Ha Giang posses way to Heaven's Gate

In my eyes, Ha Giang, the northernmost province of Vietnam , is the most attractive destination in the country, with the rocky plateau at Dong Van, the love market at Khau Vai, Heaven's Gate over the Quan Ba Pass and the friendly, colourful ethnic groups. For that reason, despite the bad weather and narrow roads, our seven-day trip to Ha Giang was eagerly anticipated. 

The rocky, limestone district of Quan Ba was our second stop after Hoang Su Phi.

Located 320km to the north of Hanoi on the border with China , the district at an elevation of 1,000m above sea level and with its fresh, cool climate, typifies the beauty of Ha Giang. From there, we set out for the Quan Ba Pass and Heaven's Gate. The imposing, formidable landscape had us in awe as our car snaked along the treacherous roads, clinging to the side of the mountain. With a sheer drop on one side and cliffs rising up into the clouds on the other, it was as if God had chalked a line across the harsh terrain.

Reaching Heaven's Gate, the mist enveloped us, and the biting breeze rushed into the car as soon as the door was opened. The temperature in the early morning was very cold, even though we were wearing warm clothes.

Heaven's Gate is about 1,500m above sea level, and in 1939, the French built a stone wall and a wooden gate to block the pass, in order to prevent access to the Dong Van plateau and beyond. From the top of the mountain pass, we looked down across a large valley of unending terraced fields, displaying a charming beauty like a paradise dimly visible through the clouds. They carpet the ground in a patchwork of yellow rice, green shoots and brown mountain earth, with small houses nestled in between.

Standing out from this colourful valley is Twin Mountain , certified as a national heritage site by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism last year.

Its twin peaks rise up like the breasts of a giant woman, lying on the valley floor. The mountain is truly a product of leaching and erosion, combined with tectonic movement from a fault line below that last occurred around 5 million years ago. In actual fact, Quan Ba boasts an extensive karst landscape, but many regard Twin Mountain as its most beautiful feature, due to its picturesque setting.  
We ventured down to Quyet Tien Commune, where the weather is very cool. With its temperate climate and fertile soil, locals can grow vegetables such as kohlrabi, cabbages, mustard greens, tomatoes and potatoes, as well as flowers including roses, daisies and violets, that they sell in the town.

We caught snatches of conversation from the locals as they worked happily in the fields.

We stopped one farmer, and asked her about her livelihood, and she blushed with embarrassment.

"My family used to grow rice, but now we grow high-quality vegetables and flowers. Thanks to this, my family's income has increased significantly," said Vang Thi May from Vinh Tien Hamlet.

Heading to Lung Tam Commune over the rolling hills and bumpy roads, we saw a valley of lush, green flax. This kind of plant provides the main raw material for brocade weaving. The village has a long-standing tradition of brocade weaving that contributes to preserving the traditional culture of the Mong who live in the area.

Around the Hop Tien Flax Weaving Co-operative established in the village in 2001, clanking sounds emanate from the looms and sewing machines.

The organisation started with 20 members, but today, 110 members each enjoy an average income of 1 million VND (48 USD) per month.

(Source: VNA)

Happy memories of Phu Yen

In my 30 years in Vietnam, I have traveled to many places around the country but this was my first visit to Phu Yen Province and I took my three-year-old daughter along for the ride.

A little girl plays with deer in an area of Sao Viet Resort in Phu Yen Province - Photo: Thuy Vy

This year is tourism year of Phu Yen, but it is regarded as quieter than neighboring provinces of Khanh Hoa or Quang Nam. I wondered if Phu Yen has less attractive landscapes than the others and decided to find out.

I asked Tuan, my driver for the trip, to take me to places that first-timers should see. So, the first site I came across was O Loan Lagoon, where I admired the land which is shaped like a phoenix hovering in the sky.

Next up was Da Dia Cliffs in Tuy An District, a place which Tuan told me everyone touring Phu Yen must visit. I was really amazed by the huge pile of hexagonal and pentagonal shaped basaltic rocks standing up as if they were arranged by a giant hand.

I suddenly remembered a photo that my sister took on a cliff in Scotland which has been recognized as a world heritage site, and I look forward to seeing the same title given to Da Dia Cliffs.

I also visited Mang Lang Church, one of the oldest churches in Vietnam where the first book written in Vietnamese is kept, then moved onto Long Co old village and the impressive small houses under trellis of paper flowers.

The driver also took us to many stunning beaches such as Om, Nom, Rang, Tu Nham or Tram. I was really happy as my daughter loved the small waves and sandy beaches.

Apart from the splendid landscapes, we also satisfied ourselves with the many tasty dishes of fish, clam and shrimp. I enjoyed them so much that I still crave for them and remember their taste and flavors.

My daughter was delighted to play with deer, rabbits and peacocks in the small zoo at Sao Viet Resort where we were based.

By Thuy Vy in Phu Yen

Photo exhibition promotes VN world heritages

A total of 206 photos selected from the contest themed, “World heritages in Vietnam” will be displayed at exhibitions in Hanoi and the central city of Da Nang on the occasion of National Day (September 2) and Capital Liberation Day (October 10). 

The photos, taken by 138 photographers from 25 cities and provinces nationwide, will be shown in Da Nang from August 30 until September 6 and then move to Hanoi from October 10-17, the contest organisation board said on July 28.

Afterwards, they will continue to be displayed in other cities and provinces both at home and abroad.

Jointly held by the Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibition, the Department of Cultural Heritage, the National Administration of Tourism and Vietnam Association of Photographers, the contest aimed to honour and preserve UNESCO-recognised tangible and intangible cultural and natural heritage sites in Vietnam , contributing to promoting the country’s tourism.

It attracted the participation of 2,012 works by 282 photographers, including a foreigner.

Of the most outstanding entries, 16 works were presented with awards, including one first prize, two second, three third and 10 consolation prizes.

(Source: VNA)

Dong Ho – Vietnamese traditional art travelling across the world

The Dong Ho picture style, a Vietnamese traditional painting art in northern Vietnam, has now been restored to life, after nearly half of a century of neglect in the wake of modern and western arts in Vietnam.

According to histories of families that have been working with Dong Ho pictures, the Dong Ho drawing style was born at least 500 years ago. In the past, all people in Dong Ho village lived on Dong Ho pictures, which were often sold along Thang Longs’ (Hanoi) streets. Especially, on occasions like Lunar New Year Festival, various kinds of Dong Ho pictures with bright colours and different themes were sold, featuring daily life and work of Vietnamese ordinary people.
During the second half of the 20th century, Dong Ho pictures were rarely seen in markets. However, some people in the village still kept up their ancestors’ profession and taught their children the techniques and know-how of making Dong Ho pictures with a hope that some day, Dong Ho pictures would be recognised in terms of art and culture by other people and markets, as well.
They did not have to wait for long. In the late 1990s, some Vietnamese people who are inclined towards ancient and traditional arts eyed Dong Ho pictures and came to Dong Ho village to encourage partisans to revive the profession. Later on, Dong Ho pictures were introduced to international tourists, and surprisingly this kind of art interests them very much.
Among a small number of artisans, Nguyen Dang Che is considered the person that has contributed much to the restoration of the Dong Ho drawing style. In 1991, after retiring from his work in Hanoi he returned to his home village Dong Ho, Thuan Thanh district, Bac Ninh province. He spent a lot of time and energy studying his ancestors’ traditional drawing techniques and secrets. He found his family’s 26 patterns to draw Dong Ho pictures that are more than 200 years old. He then learnt how to do the whole process of drawing a picture.
In fact, it is not very difficult to paint a Dong Ho picture. Still, not many people can make drawing papers, only some people know how to make the inks and fewer can produce a good Dong Ho picture. Dong Ho pictures in the market look simple, but only artisans who have in hand secrets and skills can make them. Their secrets and skills are only passed on to their children, normally their first sons, when they die.
Dong Ho pictures are now produced mainly by 2 workshops run by 2 families, namely Nguyen Dang Che and Nguyen Huu Sam in Dong Ho village. Yet they supply enough pictures for not only Vietnamese people but also foreigners. Millions of Dong Ho pictures are sold every year.
Today Dong Ho village is a tourist place. Vietnamese and international visitors can witness most of the process of making a Dong Ho picture. If one wants to make one for himself, he will be instructed by artisans. As Dong Ho village attracts a growing number of international tourists, the Dong Ho picture, a Vietnamese traditional art, is increasingly promoted all over the world.

Cat Cat Village

Cat Cat Village in San Sa Ho Commune, Sa Pa District of Lao Cai Province is a beautiful destination on a tour to the mountainous area of Tay Bac (the northwest). To visit the village, go from the center of Sa Pa District for 2km along mist-covered zigzagging roads with mountains on one side and green terraced fields on the other. 

Cat Cat Village is noted for its peaceful, splendid natural landscape and the unique customs and cultural activities of the ethnic people. In 2004, Lao Cai Province’s Tourism Company invested in creating an infrastructure and rebuilding the road to Cat Cat Village. This turned the village into Cat Cat Tourist Site with the aim of preserving and tapping the traditional crafts of the Mong ethnic people and opening a new direction for tourism in this area.

The Mong have lived in Cat Cat Village since the mid-19th century. They live in a community and reside in three-compartment houses roofed with fokienia wood. Along the way to the village we saw their houses near the mountain sides and terraced fields where they do farm and raise livestock. The Mong people still preserve most of their old, unique customs and habits such as wife-snatching, wedding ceremonies and many traditional crafts.

While following a brick-paved path leading to the hamlet we saw Mong women weaving and sewing in small houses on the side of the road. Working on old looms with skillful hands they produce many beautiful brocaded items with colourful delicate patterns such as bags, hats, clothes, dresses, purses and scarves.

Giang Thi Pao, a woman in Cat Cat Village, talked with us while she prepared thread to weave fabric. She said that besides the craft of weaving, Cat Cat villagers also have the traditional craft of silver carving which yields diverse varieties of products, mainly necklaces, bracelets and rings. Stone sculpture has also existed for many generations and brings a stable income to many villagers. 

To develop the tourism potential in Cat Cat Village, Lao Cai Province’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Department has been involved in many programmes such as the “Cultural Festival Days in Cat Cat Village” and the tours “A Day of Being a Dao Ethnic Farmer” and “A Day of Being a Mong Bride”. Participating in these programmes visitors will learn about and experience many interesting cultural activities of the Mong people in this peaceful mountainous village.

(Source: VNP)

  

Christmas In Vietnam

Vietnam is predominantly a Buddhist country but come Christmas time and the country takes on a Catholic tinge and Christmas is celebrated with much fervor and gusto. This is because the Vietnamese are a fun-loving, sociable people and the various Vietnam festivals & events are actually occasions for them to a gala time, all together. Christmas in Vietnam is a grand party.

About Christmas In Vietnam

Christmas in Vietnam is a huge event especially in Ho Chin Minh City, Vietnam and the Vietnamese Christmas celebrations here are like any other city in the western world. The Christians in Vietnam attend a Midnight mass on Christmas Eve and return home to a sumptuous Christmas dinner. The Christmas dinner usually consists of chicken soup while the well-heeled tuck into turkey and Christmas pudding.

The Yuletide spirit of giving and sharing has been embraced with an earnest by the Vietnamese. Generous as they are, the Vietnamese give out gifts and presents in plenty during the Christmas celebrations in Vietnam. However, the children are more keen to have their stockings and shoes stuffed in with goodies from Santa’s bulging sack.

About The History Of Christmas In Vietnam

Christmas in Vietnam has had a tumultuous history. The Catholics are a minority in Vietnam but they used to celebrate Christmas in Vietnam quite in peace right from the days of the French rule. That is until the Communists took over political power in 1975. The church-state relations soured during that time and the Catholics were relegated to celebrating Jesus’s birthday in privacy.

However, liberalist policies adopted since the 1980s saw Vietnam warming up to western influences and ideals and Christmas in Vietnam came back triumphantly. Now Christmas is one of the major festivals in Vietnam, celebrated with much fanfare by all religious communities.

Ba Chua Xu Festival Vietnam

The Ba Chua Xu Festival, Vietnam or the Ba Chua Xu Temple Festival is the major folk festivity of South Vietnam. It takes place in Sam Mountain, situated at a distance of 5 kilometers from a town in Giang province called Chau Doc. Full of traditions; this mountain houses some key historical places like Tay An Pagoda, the Ba Chua Xu Shrine, the Hang Pagoda, and the Imperial Tomb of Thoai Ngoc Hau.

The Ba Chua Xu Festival in Vietnam is also known as the Via Ba Ceremony. During the days of the festival various rituals are performed. On the first night, the statue of Ba Chua is bathed in perfumed water and he is also made to wear fresh robes for the occasion. Then Ba Chua’s discarded garments are cut into little bits and handed out among the worshippers. It is thought to be very lucky to get a cloth piece as it wards away the evil.

Tue Yet Rite commences after this ceremony. During this ritual of the Ba Chua Xu Festival, Vietnam the worshippers appeal for Ba Chua’s recommendations to the heaven. A grand parade of dragon dance is presented along with it and is followed by a chanting ritual in Ba Chua’s temple. Lastly the Duc Boi rite is performed by a man from the village, who sings aloud for the well being of the country and mankind.

The Ba Chua Xu Festival, Vietnam is one of the major Vietnam festivals and events. It is a very colorful and attractive festival attended by people from all over Vietnam and is surely a treat for the tourists.

Vietnam Festivals

Lying in the Southeast Asia, Vietnam is one of the densely populated nations in the region and is officially called as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Blessed by nature, Vietnam is a beautiful country with a rich and exotic culture. Vietnami people with vibrant culture celebrate various festivals and events with great fun and fanfare. Asiarooms offers to give you online information on Vietnam festivals and events.

Due to its long association with its neighboring country China, Vietnam culture also has a major Chinese influence.

With majority of population being rural, community spirits is really high in Vietnam. With festivals and events forming an important part of their lives, the festivals are more agrarian based and celebrated throughout the year.

Festivals and events in Vietnam are celebrated with great enthusiasm. Various games like tug of war, buffalo fights, rope pulling, pigeon race etc. are an important part of the festival celebration.

Festivals and events like Dong Ky Festival, Keo Pagoda, They Pagoda Festival, Huong Festival, Dong Festival etc. are some of the important festivals of Vietnam. Folk songs, traditional music and dance form an important part of these festivals.

Festivals and events form an important part of the Vietnamese culture. For, generations festivals have been an important cultural activity of the Vietnamese people. Master Pagoda is an important festival and event of Vietnam with puppet shows being the main highlight. Most of the festivals and events of Vietnam are dedicated to the natural powers like rain, cloud, lighting etc.

Besides, the foot tapping drumbeats and traditional music create an atmosphere of joy and enthusiasm in these festivals. Vietnam festivals and events are also marked by the remembrance of the national heroes and various religious ceremonies. Festivals in Vietnam are the occasion to dress beautifully and show their customs and habits. This I the time when one can witness social encounters and springing up of new relationships.

Tet or Vietnamese and Chinese Lunar New Year is the most important festival of Vietnamese people. The festival is celebrated sometimes in between late January and early February. It is a minimum three-day affair and is the time for enjoyment, family reunion and paying respect to the ancestors. Gifts are also exchanged between near and dear ones during this important Vietnam festival and event.

Major festivals in Vietnam are Lim Festival (Quan Ho Singing), Do Son Buffallo fighting festival, Hung Kings Festival, Tet "New Year" Festival and Mid Autumn Festival. (source AsiaRooms.com)

Vietnam Overview

Overview

Official name: The Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Flag: The flag of Vietman is red with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center.

Capital city: Hanoi 

Government: Socialist Republic

Population: 86,116,559 (Mid 2008) 

Local time: GMT + 7

Area: 331,690 km2/ 128,527 sq miles 

Drives on the: Right

Religions: Buddhism: 85%; Christianity: 8%, Caodaism: 3%; Other: 4%

Ethnics: Viet: 86%; Other: 54 minority tribes, including H'mong, Dao, Tay, Thai, and Nung 

Official Languages: Vietnamese

Other Languages: Tay, Muong, Khmer, Chinese, Nung, and H'Mong, and others. 

Calling code: 84

Voltage: 220V AC 50 HZ

Independence day: September 2nd 1945 from France

Internet Code: .vn

Business hour: 8 AM - 5 PM with 1-2 hour lunch break

Currency: Dong (VND)

Notes: 500, 1.000, 2.000, 5.000, 10.000, 20.000, 50.000, 100.000, 200.000, 500.000

Coins: 200, 500, 1.000, 2.000, 5.000

Geography: Vietnam is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea to the east.

Shop Hours: Shops run from 7 or 8am to 11 or 11:30pm. Some are open from 1 or 2pm to 4 or 5pm.

Bank Hours: Most banks are opened from 7am or 8am to 11am or 11:30am Some are open from 1pm or 2pm to 4pm or 5pm.

Exchange: Travellers cheques are accepted at most banks. Hotels sometimes charge a commission. Cash dollars in good condition are accepted in many places, so small denominations are useful to carry. The exchange rate can fluctuate considerably. Remaining Vietnamese currency can be exchanged for US dollars at the exchange bureau at the airport.

Creditcard: Most major hotels and big restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi accept Visa and MasterCard.

Holidays and important days

January 1st Solar Calendar New Year's Day

Tet Nguyen Dan (Tet holidays) according to Lunar Calendar of Vietnam and China. The most important Vietnamese annual festival. This marks the new lunar year and the advent of spring. This is a three-day holiday, usually at the end of January or the beginning of February (according to the solar calendar).

March 10 (Lunar calendar) normaly on April is the Death anniversary of Vietnam’s ancestor Hùng Vương.

April 30 Liberation Day, the day on which Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) fell to Hanoi in 1975. This holiday is commemorated nationwide.

May 1 Labour Day

May 19 Birthday of President Ho Chi Minh

September 2 National Day of Vietnam

Weather

Vietnam is essentially tropical country with a humid monsoon climate. The annual mean temperature is over 20 degrees Celsius throughout the country ( Hanoi 23.4 C,. Hue 25.1 C,. Ho Chi Minh City 26.9 C).

 

In July, the average temperature in Hanoi is 28.6 C. in Hue it is 28.9 C and in Ho Chi Minh City, 27.6 C. Lowland areas receive around 1,500mm of rain per year, while mountainous areas receive 2,000mm to 3,000mm. Humidity can reach 90 percent in the rainy season.

 

Vietnam has also two seasons: cool and dry from November to April and hot and rainy from may to October. The difference between summer and winter temperatures is dramatic in the north ( varying up to 20 degrees Celsius), the south is warm all year round, with seasonal variations in temperature averaging just three degrees Celsius.

 

 

Vietnam weather chart
Month	Hanoi (North)		Danang (Central)		Saigon (South)
	Av.Temp (C)	Av.rainfall (mm)	Av.Temp (C)	Av.rainfall (mm)	Av.Temp (C)	Av.rainfall (mm)
January	17	18	22	101	27	15
Febuary	18	28	22	31	28	4
March	20	38	24	12	29	13
April	24	81	27	18	30	42
May	28	197	29	47	29	221
June	30	238	30	42	29	331
July	30	322	30	99	28	314
August	29	343	28	117	28	268
September	28	252	26	447	27	334
October	26	98	24	530	27	268
November	22	42	22	221	27	114
December	19	21	21	208	27	56

Transportation

The modern transport network of Vietnam was originally developed under French rule for the purpose of raw materials harvesting, and reconstructed and extensively modernized following the Vietnam War. The road system is the most popular form of transportation in the country. Vietnam’s road system includes national roads administered by the central level; provincial roads managed by the provincial level; district roads managed by the district level; urban roads managed by cities and towns; and commune roads managed by the commune level.

 

Bicycles, motor scooters and motorcycles remain the most popular forms of road transport in Vietnam's cities, towns, and villages although the number of privately-owned automobiles is also on the rise, especially in the larger cities. Public bus operated by private companies is the main long distance travel means for many people. Traffic congestion is a serious problem in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City as the cities' roads struggle to cope with the booming numbers of automobiles. There are also more than 17,000 kilometers of navigable waterways, which play a significant role in rural life owing to the extensive network of rivers in Vietnam.

The nation has seven developed ports and harbors at Cam Ranh, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Gai (Halong City), Qui Nhon, and Nha Trang.

Danang launches scenic helicopter tours

Vietnam’s central city of Danang will begin offering tourists a different view of the city as they prepare to launch first helicopter tours.

Tourists will enjoy helicopter tours for the first time in Danang city and the central region.

Phung Tan Viet, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, said the move comes after a proposal from the Northern Service Flight Company (NSFC).

Vietnamtourism JSC (Vitours) will have exclusive rights to organise helicopter tours to island and peninsulas in Danang and the central region, Viet shared.

The firm will use helicopters including the 12-seat EC 155 B1, the most modern in the European Helicopter Association (EHA) and a 24-seat MI 17 and MI 172 that were manufactured in Russia to serve the tours. Leasing prices range between USD3,800 and USD7,500 per hour.

Tours to be held may be half-a-day Danang City Tour, one-day Danang - Cu Lao Cham, one-day Danang - Son Tra - Cu Lao Cham – My Son - Danang, one-day Danang – Con Co, and one-day Danang-Ly Son.

The tours are expected to serve VIP tourists from the U.S., Europe, Japan and South Korea.

Vitours Deputy General Director Cao Tri Dung said the demand for this type of tourism turned up in Vietnam and the firm is studying to boost the services.

Dung added that a 20-tourist group in Ho Chi Minh City has already booked a City tour by helicopter at the end of December.

Danang received more than 1.589 million tourists in the first ten months of this year, including 336,000 foreigners and surpassing 10% of the year’s plan. The city’s tourism industry earned revenues of VND1.051 trillion (USD52.55 million) in the Jan-Oct, up 62% from the same period last year.

The city targets to receive 8.1 million tourists in the next ten years, including 1.4 million foreigners.

By Cong Binh | dtinews.vn |

Great balls of rice

When Vietnam was still poor, rice balls fuelled the nation.
Farmers who toiled in fields far from their homes relied on the modest snacks to recharge them at midday and power them through to sunset. Rice balls sprinkled with crushed peanuts, sesame and salt were included in the daily equipment of street vendors and businessmen, alike. We don’t know exactly when the dish was first prepared. But we do know that it has been enjoyed in Vietnam for hundreds of years since.

Nowadays, cơm nắm, or balled rice, is heralded as a specialty from a village in Van Giang in Hung Yen Province.
It continues to be sold as a snack item on the streets of Hanoi. The balls must be made from soft, aromatic rice Vietnamese have strict standards about the quality and texture of their cơm nắm. After being cooked and wrapped, the grains should remain slightly firm and intact. They should stick together to form beautiful, smooth white balls.
In addition to balled rice, other rice-based snack foods, such as bánh giò (glutinous rice wrapped around pork, black mushrooms and chopped pearl onions) remain popular throughout the country. These dishes no longer remind the urban rich of rural poverty. Instead, they are considered simple delicacies. 
Those who don’t have the time to grab a full bowl of noodles for breakfast should consider a simple and filling rice ball. The dish is tasty, cheap and gets one through the day.

HOW TO MAKE SESAME SALT

Heat a pan over moderate heat, add sesame seeds and stir. When the seeds become fragrant, add them into a bowl. Roast shelled peanuts in a similar fashion. When the shells darken, pour into a bowl and cover with a sheet of newspaper. When the peanuts cool, remove the shells and pour the meat in a mortar. Use a pestle to pound them into smaller grains. Add the sesame seeds to the mortar and continue to crush. Heat salt in the pan and add to the mix.

To welcome guests into your home, especially on a rainy day, consider offering them this hot, simple treat. Rice balls cut into slices are considered a humble hors d’oeuvre.
On the streets of Hanoi, it is not uncommon to see couples veer to the side of the road at the sight of a woman selling cơm nắm from a shoulder pole.
The dish has spread throughout the country, and is now available in Ho Chi Minh City. Com Nam Viet (Vietnamese balled rice) Restaurant, located at 151B Hai Ba Trung Street, District 1, is famous for this dish and boasts threes varieties of sesame salt.
Try it and see why the dish remained popular through so many generations.

By Ngoc Hanh, Thanh Nien News (The story can be found in the July 22nd issue of our print edition, Thanh Nien Weekly) 

Danang nominates three national treasures

Danang City’s authorities have submit ted a document to the Ministry of Culture, Sports & Tourism to acknowledge the three precious artefacts of My Son E1 temple, Tra Kieu temple and Tara Bodhisattva statue at the Champa Sculpture Art Museum as national treasures, reports Tuoi Tre.

My Son E1 was built in the 7th-8th century and is a unique temple at the Champa vestige in My Son Holy Land. Tra Kieu temple, also created in the 7th-8th century, is a typical symbol for the royal citadel of Champa in Tra Kieu. The bronze Tara Bodhisattva statue, designed in the 9th century, represents the worship of Bodhisattva in the Indochina Buddha institute.

(Source: SGT)