A blog written by Vietnam Tourism experts providing video and useful information about Vietnam travel including Vietnam destinations, Vietnam visa, Vietnam hotels, Vietnam food, Vietnam flights etc…
Vietnam has been ranked second
in Asia in terms of tourism development potential, just after China. This is according to a
survey of 1,200 tourism managers around the world about global tourism trends
announced at the World Travel Market 2013 in London.
Mr.
Simon Press, Reed Travel Exhibitions Director, World Travel Market London, said
that Asia is leading the world in tourism
development potential. Specifically, China, with the population of more than
1.3 billion, ranked first in the region, followed by Vietnam, Myanmar,
Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Cambodia and the Philippines.
The latest figures by the United Nations’ World Tourism Organisation showed
that tourist arrivals to the Asia-Pacific region increased about 6 percent on
average in the first half of 2013. Of this, South Asia tourist arrivals rose by
7 percent, while those of Southeast Asia
soared 12 percent. Also according to the World Tourism Organisation, Chinese travellers spent a
record USD102 billion in international tourism in 2012, surpassing US and
German tourists, both with spending close to USD84 billion.
Chinese tourists’ expenditure in 2012 increased 41 percent against a year
previous. In addition, expenditure by Chinese tourists abroad has also
increased almost eightfold since 2000.
Hoi An ancient town in the central province of QuangNam
has won the 2013 Asian Townscape Awards given by the United Nations Human
Settlements Programme.
The award ceremony is scheduled for
November 20 in Japan
to highlight and honour significant efforts made by Asian cities for the
improvement, revitalisation and creation of a beautiful and harmonious
townscape that is safe, sustainable and with respect to history and local
culture.
Earlier this month, the world’s premier
travel magazine Conde Nast Traveller named Hoi An as the second best city for
tourists in Asia after Kyoto,
Japan.
This year, the US
online news site Huffington Post listed Hoi An as one of seven must-visit
places in Vietnam,
calling it as a hidden gem.
Hoi An was recognised as a world cultural
heritage site by UNESCO in 1999. The ancient town is an exceptionally
well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian trading port dating from the 15th-19th
century.
Most of the buildings in the town are
aligned along narrow lanes. They include many pagodas, temples and meeting
houses related to the development of a port community.
Vietnam has a number of cultural
events, festivals and celebrations throughout the year. Click on the links
below to take a look at upcoming events and news in that destination.
Have
you ever heard about Vietnamese water puppet show? What do you know about this
performing art?
Water puppetry is
a unique performing art derived from rice culture of Vietnam. Today,
the puppet is recognized as a traditional art and accounts as high
position in Vietnam
national theater. Many different kind of puppet can be found in many
countries, but water puppet is unique and only in Vietnam.
Place: My KhanhTouristVillage (19 Oct 2013 - 31
Jan 2014)
My
KhanhTouristVillage
in Can Tho, an event that attracts thousands of visitors each day are the
"Pig Races". It is an extremely exciting and very fun game.
For
a long time, Vietnam
and some other Asian countries who follow the rite of worshipping the Moon
Genie, welcome the Mid- Autumn Festival on the 15thday of the 8thlunar month.
Seven
Mountains area-An Giang attracts many visitors. Beginning in October each year,
more and more tourists come to enjoy the festival of the Khmer in An Giang:
stopping cow racing.
Place: The
mountainous region of Yen Tu, Thuong Yen Cong Commune, Uong BiTown (08 Feb 2014
- 29 Apr 2014)
Yen
Tu festivities begin on the ninth day of the first lunar month and last until
the end of the third lunar month.
Yen
Tu has been a center of Buddhism for many centuries, and is the starting point
of the Buddhist sect of Trúc Lâm. Travellers to Yen Tu Festival tend to stay
away from the mundane and go on a religion pilgrimage in the midst of lush
forest and rushing streams.
Am Chua Festival: (Held on
the 1st day of the third Lunar month)
Held at the Am Chua temple located half way up the Dai An mountain in the Dai
Dien village.
Thap
Ba Ponagar Festival is a cultural tourism festival in Nha Trang city.
Celebrated on the 21st to the 25th day of every third lunar month, this
festival pays tribute to the Goddess Thien Y Ana or Po Inu Nagar. It is the
most celebrated religious festival of the Cham people in the Highlands and Central Provinces
regions.
Place: Long Tiên
Pagoda at the foot of Bài Thơ (Poem) Mountain (23 Apr 2014)
The
official festive day is on the 24th of the third lunar month.
Built
in 1941, the Long Tien Pagoda is the largest pagoda in Ha Long City. The
pagoda holds festivals that are meant to have spiritual meaning for all those
who participate, not only those who practice the Buddhist faith.
The
Ha Long Tourism Week usually takes place between April and May in the World
Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay. The event features a carnival, light shows and
more. Come and help mark the annual celebration.
Place: Yen Giang
Commune, YenHungDistrict
(06 May 2014)
The
festival is organized on the eight day of the fourth lunar month, some years
lasting 4 days and nights.
The
celebration recognizes the Bach Dang Victories of national heroes who struggled
against foreign aggression including Ngo Quyen (938); Le Hoan (981); and Tran
Hung Dao, as well as the famous generals of the Tran Dynasty (1288).
Place: Tra Co
Village, MongCaiTown
(30 Jun 2014 - 06 Jul 2014)
Festivities
in Tra Co take place yearly from the 30th day of the fifth lunar month until
the sixth day of the sixth lunar month.
Roughly
600 years ago, the Tra Co people joined together and to build a communal house
dedicated to the tutelary genies of the village. The Tra Co festival now takes
place to recognize the merit of the tutelary genies of the village and pray for
good luck for villagers.
Place: DinhWharf
in Quan Lan Commune, Van Don District (14 Jul 2014)
The
festivities are organized yearly on the 18th day of the sixth lunar month, but
the celebration lasts from the 10th to the 20th days of month.
The
festival is organized to commemorate the victory against the Mongol invaders in
1288, as well as the feats of Tran Khanh Du, a famous Tran general. They also
pray for good “harvest” from the sea.
Nguyen
Trung Truc is a hero worshipped by people in six provinces of the country. His
shrine is located on the waterfront city of Rach Gia, Kien Giang province.
These people
have been doing their utmost to contribute to preserving the diversity of Vietnam’s culture though they have to live far
from the cnetres of academic music to settle down in Vietnam. The reason for the choice
of attaching their lives with the S-shaped country is very simple. They all
have explained that “Vietnam
is my second country”.Coming from
different parts of the world and working in different fields, many foreigners
have shared the same aspiration of art and considered Vietnam as
their second country.
Consider Vietnam
their home
Cho Hae
Ryong, a Korean has won a certificate of merits at the Obraztsova International
Competition in Russia
and worked as an assistant to Professor Z. Didenko in the Conservatory of
Glinka Novosibirsk in 2000; in 2007, she won the first Concourse Prize in
Korean romantic music.
Besides, she
performed with various international orchestras from Russia,
Kazakhstan and with several
Korean ones, including orchestras of Busan, Seoul and Changwon.
With the
above accomplishments, this Korean artist could have found a very good job
besides one in Vietnam
where academic music has not yet fully developed. However, working in HCM City
Ballet and Symphony Orchestra (HBSO) is her destiny.
Cho Hae
Ryong’s husband, clarinettist Dao Nhat Quang, is Vietnamese. Cho and her
husband have made up their minds to settle back in Vietnam after many years living
overseas so as to devote themselves to their musical talents and to create a
good place for their children to study the Vietnamese language. TRY A TOUR HERE!
For Genta, a
Japanese dancer from Arabesque Troupe, the choice of Vietnam
was simple because he could find more opportunities to dance in Vietnam than in Japan. He sometimes jokes that “it
is safer in Vietnam than in Japan, the
country of earthquakes”.
In fact,
Genta was attracted by what artist Tan Loc told him during Loc’s study and
working in Japan.
Via pictures and stories, Genta found out more about genres of dance in Vietnam. Thus,
he decided to study that kind of art in the S-shaped country. The more he
studied, the more he fell in love with Vietnam
and now, Genta regards Vietnam
as his home.
Musically
gifted Eun Young Joo, a Korean artist, could not explain exactly when she had
fallen in love with Vietnam
after her first visit to this country in late 2007. She found out that Vietnam would
be a place where she could stay for the longest time and it would be her second
home, artist Eun Young confided.
During her
stay in Vietnam
with her husband and two children, Eun Young met with piano professor Nguyen
Thai Linh. Under this professor’s assistance, she is now lecturing at the
Conservatory of HCM City as a piano professor.
A special love
Artist Eun Young Joo
For these
artists, the choice of Vietnam
costs them materially because the salary paid in Vietnam is not as high as that in
other countries. Moreover, the fame and opportunities to be gained in the
international musical arena are less than that in developed countries. Yet,
most of them are satisfied with what they have chosen because of a special love
for the S-shaped country.
Cho Hae
Ryong said that HBSO always creates favourable conditions for her and her
husband to develop their talent. They have had various important performances
in Autumn Melody and big events in HCMCity. Besides, her
lecturing at HBSO and her teaching on chorus for Korean children has been going
well.
The couple
also love doing charity activities to support the poor. Cho Hae Ryong was happy
to find out more about the culture of her husband’s native country and can
speak Vietnamese language to the children and perform Vietnamese songs. With a
recipe book of Vietnamese food, she tries to cook a Vietnamese dish every day,
considering it the most happy time.
Meanwhile,
Genta revealed that except for the hot climate, working in Vietnam is
wonderful because of various events and programs for him to take part in. More
importantly, the Vietnamese people are very friendly, and that attracts many
foreigners, including him, to live in Vietnam.
Regarding
his long-term plan, Genta shared that he would concentrate on professional
performances and then get married and stabilise his life in Vietnam.
“I used to
live in Austria, Russia and England
and now, I can say that Vietnam
is my family’s home. Vietnam
and the Republic of Korea have similarities in culture, music and food,
so I feel like home as in Vietnam”,
said Korean artist Eun Young Joo.
Asked why
she had chosen Vietnam
instead of any other country, she often answered with a smile, “I myself do not
know the reason. It is simply my special love for this country”.
Most travellers place Vietnam in a comparison chart as they decide where to go next: will Thailand, Laos, Hongkong or Vietnam be worth my precious vacation? Will my kids have fun in that place? Will I encounter any problems as a single woman traveler? VietnamOnline will tell you the top 10 reasons why Vietnam should be on the agenda for your upcoming trip.
WHY VIETNAM #1: Breathtaking landscape:
There are no matches to Niagara Falls, Sydney Opera House or the Grand Canyons. However, Vietnam is a truly hidden gem that only those visiting the country themselves will be able to tell. To put it correctly, Vietnam is not short of world heritage site: Halong bay, Phong Nha Ke Bang caves,Hoi an Ancient Street and Cham Islands are all recognized for their intense beauty. However, it is the bits and bites of the non-heritage site that will surprise you further. Dalat, for example, is too picturesque to miss. French style villas sitting next to a pine forest, bordered by strawberry garden- you feel like Europe but the market scenes speak otherwise. Keo pagoda in Thai Binh province also exemplifies well the no-name beauty of Vietnam: feel the serenity of a religious place, situated amidst greeneries of paddy farms. Whether a must-see site or an off-the-beaten-path attraction, you will not be disappointed.
WHY VIETNAM #2: Friendly and hospitable Vietnamese
Like many other neighbor countries in Southeast Asia, Vietnam has a precious treasure: its people. Everywhere you go, you will be welcomed by smiles and kind helps from the locals- whether they know Vietnamese or not. People from Hue, for example, are famous all over the country for their royal-like attitude: elegant and sweet. Those from Hoi An, on the other hand, are known for being honest. If you have time to spend in the Mekong delta of Vietnam, you will even be more surprised and inspired by the way you are received by local farmers. Get impressed!
WHY VIETNAM #3: Affordability
Vietnam is a well-known destination among budget travellers. Though the price is climbing monthly at a daunting rate, it is still much cheaper than travelling in other continents. There is almost every price for every wallet: a 5 star resort in Da nang will cost you an equivalent amount to a 3 star hotel near JFK airport. For lower end market, there are a plenty of hostels and guest-houses in most cities. Food costs even lower and street foods are among the best in the world. That says, even in biggest metropolitan areas like Hanoi or Hochiminh city, you can get by a day with $15.
WHY VIETNAM #4: Coffee coffee coffee Who do not like coffee (excuse me, tea fans)? There is no Starbuck with the humongous frap and latte but there is the French drip coffee that can be found in EVERY single street of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Why rush in a country like Vietnam? Enjoy a cup of black coffee (ca phe den) or iced coffee with condensed milk (cap he sua da) and watch life goes by on a corner of the street- you will never forget Vietnam. For those who would like to take some coffee home, visit Café Mai (79 Le Van Huu, Hanoi) or Highland Coffee (26 Le Loi, Ho Chi Minh City).
WHY VIETNAM #5: A nowhere-to-be-found travel experience
Vietnam has all the off-the-beaten-path experience that you are all looking for. From staying with an ethnic family in the Northern mountain area of Sa Pa to taking photos over the sunrise in Hoi An to sand-surfing with local kids in Mui Ne- you name them all. A unique travel experience is all about yourself- and the best part about Vietnam is that there are so much to discover after all.
WHY VIETNAM #6. Exquisite cuisines
Have you always been a fan of Vietnamese food? Pho Hung on Spadina- Toronto, Nam Son near Bowery- New York, Le Lotus Blanc on Bourgogne of Paris- They can never be as authentic as the food served in Vietnam (though they all do an awesome job). Vietnamese food goes beyond pho and spring rolls and varies by regions: fresh vegetables continue to dominate the tables, while meat and poultry are rising in popularity. Near the beach such as Nha Trang and Da Nang, you can find plenty of fresh seafood caught in the morning and served in your dinner at very affordable price. A big size king crab costs about $8 and can be shared between 2 people.
WHY VIETNAM # 7. Fast and easy immigration process
Applying for a visa to Vietnam seems stressful at first- why would you need a visa to Vietnam while you are granted free 30 day entry to Thailand and Ecuador? Vietnam requires you anyway, and to alleviate the pain, the process has been made quite easy. Besides visa at the embassy, Vietnam visas can also be granted upon arrival. All you need to do is to apply online for your approval letter via a number of online travel companies, which are plentiful on the net. The visa letter will be emailed to you after 2 days. If you leave close to the embassy, it will take only about a week.
WHY VIETNAM #8. It’s a natural thing
Think Vietnam and many still think about a war-torn country- not necessarily but that is usually the case. Vietnam is more than just its war memory: its natural resources are something worth talking about. National parks abound, and you can enjoy a variety of activities you could never enjoyed back in your country: camping and bird-watching in the tropical forest of Cuc Phuong or Cat Ba; renting a jeep and touring Cat Tien national park; wind-surfing crash course in Nha Trang. The bad news is that tourism has brought a lot of commercial activities into the nature. The good news is that there are still a lot more to see, and enjoy.
WHY VIETNAM #9. Traditional festivals
Thanks to its long history, rich tradition and Buddhist influence, Vietnam has festivals organized all year round- many of which are unheard of in the West and really fun to learn about. Tet holiday, for example, is an ideal time to see how families celebrate their love for their ancestors and for each other. Tet should not be mistaken or called Chinese New Year, which may even be an insult to some nationalists. It resembles the Lunar New Year in many ways, but modified with a Vietnamese feel in it. For example, in the countryside, people stay over night and make chung cake- over a bit of fire and some end-of-year gossips. In Hai Phong, the buffalo fighting festival is a well-known occasion: the winning buffalo will get killed and presented to the village god. Even public holidays in Vietnam are worth joining: come to Vietnam on the 2nd of September and you will see nation-wide parades. The whole streets will be lighted by the red flags- and fireworks take over the sky at night. Check our events page to see what events you can join in your next trip.
WHY VIETNAM #10. World famous beaches
What is more relaxing than spending time in the blue water under the shining sun. Let the waves of Da Nang, Nha Trang or Mui Ne relieve all the stress of the busy day-to-day life. Vietnam has several of the world’s top beach listing. Most of them are safe to swim and there are opportunities for water-sport activities as well. In Nha Trang, for example, you can do kite-running and wind surfing. In Da Nang, enjoy one of the world-class beach resorts- a romantic get away for couples and families alike. In Mui Ne, enjoy the quite with some added wildness while planning for your seafood dinner venture. For beach fans, Vietnam should really be on your list. Try a tour here!
1.Choose which time of year you want to
travel to Vietnam.
2. Plan your travel around Vietnamese festivals and
celebrations. Vietnam observes many socialist
holidays, as well as Christmas and the Vietnamese Lunar New Year.
April 30th is Saigon
Liberation Day, which is a 1 day holiday, followed by a 1 day holiday on May
1st to celebrate International Labor Day. On September 2nd, a 1 day holiday is
observed to celebrate the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
Around the end of
January and the beginning of February, the Vietnamese celebrate the Lunar New
Year, which they call "Tet." The exact dates change every year.
Though most people go home to spend this 4 day holiday with their families and
many businesses are closed during this time, it's an interesting festival to
witness.
South Vietnam enjoys a warm climate
all year round, with an average temperature of 80.6 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees
Celsius).
3.Decide whether you want to travel alone or as part
of a tour.
An organized group tour
can ensure that your flights and accommodation is taken care of, as well as
help you avoid common pitfalls, such as overpaying for attractions, getting lost,
or even being robbed.
If you don't want to
travel as a part of a group, you're best advised to have a travel agent book
your flights and hotel for you but rely on local guides to show you the sights.
Most hotels can arrange for state-operated tour guides, who charge around $25
for a day, excluding expenses, to give you day tours. They generally can speak
English, French, Chinese, Russian or Japanese. TRY A TOUR HERE!
4.
Obtain your passport and tourist visa.
If you don't already
have a passport, apply for one at your local post office.
You do not need a
tourist visa if you're Vietnamese and holding a foreign passport. You and your
foreign spouse or child are exempt if you stay under 90 days. You'll need to
show your foreign permanent residency permit and obtain a visa exemption from
the appropriate Vietnamese authorities.
Visitors from Malaysia, Thailand,
Singapore, Laos and Indonesia
with current passports can stay for 30 days in Vietnam
without a visa, while those from the Philippines can stay for 21 days.
People with diplomatic
passports from over 60 different countries, as well as ASEAN officials, do not
need a tourist visa to enter Vietnam.
Tourists from Norway, Finland,
Sweden, and Denmark may
stay for 15 days.
All others need visa,
30 days, issued in consulates or diplomatic offices. You can apply for a
tourist visa at the Vietnamese embassy or consulate in your country. Be sure to
do this well ahead of time, as the process may take over a month.
5.
Visit your doctor for immunizations and other medical precautions.
If you're entering from
a country with a risk of yellow fever virus, you'll need proof of yellow fever
immunization to enter Vietnam.
Ask your doctor which
immunizations are currently required or recommended for Vietnam, as
this may change from time to time.
Ask about other
medications, such as anti-malaria and anti-diarrhea drugs.
6.Get
the correct currency for your Vietnam
trip. In Vietnam,
you can use U.S. dollars in many large hotels and tourist hotspots, but you'll
need the country's official currency, the Vietnamese dong, in smaller places
and at markets. You can exchange money at the airport and at banks, hotels and
jewelry shops. Most hotels and businesses don't accept travelers' checks.
7.Be
aware of the country's entry and exit procedures at customs.
You'll need to fill in declaration forms when you enter and leave the country.
Goods you bring into
the country for personal use are tax-exempt.
You may bring unlimited
amounts of gold, silver, and other precious metal objects, as well as foreign
currency, so long as you provide a detailed description on your customs form.
You can take as many
souvenirs with you as you like, so long as you can provide the receipts to the
customs officers if they ask to see them upon leaving the country.
8.
Buy a guidebook that has a few helpful phrases in Vietnamese.
Even a few polite words can get you a long way when traveling.
9.Purchase
a money belt that you can wear under your clothes.
This is a safe and comfortable way of storing money and your travel documents
on your person without tempting pickpockets. Try a tour here!
