Posted by admin on December 31, 2010 under Vietnam Travel Info, Vietnam hotels | 
By Dat Tien in HCMC
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| Guests take food at the Palace Saigon Hotel in HCMC’s District 1 last Christmas Photo: Courtesy of Saigontourist |
Many hotels, restaurants and resorts under Saigontourist Holding Company will hold gastronomic parties to welcome Christmas and New Year
Palace Saigon Hotel (56-66 Nguyen Hue Blvd., Dist. 1, HCMC. Tel: 08.38292860)
The Christmas party, called “Angels’ Dances,” will take place at the ballroom (on the sixth floor) from 7:30-11:30 on the night of December 24. The program includes a masquerade, display of smoke and snow in the colorful laser light, and performances of a jazz band, singers and a children’s chorus. At the party, guests will enjoy European and Asian dishes coupled with wine; they will also dance as well as get masquerade prizes at the end of the party. Guests will each have to pay US$55++ to join the party.
Apart from the Christmas party, the New Year buffet party will also be held at the hotel’s ballroom on the night of December 31, from 7:30-11:30. The party goes with more than 50 European and Asian seafood dishes, wines, liquors and draft beer. It is accompanied with music and comedy shows. Guests can dance together with Philippine singers and are given prizes at the end of the party. Each diner is charged US$50++.
Bong Sen Hotel (117-123 Dong Khoi St., Dist. 1, HCMC. Tel: 08.38291516)
On the nights of December 24, 25 and 31, the Buffet Ganh Restaurant of the hotel will hold Christmas and New Year parties with its traditional European and Asian dishes such as salmon paste, shrimp with bean sauce and grilled seafood. In particular, dishes from black Mong chicken are served for the first time. A glass of cocktail is given free to each diner. The party goes with violin and guitare melodies and a magic show. In particular, on the night of December 31, guests can join a lucky draw.
The parties will run from 6:00-10:00 p.m., with ticket prices of VND600,000 (US$30) for an adult and VND300,000 (US$15) for a child.
Lemongrass Restaurant (Floor 14, Palace Saigon Hotel, 56-66 Nguyen Hue Blvd., Dist. 1, HCMC. Tel: 08.38291520)
On the nights of December 24 and 31, Lemongrass Restaurant will hold Christmas and New Year parties with special dishes such as shrimp and cashew nut salad, grilled sheep ribs with mustard, and spaghetti with shrimps and lemongrass-chilli sauce. Desserts include fresh fruits flavored with chocolate and ice cream of four colors.
The parties runs from 7:30-11:30 p.m. Ticket prices are VND680,000++ for adults and VND380,000++ for children. A 10% discount is given to those who buy a ticket before December 15. A 10% discount and one ticket are given to those who buy 10 tickets before December 15.
Vietnam House Restaurant (93-95 Dong Khoi St., Dist. 1, HCMC. Tel: 08.38291623)
On the occasion of Christmas and the New Year of 2011, Vietnam House Restaurant serves its special set menu with six dishes from December 23, 2010-January 1, 2011. These dishes are shark fin soup, basa catfish fillets spiced with salt and chilli, grilled pepper-spiced lobster, crispy half-burnt rice with coconut milk, cauliflower sautéed with beef and steamed banana cake with coconut flesh juice. Customers will be offered one glass of cocktail free. A set menu is priced at VND890,000++.
Saigon Quy Nhon Hotel (24 Nguyen Hue St., Quy Nhon City, Binh Dinh Province. Tel: 056.3829922)
Ghenh Rang Resort (Han Mac Tu St., Quy Hoa Slope, Quy Nhon City, Binh Dinh Province. Tel: 056.2241119)
Christmas and New Year will be celebrated at Seaview Restaurant (on the eighth floor of Saigon-Quy Nhon Hotel) and Hoang Hau Restaurant of Ghenh Rang Resort from 6 p.m. of December 24 and December 31.
At Seaview, buffets with more than 40 European and Asian dishes go with music and magic shows, and lucky draws. Ticket prices are VND239,000 for adults and VND139,000 for children.
Meanwhile, Hoang Hau holds barbecues with more than 40 dishes and free drinks. The events are accompanied with music and magic shows and conclude with a lucky draw. Ticket prices are VND209,000 for adults and VND119,000 for children.
Santa Claus talks with children and gives them Christmas presents at the two places. At Saigon-Quy Nhon Hotel, guests will also have the opportunity to take photos of impressive designs and decorations set for the festive season.
Yasaka-Saigon-Nha Trang Hotel (18 Tran Phu St., Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province)
Yasaka Saigon Nha Trang Hotel will hold a Christmas night for its guests and locals from 7:00-9:00 p.m. on December 24. The program consists of a party with traditional dishes, a music show with Christmas songs and dances, studying Christmas customs, and playing with Santa Claus and Princess Snow.
In addition, the hotel will celebrate the New Year by a dinner with delicious dishes on December 31. The meal goes with a music show, a masquerade dance and a performance of its bartenders. By midnight, 2,011 balloons carrying best wishes are released from the top floor of the hotel and guests count down the last seconds of the year 2010, propose a toast to each other to welcome the new year and dance together. The dinner party begins at 9:30 p.m. on the second floor.
First Hotel (18 Hoang Viet St., Tan Binh Dist., HCMC. Tel: 08.38441199)
From December 23-25, Santa Claus and Snow White will join guests in the Christmas Eve. Children are given gifts by Santa Claus. On the nights of December 24 and 25, a music show takes place at the hotel’s restaurant. In particular, on the night of January 1, 2011, diners welcome the first moment of the New Year while enjoying champagne in a music show.
Binh Quoi 2 Tourist Village (Binh Quoi St., Binh Thanh Dist., HCMC. Tel: 08.35565470)
Buffets to welcome Christmas and the New Year 2011 will serve more than 60 seafood dishes from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-8 p.m. Dinner buffets go with a variety show from 6-8 p.m.
Ticket prices are VND170,000 for adults and VND100,000 for children. A glass of Russian beer for every adult is complimentary.
From the tourist village, guests can also take a 50-minute boat tour of Thanh Da Peninsula. The tour costs an adult VND50,000 and a child VND30,000. One ticket is given for every five tickets bought.
Star 39 Hotel (39 Nguyen Van Ba St., Thu Duc Dist., HCMC. Tel: 08.37228438)
The Christmas Eve will run from 6-9 p.m., with a barbecue and games. Diners enjoy traditional Christmas dishes such as smoked turkey, grilled lamb rib, curried rabbit and Christmas cake. They are given a free glass of cocktail and can join a lucky draw. Children get gifts from Santa Claus.
Ticket prices are VND160,000 for adults and VND80,000 for children. One ticket is given free for every 10 tickets bought.
Saigon-Ninh Chu Hotel (Khanh Hai Town, Ninh Hai Dist., Ninh Thuan Province. Tel: 068.3876000)
To welcome Christmas and the New Year 2011, the hotel will hold a dancing festival. The preliminary round takes place on the night of December 24, with a buffet. The final round is held on the night of January 1, 2011, with a buffet by the swimming pool, a dancing show, a music show, and prizes to be presented to the best dancers.
The events cost adults US$15 and children US$10 to participate.
Collected by Vietnam hotel
Posted by admin on under Vietnam Travel Info, Vietnam tours |
By Michael Smith in Mui Ne
A customer sails an RS Feva in front of the Manta Sail Training Center in Mui Ne – Photo: Michael Smith
A kilometer offshore… The fishing port to my left, the flat blue horizon on my right with a couple of fishing boats working their nets within waving distance… I’m heading just to the right of the point at Mui Ne. The sail pulled on tight as the boat beats upwind. My sailing coach and one of his staff are couple of hundred meters ahead in separate dinghies. The Lasers they are sailing are much faster than my RS Feva and they have a lot more experience than me. It’s my first time out in a boat on my own. It’s magic.
I can hear the boat hum when I find the wind and it tilts and picks up speed. I keep my gaze on a fixed point ahead and steer for it. If I take my eyes off it for more than a few seconds I will lose my bearings – the boat will go everywhere – and I could end up in the drink again. A quick look up at the sail, then back at the water churning around the rudder, it’s time for my next tack. I push the tiller slowly across the boat and duck under the sail.
A minute later my boat’s on the edge of the fishing fleet. A brown-faced local sailor in his hammock after lunch opens one eye to watch me go slowly past his anchored wooden boat. I can see my coach, Nick, and his off-sider, Tung, pulling up on a beach just short of the point. Getting there against this wind will be a nice challenge to apply my new knowledge.
Sailing has been a dream for years. So when I found out about Manta Sail Training Center in Mui Ne, I went for it. Living the dream – isn’t that what life’s about.
On my first day, one of the coaches, Nick Newman, sat me down in the club house for a bit of theory with a diagram about beating, running, reaching and some safety stuff. Then showed me how to rig up a boat with one sail and we hit the water. No longer a spectator in the sport, I was straight-away learning hands-on how to set the sail with the mainsheet.
After half an hour of studying the wind and sailing together, he takes his hands completely off the controls when he hands me the tiller and moves to the front of the boat. All of a sudden I have both the sail and the tiller in my hands and we capsize for the first time with about five dunkings to go. I don’t seem to have enough hands. The strong wind lost me, I don’t know where it is coming from, so Nick resumes his place in the stern.
About five more sessions over the next few days with the two Vietnamese assistant coaches and I am ready to go solo. The feelings range from exhilaration when the wind is strong; to a gentle ease and oneness when the boat is steady.
The sailing center only opened in November. A British sailing instructor, Julia Shaw, opened it and equipped it with about 20 boats including RS Fevas and Teras, Laser Radials and Standards, 420s, Flying Fish and Bics. There has been a steady trickle of customers since the boats became available.
One customer, Phil Clandillon, who’d been sailing small dinghies since he was a kid, said he’d searched online in London for sailing in Vietnam before he came, but couldn’t find anything.
“When I found this place it was perfect. Good sheltered conditions, nice new boats, warm water. Couldn’t be better for learning,” said Clandillon who was using an RS Feva to teach his girlfriend, Dulcie, to sail.
The introductory price is US$30 an hour for a boat or US$50 an hour for a boat and coach.
Posted by admin on December 30, 2010 under Vietnam Travel Info |
The festive season is a time to celebrate and make merry with family and friends. This year, the two important holidays, Christmas and New Year fall on the weekend so people have more time to relax and enjoy entertainment and dining with family and friends. In the Daily’s issues on Dec. 10 & 17, TravelLiving features Chritsmas and New Year programs of hotels and tourist areas under the management of Saigontourist. Here are some more interesting venues for you to choose for your holidays.
ENTERTAINMENT ACTIVITIES
*September 23 Park in HCMC’s District 1:
The fifth “Tastes of the World” festival will take place from Dec. 26 until Jan. 2 in the park with 60 booths from 24 countries. Apart from honoring local and international cuisines, the festival features a bartender contest, a ceremony to set Vietnam’s record for the biggest banh xeo (pancake), and a cooking contest with celebrities. Delegations from the Republic of Korea, Russia, Germany and Vietnam will perform traditional dances and folk songs in their national costumes. Youth Advertising Company.
*Dai Nam tourist area in Binh Duong Province:
The tourist area will launch a 20-minute science movie projected onto a dome screen. The dome movie theater is a combination of film making technologies, an 18m diameter dome a surround stereo system with 18 speakers and six projectors. The theater which seats 200 will screen a nature movie. The tourist area will organize a fireworks display on New Years Day Jan. 1.
*Suoi Tien Theme Park in HCMC’s District 9:
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| The children choir at the Christmas tree lighting ceremony at the Caravelle Hotel Saigon – Photo: Courtesy of the Caravelle Hotel Saigon |
For Christmas, Suoi Tien will be transformed into snowy mountains and forests with Santa Claus riding his reindeer sleigh as angels and a snow princess give gifts to children.
An ornament festival will be held from today until Jan. 1 featuring 60 booths from cities and provinces nationwide. Some contests on bonsai, orchids, ornamental fish and dogs will be held.
*Dam Sen Cultural Park in HCMC’s District 11:
The park will launch a special “Sweet Noel & New Year” program from Dec. 24 until Jan. 2. A new drama for children named “Vi than may man’ (A lucky genie) produced by Idécaf will stage for four days Dec. 24, 25, 31 and Jan. 1. A hip-hop battle called “Red Lotus 2011” featuring break-dance, Deejay, Rap, Graffiti, Beatbox by Vietnamese dance groups and a judging panel from Thailand will be organized all day Jan. 1 at the musical fountain stage from 7am to 6pm. An ice sculpture show featuring images of the world wonders including Vietnam’s One-Pillar Pagoda, Thailand’s Golden Pagoda, Lao Pagoda, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Champs-Élysées and the Leaning Tower of Pisa is on display until next September.
*Saigon Zoo & Botanical Garden (2 Nguyen Binh Khiem Street, District 1, HCMC)
On Dec 24 and 25, the central Youth Union in conjunction with Yeah1 TV will hold the Yeah1 Wonderland festival. The festival lineup includes a Hip Hop Supernova contest for hip hop and break dance groups, a cosplay show, a carnival, a street parade with performance art, musicians and dancers and a swapping festival.
*The Canal Area of Phu My Hung Urban Zone in HCMC’s District 7:
The Canal Area will be decorated in the Christmas theme with images of Santa Claus and the reindeer sleigh, the Snow Queen, dwarfs and penguins until Dec. 26.
DINING OUT
*Caravelle saigon(17 Lam Son Square, Dist. 1, HCMC, tel: 3823 4999)
On Dec. 24, 25, 31 & Jan. 1, the hotel’s Nineteen Restaurant and Reflection Restaurant will serve buffet lunch and buffet dinner with a live jazz quartet. Price is VND998,000++ to VND2.1 million++. At the Saigon Saigon Bar, there’s a countdown dance party with live entertainment featuring Cuban band Luna Negra for VND800,000++.
*Duxton Hotel Saigon (93 Nguyen Hue Blvd., Dist. 1, HCMC, tel: 3822 2999)
Celebrate this festive season at The Grill and earn a Duxton Cash Voucher from our Festive Point Program. Christmas & New Year Eve Buffet Dinner: US$59++/person (Dec. 24 & Dec. 31), Christmas & New Year Day Buffet Lunch: US$25++/person (Dec. 25 & Jan. 1) and Christmas & New Year Day Buffet Dinner: US$38++/person (Dec. 25 & Jan. 1).
*Legend Hotel Saigon (2A-4A Ton Duc Thang St., Dist. 1, HCMC, tel: 3823 3333)
Enjoy Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve with a gala dinner buffet, novelties, variety entertainment, and live performance by the Essence Band at the hotel’s Pool Side. At the Atrium Café, Santa will give gifts to your kids. A midnight toast with a glass of sparkling at the New Year’s Eve countdown with a balloon drop and guitar & violin duo will make the start of 2011 memorable.
*Equatorial hotel ho chi minh (242 Tran Binh Trong St., Dist. 5, HCMC, tel: 3839 7777)
Festive activities include carol singing, a Christmas bazaar and festive dishes at the Orientica and Chit Chat at the Café restaurants. The two restaurants present glorious menus of festive cuisines. Party on New Year’s Eve with sizzling menus, exciting entertainment, a lucky draw and the official countdown.
*InterContinental Asiana Saigon Hotel (corner of Le Duan Blvd. and Hai Ba Trung St., Dist. 1, HCMC, tel: 3520 9999)
The Christmas Royal Afternoon Tea at The Library lounge, some Italian home-style delights at Basilico, and a lunch or dinner at Market 39 with special Christmas treats are some highlights. At the Spa InterContinental, a “Get Your Glow Back” package has been created.
*Mövenpick Hotel Saigon and Mövenpick Hotel Hanoi:
At both saigon hotel and Hanoi are launching special brunches and buffets to celebrate the holidays. In HCM City, Santa Claus will be hading out Christmas gifts to the kids in the lobby. In Hanoi, special Christmas activities will be available to children in the playroom. Gift Hampers are also available at the two hotels.
*Park Hyatt Hotel Saigon (2 Lam Son Square, Dist. 1, HCMC, tel: 3824 1234)
A variety of menus have been created by the hotel’s celebrated chefs at the two award-winning restaurants, Opera and Square One, especially for Christmas and the New Year from VND1.5 million++ to VND2.7 million++. To welcome in 2011 and party in style, customers can revel at 2 Lam Son bar with the savvy Saigon crowd and guest DJ till 2 a.m.
*Ramana Hotel Saigon (323 Le Van Sy St., Dist. 3, HCMC, tel: 3843 9999)
Be entertained by live dance and choir music, a lucky draw, gifts for kids from Santa Claus and a Gala Buffet Dinner at The Café with more than 90 mouthwatering dishes for US$30++ for adults, half price for kids under 10. New Year’s Eve will have live music, lucky draw and a free glass of champagne for the countdown – only US$35 for adults, half price for kids under 10. The hotel offers its Year-End party package for only USD$16++ per person. Customers are offered a choice of menus, standard festive decorations with lighting and sound system, dance floor and one festive banner.
*Renaissance Riverside Hotel Saigon (8-15 Ton Duc Thang St., Dist. 1, HCMC, tel: 3822 0033)
Festive specialties prepared hot at live cooking stations are served at Riverside Café while Kabin Chinese Restaurant offers promotions at its private dining rooms during the season. At the 21st Poolside Terrace, there is a festive BBQ and live music. Kid corners are available to keep your kids entertained while gifts from Santa Claus will complete the little guests’ wishes for the night. For the New Year countdown, thousands of balloons drop at the crack of the New Year. You can pop the balloons to discover your prizes.
*Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers (88 Dong Khoi St., Dist. 1, HCMC, tel: 3827.2828)
The Gingerbread House is offering a wide range of gifts for guests to buy from a chocolate Santa Claus to a gingerbread snow man and Christmas yule logs. Christmas at Saigon Café has carol singers and gifts from Santa Claus for the children besides festive dishes. At New Years Eve, there is the countdown party at the Night Spot bar.
*Sofitel Saigon Plaza (17 Le Duan Blvd., Dist. 1, HCMC, tel: 3824 1555)
On Dec 24, Café Rivoli serves a delightful Christmas Eve buffet dinner with a traditional five-course set menu and a glass of Taittinger Champaign and unlimited Bordeaux wines at VND1.6 million++ per person. An enticing New Year’s Eve dinner buffet awaits you at Café Rivoli to feast for this festive night with a selection of fine French wines on free flow at VND 1,800,000++ per person. Then, indulge yourself with a “Magnifique” lobster brunch, for Jan. 1, with a wide range of desserts at VND900,000++ per person.
*Windsor plaza Saigon(18 An Duong Vuong St., Dist. 5, HCMC, tel: 3833 6688)
The Windsor Plaza Hotel is also serving up special holiday fare at the three award-winning in-house dining establishments. Café Central An Dong will host special Holiday brunch and dinner buffets on Dec. 24, 25, 31 and Jan. 1. Dinner buffets feature two free glasses of wine or beer.
For a more traditional Eastern take on the Holidays, Ngan Dinh Restaurant, on the hotel’s fifth floor will serve a classic eight-course menu with a bottle of imported red wine on Dec. 24, 25, 31 and Jan. 1. While the TOTT Bar & Restaurant, located on the 25th floor, is where to enjoy the scenery and the sumptuous cuisine with two glasses of wine or beer on Dec. 24, 25, 31 and Jan. 1.
*Lion Restaurant (11-13 Lam Son Square, Dist. 1, HCMC, tel: 3823 8514)
Buffet parties will take place at the restaurant from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the nights of Dec 24 & 31, with more than 40 dishes. The parties will rock along with Filipino singers, a Christmas choir, circus and magic performances, games, dances and comedy performances for the New Year’s Eve. Participants will get gifts from Santa Claus and take part in a lucky draw. Ticket prices are VND579,000 for adults and VND379,000 for children.
*Victoria Hoi an Resort (Cua Dai Beach, Hoi An Town, Quang Nam Province): There will be a traditional Christmas food program for guests, accompanied with a music performance by the hotel staff choir.
*Golden Sand Resort Hoi an (Hoi An Town, Quang Nam Province, tel: (0510) 3927 555): The Christmas celebration will start from 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on December 24 with a party, Filipino band and lucky draw. Tickets are US$48 per adult and US$28 per child, free for kids under six.
*Furama Resort Danang (68 Ho Xuan Huong Street, Bac My AN, Danang City, tel: (0511) 3847 333): Enjoy music and dance performances and admire the flower with light displays. The resort also offers tours to heritages sites, martial arts on the beach and sport coaching for children such as tennis, flying kites and dragon dances.
*Silver Shores Hotel and Resort (8 Son Tra Dien Ngoc Street, Ngu Hanh Son District, Danang City, tel: (0511) 3818 888): The hotel will prepare a buffet with Asian dishes such as sashimi, Vietnamese soup, steamed shrimp with chili sauce, Thai duck curry and salads.
Other Christmas promotions include rooms for US$185-US$245 per night, including buffet breakfast, Xmas and New Year parties, and half price for the fourth night.
For New Year celebrations in Hoi An, visitors can enjoy the New Year’s Eve countdown at Hoai River with activities such as a dan tranh (16-chord zither) solo performance, dragon dances, rock and Aspara dance shows. The program starts 7 p.m. on December 31 to 2 a.m. January 1.
Posted by admin on under Vietnam Destinations, Vietnam attractions, Vietnam beauty, Vietnam hotels |
Dalat (valley of love, French word originated), the city of romance and dreaminess, located in South Central Highland of Vietnam, belongs to Lam Dong province. It is endowed with nice climate with four seasons in one day. Every traveler, especially, couples easily felt in love with this weather and spectacular scenery here. This city is famous for many attractions such as Xuan Huong Lake, Lang Biang Moutain, Valley of love, Lake of Sorrow (Ho Than Tho), etc. Also, this place has many kinds of flowers such as roses and mimosa. Certainly, if you visit dalat, you also find many accommodation that fits your choice from budget to luxury ones.
Below are some recommended dalat hotel:
Top 5 star hotels
Top 4 star hotels
Top 3 star hotels
Posted by admin on December 29, 2010 under Vietnam Beaches, Vietnam Destinations, Vietnam attractions, Vietnam beauty |
Nha Trang, Vietnam
Combining a beautiful, if sometimes crowded beach with a lush inland area and a rich sampling of antiquity, Nha Trang is one of Vietnam’s most attractive destinations. Known in backpacker circles for its underwater diving and its beer soaked boat cruises, Nha Trang is a unique place with much more to offer. (Yes, the boat cruises are a blast, though).The beach in
Nha Trang is quite heavily visited by tourists, both foreigners and Vietnamese. As a result, certain things are expensive. People looking for a suntan will be pestered by hawkers selling fresh seafood or trinkets. They will cook the seafood right there for you, but the price will be highly inflated. Bars like, The Sailing Club are posh but popular, but by no means the norm in Nha Trang. Cheap eats can be had in town, as can cheap beverages.
The Cham temples are on a hill overlooking the harbor in Nha Trang. The site itself is usually crowded and the atmosphere more like a carnival than a holy site. The view of Nha Trang’s harbor is worth the hike up the ill, though. The crowd of colorful fishing boats makes the harbor seem timeless and picturesque.
Wandering Nha Trang city streets is not as rewarding as, say, Hanoi, in terms of sightseeing, but some of the local street stalls serve tasty and hearty fare. Bia Hoi (fresh beer) stalls pop up at night time and offer a dirt cheap alternative to pricey sea front bars. That said, some of the seaside cafes offer reasonable priced food. Many specialize in seafood.
Boat trips to the islands off Nha Trang’s coast are crowded, and basically just a place for tourists to socialize with one another. Some offer food and snorkeling and (copious amounts) or booze.
Yes, many of the boat rides are simply tourist traps, bu Nha Trang is also the only place in Vietnam to do serious scuba diving. Dive shops are almost all certified and snorkeling or diving trips to the coral reefs off Nha Trang’s coast are reasonably priced and recommended by experienced divers as well as novices. Nha Trang is also the place to get your divers certification should you want or need it.
Getting a guide and going trekking inland is perhaps the least known activity in Nha Trang. Traveling through rice fields and small, colorful farm villages is makes getting to the mountains half the fun. There are several mountain streams worth trekking up. Guides in Nha Trang will be able to arrange a trip, sometimes with a meal in one of the farm villages. This is probably the most underrated way to spend a day in Nha Trang.
Nha Trang is developing into a world class resort area. However, it still retains some of its small town charm, and offers more than just sun-tanning and surf.
Village outside Nha Trang
(Source: Hubpage)
Posted by admin on under Vietnam Destinations, Vietnam beauty |
Once called “Little Paris” by the French colonists who founded it,
Dalat Vietnam is now known for its beautiful mountain scenery and delightfully cool mountain weather. Though not quite on par with Nha Trang or
Ha Long Bay in terms of being a tourist destination, Da Lat has a lot to offer to those interesting in trekking, natural sights, and motorcycle trips. This is a great place to get to know Vietnam’s highlands.Arriving via car or bus provides an opportunity to view the switch from tropical jungle surroundings to panoramic mountain views. The land around Da Lat is a place of coffee farms and colorful small towns. Though the road is narrow, the ride offers enough scenery to distract riders from Vietnam’s famously dangerous traffic.
Xuan Huong Lake is a destination for Vietnamese tourists. There are paths around this wide body of water, usually used by honeymooners, as Da Lat is the honeymoon destination of choice for people from Ho Chi Minh City. Boats can be rented, although the views from the shore are just as enjoyable as anything that can be seen afloat.
Further afield, Da Lat has several scenic waterfalls. renting a motorbike is advisable, as there is 10-15 miles between the falls and Da Lat. Those who do not ride motorcycles can hire a local motorcycle driver to take them around. Many drivers speak good english and know where the best sightseeing spots are. Prenn Falls is a good place to stop off and enjoy a brief hike.
Tuyen Lam Lake is another trekking destination. The lake is known for its emerald green waters and the scenic mountains which surround it. There are several outfitters who can organize longer treks or motorcycle tours. There is a lot to see around Da Lat, and the most idyllic places are usually off the beaten path.
There are opportunities to tour coffee farms or sing karaoke and enjoy a beer at some of the small places perched on the walls of a valley.
Da Lat does have a higher elevation that coastal Vietnam, and the temperature can get quite cold, especially during the winter months. Aside from packing appropriately, visitors will be able to find reasonably priced cold weather apparel at Da Lat’s Markets. Some of the knit clothing is handmade.
Da Lat is a place with many natural sights. Though you have to get off the beaten path to see most of them, it is worth it, especially since the area is so different from Vietnam’s popular coastal areas.
Da Lat (Xuan Huong Lake is in the background)
(Source: hubpages)
Posted by admin on December 28, 2010 under Vietnam Destinations, Vietnam Travel Info, Vietnam hotels |
Hoi An is a small city in Vietnam, located in Quang Nam province and bordering the South China Sea to its east. It is a beautiful small city that retains a lot of its past with preserved European, Asian and traditional Vietnamese structures. Hoi An is one of those rare seaside and culture destinations in Asia, being famous for its relaxing beach and its arts and crafts shops. Hoi An used to be one of the most important trading ports in Southeast Asia, if not all of Asia in the 18th century. The city rose to prominence as a powerful and important trading passage between Europe, China, India and Japan. Shipwrecks containing goods (especially Asian and Vietnamese ceramics) have been discovered trading as far as Sinai, Egypt. However, towards the end of the century, the importance of Hoi An as a trading port declined because of the collapse of Nguyen rule. All trade was then diverted to Da Nang while Hoi An was left relatively untouched.
Hotel in hoi an is rather good with modern facilities and services. You can find a wide range of hotels here, from Cheap hotels hoi an to luxurious ones.
Some recommended hoi an hotel:
Top 5 star hotels
Top 4 star Hotels
Top 3 star Hotels
Posted by admin on under Vietnam Travel Info, Vietnam tours |
VietNamNet Bridge – It’s a strange land that leaves me with different feelings whenever I come to rediscover it.
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Steps to heaven: The familiar terraced fields in Sa Pa attract many domestic and foreign visitors. (Photos: VNS)
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SaPa is an incredibly picturesque town in the Hoang Lien Son Mountain Range near the Chinese border in northwestern Viet Nam, 350km from Ha Noi.
It can be explored almost year-round from March to early December. Vietnamese most like to visit during June and July to escape the summer heat in other parts of the country. Sa Pa is 1,500m above sea level so the weather is quite mild, and cold at night.
The best time to go to Sa Pa is on a weekday, as weekenders tend to flock here. However, the famed “love market” only takes place on Saturday nights, so visitors often extend their tour to Saturday to experience it.
Tourists can see many hill tribe people, their villages and rice terraces. The ethnic minority groups generally retain their lifestyles and traditional costumes.
The area’s high mountains, deep ravines and lush vegetation rise to the peak of Mt Fansipan – the highest point in Indochina. The combination of fresh mountain air, relaxed ambience, sweeping panoramas and fascinating hill tribes make Sa Pa a must-see destination.
A trek took us deep into a hill tribe region where tourists are still something of a novelty. Staying in village homes allowed us to experience firsthand a lifestyle that has been little touched by the modern world and a curiosity from our hosts just as great as our own. The trekking is fairly strenuous at times but the spectacular scenery and sense of adventure make it worth the effort.
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Gracious guides: Many local women work as souvenir sellers and tour guides to lead tourists to discover their hometown’s lifestyle and hidden charm.
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I can’t explain why all of the local tour guides are women. All are under 30 and haven’t yet married. Thao Thi Ru, a Dao ethnic woman, has guided tourists since she was 12, after starting her career as a souvenir vendor. Sometimes, to get tourists buy her hand-made souvenirs, she has offered herself as a guide for free. Gradually, she has learned English from them, learned to cook dishes to their tastes, and acquired the experience to become a professional tour guide.
“Being local, we have an advantage over tour companies,” Ru said. “Foreign tourists prefer us to guide them because we know the ways and easily lead them to villages and local houses. They love to understand the local customs as told by locals like us.”
Under Ru’s direction, we visit Ta Van, Ta Phin and Ban Ho communes and get a greater understanding of the Mong and Dao people’s stone-carving, weaving, jewelry-making, metalwork and embroidery crafts.
Ta Phin Cave, at the far end of Ta Phin village, is an attractive destination which tourists often bypass without a local guide’s suggestion.
The cave requires a guide with a flashlight, and the guide will shine the torch on a variety of stalactites.
Some of the locals invite visitors to go to their homes to show how they live and what they have, and tell them about their families. On following them to their houses, tourists find out how simply they live. The tour guides suggest you to buy the merchandise you like from them as repayment for what they have shown for you.
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Bridging the divide: A foreign tourist tries to cross the May (Rattan or Cloud) Bridge in Sa Pa, a destination for adventurous tourists.
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Local tour guides also lead the trips to the forests and mountains because they know thoroughly the terrain.
Before starting a tour, the guides remind tourists to bring food, shoes, sleeping bags and other necessities, said Giang Thi Co, a Mong woman.
“I have learned from the elders folk medicines to treat stomach aches, muscle pains and snake bite,” Co said. “Once, a Western woman couldn’t walk anymore because her legs were sore, so I picked some leaves to apply to her swollen calves. She felt better and said ‘good, good!’ to me.”
City lovers may find Sa Pa is not the place for them as its rich ethnic lifestyle is far removed from modern life. If you expect to go shopping in malls, Sa Pa has nothing to offer. The only way to go shopping is to go to the local market where you can find unique handicrafts, jewelry and fabrics with colourful embroidery. While tourists don’t know how to bargain or choose the best items, the local guides are ready to help.
Sa Pa is famous for its “love market” where local young people go to show off and find partners. It is held every Saturday night and provides a unique and unforgettable experience.
The love market is a tradition in the culture of the Mong, Tay and Dao. All the people around Sa Pa live in isolated villages and can only get together once a week during the Sunday morning market. The night before, young men and women from all around come to the love market to meet and express their emotions through playing the khen (pan pipe) and singing according to traditional customs of their people.
The experience of Sa Pa trip is not something that everyone can buy, but adventurous people and those who seek to know the hidden charm of Vietnamese hill tribes living in their old traditional mountain villages cannot miss this place.
VietNamNet/Viet Nam News
Posted by admin on December 27, 2010 under Vietnam Travel Info, Vietnam hotels, Vietnam tours |
HCMC, the country’s biggest tourism centre, will need to build around 6,000 three- to five-star hotel rooms by 2015 to meet the rising demand of MICE guests, according to a report.
The city received 2.6 million foreign visitors last year and the figure was earlier forecast to rise to over 2.8 million this year but the actual number might be around 3.1 million.
Given that growth rate, the Hotel Division of the HCMC Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has forecast growth of international arrivals in 2009-2015 would be 15% per year to reach over 3.9 million visitors by 2015. Around 988,000 of the visitors will come for business purposes.
The hotel division said at a meeting early this week, “The three- to five-star hotel rooms make up around 24% of the total rooms, so they are not enough to serve to big MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) groups.”
The city now has 785 hotels with over 24,000 guest rooms, including 68 three- to five-star hotels with nearly 9,300 rooms.
HCMC, according to the division, has around 200 meeting rooms measuring a total of 28,000 square meters. Almost all of the rooms are at the standard hotels, and the rest at convention centres such as White Palace, and Saigon Exhibition And Convention Center.
As for the hotels, the Windsor saigon has the biggest number of meeting rooms, at 22 with a total area of 2,700 square meters, and its grand ballroom can seat 1,200 people.
The Sheraton Saigon Hotel and Towers has 13 meeting rooms covering a combined 1,500 square meters. The seating capacity of its grand ballroom is nearly 1,100 people.
MICE organisers often choose four- to five-star hotels for international conferences but the meeting rooms that meet requirements for such conferences are insufficient to meet the demand.
Rents for the meeting rooms at the five-star hotels vary depending on locations. The 1,000-seat-plus ballroom at the five-star hotels in the downtown area costs US$13,500 per day but the rent is a mere US$3,600 for five-star hotels far from the city centre.
For the same downtown location, the rents may also be different. A five-star hotel may charge a 700-seat meeting room at US$3,000 while another five-star hotel may demand US$6,800 for a 500-seat meeting room.
Source: SaigonTimes Online
Posted by admin on under Vietnam Beaches, Vietnam Destinations, Vietnam Travel Info, Vietnam attractions, Vietnam beauty |
Central region offers pristine beaches and landscapes that never pall on the visitor.
If a nation is endowed with a 3,200-kilometre coastline, it stands to reason that it has many beaches. Many Beaches that have different features and match different tastes.
And among this assortment, the central region can claim to have the most beautiful beaches and resorts that dot the S-shaped coastline.
Five years ago, the Forbes magazine had this to say about the Danang beach: “The beach is one of Asia’s prettiest and most historic, with yellow sand stretching for almost 20 miles and traditional round woven boats one of the best ways to ride the waves.”
These 20 miles can be said to be a string of stunning beaches like My Khe, Nam O, Xuan Thieu, Thanh Binh, Tien Sa, Son Tra, Bac My An and Non Nuoc.Calm seas and crystal clear water are common features of these beaches, but My Khe stands out a bit.
Just 900 meters in length, My Khe is renowned for its white sands and delightful scenery. For years, it has attracted not only surfers from all over the world, but those taking a break on their way from Danang City to the heritage town of Hoi An in Quang Nam Province.
The Non Nuoc Beach, which runs for five kilometres along the Ngu Hanh Son (Five Elements Mountains), is also one of the most crowded among Danang’s beaches. The clear blue waters attract tourists all year round.
Near this beach is the Ngu Hanh Son range, also known as the Marble Mountains. With numerous caves, tunnels and old pagodas, the place is well worth a visit.
Ngu Hanh Son is a cluster of five marble hills called Kim Son (Metal Mountain) – Thuy Son (Water Mountain), Moc Son (Wood Mountain), Hoa Son (Fire Mountain) and Tho Son (Earth Mountain).
Each mountain has different coloured marble – there are pink ones (at the marble on the Water Mountain, white marble in the Wood Mountain, red marble in Fire Mountain, water-coloured marble on the Metal Mountain and brown marble on the Earth Mountain. The colours change under different lighting conditions.
The Non Nuoc craft village at the foot of the Marble Mountains is also a good stop where artists can been working on different kinds of marble, creating large sculptures of people, animals and deities as well as small trinkets like bracelets, rings and beads.
And just 10 kilometres from the downtown of Danang City, is the Son Tra Peninsula, a natural wonderland with long, white sandy beaches, charming landscapes and lush green forests.
The peninsula’s beaches, including Bai Bac, Bai Nam and Bai But, are perfect spots for those who love swimming, fishing and sightseeing on boats, not to mention diving and exploring the local coral reefs.
Moving 540 kilometres south of Danang City, Nha Trang in Khanh Hoa Province has developed into a well-known resort town; and the island-strewn Nha Trang Bay is widely considered as being among the world’s most beautiful.
As the water is warm all year round in Nha Trang Bay, swimming, scuba diving and snorkelling are activities that bring in people from all over the world and all corners of the country.
A very special adventure that can be enjoyed with a spectacular view of the Nha Trang Bay is a 20- minute balloon ride at a height of 150 meters.
The largest island of the bay, Hon Tre (Bamboo Island), which has pristine beaches surrounded by mountains, now hosts a five-star resort operated by Vinpearl Land Tourism JSC.
Apart from its beautiful beaches, Nha Trang Town is also renowned for plenty of historical vestiges – the Po Nagar Cham Towers, King Bao Dai’s Palace, Tri Nguyen Aquarium, and the Nha Trang Institute of Oceanography Museum.
Phan Thiet Town needs no introduction. Located in the south-central province of Binh Thuan, around 200 kilometres from Ho Chi Minh City, the town has been known for many beauty spots and the most popular spot in the town is the Mui Ne Beach that has transformed the place for ever.
The name “Mui Ne” is derived from the fact that this place used to provide shelter from storms to fishermen during their fishing trips. “Mui” means cape while “Ne” means hiding.
Along the 22-kilometre road from the centre of Phan Thiet Town to Mui Ne are innumerable sand dunes, also known as “Flying Sand Hill” because the wind makes the hill a constant work in progress. The sight of these dunes are so arresting that it attracts a constant stream of photographers and painters.
The Mui Ne Beach, fringed with coconut trees and blessed with the clear blue water, has become a beehive of resorts that people from HCMC rush to during weekends for a much-needed respite from city life.
Thuan Quy in Binh Thuan’s Ham Thuan Nam District, around 30 kilometres south of Phan Thiet offers a quieter more pristine alternative to Mui Ne.
The unspoilt Thuan Quy Beach, adorned with line after line of pine trees, gives visitors the feeling that they are the first to arrive there.
Besides its beaches and sand dunes, other picturesque landscapes in Phan Thiet include the Lao Cau Island, Suoi Tien (Fairy Spring), the Poshanu Cham Tower and other places of interest that await your discovery.
Source: Thanh Nien Daily
Tranquil and beautiful 
