Diving Tours & Courses

Mountainous city offers glimpse into picturesque Highlands life

by Thanh Nga

With its foggy atmosphere, wintry evenings and winding roads encircling hills and mountains, Pleiku has the feeling of a beautiful painting.

After a two-day assignment, I had one day to discover this city in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai.

Waking up early, I opened the window at my hotel and was charmed with the morning sunlight, as well as the fresh air, which carried the scent of morning dew as well as a hint of nocturnal chill.

My friend, Hoang Nguyen, picked me up at the hotel. He promised to introduce me a speciality of the mountainous city, pho kho (dry noodles), named as one of 10 Vietnamese dishes of gastronomic importance to the international community by the Asia Record Organisation (ARO).

He took me to a small food shop on Nguyen Van Troi Street, where we met friendly local Ho Van Quy.

“Pho kho is the most delicious food in Gia Lai. You can see it everywhere, from roadside stalls to luxurious restaurants,” Quy said.

Pho kho is also called pho hai to (two-bowl noodle) as the dish is served in two bowls. One contains dry noodle topped with a mixture of fried ground pork, fried onion, raw vegetables like lettuce and bean sprouts and hot chili garlic sauce. The other bowl holds a sweet broth with sliced beef or meatballs.

Noodling around: Pho kho is a must-try speciality in Pleiku.

As Quy said, pho kho was very delicious. I wanted to order one more, but Nguyen said he would take me to have many kinds of food in Pleiku such as lui (skewered grilled pork paste), nem (spring rolls) and thit bo nuong ong (grilled beef in bamboo pipe) so I must stop my gluttony.

Near the pho kho stall, there was a small cafe where tens of locals sat drinking and talking.

“Locals here usually drink coffee in the morning. They don’t care to drink in a smart shop. They’re just looking for a place to sip coffee and chat with friends. Coffee is a key part of the cultural and spiritual life of Pleiku people,” Nguyen explains.

I remembered that one of my friends had said that drinking coffee in Pleiku was the most wonderful experience, so I looked forward to my first cup.

We passed several roads filled with cafes. Wuu, Hai Ba Trung and Le Lai roads are even called “Cafe Streets” because so many coffee shops are packed so close together.

We stopped at Nhac Trinh Cafe, an old-fashioned place on Wuu Street that was very crowded.

“I was born and grew up in Pleiku. My love for this plateau is inseparable from my love for coffee,” one local confided.

Caffeine boost: Pleiku residents enjoy aromatic coffee, a regional speciality, at a local cafe. — File Photos

While I have enjoyed coffee in many regions, the taste of Pleiku coffee and the space overwhelmed by wind, sunshine, pine trees and misty slopes were unforgettable.

About 10km outside of Pleiku is tourist attraction Cong Vien Dong Xanh (Dong Xanh Park), the first water park in the province. There also displays a fossilised tree, which is said to be more than 1 million years old, found at an extinct volcano in neighbouring Ajun Pa District.

Diversions include water slides (only open on weekends) and a zoo that kids might enjoy, along with two ostriches running around in an enclosure near the entrance.

There’s also a crocodile pond offering “feeding shows”.

From the park, we visited Gia Lai and Ho Chi Minh museums, Yaly Falls and Phu Cuong Waterfall. In the afternoon, we made our way to Minh Thanh Pagoda, one of the biggest and most beautiful pagodas in Pleiku, located on a hill about 2km southwest of the city.

The pagoda draws many tourists thanks to its unique architecture and solemn atmosphere. In the late afternoon sun, the sound of bells can be heard, bringing peace for visitors. — VNS

Mong Cai Checkpoint simplifies crossing procedures

The Mong Cai City’s People’s Committee in the northern province of Quang Ninh has approved a new policy that will reduce the time to apply for entry and exit procedures when crossing the Mong Cai Checkpoint.

Beginning this month, visitors coming to the checkpoint will not have to pay much time for these procedures. Instead, they can assign a tourism company or an individual to contact border officials.

Visitors can receive a visiting card at the border gate every day from 9-11am and from 2-4pm.

Mong Cai Checkpoint is one of several important checkpoints in Viet Nam. It is next to Guangxi Province in China. Through this point, visitors will be able to easily visit sites in China, especially when immigration procedures become easier. — VNS

Festival of traditional culture to take place in Da Lat

A festival showcasing traditional costumes and presenting traditional cultural features will be organised in Da Lat City from October 31 to November 2.

During the festival, there will be many traditional games and shows where artists from 36 delegations will perform traditional songs. The festival is a part of the National Tourism Year 2014 – Tay Nguyen-Da Lat. — VNS

Boat lantern festival to be held in HCM City

A lantern festival will be organised from 6pm to 10pm next Tuesday at the Sai Gon Port in District 1 of HCM City.

During the festival, tourism boats on the Sai Gon River will be decorated like lanterns with different themes.

The event aims to advertise river tourism to domestic and foreign visitors. — VNS

Dien Khanh ancient citadel to become pedestrian-only area

The People’s Committee of the central province of Khanh Hoa has decided to move all administrative offices, army units and schools out of Dien Khanh ancient citadel, transforming this area into a walking area in order to attract more visitors.

The citadel is a famous historical relic in Dien Khanh Town. Built in the 18th century, the citadel still has many original architectural features. — VNS

VN eatery serves up style with substance

Perched above Hoan Kiem Lake, Cau Go boasts sweeping views of the city’s bustling streets and a serene dining experience to escape the chaos ensuing six stories below. David Mann reports.

You know a restaurant is doing something right when it leaps into Trip Advisor’s top ten within a few months of opening. While that typically means a place ranks high on the tourist novelty factor, Cau Go Restaurant has also found a place in the hearts of locals.

Perched above Hoan Kiem Lake, Cau Go boasts sweeping views of the city’s bustling streets and a serene dining experience to escape the chaos ensuing six stories below.

To get here, though, you’ll have to fight your way through the cluster of ao dai-clad hustlers hawking their respective restaurants at the bottom of the building. But once you arrive, you’ll be glad you did.

The restaurant itself covers two floors. The entry-level floor is all indoors, perfect for escaping the summer heat. But come the cooler months, the impressive outdoor terrace on the second floor will offer a wonderful vantage from which to watch the craziness on the streets below – all while having a pho cocktail (VND120,000) in hand, of course.

Executive Chef Dao Thi Bay has designed a menu that offers traditional and contemporary cuisine from all over Viet Nam. In true Vietnamese-style, home sharing is the best way to enjoy the endless list of options.

To start we ordered the mustard leaves rolled with shrimp and pork (VND100,000) and the green papaya salad with dried beef (VND100,000). While the salad was a bit on the citrusy side, it was fresh and impeccably presented. The rolls also provided a light and tasty introduction to the restaurant’s fare, complimented by a balanced sweet dipping sauce.

The venue pays homage to various stages of the country’s history, yet retains a sophisticated and contemporary decor expected of a modern restaurant. The overall effect is an eclectic design that provides a stylish and comfortable experience for diners.

Light and tasty: Mustard leaves rolled with shrimp and pork (VND100,000).

The attention to detail is painstaking. Ceramic dishes in the traditional Bat Trang style are mounted on concrete pillars while pastel-coloured shutters line the walls in an ode to the country’s colonial history. An architectural light feature weaves its way around the open plan layout, complimenting a selection of vintage fans and oil lamps that give a little insight into the Viet Nam of past.

On the second floor, visitors are treated to glass cabinets filled with food stamps and Russian transistor radios from the state subsidy period, while original Thong Nhat bicycles from the 1970s can be found in the bathrooms loaded with flowers and fresh hand towels.

These wonderful touches make Cau Go as much about the experience as it is about the food.

For mains, we order a mix of favourites: ngon su su (VND80,000), rice noodles with barbecued pork and salad or bun thit nuong (VND120,000), beef sauteed with pineapple (VND120,000) and deep-fried tofu with chili and lemongrass (VND90,000).

Tofu delight: Deep fried tofu dusted with stir-fried chili and lemongrass.

The presentation is faultless. Fresh herbs come heaped onto woven bamboo plates while everything else arrives on exquisite ceramic crockery. The southern specialty bun thit nuong is a knockout, completed by generous slabs of barbequed pork draped over the rice noodles.

The must-try of these dishes, however, is the deep-fried tofu. A crisp golden shell on the outside, buttery melt-in-your mouth tofu on the inside. Dusted with stir-fried chili and lemongrass and dipped in the soy dipping sauce – heaven.

Other standouts on the menu include a sumptuous caramel pork served in a slow-cook pot (VND110,000) and traditional sea bass served in passionfruit sauce (VND120,000).

The prices may sting when compared to options at the bottom of the rung, but for what you’re eating and where you’re eating it, it’s more than reasonable. As my companion pointed out, the prices were “comparable with Quan An Ngon, but the food, service and overall experience was leagues ahead”.

This may explain why the restaurant has also piqued the interest of the city’s power lunching business crowd and those seeking some reprieve from the chaotic street food scene.

The benchmark customer service is also a welcome boost to Ha Noi’s low standards that can leave a lot to be desired for the weary and linguistically challenged expat.

A must try for visitors and locals alike. — VNS

Village relaunches ancient kite festival

Suspended for decades, DaiHoang Village’s historic kite festival is once again a major event. Bui Hoang and Trung Hieu report.

Dai Hoang Village in the northern province of Ha Nam is famous for two things, namely braised fish and the Kite Festival.

It is an ancient village in Hoa Hau Commune of Ly Nhan District, located on the banks of the Hong (Red) River, just three kilometres from Nam Dinh City.

During the time of the Tran dynasty (1225-1400), the king gave this land as fief to an aristocrat named Tran Lieu. Hence, the villagers are mostly descendants of the Tran clan.

This is also the birth place of famous Vietnamese writer Nam Cao. The village is said to be the inspiration for Vu Dai, the village that features in his famous novel Chi Pheo which is the story of a man in destitute from a lower social class.

Dai Hoang is also known for its famous dish of fish braised in clay pots, which is a most sought-after during the Lunar New Year festival. The braised fish, which has “solid meat but soft bones”, is the specialty of this village.

Visitors are also impressed by the fish soup served with mixed salad. Whosoever consumes it once will remember forever the soup and the crunchy vegetables that make “Dai Hoang’s fresh vegetables” a brand. It is considered an indispensable food item in local parties.

Ready to fly: Contestants inspect their kites before releasing them. — Photo hanam24h.org

More unique is the village’s Kite Festival which, perhaps, is the most ancient and unique kite festival in the Red River Delta.

The kite-flying contest is held on the 15th day of the 5th month in the lunar calendar every year. It is a time when the local people have finished harvesting their crops. The village holds the event to thank the saints who help them have a prosperous life.

It is also a windy period in the area, which helps the kites to fly high in the sky.

The ancient festival was suspended during the wars.

In 2000, the commune authorities restarted the festival in response to public demand.

Tran Huu Sac, 82, said, “Only five kites, representing five hamlets, were flown in the festival in the past. Today, as all nearby hamlets participate in the festival, there are up to 25 kites altogether.

“These kites are of different colours and designs such as white and red, with painted wings or belly designs and a circle painted in the middle of the kite,” he added.

Ultra-light flat kite

The kites of Dai Hoang are unique compared to the kites of other villages. The kites here have flat wings (other kites are curved) and can fly very high and maintain balance.

Tran Huu Yen, 77, who has years of experience in making kites (he has won the first prize six times and the second prize thrice during his 13 contests), said, “We make kites according to the old methods. Bamboo has to be chosen from the previous November; the kite has to be rhombus-shaped and be 2-m long. The makers of the kites have to be very smart while whittling the rods gradually from the middle to the tips.

It is important to adjust the kite correctly so that it is well balanced and does not wobble when it flies high. We also curve the ends of the two wings by about 1.5 centimetres. Instead of using common glue, we crush persimmon fruit to get resin to stick the kite together.”

He added that the secret behind the high-flying kites was probably that their bodies are flat, they are very light and have no tails.

Yen noted that at the recent Kite Festival of the Red River Delta, the Dai Hoang kite flew the highest and was considered the oldest kite in Viet Nam.

Airing out: A contestant shows off his 2m kite during the Kite Festival. — VNS Photo Bui Hoang

In the past few years, the Kite Festival has encouraged other villages, not belonging to Dai Hoang, to participate.

People from the neighbouring villages have also learned how to make kites from the Dai Hoang villagers.

The organisers allow each team to fly one kite only (if necessary they may use the reserve kite). The contestants can freely increase the length of their string because the organisers use binoculars to watch the kites (it is difficult for eyes with normal vision to see kites flying above 1,000 metres clearly).

Tran Huu Duyet, 75, said: “In the past, the villagers flew kites in a very large field in front of the communal house. The players stood at an appropriate distance from the communal house, so that their kites flew downwind across the field towards the communal house. I’ve been told that in those days, the competition was judged by looking at the reflections of the kites in a brass pot filled with water, just the way people judged pigeon contests.” — VNS

Visitors to Lao Cai Province increase 25 per cent

Visitors to the northern province of Lao Cai increased by 25 per cent year-on-year in the first seven months of this year, according to the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The department attributed the increase to tourism-stimulation programmes as well as more convenient transportation conditions, thanks to the new Noi Bai – Lao Cai Highway, which helps cut time by 50 per cent.

The province, from now to the end of the year, will organise additional programmes to attract more visitors. It has also invested VND200 billion (US$9.5 million) to upgrade infrastructure to serve tourism demand in the 2014-16 period.

In addition, it plans to open a new bus route south of Lao Cai City to Sa Pa, the border gate and several tourism areas.

Lao Cai currently has 450 accommodation establishments, with a total of 5,400 rooms. — VNS

Entry fare cut at Con Son – Kiep Bac Historical Area

The entry fee to the famous Con Son – Kiep Bac Historical Area will be reduced by 10 per cent and the accommodation prices by five to 30 per cent, according to the area’s management board.

The cut was done to attract more people to the relics during the autumn season. There will also be free lectures to visiting groups.

Con Son – Kiep Bac is in Chi Linh Town in the northern province of Hai Duong. It has many historical relics related to the life and careers of the national hero Tran Quoc Tuan and noted cultural figure Nguyen Trai. In addition, the area has numerous beautiful sightseeing spots.

In mid-September, an autumn festival will be held in this area, featuring traditional games and performances. — VNS

More trains from HCM City to run during holiday

The Sai Gon Railway Passenger Transport Company said it would put more trains into operation between HCM City and Nha Trang, Quy Nhon or Phan Thiet during the Independence Day holiday on September 2.

The increased capacity will last from August 28 to September 2.

For this year’s Independence Day, employees nation-wide will have four official days off, which is expected to increase transport demand. — VNS