Vietnamese family and its traditional values

In the past, following the extended multi-generational pattern was the tradition of the Vietnamese household. Many generations consisting of the parents, theirs sons, their wives, their children and unwed siblings usually lived under the same roof. Contacting among the family’s members was maintained frequently and this constant closeness to family was emphasized from childhood and continued to be important to Vietnamese throughout their lifetime (Lynell). 

Traditional values of Vietnamese lifestyle were deeply affected by Confucian ethics. During thousand years the Chinese invaded and maintained control Vietnam, Vietnamese culture was permeated by their Confucian philosophical beliefs. This philosophy based for the existence of and extended family structure through 2,000 years of Vietnamese history (Lam). It was believed that: ..."in order to achieve human perfection, one must follow the established codes of behavior of Confucianism which include reverence for ancestors and respect for elders...The importance is not upon the individual's accomplishments but upon his duty to family and society" (Muzny).

In the past, following the extended multi-generational pattern was the tradition of the Vietnamese household. Many generations consisting of the parents, theirs sons, their wives, their children and unwed siblings usually lived under the same roof. Contacting among the family’s members was maintained frequently and this constant closeness to family was emphasized from childhood and continued to be important to Vietnamese throughout their lifetime (Lynell).

"Most Vietnamese placed more emphasis on their roles, privileges and obligations within this group than on their own individual desires"(Muzny). In this extended family, the most important expectation was respect for the elders. The family decisions were made by the parents and grandparents. The traditional Vietnamese worshipped ancestors as a source of their lives, fortunes, and civilization. The spirits were honored on various holidays and the anniversary of their death (Tran).

For centuries in Vietnam, traditional family values were accomplished by the fulfillment of traditional roles: the role of man and woman as parents. Vietnamese valued their traditional ideal of male superiority. Since the highest status in Vietnamese families is given to the man (father), he had absolute authority in the household. His position as provider for the family was unchallenged. Because he provided the main source of income for the household, he was never expected to work in the kitchen or to cook. After work he returned home and relaxed. As a head of household he had the final decision in all matters, although he might consult his wife or children. In her report, Phung cited that the father, however, had the duty to exercise restraint and wisdom in running his family in order to deserve his respected position. Having a boy in family was a "must" because the eldest son would assume the duties of his father when he died. A family which had no son to continue the process was superstitiously thought to have disappeared forever.

In a patriarchal society, Vietnamese woman had limited rights and took a secondary place in family. Women were brought up according to a strict discipline, and have been traditionally less educated than men. They usually do not enter the job market outside the home. "Girls from birth were at a disadvantage". Daughter is not considered necessary in heritage. According to Lam, Vietnamese traditional viewpoint was "If you have a son, you can say you have a descendent. But you cannot say so even if you have ten daughters".

After marriage, woman became housewife and mother. She was expected to be dependent upon her husband, budgeted his income for the household, took care of children and even grandchildren, performed all household tasks. According to Muzny, divorce was legal but not common. A wife can be unhappy in her marriage; but rather than accepts divorce, the family encouraged her to sacrifice and to endure the difficulties of the marriage for the sake of her children.

Parental role in family was to define the law. Obedience and respect were the traditional virtues which Vietnamese children were taught to exhibit in the family. Discipline and physical punishment were acceptable remedies for disobedience in the Vietnamese tradition. "Harsh discipline and beatings did not constitute abuse of a child, but its reverse: loving care, concern and attention" (Breeman). When parents grew old, children were expected to take care of them to compensate for the gift of birth and upbringing. The elderly (parents) were supported by married or unmarried children until they die (John).

"Boys and girls are not free to do what they want. Girls are under strict supervision" (John). Western style courtship and romance were seen as inappropriate for unmarried children. "Virginity is cherished. Pregnancy out of wedlock is uncommon, and it is a grave disgrace to the family" (Muzny). For their children's marriage, parents generally made decision because they could judge better. Vietnamese parents had a high regard for education. It was considered a way for family advancement. Parents encouraged their children to study and excel in their education. Vietnamese placed a higher value on education rather than on material success. In brief, "Depending upon the family for financial support, requesting permissions for expenditures, and having parents make decisions for them characterized the traditional Vietnamese child" .

Hiking adventures on Cát Bà Island

“Here’s the trail,” our guide said. He pointed up – at what appeared to be a sheer rock wall.

Most people come to Cát Bà Island as part of a two-day cruise on Ha Long Bay. They generally view the island as little more than a rest stop before the long drive back to Hanoi.

But there’s far more to Cát Bà than the port town. Staying at the Cát Bà Eco-Lodge, 13 kilometres inland, my friends and I got to explore an impressive landscape where there are seemingly more rice paddies than tourists.

We arrived at the lodge in the late afternoon, as the wind swept through the mountains and the sky was stained the deep gray of approaching night. It was too late to go on an ambitious hike, so we opted for the “Waterfall Hike,” which was described as a picturesque 30-minute walk to see a nearby waterfall.

The man behind the front desk looked enthusiastic about our choice. Then he brought us to the rock wall.

We contemplated the wall for a minute before our guide, clearly impatient with our postponement, began to scramble up.

“Come on!” he called, already perched on a high ledge.

It was obvious that no one had gone on the “Waterfall Hike” for quite some time. The rocks were overgrown with leaves and tangled branches. My hair caught in a thorn, and I crouched awkwardly on a ledge to untangle it.

“How much farther?” one of my friends asked.

“Maybe twenty minutes,” our guide said. He was climbing down now, as rapidly as he had come up. “See you later!”

We continued climbing up the jagged wall for a few minutes before we admitted defeat. There was no waterfall in sight, only rocks and more rocks and leaf cover that got thicker the higher we climbed.

We exchanged glances. Then one of us said what we were all thinking: “Maybe an easier walk would be better.”

After picking our way down the rock wall, we headed along a narrow path into the hills. With the shadows of mountains on both sides, we were surrounded by mist. The cool breeze blew all around us. Darkness was falling, but we managed to snap a few pictures before night arrived.

Then it was time to head back to the lodge, where we ordered a barbecue dinner. It was a bit of a splurge at $15, but well worth it for the hearty plates of ribs, chicken drumsticks and charred squid.

Most of the food served at the lodge travels less than two miles to get there – one of the main reasons that we chose this hotel. Not only is the eco-lodge situated in an ideal spot for trekking through this remote area; it also emphasizes sustainability. This means that trash is recycled and composted, the buildings are built with natural materials and local people help run the business.

Sustainable hotels like the Eco-Lodge can play an important role in the country’s tourism development. But sadly, too many tourists are unaware that these hotels exist – or don’t realize why they are important. Journeying back to Hanoi, we stopped in the island’s port town to get on the bus, where we encountered flocks of tourists who had never left the main street.

“There really isn’t much to Cát Bà,” one of them said. Little did they know.

by Elisabeth Rosen

"Xíu Báo" Cake - strange and intriguing dish in Nam Dinh

“Xíu báo” (or “Xíu páo”) is one of Chinese delicious and rustic dishes that you can try to enjoy in Nam Dinh province, Vietnam

Along with many delicious and strange dishes like stuffed sticky rice balls, “chí mà phù” (a kind of sweet gruel cooked with black sesame), “lục tàu xá” (a kind of sweet gruel cooked with green bean)…, “Xíu báo” is beloved by everybody.

Nobody knows when “Xíu báo” came to people in Nam Dinh, they just know that cake was sold on Chinese street and it has existed until now.

It was created thanks to the source of inspiration of steamed wheat flour cake and mid-autumn cake. Therefore many people said that the crust of “xíu báo” is like mid-autumn cake’s crust and its stuffing is like steamed wheat flour cake’s stuffing.

The stuffing of “Xíu báo” is made from griskin mixed with minced garlic, oyster sauce, honey and spices. The stuffing is fried until it turns dark red. Then it is cut into small pieces and mixed with wood ears, lard and a half of a boiled egg. In a “Xíu báo” cake, there is ¼ or ½ of a boild egg. It is up to the price.
 

Enjoying the cake, you will be attracted by the good smell and taste. The crust is aromatic and soft, the stuffing is greasy with the flavour of pork, pepper. All of ingredients make a different taste - you can feel spicy taste, sweet taste and salted taste in a cake.

There are many kind of "Xíu báo" sold in Nam Dinh province, especially in traditional bakeries on Hoang Van Thu street, Hang Sat....

Source:Travel.org.vn

Hà Giang - Part 2 (Phố Cáo & Sủng Là)

A typical house of H'mong people in Sủng Là
The house has special walls which are made from
 soil & mixed with straw, about 40-60cm in thickness
 (Nhà trình tường của người Mông ở Sủng Là -
 Tường đất trộn rơm)

Afternoon 15 April 2012 – Day 2 of the 5 day trip to Hà Giang (the northern most province of Vietnam). After lunch in Yên Minh, we traveled 14km to Phố Cáo. Both Phố Cáo and Sủng Là communes, which we were going to visit, have preserved typical architecture and traditional culture of the white H’mong in Hà Giang. The population of Hà Giang province is 800,000 people, of which 21.3% are H’mong ethnic minority people. They are called “white H’mong” because H’mong women wear white skirts. If you have traveled to the North West of Vietnam, you may have seen different branches of H’mong group, for example, black H’mong in Sapa, flowery H’mong in Bắc Hà, blue H’mong in Sơn La, and red H’mong in Suối Giàng. Now you will see another branch of H’mong which is white H’mong in Hà Giang.

A girl in traditional dress of
 Lô Lô ethnic group
In Sủng Là we visited a village of the
Lô Lô ethnic minority group. The girl
was wearing traditional dress of
 her group for us to take photos.

However, most of the H’mong women often wear different colors as you see photos in this blog and they only wear traditional white skirts in special cases. In the next blog about Đồng Văn, I will post a photo of traditional dress of white H’mong women.

When we arrived at Phố Cáo, we walked around a village of H’mong people. We visited an old house which is 200 years old, then a cemetery with some tombs. We walked along the main road and passed by H’mong houses. The children followed us and we gave them candies and rice crackers. It was interesting to see how the H’mong people live in this beautiful region, but I feel sad to think that in the 21st century they still have to live in such a poor condition. Hà Giang is one of the poorest provinces in Vietnam. Because of special geological condition (mountains and rocks make up majority of the land area), water sources are scarce and maize is one of the main crops. Over the past years, the government has built 30 pools to keep water in the rainy season and we have seen these pools along Highway No. 4C.

We finished visiting the H’mong village and went back to our mini bus. The driver poured much water to cool the engine, while H’mong boys gathered to watch him. Our driver found a crack in the engine cooling system, so the engine was very hot.

Landscape along the way

We moved on to Sủng Là, but when we reached the top of a high pass, the engine problem was getting worse and our driver decided that the mini bus couldn’t be used any longer. We were still 28km away from Đồng Văn town. After a number of phone calls, a 7 seater car from Đồng Văn was rented and we spent an hour waiting for this car which would take us to visit Sủng Là and then Đồng Văn town. I have traveled to many places in Vietnam and abroad, but this is my first ever experience with the car problem.

We were so happy to see the car and move on, even though 4 people with luggage shared 3 seats. We passed by a small road which leads to Phó Bảng (only 5km) with lots of old Chinese houses, but we couldn’t visit as it was not included on the tour. At least, we still had enough time for visiting an old H’mong house in Sủng Là. This house is 100 years old and it was used for making film “Pao’s story” which was then awarded several international prizes. The house became famous since then and lots of visitors came to see its architecture. I was impressed by friendliness of the owner who is a H’mong man and he answered any question about the house as well as H’mong life style.

The last site we visited was a house of Lô Lô ethnic minority group in Lũng Cẩm commune.

H'mong village in Phố Cáo

A young girl wore traditional dress of her ethnic group and we took photos of her. It was another interesting day on the journey as I had learned about how the H’mong and Lô Lô people live. I brought candies and new ball pens and presented them to children and adults in the villages where we visited and they were happy to receive them.

Our next destination would be Đồng Văn old town and Lũng Cú flag tower which is the northernmost point of Vietnam. I’ll write about them in Part 3.

Blogs about other parts of the trip:

Hà Giang - Part 1 (Quản Bạ & Yên Minh)

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

Hà Giang - Part 4 (Mapileng pass & Mèo Vạc)

Phố Cáo & Sủng Là – Ngày 15/4/2012

Sau khi ăn trưa ở Yên Minh, chúng tôi tiếp tục đi theo Quốc lộ 4C đến Phố Cáo (cách Yên Minh 14km).

Carrying home the water
Water is a precious thing on the highlands.

 Cả Phố Cáo và Sủng Là đều còn lưu giữ bản sắc dân tộc Mông của Hà Giang với những
ngôi nhà cổ và phong tục tập quán truyền thống. Người Mông ở Hà Giang được gọi là Mông trắng dựa vào chiếc váy màu trắng mà phụ nữ người Mông mặc. Dân số của Hà Giang là 800.000 người, trong đó người Mông chiếm 21.3%. Nếu bạn đã từng đến vùng Tây Bắc của Việt Nam thì bạn sẽ thấy các nhánh khác của dân tộc Mông, như Mông đen ở Sapa, Mông hoa ở Bắc Hà, Mông xanh ở Sơn La và Mông đỏ ở Suối Giàng, tất cả đều dựa theo màu sắc trang phục của họ. Tuy nhiên, ở Hà Giang thì người Mông trắng cũng mặc các màu sắc khác và họ mặc váy trắng vào những dịp đặc biệt. Đôi khi trên đường đi hoặc ở chợ phiên, tôi cũng nhìn thấy chiếc váy trắng này. Tôi sẽ post ảnh chụp trang phục của người Mông trắng trong Blog tiếp theo.

Chúng tôi đến thăm một bản của người Mông trắng ở Phố Cáo.

View of the pass we just traveled (Dốc 9 khoanh)
On the way to Sủng Là we stopped here for taking
photos of the pass. You can see different levels of
 the road with hair pin curves which we traveled on.

Vừa đến đầu bản đã thấy xuất hiện một loạt trẻ con chạy theo khách du lịch đến tận cùng. Bọn trẻ rất vui mừng khi được cho kẹo và bim bim. Cả đoàn thăm quan một ngôi nhà cổ 200 năm tuổi, sau đó đi qua thửa ruộng khô cằn có những ngôi mộ của người Mông, đi theo con đường qua các ngôi nhà đặc trưng kiến trúc của người Mông. Phong cảnh thì thật là đẹp, nhưng cuộc sống của người dân thì rất nghèo, mặc dù bây giờ đã là thế kỷ 21. Do điều kiện địa chất đặc biệt với phần lớn diện tích là núi và đá, nên các nguồn nước rất khan hiếm và ngô là một trong những loại cây trồng chủ yếu ở vùng núi cao. Gần đây, chính phủ đã cho xây 30 bể chứa nước vào mùa mưa để tích trữ nước và chúng tôi cũng nhìn thấy những bể nước này trên đường đi cạnh Quốc lộ 4C.

Khi chúng tôi quay trở về xe thì thấy cậu bé lái xe đang đổ rất nhiều nước để làm mát máy, trong khi các

Owner of an old house in Sủng Là
This H'mong man is very friendly to
all the visitors and he answers any
question about his house which was
 used for making the famous film
"Pao's story". His house became
famous after the film was awarded
 international prizes.

thanh niên người Mông đang đứng xem. Xe bị nứt ở một chỗ trong hệ thống làm mát máy, vì vậy nên máy rất nóng. Chúng tôi lên xe đi tiếp đến Sủng Là., Khi xe dừng ở dốc 9 khoanh để chụp ảnh, cậu bé lái xe lại mở máy ra xem và nói là tình hình rất xấu và không thể đi tiếp được nữa. Lúc này chúng tôi đang ở cách Đồng Văn 28km. Sau rất nhiều cuộc điện thoại với các bên, cậu hướng dẫn viên thông báo là sẽ thuê một chiếc xe 7 chỗ đến đón chúng tôi, còn chiếc xe bị hỏng sẽ chờ ở đây và có người mang keo dính tạm bộ phận bị nứt và cậu bé lái xe sẽ tự đến Đồng Văn. Tôi đã đi du lịch đến nhiều nơi, nhưng đây là lần đâu tiên bị hỏng xe. Sau hơn một tiếng đồng hồ chờ đợi ở trên đường với rất nhiều ong bay xung quanh, cuối cùng thì chiếc xe 7 chỗ cũng đến và chúng tôi vui mừng tiếp tục hành trình, mặc dù 4 người phải ôm hành lý và ngồi trên 3 ghế. Chúng tôi đi ngang qua con đường đến Phó Bảng (cách 5km), nhưng trong tour không có kế hoạch đến thăm chỗ này. Cậu hướng dẫn viên nói rằng ở Phó Bảng có những ngôi nhà cổ của người Hoa.

Đến Sủng Là, chúng tôi tới thăm ngôi nhà cổ 100 năm tuổi của người Mông trước đây được dùng để quay phim “Chuyện của Pao”. Sau khi bộ phim đạt nhiều giải thưởng trong nước và quốc tế, ngôi nhà cổ trở nên nổi tiếng hơn và thu hút nhiều người đến thăm quan. Chủ nhà là một người đàn ông người Mông rất thân thiện. Ông trả lời mọi câu hỏi của khách thăm quan và vui vẻ chụp hình khi có yêu cầu. Điểm đến cuối cùng của chúng tôi là nhà của người Lô Lô ở xã Lũng Cẩm.

Column with stone foundation
Some old houses in Hà Giang
have this type of column. This
 shot was taken at an old H'mong
 house in Sủng Là.

Cô gái trẻ mặc trang phục nhiều màu sắc của người dân tộc Lô Lô để chúng tôi chụp hình. Buổi chiều hôm nay thật thú vị vì chúng tôi được biết thêm về cuộc sống của người Mông và Lô Lô ở Hà Giang. Tôi mang theo kẹo và những chiếc bút bi để tặng cho mọi người và họ cũng rất vui mừng với món quà nhỏ này

Chúng tôi lên xe và đi tiếp đến Đồng Văn. Trong phần tiếp theo, tôi sẽ viết về Đồng Văn và Lũng Cú.

Hanoi_girl

Source: http://www.travelblog.org

Admire “a forgotten paradise on the Earth” in photos- Dai Lanh Beach of Phu Yen

Located adjacent the boundary between Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa provinces, Dai Lanh beach is known as "a forgotten paradise on the Earth" and one of the most beautiful beaches in Vietnam. To reach Dai Lanh, travelers in Vietnam tourism go through Ca mountain pass and it’s great when finding the pretty beach appear in front of his face with wide and long white beach with blue ocean and sparkling sun.

As far from Nha Trang City about 80 km and Tuy Hoa Town about 30km, Dai Lanh Beach is located adjacent the boundary between Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa provinces. To reach Dai Lanh, one of the most beautiful beaches in Vietnam, travelers in Vietnam tourism go through Ca mountain pass and it’s great when finding the pretty beach appear in front of his face with wide and long white beach with blue ocean and sparkling sun.

Although it is not so well known as Nha Trang, Mui Ne, or Phan Thiet among foreign visitors in Vietnam tourism, Dai Lanh Beach, some 80 kilometers to the north of Nha Trang, offers unique views and experiences that make it a fine destination for a day trip.

Dai Lanh Beach- A forgotten paradise on the Earth

If you have the chance to visit Khanh Hoa or Phu Yen province in Vietnam travel, don't miss the chance to admire the natural beauty of Dai Lanh beach with your own eyes.

T.N

Taste of Vietnam's Street Foods

Vietnam is famous for the diverse street food range that each city has to offer. Be taken on a tour of street food in Hanoi with this latest video from Vietnam Online.
Visit Vietnam Food for recipes and food news: http://www.vietnamfoods.org

Source:vietnamonline.com

Thai Binh

Thai Binh is a place where has historical – cultural works and folklore activities, among them some have been listed by government as Le Qui Don’s worship hall, Ho Chi Minh’s memento – house… but Keo temple is most famous. Keo temple called Than Quang temple – Viet Nam’s architecturally typical work. A whole province has brought about nearly 82 traditional festivals, 16 Vietnamese poplar operas and games as cheo, roi nuoc, bat dat, act. Beside, Thai Binh also has traditional handicraft villages famous for along time such as silver carving village of Dong Xam and An Le, Nam Cao weaving village, Minh Lang embroidering.

Keo Pagoda

Thai Binh Province is located in the North Vietnam plains and in midlands lying southeast of Hanoi. It is bordered by Hai Duong, Ha Bac to the north, Nam Dinh, Ha Nam to the south, Hai Phong to the east, 53 kilometres of coast of the Gulf of Tonkin to the south east and Ha Nam, Ninh Binh and Hung Yen to the west.

Thai Binh's topography is fairly level, with average height between 1 to 2 metres above sea level; it is the only province in ViêtNam that does not boast a mountain.

Due to its richness of aquatic products and grains, locals here have created a number of local specialties from their natural materials; among of these the most famous are Canh Ca Quynh Coi (Quynh Coi fish soup) and cay cake.

Coming to Thai Binh, tourists enjoy visiting inshore sandbanks where rare birds stops, seeing natural beauty in mangrove forest, swimming in Dong Chau Beach, and joining interesting traditional festivals. Well-known culture constructions are Dong Bang, Tien La temples, and Keo Pagoda. There are many valuable votive objects and beautiful three-storey bell tower in Keo Pagoda. Various flowers and fruits in Bach Thuan Garden Village also attract many visitors every year.

This province is rich of traditional handicraft villages like weave fabric in Phuong La, mat weave in Hoi, silver carve in Dong Xam, copper casting in An Long, lace embroider in Minh Lang, cay cake making in Nguyen Xa.

Visitors are able to enjoy many folk songs, festival games in traditional festivals such as water puppet in Nguyen Xa, cheo song in Khuoc, fish and duck catching, rice cooking competition and squib contests.

Vietnamese Proverb and Folk Songs

Nobody knows for sure the origin of Vietnamese proverbs and folk songs in terms of their inception and authors. Vietnamese proverbs and folk songs, however, are orally transmitted and incessantly edited throughout generations.

By this virtue, the proverbs and folk songs become so natural and clear that they are able to describe our customs and traditions simply and truthfully. For that reason, these proverbs and folk songs are also dubbed as Vietnamese popular literature, which proliferates by thousands of phrasings on all topics of various aspects of human life in society.

PROVERBS:

Like in other countries, Vietnamese proverbs state basic principles of folk wisdom and conduct, which have become an essential and enduring part of daily speech. They are short, succinct sayings with an intended meaning, which is to instruct or advise about something worthy of our attention. Most of Vietnamese parents use proverbs to educate their children about basic moral tenets of conduct and behavior. These proverbs are usually formed with or without rhym (E.G. An cay nao, rao cay ay : one shall cultivate the tree from which one eats fruits . An qua nho ke trong cay : when eating the fruit, one should remember those who planted the tree). The common topics of proverbs are as follows, addressing routine issues of our society’s customs and traditions such as interpersonal psychology, common experiences, moral precepts, and conduct and etiquette of politeness:

Customs and traditions: “One bite of honor earned in public is better than a banquet given in one’s own kitchen”

Real life psychology: “With love, everything becomes beautiful, with hatred, everything turns ugly”

Common experiences: “When lightning flashes relentlessly in the east, it is absolutely going to rain in the early morning (when rooster crows)”

Human maturity moral: “Good reputation is preferable to beautiful clothes”

Conduct and etiquette of politeness: “When sending a personal message, speak out; when asking people to deliver a wrapped gift to someone, leave it unsealed”.

FOLK SONGS:

These are short ballads, written in rhythm or iambic pentameter in stanzas. Folk songs are spread among common people from one generation to the next, and nobody knows their authentic authors. It is certain that folk songs are formed by multitude of composers who get inspired and let their strong feelings flow out in the form of poetry; then other people try to memorize the poems and pass them on to the public. Therefore, there is a countless number of folk songs, probably hundreds of thousand ones. There are so many generations of Vietnamese children whose mothers sing them to sleep with these types of folk songs and help them grow maturely by the profound influence of the folk songs. Also, there are so many generations of Vietnamese young adults who get married by borrowing folk songs in flirtation. Folk songs indeed manifest every fiber of the human touch deep in one’s heart and various situations of society as well. The following are some examples:

Mother’s admonition:

The fatherly immense toil is as big as ThaiSon mountain
The constant motherly devotion is similar to the stream of water flowing out from spring,
You ought to honor your parents with all your heart
In order to decently fulfill the solemn precept of filial piety

Geographical advices:

Going on road, be cautious of Ai Van mountain pass
Going by boat, be cautious of the path of billow at Hang Doi Bay

National history:

Missing you, I wanted to come to see you,
But I was afraid of The Ho’s groves, and the Tam Giang cross river
The Tam Giang cross river is dried up nowadays
And the grove is on watchful guard.

Romantic love:

You are leaving, I won’t let you go
I hold your dress flap to write a verse on it
The verse clearly exhibits the three words
Loyalty, piety, and love
The word loyalty to honor the father
The word piety to adore the mother, the word love for both of us.

Why do you, young lady, cut grass alone,
Let me join you as a couple,
Do you still continue cutting more grass?
Let me help you cutting it to become a married couple.

Due to the limit of this short writing, we can not afford to cite more examples. We are certain, however, that the proverbs and folk songs are indeed the common literature treasures of Vietnamese people: It is a common way of composing them and transmitting them from one generation to the next, and common as well in sharing the didactic values of these common treasures. The proverbs and folk songs play a significant role in providing the very first teachings on the ethical way of human conduct or individual behavior, and even knowledge on how to deal with the life situation, large and small. Particularly folk songs bring pleasure as well as entertainment to daily life with their dignified verses of courtship and romantic love. Proverbs and folk songs are truly a priceless thesaurus of Vietnamese people. It is certain to say that none of the Vietnamese can remember all of the proverbs and folk songs, but it’s also true that none can say they do not remember some.

Mang Den Ecotourism Site in Kon Tum- “The Second Dalat Tourist City”

Mang Den Ecotourism Site is situated in Kon Plong district, Kon Tum province. With the fresh cool air all year round and natural and majestic beauty of landscape, the site attracts more and more tourists in Vietnam travel coming here. It is also proud of “the second Dalat tourist city” in the Central Highlands.

Following National Road No. 24 about 54km from Kon Tum City to the center of Kon Plong District, and then passing Mang Den Pass, tourists in Vietnam travel will arrive at the Mang Den Ecotourism Site. The name Mang Den is transcribed from the word "T'mang Deeng" of the M'Nong people ("T'mang" means a flat land and "Deeng" means a residential area).

The Mang Den Ecotourism Site is located at a height of 1,200m above sea level. Year-round, it has an average temperature of 18-20 degrees celsius. This feature has earned the area fame as "the second Da Lat tourist city" in the Central Highlands. The area nestles amidst primitive forests and a large area grown with age-old pine trees, spotted by natural lakes, waterfalls and springs. Such rare species of flora as red pine trees and Fujian cypress, medicinal plants as cinnamon and Aquilaria plant, and wild animals as python and chamois have made the Mang Den area different significantly from Da Lat in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong or Sa Pa in the northwestern mountainous province of Lao Cai.

Living in the area are mainly the M'Nong, Xo Dang and Hre people who have well preserved their authentic lifestyle, distinctive culture and customs, and traditional crafts. These ethnic minorities have often settled nearby lakes, waterfalls or rivers and built their communal houses next to slash-and-burn rice and food crops.

The Mang Den Ecotourism Site is a part of the tourist route "Green Road in Central Highlands" connected to other ones such as "Central Heritage Road" and "Legendary Ho Chi Minh Trail" to form the transnational tourist route "Indochina Heritage Road" linking the world heritage sites in Viet Nam with ones in Laos and Cambodia.

Realizing potential benefits the site will bring in, the Government has worked out a plan to develop this 1,500-2,000 ha green land into a national tourism zone offering various tourism products and regarded it as one of three key socio-economic development zones of Kon Tum Province.

If you are interested in joining an eco-tourism tour, the Mang Den Ecotourism Site in Kon Tum is a must-visit place that you should add to your itinerary!

Source:vietnamtourism.org.vn

“Banh it” - a must try specialty in Vietnam travel

"Banh it" is special cake in the central region of Vietnam that attracts not only Vietnamese people but also foreign tourists in Vietnam

Banh it la gai

Commonly, there are two kinds of “Banh it”. The first one is “Banh it la gai”, which is sticky rice cake with coconut or green bean stuffing wrapped in pinnate leaf. The second one is “Banh it tom thit” - glutinous rice cake with meat and shrimp, its name means “little meat shrimp cakes”, the stuffing is made of ground pork and shrimp mixed with spring onion and other spices.
A popular saying goes: "If you wish to eat banh it la gai, get married to a Binh Dinh man to increase your life experience". It shows how essential “Banh it la gai” is to the people in the central region. Originating in Binh Dinh Province on the central coast, “Banh it la gai” has become a veritable specialty of that region of Vietnam.

Banh it tom thit

"Banh it la gai" is made from five ingredients - sticky rice, "la gai" (a type of thorn leaf popular in the central region), sugar, green beans (or black beans) and a banana leaf. The “la gai” is boiled and then ground in a stone mortar until its green colour turns black. The sticky rice is ground into flour. The sugar is dissolved in water and then boiled down to make syrup. Then the three ingredients are mixed together to make the dough. Meanwhile, the green beans are soaked in water for hours and then whipped before steaming. After that the well-done beans are ground and rolled into balls used as fillings for the dough.
The dumpling can also be made with sweetened ground coconut instead of beans. Either way the banana leaves are usually put quickly on the fire or dipped in hot water to make them soft so that it is easier to wrap the cake with them. The little packages usually are shaped like pyramids with square bottoms. Then people arrange the packets into a pot for steaming.

Visiting Binh Dinh, tourists in Vietnam travel can discover how “Banh it” often stands right in the centre of locals' lives. In death anniversaries, it is acceptable for there to be no fish or meat, but there must be “Banh it la gai”. In marriage rituals, a tray of “Banh it la gai” is the gift of the bride’s family to that of the groom to show the skillfulness of the bride who has made the Banh it together with other villagers.
In the former imperial capital of Hue in Thua Thien-Hue Province, tourists can also find “Banh it la gai” and another type of “Banh it” called “Banh it tom thit”. The cake is a little ball of sticky rice flour stuffed with shrimp and pork. The tasty morsel is served plain or wrapped in banana leaves and is one of the indispensable dishes in the death anniversaries of a Hue family.

“Banh it” is also popular in the historic town of Hoi An in Quang Nam Province. There tourists in Vietnam travel can find “Banh it” not only at family parties, wedding ceremonies and death anniversaries but also at restaurants. Hoi An has two types of “Banh it”: one with green bean filling and wrapped in banana leaves called “Banh it la gai nhan dau xanh” and the other also filled with green beans but served plain called “Banh it la gai tran”. Unlike common “Banh it la gai”, “Banh it tran” usually is pink and smells like la dua (a type of leaf that smells when it is steamed). A famous “Banh it la gai”-making family lives on Nhi Trung Street in Hoi An. Stopping by their ancient house, tourists can learn all the stages of making “Banh it”. They can see how people prepare “la gai”, whip beans, grind sticky rice and form the dumplings. Above all, they can enjoy “Banh it” right after it is steamed.

Source: vietnamtourism.org.vn

Hà Giang - Part 1 (Quản Bạ & Yên Minh)

Dzao women at Quản Bạ market

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These women are of the Dzao ethnic minority
group as their dresses have red and black color.
(Trang phục của người Dzao áo dài tại Hà Giang)

I’ve just come back home from Hà Giang province after traveling over 1,000km overland on a 5-day tour (14/4 to 18/4/2012). Hà Giang is the northernmost province of Vietnam which has 274km border line with China. The province is home to 22 ethnic groups (mainly ethnic minority people) and it’s famous for the best mountain scenery in Vietnam. This is my second trip to the province. Eight years ago I traveled to Hà Giang on a business trip. My impression on the trip was the red color of dust over houses and trees along Highway No. 2, as the road was under construction. After meeting with the leaders of the province, I traveled with a Japanese manager to the Vietnam – China border gate (22km from Hà Giang city) and we visited a market on the Chinese side. I had planned to go back to Hà Giang over the past few years, but couldn’t find any travel companion to share the car rental. This year I decided to book a tour. I don’t like tours, but I had no choice. My 5-day tour cost US$180. This is much cheaper than traveling on my own (renting a car with driver would cost at least US$400).

Quản Bạ market

April is the good time for visiting the mountain region as the sun shines and it’s good for photography. I was also excited to reach the northernmost point of Vietnam on this trip. It was an interesting coincidence as my both tours to the northernmost point of Vietnam (in 2012) and the southernmost point (in 2009) were organized by the same travel company (Vietran Tour). Everything on this trip was good except a problem with our mini bus.

The first and the last days of our trip were spent traveling from Hanoi to Hà Giang city. The distance is 320km one way and it often takes 6 hours to travel by bus. There are 7 tourists on our tour, plus a local guide, and we traveled in a 16 seater mini bus. We stopped several times on the way for visiting temples, had lunch in Tuyên Quang province then swam in a hot spring. Our real adventure began from the second day of the trip and we traveled along the Happy Road from Hà Giang city up north. For 3 days we only saw mountains, villages and ethnic minority people. Other than Hà Giang city, we also visited 6 out of 10 districts of the province. As I have taken hundreds of photos on the trip, I cannot put them all into one blog. I decided to make separate entries about each section I have traveled on. You can refer to the map and my route in photo No. 42.

Day 2 (15/4/2012) – Quản Bạ & Yên Minh (two districts of Hà Giang province)

View from Highway No. 4C

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The mountain in the background is very famous
 in Quản Bạ. (Ảnh chụp từ Quốc lộ 4C.
Phía sau là Núi đôi cô tiên của Quản Bạ)

Possibly speaking, Highway No. 4C (Hà Giang – Đồng Văn – Mèo Vạc) is the most difficult and dangerous road which was built in Vietnam, It is called “the Happy Road” because after completion it opened an opportunity of better life for the ethnic minority people living in the remote region. 1,000 volunteers participated in building the road from 1959 to 1965. It even took 11 months for building one km of Mapileng pass (total length of 7km) as it was the most difficult section.

On the second day of our trip, we traveled toward Đồng Văn old town and on the way we passed by the Heaven Gate and the Fairy Bosom (two smooth karst cones) in Quản Bạ. It was Sunday so we had the chance to see a market of the ethnic minority people. The market is held once a week (on Sunday) and the locals bring their own agricultural products and animals to sell over there.

Selling pigs at the market

I must admit that I couldn't know which ethnic minority groups the locals at the market belong to based on their colorful dresses, unless I asked them. Our next destination was Lũng Tám weaving village. We then had lunch in Yên Minh before moving on to Phố Cáo and Sủng Là (villages of H’mong people) which I will write about in the next blog. From Yên Minh onwards it is the Frontier Area.

Travel tips: To get to Hà Giang city, you can go by high quality bus (available for both day and night) from Mỹ Đình bus station in Hanoi. See the map in photo No. 42. Our route on this trip is Hà Giang - Quản Bạ - Yên Minh - Phố Cáo - Sủng Là - Đồng Văn - Lũng Cú flag tower - Mèo Vạc - Khâu Vai - Mèo Vạc - Yên Minh - Hà Giang. The distance is Hanoi – Hà Giang (320km), Hà Giang – Đồng Văn (144km), Đồng Văn – Lũng Cú flag tower (22km), Đồng Văn – Mèo Vạc (22km) along Mapileng pass (7km pass), Yên Minh – Phố Cáo (14km), Mèo Vạc - Yên Minh – Hà Giang (150km). The road is in good condition and you can travel by motorbike or by car. The best time for visiting Hà Giang is in dry season (March to May) in my opinion. During the rainy season, there may be landslide. In the winter it’s very cold and misty. Some people may find it interesting to visit during the harvest (yellow rice terrace paddies) in September, or flower seasons in February or November.

Quản Bạ market

Blogs about other parts of the trip:

Hà Giang - Part 2 (Phố Cáo & Sủng Là)

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

Hà Giang - Part 4 (Mapileng pass & Mèo Vạc)

Quản Bạ & Yên Minh – Ngày 15/4/2012

Yên Minh

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I am standing on a rice terrace paddy. A woman on the
tour was car sick so we stopped here for a few minutes.

Đây là lần thứ hai tôi đến Hà Giang. Chuyến đi lần đầu tiên của tôi là vào năm 2004, tức là cách đây 8 năm. Khi đó, tôi đi công tác. Suốt dọc đường Quốc lộ số 2, bụi phủ màu đỏ lên các ngôi nhà và lá cây vì đường đang thi công. Sau khi họp với các lãnh đạo tỉnh, tôi đi cùng sếp người Nhật qua cửa. I am standing on a rice terrace paddy. A woman on the tour was car sick so we stopped here for a few minutes.
khẩu biên giới Thanh Thủy, cách Hà Giang 22km. Chúng tôi đi qua cửa khẩu là hai chiếc barrier đơn giản và thăm chợ ở bên Trung Quốc. Những năm gần đây, tôi rất muốn quay trở lại Hà Giang và đến thăm vùng cực bắc của Tổ Quốc, nhưng tôi không tìm được bạn đồng hành để thuê xe ô tô hoặc đi bằng xe máy. Năm nay, tôi quyết định đặt tour 5 ngày (từ 14/4 đến 18/4/2012) đến thăm Hà Giang. Trong tour này có chợ tình Khâu Vai. Giá tiền tour 5 ngày là 3,7 triệu đồng (khoảng 180 USD).

Sugar canes

Một sự trùng hợp thú vị là cả hai chuyến đi của tôi tới điểm cực bắc vào năm nay và điểm cực nam của Việt Nam vào năm 2009 đều do công ty du lịch Vietran Tour tổ chức. Mọi việc trong chuyến đi này đều tốt, ngoại trừ sự cố hỏng xe trên đường đèo.

Đoàn của chúng tôi đi lần này có 7 khách du lịch, cùng một cậu hướng dẫn viên người dân tộc Tày ở Hà Giang. Xe chúng tôi đi là loại 16 chỗ, nên ngồi khá rộng rãi. Hành trình của chúng tôi trong 5 ngày là đến thăm một số ngôi đền ở Tuyên Quang, nghỉ hai đêm ở Hà Giang, thăm suối nước khoáng Thanh Hà, đi theo quốc lộ 4C đến Quản Bạ, Yên Minh, Phố Cáo, Sủng Là, Đồng Văn, cột cờ Lũng Cú, đèo Mã Pì Lèng, Mèo Vạc, chợ tình Khâu Vai (chỉ diễn ra một lần trong năm vào đêm ngày 26/3 âm lịch), và cuối cùng là bản của người Pà Thẻn ở huyện Quang Bình.

Thịt trâu gác bếp (buffalo meat)

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Thịt trâu gác bếp (buffalo meat) is a local specialty
 in Hà Giang. The locals in the mountain region
 often dry pork, beef or buffalo meat in the kitchen
 and save it for a long time. It is cooked with
vegetables (Thịt trâu gác bếp loại tái là một đặc sản
của Hà Giang. Khi ăn thường xào với rau)

Trong chuyến đi này, chúng tôi tới thăm TP Hà Giang (nằm trọn bên trong huyện Vị Xuyên) và 6 trong số 10 huyện của tỉnh Hà Giang. Tháng tư là thời điểm rất tốt để đến thăm Hà Giang vì trời nắng nên phong cảnh rất đẹp. Có thể nói rằng nếu xét về phong cảnh núi non thì Hà Giang đẹp nhất Việt Nam. Trong suốt 3 ngày của hành trình, chúng tôi chỉ nhìn thấy núi, ở đây có cả núi hình kim tự tháp và đặc biệt là rất nhiều núi đá ở vùng cao nguyên đá Đồng Văn. Không chỉ có vậy, Hà Giang còn rất giảu bản sắc is a local specialty in Hà Giang. The locals in the mountain region often dry pork, beef or buffalo meat in the kitchen and save it for a long time. It is cooked with vegetables (Thịt trâu gác bếp loại tái là một đặc sản của Hà Giang. Khi ăn thường xào với rau)
văn hóa vì nơi đây có đến 22 nhóm dân tộc sinh sống. Với 274km đường biên giới với Trung Quốc, Hà Giang là tỉnh cực bắc của Việt Nam chiếm một vị trí rất quan trọng trong công tác biên phòng.

Quản Bạ market

Tôi đã chụp hàng trăm bức ảnh trong chuyến đi này và không thể đưa tất cả vào một blog. Vì vậy nên tôi quyết định sẽ viết về từng đoạn hành trình. Blog thứ nhất này là về Quản Bạ và Con đường Hạnh phúc bắt đầu từ Hà Giang đến Đồng Văn, qua đèo Mã Pì Lèng để đến Mèo Vạc. Đây là con đường khó nhất và nguy hiểm nhất. 1.000 thanh niên xung phong đã tham gia xây dựng Quốc lộ 4C từ năm 1959 đến năm 1965, trong đó chỉ riêng 1km đường đèo Mã Pì Lèng ở đoạn khó nhất đã phải mất đến 11 tháng. Sau khi hoàn thành, con đường này được đặt tên là “Con đường Hạnh phúc” vì đã mở ra cơ hội cho đồng bào dân tộc ở vùng xa xôi hẻo lánh tiếp xúc với thế giới bên ngoài.

Chúng tôi đi ngang qua Cổng trời Quản Bạ và Núi đôi cô tiên. Hôm nay là ngày chủ nhật nên chúng tôi có cơ hội đến thăm phiên chợ vùng cao ở thị trấn Tam Sơn. Rất nhiều người dân tộc mang các loại nông sản hoặc súc vật đến chợ để bán. Ở đây có rất nhiều người dân tộc mà tôi không thể đoán được họ thuộc nhóm dân tộc nào, trừ khi tôi hỏi họ. Vì tôi chỉ có nửa tiếng đồng hồ ở chợ, nên tôi phải chụp ảnh thật nhanh để kịp quay lại xe và theo đoàn đi tiếp đến làng dệt Lũng Tám và Yên Minh. Chúng tôi ăn trưa ở thị trấn Yên Minh. Đây là vùng thung lũng nên khá nóng. Trên đường đi tiếp về hướng bắc, tôi nhìn thấy tấm biển ghi "khu vực biên giới". Như vậy là khu vực biên giới bắt đầu từ huyện Yên Minh. Buổi chiều, chúng tôi đến thăm Phố Cáo và Sủng Là của huyện Đồng Văn. Tôi sẽ viết tiếp về hai điểm đến này trong Blog tiếp theo.

A little girl and her mother

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She looks so cute and smiles when I take a photo of her.

Ghi chú: Bản đồ ở bức ảnh số 42 có các điểm thăm quan chính của Hà Giang. Tuyến đường chúng tôi đi là Hà Giang - Quản Bạ - Yên Minh - Phố Cáo - Sủng Là - Đồng Văn - cột cờ Lũng Cú - Mèo Vạc - Khâu Vai - Mèo Vạc - Yên Minh - Hà Giang. Khoảng cách của các địa điểm như sau: Hà Nội – Hà Giang (320km), Hà Nội – Lũng Cú (500km), Hà Giang – Đồng Văn (144km), Đồng Văn – cột cờ Lũng Cú (22km), Đồng Văn – Mèo Vạc (22km) dọc theo đèo Mã Pì Lèng (7km đường đèo), Yên Minh – Phố Cáo (14km), Mèo Vạc – Yên Minh – Hà Giang (150km). Từ Mèo Vạc phải quay trở lại Yên Minh để đi tiếp đến Hà Giang. Hy vọng những thông tin này có thể giúp ích nếu bạn dự định đến thăm Hà Giang.

Hanoi_girl

Source: http://www.travelblog.org

Contemplating Majestic Thuy Tien Waterfall in Dak Lak

As one of the most attractive landscape of Dak Lak, Thuy Tien waterfall located in the North East and about 56 km away from the Buon Ma Thuot city and about 7km away from the center of Tam Giang District

Visiting to Thuy Tien waterfall, you will be surprised to see a three-floor waterfall with these blocks of stone stacking on each other. The first floor has a low slope, up and down easily and the water flows quietly. The two sides that have many tree roots hanging down creating a stunning natural picture.



Don’t stop there, the water current continues flowing down these big stone steps creating the second floor with lots of green cool lakes. Visitors can soak their body in these big cool tanks to relax here. Finally, water current from the third floor waterfall flows down the cliff below.

The scenery becomes more stunning when combining with birdsong and the sound of murmuring water. Visitors will be impressed with the wild scenery at Tay Nguyen.

Source: Travel.org.vn

Introduction to Vietnam

Vietnam has a population of more than 88 million people, comprised of 54 different ethnic groups that possess historically rich cultural backgrounds and interesting folk arts. The country has more than 1,000 historical, cultural, and architectural sites which have been officially classified as "Heritage Sites". Five of these sites have been recognized as world cultural heritage sites by UNESCO (United Nations Educational and Scientific Cultural Organization), including Halong Bay, Phong Nha - Ke Bang National park , the ancient capital of Hue, the ancient town Hoi An, Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Ho Dynasty Citadel and My Son Holy Land. It will become clear from excursions to these sites that Vietnam is a country with a long-established history.

Source: sunnyland.vn

Discovering in Vietnam - One month

We then booked a boat tour around Halong Bay, another highlight, with THE party of the decade on the boat.



We traveled through Vietnam from July 18th to August 18th 2003.
First we stayed a few days in Ho Chi Minh City at a friend’s place, visiting the city and discovering the Vietnamese cuisine, which we found extremely delicious. From Ho Chi Minh, we explored the famous and really spectacular Cu Chi Tunnels dug by the Vietcong during the American War as it is called in Vietnam.

A two days tour through the Mekong Delta took us through villages surviving on cottage industry like 200 hundred years ago in Europe, producing noodles, toffees, etc ... A busy river life and the floating markets make this a distinct and attractive destination. Unfortunately it rained a lot, more of a drizzle but still unpleasant and it disrupted the trade on the river.

Then we flew to Hoi An, definitely one of the highlights of the trip: a beautiful colonial city with XXXX of tailors making any piece of clothes you want, lots of great restaurants.Next step of our trip was Hue, the Imperial City, visiting the Imperial Tombs in even more unbearable heat. Don’t wait for the organized tours to leave at 09:00 am, rent one of the many guys on a motor-bike to take you around, and start around 06:00am when temperatures are still bearable.

Afterwards, we took the Reunification Express to Hanoi, where we unfortunately spent too much time in unbearable temperatures, two days, maximum three are enough. We then booked a boat cruises around Halong Bay, another highlight, with THE party of the decade on the boat, followed by a trip to the Perfume Pagoda, the landscape is simple breathtaking.

Afterwards Gilles flew back to Europe whereas Heidi took the train to Sapa, where she did some serious trekking along with visiting various ethnic groups / villages. An unforgettable experience! For a single female traveler it seemed impossible to meet people in a big city like Hanoi, so Heidi flew to Nha Trang, a beach resort, to relax a bit and enjoy a little night life. There is was very easy to meet people, especially after participating in a scuba-diving trip. This trip was very well organized, but there is nothing to see, absolutely nothing, no corals, no fish, nada!

Source: oneyearoff

Tay Ninh

Located in Eastern of the South, Tay Ninh shares border with Cambodia on the north with 240km boundary, Binh Duong and Binh Phuoc provinces on the east, Ho Chi Minh City and Long An Province on the south. On the north, there is Ba Den Mountain, 986m in height. On the south, terrain is quite flat. The province has Vam Co Dong and Sai Gon rivers and Dau Tieng Lake.

Tay Ninh's climate is relative mild, and is divided into 2 main seasons, the dry season and raining season. The dry season lasts from December of previous year to April of next year and it contrasts with the rainy season lasts from May to November...

Tay Ninh province belongs to the South East area of the Socialis Republic of Vietnam, co-ordinate from 10o57'08'' to 11046'36'', north latitude from 105o48'43'' to 106022'48'' East longitude. In the West and Northwest, it faces Cambodia Kingdom, in the East it faces Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc Province, and in the South it faces Ho Chi Minh City and Long An Province. Tay Ninh has the natural area of 4.035,45km2, average population: 1.038.616 people (in 2005), the population density: 257,37 people/ km2, most of the population crowded in Tay Ninh town and the southern districts of the province like: Hoa Thanh, Go Dau, Trang Bang. Tay Ninh has one town (named Tay Ninh town) and 8 districts, including: Tan Bien, Tan Chau, Duong Minh Chau, Chau Thanh, Hoa Thanh, Ben Cau, Go Dau, Trang Bang. Tay Ninh town is the economic, political, and cultural center of the province, 99km Northwest far from the HCM City and along the national highway 22 and 1809km far from the Hanoi Capital along the national highway No1.

Tay Ninh possesses 998m Ba Den Mountain high, the highest of the South East area. Tay Ninh land contains main groups: grey soil stretching 338,833ha holding 84.13% of the natural area.

Tay Ninh's climate is relative mild, and is divided into 2 main seasons, the dry season and raining season. The dry season lasts from December of previous year to April of next year and it contrasts with the rainy season lasts from May to November. The radiation system is plentiful, and the temperature is high and fixable. On the other hand, Tay Ninh lies far inner in the continent, so suffers less from the storm and other disadvantageous elements. The average temperature of Tay Ninh is 27,40 degree Celsius, annual light volume is profound, averagely there are 6 hours of sun shining in a day.

The annual average rainfall is 1800 – 2200 mm, the annual average moisture lies about at 70 – 80%, the wind speed at 1,7m/s and operates regularly in the year. Tay Ninh is under influence of West – Southwest wind in the raining season and North – North East wind in the dry season.

About the water resource: the surface water in Tay Ninh is mostly from the drainage system over the province's territory, with the total length of 617km, the average of and the averagel 0.11km/ km2, and focus on two big rivers those are Sai Gon River and Vam Co Dong River.

The Saigon River: deriving from Loc Ninh hilly area (in Binh Phuoc Province) over 200m high, flows in the direction North East – South West, it is the natural border between Tay Ninh Province and two provinces of Binh Phuoc and Binh Duong.

Up streaming the Saigon River to the higher section, the nation's largest hydraulic work has been built named Dau Tieng reservoir, with the efficient volume of 1.45 billion cubic meter, water surface 27,000 ha (on the Tay Ninh's area 20,000 ha) which provides a watering capacity for 175,000ha of the cultivated land of Tay Ninh Province, HCM City, and Long An Province.

Vam Co Dong River, deriving at a height of 150m from Cambodia in the direction North West – South East. Vam Co Dong River has a length of 220 km (151km lying in the Tay Ninh's territory).

Tay Ninh has a vast source of underground water, scattered over the whole province's territory. The total volume of underground water can be exploited to a rate of 50 – 100 thousand cubic meter/ hour. In the dry season, the underground water can be still exploited, meeting the demand of living and agricultural and industrial production.

About the mineral sources of Tay Ninh Province, most belong to the non-metal minerals such as: peat, limestone, gravel, pebble, clay and stone for construction. Peat reserve is 16 mil. tons scattered along the Vam Co Dong River, limestone reserve about 100 mil. tons reserve of gravel and pebble sand lies about at 10 mil. tons. Clay for brick manufacturing has a reserve of about 16 mil. tons, scattered at many places in the province. Laterite reserve is about at 4 million cubic meter and stone for all kinds of construction with the reserve of 1,300 – 1,400 million cubic meters, scattered mostly around Phung Mountain and Ba Den Mountain in Hoa Thanh district.

Tay Ninh's forest is mostly the secondary forest due to badly suffering from former wars, most of the forest belongs to the dry small woods and mixed woods of bamboos and woods. The rest forest area is about 40,025 ha (forest estimation in 1990).

For the humanity assets: Tay Ninh was civilized from mid century XVII due to the migration source from the North. Till beginning of century XIX (1873 – the 18th Minh Mang), Tay Ninh government was divided into 2 districts: Tan Ninh and Quang Hoa. Nowadays, on the Tay Ninh's territory there are 26 ethnic groups. Though distinguished from the traditions and habits of each ethnos, all of them have brought Tay Ninh a diversified and rich culture.
About the , Tay Ninh has Buddhism, Caodaism, Catholicism, Protestantism, and other religions . . .

About the historical aspect, Tay Ninh is a local rich in the tradition of revolution and patriotic movements against foreign invaders, a capital of the Provisional Revolution of the Republic of Southern Vietnam. Apart from vestiges of the Southern Central Bureau, man can find in Tay Ninh many historic sites relating to the resistance war for the South liberation such as Boi Loi historic revolutionary base, Duong Minh Chau Fighting zone, An Thoi tunnel and other historic sites

About the economic development, Tay Ninh is one of the important international exchange thresholds among Vietnam and other neighboring countries such as: Combodia, Thailand … Tay Ninh also keeps an important role in the goods exchanging relations among the provinces of the Mekong Delta and the Southern key economic provinces. Some remarkable achievements in recent years:

The economic structure (compared with 1994) has moved fast and rightly through the years and: In 1976 the agri-forest-fishery products held the rate of 89%; construction industry 2% and service 9%. To the year 2002, the equivalent rate is 46.88%; 21.02% and 32.09%. In 2003, the equivalent rate is 42.33%, 25.56%; 32.11%; in 2004: 40.45%, 25.11%, 34.44% and in 2005, the equivalent rate is 38,25%; 25,14%; 36,61%.

Until now, key economic fields have reached its stable stage. The agriculture has been specialized for some short-period and long-period industrial trees like: area specializing in sugar cane: 31.572ha, area specializing in cassava root: 43.279ha, area specializing in rubber trees: 54.521ha, area specializing in peanut: 23.436ha . Concurrently with the planting field, the breeding field has also gained some excellent achievements.

The industry and handicraft has grown more and more sustainable with some agricultural product manufacturing factories in some specializing areas such as: sugar cane factories, tapioca processing factories, rubber latex processing factories. The nuclear industry point is the concentrated industrial zones, in which the Trang Bang industrial zone has attracted many domestic and foreign investors.

With tourist and trade field then Tay Ninh has deployed the projects belong to domestic and international trade zones which make condition for border residents of two countries exchange goods with each other. Tay Ninh concentrates to develop the Moc Bai border gate economic area, interior trade centers, clue markets, and border markets at the same time constructs the Xa Mat border gate economic area. Tay Ninh continues to expand of cooperating trade and communicating information with Combodia and Thailand in many forms such as visit, discussion. Besides, Tay Ninh promotes to invest. Tay Ninh establishes the economic zones into the center which exports and imports the goods including the transit goods. On the basis of expanding the commercial network, promoting the tourist activities, and constructing the facilities for the tourist branch step by step, make the connection in order to develop the tourist area such as Ba Den mountain, Ma Thien Lanh, Bureau Central base, Dau Tieng Reservoir, Lo Go–Xa Mat National Garden.

Source: tayninh.gov.vn