Yen Tu Buddhist Spring Festival kicks off

Posted by admin on February 15, 2011 under Vietnam Festivals, Vietnam Travel Info, Vietnam attractions | Be the First to Comment

The annual Yen Tu Festival in the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh opened with a ceremony on Feb. 12 (tenth day of the first lunar month).

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan beat the drum to launch the start of the festival. Prominent guests at the ceremony were Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan, the Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s Executive Council, Most Venerable Thich Thanh Tu, Buddhist dignitaries, monks, nuns, followers and visitors. All joined in offering incense to King Tran Nhan Tong, who reigned over the country from 1279 to 1293 and then renounced the throne to devote his life to Buddhism. All present also joined another ceremony to pray for peace for the country and the citizens.

According to the organizing committee, the weather this year has been so pleasantly conducive that a large number of visitors are being drawn to the Festival.

The Tung lam tour Company is making use of the cable car system to serve tourists who want to visit the Dong pagoda on Bach Van Son Mountain. Unfortunately, the 70 cable cars are still unable to meet the tourist rush and hundreds of tourists have to walk up to the Dong pagoda.

Yen Tu has so far welcomed over 20,000 visitors since the first day of the lunar year and the festival will last through spring for three months. Last year the festival recorded over 2.1 million visitors according to Vu Van Khoan, Vice Director of the Managing Board of Yen Tu pagoda.

Yen Tu Mountain is located about 50km from Ha Long City. The winding route of the pilgrimage from the foot of the mountain to its peak is almost 30km. On the highest peak sits the Dong Pagoda, which is more than a kilometer above sea level.

The area’s natural beauty and awe-inspiring landscape in its surrounding setting of ancient pagodas and hermitages is said to be the reason that King Tran Nhan Tong renounced his throne to devote his life to Buddhism on this majestic Mountain. He crowned his son as heir to his empire and after becoming a monk he founded the Truc Lam meditation sect which later gave Yen Tu the recognition as the country’s leading centre for Buddhism.

Source: SGGP

Why Phu Quoc island?

Posted by admin on under Vietnam Beaches, Vietnam Destinations, Vietnam Travel Tips, Vietnam beauty | Be the First to Comment

Phu Quoc, mostly called Pearl Island, is the largest island and most unspoiled island of Vietnam. Being fashioned as the “next Phuket”, Phu quoc has many reasons for both domestic and foreign travelers to check out this beautiful paradise. Nevertheless, there are five main reasons for those choosing Phu Quoc as an ideal getaway in Vietnam and Asia including tranquil beaches, untouched forests, big volume of hotels and resorts, delicious specialties and convenience of getting entry Vietnam visa.

Beaches

Phu Quoc is well-known for one of the five hidden beaches (Long Bank) in the world has many picturesque beaches along 150 km namely romantic Ong Lang Beach, irresistible Bai Sao, sophisticated Bai Dai beach (Long Bank) stretching to the horizon. It is so rare to find an uncrowded and off-the-beaten track island with calm and transparent sea as Phu Quoc. Coral reefs swarming with tropical fish, of every possible color and design. Swimming, sun bathing, boat-sailing, scuba-diving, etc. are all the exciting and relaxing seaside activities, healthful for every individual tourist.

Forest

Phu Quoc national park is one of World Biosphere reserves and among the Parks where the primitive forest is still remained in its original state. The beauty of this National Park is the combination of the forest, the ocean, stream, waterfall and mountain and hill. Phu Quoc island is located in the northwest of Kien Giang province where you can found a complex of beauty spots, historical relics – one of which is Phu Quoc National Park where you should not miss.

Hotels and resorts

Phu Quoc has 75 resorts and hotel, almost 2,000 rooms. Phu Quoc welcomes 200,000 visitors/year. Hotel room rates are much more expensive than other places in Vietnam.

Need help about Phu quoc hotels, please check out at the website http://Vietnamhotels.net/.

Specialties

Should you ever have a vacation in Vietnam, you must have heard about Phu Quoc fermented fish sauce (nước mắm), the best one in the nation!

In addition, Phu Quoc’s seafood is also fantastic. Numerous fish, dried fish, lobsters, crabs, squid, oyster, arca, etc. are available at your enjoyment. Just come and taste Coi Bien mai Gỏi Cá Trích (dish made of herring fish and vegetables), Rượu Sim Phú Quốc (a kind of wine made from a Myrtaceous fruit), you will feel the very tasty and fragrant Island zone!

Visa exemption

Under regulation on foreign entry into, exit from, and residence in Phu Quoc Island, Foreigners and Vietnamese nationals bearing foreign passports who enter Vietnam through an international border gate and then travel to Phu Quoc Island and stay in Phu Quoc less than 15 days will also be granted Vietnam visa exemption. After arriving in Phu Quoc Island, if visitors want to travel to other localities or stay in the island for more than 15 days, the immigration department will be responsible for issuing visas right on the spot.

How to get here?

Just under an hour by plane from Ho Chi Minh City, Phu Quoc can also be reached by boat, ship or catamaran. Construction of an international airport on the island is planned next year. But while there are ample connections from mainland Vietnam, access from Cambodia is more complicated.

When to go?

November to March (Dry Season) is the best time to visit but hotels book out fast, especially around Christmas, western New Year and Tet (Vietnamese New Year). Tet is in fact the busiest time of the year on Phu Quoc and some hotels double their rates for the season. If you visit at Tet (late January to early February, depending on the moon) book well in advance.

For now, Phu Quoc remains something of a secret, known only to the enlightened few. Little by little, however, the secret is getting out. Discover it yourself, before it is too late!