Son La Province

Son La, the fifth largest province in the country, is located in the northwestern region of Vietnam. Son La province is a northwestern mountainous province. It has two large plateaus also named Son La and Moc Chau, and an immense area of crop fields. The rest consists of valleys, high hills and mountains, Son La province borders Laos to the south. The province is co-inhabited by various ethnic groups: the Xa, H'Mong, Dao, Muong, Kinh, Kh'Mu, Tay, Thai and so on. The Thai is the largest single ethnic group. Eighty percent of the province's natural area is covered with mountains.

As a northwestern area and the fifth largest province in Vietnam (14.174 sq km), Son La is seemed to be an undiscovered land with great tourist potential. Most of the area of Son La is mountains, hills and terrace paddies which is the home to various ethnic minorities like Kinh, Dao, H’Mong and Thai (makes up about more than 1,000 inhabitants)…The capital city is Son La Town. About the attractions in Son La, we can spend whole day telling you. The natural beauty of Son La, a typical highland area, with green fields and hills are irresistible attraction. Besides, the unique traditions and customs of the Thai and other minorities are also worth for you to experience.

 About landscapes and spots of beauty, there are 3 famous sites that you must visit when in Son La:

Moc Chau Plateau is located in the Moc Choc Commune in Son La town and 200km from Hanoi to the northwest, along the National Highway No.6. The most significant features in this plateau is the long and spacious fields of green tea (80km in length, 25km in width and 1600 ha in area). The climate here is also very favorable for tourism with cool weather; the average temperature is about 21^oC and dry winter. There are some great ways to you to explore and experience the beauty of Moc Chau; just hike up on a green hills and takes photos of the villages, wooden houses and terraces of the locals or walk down the valleys and meet the locals, buy some Moc Chau Milk – the traditional product of the area…

 Prison and museum of Son La is the second name. Many people, maybe, don’t known about this place. It was built in 1908 on the Khau Ca Hills where many of our soldiers had been taken into. Tham Tet Toong Cave, located in Chieng An Commune, Son La City Town.

Tham Tet Toong is a 150-meter-long cave with beautiful stalagmites. Just 2km from the centre of Son La City Town, Tham Tet Toong Cave is the combination of green trees, emerald waters and stone pillars. The best time to explore the cave is in the early morning.

Cheo Singing

"Cheo" is a traditional form as well as a typical representative of Vietnamese opera beside "Tuong" and "Cai Luong". "Cheo" is a form of art performance that is very popular in the North of Vietnam, especially provinces of the Red River Delta.

“Cheo” originated in Hoa Lu ancient capital (Ninh Binh Province now) under Dinh Dynastry (around 10th century). Till 15th century, King Le Thanh Tong allowed “cheo” performance in the royal palace. That form of art performance had rapidly developed and flourished in 19th century. There are many famous “cheo” plays which made deeply impression to several generations of audiences like “Quan Am Thi Kinh”, “Luu Binh - Duong Le”, “Truong Vien”, “Kim Nham”, etc.

Since 20th century, scripts of “cheo” plays have been modernized with the content about contemporary life.“Cheo” is wonderful combination of dance and singing in the form of music theatre. The actors and actresses will use both dance and singing to tell the story of the play. They have different costumes, make-up, langue and behaviors which are typical for different characters.

However, all characters are familiar with the real life in order to present a picture of real life on stage.To assist the actors and actresses, an orchestra will sit under the stage and play traditional instruments for the beat along the play. There are many instruments used such as “dan nguyet”, “dan nhi”, drums, “dan tam thap luc”, flutes, etc.Differ from other kinds of music theatre in Vietnam, “cheo” rooted in ordinary daily life of Vietnamese peasants in the Red River Delta. Thus, “cheo” reflects the authentic values of Vietnamese people’s lives: cultivation, traditional festivals, love, relationship between family’s members, etc. “Cheo” is usually performed on special occasions of Lunar New Year, traditional festivals and while the harvests ended. It has become an essential part of communal events as well as Vietnamese culture.

Then Singing

"Then" singing is a traditional kind of oratorio art in Vietnam. That form of art performance originated form religious activities of Tai, Tay and Nung ethnic groups in Northern Vietnam. The name "Then" is a word in the language of Tay ethnic group and means "god" in English. That name comes from religious liturgies of ethnic people to worship the god and pray for their life.

“Then” singing can be found in 5 mountainous provinces in the North of Vietnam: Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Ha Giang, Lang Son, and Tuyen Quang Province. Some documents indicated that “then” singing’s origin is from Mac Dynasty (in 16^thcentury).

“Then” singing is combination of singing, music and dance. It’s usually performed by a group of vocalists who can be males or females. They sing “then” melodies at traditional liturgies of celebrating a new house, weddings, longevity parties, Long Tong Festival, etc; as well as religious rites of praying for health, harvest, funerals, etc.

An indispensible instrument of “then” singing is “dan tinh”, so-called “tinh tau” in Vietnamese (gourd lute). “Tinh tau” originated from the language of Tay ethnic minority. In that language, “tinh” means “stringed musical instrument” and “tau” means “gourd”. “Tinh tau” has the body made from “gourd” and a long fret board. The strings are made of silk, nylon or fishing wire. There are two type of “tinh tau”: 2-string “tinh tau” and 3-string one. Two-string “tinh tau” is usually used as accompaniment instrument for dance and singing; three-string one is for religious rites mentioned above.

Since June 2012, “then” singing has been on process of nomination to be a UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage

Long Bien Bridge

Long Bien Bridge is a symbol of the immortality of Hanoians and is considered a bridge that connects the past and the present. The bridge is an historical witness of the changes in Hanoi. Nguyen Vinh Phuc, a Hanoi researcher, said Long Bien Bridge has memories about war, evacuation, the period of a state-controlled economy, existence and familiarity with each person in Hanoi.

Long Bien Bridge can present different images. It looks charming and romantic reflected in the Red River, especially with the glow of sunset or in drizzling rain in the north. From the south, the bridge looks shabby, typically as the first gleam of daylight shines on the stream of people on bikes going to Hanoi from the suburbs.

Each time trains slowly go through the bridge and a train-whistle resounds reminding people of the past, the period of Long Bien Bridge as a unique crossing over the Red River.

Long Bien Bridge is an historic cantilever bridge that crosses the Red River, connecting two parts of the city of Hanoi. It was built in 1903 by French architect Gustave Eiffel. Before 1954, it was called Doumer Bridge, named after Paul Doumer – the Governor-General of French Indochina and then French president. It was, at that time, one of the longest bridges in Asia spanning 2,500m. After more than a century of continuous use, the bridge is now in poor condition.
A project to restore Hanoi’s Long Bien Bridge has begun with assistance from the French government.
Between 2000 and 2001, the French government sent two groups of experts to Vietnam to survey the bridge’s status and discussed ways to restore it with their Vietnamese counterparts.
The idea to restore the bridge is to retain the cultural features and art, as well as helping to continue the life of the bridge as a witness of Hanoi’s history.
Vietnam and France reached an agreement on the provision of aid, around $1 million to prepare a feasibility study.
French experts have suggested 20 percent of the bridge's parts should be replaced to restore the bridge to its original form.

The consultants have presented three solutions:
The bridge will continue to serve trains, bicycles and pedestrians, as it does at present. 
The bridge will only serve buses, pedestrians and bicycles.
It will serve only pedestrians and non-motor vehicles like bicycles and cyclos.
Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai directed the Transport Engineering Design Corporation to cooperate with the French firms, Thales and Coyne et Bellier, to complete the feasibility study.
Deputy Transport Minister Nguyen Viet Tien approved the project to repair the bridge as in two phases.
First phase: Repairing the bridge while still ensuring transport flow, retaining the middle lane for trains, while the side lanes are for pedestrians, bicycles and motorbikes.
Accordingly, 53 percent of the bridge’s girders will be replaced, while bridge foundations will be strengthened to prevent erosion.
Second phase: Once an overhead rail track is built, the middle lane will be refurbished for pedestrians and bicycles, while the outer lanes will be opened for cars and motorbikes.
In the second phase, a major section of the bridge (around 200m) will be raised 3m to give clearance to river vessels during flood seasons.
Along with repairing Long Bien Bridge, another train crossing will be built 50m from the bridge.
The project will cost VND2,489 trillion ($142.8 million).
A festival, ‘Long Bien Bridge’s Memory,’ took place on the bridge at the end of 2008, allowing people to relive Hanoi’s memories about the bridge.
During the peak wedding season in Hanoi, brides and grooms having photos taken at the bridge can be seen. Long Bien Bridge is not only ingrained in the minds of Hanoians, it will live eternally and watch stories that never end.

Tram Chim National Park

Located in Tam Nong Ward, Dong Thap province in the Me Kong Delta, Tram Chim national park is one of the most important bird sanctuaries in Vietnam.  

The park covers the total area of 7588 ha, is divided into five management areas (A1-A5), each area is surrounded by a system of canals and dykes with a total length of up to 59 km.

The vegetation here consists a mixture of seasonally inundated grassland, regenerating forest and open swam which are ideal habitats of 191 plants, 101 species of fish, 100 vertebrates, 231 species of birds, of which 13 are listed in the Red Book, especially the rare and precious red-headed cranes. From January to May each year is the time crane flocks return after emigrating for months to evade flood. Vivid images of cranes flying on the mangrove fields have created the lovely natural pictures particularly impressing many tourists. Within the national park, visitors can hire boats to reach good birding sites, to enjoy the view and to have a chance to take beautiful photos, especially in the dawn or sunset.

Tram Chim National Park is not only an ideal destination for tourists to come and enjoy but also a useful place for scientists to do research on migratory birds. As one of the best developed and most famous sites for ecotourism in the Mekong Delta, Tram Chim Nation Park has drawn many tourists within and out of the country.

New road to improve access to northern tourist attractions

The nation's Roads Directorate is planning a new 78km road to take in My Dinh, Ba Sao and Bai Dinh. It will pass through the northern cities and provinces of Ha Noi, Ha Nam, Hoa Binh and Ninh Binh.

Tourists cruise along a river en route to visiting the Huong (Perfume) Pagoda on the outskirts of Ha Noi. The Road Directorate has agreed on a plan to build a new 78-km road linking tourist sites such as the Perfume Pagoda and Bai Dinh Pagoda in Ninh Binh Province to Ha Noi.

Nguyen Van Quyen, the Acting Director, said that the four-lane road, with a speed limit of 100kph, was an extremely large project that required complicated techniques and careful calculations.

The most economical approach would cost VND3.4 trillion (US$161.9 million) but this would require taking land from the Van Long nature reserve. The other option would cost VND4.3 trillion ($204.7 million).

The road would help the North-South transport network and link up tourist destinations, such as Bai Dinh and Huong pagodas, to Ha Noi.

Located 93km south of Ha Noi, Ninh Binh has a diverse landscape, with the Trang An eco-tourism complex boasting mountains, caves and lakes.

Roughly 3.6 million people have visited the province in the first six months of this year. Tam Coc-Bich Dong and the Bai Dinh Pagoda have also created quite an impression.

Ninh Binh aims to welcome 6 million visitors, including 1 million foreigners, by 2015, an annual growth rate of 10 per cent

Huong Pagoda, better known as the Perfumed Pagoda, is said to be Viet Nam's most famous pilgrimage site for Buddhist followers.

Every year, the site welcomes more than 1 million pilgrims and tourists from across the country, who arrive at the sacred cave to pray for a happy and prosperous year, or simply to admire its picturesque beauty.

Built in the late 17th century, the pagoda is located in My Duc District, 70km southwest of Ha Noi.

Quang Nam – Land of Culture, and extraordinary people

Quang Nam is not as noisy as Da Nang, and not as quiet as Hue, it always attracts tourists with its own cultural value and simple people. You should pay a visit to Quang Nam to explore the land ofCulture, and extraordinary people.

Thanks to traders, missionaries, Chinese and Japanese crossing the border gate of Hoi An, Quang Nam people had a chance to expose to Western culture. The interaction of many different cultures is expressed in forms of folklore. Coming to Quang Nam, tourists will have interesting experiences and learn about Quang Nam people’s life, immersing in an ancient space of Hoi An Ancient Town recognized as World’s most favourite city in 2012 by Wanderlust Travel magazine. Hoi An impresses tourists with ancient houses covered by moss. Visiting the ancient town, tourists will surprise with an isolated world hiding away from everything and destruction of time. You cannot listen to any sound of engine or see any colourful advertising board here. In addition, tourists will have a chance to contemplate the sacred and mysterious beauty of My Son tower temples. My Son Sanctuary is not influenced by Indian architecture. My Son Sanctuary is a large complex of religious monuments originally consisting of more than 70 structures. They include temples and towers that connect to each other with complicated red brick designs. The main component of the Cham architectural design is the tower, built to reflect the divinity of the king. Bricks are main material for the construction of the Cham Towers. However, it has been unable to figure out the reasonable explanation for the linking material, brick baking method, and construction method of the Champa. Even these days, this still remains as an attractive secret to contemporary people. Up to now, Quang Nam still preserves the unique historical and cultural remains of the past along with rich human values. Some of the typical cultural sites include: Hoi An Ancient Town, My Son Holy Land, Tra Kieu Old Champa Capital, Cham Towers in Khuong My and Chien Dan, which record the remains of Sa Huynh, Champa and the Dai Viet civilization. These historic monuments bring not only cultural value but also important historical value. Tra Kieu ancient capital, Khuong My tower, Chien Dan Bang An, etc features Sa Huynh culture, Cham culture and Dai Viet culture. Quang Nam is also famous for unique custom and festivals. Festivals in Quang Nam is very diversified and abundant. The value of cultural characteristics of Quang Nam land is accumulated in festivals, custom and spiritual life in daily activities of ethnic communities who live together in this land. Quang Nam festival is an entity that includes a variety of ethnic, history, religion and cultural elements. It is usually organized in a smaller sphere than the northern festivals but is very diversified, plentiful and unique at all. Besides, Quang nam cuisine is an attraction to visitors. Some of famous dishes here are Quang noodle, Cau Mong burnt veal, snail, Steamed Pork Bun, etc. Phu Ninh Lake