Huong Pagoda Festival kicks off

The Huong (Perfume) pagoda was kick-started in My Duc suburban district, Hanoi on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year (January 28), attracting tens of thousands of people across the country.

The organizing board said it has arranged 4,600 boats and motorboats to serve pilgrim demand.

In addition, illegal waste dumping penalties will applied this year.

The Perfume Pagoda is a vast complex of Buddhist temples and shrines built into the limestone Hương Tích mountains.

The largest and longest Buddhist festival of Vietnam will last three months until April 30.

Source: VGP

Vietnam tops list of world's most attractive tourist destinations

Vietnam is now at the top of the list of the world's emerging tourist attractions, as selected by international visitors in 2012, according to a recent report by the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA).

The Southeast Asian country was closely followed by India, Ecuador and China on the list of destinations that USTOA members consider increasingly popular in the year.

The Association announced the list at an annual conference held recently on Marco Island, Florida. It is an occupational association, through which travel agents organize tours and provide tourism services in countries around the world.

Recently, Smart Travel Asia, a prestigious online travel magazine, also highlighted Vietnamese tourism by listing Hanoi and Hoi An among the top ten most attractive tourist destinations in Asia in 2011.

Smart Travel Asia's list was based on votes cast online by more than one million readers worldwide from May to July 2011.

(Source: VOV)

Vietnam travel resolutions for 2012

As you begin to stake claim to your resolutions for 2012, here are some added inspirations for those planning to travel to Vietnam (or elsewhere) in 2012.

To start off, learning Vietnamese has been too often touted as too difficult to learn. This year, challenge yourself to learn at least 5 new Vietnamese phrases before boarding your flight. Hello (Xin chao), Thank you (Cam on), and How are you (Co khoe khong? Answer: Rat khoe, cam on.) are three to get you started.

Take a Vietnamese cooking lesson! There are all kinds of great Vietnamese dishes that you can take home with you (and, they don’t take up any room in your luggage!). Try and learn at least the recipe for nuoc mam, or Vietnamese spring rolls, or perhaps banana flower salad!

Pack smart and pack lightly. If you plan on bringing gifts for your Vietnamese travel, think about first whether you could buy them here. And if you do bring gifts make sure they are light. Also, when you pack think about how you decrease what you are going to bring. Can you use your running shoes for everyday use as well as trekking and cycling. Maybe you can buy a book when you get to Vietnam, and pass it on to someone after your trip.

Cycle and trek! Take you travels closer to the people, landscapes and culture by cycling and trekking. Footprint already offers a number of great options that suite any level from super easy to adventurous-hard. Plans are in the works to give you even more by early 2012, so go ahead and add one to your trip! You will not be disappointed!

Home-stay! As you begin to book your trip and accommodations in Vietnam, think about staying in a home stay. Staying in a home stay is a great way to gain a deep cultural understanding about the country you are travelling in, and it ensures that the benefits of tourism remain local - not only in the Vietnam, but in the local community!

And finally, volunteer! Volunteering or doing something that ‘gives back’ is not as hard as you may think. Take a few hours out of your day while trekking in Sapa and go and do a little work in the rice paddies. For something that might take a little organizing - painting a school, repairing a playground, teaching anything (English, dental hygiene, first aid), or building something (toilets, safe walkways) - be sure to tell your Footprint travel consultant your idea, and we will help you tailor make your volunteer experience!

We understand that many of these Vietnamese travel resolutions can be integrated into any travel any where, and hopefully, where ever you go, you will take these ideas with you!

Vietnam tourism industry hits yearly target

Tourism industry hits yearly target: 5.3 million foreign travelers to Vietnam tour in the past 11 months, up 15.9 percent year-on-year, and met the country's tourism target, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

Of those coming to the country, 4.5 million arrived by plane, up 20.8 percent over the previous year. However, the number of visitors traveling by sea and road decreased by 30 percent and 2.9 percent, respectively, to 32,000 and 833,000.

China took the lead, with 1.2 million visitors selecting Vietnam as a holiday destination, up 49 percent. It was followed by the Republic of Korea, with 473,000 holidaymakers, up 5.1 percent. Travelers from Japan, the US, France, Cambodia, Australia and Malaysia also surged significantly.

HCM City was one of the most attractive destinations of Vietnam tour for foreign tourists. The city received nearly 3.1 million foreign arrivals in the reviewed period, up 8.4 percent over the same period last year.

Despite early success in reaching the annual tourism target, deputy director of the National Administration of Tourism (NAT)'s Travel Department Pham Le Thao is concerned that the tourism sector will face difficulties next year due to the continuing global economic downturn.

She said that in December NAT will organise and take part in a series of events to promote Vietnamese tourism, including the World Travel Market Fair in the UK, a Vietnamese food programme in Australia and a tourism promotional campaign throughout the central ASEAN region.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ho Anh Tuan has asked NAT and related departments to work on drawing tourists toward priority markets, improving accommodations facilities and devising methods to manage transport.

Source: VNN

Suoi Tien Park being among 12 most beloved parks

Suoi Tien Cultural Amusement Park in Ho Chi Minh City was named as one of the 12 most beloved parks in the world on website: http://www.thetravelerszone.com.

Located in the Northwest of Ho Chi Minh City, the Park, embracing 12 main parts with a total area of 200,000 square metres and a 2,000 long underground stream, is an attractive destination of Vietnam tour for visitors. The Park’s design was based on legends of Vietnamese culture and history, such as Lac Long Quan-Au Co, the Hung Kings and Son Tinh-Thuy Tinh (Kings of Mountain and Water).

The Park attracts from 1.5 to 2 million visitors each year.

Together with Suoi Tien Cultural Amusement Park, the travel website also named 11th of the most beloved parks around the world, namely, ‘Magic Kingdom’ in Disney World – Orlando, Florida, ‘Adventure Islands’ in Florida, ‘Cedar Point’ – Ohio, ‘Epcot’ – Orlando, ‘Blackpool Pleasure Beach’ – Lancashire (UK), ‘Aventura’ (Spain), ‘Europa’ (Germany), ‘Tivoli Gardens’ in Copenhagen, ‘Tokyo Disneyland’ (Japan), ‘Shijingshan Qu’ in Beijing, ‘Ocean Park’ in Hongkong (China).

Source: CPV

Ho Chi Minh City to consider creating pedestrian streets

Ho Chi Minh City to consider creating pedestrian streets With a view to restricting the use of personal vehicles, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Planning and Architecture and a Spanish company have completed their feasibility study on the creation of pedestrian streets in the downtown section of the city.

If the idea is approved by the city People’s Committee, it will be developed into a project to turn many main streets downtown into walking areas, Huynh Xuan Thu, director of the department told Tuoi Tre yesterday.

“The idea is not aimed at promoting walking but at reducing the circulation of personal vehicles.”

According to their proposal, three pedestrian areas will be set up in District 1, he said.

“The first will cover Tran Hung Dao, Pham Ngu Lao and Bui Vien streets; the second will comprise the Ben Thanh Market area and some streets surrounding it; and the last will embrace Dong Khoi, Nguyen Hue, Le Loi, Ton Duc Thang, Ham Nghi and Le Duan streets.”

He also answered some other questions from Tuoi Tre.

When will the idea be developed into a project? What do you anticipate about the response of people living in the designated areas?

If the city People’s Committee approves the idea, it will be developed into several projects, each with its own schedule for implementation. We have considered what effects those projects can have on local residents. Of course, their use of personal vehicles will be restricted, but they will enjoy a safer and healthier environment.

We will take measures to minimize the inconvenience the projects may cause to local residents as well as those who need to travel to the areas for business or other purposes.

When more green trees are grown in such areas, they will become more beautiful and attract a great deal more people to come to visit or purchase goods. This will bring benefit to businesses in the areas.

How can such projects be carried out?

They will be developed on a pilot basis in some areas, such as the “Phố Tây” (“foreigners’ quarters”) on some streets including Bui Vien and Pham Ngu Lao, the area around the Notre-Dame Cathedral, or the Ben Thanh Market area.

For the project to work effectively, we will need to re-arrange the public traffic system, change or upgrade the pavements, improve the lighting systems and the landscapes in pedestrian areas to make them pedestrian-friendly.

What will happen to vehicles owned by people living in such areas or by visitors?

There will be many parking lots where locals or visitors can leave their vehicles there before they walk home or to their offices.

However, trucks or other vehicles can enter the pedestrian areas for business purposes, for instance, delivering or receiving goods, but they must follow a timetable for such activities.

Source: tuoitrenews

Hanoi to open six streets for pedestrians

Six streets around Hanoi’s old quarter – Hang Buom, Hang Giay, Luong Ngoc Quyen, May May, Dao Duy Tu and Ta Hien – will become roads for pedestrians.

Hoan Kiem district authorities have submitted this project to Hanoi administration for approval. These streets are expected to open for pedestrians in late November or December, to connect with Hang Dao – Dong Xuan, which are already roads for walkers at weekend nights, to create a complete route for discovering Hanoi’s old quarters.

The roads for pedestrians will serve Hanoians and tourists three nights a week – Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from 7pm in summer and 6pm in winter until 12pm.

Located in the first-class preservation zone of Hanoi’s old quarter, Hang Buom – Hang Giay – Luong Ngoc Quyen – Ma May – Dao Duy Tu – Ta Hien belong to Hang Buom and Hang Bac Wards, where host many architectural works of the 18th and 19th centuries and many cultural relics.

These streets are also the home for famous cuisines of Hanoi and Chinese Vietnamese. Therefore, many foreign tourists come here to enjoy food and learn about Hanoi’s old quarters.

Do Xuan Thuy, general director of Dong Xuan JS Company, who is in charge of the project, said that the area around Hanoi’s old quarter is appropriate to recover and develop Hanoi’s gastronomy because gastronomy is part of Hanoi’s culture.

According to a survey, of 159 shops on the six streets, 47 are restaurants. There are also 50 pavement shops on the evening. After walking and going shopping on Hang Dao-Dong Xuan roads, visitors can enjoy food at restaurants along the six streets.

Luong Ngoc Quyen and Ta Hien, where attract large numbers of foreign visitors, will have stalls that are similar as the “foreign market” in Quang An ward.

Source: vietnamnet