Meet Ruby and Origin Travel Team, your local connection in Vietnam. We're proud to be able to welcome you to our country, and give you the opportunity to witness the lives, the hardships and the happiness of the Vietnamese people, as well as the truly individual nature of the our country. Origin Travel Team committed working closely with local communities, to ensure that tourism brings positive benefits to them without damaging their traditional way of life... Read more
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Hanoi says goodbye to summer’s heat
Out with the old and in with the cold, it’s time to say goodbye to summer in Hanoi.
After enduring what many have called the summer of hell, Hanoi is welcoming relief from the heat. Signs of autumn are everywhere as the city transitions into it’s next season. The change is a great relief to many. Even the older generations of Vietnamese have a hard time recalling a summer ever being so hot. The rains and cooler temperatures have been a welcome change for many who struggled to cope with what is one of the hottest summers on record in Hanoi.
Years in the tropics couldn’t prepare most for the heat that classified the summer in Hanoi this year. During the day, going outside was virtually unbearable. All it took was about five minutes to be drenched and dripping in sweat. Driving a motorbike in the summer temperatures ran you the risk of burning your rear off, not to mention the dreaded red light which meant sitting under the sun’s burning rays, breathing in the fumes and eagerly waiting for the light to change while wiping the sweat away from your eyes.
The unbearable heat has finally started cooling down. Air-con is shut off for many and showers are once again taken with warm water. Rain and clouds have provided relief and people are beginning to embrace the fall.
Vietnam’s legendary moon cakes can be found once again popping up around the streets of Hanoi. Hanoians are bracing for the 1,000 year anniversary of this great city, which is creeping up very quickly.
Pomegranates are abundant and at many cafes, people are trading in their iced coffee for hot coffee. Grapefruits are at their finest of the year. Green rice is back in action, a favorite during the season.
One Hanoian, Thu Trang Nguyen described fall in Hanoi, “A time to relax and enjoy the best weather all year before the terrible winter comes.”
Hoa Sua (Milk Flowers) can be seen blossoming only during this time of year and are considered to be a symbol of the season.
It is time to say goodbye to summer in Hanoi and hello to the fall. Source: Dtinews
Discovering the flavor and beauty of Vietnam’s UNESCO sites
A golden sunrise illuminated the Old Quarter’s ancient dwellings draped in fuchsia bougainvilleas. It also lit the Thu Bon River, where the small fishing boats had just pulled up to shore. It was 5:30 a.m. as I approached the central marketplace, where I experienced the tastes, sounds, and energy—the real life of the local people. Vietnam’s gem-city of Hoi An was just awakening.
Greeting the Day
Women in conical straw hats with bright smiles balanced long poles over their shoulders. Their poles were heavy with hanging baskets stuffed with vegetables, fish, and even live geese, as they scurried along the dirt pathways. The endless array of baskets filled with herbs covered the ground in a blanket of greenery, while pungent fish and spice aromas permeated the air.
I stopped and tasted a small, spiny chom chom, or rambuten, similar in sweetness to a lychee, proffered by an old woman sitting cross-legged on the ground surrounded by exotic fruits.
By 6:30 a.m., all was quiet as the fishing boats pulled out and the larger vessels, piled with motorbikes, entered the shoreline. Before the town fully awoke, I strolled along Bach Dang Street in view of the Japanese Covered Bridge (circa 1593), replete with a roof and temple. According to legend, the bridge began the Year of the Monkey and was completed in the Year of the Dog, so forms of each of these animals are on opposite sides to guard the bridge.
To Market, to Market
Hoi An is a shopping mecca, with tailor shops lining the narrow streets from Tran Hang Dao Street to Le Loi, and everywhere in between. Some people brought photos and designs of clothes to be made, since custom-made clothing is so inexpensive and can be ready within 24 hours or less.
The city showcases not only clothing shops but also an array of art galleries, cafés, and high-quality restaurants. Ly Café 22, run by chef/owner Miss Ly, serves unforgettable fried rice, which has lingered on my taste buds since. Another favorite local dish, White Rose, consists of steamed shrimp wrapped like a flower in rice paper.
Other dishes that I enjoyed were Cau Lau, a thick, rice noodle soup topped with sprouts and pork; and Com Ga, a rice dish with steamed chicken and fresh herbs. The Cargo Club, a French-style patisserie, was a place where I ruminated over a foamy latté and luscious pastry. For ale lovers, most beers are 50 cents or $10,000 dongs.
National Treasures. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site situated in Central Vietnam, Hoi An was once a popular trading port as early as the 17th century. Vestiges of Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, and French cultures are still evident amid the colorful architecture of this relatively calm enclave.
I caught a glimpse of the city at a good time, devoid of racing motorbikes, which are restricted several days and hours a week. What a relief, since the country has about 24 million of these bikes zooming throughout its cities.
Hoi An was just one stop on my 10-day, small-group journey of the historic sites of Vietnam from Hanoi to Saigon. The tour was organized by Eco- and socially-conscious Travel Indochina, experts in Asian travel exploring the history, culture, natural beauty, and people of this area.
Our next venture was a four-hour drive along the Hai Van Pass on the National Highway to another UNESCO Site, Hue, once the capital during the Ngugen dynasty in the 19th century. We traveled along the scenic Pacific coastline reminiscent of California’s Big Sur, with bold mountain ranges wrapping around the waters. The difference, however, was the farmlands riddled with rice paddies, accented by colorful lotus flowers, and boys on buffaloes posing along the roadside.
We made a stop 30 minutes from Hoi An, just south of Danang, at the towering Marble Mountains, where we climbed some 200 steps up a stone and marble stairway (a bit slippery going down). A larger-than-life Buddha and female Buddha (the Goddess of Mercy) awaited us amid the strong scent of incense that filled the decorated pagodas.
The hidden cave there (once a hospital for the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War) was the most memorable, with a cascade of light shooting through the top opening that created a surreal, mystical effect.
Hue Highlights
We finally arrived at Hue, the sun glistening on the Perfume River, which got its name from the scent of wild ginger blowing in from the forested area nearby.
This city of pagodas, palaces, tombs, and 130 Buddhist temples survived destruction from conflicts with the French and the United States. The moated citadel, built in 1804, has maintained its beauty despite the ravages of war.
We walked through the ceremonial halls, garden areas, and in front of the Forbidden City, once reserved for the privacy of the emperor but now open to the public. Our next stop was the Tomb of Tu Duc alongside a lake with lily pads. Yet, the most impressive site was the Tomb of Khai Dinh, named after its emperor in the 1900s, which had an awesome sculptured stairway and a courtyard full of stone soldiers guarding the tomb.
The afternoon sightseeing ended with lunch at Mandarin Café on Hung Vuong Street, just a few blocks from our hotel and the river. The owner, Mr. Cu, is also an accomplished photographer who sells his postcards to visitors. I couldn’t resist a handful.
As I walked back to the hotel, I discovered a cultural center, XQ Co Do (established April 1994), where young girls were demonstrating the revitalized art of Vietnamese silk embroidery. I then relaxed at a spa adjacent to the Huong Giang Hotel with an hour’s worth of full leg and foot massage for a mere $8.00.
After Hue, we flew to Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital, where the city was celebrating its 1,000-year birthday. The city touts lots of history, from the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum where the body of the former communist leader resides, the nearby Presidential Palace, and Ho Chi Minh Museum, to the 12th century Confucian Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university—all surrounded by some of the country’s most stunning French colonial architecture.
Hanoi has six million people and a swarm of three million motor bikes, which I had to skirt constantly while saying many prayers!
The Beauty of Halong Bay
The highlight of my journey through the historic cities of Vietnam was the UNESCO Site and natural wonder of Halong Bay in the Gulf of Tonkin. Just a four-hour drive east of the capital city of Hanoi, Halong Bay drew me into a magical setting of 3,000 limestone islands, formed from sea deposits millions of years ago, jutting out of emerald waters. However, legend tells how a dragon’s flailing tail carved out these magnificent islets.
Our group stayed overnight on a junk, or large wooden boat, which appeared to glide along the bay as we relaxed on board while viewing awesome grottoes and caves. As we toured through one cave, I was amazed by the massive stalactites carved by the water over millions of years and the spaciousness of the tunnels, which made this cave appear more like a fantasy underworld—a la “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”
Later, the group donned bathing suits and joyfully jumped into the cool, clear waters as a relief from the heat.
During the next morning’s breakfast, I savored the fresh, sweet taste of pineapple and papaya on my palate, which was enough to energize me for the return trip back to Hanoi.
As I gazed out at the diamond-sparkling waters, I realized how grateful I was to be far away from any remembrances of war, the whizzing of motor bikes, and the frenetic city life. All was so peaceful and calm amid Mother Nature’s creative sculptures and landscape. Source: Dtinews
Vietnam’s most prized cave open to tourists in September
Central Vietnam boasts one of the world’s most spectacular caves, Thien Duong, which opens to the public in September. Located in Quang Binh Province, this cave is expected to draw visitors from all of the world.
The Quang Binh Province People’s Committee has permitted Truong Thinh Joint Stock Company to invest about VND83 billion in the first phase of the Thien Duong Cave Project.
Truong Thinh Company will launch a tour to the Sun Spa Resort, Thien Duong and Tam Co caves early next month.
First discovered in 2005 by the British Royal Cave Research Association, Thien Duong (meaning Paradies in Vietnamese) stretches 31kilometres and is the longest cave ever found in Vietnam.
Located some 60 kilometres northwest of Dong Hoi City, Thien Duong Cave lies within the Phong Nha-Ke Bang Park’s conservation area. The cave has the most beautiful and spectacular stalactites in the park. The whole structure has been preserved intact with stunning limestone formations.
According to chairman of the Quang Binh Province People’s Committee, Nguyen Huu Hoai, the province is greatly favoured by nature with a long beautiful beach, a majestic Truong Son Mountain range, and especially the UNESCO Natural Heritage Phong Nha-Ke Bang which boasts hundreds of spectacular caves.
“As such, we consider tourism a key industry,” Hoai said. “I believe that this new project will help attract more visitors to Quang Binh.”
According to statistics provided by the Quang Binh Province People’s Committee, the number of visitors to the province is increasing sharply with a total of 650,000 in 2009, nearly half of which went to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.
The first half of 2010 saw more than 40,000 visitors to the province, an increase of 27% compared to the same period last year. With this new tour, the province is hoping to boost tourism more in the coming years. Source Dtinews
Thua Thien – Hue, Da Nang, and Quang Nam to join tourism festival in Hanoi
From the 2nd to the 5th of October, the three localities: Thua Thien – Hue, Da Nang, and Quang Nam will together join in “Thang Long – Ha Noi International Tourism Festival 2010″ in Bao Son Paradise Theme Park.
The Festival is the most significant Tourism – Culture – Art – Media Festival in the National Tourism Year 2010 to commemorate the Thang Long – Ha Noi 1000th anniversary and 50 years of Vietnam Tourism. The three localities plan to host one 54m2 exhibition store where activities to cheer up and attract tourists will take place. Besides, tourists will be given provinces’ specialties as souvenirs like lanterns, conical hats, and stone-made stuffs… Participating in the Festival, the three localities can introduce, popularize, and propagandize their images, tourism potentialities, and available services, especially their strengths in sea tourism, cultural heritages to domestic and international tourists. Moreover, travel companies from Thua Thien – Hue, Da Nang, and Quang Nam will have chance to talk and seek business opportunities with other domestic and international partners. Source: Website Da Nang, translated by Thanh Thuy – TITC
Vung Tau: stabilizing tourism service price on National Day holiday.
Mr. Ho Van Nien, the Vice Chairman of the Ba Ria – Vung Tau People’s Committe, in a meeting on August 30, directed functional provincial Departments, representatives from vestige sites to stabilize the tourism service prices and tour prices on the National Day occasion.
Addressing at the meeting, Mr. Ho Van Nien required functional authorities to focus on monitoring accommodation and catering service price at tourist attractions. Accordingly, all tourism business operations violating the regulations will be strictly fined. In addition, food hygiene standards, traffic safety, and tourist insurance should regularly be under control.
According to a report of the provincial Department of Finance, the price stabilization focuses on such categories as catering service, sea tourism services (life saver, umbrella, bench hiring, vehicles keeping, and fresh water bathing services…), hotels price, and tourist transporting service. Authorized bodies will monitor quoted prices and selling prices of local business operators, carry out investigation in case of abnormal price soaring… The stabilizing operation will be from August 31 to September 10, 2010.
Source: Ba Ria Vung Tau Newspaper, translated by Thanh Thuy -TITC
Boosting Vietnam-Korea Tourism Cooperation:
On the August 24, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) and the municipal administration of Seoul, in a meeting in Hanoi, exchanged their experience in training Korean language for Vietnamese tourist guides.
In the framework of the meeting, VNAT introduced new holiday destinations for Korean travelers to Vietnam. VNAT also advised Korean travel agents and tourists to choose the right corporate partners and travel agents which are legally-authorized in Vietnam to ensure reliable service quality.
Addressing at the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Quy Phuong, Deputy Director of Travel Department (VNAT) hoped the Korea Tourism in general and Seoul Tourism in particular would assist Vietnam in Korean language training for Vietnamese tourist guides. Last June, an agreement on tourism promotion between the two countries has also been signed.
The 12 Vietnamese International Travel companies cooperating with Korean partners, numerous Korean-owned high-classed hotels in Vietnam, and similarities of the two countries’ cultures are the foundation for Vietnam-Korea tourism cooperation. Source: Bao Du lich, Translated by Thanh Thuy – TITC
National Day tour bookings up
Most of the tourism companies have reported a rise in tour bookings for the long National Day holiday this week. The Government has allowed state agencies and mass organizations an extra day off this Friday, thus prolonging the National Day (September 2) holiday to four. The decision is believed to fuel demand for travel.
Strong demand usually drives up tour prices but travel firms said the would try to stabilize prices and that if they were forced to increase prices for some reasons, the hikes would be confined to the 5-10% range.
Saigontourist has reported a 15% year-on-year improvement in bookings, mainly for three to five-day tours in Vietnam or abroad.
Pham Duc Hoa, deputy manager of the domestic section of Saigontourist, said in a statement, “For the National Day holiday, our company has 35 domestic tours of two to five days for tourists to choose.
“We expect to attract 2,500 domestic tourists during the holiday. Local tourists mostly go for two or three-day tours, while overseas Vietnamese people prefer longer tours, five to six days.”
Pham Thu, manager of the outbound section of Saigontourist, said over 800 tourists had booked overseas tours, mostly to Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China and Cambodia. These tours last four to six days departing from Hanoi and HCMC.
Vietravel has also seen tour bookings surging 15% year-on-year. Vietravel prepares to take 1,250 guests around the country and 2,000 others to foreign countries.
TST Tourist said it expected the number of people taking its tours could jump 72% from the same period last year. VietNamNet/SGT
Air tickets for September holiday running out
According to the General Statistic Office, the number of foreign visitors to Vietnam reached 430,000 in August, increasing by 38 percent over the same period of last year. The total number of international visitors to the country in the first eight months of 2010 estimated 3.35 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 35 percent.
China is the major tourist market with 65,000-90,000 arrivals every month.
In the first eight months of this year, Ho Chi Minh City received more than 1.93 million international arrivals, 14 percent year-over-year increase.
In August, the city saw 240,000 foreign visitors, increasing 20 percent over the same period of last year. Among them, there were 190,000 tourists travelling by air, representing a year-on-year increase of 20 percent.
Foreign travelers to the city have been usually increased in the end of the years, said experts. They hope that the city will welcome 3 millions of international visitors in 2010 and the number of foreign tourists to Vietnam will reach more than 4.2 million.Source: SGGP
Air tickets for September holiday running out
Representatives of the national air carrier Vietnam Airlines and Jetstar Pacific Airlines have said that flight tickets for August 30-31 and September 1 on some “golden air routes” like Hanoi – Nha Trang are nearly running out. Meanwhile, tickets for flights on some other routes are also running short.
The National Day holiday is long this year, lasting four days, so many families decided to take trips during the holiday. As the demand for traveling increases, it is very difficult to obtain air tickets from big cities to tourism sites.
According to the budget airline Jetstar Pacific, the Hanoi – Nha Trang and HCM City – Nha Trang flights are the “hottest” air routes now, since many families like spending time on beautiful beaches. The airline said the demand for traveling has increased by 30-40 percent from ordinary days. All the seats on the flights from Hanoi and HCM City to Nha Trang on September 1 have been booked. Passengers can now only book tickets for earlier or later flights on August 29-31 and after September 3.
Vietnam Airlines has said the air carrier is planning to provide more flights on some air routes on the days close to September 2, National Day. To date, tickets for short and medium distance flights have nearly run out because of the high demand for air travel. There have been no tickets available for the flights from Hanoi and HCM City to Nha Trang on September 1. Passengers need to book air tickets right now for flights on August 30-31 or September 2. Meanwhile, air tickets for flights on other routes like Hanoi – Da Nang, Hanoi – Hue, or Hanoi – Da Lat are also running low, especially flights during “golden hours” (in the morning or afternoon).
The owner of the booking agent on Tran Hung Dao street in Hanoi has confirmed that the number of passengers booking tickets to fly on holiday days with Vietnam Airlines and Jetstar Pacific has increased sharply over the last few years. “A lot of passengers are still calling to book tickets for flights on September 1, but we have to tell them that we have no more tickets,” he said.
According to the booking agent, unlike Tet holiday, the “hottest” air routes on National Day holiday are the ones which link big cities and tourism destinations like Nha Trang, Da Lat, or Da Nang. Meanwhile, passengers still can book tickets now for the Hanoi – HCM City flights on August 30-31 and September 1-2. Since both Vietnam Airlines and Jetstar Pacific have been focusing on developing the two air routes, the supply of tickets for these flights remains abundant. At the moment, passengers can still book cheap tickets on the Hanoi – HCM City route.
In related news, the budget airline Jetstar Pacific has announced a campaign to sell thousands of cheap air tickets for domestic flights on August 31. The sales campaign is in honor of the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi.
The air carrier will sell tickets from 8am to 5pm on August 31. The tickets will allow passengers to fly roundtrip on these routes: Hanoi – HCM City, Hanoi – Da Nang, HCM City – Da Nang, HCM City – Hai Phong. The flights will depart between September 7 and October 27.
Tickets for the Hanoi – Da Nang and HCM City – Da Nang routes will cost 315,000 dong, while tickets for Hanoi – HCM City will cost 615,000 dong. The HCM City – Hai Phong route will cost 600,000 dong.
On August 20, Jetstar Pacific also launched a campaign to sell cheap air tickets. Nearly 6000 passengers successfully booked tickets. Source: VnExpress
Two new hotel brands to join local market
Hotel management companies Marriott International and Outrigger Hotels and Resorts Asia on Tuesday signed a management agreement with the Vietnamese-American Hotel and Resort Limited Company to manage three resorts in a complex in central Vietnam.
The agreement allows Marriott to manage its third JW Marriott properties in Vietnam with the 320-room JW Marriott Vinh Hoi Bay Resort & Spa, and its member company Ritz-Carlton to mark its first presence in Vietnam market with the Ritz-Carlton Reserve designed with 100 luxury villas in the Vinh Hoi Bay Golf Resort complex in Binh Dinh Province.
Construction of both properties is expected to begin in early 2012.
“We are delighted with this visionary opportunity to further expand our lodging portfolio in Vietnam,” Edwin Fuller, president and managing director of international lodging for Marriott International, said in a statement sent the Daily on Tuesday. These resorts, he added, will be among the best, most luxurious properties in Asia.
In another resort, Outrigger enters the local market with a five-star Outrigger Vinh Hoi Bay Resort and Spa which is designed with 210 guest rooms and suites, plus a collection of 46 private villas. The resort will begin construction next year and is scheduled for competition in late 2013.
“We have no doubt that the Vinh Hoi Bay Golf Resort in partnership with these hotel operators is positioned as a premier international luxury destination resort, adding a significant milestone to the Vietnam tourism industry,” said Tran Duc Canh, chairman and chief executive officer of the Vietnamese-American Hotel and Resort Co, a wholly-owned subsidiary of American firm ITC Spectrum, LLC.
The 325-hectare Vinh Hoi Bay Golf Resort, stretching some three kilometers along the coast, is some 25 kilometers north of Quy Nhon in Binh Dinh province. The centerpiece of the development is an 18-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones II of California.
The company said it would set aside US$250 million for the first phase development that will include three resorts, residential villa communities, a retail center, a culture and entertainment center, and a tropical garden.
Later phases of the development will feature three additional hotels and residential properties, as well as an equestrian center and marina. The entire project construction is scheduled for completion by 2015.
The company currently manages two properties in the country, including the Renaissance Riverside Saigon and the New World Hotel Saigon in HCMC. Four additional properties are currently planned or under construction in Vietnam. They include the 250-room Nha Trang Marriott Hotel and the 200-room Courtyard by Marriott Ham Tan, both of which are scheduled to open in 2013. The 450-room JW Marriott Hotel Hanoi and the 271-room JW Marriott Danang Resort are expected to open in 2014.
(Source: SGT)
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