Sep
19
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Romantic autumn in Hanoi
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The scorching heat has gone and a temperate climate has pervaded Hanoi, particularly at night and in the early morning as a sign of the start of autumn - or the romantic season as many people call it.
The capital’s beauty lies in its quiet streets full of yellow leaves, leaves on trees having turned yellow or red and picturesque sunsets at the city’s many lakes.
The signs of Hanoi in autumn are hoa sua (milky flower) in blossom on Nguyen Du Street, the scent of hoang lan flower overwhelming Phan Dinh Phung Street and its vicinity. These integral parts of Hanoi have inspired a large number of poets and musicians, including Phu Quang.
Hanoians say a stroll on Thanh Nien Street between West Lake and Truc Bach Lake will help visitors fully understand what autumn in Hanoi is like and why it brings lovers closer. Autumn in Hanoi is very beautiful but many argue it is an even more romantic setting in October.
Capital folk say the autumn there has to be felt to be properly appreciated. This is why numerous poems and ballads have been produced but are considered unfinished stories, leaving the chance for others to continue the next chapters.
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Sep
19
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Visit marvelous Mau Son before tourism boom
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If you fancy exploring a quiet and beautiful spot before the masses come, visit Mau Son now. Covering Mau Son and Cong Son communes in Cao Loc District and Mau Son commune in Loc Binh District, Mau Son Tourist Area is located about 30 kilometers from Lang Son City in Lang Son Province.
Mau Son itself has more than 80 large and small mountains, of which the highest is Nui Cha Mountain which is 1,541 meters high and Me Mountain 1,520m. Mau Son has a temperate climate and the average temperature is 15 degrees Celsius so it is really cool in summer and very cold in winter.
The area is endowed with a biodiversity system with more than 1,500 hectares of primeval forest which is home to many rare flora and fauna species. There are many streams from the peak to the foot of the mountain, creating magnificent and splendid waterfalls.
Together with romantic landscapes, Mau Son also accommodates old cultures of ethnic peoples of Dao, Tay and Nung.
Mau Son was formerly an ideal destination for vacations with many spacious and luxurious villas in Tam Dao and Sapa. However, during the revolution wars, many of the villas were destroyed.
On Monday, visitors to Mau Son have an opportunity to enjoy the wonderful landscape, fresh atmosphere and learn about local tradition and culture by joining in the daily life of some ethnic minority groups.
Thanks to the favorable climate, Mau Son can offer tourists several specialties such as peach, Che Tuyet tea, and Mau Son wine, which is processed using Mau Son’s plants and water sources from the mountain.
Local authorities in Mau Son are planning to develop infrastructure as well as public services to promote tourism. In the future, Mau Son will be developed to become a tourist area with mountain climbing, sightseeing, and recreation.
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Sep
19
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Four regional nations eye 25 million tourists
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Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, often referred to as CLMV, are looking to attract 25 million foreign tourists in 2015, up by 12.7 million against 2011.
The four nations have agreed to join hands in investment, promotion, personnel training, product development, and transport connectivity in a bid to accomplish this goal.
This was announced by senior tourism officials of the four countries last Friday, after the first CLMV Tourism Ministerial Conference and the signing of a cooperation deal in 2013-2015. Among the targeted 25 million international tourist arrivals, some four million could come from regional countries, up from the 1.9 million recorded last year.
Mr. Thong Khon, Cambodian minister of tourism, said this is an ambitious target, so the four countries’ tourism authorities must boost cooperation to make the region an attractive destination for tourists. “We need to develop and promote our products, and call for support of the governments for connecting the transport systems to lure visitors,” he said.
In an effort to attract tourists, CLMV are considering a common visa scheme for international tourists to travel through the four countries. Thereafter, CLMV will work with Thailand over this scheme.
“We are preparing to test issue a common visa for those visiting Cambodia and Thailand. Once this plan produces positive results, we can extend this to the five countries,” said Mr. Thong Khon.
Mr. Hoang Tuan Anh, Vietnam’s minister of culture, sports and tourism, said that under the cooperation agreement for the 2013-2015 period, the four nations would be jointly organizing tourism promotion events in Europe, the U.S., South Korea and Japan, and participating in some other international events.
The ministers have proposed the governments accelerate the process of building infrastructure for tourism development.
“For ten years now, Vietnam’s Government has spent trillions of dong building tourism infrastructure and this process is still underway. The other countries, such as Cambodia, have done the same. This effort will help the tourism authorities in the region achieve the goal,” he said.
After the first CLMV Tourism Ministerial Conference held in HCMC, the four countries will take turns to host the annual event. The 2013 event will take place in Cambodia.
Speaking to the Daily on the sidelines of the tourism ministerial conference, Mr. Thong Khon said the number of tourists from Vietnam to Cambodia would hit a record high this year, at around 800,000 versus 660,000 in 2011.
Vietnamese tourists mainly travel to Cambodia by road, with the favorite destinations being Phnom Penh and Angkor Wat in Siem Reap. At present, some 239 passenger coaches travel across the seven border gates between the two countries a day.
“In the first seven months of 2012, we got 400,000 visitors from Vietnam. This is the biggest source market for Cambodia,” he said.
Cambodia’s tourism authority has made strong investments to attract tourists from Vietnam. At the 2012 International Travel Expo in HCMC, the neighboring country spent about US$150,000-170,000 setting up a 135-square-meter booth, featuring a lot of activities for partners and customers.
Cambodia was the biggest delegation joining the expo, with 170 people and 27 tour operators. Last Thursday, Cambodia organized an event called Cambodian Night to introduce the country’s culture and tourism, and receive hundreds of Vietnamese and foreign travel firms.
Mr. Thong Khon added around 400,000 Cambodians came to Vietnam last year, mainly for medical treatment.
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Journey to the centre of the highway
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19/09/2012 10:46:03
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Tran Ngoc Lan Khue joins Asian Supermodel Contest
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19/09/2012 10:41:51
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Wedding fair at New World Hotel
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19/09/2012 10:21:18
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Kirigami exhibition in capital
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19/09/2012 09:53:06
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"Antiques" and rare books at International Book Fair in Hanoi
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19/09/2012 09:51:18
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Hawaiian guitar club puts on show on Saturday
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19/09/2012 09:49:35
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Building $500 million museum in Hanoi: Great waste!
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19/09/2012 09:47:59
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Phuong Uyen withdraws from The Voice, replaced by Hoai Sa
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19/09/2012 09:34:39
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Woodblock prints get modern twist
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19/09/2012 09:29:20
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