Lac Hamlet – interesting destination for Home-stay tour

Lac Hamlet located in Hoa Binh Province, approximately 135km from Hanoi and 60km from Hoa Binh City. The town is situated between tall cliffs and is surrounded by bright-green paddies, making it a sight to behold; the beauty of the place is enough reason for many tourists to stay longer than expected.
 

At sunset, it was slightly cold and tourists took a stroll on the path in the hamlet to enjoy the sweet scent from the paddy fields and buy some goods from the Thai people. In front of each stilt house, people put some small tables for displaying their brocaded products, such as purses, handbags and Pieu scarves (a traditional scarf of the Thai people).

They also hung an abundance of long cloth rolls and Ao com (a short traditional shirt of the Thai People) with distinctive patterns. In addition, unique products like wooden bells for buffalos, bamboo flutes, bows and cross-bows and knives were also displayed for sale. All the products were hand made by the Thai people.

Drumbeats can be heard during the night as the hamlet’s band and many families organise a bamboo pole-dance performance. A dancing team often includesbeautiful girls who have learned dancing, singing and even a foreign language to receive tourists. Each performance often ends with a bamboo dance. The girls often invite guests to drink ruou can (wine drunk from a jar through pipes).

Viet Nam stakes East Sea claim

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam spokesperson Le Hai Binh.

HA NOI — In response to the Position Paper of the Government of the People's Republic of China on the Matter of Jurisdiction in the South China Sea Arbitration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam spokesperson Le Hai Binh stated:
"Once again, Viet Nam reiterates that Viet Nam has full historical evidence and legal foundation to reaffirm its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes, as well as other legal rights and interests of Viet Nam in the East Sea.

Bồn bồn - A wild and tasty plant

Bồn bồn, a wild plant first popular in Ca Mau, has since conquered southern Vietnam with its distinctive sweet taste

It would be a shame if someone visited the Mekong Delta province of Ca Mau and came away without trying dishes made from bồn bồn.
Bồn bồn (cattail, or bulrush) is a reed-like wild plant with long, firm leaves, olive-green, three-sided stems and drooping clusters of small spikelets. It usually grows in swamps or wetlands, and is known to be useful for land restoration and as an ingredient in food.
Some parts of Ca Mau Province are high in alum and are therefore not good for growing rice paddy, only bồn bồn. Many families do grow the wild plant as a crop.

Bồn bồn salad with shrimp and meat is a popular dish

Tay An pagoda, a mixture of Vietnamese and Asian architectural styles

Tay An is an ancient pagoda with a mixture of Vietnamese and Asian architectural styles. Lying on one side of the Sam Mountain, under the lights, the pagoda itself looks like a monk dressed in yellow, heading to Chau Doc Town, An Giang Province.

If tourists in Vietnam travel want to explore and find about  ancient pagoda culture of Vietnam, you could visit Tay An pagoda, which was designed in a similar style to Indian ones, the front of the pagoda has an oval dome and its roof is in the shape of a sailboat. Nevertheless, designs inside the pagoda basically follow the style of traditional Vietnamese Buddhist pagodas. The Dai Hong Bell is of particular interest as it was made of gold and copper under the Tu Duc’s Reign and is now over 111 years old. Somehow it has even managed to keep the sound of its voice ringing clear after all these years.

Vietnamese MINI-PANCAKE Recipe (Bánh Khọt / Bánh căn)

The mini pancakes are made with a unique pan that looks like a thick cupcake pan. The pan holds the banh khot as they fry in oil. Banh khot is a great street treat for a snack or light meal.

ngredients

• 500 g shrimps peeled and deveined
• *For the batter*
• 370 g rice flour 2 1/3 cup
• 30 g corn starch 1/4 cup
• 330 ml beer or club soda
• 420 ml water
• 150 g left-over cooked rice (1 cup), blended
• 240 ml coconut milk 1 cup
• 1 tsp tumeric powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• *For serving*
• scallion oil
• Fresh greens: mustard leaves, mint, corriander, etc.
• picked daikon and carrots or pickled green papaya
• Light dipping fish sauce “nuoc cham”
• vegetable oil to fry

The Chàm towers in Mỹ Sơn

Mỹ Sơn 
I am wearing a white Áo Dài
(traditional dress) and sitting at
 the main tower group of Mỹ Sơn.

Mỹ Sơn Holy Land (Thánh địa Mỹ Sơn) near Đà Nẵng and Hội An in central Vietnam is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It used to be an imperial city during the Chăm dynasty (Champa kingdom) from the 4th to the 13th century. Mỹ Sơn is also the only site in South East Asia which experienced such a long development period (for 9 centuries). Up to present, it has played an important role in the architectural heritage of the Chăm ethnic minority group in Vietnam.

Mỹ Sơn is a large complex inside a valley, which was built to celebrate the divinity of the King. The 71 towers of red and brown bricks were divided into 13 groups and used symbolic architecture to reflect the various facets of the King's divine nature. However, after the wars, most of the buildings had been destroyed. There remain only some brick towers and ruins, but they still look very special.

I visited Mỹ Sơn for the first time in July 2003 on a business trip. At that time, my Company was awarded the Contract to build an exhibition house at the entrance of the site. The project used a

Most unforgettable vacation with travel agencies in Vietnam

Are your looking forward to a holiday on some of the best Vietnam travel destinations? You are probably scouting for travel agencies in Vietnam to help you get the best discounts, travel advisories, and hotel accommodations.

Vietnam is a great place for a getaway. However, you have to choose the right Vietnam travel agency if you want the experience to be stress free and memorable. More importantly, you need to get the right amount of security given that you are traveling to a different country.

To choose the right Vietnam travel company, there are a couple of things that you need to consider. For one, you have to know if the agency is legal or not. There are plenty of travel agencies in Vietnam online. However, not all of these companies operate legally. You have to be careful with fraudulent agencies since the last thing you need is to spend your hard earned money on fake tour operators in Vietnam.

Me Cung Grotto in Halong Bay

Me Cung Grotto has been recognized by archaeologists as one of the vestiges of the pre-Halong new Stone Age culture that existed between 7,000 and 10,000 years ago. 

Two kilometers south-west of Ti Top Beach is the Me Cung Grotto or Bewitching Grotto. It formed on Lom Bo Island, and seen from afar, the entrance is like the roof of a house denting the island’s side.

After a narrow crack only allowing one person through at a time, many partitions appear. These chambers are somewhat small and narrow, but very refined, and with many stalagmites and stalactites bearing beautiful forms.

Vietnam strongly objects to Taiwan’s survey on Ba Binh Island

The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly objected to Taiwan’s illegal survey work on Ba Binh Island, part of Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago in the East Sea. 

Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Le Hai Binh

The objection was released by the ministry’s deputy spokeswoman Pham Thu Hang at a regular press conference of the ministry in Hanoi on Thursday, in reply to questions on Vietnam’s response to the fact that Taiwanese defense officials have made a survey trip on the island.

Dare you eat this? Bizarre Food in Vietnam (Eps. 1)

Warning: This video may contain scenes that are disturbing for some viewers. Do not watch if you are sensitive.

Video by: Helen

 Chanel Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/HelenRecipes 

Ho Chi Minh City - ongoing dynamic & enchanting

Ho Chi Minh City is the heart and soul of Vietnam. It's a bustling, dynamic and industrious centre, the largest city in the country, the economic capital, and the cultural trendsetter. Yet within the teeming metropolis are the timeless traditions and beauty of an ancient culture. 

If you have visited a number of cities in Vietnam but forgot Ho Chi Minh City, you have not known much about Vietnam for real. It is considered the capital of the Southern area of Vietnam. 
Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon, or by the abbreviations HCMC or HCM, is the largest city in Vietnam. One  of  the  most important  commercial  and tourist centres in Vietnam.  All the accoutrements of economic success – fine restaurants, flash hotels, glitzy bars and clubs, and shops selling imported luxury goods – are here, adding a glossy veneer to the city’s hotchpotch landscape of French stones of empire, venerable pagodas and austere, Soviet-style housing blocks.

These are some tourist attractions in Ho Chi Minh City:
Ben Thanh Market 
Saigon Post Office & Notre Dame Cathedral
Reunification  Conference Hall
Museum of Ho Chi Minh City
War Remnants Museum
History Museum & Zoo
Vinh Nghiem Pagoda
Zoo and Botanical Garden
Cu Chi Tunnel

Saigon from above. Photo by John Harper

Hanoi Chicken Vermicelli Soup

Hanoi Chicken Vermicelli Soup (Bún Thang) originally comes from North, but already found a new home in many places in South, esp. in Ho Chi Minh City where has been considered as the largest food hub.

Hanoi Chicken Vermicelli Soup (Bún Thang) originally comes from North, but already found a new home in many places in South, esp. in Ho Chi Minh City where has been considered as the largest food hub. People now consider it as the Traditional Vietnamese Food. Easy to find this dish around the city.

Circus performance in Hanoi

Two girls in the role of Egyptian cats
Princess (the girl in the middle of the photo)
 was looking at cat girls performance.

1 June 2014 was the international children's day and we celebrate this day every year in Vietnam. We bought tickets to see circus at 8pm at the Central Circus in Hanoi. I haven't seen circus for a very long time. Every time I go back to the circus, I always remember my childhood when my parents and teachers took me to the shows and it was always a big event for us. In the past, circus consisted of separate performances with introduction, but nowadays they are all included into a story. The subject for this year's circus is "Legend of Egypt". I had seen posters of the show outside the circus since May whenever I passed by it. The shows take place at weekends. Ticket prices are different. If you choose a show on Sunday morning, it costs VND 100,000 (about USD 5). Evening shows are a little more expensive, VND 150,000 (about USD 7) and VND 200,000 (about USD 10) for the tickets, depending on your seat locations.

Tran Bien Literature Temple - a peaceful and silent space

Tran Bien Temple of Literature, built in 1715 under King Nguyen Phuc Chu, was the first temple of its kind in the South. It is a place to honor Confucius and also serves as an educational center. Tourists in Vietnam travel will learn a great deal about the history of Vietnam through the stories of the national heroes and icons.

Architecturally inspired by the Quoc Tu Giam (Temple of Literature in Hanoi capital), the Tran Bien Temple of Literature was rebuilt twice in the Nguyen Dynasty and then destroyed by the French in 1861. Then It was restored in 1998 and the first phase was inaugurated during the Tet holidays in 2002. The last phase is under construction.

Old French buildings in Hanoi

St Joseph's Cathedral
St Joseph's Cathedral (built in 1886)
at Christmas 2007.

During the French rule in Vietnam from 1858 to 1954, many cathedrals, government offices, hotels and villas of French architecture were built. You can see them in different cities of Vietnam, such as Hanoi, Hải Phòng, Sapa, Đà Lạt and Sài Gòn.

Some areas of Hanoi city are called "French quarters", as many old French buildings are still preserved there. They are now used as government offices, embassies, Hanoi post office, schools, shops, hospitals or museums. My secondary school also is an old French building near Hanoi Opera House. I studied there for 3 years and my mother was a teacher at this school for a long time.

The two biggest cathedrals in Hanoi (St. Joseph's cathedral and Cửa Bắc cathedral) were also built by the French in the late 19th century. At Christmas, the cathedrals are beautifully decorated and many people visit the sites for taking photos.

A part of Hoả Lò prison is open as a museum. It was the place where American pilots were imprisoned during the American war and they called it "Hanoi Hilton Hotel".

Hàng Đậu water tower
This used to be a water tower in the past.
During French occupation, 12,000 French
 troops were encamped in Hanoi. Two water
 plants were chosen (Yên Phụ & Đồn Thuỷ)
in 1894 to provide clean water for soldiers in
the center and in the Old Quarter. This water
 tower is called "Đài Đầu" (head reservoir) by
the French. It belonged to the Yên Phụ water plant.
This tower is 21.30m high and has a diameter of 19m.
Now it's no longer used, so it's closed.

According to an article dated 9 August 2012 on the Vnexpress, there are 1,586 old French villas in Hanoi, of which 562 villas are private owned, 1,024 villas are under State's management, and 42 villas in the central government area of Ba Đình district are not allowed to be owned by private sectors.

Biệt thự Pháp tại Hà Nội

Hiện nay trên địa bàn thành phố có 1.586 biệt thự do Pháp để lại. Trong đó có 562 biệt thự thuộc sở hữu tư nhân, 1.024 biệt thự thuộc sở hữu nhà nước, 42 biệt thự ở trung tâm chính trị Ba Đình không được phép tư nhân hoá. Hà Nội đã hoàn thành việc phân loại biệt thự thành bốn loại. Cụ thể, loại 1, là biệt thự có giá trị đặc biệt về văn hoá, kiến trúc, lịch sử, có quy mô lớn, vị trí đẹp, sân vườn còn nguyên bản; loại 2, biệt thự có vị trí đẹp, có giá trị về văn hóa, kiến trúc nhưng ít nhiều đã bị biến dạng, xuống cấp nhưng cần bảo tồn.

Biệt thự loại 3 là có giá trị trung bình về văn hoá, kiến trúc, đã bị lấn chiếm, cải tạo một phần được xem xét bảo tồn hoặc phá bỏ xây mới; loại 4, biệt thự đã bị phá bỏ, xây nhà mới.

Hoả Lò prison
This prison was built by the French in the early
 20th century and now it's open as a museum.
During the American war, it was called "Hanoi
Hilton Hotel" by American prisoners/pilots.

Theo ông Tú, biệt thự thuộc loại 3 và 4 được ứng xử bình thường theo quy định của nhà nước. Tuy nhiên, một số biệt thự gắn với di tích văn hóa hoặc có giá trị kiến trúc thì phải được Sở Văn hóa thể thao và Du lịch, Sở Quy hoạch và Kiến trúc chấp thuận mới được cải tạo.

(Theo Vnexpress - Ngày 9/8/2012)

Hanoi_girl

Source: www.travelblog.org

CHICKEN GLASS NOODLE SOUP - Mien Ga

CHICKEN GLASS NOODLE SOUP - Mien Ga

Video by: Helen

 Chanel Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/HelenRecipes 

Shopping in Lang Son border town

Shopping is top of the list in the itinerary for tourists and businesspeople alike as the city lies next to the border with China.

Tourists shop at Ky Lua Night Market in Lang Son City - Photo: Khue Viet Truong

Three markets which feature prominently in Lang Son’s tourism guide books are Dong Kinh market, Ky Lua night market and Tan Thanh border market.

Markets are a magnet for men or women, as they can buy anything in Lang Son and bargain freely to get the best price and it also helps the local economy.

Đồng Hới city

Quảng Bình Quan in Đồng Hới city
This is the symbol of Quảng Bình
 province in central Vietnam.

Tuesday 27 January 2009 - At 6:30am, a mini bus came to pick me up at my guest house in Lao Bảo town. As I was back in Vietnam via the Lao - Viet border crossing too late the day before, I decided to stay overnight in Lao Bảo border town and next day I would get a bus from Lao Bảo - Khe Sanh - Đông Hà - Đồng Hới, where I would fly back home in Hanoi.

It was the second day of the lunar New Year (Tết) and still early, so we saw only two people on the street in Lao Bảo town. I was the first person in the mini bus, but the driver picked up more people on the way. We passed by Khe Sanh which is a small town, about 20km away from Lao Bảo border gate. This used to be the bloodiest battle field in early 1968 during the American war. At a crossing in the town, there is a memorial statue of the Vietnamese soldiers and the driver said Khe Sanh museum was on that direction. I visited Khe Sanh museum and Tà Kơn airport on DMZ tour in September2000 and it was still one of the most interesting places in Vietnam that I've been to.

China told to stop illegal activities on Truong Sa

HA NOI (VNS) - Viet Nam urgently requests China to immediately end its construction projects on the Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago and refrain from illegal activities in the future.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Le Hai Binh. — VNA/VNS Photo Lam Khanh

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Le Hai Binh made the request yesterday in response to China's illegal construction projects on Chu Thap (Cross) Rocks, part of Viet Nam's Truong Sa archipelago.
"Viet Nam has full legal and historical evidence proving its sovereignty over the archipelagos of Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa," he said.

9 The most Popular Vegetables in Vietnam

Vietnam is well known as a paradise of delicious dishes. Unlike English, Vietnamese prefers to eat vegetable rather than eat meat. Vietnamtourism.org.vn makes a list of popular vegetable in Vietnam for tourists to consult when visiting our country.

1. Water spinach- Morning glory ( rau muống)

Water spinach is the most common vegetable in Vietnam as the tropical climate creates favorable conditions for its growth and the veggie does not require much care. Used to be known as rustic veggie of the poor, water spinach has become an intergal ingredient in

Some Vietnamese cuisines such as sauteed garlic spinach. In the south, morning glory is often chopped into thin chips and eaten raw as salad or verved with many kinds of noodles. For most Vietnamese, water spinach is considered as important as rice in their daily meals.

Ba Chua Xu Festival - An Giang

As usual in April of the lunar calendar, locals in Chau Doc District, An Giang Province in southern Vietnam and others in provinces nationwide go on a pilgrimage to Sam Mountain to worship Ba Chua Xu (Lady of the Region). 

According to legend, nearly 200 years ago Sam Mountain was desolate, bushy and thinly populated. It was the home of many wild beasts. At that time, the invaders often pestered the life of locals here. One day, a squad of invaders climbed up Sam Mountain and found a beautiful stone lady statue. They wanted to take the statue but could not move it. In anger, they disfigured the statue, breaking off the left hand.

Cuc Phuong offers change of peace

Cuc Phuong National Park is one of my favourite weekend destinations. The first national park in the country, it's a relaxing place to enjoy a few days exploring tropical rainforest.
 
Established in 1962, the 22,000ha forest stretches across three provinces: Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa. Cuc Phuong hosts more than 2,000 kinds of plants, 2,000 kinds of insects, 122 kinds of reptiles and amphibians, 65 kinds of fish and 133 kinds of animals.
Before reaching the forest, deep inside the Tam Diep mountains, the local motorway leads tourists through Ninh Binh's karst mountain ranges, where tourists can enjoy scenic lakes, caves and rice fields and glimpse the lifestyle of northern countryside farmers.
I sometimes stop at big fields to feast my eyes on immense green young rice paddy and scattered lakes where herds of ducks and buffaloes swim. The peaceful villages are bordered with ranges of karst mountains.

Dalat – The City of Love and Flower

The city of Dalat is built on the Lang Biang highlands. It belongs to the Lam Dong province, about 300km away from Ho Chi Minh City. Under the French, it has Latin name – Dat Aliis Laetitiam Aliis Temperiem with meaning “giving the pleasure and happiness for people”. In Vietnam, Da Lat is a popular tourist destination.
 
Da Lat's specific sights are pine wood (forming the name: "City of thousands of pine trees") with twisting roads and tree marigold (Vietnamese: dã quỳ) blossom in the winter. The city’s temperate weather stands in contrast to Vietnam's otherwise tropical climate. Mist covering the valleys almost year-round leads to its name "City of Eternal Spring", city of fog ....but even with whatever name, Dalat is always a special allure for tourists everywhere because of fresh air, beautiful landscapes and the myth of romantic love. Therefore, Dalat is always an attractive place to relax, to appease the soul and to free yourself to peace with nature, earth and sky. As should be blessed by nature, Dalat is considered as a priority destination in the journey of tourists.Traffic in the city is so easy; it’s known as a city without lights traffic. You can travel by bicycle, tandem, horse cart, bus or motorbike. There are many places around town to rent those vehicles.Some attracting stops:• The most famous place of the city is Ho Xuan Huong Lake. The lake is at centre of town. It is one of the main draws of Da Lat. Boats can be rented on both sides of the lake.• Colonial Palaces: The three palaces and summer home of the colonial era, last emperor of Vietnam Bao Dai, which is of great interest once you visit these three heritage sites, named Palace I, II and III.• Crazy House is a striking, but it not-quite-finished fantasy house.• Dalat Market, it is filled with local specialties: strawberry jam, fruit conserves, avocado, artichokes.• Flower Garden is at the northwestern end of Xuan Huong Lake. A set of flower gardens centre around a reconstructed traditional Vietnamese teak wood house.• The Lake of Sorrow is a common destination in Da Lat. The Lake of Sorrow is so-named because of a tale of two lovers, one who committed suicide after the other was called up to serve in the army.• Langbiang Mountain. The 1,900 m peak is reachable by a steep paved path, ideal for a 3 hour hike, or you can ride in a Jeep. Also visit the ethnic village at the foot of the mountain.• Nha Tho Domaine de Marie is a pink church on top of a hill, with a store selling various dried fruits and snacks from the local orchards run by the nuns of the monastery.• Prenn Falls is a very common stop. Prenn Falls is quite beautiful, but is a lot more fun when you’re hiking it than just taking pictures of it.• Thien Vien Truc Lam Monastery. The monastery has a magnificent view over the dams below and its gardens are full of landscaped shrubs in animal form. It’s an extremely peaceful, a great place to relax and soak in the tranquility.• Valley of Love is another common stop in Dalat and is very popular with honeymooners. The Valley of Love is also a great spot for shooting.• Tea and coffee hills in Cau Dat Valley is popular for travelers. It’s better to visit in harvest time, when you can enjoy the entire beauty of scenery.Da Lat is an ideal destination for adventure travelers, with excellent mountain biking, hiking. With many attracting stops nearby, Da Lat is a splendid place for organizing teambuilding, amazing races. We have a great belief that you will completely satisfy if you choose Da Lat for a holiday.
A romantic summer in Dalat with family is always appropriate choice for off-color sublimation life and full of memories.

 

Xuan Huong Lake - Lam Dong Province

---

Da lat is famous in Vietnam for being a pleasant place for a nice atmosphere & beautiful scenery

Mộc Châu highlands

A blue H'mong woman
She is shy when we take a photo of her.
We present these H'mong people candy
and plums.

April 30 and May Day were our national holiday, plus weekend, so we had a long holiday this year. Myself and two Vietnamese girls rented a 4 seater car with driver and traveled 192km to Mộc Châu highlands in north west Vietnam. Mộc Châu is a district in Sơn La province and this place is off the beaten track. It's also home of some ethnic minority groups such as the Thai, H'mong, Muong etc. At altitude 1050m, Mộc Châu has cool climate and it's good for diary farming and tea plantations. Mộc Châu milk is a famous brand name in Vietnam, along with Vinamilk.

April 30, 2010 - We left Hanoi at 7:30am and traveled along the National Highway No. 6. When we were going up mountains, at one section, it was so foggy that the visible distance was only a few meters and our car had to follow the white painted line. It took us 4 and a half hours to get to Mộc Châu from Hanoi with two stops on the way. Even though it was a national holiday and every tourist site in Vietnam was crowded, it was pretty quiet in Mộc Châu and we didn't see any tourists at the sites. The only thing we found was that the big hotels in the town were fully booked in advance. In the afternoon we planned to see Dải Yếm waterfall, but the locals said it was dry there and no water as this time was the end of the dry season.

Two H'mong boys in Mộc Châu
We saw a group of H'mong people having
lunch by the road. These boys are the sons
of a man there. They were eating rice with
water and enjoying their simple food.

We decided to visit a couple of villages (Bản Búa and Bản Áng 2) where the Thai ethnic minority people are living. While walking around Bản Áng 2 village to take photos of stilt houses, we were invited to come in a local house and a Thai woman even climbed up a plum tree at her garden to pick plums for us. We sat down to drink tea on wooden floor of her house and talked to her. We wanted to pay for the plums but she refused. I especially like the view from corridor of her house. From there we could see mountains, other stilt houses, gardens and fields. There was a traditional dance show in the evening (perhaps some festival), however it was raining, so we couldn't go back to this village.

May Day 2010 - We went to the tea plantation hills which are located some kms from the town. It was a day off work, so we didn't see any farmers at the site. We climbed up the hills then went down to other fields. The sun was just shining at 10am before we left for the diary farming area. We passed by some milking cows and walked to grass fields. These cows are owned by local households and they milk twice per day, at 5am and 4pm. The cow milk is then sold to Mộc Châu Milk Factory. A cow costs VND 20-25 million (US$1,000 - 1,300) and a liter of milk can be sold at VND 10,000 (50 US cents).

Binh My Eco-tourism Area

Binh My Eco-tourism Area (Binh My Commune, Cu Chi District) located near the Saigon River is a favourite destination for many people in Ho Chi Minh City and nearby areas for its abundance of unique rural tourism services such as fishing and canal cruising.

Located 20km to the north of the city centre, Binh My Eco-tourism Area is surrounded by a peaceful landscape of green orchards. The park is divided into two parts by a stone-covered road. The left half sprawls out to the banks of the Saigon River with several types of services such as an outdoor café, a karaoke room, a conference room and a restaurant. The other is a large orchard with a complex miniature system of arroyos and canals crossed by straggling bamboo bridges, mimicking that of the Mekong Delta.

Wandering around the orchard, visitors can find huts along the canals, where they can fish while enjoying numerous local dishes, namely water hyacinth salad, chicken roasted in clay, grilled goat meat and goby fish hot pot. Moreover, the riverside resort under a green canopy of fruit trees also deserves praise.

The eco-tourism area’s restaurant is located near the Saigon River. Photo: Le Minh/VNP    Rows of bamboo trees surrounding huts along the canals. Photo: Le Minh/VNP   Binh My Eco-tourism Area’s restaurant. Photo: Le Minh/VNP

Tasting Snack Foods in Hanoi

Most Hanoi lovers hope to enjoy snack foods and their most iconic wintry dishes are nem chua ran (fried fermented pork), banh mi thit xien (grilled pork with toast), or banh chuoi (fried banana cake) when winter is coming. 

The best food shop is a common thing to see formally dressed gentlemen sitting in low chairs for their breakfast bowl of pho—an interesting Hanoi eating style. But we are not talking about pho or bun cha, since these great dishes have been introduced to the world many times over. This beautiful city has a lot more to offer those who want to eat like a local.

Pieces of Nem chua are peeled from their banana leaf wrappings, skewered on bamboo, and grilled over charcoal. Customers sit on plastic chairs while eating and watch the bustle of the streets. The spicy, sour, sweet, and peppery flesh tastes especially apt in winter’s freezing air. This dish is especially popular among teenagers, who are lucky enough to remain undaunted by its somewhat oily nature.

Cruising the Red River

The Red River in Hanoi
The boat is the office of the Red River Tourist Company.
This shot was taken when our boat was leaving it.

This is my 50th blog and it's about the river that carries my name. In 1954 my father, who was a teenager from southern Vietnam, traveled on a Polish ship to Hanoi for training, hoping 2 years later he would go back home as a cadre. The American war started and the country was divided into north and south for 21 years. He met my mother, a Hanoian woman, in the early 1970s. They married and settled down in Hanoi, before he had a chance to return home to see his parents in 1975, when the country was reunited. My parents gave me the name “Red River” in memory of Hanoi, where they met and had decided to live together for the rest of their lives, while my sister was given the name of his home town in southern Vietnam.

Direction board

The river which originates in Yunnan province of China comes into Vietnam at Lào Cai province and runs through northern Vietnam (including Hanoi). It’s called “Red River” which is the chief river of northern Vietnam (1,175 km long). The river has red water due to alluvium (silt). It also forms a great delta, before entering the Gulf of Tonkin at Nam Định province.

When I was a little girl, my family lived near the river outside the dike system. We experienced many floods over the years, especially during the high water season from July to September. I still remember the day when we woke up to find all pots/basins floating around our beds and we had to walk around in the water. Power was cut off on those days and we had to move to our grandparents house or my father’s office for a few days. Nowadays, there are rarely flooding on the river, thanks to Hoà Bình hydropower plant built in the upstream.

Vietnamese crispy spring roll - Nem rán / Ram Quảng/ Chả Giò

Ram Quảng or central-style fried spring roll is a very special version of Vietnamese spring roll that is mostly popular in Quang Nam - Da Nang. Unlike "Nem ran" in Hanoi or "Cha gio" in Saigon, Ram Quang is a lot simpler to prepare, yet is very tasty and unique.

B52 wreckage in Ngọc Hà village

B52 wreckage at Hữu Tiệp lake
Wreckage of the US B52 bomber at
Hữu Tiệp lake, Ngọc Hà village, Han

 Tuesday, 2nd September 2008 - It was our Independence Day. My friend and I took a taxi to Hữu Tiệp lake in Ngọc Hà village to take photos of the B52 wreckage on the lake. The journey took longer than we expected due to the traffic congestion on the public holiday. We went along Hoàng Hoa Thám street (one way street) then turned right at the lane next to house No. 55. After going straight down the alley, we saw Hữu Tiệp lake and the B52 wreckage on it.

According to the record, at 23:05 on December 27th 1972, the Battalion No 72 - Air Defense Missile Regiment No 285 shot down on the spot a B52G bomber of the US during an air raid in Hanoi. A part of the wreckage fell in to Hữu Tiệp lake, Ngọc Hà village in Ba Đình district of Hanoi near the Botanical Gardens (Vườn bách thảo) of downtown Hanoi, Vietnam. Today the wreckage still lies where it fell.

Unique cuisines of Vietnam’s Central Highlands

The Central Highlands is the majestic highland with vast mountains and forests. It is also famous for delicious cuisines with special flavors.

Ruou can (tube wine)

Ruou can is a fermented rice wine produced in in mountainous areas like the Central Highlands or the Northwestern region. It is made of cooked glutinous rice mixed with several kinds of herbs (including leaves and roots) in the local forests. 

Ton Thanh Pagoda

The ancient pagoda of Ton Thanh is located in My Loc Commune, Can Giuoc District, Long An Province. The 200 year-old pagoda is the place where Nguyen Dinh Chieu, a great poet and patriotic scholar lived and the most celebrated works in Vietnamese literature.

According to history books, Ton Thanh Pagoda with its initial name of Lan Nha was built by Buddhist monk Vien Ngo in the year of the 7th Gia Long (1808). In the year of the 5th Thieu Tri, Buddhist monk Vien Ngo, who followed the Buddhist religion for 40 years but did not reach the peak of the way in his religion, decided to sit in meditation without drinking water for 49 days and then passed away. To commemorate the monk who devoted his whole life to the Buddhist religion, the locals call the pagoda Tang Ngo or Ong Ngo and Lao Ngo.

Ton Thanh Pagoda is the oldest one in Long An Province.

The 60th anniversary of Hanoi’s Liberation Day

By Hoàn Kiếm lake in Hanoi's center
This shot was taken on evening 8 October when
I went down to Hanoi's center with my parents.

10 October 2014 - Today we celebrate the 60th anniversary of Hanoi’s Liberation Day. On 9 October 1954 the French troops left Hanoi and the war against the French was going to an end. Next day the Vietnamese soldiers came into Hanoi from different directions and they were happily greeted by the Hanoians. There are many activities in Hanoi these days and I saw many foreign tourists around Hoan Kiem lake in Hanoi's center. Some Vietnamese students approached to talk with them. The streets are decorated with flowers and colorful lights at night as well as flags everywhere. You can go to see photo exhibitions, music concerts or fireworks at 30 different locations in and around the city tonight.

Angsana Lang Co launches Summer offer for local Vietnamese market

Angsana Lang Co, located within Laguna Lang Co – Vietnam’s first world-class integrated resort, has launched an attractive offer for local residents to experience an activity-filled getaway amidst peaceful seclusion in the heart of central Vietnam.

From now until end of August 2013, Vietnamese citizens and resident expatriates can now enjoy a rate of VND 2.52 million nett per night for a Deluxe room in the most stylish resort to open in Vietnam this year. Offer includes breakfast for two persons and is subject to 5 per cent service charge and 10 per cent government tax.

The Ancient Pagoda of Van Nien

Van Nien Pagoda is located on Lac Long Quan Road to the west of the West Lake in Hanoi. The thousand-year-old pagoda is considered one of the most famous ones in the old capital of Thang Long.

According to historical records, Van Nien Pagoda was constructed in the 2nd Thuan Thien under the Ly Dynasty, one year after King Ly Thai To moved the capital from Hoa Lu to Thang Long. Previously, the pagoda was called Van Tue and situated in Quan La, present-day Ve Ho Village, Xuan La Ward, Tay Ho District.

The book entitled “Thang Long Co Tich Khao” says: “In the 5th year of Ly Thuan Thien (1014), Most Venerable Monk Huu Nhai, Patriarch of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha asked the king to establish a makeshift platform in the pagoda to organize rites for those who wanted to follow the Buddhist religion. The king issued an edict to agree with the monk’s suggestion”. This fact shows that the pagoda was probably built before the Ly Dynasty because at that time it became the favourite place for many venerable monks to stay and lead a religious life.

The ancient scroll of letters at the sanctum inVan Nien Pagoda.

The ancient three-door gate of Van Nien Pagoda.

Bac Son rice fields in harvest season

The town of Bac Son in the northern border Lang Son is located in a large valley surrounded by high mountains. The valley is magically beautiful in the harvest season.

Bac Son is approximately 160 km from Hanoi. The first impression when you come here is the pure and cool climate, the fresh and wild of rocky mountains and slippery slopes.

 

Bac Son Valley with vast rice fields and the charming scenery at dawn. This small town is surrounded by limestone mountains.

How to make BUN BO HUE - Vietnamese Spicy Beef Noodle Soup

This dish originates from Hue - the old capital city of Vietnam. It is loved by people in other regions for the bold flavors.

Video by: Helen

Chanel Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/HelenRecipes

 

If you recreate any of my recipes, please share a photo of your food on social media by inserting #HelenRecipes. Your food will be featured in my video someday ;)
Ingredients: For 6-8 servings (1kg = 2,2 lb)
- 1kg pork trotters (pig's front feet)
- 1kg beef shank
- 1kg beef/pork bone
- 1kg rice vermicelli noodle
- 5 stalk lemon grass
- 1tbsp minced lemongrass
- 1tbsp minced garlic
- 1tbsp minced shallot
- 1tbsp chili powder
- fresh greens: herbs (mint, Viet mint rau ram, Thai basil), bean sprout, banana blossom, shredded lectuce/ cabbage, split water spinach etc.
- lime, sugar, salt, fish sauce
- 2 tbsp Vietnamese shrimp sauce (mam ruoc)
-Optional: blood cubes, Vietnamese shrimp patties, Vietnamese ham

Foreign visitor arrivals up

Foreign tourists in Nha Trang City. The country welcomed over 6 million visitors in the first nine months of the year. — VNS Photo Truong Vi

HA NOI  (VNS) — Vietnam welcomed more than 6 million international arrivals during the first nine months of 2014, up by 10.42 per cent compared to the same period last year. 

The number of domestic tourists hit 32.4 million during the same period, an increase of 7.6 per cent, according to the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT).
Tourism has generated VND179 trillion (US$8.44 billion) so far this year, a year-on-year rise of 19.24 per cent.

Tasting Banh Duc (Plain rice flan)

“Bánh đúc lạc” is the most popular in the north and it is considered one of the most rustic and simple cakes in Hanoi cuisine

It is considered one of the most rustic and simple cakes in Hanoi cuisine, but the way to serve it varies thanks to Hanoian gastronomists. “Bánh đúc lạc” is the most popular in the north.

The main ingredients are non-glutinous rice flour or corn-flour and peanut.

Ly Quoc Su Pagoda

Ly Quoc Su Pagoda worships a Buddhist Monk of the Ly Dynasty (the 10th - 12th centuries). This Monk, whose full name was Nguyen Chi Thanh, was born on 1066 in Dien Xa Village, Gia Vien District in Ninh Binh Province in the reign of King Ly Thanh Tong.