as Van Phat Quang as its 10,000 statues of Buddha are red-lacquered and inlaid with gold mounted on the pagoda's walls.
Dai Tong Lam Pagoda, which was built by superior Buddhist monk Thich Thien Hoa in 1964, is located on a quiet 54ha plot consisting of many pagodas, Zen monasteries, Buddhist temples, and a junior Buddhism college, and is considered the Buddhist center of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province.
The pagoda has been recognized by the Vietnam Record Book for its four exceptional records, namely the biggest sanctum covering over 3,000m², the biggest granite statue of Bodhisattva Metteyya weighing over 40 tons, the biggest number of statues of Buddha in a pagoda - with over 10,000 - and the Buddhism training center with most learners -1,250 monks and nuns.
The splendor of the current architecture model of Buddhism bearing the hallmark of the national culture is seen via the complex of Dai Tong Lam Pagoda. The new main temple, or sanctum, overlooking four directions shows a splendid place like the elysium. Above the curved tiles are dragons cleverly carved that make them look like hovering over nine layers of cloud.
Attractions for tourists also include the charming landscape along with a lotus pond and fresh air. The entrance leading to the main temple is shaded with two lines of big trees, while under the old fig tree lays a huge statue of Buddha Sakya Muni being deep in religious contemplation. Overlooking in the distance behind the trees sits the Metteyya temple.
On the left side of the pagoda is a place where 48 statues of Buddha Amitabha made of granite 3.3m in height, 3.5 tons in weight standing under the open sky. A concrete 14.5m-high statue is arranged in the middle. The entrance is paved with red tiles to reduce the heat of summer days.
Especially, in the complex of Dai Tong Lam Pagoda, Thien Hoa nun monastery has been known as a "rice pancake pagoda" for many years. The pagoda serves vegetarian food such as rice pancake (bank xeo), vermicelli and sour imitated- crab soup (bun rieu), vermicelli made of cassava, and noodles soup (pho) from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. everyday.
Last but not least, pilgrims can cast off their affliction and tiredness to mingle themselves with nature in a tranquilizing space if they have a chance to visit Dai Tong Lam Pagoda.
Sailing on rivers in Quang Nam Province
Sailing on rivers in Quang Nam Province
Someday, when the love for rivers and lakes suddenly rises up, all what a visitor to Quang Nam Province has to do is to carry his backpack to a pier, wave for boat, and then have a romantic sailing along the river without having to book for the tour at any travel agent.
Although waterway is not the developed transport in the province, many vessels are still gliding on large rivers all day long.
Visitor can sail down to the South on the boundless and ever-blue Truong Giang River, or go upstream on the Thu Bon to explore the widths and depths of the height in mountains and the vast waters of the central land. While midway on the Thu Bon River, one can change his mind, steering their trip to the Vu Gia River, or Bung or Cai rivers to go through the land of a famous tropical fruit known as nam tran.
Visiting villages and piers along those rivers is worthwhile though some places have yet to be listed on any tourist maps. If Phu Thuan Village by the Thu Bon River reminds a peaceful dream, Ca Tang pier suggests travelers of the anger of sea-gods.
Therefore, people here love rowing along rivers to explore natural lessons of tolerance, bravery, tenderness, generosity, and then to understand other theories in their daily life.
Floating on a ferry, a visitor is really an eco-tourist without any worries of hotel accommodation or necessities. Each ferry is a small market and a ferrywoman is an enthusiastic tour guide. They will bring their guests a treasure of stories about rivers, life, daily burden, sadness and happiness.
Moreover, travelers will spend the most pleasurable time taking a nap in the summer breeze, dreaming of a fairyland among tender river weaves. In addition, local specialties such as boiled corn and peanuts, fresh fruits, and a tasty grilled meat roll are always ready on board or at some piers along the way at any time.
Traveling without a tour guide is trendy for people who love wild nature and adventures. With many mysteries and nice surprises, sailing on rivers in Quang Nam Province will be a trip like no others.
Someday, when the love for rivers and lakes suddenly rises up, all what a visitor to Quang Nam Province has to do is to carry his backpack to a pier, wave for boat, and then have a romantic sailing along the river without having to book for the tour at any travel agent.
Although waterway is not the developed transport in the province, many vessels are still gliding on large rivers all day long.
Visitor can sail down to the South on the boundless and ever-blue Truong Giang River, or go upstream on the Thu Bon to explore the widths and depths of the height in mountains and the vast waters of the central land. While midway on the Thu Bon River, one can change his mind, steering their trip to the Vu Gia River, or Bung or Cai rivers to go through the land of a famous tropical fruit known as nam tran.
Visiting villages and piers along those rivers is worthwhile though some places have yet to be listed on any tourist maps. If Phu Thuan Village by the Thu Bon River reminds a peaceful dream, Ca Tang pier suggests travelers of the anger of sea-gods.
Therefore, people here love rowing along rivers to explore natural lessons of tolerance, bravery, tenderness, generosity, and then to understand other theories in their daily life.
Floating on a ferry, a visitor is really an eco-tourist without any worries of hotel accommodation or necessities. Each ferry is a small market and a ferrywoman is an enthusiastic tour guide. They will bring their guests a treasure of stories about rivers, life, daily burden, sadness and happiness.
Moreover, travelers will spend the most pleasurable time taking a nap in the summer breeze, dreaming of a fairyland among tender river weaves. In addition, local specialties such as boiled corn and peanuts, fresh fruits, and a tasty grilled meat roll are always ready on board or at some piers along the way at any time.
Traveling without a tour guide is trendy for people who love wild nature and adventures. With many mysteries and nice surprises, sailing on rivers in Quang Nam Province will be a trip like no others.
Plateau of imposing limestone mountains
Plateau of imposing limestone mountains
Ranges of limestone mountains and hills move up and down along winding roads on Dong Van Plateau in northern Ha Giang Province, making this tableland a destination of original stone landscapes that capture the eyes of all nature lovers once they travel to the province.
Every year, a lot of local and foreign tourists travel by motorcycle and car through more than 460km of passes and curving roads from Hanoi to the plateau to see with their own eyes the imposing natural wonders at more than 1,000m above the sea level.
The Quan Ba Heaven Gate leads visitors to this plateau of magnificent wonders. There, winds, sunlight and fog have carved limestone mountains and hills into magnificent natural works and whatever shapes that visitors can imagine.
It is hard to describe the beauty and magnificence of the open world. Many visitors call it a painting featuring shy ethnic lasses nestled in their traditional costumes in the morning when it is shrouded by clouds of thick mist and then burly mountainous men with strong muscles when they are shined under the sunlight.
The painting looks more beautiful on clear days in summer and spring when ethnic people, especially women in their colorful costumes, climb on the mountains to do the farming. Wild flowers blossoming from stone cracks also add liveliness to the painting.
No one knows exactly when the limestone mountains and hills came into existence. Geologists say they must be hundreds of millions of years as they provide links and clues to the development of the earth's crust and keep geological heritage values.
There are caves and grottos under the limestone mountains, where geologists have discover astonishing landscapes and biodiversity. These factors are the reasons behind a plan to establish a geological park from 2007 till 2012 to restore natural heritages of the plateau covering Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Meo Vac and Dong Van districts in the province.
Dr. Vu Cao Minh of the Vietnam Institute of Geology says that the geological diversity and the restoration of stone sediments on the Dong Van Plateau will make this region a great destination for research, geological education and sightseeing.
Of course, the Dong Van Plateau attracts visitors near and far because it is home to not only ranges of mountains and hills but also streams, rivers and passes including Ma Pi Leng Pass located between Dong Van and Meo Vac in the northern province.
The 15km pass on the sides of magnificent mountain ranges runs along a certain section of the Nho Que River that weaves its way like a white silver ribbon through the limestone ravines.
A good time to visit the pass is from July to October, when the imposing views of mountains and rock walls shine under the blazing sunshine. This pass turns into a festive street in the early morning of Sundays when lines of Dao, H'Mong and people of other ethnic groups walk from all directions of the mountains down to the pass before heading for the colorful Dong Van Market on that day.
Ranges of limestone mountains and hills move up and down along winding roads on Dong Van Plateau in northern Ha Giang Province, making this tableland a destination of original stone landscapes that capture the eyes of all nature lovers once they travel to the province.
Every year, a lot of local and foreign tourists travel by motorcycle and car through more than 460km of passes and curving roads from Hanoi to the plateau to see with their own eyes the imposing natural wonders at more than 1,000m above the sea level.
The Quan Ba Heaven Gate leads visitors to this plateau of magnificent wonders. There, winds, sunlight and fog have carved limestone mountains and hills into magnificent natural works and whatever shapes that visitors can imagine.
It is hard to describe the beauty and magnificence of the open world. Many visitors call it a painting featuring shy ethnic lasses nestled in their traditional costumes in the morning when it is shrouded by clouds of thick mist and then burly mountainous men with strong muscles when they are shined under the sunlight.
The painting looks more beautiful on clear days in summer and spring when ethnic people, especially women in their colorful costumes, climb on the mountains to do the farming. Wild flowers blossoming from stone cracks also add liveliness to the painting.
No one knows exactly when the limestone mountains and hills came into existence. Geologists say they must be hundreds of millions of years as they provide links and clues to the development of the earth's crust and keep geological heritage values.
There are caves and grottos under the limestone mountains, where geologists have discover astonishing landscapes and biodiversity. These factors are the reasons behind a plan to establish a geological park from 2007 till 2012 to restore natural heritages of the plateau covering Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Meo Vac and Dong Van districts in the province.
Dr. Vu Cao Minh of the Vietnam Institute of Geology says that the geological diversity and the restoration of stone sediments on the Dong Van Plateau will make this region a great destination for research, geological education and sightseeing.
Of course, the Dong Van Plateau attracts visitors near and far because it is home to not only ranges of mountains and hills but also streams, rivers and passes including Ma Pi Leng Pass located between Dong Van and Meo Vac in the northern province.
The 15km pass on the sides of magnificent mountain ranges runs along a certain section of the Nho Que River that weaves its way like a white silver ribbon through the limestone ravines.
A good time to visit the pass is from July to October, when the imposing views of mountains and rock walls shine under the blazing sunshine. This pass turns into a festive street in the early morning of Sundays when lines of Dao, H'Mong and people of other ethnic groups walk from all directions of the mountains down to the pass before heading for the colorful Dong Van Market on that day.
O Quy Ho Pass
O Quy Ho Pass
O Quy Ho is a pass connecting two northern provinces of Lao Cai and Lai Chau, an area home to the magnificent Hoang Lien Range including the Indochina's roof of Mount Fansipan with the height of 3,414m. It is also known as Hoang Lien Pass, but travelers having a strong love for the northwest region prefer using the name O Quy Ho.
Xe om or motorbike taxi drivers often tell a story of a bird whose tormented song that sounds like o quy ho is attached to an inconclusive love affair. Step by step, the bird's voice O Quy Ho was used as the name for the wild mountain pass that is 2,000m above the sea level.
The pass is nearly 50km long encompassing two thirds of Lai Chau's Tam Duong District, and one third of Lao Cai's Sapa District. Tourists will have to cover a few kilometers from Hoang Lien National Park gate to come to the top of O Quy Ho Mountain considered the border between Lao Cal and Lai Chau.
Tourists will also have opportunities to enjoy imposing and impressive scenes of mountains and forests on the top of the Hoang Lien Mountain Range or even a view of mountains going up and down like fingers of a hand, and the Fansipan Peak of course.
In addition, the weather is one of the interesting features of the northwest nature. In winter, if it is warm at a side of Tam Duong, it is foggy and cloudy at the side of Sapa. On the contrary, in summer, if the side of Sapa has cool weather, it is sunny and dry at the side of Tam Duong.
In general, O Quy Ho in the afternoon always brings peace to tourists. Regardless of the beginning place, Binh Lu or Sapa, tourists themselves are taking part in a seesaw with the sun and enjoying colorful sunset behind the mountains on the horizon.
O Quy Ho is a pass connecting two northern provinces of Lao Cai and Lai Chau, an area home to the magnificent Hoang Lien Range including the Indochina's roof of Mount Fansipan with the height of 3,414m. It is also known as Hoang Lien Pass, but travelers having a strong love for the northwest region prefer using the name O Quy Ho.
Xe om or motorbike taxi drivers often tell a story of a bird whose tormented song that sounds like o quy ho is attached to an inconclusive love affair. Step by step, the bird's voice O Quy Ho was used as the name for the wild mountain pass that is 2,000m above the sea level.
The pass is nearly 50km long encompassing two thirds of Lai Chau's Tam Duong District, and one third of Lao Cai's Sapa District. Tourists will have to cover a few kilometers from Hoang Lien National Park gate to come to the top of O Quy Ho Mountain considered the border between Lao Cal and Lai Chau.
Tourists will also have opportunities to enjoy imposing and impressive scenes of mountains and forests on the top of the Hoang Lien Mountain Range or even a view of mountains going up and down like fingers of a hand, and the Fansipan Peak of course.
In addition, the weather is one of the interesting features of the northwest nature. In winter, if it is warm at a side of Tam Duong, it is foggy and cloudy at the side of Sapa. On the contrary, in summer, if the side of Sapa has cool weather, it is sunny and dry at the side of Tam Duong.
In general, O Quy Ho in the afternoon always brings peace to tourists. Regardless of the beginning place, Binh Lu or Sapa, tourists themselves are taking part in a seesaw with the sun and enjoying colorful sunset behind the mountains on the horizon.
Legendary sea on the mountain
Legendary sea on the mountain
Situated some 7km north of the center of Pleiku City, Bien Ho in Gia Lai Province, so named as the lake is as immense as ocean, is a nice destination for people who love both mountains and the vast of ocean.
Bien Ho, also known as To Nung or la Nueng Lake, indeed is an oval-shaped crater lake lying between a valley circled by thousands of green pine trees. The scenery there is so poetic that many artists usually compare the lake to the eye of Pleiku City or a turquoise of the Central Highlands.
Travelers to Bien Ho are often lost in admiration of the natural picture within their eyesight, like when standing before a giant water-color painting. They will feel comfortable in the cool air from pine forests surrounding the lake. They can enjoy themselves by floating on dug-outs on the wavy ever-blue lake. Besides, it is a nice pleasure to walk to fishing villages and hamlets around the great lake to learn more about their distinctive daily life.
Local residents call the lake Bien Ho because of its immensity of around 230ha and depth of 20-40m. Moreover, the legend has it that the water from the lake flows directly into the Eastern Sea through it unfathomable depth, and wood exploiters in the highlands only have to drop timber into the lake then catch them at the Quy Nhon Sea the following morning. Besides, legendary stories about the lake's names remain mysterious to tourists.
Elderly people of the Jrai tribe will tell tourists a sad story of their nice village named To Nung of the Jrai tribal group in the Central Highlands a long time ago. The great lake reminds them of a mild countryside with a beautiful spring murmuring down the hills. The water was so limpid and the wharf there was an ideal place for young people to date, sing together, and make promises of marriage under the moonlight.
One day, the highest mountain next to the village suddenly went up in flames, broke into pieces, and buried the village. Then, the lake was created from mourning tears of survivors for their beloved village and relatives, and they named the lake To Nung in commemoration of their peaceful homeland.
Nowadays, Bien Ho is both a water supply source for Pleiku City and a tourist attraction for local and international travelers. The lake can be reached by walking or riding motorbike from the city along the National Highway 19.
Situated some 7km north of the center of Pleiku City, Bien Ho in Gia Lai Province, so named as the lake is as immense as ocean, is a nice destination for people who love both mountains and the vast of ocean.
Bien Ho, also known as To Nung or la Nueng Lake, indeed is an oval-shaped crater lake lying between a valley circled by thousands of green pine trees. The scenery there is so poetic that many artists usually compare the lake to the eye of Pleiku City or a turquoise of the Central Highlands.
Travelers to Bien Ho are often lost in admiration of the natural picture within their eyesight, like when standing before a giant water-color painting. They will feel comfortable in the cool air from pine forests surrounding the lake. They can enjoy themselves by floating on dug-outs on the wavy ever-blue lake. Besides, it is a nice pleasure to walk to fishing villages and hamlets around the great lake to learn more about their distinctive daily life.
Local residents call the lake Bien Ho because of its immensity of around 230ha and depth of 20-40m. Moreover, the legend has it that the water from the lake flows directly into the Eastern Sea through it unfathomable depth, and wood exploiters in the highlands only have to drop timber into the lake then catch them at the Quy Nhon Sea the following morning. Besides, legendary stories about the lake's names remain mysterious to tourists.
Elderly people of the Jrai tribe will tell tourists a sad story of their nice village named To Nung of the Jrai tribal group in the Central Highlands a long time ago. The great lake reminds them of a mild countryside with a beautiful spring murmuring down the hills. The water was so limpid and the wharf there was an ideal place for young people to date, sing together, and make promises of marriage under the moonlight.
One day, the highest mountain next to the village suddenly went up in flames, broke into pieces, and buried the village. Then, the lake was created from mourning tears of survivors for their beloved village and relatives, and they named the lake To Nung in commemoration of their peaceful homeland.
Nowadays, Bien Ho is both a water supply source for Pleiku City and a tourist attraction for local and international travelers. The lake can be reached by walking or riding motorbike from the city along the National Highway 19.
Vinpearl with an underwater world
Vinpearl with an underwater world
The image of Vinpearl Underwater World is different from what was seen on the inauguration day in late January 2008. The country's largest aquarium exhibits a lot of fish species.
The aquarium is divided into two sections for a trip to watch 200 species of fish, many of them extremely rare and bought from foreign countries.
The exhibition area for weird and wonderful marine creatures is designed according to climate zones such as North Asia, South Asia and Amazon.
In the huge fish tanks are fish which you cannot find anywhere else. Moreover, you will be excited when you see scuba divers arranging corals in the tanks as well as weird snakes, turtles and geckos.
It is an exciting journey underwater to move some hundreds of meters down to the seabed. You can be really amazed by the magnificent wonders created by man, such as an escalator where you can watch the ocean and the glass dome bring you an experience in a tunnel.
On top of the dome, the sea seems to ripple and sparkle that making marine life more active. And also, at the bottom of the ocean are the wrecked ships that are home to fish.
The image of Vinpearl Underwater World is different from what was seen on the inauguration day in late January 2008. The country's largest aquarium exhibits a lot of fish species.
The aquarium is divided into two sections for a trip to watch 200 species of fish, many of them extremely rare and bought from foreign countries.
The exhibition area for weird and wonderful marine creatures is designed according to climate zones such as North Asia, South Asia and Amazon.
In the huge fish tanks are fish which you cannot find anywhere else. Moreover, you will be excited when you see scuba divers arranging corals in the tanks as well as weird snakes, turtles and geckos.
It is an exciting journey underwater to move some hundreds of meters down to the seabed. You can be really amazed by the magnificent wonders created by man, such as an escalator where you can watch the ocean and the glass dome bring you an experience in a tunnel.
On top of the dome, the sea seems to ripple and sparkle that making marine life more active. And also, at the bottom of the ocean are the wrecked ships that are home to fish.
Tay – a pristine beach in Khanh Hoa
Tay – a pristine beach in Khanh Hoa
Diving into the turquoise waters and lying leisurely jay on a quiet beach during the daytime and at night are what holidaymakers may think of in their summer vacations. Tay Beach in the central province of Khanh Hoa is a recommended destination.
As the white-sand beach is nestled in the Van Phong Bay, it is a hide-away for nature lovers to indulge themselves in tranquility and greenery. There, vacationers can relax on deck chairs underneath umbrellas along the beach to enjoy sea breezes and the soft sound of ripples lapping against the shore.
Kayaks are available on the beach for those who love to take pleasure in riding on the ripples and the blue waters of Van Phong, which is one of the few bays in the central region.
What makes Tay Beach different from others in central Vietnam is the Tay Stream that winds its way through lines of mangroves from the inland part of Lon Island and discharges its freshwater into the sea. The area at the stream mouth is shallow and flat so it is a good place for swimming.
When the sun is about to set behind the green islands of the bay, tents are set up and a barbecue party is ready. Fresh seafood caught in the bay is steamed, grilled, sauteed or cooked to order. Beer and wine are served on the beach to whet diners' appetite for more of activities at night.
There are four rooms and many tents for lease in Tay Beach Tourist Area at VND250,000 and VND60,000 each respectively. But tents might be the right choice for vacationers to spend overnight on the beach in the summer as it is the dry season and breezes and ripples will lead them to sweet dream.
To reach Tay Beach, vacationers should board a boat of Van Phong Travel Co. and go by many attractions of Van Phong Bay. The company offers a one-day tour around the bay at VND900,000.
The tourist area also prepares lunch and dinner for visitors, and charges at least VND50,000 per portion. The price of the barbecue party depends on how a party vacationers order and the price of seafood during the day.
Diving into the turquoise waters and lying leisurely jay on a quiet beach during the daytime and at night are what holidaymakers may think of in their summer vacations. Tay Beach in the central province of Khanh Hoa is a recommended destination.
As the white-sand beach is nestled in the Van Phong Bay, it is a hide-away for nature lovers to indulge themselves in tranquility and greenery. There, vacationers can relax on deck chairs underneath umbrellas along the beach to enjoy sea breezes and the soft sound of ripples lapping against the shore.
Kayaks are available on the beach for those who love to take pleasure in riding on the ripples and the blue waters of Van Phong, which is one of the few bays in the central region.
What makes Tay Beach different from others in central Vietnam is the Tay Stream that winds its way through lines of mangroves from the inland part of Lon Island and discharges its freshwater into the sea. The area at the stream mouth is shallow and flat so it is a good place for swimming.
When the sun is about to set behind the green islands of the bay, tents are set up and a barbecue party is ready. Fresh seafood caught in the bay is steamed, grilled, sauteed or cooked to order. Beer and wine are served on the beach to whet diners' appetite for more of activities at night.
There are four rooms and many tents for lease in Tay Beach Tourist Area at VND250,000 and VND60,000 each respectively. But tents might be the right choice for vacationers to spend overnight on the beach in the summer as it is the dry season and breezes and ripples will lead them to sweet dream.
To reach Tay Beach, vacationers should board a boat of Van Phong Travel Co. and go by many attractions of Van Phong Bay. The company offers a one-day tour around the bay at VND900,000.
The tourist area also prepares lunch and dinner for visitors, and charges at least VND50,000 per portion. The price of the barbecue party depends on how a party vacationers order and the price of seafood during the day.
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