7 best places to visit in Vietnam

With its wild jungles, fantastic street food and white sandy beaches, Vietnam deserves to be on every traveller's hitlist. From Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, there are a number of sights and sounds that draw the crowds.

But it's not just all about the star turns. In a country where exotic Asia fuses with Parisien chic, there are many surprising sights and fascinating places to explore. Our girl on the traveller's trail, Catherine McGloin, shares seven of her favourite places in Vietnam.

1. Huế

For culture vultures, there is no shortage of temples, tombs, pagodas and crumbling palaces to admire and explore. The UNESCO World Heritage site of Huế is home to the Citadel, once the emperor's private residence, and the Forbidden Purple City, where he housed his many mistresses. When your feet are weary, grab some bún bò buế  (beef noodle soup) and watch swan pedalos cruise the Perfume River as the sun sets.

Huế, Vietnam

2. Hoi An

Foodies can feast on street food in Vietnam's culinary capital. If you fancy trying your hand at Vietnamese cuisine, many restaurants offer half-day cooking courses. Sounds too much like hard work? Hit An Bang Beach instead for a day lounging on the deserted sand, sipping on ice-cold cocktails at the bar.

More: Street food named desire - the greatest on-the-go grub: in pictures

Hoi An, Vietnam

3. Sapa

Go trekking in the hills of Sapa for amazing views across the jungle and mountain ranges of north-west Vietnam. Equipment is cheap and easy to come by so don't worry if you're not a natural mountain goat, you'll soon be up there, gazing at the views as the mist rolls in across the peaks.

Sapa, Vietnam

4. Halong Bay

Sail among the jagged rocks of over 2000 islands in the Gulf of Tonkin at Halong, which translates as 'where the dragon descends in to the sea'. If you want to get a closer view, hire kayaks and explore the caves or find your own deserted bay.

Halong Bay, Vietnam

5. Hanoi

The hustle and bustle of Vietnam's capital can at first seem intimidating, but don't let the weaving motorbikes and screaming street hawkers put you off. Behind the hustle and bustle you'll find tranquility in the Temple of Literature, peace at One Pillar Pagoda, and more charming French patisseries then you could wish for.

Hanoi, Vietnam

6. Ben Tre

A little off the beaten track, head to Ben Tre to experience life on the banks of the Mekong without the tourist crowds of spots like My Tho. Cruise along the river, stopping at a coconut candy factory to sample the sweet treat the area is famous for. For a touch of romance, set sail at dusk to catch fireflies and watch the sunset.

Mekong delta, Vietnam

7. Ho Chi Minh City

Former Saigon is now Vietnam's international business hub. Get your gladrags on and head up to one of the many skybars, found on the top floor of the city's sleek skyscrapers. Cocktail in hand, admire the best view of Ho Chi Minh City by night.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Source: skyscanner.net

Recommend Vietnam tour by ACTIVETRAVEL ASIA:

Motorbiking the Ho Chi Minh Trail - Complete Challenge

Highlights:

• Stunning scenery
• Historical sites
• Charming ancient trading town of Hoi An
• Relaxing in Dalat
• Encountering ethnic minorities
• Just you, no others travelers
• All inclusive

Vietnamese cuisines stir the world in 2012

Bringing rice and bacon, an omelet with Vietnamese flavour in the final round of the MasterChef US, has won blind girl Christine Ha the championship. Vietnamese cuisines also set many records in 2012.

1. Christine Ha becomes MasterChef US 2012

In September 2012, Christine Ha – of Vietnamese-origin, 33-year-old blind girl from the University of Houston won the top spot of the MasterChef US, third season. Ha defeated 24-year-old chef Josh Marks to win the final prize worth $250,000 in cash, a cookbook publishing contract and the MasterChef trophy.

In the finale, Christine Ha and Josh Marks had to prepare three dishes in two hours. Josh Marks chose lobster poached in butter, lamb with sauce of curry and vegetable and bacon pecan cake. Christine Ha made Thai papaya crab salad, rice with bacon, omelet with Vietnamese flavor and ginger and coconut cream.

The meal was described by Christine Ha as "a symphony of flavors." They are simply but made the jury was surprised. Many Vietnamese dishes were also introduced by Ha at the MasterChef.

2. 10 Vietnamese dishes recognized as Asian records

On August 20, in Faridabad, Indian, the Asian Organization Record recognized 10 Vietnamese dishes as the Asian records based on the criteria for Asian Cuisine Value. 

Among them, Hanoi contributed three famous dishes - pho, bun thang and bun cha. HCM City had broken rice and goi cuon. The remaining dishes consist of Haiphong’s crab pancake; Ninh Binh’s rice crust; Nghe An’s eel vermicelli; Hue’s beef vermicelli; Quang Nam’s noodles; Gia Lai’s dried noodle; and Vung Tau’s khot cake.

Getting lost in Hanoi's Old Quarter

Hectic, noisy, chaotic, adjective, adjective. Describing Hanoi's oldest district is somewhat of a waste of breath. No need to ramble on about where exactly to go in the Old Quarter either, as the weaving and winding streets are best explored by aimless wandering. No destination. No pre-planned route. Just left, right, or straight ahead. 

Experience Sapa

Attractive eco-friendly valleys, terraced slope attributes as well as tribes nevertheless subsequent their own historic customs — encouraged in order to Sapa.

Situated 350kms north-west associated with Hanoi, simply timid from the Chinese language edge may be the Lao Cai Land exactly where you’ll discover Sapa. It’s environment as well as amazing scenery tend to be about the reduce inclines from the Hoang Lien Boy hill variety, that additionally features Vietnam’s greatest hill Fansipan, having a elevation associated with 3142 metre distances.

Sapa is actually filled with a varied number of cultural minorities like the Hmong, Yao, Tay as well as Giay organizations. Considered to possess lived on the region because the 1800′s, these types of Sapa slope tribes continue to be close to these days ongoing their own life-style as well as customs because they did for hundreds of years.

The elements is extremely periodic, throughout the summer time it is very reasonable as well as wet. Throughout the winter season it may be chilly, misty as well as obtain the unusual compacted snow. Suggested occasions to visit tend to be 03 via Might as well as middle Sept in order to earlier Dec to obtain a hotter as well as better encounter.

Arranging your own go Sapa ahead of time via a journey professional is actually recommended. The easiest method to reach Sapa is actually through immediately teach, exactly where vacationers may rest the actual trip aside. Through Hanoi the actual trip requires around 10 several hours and also the locomotives go away every day. You will find 14 locomotives that offer the actual come back trip in between Hanoi as well as Lao Cai, just about all supplying air-conditioning as well as comfy cabins along with several berth choices. You will awaken rejuvenated as well as prepared for the Sapa experience to start whenever you appear in to Lao Cai earlier the following early morning.

Place your own strolling footwear upon as well as discover the actual valleys providing breathless surroundings top you to definitely nearby towns. The actual closest town associated with Kitty Kitty is just 3kms through Sapa, an additional choice is actually Ta Phin town house in order to Red-colored Dzao around 10kms aside. The majority of vacationers looks for helpful information as well as has a Xe Om (motorcycle) to some starting place 8kms through Sapa, after that journey the 14km cycle round the region going to towns on the way. There is lots of walking as well as hiking choices in the region for those health and fitness amounts, going to slope group towns as well as waterfalls. For that severe mountaineer why don’t you undertake the actual 19km trip towards the peak associated with Fansipan, Vietnam’s greatest maximum?

An additional appeal associated with any kind of Sapa journey may be the marketplaces. You will find several marketplaces kept round the region usually about the weekend break upon whether Sunday or even Weekend. The well-known marketplace may be the Back ‘Weekend marketplace, the industry buying and selling center as well as conference location with regard to family and friends. You will discover the neighborhood minorities putting on their own conventional clothes, the actual Hmong tend to be recognized through their own indigo stitched garb and also the Red-colored Dao through their own red-colored headdresses along with hanging cash as well as waistcoats which are intricately stitched as well as put on through the ladies. The actual Adore Marketplace is actually an additional famous marketplace — typically it had been a location in which the youths from the nearby slope tribes might arrive to locate a partner.

If you have fulfilled the actual local people, trekked the actual valleys as well as marvelled the actual sights associated with significantly terraced grain areas, shopped in the marketplaces and also have your own cherished times taken, you’ll return in order to Lao Cai train station for the immediately teach to Hanoi. The Sapa journey experience is really a particular emphasize associated with any kind of day at Vietnam.

Source: wannawatch.info

Recommended tours:

• Sapa trekking and homestay
• Conquer Mount Fansipan

PU HU nature reserve

ACTIVETRAVEL ASIA and GIZ (Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit in Vietnam) working together in a survey of responsible tourism project in Pu Hu Nature Reserve, Thanh hoa province, Vietnam. 

The survey trip will be held in middle of December, 2011 by ATA team with support of GIZ Vietnam. ATA inspection team will spend about 3 days to scan this area, evaluating the suitable activities for a tourist site. This activity is a part of project “Protection of the forest and wildlife” implemented by GIZ Vietnam, under the management of Forest Protection Department of Thanh Hoa Province.

Pu Hu Nature Reserve is situated in the North-West of Thanh Hoa Province. It has a big diversity of plants and animals with 508 plant species and 266 animals species. It also has a role in protecting the catchment of the Ma river. The inhabitants of the nature reserve and buffer zone belong to the Thai, Hmong, Dao and Kinh ethnic groups.

Active Travel Asia announced the prizes for the contest “Indochina in Your Eyes”!

First word Active Travel Asia sent to you to joint our competition “Indochina in yours eyes” most sincere thanks!

“Indochina in yours eyes” contest lasted over 2 months (1st Sep 2011 to 20th Nov 2011) and ends on 20 Nov 2011. Organizing Committee has received many entries with unique ideas, deeply felt and very sincere, especially from customers love traveling and traveled to Indochina in a lifetime.

Now is the time to honor the winner.

Ha Long – a wonder of the creator

Located in Quang Ninh Province, Ha Long Bay includes the sea areas of Ha Long City, Cam Pha Town and a part of Van Don island district. With the admirable natural beauty and multiform, special values, Ha Long has become the must-see destination in Viet Nam for domestic and international visitors.

The legend has it that, once upon a time, soon after the Viet people established their country, invaders came. The Jade Emperor sent Mother Dragon and her Child Dragons down to the earth to help the Viet people fight against their enemy. When the dragons landed down on the earth, invaders' boats were rushing to the shore.

The dragons immediately turned into thousands of stone islands emerging in the sea like great walls challenging the invaders' boats. The fast boats couldn't manage to stop and crashed into the islands and broke into pieces. After the victory, Mother Dragon and Child Dragons didn't return the heaven but stayed on the earth at the place where the battle had occurred. The location Mother Dragon landed is present Ha Long Bay and Child Dragons landed is present Bai Tu Long Bay. The dragons' tails waving the water created Bach Long Vi (present Tra Co Peninsula). 

Ha Long Bay covers the area of 1,553km² and encompasses 1,969 islands of various sizes which are mainly limestone islands with tectonic age from 250 million to 280 million years. The process of long geological evolution created the unique Ha Long Bay in the world with thousands of islands which look like fantastic sculptural and artistic works of various graceful shapes such as Canh Buom (Sail) Islet, Trong Mai (Cock and Hen) Islet, Lu Huong (Incense Burner) Islet… All of them are vivid and soulful.

Mai Chau Homestay Trek Was So Much Better Than I Ever Imagined

"A buddy and I did 10 days in Northern Vietnam and wanted to get a few days of hiking in. We opted for ATA's 4-day Mai Chau Homestay. Mr. Hai picked us up at our backpacker's hostel with a private car and driver. Mr. Hai was very knowledgeable, had a great sense of humor, and spoke great English. The drive was quiet and comfortable, though uneventful as it was raining. 

When we reached Mai Chau, we stopped at the Homestay HQ where we were treated to a good 4-5 course meal and waited for our local guide, Thanh. Thanh did not speak a word of English, but was friendly and pleasant from the start. She would prove to be absolutely wonderful once the trip started. From Mai Chau, we took a short car ride to the beginning of the hike. 

We departed our transport and hiked to a Hmong village high in the mountains. Though it was still raining and chilly, the Hmong house was warm and comfortable. Right when we arrived, Thanh headed to the kitchen and began working over a wood fire. We quickly learned that this would be the norm, regardless of how long the hike was prior. The Hmong family pressed on with their day-to-day activities. At dinner time, Thanh delivered the first of several unbelievable meals. The typical dinner meal was about 7 courses with the freshest ingredients I've ever tasted. I can't begin to express how good the food was throughout the trip. The Hmong husband and wife joined us during the dinner and shared their company as well as their homemade corn wine with us.

The next morning, we were welcomed with a delicious breakfast. I can't recall what we ate on any particular day, but it ranged from noodle and vegetable dishes to omelets to banana pancakes. Fresh fruit was always served. The second day we hiked down the mountain to a black Thai village. The terrain was extremely slippery. With hindsight, I would probably have been much better off with a lightweight hiking shoe rather than a heavier boot. 

Vietnam Cat Tien National Park Recognized Global Biosphere Reserve

On 30 June 2011, the United Nations added 18 new sites to its global list of biosphere reserves, bringing the total to 581 in 114 different countries, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) reported.

Cat Tien is the new name of the former Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve in Viet Nam, which was designated in 2001. Two new core zones have been added to the site, bringing its total area to 966,563 hectares. Cat Tien National Park covers the area of Dong Nai, Lam Dong and Binh Phuoc Provinces in southern Vietnam. Cat Tien National Park is 15km north of Ho Chi Minh City (or Saigon).

Biosphere reserves are places recognized by MAB (The International Coordinating Council of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme ) where local communities are actively involved in governance and management, research, education, training and monitoring at the service of both socio-economic development and biodiversity conservation. They are thus sites for experimenting with and learning about sustainable development.

Soure: travelnewsnow 

Tour Trekking Nam Cat Tien National Park with ActiveTravel Asia, at: http://www.activetravel.asia/mountain-biking-to-dalat-down-to-nha-trang-t279.html

ACTIVETRAVEL ASIA organizes the first trip to discover Son Doong cave for travelers

At the end of Sep, 2011, the first trip for travelers to discover SON DOONG, the world’s largest cave will be implemented by ACTIVETRAVEL ASIA. Mr. Ho Khanh, who is the first person to find the entrance to cave will be the tour leader of this adventure group.

The lucky tourist group is from Australia, they are researching scientists from the Victorian Department of Primary Industries in Australia. This group of four is going to take 3 days 2 nights to explore parts of the cave system where the regular tourists are still not allowed to go.

This trip not only brings the real experience but also is a challenge for tourists when they take 3 day trekking and 2 night camping in the cave.

Son Doong cave (meaning Mountain River Cave) is a cave in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Bo Trach District, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam. The cave is located near the Laos-Vietnam border. 

It was first discovered by a local in 1991 (Mr.Ho Khanh), and surveyed by the British Cave Research Association from April 10 to April 14, 2009. According to the survey team, Son Doong is the Earth's largest known cave passage at present. It is more than 200 meters wide, 150 meters high, and at least 6.5 kilometers long, though the explorers said they were unable to explore it fully. 

With these information, Son Doong is much larger than Deer Cave in Malaysia, currently considered the world's largest, an explorer said (Deer is 90 meters wide, 100 meters high and 2 kilometers long). The Son Doong cave has replaced to take pole position as the world's largest cave.

Son Doong is formed by a system of grottos, flowing underground rivers, giant walls and deep lakes. In the 200m high arch of the cave, the sight is extremely magnificent with images of the Eden in the grotto, stalactites giant wall or the collection "Pearls" with thousands of years. The grandeur of the nature is really unbelievable.

“Son Doong Cave is the masterpiece of nature. It is the must-see destination once in a lifetime for those who love adventure”, Mr.Tony Tran – The product manager of ATA said. He also added: “I will join the first group in the expedition to Son Doong Cave this September”, showed his excitement about the next coming trip.

With ATA holding the adventure tour to Son Doong Cave will give travelers the chance to explore the world largest cave and see the magnificent beauty of nature. It also marked ATA as the first company organizes the tour to discover Son Doong cave.

Source of Photos: National Geographic

TOUR INFORMATION:
Ha Noi - Dong Hoi – Phong Nha-Ke Bang – Son Doong Cave – Chay Lap – Vinh Moc – Hue
5 days with 3 day trekking & 2 night camping
Grade: Moderate
Head office: Floor 12 Building 45 Nguyen Son street, Long Bien district, Hanoi, Vietnam
Operation office: 367 Ngo Quyen St., Son Tra Dist., Da Nang
Operation office: 108 Le Lai St., Dist. 1, HCMC
Support number: (04) 3 573 8569

Active Travel Asia Launches Great Vietnam & Cambodia Summer Promotion 2011

Active Travel Asia (ATA) is offering Great Summer Promotion 2011 in Vietnam and Cambodia. These promotions are guaranteed by luxurious adventure tours, add-on values and reasonable prices.


Active Travel Asia kicks off Special Summer Promotion 2011 covering all kinds of adventure tours include trekking, biking, motorcycling, kayaking and family adventure in Vietnam and Cambodia. All promoted tours are in Vietnam (http://www.activetravelvietnam.com), Cambodia (http://www.activetravelcambodia.com) and three others between Vietnam and Cambodia (http://www.activetravelshop.com). Depend on the value of tours; travelers are got special value-added services.

With this promotion is starting from May, 1st to Sep, 31st 2011, ATA guarantees the best Vietnam and Cambodia travel packages with good prices as well as attractive add-on values as below:

• Travelers book tours and services with ATA under US$ 300, ATA offers free visa approval letter.

• Travelers book tours and services with ATA from over US$ 301 to US$ 1000, ATA offers free visa letter, free water Puppet Show and free 2-hr rickshaw guided tour in Hanoi’s Old Quarter

• Travelers book tours and services with ATA from over US$ 1000 to US$ 2000, ATA offers free visa letter, Free water Puppet Show +and free half-day guided city tour.

• Travelers book tours and services with ATA from over US$ 2000, ATA offers free visa on arrival, free airport transfer (2 ways) and free guided half-day city tour.

Conditions:

• This promotion is applied for group size from minimum 1 person to maximum 4 persons. If group is bigger than 4 persons, the promotion for 4 people is applied for the group.

• This promotion is applied for booking from May, 1 to Sep, 31

The promotion provides travelers real experiences in hidden Indochina (Cambodia and Vietnam travel) with add-on valued services. This makes it suitable all types of groups and those who love any kind of adventure activities.

For the whole Summer Promotion of Cambodia and Vietnam Tours, please refer to http://www.activetravel.asia/special_offer/ or contact ATA at info@activetravel.asia

With the add–on values from this Great Summer Promotion 2011 of ATA, the hesitance will be replaced by the smart decision from who are exited in traveling and getting more real experience.

# # #

ACTIVE TRAVEL ASIA (ATA) is established in 2006 and has grown to become one of the Indochina's leading adventure travel companies. ATA offers a wide selection of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar adventure tours, including hiking and trekking, biking, motorcycling, overland touring and family travel packages.

In Touch with the Real World: Vietnam Biking Tour

People who had traveled to Vietnam agreed that it was an interesting experience in general, but the bicycle tours definitely brought more adventurous excitements.

Vietnam borders Cambodia, Laos and China. Its coastline is 3,200 kilometers. The climate is tropical monsoon climate with dry and wet seasons, and it can be extremely hot and humid depending on the elevations.

Because the technology makes traveling easier than it was hundreds years ago, today people fly from places to places to experience the different cultures in various countries. Vietnam, however, is one place that people think it is the place left in the world that is so close to the “reality.” Many destinations have not yet been explored by travelers.

Vietnam is a bicycle-friendly country. Many people use bikes to commute in Vietnam. If you choose this method to sightsee in Vietnam, time can be the issue. Plan a trip with time flexibility to ensure a good quality trip.

Vietnam biking tours

Cycling in Vietnam, time and energy are what you need. Knowing basic techniques to take care your bike would be a plus, and you can usually find some locals to help you with the bicycle problems.

There are two directions you can go. From north to south, you can visit Hanoi, Hue, Danang and Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) in that order. Or choose the other way travel from south to north. You can fly to Saigon and bike to Danang, Hue and Hanoi.

According to some experienced bicycling travelers, it will take about three weeks to finish the route, but it really depends on how much time you want to spend in these places as a tourist, meaning sightseeing and just hanging out to relax.

Beginning from national capital Hanoi, a city called the “Paris of the Orient” because of the beautiful lakes and shaded streets.

One Pillar Pagoda, Hanoi

The beauty of the bike tour is that you can meet the locals and observe what they are doing every day. Friendly smiles, sunshine beaches and yummy food, they are all the amazing things to attract biker’s attention on the way to their next destination.

While hanging out near Hanoi, Frenchtown, Ho Chi Minh Museum, Presidential Palace, Hoan Kiem Lake, and Ngoc Son Temple are hot spots to visit. Hanoi is a historical town where visitors can find evidence of the history.

Hue, known as one of the most beautiful cities in Vietnam, is the royal family’s former residence. Hue is also the heart of culture, religion and education. After days of biking, visiting the Thien Mu Pagoda is a peaceful journey.

Thien Mu pagoda, Hue

Start from Hue and bike 108 kilometers south, you arrive at Danang. It might sound like a long way, but you will enjoy the view of Lang Co Beach and Hai Van Pass

The China Beach (Non Nuoc) is about 15 kilometers from Danang and about one kilometer away from the Marble Mountains. The beach is a popular surfing and swimming resort from March to August. Sponsored by the Vietnamese government and other various organizations, there is a surfing contest held in the area every year. Danang is also the third biggest city in Vietnam.

Finally, you reach Saigon. The city had been through so many times of name changes. Today, it is known as the Ho Chi Minh City worldwide although not many Vietnamese use it. Saigon is probably the most famous city in Vietnam due to its frequent media exposure.

Recommended tours:

West to East Biking Exploration

Mekong Explorer

Source: bootsnall

Discover Stunning Terraced fields in Northwest Vietnam

The terraced fields in the mountain district of Mu Cang Chai in Yen Bai, Vietnam are associated with the developmental history of the Mong ethnic minority group. They are considered not only a source of food production but also an asset for developing local tourism.

When we arrived, Giang A Su, a farmer in Che Cu Nha commune, was carrying his hoe to his 5,000 sq.m of terraced fields to expand their area. Seeing everyone’s surprise at his traditional equipment, he explained that making terraced fields does not require modern equipment.

The farmers with traditional equipment

Looking at the impressive fields, it is hard to believe that they were created in such a simple way. Su said the most difficult about making terraced fields is finding water resources and fertile land because they are very rare in mountain areas. It usually takes a very long time to find a suitable area for terraced fields, said Su, adding that it depends on both the Mong people’s experience and the Creator.

Hard-working day on the terraced fields

Tourists are usually enchanted by the stunning terraced fields along the mountain slopes made by the hard-working Mong people. As the mountains are usually 2,000 metres above sea level, it is impossible to use modern machinery so the people must use simple equipment and create small fields. It is the most effective way for the ethnic Mong people to increase their productivity.

Terraced fields are found in all 13 communes of Mu Cang Chai district and it takes tourists hours or even days to travel on the paths around the mountains and contemplate the beauty of the nature and the terraces.

Mu Cang Chai’s most beautiful terraces are in La Pan Te and Che Cu Nha communes. Everyone stops to see the lovely green and yellow-ripened rice fields when passing through these areas. When viewed from above, the multi-level terraced fields look like trays of sticky rice lying between streams and the great expanse of coniferous forests.

The ethnic Mong girl

The higher visitors climb, the more interested they become as they can enjoy both the beauty of the mountains and the terraced fields and the ethnic Mong people’s beauty and hospitality which counteracts the cold weather in the mountain areas.

Stunning terraced fields in Mu Cang Chai, Vietnam

Mu Cang Chai has a total area of 2,200 ha of terraced fields, 500 of which are in La Tan Pan, Che Cu Nha, and De Xu Phinh communes. Being properly preserved, they still maintain their original beauty and were recognized as national heritage sites by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2007.

To take advantage of the potential of the terraced fields, people in Mu Cang Chai are making great efforts under the leadership of the district’s Party Committee and authorities to increase the productivity, protect the natural environment, and preserve the fields and traditional festivals, all of which make an attractive tourist destination in the northwest of the country.

Source: VOV

Motorbiking in Southeast Asia: two-wheeled adventures from mountain to coast

Southeast Asia is home to some of the greatest adventures on earth. Throw a motorbike into the mix and you’ll have the time of your life. Here’s our guide to a two-wheeled adventure in the Mekong region.

Vietnam and Laos – sublime scenery from mountain to coast

Ho Chi Minh Trails, Vietnam

To kick off, the infamous Ho Chi Minh Trail has been upgraded into a major highway running along the spine of the country and offers some sublime scenery. The stretch from the old US airbase of Khe Sanh north to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is a beauty.

Elsewhere in Vietnam, Ha Giang is the final frontier for motorbiking aficionados in Indochina. Like Halong Bay on high, karst peaks protrude from the top of rolling mountains and secluded villages are home to a colourful mosaic of ethnic minorities. The gorge road from Dong Van to Meo Vac is the stuff of biker yore, its towering cliffs looming high above and plummeting to the Nho Que River in the distance below. Just remember to keep an eye on the road, despite the breathtaking scenery. A word of caution, however, Ha Giang still requires an official permit to visit more remote areas.

Ha Giang, Vietnam

If the coast is more your cup of tea, then try the Top Gear thing and ride notorious Highway 1 between Saigon and Hanoi. The traffic can be daunting around major cities, but there are some remote and desolate stretches with empty beaches. Aim high over the Hai Van Pass, ignoring the tedious tunnel that has been conveniently burrowed through the mountain.

Take the Top Gear theme further and team up with some friends to ride a Minsk, a Vespa and a Honda Cub. Converting the bikes to amphibious vehicles to explore Halong Bay might be a step too far for a holiday.

Back to the Ho Chi Minh theme, for experienced dirt bikers, it is possible to explore remnants of the old Ho Chi Minh Trail across the border in Laos. Rusting tanks and forgotten field guns litter the jungle of Southern Laos. Combine a ride through the region’s recent history with some of the most remote and wild regions of the country in Salavan and Attapeu.

Recommended tours:

Motorbiking Adventure Vietnam
Motorbiking Adventure Cambodia

Source: lonelyplanet

Travel to Dong Van Plateau, Explore Global Geo-parks Network in Vietnam

During the traditional Tet holiday 2011, there were nearly 4.000 domestic and foreign tourists to Dong Van karst plateau Geopark to excursion and travel. With total tourism revenue reached over 3 billion.

Under the instruction of Ha Giang province People’s Committee, all relevant districts has implemented well-organized culture, sports, entertainment and travel activities to meet local people and travellers’ needs. Performing the external politics very well, Vietnamese national visit to their homeland during Tet holiday.

Numerous travellers visit to Vuong palace, Ha Giang, Vietnam

In particular, after nearly 3 years to prepare, Dong Van karst plateau has been recognized as a member of the Global Geoparks Network. Creating an important premise for tourism development of the province, Development of cultural community tourism villages as well as concerned about the investment and development of tourism infrastructure.

Ha Giang has promoted powerful of tourism forms such as eco tourism, adventure discovery travel, cultural tourism and so on. Ha Giang have alot of tourism sites has attracted numerous visitors to the city in the New Rabbit Year, namely, Dong Van karst plateau Geopark, Lung Cu flag tower, Dong Van Old street, Vuong Dynasty’s artistic architecture monument (Dong Van district), Co Tien double mountain (Quan Ba district); Ma Pi Leng Pass.

Ma Pi Leng Pass, Ha Giang, Vietnam

Come to Ha Giang, tourists enjoy not only the traditional food of all tribes but also yourself in the life of the highlanders. Especially, they will have opportunity to attend the traditional festival of ethnic minorities of the province such as Long Tong Festival of Tay ethnic group, the crop-praying festival of Dao ethnic minority, fighting buffalo ceremony, fighting chicken festival. They also have chance to participate in traditional games like pushing stick, throwing con, walking on stilts, jumping .etc. It’s cultural identity of the ethnic groups.

About Dong Van karst plateau Geopark:

Dong Van karst plateau Geopark consists of four districts, namely, Meo Vac, Dong Van, Yen Minh, Quan Ba. Located in the North of Ha Giang province, Viet Nam. The karst plateau is created by at least 80 percent limestone and many fossils of ancient creatures species from 400 - 600 million years ago. Its average elevation is 1400 -1600 meters above sea level.

Dong Van Plateau, Vietnam

Dong Van karst plateau Geopark is situated in a temperate climate and divided into two seasons: Rainy and dry seasons. The annual mean temperature is 24 -28 degree Celsius, while the winter temperatures may be down to 5 degree Celsius.

Dong Van rocky highland Geopark was official 77th member of the Global Geopark Network on 3/10/2010. It became the first global Geopark in Viet Nam, the second in Southeast Asia.

Source: dongvangeopark - Edited by Tony Nguyen - Active Travel Asia

Spanish magazine spotlights ‘Great Wall of Vietnam’

Spanish writer Mark Jenkin has extolled the wonderful beauty of Son Doong (Mountain River Cave) in Quang Binh central province.

In a reportage entitled “Vietnam Cave” published in theNational Geographic magazine in January, M. Jenkin wrote “There is a jungle inside Vietnam’s mammoth cavern.”

Son Doong Cave, Vietnam

M. Jenkin cited his teammate Jonathan Sims, who was a member of the first expedition to enter the cave, as saying that his team could explore two and a half miles of Son Doong before a 200-foot wall of muddy calcite stopped them.

They named it the Great Wall of Vietnam.

Explorers stop to contemplate a rock wall looking like a waterfall

The passage to Son Doong is perhaps 300 feet wide, the ceiling nearly 800 feet tall: room enough for an entire New York City block of 40-storey buildings, he wrote, adding that “And the end is out of sight.”

Located in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park recognized as a world natural heritage site by UNESCO in 2003, the cave, 200m high and 150m wide, is believed to be almost twice the size of the current record holder, Deer Cave in Sarawak Malaysia.

The massive cavern currently said to be the largest-known cave on Earth was discovered by a local man named Ho Khanh in 1991.

However, not until 2009 was it made known to the public when a group of British scientists from the British Cave Research Association, led by Howard and Deb Limbert, conducted a survey in Phong Nha-Ke Bang.

Source: en.baomoi

Recommended tours:

• Trekking to Hang En cave
• Zip-lining, kayaking and caving in Phong Nha - Ke Bang national park

US TV station highlights Vietnam’s tourist attraction

KPVI News 6, the local NBC (National Broadcasting Company) affiliated television station for Idaho, has advised Americans to tour Vietnam to get to know “Southeast Asia's rising star".

According to the TV station, as the world discovers more of Vietnam's treasures, this Southeast Asian country is climbing higher on travellers' must-see lists. A Vietnam tour is often the most effective way to take in the best of this fascinating country's attractions including the highlands of the far north and the beaches of the south.

One pillar pagoda in Hanoi, Vietnam

In its website, KPVI News 6 writes that travellers won't want to miss Hanoi, Hue, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City.

In Hanoi, Vietnam's capital, its citizens are justifiably proud of that long history. However, most visitors find that Hanoi isn't just stuck in the past - it's a forward-thinking metropolis even though it's filled with the elegantly crumbling vestiges of French colonial architecture and dotted with ancient temples and pagodas.

The best historic sights are the One-Pillar Pagoda, built in 1049 to resemble a lotus bud; and Hoa Lo Prison, which might be more recognizable by its other moniker, the Hanoi Hilton. One of the country's delightful folk traditions with an evening at a water puppet theater performance, which have been held for centuries, is advisable.

Also according to the website, few visitors to the former imperial capital of Hue are disappointed. The city's incomparable art and architecture make an impression with the grandeur of former imperial residences and temples. Ones should visit the Citadel and take part in Hue's legendary cuisine, which is renowned throughout the country as being uniquely refined.

Citadel, Hue, Vietnam

Da Nang is described as Vietnam's appeal as a relaxing beach destination; a bustling, lively city, with ample opportunities to shop and play in the waves and a reputation for great food.

Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon, is an essential stop. Its reputation is that of a pulsing, vibrant metropolis that is always on the go. It's more modern than Hanoi, but there are still plenty of historic sights to see - like the History Museum, Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral and Giac Vien Pagoda - between stops at the city's many shopping boutiques and great restaurants.

Notre Dame Cathedral, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

KPVI News 6 concludes that many travellers find that Vietnam fits well into a longer itinerary that also takes them to other popular Southeast Asian destinations like Cambodia and Thailand.

Source: VOVNEWS

Vietnam: A land of beauty rises among memories of war

A 15-minute drive and 20-minute boat ride from Dalat, you can climb into a makeshift seat atop an elephant and begin a bumpy and pleasant ride into the jungle, guided by a tiny, barefooted man who straddles the elephant’s head with ease.

Tea and English

Sometimes I remember the story beginning as we stepped out of the airport, greeted by a wave of oppressive humidity and hundreds of Vietnamese holding signs for someone named “Nguyen.” Getting into a Vietnamese taxi that wove its way through a sea of cars and bikes and motorbikes that would’ve terrified us had we not been too tired to care after the 17-hour flight. But in reality, we spent our first two hours in Vietnam trying to leave the airport. Trying to convince the customs officers that, although we did attend a Baptist university, we weren’t there to convert the defenseless masses. Our first encounter with a communist nation.

The entrance to Tan Son Nhat airport, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

Most visitors to Vietnam have come to experience what they imagine is a culture about as foreign to their own as any still in existence. But what most Vietnamese are anxious to show visitors is how well they can speak English. As we walked into an English class at a university in Ho Chi Minh City, the topic for the day was the impending threat of helmet laws for motorbike riders. Riders who maneuver traffic everyday that makes New York or even Rome look like the Disney’s Autotopia. Most Vietnamese couldn’t afford a helmet if they wanted to buy one, let alone pay the fines imposed if this law passed and they didn’t. Still, the conversation took a strange turn. “Helmets look funny,” one boy complained. “Yes,” another girl chimed in, “When you get to your date, your hair not look pretty.” Consensus was that the law shouldn’t pass.

After class, students migrate to the nearby “Tea & English.” If you appear foreign or let slip a word of English, expect to make new friends. For them, learning the language means they can get a job at a hotel or restaurant or shop — and maybe, one day, get to America.

The other side of the war

Visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels is often on the list of things to do for the first-time visitor to Vietnam. Before going down into the tunnels, government employees acting as tour guides lead you into a room where you sit in neat rows, staring at the ever- close- of Ho Chi Minh’s head floating on a backdrop of red until the video begins. The video gives the history of the Trail, explaining how it was built and the decisive role it played in the war.

Next, visitors stop to pose for photos on top of a rusty American tank; meanwhile, the tour guide explains how the Vietnamese stopped this tank in its tracks, killing the soldiers inside. Adding to the feeling of being in a war zone is the constant gunfire from the nearby shooting range — open to tourists for an additional fee — and the sound of mock land mines detonating if your foot trips one of the wires strung across the path. You then get a taste of travel down in the tunnels, which were clearly not sized for American frames. As you bend and squat and scrape your elbows on the jagged rock walls, you imagine Vietcong plots being hatched in the underground meeting room. Be sure to visit the souvenir/snack shop that finishes off the tour.

Chance encounter in a college town

Two lakes, a famous pagoda and one large waterfall draw many tourists to Dalat, six hours northeast of Ho Chi Minh City. There, in spite of its renown as the honeymoon Mecca of the nation, one feels a bit more as though they’re in their imagined Vietnam. Tiny women with brown, wrinkled skin waddle down the dirt roads balancing a stick with baskets of bread and vegetables on either side. Conical hats are everywhere and fewer people speak English, though enough to help the steady stream of tourists get by.

Xuan Huong Lake, Dalat, Vietnam

The street market in Dalat is an experience unlike any other. Thousands of people pack the street so tightly that, when looking down on the scene from the balcony of a nearby restaurant, the ground is hardly visible. When you are in the middle of the throng, you are being called in every direction: “Flowers!” “Pigs’ feet!” “Baskets!” “Fish!” The vendors lines the road, further excited by the sight of what they can only assume are wealthy foreigners. The meat market can be a bit overwhelming for the faint of heart. Nevertheless, this singular experience is worth getting up at 6 a.m. to witness (and hear and smell...).

A 15-minute drive and 20-minute boat ride from Dalat, you can climb into a makeshift seat atop an elephant and begin a bumpy and pleasant ride into the jungle, guided by a tiny, barefooted man who straddles the elephant’s head with ease. Plastic sheets are provided to protect you from the rain that comes without warning and exposes the surrounding jungle for its most vibrant of greens. After a 45-minute ride, with only a brief interruption to adjust the seat that’s begun to slide around to the belly of the beast, you’ll arrive at scattered bamboo homes lining a creek that swells by the minute with the falling rains. There, you may choose from one of several one-room “cabins” planted firmly on the ground, or you can bravely venture into the “tree house” towering 30 feet in the air.

Saying goodbye

Throughout the trip, the fact that you are in a Communist country is difficult to forget. And with that farewell, I said a regretful goodbye to the nation of Vietnam.

Hiking in North Vietnam’s limestone mountains

Three days and two nights in Vietnam’s nature reserve, an experience with ethnic tribes on rice terraces amidst a limestone landscape. Our guide knows this place by heart, every turn of the ridges and hidden waterfalls and shorter trails, every native house where tourists like us will have to stay.

We set off in pairs, in puny 100cc motorbikes riding through 130 kilometers of the country’s ephemeral rural setting – the rice paddies that may one day give way to modern development, small towns bustling with artisans and vegetable markets, vast plantations of sugar cane, and the vision of what was once the heart of Indochina.

The Pu Luong conservation area is Vietnam’s answer to ecotourism. It was declared a reserve only in the past two years, effectively putting a stop to logging and keeping the enclave as alluring and authentic as possible in the eyes of foreign tourists who see Vietnam with a weight for history in this corner of Asia.

A solitary farmer works silently in the rice terraces inside the Pu Luong reserve.

On our first day, we arrive in the small village, the southern edge of the sprawling 17,200-hectare nature park in Thanh Hoa province. Mid-afternoon, we chance upon high school students pedaling home in their bicycles, wearing their blue-and-white jacket uniform. All the girls have ponytails down the length of their backs. They smile at us. They know this park is gaining reputation among foreigners.

But it feels as though it is just us, the first to tread this piece of land, all for us as we want it. Not once did we come across other tourists. Taking a leisurely walk, we snap pictures of the bamboo water mills that feed into the irrigation, dozens of ducks on ponds, water buffaloes that are so familiar from home. We remove our sweater and windbreakers, perspiring from the hike.

Down the Ho Chi Minh highway

As it gets steeper, I start to whine. What Truong - our guide says would take only six kilometers was beginning to take a toll on an uphill slope. We reach the home-stay shelter by nightfall. There is an eclipse tonight, giving a bare silhouette of the rice terraces. We have only reached as high as 500 meters.

The homes of these ethnic tribes are similar renditions of the kalangbanwa of the Pala’wan or the longhouses of Borneo – erected on solid tree trunks, with floors of split bamboo, and thatched roofs. The owners of the house are a young, mixed couple of the White Thai and the Muong, who offer us tea as their greeting.

We sit huddled for dinner. Truong is the master chef, serving us the best of homemade cuisine of pho noodle soup, tofu with dill sauce, and papaya salad. He is in demand; even here his cell phone keeps ringing and his voice shatters the silence. We celebrate the evening with cheers over rice wine.

Our second day, as announced by Truong, is a trek of about 15 kilometers. But you can take your time in the morning, he says. In my moments of cynicism, I ask myself why I pay 40 U.S. dollars a day for a hiking trip that I could very well do back home and with rice terraces to boot, in Banaue. It may well be that, here, the limestone mountains loom over us, casting mystery.

Or was I taken in by the bamboo forests, scattering a vibrant green over the grayness of the clouds and the rocks and the empty fields? Did the red bloom of the poinsettias charm us as it appeared here and there on our trail? Were we awed by the villagers harvesting manioc, or fascinated by the elderly tribal women welcoming us with open smiles of their betel-stained teeth?

The trail back to Ninh Binh passes by a water reservoir flanked by limestone mountains.

Just when I think the trip is done, the best part of it comes at the very end: on the way back to Ninh Binh, after Truong stops us smack in the middle of the highway to show us a part of the famous and historical Ho Chi Minh Highway that connects the north and the south of the country’s elongated mass, we take a ride through the water reservoir that the French had helped to build.

I have read somewhere that heaven and earth trade places in Vietnam – and here we are going through it, kilometer after kilometer. There is no way back to the past or the future, it is as it is despite the motion of our motorcycle. Vietnam’s transition is on hold; there is a very keen sensation that we are part of a canvas of a brush painting, a watercolor. This must be why the French had come here, the country of Marguerite Duras’s lover.

The limestones are within distance, and tourists also flock here for the Tam Coc and Cam Ang caves which are actually tunnels of waterways. After the hike in Pu Luong this becomes anti-climactic and it is best to just stroll the rice fields, seeing rare birds along the way. Most of the time there would be massive flocks of egrets, swirling around the jutted rocks like a white ribbon.

Source: gmanews.tv

Recommendation tours:
Trekking in Pu Luong Nature Reserve
Trekking Cuc Phuong National Park

Discover real Vietnam on travel review

The idea of Vietnam conjures strong images in the Western mind. Many come from a few iconic Vietnam War films. The country still features those lush rustic landscapes, peaceful now, of course, but modern Vietnam has grown beyond the definition of misty paddy fields and peeling houses, captivating as these certainly are.

Sapa Field, Vietnam

Remnants of war – the Cu Chi tunnels near Saigon, for example – have been preserved for visitors to witness. However, the Vietnamese have very much put hostilities behind them, staying cheerfully focused on the future. These days, most Vietnam tours take in sights that range from pristine French architecture in Hanoi to jungle riverways in the Mekong Delta.

So, when you visit Vietnam, how can you encounter its complete personality? A good start is by leaving your preconceptions at home. Arrive in any country with a fixed idea of what it’s about and you risk overlooking things that don’t fit into your theory. Land in Vietnam with a clear head and you’ll begin to perceive the superb layers of culture that tint, obscure and highlight each other throughout this remarkable country.

Just over 1,000 years ago, long before the French colonised Vietnam, the Vietnamese secured independence from China and flourished, for hundreds of years, under their own dynasties. The emperors considered themselves divine, creating huge ornate palaces, and tombs designed for comfort in the afterlife. Many of these were destroyed by subsequent warfare and colonial development.

Luckily, Hue, on the coast, where the border between North & South once divided the country, has been preserved. Its fortified citadel is enormous: four square miles of forbidden city, once home to emperors and their concubines and inaccessible – on pain of death – to anyone else. This is one of the few places in the country where this era of dynastic Vietnam is still visible.

In 1885 the whole of Vietnam became part of the French Indochina colony. Both Hanoi and Saigon (now officially known as Ho Chi Minh City) are full of astonishing French architecture, from a post office designed by M. Eiffel in Saigon to the ornate Presidential Palace and French Quarter in Hanoi. When the Vietnamese leaders finally re-secured their country’s independence in the 1970s, they began using the old French government buildings as their own. The power symbolized by these imposing foreign structures suddenly belonged to the nation.

Hanoi is also home to the tomb of “Uncle” Ho Chi Minh himself, whose embalmed body is revered and on display for visitors to see. Expect to queue, here, but this somewhat macabre exhibition really transmits the magnitude of relief and gratitude the Vietnamese must have felt when Uncle Ho finally negotiated independence after centuries of occupation and war.

And yet, behind the triumphant modern bustle, along mountain passes and misty valleys, lies another remarkable achievement. Despite all the turmoil, a number of indigenous tribes still lead traditional lives, coming into villages to trade and greet visitors. They’re very friendly – you may be surprised by how well they speak English -and their existing at all demonstrates Vietnam’s determined pride in survival.