Activities in the greeting season

Posted by admin on December 31, 2010 under Vietnam Travel Info, Vietnam hotels | Be the First to Comment

By Dat Tien  in HCMC

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

Sailing in Vietnam – Where is the wind?

Posted by admin on under Vietnam Travel Info, Vietnam tours | Be the First to Comment

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.