Posted by admin on January 25, 2011 under Vietnam Destinations, Vietnam Travel Info | 
Thua Thien –Hue Province is calling investment into the tourism sector, seeking investors for projects of hotels and resorts outside Hue City because inner-city areas have been crowded with around 12,000 hotel rooms, an official said.
The province at a tourism promotion forum in HCMC on Wednesday recommended some venues such as Lang Co, Bach Ma and Thuan An for investors to develop luxury projects to serve high-end guests.
“We are building urban areas outside Hue City, and want investors to develop tourism projects there,” said Nguyen Quoc Thanh, deputy director of the province’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Thanh told the Daily on the sideline of the gathering that investors were already investing in some resort projects along the beaches from Thuan An to Lang Co, including huge projects like the Laguna with nearly US$1 billion in capital.
In Hue City, the tourism sector is encouraging current hotel operators to build more entertainment facilities and calling on other investors to develop new entertainment projects to diversify services for travellers. Other projects like the development of trade villages will also benefit from incentives given by the provincial government.
So far, the province has signed an agreement with Akitek Tenggara of Singapore to map out an overall scheme for the province’s tourism development. The company has completed a list of development sites in the province and would help Thua Thien-Hue to seek investors for some of such projects.
Besides, the company will work with the provincial tourism sector and other entrepreneurs in the coming time to build a tourism trademark for Hue City.
In on Thursday’s meeting, the departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Thua Thien-Hue and HCMC inked a tourism cooperation agreement to boost tourism of the two sides.
The central province is staging more culture and tourism events this year to prepare for main events of the National Tourism Year 2012 due to take place in the locality in that year. The tourism year will likely coincide with Festival Hue 2012.
List of some projects and development sites awaiting investors
1/ Agro-tourism urban settlements: building 2,000 traditional houses for well-to-do people from Hanoi and HCMC to enjoy rural life and other facilities.
2/ Eco-tourism urban settlements: building resorts for local middle-class people who want to immerse themselves in traditional Hue culture, and other facilities.
3/ Eco Village at Lap An: developing 12 small boutique hotels mixed with the existing village. On the hillside behind the village would be 500 villas of three-star standards.
4/ Vinh Thanh Floating Hotel: A 50-room floating hotel and other facilities.
5/ Thuan An Floating Hotel: A three-star floating hotel of 50 rooms and other facilities.
6/ Venice on the Rice Fields at Cau Hai Lagoon: a project covering 16.5 hectares with a hotel in the centre along with adjacent developments of 2,000 residential units and other facilities.
7/ Bach Ma Hill Station Resort: restoring existing villas on the hill, building a five-star resort of 200 rooms at the apex of the Helicopter Hill and a five-star hotel of 500 rooms with traditional Hue style on the lower slopes along with 500 traditional Hue villas to be built on stilts.
8/ Luong Quan Rain and Artists Village: It will consist of 150 four-star villas, 50 artist studios, 20 Hue food outlets and other facilities.
9/ Conference Centre and Media Arts Centre: three large sports and conference areas with 10 meeting halls, two hotels, and a media arts schools among others.
Source: SaigonTimes
Posted by admin on January 24, 2011 under Vietnam Travel Info, Vietnam attractions, Vietnam beauty |
Vietnam’s largest Goddess of Mercy statue was unveiled during an inauguration ceremony of Linh Ung – Bai But Pagoda, located in Son Tra Peninsula, Da Nang City.
The statue of the Goddess of Mercy is the highlighted feature of the pagoda. It is 69.7 metres in height and positioned on a lotus shaped platform which is 35 metres in diameter. There are 17 stories built inside the statue. Each storey has 21 Buddha idols.
The inauguration ceremony of the pagoda attracted officials, monks, Buddhists, and tourists.
Linh Ung – Bai But Pagoda is now known as one of the most significant destinations for Buddhists in Da Nang City, taking 6 years to build.
Leaders of Da Nang City created favourable conditions to build the pagoda together with financial supports of Buddhists from all over the country.
Below are some pictures from the event:
The inauguration ceremony of Linh Ung – Bai But Pagoda
The Goddess of Mercy statute which was unveiled on July 30
Posted by admin on January 22, 2011 under Vietnam Travel Info |
Can Tho City, in the Mekong Delta region, began an ornamental trees market which started on January 18, running through the 31, for Tet.
During the event, 30 craftsmen from Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta region have a chance to display their meticulous creations; bonsais, sculpted rocks, yellow apricot trees, cactus and roses, which can be valued at billions of VND.
Among all the displays, the yellow apricot trees, costing over VND2 billion (USD100,000), attracted the most attention. The tree’s owner said somebody has offered to buy, but he didn’t want to sell. His trees are mainly for display.
Some young scholars add to the Tet atmosphere by giving Han scripts to visitors for free.
In addition to the ornamental trees market, Can Tho will also host a Tea and Coffee Week. Enterprises from Ho Chi Minh City, Southeast Vietnam, and the Mekong Delta region will show their products at more than 250 pavilions. The displays will feature many products, including coffee, tea, agro-fishery products, alcohol, beer, confectioneries, beverages, food cloth, jewelry and art.
Visitors will also have opportunities to attend tea and coffee parties with the participation of former theatre singers from the southeast of Vietnam.
Some images from the market:
A garden of bonsais
Yellow apricot: Tet in the South
Yellow apricot trees are quite costly
Cactus garden
Giving our Han scripts
Consumers are choosing clothes
Posted by admin on under Vietnam Travel Info, Vietnam tours |
The first tourist helicopter flight carrying 24 passengers departed from Da Nang City to Cham Island on January 18.
Tourism by helicopter has just been launched in the central city of Da Nang by Vietnam Tourism Joint Stock Company – Vitours. The Northern Aviation Service Company provides the 24-seater MI 17 and MI 172 helicopters and the 12-seater EC 155 B1 helicopter for the new service which aims to view the beautiful islands from the air.
The price for a single tour around Da Nang City is VND4.5 million (US$225) per person.
Tour prices from Da Nang to Con Co Island in Quang Tri Province, Ly Son Island in Quang Ngai Province, Cham Island and My Son Holyland in Quang Nam Province are VND8 million, VND9 million and VND7 million.
Deputy director-general of Vitours, Nguyen Dinh Thanh, said he hoped that the new service launched by the company would meet the expectations and demands of both local and international visitors.
Source: saigon-gpdaily.com.vn
Collected by Vietnam hotel
Posted by admin on January 21, 2011 under Vietnam Beaches, Vietnam Destinations, Vietnam Travel Info, Vietnam attractions, Vietnam beauty, Vietnam hotels |
Nha trang, a must-visit sandy beach city in Vietnam, has plenty of marvelous beauty spots namely Nha trang bay, Ponagar Tower, or delicious seafood, wide range of sports facilities, entertainment venues and nightlife and big volume of luxury resorts and hotels where you can get the most of relaxation and romance. If Vietnam is often described as a charming and friendly girl, Nha trang should be a charming part of the girl but still modern that no man on earth cannot stop keeping an eye on. One American uttered out “Seems we have stumbled upon paradise, haven’t we?”
Nha trang beach
Getting around
Being recognized as one of 29 most beautiful bays in the world, Nha trang Bay consists of 19 islands including Mieu Island (or Bồng Nguyên Island), Mun Island (Hòn Mun), Tam Island (Hòn Tằm), Tre Island (the largest one), Yen Island (Đảo Yến – famous for Yến Sào, a specialty made from salangane’s nests).
With the help of a cyclo ride around Nha trang, you meet Charm tower, Nha Trang Cathedral (Nhà Thờ Núi), Nha Trang Institute of Oceanography, Long Son Pagoda, Dam Market. Ponagar Tower (or Tháp Bà) reflects almost Cham people’s artistic and religious aspects.
Along streets and beaches, tourists can taste multiform dishes in this region. Among those, you should try Nem Ninh Hoa (Ninh Hoa’s pork roll), Nha Trang Vermicelli and Yến Sào.
Most distinguished great-view street in the city, Tran Phu street, is lined along beachside with top Nha trang hotel including The light hotel nha trang,nha trang lodge hotel , Evason Ana Mandara Resort, etc.
Do not just mention Nha trang as beach activities of snorkeling, scuba diving, cruising, here often hosts Miss Beauty contests (exactly, Vinpearl Land resort). So, Nha Trang can be considered among the major stop-offs on your traveling route.
Getting there
You can travel to Nha trang by road, air and train so conveniently.
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 Nha Trang to some provinces in the Central Highland. Nha Trang is 104km from Phan Rang, 190km from Buon Ma Thuot, 205km from Dalat, 235km from Quy Nhon, 250 km from Mui Ne, 448km from Ho Chi Minh City, 523 km from Danang and 1,278km from Hanoi. By road, you can transfer to Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa) by bus, minibus, car or taxi and even motorbike.
- Bus: There are connections with Danang, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Vinh, Pleiku… Minibus for Hoi An, Hue, and Dalat… Most open tour buses arrive from Ho Chi Minh City in the south (10-12 hours) and Hoi An to the north (10 hours).
- By car: Private car rental with a driver are usually modern air-con cars and can be rented for ~1,000,000 VND per day. Car rental prices (as mostly anything in Vietnam) usually increase during holiday seasons especially around Tet (Vietnamese’s New Year). Make sure to avoid high prices by booking it beforehand with the car rental services.
Air: Cam Ranh Airport is 35km south of Nha Trang has daily flights from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang to this city.
Train: There are daily trains between Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang. It takes the train between 6-8 hours from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang.
Tags: Evason Ana Mandara Resort, light hotel nha trang, Nha Trang, Nha Trang bay, Nha trang beach, nha trang hotel, nha trang hotels, nha trang lodge hotel, nha trang vietnam, Ponagar Tower, vietnam, Vietnam beach, vietnam destination, vietnam travel, Vinpearl Land Resort, vinpearl resort nha trang
Posted by admin on January 20, 2011 under Vietnam Destinations, Vietnam Travel Info, Vietnam attractions |
The Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta city of Can Tho has become the first locality in the country to be featured in a colorfully illustrated tourist guide book that its promoters call MComic.
The Mekong Advertising and Supplying Travel Information Co., Ltd (Metinfo) officially released on Jan. 12 the Tham Quan Can Tho Qua Tranh Ve” (Sighseeing Can Tho through drawings) guidebook.
The book employs a comic-graphic medium in which images convey a sequential narrative that helps tourists learn about the city on the banks of the Mekong with its beautifully portrayed natural landscapes and easy-to-remember historical and cultural stories.
“I hope that tourists can in a few minutes get a complete overview of Can Tho, the delta’s biggest city,” said Tran Kim Dinh, Metinfo director and chief editor of the book.
Established in 2005, Metinfo is the first travel advertising company in Vietnam . Its experience over five years have helped it compile the book with succinct and accurate information.
The simple but detailed drawings capture the spirit and soul of rural Vietnam in the southern region, a Metinfo representative said.
“We expect the Mcomic to be a valued souvenir for visitors to Can Tho,” he added.
The illustrated guidebook, published by the Youth Publishing House,
contains 92 18cm by 28cm pages using the Couche-Matt paper, and will sell at 45,000 VND (2.25 USD).
The Can Tho City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has bought 2,000 copies of the book to offer as gifts and to document the city’s tourism promotion activities./.
Source: vietnamplus.vn
Posted by admin on under Vietnam Travel Info |
Len Nguyen Joint Stock Co. has started construction of 900 billion dong (US$46 million) Dalat Center in the Central Highlands Lam Dong Province.
Covering a 5,000 square-meter site in Dalat city, the center will comprise a hotel, apartments and commercial area.
Scheduled to opeAn in 2013, the 10-storey center will feature kiosks for lease, a hotel and high-end apartments.
The center will have more than 560 kiosks for a traditional market selling fresh foods, fruits, flowers, and other products from the highland province.
Ho Chi Minh City-based Sacomreal-S has been appointed exclusive marketing agent for the project
Source: Tuoi Tre
Collected by Vietnam hotel
Posted by admin on under Vietnam Travel Info, Vietnam hotels |
By Dat Tien in HCMC
 |
| An ao dai (Vietnamese long dress) fashion show at the Majestic Hotel Saigon – Photo: Courtesy of Saigontourist |
For Saigonese and guests to the city to celebrate the Lunar New Year with delicious food and wine, two hotels under Saigontourist in downtown HCMC present special food and entertainment programs.
Majestic Hotel Saigon (1 Dong Khoi Street, District 1, tel: 3829 5517)
On Lunar New Year’s Eve (February 2), at the hotel’s Prima Ballroom & Breeze Sky Bar, guests can enjoy a buffet of Western and Asian dishes with free champagne, wine, beer, soft drinks, and mineral water from 7 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. for US$89 per adult.
At the hotel’s M Bar on the eighth floor, an outdoor barbecue buffet will be held from 7 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. on February 2. Tickets are priced at US$89 per adult, inclusive of all kinds of drinks.
Also that night, admire the fireworks display, at the Serenade Restaurant on the seventh floor to eat from a sumptuous selection of European and Asian cuisine. Tickets are US$79 per adult.
All the Majestic venues will have entertainment such as lion dance, calligraphy displays, New Year music and dance shows and fashion shows.
Grand Hotel Saigon (8 Dong Khoi Street, District 1, tel: 3829 4046)
Do the New Year in classic Vietnamese style with an exotic Vietnamese Tet food program featuring banh tet, banh chung (glutinous rice cakes filled with green bean paste and fat pork), steamed pork with coconut water, vegetable pickles and watermelon to name a few. The hotel will give lucky money for guests.
The program will be prepared at the hotel’s Chez-Nous Restaurant from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. from January 30 to February 5. Tickets are priced at US$20 each.
On Lunar New Year’s Eve, enjoy the view of the fireworks display at the hotel’s Belle-vue Restaurant and enjoy the excellent service and delicious dishes with a cocktail party, Flamenco band, dance shows, gameshow, and lucky door prizes. Tickets are priced at US$35 per adult and US$20 per child.
At the swimming pool area, relax at the barbecue buffet from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. from January 30 to February 5 featuring grilled salmon with salt, barbecued lamb ribs, oyster and salads plus music by Filipino music band.
Tickets are VND90,000++ to VND280,000++ per dish. Buy 10 tickets in advance before January 30 get one free.
Collected by Vietnam hotels
Posted by admin on January 19, 2011 under Vietnam Travel Info, Vietnam hotels |
First Hotel will put into operation new bedrooms and restaurants, built with funding from Saigontourist Holding Company, to serve the increasing number of customers, including VIPs
Located in the heart of Tan Binh District and being around five minutes from Tan Son Nhat International Airport by car, the First Hotel is an ideal stopover for guests who take part in international conferences, fairs and exhibitions as exhibitors at nearby exhibition centers like Tan Binh Exhibition and Convention Center and Phu Tho Exhibition Center.
With its separate space, the hotel is an ideal place to stay for visitors to HCM City. Guests from here can go shopping at shopping centers such as Parkson, Maximark Cong Hoa, Big C and Lotte Mart, which are within the diameter of 2km from the hotel.
The First Hotel is one of the big four-star hotels in Ho chi minh. Since 1999, it has been selected as one of Vietnam’s top hotels by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism and the Vietnam Tourism Association.
By the end of 2010, the First Hotel completed a big projects worth VND60 billion (approximately US$3 million) to build 41 new deluxe bedrooms and two Japanese-Chinese restaurants, and upgrade four Vietnamese-Korean restaurants together with public utilities. With the new constructions, when put into operation, the hotel will have 152 rooms of international standards, classified as Superior, Deluxe, Executive Deluxe, First ED, Junior Suite and Suite, and six restaurants serving Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese and Korean cuisines. In addition, the wedding party center with five halls has also been upgraded. The conference section has also been upgraded, with eight rooms to seat 20-700 people.
Explaining the reason for building and upgrading facilities of the First Hotel, Huynh Van Phat, the hotel director, says, “The First Hotel’s customers, especially foreigners, have higher demands. The First Hotel doesn’t want to lose its position, so we decided to invest in raising our position and maintaining it for the next 10 years.”
The hotel’s restaurants always attract the attention of local and foreign diners. Jacques Thermolle-First Hot Pot Restaurant, with deluxe, cozy space, serves European and Asian dishes. Its main room can seat over 150 people. Three rooms for VIPs are for groups of customers ordering parties for 5-20 people and one big room. Unlike other restaurants, the broths at the First Hotpot have their own sauce. Other dishes are ones that have won prizes at international gastronomic contests.
Pho Nuong De Nhat Restaurant, located outdoors, serves diverse grilled dishes of the three regions of Vietnam and seafoods. Aside from lunch, dinner and parties, the restaurant serves breakfast with special dishes.
Quan Ngon De Nhat Restaurant serves hundreds of Vietnamese dishes of different styles at reasonable prices. Decorated with the style of a countryside, the restaurant can receive more than 100 people. Rooms for separate parties are also available.
The Korean Restaurant on the ground floor serves Korean dishes prepared directly by Korean cooks.
At the new section of the hotel, the Japanese and Chinese restaurants with deluxe architecture and exclusive cuisines will be advantages for the First Hotel to lure more customers.
On the occasion of the new section’s opening, the First Hotel offer a discount of 40% for its room rates. In addition, it offers special incentives for customers who use its package conference service until June 30, 2011: US$19/guest (excluding lunch), US$28/guest (including lunch). The prices include decoration for the conference room for half a day, coffee, tea, fruit juices, screen and overhead projector.
First Hotel ho chi minh:
18 Hoang Viet St., Tan Binh Dist., HCM City.
Posted by admin on under Vietnam Festivals, Vietnam Travel Info, Vietnam tours |
Tet in HCM City for the New Year of the Cat is going to be bigger and better than ever with lots of entertainment venues and festivals to visit. Local tour companies are offering amazing Tet packages.
The HCM City People’s Committee has announced programs for Tet Festival 2011 in the city’s downtown area, including Nguyen Hue Flower Street 2011, Bánh tét (cylindrical glutinous rice cake) festival, fireworks, the lighting city, snapshots of New Year 2011 and doorshows.
HCM City
The annual seventh Nguyen Hue Flower Street 2011 is themed “New Heights” as HCM City sets its sights on a bigger and better city. Sections of the street will be decorated in different spring themes — Hn Vit (Vietnam’s Soul), Tt phng Nam (Southern Tet), Ni vòng tay ln (Get together), Vn lên tm cao mi (Reach New Heights), Xuân an vui (Happy and Peaceful Spring). Other attractions include a flower arrangement booth, a wishing pond to collect money for charity, coffee stalls, folk music and games.
Nguyen Hue Flower Street extending down Nguyen Hue Boulevard from the City Hall to the river opens from 7 p.m., Jan. 31 till 10 p.m., Feb. 6. It will be closed to traffic for the holiday week. In addition, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Feb. 6, the nearby Le Loi Street from Ben Thanh Market to the Municipal Theater will be for pedestrians only.
The Bánh tét Festival from Jan. 26 to 31 is being jointly organized by all the city’s 24 districts. Activities will include bánh tét cooking contests and a bánh tét Tet gift drive for poor families. Saigontourist Holding Company, in cooperation with the HCM City Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, will give 10,000 bánh tét to disadvantaged children.
The fireworks displays on the Lunar New Year’s Eve (Feb. 2) will take place at seven places around the city while Le Loi, Dong Khoi and Le Duan streets and Chi Lang Park on Dong Khoi Street are decorated with hundreds of lights from Jan. 26 to Feb. 13.
During the last days of the lunar year and the first days of the new lunar year, you can join the Spring Flower Festival at Tao Dan Park and Quoc Te Square, a.k.a. Tortoise Fountain, in the city’s District 1. This year the “Bird Competition” comes back after a long absence.
According to HCM City Greenery and Park Co., the event’s organizer, some highlights of the festival from Jan. 28 to Feb. 8 will be bonsai, flower and fish exhibits by locals and foreigners, an area for souvenirs, games and food at Tao Dan Park. The “Nha Rong – Ho Chi Minh Museum” miniature made from flowers and leaves by a Japanese artisan and orchids from the HCM City Orchid Club. Tortoise Fountain will be turned into a lotus pond with an exhibition titled “HCM City Socio-economic Achievement” and music performances.
Tours around Vietnam
Besides Tet programs in HCM City, tourists can enjoy Tet travel tour promotions around the country.
HCM City-based tour operator Vietravel is introducing the “Spring Travel 2011” program with over 100 tours and lucky prizes till Feb. 28. The spring heritage tour of the North will take you to Hanoi, Halong, Sapa, Trang An, etc. Witness the rich history of the central region by visiting Tet festivals along the Hoai River in Hoi An Town, Danang City, citadels in Hue City and Phong Nha Ke Bang caves in Quang Binh Province. Waterfalls and thousands of flowers are symbols of the Central Highlands while opera songs for Tet are specialties in the Mekong Delta.
Vietravel is holding a Tet lucky draw with prizes including diamond jewelry, vouchers and 20,000 gifts.
Another local travel giant Saigontourist Travel and Service Co. is offering 100 tour packages to enjoy the New Year of the Cat. There are nearly 20 island tours to Con Dao, Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, Phan Thiet and Danang. A world heritage trip in spring, the legendary Central Highlands and spring in villages in the Central Highlands. Saigontourist has also launched special tours for overseas Vietnamese returning for Tet.
Cholontourist Travel and Service Co. this year has tours to highlands and beaches, including adventure tours.
SGT
Tags: Danang, hanoi, Hoi an town, Hoi an Vietnam, Hue citadel, hue city, Lunar New year, Nha Trang, Phan Thiet, Phong Nha-Ke Bang, Phu Quoc, tet, Tet 2011, Tet in Ho chi minh city, Tet in saigon, Tet in Vietnam, tours to con dao, travel Vietnam, vietnam tour, vietnam travel
