CONTENT No 9, VOL.6, NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016
NATURE
8 The plates of heaven ARCHITECTURE
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10 A hundred years of salvation CULTURE
12 The gong show 14 The game of war CRAFTS
18 Firing up the kilns 20 Tools of the trade TRAVEL
22 Nha Trang is for everyone 24 Binh Chau - Travel and treatment 26 Falling in love with Japan
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ADVERTORIAL
30 Classy service tender treatment 32 Rex Hotel - Elegance, history and theatre await OPINION
34 Hue’s garden houses 39 40 42 47 58
HISTORY
Artefacts
EVENTS
VALUE FOR MONEY DIRECTIONS
WHAT THE PAPERS SAY
Cover photograph: The Sea Cliff of Stone Plates in Phu Yen Province. Photo: Pham Manh Tuan Published by the Cultural Heritage Association of Vietnam
Publication licence No: 1648/GP-BTTTT from the Ministry of Information and Communications of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for the English-language edition of The Gioi Di San (The World of Heritage) magazine Editor-in-Chief: Le Thanh Hai; Public Relations Director: Bui Thi Hang Managing Editor: Kha Tu Anh; Sub-editing: Erik Johnson; Assistant: Van Thanh Nga, Nguyen Dang Khoa; Designer: Thanh Mai; Contributing Photographers: Nguyen Ba Han, Hoang Quoc Tuan, Hoang The Nhiem, Huynh Van Nam, Le Hoai Phuong, Nguyen Anh Tuan; Ngo Nguyen Huynh Trung Tin; Nguyen Ba Ngoc Correspondent: Pip de Rouvray; Advertising and Circulation: Green Viet Advertising JSC Email: tapchidisanvietnam@gmail.com; Thuy Phuong 0969 47 3579 Hanoi Advertising and Subscription: The He Moi MHN Viet Nam Co.Ltd, Mr Song Hao: 0903 476 999 Nha Trang Advertising and Subscription: Bach Cat Co. Ltd,; 22/6A Bach Dang Str. Nha Trang City Tel: (58) 360 7070 Fax (58) 387 0099, Email: bachcatprco.ltd@gmail.com Contact in the US for subscription and advertising: 2628 Sturla dr. San Jose, CA 95148
Vietnam Heritage Magazine
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Vietnam Heritage
Vietnam Heritage is published monthly, produced in Vietnam and printed at Army Printing House No 2. © All rights reserved.
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192 km-long Nho Que River comes from China. Its lower 50 km passes through Vietnam, making the northern mountains ever more poetic and picturesque. It can also be wild and magnificent in places like Ma Pi Leng Pass Photo: Tran Binh An (from photo serie Nho Que River, first-prize winner of Vietnam Heritage Photo Awards 2016)
NATURE
The plates of heaven BY NGAN HA
Beautiful and legendary, the Sea Cli of Stone Plates captivate
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Photo: Pham Manh Tuan
he landscape of Tuy An has always been so inspiringly picturesque that even the paradise dwellers chose the place for poetic recital parties. They brought countless number of precious plates and gold cups to this shore line for the heavenly indulgence. Once, after one such godly pleasure time, they flew away to find more beautiful places. Suddenly, the stacks of plates and cups turned into rock poles. That is one of the three legends about the Sea Cliff of Stone Plates at An Dong Commune, Tuy An District, Phu Yen Province. Along the 3,000km shoreline of Vietnam, there are many worldrenowned beaches such as Lang Co, Danang, Phu Quoc, and mesmerizing perilous rocky protrusions like Co Thach (Binh Thuan), The Queen (Binh Dinh) or The Jumping Rocks (Quang Binh). But the Sea Cliff of Stone Plates is the only rock formation recognized by the Vietnamese government as a National Natural Treasure. From Tuy Hoa city downtown (Phu Yen Province), we went 31km north on 1A national highway to Ngan Son fork, turned right to a two-lane road and went 13km more, and there it was, the illustrious Sea Cliff of Stone Plates.
NATURE
Photo: Nguyen Minh Tan
Underwater at the Sea Cliff of Stone Plates Photo: Nguyen Minh Tan
From a distance, it looked like a colossal bee hive hidden in a desolated bay. Wave after wave rushed on it with open arms as if for a tight hug, and then broke into dazzling white foam. Washed and cleansed by sea water for millions of years, the black rock piles shine bright under the blazing sun. Official records say that the Sea Cliff of Stone Plates field is 200m long and 50m wide. Seen up close, the piles are actually stone pillars standing up straight side by side as if planted. Almost all the pillars have flat pentagonal or hexagonal of almost the same size, about 30cm in diameter, like stacks of dish plates. Perhaps that’s why local people call this natural rock formation the Sea Cliff of Stone Plates. ‘They are arranged by heaven, so tidy,’ 76 year old elder Tinh, who lived near the cascades, exclaimed. Indeed, compared to the rocky reefs lining the deeply blue bay, the Sea Cliff of Stone Plates look even
more impressive. According to the scientists, about 200 million years ago, volcanic activity oozed lava into the sea. The sudden change of temperature caused the lava to harden and crack, creating the miraculous formation. In recent years, the otherworldly beauty of the Sea Cliff of Stone Plates has attracted not only a lot of tourists, but also photographers. The unusual rock formation and the continual subtle change of colours and light caused by the waves and the sun make them feel unique. ‘Nowhere else does the black colour look as majestic as these rocks in the first rays of dawn. And strangely, at dusk, the plates shine pink. It’s fascinating to see the vigour of the ever-moving silver mane waves melt away when meeting the silent Sea Cliff of Stone Plates,’ a photographer named Trung said. n NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016
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ARCHITECTURE
SALVATION
A HUNDRED YEARS OF BY KHANH LE
Photo: Nguyen Sy Dung
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Photo: Nguyen Van Thuong
FROM THE FIRES OF PERSECUTION, A VENERATED CHURCH AROSE
round 1840, as the Nguyen Kings banned Christianity in Vietnam, the Western missionaries moved to the faraway highlands in Kon Tum Province on the MidVietnam plateau. From Hue Capital through lowland provinces to Kon Tum, they took the 120km long, so-called ‘salt, ceramics and gongs’ trading route. The stretch of road from Quang Ngai to Kon Tum at the time was very desolate, bumpy and perilous. To evangelize the rustic highland tribes of Kon Tum, the first thing the missionaries did was build a primitive church from trees and leaves. Without knowledge of local languages and customs, they had a lot of troubles. However, with perseverance and patience, the Western missionaries have managed to introduce Christianity to the ethnic minorities here. In 1913, as more people began turned Christian, Brother Joseph Décrouille, head of Kon Tum parish, decided to build a more robust church. He mobilized the parishioners and their elephants to gather necessary hardwood from the forest. Having amassed a large amount of wood, he invited famous carpenters from the lowlands to work with local masters. In 1918, the 500-seat wooden church was completed. Since then, the wooden church had survived two long bloody wars and the harsh Kon Tum weather. In 1995, the wooden church
Photos: Nguyen Sy Dung
was expanded to double the old capacity. The old and new parts matched well, and the whole structure looks like a huge cross. Today, Kon Tum wooden church stands on Nguyen Hue Street of Kon Tum city. Apart from the main building, it has also a 25m tall Cross Tower, a reception house, a showroom exhibiting ethnic and religious products, a typical local tribal communal house, an orphanage, a brocade weaving and sewing shop, and a carpentry workshop. In the church’s garden, there is a statue of Virgin Maria holding newborn Jesus, made of a single log in the rustic style of Tay Nguyen ethnic tribes. Culturologists say that Kon Tum wooden church was designed and built in Roman style combined with elements of Tay Nguyen stilted house architecture. The exterior and interior decoration is also a mixture of Western and local ethnic cultures. The Website of Vietnam Tourism Authority asserts, ‘The Kon Tum wooden church is a masterpiece of architecture, where Romantic style mixes in harmony with Ba Na stilted house model.’ During Christmas, the minority parish artisans use timber, brocades and tree bark to decorate the wooden church in typical Tay Nguyen colours and motifs. In the outdoor space they plant many festive trees – a spiritual symbol of Tay Nguyen peoples’ life. On High Masses, multitudes of people of Ba Na, Xe Dang, Gia Rai, Ro Mam, B’rau and tribes from deep mountains come to receive God’s grace and blessing. They fill up the church’s 7000m2 premises. n
Not far away from the wooden church is the Kon Tum seminary constructed during 1935-1938 by the first bishop of Kon Tum episcopate. Built from precious Kon Tum wood and stones, the seminary has the same style as the church but is much bigger. The upper floor of the seminary has a showroom exhibiting the missionary history of Kon Tum since the mid-19th century, personal items and handwritten documents of priests and missionaries, and images and texts related to the establishment and development of Kon Tum episcopate. Meticulously carved in wood, items showcased at the seminary are very valuable. This can be considered as a small museum of life utensils, farming tools and cultural artefacts of the ethnic minorities living in this province.
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CULTURE
Gong The
Show BY DANG KHOA
The gong has many uses among the Muong
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ongs are the means to communicate with the sublime, to say farewell to the souls of the deceased that are going to meet the ancestors, to heat up festive gatherings, to expel evil spirits, to bless newlyweds, to signal pillage raids, or to call a lover that is mountains away. Those are the typical uses of this 2,700year-old percussion instrument in the spiritual and daily life of the ancient Muong tribe of Hoa Binh Province. Currently, there are about 1,300,000 Muongs, living mostly in Hoa Binh Province and scattered in the Northwest and in Thanh Hoa Province. In 1932, Hoa Binh suddenly became famous because foreign archaeologists found a large amount of over-15,000-yearold human remains and stone tools of the early Stone Age.
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A treasure protected for thousands of years
Legends have it that, since immemorial times, the Muongs have found that stalactites in the caves give out cheery sounds when hit. After the discovery of bronze, they cast gongs, as rudimentary as the stalactites themselves. Texts in the Hoa Binh provincial museum say that gongs appeared in the province during the 2-5th centuries. Muong gongs, apart being used for the above mentioned purposes, are also a symbol of wealth and power of a clan. ‘For such important role in their daily and spiritual life, the Muongs consider gongs as a sacred treasure,’ according to Muong culture expert Mr Bui Chi Thanh. As sacred as they are, the gongs are nevertheless a household item of the Muongs. ‘While the bronze drums are a
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sacred item for the nobility and big parties, gongs are larger and are present in villages and families as the voice of the simple Muong people. The image and sound of gongs accompany Muong people all their lives and are a cherished part of their souls.’ That’s the opinion of Mr. Bui Tu Cao from the dept. of Culture Sports and Tourism of Hoa Binh Province. Each Muong family strived to have a gong. ‘Before 1945, almost every household, however poor they might be, had a gong as a family treasure. The wealthy families usually had 1-2 sets of gongs, each consisting of 12 items (representing the 12 months), hung around the house to show off their status,’ according to the Hoa Binh Province media authority. ‘Hoa Binh Province currently has nearly 10,000 gongs, mostly concentrated in Kim Boi, Lac Son, Tan Lac, Da Bac Districts and
CULTURE
Photos by Nguyen Phung Chi at the Gong Festival in Hoa Binh Province, 2011. The festival had 1,500 performers and is listed in the Vietnam Book of Records as the biggest gong performance in Vietnam
Hoa Binh city,’ according to the Website of the Dept. of Culture Sports and Tourism of Hoa Binh Province.
‘Particularity’ of Muong gongs
According to Vietnamese culture experts, ethnic groups living in Vietnam’s highlands have devised gongs since the Bronze Age, about 2,700 years ago. They also say that ‘gong culture space,’ which includes the gongs, gong tunes, gong players and community activities involving gongs of different ethnic groups, though quite similar, carry quite some distinct particularities. The most famous ‘gong culture space’ is the Tay Nguyen highlands, including Kon Tum, Dak Lak, Dak Nong and Lam Dong provinces. It has been recognized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
There is no comparison between the ‘gong culture spaces’ of Tay Nguyen and Hoa Binh. Experts of Hoa Binh culture simply say that the Muong people own a huge collection of gongs and gong tunes, and their presentation is also very unique. ‘Hoa Binh Province Muong gong music is the convergence of nature and life. Its rhythmic tunes can smoothly sink into the depths of the heart, or arouse it to action. It’s best to listen from a distance, in a spring, a terraced field, or a stilted house,’ according to Muong culture experts. The most distinctive feature of ‘Muong gong culture space’ is that women play them instead of men. Old texts recorded that some Muong festivals involved 1,000 Muong women playing 1,000 gongs, creating a one-of-a-kind picture of colours and sounds uniquely peculiar to this ethnic culture.
The Hoa Binh performance on the largest scale done by Muong people recently took place in 2011 to celebrate 125 years of Hoa Binh Province. This performance, titled ‘Precious carrier – sacred spirit,’ was listed in the Vietnam Book of Records as the ‘biggest gong performance of Vietnam.’ The Hoa Binh provincial government currently pays a lot of attention to the research, collection, preservation and development of the values of Muong gong culture space. They are also suggesting that the Vietnamese government recognize the ‘Muong gong culture spaces’ as a national intangible heritage.n
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CULTURE
WAR THE GAME OF
BY NGUYEN TRI NGUYEN PHOTOS BY NGUYEN DUY HAU AT THE GIONG FESTIVAL, PHU DONG COMMUNE, GIA LAM DIST., HANOI, 2011
An elaborate ceremony marks the triumph of the Viet over the An people. 14 •
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he story of Saint Giong is one of the most beautiful and glorious legends of the Viet people about their spirit and strength in the fight against aggressors to protect the Fatherland.
Memory in a legend
It has been told that in the reign of the 6th Hung King, there was an old couple, praised for their diligence and kindness. They craved to have a child. Once, in the fields, the wife saw a gigantic footprint and tried to match her foot to it. Back home, she found herself pregnant, and twelve months later, she gave birth to a bright-faced boy. The couple was beyond happiness. But strangely, after three years, the child still didn’t walk nor talk. He simply lay there quietly. Then the An aggressors invaded our country. They were so strong, and the King was worried. He sent emissaries everywhere to find a saviour. Hearing the trumpet sound, the child suddenly said, ‘Mom, I want to talk to the emissary.’ To the man, he said, ‘Please tell the King, with an iron horse, iron
CULTURE
armour and an iron staff, I will crush the enemy.’ Stunned and exuberant, the emissary brought the news to the court. The King ordered his artisan smiths to use all the resources needed to quickly fulfil the boy’s demand. Even more fascinating, after meeting the emissary, the boy grew at an enormous rate. The old couple couldn’t keep up with his eating spree and had to ask their neighbours for help. So the whole village gave all their savings just to feed him. The enemy had reached Buffalo Mountain. The situation was critical, and the people were scared, just as the emissary brought the iron horse, armour and staff to the village. The boy stood up ten feet tall, stately and august. He came over and patted the horse on the back. The horse neighed
thunderously. The young knight put on his armour, took the staff and mounted. The horse made mile-long strides towards the enemy. It spewed fire. The young knight smashed left and right with his staff. Wave after wave of the enemy troops were swept away. His staff broken, the young knight uprooted golden bamboo clumps on the road sides to crush the enemy. Their lines broken, they started to stampede. The young knight pursued them to the foot of Soc Mountain. There, he rode to the top, removed his armour, and slowly soared up to heaven. Hung King, without any means to reward the young knight for his service, bestowed on him the title of ‘Phu Dong, Heavenly King’, and built his temple in his native village. The temple is still standing in
the village of Phu Dong, called Giong by the folks. Every fourth month of a lunar year, they have a big festival. They say that the fire the horse spat turned the bamboo in Gia Binh District in to the glossy yellow colour we see today. It also burned a village, which since then has been named The Burnt Village. The horse hooves left pond after pond on the earth’s face.
Memory in rituals
The Giong festival is a traditional yearly celebration in many places around Hanoi in order to commemorate and extol the deeds of the legendary Saint of Giong. The official Giong festival in Phu Dong takes place on the 8th and 9th days of the 4th lunar month every year in Phu Dong commune, Gia Lam district, in Hanoi,
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Ha Noi
which is the native place of Phu Dong Heavenly King. To express folklore ideas and philosophy, the festival has very unique shows. Prof. Nguyen Van Huyen called it ‘the fight show.’ We would call it a ‘chess show’. The chess pieces are divided into 2 sides. There are ‘hieu’ who were generals under Giong; ‘phu gia’ is his army. The opposite side is called the ‘lost souls’, representing the aggressors. ‘Ai Lao’ group, which includes ‘Tiger Lords’, is a composite army. ‘Red Shirt Ville’ is the youth’s recon force. ‘Black Shirt Ville’ is a paramilitary force. Giong festival is like a huge chess board with hundreds of pieces. The props, dresses, chess pieces and acts all carry deep meanings of popular
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wisdom. Each act is a procession accompanied by a different drum tone and rhythm, representing reconnaissance operations, arms forging, peace negotiations, and brutal battles. The shows in the Giong festival are not only entertaining, but also highly symbolic. The imposing flag and the flag dance of the Flag Lord (representing Saint Giong) show the way of training the troops to win in the battles. The propitious and contrary flag movements show flexibility of manoeuvres. The official army has up to 120 shirtless troopers in loin-cloths. They wear melonshaped hats with nine tiny dragons on the top that represent the earth, and carry a
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half-moon bag on their shoulders, which represents heaven. They also have a paper fan in their hand which they fold and unfold under the signals of two commanders, Xuong and Xuat. The fan represents a weapon whose movement the enemy cannot see. Everything is merged into an invincible force, when the soldier is imbued with the spirit of the earth and heaven of the native land. The show involves 28 young girls dressed as enemy generals, representing 28 armies of An aggressors. n The article in Vietnamese was printed on
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CRAFTS
FIRING UP THE KILNS BY LINH QUAN
The world keeps turning, and so do the potter’s wheels at Bat Trang A centuries old trade village
Few trade villages in the country manage to retain former glory and keep on growing, like Bat Trang, Hanoi. Not because it has almost a thousand ceramic making workshops, but also because it has a 5000m2 pottery market that houses hundreds of shops which has been a must-see for the last few years. Hiding behind Red River levee, 10km to the South of the centre of Hanoi, Bat Trang belongs to Gia Lam District, a suburb of Hanoi. The trade began 5 centuries ago, during the Le Dynasty, which makes it one of the oldest pottery trade villages of Vietnam, with the largest number of kilns (nearly a thousand) of all sizes. Typically, each workshop only makes certain products and follows a certain enamel strand, adding to the diversity of Bat Trang ceramics. Today in Bat Trang, many parts of the pottery making process still remain manual. That helped preserve the human touch in every product, making it so distinct from the industrially made ones.
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Pottery products of Bat Trang such as vases, bowls, teapots and statues have been famous for a long time, and not only domestically. Armies of traders come here to buy big lots of them to export to Japan, the Netherlands, France and US, because consumers love the designs, colours and the feel of each item. These products are not only handy, but useful in everyday life. The colour of the enamel is very diverse, ranging from glass enamel, celadon, brown enamel, to rock enamel, crazed enamel and crystallized enamel. Each kind requires a different baking procedure and temperature, from quick 800oC to slow 1200oC.
Bat Trang pottery market
The market opened in late 2014 at the centre of the village. Curious visitors may find it difficult to reach it, because they may get overwhelmed by the forms, colours, patterns and the amount of ceramics that fill courtyards, houses and shops. It’s very difficult to
CRAFTS
Opposite and left: Workers in Bat Trang Village, Gia Lam Dist., Hanoi. Right: Pottery products in Bat Trang Village. Photos: Lai Dien Dam
resist the urge to touch, to feel, to see up close every item, to come into every house, every shop and see how these things are made. How can anyone refuse when some shops offer to guide you through a crash do-it-yourself course so you would forget about the world and roll up your sleeves to play with clay and mud. Some others offer to take you around the village on a buffalo-pulled cart. It takes a lot of determination and discipline to walk through 500-700m of winding village streets to come to the market and see all of it in one place. I chose for myself a ceramic relief and a vase and was astounded when hearing the price. The two items cost less the VND100,000. The shopkeeper told me, ‘I have a kiln at home,
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that’s why it’s so cheap. But don’t worry, because the quality is good all the same...’ While many other ceramic trade villages struggle to solve the problems of pricing, marketing, and connecting the dots between the manufacturers and the customers, Bat Trang fascinates visitors with its vibrancy and dynamism. That’s because the notions of love and dedication here include loyalty to traditions, tireless learning to keep pace with the development of new technologies, and sensitivity to market trends. Some families have even managed to revive ancient enamels thought to be lost forever. And so in Vietnam, Bat Trang is a household name that is equivalent to the centuriesold art of pottery and ceramics. n
Bat Trang is about 12km from the centre of Hanoi. From anywhere in the city, one can go by bus to Long Bien bus station. From there, one can take bus no. 47 to go to the ceramic trade village. Using one’s own vehicle, one can cross Red River by Chuong Duong, Vinh Tuy or Thanh Tri Bridge, then turn right and follow the river levee until you see the village sign. During weekends, one can also come to Bat Trang by waterways. Many tourist companies offer boat tours to Bat Trang ceramic trade village and Chu Dong Tu temple. Contact tour company for itineraries.
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TOOLS 7
OF THE
TRADE
TEXT AND PHOTOS BY DUONG THANH XUAN About 20km to the south of Danang, there is a famous, over-400year-old traditional trade village. This is the Phuoc Kieu bronze casting trade village of Dien Phuong Commune, Dien Ban District, Quang Nam Province. From copper and other metals the artisans of the village make everything from musical instruments (bells, gongs, and cymbals), to consecration utensils (thuribles, candlesticks, lamps, brass basins and altar statues). The job is difficult and tedious, because everything here is done by hand. But the villagers’ diligence and dexterity have made beautifully sophisticated products and won fame and love of domestic and foreign customers.
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Parts of the outer mould joint together around the inner form. Funnels are set to pour the metal into the mould. The mould done, the workers put metal into the cauldron to melt. Infernal heat. As the cast metal melts, it is scooped into earthen vessels to be poured into the mould. The work is hard and hot. Pouring melted metal requires great care. The next day, as the cast has cooled down, it is taken out of the pit, polished and transported to the customer.
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TRAVEL
A harmonious merge between natural landscapes and good climate, Khanh Hoa Province, Central Vietnam, has become an ideal destination for local and international tourists. In 2015, the province welcomed 4.1 million tourists. And when someone talks about the province, he or she will think of the coastal Nha Trang City, famous for white sandy beaches and surrounded with a number of island, splendid coral reefs, ancient relics, delicious fresh seafood and extreme sports. Nha Trang Bay. Photo: Vu Ngoc Hoang
Whatever your vacation needs, Nha Trang has got you covered One of the most beautiful beaches in the world
The city is located on Nha Trang Bay, one the most beautiful bays in the world, which became the 29th member of the ‘Club of the Most Beautiful in the World’ in 2003 and was recognized as a national scenery relic by Ministry of Tourism, Sports and Culture in 2005. Nha Trang Bay has a total of 507km² including 19 small and large islands. It is great to swim in the clear blue sea, lie lazily on the beach, letting sunlight lick your skin and enjoy breathtaking scenery.
Discover culture and history
It is very interesting to find out the history of this land. Many found relics prove that iron civilization existed in Khanh Hoa Province nearly 4,000 years ago. In the old times, Khanh Hoa Province belonged to the Champa Kingdom. It is the reason why many Cham relics are scattered throughout the country. In Nha Trang, you will be
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admired by the beauty of Cham architecture at the Po Nagar built in 813-817. The shrine is located on the top of the small hill with a height of 12m and overlooking the serene bay. If you are lucky, you will have a chance to watch the Cham dance performance with the fascinating sound of ghinang and paranung drums. The Po Nagar Festival, from 21 to 23 of the third lunar month every year, is named in the list of national intangible cultural heritages. Long Son Pagoda, built more than 100 years ago, is the most popular in Khanh Hoa Province. The pagoda is located below the Trai Thuy Hill, Nha Trang. The top is the 24mstatue of Shakyamuni Buddha. The statue was built in 1963 and was listed in Vietnam Guinness as the biggest outdoor statue in Vietnam at that time. After conquering the hill with its 153 steps, you should take a rest at some cafés to quench your thirst with coconut or a black coffee in the Nha Trang style to get more energy for your next stop.
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Discover nature
Book a tour to visit the islands and you will not be disappointed. You will a have good time on a boat with unfamiliar friends from around the world and a fun guide who can speak many languages. The boat brings you to islands with picturesque landscapes such as Mun Island, Tre Island, Mieu Island and Tam Island. The boat will be anchored at some nice places on the sea where you can swim, dive and watch fish and corals, and play sports on the water. To know more information about salanganes nets in Vietnam, make a journey to kingdom of salanganes on Noi Island. The business of producing salanganes nets originated in Khanh Hoa Province and has existed for a long time. After a two-hour cruise, you will see a majority of seagulls and swifts swinging their wings in the sky and steep cliffs. Tourists will learn about the history of the trade and how to collect the salanganes nests like the local people.
Po Nagar Cham Towers. Photo: Van Thanh Chau
Unique experience
In Nha Trang, there are a variety of tours bringing an interesting experience for tourists, including a coral-watching tour, fish shooting tour, sailing with a glassbottom boat at night, diving to catch pearl oysters and sea-walking tour. If you are one of those who loves extreme sports, you can challenge yourself on jet ski, parasailing, paragliding, water skiing and fly board.
Diving to collect pearl oysters. Photo: Internet
of diseases involving bone, joint and skin. To prepare for a night hanging out with friends, you should take a mud bath and soak your body in warm mineral water or the Jacuzzi. These will refresh your muscles and give you smooth skin. Mud bath and hot spring services are available at 100 Egg Mud Bath, Thap Ba Hot Springs, I-Resort Hot Mineral Springs and Galina Mud & Spa
Music, bars and cocktails
Mud bath and hot springs
Nha Trang has not only the advantages of breath-taking sea, islands and a good climate, but also has a valuable resource – mineral mud and hot springs, which are believed to be an effective cure in treatment
The coastal Nha Trang City bustles all day and night. Tran Phu Street is always crowded with tourists. Bars, hotels and restaurants mushroom in the street and always are filled. It is a good idea to spend a night with friends in a warm atmosphere of
a bar on the beach. Hanoi Music, candle-lights, cocktails and bare Hoang Sa feet on the soft sand Da Nang Nha inspire you to move Trang your body with the Truong Sa Ho Chi Minh City melody. It will be an unforgettable memory to share with friends when all of you are old. Nha Trang has many interesting things waiting you to discover. Pack your luggage and coming here by coach, train or flight to enjoy your trip this weekend. Why read books to learn about history and culture while you can to go there to find out for yourself? n
Seagulls on Noi Island Photo: Huynh Van Nam
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TRAVEL
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TRAVEL AND TREATMENT BY TU ANH
f you are planning a weekend getaway from the bustle of cities to a serene place where you can enjoy lush trees, the murmur of streams and loquacious sounds of birds, or bury your legs in soft sand on beautiful beaches with crystal water or just display your tanned skin and splendid pictures, then Binh Chau Commune, Xuyen Moc District, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, 140km from Ho Chi Minh City, is an ideal destination.
WALKING ON A PRISTINE BEACH
Binh Chau Commune, 20km from Phuoc Buu Town, has a 12km shoreline, flat sandbank and gentle waves convenient for swimming. Ho Tram and Ho Coc are beautiful and pristine beaches in Binh Chau Commune with crystal water and white, soft sands. Ho Coc is away about 5km from Ho Tram. There are many impressive rocks with many shapes scattered or flocking together on the beach of Ho Coc. Taking a walk on the beach, inhaling a deep breath of fresh air, feeling the sea flavour in the wind and enjoying a picturesque sunset, I restored balance in my noisy and tired life. Do not forget to go to the Binh Chau Market to buy some seafood for dinner by the beach. You will have an unforgettable memory with delicious food, murmuring waves and a myriad of stars in the night sky.
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THE BINH CHAU-PHUOC BUU NATURE RESERVE - A GREEN LUNG IN THE SOUTH-EASTERN REGION OF VIETNAM
Although it is very difficult to pull out yourself away from the pristine beach, you should change your slippers for sport shoes for an adventure discovering the Binh Chau-Phuoc Buu Nature Reserve. The Binh Chau-Phuoc Buu Nature Reserve, formerly Binh Chau-Phuoc Buu Protected Forest, was established in 1978. In 1986, it was placed on the list of Special-Use Forests in Vietnam with the aim of conserving nature, heritage relics and the genes of forest creatures, researching science and serving ecotourism. Binh Chau-Phuoc Buu is one of the few areas along the coastline of Vietnam to retain a significant cover of natural forest. It has total area of 11,293ha. The natural forest is predominantly deciduous. The nature reserve supports 49 species of mammal, 106 species of birds, 38 species of reptiles and 12 species of amphibians. These include several globally threatened and nearthreatened species, such as Bear Macaque (Macaca arctoides), Siamese Fireback (Lophura diardi) and Pale-capped Pigeon (Columba punicea). There are 732 plant species, including 114 rare ones. The nature reserve contains three areas of low hills: the Hong
TRAVEL
Opposite: Mud bath at the Binh Chau Hot Springs. Clockwise from top,left: Hot mineral water pools; Hot mineral water lake; Egg-boiling wells, at the Binh Chau Hot Springs; Ho Coc Beach. Photo: Le Thang My
Nhung group (which reaches 118 m) in the north, the Ho Linh group (which reaches 162 m) in the south, and the Mo Ong group (which reaches 120 m) in the west. There are 43 km of rivers, lakes and streams, some of which some have water all year round. Challenge yourself with walking trails through the forest, rowing a boat, crossing streams and climbing the mountains. Standing on the top, you will be treated to the tranquil scenery.
THE BINH CHAU HOT SPRINGS - MEDICAL TOURISM
The highlight of the nature reserve is the Binh Chau Hot Springs, surrounded by the lush of Melaleuca trees. Binh Chau’s hot springs have earned recognition as one of 65 potential areas for sustainable eco-tourism development among 47 countries worldwide. It has a total area of 7 ha and has 70 visible thermal springs in the area, forming a huge hot pot with valuable water and sedimentary mud, which are believed good for health recovery and skin. After a 15-minute soaking in hot springs and a 45-minute mud bath, you will own a lively body and a soft skin. Located in the primeval forest with a spectacular landscape and valuable resources, the Binh Chau Hot Springs attracts a number of local and international tourists. A Japanese visitor said that: ‘This is the first time I came here. My family loves this tourist
site. The splendid views remind me of onsen, hot spring, in Japan where I usually come after work to relax and meet my friends. My kids like to cover their bodies Binh Chau with dark mud and scamper everywhere. It is an interesting experience.’ Moreover, a Russian told me that: ‘This is not the first time I travelled to Vietnam. The first time I was in Mui Ne and Phan Thiet. This time, we chose here because of the hot mineral water source. This is a suitable place to rest and refresh the mind and body. It is very cold in Russia. So, it is good for my children to travel to a destination which has warm sunlight. My wife can soak in hot springs and enjoy spa services. Also, the view is so beautiful.’ You will be starving after rolling in the mud and bathing in warm water. So you can enjoy the eggs boiling in hot wells with the temperature of 82oC, while you admire the view in vapours from hot lakes bubbling and the backdrop of green Melaleuca trees. What are you waiting for? Bring necessary items such as sun glasses, swim suits and sport shoes to come Binh Chau for swimming on the beach, discovering the forest and relaxing in hot springs. n NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016
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TRAVEL
Falling in love with
Japan PART 1 OF A 2 PART SERIES BY TU ANH
Walking in Kobe Nunobiki Herk Gardens. Photo: Tu Anh
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Osaka City from Abeno Harukas’s observatory. Photo: Internet
y friends were jealous of my luck when I got the chance to put my footprint on Japan, one of the most beautiful countries in the world. I had a six-day trip to Japan at the invitation of Kinki Tourism Ministry/Kansai International Airport/Tobu Group to Vietnam Heritage. Beginning when the plane landed at the airport and I got my immigration stamp, I began to fall in love with Japan, and my love only grew as I admired the breathtaking city view from the mountains, went to majestic castles with large, beautiful gardens, worshipped in the sacred ancient temples, took the long and winding road climbing to the mountains, enjoyed Japanese specialties in hundred-year-old houses and walked on pavements decorated with blossom trees. I came into Kansai International Airport in Osaka Bay, ‘One of 25 of mankind’s greatest engineering achievements,’ according to CNN. A 70-year-old official instructed me how to fill in the customs form. He was very gentle and kind. I wonder why he still worked at that age. I saw old workers everywhere. A Japanese friend told me that in Japan many old people want to do a job after retiring. I think that labour not only helps the old earn a living, but also make them feel useful. Maybe that is the reason why most Japanese have longevity. According to research by the United Nations, in 2015, Japan had the highest proportion of working seniors among developed countries including US, Canada, UK, Germany, Italy and France. I admired mouth-watering, hand-made plastic food displayed in the glass windows of all restaurants. They looked so real in both detail and colour. They were invented by Japanese nearly a hundred years ago. The food models are used as a menu with a small sign, ingredients and price of a dish in English and Japanese. It is convenient for foreigners to know what they are getting eat before they order. There was a variety of tourist information in English at the airport or you can ask the staff at the information desk at the airport. It will be their pleasure to instruct you where, when and how for your trip in a short or long stay. I took a 131-page tourist book for travelling in the Kansai regions and I wished I could go to every place from the first page to the last page. My advice is you should not spend time on many places instead of focusing on some in a day. Because in every
The skyscraper Abeno Harukas. Photo: Internet
place you will learn a lot of information about history and tradition; template the landscape and taking photos. You should buy ‘One Pass Ticket’ at $30 to use at train stations. The network of train stations are built densely through the country. Kansai regions, South-Central Japan, include Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Fukui, Shiga, Mie, Nara, Wakayama, Tokushima and Tottori. Among them, Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe are crowded with tourists. It was August and Japan welcomed me with the sun’s hot rays of summer. Each season in Japan has its own attractions and is no exception for the summer which is perfect for outdoor activities, festivals and sparkling firework performances on the night sky.
OSAKA
Osaka – Mitsui Shopping Park
The smooth highway road, with a backdrop of calm, blue sea and endless mountains spanning the airport and the main land, is so idyllic. I visited a famous destination in Osaka – Mitsui Shopping Park which had over 200 of the stores and restaurants. The mall was an interesting place with many famed local and foreign brands. Most of stores and restaurants in Japan open after 11 a.m. and close around 8 p.m. It is a full-day trip for families to go shopping, play, learn and discover. Nifrel, located in the entertainment area of Mitsui Shopping Park, is considered a living museum featuring an aquarium and zoo. Under innumerable lights and surrounded by glass, the hall looks like an endless space in the ocean. Colourful sea creatures swam peacefully. Every species had its own territory in a small glass pond. After taking a walk in the ocean, I entered the jungle. Everyone said ‘Ohh’ and ‘Ahh’ when a big majestic white tiger grabbed his toy. Opposite the tiger was a crocodile using his tiny eyes to observe tourists as though we were the ones in the zoo. Tourists are advised not to feed or birds or squirrels. Besides this, the tourists are not allowed to use cameras with flash, so as to protect the animals from discomfort. Two penguins kissed and cuddled, ignoring other tourists’ looks. Next, I went into a room
A mini zoo at the Mitsui Shopping Park. Photo: Nifrel
with dim light. It was a light installation art bringing a mysterious world with various scenes from nature and the galaxy. The children took a shower of lights with joy. How to get there: 2 minutes walk from Osaka Monorail Banpaku-kinenkouen Station
Abeno Harukas
Next, I came to the tallest skyscraper in Japan, ‘Abeno Harukas’ with a height of 300m, including a commercial centre, a museum, a hotel, an observatory from the 58th to 60th floor and a subway station in the basement. From there, I had a bird’s-eye view of Osaka. It was so amazing. I feasted my eyes on the sea of buildings stretching to the mountains in the horizon. I felt like an infant who was able to stand up for the first time after a period of crawling. With the combination of ‘earthquake- resistant technology’ and ‘vibration control technology’, Abeno Harukas was secure against earthquakes measuring up to 7 in seismic intensity. In addition, Abeno Harukas is designed in a harmonious relationship between the earth and ‘cities’. The building is supplied with power generated from the building’s kitchen waste. This system creates heat and electricity by converting the waste into methane gas. Open spaces incorporate throughout the entire building to create channels for natural sunlight and fresh air to travel the interior. How to get there: 5 minutes walk from JR Tennouji Station
Crab dishes
Osaka is the third largest city, so it is easy to be lost in the crowded streets with two rows of restaurants, hotels and shops. Joining the crowd I found my way to Kami Doraku, a famous crab restaurant in Osaka. It was not difficult to recognize the restaurant with a huge crab hanging in the front of it. The restaurant served a range of crab traditional multi-course lunches and dinners. My belly was fulfilled with a feast of crab, including boiled crab, steamed egg custard with crab, gratin crab, deep fried crab, crab sushi, soup and fruit. They are so fresh, cool and delicious. The prices ranged from $52 for a set menu dinner. Crab, unagi (eels), fugu (bufferfish) and Kobe beef are luxury dishes in Japan. NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016
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KOBE
After a long day I had a good night at Hotel Okura Kobe overlooking Kobe Port. My room offered a picturesque view of calm sea, Kobe Port Tower, a big wheel and the city brightened by millions of colorful lights. Next early morning I could not take my eyes in the window. The city looked like a pretty woman sleeping in peace. A new day with many interesting things in Kobe were waiting for me to discover.
Kobe Shushinkan Breweries
It is such an interesting experience to taste sake at the popular Kobe Shushinkan Breweries, established in 1751, in the Nada region of Kobe. Japanese crafted this legendary liquor 2,000 years ago. A 10-minute documentary film is shown to explain to tourists how to make its premium sake called Fukuju. Locally grown rice, naturally pure water from mountain streams and cold winds blowing down from the mountains create the perfect condition for the fermentation process and handcrafting techniques help create amazing flavour. At breweries, you usually see a sugitama, a ball made of cedar leaves. A fresh green sugitama is hung on the doorsteps of the breweries to notify people that a new batch of sake has been made. On the back label of sake, there are numbers with + and – sign showing the amount of sugar in the sake. A negative number means it’s sweet, and positive number means it’s dry. Chilled liquor touched my tongue and went through my throat with a little bitter, which made my mind refreshed on a hot afternoon. How to get there: 10 minutes walk from Hanshin Ishiyagawa Station
Kobe Beef
Kobe City is the namesake of beef which is the finest in the world. It is said that cows drink beer, are massaged with rice wine and listen to classical music to get the quality meat and give the meat a marbled appearance. Is that true? I do not know. However, one thing absolutely right is the meat very fresh, tender and juicy. It was ‘melt-in-my-mouth’ as soon as the first bite. The secret involves its origin. Tajima-gyu is regarded as the pinnacle of even the Japanese Black domestic breeds of Wagyu cattle, of which only a few now exist. No cow comes into this world and begins its life as Kobe beef. Even among Tajima-gyu cows, only the chosen few that satisfy specific quality criteria deserve the title ‘Kobe Beef’. So, the price is so expensive around $1,000 for a kilogram.
Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens
A cable car brought me to Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens, which is located on a mountain with the height of 397m. I feasted my eyes on a lush of trees, white water from a waterfall, a green dam and a splendid city view. The air was fragrant with natural aromas. The flowers boasted colourful beauty in the rays of the sun. The trees were full of fruits. The gardens were so clean and tidy; herb garden, rose garden, fragrant garden, lavender garden, four- season garden,
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From top: A crab meal at the Kami Doraku Restaurant. Photo: Kami Doraku Kobe beef. Photo: Internet A view at the Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens. Photo: Tu Anh
oriental garden, lily garden and fruit garden. Some tourists relaxed their feet in the herbal footbath while enjoying the outstanding landscape. I walked along lovely curving paths to go down the mountain. Taking a break on the bench and looking to an open space of sky, mountains and the city by the sea make me feel freedom. The closer with nature the more you earlier get balance in life. I wonder why Japan usually suffers the anger of Mother Nature every year .Time seemingly can heal every wound but Japan recovers quickly in surprising of the world. It is a strong country of samurai warriors. How to get there: 5 minutes walk from Kobe Municipal Railway Shin-kobe Station (To be continued)
The Luxury Villa and Bungalow designed in unique style - a mix of wild nature and modernly topped with coconut leafs, closed to nature and harmoniously combine ocean views, and garden view, a gorgeous spa center together with diverse services. Pampered relaxation in the resort & spa make your stay refreshing and invigorating.
Let Aroma Beach Resort & Spa be your home of lively sensation ! Address: Quarter 5, Phu Hai Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: + 84 (0)62 3 82 82 88 Fax: + 84 (0)62 3 82 81 11 Email: reservation@aromabeachresort.com
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ADVERTORIAL
REAGAN BEAUTY SALON
CLASSY SERVICE TENDER TREATMENT BY THUY CHINH
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Can you feel as relaxed as you do when watching a good movie or sipping aromatic tea while listening to hypnotizing music…while you’re having your hair done? The answer is, ‘It’s absolutely possible’ at Reagan Beauty Salon (20 Hang Tre St., Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi).
ocated on a busy street in an elegant atmosphere, Reagan Beauty Salon, an advocate of customer’s ultimate satisfaction, is dubbed by many ‘a garden for the soul.’ The beauty services include hair styling, skin care, spa and makeup by stylists Reagan (Hong Jong Won) and You Kyung. This South Korean couple has over 20 years of experience and has worked with famous actors and actresses and K Pop idols. A talented stylist with keen eye for beauty, Reagan shared his thoughts, ‘I think one should dedicate everything to all the details in one’s work, especially in the field of beautifying people’s look. To achieve perfection, a salon has to be able to combine 3 elements: product, technical skills and service quality.’ That’s why all Reagan Beauty Salon customers find it irresistible, distinct, uniquely charming and classy, always promoting moral and humane values which are the powerful, all penetrating message of Hallyu (a South Korean cultural wave). For
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example, the salon staff has to practice hair washing with their fingertips for two months and pass a test. Only then are they allowed to service the customers. All technical services such as cutting, styling, curling, uncurling, restoring, steaming and dyeing are performed by Reagan or You Kyung directly. Asked about the salon’s service principles and unique style, Mr. Reagan was very direct, ‘I love Vietnam and Vietnamese people. To be able to work and contribute here is a blessing. So I want to introduce Vietnamese customers to modern salon model of South Korea. In any working environment, the human factor is central. Therefore, before getting trained, my staff must be oriented. They must answer three questions, ‘Do you want to work at a hairstyle salon?’ ‘Why?’ and ‘For what purpose: passion, hobby, ability, or money?’ Next, I help them plan firm steps for the future, teach them moral principles, and then train every one of them in technical skills.
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Every hair has its own life cycle, and each customer her own personality. Without precise notice of them, a hairstylist can bring about ‘disaster’. So at Reagan Beauty Salon a trainee should apply hair cure products at least 2 months before moving up to next level. During probation, they have to learn all the rules and manners, from greeting customers, serving tea, to informing customers about anything about to be done, smiling and thanking them. It is both the discipline and the culture of the salon that everyone has to learn and observe before learning anything technical. With great passion for hair beauty, Reagan has sleepless nights too, ‘I worry about hazardous chemicals in hair cure cosmetics. Many establishments carelessly do hair for pregnant and breast feeding women. Reagan Beauty Salon always refuses to service them, and explains to them that some cosmetic hair cures, organic though they may be, still contain chemicals which can soak through the scalp, enter the blood stream and affect the fetus or the baby.’
MUI NE MUD BATH & SPA
133A Nguyen Dinh Chieu st, Ham Tien, Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan Tel: (062)3743481 / (062)3743482 sales1@bunkhoangmuine.com / sales2@bunkhoangmuine.com
The Gift Of Nature
www.bunkhoangmuine.com
A QUICK INTERVIEW WITH REAGAN THE STYLIST & CEO Where does Reagan Beauty Salon place itself in the mind of its customers? We focus on 3 points that make the distinction: 1. Customer service must be the first priority. Customer’s relaxation is not yet adequately prioritized at other salons in Vietnam. 2. All the staff must be highly professional to make the customers feel comfortable and at ease. 3. The salon only receives 10 firstbooked clients every day in order to make sure they get the best possible service and care and feel that it’s worth their money. Using only 100% organic products (extracted from natural products and imported directly from South Korea or Japan) and having over 20 years of experience, I am confident to bring the best hair service of South Korea to Vietnamese customers. What’s your next plan in mind as a successful professional stylist and CEO of Reagan Beauty Salon? Reagan Beauty Salon is where I come true my goal to beautify Vietnamese women and uprear Vietnamese professional hairstylist in technique and aesthetics. We’re in discussion with top-notch colleges in Korea over hair & beauty academy, which, I believe, will make a key role in disseminating the essence of Korean beauty in Vietnam.
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REX HOTEL Elegance, history and theatre await BY NATHALIE SOKOLOVSKAYA
legantly standing on the fragrant frangipani-ornated Nguyen Hue Boulevard, splendid five–star Rex hotel has been an essential element in HCMC’s golden collection of iconic hotels, setting standards for luxury and hospitality with charming flair and distinct character in the southern capital nearly for a century. It strikes its guests with a unique mix of history, colonial architecture, noble elegance and thrilling ambience of mystery. Its large columned lobby in light brown, gray and champagne marble housing an atmospheric coffee lounge, shopping arcade and reception area boast an old world noble elegance with the charming traits of art deco. The labyrinths of carpeted corridors with framed black and white pictures of old Saigon, antique side wall lamps and liveried porters bring to mind Christie’s Orient Express decorations. Varnished wooden doors lead into the hotel’s fancy
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accommodations, ranging from Deluxe and Premium up to colonial chic Governor’s and Imperial suites in the Executive Wing. The rooms interiors, in dark chocolate and champagne, feature fine custom furniture in noble colonial style, shiny parquet floors, mellow light from beautiful lamps and sconсes, altogether creating a ceremonious yet festive, cosy and intriguing atmosphere, and also a space of fine comfort and chic in which to indulge oneself. The Executive Wing overlooks the spectacular and lush vertical gardens, which are really surprising to find along the five-floor-high walls of the spacious courtyard, serving a beautiful, open-air patio cafe by day and turning into Golden Lotus open air in-house theatre by night with colorful Vietnam cultural heritage shows put on stage nightly. The Rex’s Golden Lotus Theatre, with one-of-a-kind interiors which are actually all exteriors to experience in the very heart of the Southern metropolis amid the verdant tropical greenery under the
ADVERTORIAL
starry sky with spectators seating placed on the elevation of the large balcony, is definitely a venue not to be missed. With such aesthetics, the Rex Hotel deserves, if not an Audience Choice award, then sincere applause for its non-trivial concepts and creative approach. But the show is truly impressive, representing a colorful, meaningful and enticing insight into Vietnamese traditional arts, engaging masterly Vietnamese court dance, traditional mystical operetta originally performed by mediums from Northern Vietnam, a stone musical instruments performance from the highlands, spectacular dance of lanterns invented over 300 years ago in Hue, and 11 sketches of Vietnam’s national water puppet performance in a 50 minute show. The show is accompanied by a team of traditional music players and singers, which brings to mind a curious association with silent cinema era. The live music night in Rex Hotel could be continued after the fall of the theatre curtain in the historic rooftop bar which got famous during the Vietnam War, when it served as a meeting point of military officials and war correspondents and later was recognized as one of the best bars of SE Asia by Newsweek magazine. One day would be barely enough to visit all of the in-house facilities, which include two rooftop swimming pools with striking city views, two thematic restaurants full of character and boasting
sumptuous and sophisticated interiors of Vietnamese court, offering almost unlimited options to widen one’s gastro–outlook, an Executive lounge with elegant interior décor and a charming view of vertical gardens. The Rex Health Club with spa center that has such a range of intriguing spa packages titles on the menu such as Ancient Vietnamese, Four Hands Therapeutic, and Candle Journey massages along with constant attractive promotions for inhouse guests, promises hours of relaxation and rejuvenation after the hectic days of exploring the numerous city sights. The key city sights, including Saigon Notre Dame Basilica, Municipal Theatre, War Remnants Museum and Ben Thanh Market are all in walking vicinity from the hotel. With its long history, distinct noble elegance and an insight into rich and colorful Vietnamese culture, Rex Hotel offers its guests an excellent chance to see another Saigon, elegant and aristocratic, which stands behind the curtain of a modern and hectic SE Asian metropolis. Rex Hotel 141 Nguyen Hue St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3829-2185 www.rexhotelvietnam.com NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016
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WHERE SPIRIT, NATURE AND MAN MEET
HUE’S GARDEN HOUSES BY AI VUONG
s the night fog slowly dissipates, the early morning August sun peeks through, and the Imperial City of Hue is serene. The city’s inhabitants are starting to stir, waking up with the natural rhythms of the sun. On the east side of the Imperial City, Phan Thuan An, a renowned cultural and historical researcher, author of ten books on monuments and landmarks in Hue, burns incense to Princess Ngoc Son, of whom he is a descendant. He is preparing to show his garden home to a group of fellow researchers. Across the way on the west side, an elderly man also meditatively tends to his garden, quietly sending prayers to his ancestors. This ancestral worship courses through the veins of Hue people and then pulses through every brick, every rock, and every tree. At first glance, the Former Imperial Capital of Hue, when compared against
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Photo: Truong Minh Hieu
OPINION
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Vietnam’s more formidable cities, has neither the elegance of Hanoi, nor the dynamism of Ho Chi Minh City, nor the sprawling development of Danang. Fortunately, the most alluring parts of Hue are often the most unassuming. Garden houses, or nhà vườn, comparatively humble and discreet, are scattered between the decadent palace and opulent tombstones of kings laid to rest. These garden homes could easily be missed, as they are tucked away down dirt paths located in all directions around Hue. The riches and splendour of past monuments haunt Hue, but it is the remaining garden houses that exemplify the city’s harmonious existence of its people and its land. Within these humble garden homes, Hue’s spirit thunders. Because of this belief in the oneness between humans and nature, Hue people have constructed garden houses, homes
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encased by gardens, according to the principles of Feng Shui. This means the house must be built on blessed land. In addition, the main door of the home must face the owner’s auspicious cardinal direction, with a masonry screen built in front to misdirect bad or negative spirits from entering the home. The most important aspect of all Vietnamese homes is the altar in which families pay respect to the deceased, and nowhere else is that more prominent than in the architecture of garden homes, where the altar is placed in very middle of the home. Standing at his front door behind the protective masonry screen, Mr. An warns, ‘Nature and people are a singular entity. If we take from nature, nature will come back full force.’ And nature has exacted her force on Hue in many ways. Nearly decimated after the 1968 Tet Offensive during the Vietnam War,
OPINION
Photo: Nguyen Van Loi
Photo: Truong Minh Hieu
Thua Thien Hue
Photos: The views of garden houses in Hue
the once-regal walls of the former Imperial Palace are crumbling, bearing its battle scars and bullet holes. Annual flooding and heavy rains continue to threaten Hue’s monuments and landscapes. ‘We consider ourselves one of the luckiest families in the city,’ Mr. An gratefully reflects, ‘because our garden home is still intact after so many wars and so many bombs.’ Mr. An attributes his family’s good fortune to the protection his ancestors and their spirits over the past century. Ngoc Son Garden House stands virtually as it was nearly a century later, and Mr. An spends his days preserving his garden house for his descendants and present-day tourists alike. On the opposite side of the city, after more twists and turns on small, unpaved roads, an unassuming elder also cares for this private garden house. He is not a descendant of royalty, and his garden home
is his alone. While most of his surrounding neighbours have sectioned off and sold their garden homes or have turned the homes into economic opportunities, including those in the famous Phu Mong area, his garden is for his leisure. At 70 years old, he is proud of the way he lives, spending as much time with his plants and trees as his friends. He loves receiving visitors, but only after his morning ritual with his garden. He considers his time in his garden, amongst the plants and fruits for each of the four seasons, to be sacred. ‘A lesson that can be learned by the growth of a tree, or two ants carrying each other; the way nature supports each other, only a person who is close to nature can understand that,’ he muses, now sipping his mid-afternoon tea. When asked whether he will leave his garden home to his children, he smirks and states that it is entirely up to them.
‘I respect each of my children, and they each have a choice. So for the future of this garden house, I can’t really answer,’ he says. For the moment, he is content to share his garden’s harvest with his grandchildren. He sits underneath his willow tree, with the evening sun nestled on the horizon. Serenity can be found at any time of the day in these garden homes, but in the early morning is when the city is most calm. One may sip tea with Mr. Phan Thuan An at Ngoc Son garden house as he expounds on the significance of garden homes in Hue. For an afternoon respite, one can find solace in Phu Mong, an entire alleyway of nhà vườn on Kim Long Street near Thien Mu Pagoda. Right behind Phu Mong, though, is a smaller dirt road called Pham Thi Lien Street, where Café Dan Xua and other residential garden homes will provide the most intimate and spiritual experience of Hue.n
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ADVERTORIAL
JOY
AT VIETNAM’S FIRST AND ONLY OPEN ZOO
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A BIT OF AFRICA IN VIETNAM
ast month, I had a fantastic tour to Phu Quoc Island with my parents and colleagues. The Vinpearl Safari was on our must–visit plan. And it was really an unforgettable experience. We arrived at the area at around 8am. As soon as we got off buses and headed to the entrance, the sound of drums boomed. I saw a troupe of black men and women dancing and singing, welcoming our group. The drums stirred up the mood of the visitors. Many of them, including old people, showed the appreciation and couldn’t keep from swaying and dancing with the performers.
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I had heard praise and criticism about Vinpearl Safari and wished to go there to see it. The nature and animals living in the wild are not something one can see easily, except on TV. And I imagine it must be tremendous work and effort to open and develop such a park on the island. What I saw, I would recommend, especially if you have little kids. Our group was riding the trolley touring the park, through and by the inhabited areas of the animals. Then we went in special buses with glass windows to go slowly, to see animals so close as if we could touch them. On the bus, the tour guide provided lots of information about each type of animals—their origin, their
character, what they eat and how big they can be and occasionally story of a special animal. It was lively inside the bus with children shouting or commenting on a tiger or big lion so near, and people taking photos. After visiting the areas of big animals, we attended the show with lots of demonstrations of birds’ talents. The MC at this show is very active and appealing. Her closing show about bow birds knowing how to collect waste quickly to keep the environment clean was very good. The message about love of nature and care for our environment was strong and penetrating. This is Vietnam’s first Safari Park,
where animals live and are taken care of in a relatively natural way, Vinpearl Safari on Phu Quoc Island Phu has rare animals Quoc and diverse botanical systems from many different geo-ecological regions. Located in the Long Beach area on the Phu Quoc’s west shore, Vinpearl Safari houses over 2000 animals, belonging to more than 150 rare and precious species from all over the world.In this model, the living space of Vinpearl Safari citizens is
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surrounded by moats filled with water, which imitate the harmony of their natural habitat.Exotic animals such as Bengali tigers, Arabian oryxes, addaxes, Madagascar lemurs, red flamingos, scarlet macaws, rhinos, giraffes, bison, iguanas, and ball pythons really feel at home here. There are theme zones such as the Peacock Garden, Egret Garden, Starling Garden, and especially the elegant Red Flamingo Lake, that make the open zoo experience so remarkable. Visitors can mingle with lovely wild life in such a relaxed way. Occupying a large area with diverse botanical content, each part of the Vinpearl Safari recreates a different ecosystem, suitable for the biological habits of each member species. Sitting in a reinforced bus, visitors can see lions, rhinos and zebras close-up, through a glass window. Being so close to lions playing on dry grass, watching a group of giraffes leisurely crossing the path, a rhino family enjoying a mud puddle while some drinking waterbucks nearby suddenly startle at the sound of a tiger thunderously roaring...all is so unforgettable. Vinpearl Safari also offers many unique action-packed entertainment options,
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such as seeing daily animal shows, taking photographs with cute and friendly animals, or taking part in a dance of the Zulu, the largest ethnic group of South Africa. Mr Tho, our tour guide told us “Coming from South Africa, the Zulu dance troop intended to stay only 10 days. But the beauty of Phu Quoc Vinpearl Safari has held them for nearly a year now”. Wild and vigorous , the Zulu dances never failed to clear all boundaries and distances to drag visitors into a whirlpool of boiling emotions and movements. After nearly a year in operation, Phu Quoc Vinpearl Safari —Vietnam’s first
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semi-wild park— has become a second home for animals from all over the world, and it has begun to receive their descendants. With the care of Vinpearl Safari vets and staff, not only the Bengali tigers but also many other rare and precious animals have successfully reproduced here. Vinpearl Safari is a gift for those who love travelling and exploring nature and wildlife. It has been a destination of choice for many domestic and foreign tourists to the beautiful Phu Quoc Island.” By Longie Le Photos provided by Vinpearl Safari
An iron lamp rack in the form of ivory bamboo decorated with dragon and phoenix
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artefacts
HISTORY
EARLY 20TH CENTURY LAMP COLLECTION AT THE
VIETNAM NATIONAL MUSEUM OF HISTORY
A lamp rack with ‘nine dragon formation’
amps are part of human daily life and spiritual activities. The Vietnam National Museum of History has a collection of lamps starting from the Bronze Age, the era of Dong Son civilization, (most notably, the one in the shape of a kneeling man found at Lach Tuong, Thanh Hoa), through the subsequent historical periods until the era of Nguyen Dynasty in early 20th century. The collection includes iron lamp racks in the form of a dragon, phoenix, ‘ivory bamboo decorated with dragon and phoenix,’ ‘nine dragon formation’ and wooden lamp stands in the form of ‘ivory bamboo turned dragon,’ or decorated with elephants, dragons, apricot blossom and lotuses. Made in the themes of four marvels, four seasons, flowers and plants, they demonstrate skilful craftsmanship and the sophisticated sense of beauty of ancient artisans. The 1.5m tall rack in the form of ivory bamboo decorated with dragon and phoenix is an original one. It has a trunk in the form of ivory bamboo, with dragon heads and bodies flaring out of its branches. The bamboo tree is also decorated with the four season symbols which are pine, mum, bamboo and apricot. Hanging on the bamboo branches are the phoenixes whose flapping wings serve as lamp plates. The bird seems harpooning downwards but its head is turning up with its crest like a waving flag. The combination of dragon, phoenix and the four season theme is a style prevalent in decorative art during the Nguyen Dynasty. The ‘nine dragon formation’ is another bright example of this era’s art. The nine dragons form the support, their heads half hidden in clouds. They are supposedly spitting water to bath the newborn Buddha. The 28 lamp plates arranged in four directions stand for the 28 stars used by astrologists to predict weather and human fates. This is a typical combination of Buddhism and Confucianism seen throughout Eastern Asia. The carved wooden stands are another interesting part of the collection. The one decorated with elephants, dragons, apricot blossom and lotus is a remarkable example. Three softly curving dragons form a strong support for the 1m tall stem. The dragons are bathing among apricot and lotus flowers. In the upper part, little elephants stand in lotus-like lamp plates, their prominent forehead being the stand for an individual lamp. The whole piece is a work of art, embodying Buddhist and Confucian concepts, national characteristics and folklore themes. The collection of lamp rack and stands shows how our people used light in everyday life, official ceremonies, festive activities and religious rituals. To a certain extent it also reflects the life content, transformation of ideas and development of cultural interpretation. n
VIETNAM NATIONAL MUSEUM OF HISTORY 1 Trang Tien St, Hanoi / 216 Tran Quang Khai St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3824-1384 / Website: www.baotanglichsu.vn
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EVENTS EXHIBITIONS
HANOI
MUSIC
What colour is your love? 25 November
‘Limited & Infinite’ Till 30 November
Heritage Space is organizing an exhibition, ‘Limited n’ Infinite’; 25 Vietnamese and International artists till 30 November. Artists have practiced and produced in multi-disciplines like painting, sculpture, photography, video, multimedia, installation and site-specific. The works are expressed various ways in imagination, perspectives, concepts and voices. It shows the desires of artists in breaking though limitations in normal life and habits, to reach the new perks, and feeling the infinite. Heritage Space, 1st Floor, Dolphin Plaza, 6 Nguyen Hoang St, My Dinh 2, Hanoi. Tel: (04) 6254-3319 The leopard’s world Till 2 December
Artist Luu Vu Long has launched his first solo exhibition in Vietnam, named ‘Beo’s World’, at Dong Phong Art Gallery till 2 December. This exhibition will bring the viewers to the childhood world with fun games which inspired his paintings. Dong Phong Art Gallery, 3 Ly Dao Thanh St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi. Opening: everyday from 9.30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
tures flawlessly painted renditions of dead chickens, ducks and crabs and everyday objects. It runs till 6 December at Manzi Art Space, 14 Phan Huy ich St, Hanoi. Digital artist Till 11 December
An installation exhibition by Laurent Barnavon, who awarded the Ferro Insight 2000 Alfred Bullerman prize, is on at L’Espace till 11 December. In the year 1996, digital photography started to appear, and manufactured images flooded into reality. The metaphysical revolution took Laurent Barnavon to a contemporary analysis of images. And, from creases and geometry, he developed a unique technique in sculpture and photography. L’Espace, 24 Trang Tien St, Hanoi. Free entrance. India and Burma Till 12 December An art show of primarily prints, paintings and original ink drawings developed from sketchbooks following a jaunt around the mystical lands of Sri Lanka and Myanmar, is on till 12 December at Clickspace, No 15, Lane 76, To Ngoc Van St, Hanoi. There will be a music performance by DJ Humb.
Fooling the eye Till 6 December Manzi is proud to present a solo exhibition showcasing two new series of paintings by the Hue-based artist Nguyen Dinh Hoang Viet, born in 1988. Viet is best known for his trompe l’oeil portraits. This exhibition displays his latest works, including the animal series which fea 40 •
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A night of concert and ballet, ‘The Colour of Love’ will be on at 8 p.m. 25 November at Hanoi Opera House, 1 Trang Tien St, Hoan Kiem Dist, Hanoi. Tel: (04) 3933-0113 The concert will be conducted by Dong Quang Vinh, accompanied by the choir and symphony orchestra of Vietnam National Opera and Ballet and the Hanoi International Choir. The contemporary ballet, ‘Secret Garden’ will be performed by artists from the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet. Tickets range from VND300,000 to VND600,000
60 Years of music 25 November
A special concert, ‘Vietnam National Academy of Music 60thYear Celebration’ will be shown at 8 p.m. 25 November at the Concert Hall of Vietnam National Academy of Music, 77 Hao Nam St, Hanoi. The concert has a performance by conductor Honna Tetsuji and musicians from Vietnam National Academy of Music, the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra, Vietnam National Opera Ballet Orchestra and Ho Chi Minh City Ballet Symphony Orchestra. Tickets range from VND200,000 to VND500,000
Born again 25 and 26 November
Sammy Thiebault and his band will be in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in November to launch his latest album ‘Rebirth’. The famous jazz quartet includes Samy Thiebault playing
EVENTS saxophone, flute and Darbouka; Adrien Chicot playing piano and Fender Rhodes; Sylvain Romano playing contrebasse; and Phillippe Soirat playing batterie 8 p.m. 25 November at the Conservatory of Ho Chi Minh City, 112 Nguyen Du St, Ben Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City 8 p.m. 26 November at the Youth Theatre, 11 Ngo Thi Nham St, Hanoi
Ballet and Light 3 December
Russian Ballet ‘Talarium Et Lux’ will perform ‘The Nutcracker’ at 8 p.m. on 3 December at the Vietnam National Convention, 1 Thang Long Boulevard, Hanoi. Tickets range from VND1,500,000 to VND6,000,000.
97th in a series 7 December
Conductor Shinono Tatsuya, violin soloist Matsuda Lina and artists from the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra will perform ‘Subscription Concert Vol.97’ at 8 p.m. 7 December at Hanoi Opera House, 1 Trang Tien St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi. The program includes violin concerto E-minor, op.64 by Mendelssohn and symphony no.1 by Bruckner. Tickets range from VND200,000 to VND500,000.
The Tale of the Hard Nut 8 December
The world-class classical ballet ‘The Nutcracker’ will be on stage of Hanoi Opera House at 8 p.m. 8 December with conductor Dong Quang Vinh and 50 Vietnamese dancers from the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet. Tickets range from VND300,000 to VND700,000.
November. Craig Thomas Gallery, 27i Tran Nhat Duat St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: 0903888431
DANANG Vietnam Heritage Photo Awards 2016 Till the end of March, 2017
This year, Vietnam Heritage Photo Awards 2016, organized by Vietnam Heritage with Canon as main sponsor, attracted 507 photographers with 5,446 photos submitting to the contest. 100 selected photos will be displayed in Danang from 23 November, 2016 to 30 March, 2017 at the Museum of Cham Sculpture, No2, 2/9 St, Binh Hien, Hai Chau Dist.
HO CHI MINH CITY
EXHIBITIONS
The politics of food Till 24 November The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre is organizing an exhibition: ‘Flat Sunlight’ by artist Lena Bui till 24 November. This exhibition gives viewers a filmic window onto the everyday life of a Vietnamese livestock farmer. Showcasing film, installation and drawing, this exhibition will also possess an interactive science corner; a public lecture series for adults; and art/science workshops for children curated by Dr. Mary Chambers and the Public Engagement team at the Oxford Clinical Research Unit. The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre, 15 Nguyen U Di St, Dist.2, HCMC The sky’s the limit Till 28 Novemver
‘Childhood’ 15 to 30 November
An exhibition ‘Childhood’ of the French photographer Réhahn is on from 15 to 30 November at Caravelle Saigon, 19-23 Lam Son Square, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. A part of the proceed from this exhibition has been doing invaluable work to support disadvantage children. MUSIC
Big White 1 December
The rock quartet Grand Blanc will stir up the stage of The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre, 15 Nguyen U Di, Thao Dien Ward, Dist.2, H o Chi Minh City, 8 p.m., 1 December. Ticket: VND350,000 including a drink. OTHERS
Cool pool From 26 November, 2016 to 20 May, 2017
Japanese Jazz 10 December
Audiences will have a night full of emotion with Jazz melodies performed by illustrious pianist Tsuyoshi Yamamoto, accompanied by his band from Japan at 8 p.m. 10 December at Hanoi Opera House, 1 Trang Tien St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi. Tickets range from VND800,000 to VND6,000,000. Tickets are available at Hanoi Opera House or call 0913 489 858 for free delivery.
Craig Thomas Gallery is please to launch a painting exhibition, ‘The Sky of Fame’ of Quach Bac, born in 1988. The exhibition is a long-term work from 2013 and is the attitude and point of view of author about the life and society. Viewers can see their story in each painting. It runs till 28
Come to Saigon Soul Pool Party every Saturday from 26 November, 2016 to 20 May, 2017 at the largest pool in Saigon of New World Hotel. The party has beverages and mouth-watering dishes. Also, the atmosphere will be stirred up with world-class DJs. New World Saigon Hotel, 76 Le Lai St, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, HCMC. Ticket: VND150,000
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VALUE FOR MONEY HOTELS
Cam Ranh Riviera Beach Resort & Spa
La Residence Hotel & Spa 5 Le Loi St, Hue Tel: (054) 3827-475
La Residence Hotel & Spa offers a 3-night package at VND 9,130,000 per room for 2 persons with breakfast, a 45-minute spa services, one-way airport transfer and a 10 per cent discount on food and beverage. It runs from 1December, 2016 through 15 January, 2017. Surcharge is applicable for the Gala Dinner on 24 and 31 December.
RESORTS AND SPAS
Northern Peninsula Cam Ranh, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3989-898 www.rivieraresortspa.com
Cam Ranh Riviera Beach Resort & Spa is offering ‘All Inclusive Package’ at VND5,725,000++ per room per night including breakfast, lunch and dinner, free drinks at restaurants and pool bar.
Aroma Beach Resort & Spa
Quarter 5, Phu Hai Ward, Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3828-288
Anantara Hoi An Resort 1 Pham Hong Thai St, Hoi An Tel: (0510) 3914-555
The four-and-a-half star Aroma Beach Resort has a 50 per cent off on the rate for those who book from now till 31 March, 2017. The discount is not applicable on public holidays.
InterContinental Asiana Saigon Anantara Hoi An and Anantara Angkor Resorts are offering ‘Treasures of Vietnam and Cambodia’ package at $170 per Junior Suite per night in Anantara Hoi An Resort and $195 per Deluxe Room in Anantara Angkor Resort. The prices include breakfast and airport transfers. The promotion is applicable to those who book at least six nights.
Palm Garden Resort Hoi An
Lac Long Quan St, Cua Dai Beach, Hoi An Tel: (0510) 3927-927 www.palmgardenresort.com.vn
Palm Garden Resort Hoi An has a twonight ‘Festive Getaway Package’ from 1 December, 2016 to 28 February, 2017. It costs VND3,100,000++ per person in a twin-sharing room with breakfast, roundtrip airport transfers, a lunch or dinner, a 45-minute head/back/foot massage and a 50 per cent discount on spa service.
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Corner Hai Ba Trung & Le Duan Blvd, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3520-9999
The festive season is approaching in December. Sheraton Hanoi Hotel will serve ‘Season’s Greetings Buffet’ at VND1,100,000++ including soft drink, coffee or tea. Surcharge is VND 250,000++ for free flow of French red/white wine and draught beer. Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel & Spa 26 – 28 Tran Phu Street, Nha Trang City Tel: (058) 3880-000 Feast Restaurant, at the Sheraton Nha Trang, will prepare ‘Thanksgiving Dinner Buffet’ with traditional dishes such as roasted turkey with savory stuffing, giblet gravy and mulled cranberry sauce, an array of seafood specialties, international cheeses, abundant salads, and a chocolate fountain accompanied with select fruits and sweets. 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on 24 December, VND639,000++ including free flow of local beers and soft drinks
OTHER Indochine Palace
105A Hung Vuong St, Hue Tel: (054) 3936-666 www.indochinepalace.com InterContinental Asiana Saigon is offering a 90-minute spa treatment ‘Pure Wonder Body Care’ at VND1,008,000++ till 31 December.
FOOD PROMOTIONS
InterContinental Hanoi Westlake 05 Tu Hoa, Tay Ho Dist, Hanoi Tel: (04) 6270-8888 InterContinental Hanoi Westlake will prepare a feast of Christmas gastronomic dining every Saturdays and Sundays in December. Saturday buffet dinner, VND1,200,000++ including free flow of sparkling wine and Sunday buffet brunch, VND2,000,000++ including free flow of champagne. Sheraton Hanoi Hotel 11 Xuan Dieu St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3719-9000
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016
In October 2016 in Qatar, the Indochine Palace Hue was awarded as one of the best Luxury Hotels in the world from World Luxury Hotel Awards. This is the third consecutive year Indochine Palace received this prestigious award. In 2016, the hotel got the award of Luxury Hotel - Best Scenic Environment in the Global Category. Presently, the Indochine Palace is the most luxurious hotel in Hue the largest one catering to both businessmen and leisure travelers, and the best venue for incentive groups and corporate training programs or even for Gala Dinners for groups up to 400.
VIETNAM HERITAGE PHOTO AWARDS 2016 REX HOTEL - 18.11.2016
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1 & 2. Hat Boi welcome performance at the awards announcement ceremony at Rex Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City by Hat Boi Theater of HCMC ; 3. Mr Hoang Trung Thuy (left), chairman of the panel of judges, and Ms Le Tu Cam (right), chairwoman of Ho Chi Minh City of Cultural Heritage Association ; 4. Mr Nguyen Hoa Binh (middle), second-prize winner, and Mr Hoang Trung Thuy (left) ; 5. Ms Nguyen Hong Nga (right), second-prize winner, and Mr Bill Dam (left), Representative of Canon Marketing Vietnam ; 6. Mr Nguyen Thanh Vuong (middle), third-prize winner, and Mr Bill Dam (left) ; 7. Mr Nguyen Tan Tuan (second from right), author of a photo among 100 exhibited photos, and Mr Hoang Trung Thuy (third from right). 8. Mr Do Huu Tien (left), author of a work chosen for exhibition, and Ms Le Tu Cam (right) ; 9. Ms Le Thanh Hai (left), Editor-in-chief of Vietnam Heritage hands 100 best works of the Vietnam Heritage Photo Awards to Ms Pham Thi Huong Giang (right), founder of the Nha Chong Lu - Flood-proof Homes ( community development project). Photos: Tran An, Thanh Vuong, Duc Thanh, Dang Khoa, Thanh Hai
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10. Mr Tran Binh An (middle), first-prize winner, Mr Hoang Trung Thuy (left), and Mr Pham Van Liem (right), Sales Director of Vinpearl ; 11. Mr Le Minh Quoc (second from left), first-prize winner, Mr Bill Dam (first from left) and Ms Le Thanh Hai (third from left) ; 12. Mr Thai Quan Chung (left), first-prize winner, and Ms Le Thanh Hai (right) ; 13. Mr Le Duc Thanh (left), first-prize winner, and Mr Pham Van Liem (right) ; 14. Mr Nguyen Anh Tuan (middle), second-prize winner, Ms Le Thanh Hai (left) and Mr Hoang Trung Thuy (right) ; 15. Ms Trinh Thu Nguyet (second from left), runner-up, and Ms Le Thanh Hai (third from left) ; 16. Mr Le Minh Quat (third from left), runner-up, and Ms Le Thanh Hai (fourth from left) ; 17. Mr Dzung Nguyen (middle), runner-up, and Mr Ha Nang Viet (left), Deputy Director of Commercial Dept. of Vietjet ; 18. Mr Pham Duc Minh, third prize winner and Mr Nguyen Van Que, Vice Director, Association of Cultural Heritage of HCMC ; 19. Ms Le Thanh Hai (middle) handing appreciation gifts to the main sponsor Mr Bui Dam from Canon Marketing Vietnam (first from left), and Platinum sponsors Mr Ha Nang Viet from Vietjet Air (fourth from left) and Mr Pham Van Liem from Vinpearl (fifth from left).
EXHIBITIONS OF VIETNAM HERITAGE PHOTO AWARDS 2016 AT OCEAN CAFE IN PHAN THIET, NHA TRANG UNIVERSITY AND 2/4 SQUARE IN NHA TRANG, UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN TRADE IN HANOI, YOUTH CULTURAL HOUSE AND NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF HO CHI MINH CITY, OCTOBER - NOVEMBER, 2016
Photos: Nguyen Dinh Ri, Chung Tran Quang, Tran Thien The, Minh Tam...
DIRECTIONS SAPA, HALONG, HAI PHONG EMERGENCIES POLICE : FIRE :
AMBULANCE :
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SAPA
(TELEPHONE CODE: 020) Sapa is a former French hill station in northwestern Vietnam, in Lao Cai Province, near the Chinese border. A number of minority cultures including the H’mong, Dao and Tay live in villages in the countryside around Sapa. HOTELS, RESORTS Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily Cat Cat View Hotel 46 Fan Xi Pang St, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (020) 3871-946 www.catcathotel.com Cha Pa Garden Boutique Hotel & Spa 23B Cau May St, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (020) 3872-907 www.chapagarden.com Chau Long Sapa Hotel
U Sapa Hotel
8 Cau May, Sapa Tel: (020) 3871-996 www.uhotelsresorts.com RESTAURANTS Buffalo Bell Restaurant 25 Cau May St, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (020) 3873-455 Delta Restaurant 33 Cau May St, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (020) 3871-799 Fansipan Restaurant 23 Cau May St, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (020) 3871-556
HALONG
(TELEPHONE CODE: 033) With around 1,600 islands and islets in the Gulf of Tonkin, Halong Bay, about 170 km east of Hanoi, is well known for its limestone seascape. Overnight boat trips out of Halong City are a popular way to see it. HOSPITALS
Asean Halong Hotel Hau Can St, Bai Chay Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3640-034 www.aseanhalonghotel.com Halong Hidden Charm Hotel Block 22D, Tuan Chau Villas, Halong Tel: (033) 3842-360 www.hiddencharmhotel.com.vn Halong Palace Hotel 1, Block 20 Dong Hung Thang, Hoang Quoc Viet St, Bai Chay Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3619-819 www.halongpalacehotel.com Halong Plaza Hotel 8 Ha Long St, Bai Chay Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3845-810 www.halongplaza.com Heritage Halong Hotel 88 Ha Long St, Bai Chay Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3846-888 www.heritagehalonghotel.com.vn Mường Thanh Halong Hotel No.7, Block 20, East of Hung Thang, Bai Chay Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3812-468/ (033) 3819-777 www.muongthanhhotel.vn Novotel Ha Long Bay 160 Ha Long St, Bai Chay Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3848-108 www.novotelhalongbay.com Saigon Halong Hotel Ha Long St, Bai Chay Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3845-845 www.saigonhalonghotel.com StarCity Halong Bay Hotel
Bai Chay Hospital Gieng Day Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3846-557 www.benhvienbaichay.vn 24 Dong Loi St, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (020) 3871-245 www.chaulonghotel.com.vn Holiday Sapa Hotel 16 Muong Hoa, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (020) 3873-874 www.holidaysapa.com Mường Thanh Sapa Hotel 44, Ngu Chi Son, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (020) 3887-766 www.muongthanh.vn Royal Hotel 54B Cau May St, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (020) 3771-131 www.royalsapahotel.com Topas Ecolodge Thanh Kim Ward, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (04) 3715-1005 www.topasecolodge.com Victoria Sapa Resort and Spa Xuan Vien St, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (020) 3871-522 www.victoriahotels.asia
TRAVEL
Halong Tourism 1 Halong St, Halong Tel: (033) 3846-272 Quang Ninh Tourism Company Ha Long St, Bai Chay Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3846-350 Syrena Cruises Hung Thang new urban area, Bai Chay, Halong Tel: (033) 3847-043 Hanoi Sales Office: Syrena Tower, 3th Floor, 51 Xuan Dieu St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3719-7214 Email: se@syrenacruises.com www.syrenacruises.com HOTELS, RESORTS
Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily
\ Reu Island, Bai Chay, Ha Long, Viet Nam Tel: (033) 3556-868 www.vinpearl.com RESTAURANTS
Co Ngu Restaurant Halong St, Halong Tel: (033) 3511-363 Jumbo Vietnam Floating Restaurant 119 Le Thanh Tong St, Halong Tel: (033) 3624-888 Sea Food Restaurant Halong St, Halong Tel: (033) 3845-822
Halong Gold Restaurant Halong St, Halong Tel: (033) 3845-142
BARS & CAFÉS
Emeraude Café 6A Le Thanh Tong St, Hon Gai, Halong Tel: (033) 3849-266 www.emeraude-cruises.com Royal International Gaming Club and Villa Bai Chay, Halong Tel: (033) 3848-777
HAI PHONG CITY (TELEPHONE CODE: 031) HOTELS, RESORTS
Traditional Medicine Hospital Cot 8, Hong Ha Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3838-113 Vietnam-Sweden Hospital Thanh Son Ward, Uong Bi Commune, Halong Tel: (033) 3854-037 www.bvubqn.tk
Vinpearl Halong
Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily Catba Princes Hotel 168 Halong St, Bai Chay Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3846-058 www.starcityhalongbay.com In the centre of Halong, StarCity Halong Bay Hotel offers 152 wellequipped rooms, with many breathtaking views of Halong Bay Tuan Chau Island Holiday Villa Halong Bay 303 Nui Ngoc, Cat Ba Island, Hai Phong City Tel: (031) 3888-899 www.catbaprinceshotel.com Catba Sunrise Resort Cat Ba Island, Hai Phong City Tel: (031) 3887-360 www.catbasunriseresort.com
Tuan Chau Island, Halong Tel: (033) 3842-999 www.holidayvillahalongbay.com
Avani Hai Phong Harbour View 12 Tran Phu St, Ngo Quyen Dist., Hai Phong Tel: (031) 3827-827 www.avanihotels.com
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A 1. B aD inh S quare Ba Dinh Square
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rison 2. H oa L oP Hoa Lo Prison
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Stt Joseph Joseph’s Cathedral 3. S ’s C athedral
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ouse Opera House 4. Hanoi O pera H
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Cot Co Tower 5. C ot C oT ower
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Women’s 6. W omen’s Museum
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7. H oC hi M inh Museum Ho Chi Minh
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8. IImperial mperial C itadel of T Citadel Thang Long hang L ong
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9. V ietnam National National Museum of History Vietnam History F3 10. V ietnam M ilitary H istory Museum D2 Vietnam Military History illar 11. O ne P One Pillar
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ausoleum 12. H oC hi M inh M Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
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13. Ngo on T emple Ngocc S Son Temple
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14. Dong Da H ill Hill
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15. Dong X uan M arket Xuan Market
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STREET GUIDE
Ba Trieu...................E3, E4 Bac Son.........................D1 Bach Dang.....................F2 Bach Mai........................E4 Bat Dan..........................E2 Bich Cau........................C2 Buoi................................A1 Cat Linh..........................C2 Cha Ca....................E1, E2 Cua Bac.........................D1 Cua Dong.......................D2
Da Tuong.......................E3 Dang Tat.........................D1 Dao Duy Anh.................D4 Dao Duy Tu.............E1, E2 Dien Bien Phu................D2 Doc Ngu.........................A1 Doi Can.............A1, B2, C2 Duong Thanh.................E2 Gam Cau........................E1 Giai Phong.....................D4 Giang Vo.....A3 ,B3 ,B2,C2
Hai Ba Trung.....E2, E3, F3 Ham Long......................E3 Han Thuyen....................F3 Hang Bac.......................E2 Hang Bo.........................E2 Hang Bong.....................E2 Hang Buom....................E2 Hang Can.......................E2 Hang Chuoi....................F3 Hang Cot........................E1 Hang Da.........................E2 Hang Dao.......................E2
Hang Dau.......................E1 Hang Ga.........................E2 Hang Gai........................E2 Hang Khay.....................E2 Hang Khoai....................E1 Hang Ma.........................E1 Hang Quat......................E2 Hang Trong....................E2 Hang Chieu....................E1 Hang Luoc......................E1 Hao Nam........................C2 Hoa Ma...........................F3
Hoang Dieu.............D1, D2 Hoang Hoa Tham............... ....................A1, B1, C1, D1 Hoang Van Thu..............D1 Hoe Nhai........................E1 Hung Vuong............D1, D2 Huynh Thuc Khang........A3 Kham Thien.............C3, D3 Kim Ma..............A2, B2, C2 La Thanh.................B3, C3 Lang Ha..........................B3 Nguyen Chi Thanh.........A3
Le Dai Hanh...................E4 Le Duan............D2, D3, D4 Le Hong Phong.............D2 Le Lai..............................F2 Le Thai To.......................E2 Le Thanh Tong...............F3 Le Van Huu....................E3 Lieu Giai........................A2 Lo Duc......................F3, F4 Lo Su..............................F2 Luong Ngoc Quyen.......E2 Luong Van Can..............E2
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Ly Nam De..............E1, E2 Ly Quoc Su....................E2 Ly Thai To.......................F2 Ly Thuong Kiet........E3, F3 Mai Hac De..............E3, E4 Ngo Quyen.....................F3 Ngo Si Lien....................D2 Ngo Thi Nham................E3 Ngoc Ha.........................C1 Ngoc Khanh...................B2 Nguyen Canh Chan......D1 Nguyen Cong Hoa.........B2
Nguyen Dinh Chieu............ .................................E3, E4 Nguyen Du..............D3, E3 Nguyen Huu Huan........ F2 Nguyen Khuyen.............D2 Nguyen Luong Bang.....C3 Nguyen Thai Hoc....C2, D2 Nguyen Thuong Hien......... ........................................D3 Nguyen Van To..............E2 Nha Chung.....................E2 Nha Tho.........................E2
Nui Truc..........................B2 Pham Dinh Ho................F3 Pham Ngu Lao...............F3 Phan Boi Chau.......D2, D3 Phan Chu Trinh..............F3 Phan Dinh Phung..........D1 Phan Huy Chu................F3 Pho Duc Chinh...............F3 Pho Hue...................E3, E4 Phu Doan.......................E2 Phung Hung............E1, E2 Quan Su..................E2, E3
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Quan Thanh...................D1 Quang Trung...........E2, E3 Quoc Tu Giam...............D2 Son Tay..........................C2 Thai Phien......................E4 Thanh Cong...................B3 Thanh Nien....................D1 Tho Nhuom.............E2, E3 Thuy Khue.......................... ....................A1, B1, C1, D1 To Hien Thanh...............E4 Tong Dan........................F2
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Ton Duc Thang..............C3 Tran Hung Dao................... ...........................D3, E3, F3 Tran Huy Lieu................B2 Tran Khanh Du...............F3 Tran Khat Chan..............F4 Tran Nguyen Han..........F2 Tran Nhan Tong......D3, E3 Tran Nhat Duat..............E1 Tran Phu........................D2 Tran Quang Khai............F2 Tran Qui Cap.................D2
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Tran Quoc Toan......D3, E3 Tran Thanh Tong............F3 Tran Xuan Soan................. .................................E3, E4 Trang Thi........................E2 Trang Tien................E2, F3 Trieu Viet Vuong......E3, E4 Trinh Hoai Duc...............C2 Tue Tinh.........................E3 Yen Phu..........................E1 Yersin..............................F4 Yet Kieu..........................D3
DIRECTIONS HANOI HANOI
HOTELS
(TELEPHONE CODE: 04)
MEDICAL CENTRES
Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily
Acupuncture Institute 49 Thai Thinh St, Dong Da Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3563-1069 Hanoi French Hospital 1 Phuong Mai St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3577-1100 International SOS Clinic 1 Dang Thai May St, Tay Ho Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3934-0666
Hilton Hanoi Opera Hotel 1 Le Thanh Tong St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3933-0500 www.hanoi.hilton.com Mövenpick Hotel Hanoi 83A Ly Thuong Kiet St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3822-2800 www.moevenpick-hotels.com/hanoi
Thuy Tran Otolaryngology Clinic 6 Do Quang St, Cau Giay Dist., Hanoi (6/61 Tran Duy Hung Avenue) Tel: (04) 3556-6124 www.taimuihongthuytran.com Vinmec international hospital 458 Minh Khai St, Hai Ba Trung Dist, Hanoi, Tel: (04) 3974-3556 AIRLINES Air France 1 Ba Trieu St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3825-3484 Qatar Airways Hilton Hanoi Opera Building, M floor, 1 Le Thanh Tong St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3933-6767 www.qatarairways.com Singapore Airlines 17 Ngo Quyen St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi. Tel: (04) 3826-8888 Vietnam Airlines 25 Trang Thi St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3823-0320 TRAVEL
Amega Travel Hancorp Plaza, 72 Tran Dang Ninh St, Cau Giay Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3783-3570 www.amegatours.net Buffalo Tours 10th Floor, 70-72 Ba Trieu St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3828-0702 www.buffalotours.com Emeraude Classic Cruises 46 Le Thai To St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3935-1888 www.emeraude-cruises.com Exotissmo 3rd Floor, 66A Tran Hung Dao St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3828-2150 www.exotissimo.com Topas Travel 52 To Ngoc Van St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3715-1005 www.topastravel.vn
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HERITAGE
Pullman Hanoi 40 Cat Linh St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3733-0808 www.pullman-hanoi.com Sheraton Hanoi Hotel 11 Xuan Dieu St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3719-9000 www.sheraton.com/hanoi Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi 15 Ngo Quyen St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3826-6919 www.sofitel-legend.com RESTAURANTS Au Lac do Brazil II 6A Cao Ba Quat St, Ba Dinh Dist, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3845-5224 Green Tangerine 48 Hang Be St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3825-1286 www.greentangerinehanoi.com Serving French food with a Vietnamese cuisine Hoa Vien Brauhaus 1A Tang Bat Ho St, Hai Ba Trung Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3972-5088 www.hoavien.vn The restaurant has been famous for its production of Czech beer Le Tonkin Restaurant 14 Ngo Van So St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3943-3457 www.letonkinrestaurant.vn Serves Vietnamese food
BOOK STORE
Infostones Bookshop 41 Trang Tien St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3826-2993 Thousands of magazines and books by hundreds of publishing houses worldwide SHOPS
Craft Link 43 and 51 Van Mieu St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3843-7710 Ha Dong Silk 102 Hang Gai St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3928-5056
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016
Tan My Embroidery 66 Hang Gai St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3825-1579 Viet Culture 1 Trang Thi St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3934-7417 Mekong Quilts 13 Hang Bac St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3926-4831 www.mekong-quilts.org
FURNITURE/ INTERIOR Dome Au Co 9 Au Co St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3718-5866 Dome Yen The 10 Yen The St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3843-6036
SIGHTSEEINGS
Ba Dinh Square 36A Dien Bien Phu St, Ba Dinh Dist, Hanoi Ba Dinh Square, where President Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam’s independence in September 1945, is a complex of historic sites. Cot Co Tower 28 Dien Bien Phu St, Ba Dinh Dist, Hanoi Cot Co Tower, the so-called Flag Tower, is now part of the Vietnam Military History Museum complex. The Tower was built in 1950, under the Nguyen Dynasty, with the help of French engineers. The tower has 36 flower-shaped windows. At the top of the tower flies the flag of Vietnam. Hanoi Opera House 1 Trang Tien St, Hoan Kiem Dist, Hanoi Designed by a French architect along the lines of the Paris Opera House, it is embellished with wonderful Gothic statuary. For many decades, Hanoi Opera House has been a centre for theatre, traditional music and dance, symphonies, traditional and classical music. This, the largest theatre in Vietnam, was completed in 1911. Hoa Lo Prison ‘La Maison Centrale’, the prison on Hoa Lo Street in Hanoi, was built by the French in 1896 and became the place where generations of Vietnamese freedom fighters were held. St Joseph’s Cathedral 40 Nha Chung St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Fresh missionaries built this cathedral in the late 19th century. The small but beautiful panes of stained glass were created in Paris in 1906. Also of note is the ornate altar, with its high gilded sidewalls. MUSEUMS
Hanoi Museum 2 Pham Hung (next to Vietnam National Convention Centre), Me Tri Commune, Tu Liem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 6287-06 04
Opening hour: 8 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Free entrance Ho Chi Minh Museum 19 Ngoc Ha St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3846-3752 www.baotanghochiminh.vn Open: 8 a.m. to noon (Monday and Friday), 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (other days) Entry fee: VND25,000 Imperial Citadel of Thang Long 12 Nguyen Tri Phuong St/ 9 Hoang Dieu St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 37345427 www.hoangthanhthanhlong.vn Open: 8.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. (Closed on Mondays) Entry fee: VND30,000 Vietnam National Museum of History 1 Trang Tien St, Hanoi 25 Tong Dan St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3824-1384 www.baotanglichsu.vn Open 8 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Closed every first Monday of months. Entry fee VND40,000 ($1.82) for adults and VND10,000 ($0.48) for children Vietnam Fine Arts Museum 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3733-2131 www.vnfineartsmuseum.org.vn Open 8.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Entry fee VND20,000 ($0.95) Vietnam Military History Museum 28A Dien Bien Phu St, Hanoi www.btlsqsvn.org.vn Open 8 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. Closed on Mondays Entry fee VND30,000 ($1.43) Vietnam Museum of Ethnology Nguyen Van Huyen St, Cau Giay Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3756-2193, www.vme.org.vn Open 8.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed on Mondays Entry fee VND40,000 ($2) Women’s Museum 36 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3825-9936 www.womenmuseum.org.vn Open 8 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Closed on Mondays Entry fee VND30,000 ($1.43)
DIRECTIONS NINH BINH, NGHE AN, QUANG BINH, HUE, DANANG, HOI AN
NINH BINH
(TELEPHONE CODE: 030) Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh Van Long Reserve, Gia Van Commune, Gia Vien Dist., Ninh Binh Province Tel: (030) 3658-333 www.emeraldaresort.com Ninh Binh Legend Hotel Tien Dong Zone, Ninh Khanh Ward, Ninh Binh City. Tel: (030) 3899-880 www.ninhbinhlegendhotel.com
NGHE AN
(TELEPHONE CODE: 038) Muong Thanh Song Lam Hotel 13 Quang Trung St, Quang Trung Ward, Vinh, Nghe An Province Tel: (038) 3737-666 www.songlam.muongthanh.vn
Imperial Hotel 8 Hung Vuong St, Hue Tel: (054) 3882-222 www.imperial-hotel.com.vn Indochine Palace Hotel 105A Hung Vuong St, Hue Tel: (054) 3936-666 www.indochinepalace.com The hotel is surrounded by lush green gardens that make it an outstanding landmark in Hue and give the city the feel of a resort. This luxurious, international standard hotel is created to appeal to Vietnamese and international visitors to Hue. La Residence Hotel & Spa
QUANG BINH
(TELEPHONE CODE: 052) HOTELS, RESORTS
Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily Bao Ninh Beach Resort Ha Duong, Bao Ninh, Dong Hoi City, Quang Binh Province Tel: (052) 3854-866 www.baoninhbeachresort.com.vn Sun Spa Resort My Canh, Bao Ninh Commune, Dong Hoi City, Quang Binh Province Tel: (052) 3842-999 www.sunsparesortvietnam.com TRAVEL
5 Le Loi St, Hue Tel: (054) 3837-475 Email: resa@la-residence-hue.com www.la-residence-hue.com Step back in time to Art Deco's golden age with a stay at La Residence Hue Hotel & Spa, MGallery by Sofitel. Nestled along the fabled Perfume River overlooking the former Imperial Citadel, La Residence is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece with luxurious cultural and culinary experiences. This former governor's residence with 122 guestrooms and suites offers visitors a warm hospitality and a chance to relive the pleasures of a bygone era. Lang Co Beach Resort
Oxalis Adventure Tours Phong Nha Commune, Son Trach Village, Bo Trach Dist., Quang Binh Province. Tel: (052)3677-678 www.oxalis.com.vn
HUE
(TELEPHONE CODE: 054) Hue is a city on the Perfume River in lowland central Vietnam and was the capital of the Nguyen dynasty from 1802 to 1945. Many imperial structures remain. They were named part of UNESCO World Heritage in 1993. Hue is also known for its particular cuisine.
463 Lac Long Quan St., Lang Co Town, Phu Loc Dist, Thua Thien Hue Province Tel: (054) 3873-555 www.langcobeachresort.com.vn Pilgrimage Village Boutique Resort & Spa 130 Minh Mang Road, Hue Tel: (054) 3885-461 www.pilgrimagevillage.com
Vedanā Lagoon Resort & Spa Zone 1, Phu Loc Town, Phu Loc Dist., Hue Tel: (054) 3681-688 www.vedanalagoon.com RESTAURANT
Thien Tam Vegetarian Restaurant 110A Le Ngo Cat St, Thuy Xuan Ward, Hue Tel: (054) 3898-220 www.thientamrestaurant.com Thien Tam Vegetarian Restaurant features a Hue garden house with a simple design and a serene atmosphere. The restaurant serves a variety of Hue vegetarian food, from royal to local dishes, at a reasonable price. The menu has many choices, with prices starting from VND45,000 per dish. The restaurant also serves as an art playground for Hue artists. Guests have chance to get their portraits drawn by the owners at a reasonable price. Vegetarian cooking classes are also available. The restaurant is about 1-2 km from Tu Duc tomb
DANANG
(TELEPHONE CODE: 0511) HOTELS, RESORTS
Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily Diamond Sea Hotel 232 Vo Nguyen Giap St, Son Tra Dist., Danang Tel: (0511) 3939-777 www.diamondseahotel.com Grand Mercure Danang Lot A1, Green Island, Hoa Cuong Bac, Hai Chau Dist., Danang Tel: (0511) 3797-777 www.accorhotels.com/7821 Green Plaza Hotel 238 Bach Dang St, Danang Tel: (0511) 3223-399 www.greenplazahotel.vn Sitting along the Han River, the four-star hotel boasts elegance and unique accommodations in Vietnamese design and a stunning view of river, mountain and city
Sandy Beach Non Nuoc Resort Danang Vietnam 255 Huyen Tran Cong Chua St, Ngu Hanh Son Dist., Danang Tel: (0511) 3961-777 www.centarahotelsresorts.com/cdv Vinpearl Luxury Danang Truong Sa St, Hoa Hai Ward, Ngu Hanh Son Dist., Danang Tel: (0 511) 3968-888 www.vinpearl.com MUSEUM Danang Museum of Cham Sculpture 2, 2 Thang 9 St, Danang Tel: (0511) 3572-935 www.chammuseum.danang.vn Open 7.15 a.m. to 5 p.m. Entry fee VND30,000 ($1.43)
HOI AN
(TELEPHONE CODE: 0510) A major port town from the 15th to 19th centuries, Hoi An has well preserved vestiges of Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese cultures. The buildings are now often used for tailor’s shops. The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hoi An is a little over 30 km south of Danang, on the central coast. HOTELS, RESORTS Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily Anantara Hoi An Resort 1 Pham Hong Thai St, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3914-555 www.hoi-an.anantara.com Aurora Riverside Hotel & Villas 242 Cua Dai St, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3924-111 www.aurorahoian.com Hoi An Silk Village 28 Nguyen Tat Thanh Str, Tan An Ward, Hoi An City,Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 392-1144 www.hoiansilkvillage.com
Pullman Danang Beach Resort Vo Nguyen Giap St, Khue My Ward, Ngu Hanh Son Dist., Danang Tel: (0511) 3958-888 www.pullman-danang.com
Hotel Royal Hoi An, Mgallery Collection 39 Dao Duy Tu St, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3950-777 www.mgallery.com
Alba Spa Hotel 29 Tran Quang Khai St, Hue Tel: (054) 3828-444 www.albavietnam.com
Novotel Danang Premier Han River 36 Bach Dang St, Hai Chau Dist., Danang Tel: (0511) 3929-999 www.novotel-danang-premier.com
Kiman Hotel & Spa 461-463 Hai Ba Trung St, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3920 430 www.kimanhoianhotel.com
Hue Riverside Boutique Resort & Spa 588 Bui Thi Xuan St, Thuy Bieu Dist., Hue Tel: (054) 3978-484 www.hueriversideresort.com
Samdi Hotel 203-211 Nguyen Van Linh St, Danang Tel: (0511) 3586-222 www.samdihotel.vn
Sunrise Hoi An Beach Resort Au Co Road, Cua Dai Beach, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3937-777 www.sunrisehoian.vn
HOTELS, RESORTS
Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily
Hotel Saigon Morin
30 Le Loi St, Hue Tel: (054)3823-526 www.morinhotel.com.vn
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016
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DIRECTIONS QUY NHON, NHA TRANG, PHAN THIET Palm Garden Beach Resort and Spa
Lac Long Quan St, Cua Dai Beach, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3927-927 Email: info@pgr.com.vn www.palmgardenresort.com.vn River-Beach Resort & Residences Hoi An 5 Cua Dai St, Hoi An Tel: (0510) 3927-888 www.river-beachresort.com
Champa Island Nha Trang Resort & Spa 304, 2/4 St, Vinh Phuoc, Nha Trang Tel: (058) 3568-888 Email: sales@champaislandresort.vn www.champaisandresort.vn With architecture reflecting nearby Po Nagar temple, Champa Island Nha Trang offers exquisite cuisine and many entertainment services that promise a memorable stay in Nha Trang Best Western Premier Havana Nha Trang Hotel 38 Tran Phu St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province. Tel: (058) 3889-999 www.havanahotel.vn Cam Ranh Riviera Beach Resort & Spa
MUSEUM
Hoi An Centre for Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation 10B Tran Hung Dao St, Hoi An Tel: (0510) 3862-367 www.hoianheritage.net Open daily 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
QUY NHON
(TELEPHONE CODE: 056) HOTELS, RESORTS
AVANI Quy Nhon Resort & Spa Ghenh Rang, Bai Dai Beach, Quy Nhon, Binh Dinh Province Tel: (056) 3840-132 www.avanihotels.com/quynhon
Hoang Ngoc (Oriental Pearl) Beach Resort & Spa
Alexandre Yersin Museum Pasteur Institute, 10 Tran Phu St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3822-406
PHAN THIET
(TELEPHONE CODE: 062) Sitting on the coast about 200 km north of Ho Chi Minh City, Phan Thiet is a beach city with many resorts and hotels.
152 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province . Tel: (062) 3847-858 Email: info@hoangngoc-resort.com www.hoangngoc-resort.com Muine Mud Bath & Spa
Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily Northern Peninsula Cam Ranh, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3989-898 Email: info@rivieraresortspa.com www.rivieraresortspa.com
Michelia Hotel 4 Pasteur St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3820-820 www.michelia.vn
MUSEUM
Suoi Nuoc, Muine, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3836-888 Email: info@bluebaymuineresort.com www.bluebaymuineresort.com
MUSEUM
HOTELS, RESORTS
InterContinental Nha Trang Hotel 32-34 Tran Phu St, Nha Trang Tel: (058) 3887-777 www.intercontinental.com
Quang Trung Museum Block 1, Phu Phong town, Tay Son Dist., Binh Dinh Province Tel: (056) 3580-320 Open 7 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Entry fee VND10,500 ($0.50). Free for children under six
Aroma Beach Resort & Spa
133A Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3743-481 Email: sales1@bunkhoangmuine.com www.bunkhoangmuine.com
Quater 5, Phu Hai Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3828-288 www.aromabeachresort.com With 52 authentic Vietnamese rooms and bungalows, the hotel offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the blue sea
Muine Ocean Resort & Spa 10 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3741-616 www.muineoceanresort.com
Bamboo Village Beach Resort & Spa
Muine Bay Resort
38 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3847-007 www.bamboovillageresortvn.com
Quarter 14, Mui Ne Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 2220-222 Email: info@muinebayresort.com www.muinebayresort.com
Mường Thanh Grand Nha Trang Hotel 6 Duong Hien Quyen St, Vinh Hoa Ward, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3552-468 www.nhatrang.muongthanh.vn
NHA TRANG
(TELEPHONE CODE: 058) On the central coast, Nha Trang is a city originally known for beautiful beaches but these have lately been found to suffer from pollution due to modern life, development and tourism, like other popular resort areas in Vietnam. It has large numbers of foreign tourists, island-hopping, scuba diving, sightseeing and lounging on the beach. HOTELS, RESORTS Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily HERITAGE
Khanh Hoa Salanganes Nest Company 248 Thong Nhat St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3822-472 yensaokh@yensaokhanhhoa.com.vn www.yensaokhanhhoa.com.vn
Diamond Bay Resort & Spa Nguyen Tat Thanh Blvd, Phuoc Ha, Phuoc Dong Dist., Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3711-711 www.diamondbayresort.vn
Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily
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Sunrise Nha Trang Beach Hotel & Spa 12-14 Tran Phu St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3820-999 www.sunrisenhatrang.com.vn Vinpearl Luxury Nha Trang Hon Tre Island, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3598-598 Email: info@vinpearlluxury-nhatrang.com www.vinpearl.com Vinpearl Resort Nha Trang Hon Tre Island, Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3598-188 Email: info@vinpearlresort-nhatrang.com www.vinpearl.com
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016
Blue Bay Muine Resort & Spa
Ocean Dunes Resort 1 Ton Duc Thang St, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3822-393 www.oceandunesresort.com.vn Sandunes Beach Resort & Spa 5 Quarter, Mui Ne Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3748-868 Email: info@sandunesbeach.com www.sandunesbeach.com
DIRECTIONS DALAT, BINH DUONG, HO CHI MINH CITY Saigon Mui Ne Resort 56 - 97 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3741-044 www.saigonmuineresort.com.vn
Dalat Edensee Resort Tuyen Lam Lake, Zone VII.2, Dalat, Lam Dong Province Tel: (063) 3831-515 www.dalatedensee.com Monet Garden Villa
Seahorse Resort & Spa
Asiana Airlines 39 Le Duan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-8710, (08) 3829-3038 British Airways 170-172 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia St, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3930-2933 Cathay Pacific Airways 72-74 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-3203
Km 11 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province. Tel: (062) 3847-507 reservation@seahorseresortvn.com www.seahorseresortvn.com
3 Nguyen Du St., Dalat City, Lam Dong Province Tel: (063) 3810-826 www.monetgarden.com.vn
BINH DUONG
(TELEPHONE CODE: 0650) An Lam Saigon River
Sea Links City Resort & Golf Km 9, Nguyen Thong St, Phu Hai Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 2220-088 www.sealinksbeachhotel.com Victoria Phan Thiet Beach Resort & Spa Phu Hai Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province . Tel: (062) 3813-000 Email: resa.phanthiet@victoriahotels.asia www.victoriahotels.asia MUSEUM Cham Culture Exhibition Centre Song Mao intersection, Phan Hiep Commune, Bac Binh Dist., Binh Thuan Province; Tel: (062) 3641-456. Open: 7.30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. Free entrance
DALAT
(TELEPHONE CODE: 063) Dalat, founded in 1893, has Frencharchitecture, pine forests and a perpetually cool climate. It is in the southern Central Highlands, about 300 kilometres from Ho Chi Minh City. HOTELS
Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily Ana Mandara Villas Dalat Resort & Spa
Japan Airlines 88 Dong Khoi St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3821-9098 Jetstar Pacific Airlines 112 Hong Ha St, Tan Binh Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3955-0550 Philippine Airlines 2nd Floor Saigon Royal Building 91 Pasteur St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3827-2105
Trails of Indochina 10/8 Phan Dinh Giot St, Tan Binh Dist., Ho Chi Minh City; Tel: (08) 3844-1005 Email: dosm@trailsofindochina.com www.trailsofindochina.com Transviet Travel Travel House, 170-172 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia St, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3933-0777 www.transviet.com.vn HOTELS Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily Eastin Grand Hotel Saigon
Qatar Airways 1-5 Le Duan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3827-3888 21/4 Trung St., Vinh Phu Ward, Thuan An Dist., Binh Duong Province Tel: (0650) 3785-555 Email: rsvn.sr@anlam.com www.anlam.com
HO CHI MINH CITY (TELEPHONE CODE: 08) HOSPITALS
Columbia Asia Gia Dinh International Hospital 1 No Trang Long St, Binh Thanh Dist., Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3803-0678 FV Hospital 6 Nguyen Luong Bang St, Dist.7, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 5411-3500 Stamford Skin Centre 254 Dien Bien Phu St, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3932-1090 Email: info@stamfordskin.com www.stamfordskin.com AIRLINES
Air France 130 Dong Khoi St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3829-0981
Le Lai St, Dalat, Lam Dong Province Tel: (063) 3555-888 reservation-dalat@anamandara-resort.com www.anamandara-resort.com From VND3,150,000 ($150)
Emirates Airlines 170-172 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia St, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3930-2939
Exotissimo 261/26 Phan Xich Long St, Phu Nhuan Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3995-9898 www.exotravel.com Saigon Tourist 45 Le Thanh Ton St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3827-9279 www.saigon-tourist.net
All Nippon Airways 115 Nguyen Hue St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3821-9612 American Airlines 69 Ba Huyen Thanh Quan St, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3933-0330
Royal Brunei Airlines 787 Tran Hung Dao St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh CityTel: (08) 3924-5100 Singapore Airlines 29 Le Duan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3823-1588 Thai Airways International 29 Le Duan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3829-2809 United Airlines Suite 708 Sun Wah Tower, 115 Nguyen Hue St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City.Tel: (08) 3823-4755 Vietnam Airlines 115 Nguyen Hue St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3832-0320 Vietjet Air 8Bis Cong Truong Quoc Te, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3827-0123 www.vietjetair.com TRAVEL
Asiana Travel Mate 113C Bui Vien St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3838-6678 www.atravelmate.com Buffalo Tours 81 Mac Thi Buoi, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3827-9168 Email: travelagency@buffalotours.com www.buffalotours.com.vn Buffalo Tours operates in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. The Buffalo Tours portfolio caters to all types of tours.
253 Nguyen Van Troi St, Phu Nhuan Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3844-9222 Email: Info@eastingrandSaigon.com www.eastingrandsaigon.com Hotel Majestic 1 Dong Khoi St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3829-5517 www.majesticsaigon.com.vn InterContinental Asiana Saigon Corner Hai Ba TrungSt. & Le Duan Blvd, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3520-9999 www.intercontinental.com/Saigon Kelly Hotel 42-44 Thu Khoa Huan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3823-3364 www.kellyhotel.com.vn An elegant and cosy hotel with good service. Within walking distance to Ben Thanh market, Independence Palace and several museums. Vietnamese food is served at reasonable prices. Lotte Legend Hotel Saigon 2A-4A Ton Duc Thang St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist 1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3823-3333 www.lottehotel.com Park Hyatt Saigon 2 Lam Son Square, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3824-1234 www.saigon.park.hyatt.com
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DIRECTIONS HO CHI MINH CITY, VUNG TAU Rex Hotel 141 Nguyen Hue St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3829-2185 www.rexhotelvietnm.com Renaissance Riverside Hotel Saigon 8-15 Ton Duc Thang St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-0033 www.renaissance-saigon.com
Vatel Saigon Bistronomique-Lounge 120 Bis Suong Nguyet Anh St, Ben Thanh Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 5404-2220 www.vatelsaigon.com BARS & CAFÉS
Elle Cafe 45 Ngo Duc Ke St, Bitexco Financial Tower, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 6291-8769
Sofitel Saigon Plaza
Caffe Molinari 5 Le Duan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3910-6903 Email: molinari@vnn.vn www.caffemolinari.com Sax N’ Art Jazz Club 28 Le Loi St, Dist 1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-8472 www.saxnart.com
17 Le Duan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3824-1555 Email: h2077@sofitel.com www.sofitel.com
SHOPS
Windsor Plaza Hotel 18 An Duong Vuong, Dist.5, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3833-6688 www.windsorplazahotel.com
Authentique Home 113 Le Thanh Ton St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3822-8052 71/1 Mac Thi Buoi St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3823-8811 www.authentiquehome.com
RESTAURANTS
Beef No.1 Restaurant 1 Hoang Viet St, Ward 4, Tan Binh Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: 0935891818/ 0919898253 Chit Chat Restaurant Hotel Equatorial Ho Chi Minh City, 242 Tran Binh Trong St, Dist.5, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3839-7777 www.equatorial.com New daily menus for lunch and dinner buffets, all served in a relaxing atmosphere. Eight live cooking stations with over 60 varieties of mouth-watering domestic and international dishes. A meeting place to enjoy delicious house-made pastries and cakes and a cup of coffee from selected premium blends. Au Lac do Brazil I 238 Pasteur, Ward 6, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3820-7157
Handed by crafts from Vietnam 47 Dong Khoi St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: 0908 447 282 IPA Nima 85 Pasteur St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City, tel: (08) 3824-2701 IPA Nima is well-known for its bags.
Tropic Shop 89 Dong Khoi St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-3714 www.ofcvn.com/tropic
Mam Son Restaurant 35 Ton That Thiep St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3915-3653 Tandoor Restaurant 39A-39B Ngo Duc Ke St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3930-4839 www.tandoorvietnam.com
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Dong Gia Enterprise 114 Xuan Thuy St, Thao Dien Ward, Dist.2, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 6296-0147 www.dong-gia.com
Lu's Handmade 240 Ly Tu Trong St, Ben Thanh Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Facebook: Lu's Handmade
Lemongrass Restaurant 4 Nguyen Thiep St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-0496 www.bongsencorporation.com
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Doma Vina Co., Ltd 50C Tran Binh Trong St, Ward 5, Binh Thanh Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3550-0558 www.papercraft.com.vn
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COOKING CLASSES Mint Culinary School 778/45 Nguyen Kiem St, Phu Nhuan Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3844-5500 Email: sales@vca.com.vn www.vca.com.vn NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016
Saigon Cooking Class 74/7 Hai Ba Trung St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3825-8485 www.saigoncookingclass.com GALLERIES
Artists Long & Ngoc Gallery Grand Hotel (at the lobby), 8 Dong Khoi, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City TeL: (08) 2246-6839 Mobile: 0908 229 708 Email: ngoclongfineart@yahoo.com Apricot Gallery 50 Mac Thi Buoi St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-7962 Craig Thomas Gallery 27i Tran Nhat Duat St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Mobile: 0903 888 431 Email: cthomasgallery@gmail.com www.cthomasgallery.com Open: 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Mondays and Sundays Galerie Quynh Level 2, 151/3 Dong Khoi St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3824-8284 www.galeriequynh.com Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sàn Art 48/7 Me Linh St, Ward 19, Binh Thanh Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 6294-7059 www.san-art.org Opening: 10.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. every. Closed on Sunday and Monday Tu Do Gallery 53 Ho Tung Mau St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3821-0966 www.tudogallery.com Opening: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. everyday SIGHTSEEINGS
Notre Dame Cathedral Cong Xa Paris Square, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Built in 1877, and the Cathedral opened to the public in 1880. The bricks used to build this marvellous structure were shipped from Marseilles. Ben Thanh Market Le Lai St, Ben Thanh Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City The original market was located on the bank of the Ben Nghe River by the old Gia Dinh Fort. In 1859, when the French invaded Saigon and overtook Gia Dinh Fort, Ben Thanh Market was destroyed. It was rebuilt shortly after and remained standing until it was moved to its present location in 1899. Now, Ben Thanh market is a trade centre and a favourite tourist destination, offering a wide range of Vietnamese handicraft, fresh fruits and local specialities. Chinatown – Cho Lon It was set up at the end of the 18th century when the Minh Dynasty in China was overthrown. Chinatown has many
shops and private workshops. The most interesting places are Binh Tay market, Soai Kinh Lam fabric whole-sales market, the street of herbal medicine located on Hai Thuong Lan Ong and Thien Hau Temple on Nguyen Trai Street. MUSEUMS
Ao Dai Museum 206/19/30 Long Thuan St, District 9, Ho Chi Minh City www.baotangaodaivietnam.com Open daily, closed on Monday from 8.30 a.m. until 5.30 p.m. The entry ticket is VND100,000 for adults Fine Arts Museum of Ho Chi Minh City 97A Pho Duc Chinh St, Nguyen Thai Binh Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3829-4441 www.baotangmythuattphcm.com Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays
Fito Museum 41 Hoang Du Khuong S, Ward 12, Dist. 10, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3864-2430 www.fitomuseum.com.vn Open daily from 8.30 a.m. till 5.30 p.m. Ticket: VND50,000 The first museum of traditional Vietnamese medicine Ho Chi Minh City Museum 65 Ly Tu Trong St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3829-9741 www.hcmc-museum.edu.vn Open daily 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Independence Palace 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia St, Ben Thanh Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-3652 www.dinhdoclap.gov.vn Open daily, 7.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m., 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Southern Women Museum 202 Vo Thi Sau St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3932-7130 The History Museum 2 Nguyen Binh Khiem St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist 1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3829-8146 www.baotanglichsuvn.com 8 a.m. - 11.30 p.m. and 1.30 p.m. - 5 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday. Closed on Monday War Remnants Museum 28 Vo Van Tan St, Ward 6, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City, Tel: (08) 3930-5587 Email: warrmhcm@gmail.com Open daily 7.30 a.m. to midday and 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
VUNG TAU
(TELEPHONE CODE: 064) A popular beach resort town for residents of Ho Chi Minh City, Vung Tau is about 128 km southeast of HCMC. It can be reached either by road or by a 90-minute hydrofoil boat
DIRECTIONS CON DAO, CAN THO, CHAU DOC, PHU QUOC from HCMC. Sitting on a peninsula that sticks out into the East Sea, Vung Tau does not have the most beautiful, or cleanest, beaches in Vietnam but can act as a quick getaway from the buzz of the city. HOTELS, RESORTS
Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily Grand Hotel Vung Tau 2 Nguyen Du St, Ward.1, Vung Tau Tel: (064) 3856-888 www.grandhotel.com.vn Muong Thanh Vung Tau Hotel No 09, Thong Nhat St, Ward 1, Vung Tau. Tel: (064) 3835-567 www.vungtau.muongthanh.vn Kieu Anh Hotel 257 Le Hong Phong St, Ward 8, Vung Tau. Tel: (064) 3584-179 www.kieuanhhotel.vn Palace Hotel 1 Nguyen Trai St, Ward 1, Vung Tau Tel: (064) 3856-411 www.palacehotel.com.vn Petrosetco Hotel 12 Truong Cong Dinh St, Ward 2, Vung Tau. Tel: (064) 3624-748 www.petrosetcohotel.vn Petro House Hotel
CON DAO
Six Senses Con Dao Dat Doc Beach, Con Dao Dist., Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province Tel : (064) 3831-222 www.sixsenses.com/resorts/ con-dao/destination
CAN THO
(TELEPHONE CODE: 0710) Can Tho is the largest city in the Mekong Delta, about 170 km southwest of Ho Chi Minh City, and acts as the area’s economic, transportation and cultural centre. Sitting on the Mekong River, Can Tho is popular for its nearby floating markets, canals and rivers that can be explored by boat. HOTELS, RESORTS
Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily Victoria Can Tho Resort Cai Khe Ward, Ninh Kieu Dist., Can Tho Tel: (0710) 3810-111 www.victoriahotels.asia
PHU QUOC
(TELEPHONE CODE: 077) Phu Quoc Island, off the southern tip of Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand, has some of the most beautiful beaches in the country. White-sand beaches, scuba diving around coral reefs or exploring the protected jungle. Accessible by either the Rach Gia hydrofoil boat or a 50-minute flight from Ho Chi Minh City. Modest family-owned bungalows on the beach to fivestar resorts. HOTELS, RESORTS Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily Chen Sea Resort & Spa Phu Quoc, Centara Boutique Collection Bai Xep, Ong Lang, Cua Duong, Phu Quoc Island Tel: (077) 3995-895 www.centarahotelsresorts.com
Eden Resort Phu Quoc Cua Lap Hamlet, Duong To Ward, Phu Quoc District, Kien Giang Province Tel: (077) 3985-598 www.edenresort.com.vn La Veranda Resort
Tran Hung Dao St, Ward 7, Duong Dong Town, Phu Quoc Island Tel: (077) 3982-988 contact@laverandaresorts.com www.laverandaresorts.com MUSEUM Coi Nguon Museum 149 Tran Hung Dao St, Duong dong Town, Phu Quoc, Kien Giang Province Tel: (077) 3980-206 www.coinguonphuquoc.com
MUSEUM Can Tho Museum 1 Hoa Binh St, Tan An Ward, Can Tho Tel: (0710) 3820-955 Open: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.); Saturday and Sunday (8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 6.30 p.m. to 9 p.m.). Closed on Friday. Free admission
CHAU DOC
(TELEPHONE CODE: 076) 63 Tran Hung Dao St, Ward 1, Vung Tau Tel : (064) 3852-014 Hotline: 0961.085.869 Email: info@petrohousehotel.vn www.petrohousehotel.vn The Coast Hotel
300A Phan Chu Trinh St, Ward 2, Vung Tau City Tel: (064) 3627-777 Email: info@thecoasthotelvungtau.com www.thecoasthotelvungtau.com MUSEUM
White Palace 6 Tran Phu St, Ward.1, Vung Tau City Tel: (064) 3852-605 Open daily 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
HOTELS
Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily Victoria Chau Doc Hotel 1 Le Loi St, Chau Doc Town, An Giang Province Tel: (076) 3865-010 resa.chaudoc@victoriahotels.asia www.victoriahotels.asia From VND3,169,000 ($149) Victoria Nui Sam Lodge Vinh Dong 1, Nui Sam, Chau Doc, An Giang Province. Tel: (076) 3575-888 resa.nuisam@victoriahotels.asia www.victoriahotels.asia MUSEUM
An Giang Museum 11 Ton Duc Thang St, My Binh Ward, Long Xuyen City, An Giang Province Tel: (076) 3956-248 Open hour 7a.m. to 11a.m. and 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Closed on Monday Entrance fee: VND42,000 ($2) NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016
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CENTRE OF HO C
Palace 1. IIndependence ndependence P alace
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Notre Cathedral 2. N otre Dame C athedral
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Vietnam History 3. V ietnam H istory Museum
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Fine Arts Museum 4. F ine A rts M useum of of Ho Ho Chi Chi Minh Minh City City E4 E4 Ho Chi Minh City 5. H oC hi M inh C ity Museum
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6. Southern Southern Women Women Museum
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7. War War Remnants Remnants Museum
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8. Ben Ben Thanh Thanh Market Market
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9. T Tao Park ao Dan P ark
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Post Office 10. P ost O ffice
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Zoo oo 11. Z
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12. Nha Nha Rong Wharf Wharf
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STREET GUIDE
3 Thang 2..........A2, A3, B2 Alexandre De Rhodes........ ........................................E2 An Duong Vuong....A4, B4 Ba Le Chan....................D1 Ba Huyen Thanh Quan...... ........................................C2 Ban Co...........................B3 Ben Chuong Duong........... .................................D4, E4 Ben Van Don...........D4, E4
Bui Thi Xuan..................C3 Bui Vien...................C4, D4 Cach Mang Thang Tam..... ......A1, B1, B2, C2, C3, D3 Calmette.........................E4 Cao Thang.....................B3 Chu Manh Trinh.............F2 Co Bac.....................C4, D4 Co Giang............. ...C4, D4 Cong Quynh............C3, C4 De Tham........................D4
Dien Bien Phu..................... A3, B2, C2, D1, D2, E1, F1 Dinh Tien Hoang............E1 Do Quang Dau...............C4 Do Thanh.......................B3 Doan Cong Buu.............C1 Doan Nhu Hai..........E4, F4 Dong Du.........................F3 Dong Khoi................E3, F3 Hai Ba Trung....................... ...........................D1, E2, F3 Hai Trieu.........................F4
Ham Nghi.................E4, F4 Han Thuyen....................E2 Ho Hao Hon...................C4 Ho Tung Mau...........E3, E4 Ho Xuan Huong.............C2 Hoa Hung.......................A2 Hung Vuong...................A4 Huyen Tran Cong Chua..... ........................................D3 Huynh Thuc Khang........E3 Huynh Tinh Cua.............D1 Ky Con.....................D4, E4
Ky Dong...................B2, C1 Le Duan...................E2, F2 Le Hong Phong.................. ...........................A2, A3, A4 Le Lai.......................C3, D3 Le Loi..............................E3 Le Quy Don....................D2 Le Thanh Ton...................... ...........................D3, E3, F2 Le Thi Hong Gam............... .................................D4, E4 Le Thi Rieng............C3, D3
Le Van Sy.......................B1 Luong Huu Khanh.........C3 Ly Chinh Thang.......C1, C2 Ly Thai To......................A3 Ly Tu Trong......................... ...........................D3, E3, F2 Ly Van Phuc...................E1 Mac Dinh Chi...........E1, E2 Mac Thi Buoi..................F3 Mai Thi Luu..............E1, F1 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia............ ...................C1, D1, D2, D3
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CHI MINH CITY D
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Ngo Duc Ke....................F3 Ngo Thoi Nhiem ....C2, D2 Ngo Van Nam.................F2 Nguyen Binh Khiem.............. .....................................F1, F2 Nguyen Cau...................D1 Nguyen Cong Tru............... .................................D4, E4 Nguyen Dinh Chieu............ ......B3, C2, C3, D2, E1, F1 Nguyen Du..............D3, E3 Nguyen Hue.............E3, F3
Nguyen Khac Nhu.............. .................................C4, D4 Nam Quoc Cang.....C3, C4 Nguyen Phi Khanh.........E1 Nguyen Sieu...................F3 Nguyen Son Tra................. .................................B3, C3 Nguyen Tat Thanh..........F4 Nguyen Thai Binh............... .................................D4, E4 Nguyen Thai Hoc....D3, D4 Nguyen Thanh Y............E1
Nguyen Thi Dieu............C2 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai........ .................................B3, C3 Nguyen Thien Thuat........... .................................A3, B3 Nguyen Thong........B2, C2 Nguyen Thuong Hien........ .................................B2, C3 Nguyen Trai.............B4, C4 Nguyen Trung Ngan......F2 Nguyen Trung Truc........E3 Nguyen Truong To.........E4
Nguyen Van Cu..............B4 Nguyen Van Thu......E1, F1 Pasteur................................ ...............D1, D2, E2, E3,E4 Pham Ngoc Thach.........D1 Pham Ngu Lao........C4, D4 Pham Viet Chanh...........B3 Phan Ke Binh..........E1, E2 Pho Duc Chinh...............E4 Phung Khac Khoan.......E2 Suong Nguyet Anh........C3 Thach Thi Thanh.....D1, E1
Thai Van Lung................F3 Thi Sach.........................F3 Thu Khoa Huan.......D3, E3 To Hien Thanh................A1 Ton That Dam..........E3, E4 Ton Duc Thang..............C3 Tran Binh Trong......A3, A4 Tran Cao Van.................E2 Tran Dinh Xu...........B4, C4 Tran Hung Dao.......C4, D4 Tran Minh Quyen...........A3 Tran Nhan Tong.......A3, A4
Tran Phu.........................A4 Tran Quang Dieu...........B1 Tran Quang Khai.....D1, E1 Tran Quoc Thao......C1, D2 Tran Quoc Toan......C1, D1 Truong Dinh............C1, C2 Tu Xuong.......................C2 Vinh Vien........................A3 Vo Thi Sau........C2, D1, E1 Vo Van Tan..............C3, B3 Vuon Chuoi..............B2, B3 Yersin..............................D4
WHAT THE PAPERS SAY
Vietnam man found alive after one week lost in forest Tuoi Tre News, 3 November
A 26-year-old man in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong was found weak but alive after spending a week lost in a local forest. Nguyen Quang Loc was suffering from extreme exhaustion, when a search team found him, clothing torn off and body lacerated, inside the forest in Di Linh District. The man was immediately rushed to the province’s general hospital for emergency treatment, according to Di Linh police. On October 27, Loc and two friends entered the forest to chop bamboo. When night fell and Loc still had not returned to the group’s tent, his friends notified police of the disappearance.
Electric tourist car to be piloted in Hoi An Ancient Town Tuoi Tre News, 13 November
A type of electric tourist car has been set to be piloted in Hoi An Ancient Town, a popular destination in the south-central Vietnamese province of Quang Nam, next year. The tourist cars will be provided with their own pick-up and drop-off points and park at local parking lots to ensure traffic safety and order. Operation hours are expected to be between 6:00 am and 10:00 pm, with each stop at pick-up and drop-off locations lasting a maximum of two minutes.
Vietnam destroys rhino horns and elephant ivory Tuoi Tre News, 14 November 58 • V I E T N A M
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Vietnam destroyed nearly 2.2 tons of seized elephant ivory and 70 kg of rhino horns on Saturday, in one of its strongest moves yet to stop illegal wildlife trafficking. The specimens, estimated to be worth more than $7 million on the black market, came from about 330 African elephants and 23 rhinos, said UK-based Humane Society International, which has been working with the Vietnamese government since 2013 to reduce demand for rhino horn in the country. Vietnam is a transit point for elephant ivory for consumers in mostly China and the United States to make jewelry and home decorations, while the Southeast Asian nation is a major consumer of rhino horn. The usage and trading of rhino horn is a criminal offense in Vietnam, but demand is strong due to a long-held belief in rhino horn's medical power as an elixir, especially among the country's growing middle and upper classes.
Bears rescued from farms English VNExpress, 12 November
Animal welfare charity Animals Asia on Friday successfully rescued four moon bears from three bear bile farms in the Central Highlands province of Pleiku, ending years of mistreatment for the weakened animals. The organization said that five years ago, they got information about the animals but at that time, their owners didn’t want to hand over the bears to the rescue center. Under constant pressure from the local Forestry Department, the four bears, two males and two females, have finally been released. Animals Asia said that after more than a decade being held in captivity, the bears have showed signs of depression and suffered physical pains. Their teeth are shattered and infected from desperate attempts to chew through the iron bars. One of the bears has lost a paw and has an abnormal tumor. On Saturday, the bears will be going on a 1,200-kilometer journey to reach a bear rescue center in Tam Dao National Park, where 155 other peers are waiting for them.
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016
Taking a snooze in Saigon airport's new sleeping zone English VNExpress, 13 November
Passengers no longer have to sit on the floor waiting for their flights as the international terminal of Tan Son Nhat airport has been recently expanded its waiting area with a 100-square-meter sleeping zone. The zone is equipped with long wooden chairs and 20 sleeping loungers that anyone can use for free. Those who need more privacy can pay $7 an hour to use one of ten mini sleeping rooms. The rooms have alarm systems so that users do not miss their flights. Each sleeping room is four square meters and can accommodate an adult and a child under seven years old. Drinking water and cold towels are part of the package. The airport has also opened a kids' zone of 40 square meters with slides. The new facilities were opened on October 26 after the Airports Corporation of Vietnam spent VND1.5 trillion ($67.2 million) on the first phase of the terminal’s expansion.
City to launch three electronic-bus routes Viet Nam News, 5 November
Three electronic-bus routes will soon be put into use in the HCM City centre, Phu My Hung urban area and along Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe Canal. The People’s Committee has agreed with the Transport Department to pilot the project, using several 12-seat electronic buses on short-distance routes from 5am to 10pm, to serve local residents and tourists. The first route will operate in District 1. There are 11 electronic buses on this route. The second route, which consists of five buses, will run in the Phu My Hung urban area in District 7. Three electronic buses will run along Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe Canal, starting from District 1’s Da Kao Ward and ending in District 3’s Ward 7. This is the first time HCM City has introduced the service. Electronic buses have been in use in big cities, including Ha Noi, Nha Trang, Hue and Da Nang, for years.