The 2015 tourism and trade fair started the Mekong Delta Green Tourism Week in Can Tho city on June 27, taking in 1,030 booths by exhibitors from several southwestern localities and Greater Mekong Sub-region countries.

The northernmost province Ha Giang is organising the first buckwheat flower festival in Dong Van’s Ancient Quarter from November 13-15. The event will include cultural performances, a buckwheat wine festival, a photography exhibition and workshops on buckwheat products.

Tra Co, Dong Chau and Cat Ba are appropriate venues to dispel the heat of summer.

Hon Khoai is a cluster of islands located 20 kilometers off the south-west of Nam Can, in the province of Ca Mau. Reputed to be one of the most beautiful islands in the south of the country, Hon Khoai is a popular destination for tourists inspiring exploration of the site’s cultural aspects.

Readers of an online website, www.cntraveler.com, have selected Sao Beach on Phu Quoc Island of the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang as one of the top 10 island beaches to unplug and unwind.

They picked Sao Beach for "its deserted, powder-white shore and lush tropical foliage – those gently swaying fronds offer natural shade from the high noon sun."

Also, as the beach is isolated and has little in the way of facilities, it's usually empty.

The other beaches on the list of 10 include Meads Bay, Anguilla; Punta Coco, Isla de Holbox, Mexico; Banana Bay, St Kitts; and Nevis and Honeymoon, St John, US Virgin Islands.

VNS

Con Dao Island in the central province of Vung Tau aims to become an international-standard spiritual and eco-tourism centre by 2030, according to a newly approved plan to develop the island.

Under the plan, the island will develop many areas, including Con Son Town, France Town in Con Son Town, a spiritual area, Ben Dam sea station, a natural beach, the Con Dao mountainous area and a system of small islands.

Tours connecting the main island to nearby sites and tours linking Con Dao Island to other provinces and cities will be organised.

VNS

Activities celebrating Viet Nam Family Day 2015 will take place from June 26th to 28th at the Viet Nam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism under the theme “The Central Highlands culture with matriarchy family tradition.”

These activities will be held by the Management Board of the National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism in coordination with the Dak Lak College of Culture and Arts.

Accordingly, festivals, a photo exhibition on matriarchy family, folklore games, and an introduction of traditional handicrafts and products of ethnic groups will be held during the event. A special festival of E de ethnic minority group will be reinstated at the village on the morning of June 28th.

The event will demonstrate the popular traditional culture of Vietnamese families in general and cultural characteristics of matriarchy family in the Central Highlands in particular, contributing to organizing regular activities to serve the increasing demand of tourists to the village.

Source: CPV

Viet Nam will hold the annual International East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC) Trade and Tourism Fair on July 30-August 4 at the Danang International Exhibition Fair Centre, organizers announced on June 23 at a press conference.

The Notre Dame Cathedral, which is situated in the heart of HCMC, will begin to be renovated in the fourth quarter this year, marking the first such overhaul since it was opened in 1880.

Although it looks imposing from outside, the interior of the Cathedral has deteriorated over the years. According to the HCMC Archdiocese, it may take years to finish restoration work as materials will be imported from France.

During the time the project is carried out, the entire Cathedral will be covered.

Speaking of the Notre Dame Cathedral, people will think of it as a rendezvous for people from all walks of life. The cathedral is of course an important worshiping place for Catholics but also an architectural icon and a tourist destination in HCMC.

It is also the place for couples to come to capture important moments of their lives, young and old people to gather for various activities, and others to earn a living. The news about the forthcoming restoration of the Notre Dame has caused different reactions among citizens.

On the morning of last Wednesday, around six couples were seen around the church to take wedding photos. A groom named Nguyen Minh Tan from District 8 said: “Both foreign tourists and people from neighboring provinces would like to visit and take photos at the Notre Dame as it is an architectural icon of the city. My wife and I want our wedding photos to be taken here thanks to the impressive and ancient features of the cathedral. There are not many ancient buildings in this city.”
“More than half of the couples who hired me to take wedding photos had chosen the Notre Dame Cathedral,” said Cao Van Long, a photographer in District 10, adding that the old look of the cathedral with red bricks and stones provides a beautiful background for photos.

“I hope that all unique features of the cathedral will be kept the same after it is renovated. I think it will still be a place for wedding photos,” he said.

Thanh, a woman who sells coffee, soft drinks and feed for pigeons at the cathedral, said she has been around here for the past 20 years. “I hope after it is restored, the cathedral will be more beautiful and not lose its unique features.”

Most of her customers are tourists. She said the building will be covered for restoration in the coming time, so the number of guests coming would fall.

A xe om (motorbike taxi) driver named Tam said he has been familiar with the image of visitors, locals and couples gathering around the Notre Dame Cathedral, so it would be sad when the building is closed for renovation.

A photographer named Huynh Xe said when the cathedral is shut for restoration, he will quit working because no one would come to visit the place for photography. Hopefully, when it is reopened and people would come again and he would return to work.

Nguyen Van Thuyen, a city tour guide, said the Notre Dame Cathedral is an indispensable destination in the tour of Saigon for foreigners. However, he thinks the temporary shutdown for renovation of such a building will get support from tourists.

Source: SGT

Cultures of countries worldwide will be brought together at the 2016 Hue Festival, which will take place in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue from April 29-May 4, 2016.

According to the provincial People’s Committee, activities related to culture, tourism, festivals and art at the event will contribute to promoting local socio-economic development.

The highlight of the festival will be the opening night celebrating the 710 years since the founding of Thuan Hoa-Phu Xuan (now Thua Thien-Hue).

Additionally, Vietnamese and foreign artists will join together for art performances in the Hue Citadel, An Dinh Palace and other places in the Complex of Hue Monuments.

The “Dem Hoang Cung” (Royal Night) and “Huyen thoai Phuong Dong” (Orient Legendary) events will also be held in the Ngo Mon-Ky Dai Square.

Other programmes such as a Hue international carnival week (HICW); a beer festival, international food festival and a Got talent –TV show will be arranged in the Thuong Bac Park.

As an international event, the festival will offer a number of exhibitions and fairs featuring cultural characteristics and traditional games and dishes from many localities across the country.

Source: VNA