Ho Chi Minh City - Destination of Safety and Friendliness

Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, locates at the heart of the southern part of Viet Nam, between the northern edge of the Mekong Delta and the South Eastern region of volcanic red soil. Being a transformation between the two terrains, Ho Chi Minh City is intertwined with natural forest, vast plains, long coast and hundreds of rivers and canals. The Saigon River winds around the city and connect it with the East Sea.
Over the past three centuries, Saigon, once praised as the “Pearl of the Orient”, was known as an important trade center for Chinese, Japanese and Western merchants. It had also been christened the “Paris of Asia” for its wide boulevards lined with the stately trees and magnificent French villas.

Nowadays, Ho Chi Minh City has a total area of 2,090 squar the Orient”, was known as an important trade center for Chinese, Japanese and Western merchants. It had also been christened the “Paris of Asia” for its wide boulevards lined with the stately trees and magnificent French villas.

Highlights

Independence Palace

Independence Palace is situated at 106 Nguyen Du Street in Ho Chi Minh City. Originally called Norodom Palace and the Palace of the Indochina Governor General, it was built in 1865.Until 1954, Ngo Dinh Diem, South Vietnam's President, and his family lived and worked in Norodom Palace.
In 1963, this palace was heavily destroyed by bombs. President Diem commanded the remains to be destroyed and that a new palace be built called Doc Lap Palace or Independence Palace. The new palace was built on a 120,000 m2 area and covered 4,500 m2 . It included a basement,
three main floors, two mezzanines, one terrace, and one upper floor. There is a total of 95 rooms in the Palace; each decorated according to its function. The Palace also features two exhibition rooms, a 33-room guesthouse, and numerous entertainment services, such as tennis courts and stilt houses.On April 30, 1975, the tanks of the liberation army entered the Independence Palace, and the government, including 45 members and president Duong Van Minh, surrendered without condition.After liberation, the Independence Palace became theheadquarters of the city's military administration committee. The political consultation for national unification was held in this palace which was renamed Thong Nhat Conference Hall.Nowadays, Thong Nhat Conference Hall has become a historic and cultural relic attracting
domestic, as well as international visitors.

Cu Chi Tunnels
The Cu Chi Tunnels are located approximately 30 km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City in Cu Chi district. This district is known nationwide as the base where the Vietnamese mounted their operations of the Tet Offensive in 1968.The Cu Chi Tunnels consist of more than 200 km of underground tunnels. This main axis system has many branches connecting to underground hideouts, shelters, and entrances to other tunnels. The tunnels are between 0.5 to 1 m wide, just enough space for a person to walk along by bending or dragging. However, parts of the tunnels have been modified to accommodate visitorsThe upper soil layer is between 3 to 4 m thick and can support the weight of a 50-ton tank and the damage of light cannons and bombs. The underground network provided sleeping quarters, meeting rooms, hospitals, and other social rooms. Visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels provides a better understanding of the prolonged resistance war of the Vietnamese people and also of the persistent and clever character of the Vietnamese nation. The Cu Chi Tunnels have been visited by thousands of tourists from all over the world.
Historical Museum


Located in Saigon's Botanical garden and Zoo, the museum opened its doors to the public in January 1, 1929. Originally, the museum was named Blanchard de la Brosse. In 1956, the museum was renamed Bao Tang Quoc Gia - National Museum. And finally, in 1979, the government renamed it Bao Tang Lich Su - Historical Museum.





The museum houses many historical artifacts including three wooden stakes from the battle between Ngo Quyen and the Han invaders, granite tablets with intricate carvings, and uniforms of mandarins and kings of yesteryears. A statue of the Buddha with 1,000 eyes and 1,000 arms is also part of the museum's collections. According to the curator, many of the artifacts dated back to the 6th and 7th century.


The Nha Rong Wharf
The Nha Rong Wharf, or Uncle Ho's souvenir area, is located at the junction of the Ben Nghe Channel and the Saigon River. This museum mostly contains pictures and objects relating to President Ho Chi Minh.It is from this area that 21 year old Ho Chi Minh set sail on a French ship named Admiral Latouche Treville in June 1911The Dragon House Wharf, originally called Nha Rong, was a French shipping company built in 1862. The first ship left Nha Rong in November 1862.In September 1979, the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City chose Nha Rong as the Ho Chi Minh Museum?Dragon House Wharf. The name was taken from the two dragon-shaped symbols on the top of the building. Over time, approximately ten million people, local as well as international, have visited the Ho Chi Minh Museum. In addition, events such as artistic festivals and the introduction of new members into the Youth Union and Communist Party have been held in this museum.

Dam Sen Park
Dam Sen Park belongs to district 11 in Ho Chi Minh City, at the cornerof Lac Long Quan and Hoa Binh streets.The park?s infrastructure is divided into 30 parts and features several activities, restaurants, and shows, including a smaller reproduction of the Giac Vien Pagoda, the Thuy Ta floating restaurant, a lake similar to West Lake in Hanoi where one can fish, a puppet show, a bird garden, a water park, a sports center, and the Nam Tu Royal Garden.
Ben Thanh Market
Ben Thanh market has long been one of Saigon's most famous landmark. The market has been in existence since the French occupation. The original market was located on the shores of Ben Nghe river by old fort Gia Dinh. Its proximity to the fort and the river where merchants and soldiers would land was reason for its name (Ben meaning pier or port and Thanh meaning fort). In 1859, when the French invaded Saigon and overtook fort Gia Dinh, Ben Thanh Market was destroyed. It was rebuilt shortly thereafter and remained standing until it was moved to its present location in 1899.



Built on a landfill of what was once a swamp named Bo Ret (Marais Boresse), the new Ben Thanh Market is located in the center of the city. Under the French government, the area around Ben Thanh Market was called Cu Nhac circle (Rond point Cuniac), named after Mr. Cuniac, the person who proposed filling the swamp to create this area. The area was later renamed Cong truong Dien Hong.



Cathedral of our Lady



Proposed to be one of France's most ambitious project in Indochina at the time, Rev. Colombert laid the cornerstone for the cathedral on October 7, 1877. Three years later, in 1880, the cathedral was opened to the public. These two dates are inscribed on a marble placard in the cathedral.The bricks used to build the structure were shipped from Marseilles. Artisans from Lorin Company (Chartres, France) were commissioned to create the stained glass windows. The cost of construction was a whopping 2.5 million francs. In 1962, the Vatican gave the cathedral the title Basilique.





Vinh Nghiem Temple
Located on Cong Ly boulevard (or Nam Ky Khoi Nghia), Vinh nghiem is south Vietnam's most majestic temple. Construction of the temple was completed in 1971 after the design was drawn by Mr. Nguyen Ba Lang and associates. The ground floor consists of the library, the auditorium, and offices. The temple is located in a large parcel of land. On the left of the upper court yard stands a tower or the seven-level Avalokitesvara Stupa. Next to the tower hangs a large bell given to the temple by the Japanese Buddhists Sangha.

Hai Phong City

Geography

Haiphong is located in the delta of the Red River. It is approximately 100 kilometres from Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital, and serves as the primary seaport for the northern region of the country.


History

Haiphong has existed as a significant port city for at least several centuries, and was one of Vietnam's principal trading centres. When Vietnam was invaded by the French, the city became France's main naval base in Indochina. After the World War II, when Vietnam attempted to regain its independence, Haiphong was the site of the first military action undertaken by the French, being shelled by the French heavy cruiser Suffren which resulted in more than two thousand casualties. Later, in the Vietnam War, the city was subjected to heavy bombing by USAF B-52's and strike aircraft due to its status as North Vietnam's only major port. After the war, the city was built up as a significant industrial centre.
Today, known as a port city, it serves the entire northern region of Vietnam and has managed to attract large FDIs that fueled economic rates of growth exceeding 12% per annum over the last decade.


Places of interest

Cat Ba - Pearl Island
Cat Ba - the pearl island is the well-known archipelago in the whole country with a spectacular array of sea and island scenery, it covers an area of 20,000ha in the North-East of Hai Phong. It takes about one hour by high speed ferry to go to the island, or by land it is about 60 km passing 2 ferries, you will easily reach the pearl island. In the spacious sea, we suddenly see a tropical jungles.The forests cover over 17,300 ha, including 570ha of primeval forests. Under the old foliages is hundred of rare medicinal trees, there is a tonic tree of one bulb and one leaf only, particularly good for human's heart. Cat Ba has a typically rare flora and fauna of limestone mountain forests, there are also many marvelous grottoes, white sandy and clear water beaches that you can see to sea bed. In old forests there is ancient Komodo varan and chamois species of average weight of over 100kg each. On Cat Ba Island, there are many fishing grounds with shrimps, red snapper, anchovy, trap fish,... and a grass cover to breed tortoise-shells. Cracked stones areas under the sea at the island's foot, there are abalones, pearl-oysters and lobsters. On the shallow tide field, there is Tu hai (mollusca family) that is considered as 'sea chicken', its meat is more delicious than abalone. Tu hai grilled with lemon is indispensable special dish in restaurants at the edge of the sea.On the first of April in 1958, Uncle Ho visited Cat Hai and Cat Ba islands. Cat Ba wharf was a place where he stood to talk with people and army who were living on the islands. Since then, the 1st April - the date when Uncle Ho visited fishing villages - was chosen by fishery industry their traditional anniversary. Every year, on the first of April the dragon boats race of district island and of whole nation fishing industry is held on the sea of Cat Ba.


Beauty-spots in Cat Ba
Trans-island road: 27km long with many mountain pass, meander cols, slopes, along the sea shore, through National Pack, spectacular array of sea and island scenery.Cat Ba National Park: 15 km to the North - West of the town. This Park covers an area of 15,200 ha, including 9,800 ha of forests with splendid grottoes. In tropical and primeval forests, there is a rich fauna and flora. There are 745 species of plants, including various species of rare wood trees so as Tri Ly, Lat Hoa, Lim Set, Gie Hoa, Kim Giao, white wood. Kim Giao chopsticks used to be offered to Kings which can cause bubbles and turn itself into red when touched poisoned food. Cho dai tree that can be found in the old forest is endangered specie named in the Red Book, the only other in the world where we can find this tree is Hymalaya mountain. Cat Ba National Park is home to 20 species of mammals, 69 species of birds, 20 species of reptiles and species of amphibians, species of 11 frogs. Particularly, the rarest animals in the world that can only be found in Viet Nam is Vooc (white faced monkeys). Another strange is Ma Tien fruit, a toxic fruit, if a person eats Ma Tien he will die immediately, but the white-faced Vooc can eat both leaf and fruit to feed themselves.

Trung Trang Grotto: 15km from the town, close to the trans-island road. There are a lot of beautiful natural stalactites that makes you feel like flying high, visiting the Elysium on earth. The grotto can accommodate hundreds of people.
Hung Son grotto: 13km from the town, on the trans-island road. Another name is 'Army Medical Grotto' because in the sabotaged war by America, an army hospital was built in the grotto with capacity of hundreds of beds in the mountain. This structure wrote feat of arms about courage of people.
Phu Long Grotto (Cai Vieng): recently found, it is considered more beautiful than Trung Trang grotto. In the grotto, stalactites and moisture steam make us imagine the way to sky, the way to sea, many quintessential vaults, golden mountain, silver mountain...
Beaches: Cat Co 1, Cat Co 2, Cat Dua, Cat Ong, Duong Danh,... are small rainy, secretive, shaded bathing grounds with fine white sand and clear water. A theme park called 'Palace under the sea' will be built to enable human to directly observe porpoises, lobsters, sharks, sea tortoises, cutlet-fish,.. slowly wandering near red corals.


Do Son Beach
Do Son is one of the most famous seaside resorts in North Vietnam, lying 20 km south-west of Haiphong and 105 km from Hanoi.It is on a small peninsula between the Lach Tray and Van Uc rivers. Do Son's beaches are shaded by thousands of sandalwood trees and surrounded by mountains and hills. After establishing themselves in Haiphong, the French turned Do Son into a summer resort for both themselves and upper class Vietnamese.Immediately upon setting foot in Hai Phong, the French turned Do Son into a summer resort for their expatriate community and the Vietnamese upper class. This sea resort town is composed of three zones, each having nice beaches, hills, pine forests, and age-old constructions.At the very tip of the peninsula was the Hotel de la Pionte, now known as Van Hoa Hotel, built on the top of a large hill. This is the finest building in Do Son, looking like an ancient castle rising out of the green landscape.On summer days, Do Son is alive with tourists from all over the world. They mainly come here to spend time on the beach, relax and hike.

Ha Noi City - The capital of Vietnam

In the fall of 1010, King Ly Thai To (Ly Cong Uan) moved the capital from Hoa Lu to Dai La. On the way, the king saw a vision of a golden dragon ascending from the Red river ( song Hong). The King decided to change Dai La to Thang Long (Ascending Dragon). Thang Long remained the capital city until the end of the Tran dynasty when in 1397, the capital city was moved to Thanh Hoa -Tay Do (Western Capital) and Thang Long became Dong Do (Eastern Capital).


Vietnam was invaded by China in 1407, and the city was renamed Dong Quan. In 1428, after ten years of fighting, Le Loi liberated Vietnam and renamed the city Dong Kinh. In 1527, the city was renamed Thang Long. In 1802 when King Gia Long (Nguyen Dynasty) moved the capital city to Hue, the name Thang Long remained but, Long no longer means dragon, Long in this case means prosperity. Ha Noi, was the name given to the city by King Minh Mang in 1831. Ha means river and Noi means within - Ha Noi means within the river.

Most Vietnamese and Westerners are familiar with the phrase Ha Noi ba muoi sau Pho Phuong or Ha Noi 36 districts. This phrase often causes much confusion for most people since, on the one hand Pho means a street or a place for merchants to gather to do business, on the other hand Phuong means a district or a guild of artisans specializing in a particular trade (phuong cheo, phuong tho, etc.). In any case, there is some truth to the use of both descriptions.



Similar to the Guilded age of Europe, Ha Noi's 36 districts is Vietnam's version of the guild concept. Long ago, as artisans moved to the capital city to do business, they gathered together in an area as a way to share resources. As a result, many of the streets are named after the crafts that were sold on that street. Pho Hang Bun (Vermicelli), Pho Hang Ma (paper product), Pho Hang Bac (Jewelry) are a few of the streets carrying the name of the products sold on the street.






Today, the 36 pho or old district remains in Vietnamese literature as a quaint and familiar description of this part of Ha Noi. Although many of the streets no longer have the products for which they were named, some still do. Today, on many of the streets, there are still shrines dedicated to the individual diety of the trades for which the streets are named.

Ho Hoan Kiem (Ho Guom) - Lake of the Returned Sword

Ho Hoan Kiem or Lake of the Returned Sword was once a part of the Red river (song Hong). Through thousands of years of changes in the geography, the lake moved eastward to its present position many kilometers from the river. The lake was once called Luc Thuy or Green Water because the water was green year round. In the fifteen century, the lake was named Ho Hoan Kiem, based of a legend that is quite similar to King Arthur and the Lady of the Lake's legend.



While fighting against the Chinese, King Le Thai To has in his possession a very valuable sword. After 10 years of continuous struggle, the King finally defeated the Chinese and reclaimed Vietnam's independence. One day, while sailing on lake Luc Thuy, a large turtle appeared. The king drew his sword and pointed at the creature. The turtle immediately grab hold of the sword with its mouth and submerged. The king mourned the lost of such valuable sword, demanded that the lake be emptied and dredged. Both the turtle and the sword were not found. The king realizing that the gods must have lent him the sword to drive back the enemy, but now that Vietnam is free, the sword must be returned. King Le Thai To named the lake Ho Hoan Kiem or Lake of the Returned Sword.

Since the reign of king Le Trung Hung (XVI century), every king in the Le dynasty, and Lord Trinh have all contributed to the beautification of the lake. Lord Trinh Giang built Khanh Thuy shrine on Ngoc island on the north end of the lake. He also had the two man made hills built across from Ngoc son Shrine.


At the end of the Le Dynasty, Khanh Thuy was destroyed by Chieu Thong. A philanthropist named Tin Trai built Ngoc Son pagoda. Ngoc Son pagoda was renamed Ngoc Son shrine during the reign of Thieu Tri III (1843) because it was no longer a Buddhist shrine. Instead, Ngoc Son is a shrine to Van Xuong, a deity, in charge of literature and the various tests required to become a mandarin. It is also a shrine to general Tran Hung Dao, a national hero responsible for many victories against the Mongols.

Since then Ngoc Son has gone through many renovations, one of which was the addition of Thap But (Pen Tower) on the hill which was once called Dao Tai. Three words inscribed on the tower "Ta Thien Thanh" or "write on blue sky". Inside the gate a pool resembling the shape of an ink well was added. Beyond the ink well is The Huc bridge or "where the sun light is absorbed". The bridge leads to Dac Nguyet Lau or "Moon Light tower" - Ngoc Son shrine. Beyond the gates to the shrine, there are two walls called bang Rong and bang Ho (dragon and tiger slate) where the names of those who passed the national test are inscribed.

On the southwest end of the lake is Thap Rua. It was rumored that king Le Thanh Tong used to fish here. Lord Trinh also built the structure to house his entourage while visiting the lake.

Ho Tay - West Lake

Ho Tay is the largest of all the lakes in Ha Noi. The lake is on the northwest part of the city. Long ago, the lake was a branch of the Red river but later, as the river changed course, the lake remained a body of water just west of the river. There are many legends associated with West Lake. The most popular is the legend of the golden buffalo.

As the story goes, there once was a medicine man who was a giant. He is well known in Vietnam for his medicine practice and the king often used him to treat the royal family. His fame reached China and he was invited to China to treat the king. He was successful where others have failed so the king was going to reward him with great wealth. He refused offerings of gold and only requested that the king give him all the black copper in the king's vault. The king agreed and the giant left for Vietnam with vast amounts of black copper. In Vietnam the giant molded a giant bell of black copper. The giant rang the bell and the sound resonated all the way to China. In the king's vault there was a golden buffalo. Upon hearing the sound of the bell, the buffalo came to life (because he thought that his mother was calling him) and charged southward. Upon reaching Ha Noi, the buffalo trampled the land in the area near Red river. Over the years, this area filled with water and became Ho Tay or West Lake.

Ho Tay has always been an area for vacationing royalties. When Ha Noi was still the capital city, the kings from the Ly and Tran dynasty built summer homes along the lake. In the north end of the lake there are several villages famous for their flowers and fruits plantations. Most famous is Nghi Tam village, the birth place of Ba Huyen Thanh Quan, one of Vietnam's premier Poetess.

Today, many of the summer homes built by kings of yesteryears are now shrines and temples. Phu Tay Ho is one of the more popular shrine on the shore of Ho Tay. During the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month, people from all over Ha Noi pour to the shrine to pay respect to the deities. On these days, the roads are filled with people dressed in colorful attire heading to the narrow road leading to the shrine. Phu Tay Ho is also famous for the Bun Oc (escargot vermicelli soup) and Banh Tom (shrimp cakes) sold in stalls along the way.

Van Mieu - Temple of Literature

Originally built in 1070 in the Ly dynasty, the temple is a shrine to Confucius and his disciples responsible for spreading his teachings. Six years later, Quoc Tu Giam or School for the sons of the Nation was established for the princes. The school later admitted sons of mandarins and finally commoners were allowed to attend but, only after they passed a rigorous examination at the regional level. In 1484, Van Mieu became a place to memorialize the most brilliant scholars of the nation.



Courtyard of the Sages is located beyond the Garden of Stelae. Entrance to the courtyard is through Dai Thanh Mon or Gate of Great Success. The Great House of Ceremonies is located here. It was here that all new doctor laureates would come to pay respect to Confucius. The king would also come to pay homage to the great teacher at Dai Thanh Mon. Inscribed on a wooden panel above the altar are the words "Teacher of Ten Thousand Generations".

Behind the Great House of Ceremonies is the Sanctuary, with statue of Confucius flanked by his four closest disciples, Nhan Tu, Tu Tu, Tang Tu, and Manh-Tu (Mencius).

Quoc Tu Giam or School for the Sons of the nation is located in the last courtyard. During the time when Van Mieu was used as a school, this area housed classrooms, housing facilities and a print shop. When the university was moved to Hue, Quoc Tu Giam was turned into a shrine to Confucius' parents called Khai Thanh.

Chua Mot Cot - One Pillar Pagoda

Chua Mot Cot or the One Pillar Pagoda has become the symbol of Vietnamese rich culture and history. The pagoda was built in the reign of king Ly Thai Tong (1028-1054). According to legend, in his dream, in 1049, the king saw a vision of Phat Ba Quan Am - Kwan Yin. She led him to a shrine in the middle of a lotus pond. When he woke up, he consulted with his court and decided to replicate the shrine in his dream to dedicate it to Kwan Yin. The One Pillar Pagoda resembles a giant lotus blossom.

Museum of Fine Arts

Located at 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, the museum began receiving visitors on June 24, 1966. One of Vietnam's comprehensive display of architectures, sculptures, drawings, and fine arts is housed at the museum. The museum also contains displays of the ethnic minority people in Vietnam. Stone ax blades, stone sculptures, statues and ornaments, Muong skirts, belts, and Tay Nguyen bronze rings are some of the few items on display.





Visitors are able to see works of art dating to the stone and bronze ages. Stone rings, earings and necklaces are evidence of a civilization dating back 2,000 to 3,000 years. The bronze statues, drums, and ornaments on display bring the visitors closer to that part of history that is rich with tradition and culture.

(From: www.vietscape.com)

Thua Thien Hue

Area: 5 009 km²
Population (2001): 1 078 900
Districts: Phong Dien, Quang Dien, Huong Tra, Phu Vang, Huong Thuy, Phu Loc, Nam Dong, A Luoi and Hue City.

Hue is one of places, which has many cultural heritages. Up to now, there is no places like Hue remaining a lot of originally historical vestiges as in this ancient Capital City.

On the Northern bank of Perfume River has relics consisting of palaces, which were constructed as arc defensive ramparts with 11km length. This valuable construction includes more than 100 arichectural works which were extremely reflected the life of Emperors and mandarins under Nguyen’ reign. Situated in the middle of hills on the Southern bank of Perfume River are very beautiful tombs of Nguyen Kings. Among these tombs are the four famous ones with the name and the arrangements of the tomb reflected each Emperor’s points of view, personality, and tastes. This is majestic Gia Long tomb, imposing Minh Mang tomb, poetic Tu Duc tomb and magnificent Khai Dinh tomb.

Hue is also an important center of Buddhism. In Hue and its surrounding still exist tens of pagodas constructed more 300 years ago, and a hundred of temples and pagodas built in the early century.

Besides, Hue is a place where the royal music is originated, and a place with traditional famous dishes and sophisticated handicraft.

As a unique city of Vietnam still remains its form of City under Middle Age and the constructions of monarchic, Hue has become a big and an invaluable museum. Therefore, vestiges in Hue ancient capital have been classified by the government as a very precious property and on December 1993 Hue has been recognized as a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO.

(From: www.vietnamtourism.com)

Nha Trang City

The city of Nha Trang is becoming more popular with the tourists in recent years. Yet, with a population of 300,000, Nha Trang still retains its small town atmosphere. This resort town is well known for its miles of beach and the friendliness of its people. The city is flanked by nearly ten kilometers of prime beach where the water is warm year round. The average temperature in Nha Trang is 26 C. Nha Trang also has the lowest level of humidity in all of Vietnam. Today, Nha Trang ranks among the top of all beaches in Vietnam. Nha Trang is 1,287 km south of Hanoi, 624 km south of Hue and 442 km from Ho Chi Minh city (Saigon). Nha Trang has several famous islands. Most notable are Hon Tre, Hon Yen, Hon Rua and the Spratly islands.
The name Nha trang is a Vietnamese pronunciation of a Cham word Eatran or Yjatan. Ea or Yja means river, and tran means reed. According to the locals, there once were a lot of reeds along Ngoc Hoi river. The river winds its way through the town. Ngoc Hoi was later renamed Nha Trang river.



Another theory of the origin of Nha Trang's name has a more amusing twist. Long ago, in this part of the country, all the houses were made out of the reeds and mud gathered from Ngoc Hoi river. The only house that was made out of bricks were the house belonging to Dr. Yersin, a French immunologist who made his home here. The house itself was painted prominently white and could be seen by vessels coming from far away. Once there was a foreign vessel passing by. The captain asked his translator where he was. The translator not knowing where they were blurted out Nha` tra('ng or white house in Vietnamese. The captain duly noted on his chart Nha Trang. Because most foreign languages do not make use of tones, the captain's name for this part of the country stuck.

From: Vietscape.com

Sapa in Vietnam

Sapa is an old French hill station, nestled among the Hoang Lien Son Mountains near the Chinese border. Because of its situation near the tallest montain range in Vietnam, it is possibly the most scenic mountain location in Vietnam. The members of the Black Hmong ethnic minority are very present in town, and other ethnic minorities come for the weekly market.

Da Lat City Gallery

Vietnam - Bac Ninh Folk Songs

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My Son Sanctuary

Brief Description

Between the 4th and 13th centuries a unique culture which owed its spiritual origins to Indian Hinduism developed on the coast of contemporary Viet Nam. This is graphically illustrated by the remains of a series of impressive tower-temples located in a dramatic site that was the religious and political capital of the Champa Kingdom for most of its existence.

Justification for Inscription

Criterion (ii): 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. Criterion (iii):The Champa Kingdom was an important phenomenon in the political and cultural history of South-East Asia, vividly illustrated by the ruins of My Son.

Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park

Phong Nha - Ke Bang is a national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site in the center of Quang Binh province in north-central Vietnam. It protects one of the world's two largest karst regions with several hundred caves and grottoes.

Park layout
The park covers a total area of 857.54 km² which are divided into three zones, a "strictly protected zone" (648.94 km²), an "ecological recovery zone" (174.49 km²), and an "administrative service zone" (34.11 km²).
Recognition by the UNESCO

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park was first nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. It was recognised as a world natural heritage site at the UNESCO's 27th general assembly session being held in Paris from June 30-July 5, 2003. At the session, delegates from over 160 member countries of UNESCO World Heritage Convention agreed to include Phong Nha-Ke Bang park and 30 others worldwide in the list of world heritage sites.

Geological significance

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is one of the world's two largest limestone regions. In comparison with 41 other world heritage sites which have karsts, Phong Nha has dissimilar geomorphic, geologic and biotic conditions. The karsts of Phong Nha can be traced back to Palaeozoic era, 400 million years ago. This makes Phong Nha the oldest major karst in Asia. If the Hin Namno, bordering Phong Nha on the west (in Laotian territory) was to be combined with the national park in a continuous reserve, the combined reserve would be the largest surviving karst forest in South-east Asia (317,754 ha).

The area has numerous grottoes and caves. Vietnamese and British scientists have so far surveyed a total of 20 caves with a total length of 70 km. Of these surveyed caves, 17 were in the Phong Nha area and three in the Ke Bang area.

The Phong Nha cave from which the name to the whole system and the park is derived is famous for its rock formation which have been given names such as the "Lion", the "Fairy Caves", the "Royal Court", and the "Buddha".

Besides the grotto and cave systems, Phong Nha has the longest underground river, the largest caverns and passageways. Phong Nha - Ke Bang also contains two dozens of mountain peaks with over 1,000 metres height. Noteworthy peaks are the Peak Co Rilata with ta height of 1,128 m and the Peak Co Preu with a height of 1,213 m.

Diversity in ecological system
The park is part of the Annamites eco-region. According to the results of initial surveys, the primary tropical forest in Phong Nha - Ke Bang 140 families, 427 genera, and 751 species of vascular plants, of which 36 species are endangered and listed in the Vietnam Red Book. The forest is also home to 98 families, 256 genera and 381 species of vertebrates. Sixty-six animal species are listed in the Vietnam Red Book and 23 other species in the World Red Book of Endangered Species.

In 2005, a new species of gecko was discovered here by a group of Vietnamese biologists together with biologists working for the park, Cologne Zoo in Germany and the Saint Petersburg Wild Zoology Institute in Russia.

Historical significance

In addition to the diversity in the ecosystem, Phong Nha - Ke Bang is home to archeological and historical relics, such as an ancient hieroglyphic script of the Cham ethnic minority, King Ham Nghi's base built for the resistance war against French colonialists in the late 19th century, and the Xuan Son ferry station, Ho Chi Minh Trail and Road 20 used during the Vietnam War.



Tourism development in recent years


Central Quang Binh province has invested into upgrading the Phong Nha-Ke Bang visitor site to turn it into the country's major tourist destination.

Multiple eco-tourist projects have been licensed for development and the area is being heavily developed by the province to turn it into a major tourist site in Vietnam. Phong Nha Ke Bang is part of a tourism promotion program called: "Middle World Heritage Road" which includes the ancient capital of Huế, the Champa relics of My Son, the city of Hoi An, and the space of Gong culture in the Central Highlands of Vietnam.

In order to facilitate the increasing flow of tourists to the site, the Dong Hoi Airport was constructed.

Hoi An Ancient Town

The ancient town of Hoi An, 30 km south of Danang, lies on the banks of the Thu Bon River. Occupied by early western traders, Hoi An was one of the major trading centers of Southeast Asia in the 16th century.
Hoi An has a distinct Chinese atmosphere with low, tile-roofed houses and narrow streets; the original structure of some of these streets still remains almost intact. All the houses were made of rare wood, decorated with lacquered boards and panels engraved with Chinese characters. Pillars were also carved with ornamental designs.

Tourists can visit the relics of the Sa Huynh and Cham cultures. They can also enjoy the beautiful scenery of the romantic Hoi An River, Cua Dai Beach, and Cham Island.

Over the last few years, Hoi An has become a very popular tourist destination in Vietnam.

Light Bright

NO FLUORESCENT LIGHTS. NO MOTORCYCLES. NO TELEVISION. ON THE 15TH DAY OF EACH LUNAR MONTH, THE RIVERSIDE TOWN OF HOI AN GIVES MODERN LIFE THE NIGHT OFF.

In a wood-fronted shops a woman in traditional dress sits at a desk, bathed in the light of a lantern made from a simple bamboo fish-trap. Outside, two old men are absorbed in a candlelit game of Chinese checkers. These scenes, straight out of the 19th century, still take place in Hoi An, a sleepy riverside town in the central province of Quang Nam.

Hoi An has long been a cultural crossroad. More than five centuries ago the Vietnamese nation of Dai Viet expanded its territory southwards, encroaching on the Indianized Kingdom of Champa, which covered much of what is now central Vietnam. Hoi An, located on the Hoai River, emerged when Japanese and Chinese traders built a commercial district there in the 16th century.

These diverse cultural influences remain visible today. Visitors will find Hoi An's Old Quarter lined with two-storey Chinese shops, their elaborately carved wooden facades and moss-covered tile roofs having withstood the ravages of more than 300 years of weather and warfare. These proud old buildings, which back onto the river, remind visitors of another era, when Hoi An's market was filled with wares from as far afield as India and Europe. Colourful guildhalls, founded by ethnic Chinese from Guangdong and Fujian provinces, stand quietly, a testament to the town's trading roots.

While Hoi An's old-fashioned charm is always visible, on the 15th of every lunar month modernity takes another step back. On these evenings the town turns off its street lamps and fluorescent lights, leaving the Old Quarter bathed in the warm glow of coloured silk, glass and paper lanterns. In ancient times, Vietnamese people made lamps out of shallow bowls filled with oil. Later, foreign traders introduced lanterns, ranging from round and hexagonal designs from China to diamond and star shaped ones from Japan.

Let there be light
When developing plans to preserve their town's ancient character, Hoi An residents decided to revive the practice of using coloured lanterns. Starting in the fall of 1998, one night each month is declared a "lantern festival". On the 15th day of each lunar month, residents on Tran Phu, Nguyen Thai Hoc, Le Loi and Bach Dang streets switch off their lights and hang cloth and paper lanterns on their porches and windows. Television sets, radios, street lights and neon lights are turned off.

In the ensuing quiet the streets of Hoi An are at their most romantic, the darkness broken only by jeweltoned lanterns in all manner of shapes and sizes.

Strolling through the lantern-lit streets is like walking into a fairytale. It is all the more picturesque since motor vehicles are banned from Hoi An's Old Quarter. On Trai Phu Street, stop at the beautifully preserved Faifo Restaurant to sample some traditional Chinese-style pastries. Or walk on to the Treated Caf6, where bamboo baskets, commonly used to wash rice, have been transformed into unique lanterns. These basket lamps are but one example of people's creativity as they experiment with new shapes and materials, including lights made from hollow bamboo tubes.

A Warm Glow

The 15th day of the lunar month is a Buddhist day of worship. Residents place offerings of food and incense on their ancestral altars and visit one of Hoi An's many pagodas. The scent of incense and the sounds of people singing add to the town's enchanted atmosphere. On these evenings, visitors will get a rare glimpse into another era. These nights are a welcome reminder of life's unexpected beauty.

Ha Long bay - The world heritage

Geographical Location and Climate
Halong Bay is located in the Northeast of Vietnam, belonging to QuangNinh Province. It is in the coastal area stretching from 1060 56’ to 1070 37’ east longitude and 200 43’ to 210 09’ north latitude. To the west and northwest, Halong Bay stretches from Yen Hung District, and includes the large urban areas of Halong City and Cam Pha Town, as well as Van Don Island District. To the south and southeast, it is adjacent to the western Tonkin Gulf and to the west and southwest lies Cat Ba Island in the province of Hai Phong. On the world map, Ha Long Bay borders to China in the north and in the east it is adjacent to the East Sea.
In 1962, the Ministry of Culture and Information classified Halong Bay as a National Landscape Site,covering an area of 1,553 km2 with 1,969 islands. Halong Bay has been recognized twice by UNESCO as a World Heritage Area for its universal values of landscape, geology and geomorphology, respectively in 1994 and 2000, an area of 434 sq. km. including 775 islands.

The area inscribed by UNESCO (the Protected Area I - the Core Zone) is bound by Dau Go Island in the east, Ba Ham Lake in the south and Cong Tay Island in the east. The Protected Area II - the Buffer Zone is identified by the shore of the Bay running along the National Highway No. 18A, from the Gasoline Warehouse B12 in Cai Dam Precinct to the km.11 marker in Quang Hanh Precinct, Cam Pha Town. The Protected Area III - the Hinterland Zone is the sea or mainland area surrounding the buffer zone,including the area adjacent to the Cat Ba National Park of Hai Phong City.

- Climate is featured humid tropical charactor, including two distinct seasons: hot, humid with much rainning in summer and cold, dry in winter. The average temperature ranges from 150 – 250C with annual average rainfall of 2,000 – 2,200mm/year. Halong Bay has a typical tidal time (tidal amplitude ranges from 3.5 – 4.0m. The degree of salt in the sea water ranges from 31 – 34.5% in the dry season and decreases in the rainy season.

History of the name “ Halong”

“Ha Long” is literally translated as "Bay of Descending Dragons." Prior to the 19th century, this name was not recorded in any document or archive. When mentioning the present-day Quang Ninh Sea or Ha Long Bay, old historical books often referred to them by the names of An Bang, Luc Thuy or Van Don. Not until the late 19th century did the name of Halong Bay appear on a French Marine Map. “The Hai Phong News”, a French newspaper of the time, had an article, “Dragon appears on Ha Long Bay”, reporting the following story: In 1898 a sub-lieutenant named Lagredin, captaining the ‘Avalanse’ reported seeing a huge sea snake on Ha Long Bay. This was also witnessed by many of the crews. Thus emerged the European image of the Asian dragon. Whether this appearance of a strange animal looking like a dragon resulted the name of Ha Long Bay is not known (Reference “Quang Ninh: Art and Culture” published in 2002).

The system of islands and caves
Most of the islands on Ha Long Bay are limestone and were formed over 500 million years ago, and are massed in the southeast and southwest. The schist islands scattered in the southeast have an average height of between 50-200m, and have a rich covering of flora.

Within the islands of the Bay there are hundreds of beautiful caves of different shapes and sizes, including many famous names such as Thien Cung, Dau Go, Sung Sot, Tam Cung and Bo Nau. Some of them are archaeological sites retaining tangible archaeological evidence, such as Dau Go, Bo Nau, Sung Sot, Soi Nhu, Tien Long, Me Cung, and Trinh Nu caves.


The process of recognition of Halong Bay as a World Natural Heritage Area

The first time:

On 21st December, 1991, The Government of Vietnam permitted the setting up a of file on Ha Long Bay to be submitted to UNESCO for recognition of Ha Long Bay as a World Heritage Site. During the two year period 1991 to 1993, UNESCO nominated many expert delegations to come to Quang Ninh to survey, research, guide and review the ongoing file. Ha Long Bay’s file was completed and sent to UNESCO, Paris, for consideration in 1993, to be addressed at the 18th session.
On 17th December, 1994, the World Heritage Committee officially recognized Ha Long Bay as a World Natural Heritage Area at its 18th session in Phu Ket, Thailand, because of its universal aesthetic value according to criteria (iii) of the
Convention.




The second time:

At the request of Ha Long Bay Management Department and IUCN, in September 1998, Prof. Tony Waltham, the top expert on Geology of Trent University, Nottingham, conducted a survey of the limestone karst of Ha Long Bay. He submitted his report to UNESCO Paris and Switzerland, IUCN Offices (Ha Noi) and to the Ha Long Bay Management Department. As a result, on 25th February, 1999, the World Heritage Center requested Quang Ninh People’s Committee, Vietnam’s National Commission for UNESCO and the Ha Long Bay Management Department to prepare a file to submit to UNESCO for the inscription of Ha Long Bay’s outstanding values of geology and geomorphology.

In July 1999, the file was completed and sent to the World Heritage Center’s Office in Paris. In December 1999, at the 23rd Congress of UNESCO held in Marakesh, Morocco, UNESCO officially considered the file. In March 2000 Professor Ellery Hamilton Smith, a member of IUCN was delegated to come to Ha Long to check the validity of the file and its geological value and to evaluate the management situation and make recommendations. In July 2000, at its mid-year meeting, the World Heritage Center, Paris, officially proposed that the World Heritage Committee recognize Ha Long Bay as a World Natural Heritage Site for its universal values of geology and geomorphology.

On 2nd December, 2000, at the 24th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Cairns, Queensland, Australia, the World Heritage Committee unanimously decided to recognize the universal geological value of Ha Long Bay for the second time according to criteria (i) of the International Convention on the Protection of the World National and Cultural Heritage.