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Showing posts with label Beautiful Vietnam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beautiful Vietnam. Show all posts
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Lanta Viet resumes operation in Mui Ne


Lanta Viet director Konstantin Prikhodko
Russian-invested tour operator Lanta Viet has resumed its operations in the Mui Ne resort area on February 2 after its sudden close following the bankruptcy of its parent firm Lanta Tour Voyage the previous week.
Nguyen Van Khoa, chairman of the Binh Thuan Tourism Association, said Lanta Viet director Konstantin Prikhodko opened the office in the late afternoon.
“Dozens of resort owners immediately came to the office to request him to sign debt notes for hosting the company’s Russian tourists over the past several days,” he said.
At a meeting with Vietnamese tourism authorities and the People's Committee of Binh Thuan Province  on February 1, Prikhodko said he and his employees left the office in fear that some frustrated people could surround the place as happened at Lanta’s office in Thailand.
However, the resort owners said they had taken good care of the Russian tourists to maintain their reputation despite being aware of Lanta Tour Voyage’s bankruptcy.
Meanwhile, tourism authorities said they had instructed the resorts to continue taking good care of the tourists as a move to promote Mui Ne tourism.
Dozens of Russian tourists stranded in Mui Ne have left Vietnam over the past days and all of those sent to Vietnam through Lanta Viet are expected to leave by February 8.
Prikhodko committed to pay the resorts but did not offer a payment time.




Lanta Tour Voyage, one of Russia’s largest tour operators, declared bankruptcy January 27 and shut down after being unable to provide funding for contracted services, leaving thousands of Russian tourists stranded abroad including 309 in Vietnam.
Russia's state development bank VTB on February 1 said it will lend Lanta Tour Voyage US$7 million at an interest rate of 12 percent, according to the Russian daily newspaper Vedomosti.

thanhniennews.com

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Nha Trang hotel serves up 37-meter-long tet cake


Several foreign tourists give their hands to Yasaka Saigon Nha Trang Hotel to prepare the 37-meter long banh tet
It is gargantuan by any measure. The 37-meter-long banh tet (traditional Tet glutinous rice cake with meat or vegetable filling), to be showcased at a ceremony at the Yasaka Saigon Nha Trang hotel today, weighs an unbelievable 810 kg.

It took 100 of the hotel’s staff two days and 420 kg of sticky rice, 67 kg of mung bean paste, 110 kg of pork, 550 bananas, and other ingredients to make it.

The cake is wrapped in 410 kg of banana leaf and 32 kg of strings.

The ingredients were added yesterday afternoon at the hotel, and the cake was then boiled in water until this morning.

According to the hotel management, the proceeds from selling the cake tonight are completely meant for charity.

Reported by Nguyen Chung, Thanh Nien News

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Poisonous root a highland delicacy in northern Vietnam


 
 
No visit to the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang is complete without a bowl of the local poison, called the “poisonous porridge.”
To many natives in the province, which seems even colder than it really is thanks to the grey rocky mountains, it is not just the plum and peach blossoms in the first lunar month or the golden terraced fields in the tenth month that make the place attractive.
A major winter attraction is a porridge made from the poisonous “ấu tẩu,” a hard, rough and thorny root known scientifically as Aconitum sinense paxt, the Tuoi Tre newspaper said in a recent report.
The root is as hard as rugger rock and can only be found on the top of Tay Con Linh mountain in the province. The first use of the root is to poison arrows in hunting.
But the poisonous root has been cleverly processed by local ethnic groups like Muong and Dao into a thick and grey dish that is not only delicious but can also cure cold and strengthen one's bones, said Nguyen Thi Huong, who runs a famous shop of the porridge at 171 Tran Hung Dao Street in the province's capital, Ha Giang Town.
The recipe has since been learnt by people in the lowland as well.
Huong said the dish needs painstaking preparation over a whole day to make diners feel the fragrance, the taste of fat and the bitterness of the roots on the tip of the tongue, as well as the sweetness of meat and bones.
Before cooking, the roots are cleaned and soaked in rice water, with which rice has been washed, from early morning until noon, or at least four hours. The roots are then cleaned once again before being boiled for four hours until they become loose, the chef said.

A bowl of boiled ấu tẩu (Aconitum sinense paxt)
They are then left to dry and smashed until smooth. The root broth, which is red, will be mixed with boiled rice porridge and pig’s feet, before the mashed root is added and the mixture is cooked over a weak fire until it is served.
Huong said the name of the porridge is so attractive that her shop has been crowded with customers every night for more than ten years now without any advertisements.
But if the root is not properly processed, the delicacy will “poison the diners, causing numb jaws and constricted legs and arms, and even kill people if they are not treated in time,” she said.
A delicious bowl of ấu tẩu porridge should be complemented with lean meat, pepper, onion and balm mint leaves.
Diners are recommended to rest after having the porridge, thus the shops are only open from the evening until midnight.

  Video by youtube.com
But Huong also recommends that children under 18 not try the dish, as too much of root will make their bones fragile.
 Thanh Nien News 

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National park to become Vietnam’s fourth Ramsar site


The Tram Chim National Park in Dong Thap Province is home to the Sarus crane.
The Tram Chim National Park will become Vietnam’s fourth Ramsar site, a title recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of a wetland and its economic, cultural, scientific and recreational value, according to park authorities.
Nguyen Van Hung, the park’s director, told online newspaper VnExpress that the Ramsar Convention Bureau is finalizing procedures to pronounce the park a Ramsar site.
In 1988, the Ramsar Convention Bureau designated Xuan Thuy Natural Wetland Reserve in the northern province of Nam Dinh as Vietnam’s first Ramsar site.
In 2005, another Ramsar site was recognized by the treaty organization: the Bau Sau (Crocodile Lake) Wetlands and Seasonal Floodplains in the Cat Tien National Park.
In 2011, Ba Be National Park was recognized as Vietnam’s third Ramsar site.
Tram Chim National Park 7,588-hectares) is home to 130 species of plant, more than 120 species of freshwater fish, 40 different amphibian and reptile species, and over 200 types of birds – of which 16 are listed as endangered.
The most distinguished resident bird is the Sarus crane which has been recognized as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The park is listed among the eight most important conservation areas for birds in Vietnam.
Thanh Nien News 

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Nha Trang Bay continues to woo tourists

Recognised as one of the world’s ‘Most Beautiful Bays’ almost a decade ago, Nha Trang is famous for its pristine beaches, splendid islands and magnificent mountains.
 
 Nha Trang Bay shines at noon - Photos: Mong Binh
It is also renowned for watersports with its high-speed canoes, sailing boats, small ships and many high-quality resorts near the beaches offer scuba diving, squid fishing and island cruises. Nha Trang Bay stretches 507 square kilometers and has 19 islands. It is home to rare marine species such as salanganes, red coral, yellow-lip pearl and oval abalone.
Some striking places in the bay are Chong Islet and Tru Beach as well as the islands of Hon Tre, Bich Dam, Hon Mun and Hon Tram which are ideal spots for local and international tourists.
Hon Tre is the biggest island in the bay and reaches for 3,000 hectares. Located five kilometers from the center of Nha Trang City, it is famous for its pristine floral system and mild weather. It is an ideal location for eco-tourism development and is a great place for tourists to kick back and put their feet up.
Hon Mun is regarded as the most poetic island in the bay. It is renowned for its black stone cliffs which are formed into caves. It was the country’s first sea biodiversity preservation centre.
It is endowed with 350 species of coral while there are only 800 species in the world.
Hon Tam looks like a green silkworm with its head toward to the east as it is 110 hectares wide.
On the island, tourists can take a panoramic view of Nha Trang City to the north and Cam Ranh Peninsula to the south.
Noi and Ngoai islets are home to salangane nests in their stone cliffs. Tourists to the islands can discover the splendid surroundings and have a gander at the bird’s nests. 


dtinews.vn

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Unique Hue bamboo flowers brighten Tet Ceremonies

Hue people usually offer hand-made bamboo flowers in their new year prayers for health and happiness.

Handmade bamboo flowers at An Cuu Market
Every year, when Tet comes, small traders in Hue busily craft bamboo flowers for the new year markets.
Nguyen Thi Hanh, a handicraft bamboo flower trader at An Cuu Market said, "The flowers are sold out in two weeks. Every year I earn VND50,000 (USD2.37) a day selling them at VND4,000(USD0.19) a pair. This kind of flower sells well because of what it represents: the bamboo tree is the symbol of Vietnamese villages and tradition. It also represents the strong, everlasting spirit of the country. Natural bamboo flowers are a precious masterpiece of nature since the bamboo tree only flowers once every 100 years. That’s why a New Year tray of offerings always has hand-crafted bamboo flower."
A hand-crafted bamboo flower is easy to make. A young bamboo tree is chosen and sawn into pieces approximately 20 centimetres long and as big as a thumb. Then a broad blade is used to strip and curl the bamboo. Lastly, the makers use their hands to curb the bamboo into the shape of a flower. The bamboo flowers are available in many colours but red is the most popular since it’s believed to bring good luck.
Each kind of flower has its own beauty and meaning, but the handmade bamboo flowers have become a unique tradition of the former capital of Hue. 
An old trader selling flowers in the rain

Colourful hand-crafted bamboo flowers

Red bamboo flowers are the most popular

Bamboo flowers flood the markets

Trader offering flowers

A good sale for trader and customer

Hue people continue to buy handmade bamboo flowers
Fowers displayed with betel and areca nuts
Traders earn good money from hundreds of flowers

Handmade bamboo flowers offered on a family altar

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Hue welcomes 30,000 foreigners during Tet

The famous citadel in the former imperial capital of Hue drew more than 50,000 tourists, including 30,000 foreigners, during the recent Lunar New Year festival (Tet).
The number of holidaymakers represented an increase of 40 percent against the same period last year and brought VND23 billion into the provincial coffers.

As host of the 2012 National Tourism Year, the central province of Thua Thien-Hue expects to attract 2-2.5 million visitors, including 1.1-1.2 million from foreign countries, and gain VND2,500 billion in revenue.

In addition to the ancient monuments in Hue city, the Huyen Tran Culture Centre southwest of the city is also a well-known tourist attraction with its beautiful landscapes, royal tombs and famous pagodas.

According to Ngo Hoa, Vice Chairman of the Hue Municipal People’s Committee, the management of tourism services has been improved and strengthened to ensure the best quality.

On January 24 (the second day of the Lunar New Year), the city welcomed the Superstar Aquarius cruise ship, which brought nearly 1,500 visitors to the city through Chan May port.

This year Chan May port is scheduled to receive 47 cruise ships with more than 92,000 international tourists on board.

dtinews.vn

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Tourism push in coastal region

The central province of Thua Thien-Hue on January 30 launched a year-long series of activities within the National Tourism Year in the northern central coastal area for 2012.
With the theme "Hue-Old Citadel-New Experience", the programme will incorporate the performance of Hue songs and “nha nhac cung dinh” Hue ( Hue royal court music), which has been recognised as a world intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. Traditional games, art installations and carnivals will also be held as part of the programme.
Tourists will be welcomed to witness the week-long schedule, which includes the Huyen Tran Temple Festival and a ceremony where people pray for the country's prosperity and peace. A film festival and tree planting festival will also be held in the province.
Director of the provincial culture department Phan Tien Dung said there will be 20 major cultural events organised throughout the year, 12 of which will be held by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
"The National Tourism Year 2012 in the north central coastal area is part of the development strategy for tourism in central provinces , which will help promote inter-provincial connections and raise tourism revenue," Dung said.
During the year-long programme, there will also be “ao dai” (Vietnamese traditional dress) performances on March 24-25, a cuisine festival between April 30-May 1 and a traditional instruments festival in May.
The 13th annual congress of the League of Historical Cities, which includes 80 cities from 55 nations, will also be held during Hue Festival 2012.

dtinews.vn

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Boat race festival on Ly Son Island

The annual New Year boat race festival opened on Ly Son island in the central province of Quang Ngai on January 26.
The annual event, which aims to express appreciation to the gods, and pray for a safe, sound and good harvest, is held in An Vinh and An Hai villages. The festival will last until January 30.
Ly Son Boat Race Festival takes place annually from 4 to 8 January of lunar calendar. Assumedly, this is the most important festival of coastal inhabitants in Quang Ngai in particular and in the south of Central Region as well in terms of the size, time, continuity (annually), and the participation (tens of thousand participants) of the festival. Ly Son Boat Race Festival is not just an amusement but also a chance to commemorate the founders of the island and a time to pray for well-being and prosperity.  
Ly So has 8 racing boats (8 m long, named after 4 sacred animals: Dragon, Unicorn, Turtle, Phoenix) all very well decorated with carvings.  
The festival has two levels: village level and district level.


The elder performed rituals before the boat race.














































dtinews.vn

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