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| Written by Administrator | ||
| Sunday, 20 July 2008 | ||
 Tam Coc means “Three caves”, including Hang Ca (The first Cave) Hang Giua (the second Cave) and the smallest one Hang Cuoi ( the third Cave). It is known as “Halong Bay without water” or “Halong Bay on the rice paddies”, because of the many limestone formations that dot this area. The huge rock edifices jut out of paddy fields and canals providing an unusually and dramatic landscape. This landscape shows the same type of sharp-rising cliffs/mountains as in Ha Long, although here you'll find small rice-fields in between. Taking a boat ride along the small fields under the mountain, go exploring caves or just stroll down the road between the cliffs, visitors will find out the entire beauty of this place.
 Hoa Lu is 12 km north of Ninh Binh. It was the capital of Vietnam under the Dinh (968-980) and early Le (980-1009) dynasties. The ancient citadel of Hoa Lu was most destroyed but visitors can still see temples, shrines and the king’s palace. Yen Ngua mountain provides a scenic backdrop for Hoa Lu’s two remaining temples of King Dinh Tien Hoang and King Le Dai Hanh. The place is worth a visit if you like to get out of Hanoi and witness rural village life. It is set in beautiful surroundings next to Truong Yen village and has a very tranquil feel. Welcome to city of lakes, shaded boulevards and verdant public parks.
Situated in the North-East region of Vietnam, Halong Bay is one of the most magnificent natural splendors. Halong translates as “where the dragon descends into the sea”. Although the dragon may be legend, Halong Bay resembles a geographic work of art. There are some of Vietnam’s most spectacular scenery, including beautiful limestone formations, rock arches, gin-clear water, virtually inaccessible lagoons, sheer cliffs, peaceful coves, eerie caves, secluded strips of white, powdery sand, and thousands of limestone islets. While exploring the bay, you may feel lost in a legendary world of stone islands. There is Man's Head Island, which resembles a man standing and looking towards the mainland. Dragon Island looks like a dragon hovering above the turquoise water. The bay consists of 775 islands, and forms a triangle with the island of Dau Go (Driftwood Grotto) to the west, the lake of Ba Ham (Three Shelter Lake) to the south, and the island of Cong Tay to the east. There are many wonderful caves and grottoes at here such as Thien Cung (Heavenly Residence Grotto), Dau Go (Driftwood Grotto), Sung Sot (Surprise Grotto), and Tam Cung (Three Palace Grotto). Now it is a major tourist attraction and recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage site.
Sapa is a must-see on any northern Vietnam itinerary due to its beautiful scenery and colorful ethnic people. The best time to witness the scenic beauty of Sapa is in April and May. Sapa’s flora is diverse, ranging from flowers to tropical fruits; among the most popular fruits produced in Sapa are apples, pears, peaches and plums. Markets are crowded and merry, and are especially attractive to visitors. Today, visitors can see Western-style ancient and modem villas juxtaposed in a poetical cherry forest and with green pomu (Fokienia hodginsii) trees. It would be of considerably less interest without the H’mong and Dzao people. Many youngsters have a good command of English and French. Apart from its fascinating ethnic diversity, Sapa is also renowned for its trekking to local villages like Cat Cat, Taphin or Ta Van. Some of the villages now have local homestays where you can overnight with a family in their traditional home.  Mai Chau is located in Hoa Binh Province. From the top of Cun Mountain, one can admire the superb panorama of Mai Chau surrounded by a green valley and stilt houses. When visiting, visitors can stay overnight in one of the Thai silt houses, walking across the beautiful valley through the rice fields and trekking to minority villages. The houses are quite large with palm leaf roofs and polished bamboo-slat floors. The kitchen is located in the center of the house; the cooking as well as the making of the colorful tho cam takes place in the kitchen. The Sunday market brings a lot of people into town. People from different minorities living in the mountains come to Mai Chau market to sell their specific products: honey, bananas, corn, and tho cam made by skilled Thai women. The Sunday market is also an occasion to enjoy traditional Thai dishes and to participate in traditional dances. Located in Vietnam’s northwestern province of Backan, Ba Be National Park features a large natural lake set in limestone cliffs and surrounded by limestone and lowland evergreen forests. Ba Be attracts all visitors join the lakes, jump in the clear water for a swim or simply lye on the boat contemplating the wonderful untouched nature surrounding with bamboo clusters, lianas and flowers along the riversides and watching the fishermen in their piraguas fishing aquatic products. The national park of Ba Be supplies a flora of high value to Viet Nam. Typical tropical forest types with high biodiversity values and the presence of the precious and rare species are all to be found in the Park. Visitors can have a choice of staying with families in the villages situated inside the park or in one of the lodges owned by the National Park Authorities.Straddling along either side of the
Hoi An
My Son My Son heritage, which flourished from the late 400s to the mid 1200s, was an important Holy Land of the Champa people. The My Son Sanctuary is an exceptional example of cultural interchange, with the introduction the Hindu architecture of the Indian sub-continent into South-East Asia. The first floor of the tower is smaller than the next and on top of the structure a lotus flower and many relief in terracotta are carved - statues of dancing girls with an orchestra, a madras drum, horn trumpet and flute. The main temple honors Linga-Yoni, the symbols of procreation. Besides the main temples, others worship gods or dead kings. There are also other temples, including the Goropa gate which is built in the form of a tower. Nowadays, step by step, the temple complex at My Son is being restored, with work done by Vietnamese and international architects. Dalat
Nha Trang
Phan Thiet is traditionally known for its nuoc mam, thought today tourism is playing an increasingly larger role in the local economy. Besides the excellent golfing and a relatively nice beach, there is little to do in Phan Thiet itself. Most travelers head for nearby Mui Ne beach, 11km away.
In 1975, at the end of the war, the North Vietnamese captured Saigon, and in 1976, when Vietnam was reunified, its name was changed to Ho Chi Minh City in honor of Ho Chi Minh, the former president of North Vietnam.
Can Tho
Chau Doc
Phu Quoc Island
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| Last Updated ( Friday, 29 January 2010 ) | ||
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"We are very happy for the arrangements you did for us. Everything was perfect from the first beautiful roses we received upon arrival at Hanoi aiport, all the way through Vietnam until the 29th of March when we left your country. The guides were perfect and spoke very good English. All places they took us to were very interesting and we learnt a lot about Vietnam. We will recommend you to our friends." (Tour: Vietnam holiday from Mar 15-29, 08) (Mr. Goran Forslund from Sweden)
| Ha Noi | Hai Phong | Da Nang | HCM |
 15°C |
 16°C |
 20°C |
 28°C |
| Hue | Nha Trang | Vung Tau | Can Tho |
20°C |
 °C |
28°C |
28°C |
| USD | 19.100 | 19.100 |
| GBP | 28.679 | 28.679 |
| HKD | 2.484 | 2.484 |
| FRF | - | - |
| CHF | 17.890 | 17.890 |
| DEM | - | - |
| JPY | 213.10 | 213.10 |
| AUD | 17.644 | 17.644 |
| CAD | 18.743 | 18.743 |
| SGD | 13.772 | 13.772 |
| EUR | 26.156 | 26.156 |
| NZD | 13.637 | 13.637 |
Cat Ba is the largest island in the vicinity of Halong Bay. Lan Ha Bay, off the eastern side of the island, offers numerous beaches to explore. With an area of 356 square km wide, Cat Ba encompasses forested zones, coastal mangrove and freshwater swamps, beaches, caves, and waterfalls. The Cat Ba town is small and ancient, with clusters of fishing boats and inspiring sunsets across the harbor. It's a short hike from Cat Ba town through a tunnel to Cat Co Beach, whose mountains look like a throne holding a marvelous sandy coast, or if you hike further along, you will reach the rockier Cat Vang Beach. When coming out of the caves and grottoes you should spend a little time to contemplate the sunset over Lan Ha Bay. On the golden background of the horizon and the dark blue of the sea, the heaving islets become multiform, the white sea-gulls hover and sea-eagles make circles in the sky, all beautifying the immense and fascinating space, and enchanting the visitors.
Situated in the middle of the three world cultural heritage sites including the ancient capital Hue, the ancient town Hoi An and the holy land My Son, Danang City has also lots of attractive spots which tourists feel unforgettable after visiting the city. Danang has many beauty spots such as Hai Van pass , considered as “the most grandiose beauty spots in the world”; Son Tra peninsula - an ideal rendezvous’ for tourists; Cham Museum, the most extensive collection of Cham art worldwide; the Marble Mountains, a cluster of five limestone towers rising from flat plain; and the poetic Han River, whose bridge is the symbol for new vitality and the developing desire of the city. Danang has a coastline of 30 kilometres long, famous for many beautiful beaches like Nam O, Son Tra, My Khe, Bac My An, Non Nuoc etc. in which international tourists came for convalescence and relaxation, recognised as the most ideal beaches of the region. Nowadays,with an international airport, a recently redeveloped Tien Sa seaport, the new Lien Chieu seaport and a local population over 700,000, DaNang is poised to become a major Asian commercial center in the 21st century. 
Lies on the banks of the Thu Bon River, Hoi An was one of the major trading centers of Southeast Asia in the 17th century. It is a quaint little town whose architecture is diverse within influences from Japan, China and France. Many of the buildings have barely changed during 500 years. Nowadays, Hoi An is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Vietnam. With its colorful blend of Chinese Assembly Halls, beautiful Japanese-covered Bridge, narrow winding streets and ancestral family homes, the town retains a feeling of ages past. All the houses were made of rare wood, decorated with lacquered boards and panels engraved with Chinese characters. Apart from the obvious historical interest, which led to the entire old quarter being designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO, the town has many good restaurants serving such local delicacies i.e. Cao Lau, a delicious combination of noodles, pork, bean sprouts, mint and croutons. Hoi An is also one of the best places in Vietnam to shop for souvenirs at bargain prices including silk, handicrafts, antiques and paintings. Five kilometres from the centre of town is Cua Dai Beach, popular with both locals and visitors alike, for its sandy beach, warm sea and seafood stalls. It is very beautiful and is well worth a visit to cool off when the heat starts to get to you 
Dalat is located in Lam Dong province, approximately 200 km northeast of Ho Chi Minh City. It is best known in Vietnam as a honeymooning spot. As with Sapa in the north, Dalat was founded by the French to escape the intense heat of a Saigon summer. The romantic town of Dalat is highly praised and well known for its lakes, waterfalls, pine forests and for its colonial French architecture. Thanks to these favorable conditions, Dalat is famous for its flowers and many are exported overseas. A wide array of flowers are grown in this area, such as orchids, roses, rhododendrons, xac phao flowers, camellias, mimosas, cherry plums, white narcissi, etc. Dalat has many natural and artificial lakes such as Ho Xuan Huong, Than Tho, Da Thien, and Tuyen Lam bordered by lines of pine trees, which are a well-known feature of Dalat.The Emperor Bao Dai's Summer Palace is stuffed with interesting art and everyday objects, and is well worth a look. The Valley of Love, 5km north of the city centre, is a bizarre place where you can hire a paddle boat on the lake or a horse from one of the Dalat Cowboys. Prenn Falls are worth a visit and are located at the foot of Prenn Mountain Pass. 
Established as a port town in the 1920s, Nha Trang now has a population of 280,000, and serves as the capital of Khanh Hoa province. It is one of the nicest cities in southern Vietnam, blessed with lovely beaches, 19 beautiful surrounding islands. It is the reason why Nha Trang is usual stop for most travelers on their way from the South to the center or vice versa. Miles and miles of empty beaches and deserted bays, numerous islands and coral reefs provide opportunity to swim, snorkel and scuba dive. A wide palm-lined boulevard separates elegant Mediterranean villas and modern hotels from one of Vietnam's loveliest beaches. With its long stretch of white sandy beach and blear blue waters, it is a favorite among Vietnamese people as well. Nha Trang has many attractions inside the island for all ages : elephant, crocodiles , birds and fishes and, of course, at the other side of the island, the monkey reserve park. Nha Trang is a major fishing port, so excellent seafood is available. Today, Nha Trang is a popular destination for both foreign and domestic tourists. 
Mui Ne Beach, long and beautiful stretch of white sand 22km east of Phan Thiet, is an ideal holiday destination for families, couples or single travelers looking for a little bit of paradise or just a weekend away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. The road to Mui Ne travels is stunning with sand dunes edging one side while the other is bordered by a relatively unspoiled beach, and both sides are littered with pregnant coconut trees. The fishing village at Mui Ne is very picturesque dotted with hundreds of multicolored boats. The typical scenery of Mui Ne lies in the moving lines of golden sand caused by the wind and when they are seen from afar they look like moving waves. The scenery looks more fascinating at dawn, when young Cham girls in green dresses go to work. 
Ho Chi Minh City is a place in contrast with a mix of the modern and the colonial past, five star hotels and backpacker guesthouses, fine dining restaurants and food stalls on wheels, luxury boutiques and crammed local markets. The central downtown are is in District 1 where you can find the greatest variety of lodgings. First-time visitors are recommended to stay here as it is close to many museums, historical sites and good restaurants. 
Located approximately 30 km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City, Cu Chi Tunnels consist of a network of more than 200 km of underground tunnels used by resistance fighters during the war of liberation. At the beginning of the tunnel complex, there is a wall draped with clothing, vests, cone shaped, peasant hats. Visitor can rent these things and crawling through the tunnels. It was a sprawling city of improvised hospitals, living quarters, kitchens and fresh water wells, with some tunnels barely large enough to wriggle through. The network reached several stories deep and housed up to 10,000 people who rarely saw daylight for years, coming out only at night to tend to their crops. They were used to shelter an under-ground army and enable them to make surprise attacks before disappearing back through camouflaged trap doors. Today two sections of the tunnels are open to the public. The Ben Binh tunnels remain unlit and unreconstructed, making it difficult for larger westerners to negotiate. The Ben Duoc tunnels, however, are renovated and it is here that you can see bunkers, hospitals, kitchens, and trap doors plus the actual command room where the Tet Offensive was planned.
My Tho, a capital of Tien Giang Province, is an inland port in the Mekong River Delta and is two-hour drive from Ho Chi Minh City. My Tho has a diverse collection of fruits and vegetables: Trung Luong plum, peach, Vinh Kim star apples, sweet mangoes, king oranges, Cai Be guava...Attractions in My Tho are orchards and rice fields on Phoenix Island, Thoi Son Island, Vinh Trang Pagoda and Dong Tan Snake Farm. My Tho Church solid pastel-yellow building built about a century ago. Other interesting place is Island of the Coconut Monk (Con Phung). Ong Dao Dua, the 'Coconut Monk,' established a bizarre open-air sanctuary on this island for his followers shortly after the end of WW II. Snake Farm about 6 miles (10 km) from town at Dong Tam. There is farm that raises snakes for the strong healing powers of their flesh and gall. These attractions are only found in My Tho, Tien Giang Province. 
Can Tho city, once known as Tay Do, or Capital in the West, was for over 200 years the provincial main town. It is a meeting point of the various waterways of the Mekong Delta where a bustling market community of 200,000 prevails. Floating markets are the Delta's prime attractions. Cai Rang market is one of the three biggest markets in the Mekong Delta. Hau River and the waters near Bac Lieu, also offers a shelter for wildlife. It is wonderful to take a boat trip along the riverbanks on fine weather days. A series of modern tourism gardens have appeared on every land. Those who have never visited the area, it is likely they will have experienced its flavors in its Cau Duc sweet pineapples, sweet potatoes, taro, and the coconuts from the U Minh Jungle, which have upheld its reputation as a fruit basket region far and wide. My Khanh, San Duong, Ba Lang and Tan Binh are the famous gardens in Can Tho. Other attractions include the Central Market and the Cantonese Congregation Pagoda. 
Chau Doc sits on a tributary of the Bassac River and is an incredibly friendly bustling little city. The main attraction of Chau Doc is Sam Mountain with a number of pagodas at its base. Most visitors come here only to see Tay An Pagoda, Lady Chua Xu Temple, and the Tomb of Thoai Ngoc Hau, and walk right up to the top of the hill where you can get a good view of the surrounding countryside. When visiting Chau Doc, visitors should not miss Chau Phu Temple, built in 1926 for locals to worship Thoai Ngoc Hau, the man responsible for building the nearby Chau Doc Canal which defines the border with Cambodia. What makes Chau Doc interesting is its mix of communities, Khmer, Cham, and Chinese. The Cham are mostly muslim, and leave in isolated communities across the river, complete with mosques. Joining the floating villages in wooden sampans rowed in the unique "forward stroke" Vietnamese style, you will get to see a unique way of life and visit one of the many catfish farms that, collectively, are taking the world market by storm. 
Phu