Three Most Romantic destinations in Vietnam

Floating clouds and mountains, quiet space, pristine and fresh scenery … Con Dao, Phu Quoc, Ba Na are really romantic destinations in Vietnam for lovers or tourists looking for peaceful places.

1. Con Dao – a wild island

The island was “ the hell on earth” but now it has become a tourist paradise. Besides, Con Dao is voted one of ten most pristine, beautiful and fresh islands in the world by Lonely Planet Magazine. It owns a range of beautiful sites such as the preserved national park, dense forests islands, shelter and  proliferation of dolphins, turtles and beautiful coral reefs.

Furthermore, visitors can admire bewitching blue sea, the stretching white sand; visit famous historical sites or watch sea turtles in breeding season from May to November.

There are very few resorts in Con Son, thus the island is quite pristine, peaceful and mystical. Perhaps because of the silence, purity, then island has become a romantic destination of couples who want to have a private space in the honeymoon period.

Transportation: you can go to Con Dao by hydrofoils ( buy tickets at Bach Dang Wharf ) or airplanes

Transportation: you can go to Con Dao by hydrofoils ( buy tickets at Bach Dang Wharf ) or airplanes

Attractions include: prison, Ong Dung forest and watch sea turtles in Bay Canh Islet…

Transportation on the island : Motorcycles

2. Phu Quoc – a dreamlike island

Consume 35 minutes by flight from Ho Chi Minh, Phu Quoc is stunning and romantic with immense forests, pristine beaches, fresh air and a dozen enchanted landscapes.

Transportation: you can go to Con Dao by hydrofoils ( buy tickets at Bach Dang Wharf ) or airplanes.

Visitors can enjoy the nature with some activities, such as squid fishing, fishing, discovering old growth forest, naked bath in streams or exploring the fish sauce production shops or pearls.

Transportation: airplanes or ships

Duration: 4-5 days

Transportation on the island: Motorcycles

3. Ba Na mountain dew and clouds

At an altitude of nearly 1,500 meters above sea level, there are all 4 seasons in a day, Ba Na has become an ideal destination for fastidious tourists who want to enjoy the comfort of summer, light chill of autumn and fog of winter in a short holiday period.

Not only will you have a great chance to take a panorama – a stunning picture of pristine mountain from the top, but also have a great feeling of flying in the floating clouds on your motorcycle which is an interesting vehicle to conquer the steep mountain.

You can reach Ba Na (Da Nang) by plane, bus or train, depending on your budget.

Duration: 2-3 days.

Three Most Romantic destinations in Vietnam

9 interesting things in Hue Citadel

Hue citadel – A ancient pensiveness and magical Royal Palace night will be reappeared with the history of the flashy palace or sweet voice on the Perfume river which has formed Hue citadel – a dreamlike city.

1. The most intact palace relic in Vietnam

If you have been to the ancient capital of Hoa Lu (Ninh Binh), Co Loa, Thang Long (Hanoi) which were the capital of Vietnam, now has become ruins , you will find the most intact preservation of Hue ancient capital relics population. Hue has its own serene beauty and quiet with palaces, fortresses, shrines, tombs , temples and many garden houses.

When traveling to Hue, you will admire the artistic masterpieces of the golden palaces, splendid temples and shrines , majestic tombs, and pensive scenery.

2. Military architectures

Hue Citadel was built under King  Gia Long and King Minh Mang, located in the northern Perfume River, facing the South. Hue Citadel is a unique combination between the traditional principles of Vietnamese architecture, Eastern philosophy with feng shui  and yin and yang and western military architecture.

3. Unique royal tombs

Tombs of the Nguyen dynasty were based on the principles of feng shui, such as rivers, mountains, lakes and streams. Surface layout of every tomb always is divided into two main parts: the sepulchral area and the temple area… The sepulchral area is reserved for burying the King’s corpse and the temple area is a place where many palaces, mansions, pavilions and others were built for the king’s entertainment during his visits. Therefore, every tombs of Hue is not only a historical and cultural relic but also is a landscape, but also landscapes and architecturally artful ‘flowers’ of Hue Ancient City.

4. The conservation of precious royal treasure system

Located in the Citadel, Museum of royal antiquities was established in 1923, with the first name of Musee’ Khai Dinh. Then, it had changed other names and in 1993 was renamed Museum of Hue imperial antiquities.

You will see and discover thousands of items including pottery, wood, copper, rocks, bones, ivories, horns, sculpture on rocks…in this museum.

 5. The successful reconstruction of some unique royal festivities

Hue imperial festivals were national ceremonies and were held by government. There were dozens of large and small festivals celebrated annually in the citadel which were ruled very closely and seriously, even recorded as regulations. From the kings to the people must comply with strict rules. Today, traveling to Hue, you will have great chances to see some royal festivities.

6. Nha Nhac (Royal refined music)

Royal refined music is a beauty of the unique art and culture of Hue which is recognized by UNESCO as an unwritten masterpiece of the intangible heritage of humanity. This is the traditional royal music of the Oriental which has reserved for ages in the former capital. You can enjoy the musical talents with instruments which are manufactured elaborately and performed  in Hue.

  7. Night palace

In the every Hue Festival, the ancient citadel and mossy roof of anient Citadel – Hue at night will be lit up illusively. From the Ngo Mon Gate – the main gate of the Citadel area (Imperial Citadel of Hue), you’ll find decorated flags, majestic lanterns majestic and rows of guards in the traditional uniforms… It is the reappearance of the prosperous life of the palace as the night falls.

8. Ca Hue (traditional Hue singing) on the Perfume River

Ca Hue is a precious spiritual food, an elegant pleasure that any visitor also want to have the opportunity to enjoy. Cruise on the Perfume river under romantic moonlight or under the lights on both sides of the river, there is nothing as great as listening to traditional music.

Ca Hue on the Perfume River usually is started at 7pm. Traditional music is performed on the junk from Phu Van Lau segment to Trang Tien bridge passing the citadel, thus you will have the great experience of the history and culture of Hue.

9. Royal cuisine

Speaking about Hue, people often think of the royal culinary style which was formed to serve the Nguyen dynasty. Royal cuisine always shows the quintessence, sophistication and elegance. People in Hue have retained partially images of ancient royal dining place, so when traveling to Hue you will enjoy the elite cuisine.

9 interesting things in Hue Citadel

Dalat Flower Festival 2013

To create a special impression for tourists to Dalat flower festival 2013, on the opening ceremony day, there are carriages decorated with flowers demonstrating during the night of December 27^th  in the sparking light of fireworks.

In the Culture and Tourism Week 2013 in Dalat (Lam Dong) from 27^th to 31^st December, there will have 3 major events including: 120th formation and development of Da Lat Anniversary; the 5^th Da Lat Flower Festival; national Tourism Year of Highland – Dalat 2014 Announcement.

In particular, Da Lat Flower Festival is considered to be an important point at the end of the year to show flowers in the local, other regions and some neighboring countries which will attract visitors, honor the value of flowers and flower industry.

 Previously, there was only one event, but there are 3 big events  with 19 programs to introduce visitors to a beautiful Dalat, such as the Central Highlands plateau tours, Dalat – Trai Mat railway cafe tours…

In particular, on the night of” Dalat flower color convergence”, there are many attractive art program, such as carnival flower fashion, flower on the bicycle, flower space in Dalat station organization…

Dalat Flower Festival this year has a spatial impression of music called “peace city night – Dalat”, with the street arts programs, international art, rock music and DJ music funky for the young. As for the tourists preferred soothing music can attend the program “Dalat – Melodramas” to hear the timeless love song to the city of fog.

Dalat Flower Festival 2013

Cu Chi Tunnels more fascinating than your expectation

Not only do discover the mystery underground, in Cu Chi Tunnels, you can also get pleasure excursions on the lake – a little copy of East Sea and participate in entertainments.

Located about 70 km away from Ho Chi Minh center, you can go to the Cu Chi Tunnels by motorcycles or renting cars, but buses are cheapest. There are bus routes to Cu Chi like 13, 74, 94… and from here, you can take the bus No 79 to Ben Duoc temple. Riding canoe on Saigon River to Cu Chi is also a new experience and is attractive to more tourists currently,  but the cost is fairly expensive and you will derive from the Bach Dang Wharf.

After purchasing tickets visit (VND15,000-80,000/person depending on your ages, Vietnamese or foreigners), then you can go on foot or by electric bus  (VND5,000/person) to Ben Duoc temple. You can see three doors temple  gate in front with yin-yang curved tiles like village temples or a monument of soldiers who fought and sacrificed on land of Saigon – Gia Dinh in two battles against the French and Americans. Hence, when stepping inside, you will find an open, peaceful, sacred but spectacular space.

After visiting the temple, you will have to buy tickets (VND20,000-90,000/person), move to the tunnels area which is attractive to not only veterans but also young people and foreign tourists. First, you will watch an introduction video tape about the whole combat of Cu Chi citizens and tunnels model.

The tunnels system has a length of 200km but currently, only some are opened to visitors, with the extended tunnels for easy travel and light system as well. However, you are not able to avoid having to weave through the heat and dark tunnel segments with suffocating feeling, but this will be the most memorable experience. When moving out of the tunnels, enjoying the light filled space with fresh air, you will be more poignant with the silent sacrifice of people in the war time.

Then continue to visit the outdoor museum of homemade weapons, training ground and Hoang Cam kitchen which is also interesting and attractive inside the tunnels. See the underground spike trap which sometimes make your hair stand on end.

A full day in Cu Chi for discovery is more interesting than your expectation.

Cu Chi Tunnels more fascinating than your expectation

Wild beauty of Lan Ha Bay

Lan Ha Bay is located to the south of Ha Long Bay surrounding  Cat Ba island of Hai Phong  Province. Visiting Lan Ha Bay, you will have great chance to immerse in the island’s nature with beautiful beaches. Besides, you can ride kayak or conquer the mountain top.

 

Wild beauty of Lan Ha Bay

The unique streets in Saigon

You can find a unique antiques on Le Cong Kieu st (District 1), or lost in the world of old books on Tran Nhan Ton (District 5).

Although there are not 36 streets with typical items as in Hanoi, Saigon has some streets with the same business type shops selling special products.

1 . Antique Street

With the length of 200m, but Le Cong Kieu (District 1) contains a historical and cultural treasure of the nation inside it which reappeared on antiques. At this point, you will immerse in a antique world with all types of large and small items presented close together. You can find Indochina banknotes, coins in Ly, Tran reigns… or the jars, pots in Nguyen and Qing Dynasty.

In addition, there are countless items made of bronze such as Buddha, Shiva statues with various sizes…You also will encounter the ancient stamps or the utensils made ​​of silver… neatly displayed in glass cabinets. No one knows when the street was formed, just know it has become a familiar address not only for antiques collectors, but also for visitors.

2. Oriental medicine street

You intermediately smell a typical aroma of Oriental medicines and herbs when reaching at Hai Thuong Lan Ong street (District 5)…There are many Chinese living here and they mainly sell Oriental medicine. There are all kinds of unprocessed material contained in big sacks or the processed drugs will be classified into unguent, pills and powder, etc.

When night falls, the street becomes sparkling in the light from Chinese-styled lanterns.

3.  Street of musical instruments

For those who love music, Nguyen Thien Thuat street (District 3) will be familiar address if you want to buy a certain type of instrument. Coming here, you will lost in the world of music with all sorts of instruments from guitars, zithers, monochords , violins… to flutes, harmonicas….Not only do the shops here sell ready-made instruments, but also produce musical instruments at customer requests.

4. Streets of old books

The famous literary works of the world, books, newspapers, magazines or comics are available in the old bookstores here. Originally, there was only a shop that sell and purchase old comic book but gradually Tran Nhan Ton (District 5) has become the most famous old book shopping place in Saigon.

Customers of these stores are usually book lovers who look for a specific work of the past that is no longer reprinted. Some customers spend a whole day here with the sole desire to find his/her favorite books which are somewhere among the millions of books here.

The unique streets in Saigon

Five famous destinations in Vietnam via banknotes

Have you ever noticed the back of the banknote to know about the special culture of famous destinations in Vietnam via notes?

1.      Hoian Covered Bridge on VND 20,000 banknotes

The World Cultural Heritage – Hoi An is famous with the icon image of Covered Bridge to not only domestic visitors but also foreigners. The time construction of Hoian ancient bridge has been still a mystery until now. However, in the ancient bibliography of Vietnam, the name of the bridge – Japanese expatriate was found in 1617, which means the bridge had built before.

According to legend, in the ocean there is a monster specie called Mamazu by Japanese which had its head in Japan, tail in India and back squeezed through a gap under the bridge. Every time the monster thrashed, Japan was in earthquake and Hoi An was not uneventful. To control Mamazu, Japanese worshiped the Monkey and Dog deities at two bridge heads “exorcize” the monster. Minh Huong citizens built a small temple adjacent to the bridge to worship Bac De Chan Vo in order to control earthquakes.

The temple therefore was considered as a sword to stab the monster back and block it from thrashing and forming earthquakes. In 1653 , a temple was built to connect with the rail on the north, protruding at the middle of bridge, yet it has been called Covered Bridge by the locals.

2.      Nghinh Luong pavilion, Phu Van Lau (pavilion of edicts) on VND 50,000 Dong banknotes

Located on the banks of the Perfume River of Hue, Nghinh Luong pavilion (or Nghinh Luong Ta) was a place where the kings enjoyed fresh air and view sightseeing.

Not far away, Phu Van Lau was built in 1819 under the reign of King Gia Long. It was used as a place for listing the important edicts of the king and the court or the results of the examinations held by the court.

Phu Van Lau is a two-story house, facing south. Under the reign of King Minh Mang, two stone steles carving four words “khuynh cai ha ma”, meaning that anyone who passes this house must take off his hat and get off the horse. King Thieu Tri considered Phu Van Lau and the Perfume River as one of the 20 scenic places in Hue.

3.      Khue Van Cac on VND 100,000 banknotes

As the representative image for the entire Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam (temple of literature), Khue Van Cac (Constellation of Literature Pavilion) was built in 1805. It is built on four white-washed stone stilts. The design of Khue Van Cac is very harmonious and unique. The ground is designed with  4 square brick pillars and the length of each side is one meter with sophisticated carved designs. The first floor is wooden structure in red lacquer trimmed with gold.

Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam or The Temple of Literature is a temple of Confucius in Hanoi. The temple hosts the “Imperial Academy,” Vietnam’s first national university. The temple was built in 1070 at the time of King Ly Nhan Tong. It is one of several temples in Vietnam which are dedicated to Confucius, sages and scholars. It is one of 23 special national monuments.

 4.      Halong bay on the VND 200,000 banknotes

Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh has been repeatedly recognized by UNESCO as a natural heritage of the world with thousands of islands made ​​up by the creation of spectacular and vivid. Halong Bay has magnificent sightseeing thus this destination is very attractive to domestic and international tourists.

Halong Bay is a unique heritage as these place contains important traces in the formation and development of Earth history and is the cradle of the ancient Vietnamese. The Bay is also the art of natural shaping with the presence of thousands of islands and interesting caves.

Besides, Ha Long Bay is also home of high biodiversity with typical eco- systems along with thousands of different animal and plant species. It is also associated with cultural values ​​- the heroic history of the nation.

 5.          The cottage of President Ho Chi Minh’s family in Sen Village on the VND 500,000 banknotes

Anyone recognizes the simple house of President Ho Chi Minh’s childhood on the VND500,000 banknotes.

 The cottage is located in Sen village of Kim Lien commune, Nam Dan district, Nghe An province, about 15km from Vinh City.

The entire monument consists of four main groups: President Ho Chi Minh’s mother’s village (Hoang Tru village), his father’s village (Sen village), Chung Mount (Kim Lien) and his mother’s tomb – Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan in Nam Giang commune.

Five famous destinations in Vietnam via banknotes

Hanoi listed in the top 10 destinations on the rise in the world

Hanoi ranks at eighth in the list of top 10 destinations on the rise in the world which based on the data collection of TripAdvisor’s reviews.

Tourism website of TripAdvisor has announced the list of 10 emerging tourist destination of the world voted by travelers including Havana (Cuba), La Fortuna de San Carlos (Costa Rica), Kathmandu (Nepal), Jerusalem (Israel), Cusco (Peru) , Ambergris Caye (Belize), Sapporo (Japan), Hanoi (Vietnam), Corralejo (Spain) and Fortaleza (Brazil).

Hoan Kiem Lake at night

In particular, Hanoi ranks at 8^th in the world and is one of three Asian cities in the top 10, after Kathmandu in Nepal and Sapporo in Japan.

In the description of Hanoi, TripAdvisor confirmed that “Hanoi is very interesting, charming and has preserved old quarter, monuments and colonial architectures…Hanoi may have shrugged off former names, including old name – Thang Long or “ascending dragon”, but the city has not forgotten its past.

Hanoi has became more attractive with a system of temples, lakes, parks, shady boulevards… It is easy to explore by taxi ,” mentioned the press.

TripAdvisor is the largest travel site in the world with a network presence in 34 countries

Hanoi listed in the top 10 destinations on the rise in the world