Exploring Hai Van Pass

Lying at the natural border between Thua Thien-Hue Province and Danang City as a giant dragon, Hai Van- the longest pass in the Central Viet Nam is approximately 21 km long. 

In the past, it was the only road connecting the North and the South. Since 2005, 6.3 km Hai Van Pass Tunnel was constructed to improve the North-South transportation in Central Vietnam.

With the height of 496 meters above sea level, this rugged pass is the final section of the Truong Son Range stretching to the sea.

Visiting Hai Van Pass, tourists will have a chance to experience fantastic feelings: amazement at passing through the clouds and adventure with sudden curves and blind corners challenging drivers' skills. On the pass, tourists can admire the overview of Da Nang city embraced by hidden, quite and immense blue sea behind the line of green trees. It seems to stand with feet in the sea and it's peak covered with clouds.

In addition, tourists can also enjoy fully views to both the Southern and the Northern sides after reaching the crest of the Hai Van Pass. Especially from the pass, on nice days, visitors can enjoy the whole vista of Da Nang, the Tien Sa seaport, Son Tra Peninsula, and long sandy beaches.

From the foot of Hai Van Pass to Son Tra Peninsula is Da Nang Bay, which is bow-shaped and out of the wind with nearly 14 km long beach along Nguyen Tat Thanh street. Here has full-conditions for water-based sports such as parachuting, surfing, jet-skiing thanks to it's favorable location.

With the unique and romantic scenery, Hai Van Pass will be an interesting destination to tourists who like adventure tourism.

(Source: TITC)

Da Lat to restore French-built palaces

The Central Highlands resort town of Da Lat will upgrade its two most outstanding, beautiful French-styled palaces.
The local authorities said the two buildings, including Dinh I (Palace I), built in 1925-1928, and Dinh tinh truong (governor's palace), built approximately in 1910, will be restored to serve as tourist spots instead of hotels.

Dinh I, located on an eastern pine tree hill, has the design of French palaces for the aristocracy, and was purchased by Vietnam’s last Emperor Bao Dai.

Since 1956, however, it was used by head of the US's puppet regime in south Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem  (1901-1963), everytime he visited the area.

At present, the building is under management by a local travel company.

Dinh tinh truong is located on the highest hill in the town and has the best location, according to feng shui experts. 

The luxurious palace was used by Da Lat’s governor under Ngo Dinh Diem’s regime.

Since 1975, Dinh tinh truong has been used as the province’s museum.

However, both the two buildings are in a degraded condition and have been closed for a long time.

Provincial authorities say that the buildings themselves after restoration would become attractive, historic sites.

Thanh Nien News, Original Vietnamese story by Tuoi Tre

Hanoi tourism ‘transit based'

Hanoi has been urged to improve the number and quality of its tourism products and services to attract more visitors, despite being named one of the 10 best destinations in Asia by Smart Travel Asia magazine.

They pointed to lack of planning, poor night-time entertainment, unfriendly behaviour by some businesses and individuals and failure to make the best of its relics and localities.

Vu The Binh, chairman of the Viet Nam Travelling Association, said the number of historical relics and famous landscapes for tourism activities was too small.

The city has 5,000 historical relics and notable locations but only 2,104 were popular with sightseers.

Viet Nam Tourism Research and Development Institute deputy director Pham Trung Luong said Ha Noi didn't have a specific direction for its tourism industry so it had become just a transit destination.

Vietravel Tourism Company's communications head Nguyen Minh Man said the city had great lifestyle and historical values but had poor tourism services, especially night-time entertainment.

Municipal authorities needed to plan entertainment and improve services management, Man said.

Additionally, they should improve the behaviour of people and businesses dealing with tourists.

Ha Noi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism deputy director Mai Tien Dung said the top-ten award was the result of good promotion.

However, if the city was to become a destination in itself, it needed international-standard tourism accommodation and services.

It should continue its focus on eco-tourism and develop its cultural relics and craft villages with tours designed to attract visitors, Dung said.

The tourism industry expected to receive 1.28 million foreign tourists this year, a 3.4 per cent increase over last year, he said.

In the first nine months of this year, the city attracted 898,000 foreign visitors, 6.7 per cent higher than the same period of last year.

Source: VNS

Forty delicious Vietnamese dishes introduced on CNN

Pho, bun cha, banh cuon and many other Vietnamese dishes have been featured on the American travel website CNNGo.

“Vietnamese cuisine doesn't win any points for complexity. Many of the most popular dishes can be made just as well on the side of the road as in a top-end restaurant.” CNNGo writes. “But it’s precisely this simplicity, the subtle variations by region and the fresh ingredients that keep us pulling up a plastic stool for more,” the website adds.

Unsurprisingly, pho tops the list of delicious dishes. “What list of Vietnamese cuisine would be complete without pho? It’s almost impossible to walk a block in Vietnam’s major cities without bumping into a crowd of hungry patrons slurping noodles at a makeshift pho stand” the webpage writes.

The list includes dishes in Northern, Central and Southern regions in Vietnam and even dishes eaten between meals such as nom hoa chuoi (banana flower salad), hoa qua dam (blend of fresh tropical fruit) or che (sweetened porridge made of bean jelly, coconut milk, fruit, and ice).

Not only does the site introduce photos of the dishes, but also the best places to eat these dishes.

CNNGo, launched in September 2009, covers travel, lifestyle, personalities and latest trends in the most fascinating and vibrant places in the world.

(Source: CPV

Aussies look to VN for holidays

Vietnam ranks third in the list of destinations for Australians, many of whom are travelling abroad following a strengthening of the Australian dollar, Australian newspaper The Daily Examiner has reported.

Vietnam is considered a short-haul favourite for tropical beach breaks, the newspaper said.

Over the past 12 months the number of Australian Internet searches on Expedia for Vietnam has increased by 73 percent, it added.

The Australian dollar has risen 16 percent against the dong in the last year.

(Source: VNA)

The beauty of Hanoi’s oldest bridge

The 100-year-old Long Bien Bridge is sharing the burden with Chuong Duong Bridge by serving thousands of motorbikes a day. Artists have proposed to turn the bridge into a museum.

Long Bien is the first steel bridge cross Hanoi’s Red River. It was built by the French in 1899-1902.

The bridge is 1,862m long, with 19 steel spans and stone roads. The bridge is designed for trains,
vehicles and pedestrians.

The plate "1899 -1902 - Daydé & Pillé - Paris", with the name of the French builder.

To reduce the load for Chuong Duong Bridge, Long Bien bridge has been open for
motorbikes since 2005.

Many artists and scientists have proposed to turn the old bridge into Hanoi’s symbol, or a museum

The ground under the bridge will become a park.

The bridge at night.

Source: VNN/VNE

Exploring Cuc Phuong National Park

Coming to the northern province of Ninh Binh, after spending time on historical sites of Hoa Lu Capital (968-1009) such as temples of King Dinh Tien Hoang and King Le Dai Hanh in Hung Yen Commune, Hoa Lu District, visitors should not miss Cuc Phuong National Park in Nho Quan District, about 120 kilometres from Hanoi.

Established in 1962, Cuc Phuong is the oldest national park in Vietnam. Nestled between the provinces of Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa, Cuc Phuong boasts engaging cultural and wildlife heritage and enchanting scenery.

A giant, ancient tree in Cuc Phuong National Park in Ninh Binh Province - Photo: Hoang Tham

Covering over 22,000 hectares at a height of 300-600 metres above sea level, the forest has magnificent limestone mountains rising majestically from the green rice-terraces and traditional stilt houses of the Muong hill-tribe and a rich habitat for some of Asia’s rarest species. That is why it is no wonder that researchers, naturalists, enthusiasts and conservationists alike are drawn to this corner of the world.

The forest is also an archaeological site as there are many relics dating back 12,000 years such as tombs, arrows, axes and knives.

To Cuc Phuong, travelers firstly will be guided to visit the Cuc Phuong fauna garden where 2,000 fauna species grow. Then move onto the home of flora systems with 100 animals, 300 birds, 36 reptiles and fish, butterflies and insects. Some of the rare animals are panthers, bears, gibbons, flying squirrels and pheasants.

Lying in a limestone area, Cuc Phuong includes numerous caves, in which the highlights are ‘Nguoi Xua’ where two ancient tombs have been discovered, along with Neolithic remains and evidence of stone implements. There have been similar finds at Trang Khuyet (Crescent Moon), Thanh Minh and Con Mong Caves. While Hang Dan Cave is known for its bat population and Con Mooc Cave is famous for its biodiversity.

The forest is also known for centuries-old giant trees and giant lianas.

Hiking in Cuc Phuong will see you follow long trails and passing through old-growth forests with long vines wrapped around strangled trees, where you will visit caves, waterfalls and streams in the forest or stop over at a Muong ethnic village. Tourists will see stilt houses, waterwheels, bamboo rafts, brocade looms and insights into the unique Muong culture.

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