Quang Ninh: Yen Tu landscape

Located in Thuong Yen Cong Commune, about 40 kilometers far from Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province, Yen Tu is a famous and nice mountain in Vietnam with clear streams as silk running around bamboo forests; green pine forests, and towers and ancient temples appear and disappear alternately

In addition, Yen Tu region is well-known worldwide for its beautiful landscapes, historical relics and hundreds of ancient pagodas and towers, especially Dong (Bronze) Pagoda, with its peak at 1,068 meters above sea level.

Yen Tu is a place where the King devoted his life as a Buddhist monk after his abdication. The event included various activities, including incense offering ceremony, a requiem praying for peace and prosperity in the country and the world and a seminar on Tran Nhan Tong and his cultural and ideological heritages. With great devotion to the development of the country, King Tran Nhan Tong is being proposed as a great man of culture.

Ecstatic banana grilled grease and onion

The sweetness of bananas with the greasiness of grease and onion will make you ecstatic when enjoying on rainy days.

Grease and onion grilled banana is one of the most unique dishes and special specialty of Mekong Delta people.

How to make?

First off, you peel banana, then grilling under medium heat to avoid burning so hot that lost of banana flavor. You have to grill banana carefully to avoid burning banana.

Cut a line to separate the body into two, dab a little grease and onion to be salty and sweet.

At first, you may feel strange to this flavor, but try again, you will surely love this flavor.

Translated by Nguyen Hao
Source:Ione

Ho Chi Minh city from above at night

Saigon the largest city in Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh City is the most dynamic city in Vietnam. It is featuring very westernized when the night fall. All the lights are on that would make Saigon more colorful & sparkling, especially in city center of district one

Ho Chi Minh city from above at night

Old tea trees & Red H'mong people in Suối Giàng

 

Red H'mong school girls in Suối Giàng

---

The girls are going home with gifts from Vietnamese
 volunteers. This shot was taken at the center
of  Suối Giàng commune. (Hai em nhỏ người
Mông Đỏtại trung tâm xã Suối Giàng.
Các em đi về nhà sau khi nhận
 được quà tặng của các tình nguyện viên người Việt)

This is Part 1 of my 7-day solo trip to 3 provinces (Yên Bái – Lai Châu – Lào Cai) in the North West of Vietnam by train, local bus and motorbike (from 15/7 to 21/7/2012). On Sunday afternoon (July 15) I got a slow train from Hanoi to Yên Bái city. The train ride takes 5 hours as it stops at many stations. It was so pleasant to see Hanoi and the countryside landscape from the train, although the train windows are fixed with metal screens. When I got to Yên Bái city, it was 6pm. I went to the center of the city, but then decided to go back to the railway station and stayed overnight in this area, as it was easier for me to get a bus next day and go to another destination.

On Monday morning (July 16) I took a mini bus and traveled to Nghĩa Lộ town along the Highway No. 32. On the way I got out of the mini bus at the Suối Giàng cross (70km away from Yên Bái city) and hired a local motorbike driver to take me to Suối Giàng commune (12km). The landscape along the way was so beautiful, as we were going up mountains and passing by corn fields and tea hills. 

Landscape on the way to Suối Giàng

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I am going by motorbike from Highway No. 32
to Suối Giàng (altitude 1400m).

Suối Giàng (altitude 1370m) is famous for the thousands of old tea trees which are some hundreds years old, as well as beautiful stone products. This commune is also home to the Red H’mong ethnic minority people (based on the red color of their dresses). The total tea area in Suối Giàng commune is 340ha and the Shan Tuyết tea is a famous brand name in Vietnam.

A little H'mong girl standing on tea tree

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I met this girl when she was standing by the
road watching her oxen and embroidering.
I presented her a gift after taking this photo.

When I got to the center of Suối Giàng commune, it was 9am. I spent time visiting three H’mong villages (Bản Mới, Bản Pang Cáng and Bản Giàng B). I met a H’mong boy and he invited me to visit his house. His wife also wore traditional dress of the Red H’mong people, so that I could take some photos. I saw many old tea trees along the way, but it was pity that it was not the right time for picking tea leaves. A local man told me they would pick tea leaves in 20 days. The tea trees are high enough for the H’mong people to climb up and stand on the branches.

I went back to the center of Suối Giàng commune and visited Mr. Xá’s house. In the garden there are 6-7 big tea trees which are 300 years old. He said there was a 400 year old tea tree, but it died recently, so he used its wood to make a chair. Mr. Xá invited me a cup of tea and answered my questions. Every two months the locals pick tea leaves and there are 3 main crops per year. The best tea is “Chè Tôm” which is sold at price of VND 1 million (about US$50) for a kg.

Skirts of Red H'mong women

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At a house in Pang Cáng village near
the center of Suối Giàng commune.

Landscape on the way to Suối Giàng

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It's so beautiful.

It was lunch time, but the motorbike driver and myself coulnd’t find any place to eat even a simple bowl of noodle soup, as the locals refused to provide the service. We ate bread instead, then moved on to Tập Lăng village of the H’mong people. The road was under construction and in bad condition, so I couldn’t reach the village. I decided that it was enough for me to see in Suối Giàng after 5 hours, so I went back to the cross, had lunch then hired another motorbike driver to take me to Nghĩa Lộ town (12km).

I could stay in Suối Giàng, but I didn’t feel comfortable to stay overnight at a local house and it seemed difficult to find food. Also, it is cold at night even in the summer time and I didn’t bring warm clothes with me (when I left Hanoi, it was 37oC, so hot and humid). Suối Giàng Hotel near the cross and Highway No. 32 looked quite boring, so I decided to move on 12km and stay overnight in Nghĩa Lộ town which is more exciting and completetely new to me. My next blog will be about Mù Cang Chải terraced rice paddy-fields which are also famous in Yên Bái province.
Travel tips: Suối Giàng is located 260km northwest of Hanoi. If you rent a 4-seater car with driver in Hanoi for going to Suối Giàng on a 2-day trip, you have to pay about US$150 (two way distance over 500km). If you wish to travel in a cheaper way same like I did, you can take a slow train (ticket US$3 – two trains every day, leaving Hanoi at 6am and 1pm), or go by fast train (night train – you will get to Yên Bái city at midnight), or by bus (US$5) to Yên Bái city (distance Hanoi – Yên Bái 181km). 

An old tea tree in Suối Giàng

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One of the old tea trees in Mr. Xá's garden.
It's about 300 years old.

There are guesthouses and restaurants outside the railway station. Then you get a bus to Nghĩa Lộ town (82km, ticket US$3). Tell driver you want to go to “Ngã ba Suối Giàng” (Suối Giàng cross - see photo No. 42). This cross is 70km away from Yên Bái city and 12km from Nghĩa Lộ town.

Traditional dress of Red H'mong people

---

When I was walking around Pang
Cáng village for taking photos, I
met a H'mong boy and he invited me
to visit his house. He also asked his wife
to wear traditional dress of Red H'mong
 people, so that I could take some
photos. They were so friendly to me.

Then you hire a local motorbike driver. I paid VND 250,000 (US$ 13) to my local driver for the whole service (going up and down to/from Suối Giàng and visiting 3 villages). Suối Giàng Hotel is located close to the cross. You can stay overnight in the center of Suối Giàng commune (home stay with the locals – no any guest house yet), or go back 12km and stay in Suối Giàng Hotel in Sơn Thịnh town (center of Văn Chấn district). Suối Giàng is still off the beaten path, but in the future it will be a popular tourist destination.

Other groups of H’mong ethnic minorty people in northern Vietnam:

Blue H’mong Mộc Châu highlands

White H’mong Hà Giang - Part 3 (Đồng Văn & Lũng Cú)

Flowery H’mong Bắc Hà Sunday market

Black H’mong Sapa market

Suối Giàng – Ngày 16/7/2012

Equipment for drying tea leaves
At a local house in Suối Giàng commune.

Blog này là Phần 1 của chuyến đi đến 3 tỉnh Yên Bái – Lai Châu – Lào Cai của vùng Tây Bắc mà tôi đã tự mình thực hiện trong vòng 7 ngày (từ 15/7 đến 21/7/2012) bằng tàu hỏa, xe buýt và xe máy. Chiều ngày 15/7, tôi đi chuyến tàu chậm từ Hà Nội đến Yên Bái. Tàu này dừng ở nhiều ga, nên mất đến tận 5 tiếng đồng hồ mới tới nơi, mặc dù khoảng cách từ Hà Nội đến Yên Bái chỉ là 181km. Thật dễ chịu khi được nhìn thấy Hà Nội và phong cảnh làng quê từ trên tàu, mặc dù cửa sổ của tàu hỏa đều lắp những tấm lưới. Khi tôi đến thành phố Yên Bái thì đã là 6 giờ tối. Tôi hoàn toàn không biết mình sẽ ở đâu, vì không có thông tin gì về những nơi tôi đến. Sau khi bị xe ôm cho đi lòng vòng từ ga xe lửa đến Km5 là trung tâm của thành phố Yên Bái (4km), tôi lại phải quay trở lại nhà ga xe lửa là nơi tôi vừa đến và bị lấy giá cao hơn gấp 3 lần giá đưa ra lúc ban đầu. Kinh nghiệm này có thể xảy ra ở bất cứ đâu, nên tôi đành tự an ủi là mình có cơ hội ngắm phố phường. Một điều thuận tiện khi ở ngay khu vực nhà ga là có nhiều hàng quán và ngày hôm sau tôi có thể dễ dàng bắt xe buýt đi Nghĩa Lộ.

Sáng thứ hai, ngày 16/7, xe buýt đi Nghĩa Lộ đậu ở ngay bên ngoài ga xe lửa, nên tôi đi chuyến xe 7 giờ sáng. Từ thành phố Yên Bái đi Nghĩa Lộ khoảng cách là 82km theo đường Quốc lộ 32 (Yên Bái – Lai Châu). Trên đường đi, tôi ra khỏi xe ở Ngã ba Suối Giàng (cách TP Yên Bái 70km và cách Nghĩa Lộ 12km). Tôi thuê xe ôm đi đến Suối Giàng (12km). Phong cảnh trên đường đi rất đẹp, vì chúng tôi đi dọc theo con đường lên núi và đi ngang qua những cánh đồng ngô và đồi chè. Suối Giàng nằm ở độ cao 1370m, khí hậu lạnh và mây mù vào mùa đông. Địa danh này nổi tiếng bởi sản phẩm chè Shan Tuyết. Toàn bộ vùng chè của xã Suối Giàng rộng hơn 340 ha với hàng ngàn cây chè tuyết cổ thụ hàng trăm năm tuổi. Ngoài ra, ở đây còn có các loại đá nhiều màu sắc rất đẹp và các bản làng của người Mông Đỏ (dựa theo màu sắc trang phục dân tộc).

Khi tôi đến trung tâm xã Suối Giàng thì mới là 9 giờ sáng. Tôi dành thời gian đến thăm ba bản của người dân tộc Mông là Bản Mới, Bản Pang Cáng và Bản Giàng B. Tại Bản Pang Cáng, tôi gặp một cậu thanh niên người Mông và cậu mới tôi vào nhà chơi. Vợ của cậu còn mặc cả trang phục dân tộc Mông để tôi chụp ảnh. Dọc đường đi đến các bản có rất nhiều cây chè cổ thụ với nhiều dáng vẻ khác nhau, có cây còn chụm lại tạo thành một chiếc cổng chào. Thật tiếc vì hôm nay không phải là ngày hái lá cây chè cổ thụ. Một người dân địa phương nói với tôi là phải 20 ngày nữa mới đến ngày hái lá chè. Các cây chè đủ cao để người Mông có thể leo lên và đứng trên các cành.

Tôi quay trở lại khu vực trung tâm xã Suối Giàng và đến thăm nhà anh Xá. Trong vườn nhà anh Xá có 6-7 cây chè cổ thụ đã 300 năm tuổi. Anh lái xe ôm hỏi anh Xá về cây chè 400 năm tuổi. Anh Xá nói là cây chè đã bị chết và chỉ cho chúng tôi chiếc ghế nhỏ đặt ở gần đó được làm từ chính gỗ của cây chè. Anh Xá mời chúng tôi uống nước chè và trả lời các câu hỏi của tôi. Cứ hai tháng nhà anh lại hái chè một lần. Một năm có 3 vụ chính. Loại chè ngon nhất là “Chè Tôm” được bán với giá 1 triệu đồng một cân.

Đến giờ ăn trưa, anh lái xe chở tôi đi khắp trung tâm xã Suối Giàng mà không tìm thấy một hàng ăn nào, mặc dù chúng tôi chỉ cần một bát mì tôm. Chúng tôi nhờ người dân nấu, nhưng họ có những lý do để từ chối. Chúng tôi đành ăn tạm bánh mì rồi đi tiếp đến thôn Tập Lăng của người Mông. Chúng tôi chỉ đi đến cuối đoạn đường bê tông, sau đó đến đoạn đường xấu vì đang thi công thì chúng tôi quay trở lại. Khu vực này chủ yếu toàn rừng cây và bản của người Mông ở rất xa. Sau 5 tiếng đồng hồ thăm Suối Giàng, tôi cảm thấy đã đủ, nên tôi quyết định quay trở lại Ngã ba Suối Giàng. Sau khi ăn trưa xong, tôi thuê xe ôm đi Nghĩa Lộ (12km). Tôi không ở lại qua đêm tại Suối Giàng, vì ở đây phải nghỉ ở nhà dân và nhờ họ nấu ăn hộ, nên tôi cảm thấy hơi bất tiện. Buổi tối ở đây dường như khá buồn và cũng khó tìm được đồ ăn. Tôi cũng không mang theo áo ấm, nên sợ là trời lạnh lúc về đêm (lúc tôi rời khỏi Hà Nội, nhiệt độ là 37oC và trời rất nóng). Khách sạn Suối Giàng ở gần Ngã ba Suối Giàng và Quốc lộ 32 trông cũng yên ắng và buồn tẻ, vì vậy nên tôi quyết
định đi đến thị xã Nghĩa Lộ, vì ở đây đông vui hơn và hoàn toàn mới mẻ đối với tôi.

Như vậy là tôi đã được đến thăm các vùng đất nơi những nhóm người dân tộc Mông sinh sống ở miền bắc Việt Nam, như Mông Xanh ở Sơn La, Mông Trắng ở Hà Giang, Mông Đỏ ở Yên Bái, Mông Đen ở Sapa và Mông Hoa ở Bắc Hà. Blog tiếp theo của tôi sẽ là về ruộng bậc thang Mù Cang Chải. Đây cũng là một địa danh nổi tiếng khác của tỉnh Yên Bái.

Các nhóm dân tộc Mông khác ở miền bắc Việt Nam:

Mông Xanh Mộc Châu highlands

Mông Trắng Hà Giang - Part 3 (Đồng Văn & Lũng Cú)

Mông Hoa Bắc Hà Sunday market

Mông Đen Sapa market

Ghi chú: Suối Giàng cách Hà Nội 260km về hướng Tây Bắc. Nếu bạn thuê xe ô tô 4 chỗ cùng lái xe đi thăm Suối Giàng trong vòng 2 ngày thì giá tiền thuê xe + chi phí cho lái xe mất gần 3 triệu đồng, vì khoảng cách là hơn 500km hai chiều. Cách đi rẻ nhất là bạn đi bằng tàu hỏa hoặc xe buýt từ Hà Nội
An old tea tree in Suối GiàngAn old tea tree in Suối Giàng
An old tea tree in Suối Giàng
đến Yên Bái (khoảng cách 181km). Mỗi ngày có hai chuyến tàu chậm Hà Nội – Yên Bái, khởi hành lúc 6 giờ sáng và 1 giờ chiều, giá vé là 58.000 đồng. Nếu đi tàu nhanh thì chỉ có loại tàu đêm và đến Yên Bái vào lúc nửa đêm. Nếu bạn đi xe buýt Mỹ Đình – Yên Bái thì giá vé là 100.000 đồng và đi mất 3 tiếng rưỡi. Như mọi người ở Yên Bái nói thì cứ cách 15 phút lại có một xe. Bên ngoài nhà ga xe lửa có nhiều nhà nghỉ và quán ăn. Nếu muốn ở trung tâm TP Yên Bái thì bạn đến Km5, ở đây cũng có nhá nghỉ, nhưng cách ga 4km.

Từ TP Yên Bái, bạn đi xe khách tuyến Nghĩa Lộ (82km, giá vé 60.000đồng) theo Quốc lộ 32 (Yên Bái – Lai Châu). Tuy nhiên, đến Ngã ba Suối Giàng (cách Yên Bái 70km và cách Nghĩa Lộ 12km, xem ảnh số 42) thì bạn ra khỏi xe và thuê xe ôm. Giá trọn gói mà tôi thuê xe ôm đi lên Suối Giàng, thăm 3 bản rồi quay về Ngã ba Suối Giàng là 250.000 đồng, đi trong vòng 5 tiếng là đủ. Tại Suối Giàng không thấy có nhà nghỉ. Bạn phải ở nhờ nhà dân và nhờ họ nấu ăn. Bạn cũng có thể nghỉ qua đêm tại Khách sạn Suối Giàng ngay sát Ngã ba Suối Giàng và cũng là thị trấn Sơn Thịnh - trung tâm của huyện Văn Chấn.

Hanoi_girl

Source:travelblog.org

Nation pays tribute to fallen war heroes

Vietnamese leaders and youngsters are showing great gratitude towards fallen war combatants on the 66^th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27). 

A requiem for heroic martyrs who scarified their lives in the south took place in Ho Chi Minh City’s outlying district of Cu Chi on July 26.

Deputy Foreign Minister and Head of the Foreign Ministry’s State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs Nguyen Thanh Son said the event is a tribute that the Party, State and people give to those who rendered their services to the nation.

Soc Trang

Soc Trang Province of Vietnam is located deep in the Mekong Delta. Soc Trang is bordered to the north and north-east by the Hau River (lower Mekong River) and Tra Vinh Province, to the north by Can Tho Province, to the north-west by Hau Giang Province, to the west and south-west by Bac Lieu Province, and to the south by the East Vietnam Sea.

Soc Trang lies at the end of the Hau River basin belonging to the Mekong River delta and praised as the land of festivities in Nam Bo, Viet Nam.

Nationalities Khmer

The cultural activities’features in Soc Trang are the deep character of the three nationalities Kinh-Khmer-Chinese. The whole province has 89 Khmer pagodas and 47 Chinese pagodas, among them Doi, Dat Set and Kh’leang are well-known pagodas.

"Dat Set "Pagodas

Every year, crowds of pilgirims come here to attend the celebrations and visit the local scenery. The Ok Om Bok festivity of Khmer people, organized on 15/10 of lunar calendar is considered as one of the 15 principal festivities of the whole country. The organisers place a big tray of food on the yard of the pagodas to express thank to the Moon for having given a good harvest and welfare. Paper lamps are then released into the sky, and rakts made of banane tree trunk, decorated with flowers and carrying offerings are floated on the river. Most ebullient is the Ngo junk race. At the Khmer cultural museum and Soc Trang Party province committee base are displayed many objects and imprints of the past long and fierce war against the French and Americans.

Doi Pagodas

For ecological tourism, Soc Trang ia famous for its large orchards on My Phuoc Isle and Vinh Chau mainland. The Thanh Tri stork garden with tens of thousands of white storks living amind natural ponds and lakes is also an interesting point of green tourism to watch the birds’activities.

The Ngo Rank Race

The pristine beauty of Mui Dien (Dien Cape)

Mui Dien (Dien Cape), also called Dai Lanh cape, is an attractive tourist destination. This spot contains a great value of natural landscape, history and culture. Mui Dien (Dien Cape) makes a wonderful landscape where the dawn is first seen daily, ideal for discovery.

There are 17 historical-cultural relics and landscapes that have potential for tourism development, Dai Lanh Cape for example.

Located in Phuoc Tan village, Hoa Tam commune, Dong Hoa district, Phu Yen province, this famous land has existed many different names, such as Mui Dien, Dai Lanh Cape, Ke Ga Cape or Cap Varella through many years. Mui Dien is a part of  Truong Son mountain range overlooking the sea.

In particular, this place not only looks like a mountain and but also an island because there is the stream separating mountain from the land. However, it is really a land.

Mon beach, situated at the mountain foot of Mui Dien, is an attractive place with the stretch of white sand. Coming here, you will have the opportunity to be immersed in blue water at Bai Mon. Many tourists said that the most ravishing thing here is the sunrise is first seen. In addition to exotic beaches, there is also the natural ecosystem of the mainland adjacent to the sea, it is good for tourism development.

After sightseeing and relaxation at Bai Mon- Mui Dien, visitors can also admire two other national monuments of Da Bia Mountain and Vung Ro beach with many exotic beaches that have enough condition to boost various form of tourism such as resorts, sports, hiking, sightseeing, the study of marine and forest ecosystem. This land also has been associated with many historic legends of the locals, and currently is a fascinating tourist destination of Phu Yen province.

Apart from the historical significance, the attractions of Mui Dien Cape, Bai Mon beach, Vung Ro are the ideal destination, attracting many tourists all around the country.  In the journey, let’s first take a stroll along the rock road curving the mountainside to set foot on Mui Dien. After then, you can reach the lighthouse and from here, you can see the blue color of water sea in distance. If you stay overnight, there is not unattractive something when you have the chance to watch the sun rise firstly of a new day.

Coming Mui Dien, you can bring food, drinks. Remember that you should not forget to prepare the warm clothes to stay the night. In the evening, visitors will be relaxing by enjoying grilled fish (freshly-caught), listening to tales and stories of the light-house watchmen.

Mui Dien is shimmering and mysterious at night, I am sure that you will have very fascinating experiences here.

Translated by Nguyen Hao
Source: Thethaodulich

Old maps on Vietnam’s island sovereignty displayed

Eighteen maps, including four ancient ones, affirming Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos, are on display at an exhibition in Dong Nai province. 

The old maps include “An Nam dai quoc hoa do” (Map of the Great Country of An Nam) published in 1838, “Dai Nam thong nhat toan do” (Complete Map of Unified Dai Nam) published during the Minh Mang reign in 1834, and a 1904 map of Indochinese weather stations.
There is also a Chinese administrative map of provincial boundaries published under the Qing dynasty in 1904. The map shows that the southernmost point of China at that time ended at Hainan Island.

Additionally, the exhibition introduced over 100 photos featuring the two archipelagos as well as Dong Nai’s activities towards national seas and islands.

The exhibition is opening its doors to visitors from March 22 to April 30 at Tran Bien Temple of Literature.

Within the framework of the event, there will be a wide range of activities, including a film making contest on Vietnam’s seas and islands.

VNA/VOV online

Visiting Sen Village - President Ho Chi Minh’s Homeland

Annually, thousands of tourists in Vietnam travel visit Sen Village or Kim Lien Village in Nghe An not only to know more about childhood and lives of the late president Ho Chi Minh, but also to express their respect to the mighty father of Vietnamese race. 

Just 45km from the central city of Vinh, Sen village is located in Kim Lien commune, Nam Dan district, Nghe An province. The village is the birthplace of the late president Ho Chi Minh.

Like other normal rural villages in Vietnam, Sen village, also called Kim Lien village, is quite tranquil, peaceful and poetic with green bamboo, public well, temple' ground where festivals or crucial occasions of the village taking place.

Sen Village- Nghe An

Travelers in Vietnam tourism come to this village mostly to visit the house where Uncle Ho has grown up before he traveled abroad the find the way to rescue Vietnam from colonization. The house was built by donation and effort of local residents in 1901 to celebrate high result in national examination of Uncle Ho's father Nguyen Sinh Sac. It has been preserved with almost original structure and design, with all simple objects of a Confucianism family like traditional brushes or ink boxes, and popular items that can be seen in any house in rural area such as bamboo mat, trays or rice mortar. Around the house is a lush garden with numerous green plants, including many souvenir trees grown by guests who have visited this place.

Sen village was recognised as one of the national cultural historical relics by the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) in 1979.

Kim Lien relic complex in Sen village

Incense offering at the Ho Chi Minh Memorial House

The banyan tree and the playground where uncle Ho met villagers during his visits to
 his native place in 1957 and 1961

Coc well

The hibiscus hedge

A garden in front of Nguyen Sinh Sac’s thatched cottage

The board of honour granted by King Thanh Thai to Nguyen Sinh Sac in 1901
 when he graduated as the second best examinee

Hà Tiên town - Hòn Tre island - Rạch Giá city

Xe lôi rickshaw in Hà Tiên town

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This rickshaw can be seen in some towns of the Mekong Delta.

14 to 16 February 2013 - This is Part 1 of my 6-day solo trip in the Mekong Delta from 14 to 19 February 2013. On this trip I traveled by local bus and motorbike. I have been to the Mekong Delta many times in the past, however there were some new places I wished to see. After I celebrated the New Year’s Eve (Tết) with my family in Sài Gòn and made a short trip to Phnom Penh, I took a bus to Hà Tiên. This town is located 342km southwest of Sài Gòn and only 7km from the Vietnam – Cambodia international border crossing. It is also famous for beaches and beautiful landscape. I left my passport in Sài Gòn, so it was pity I couldn’t make a trip to Kep, Kampot and Sihanoukville, but I will do this route next time if I go back.

Clock tower in the center of Hà Tiên
 town
This tower has 4 sided clocks.
It's located in the center of the town
and close to the Hà Tiên market.

It took me 9 hours to travel 342km by bus and there was a ferry across the Mekong river. When the bus came along the coastline, a local girl sitting next to me pointed toward an island far away named “Hòn Tre” and she said she is living there. The island also has another name “Hải Tặc” which means “Pirates” because there were pirates in the old days. I decided that I would visit the island next day by local boat. Hà Tiên town is more touristy than I expected. Many southern Vietnamese tourists came to the town during the new year holiday. I also saw some western tourists who got there from Cambodia. There are a lot of street side restaurants around the market area, so it was a good chance to enjoy some local food.

Next day I got a local boat to Hòn Tre island. The boat was quite old but it could carry over one hundred people. The boat ride took one hour and five minutes. As there are no guesthouses, restaurants nor electricity on the island, I decided to make a short visit then go back to the mainland on the same day. Other people go there for swimming at a beach and fishing. During my short visit to the island, I hired a local motorbike taxi driver to show me around the place. We went along the only main road and saw everything for 15 minutes. It’s a small island where about 500 people are living.

Vietnamese cuisine comes closer to the world

2012 marks a year in which Vietnamese cuisine has been widely introduced to the world, after a number of local street foods have been ranked on lists of the world’s best foods and visually-impaired home cook Christine Ha, of Vietnamese origin, was crowned US MasterChef of season 3.

In January, Ho Chi Minh City was ranked among the world’s top ten cities for street food by the US’s monthly culinary magazine Food & Wine.

“Saigon's street foods range from the savory soup known as pho and the French colonial–influenced banh mi (pâté sandwiches on French bread) to regional southern specialties like banh xeo (stuffed pancakes),” the magazine wrote on its website foodandwine.com.

Banh xeo 

The other cities are Austin, Los Angeles and Chicago in America, Bangkok in Thailand, Berlin in Germany, Istanbul in Turkey, Mexico City in Mexico, Hong Kong and Marrakech in Morocco.

Two months later, CNN Go, CNN’s travel website, published its top ten list that saw Hanoi as one of Asia's most impressive cities catering to street food lovers.

According to the site, Hanoii is also a street-eater's paradise, with a plethora of options for those who want to eat like a local. “In fact, many swear that the best food in Hanoi is found on the sidewalk, with dishes that often feature fish sauce, lemongrass, chilies, and cilantro and other fresh herbs,” it writes.

Other places mentioned on the site include Penang of Malaysia, Seoul of South Korea, Bangkok of Thailand, Fukuoka of Japan, Taipei of Taiwan, Singapore, Manila of Philippines, Phnom Penh of Cambodia and Xian of China.

Furthermore, in June famous travel guide book company Lonely Planet listed Vietnamese banh mi as one of the most lip-smacking street foods in the world.

“As you cruise the elegant French colonial vestiges of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), stop off at a streetside stall for the Vietnamese take on its former colonisers’ simple salad sandwich – heavenly banh mi is a piece of history wrapped in a baguette,” the book writes in an introduction to banh mi.

Banh mi

Other dishes to make the cut were chouriços from India, kushari from Egypt, dosas from America, and arepas from Colombia.

The most recent recognition of Vietnamese street food went to HCMC, again. In July, the city was ranked among the world’s top ten cities for street food in a list compiled by travel website VirtualTourist.com. It was also recommended in Reuters’ Travel Picks column.

“Vietnamese cuisine has received some major street cred in recent memory (Anthony Bourdain's praise comes to mind), and a quick visit to Ho Chi Minh City's Ben Thanh or Binh Tay Markets explains why,” the travel site said of Vietnamese food.

In their recommendation of street food in the city, the site mentions famous dishes including pho, banh mi, bo la lot (seasoned beef in a leaf), spring rolls and com tam (cooked broken rice with a fried egg on top), and also offers an explanation of fish sauce.

Other cities in the list include Bangkok, Singapore, Penang, Marrakech, Palermo, Istanbul, Mexico City, Brussels and Ambergris Caye.

In addition, the news that Christine Ha, a visually-impaired American woman of Vietnamese origin won Gordon Ramsay’s US MasterChef in September has also excited local fans, as well as people who love Vietnamese cuisine.

At the qualifying round, Ha stunned the show’s jury and audiences with the Vietnamese dish ca kho to (catfish braised in a clay pot with caramel, coconut juice, garlic, and fish sauce, served with pickled vegetables and rice). While other chefs spotted and grabbed the ingredients they needed, Ha smelled and tasted them, all while introducing traditional Vietnamese dishes to the judges and viewers.

The 33-year-old woman then continued to beat out 30,000 contestants to advance into the finale of the show, where she reached her victory after competing with 24-year-old Josh Marks. Christine finally won the title of MasterChef, a cookbook deal and a US$250,000 grand prize.

Source:Tuoitrenews

Ba Be lake - The Great Lake in the misterious north of Vietnam.

Ba Be is Vietnam's largest natural lake and is now the centrepiece of an extensive National Park. The park and the surrounding area is limestone country, so lakes, waterfalls, caves and unusual rock formations abound. The whole area is richly forested and home to many ethnic minority communities.

Source: http://www.vietnamtourism.org.vn

Paying a visit to Saint Giong Temple

Saint Giong Temple, also called Soc Son Temple, is located in Soc Son District of Hanoi, 40km from the city center.

Soc Son Temple is o­ne of the oldest and most holy sites in Vietnam. Coming here, visitors will hace a chance to be far from the bustle of Hanoi. The temple is built at the foot of the Horse Mountain which was believed to be the place where Saint Giong stopped for a rest after fighting off the invaders restoring peace to Vietnam...

Soc Son Temple is surrounded by mountains: Mt. Cao Tung to the South, Mt. Cấm to the East, Mt. Cổ Ngựa to the West, and the Mt. Rứa and a piece of flat land to the Southeast. In the ancient past, these mounts were covered with thick forests. The area is also bathed by two rivers: one following from the North-West to the South-East, the other from the West to the South.

According to the legend, After defeating the Ân invaders, hero Dóng galloped to the top of Mt. Sóc, then hanged his suit of armor on a scandal-wood tree, and vanished into the sky with his iron horse.

In commemoration of the event, a festival is held every year in Sóc Sơn Temple, involving festivity, the Mộc Dục ceremony, the Bamboo flowers procession, the Elephant procession, the Betel plant procession, the Paper boat rituals, and the beheading of the enemy commander.

Nowadays, visitors can walk among these temples, pray to Thanh Giong and generally soak up the ambience of the area. Anywhere at the foot of the mountain makes a great picnic spot, but those feeling a bit more athletic can climb the steps to the top of the mountain.

During Tet, Soc Son also hosts o­ne of the country’s biggest festivals. o­n the sixth, seventh and eighth days of the Lunar New Year, it becomes an explosion of colour, religion and tradition. Big crowds, processions and even an amusement park for kids appear as if from nowhere. At other times of the year, guests tend to be in the form of school trips bused in from Hanoi. They climb the mountain, are taught the religious and mythological significance of the place, recount their achievements for the year, make resolutions and even listen to Vina-house while playing tug-of-war. Other visitors are worshippers, daytrippers and the occasional foreigner.

Compiked by Nguyen Hao

Phu Yen

Phu Yen is naturally endowed with a nearly 200km coastline and a great many gulfs, lagoons, beaches and islets. The province also has rivers, mountains, lakes, hot spa areas and valuable tangible and intangible cultural heritage sites. These are ideal conditions for the province’s tourism industry to take off. Coming to the province, visitors will have a chance to get close to nature and discover the distinctive culture of the people of Phu Yen.

Phu Yen is a coastal province in southern Central Vietnam, located in the area of 12042’36” to 13042’28” degrees North and 108040’40” to 109027’47” degrees East, facing Binh Dinh province in the North, Khanh hoa province in the south, Daklak and Gia Lai provinces in the west and the South China Sea in the east.

Phu Yen has the natural area of 5,045 km2, a population of 817.200 (in 2001). Its terrain can be divided into two major parts: the western part is the area of mountains and highland plains, the eastern part is the plain and coastal area. The climate is affected by the hot and humid tropical monsoon, with two clear-cut seasons: the rainy and the dry, the average temperature is about 27 degrees Centigrade. Forests take up two-third of the province’s total area.

Phu Yen coastline is 189 kilometres long, many mountain ranges extending near to the sea have created a lot of lagoons, bays with picturesque backdrops like Cu Mong lagoon, Xuan Dai bay, Vung Lam bay (Song Cau district); OLoan lagoon, Da Dia reef (Tuy An district); Vung Ro bay (Tuy Hoa district), there are many small islands near the seashore such as the islands of Nhat Tu Son, Hon Chua, Hon Lao Mai Nha, Hon Dua, Hon Nua . . . especially Mui Dien cape (Dai Lanh cape), with the Light-house, the point of land in the extreme east of the Vietnam’s mainland. Along the coastline, there are many beautiful, isolated and pure beaches such as the beaches of Bai Tien, Bai Xep, Bai Nom, Bai Bang, Bai Tu Nham, Long Thuy; there are many famous rocky reefs like: Da Dia (Rocky Dish) Reef, Ganh Do (Red) Reef, Ganh Dua (Watermelon) Reef, Ganh Yen (Birdnest) Reef.

The natural potential of the sea and islands together with the highland’s mountains and forests and plains will create many great opportunities to develop the ecological tourism in Phu Yen. The Krong Trai Natural Reserve with with an abundant ecosystem of animals and plants , the North Deo Ca Restricted Forest connecting to Da Bia mountain at the elevation of 706 metres and Vung Ro bay is the seaport of the Numberless Ships in the Vietnam War against the U.S imperialists which has now become the National Level Historic Vestige. The Reservoirs of Song Hinh and future Song Ba Ha Hydro-Power Plants with the deep forests and mountains around them will be ideal ecological tourist places. The mines of mineral water in Phu Sen belonging to Phu Hoa district; Triem Duc and Tra O belonging to Dong Xuan district can be invested into relaxation, medical baths services for local people and tourists.

The advantages of forests and sea have supplied to Phu Yen a rather abundant source of foods, special dishes like tuna fish (a favourate dish of many Asian countries), shrimps stewed in coconut juice, O Loan bloody shells, Song Cau jumping oysters, Huynh De crabs, Cu Mong Lagoon crabs, Song Cau grilled chicken, Son Hoa dried beef, goby fish boiled with fishsauce in clay-jars, bass fish salads, Tuy An Hemiculter Leucisculus fish salads . . .

Beside the diverse, distinguished natural resources, Phu Yen also has an old aged history and a rich source of human literature of traditional cultural values, distinct features of culural activities of a community consisting nearly 30 ethnic tribes: Viet, Bana, Ede, Cham H’roi, Tay, Nung, Dao, Hoa, Hre, Mnong, Raglai . . . animatedly manifested through festivals and ceremonies: fish – praying ceremonies, O Loan Lagoon Boat-racing festivals by the coastal inhabitants, the buffalo – piercing festivals, grave-leaving ceremony, the new-rice celebrations . . . by the mountainous ethnic minorities and many origional ethnic musical instruments like stone musical instruments, stone bugles, “goong” musical instruments, double drums, goongs, flutes . . . and many relics of history, culture, architecture, beautyspots in which there are 10 relics classified as National Level which is a valuable resource for tourist activities.

Phu Yen is located on the National Highway 1A and the North – South Railroad, with the National Road N025, the Inter-provincial Road DT 645 connecting Phu Yen to the Highland provinces, The National Highway connecting Qui Nhon city and Song Cau district, with Tuy Hoa airport and Vung Ro seaport located adjacent to the General Tourist Resort of Van Phong – Dai Lanh. Those are the favourable conditions to invest and develop Phu Yen Tourism belonging to the Tourist Route of Central Vietnam and the southern Central Vietnam linking to Highlands.

Source: phuyentourism.gov.vn

Rare plants make Hoang Lien National Park attractive to visitors

Hoang Lien National Park is very attractive to tourists for its rare and special plants, including many kinds of flowers

The park also includes Fansipan Mountain, with a height of 3,142 metres.
The park was recoganised as the ASEAN Heritage Garden in 2006. It stretches over Than Uyen and Phong Tho districts of Lai Chau Province and Sapa District of Lao Cai Province.
The park is home to 2,024 types of plants, including 66 listed in the Vietnam Red Data Book and 32 types of rare plants and 11 that are facing the risk of extinction.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to climb Fansipan Mountain and O Quy Ho Pass, as well as explore local ethnic minority people’s culture.
Hoang Lien National Park was also ranked Grade A, the highest level, for biodiversity in Vietnam by the Global Environment Fund.

Plants grow at heights of 2,500 metres

 

Rhododendron or Do Quyen flower

 

Chestnut flower

 

 

 

Trees at 2,000 metres

 

Field mushrooms

 

A 100-year old oak tree growing at 2,200 metres 

 

 

Wild flowers

 

 

Only bamboo exists past the height of 2,500 metres

 

Do Quyen flowers can also exist at the height of more than 3,000 metres

Source:Dantri