Travel

Encircled by an imposing and beautiful landscape, Nha Trang lies half way between Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang. Its palm-fringed white sandy beaches stretch for more than 7 km. Nha Trang has what is probably the nicest municipal beach in all of Vietnam. The turquoise water around Nha Trang is transparent, making for excellent fishing, snorkeling and scuba diving. People come for the water, the seafood, and the boat trips to nearby islands. By chartering a fishing boat you can swim and snorkel, dine on seafood aboard the boat, visit a beach and fishing village. With the opening of famous hotel and resort, Nha Trang one time was the heart land of the Champa Kingdom. On the North side of Nha Trang is the best preserved Cham tower in central Vietnam.

On the other side of the city, Long Son Pagoda can be reached by climbing; asleep river and town are breathtaking. Nha Trang is also renowned for its delicious seafood including abalone, lobster, prawns, and scallops. If you like typical beach resort town, then Nha Trang is for you.

Ha Long Bay is located in the northeastern part of Vietnam and constitutes part of the western bank of Bac Bo Gulf, including the sea area of Ha Long City and Cam Pha Town and part of Vân Don Island district. It abuts Cat Ba Island in the southwest. Toward the west is the shore with a 120 km-long coastline. It is located within 106o58’-107o22’ east longitude and within 20o45’- 20o50’ north latitude. The site is 1553 sq. km with 1969 islands of various sizes, of which 989 have been named.


The islands in Ha Long Bay are mainly limestone and schist islands most lying in the two main areas: the southeastern part of Bái Tử Long Bay and southwestern part of Hạ Long Bay. These islands represent the most ancient images of a geographical site having a tectonic age of from 250 million to 280 million years. They are the result of many times of rising and lowering processes of the continent to form a karst. The process of nearly full erosion and weathering of the karst created the unique Hạ Long Bay in the world. In a not very large area, thousands of islands with different forms look like glittering emeralds attached to the blue scarf of a virgin. The area where many stone islands concentrate has spectacular scenes and world-famous caves and is the center of Ha Long Bay Natural Heritage, including HaLong Bay and a part of Bái Tu Long Bay.

The area is recognized as the World Natural Heritage that is the area of 434 sq. km with 775 islands. It looks like a giant triangle with Ðầu Gỗ Island (in the west), Ba Hầm Lake (in the south) and Cống Tây Island (in the east) as its three angle points. The nearby area is the buffer area and areas classified as national beauty spots in 1962 by the Ministry of Culture and Information.

Viewed from above, Hạ Long Bay looks like an extremely vivid huge drawing. This is a wonderful and skilful masterpiece of the Creation and of nature that turns thousands of dumb soulless stone islands into fantastic sculptural and artistic works of various graceful shapes, both familiar and strange to human beings. Thousands of islands emerging uneven in the fanciful waves look strong and magnificent but also mild and vivid. Amidst these islands we feel as if we were astray in a petrified legendary world. There are many names given to islands according to their shapes and forms. This one looks like somebody heading toward the shore: Hòn Ðầu Người (Human Head Island); that one looks like a dragon hovering above the sea surface: Hòn Rông (Dragon Island); another looks like an old man sitting fishing: Hòn Lã Vọng; some look like big sails struggling amidst the wind to set off for the sea: Hòn Cánh Buồm (Sail Island); then two islands look like a pair of chicken lovingly playing with each other above the sea: Hòn Trống Mái (Male and Female Chicken Island); and amid the vast sea stands an island like a big incense burner like a ritual offering to Heaven: Hòn Lư Hương (Incense Burner Island). All are so real that people are taken aback by them. Those stone islands have experienced unpredictable changes over time and they take different shapes from different angles of view. Here, we come to realize that they are not dumb inanimate things but are vivid and soulful.

Inside the stone islands are various breath-taking caves, such as Thiên Cung, Ðầu Gỗ, Sửng Sốt, Trinh Nữ, Tam Cung and others. These are really magnificent palaces of the Creation on earth. Long ago, Hạ Long Bay has been called by the great national poet Nguyễn Trãi:“a wonder of the earth erected towards the high sky”. Many men of letters from all over the world have been taken aback at the grandiose scenery of Hạ Long. They seem to get puzzled and incompetent as their treasure of vocabulary is not rich enough to depict the splendor of this place.

Hạ Long Bay is also attached to glorious pages of Vietnamese history, with famous sites such as Vân Ðồn, a bustling trade port in the 12th century, charming Bài Thơ Mountain, and not very far away from here is the Bạch Đằng River which witnessed two famous naval battles of the Viêt’s ancestors against invaders. Also, Hạ Long is one of the cradles of human kind with the glorious Hạ Long culture in the late Neolithic age, discovered at such archeological sites as Ðộng Mang, Xích Thổ, Soi Nhụ and Thoi Giếng.

Hạ Long is also home to great biodiversity with typical eco-systems like mangrove forest, coral and tropical forest. It is also home to thousands of plants and animals of numerous species, for example shrimp, fish and squid. Some species are particularly rare and can be found no where else.

With such special values, at the 18th Session of UNESCO’s Council of World Heritage held on 17 December 1994 in Thailand, Hạ Long Bay was officially placed on the list of the World Natural Heritage. In 2000, UNESCO recognized it as the World Heritage for the second time for its geographical and geomorphologic values. This confirms the global premier value of Hạ Long Bay.

Viet Nam's Phong Nha-Ke Bang national park has been recognised as a world natural heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) at its 27th general assembly session being held in Paris from June 30-July 5.

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 to the list of world heritage sites.

Phong Nha-Ke Bang park is now the fifth UNESCO recognised site in Viet Nam after Ha Long Bay, the imperial city of Hue, the ancient quarter of Hoi An and the My Son historical site.

Phong Nha-Ke Bang national park, located to the north of the majestic Truong Son range in central Quang Binh province, is one of the world's two largest limestone regions.

The over 200,000 ha of parkland includes beautiful limestone formations, grottoes and caves, and boasts lush forestland covering 95 percent of the park area.

The area is considered a paradise for researchers and explorers of grottoes and caves, and Vietnamese and British scientists have so far surveyed 20 with a total length of 70km. Of them, 17 are in the Phong Nha area and three in the Ke Bang area.

The Phong Nha cave itself which lends its name to the whole system is probably the most beautiful of all, containing many fascinating rock formations, enchanting visitors with evocative names such as Lion, Fairy Caves, Royal Court and Buddha.

Besides the grotto and cave systems, Phong Nha has the longest underground rivers, the largest caverns and passageways, the widest and prettiest sand banks, and the most astonishing rock formations in the world.

According to initial statistics, the primitive tropical forest in Phong Nha-Ke Bang houses 140 families, 427 branches, and 751 species of high-rated plants, of which 36 species are endangered and listed in the Viet Nam Red Book. The forest is also home to 32 sets, 98 families, 256 races and 381 species of four land backboned animals. Sixty-six animal species are listed in the Viet Nam Red Book and 23 other species in the World Red Book. In general, Phong Nha-Ke Bang's animals are more diverse than in other natural reserves and national parks.

Phong Nha-Ke Bang also boasts dozens of mountain peaks of over 1,000 metres still unexplored by men and seen as ideal sites for activities like climbing and exploration. Worthy of note are Peak Co Rilata with the height of 1,128 m and Peak Co Preu, 1,213 m. Lying between these peaks are valleys which promise tourists exciting eco-tours.

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 US resistance war.

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

The Mekong Delta Fruit Festival opened in My Khanh Village, Phong Dien District, Can Tho Province on May 28. It is part of activities to welcome the Mekong-Can Tho National Tourism Year 2008 held from May 28 to June 2. The festival will display and sell select varieties of fruit, ornamental plants, and handicraft products. It attracts more than 200 renowned orchards from southern Tay Ninh Province and Mekong Delta provinces.

There will be 10 stands displaying 30 traditional dishes from the south. In addition, a wide range of activities, traditional games and other entertainment activities will be held for children.

After breakfast, City tour to visit The World Cultural Heritage Hue Citadel, It is ancient capital of Vietnam in the 18th and 19th century during the Tay Son and Nguyen Dynasty. For approximately 400 years, Hue was the political and cultural centre of the Feudal State of Vietnam. Get on boat, cruising along Perfume River – the most romantic river of Hue and Vietnam, visit Thien Mu Pagoda. Continue to visit Hue Citadel with Imperial Enclosure, Forbidden Purple City, Ngo Mon Gate, Thai Hoa Palace, Dynasty Temple, Nine Dynasty Urns, Pavilion of Splendor and Royal Residence. Continue to visit King Khai Dinh Tomb – one of the most impressive tombs that attractive to all visitors. Have a lunch. In the afternoon transfer to Danang ( 120 km from Hue). Arrive in Da Nang, visit Cham Museum. Then transfer to The World Cultural Heritage Hoian Ancient Town. Hoian is about 30km south of Danang along Thu Bon river. It was a major trading centre in Southeast Asian between the 16th and 17th century. On the way, drop at Non Nuoc Marble Carving Village founded from the 18th century to admire a world of artworks made of marble by hand. Arrive Hoian, visit Japanese Covered Bridge built in the 16th century, Phuoc Kien Assembly Hall is also called Kim Son Pagoda, was built in 1697 by Chinese Phuoc Kien merchants, Tan Ky Ancient House, Hoi An Museum. Have dinner. Free in the evening to enjoy night life of Hoi An. Night in Hoi An.

A truly memorable part of Vietnam
The Mekong Delta forms both the far southern region of Vietnam and one of country's two main ricebowls. Dominated by the Mekong River and its many tributaries, the surrounding lands are comprised of low lying rice paddies and the rivers are bordered by dense mangroves and palms. The tributaries of the hectic Mekong River highway provide a comprehensive network of canals and channels acting as on and off ramps to the main throughfare. For the independent traveller, these rivers and tributaries can be the best method to explore the Mekong Delta at a leisurely pace and offer the opportunity to experience the truly unique Mekong River lifestyle.

By embarking on a comprehensive exploration of the Delta, you will have the opportunity to observe and participate in an extra dimension of Vietnamese life and culture. The attractions to this region of Vietnam include the way in which life exists around the comprehensive river system, the heavy Khmer influence from nearby Cambodia and the extensive coastline, boasting some of the nicer beaches in Vietnam.

For those with time on their hands at least a month could be spent exploring this part of Vietnam, yet the vast bulk of tourists and travellers alike spend no more than a handful of days here, generally as a part of a tour organised out of Saigon.




For those unfortunate enough to have a time limit for their stay in Vietnam, we would suggest spending a longer time in one region of the Delta rather than attempting to see every centre in seven to ten days, as transport, especially during the wet season, can be very slow and uncomfortable.

However much you decide to explore, cruising up one of the many river, as the sun sets over the distant coconut trees, is a truly remarkable experience that will stay with you forever.

Formation and meaning of traditional festivals

Traditional festivals constitute a form of cultural activities, a spiritual product which the people have created and developed during the course of history. From generation to generation, the Vietnamese people preserve the fine tradition of “remembering the source while drinking water.” Festivals are events which represent this tradition of the community as well as honour the holy figures named as “gods” – the real persons in national history or legendary persons. The images of gods converge the noble characteristics of mankind. They are national heroes who fought against foreign invaders, reclaimed new lands, treated people, fought against natural calamities, or those legendary characters who affect the earthly life. Festivals are events when people pay tribute to divinities that rendered merits to the community and the nation.

Festivals are occasions when people come back to either their natural or national roots, which form a sacred part in their mind.

Festivals represent the strength of the commune or village, the local region or even the whole nation. Worshipping the same god, the people unite in solidarity to overcome difficulties, striving for a happy and wealthy life.

Festivals display the demand for creativity and enjoyment of spiritual and material cultural values of all social strata. Festivals become a form of education under which fine traditional moral values can be handed from one generation to the next in a unique way of combining spiritual characters with competition and entertainment games.

Festivals are also the time people can express their sadness and worries in a wish that gods might bestow favour on them to help them strive for a better life.

Process of festivals

Generally speaking, every festival will include the following three steps:

Preparation: The preparation work is divided into two phases: prior to the coming festive season and in the immediate time before the festive day. The preparation work for the coming festive season starts right after the previous festival comes to an end. When it is coming to the festive day, people need to check the worshipping objects, attires, decoration, and cleaning of the worshipping place and statues.

The festive day: Many activities take place, including rituals of procession, incense offering, and rejoicing games, among others. They form the most important and significant part of any festival. These activities also play a decisive role in attracting tourists and deciding the timing of the festival itself.

The ending of the festival: The organization board expresses their thanks to all festival goers and closes the worshipping place.

Hue Festival 2010 - Cultural Heritage with Integration and development - The rendezvous for Ancient Cities and World Cultural Heritages

By the end of 1998 and beginning of 1999, the Government of Vietnam permitted Thua Thien Hue province to organize the Hue Festival 2000 – the first-ever international art, cultural and tourism festival of national scale in Vietnam. Upon its brilliant successes, Hue Festival has been biennually held in even years since then, and this contributes to the government’s decision to build Hue the Festival City of Vietnam.
Over the past festivals, Hue Festival has achieved remarkable results. In 2000, Hue Festival received over 30 art troupes from Vietnam and France with more than 1000 artists, both professional and non-professional performers. The event attracted more than 410,000 spectators, in which there were 41,000 tourists with 6,000 international visitors.
In 2002, there were 33 art groups representing 8 nations and typical art groups of the country, comprising 1,554 artists, performers and technicians. The event drew the participation of approximately 1 million spectators including 75,000 tourists, out of which 18,000 were international visitors.
In 2004, 15 international art groups from 7 countries and 25 domestic troupes totaling 1,300 professional performers, and almost 2,000 non-professional performers and technicians participated in the festival. It received 1,2 million viewers, among them, there were 11,950 international tourists out of 101,950 arrivals.
In 2006, the event gathered 1,440 artists and performers of 22 domestic art groups (with 1,171 performers) and 22 international art troupes (with 269 performers) from 10 countries. It received 150,000 tourists, and among which 20,557 were international visitors.
In 2008, the participation of over 1,500 artists from 37 Vietnamese art groups and 457 artists from 31 foreign groups presented 133 performances to the festival’s audience, and 90 community activities and festivities. The event attracted 180,000 tourists, in which 30,000 were foreign visitors.
Taking the theme “Cultural heritage with Integration and Development”, Hue Festival 2010 as the national premier art events to celebrate the Millennium Anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi and to mark the 50th anniversary of sister cities of Hanoi – Hue – Saigon. The event will be launched on Saturday, June 5th, 2010 and concluded on Sunday evening of June 13th, 2010. An unprecedented feature of the event stays in the fact that this festival will be the gathering of art troupes from all 5 continents, from ancient capitals and cities of world heritages. So far, there have been 40 art groups and artists from 31 nations applied to participate Hue Festival 2010. They are France – major partner, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Cambodia, Central Africa, China, Cuba, Denmark, England, Poland, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Laos, Mexico, Mongolia, Norway, Russia, Scotland, Senegal, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraina, United States and the host country, 31 programs from 21 countries have been confirmed with diverse genres ranging from dance, music, circus, drama. Not only stage performances in the city centre to be showcased by international art groups, there are local and international performances at stages outside the city, and well-known street performing groups will animate the city during the festival.
Art groups and companies from Vietnam include renowned theatres and companies, such as Thang Long Theatre, Bong Sen Theatre, provincial dance and music companies of An Giang, Daklak, Phu Yen, Danang, Thua Thien Hue Provincial Music Theatre Company, Hue Royal Traditional Theatre, and art troupes from the three sister cities of Hue – Hanoi – HCM City, World Heritage Cities, and from cities endowed with extraordinary traditional arts.
Hue Festival 2010 will continue to take advantage of the unique settings of previous festivals. Besides, performing venues will be expanded to the vicinity of Hue and recently developed towns of the province as well as newly-established cultural and sport facilities.
The Citadel still functions as the heart of Hue Festival with some 5 outdoor stages and a number of theatres where exceptional performances are showcased by excellent art troupes in country and abroad. Other performing venues will also be set up at large such as Tinh Tam Lake, An Dinh Palace, Ngo Mon Square, Southern part of the city and its outskirts.
Various venues in the districts of A Luoi, Nam Dong, Phu Loc, Huong Thuy, Phu Vang, Phong Dien, Quang Dien will entertain the public with performances of Vietnamese and international art troupes. Many satellites venues to be arranged for Hue Festival 2010’s activities include Nguyen Van Troi Park, Thuong Bac Park, February 3 Park, Nguyen Dinh Chieu pedestrian road, Thuan An Beach, Lang Co Beach, Thanh Toan Roofed Bridge, Phuoc Tich Ancient Village, the Memorial Park of the national’s hero Quang Trung – Nguyen Hue, the Huyen Tran Princess sacred precinct, and other.
A variety of unique festivities of large scale, well-staged and interesting performances will take place all along 9 days of the festival, including the Grand Opening and Closing ceremonies, Ao dai Grand Show, the “Oriental Night” program, the performance of Viet’s Beauty of the second edition called “the resonance of Ngan river”.
Royal rites and performances being reenacted in previous festivals will artistically be improved such as Nam Giao Offering Ritual, Royal Palace by Night and Legends of the Perfume River. To mark the 1000th Anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi and commemorate the event when Lord Nguyen Phuc Lan decided to choose Kim Long as Nguyen dynasty’s capital, the program called “Itinerary to reclaim the country’s land” and the reenactment of a “Navy maneuver under the Nguyen Lords” will be showcased to audiences.
Moreover, a wide range of fringe and socialized activities are themed in accordance with guideline of the Organizing Committee to create an ebullient ambiance, including a fête for children called “Summer’s cubes”. Hue’s Poetry Festival, etc. Many cultural activities, festivities and community performances will take place, just to name a few: the Art exhibition of female painters and artists, exhibit of Ly Dynasty’s artefacts by Vietnam’s Institute for Fine Arts, photographs and painting exposition by Literature and Arts Associations from Hue, Hanoi, Phu Tho, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa entitled: “From Ancient Capital to Ancient Capital”, the exhibition of lacquer paintings called: “ A Self-narration of the Ancient Capital”, and the display of royal honour-conferring diplomas and ancient books, etc. Installation art works and street art performances will involve the public days and nights. Particularly, the extensive display of street paintings carried out by hundreds of Hue’s painters and students from Hue University of Fine Arts on the floor of Trang Tien bridge and the installation show named “For our Green Planet” with the participation of artists of all three regions nationwide will excite festival’s viewers.

Khanh Hoa Province is gearing up the Nha Trang Sea Festival, which will run from June 6-12 with the theme Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa) – Civilisation and Friendship.

A host of activities will mark the run up to the event, starting with a musical show on May 19 to commemorate the birthday of late President Ho Chi Minh.

During the rest of the month, other performances will be held to herald the fest, including a show by ethnic children in Khanh Hoa, Phu Yen and Ninh Thuan provinces. An official campaign to clean up local beaches and an exhibition of metal work will also be held.

A grand fireworks display will announce the opening of the festival with musical performances sponsored by VinaCapital.

The seven-day programme includes 70 different events in culture, art, sports, economics and science.

Folk culture will also get a special mention, with the Cau Ngu Festival (fish worshipping ceremony) and Cham performances.

There will be coracle racing, an exhibition of calligraphy, art kite launching and a sand sculpture contest.

Organisers are also intending to break several national records, including the largest folk orchestra in Vietnam, the biggest wifi cafe at the seaside, the longest piece of embroidery work and the largest pho (noodle soup) bowl in Vietnam.

This year’s festival will feature a broad range of culture, sports and tourism activities, including street festivals, exhibitions of books, photos and calligraphy, French film screening, art performances and water sports competitions.

The fest has drawn art troupes from France, Ukraine, Japan and the RoK. The organising board will also invite beauty queens from the 29 countries with the most beautiful bays in the world to attend the festival. Other highlights include a national conference on urban planning, a beach football tournament, an international book fair and a joint Vietnam-RoK concert.

Nha Trang is one of the most important tourist hubs of Vietnam, thanks to its white beaches, clear ocean water and year-round mild temperatures.

The Sea Festival is held in Nha Trang City every two years. In 2007, around 250,000 tourists attended, according to the organising board.

(Source: VNA)

Thua Thien Hue

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.

Climate: The weather is submitted to tropical monsoon climate divided into four distinct seasons: fresh spring, very hot summer, mild autumn and windy, cold winter. The dry season lasts from March to August. It is hot with temperate rarely reaches to 39.5ºC. The rainy season lasts from September to February. It is quite cold with average temperature is 19.7ºC, but sometime down to 8.8ºC. In this time, it rains a lost, sometime lasts all day. If tourist would to avoid rainy, they come to Danang City, 108km from south of Hue. In the mountain area, the weather is cool with the annual temperature is between 9ºC and 29ºC. The most convenient time to visit the area is from November to April.

Thua Thien-Hue offers very diversified and beautiful landscapes. Nature and human beings create a harmoniously beauty with Bach Ma (White Horse) National Park and other attractive beaches such as Thuan An, Lang Co and Canh Duong. The province provides a well-balanced blend of royal heritage and folk culture. As a matter of fact, tourists discover dozens of handicraft villages, with annual festivals that are painstakingly organized.

Hue is also an important center of Buddhism. In there and surrounding still exist tens of pagodas constructed more 300 years ago, and hundred of temples and pagodas built in the early 20th century.

Besides, tourist is able to enjoy many traditional famous dishes and find out about sophisticated handicraft here.Hue Citadel has been recognized as a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO since December 1993, Hue Royal Musical (Nha nhac) has been declared as a World Intangible Cultural Heritage since November 2003.

My Son, located 69 km southwest of Danang, was an imperial city during the Cham dynasty, between the 4th and 12th centuries. My Son Sanctuary is a large complex of religious relics that comprises more than 70 architectural works. They include temples and towers that connect to each other with complicated red brick designs. The main component of the Cham architectural design is the tower, built to reflect the divinity of the king.

According to records on the stone stele, the prime foundation of the ancient My Son architectural complex was a wooden temple to worship the Siva Bhadresvera genie. In the late 16th century, a big fire destroyed the temple. Step by step, historical mysteries were unveiled by scientists. Through stone stele and royal dynasties, they proved My Son to be the most important Holy Land of the Cham people from the late 4th to the 15th centuries. For many centuries, the Cham built Lip, a mutually linked architectural complex, with baked bricks and sandstone. The main temple worships the Linga-Yoni, who represents the capability of invention. Beside the main tower (Kalan) are several sub-towers worshipping Genies or deceased kings. Although time and the wars have destroyed some towers, the remaining sculptural and architectural remnants still reflect the style and history of the art of the Cham people. Their masterpieces mark a glorious time for the architecture and culture of the Cham, as well as of Southeast Asia.

Each historical period has its own identity, so that each temple worshipping a genie or a king of a different dynasty has its own architectural style full of different impression. All of the Cham towers were built on a quadrate foundations and each comprises three parts: a solid tower base, representing the world of human beings, the mysterious and sacred tower body, representing the world of spirits, and the tower top built in the shape of a man offering flowers and fruits or of trees, birds, animals, etc., representing things that are close to the spirits and human beings.

According to many researchers of the ancient Cham towers, the architectural art of the Cham towers at My Son Sanctuary is the convergence of different styles, including the continuity of the ancient style in the 7th-8th centuries, the Hoa Lai style of the 8th-9th centuries, the Dong Duong style from the mid-9th century, the My Son and My Son-Binh Dinh styles, etc. Among the remnants of many architectural sites excavated in 1898, a 24 metres high tower was found in the Thap Chua area and coded A I by archaeologists and researchers on My Son. This tower is a masterpiece of ancient Cham architecture. It has two doors, one in the east and the other in the west. The tower body is high and delicate with a system of paved pillars; six sub-towers surround the tower. This two storey tower looks like a lotus flower. The top of the upper layer is made of sandstone and carved with elephant and I ion designs. In the lower layer, the walls are carved with fairies and water evils and men riding elephants. Unfortunately, the tower was destroyed by US bombs in 1969.

After the My Son ancient tower complex was discovered, many of its artifacts, especially statues of female dancers and genies worshipped by the Cham people, worship animals and artifacts of the daily communal activities, were collected and displayed at the Cham Architecture Museum in Danang city. Although there are not many remnants left, those that remain display the typical sculptural works of cultural value of the Cham nationality. Furthermore, they are vivid proof, confirming the history of a nationality living within the Vietnamese community boasting of a rich cultural tradition.

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 14TH 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 14th 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 14th 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 Café, 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 14th 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.

Lady Thubon Festival
It is a traditional festival of ancient Champa people that is inherited & kept till nowadays. This festival falls on lunar February 12th in Lady Thu Bon’s Palace in Duy Tan commune, Duy Xuyen district.
Lady Thu Bon, also known as Lady Bo Bo, the woman who made great contributions to found agriculture and fishery in alluvial land. During the festival, the atmosphere is excited and animated. Apart from the offering, the festival includes traditional games and processions such as: regatta, vehicle and water processions, dances and festival songs. In these days, Thu Bon river is sometimes waved by the acclamation and encouragement along two riversides but sometimes is engraved and fond in the memory of the past.
Now, Lady Thu Bon festival is being revived with many ancient games of Central region by Duy Xuyen authorities.
Coming to the festival, tourists have a chance to visit My Son Temple and Tower Zone – a famous world’s cultural heritage.
"Quang Nam - The Heritage Itinerary" Festival
This is the stunning cultural and tourism event of the province with many diverse activities that aim to respect the cultural characteristics and propagate tourism products in Quang Nam.
The festival activities are mainly organized in the big tourism places such as Hoi An, My Son, Cham island, Phu Ninh reservoir and traditional craft villages. The first “Quang Nam - The Heritage Itinerary” festival was organized in the year 2003 and since then it had been continued to hold once two years. Coming to the festival, tourists will be excited by the lively atmosphere and enjoy the traditional arts which have the deep cultural characteristics of Quang Nam and some regions in the country, they can also participate in folk games and another sport activities. This festival is a place for meeting and interchanging with artists, actors and athletes especially with visitors from around the world.

Cham island is 18 kilometers from Cua Dai (Hoi An city) to the East, It has 8 islands altogether named according to their shapes or characteristics. They are the Lao (pear), Dai (long), La (leave), Kho Con (small dry), Kho Me (large dry), Tai (ear), Mo (tomb) and Nom (east wind) islands. Moreover, Cham island has some fishing villages and many poetic beaches that look like the beaches discribed in the novel of the American writer- Ernest-Hemingway- of “ The old man and the sea” .
The sea has stone bands and twinkle coral reefs creating a fanciful gardens under the bottom of the sea with hundreds of millions species of fish and tropical seafood. On the island, there is a plentiful animal system, precious birds: Yen (swallow) habititats together with the other species.
Tourists will enjoy the fresh atmosphere of the sea with clean white sand, cool water and enter in to the daily activities in warm welcome of the residents in fishing village to see the beautiful scenic spots: Huong beach, Lang beach, Anchorage site and Hai Tang pagoda. Tourists can conquer the high hills, enjoy camping-fire nights while having the famous special food such as Land crab, andlimpets (Vu sao vu nang)...
Cham Island is also a trading port of Cham’s Kings and foreign countries and it is recorded in many historical books of Viet Nam.

Viet Nam's Phong Nha-Ke Bang national park has been recognised as a world natural heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) at its 27th general assembly session being held in Paris from June 30-July 5.

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 to the list of world heritage sites.

Phong Nha-Ke Bang park is now the fifth UNESCO recognised site in Viet Nam after Ha Long Bay, the imperial city of Hue, the ancient quarter of Hoi An and the My Son historical site.

Phong Nha-Ke Bang national park, located to the north of the majestic Truong Son range in central Quang Binh province, is one of the world's two largest limestone regions.

The over 200,000 ha of parkland includes beautiful limestone formations, grottoes and caves, and boasts lush forestland covering 95 percent of the park area.

The area is considered a paradise for researchers and explorers of grottoes and caves, and Vietnamese and British scientists have so far surveyed 20 with a total length of 70km. Of them, 17 are in the Phong Nha area and three in the Ke Bang area.

The Phong Nha cave itself which lends its name to the whole system is probably the most beautiful of all, containing many fascinating rock formations, enchanting visitors with evocative names such as Lion, Fairy Caves, Royal Court and Buddha.

Besides the grotto and cave systems, Phong Nha has the longest underground rivers, the largest caverns and passageways, the widest and prettiest sand banks, and the most astonishing rock formations in the world.

According to initial statistics, the primitive tropical forest in Phong Nha-Ke Bang houses 140 families, 427 branches, and 751 species of high-rated plants, of which 36 species are endangered and listed in the Viet Nam Red Book. The forest is also home to 32 sets, 98 families, 256 races and 381 species of four land backboned animals. Sixty-six animal species are listed in the Viet Nam Red Book and 23 other species in the World Red Book. In general, Phong Nha-Ke Bang's animals are more diverse than in other natural reserves and national parks.

Phong Nha-Ke Bang also boasts dozens of mountain peaks of over 1,000 metres still unexplored by men and seen as ideal sites for activities like climbing and exploration. Worthy of note are Peak Co Rilata with the height of 1,128 m and Peak Co Preu, 1,213 m. Lying between these peaks are valleys which promise tourists exciting eco-tours.

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 US resistance war.

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

Belonging to Duy Phu commune, Duy Xuyen district, My Son sanctuary is 45 km west of Hoi An, 70 km South of Da Nang.
In 1898, a French soldier named M.C. Paris, found out My Son temples in a secret narrow valley among dense forests. Not long after that, scientists and archeologists from French Far Eastern Archaeological Scholar Institute came and researched epitaphs, architecture and sculptures in My Son. They revealed that My Son was the most grandiose vestige in Viet Nam, continuously built for more than 1000 years. My Son temples were built from the 4th century under the reign of king Bhadravaman, until late 13th century, and early 14th century under the reign of King Jaya Simhavaman III (Che Man).
My Son used to be a group of more than 70 temple towers. Each temple has a typical architecture which reflects a historical stage of the Champa kingdoms. Most of the architecture and sculptures were influenced by Indian culture. Most of the temples point to the East, the sun direction. Champa people thought that the East was the place where the gods lived. Only a few towers point to the West or both East and West this meant that when the king died he would be conferred as a god and present his affection to his ancestor.
Due to natural disasters and war-related damages, only about 20 temple towers still remain in My Son. However, most of the remaining epitaphs, archaeology analysis and relies preserved in My Son and some domestic museums such as Danang Cham museum, Ho Chi Minh historical museum sufficiently make us dramatically admire the art of architecture and sculpture of the ancient Champa people. Especially, up to now, the technic of sticking building materials without any mortar in construction of temple towers in My Son still a secret stimulating fondness for curiosity, discovery and research of scientists as well as of everyone.
Although My Son is not as majestic and spectacular as Angkor ( Cambodia), Pagan (Myanma), Borobudua ( Indonesia)..., My Son possesses an important role in South East Asia’s civilisation of art. In December 1999, Hoi An ancient town along with My Son were recognised as the world cultural heritages by UNESCO. Hundreds of thousands of tourists and researchers visit My Son every year.

Situated in the North-East region of Vietnam, Halong Bay is a bay in the Gulf of Tonkin comprised of regions of Halong City, the township of Cam Pha, and a part of the island district of Van Don. Halong Bay borders Cat Ba Island in the southwest, the East Sea in the east, and the mainland, creating a 120 km coastline.

Halong Bay is made up of 1,969 islands of various sizes, 989 of which have been given names. There are two kinds of islands, limestone and schist, which are concentrated in two main zones: the southeast (belonging to Bai Tu Long Bay), and the southwest (belonging to Halong Bay). This densely concentrated zone of stone islands, world famous for its spectacular scenery of grottoes and caves, forms the central zone of Halong Bay, which has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The bay itself has an area of 43,400 ha, 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.

Viewed from above, Halong Bay resembles a geographic work of art. While exploring the bay, you 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. La Vong Island resembles an old man fishing. There are also the islands of the Sail, the Pair of Roosters, and the Incense Burner, which all astonishingly resemble their namesakes. The forms of the islands change depending on the angle of the light and from where the islands are viewed. At the core of the islands, there are wonderful caves and grottoes, such as Thien Cung (Heavenly Residence Grotto), Dau Go (Driftwood Grotto), Sung Sot (Surprise Grotto), and Tam Cung (Three Palace Grotto).

Halong Bay has many links to the history of Vietnam. For example, there are such famous geographical sites as Van Don (site of an ancient commercial port), Poem Mountain (with engravings of many poems about emperors and other famous historical figures), and Bach Dang River (the location of two fierce naval battles fought against foreign aggressors).

It has been proven by scientists that Halong was one of the first cradles of human existence in the area at such archeological sites as Dong Mang, Xich Tho, Soi Nhu, and Thoi Gieng. It is also a region of highly-concentrated biological diversity with many ecosystems of salt water-flooded forests, coral reefs, and tropical forests featuring thousands of species of animal and plant life.

With all this in mind, the 18th meeting of the Committee of the World Heritages of UNESCO (in Thailand on December 17th, 1994), officially recognized Halong Bay as a natural heritage site of worldwide importance.

I. Grottoes

Dau Go (Driftwood) Grotto

Dau Go Grotto is found on Driftwood Island, formerly known as Canh Doc Island. The name Driftwood Grotto comes from the popular story of the resistance war against the Nguyen Mong aggressors. In a decisive battle, Tran Hung Dao was given an order to prepare many ironwood stakes to be planted on the riverbed of the Bach Dang River. The remaining wooden pieces were found in the grotto and, as a result, the grotto was given its present name. The entrance is reached via 90 steps up the island. The grotto is divided into three main parts. In the first chamber, many forms can be seen in the rock, depending on the imagination of the observer. In the middle of the chamber, on the top of the pillar, there appears to be a monk draped in a long, dark cloak, with his right hand clasping a cane. Moving into the second chamber, visitors pass through a narrow "door", naturally formed through erosion. The light here is mysterious, and new images appear in the stone. At the end of the grotto is a well of clear water surrounded by four ancient walls.

In this grotto, there remains an engraved stone stele singing the praises of Halong Bay ordered by Emperor Khai Dinh when he came to visit the grotto in 1917. Dau Go is 40 minutes from Bai Chay. Admission is 15,000 VND per person, 5,000 VND for children under 15, and children under 6 are free.

Trinh Nu (Virgin) Grotto-Trong (Male) Grotto

The Virgin Grotto is situated in the island range of Bo Hon, in the system comprised of the Surprise Grotto, Dong Tien Lake, and Luon Grotto. The grotto is 15 km south of Bai Chay Beach. For some fishermen, the Virgin Grotto is home, while for young lovers it is a popular romantic rendezvous site.

According to legend, there once was a beautiful fisherman's daughter, whose family was so poor that they were in service of the rich administrator of the fishing zone, who forced the family to give him their daughter as a concubine. However, the fisherman’s daughter already had a lover and refused to marry the administrator. The administrator got angry and exiled her to a wild island where she suffered from hunger and exhaustion. One frightful night she turned to stone. On this same night, her lover, knowing of her danger, rowed his boat in search of her. However, a tempest destroyed his boat, and he floated to a nearby island. In a flash of lightening, he saw his lover in the distance, but his calls were driven away by the wind. In his final exhaustion, he also turned to stone (today’s Male Grotto).

When visiting the Virgin Grotto, you can still see the petrified girl with her long hair hanging down and eyes looking towards the mainland. Opposite the Virgin Grotto, the Male Grotto is still home to the lover whose his face is turned towards his mate. At times, his passionate calls and blows against the walls of the grotto can still be heard.

Thien Cung (Heavenly Palace) Grotto

This recently discovered grotto is one of the most beautiful in Halong Bay. Thien Cung is situated on the southwest side of the bay, 4 km from the wharf outside of Halong City. It is located in a small range of islands that resemble a throne embracing two superb grottoes at its core. The way to Thien Cung is perilous, covered on both sides by thick forest. After entering a narrow gate, the magnificent, 130 m long grotto opens up.

According to legend, a beautiful young lady named May (cloud) caught the eye of the Dragon Prince and he fell in love with her. They were betrothed and got married in the very center of the grotto. All of the scenes of their wedding, which lasted for seven days and seven nights, have been seemingly fossilized in the grotto.

In the center, there are four large pillars supporting the "roof of heaven". From the base to the top, many strange images seem to exist in the stone, including birds, fish, flowers and even scenes of human life. On the north wall of the grotto, a group of fairies seems to be singing and dancing in honor of the wedding. Under the immeasurably high roof, stalactites form a natural stone curtain. There is also the sound of a beating drum made by the wind blowing through the stone.

In the last chamber of the grotto, a natural gushing stream of water babbles throughout the year. Here there are three small ponds of clear water. One path meanders out of the grotto.

Quang Hanh Grotto

Located 9 km west of Cam Pha, Quang Hanh Grotto is the longest grotto in Halong Bay. It is 1,300 m long, and stretches throughout the stone mountain of Quang Hanh. The French named it "Le Tunnel," or Tunnel Grotto.

Quang Hanh Grotto is accessible by either boat or car, but the entrance only appears when the tide is out. Ba Co Shrine (shrine of three girls) is in the grotto beside a smooth stone block. Legend tells that three girls, who were once journeying on the sea, came to the grotto to take shelter from the rain. They were so engrossed with the beauty of the grotto, that they did not notice the rising tide. They drowned, only to become water goddesses.

Quang Hanh Grotto is extremely beautiful. A small boat will take you through the stone passageway by flashlight, casting magical colors on the hanging stalactites.

II. Islands

Bai Tho Mountain (Poem Mountain)

Bai Tho Mountain is 106 m high. It runs along the coast, half on land and half in the sea. Sailing in the bay, one or two hundred meters from the mountain, one can see a poem carved on a flat stone cliff.

In 1468, Emperor Le Thanh Tong, who was also a poet, made an inspection tour of the North-East region. He stopped at the foot of the mountain, and inspired by the magnificent beauty of his surroundings, he wrote a poem. Later, he had the poem engraved on the wall of the mountain. It is very interesting to climb the mountain and enjoy the panoramic view of the bay.

Tuan Chau Islet

Situated 3 km west of Dao Go Islet, Tuan Chau Islet has an area of 300 ha. On the islet, there is a very simple bamboo house built by the inhabitants of Quang Ninh for Uncle Ho to rest after visiting Halong Bay. The house is now carefully preserved by the locals.

III. Beaches

Bai Chay

Bai Chay is a resort located along the coast of Halong Bay. This is a windward ocean resort which has a year round average temperature of 20oC (68oF).

Bai Chay is a low gently sloping range of hills that runs along the sea for more than 2 km. Blended in among the pine trees are large hotels and small villas with distinguished architectural styles. Traveling down the asphalt road along the coast, visitors see long white stretches of sand and green rows of Casuarina trees, tucked under which are small family-run restaurants. After swimming at the beach, tourists can enjoy cold drinks and cool off in the breeze that sweeps in from the sea.

“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).

There is also a local legend, which has been handed down, relating to the name Ha Long Bay, which tells the following tale:
“Long ago, in the first founding days, the Viet people were attacked by foreign aggressors. The Jade Emperor sent the Mother Dragon and her band of Child Dragons to help the Viet people fight the invaders. While the enemy vessels were launching massive attacks against the mainland, the dragons descended in flocks from the sky. They spat out innumerable pearls which changed into jade stone islands the moment they touched the water. These islands linked together to form firm citadels that checked the enemy’s advance and smashed their vessels to pieces.

After the invaders were driven out, Mother Dragon and her Child Dragons did not return to Heaven but stayed on earth, right at the place where the battle occurred. The spot where the Mother Dragon landed was Ha Long, and where the Child Dragons came down was Bai Tu Long. The place where their tails violently wagged was called Long Vi, the present-day Tra Co Peninsula with its soft sandy beach stretching many kilometers.”