Ho Chi Minh City (Sai Gon)

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is Vietnam's commercial headquarter, brash and busy , with a keen sense of its own importance as Vietnam emerges from years of austerity to claim a place in the "Asian Tiger" economic slugfest. Located on the Saigon River, Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam's major port and largest city, with an estimated population of over eight million people, most of whom cruise the town's clogged arteries on an estimated three million motorbikes. True to its reputation, the city is noisy, crowded, but the central business district is rapidly developing in steel-and-glass precision to rival any city on the globe. The old Saigon still survives in wide downtown avenues flanked by pristine colonials. Hectic and eclectic, Ho Chi Minh City has an attitude all its own.

Saigon is a relatively young Asian city, founded in the 18th century, but its history tells the story of Vietnam's recent struggles. Settled mainly by civil war forces fleed from north Vietnam along with Chinese merchants and refugees, Saigon quickly became a major commercial center in the late 1800s. With a very convenient protected port along the Saigon River, the city became a confluence in Indochina for goods passing from China and India to Europe. Places like today's popular tourist stop Ben Thanh Market were abuzz with activity. When the French took over the region about that time, in the 1880s, they called the south "Cochin China," Annam being central Vietnam and Tonkin is the north. Saigon became the capital. We owe the wide boulevards and grand colonial facades of central District 1 to years of French control and influence. After the French left in 1954, Saigon remained the capital of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) until national reunification in 1975.

After the progressive economic reforms, which opened Vietnam to foreign investment, aid, and cooperation, set the town on its feet. The city boomed while FDI flow is coming, led mostly by Asian investors (from Japan, Korea, and China). Now the future looks bright for this burgeoning “Tiger capital” claiming for a economic hub of indochina region.

There are two distinct seasons in Saigon: The always hot (average 28°C) and rainy season lasts from May to November, dry season from December to April.

Some of Saigon's tourism highlights include the Vietnam History Museum ; the War Remnants Museum ; and Cholon, the Chinese District, with its pagodas and exotic stores. Dong Khoi Street -- formerly fashionable Rue Catinat during the French era and Tu Do, or Freedom Street, during the Vietnam War, is once again a strip of grand hotels, some dating from the colonial era, new chic shops and boutiques, and lots of fine dining and cafes. Saigon's food is some of the best Vietnam has to offer, its nightlife sparkles, and the shopping here is fast and furious. The city is also a logical jumping-off point for excursions to southern destinations including the Mekong Delta, the Cu Chi Tunnels, and Phan Thiet, Nha Trang, Vung Tau beaches and Phu Quoc island.

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Posted in: Ho Chi Minh,The South

Valley of Love

LOCATION:

               Valley of Love is about 5 km far from the center of Da Lat city to the north.

FEATURES:


Another famous attraction in Vietnam is the Valley of Love (Thung Lung Tinh Yeu) in Dalat which is formerly known as Valley of Peace. Dalat is famous for honeymooners because of its cool temperature. Temperatures are pleasantly warm by day, and quite cool at night, down to perhaps 10C. Its temperature also attracts natives and tourists to the area.

The Valley of Love is where couples and lovers visit. Because of its name, many beautiful sculptures of lovers, and many couples and lovers walking around the area, i feel that the place is full of love.


Valley of Love is ringed by hilly slopes covered with pines and the man-made lake with sailboats and paddle boats ply the waters.

We walked for about 5 km. from the hotel to the Valley of Love. There were many Xe Om (motorbike taxi) from most corners but we prefered to walk. Whenever we feel tired and thirsty, we stopped over to the stores to have some snacks and drinks and get some rest. We just took a bus when we went back to the hotel.

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Posted in: Da Lat,The South

Camly Waterfall

Cam Ly waterfall is located at the end of Hoang Van Thu street which is 2 km far from the city center. The name “Camly” is explained in many ways with legends according to regions.

* The first story: According to Mr. Chil Long who live in Ta Nung Commune, in the old time, they called the waterfall Liang Sra and there was a village of Lach minority people, which is located near the present Ma Trang Son street, Yagut street, Tran Binh Trong street, Le Lai street and Hoang Dieu street. The chief of the village was Mr. Yagut Hamon whose son was Dam M'ly or Mon M'ly. At that time the French dominated the region and for some reasons, they tortured Dam M'ly very cruelly; they tied Dam M'ly by the nests of ants and bees in the forest in order to take the statements from him, but he said nothing. Despite of the hunger, thirsty and the pain, he never entreated but he just stared at the cruel colonialists. After days and nights, Dam M'ly could not suffer from the hard punishment and then he died. Loved his son so much, the old father screamed and rushed into the body of his son then he died in the front of cruel gunmen. Since then, the K'ho minority people called the waterfall Liang Mon M'ly. Through the varied process of pronunciation, the word: “Mon M'ly became Cam Ly. Nowadays, we can see a holy light, Bana which was built from concrete in a form of a tree with the names: Mon M'ly and Dam M'ly carved on it.

* The other story: According to Mr. Dagut K'Mloi, when the French surveyor asked Mr. K'Mloi what the name of the waterfall was, but K'Mloi misunderstood; he thought the French man asked his name, so he said “K'Mloi”. Then the French man called K'Mloi “Camly”. Since then the name “Camly” was used for the waterfall and the stream.

Cam Ly waterfall flows gently through the range of granite rock and it looks like the hair-style of a girl. There, tourists can take a horse-riding, take photo and go for a walk around the waterfall.

In 1998, Cam Ly waterfall was recognized as a National-level Cultural historical heritage.

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Posted in: Da Lat,The Central

Dam Sen Park

LOCATION:

               03 Hoa Binh, Ward 3, District 11, Hochiminh City, Vietnam

PHONE: (84-4) 8. 896 0260/896 4706

FEATURES:

Opening time

Mon-Sat: 08:30 a.m – 06:00 p.m 

Sundays and Holidays: 08:00 a.m – 07:00 p.m

“Oh my kids did have a wonderful time at Dam Sen Park, and keep asking me to bring them back some day!”, smiled a young mother when asked about Dam Sen park in Hochiminh City.

Most families visiting Hochiminh City much enjoy interesting games in Dam Sen Park, the ideal place of interest for small children. Opened in 1999, it now covers more than 50 ha on the corner of Lac Long Quan and Hoa Binh Street, and comprises various areas. Annually, it has several new water slides added.

Aquatic games and activities are much available here for all kinds of visitors. Water fountains, water pupetry, water games, truly unique water slide experiences (including the amazing "Space Bowl"), etc. attract thousands of turns of guests. 

Ideal for kids. A series of water games for kids are of much interest. Also, a flower garden, a fun house, a ball game centre, electronic games, and so forth, are desired by every kid taking part in. Your kids will also feel the same, for sure! 

Also geared for adults. Not only kids but also many adults are fond of the park. A very beautiful rose garden and a prehistoric valley are ideal for couples to walk and relax, make-up rooms are deeply useful for women. There is also an area for camping and a lake offering many aquatic activities. A pavilion for dancing and the water puppetry is located near the lake.

Actually, Dam Sen park is a large-scaled park within the city, which is particularly convenient for city dwellers to come and enjoy themselves here, especially at weekends. A whole complex including Co-op mart, a modern bowling center, luxurious Sports and Gymnasium Center, etc. will satisfy all kinds of your needs for shopping, entertainment and give you a truly relax holiday.

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Posted in: Ho Chi Minh,The South

Ca Na Beach

As one of the most wildest and beautiful beaches of Vietnam, Ca Na Beach, the “Sleeping Princess” of Ninh Thuan province, is warmly beckoning tourists.

Ca Na beach

On the map of Vietnam tourism as well as the world’s, Ca Na is amongst the impressive names for a picturesque landscape of sea, mountain, forest, and even a Cham culture. It is this combination of natural beauty and cultural value that makes it a tourism heaven for any kind of visitors.

A quick look. Ca Na is fortunate to be granted such a favorable location, which is on the trans-Vietnam railway, right on the 1A Highway, and around 200km east of Ho Chi Minh City. It stretches as far as 10km with blue sky and purely green water. Ca Na is attractive to tourists not only for the mentioned charm, but also the ideally pure and cool weather all the year round. If staying here overnight, you will deeply feel the Ca Na night’s delicate harmony of with moonlight, hissing sea wind, and whistling waves. Do come and feel it yourself, no regret at all you would have!

Why is it named so? A legend tells that in the past, under Nguyen dynasty, there were a King and a queen who went swimming here, and found it a rare magnificent charm in the region. They then named it “Nang Tien Ca” (translated as “fairy fish”). Ca Na is the name in Cham language, and exists until these days. For the other beautiful way of calling, “Sleeping Princess”, the reason is very simple; the beach still remains wild, even most pristine as compared to others in Vietnam, and more importantly, it does look graceful and fascinating!

Deep attraction to tourists

Picturesque landscape. One side is rock, one side is the beach! On your one side is a very vast sea that normal eyes could not see through. On the other side is the mighty Truong Son mountain range with side by side upright rocky limestone mounts. Getting deep into the area is tropical jungles, where live so many kinds of rare and precious animals... Actually, it must say, Ca Na is a harmonious sonata of nature!

The rocky mountains turn up imposingly. In spring, apricot blossoms in the mountain, making up a rich source of inspiration for artists. Thousands of islets with different shapes gather together create vivid images just nearby the road.

Ca Na corals

The beach is excellent! It curls like a sickle, white sand and high salty degree. Salt in Ca Na beach is considered the best one in Southeast Asia. The beach slopes gently to the sea with the depth of one to two meters. The weather is sunny and warm all the year round. Climbing up the mountains, and swimming in the crystal – clear water in this place are very enjoyable. Also, you can take photos of rocks protruding into the sea.

Looking to the sea farthest, you may see a small islet turning up, which is called “Hon Lao”. This is a popular spot of Ca Na for numerous species of sea birds, Tien Well, and the famous Thach Grotto with 7 skulls, attracting a huge number of adventurous tourists.

Popular Sea food. Apart from Ca Na’s most famous specialties, such as salt and Nhi fish sauce, tourists are offered a great chance to taste delicious seafood, say, shrimp, crab, shellfish, etc. There are a number of beautiful tiny things here to buy for gifts, among which the most popular one preferred by tourists is the sea coral.

Besides, tourist can visit the Cham’s special structures and traditional villages, where a lot of Cham people are living with nearly genuine traditional custom, just in the nearby surroundings. This is the last but actually not least absorptive beauty of this popular beach of Ninh Thuan.

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Posted in: Ninh Thuan,The Central

Duc Ba Cathedral

LOCATION:

          Duc Ba Cathedral is located on Han Thuyen Street, facing down Dong Khoi Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

FEATURES:


          The resplendent Governor's Palace, completed in 1875, symbolized the regime's Political Power in Asia. And five years later, the Duc Ba (Our Lady's) Cathedral was Inaugurated, and became the spiritual and cultural crucible of the French presence in the Orient.
After the first French colonizing force arrived in Vietnam in the mid-19thcentury, it took only 21 years before the country had a cathedral to match the hulking Gothic edifices of France itself. The cathedral is supposed to represent the glory of the French Empire. Yet, as is always the case with colonization, this attempt to import French Traditions into Vietnam transformed the colonizers' culture in the process. Even though the cathedral is built in a Western architectural style, it has a Uniquely Eastern aspect.

Several architects put forward design Proposals for the cathedral, but in 1877 the Authorities selected Mr. Bourard, who was famed for his religious architecture. He envisaged, and executed, a basilica-like structure with a square plan. The cathedral is composed of two main central bays with two sidereal corridors, with Tall Pillars and light coming in through sets of high windows, and a semi-circular shrine. The style follows a Roman pattern, although the outside contains some Modifications: the cathedral's Gothic Vaults are, and a modern steel skeleton supports the whole building.
In 1894 a pointed minaret was added to the bell tower, at the behest of an architect named Gardes, who was also responsible for the Xa Tay Palace, the building now houses the Municipal People's Committee. The cathedral is a much smaller than Those in France, but it was the largest in the French empire. The interior is very large: the principal shrine and two additional bays are 93m long, and reach 35m in width at one point. The semi-circular shrine at the rear seats a choir khi services, and there are five Chapels. The walls are made of Bien Hoa granite, combined with red tiles from Marseilles, all without coating. Red tiles from France were also used on the Roofs, but They were later thế with tiles of equal quality from Phu Huu. Natural light streams in through stained-glass windows mà were made by the Lorin Company from the French town of Sartre.

The whole building is well-ventilated thanks to a system of air-holes placed above and under the windows. The Belfry is 57m high. For a long time it was the highest structure in the city center, and was the first thing an arriving traveler would see when approaching the city by boat. Six bells weigh a combined 25.850 kg. In 1885, the floor was taken apart and new Pillars were added, vì original foundation could not bear the cathedral's weight. Stepping inside the cathedral, tourists see a line of Chinese characters eulogizing the Jesus' mother, "the innocent and unblemished Virgin Mother", and stained-glass portraits of Vietnamese believers amid Asiatic plants. On the square in front of the cathedral, there is a statue of the Virgin Mother made of white marble, symbolizing peace. All told, it's an unusual building: a Western architectural and religious style that has been transplanted into, and adapted to, the East. The colonizers were trying to impose French beliefs and Customs onto Vietnam but once rằng culture arrived on Asia's shores, it took on a life of its own. The cathedral is seen as a unique synthesis, adding an unmistakable Oriental flavor to an ancient Occidental recipe.

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Posted in: Ho Chi Minh,The South

Diving in Nha Trang beach

As the Republic of Vietnam grows more and more as a favorite tourist destination in South East Asia, its shore line is home of some good dive sites in Nha Trang and off to the island of Mun also known as Hon Mun. Situated on the north east of Ho Chi Minh City (former Saigon), and far from the murkier waters of the Mekong river delta, Nha Trang offers great Vietnamese culture, essentially based on the harvest of the sea in a very traditional way. The coast line around Nha Trang has Developed through history its pure tradition of fishing Techniques and it will be possible to visit some of these Fishermen Villages, guardian of ancestrous traditional fishing secrets. Vietnam is the newest dive destination. Nha Trang offers fantastic sites: with over 350 different species of coral, also various and rich underwater life. Off Nha Trang lies the island of Mun, home of some interesting dive sites, where one of our dive package will take the adventurer diver.

Sihanoukville is Cambodia's premier scuba-diving locale. Visibility averages 15 meters but can be as much as 30 meters, depending on the season (late October to early January is the worst time of year).
There are around 25 dive sites in the area, both shallow and deep. There are no wrecks to visit, but some sites have good drop-offs and there are a few small underwater caves to explore. The waters support a good variety of soft and hard corals, and a reasonable number of small reef fish.

A full-day outing gồm boat transport, two dives and lunch thường the between costs U.S. $ 45 and U.S. $ 75. Most dive operators also offer a range of dive courses, Including a 'discover diving' program for uncertified first-time divers to experience the underwater world with the Supervision of a qualified dive master.

There are a dozen or so dive operators touting for business on the streets of Nha Trang. The places listed below are all long-running operators with environmentally responsible diving practices.

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Posted in: Nha Trang,The South