Asia Pacific Travel Team

Asia Pacific Travel Team

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has signed Decision No 2408/QĐ-TTg on to recognize additional 14 historical, architectural and archaeological relics nationwide as special national relic sites.

Accordingly, there are seven historical relics, four historical-architectural relics, two architectural relics and one archaeological relics.

The list of the new relics is as follows:

First is the temples and tombs of Kings of Ly Dynasty (1009-1225) in Tu Son town, the northern province of Bac Ninh.

Second is the temples and tombs of Kings of Tran Dynasty (1225-1440) in Hung Ha district, the northern province of Thai Binh.

Third is Tay Son-Tam Kiet temple in Tay Son district, the central province of Binh Dinh province. The temple commemorates King Quang Trung and Tay Son soldiers who defeated the Qing invaders to liberate Thang Long (now Hanoi) in 1792.

Forth is Rach Gam- Xoai Mut victory historical relic site in Chau Thanh district, the southern province of Tien Giang.

Fifth is Son La prison historical relic site in Son La city, the northern province of Son La.

Sixth is Phu Quoc prison historical relic site in Phu Quoc island district, the southern province of Kien Giang.

Seventh is Vinh Moc tunnel and the Vinh Linh tunnel village system in Vinh Linh district, the central province of Quang Tri.

Eighth is Ba Trieu temple historical-architectural relic site in Hau Loc district, the central province of Thanh Hoa.

Ninth is Thay pagoda and the rocky area of Sai Son, Hoang Son and Phuong Cach in Quoc Oai district, Hanoi.

Tenth is Phat Tich pagoda historical-architectural relic site in Tien Du district, the northern province of Bac Ninh.

Eleventh is Pho Hien relic complex in Hung Yen city, the northern province of Hung Yen.

Twelfth is Soc temple architectural relic site in Soc Son district, Hanoi.

Thirteenth is Tay Phuong art architecture relic site in Thach That district, Hanoi.

And fourteenth is Cat Tien archaeological site in Cat Tien district, the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong.

Now there are 62 recognised special national relic sites in Vietnam./.
 

Source: CPV
Situated on the southern shore of the Red River Delta, Trang An is a spectacular landscape of limestone karst peaks permeated with valleys, some of which are submerged, and surrounded by steep, almost vertical cliffs.

The property also includes Hoa Lu, the old capital of Vietnam in the 10th and 11th centuries AD, as well as temples, pagodas, paddy-field landscapes, with villages and sacred sites.

Its four best features are

1. Mixed natural and cultural heritage

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Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex is the first site in Vietnam to receive UNESCO mixed natural and cultural heritage world recognition.

The Ninh Binh provincial People’s Committee will hold a three-day celebration on January 22-24, 2015 at Bai Dinh Pagoda in honour of the event, to include the award presentation ceremony. 

The complex spans a total area of 12,000 hectares. It symbolizes the magic, mystery and majesty of the natural world.

2. Most caves in Vietnam

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With 48 caves, Trang An now has the most caves in the country. Each cave with its different name is attached to a story such as Sinh, Dia Linh, Ba Giot, Nau Ruou and Quy Hau.

The longest cave is 2km. Every cave connects to each other, forming a circle. Tourists visit the caves by boat.

3. Most unique tree in Vietnam

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The 1,000-year-old Cay Thi in Khong temple is considered the most unique tree in the nation.

Tourist must sail by boat through 13 majestic caves that spread 13 km to Khong temple.

4. Most spectacular bird sanctuary

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The Thung Nham bird sanctuary spanning an area of 334.2 hectares consists of 46 kinds of birds, some of them are listed in the Red Book of endangered species.

Source: VOV
Blankets of cloud and midst covering mountain ranges and beautiful valleys in winter entice both domestic and foreign travelers to the northwestern region of Vietnam.

The region is also attractive to those whose have adventured the mountainous region once or several times as it always offers something new and exotic to experience in different seasons of the year.

From Hanoi, adventurers can travel along National Highway 32 to Lai Chau Province and then turn to the road to Sapa in Lao Cai Province to visit love markets, Stone Church and Ham Rong Mountain, or take the route to Son La Province to admire imposing Pha Din Pass.

Unlike the Central Highlands, the roads in the northwestern region are much more winding and more slippery and muddier in rainy season. On certain days, temperatures can drop below one degree Celsius and a chilly climate is a nice surprise and thrilling experience for travelers who live in tropical countries.

Terraced paddy fields are certainly among the magnets of the region. A lot of tourists from near and far tour the region from mid-September and mid-October to take pictures of terraced rice fields and ethnic minority people harvesting the ripe rice grains and shoulder bags of rice paddy through hills and suspension bridges to their homes.

As usual, ethnic minority mothers use a cloth as a cradle to carry their babies on their back while they are in the fields. It is near the end of the harvest season when visitors can distinguish the atmosphere of terraced fields in and off the rice harvest season, and how hard locals try to produce paddy.

When the rice harvest finishes, buckwheat flowers start to bloom in full in the fields, on rocks and elsewhere in the mountainous region, making it an immense flower garden.

Northwestern Vietnam is surely a region worth visiting for not only Vietnamese but also foreign travelers.

Source: SGT
Wednesday, 07 January 2015 17:32

Mau Son Winter Tourism Festival 2015

On 10 January 2015, in Mau Son Tourism Area (Lang Son Province), Lang Son Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will organize Mau Son Winter Tourism Festival 2015 to promote tourism potential of Mau Son, and also attract tourists and investors to Mau Son Tourism Area. 

The festival is expected to have the participants of representatives of People’s Committee and departments of Lang Son Province; representatives of Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism and Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Thai Nguyen, Tuyen Quang, Ha Giang, Bac Giang, Bac Ninh, Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh, Thai Binh, Hai Phong and Ha Noi; Viet Nam Federation of UNESCO Associations; typical tourism enterprises and local media.

In the framework of Mau Son Winter Tourism Festival 2015, many specific cultural and arts activities will be held, the highlight of which is the opening ceremony in the central stage of Mau Son Tourism Area with arts program titled “Majestic and sacred Mau Son”. Besides, the festival will attract visitors with activities of Mau Son Highland Wine Association, including display of devices to brewing wine; introducing Mau Son Highland wine products and typical tourism products; tasting Mau Son wine; visiting wine-cellar. Many attractive cuisine activities will also take place such as processing and performing traditional cuisine of Mau Son; cuisine exchange...

Attending the festival, visitors will have the opportunity to learn more about Mau Son tourism through display of images, artifacts and documents related to cultural and historical monuments in Mau Son area such as Mau Son Ancient Temple, Linh dia Mau Son, Phat Chi Mountain...

In addition, many public arts performances will be also organized such as duo singing, khen dance, performance of pi le, traditional martial arts… to serve visitors.

Mau Son Mountain Area is located in three communes of Mau Son, Cong Son (Cao Loc District) and Mau Son (Loc Binh District), from Lang Son City 30km to the north-east. The area has variety terrain, the average altitude of 800 – 1,000m, includes the complex of 80 large and small mountains, of which Phia Po is the highest peak with 1,541m high. Mau Son Mountain Area has a temperate climate, the average temperature of 15.5°C. Especially in winter, frost frequently appears in Mau Son Mountain Area and sometimes snow.

Mau Son Mountain Area has been planned into a culture and eco-tourism area with an area of 20ha, including a system of hotels, restaurants, campgrounds... Mau Son attracts visitors by beautiful scenery, fresh atmosphere all year round and also unique cultural space of ethnic groups of Dao, Nung, Tay. In Mau Son Mountain, archaeologists discovered ancient stone works dating from the Iron Age, including megaliths (large stone tombs), stone temples and valuable artifacts. To Mau Son, visitors can go to visit the villages of Dao ethnic people, enjoy famous specialities (six-spur chicken, frog, roast pig, five-color sticky rice, Mau Son wine, honey, lemon, peach, tuyet son tea...) and bathe with medicine herbs of ethnic Dao people.

Thu Giang

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said on January 4 that it has granted certificates recognising epic poems as a national intangible cultural heritage to the Central Highlands provinces of Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Gia Lai and Kon Tum. 

Four types recognised this time include oral recitation of the Ede ethnic community in Dak Lak, Ot Ndrong epic of M’Nong people in Dak Nong, Homon epic of Banah in Gia Lai and another Homon epic of Rongao in Kon Tum. 

Epics have played an important role in the cultural life of the Central Highlands people for centuries. 

They usually describe the socio-economic process that formed and developed the community of ethnic groups or tell stories about strong and admirable heroes in the mythology of locals. 

The epics, believed to be born around the 16 th century, will be submitted to UNESCO for recognition as a world intangible cultural heritage of humankind.

Source: VNA
Over 1,000 foreign passengers, the first callers on New Year day, received warm reception at the Tan Son Nhat international airport in Ho Chi Minh City on January 1st.

At the welcome ceremony, they were treated to a performance of traditional folk music, flowers and souvenirs, and best wishes for a New Year from the hosts.

Speaking to the guests, Director of the municipal Department of Tourism Van Thi Bach Tuyet said the ceremony is the first of a series of events to be hosted by the department, the municipal Tourism Association and the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines in 2015.

The city hopes to welcome about 4.7 million foreigners and 19 million domestic visitors this year./.

Source: CPV/VNA
The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of central Quang Ngai province is gearing up for the launch of home-stay service in Ly Son island district.
Deputy Director Huynh Thi Phuong Hoa said the Department sent 15 Ly Son households to Hoi An, central Quang Nam province, to learn about the service, which gained high approval at a recent meeting on the district’s socio-economic development master plan.

Apart from that fact-finding tour, more training courses will be held for the pioneering households and even other residents who wish to take part in the business, Hoa said.

Ly Son district lies 18 nautical miles off the Vietnamese coast and covers an area of 10km2. It includes three communes: An Hai, An Vinh and An Binh.

The island district has a population of approximately 2,100. The majority of residents earn a living from fishing and farming garlics and spring onions.

Ly Son is striving to become a maritime economic centre by 2025, with a focus on tourism and aquaculture.

Archaeologists found relics of Sa Huynh culture on the island dating back to 3,000 years ago. Starting in the 16th century, a number of ethnic groups migrated to Ly Son from the mainland and have inhabited the island ever since.

The island boasts numerous forms of intangible cultural heritage, such as traditional boat races and the Hoang Sa Soldier Feast and Commemoration Festival, which was recognised as a national heritage in April, 2013.

Source: CPV
The General Department of Geology and Minerals and the Japan Caving Association on December 26 held a press conference to announce the finding of a volcanic cavern system in the Central Highlands province of Dak Nong. 

Nguyen Van Thuan, Head of the General Department of Geology and Minerals, said Vietnamese and Japanese scientists have spent eight years investigating the caves. The volcanic cavern system, located in Buon Choah commune, Krong No district, could be the longest volcanic grotto in Southeast Asia, he added. 

Dr. Hiroshi Tachihara, Honorary President of the Japan Caving Association, affirmed the volcanic cavern system is the longest of its kind in Southeast Asia with a total length of 25 km. The caves were formed millions of years ago, he noted, adding that they are of great significance for scientific research and tourism industry.

Vietnamese scientists will continue cooperating with Japanese partners to conduct further surveys and make comprehensive evaluation of the volcanic cavern system.

The Dak Nong provincial People’s Committee and the Viet Nam Geological Museum are coordinating to profile the cavern system along Serepoc River in order to have it recognised as a geological park in the future.

Source: VOV
Saturday, 03 January 2015 15:00

Cam Ranh airport welcomes 2 millionth visitor

A Russian tourist has become the 2 millionth visitor arriving at the Cam Ranh International Airport in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa this year.    

Chiganova Elena landed at the airport on December 30 in a flight carrying more than 280 passengers. 

Cam Ranh airport was commercialized in 2003 after serving as a defence airport. It hosted domestic flights until 2010 with an annual growth of only 10 percent, receiving hundred of thousands arrivals per year. 

The airport saw a strong growth since 2011 after it put into use a terminal with a capacity of 1.5 million visitors per year. 

Apart from domestic flights, it has currently received international flights from various countries, including Russia, the Republic of Korea and a number of European countries. 

In October this year, Khanh Hoa province was allowed to call for investment for the construction of the second runway at a cost of about 1.4 trillion VND (65.8 million USD)./.

Source: : VNA
Saturday, 03 January 2015 11:55

DESTINATION DANANG

DESTINATION DANANG

The Danang coast is fast becoming Southeast Asia’s hottest new destination. Tim Everton provides the low down on what is has to offer.

Danang has long been a hit with Vietnamese, but its rise as an international destination is a recent phenomenon. For years, dining was limited to food stalls and just one five star hotel graced its beaches; however, all that has now changed – so much so that Danang has been dubbed “the new Deli” in travel agency circles. A host of big names have  moved in seeking a slice of what they predict will be an imminent boom in visitor numbers. This means 5 star holidays are now on offer at some very wallet-friendly prices, especially when compared to neighbouring Thailand. And it’s not just the hotels that are grabbing attention. Broad, mountain-backed beaches, insolated bay and nearby UNESCO World Heritage sites, including My Son and Hoi An, are all making the pages of travel mags worldwide. So, this once unassumming city strung along the Han River and the My Khe and Non Nuoc beaches is coming of age, but for now at least, its slow burning charm of remains intact. Go now to grab an opening offer bargain, before somewhere else is claiming to be “the new Danang”.

THE SIGHT

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Ba Na Hills (www.banahills.com.vn) lies a 45 minutes drive from Danang and is clearly visible from the town, sitting on the highest peak for miles around. Built by the French as a retreat from the city heat, little is now left of the original colonial buildings, in their place  huge new hotel complex dominates the summit. The cable car ride to the top is stunning, smoothly glidding over the forest canopy which is roken only by a steep waterfall which tumbles for much of the ascent. A golf course is also soon to open and a rather bizarre fantasy park that will likely be a hit with the kids opend recently. Closer to Danang, The Marble Mountains are a series of peaks that stand proud on the flat plain near the beach strip. Visitors can climb among them, stopping at a series of pagodas to make the most of the cooling on-shore breeze. The Mountains are best visited late afternoon. Back in town, the Cham Museum (www.chammuseum.danang.vn) is a must for history buffs, or anyone withplans to visit one of the area’s star attractions, the UNESCO Cham ruins of My Son.

GET ACTIVE

Alongside the football and voleyball played on the beaches every morning and evening, there are plenty of active options for the restless. Two world-class golf courses lay a short drive from central Danang and a little further away, the brand new Laguna Lang CO development  has added a third, marking this area out as a Golf Coast of Vietnam. Laguna Lang Co always plays host to the annual Laguna Triathlon (lagunalangcotriathon.com), which this year will feature four-time world champion Chris “Macca” McCormack, making it one of the most significant sporting events Vietnam has hosted to date. Meer mortals also race, with a duathlon (bike/run) option available for the swim-shy. Later in the year, the smaller scale Danang GoPro Traithlon (www.silversuneventsvn.com) and duathlon is slated for either in August or September (TBA). Don’t expect world champions at this race, but do expect lots of friendly competition and family events. If all that sounds a bit too much, the Furama Resort is home to a PADI diving centre, where newbies can get certified or take a taster dive among the coast’s coral. Diving is best from now until September.

THE BRIDGES

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It’s not quite in the San Fransicso or Sydney league, but Danang is gaining a reputation as a city of bridges. Three have recently opened and each have striking designs and are lit up with neon by night. The Dragon Bridge is the most outlandish of the bunch. Designed in the shape of a dragon stretching across the river, it glows orange by night, while at weekends, it huge head blasts flames, much to the delight of the huge crowds of Vietnamese tourists that gather to watch. Nearby, the magnificent Tran Thi Ly Bridge was completed in January. Its viewing flatform stands at 145m and promises unparalled views as far as Ba Na Hills. Those planning a trip to Danang for the International Fireworks Show should arrive at one of these bridges arely to stake a claim for vantage point.

LOCAL FARE

The food of central Vietnam is a major draw card and the seafood in Danang is undoubtedly some of the country’s best. Out on the Son Tra peninsula, various no-nonsense restaurants serve all manner of sea creatures straight from the grill. One of the best is Bay Bang Restaurant (look for the motorcycle parking about five minutes from the start of the peninsula road). Here, dinners can hire their own sheltered wooden platform or take a seat in the restaurant which is surrounded by a riot of purple and orange flowers. Don’t miss the grilled king prawns. Closer to town, take tour pick from the many simple open-air eateries lining Hoang Sa Street- Loc Chao is recommended

FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR

For two nights every year, the sky over the Han River becomes the canvas of world-class pyrotechnicians and designers, who come from all over the world to compete for the attention of huge crowds. Each team has twenty minutes to convince the jury and the crowd of being the world’s leading fireworks team. This year, teams from Russia, Italy, Japan, the USA and Vietnam with battle is out. The main spectator stand will be erected on Tran Hung Dao Street, but other top spots to see the action are Bach Dang Street, the Han River and Thuan Phuoc Bridges, and boats on the river. Besides the fireworks, plenty will be going on before and after show, with a host of cultural and sports events scheduled.

The show takes place from 29-30 April. This is the busiest time of the year in Danang, so be sure to book ahead.

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