Vietnam invests tourism key sector

Vietnam will invest VND1,931 trillion (US$94.2 billion) between 2011 and 2030 in an effort to make tourism the nation’s key sector by 2020.

It is estimated that 8-10 percent of the investment will be allocated from the state budget, while the rest comes from private sector. The plan aims to build a “developed” tourism industry in Vietnam by 2030. Under a tourism development project approved by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung Tuesday (January 22), the country will first use the money to upgrade infrastructure, develop competitive tourism products and improve human resources in the industry and protect the environment of the tourist spots. The investment will be put into the countries’ major tourist spots, especially those in rural and border regions and islands. Among eight priority sites is Ban Gioc in the mountainous area in northern Vietnam, over which both Vietnam and China claim sovereignty, and which will receive a total investment of $500 million from the project between 2011 and 2030. Ban Gioc Falls in Cao Bang Province, which the Chinese call Detian Falls, is situated on the border between Vietnam and China. It is one of the world's largest falls lying in the border of the two countries together with Brazil and Argentina’s Iguazu, Zambia and Zimbabwe’s Victoria and Canada and the United States’ Niagara.   Under the 1999 Viet Nam-China Treaty on Land Borderline, Vietnam travel guide has sovereignty over the waterfall’s tributary and the large waterfall is shared by the two countries.  But the sovereignty issues concerning the falls made headlines in the local media reports two years ago after some websites such as Australian news website captioned the waterfall's location with China only, unlike the cases of Iguazu, Victoria and Niagara, which were captioned with the name of both countries they are located in. Vietnam government in 2007 had approved a VND2.4-trillion plan to develop infrastructure at the waterfall site from 2008-2020 in an effort to boost the number of tourists to one million in 2020. According to the latest statistics from Cao Bang Province Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the site attracts around 30,000 tourists a year. Vietnam’s leading travel agency Saigontourist started construction on a four-star resort near the famous waterfall early last December, with the total investment of VND170 billion. The resort is scheduled to open by the end of this year. Vietnam expects a year-on-year foreign tourist increase of 5.2-8.4 percent by 2030 while domestic tourist arrivals are estimated to surge by a yearly 4.8 percent on average, according to the plans for the recently-approved project. Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) said the number of foreign tourists visiting Vietnam last year expanded by 14.2 percent from one year earlier to around 4.17 million, while that of local tourists showed an 8.3 percent increase during the same period to 32.5 million. Revenues in the industry saw a year-on-year growth of nearly a fourth to VND160 trillion (US$7.68 billion) in 2012, the national tourism agency said. Vietnam projects a more-than-double revenue of $18.5 billion in total in 2020, and a 4.5-time rise $35.2 billion in 2030. Travel to Vietnam

An English tradition

Afternoon tea or low tea, typically a small meal eaten between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., began among the wealthy in England in the early 1840. It has since spread to other regions and countries, including Vietnam.

A cup of Passion de Fleurs tea beside the beautifully carved metal teapots

Many Ho Chi Minh City hotels now offer afternoon tea – and also high tea which is usually had a little later in the evening. One of them is the Park Hyatt Saigon Hotel which at its Park Lounge serves afternoon tea every day (VND890,000++ for two persons) from 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., and a tea buffet on Saturdays (VND570,000, 850,000 and 950,000 for one person, including a glass of Moet Rose or Brut champagne in the latter two).

I went on a Saturday afternoon and discovered that the Park Lounge remains true to the original ritual of serving only tea along with pastries. But the tea is imported from France, and most of the pastries, created by the hotel’s French pastry chef, are French.

Upon arrival, guests are welcomed with mellifluous classical music played on a piano and a violin. There are sofas and chairs around round wooden tables, offering guests comfortable seats. And then came the tea.

It came in intricately carved, bronze-colored metal pots that looked Middle Eastern, reminding me for some reason of the lamp in the Walt Disney cartoon, “Aladdin and the magic lamp.” The brew was served in white porcelain cups.

The tea menu has a selection of 11 white, black, green, and oolong teas, some with herbal infusions. The tea is just warm enough to be drunk right after it is poured, but one can still whiff its aroma. A large pot of hot water allows guests to refresh their pots when their teas get too strong. Two of the specialties on the menu are the Passion de Fleurs and Earl Grey.

Passion de Fleurs, a light colored brew, is slightly bitter, smells subtly of rose and apricot, and has rose petals in it. Its amazing aromas made me wonder if it would be better to keep smelling instead of drinking it.

Earl Grey seemed to be one of the most popular flavored teas at the place. Darker and more bitter than the Passion de Fleurs, it is a combination of tea from rural southern China and bergamot orange, a fragrant fruit the size of an orange and similar to a lemon from Italy. While not smelling of flowers like the Passion de Fleurs, it had a distinct fragrance when mixed with milk.

But the best teas do not an afternoon tea make – it needs pastries.

In the middle of the lounge is a large round table on which an assortment of pastries is laid out. There are French pastries, fruit tarts, finger sandwiches, macaroons, chocolates, and cupcakes in various shapes and colors, making for an appealing and inviting sight.

There is also cinnamon apple tart which is very sour. It is made by laying thin slices of apple on top of each other to create a large round cake. The cake is then baked and served in small slices.

There are traditional English scones, flaky plain cakes with fleshy baked raisins inside. The scones taste best when broken into two, covered with clotted cream and strawberry jam, its two classic accompaniments, and eaten. It then tastes a bit sweet, a bit sour, and greasy.

Bertrand Sommereux, the pastry chef, said he has been trying to infuse Vietnamese ingredients and flavors into his French pastries.

One of his newest innovations for the buffet is an orange tart. It is served in a glass, and is yellow-orange on the surface, orange in the layer below, and white from milk and rice at the bottom. The top is sour, the second level is sweet, and the bottom is a slightly sweet because of the thick milk, vanilla bean, and the rice.

Trying all the pastries along with a pot of tea is almost impossible for any normal person.

A satisfied guest told me if someone does manage to do it, they would be happy to skip dinner.

The Park Lounge 

Park Hyatt Saigon Hotel

2 Lam Son Square , District 1, HCMC

Purple colour in Hanoi

Hanoi is adorned with a carpet of Ban (Bauhinia) flowers in purple colour spreading around Hoan Kiem Lake and along Thanh Nien and Bac Son Roads.

It looks like a corner of the northwestern region.

  

A corner of Hoan Kiem Lake 

 

On Bac Son Road 

  

 

 Romantic wedding photos

 

 

 

Bauhinia variegate 

 

A pay visit to Cao Dai temple

Indigenous to Vietnam, Cao Dai, is in fact a fusion of the teachings from Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism, with elements of Christianity and Islam.

Founded in the 1920′s, Cai Dai was seen as the answer to the ideal religion and they also worship western icons with the like of Victor Hugo, William Shakespeare and even Joan of Arc. The religion has about three million followers, all in Southern Vietnam and there are several Cao Dai temples in the Mekong Delta too but none as grand as this. (Built between 1933 and 1955) The structure of the nine-story Cao Dai Temple is part pagoda, part cathedral, part mosque – representing the ideology behind the religion. The exterior – fluorescent shades of pinks and yellows, rococo walls and mosaic-mirrored tiles that glint in the sun seems to find their delicate balance in the chaos. To it top off, the exterior that is already a feast for the eyes, are further ‘accessorized’ with multi-colored dragons of all shapes and sizes. Above the main entrance is the all-seeing Holy Eye, the symbol of the Cao Dai sect. The interior, needless to say, is just as engaging as statues of Jesus Christ, Buddha and the Hindu god, Brahma, stand side by side. The three principal colors of Cao Dai are yellow (for Buddhism), blue (for Taoism), and red (for Christianity), and these appear in worshippers’ robes as well as the temple. The most important symbol is the Divine Eye, representing God, which also appears in followers’ homes. It is a left eye, because God is Yang, and Yang is the left side. It has a ying-yang symbol in the pupil. Within the temple, males must enter on the right and females to the left and shoes have to be removed before entering the massive main hall. Once you step into the temple, you seem to be removed from the hassle and bustle of the outside world and placed into a world of calmness, peace and light. Prayer Session inside Cao Dai Temple Services are held four times a day and visitors are welcomed to watch from the balcony above which runs the entire length of the cathedral. Rows and rows of gracefully attired devotees dressed in white stroll into the hall systematically, accompanied by the sounds of the gong. As if on cue, once inside the hall, the devotees kneel down together before the altar signaling the start of the prayers. The priests are easily identified by their white pointy hats decorated with the holy eye and are dressed in either red, blue or yellow flowing robes. The gongs are now joined in by the string instruments and harmonious chanting of the devotees. Photography is allowed here and is an excellent opportunity not to be missed as you will never find another moment like this anywhere else. Cao Dai Temple Entrance Getting There The Cao Dai Temple is located just outside Tay Ninh, 60 miles northwest of Ho Chi Minh City. The easiest and most popular way to visit the Cao Dai Temple is on an organized tour from Ho Chi Minh city. Most people visit the Cao Dai Temple together with the Cu Chi Tunnels.The bus ride takes about two hours.

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.

Shortly after, a little girl who had been playing joyfully in the village started shaking uncontrollably and began very flush. She called herself as Chua Xu Thanh Mau (Lady of the Region) and said that the statue of the Lady on Sam Mountain was destroyed by the invaders so the villagers should take the sculpture down from the mountain. When the villagers climbed up the mountain they were very surprised when seeing the statue.

They selected nine girls to carry the statue. When arriving at the foot of Sam Mountain, the statue became so heavy that the girls were forced to place it on the ground. The village elders understood this as a signal from the statue that this was the place that it wanted to remain so a ceremony was held and a shrine was built on the spot to dedicate to her. That day was the 25th day of lunar April. Since then, the locals usually hold the Lady worshipping ceremony. At present, on Sam Mountain still remains a vestige of a stone platform where the statue was located.

The Lady Shrine was initially built from bamboo and it was rebuilt in 1870. In 1972, the Shrine was again rebuilt but much larger than before. The architecture of the Shrine has the shape of Chinese script “nation” with a lotus-shaped tower and three-layer roof that is curved like the bow of the boat. The Shrine is roofed with blue tiles. The patterns and designs on the sanctum feature Indian art. Above are strong and beautiful genie statues using their hands to prop up the beams that were carved and engraved finely and sophisticatedly. The Shrine also boasts many red-lacquered panels and couplets. Particularly, the wall behind the statue and four ancient columns have been kept intact.

The statue bears the Oc Eo Culture with the fine arts motifs of the Ba La Mon (Brhmanes) religion originating from India, similar to the four-hand statue in Linh Son Pagoda in Oc Eo Township , Thoai Son District, An Giang Province.

At present, all rites of the festival are held solemnly. At midnight on the 23rd day and in the early morning of the 24th day of lunar April, the statue-bathing rite is carried out for nearly one hour by four or five prestigious middle-aged women in the village. They bathe the statue in water fragranced with jasmine, spray it with perfume and then adorn the statue with a new bonnet and gown. Although the ceremony is held behind a silk curtain, it attracts the participation of thousands people who stand outside the sanctum.

On the night of the 25th day of lunar April and in the early morning of the 26th day, Tuc Yet and Xay Chau, the major rites of the festival, are carried out.  At midnight, the Tuc Yet rite is performed by the main priest and four nobles. The offerings include a white pig, a plate of pig’s blood, a tray of steamed sticky rice, a tray of five-fruits, etc. To the ceremonial music and drum and gong beats, the main priest and four nobles offer the Lady incense, wine and tea and read sermons.

After the Tuc Yen rite is the Xay Chau rite. The main priest drips a branch of poplar in a water bowl and splashes the water while reading “first, praying to heaven for good things; second, praying to the land for a bumper crop; third, praying for mankind's longevity; fourth, praying for annihilating demons”. When he finishes the rite, he beats three salvos of drumbeats to begin the Hat boi (classical opera) performance on the stage before the central sanctum. At 4am on the 27th day of lunar April, the Chanh Te rite is held, but is less spectacular.

Ba Chua Xu Worshipping Festival has become a great cultural event in Southern Vietnam that annually attracts about 2 million tourists nationwide who hope to ask for blessings and witness a typical cultural feature in An Giang Province.

Ta Cu Mountain Tourist Area

Ta Cu Mountain Tourist Area, is located in Thuan Nam Town, Ham Thuan Nam District, 30km from Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province, near Highway 1A. The area, covering 250,000m2, is a diverse ecological complex of forests, mountains and sea that is an ideal destination for visitors.

Recently, a suspended cable system, 1,600m long and 500m high, was set up in Ta Cu Mountain Tourist Area that consists of 35 cable cars and two stations with a transport capacity of 1,000 tourists/hour. This system allows tourists to have a panoramic view of the fairyland scenery of Thuan Nam Town with lush orchards of dragon plants grown in straight lines and ancient trees covered with creepers. At a higher altitude, visitors can see the Ham Thuan An sea and famous Ke Ga Lighthouse near a beautiful stone base by sea waves.  

Archway gate to Ta Cu Mountain Tourist Area.

Tourists buy tickets at Ta Cu Mountain Tourist Area.

Taking tourists to the suspended cable station by electric cars.

The suspended cable station is built on a large stone

Each cabin can take 6 tourists so the suspended cable system takes about 1,000 people per hour.

The suspended cable system above the primitive forest.

The scenery of the south central coast seen from a cable car.

Alighting at the suspended cable station and following a path hundreds of metres long, visitors are surprised by the complex of Linh Son Truong Tho Pagoda, towers, Buddhist statues and caves amidst ancient green trees. The pagoda was built between 1870 and 1880 with more than one hundred stone steps from its three-door gate to the sanctum. The pagoda’s roof with the Buddhist architectural style of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945) stands out in the blue sky, showing the solemnity of the pagoda.

Following the stone steps, tourists see three Buddhist statues, representing the past, the present and the future. They are Amitabha Buddha, the Goddess of Mercy and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva which stand imposingly in the greenness of the forest. On the way to discover the beauty of the tourist area, visitors also see a statue of Nirvana, one of the most unique and biggest statues in Southeast Asia. The statue, 49m in length and 11m in height, was made from reinforced concrete and covered with white lime on a stone base, leaning on the mountain. It was built in 1962 and completed after nearly four years. 

Linh Son Truong Tho Pagoda's gate on Ta Cu Mountain. 

The beautiful scenery on Ta Cu. 

Amitabha Buddha, the Goddess of Mercy and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva are displayed on Ta Cu Mountain.

Offering  incenses to Buddhists.

Linh Son Truong Tho Pagoda. 

A chess board-shaped stone on Ta Cu Mountain.

Discovering the bauty of the mountain. 

Sakyamuni Buddhist.

Praying for luck.

Souvienirs are sold at Ta Cu Mountain Tourist Area.

Tourists buys Sterculia latex, the material for making soft drink.

A restaurant at Ta Cu Mountain Tourist Area.

 Every year when spring comes, tourists and Buddhist pilgrims flock to the area to pray for lucks and enjoy the beautiful landscape of yellow apricot blossoms, red erythrina variegate and murmuring 

Traveling to Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa

The blue beaches, pristine bays, famous Vinpearl Land, majestic Yangbay waterfall... are interesting points of Khanh Hoa tourism.

Attractions Located in Khanh Hoa province, Nha Trang is the most famous beach city of Vietnam. In Nha Trang, you can not only swim in the blue, pristine, gorgeous beaches, take mud bath but also admire the underwater world at Tri Nguyen aquarium, watch the spectacular Yang Bay and Ta Gu waterfall from Vietnam travel news. Hon Chong beach In addition, travel to Nha Trang, you will have chance to enjoy sea and forest views of Se Tre tourist area, enjoy Nhum porridge at Tam Island; dive to watch coral and hundreds of fish in Mun Island; admire the beauty of Po Nagar Cham Tower... Moreover, you can also have opportunity to join in sea sports and activities such as: jet skiing, kayaking, surfing, body boarding... Nha Phu Lagoon Another destination you should visit when travel to Khanh Hoa is Vinpearl Land. Designed to be an independent recreational area harmoniously linked with the five-star international Vinpearl Resort Nha Trang, Vinpearl Amusement Park is built on an area of approximately 200,000m2 and consists of many modern and unique large-scale facilities comparable to the leading entertainment parks across the region and the world. Telpher to Vinpearl land If you do not like the artificial setting of Vinpearl Land, you can take a boat trip to visit neglected Van Phong Bay, explore the different beauty of each islet in Dam Mon Peninsula; enjoy a view of rocks and panorama of Nha Trang in Hon Chong, daily life activities of fishing villages in Ro beach; admire the Cam Ranh Bay - one of the three most beautiful and natural bays in the world. Khanh Hoa also has many ancient pagodas and temples such as Am Chua temple, Phu Cang temple, Long Son pagoda, Ba Vu Mausoleum... Hon Chong In addition, you can also visit the museum of Khanh Hoa province which now preserves nearly 10,000 original artifacts and more than 5,000 images and data belonging to different historical periods; the memorial sites of talented scientist - doctor Alexandre Yersin; Dien Khanh Temple of Literature; Institute of Oceanography which researches and explores the lives of hundreds of sea creatures; or ancient village Phu Vinh, which preserved many old houses; or enjoy the nature at the Ba Ho resort (Three Lakes), Suoi Tien (Fairy Stream)... Climate There is no bad time to travel to Khanh Hoa. This province has a tropical monsoon climate with an average temperature of 26.5ºC. Tourists take mud bath in I-resort - a new attraction in Nha Trang Transport Transport in Khanh Hoa is quite developed. You can travel to Khanh Hoa by bus, train, airplane or ship. - Road: The National Highway 1A and the railway from north to south run through Khanh Hoa Province, linking it with the other provinces in the North and South. The National Highway 26 links Khanh Hoa to some provinces in the Central Highland. Nha Trang is 105km from Phan Rang, 190km from Buon Ma Thuot, 205km from Da Lat, 238km from Quy Nhon, 441km from Ho Chi Minh City, and 1,278km from Hanoi. Van Phong Bay - Bus: There are connections with Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Vinh, Pleiku... Minibus for Hoi An, Hue, and Da Lat... - Airplane: Cam Ranh Airport is about 35km from the center of Nha Trang city. There are flights from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang to Cam Ranh airport everyday - Train: Regular connections between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City all stop in Nha Trang, daily train between Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang. - Ship: Cam Ranh and Nha Trang ports connect Khanh Hoa with many regions in Vietnam as well as with abroad. Specialties Khanh Hoa has many local foods and specialies such as Nem Nuong Ninh Hoa, fish noodle, jelly-fish noodle, banh canh, banh uot Dien Khanh, Lac Canh grilled beef... Nem Nuong Nha Trang - A must-taste local foods when travel to Nha Trang