Posted by admin on March 24, 2011 under Vietnam Travel Info, Visa to Vietnam | 
Travellers could soon be able surf in Bali, shop in Singapore and eat spicy street food in Thailand before crossing into Cambodia and cruising the Mekong in Vietnam – all on a single tourist visa.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is working on a plan that would open the region to foreign tourists in the same way Europe’s unified visa system has streamlined travel.
“You would just have to apply for one visa and you could then visit all the countries using that visa,” said Eddy Krisneidi, an official at the Jakarta-based ASEAN Secretariat, which recently released its Tourism Strategic Plan for the next five years.
With attractions ranging from jungle-covered temples at Angkor Wat in Cambodia to five-star beach resorts in Bali, Southeast Asia is a region that tempts travellers from all walks of life.
ASEAN countries recorded more than 65 million foreign visitor arrivals in 2009. Malaysia led the field, followed by Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Brunei.
Analysts say visitor numbers could be boosted by slashing the time-consuming and confusing visa requirements for each of ASEAN’s 10 countries, which range from vibrant developing democracies to isolated, military-dominated Myanmar.
While some allow foreigners to simply purchase visas on arrival, others require wads of paperwork, photos and up to a week to issue the required stamp. Further information about Vietnam visa on arrival, please kindly visit the website http://www.vietnam-visa.com/.
“One of the major concerns of the industry, as well as visitors, is the difficulty of obtaining visas, a series of widely differing regulations and information needs for visas,” ASEAN’s strategic plan states.
It is a view shared by Stuart McDonald, who runs an online travel forum for Southeast Asia.
“One of the most common questions that we see on travelfish.org is people asking visa questions: What kind of visa can I get? How long is it valid for? What does it cost?,” said the Australian who travels extensively in Asia.
“The rules change all the time and it introduces a level of uncertainty and confusion that the industry can do without.”
The concept of a single visa has wide support among tourism bodies across Southeast Asia.
“It would definitely benefit all the countries in this region, especially Thailand,” Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Suraphon Svetasreni said, noting that Thailand is a “good strategic location” for overland travelling as it acts as a bridge to other countries.
Svetasreni said it is only a matter of time until the region’s visa system is liberalised.
“ASEAN will be considered as a single destination, so it makes sense to apply for a single visa to travel to any country in ASEAN,” he said.
Despite its appeal, others are less optimistic that a single visa will become a reality anytime soon.
“Travel procedures have to be simplified but it is not going to be easy because each country may have their own foreign policy,” Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel inbound tourism vice president Arul Das said.
ASEAN is yet to outline the cost or length of stay for its planned single tourist visa. But it acknowledges it could take several years to introduce.
“The establishment of such a visa will not likely occur in the next five years due to barriers of technology, political issues, concerns of sovereignty and security and the different visa systems in the member states,” its strategic plan states.
The single visa is one of several initiatives being worked on by ASEAN to boost tourism in the region.
The organisation is also overseeing the creation of regional tourism standards which would apply to things such as accommodation, food and public toilets.
“There are already clear indications that major tour operators are now very much concerned with a wide range of standards in a destination,” the plan states.
“Those destinations that are able to satisfy those increasingly high standards will have a distinct position of advantage.”
Posted by admin on under Vietnam Travel Info |
Since the first tourism properties were launched around five years ago, the local second home market segment has changed significantly.
Though in its infancy, the segment has managed to attract significant interest from local and international investors coming from international resort operators wishing to enter the domestic market. Thousands of villas and condominiums worth hundreds of thousand dollars each have gone up on the market in recent years.
In comparison to other parts of the country, the central coast city of Danang has emerged as a promised destination for not only international and local property developers but also for individual investors and well-to-do people to invest in a second home property. The second home market there is actually witnessing an increasingly strong supply given a large number of projects in the pipeline.
CB Richard Ellis Vietnam (CBRE) in its recent market research said a majority of tourism properties underway are found on the central coast, particularly in Danang City where a record high of 5,200 villas and condos were launched in the central region last year.
Among the properties underway, VinaLiving, a new residential lifestyle brand of VinaCapital, is developing The Azura luxury apartment project on Ngo Quyen Street, alongside the Han River in Son Tra District in the heart of Danang.
The 32-storey apartment building, whose project management is overseen by VinaProjects, has 213 units of one to four bedrooms condominiums and 12 penthouses, in addition to other service facilities such as swimming pool, gym, retail center, convention center and four-star hotel.
The residential project is part of VinaCapital’s World Trade Center Danang project, and one of the several current VinaLiving offerings in Danang including Norman Estates, Ocean Villas and Cham Condominiums at Danang Beach Resort. Part of this integrated project also includes the Greg Norman designed Dunes Golf Course which is now in full operation and receiving very positive international press including the most recent accolade “top 10 best new golf courses developed in the world for 2010 as voted by golf.com”.
Explaining why the group has chosen Danang for investment, Matthew Koziora, sales and marketing director of VinaCapital Real Estate Co, says unlike Hanoi and HCMC, Danang itself has a number of qualities making it the perfect location for a second home property and investment. Danang, as a location, has beautiful natural surroundings and environment and benefits from advanced infrastructure and urban planning. Therefore, it is a good place for tourism based property investments that is seeing huge growth from both domestic and international visitors to the area.
“Second home or holiday home retreats have long been considered a status symbol of the rich in the Western world, not just as a holiday house used from time to time but also as a secure investment capable of generating annual returns for the owner,” Koziora says.
To ensure the best possible chance of securing regular income for the owner, an experienced professional management company must be engaged to ensure an adequate business plan is adopted to capitalize on both increasing domestic and foreign tourist numbers coming to Danang.
Koziora is upbeat about the future leasing market in the region, saying that the tourism industry has seen steady improvement with tourist numbers last year 10% higher than forecast, according to CBRE’s research. Given its location on the “World Heritage Road” convenient to natural and cultural UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Danang is one of the favorite holiday destinations for tourists.
For these reasons, luxury apartments in The Azura project have received positive feedback from the market since it was marketed last year, says the sales and marketing director. He reveals some 40% of the total number of apartments in the project have been sold out with prices starting from US$105,000 per unit. Most buyers are residents in HCMC and the capital of Hanoi, and overseas Vietnamese. There has been some sales to local Danang residents as well.
Commenting on the local second home market, Marc Townsend, CBRE’s managing director, said in a statement that the past number of years had seen significant activity in the second home market in terms of construction and interest coming from international resort operators looking to enter the market, but it was yet to see the true effect of this on the market due to lack of completions. Only a handful of second home projects have reached livable status in recent times.
“We are pushing construction progress on time to make clients feel secure about their investment,” Koziora says, adding that construction of The Azura has reached the 15th floor for the main areas. As scheduled, the project will be finished by Q1 2012.
See best danang hotels, please kindly visit the website http://Vietnamhotels.net.
Posted by admin on March 14, 2011 under Vietnam Travel Info |
In 2011, the national plan to develop Vietnam’s tourism industry will highlight island and sea attractions.
There will be 30 events organised in the south-central region of the country, including the International Boat Racing Festival in Binh Thuan; mountain climb race contest in Phu Yen; the 1st International Choir Festival & Competition in Hoi An Town; Goddess of Mercy Festival in Danang City and Sea and Islands Festival in Quang Ngai.
Phu Yen Province will set off an event to mark the 400th anniversary of its founding.
Also, this year will see the 17th Vietnam Film Festival. This event will include a conference on the scientific and cultural heritage of the south central region.
This is a good time for the south-central coastal region, not only to promote their viability as a tourist destination, but to highlight their maritime economy.
Le Kim Anh, the Vice Chairman of the Phu Yen People’s Committee, said the locality is preparing infrastructure to welcome tourists. He also disclosed that, so far this year, the number of foreign visitors to the province has increased by 20% from last year.
This year, Vietnam has set a goal of attracting 5.3 international visitors.
The commencement ceremony for the new year in tourism will be held on April 1.
Some photos of people and landscapes in Phu Yen:
Bai Mon Beach in Phu Yen Province
National relic of Mo and Luong Van Chanh Temple, a beauty spot in Phu Yen
Poetry festival
Nhan Moutain and Da River at sunset
Hoa Da cake
Coconut shells made into handicrafts
Mang Lang Church
Drotan Waterfall
Dong Cam Dam
Lithophone
A big catch
Posted by admin on March 11, 2011 under Vietnam Travel Tips |
Hoi An was my favorite destination in Vietnam. I loved spending time by the river, watching the sunset, and drinking an inexpensive beer. The town is packed with picturesque historical homes, pagodas and street-side cafes. The place is extremely popular for buying clothes. You can get anything made here- from suits to sneakers. But even if you don’t want to go shopping, Hoi An makes for a relaxing destination in an otherwise frenetic country.
Costs in Hoi An
- Hostel Prices: There aren’t many hostels as such in Hoi An but there are plenty of cheap hotels in hoian to make up for this.
- Budget Hotel Prices: Accommodation is inexpensive here with a night in a budget hotel costing from 135,000VND.
- Average Cost of Food: A meal in most restaurants costs from 20,000VND.
- Cost of Internet: Most internet cafes cost 300VND per minute.
- Transportation Costs: Everywhere in Hoi An is within walking distance so it’s unlikely you’ll spend much on transportation here.
Things to do in Hoi an
- Central Market. Hoi An’s Central Market is probably one of the best in Vietnam. The market sits on the riverside and is packed full of excellent food at rock bottom prices. This is the place to pick up spices, souvenirs, try local food and have your tailoring done. There is also a great fish market which is worth visiting.
- Quan Cong Temple. The temple was built in the early 17th century to honor the Chin dynasty but nowadays it serves as one of Hoi An’s most spectacular architectural accomplishments and a thriving tourist attraction. Inside there are two huge wooden statues, one of Quan Kong’s protector, Chau Xuong and one of his adopted son and of course the gilt statue of Quan Cong himself.
- Japanese Covered Bridge. The bridge is thought to have been built by Hoi An’s Japanese community in the late sixteenth century and roughly translated from Vietnamese, its name means “Pagoda in Japan.” It makes for great photographs.
- Cooking lessons. If tasting local food isn’t enough for you and you’d like to bring a like bit of Vietnamese cuisine home with you then consider enrolling yourself for cooking lessons. Many restaurants offer lessons where you’ll first start off picking the raw ingredients then learn how to prepare the food.
- Full Moon Festival. Hoi An’s Full Moon Festival is held on the 14th day of the lunar cycle each month and is probably the best time to visit the city. The streets are shut down to all traffic and are lined with brightly colored lanterns. This is a great time to party with locals as the streets come alive with folk music, plays and dancing.
- Beaches. An Bang and Cua Dai beaches are both within close proximity to Hoi An and are a great place to spend an afternoon. Cua Dai is designated as one of Vietnam’s five UNESCO World Heritage sites but both beaches offer soft white sand and excellent beach side restaurants.
- Cham Island. Many tourists take a day trip out to Cham Island which lies just 21km from Hoi An in the South China Sea. The diving here is great and as you’re in Vietnam, it’s very cheap. Most tours include lunch and it’s also possible to include a night dive in your excursion.
- My Son. My Son is one of the most important sites relating to the ancient Kingdom of Champa and is said to have been Vietnam’s religious and intellectual center. Even in their ruined state, the remaining structures are impressive. The My Son ruins were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.
- Fukian Assembly Hall. Built in 1697, Fukian is the grandest of the Chinese assembly halls and is a fine example of Chinese architecture. The main temple is dedicated to the goddess of the sea, Thien Hau, while the statues of Thuan Phong Nhi and Thien Ly Nhan are said to protect sailors in distress. There is a scale model of a sailboat inside too.
Budget Tips for Hoi An
- Central Market. Don’t just buy from the first stall you come across, prices get cheaper the further in to the market you go.
- Cooking Lessons. If you enjoy the food at a certain restaurant, ask for cooking lessons. These are often cheaper than the cooking schools.
- Cham Island. If you’re heading to Cham Island on a diving trip, it’s possible to save money on accommodation by camping on the beach.
- Bikes. Hoi An is small enough to walk around but if you want to save on the cost of the shuttle to nearby attractions like the Cua Dai beach then you can rent a bike for 15,000VND.
Source: nomadicmatt
Posted by admin on under Vietnam Destinations, Vietnam Travel Info, Vietnam beauty |
Cat Tien National Park Bau Sau (Crocodile Lake), one of the beautiful vistas at the Cat Tien National Park
Just 160 kilometers northeast of Ho Chi Minh City, Cat Tien National Park, one of the largest treasure troves of biodiversity in Vietnam, offers some of the best ecological and cultural experiences even as it reenergizes our body and soul with its beautiful natural landscapes.
There are several tour options designed and provided by the Cat Tien National Park’s Ecological Tour Center, and we decided to follow the highly recommended “night safari.”
After a short trip around the park in the afternoon, we gathered at the park’s office at 8 p.m., ready for a two-hour cruise into the jungle. A jeep came to pick ten of us up and our “night safari” in Cat Tien began.
| GETTING THERE |
| A two-day trip is just right for taking in Cat Tien National Park. From Ho Chi Minh City, you can easily make a backpacking trip by motorbike, car or bus to the park. If you drive your own motorbike or car, follow National Highway No. 1 A and then No. 20 which takes you right to the park. You can also take a bus to the park from the Mien Dong Bus Station.
A langur on the tree in the forest
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The whole forest was plunged in darkness. The air was really wet and cold. We sat closer to one another and strained our eyes to see through the dark. Everything seemed to be in a deep sleep, until I spotted a civet cat running at the foot of a huge tree and a small squirrel climbing fast and jumping from one tree to another. Why were they up and about at this time? What emergency was it that kept non-nocturnal creatures up at this time, I wondered. Was it us?
The jeep drove slowly through dense forest. We began spotting owls, rabbits and even butterflies, a few porcupines, wild boar, bulls and other creatures.
The jeep finally took us to a large grassland about 10 kilometers away. I looked at my watch. It was 9 p.m.
“This is the place where you can see many kinds of animals come for food,” our guide said. “This tropical forest is home to some of the world’s most endangered species. The park was established in recognition of Cat Tien’s unique wildlife and the importance of protecting it.”
We relaxed our mind and inhaled the pure, fresh, invigorating air. Through the headlights, we could see some herds of deer grazing, some kingfishers waiting for their prey near a small pond and heard the noisy croaking of frogs. Our guide said that the animals here were accustomed to the presence of visitors at night so we could watch them very easily.
Later at night, life in the jungle seemed more exciting. We were treated to thrilling sights and sounds here before we drove back at 10 p.m. An oriole, which we would hardly get to see in daytime, put in a surprise appearance and sent us along with some beautiful melodies.
Reported by Phong Lan
thanhniennews
Posted by admin on March 10, 2011 under Vietnam Travel Info |
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 The Ba Be National Park in the northern mountainous province of Bac Can has been named on the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands List as a Wetland of International Importance. |
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| The biodiverse 10,048-ha park is home to 1,268 species of flora and fauna. The site earlier was recognised as an ASEAN Heritage Park in 2004.
As summarised by Marian Gwilliam, Regional Assistant Advisor for Asia-Oceania, Ba Be National Park supports the only significant natural mountain lake in Viet Nam and is the most important wetland in the country’s protected area system because it is the only site that has a natural lake surrounded by a mountainous karst ecosystem.
Ba Be National Park
Ba Be National Park is the third Wetland of International Importance in Viet Nam, joining the Xuan Thuy National Park in Nam Dinh Province and Bau Sau in the Nam Cat Tien National Park across the provinces of Dong Nai, Lam Dong and Binh Phuoc.
According to director of the Ba Be National Park, Nong The Dien, the decision will mean that the site will join an international network of wetlands that are important for the conservation of global diversity.
The Convention on Wetlands – known as the Ramsar Convention – is an intergovernmental treaty that embodies the commitments of its member countries to maintain the ecological character of their Wetlands of International Importance and to plan for the “wise use”, or sustainable use, of all of the wetlands in their territories. Viet Nam first participated in the Ramsar Convention in 1989.
Source: Ditnews.vn
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Posted by admin on under Vietnam Destinations, Vietnam Travel Stories, Vietnam tours |
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 Today, you can explore Halong Bay from unprecedented heights by going on a helicopter tour. |
| Ha Long Bay is the jewel in Vietnam’s tourism crown, a stunning geological formation that captivates even the most travel weary and jaded of visitors.
Most people usually take a halong bay cruise around the bay. You can choose one or two night trips to enjoy the mesmerising scenery and discover wonderful coves and islets or simply enjoy the views from the top deck of your boat.
As a repeat visitor I wouldn’t say I’m tired of Ha Long, but I was certainly eager to discover another side of the UNESCO World Heritage Site when a friend told me about the helicopter tour.
This would be a great opportunity to fly over the bay and enjoy a bird’s eye view of the limestone karst islets which, according to legend are the shards of diamond and jade, that were spat out by a family of dragons sent from heaven to help protect Vietnam from foreign invaders.
I was so excited at the prospect of climbing into a helicopter, I could hardly sleep the night before. But as the morning drew closer I started to get increasingly nervous. What if, I am scared of heights? Having never scaled any cliff faces, or jumped out of an airplane, how would I know?
Morning departure
I begin to suffer vertigo even before I arrive at Gia Lam Airport, 5km from downtown Hanoi, where I am to meet my tour guide and the helicopter crew. The flight departs at 8.30am. Still slightly anxious, I reassure myself that by flying to Halong Bay I’m at least avoiding the long, rather dangerous road from Hanoi to Hai Phong. Ha Long is normally more than a three-hour drive but via helicopter we expect to arrive in 45 minutes.
Our guide informs us that the Russian MI-17 helicopter seats 24 people and will reach an altitude of 300m. We are also in luck; the sky is clear and blue, a perfect day for flying. We set off and everyone is immediately glued to the windows and we see vast, beautiful rice fields pass below us.
The Red River looks like a long snake winding its way through a terracotta garden. Tran Van Huong, the captain, informs us that because a helicopter flies slower and lower than a jet, there is less chance that people will feel sick while taking off or landing. The helicopter is quite large and comfortable, but being a military chopper, there is no air- conditioning, just fans.
We are told we can visit the cockpit and talk with the four-member crew or, rather, shout at the crew –it is hard to make yourself heard above the throbbing engines!
The whole package
The Northern Serviced Flight Company, who operate the helicopter, also offer trips to Sapa in Lao Cai province and Dien Bien Phu, but tourists currently seem to prefer Ha Long Bay. The whole tour with Luxury Travel includes a cruise on a junk as well as a helicopter tour over the bay, plus transfer from Hanoi and back by chopper.
Ha Long Bay is certainly spectacular from the helicopter – it’s as perfect as a painting: the white sandy coves, the thick green forest, the rugged mountains and the jagged karsts jutting out of the emerald water.
I snap as many pictures as I can before the chopper lands at a heliport on General Giap Hill (named after General Vo Nguyen Giap as you might guess) Who knows when I will be 200m above Ha Long Bay again?
The chopper lands smoothly and we are back down on earth. Everyone is buzzing after the trip and I almost feel sad it’s over.
We are driven from the heliport to Bai Chay harbour, where boats and junks have gathered to meet the hundreds of tourists arriving from Hanoi. I can’t help but swagger a little smugly past the tired looking tourists clambering out of the buses and mini-vans thinking, I came by helicopter and I feel great! Coming by chopper I got to sleep in longer and had plenty of room on board.
For once, I am actually refreshed and energised as we set off to explore the caves and beaches around Ha Long. Later on we grab kayaks and paddle around, visiting floating aquaculture farms and beaches. On previous trips I was often slumped in a chair, too tired and stiff to do anything else, but today I am up for everything.
We enjoy a lavish seafood lunch on board and everyone is still in high spirits, reflecting on the amazing trip. It’s a little clichéd to say “this was unforgettable” but that’s how we felt!
After lunch the junk returns to port before we again climb on board the helicopter and set off for the capital where we arrive at 2.30pm. It’s hard to believe we still have the whole afternoon ahead of us!
VOVNews/Timeout
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Posted by admin on under Vietnam Destinations, Vietnam Travel Info |
The ancient town of Hoi An has made it to the list of 10 best cities for tourism by UK’s Wanderlust travel magazine.
Hoi An, in central Vietnam received 96 per cent of the vote from readers and was ranked at 2nd place. The World Heritage Site of Luang Prabang in Laos has retained its number 1 position in Wanderlust Travel Magazine’s annual list of best tourist destinations with a score of 96.89 percent.
The other places to make it on the list are Kyoto (Japan), Stockholm (Sweden), Perth (Australia), Tokyo (Japan), San Francisco (USA), Vienna (Austria), Cusco (Peru) and Aleppo (Syria).
Hoi An has previously been selected as one of Asia’s top ten destinations for 2010 by the Hong Kong online tourist magazine Smart Travel Asia. The ancient town had retained fifth place and Hanoi was noted as seventh on the tourist magazine list.
Book Hoi an hotel at http://Vietnamhotels.net with lowest price!
Source: SGGP
Posted by admin on March 8, 2011 under Vietnam Travel Info, Vietnam hotels |
The
Furama Resort Danang opened its newly-designed, refurbished, and luxury upgraded ocean studio suites during the December holiday season. In support of the effective competitiveness with the other new high-grade hotels and resorts in the Central Vietnam area, Furamas’ aim is to be truly the most desirable and prestigious resort available with its elite luxury facilities. The Furama Resort meets customer’s demands with another upgrade to its most sought-after room type. The number of redesigned luxury suites has been increased from twenty to forty. The upgrades enhance the comfort and charm in a luxury setting for the savviest of travelers, domestic and foreign, and were open for the Christmas holiday season. Comments from the increasingly discerning guests, who understand luxury and style, were considered for this project. The ocean studio suite interiors were designed with the most lavish and comfortable fittings to combine traditional elements and modern style for a truly unique experience. The suites are ocean front with balconies opening onto the world-renowned white sand of Danang Beach, with interiors of mahogany wood contemporary detailing, marble restrooms, and traditional Cham artworks.
Posted by admin on under Vietnam Travel Info, Vietnam hotels |
Vietnam continues to accrue accolades for its hotels as Travel + Leisure named three to its list of ‘World’s Best Hotel Values’ in the March 2011 issue.
The Caravelle Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi and the Hilton Hanoi Opera all won spots on the ‘Top 20 Hotels for Value Overall’ list in Travel + Leisure, itself one of North America’s top two highest circulating travel magazines.
Vietnam was second only to the United States in the number of hotels among the top 20.
“Value is one of the hottest travel trends of 2011,” said John Gardner, general manager of the Caravelle. “Given the recent global slump, and uncertainty over the kind of rebound the economy has actually made, we expect this trend to continue through the year.”
The winners, chosen by Travel + Leisure readers in the magazine’s World’s Best Awards Survey, each offer rooms for USD 300 a night or less.
The Caravelle and the Metropole recently won placement on Travel + Leisure’s list of the top 500 hotels in the world. The Metropole also won placement on the Conde Nast Traveler Gold List, as well as more than 20 other prestigious lists in 2010.
In the same issue of Travel + Leisure, Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel & Spa was included in a lengthy feature on the ‘Best Affordable Beach Resorts’ in the world. The Sheraton was the only Vietnam resort in this list.
The T+L honor comes on the heels of recognition of Nha Trang by Expedia.com.au, which called the city one of the 10 ‘Best Beach Destinations’ internationally in a December press release.
