Diving Tours & Courses

Viet Nam makes HuffPo list of cheapest tourist destinations

Huffington Post, an American online news aggregator and blog, has named Viet Nam as one of the countries that can be visited for less than US$50 a day.

“Despite a recent spike in popularity, Viet Nam remains an affordable destination. Thanks in part to the favourable exchange rate for the dollar, travelers can easily get by on US$20 a day.”

Other top five low-cost destinations include Thailand, Cambodia, India and Nepal.

“The numbers and information used to make the list are average budgets based on statistics. The budget mentioned in the story might not be a good fit for you,” wrote the article in the Huffington Post. — VNS

Hue offers heritage site discounts to lure visitors

Visitors to Hue will be able to enjoy a month of promotions to mark National Day on September 2.

During the month, groups of 10 or more visitors will get a 20 per cent discount on tickets to heritage sites in the former royal capital city. Visitors will also be allowed to use tickets for the Imperial Palace, Khai Dinh or Minh Mang mausoleums to enter other sites.

Cost for shows of Hue royal court music (nha nhac) performed in the Duyet Thi Duong royal theatre inside the palace will also be cut by 50 per cent.

The discounts are among incentives Hue has applied to try and reach the target of three million visitors. In the last seven months, the city welcomed 1.8 million visits. — VNS

Tan Trao historical site marks 400,000th visitor

The Tan Trao historical site, a Special National Relic in the northern mountainous province of Tuyen Quang, has received 400,000 visitors so far this year.

The site has reported an average of 4,000 visitors on peak days, including the occasion of the 69th anniversary of the August Revolution’s victory (August 19).

It expects to welcome 650,000 arrivals this year.

Tan Trao is situated in Son Duong District, 41km from the centre of Tuyen Quang Town toward the north-west, about 200km from Ha Noi. It was once the home of Uncle Ho along with the central agencies in the pre-insurrection period and in the war against the French. It is the site of many historic events leading up to the August Revolution and victory. — VNS

Hong Kong BBQ carves out niche in capital

The barbecue joint offers authentic roast meat dishes without the typical hefty price tag. Elisabeth Rosen reports.

During a recent vacation to Hong Kong, Nguyen Nhu Nguyen and his friends got lost wandering the streets. Enticed by the aroma of roast duck, a local specialty, they stopped at a stall to try some.

“It was so good we wanted to bring it back to Viet Nam,” Nguyen says.

The group opened the first Hong Kong BBQ last October on Pho Hue, followed by a second on Xuan Dieu in July. In the next phase, they plan to expand outside the city centre to the growing neighbourhoods of Ba Dinh, Cau Giay and Trung Hoa-Nhan Chinh. Their goal is to set up five branches by the end of this year; they’ve even been approached about franchises outside the capital.

You might have seen roast duck hanging up along Ha Noi streets under the name vit quay. However, this is a different bird entirely. Hong Kong native Jason Chen, who runs the kitchen, keeps his recipe a closely guarded secret. Faced with any questions about the ingredients, he gets cagey, disclosing only that the process takes a whole day and involves hoisin sauce shipped from Hong Kong.

If I could make duck this irresistible, I’d probably keep the recipe a secret too. The crackly skin yields to a layer of succulent meat, an effect best savoured in noodle soup (VND65,000), where the fat and broth and a spoonful of chili oil play off one another to dramatic effect. The meat is mildly difficult to gnaw off the bone, but that’s the price you pay for flavour.

Meaty fare: Hong Kong native Jason Chen prepares succulent roast duck and char siew pork (below) following his closely guarded recipe.

Diners choose from four meats (roast duck, char siew pork, crispy pork belly and steamed chicken) and three carbohydrates (rice, noodle soup and dry noodles). Skip the unremarkable chicken and pork belly and opt for the char siew, which is outstanding. Brushed with a honey and soy sauce glaze, thick strips of barbecued pork achieve a gluttonous hat trick, offering fat, sugar and salt in each generous slice.

Char siew is best paired with rice, where piles of pickled mustard greens and green bean snippets counter the excess, or dry egg noodles, springy curls tossed in a nutty dressing that share the plate with crunchy bean sprouts and a few leafy greens (VND65,000-95,000). The latter feel like a tease, though you can order a plate of extras easily (VND10,000). Wash it all down with a glass of faintly sweet, creamy milk tea (VND16,000).

While the restaurant occasionally posts on social media, most diners are drawn in the old-school way, by the roast meat that dangles in the front window. The interior, however, takes a more modern approach. Inside the narrow storefront, one finds clean, airy rooms with simple wooden tables and white walls, accented here and there by bright lanterns and glossy photographs.

The straightforward setting is in keeping with the concept. In Ha Noi, five-star hotels are the only place to enjoy good Cantonese food, which makes little sense. As Nguyen and his friends found, in Hong Kong these dishes are typically found at street stalls or inexpensive restaurants, where the more minimal the decor, the more involved the flavour. Their barbecue joint adheres to that model. Could dim sum be next? — VNS

Aspiring mountaineers choose scenic route up Ta Cu Mountain

by Trung Hieu

A lot of people may find the Ta Cu Mountain a strange place to be on, but in reality it makes for an attractive climb.

It is also one of the most interesting tourist attractions in the central province of Binh Thuan.

The 694m high mountain is located along National Highway 1A, in Ham Thuan Nam District, 28km to the south of Phan Thiet City (Binh Thuan’s chief town).

On its slope of about 400m stands the Linh Son Truong Tho Pagoda (also known as Ta Cu Pagoda). Behind the pagoda is a giant, 49m long statue depicting the Buddha Shakyamuni attaining Nirvana.

The scenery here is truly enchanting with a long coastline, rocks of different shapes surrounded by green forests, that creates a majestic landscape.

Vu Minh Truong, a young traveller from Ha Noi, said that pilgrims usually choose to travel up the mountain by cable car, but his group of “professional backpackers” decided to climb up.

“In all probability, very few people have walked on this path so grass and plants have reached out to obscure the trail,” he said.

Truong said that to reach the top of Ta Cu located inside the forbidden forest, they had to overcome 2,250m of slopes, passing the unsteady stone steps.

“After crossing more than 200m, we encountered a small clear stream crossing our path,” he said.

The stream runs through boulders then flows down the slope of Ta Cu creating a wonderful image in the vast forests.

A young man in the group scooped up the water and exclaimed: “Too cool, guys!”

So they all washed the perspiration off their faces in the cool water.

“We walked cautiously above the slippery rocks to go ahead. Along the path, there were numerous roots crawling around. Here and there, some bamboo shoots reached out to prevent anyone from passing through, so we had to be careful to avoid getting hurt by the spikes,” said Truong.

Tourists conquering the Ta Cu must carefully focus when their paths exceed 1,000m, because that is the highest ramp, said Chau Tuan, a local guide.

“All of us were sweating, our feet felt heavy, but we were ‘compensated’ as we watched the towering ancient trees and heard the musical chirping of birds. It also seemed like we were able to breathe easier due to the cold fresh air created by the forests and the wind blowing around us,” he said.

As travellers reached near the peak, the way was easy. Everyone admired the blue sky through the forest canopy and the valley below, just a distant shadow in the mist. The view was spectacular and almost poetic.

Passing hundreds of steps, the travellers finally reached the Ta Cu Pagoda.

“These are monuments and landscapes of architectural, artistic and cultural value,” said Truong.

On the mountain peak is the statue of the reclining Buddha built in concrete, which is 49m long and 7m tall.

The statue was built under the guidance of local man Truong Dinh Y, from 1958 to 1962 by human labour without machinery or cranes, along with support from Buddhists throughout the southern provinces. It was the biggest reclining Buddha statue in Viet Nam at that time.

Easy ride: The cable car system takes around eight minutes to reach the top of Ta Cu Mountain. — VNS Photos Minh Quang

Tran Minh Tue, a tourist from HCM City, said he had climbed up to the Ta Cu seven times with his friends.

“We began climbing the mountain in the evenings, so we could return the next morning. This may sound strange, but the schedule creates a different and romantic feeling for visitors. Climbing up at night would be very cool. If we climbed up in the day, we would feel tired because of the sun. It takes us about three hours to climb up, but only 90 minutes to come down.

“The beauty about Ta Cu is that the mountain stands alone, surrounded by gardens of dragon fruits and rice fields, beside the blue sea,” he said.

On their way back in the afternoon, Truong’s group decided to go down by cable car to watch Ta Cu from above.

“Sitting in the cabin above the green trees, the pleasant atmosphere made us feel refreshed,” said Truong.

“Looking to the left, we saw the Ke Ga lighthouse that is more than 100 years old and still diligently guides boats to safety at night.”

The landscape and relics on the mountain were recognised as a historical and culture site of national importance in 1993.

In 2002, Ta Cu Tourism Area was established at the foot of the mountain in an area of 24ha. Many projects to serve tourists have been constructed, particularly a modern Austrian cable car system that goes up to the mountain peak and was put into operation in September 2003.

The cable car consists of 25 cabins, with each carrying six persons and takes around eight minutes to reach the top.

In recent years, Ta Cu has become a venue for mountain climbing competitions that have attracted young people from nearby provinces.

“With the cool and fresh air, Ta Cu Mountain is an attractive destination for tourists and I believe many will return,” Truong said. — VNS

Whale Worship festival held in HCM City coastal district

The Nghinh Ong (Whale Worship) festival in HCM City’s coastal district of Can Gio will take place from September 5-10.

Organised in Long Hoa Commune’s Can Thanh Town, the annual festival is held to show respect to whales, which rescue fishermen from danger.

Fishermen also honour their ancestors and pray for a bumper fish catch.

The festival will include a procession at sea and on land by local residents in traditional costumes.

A visit to Rung Sac Martyr Cemetery and the release of colourful lanterns on the sea at night will also be organised.

There will be folk games, sports and music performances as well as a Mid-Autumn Festival for local children and an exhibition featuring Viet Nam’s borders and sea areas, and the Can Gio mangrove forest – a world biosphere reserve which was designated in 2000.

The festival, recognised as a national Intangible Cultural Heritage, is the only fishermen festival in Can Gio District and attracts 30,000-40,000 tourists every year. — VNS

Lao Cai anticipates 100,000 tourists for National Day

The northern province of Lao Cai, which is home to Sa Pa, a world-famous tourism site, looks forward to welcoming 100,000 tourists during the National Day holiday on September 2, according to the provincial Culture, Sports and Tourism Department.

Of the figure, about 60 per cent are expected to visit Sa Pa.

Located about 300km from Ha Noi, the province has many scenic sites with beautiful mountains, caves, forests, terraced fields, and markets of ethnic minority groups.

This year, the department has implemented programmes to promote tourism, including reduced price of tours and hotel rooms. — VNS

Undeveloped Binh Ba Island boasts tourism potential

With its clean beaches and charming scenery, Binh Ba Island in Cam Ranh City’s Cam Binh Commune is an attractive destination in the central province of Khanh Hoa.

Bai Nha Cu Beach, one of the island’s most attractive beaches, has white sand, calm and clear blue waters.

The beach is an ideal place to see coral as it has some of the most beautiful coral on the 300ha island.

The coral is easily visible from the beach.

The island offers fresh air, a quiet atmosphere, and stunning sunset and beautiful mountains.

Located on Cam Ranh Bay, Binh Ba is known as the “lobster island” as its lobsters are considered the most delicious in the country.

The island is home to about 5,000 locals who live by fishing and farming.

It takes tourists about one hour by boat from Ba Ngoi Wharf in Cam Ranh City to the fishing port on the island. — VNS

Xa Dan dessert shop hits the sweet spot

Vietnamese che usually comes in flavours like black bean and lotus seed, but this shop offers more modern styles. Hoang Ha reports.

If you’ve tasted the Vietnamese traditional dessert or snack called che (pudding), you may be familiar with the black bean, green bean, maize and lotus seed varieties. But Che Bat Xa Dan owner Nguyen Lan Huong creates more unusual flavours.

I first visited the shop on a hot day, when it was already crowded with customers. In front of the shop, about 30 people were sitting at plastic tables, sampling flavours like bo (avocado), mit (jackfruit), xoai (mango) and matcha (Japanese green tea).

Made from avocado, black agar and milk, the avocado che (VND15,000) was aromatic and a bit sweet. Holding the cool green bowl, I couldn’t help but devour spoonful after spoonful, prompting the server to scold me. “It’s better eaten slowly,” Huong said.

She was right. When savoured at a leisurely pace, the buttery flavours melted in my mouth.

My friend wanted to have another bowl, but I reminded her that we had others to sample.

Creative twist: Che Bat Xa Dan creates different flavours of desserts such as bo (avocado), mit (jackfruit), xoai (mango) and matcha (Japanese green tea).

Next came che dang (bitter) (VND15,000), the most popular variety. To make this dish, black agar leaves are cooked with a number of medicinal herbs. After the mixture cools and sets into a jelly, it’s cut into pieces and put into a mix of ice cream and coconut juice. The result has a light coolness that dissolves in the mouth.

Despite its name, the bitterness is gentle and appealing. My father used to say that in the summer, eating bitter melon or bitter vegetables would cool you down and make you feel healthy. He was right. I got a virtuous feeling from the medicinal flavour.

We moved on to matcha pudding (VND17,000), which Huong claims she was the first to make in Ha Noi. The owner says she tried to mix several foods in her refrigerator, such as matcha tea powder, sugar, agar and ice cream, and this was the result.

“To my surprise, customers loved my matcha pudding. They enjoyed the fragrance of tea, as well as the green colour, saying it stimulated the appetite,” she says.

After sampling a bowl, we could see why it was so popular. The nutty flavour of lotus seeds combined with the taste of matcha and coconut milk, creating an entirely new sensation. Standing up, we felt as if we had eaten a meal in a bowl. — VNS

Hue renews efforts to boost tourism

While Hue is offering discount tour packages in an attempt to lure visitors during the low season, more should be invested in the programme to ensure its success, Phuoc Buu reports.

While Thua Thien-Hue boasts two UNESCO world cultural heritage sites as well as many other advantages, the province still fails to draw as many tourists as its neighbours. A recently announced promotion programme aims to change this, but many are skeptical that it will be effective.

Annual revenue from tourism in Hue has been consistently lower than in neighbouring Da Nang and Quang Nam, although the former imperial capital has far more tourist attractions.

Last year, Hue received 2.5 million visitors, resulting in revenue of only VND2.4 trillion (US$1.1 million). In contrast, Da Nang’s 3.1 million visitors brought in revenue of VND7.8 trillion ($3.7 million) and Quang Nam welcomed 3.4 million visitors paying VND4.2 trillion ($2 million).

The promotion programme aims to lure tourists by offering three-day tour packages to several local destinations for VND1,999,000 ($95). By launching the programme in September – the low season for English-speaking tourists and the last month of the peak season for locals – the tourism industry hoped to lure more visitors. The goal was to bring in three million visitors this year and continue the programme until 2016, said Phan Tien Dung, director of the local Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Destinations and discounts

The Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, Bach Ma National Park and Alba Thanh Tan Hot Springs Spa and Resort co-operated to offer three packages with hefty discounts.

The first package brings visitors to the former Imperial Palace, king’s tombs, pagodas and temples. From September 2-30, groups of 10 or more visitors get 20 per cent discounts on entrance tickets to heritage sites in the former royal capital city. Visitors will be allowed to use tickets bought at the Imperial Palace, Khai Dinh or Minh Mang mausoleum to enter other sites; ticket prices for concerts of nha nhac (Hue royal court music), the world intangible cultural heritage recognised by UNESCO in 2003, performed in the Duyet Thi Duong royal theatre inside the palace, will also be cut in half. The package also gives visitors the chance to visit Sinh and Thanh Tien traditional craft villages producing paper paintings and paper flowers, which were historically placed on the family altar in dedication to the ancestors.

New goal: Hue aims to bring in three million visitors this year. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Duc

The second package highlights Alba Thanh Tan Hot Springs Spa and Resort, an attempt to lure visitors who are not really interested in for heritage sites. The site is the first in Viet Nam to offer Highwire, a challenge game set six metres in the air, as well as a long zipline and hot springs discovered by French colonists.

The third package brings tourists to Bach Ma National Park, a lush jungle that boasts some of the richest biodiversity in the country. In 1925, the French built a health resort here dotted with nearly 140 villas made from cement to protect them from the vagaries of nature. Many of them were restored in 1986 and can now serve hundreds of guests. During the day, tourists can trek to scenic waterfalls and forests; at night, they can enjoy local food and campfires on the mountain top.

Concerns over effectiveness

However, many doubt that the promotion programme will entice visitors, as it offers nothing new to Vietnamese tourists, who have been familiar with these destinations for decades.

“Tour products in Hue have become too familiar to visitors who expect something new and attractive. Price reduction is not the way to lure visitors,” said Vinh Bao Huy, who works for a tour agency in Hue.

The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which initiated the programme, has been vague about intentions. “We want to have a couple months piloting the model so managers of the destinations around Hue can make a common plan to promote local tourism,” said Le Ngoc Sanh, head of the department’s tourism division. However, he could not give a definite time for the end of the pilot phase or say what the destination managers would do for the next phase in the three-year programme.

Artisan Than Van Huy said he was reluctant to join the programme, as the department had not offered any incentives for him, even though he had spent money for food and tea to welcome the visitors.

Another official in Alba Thanh Tan said that while the department suggested that the resort offer discounts, they were not given any compensation to do so. — VNS