Owner: Travel in vietnam, URL:http://travelinvietnam.blogspot.com Join Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2007 23:43:47 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: Travel in Vietnam, can tho, dalat, hanoi, saigon, quangnam, hoian, myson, halong bay, nhatrang, phanthiet, hue, hochiminh, Site statistics:Click here
Quang Nam: Tourism and trade village exhibition fair 2007 2007-07-06 05:03:00 The Quang Nam Department of Trade, in conjunction with the Duy Xuyen’s People’s Committee, held a traditional trade village and tourism exhibition fair for the first time in July, in Duy Xuyen District.The fair attracted the participation of 150 kiosks from 60 domestic and foreign enterprises and traditional trade villages of Duy Xuyen District.The fair is one of the major commercial promotion activities of Quang Nam Province, with the aim of offering favorable conditions for enterprises to exchange, popularize, and introduce products for market expansion and mutual development and to create shopping and amusement festival days for local people.This is also a chance for tourists to visit two world’s cultural heritages such as Hoi An Ancient Town and My Son Temple and local trade villages such as the Mai Chau weaving village, Dong Duong mulberry village, and Ban Thach sedge mat weaving village.The fair will close on July 9, 2007. Read more:Tourism
Pandanus woos travelers with new services 2007-07-06 04:29:00 Tourists ride the all-terrain vehicle, a sea sport game at Pandanus ResortAfter 12 years developing as a tourist destination, Mui Ne, in the coastal resort town of Phan Thiet in the central province of Binh Thuan, is the home of some 80 small and large resorts which were built on winding pristine beaches and lie under thousands of coco trees.Traveling along Nguyen Dinh Chieu Road, travelers have many choices of resorts for their vacations. The Pandanus Resort is among the 80 resorts where travelers can spend their holidays.The resort is still young compared to others, but very spacious. It was built in 2004 within a ten-hectare tropical garden and with a private beach three hundred meters long.Scattered throughout the garden are some 130 rooms, suits and bungalows designed with views of the ocean, the landscaped garden or facing the pool area that has a huge free-form pool surrounding an island covered with palm trees.To make guests feel relaxed and comfortable, the resort offers, amon
Touring Tien River in the south 2007-07-06 04:19:00 Tourists visit Thai Son Isle by boatThe Tien River
, a branch of the Mekong River in south-ern Vietnam, flows through an area enriched with alluvium, making the land of Tien Giang and Ben Tre, the two provinces that the river flows through, prime for growing thousands of hectares of tropical orchards.Lying not far from HCMC, the two provinces attract many visitors coming for eco-tourism, exploring specific features of the land along waterways in the south, and for the hospitality of the locals. Tourists wanting to discover this area can book a new tour offered by some HCMC tourism services.Joining this new tour, tourists can learn about the daily lives of the local people by visiting traditional three-compartment houses and orchards of the locals, and exploring the surroundings on foot following small paths through the isles.Tourists can rest at a restaurant nestled in the green trees and bonsai gardens, and taste local fruits and specialties. A special lunch will be served with dishes Read more:Touring
Trans-Asia Bridge Span Festival – A friendly art space 2007-07-05 05:06:00 On the occasion of celebrating important events in 2007, Quang Tri Province planned to organize a series of festivals, especially the second “Trans-Asia
Bridge Span Festival
” from July 24 to 30. The festival is expected to make Quang Tri an interesting place for tourists. The second “Trans-Asia Bridge Span” Festival will host participation from numerous art troupes nationwide. Particularly, during the festival, apart from exhibitions, fairs, sport competitions among the provinces of Vietnam, Thailand, Lao, and Myanmar, there will be a four-night festival among Indochinese countries with cultural performance items from Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The second “Trans-Asia Bridge Span” Festival will also introduce the Quang Tri international fair and exhibition 2007 model, held by the CIAT. The fair and exhibition attracts participation from domestic enterprises and enterprises from Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, and China. In 2004, the first “Trans-Asia Bridge Span” Festiv
A restaurant of Vietnam’s country life 2007-07-05 02:08:00 On the way from Nha Trang to HCMC, travelers can easily find a small signboard at Km5 telling the way via a small street to Thon Viet Restaurant. Literally, the meaning of the restaurant
’s name is simply Vietnam
ese Village, implying a place that promises guests the quiet and peaceful atmosphere of the country life of Vietnam. Without the signboard, guests could hardly find the way to the restaurant nestled under the lines of betel trees, the green fields and trees. Passing a garden, guests will see the restaurant that was opened only a couple of months ago with waitresses in ao ba ba, the traditional dress of southern women in the village. Construction of the village-style restaurant was closely supervised to every decoration detail by the owner, farm engineer Nguyen Trung Binh. Either side of the pathway in the restaurant is decorated with flowers and grass. Here and there in the restaurant are the water wells, small bridges across small canals, the Lunar New Year Poles and long-han
Like a shy lass sleeping in the mountain 2007-07-04 04:24:00 The landscape on the way to Si Ma CaiMountain adventurers like to compare Si Ma Cai in Lao Cai Province to a shy lass with discrete charms sleeping in the mountain as the beauty of the little-known village lies in the quiet and simple daily lives of different people.Si Ma Cai is not as frequented as Bac Ha or Sapa, also located in the mountainous province, since it is nestled at the far end of a road near the border with China. Many travel tips are awaiting in the village, although traveling there requires visitors to hold onto their hats and their seats either in a car or on a motorcycle depending on the means they use to travel the nearly 40 kilometers of bumpy, winding road from Bac Ha.In recent years, the charms of Si Ma Cai have been awakened and have become attractive to travelers by the flower-colored clothes of the ethnic peoples H’Mong and Red Dao, by the greenery of mountains and hills, and by the legends.Local people explain that Si Ma Cai means a horse market or a place w
Banks bank on property 2007-07-03 20:27:00 The majority of commercial banks still rely on real estate as collateral assets for providing loans to small- and medium-sized enterprises.The IFC, the World Bank’s private sector arm and the Vietnam Bankers’ Association, recently completed a survey of lending practices showing that 93 per cent of banks prefer property
as collateral for commercial loans.Most businesses assets, especially for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), are usually movable.Sin Foong Wong, IFC’s country manager for Vietnam, said: “Better access to credit is crucial to achieve more widespread business growth in Vietnam, particularly for SMEs that now generate 60 per cent of GDP.“Most of these firms cannot finance their operations through formal means because they cannot meet the collateral requirements of Vietnam’s financial institutions. Currently, Vietnamese banks rarely lend without property as collateral,” he said.According to the survey, SMEs’ moveable assets which are worth billions o
Tourism: Tortoise’s In Town 2007-07-03 20:24:00 Located in the heart of HCM City, the Tortoise
Fountain is among the city’s well-known historical sitesTortoise Fountain is the name of a square in central HCM City. It is located at the intersection of Pham Ngoc Thach, Vo Van Tan and Tran Cao Van streets, approximately 200 meters from the Notre Dame Cathedral.The structure was originally built in 1879 and had gone through many alternations ever since. Initiated by the French, the 20-meter-high water tower was built in the center of the traffic circle. The water tank of steel with a capacity of 100 cubic meters was supported by eight pillars, placed in octagonal shape. The top of the tower was layered with tiles. The overall structure reflected the Pearl of the Far East design, which was the name of Saigon at the time, and can be seen on postcards dated in the late 19th century.In 1921, the tower was destroyed. The reasons are unclear since all official and architectural documentations were lost. Records were not well kept at the tim Read more:Tourism
Tourism news: Famtrip to India 2007-07-03 20:22:00 Saigontourist Holding Co. is collaborating with its partners for the press trip from India
to Vietnam. In the program, Indian reporters will visit different destinations in Vietnam, including HCM City.India is now viewed as a potential market for the tourism industry, specifically from Saigontourist standpoint, which has launched many programs to promote the industry to India. The tourism conference named Vietnam an attractive destination for Indian tourists in New Delhi is the result of their efforts. It is well received and is much appreciated by Indian media and tourists.Not only India, Saigontourist is also collaborating with many travel agencies to set up international programs to countries worldwide.Martini LoungeinauguratedLion Restaurant has just opened its Martini Lounge inside the restaurant. The lounge is capable of accommodating up to 100 people. It has a balcony with airy atmosphere, a bar with buzzing jazz, and more.Martini Lounge introduces to guests over 20 types of coc Read more:Tourism
Big Push For Stronger Banks 2007-07-03 20:16:00 Banking regulators want stronger local banks to be able to stand the fiercer competition now that Vietnam has to open its economy as a WTO memberVietnam is in the process of opening its finance-banking sector in line with its commitments to the World Trade Organization. At present, there are five State-owned commercial banks, one policy bank, one development bank and 37 commercial joint stock banks holding nearly 90% of the banking market share. However, except for a few strong banks, most of the commercial joint stock banks are not large by international standards, with their charter capital averaging VND500-1,000 billion (US$31.2-62.5 million).HSBC, Standard Chartered, ANZ and Citigroup already have a presence but with the opening of the local banking market, more and more foreign banks, most of them established institutions with strong financial capacity and extensive experience, are keen to gain a good share of the local market.Shrinking numberIn an effort to help the local banking
More Choices Available 2007-07-03 04:37:00 Many Vietnamese travel companies continue to introduce new products and services to serve the ever increasing and diversifying demand of tourists, both local and internationalMICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and meetings) has been the strength of Saigontourist Travel Service. In the first five months of this year, Saigontourist organized MICE tours for over 4,000 tourists in China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Portugal and Singapore. This June, it designed a total of eight MICE programs for 2,300 tourists. At present, Saigontourist has its own MICE department to serve MICE demands.In addition to traditional MICE, Saigontourist also launches special MICE tours. On June 21, Saigontourist held special MICE tours to Malaysia and Singapore for 78 tourists on the five-star Super Star Gemini cruise. The spacious ship with special design was filled with specific activities to boost morality, team spirit, and understanding. New experiences were created and visitors were buzzing with excitemen
New bank establishment not easy 2007-07-03 03:56:00 A new commercial joint stock bank must have at least 100 founders, according to a new regulation issued on June 7 by the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), Vietnam’s central bank.Decision 24/2007/QD-NHNN, which details regulations for the establishment of a new commercial joint stock bank, states that the new bank must also have at least three member institutions, each with capital valued at a minimum of VND500 billion. New banks must meet the legal requirement of capital, at least VND1 trillion initially, but no less than VND3 trillion by early 2009.The decision also states that the capital of a new bank must be owned by shareholders, and not be loaned in any form. Each member institution can own a maximum stake of 20% of the bank’s charter capital, and an individual shareholder can hold a maximum 10%.To ensure the stability and development of new banks in this transition stage, the central bank will allow new bank founders to make transfers to each other five years after the launch of
Investors look past corporate tax cuts 2007-07-03 03:40:00 The government is planning to lower the corporate
income tax rate in a bid to favour investors, but some observers have countered that greater investment incentives should also be taken into consideration।Scores of foreign invested firms have put their hand up in support of lowering corporate tax ratesTruong Chi Trung, Vice Minister of Finance, said the plan to reduce corporate income tax (CIT) by 3 per cent down to 25 per cent, which would bring Vietnam in line with other countries in the region, was being carefully considered.Trung said that a number of companies had complained in recent years about the tax being too high, and expressed their belief that maintaining tax level at 28 per cent could adversely impact the business environment.“The CIT reduction plan, which is expected to become effective in 2008, could cause the state coffers to witness a dramatic drop in revenues,” said Nguyen Van Ninh, head of the General Department of Taxation under the Ministry of Finance.He est Read more:Investors
Foreign currency reserves at record high 2007-07-02 21:14:00 Vietnam has seen record increases in foreign currency reserves
in the first half of 2007, due to rising indirect investment in the stock market and a stabilised domestic exchange rate.State Bank governor Le Duc Thuy said the increases in foreign currency reserves had tripled those of 2006 in the first five months of this year.“The central bank of Vietnam will continue to invest in foreign currencies in the next few months to meet the target level equal to 20 weeks of imports,” said Thuy.According to the IMF, Vietnam’s total foreign currency reserves were equal to 12 weeks of imports at the end of last year, reaching the minimum international standard for foreign currency reserves.The reserve increase helps stabilise the exchange rate between the Vietnamese dong and the US dollar with a fluctuation rate of around one per cent by the end of this year. While the Vietnamese dong fell against the US dollar at the end of 2006 and in the beginning of this year, the interbank nominal eff Read more:Foreign
HCMC’s largest shopping center opened to business 2007-07-02 19:39:00 Shoppers buy discount luggage at the Parkson Hung Vuong Plaza in HCMC's District 5 on the opening day FridayBy QUOC HUNG(SGT-HCMC) Hung Vuong Plaza, HCMC’s largest shopping center, started operations in busy District 5 Friday and has since attracted large numbers of shoppers as well as curious window-shoppers.The US$45-million Hung Vuong Plaza comprises of a luxury commercial complex and two 30-floor blocks with 276 apartments.The complex, surrounded by Hung Vuong, Ly Thuong Kiet, Nguyen Kim and Pham Huu Chi streets of the vibrant district, has total floor space of nearly 93,000 square meters.The first eight floors of each block will be for luxury boutiques, entertainment facilities, restaurants, educational and sport facilities and a cineplex.The project is developed by Saigon Trading Construction Co. 5 and Hung Vuong Corp. with an 18:82 footing.Tran Le Nguyen, general director of Hung Vuong Corp., said the complex was nearly full with major tenants like Parkson, Megastar Media, IL
Making an affectionate homeland tour 2007-07-02 04:32:00 A tour guide (R) guides foreign tourists to visit Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam (Temple of Literature) in HanoiThe affectionate homeland tour of Ben Thanh Tourist was designed for travelers who have plenty of time for vacations. They can combine traveling in cars and planes.The 13-day tour, which starts in HCMC, gives tourists an opportunity to enjoy great sunny beaches in a beautiful country for those looking for relaxation, plus learning about the history and culture of Vietnam by visiting royal tombs, temples and world heritage sites.On the trip that includes 11 provinces and cities in the country, travelers can wallow in the sunshine of beautiful beaches at Mui Ne, Nha Trang, Dai Lanh and My Khe.It offers a variety of different activities to ensure that all participants will have an enjoyable time. When travelers get worn-out from all the sea sport activities such as water-skiing, jet skiing and snorkeling, the tour operator will arrange other pleasant programs in the ancient city of Hue.I
Chinese, CambodianOr Vietnamese? 2007-06-30 04:41:00 A tasty dish will go around the world, but in Saigon the world comes to you, delivering three versions of that one dishHu tiu, the Chinese
rice noodle soup, was imported to Saigon and southern Vietnam by Chinese immigrants centuries ago.Ask for hu tiu at any Chinese restaurant that serves dim sum (breakfast), and you’ll have a hot bowl of white noodles whose flavor will make your mouth water. On top of the noodles are slices of pork, and on top of the slices are lettuce leaves. Chinese cooks often add small cubes of fried fat to make their hu tiu more delicious.Use your chopsticks and spoon to take some of the noodles, lettuce and pork each time. As the bowl is served hot, diners have to blow on their first spoonfuls to be able to eat. But that’s the way diners often do with their hu tiu, be they Vietnamese
or Chinese.Saigonese have adopted not only Chinese noodles but also “Cambodian hu tiu.” Called hu tiu Nam Vang (literally Phnom Penh noodles), it may be a variant of the Chi
The Shame OfSaigon’s Traffic Chaos 2007-06-27 04:45:00 Traffic jams in HCM City are worsening as a result of the growing number of vehicles and of infrastructure projects. But people’s disregard of traffic rules is the biggest reason.My working week started with angry words from a colleague in the editorial staff about the battle he had getting to work because of traffic jams.Traffic jams have become a well-worn topic in this city, which is said to be resident or temporary home to seven million people and three million motorbikes. Despite the development of its road system since 1975, given the fact that the city’s population has more than doubled, the road improvements are paltry.My colleague also noted that traffic was congested even on Le Loi Boulevard, a vast space considering the size of most streets in HCM City.Traffic jams in Saigon are inevitable, as predicted years ago when the country embraced elements of a market-oriented economy. But there are several new reasons for the matter to become worse recently.Many big infrastructu Read more:Chaos
The History Of Me Linh Square 2007-06-26 05:00:00 The tides of history are reflected in the use of a park in the center of HCM CityThe term Me Linh reminds Vietnamese of two national heroines, the sisters Trung Trac and Trung Nhi. The sisters led a revolt against the domination of the Han Emperor from China. Trung Trac’s husband, General Thi Sach, was killed by the Han rulers because he did not submit to them. In the year 42 A.D., Trung Trac and her younger sister, Trung Nhi, started a resistance movement against the Han rulers and quickly drove them out of Vietnam.She then proclaimed herself empress and settled in Me Linh, making it the capital of Vietnam. Three years later, the Han emperor assigned famous general Ma Vien to Vietnam to suppress the revolt and reinstate the Han rule. The two sisters could not stand against Ma Vien’s strong army and were pushed to a critical situation in Cam Khe. They drowned themselves in the river rather than surrender. Their feats and spirit have been warmly remembered by Vietnamese.In HCM City, Read more:History
, Square
Small “Pyramid” Cakes 2007-06-23 04:49:00 Tết Đoan Ngọ, or Doan Ngo festival, is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. This year, the festival is on June 19.By Thong Nhat and staff writersTet Doan Ngo originates from a big festival in China where it is called the Dragon Boat Festival or the Festival of the Double Fifth.There are several legends surrounding the origin of the festival. In Vietnam, the best known version tells the story of Qu Yuan, a celebrity in the Chinese history. A statesman and poet, Qu Yuan lived in his state of Chu in southern China in the Warring States period (481-221 BC).At the time, Qin, a state in the north, proposed a peace treaty and asked the king of Chu to sign it. Knowing that Qin had no intention to honor the agreement, Qu Yuan advised his king to refuse the treaty. Not only did the king sign the treaty but he also sent Qu Yuan into exile.Later the unprepared Chu was easily defeated by Qin. Learning of the news, on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month of 278 BC, Qu Yuan dr Read more:Small
, Pyramid
, Cakes
Lingering Sidewalk Snacks 2007-06-16 04:52:00 Saigon has its own snacks which are favorites of students. These childhood food favorites often last with Saigonese throughout their lifetime.Last week, during our chat about the best foods in town, one of my colleagues asserted, “No places in HCM City offer foods better than sidewalk food stalls do.”This 52-year-old gentleman is widely respected in the office for his straighforwardness and pointed remarks. Therefore, although he is not a native of Saigon, his comments gave me some careful thoughts.I think he may be right, at least when it comes to Saigonese snacks.Like other places around the globe, the city has its own snacks. Some of them actually originated from elsewhere, but they have been all localized to fit the local taste.Take bò bía, spring roll of chopped jicama, carrot and small fried shrimp served with bean dipping sauce. This snack is a particular favorite of schoolgirls. Yet many ladies still keep this school-age preference. Or gi khô bò, green papaya salad with Read more:Sidewalk
Dragon House, Harks Back To French 2007-06-02 04:55:00 The former office of a French
shipping company, Nha Rong or DragonHouse
,is one of the well-recognized historical sites of HCM CityOn September 3, 1979, 10 years after President Ho Chi Minh passed away, HCM City authorities decided to establish a place to commemorate him. The selected spot was a waterfront building called Nha Rong. It was at this wharf that 21-year-old Nguyen Tat Thanh boarded a ship for France in 1911 and then lived in many other countries. Thirty years later, he returned to Vietnam with the name Ho Chi Minh to be a leader of the national liberation movement.Nha Rong is the name that Vietnamese used to call the office of France’s Messageries Maritimes Company. This magnificent building was built in 1863, four years after the French seized Saigon. It has original and strange architecture. Its roof has the elegant beauty of the roof of a Chinese pagoda with two dragons competing for a fireball. As there are two dragons on the roof, Vietnamese call the building Nha Ron
A cheaper way to make a trip to Mui Ne 2007-07-17 02:53:00 Thanks to its natural land-scapes and pristine beaches, Mui Ne is a popular destination for international and local tourists who go there to expand their travel itinerary or for a weekend escape from work.Scattered along the coastline are many resorts offering comfortable and luxury accommodations and other services for tourists to relax during their holidays. And off course, in return for the comfort, vacationers have to pay more money.However, there is a cheaper, but no less interesting, way to make the trip to Mui Ne for backpackers or travelers on a limited budget.Bus is the cheapest means of transportation to get there. From HCMC, travelers can buy bus tickets at open-tour operators, such as Sinh Café and Phuong Trang among others. A number of tour providers offering daily tours to Mui Ne have offices located in the heart of the city, on De Tham Street and Pham Ngu Lao Street, with buses usually leaving in the morning.With tickets costing from VND60,000 to VND65,000 (US$3.8) ea
Practice martial arts in the Delta 2007-07-15 02:48:00 A tour to the Mekong Delta
could be an interesting trip for visitors who want to explore the culture and the daily life of the local people in the southern area of Vietnam. This time, it could offer them a more special experience as the tour operator has added a new feature: a chance to learn some martial arts. This two-day tour in Vinh Long Province in the Mekong Delta starts in HCMC in the morning. After a sight-seeing trip to the Vinh Sang Farm in An Thuan Hamlet, An Binh Commune, Long Ho District, martial arts instructors will join the tour to explain some martial arts postures to guests and tourists will practice the postures in the fruit garden. This not only gives guests some hints on how to protect themselves but also helps them reject stress and improve their health. “With elderly people, we will show them some tai chi and describe methods to reduce stress,” said Cao Ngoc Minh, public relations executive of Ben Thanh Tourist, the tour’s arranger. Tourists practice the Read more:Practice
Enjoying barbeque and hot pot dishes in town 2007-07-12 02:46:00 When Saigonese people dine out, they often fre-quent restaurants that serve barbeque and hot pot dishes
, making the two dishes popular gastronomic trends in HCMC. The restaurants featuring these dishes are often the choices of Saigonese diners because they are ideal places to not only enjoy tasty food but chitchat with family and friends.Guests who want to have a quiet, airy space to enjoy barbeque and a view of the city center at night can go to the Breeze Sky Bar on the fifth floor of the Majestic Hotel. This Sunday, the bar will introduce a new “BBQ on the Roof Top” program featuring about 20 selected dishes of shrimp, salmon, beef, chicken, and more.The barbecued meat of each dish will be combined with special kinds of sauce such as apple or peppermint; dishes of salad and deserts are also included. The “BBQ on the Roof Top” program will be offered daily from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. with prices ranging from US$15 to US$24 per dish.The Breeze Sky Bar with a view of the city center
Wandering around Hoi An ancient town 2007-07-12 02:38:00 Located in the central region of Vietnam in Quang Nam Province, the ancient town of Hoi An, one of six sites in Vietnam granted world heritage status in 1999, is a very popular destination for tourists.The ancient town is registered UNESCO’s world heritage list as being a well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian trading port dating back the 15th to 19th centuries. Besides the ancient beauty of Hoi An, local tourism has turned the town into a must-visit tourism destination for shopping and relaxation with various art and craft, and tailor shops as well as a variety of coffee shops, bars and restaurants along the riverfront.Touring around town by cyclo is the favorite way of local and foreign tourists. Along Tran Phu Street and the Hoai River are best choicesBy providing tourists with diversified services and local cultural features Hoi An has become an even more attractive destination and attracts a large number of tourists each year. To explore the ancient town, tourists can walk Read more:Wandering
Visiting Dray Sap waterfall in Central Highlands 2007-07-11 02:36:00 A view of the upstream of Dray Sap waterfall in the central highlandsIn the CentralHighlands
, travelers wandering about 30 kilometers south of Buon Ma Thuot City to Krong No District in Dac Nong Province will find themselves in the misty world of the Dray Sap waterfall.The Dray Sap is one of a popular group of waterfalls in the Central Highlands including Gia Long, Dray Nur and Trinh Nu (Maiden). It is called the waterfall of smoky mist because Dray Sap in the E De ethnic people’s language means ‘fall of smoke.’To reach the waterfall, visitors must cross many small slopes and a wooded area where visitors will sometimes see ethnic people with papooses in their back. There are not many tourism services at the waterfall except for a ticket entrance and a beverage booth since Dac Nong Province has not yet started developing tourism services at the popular group of waterfalls.Visitors begin the journey to explore this giant waterfall by climbing down a moss-grown staircase. There are
Recommend Site To A Friend
