Vietnam heritage No.52 September October 2015

3:10 SEP-OCT T 2015

ISSN 1859-4123

CULTURAL CUL LTURAL HERIT HERITAGE TA AGE ASSOCIA ASSOCIATION ATION TION OF VIETNAM

Earthen Ear then wall wall houses

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CONTENT No 3, Vol.10, September-October 2015

COVER STORY Architecture 8 Earthen wall houses

12

Customs

12 Party for the dead 14 A time for rejoicing, not mourning 16 A grave matter 18 No smoke, and yet, fire Pets

20 The Phu Quoc Ridgeback dog Festivals

21 A wet ritual Crafts

22 Labour of love Pottery

24 All the colours of chrome

16

8

Cuisine

26 The appeal of eel City Life

28 A day at Tao Dan Park

30

Culture

30 Leafing through the pages of time Advertorial

32 A brief sojourn at the Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh 34 What the papers say 36 Events

39 Value for money 43 Directions 58 Laid back

Cover photograph: A rammed earthen wall house at Y Ty Commune, Bat Xat District, Lao Cai Province.

Photo: Pham Bang

Published by the Cultural Heritage Association of Vietnam

28 32

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; Sub-editing: Erik Johnson; Assistant: Kha Tu Anh; Production: Nguyen Hoang Kim Long; 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; Tran Viet Duc Correspondent: Pip de Rouvray; Advertising and Circulation: Green Viet Advertising JSC Advertising and Subscriptions Service: Email: ads.vietnamheritage@gmail.com; Duy Huong 0903 630 489 Email: vietnamheritagemagazine@gmail.com 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

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Vietnam Heritage

Vietnam Heritage

VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

•5

Making fish sauce, Binh Thuan Province, South-Central Vietnam, 2014

Photo: Dang Hong Long

ARCHITECTURE

Earthen wall houses

BY HAN VIET HOAN

8 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

ARCHITECTURE

L

egends have it that a long, long time ago, the Hmong, Yao and Ha Nhi peoples on the Y Ty highlands, in Bat Xat District, Lao Cai Province farmed their terrace fields and lived peacefully. But one winter, the weather was so cold that water froze. Bamboo houses could not withstand the severe cold and collapsed. The old ones couldn’t bear the cold and

Lao Cai Province

died. People cried day and night, and their grief penetrated to heaven.

During that time, brigands from all around came to loot the villages. They used catapults to destroy dwellings, thus making the cold even colder. Giang (Heaven) heard the laments of the local people, and sent Hong Ngai Mountain God down to teach the Hmong, Yao and Ha Nhi lll

Top and bottom: Bulding a rammed earthern wall house at Nam Dam Town, Quan Ba Dist., Ha Giang Province. Photos: Nguyen Bach Chien Right: A Ha Nhi rammed earthern wall house in snow at Y Ty, Bat Xat Dist., Lao Cai Province. Photo: Pham Bang

VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

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Photo: Nguyen Bach Chien

Photo: Nguyen Tuan Anh

Photo: Nguyen Bach Chien

Photo: Nguyen Binh

peoples the way to build rammed earthen wall houses to protect themselves from the cold and the bandits. Since then, the Hmong of Hong Ngai Village knew how to make rammed walls. This is also the village with the best rammed wall houses of Y Ty highland commune in Bat Xat Dist.

The Hmong people of Hong Ngai Village have a special procedure of house building.

According to Mr Vang A Su, 56, an ex-chairman of Y Ty Commune, before making a house, a Hmong family has to choose a good day and time and a flat area of 40 - 50 m² of land. They have to cook a chicken and some sticky rice to make a sacrifice and pray their house would be strong and endure the cenlll

turies. To have four walls as strong as steel that even bullets can’t penetrate, they have to find an adhesive kind of mountain soil.

First, Hong Ngai villagers use stones to make the house foundation. The foundation is built on the ground, without digging in to it as people in the low lands. Then, they reinforce strong boards to make formwork, much like those for making concrete slabs.

The walls of a 40 m² house must be 40 cm thick. They fill the form with the selected soil and beat and bray it hard with pestles until blows leave no mark. The boards removed, the wall looks smooth, as if filed.

Then they make the next level on top of the built wall. Each such level is about 40 cm

10 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

high. They fill it with soil and bray it again exactly the same way. The upper layer would bond with the lower as one. Layer upon layer, it takes months to finish the walls. Mr Vang A Su told us that five-six form layers would be enough, but some families make seven-eight layers. Some in Pha Long of Muong Khuong District even make nine layer-tall walls.

The walls finished, they use oak, Fujian cypress or menghundor wood to make the house frame. None of the walls have piers.

Wooden pillars inside do the reinforcement.

After the frame come the roofs. The Hmong of Hong Ngai used to thatch their roofs.

Since the Government introduced the 135

Photo: Pham Bang

Opposite top and bottom: Building a rammed earthern wall house at Nam Dam Town, Quan Ba Dist., Ha Giang Province Clockwise from centre: A Ha Nhi Village at Y Ty Commune, Bat Xat Dist, Lao Cai Province; A rammed earthern wall house at Y Ty Commune; A Ha Nhi rammed earthern wall house in snow at Y Ty Commune; A rammed earthern wall house at Y Ty Commune; Dao Do people building a rammed earthern wall house at A Lu Commune, Bat Xat Dist., Lao Cai Province

Photo: Nguyen Cong Binh

Photo: Pham Bang

Program, they modernized their houses with cement sheets. In Bac Ha District, Mr Vang A Tuong built a two-storey house in 1921, roofed with peeled layers of cypress wood, still a wonder of Lao Cai architecture for visitors to contemplate.

Hmong rammed wall houses at Y Ty have a front door in the middle and a back door connected with a buffalo or horse stable at the back. They also have one or two hive-like windows for ventilation near the front door.

Ha Nhi rammed houses at Y Ty are somewhat different from the Hmong ones.

They are square instead of rectangular. The wall faces, both inside and outside, are buffed smooth. In the house they build an-

other wall, also earthen, about 1.5m from the door. Behind this wall is the kitchen and bedroom of the house owner.

Seen from above, the ethnic rammed wall houses of Y Ty look like giant mushrooms on a mountain slope, very nice, cosy and cute.

Major Ha Duc Hon of Y Ty border patrol outpost, who spent long years living on this land and studying rammed wall houses, told me that this is a unique feature of residential architecture of the Y Ty highland. Inside the house, it’s warm in the freezing cold of winter and cool in 37 the summer. The walls are bulletproof and don’t shake at all, even when butted by buffalo.

When building rammed wall houses, the ethnic people of Y Ty avoid bare hills and mountain slopes near creeks, where landslides are frequent. Otherwise, even hurricanes and tornadoes can take away only the roofs. The house remains strong like a castle.

Hong Ngai Village of Y Ty Commune currently has 71 very beautiful rammed wall houses. Lao Chai, Sin Chai 1 and Sin Chai 2 Villages have about 30-40 rammed wall houses each. Some decade-old thatched roofs are covered with moss, which makes them look even more attractive. Groups of domestic and foreign visitors and researchers have come here to see the houses. Many couldn’t help remarking ‘What a wonder!’n

VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

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CUSTOMS

Party for the dead

T

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY PHAM THUAN THU

he Hmong people believe that death is not necessarily a sad event. There is neither hell nor paradise, but only an ‘embarking point’ for them to go to heaven to join the spirits of their ancestors. Adding to daily activities, Hmong funerals bond the community together. The ceremonies and rituals in Hmong funerals have deep roots in their understanding of the relationships between the dead and the living and the behavioural codes in families and in the community before, during and after the funerals.

These photos were taken at a Hmong funeral on Ma Pi Leng peak, Meo Vac District, Ha Giang Province, April, 2011.n *This photo series won the runner-up prize in the Vietnam Top: The dead body is wrapped in many folds of fine linen, fixed by a wooden frame Heritage Photo Awards 2012

Clockwise from above: Hmong funerals take place outdoors, on a level clearing. Everybody in the whole village puts aside all other matters to come and help the family of the deceased; Dead person feeding ritual: The dead person’s family prepares a small 20 cm high wooden vessel, a wooden spoon, three small bowls for wine, and a pot of rice wine. All is arranged neatly on a bench near the head of the coffin, but a bit lower. Before the feast, the shaman puts rice, meat and wine in these utensils and invites the deceased to eat first. This ritual shows respect and gratefulness to the deceased for having work hard to provide for the family and community, and also to pray him/her to bless the living; The hosts kill a cow and a goat to treat the villagers.

12 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

CUSTOMS Clockwise from top: During a funeral, the Hmong love to invite passers by to join the feast to ‘share the joy’. Their motive is that the hosts are grieving about the dead so much that they don’t feel like eating and drinking. The guests would help them to dilute their pain with a conversation; Like the Viet, the Hmong also burn votive (paper) money and gold for the deceased to pay the way to the ancestors and the origin place; Neatly dressing the dead: The Hmong hope that good care will help the deceased to have a good life in the other world; Blow pipes are a spiritual instrument in the funerals. The Hmong believe their music can guide the dead to the ancestral embrace. Each ritual has its own tune which relates about the origins of the people, about human life, and about the grief of losing a family member

VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

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CUSTOMS

A time for rejoicing, not mourning

T

he Hmong people believe that a kind and righteous person will reincarnate to be a human in the next life. A bad person will become an animal.

Therefore, the Hmong in general and the white Hmong in particular, particularly value human feelings. To them, ‘death means farewell,’ and so funerals are solemn and symbolic. Dead people over three months of age must be worshipped as ‘fresh spirits’ at the time of death and as ‘dried spirits’ 13 days after the burial. The Hmong don’t commemorate the dead every year as the Viet do. The dried spirit funeral is the last ritual they do to make the spirit go to the ancestral domain forever.

When somebody dies, the family shoots a rifle or blows a horn three times to announce the event. Youngsters in the house are sent to inform the kin and to invite a shaman and pipe artists for the funeral rituals. Nobody is allowed to cry before the shaman comes. When a wife dies, after being informed, the wife’s family acquires some offerings to bring to the husband’s house. Similarly, if a husband dies, his family would bring some offerings to the wife’s house. The purpose is to share or contribute to the expenses of the funeral. It is also to allow the living members of the family to retell details of the death. The size of the offerings depends on the family’s economic conditions. It can be a couple of chickens, a pig, a cow or even bigger.

This conversation is conducted through pipe blowing. When the sound of pipe of the dead person’s kin means a question is being

BY MAI VIET TANG

At a Hmong funeral, when the pipes play, it is to celebrate life asked, the other family has to express the answer in pipe music in such a way that dead’s kin believe that the person has really died. If the answer is not expressive or convincing enough, the deceased’s relatives might think that the person is still alive. They will blow their pipe to express their disbelief and turn their back to go home, and that would mean trouble. To avoid having to beg them to bring the offering inside, the host family has to convince the pipe blower to say ‘no, no, the person has really deceased; or you can go inside the house to see for yourselves…’ Having understood each other, the two parties would go inside to discuss the matters of the funeral and asset division in details.

Unlike those of other ethnicities, the Hmong coffins are bigger at the head and smaller at the foot. They use a freshly-made piece of linen to wash and clean the deceased body. Then they dress the dead with three to five sets of traditional costumes without using plastic buttons. They wind a turban on the person’s head, tie three belts around the body, the knots at the front.

Then they put socks on the dead person, if it’s a man, or shin guards, if it’s a woman.

Told tales say that the Hmong used to be driven away from their lands by the Han, so

14 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

in Hmong funeral, some men would carry machetes, spears and guns and run around the house, blowing horns and shooting the guns to chase away Han ghosts, not letting them attack the deceased.

Those Hmong who have migrated to Dak Lak failed to follow strictly their old funeral customs. Mr Hoang Van Bang, head of Noh Prong Village, Hoa Phong Commune, Krong Bong District told us, ‘The white Hmong who migrated to Tay Nguyen, Central Highlands, have simplified significantly their funeral rituals. Most of them skip the ‘dried spirit’ part of the funeral, because now they think the dead go immediately to heaven, there is no need for extra expenses and they abandon the grave right after the burial. They also don’t make offerings and divide assets anymore.’

Hmong funerals used to last three to four days. After a government decree applying modern styles to weddings, funerals and festivities, they now last only one to two days.

In general, Hmong funerals are not overly tragic. When the pipes are blown, all participants begin to dance and chant. The ritual usually begins early in the morning.

The dancing and chanting under pipe music and drum beat are unique features of their funerals. The shaman sings traditional songs in Hmong, which are soft and slow, to express deep sympathy to the deceased. But they are not too sad, not too mournful.

Rather, they sound like messages to the living, reminding them to love and care for each other.n (According to the words of an old man in Noh Prong Village, Hoa Phong Commune, Krong Bong District, Dak Lak Province)

CUSTOMS

T

A grave matter

he graveyards of the Giarai people are not necessarily located in some dense, century-old forest far from their village. They can be a clearing near the village, preferably with a few old trees and saplings.

Like some other ethnic tribes in Tay Nguyen, Central Highlands, (such as Ba-na, Ro-mam, Ro-ngao, and Ho-lang) the most prominent feature of Gia-rai graveyards are the grave statues which are placed into the tomb after the abandonment ceremony. After that, the relatives abandon the grave completely, returning it to the land and the forest.

The grave statue is a loving sacrifice, the last gift of the loved ones to the dead to show their feelings. Made with rudimentary tools of strong and valuable woods, such as kingwood, narra-padauk and meranti, they are durable under sun and rains, show the highlanders’ carving abilities, as well as their distinct culture and aesthetics. They also reflect the wealth of the family; rich families make

BY HUYNH VAN MY

big statues from rare woods and poor ones only make small statues of ordinary wood, quickly carved and painted.

Like the food served during the abandonment ceremony, these statues cost the bereaved family dearly. Many can’t afford a ceremony. Many have to pay so much for the ceremony that they have no money left for their children’s wedding. They have to let the betrothed live together for a few years before they can treat the people of the village to a wedding.

Gia-rai grave statues, as a cultural fea-

16 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

ture, are on the decline due to deforestation. Almost no quality wood for making statues is left in the area. Theft of grave statues for sale as ethnic cultural items is so widespread that it deters the living from honouring their dead in the traditional way. Wooden statues have been replaced by plaster ones.

People visit and take care of the graves more frequently without abandoning them.

The new picture of the Gia-rai people’s graveyards reflects the inevitable cultural exchange between the highland and lowland in the development process. But it is also a sign of cultural decline. And perhaps, grave statues will soon be reduced to a tale of once upon a time on the Tay Nguyen highlands.n Above: A group of wooden statues at a grave in Kep 2 Village, La Mo Nong Commune, Chu Pah Dist., Gia Lai Province. Photos: Ngo Huy Tinh Below: A grave of Gia-rai people after the abandonment ceremony with wooden statues and glazed dogs. Photo: Huynh Van My

CUSTOMS

No smoke, and yet, fire TEXT AND PICTURES BY NGUYEN THANH

C

a C’rau (which in the Xe Dang language means ‘tobacco rinsing’), is a unique custom of the Xe Dang on Ngoc Linh mountain, Tra Linh, Nam Tra My, Quang Nam Province.

Preparation for the rough hike to visit the mountain included, beside the clothes and tools, a few packs of cigarettes, which we thought would not only help relaxation at resting stations, but also break the ice when meeting new people.

We went with a group of young Xe Dang men who were our guides. But they all refused when we offered them Above: Rinsing Ca C’rau. some cigarettes, ‘We don’t smoke,’ Below: Tobaco leaves hanging on a fireplace they said. I chuckled, ‘Good for you.

18 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

Smoking is bad for the health and the purse.’ They laughed.

Coming to Tak Lan Village, Tra Linh Commune, we asked a grocer girl, a native of Nui Thanh District, to cook rice for us. The simple refill, just steaming rice and some fermented fish, made me feel so euphoric after a day of mountain trails.

Seeing a few village elders, we were quick to offer them some smoke. To our surprise, they all refused.

Elder Ho Van Loi, who is over 70 years of age, invited us to his house. It was tidy inside. Above the fireplace, beside rice and corn, we saw a lot of tobacco leaves hanging to dry. I thought to myself, ‘elder Loi must be

an addict,’ and offered him a cigarette to begin a conversation. He refused, ‘I don’t smoke. We villagers aren’t used to smoking. It makes us cough to tears. We only rinse with tobacco.’ Having said that, he took out of his pants pocket a small plastic jar, opened it and poured out a little green powder into his palm and put it into his mouth. Then he shut his mouth, saying nothing. Elder Loi’s wife said, ‘He is high with his tobacco.’ We stared at him in amazement. A few minutes later, elder Loi blew it out and his explanation began.

The green powder that elder Loi put in his mouth was indeed tobacco. The tobacco leaves harvested from the fields are left out in the sun for a day and then are hung above the family’s fireplace. Then they are ground when crispy. This powder is mixed with ground, baked snail shells, which acts like lime. The mixture is put in a little jar to keep dry and always handy.

The Xe Dang people on Ngoc Linh, at any meeting, be it at home or out in the fields, at a festive event or when moving to a new house, always offer each other Ca C’rau as a gesture of friendliness. Good tobacco should be fragrantly warming but not too hot. The sun and the fireplace smoke give it a typical aroma. The powder should not be swallowed. Inside the mouth, the tobacco is soaked. The rinser spreads the powder all over the teeth and gums. The powder then creates a sensation of heat in the mouth and dizziness in the head, stronger than that of smoking. After 5-7 minutes the powder becomes insipid

Climbing up Ngoc Linh Mountian.

CUSTOMS

and is blown out.

Ca C’rau is an ancient custom of the Xe Dang. At Tra Linh, everybody can do it, even young kids are allowed. They say that the powder keeps the teeth strong, so the Xe Dang people rarely have toothaches.

Xe Dang women love it very much too.

They rinse anytime, anywhere, just as much as the Northern women love their betel quid.

Following the locals’ instruction, I also tried Ca C`rau for an experience. As the powder spread, my teeth and gum get warmer and warmer. I shut my lips and took a deep breath, and the heat spread through the throat to my whole body.

Soon I felt dizzy, hot and a strange numbness all over my body. They all laughed, ‘It’s your first time. A few more times and you will get addicted and won’t want to go

home,’ one said.

According to the elders, offering Ca C’rau is the Xe Dang way to show friendship and an open heart in the mountains. It’s not bad for your health, nor does it affect other people. It is even good for your teeth.

Ho Van Hinh told me, once he took his family to Hanoi. After visiting Uncle Ho’s Mausoleum, the whole family went to Ho Chi Minh Museum. There were ‘No smoking’ signs everywhere. Walking past the exhibition items, he and his wife coolly took out the tobacco jar and enjoyed the powder. ‘The guards thought I was taking my medicines, perhaps. They had no idea that we were satisfying our addiction in a lawful way. Smoking was forbidden, not Ca C’rau.’ And of course, he later blew out the powder in a bag and threw it in a garbage bin.n

VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

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W PETS

The Phu Quoc Ridgeback dog

TEXT BY PIP DE ROUVRAY; PHOTOS BY JAMES GORDON

hilst Vietnam may not be renowned as a nation of dog lovers (except, some may unkindly say, in a culinary sense,) the reader may be surprised to learn it does have a small number of unique canine breeds. The far northern mountainous regions are home to the Bac Ha dog and the Hmong dock-tailed dog. In the midland and mountainous areas, there lives a wild dog - the Indochina Dingo.

But the most famous native Vietnamese dog, one that is iconic to its home island, is the Phu Quoc Ridgeback dog. It is considered by many to be Vietnam's national breed. It is one of three Ridgeback dog species of the world, the other two being the Thai Ridgeback and the Rhodesian Ridgeback.

They are fast runners, good swimmers, have excellent jumping skills and are not afraid of heights. With such attributes they have been used by man for centuries in hunting. Anyone who has been to Phu Quoc can not have failed to have noticed its eponymous dog wandering around. A good place to observe them is on a stroll along Long Beach. They may seem like strays but in fact, most of them are attached to one of the restaurants. They may bark a bit, but they are not usually aggressive to people.

If you wish to buy one, you will find people in the street on the island trying to sell puppies, but the best place is at a breeding

centre with a dog racecourse attached to it (an alternative name for the dog is the Phu Quoc greyhound). An internet site states that a puppy can cost between VND500,000 and VND5,000,000. Their coats can be tancoloured or black or a mixture of both. If you do buy one, it will need not only an anti-rabies jab, but also, if you are taking it to the mainland, one for novovirus.

In the company of veteran journalist and photographer Mr James Gordon, I went out to a quiet and leafy suburban street to meet a Phu Quoc Ridgeback dog. This one was black in colour and noticeably by the glossy sheen of her coat, very well cared for by the family.

It did not growl or bark at we two strangers. It was both cautious and curious about me, who being a bit scared of dogs in general, was exactly the way I felt about her. Many Vietnamese who have heard of this dog imagine them to be fierce. In fact, they are placid and certainly do not make good guard dogs.

The first thing to notice about the dog’s appearance is the hair on its back, which runs opposite in direction to the rest of its coat. It is patterned as a whorl or mohawk.

People may see different shapes. I saw a long dagger. The owner told us that in some individuals, it looks like a violin. Then the tail was quite short and pointed. It had slightly webbed claws which may explain why it is such a strong swimmer. I asked if this dog liked a good dip in the river. Its owner said

Top: The character of the breed. Left: The whorls. Right: The tongue 20 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

no and that it was actually afraid of water.

Curiously, and for what evolutionary purpose I do not know, it had an extra claw on the back of each leg. Its master let it have a good run up and down the street. It came back panting, which enabled us to have a good look at its peculiar tongue. It was a deep pink colour with large black spots.

We came away feeling that in a good home, this breed makes an excellent family dog. It was certainly a more pleasant assignment than one in which the owner of two Rottweilers had to restrain them from savaging me to death and also for James, who only this year was bitten by a dog in a rural town of the Mekong delta. Vietnam's national breed is a worthy and honourable canine ambassador for her country!

With acknowledgements to the owner of the Phu Quoc Ridgeback dog by the name of 'Wind’, Mrs Nguyen Anh Nguyet and to Mr Nguyen Xuan Ba who arranged the introduction.n

FESTIVALS

Lao Cai Province

N

A wet ritual

orth-Westerners say, ‘The Hmong people rely on the clouds, the Yao on fire, the Thai on water.’ Indeed, Thai people have strong folklore faith in water.

The most vibrant among their water related customs is the water-splashing festival at Khong Lao Commune by Nam Lum Creek, Phong Tho District, Lai Chau Province.

The water-splashing festival takes place when crops have been harvested and rice seeds have been thrown in preparation for a new crop. It’s the time when baskets are full of rice, people are relaxed and nature is flourishing. According to folklore, Then (King of Heaven) follows the Nam Lum water to come down to have fun and grant good weather, good crops and good health to the people.

During the festival, each village in the area selects a team of young men and a team of girls, who are strong and who have never broken any rule. When all people have gathered near the Nam Lum Creek, the shaman lady begins to make offering of

TEXT AND PHOTO BY LONG VU

At Nam Lum Creek, playing in the water is serious business

rice bud flowers (a kind of forest flower) to invite Then to join the fun.

First, villagers compete in catching fish with their bare hands in the creek. The elders say this is a symbolic ritual to protect the fish resource in the creek.

The rules of water-splashing competition are simple. Two teams line up in the water, about one metre from each other, and begin to splash water on the other team by hand. The team of the first person who falls or gives up loses. People believe that the winning team would bring great crops, health for everybody and peace.

Mr Nong Van Nao, an elder of Khong Lao Commune said, ‘Once upon a time there was a great drought. Nam Lum Creek dried out, causing a great famine. So our ancestors thought of the festival as an occa-

sion to make offerings and invite Then to have fun with the villagers. Miraculously, during the festival it always rains for about 30 minutes. People are happy, thinking that it’s the sign that Then has come down to Khong Lao to have fun. So everybody takes a dip in the creek.’

In the Phong Tho area even old and sick people come to Nam Lum Creek only to wet their hands and feet with creek water and pray Then to grant them health.

Everybody believes that Then grants health to all festival participants. The belief is so widespread that even the Thai from Than Uyen and the Yao from Dao San walk hundreds of kilometres to come and join the festival.

The competitions end with a grand scene of water splashing, whereby everybody splashes, sprays and pours water on everyone else. All are dipped in fun and soaked with happiness.n Top: The water-splashing Festival of Thai people at Khong Lao Commune, Phong Tho Dist., Lai Chau Province

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CRAFTS

Labour of love

F

TEXT AND PHOTO BY KHA TU ANH

ascinated by hundreds of decorative wooden products on a website I found, I made an appointment with Mr Dinh Nhat Tan at his small Artworks made by Mr Dinh Nhat Tan workshop in Nha Be District, Ho Chi Minh City. On the website, I learned that he was of Fine Art. From 2004 to 2011, he had many about an ethnic person. Mr Tan is elegant born in 1981. He is a H’re, an ethnic minority oil painting exhibitions in domestic and for- and good-looking. in the west of Quang Ngai Province. He eign countries.

Piles of woods lie in disorder in the graduated in Ho Chi Minh City University He looks different from what I imagine courtyard. Three H’re young men are ab-

LEM DECOR

These wooden products, including candle holders, light holders and decorative objects, are made by H’re artist Dinh Nhat Tan. The prices start from VND800,000 to VND2,000,000. His workshop is located at 16A Nguyen Binh St, Nha Be Dist., Ho Chi Minh City. Also, the products are available at Yankee Candle’s showrooms: * Diamond Plaza, 4th Floor, 34 Le Duan St, Dist.1, HCMC * Vincom Centre, Floor L3-11, 910 A Ngo Quyen St, Son Tra Dist., Danang * The Garden Shopping Centre, Floor G-D033, Me Tri St, Nam Tu Liem Dist., Hanoi.

Tel: 0914 867 293; Website: www.lemdecor.com

22 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

CRAFTS sorbed at working on logs with chisels. In a corner, a group of wooden statues are looking at me. Some of them are a-half-metre in height with a thin round iron face painted with black and white colours, a long thin wooden body carved with patterns and a scraggy iron neck, hands and legs. Other wooden statues are a metre in height with round big eyes, open smile showing teeth, a bun on a head or scattered hairs and patterns carved on the body. On a shelf are an array of wooden candle holders in many shapes and a variety of odd wooden masks.

All of them make me think of wooden statues at graves of highlanders.

Mr Tan gets inspiration from H’re culture, however, he adds creative details to products to depict his feelings and meet the customers’ needs. Also, he combines iron and wood to create the products.

He tells me that in his village, everyone usually holds a ‘New Rice Festival’ to celebrate a good harvest. Mask is a necessary thing in the festival. Villagers wear them, hold hands and dance together. Masks help cover the appearance and position of those who wear them. It is a bridge connecting

rich and poor people - those who rarely communicate with each other in ordinary days. Besides, they often wear masks in a hunt. The masks look strange and scary to chase the wild beast away.

I am surprised when he says that he knows nothing about sculpture art. He learned painting in the university. Three years ago, he went to Central Highlands and saw many lũa logs thrown away in the villages. Lũa is a durable and hard wood. It withstands being attacked by termites and other insects. It is also difficult to ignite, so people rarely use it to make a fire. The wood is usually wasted, so he began to collect it and bring it home, although at first, he did not know to do with it. His workshop became full of the wood. Many people called him ‘crazy’. Then he started working on them for pleasure. The first products took a long time. However, tools, including chisels and axes, not to mention the patterns and postures of statues are very familiar to the H’re people. So, the products are created easily and naturally by them. Day by day, more and more products were born in his sudden inspiration and filled the workshop.

Some products, he did not what they were or for what they would be used. He did not dare boast of his crafted products to his friends because he thought they were not elaborate works of art. But his friends came by and complimented him on the products.

They promoted them to other their friends.

More and more people came and bought them for decoration.

Recently, a friend has been helping him create a website called Lem Décor. ‘Lem’ in H’re means ‘simple beauty.’ Now, his products also are available at Yankee Candle’s showrooms in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Danang.

Mr Tan has postponed his painting and focuses on this craft because it can help other H’re people who have no skills. He loves to teach them. He feels sad every time visiting home, which has been affected by lowland culture. H’re children’s future as well as his village is adrift and without orientation.

Ugly, rough and disused logs are given souls by him to become beautiful artworks hiding a special meaning. I do not know why, but it is interesting to touch the surface of wood and admire his wooden statues.n

VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

• 23

POTTERY

Above: Polychrome Bat Trang ceramics in the 19th century Below and opposite: Polychromes found on the Cu Lao Cham shipwreck in the 15th century Photos provided by Nguyen Dinh Chien

V

All the colours of chrome

ietnam Heritage has been publishing a series based on ‘2,000 Years of Vietnamese Ceramics’ by Nguyen Dinh Chien and Pham Quoc Quan, published by Vietnam National Museum of History, Hanoi, 2005.

This month the topic is Polychrome ceramics.

In China, polychrome ceramics made their appearance in the Tang dynasty and flourished during the Ming and Qing dynasties. They include three types: a) wares low-fired with three colours (Tang period); b) wares high-fired with three or five colours (the Ming and Ching periods); and c) polychrome wares combining low-

24 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

fired overglaze painting with high-fired underglaze painting.

In Vietnam, this group was developed as late as the early fifteenth century. They also have three types: a) pieces combining a high-fired underglaze blue with four low-fired overglaze enamels; b) pieces highly fired with three colours; and c) polychrome pieces highly fired with

underglaze blue and over-glaze enamels.

Typical examples for the first type come from the collection of polychromes found on the Cu Lao Cham shipwreck. These include high-stem bowls and dishes painted in underglaze blue and overglaze green, red, brown, yellow enamels. But many examples have only three

to four colours, due to the absence of the blue. Glazes on several pieces have also eroded because of low firing or bad preservation conditions. This type existed from the early fifteenth century to the first half of the sixteenth century.

Typical examples for the second type include many incense burners, lamp stands and smoking bowls with designs in three glazes; copper oxide green, brownish-red and yellow.

These colours are mixed harmoniously, and are thus very eye-catching. They are specifically impressive and effective for ritual objects, and are often placed in half-lit rooms of pagodas and temples. This explains why this type was made chiefly under the Mac dynasty, when many Mac princes and princesses donated a large amount of money for constructing and renovating religious buildings.

Typical examples for the third type are the crackled white flower vases and wine bottles that have motifs moulded and painted in three colours; cobalt blue, yellow and brownish-red.

These pieces were surely produced at Bat Trang kilns in the nineteenth century.

Recently, some rare shards of polychrome ceramics have been found along with those of blue and whites at Chu Dau kiln site.

However, the kiln source for some fifteenth and sixteenth century polychrome pieces are still unknown.n Vietnam National Museum of History 1 Trang Tien St, Hanoi 216 Tran Quang Khai St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3824-1384 wwww.baotanglichsu.vn Open: 8 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.

Closed every first Monday of months

CUISINE

The appeal of eel

BY LE VAN

Northern eel soup is a cultural and gastronomic touchstone

I

Photo: Internet

n life, it is easy for people to forget dishes they have enjoyed, because these dishes do not make any impression on their tastes. But Nghe An’s eel soup is unforgettable to anyone who has enjoyed it even once. Thanks to its moreish and distinct aromatic flavour, eel soup has been a famous specialty in Nghe An Province for a long time. Those who set foot on this soil without enjoying a bowl of eel soup feel like they have missed something.

Nghe An Province is where I was born and spent nearly twenty-three years. Therefore, it is natural for me to be proud of my native land, and love it. However, I believe that most visitors, whether Northern or Southern, domestic or international, if they are lucky to have a chance to go to this land, are satisfied with its climate, evergreen surroundings, lovable, friendly and hospitable people, as well as the special foods which they enjoy. Surely, nobody can resist the lure of a bowl of eel soup awakening the senses with its strong flavour, pungent spice and

the subtle redolence of peppercorns.

It is not an overstatement that most people are burning to enjoy a bowl of eel soup as soon as their eyes chance upon a bowl of condensed and brownish eel soup mixed with flavorous knotweed and blades of onion. It is the reason why, simple as eel soup is, it nevertheless has become a specific cultural trait.

Not only is it the pride and nostalgia of locals, but it also makes a hard–to–forget impression on visitors.

Cooking eel soup is not difficult. The question is how to make it delicious and typical. It is said that it is necessary for housewives to be scrupulous and clever with their hands when making the soup. Eels are cleaned, boiled and boned. As shown by the experience of gastronomes, if we use a piece of bamboo instead of knife to slaughter the eel and an earthen pot to cook eel soup instead of a pan made of copper, eel soup will not be ‘fishy’.

People here stir-fry eel and saffron, and then add a little chili powder and pepper.

Nghe An’s eel soup is different from Hanoi’s.

For Nghe An’s eel soup, cookers leave pieces of eel intact, and although stir-fried, it is still soft, sweet and moreish. Just by looking at it can we be attracted by the yellow saffron mixed with green onion. When cooking eel

26 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

soup, locals use delicious ordinary rice and add to it a little sticky rice so that eel soup looks more viscid. More specially, they let the rice remain as it is, then simmer without grinding it as people in other areas do.

In summer, although beads of sweat are standing out on your forehead, you should enjoy a hot bowl of eel soup and accompany it with a cup of green tea as a dessert. In winter, you can add ginger to your cup of green tea to make it cosier.

No words can describe fully the delicacy of Nghe An’s eel soup as well as the wonderful feelings when enjoying it. I only know that it is a special gift and we can’t mistake it for any other. The more modern our life, the more creative people have become in processing delicious food in keeping with the domestic and international culture as well as cuisine. Far from what it was in the past, the face of Nghe An Province is changing for the better day by day. But still, the residents here do let the flavour of eel soup remain as it is. Nghe An’s eel soup moves visitors deeply and gradually goes down in their hearts as a cultural beauty. Therefore, eel soup is still one of the smartest choices for those who come to Nghe An.n Some eel soup eateries in Vinh City, Nghe An Province: - Loi, 108 Phan Dinh Phung St - Hong Son, 154 Mai Hac De St - Ba Lieu, 87 Mai Hac De St - Chao Luon Nghe An, 17 Ho Han Thuong St - Dong Hung Chinh, National Route 15

CITY LIFE

I

A day at Tao Dan Park

went to Tao Dan Park at 7 a.m. People of all types were jogging, walking, doing exercise, dancing, practicing martial arts and playing badminton.

At the parking lot, I thought I had stepped into a forest with the noise of hundreds of birds. Many people were sitting in the cafĂŠ listening attentively to songs performed by the bird orchestra. This was a bird club established in the park long ago.

Mr Dung, a bird-lover, said that most of people here knew each other well. Many come every morning for an exchange of ideas. Mr Dung has come here every weekend for over 10 years. He said it was not difficult to raise birds, but you must have a passion for them. At first, there was a con-

flict between him and his wife; she was jealous because he spent so much time feeding and bathing them. Particularly, to own a bird with a good voice, you have to usually bring it to the bird clubs to learn new songs or voices from other birds. A bird or a bird cage ranges from a few hundred thousand dongs to a few hundred millions. Then he pointed to a small wooden cage cost VND30 millions and was imported from China. He introduced me to an old man who released a bird costing $2,500 to the sky because the bird had a wound on its eyes. I thought that the bird would to survive in the outside world after being in the cage for long time.

Mr Dung told me that the club organized bird contests in public holidays and at-

28 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY TU ANH

tracted a lot of audiences to the events.

I met Frank, aged 54, from Holland, while he was visiting outdoor museum of daily life. He and his wife have been on a trip visiting Hanoi, Hue, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta and Cambodia. Frank said he had an interesting morning in Tao Dan Park while the others in his group were sleeping. He also admired a Vietnamese tradition when I told him my husband, I, my brother and my parents lived in the same roof. My parents would help me take care of my babies and we also would do this when my parents get old.

Then I met the Kung Fu master Ly Hong Hon, 85, who was teaching Thieu Lam Con Luan to his grandson, aged 8, and a few stu-

CITY LIFE

dents. His voice was so clear although he had recent heart surgery. He showed me a picture with the caption, ‘Mr Ly Hong Hon teaches martial art in Tao Dan Park in 1976’. He said: ‘Going to school helps you can earn a lot of money. Studying martial arts brings you nothing except for health, which is an essential condition to get everything you want.’

Later, I searched online and knew that his family emigrated from China to Vietnam in 1932. He was one of the descendants of the inventors of Thieu Lam Con Luan in 1954.

This martial art originated in China.

I had a discussion with Mr Nguyen Thanh Cong, a scout of the Thang Long League. He said that all children could join the scout teams free of charge every Sunday morning. It was established with the aim of teaching the children necessary skills in life.

The best activity in Tao Dan Park is sitting on the bench inhaling the oxygen from

The park located in District 1 between four roads of Cach Mang Thang Tam, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Nguyen Du and Huyen Tran Cong Chua. After 1812, General Le Van Duyet, who helped Gia Long King open up, control and develop the land in the South, used the area as a bonsai garden to enjoy the flowers, cock fighting and performance of hát bội. So the garden was called ‘Vườn Ông Thượng’. In the French reign, the garden joined to the land of Dinh Toàn Quyền (Reunification Palace now). In 1869, the French built Miss Clavel Street (Huyen Tran Cong Chua St) to separate the garden from the palace. The garden officially named Jardin de la Ville. The garden was also called ‘Vườn Bờ Rô’. When the French withdrew in 1954, it was changed the name to Vườn Tao Đàn (Tao Dan Garden).

Now, it is called Tao Dan Park. Several years ago, Truong Dinh Street divided the park into two parts. It is the place to organize festivals and fairs in public holidays.

Moreover the park has a collection of sculpture stone statues, a Cham Tower and a Hung Kings Temple.

References: The website of Culture Information Department of District 1 ‘Sai Gon Nam Xua’ by Vuong Hong Sen and ‘Sai Gon Trong Mat Toi’ by Phung Nghi a lot of lush trees, observing everyone and watching the fearless birds walking on the grass. Every time I come here, it always reminds me about good memories with my friends when we were high school girls.

Everything in the park is still the same except us and trees getting old.

Tao Dan Park completely does its job well providing a beautiful garden for citizens and tourists.n

VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

• 29

CULTURE

F

Leafing through the pages of time

ollowing senior lieutenant Nguyen Khanh Toan of the Cha Lo border patrol outpost, I came to visit Mr Ho Thoong, born in 1962 at Ha Vi Village, Dan Hoa Commune, Minh Hoa District, Quang Binh Province, owner of two century-old books of the Khua people.

Even Ho Thoong himself doesn’t know how the books were made. He only heard from his father that the Lao people call the palm-like leaves, used to make these books, tan or buong. They tie young leaves on the trees to not keep them from spreading. Only this way will the leaves grow tough enough to be used for books. It took years to write a book like this, so their number can be counted on fingers.

After being tied to a tree for a year, the leaves were sun-dried. The ink they used was Chinese, mixed with the gall of a species of fish which only lives in the creeks.

To write, they sharpened a piece of iron, dipped it into the ink, and carved on the leaves which are thin but very hard.

The book kept by Ho Thoong is about 50 cm long. It has 50 pages, which are about 5 cm wide; each contains 4 lines of text.

The other book is about 60 cm long with 200 pages; each contains 4 lines of text. Ho

Thoong has submitted it to the Cha Lo International Border Gate Patrol for research.

Ho Thoong said, ‘This book was left by my great grandfather. As a child, I saw my grandpa read it and use it to teach my father.

In the turmoil of war, my father followed the revolution and forgot to teach his children. Before dying, my father told us to cherish these two books.’

According to some elders of the village, the books record the origin, history, culture and customs of the Khua people.

30 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY HAI SAM

They also contain good and righteous things, ethics, experiences about the soil and weather, lessons of planting and harvesting that the ancestors wanted to pass to their descendants.

But according to 110-year-old Ho Ket of Y Leng Village, books of this kind record prayers used for funerals and worship rituals, much like those of the Viet people.

Passed through many generations, having witnessed wars, floods and migrations, the centuries-old books and the ink in them still look fresh.

Although Cha Lo International Border Gate Patrol and the Ethnicity Committee of Quang Binh Province have borrowed a book to study, until now its content is still not decrypted.

‘I would very much like to read what is written in the books. If not I, then the following generations will do it. We are determined to keep them because they are the dear heritage that our ancestors left for us,’ Ho Thoong said.n *The article appeared in a different form on Vietnam Net, 21 December, 2014 Top: The book in a closer look Below: Mr Ho Thoong

A brief sojourn at the Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh

A

dreamy river hugging the base of towering limestone shards of mountains. A bamboo boat drifting through reed beds and pink lotus with father and son casting a fishing net. The blue and orange flash of a kingfisher skimming across the waters. Rice hay strewn out to dry across country lanes. Lines of ducks wading among verdant rice paddies. Then, a resort hotel that pays homage to the traditional architecture of this region and may indeed, with its woodwork, tiling and brickwork, be helping to keep it alive.

The moment you see the magnificent reception area in the form of the lofty gates of the Hue Purple Forbidden City at the Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh, you know you have arrived at a place oozing with traditional Vietnamese culture. It was only an hour and forty-five minutes’ drive south of Hanoi to find this five-star getaway set in an area of outstanding natural beauty.

The rooms at Emeralda from the outside look like country cottages. They are arranged

with their own verandas in courtyard clusters; some around a small central swimming pool. The entrance to each cluster is a replica of a village gate. Each room has its own small private garden, but outside each cluster is a separate themed garden, such as bamboo and jackfruit. Whilst everything inside is as modern and luxurious as one can get, the Tonkinese flavour is maintained with wooden rafters and beams above, red tiled flooring and an oriental tapestry above the bed. My 50-square-metre Superior room was luxury enough, but if you need more space and a larger outside walled garden with an open-air shower and doors with wooden latches, try the Deluxe Room. There are also family duplexes with, as the name implies, two floors with separate sleeping areas for Mum and Dad and the kids as well as a private balcony and terrace overlooking the lush gardens and spectacular mountains.

A large building holds a spa and fitness centre as well as something I never thought I would see in Vietnam-a heated indoor

32 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

BY PIP DE ROUVRAY

Photos: Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh

ADVERTORIAL

swimming pool. There is an outdoor pool, too, but the throng of Vietnamese families I saw were happier indoors, although my visit was on warm summer days. Sensibly, they try to keep out of the sun. Only mad dogs (if they were allowed) and Englishmen like me would swim outdoors by preference. The kid's play area has facilities housed in gailypainted, thatched rondavels. Maybe there is a Tonkinese minority which lives in such houses, but I thought they looked distinctly African. Completing the leisure facilities, there is a games room and library.

I can testify, too, to the sumptuousness of the food at this hotel. Breakfast in the Sen Restaurant with a décor of wooden furnishing and wooden carvings was a lavish affair, with all you could imagine from Western or Tonkinese morning cuisine. Being a southerner in Vietnamese terms I have to say, however, I was missing my ‘Hu tieu’ soup.

In the evening, I found myself at a table in the ‘Organics Restaurant’. This serves both Western (particularly French) and

ADVERTORIAL Asian dishes a la carte.

For company, there was General Manager Mr Eric Hardinsyah, Front Office Manager Mr Khanh, and the chef who had prepared a special meal, mixing choice elements of both Vietnamese and French cuisines. The table was set with bread rolls and butter. For starters were crispy brown spring rolls. Main dishes were mouth-watering, pan-fried sea bass and succulent pieces of tender chicken breast.

There was also a Vietnamese omelette which, fluffy and with herbs, looked for all the world to me like a French omelette. I remarked so.

Mr Khanh explained there was no danger of breaching European food labelling here, as the eggs had been laid by a Vietnamese hen, making it a genuine Vietnamese omelette. All was quaffed down by glasses of draught beer.

If you are here on weekends, another eating option is the Vietnamese Market. This replicates the atmosphere of old-time markets where hawkers sold their traditional specialty dishes such as sweet soups, noodle soups, grilled pork and sticky rice. Elegant vendor ladies will serve you from countrified booths made of wood, bamboo and thatch.

The resort occupies a very large piece of land. A fishing lake and eighteen-hole grass mini-golf course is around the same area as that of the gardens and buildings. However, getting around is easy, as there are buggies and the free use of bicycles.

It was by bicycle that I had a wonderful experience which I can heartily recommend

to you. An hour or two before dusk, accompanied by management, I rode out to explore the countryside. A young lady from reception who is a native of the nearby village acted as our guide. After a few hundred metres, the road ends at the embankment that borders the Van Long nature reserve.

There is a wharf here with bamboo boats at anchor. You can hire one which will take you out to a cavern. Early morning is perhaps the best time and they typically charge VND100,000. If you are lucky, you may see deer or the endemic and critically endangered Delacour langur monkeys. Take your binoculars if are an ornithologist. We rode

along the dike for several kilometres, soaking up the views of river and limestone cliffs on one side and rice paddies on the other. We stopped to look at a couple of picturesque lone pagodas on the way. Then our guide led us into her village, where we stopped by the church for refreshment of ‘bia hoi’ (draught beer) and sugar cane juice.

Then it was back to the resort, completing a full circle. It was an exhilarating experience both for the eyes and for the spirit.

At times, most feel the need to escape to the peace of the country. The Emeralda, redolent as she is with Vietnamese art, architecture, and history, really relaxes you, taking you back to an idealised Vietnam of former, less-hurried times.

You can just laze by the pool or be active in leisure pursuits that cater to the entire family. This is no isolated tourist trap resort. Some of Vietnam's most stunning scenery is all around it.

You can readily get back to nature here whilst still enjoying five-star luxury and fine dining both Asian and European. My recommendation to dear readers who may be tired of the madding crowd is this: get on your bike and get down to Ninh Binh and for a place to stay there it would be hard for sure to beat the ‘Emeralda’!n Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh Van Long Nature Reserve,Gia Van Commune,Gia Vien Dist.,Ninh Binh Province Tel: (030) 3658-333 Email: info@emeraldaresort.com www.emeraldaresort.com

VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

• 33

WHAT THE PAPERS SAY they are carrying a child of the preferred gender.

Cable car green lighted for Vietnam’s nature reserve

Ghost festival to be recognized

Viet Nam News, 15 August Le Vu Lan (Filial Piety ceremony or Ghost festival) may soon be recognised as a national festival of Vietnamese culture.

An associate professor of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences said that the ceremony, which is a Buddhist practice, has been altered to fit with Vietnamese culture since Buddhism arrived in Vietnam about 2,000 years ago.

The festival falls on the fifteenth day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar, known as the spirit month in Buddhism. On the full moon, wandering souls are believed to return to their former homes.

Gender imbalance in Vietnam rises steeply

Viet Nam News, 21 August Vietnam's gender imbalance ratio is expected to continue increasing rapidly, especially in the Hong (Red) River Delta region, according to the General Department of Population and Family Planning.

Vietnam will have 2.3-4.3 million fewer women than men by 2050 if the gender gap isn't reduced, the department said in a report.

The surplus of males of marriageable age may lead to the disintegration of family structures as a significant proportion of men will have to marry late and many cannot get married at all.

The direct cause of the imbalance is that many families have abused medical technology to determine the gender of their unborn child and choose to continue the pregnancy only if

Viet Nam News, 10 August Khanh Hoa authorities have approved a $15 million project to build a cable car system to the Hon Ba Nature Reserve, a popular tourist attraction on a mountain some 35 miles from Nha Trang.

The project is expected to attract up to 1.5 million tourists every year once it is completed.

Currently, the nature reserve attracts about 800,000 tourists annually.

The new tourism area will be established on an area of 470 acres on top of the Hon Ba Mount, on an altitude ranging from 1,400-1,578 metres.

Currently, Hon Ba is reachable by cars and motorbikes.

HIV aid to be cut in 2017

Viet Nam News, 25 August Medical experts are concerned that many people with HIV in the country will be forced to drop their anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment in 2017. This is because international aid, which covers all medical fees for people with HIV, will cease.

The funding stoppage will be fully introduced in 2017 because Vietnam has now been classed as a middle-income country. Until then, international aid will cease for new cases.

In response to the situation, the health ministry has issued circular saying that the health insurance agency will cover all costs for ARV treatment, but only for pregnant woman and children under the age of six with HIV. The circular added that from 2017, the agency would cover 80 to 95 per cent of medical fees for ARV treatment for other people.

Poverty rate falling as services improve

Viet Nam News, 27 August The poverty rate has reduced dramatically

34 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

in rural households from 27.1 per cent in 2012 to 13.2 per cent in 2014 while access to public services such as vocational and educational training and health care has improved.

This was revealed at a workshop held on 26 August in Hanoi to review a survey on rural household's access to resources.

The economic activity of rural households has diversified, however, agriculture is still the biggest source of income, accounting for 47.9 per cent of total income in 2014, the survey found.

Minimum wage may rise 12%

Viet Nam News, 27 August A 12 per cent increase in next year's national minimum wage would be ‘reasonable’, a highranking congressman said on 25 August.

The deputy head of the National Assembly's Social Affairs Committee, said a 12 per cent salary increase would ensure fairness to employers and employees.

Representatives from labour and business groups failed to reach an agreement on the minimum wage increase at a second meeting on the matter.

The minimum wage debate comes amid concerns that the recent depreciation of the dong will put in jeopardy this year's government's inflation target of 5 per cent. The government raised the minimum wage 15 percent on 1 January after inflation slowed to 4.1 per cent last year.

Fishing village listed among world’s most beautiful towns

Tuoi Tre News, 14 August A small fishing village in the northern Vietnamese province of Quang Ninh has recently been listed among the world’s prettiest small towns by the American online news site Huffington Post.

Located in the well-known Halong Bay, the Cua Van fishing village made it onto the list which Huffington Post titled ‘11 Insanely Beautiful Small Towns From Around the World’, published on its site last weekend.

Fruits ripened by chemicals dominate Vietnam’s markets

Tuoi Tre News, 26 August Fruits ripened by chemicals are rampantly

displayed at markets in Vietnam, even though it is common knowledge that such chemicals are harmful to the health of consumers.

Farmers and sellers apply chemicals to keep fruits in a batch evenly ripe and attractive for better sales and profits.

Most consumers are unable to distinguish fruits ripened on trees and fruits ripened by chemicals.

Eating such chemical fruits can negatively impact the liver, gall bladder, heart and other internal organs in the long term. Other consequences include unconsciousness and eyesight problems.

Ho Chi Minh City to hike first-time car registration fee by 500%

Tuoi Tre News, 28 August The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has issued a decision to raise the fee for registering vehicles for the first time, with the new fee for under-ten-seat cars to be over five times higher than the current rate, from the current VND2 million ($89) to VND11 million ($489.5).

The decision will take effect on 1 September, 2015.

The decision to hike the fee for first-time registration of vehicles was made based on a proposal by the city police, which said the hike serves the policy of limiting the use of personal vehicles and is suitable for the living conditions of city residents.

Vietnam debates design of helmets for ethnic women with high buns

Tuoi Tre News, 28 August Wearing helmet is compulsory for all motorcycle drivers in Vietnam, but following such a rule is not quite an easy task for women of some ethnic minority groups, who wear high buns as a centuries-old custom.

The question whether there should be a helmet exclusively designed for such Vietnamese ethnic women has sparked off a heated debate between the National Traffic Safety Committee and the Ministry of Science and Technology, as they met at a conference on the issue in Hanoi.

For women of the Black Thai ethnic group, the high bun indicates that they are married, and removing the hairstyle is considered an un-

faithful act against their spouses.

Vietnamese ethnic women do not want to breach traffic law, but at the same time do not want to go against their custom and tradition, so they will just wear the helmet atop of their high buns, which makes the protective headgear easily fall off.

Works start on Vietnam’s first solar power plant

Tuoi Tre News, 31 August The construction of a multimillion-dollar solar power plant, the first of its kind in Vietnam, kicked off during a groundbreaking ceremony in the central province of Quang Ngai.

The site of the 19.2 MW Thien Tan Solar Power Plant project is located in Duc Minh Commune, Mo Duc District.

The developer, Thien Tan Investment and Construction Joint Stock Company, expects to spend nearly VND900 billion (US$40.05 million) on this plant, whose construction is scheduled for completion in July 2016.

The plant will add about 28 million kWh of electricity to the national grid a year.

$56.7mn water plant inaugurated

Tuoi Tre News, September 1 The Ho Chi Minh City’s water supplier inaugurated a new facility on 21 August, hoping to increase clean water supply for around 600,000 local households.

The Thu Duc 3 Water Plant, located in Thu Duc District, has a capacity of 300,000 cubic metres a day, according to its operator.

A total of about 600,000 households in these districts will benefit from the new plant, according to SAWACO. Construction of the plant began in January 2013 with a total investment of $56.7 million.

Pigs block traffic in Hanoi

Tuoi Tre News, 5 September A truck with a double-deck cargo packed with pigs was travelling on the overpass heading to Thanh Tri Bridge in the capital city when the swine fell off from beneath the vehicle.

As soon as they reached the ground, the animals started running around the street, while some others chose to rest beneath the truck, forcing the driver to struggle to get them back.

Many other vehicles had to stop to wait for the pigs to be caught, slightly tying up traffic.

The driver later had to ask another truck to come to help carry some of the pigs to continue his journey.

Swine found having agent residue

Thanh Nien News, 2 September Inspectors have found pigs at a breeding centre in the southern province of Dong Nai containing the residue of a substance at a level 650 times higher than the acceptable level.

The findings were recorded at breeding farms in Thong Nhat District during an inspection carried out by inspectors from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and other relevant agencies.

The name of the substance has yet to be revealed.

Ho Chi Minh City launches boat tour

Thanh Nien News, 4 September The Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Department on September 1 launched a boat tour of the Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe Canal in and around the downtown area.

The three-hour tour, offered by the Saigon Boat Company, covers a total distance of 4.5 km (2.8 miles) and takes visitors from a pier near Thi Nghe Bridge to Le Van Sy Bridge and back.

The tourist boats also see performances of don ca tai tu, a type of traditional southern music as well as modern music.

Tourists also learn about the history of the city, especially the canals.

Tickets cost VND220,000 per person for row boats with six passengers, and VND110,000 for cruise boats with a capacity of 20.

Vietnamese fined for letting 6-year-old son drive car

Thanh Nien News, 6 September Police in Quang Ninh Province in northern Vietnam have fined a man after a video emerged on Facebook, showing his 6-year-old son on his lap driving the vehicle through busy roads.

Police have not specified the cash fine but said the man was punished for letting an unqualified person drive his car, a traffic violation subject to cash penalties of VND2-4 million ($89-178) in Vietnam.

VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

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EVENTS HANOI

EXHIBITIONS Splendour of fall Until 15 September A painting and pottery exhibition, themed ‘The Beauty of Autumn’, is being held by a group of artists including Dr. Cung Khac Luoc, architects Lang Nhan and Nhu Ha, lawyer Phuc Lam and specialist Thu Ha. Dr Cung Khac Luoc is famous for his calligraphy and pottery talents. The exhibition runs till 15 September at Cultural House of Trung Truc Ward, 64 Yen Phu St, Hanoi.

The exhibition reflects a period of time in which the artist is positioning herself on the career path. The artist expresses herself through paintings, carved statue and arrangement. The audience will enter a strange temple of psychology, ritual and alchemy.

L’Espace, 24 Trang Tien St, Hanoi. Free entrance.

Wonders in the everyday From 17 September to 4 October

Heavenly bodies Till 20 September

Artist Doan Hoang Lam is presenting his exhibition, ‘Embody’ till 20 September at Manzi Art Space. The exhibition comprises four lacquer and five oil paintings on canvas, recalling images of the galaxy whilst revealing sensuous properties of the human body.

Lam graduated at Vietnam University of Fine Arts. For Lam, conducting a thorough practice with the most primary skills like sketching and life drawing, and having a clear understanding of the most basic things like how to handle a particular paint and how to choose which brush to use, is as important as continuously exploring and refining his thought, reflection and creation process.

Manzi Art Space, 14 Phan Huy Ich St, Hanoi Mind magic Till 2 October There will be an installation exhibition, themed ‘Chapter 2: At Noon’, by Sandrine Llouquet at L’Espace from 10 September to 2 October.

Goethe-Institut Hanoi exhibits the photographic works of Inga Kerber from 17 September to 4 October. ‘Cliché of a Landscape, Jungle’ deals with landscapes, forests and nature, which are also the subjects she wants to focus on during her time in Vietnam. The artist records classic subjects and motifs such as flower bouquets, landscapes or animals, making not just one but several analog photos, and changing the camera’s perspective very slightly with each image. This results in what at first glance are unspectacular, everyday images, which the artist then scans and prints, retaining all the flaws and errors that have occurred during the process.

Arranged in triptychs, or in series of four or five, these sequences always exhibit variations and nuances in each motif, thereby acquiring an almost irresistible painterly quality.

Goethe-Institut Hanoi, 56-58 Nguyen Thai Hoc St, Ba Dinh Dist, Hanoi Breaking things for art’s sake From 17 September to 15 October Nha San Collective will display sculptural installations by Japanese artist Taihei Kimura from 17 September to 15 October.

The artworks were created by acts of deliberate demolition, such as

36 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

vehicles falling from the ceiling, electric motors ripped apart by centrifugal force and bombs exploding inside a transparent resin structure. Taihei Kimura travels to Hanoi, Quang Tri and Quang Ninh for research and filming.

His work allows the audience to think of the past remained and contemplate the relationships between human and nature, the contradiction between construction and deconstruction as well as the vulnerability of our every day existence.

Nha San Collective, 15th floor, Hanoi Creative City Building, 01 Luong Yen St, Hanoi MUSIC Fall speaks 16 and 17 September A night of concert and ballet ‘The Voices of Autumn’ is to be performed at 8 p.m. on 16 and 17 September at Hanoi Opera House, with conductor Dong Quang Vinh and the artists at Vietnam National Opera and Ballet. The event includes two parts including ‘Symphony No.5 by L.V. Beethoven’ and the classical ballet ‘La Ventana’, with music by Lumbye Christian and Christian Holm Wilhelm; and choreographer August Bournonville from Denmark.

Tickets range from VND200,000 to VND500,000 All tickets available at Hanoi Opera House, 1 Trang Tien St, Hanoi, or can call 0913489858 for free delivery.

Classical concert No. 83 18 and 19 September Conductor Khac Uyen, violin soloist Catharina Chen and artists from Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra will perform ‘Subscription Concert Vol.83’ at 8 p.m. on 18 and 19 September at Hanoi Opera House. The program features pieces of music by R. Wagner, F. Mendelssohn and P. Tchaikovsky.

Tickets range from VND200,000 to VND500,000 All tickets available at Hanoi Opera House, 1 Trang Tien St, Hanoi, or can book via ticketvn.com or call 0913489858 for free delivery.

Classical concert No. 84 1 and 2 October A performance of P. Tchaikovsky and J. Sibelius, themed ‘Subscription Concert Vol.84’, will be held at 8 p.m. on 1 and 2 October at the Grand Concert Hall of Vietnam National Academy of Music, with conductor Olivier Ochanine, piano soloist Vincent Vu and artists from Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra.

Tickets range from VND200,000 to VND500,000 Grand Concert Hall of Vietnam National Academy of Music, 77 Hao Nam St, Hanoi All tickets available at Hanoi Opera House, 1 Trang Tien St, Hanoi, or can book via ticketvn.com or call 0913489858 for free delivery.

‘Monsoon’ of music 8 to 11 October

More than 20 Vietnamese and international singers and bands will play at Monsoon Music Festival 2015, from 5 p.m. to midnight, 8 to 11 October at Imperial Citadel of Thang Long.

The event includes Bond, a string quartet; composer and producer Matt Robertson; Whomadewho, a band chasing experimental pop; Samaris, an electronic music band from Ireland; Sampda Sharma; Great Mountain Fire, a quintet band; Thomas Oliver, a guitarist; Catfish, Maius Philharmonic, From The Airport from Korea, a rock Pack Band, Le Cat Trong Ly, Tien Tien, Hoang Thuy Linh and Toc Tien.

Tickets from VND220,000 to VND1,500,000. Call at 0904502696 for tickets. Also tickets are available at Paris Deli Café, 6 Phan Chu Trinh St, Hanoi or Au Lac Café, Nguyen Khac Can St,

Hanoi Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, 19C Hoang Dieu St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Contemporary jazz icon to perform 13 October

Kenny G, the renowned American saxophonist, is on an Asian tour and will arrive in Hanoi on 12 October. He will be accompanied by his private orchestra and will perform for two hours on the evening of 13 October at the National Convention Centre in Hanoi. Before the show, he will meet with the audiences for 30 minutes.

National Convention Centre, Thang Long Boulevard, Me Tri, Nam Tu Liem, Hanoi Classical concert No. 85 15 and 16 October At 8 p.m. on 15 and 16 October at the Grand Concert Hall of Vietnam National Academy of Music, pieces of music of R. Strauss with the theme ‘Subscription Concert Vol.85’ will be played by conductor Honna Tetsuji, soprano Ha Pham Thang Long, cello soloist Maximilian Hornung, viola soloist Nguyen Nguyet Thu, trumpet Sekiyama Yukihiro, tenor-tuba player TzuYang Jack Chou and artist from Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra.

Tickets range from VND200,000 to VND500,000 Grand Concert Hall of Vietnam National Academy of Music, 77 Hao Nam St, Hanoi All tickets available at Hanoi Opera House, 1 Trang Tien St, Hanoi, or can book via ticketvn.com or call 0913489858 for free delivery.

EVENTS

DANCE Let’s Dance 30 September, 1, 2, 3 and 4 October This year, the dance festival ‘Europe meets Asia in Contemporary Dance’ takes place in Hanoi on 30 September, 1 and 4 October at 8 p.m. and on 3 October at 3 p.m. at Youth Theatre; on 2 and 4 October at 8 p.m. at Hanoi Opera House. The audiences have a chance to enjoy a variety of contemporary dance from different countries including Vietnam, France, Germany, Japan and Poland.

Youth Theatre, 11 Ngo Thi Nham St, Hanoi Hanoi Opera House, 01 Trang Tien St, Hanoi Free tickets in Hanoi available from 23 September at: Goethe Institut, 56 – 58 Nguyen Thai Hoc St, Hanoi L’Espace, 24 Trang Tien St, Hanoi Japan Foundation, 27 Quang Trung St, Hanoi THEATRE ‘Ghost’ to dazzle 3 and 4 November

The American Drama Group Europe and TNT Theatre Britain presents ‘The Canterville Ghost’, adapted from Oscar Wilde’s story, directed by Paul Stebbings, at 8 p.m. on 3 November and 11 p.m. on 4 November at Worker’s Theatre in Hanoi. TNT’s version has delighted audiences since 1997, from Shanghai to London and Munich to Tokyo. The combination of dynamic physical theatre, dance, comedy, masks and music

by Paul Flush has delighted young and old audiences.

Worker’s Theatre, 42 Trang Tien St, Hanoi Tickets range from VND400,000 to VND600,000

FESTIVAL A festival with strings attached 10 to 16 October Hanoi will host an International Puppetry Festival from 10 to 16 October with the participation of domestic troupes and 15 international troupes from 27 countries. The event is part of the framework of National Tourism Year 2015, which has the theme of connecting World Heritage sites with the aim of promoting cultural heritage and tourism.

YEN BAI PROVINCE

flowers. The opening of the festival will be in Dong Van District with many art performances, and an introduction of the buckwheat’s origin. In addition, there will be a Buckwheat Wine Festival, a display of products made from buckwheat and a buckwheat photo exhibition.

HO CHI MINH CITY

EXHIBITIONS Country and ocean Till 28 September

Art from the terrace From 24 to 30 September

Mu Cang Chai District, Yen Bai Province, will host an event from 24 to 30 September to promote culture and tourism in the district, which is famous for outstanding terrace fields. The event offers many activities, including a flute competition, paragliding at Khau Pha Pass, ethnic markets, tourism films about Yen Bai Province and cultural and historical films about ethnic minorities in the area, a photo exhibition featuring terrace fields in Mu Cang Chai, a goat fight at Mo Waterfall and eco-tours.

Tu Do Gallery hosts a painting exhibition, themed ‘Homeland and Sea’ by Tran Manh Duc till 28 September. The exhibition features oil on canvas paintings.

The artist was born in 1969 in Ninh Hoa, Khanh Hoa Province and graduated from Khanh Hoa’s College of Culture and Fine Arts.

Tu Do Gallery, 53 Ho Tung Mau St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City The art of the city Till 18 October

HA GIANG PROVINCE

Wheat’s happening From 13 to 15 November Tam Giac Mach (Buckwheat) Flower Festival will be hold from 13 to 15 November in four districts of Dong Van, Quan Ba, Yen Minh and Meo Vac, in Ha Giang Province. Buckwheat, a plant that is widely cultivated by Hmong people in north-western mountainous regions, attracts tourists to the regions for the beauty of its

VinGallery is displaying drawings by artist and architect Trong Le till 18 October. An architectural background and a great deal of imagination have allowed Trong Le to generate his series of water colours and ink drawings. The artworks depict recognizable Saigon buildings – both old and new.

VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

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EVENTS

VinGallery, 6 Le Van Mien St, Thao Dien Ward, Dist.2, Ho Chi Minh City MUSIC The Ensemble Concert 19 September

The Ensemble Concert will be performed at 8 p.m. 19 September at Ho Chi Minh City Opera House. It features the most wellknown violinist, violist, cellist, and pianist in Vietnam. Each of them has made great achievements in their professions. Two

eminent soloists from Orchestre National de France Nguyen Huu Nguyen (violinist) and Sarah Jacob-Franck (cellist) will perform at the concert. Famous pieces by Baroque composers such as J. S. Bach, A. Vivaldi and L. Boccherini will be performed at the concert.

Tickets range from VND80,000 to VND550,000. Online booking: www.ticketbox.vn.

Tel: (08) 3823-7419. HCMC Opera House, 7 Lam Son Square, Dist.1, HCMC.

THEATRE ‘Ghost’ to dazzle 5 November The American Drama Group Europe and TNT Theatre Britain presents ‘The Canterville Ghost’, adapted from Oscar Wilde’s story, directed by Paul Stebbings, at 11 a.m. on 5 November at HCMC Conservatory of Music in Ho Chi Minh City. See Hanoi section for more information.

HCMC Conservatory of Music, 112 Nguyen Du St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tickets range from VND400,000 to VND600,000

DANCE Let’s Dance 2 and 3 October

This year, the dance festival ‘Europe meets Asia in Contemporary Dance’ takes place in Ho Chi Minh City on 2 October at 8 p.m. at Drama Theatre HCMC; and on 3 October at 8 p.m. at HCMC Dance

College. See Hanoi section for more information.

Drama Theatre HCMC, 30 Tran Hung Dao St, Pham Ngu Lao Ward, Dist. 1, HCMC Free tickets in HCMC available from 23 September at HCMC Dance College, 155 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia St, Dist.3, HCMC.

OTHERS Get your bier on 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16 and 17 October The Oktoberfest, a celebration of Germany culture, will be hosted at Windsor Plaza Hotel from 6 p.m. till midnight on 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16 and 17 October.

Guests can enjoy a selection of imported spirits and sparkling wines; and German cuisine.

There will be lucky draw, games corner and tradition music. Tickets ranges from VND1,000,000 to VND1,300,000.

Windsor Plaza Hotel, 18 An Duong Vuong St, Dist.5, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3833-6688

AN EXCELLENT STOPOVER

Free pick up and drop of off. ff. f.

Five minutes drive from the airport. Far away from the noise.

Restaurants: Buffet, Beefsteak and Coffee.

Bufffet, fet, Grill, Korean/Japanese Restaurant, R Cofffee. f fee.

Entertainment & Sport: Swimming pool, tennis courts, gym center center,, bingo club, sauna/massage.

18 Hoang Viet Street, Tan Binh District, HoChiMinh City.

38 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

Tel: (84.8) 38 44 11 99 - 09 35 89 18 18

HOTELS

Champa Island Nha Trang

304, 2/4 St, Vinh Phuoc Ward, Nha Trang Tel: (058) 3568-888 www.champaislandresort.vn

Champa Island Nha Trang is offering a ‘Honeymoon Package’ at VND3,200,000 till 31 October. The package includes two nights, breakfast, body massage and a dinner. The package is not applicable on public holidays.

The rate includes service charge and VAT.

Galina Hotel and Spa

5 Hung Vuong St, Loc Tho Ward, Nha Trang Tel: (058) 3839-999 www.galinahotel.com.vn Galina Hotel and Spa has a special offer ‘Stay three nights, Pay two nights’ till 30 September. The public rate starts from VND1,600,000 per room per night.

Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel and Spa 26-28 Tran Phu St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3880-000 www.sheratonnhatrang.com

Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel and Spa is offering a ‘Book Limited Time Offer’ in September, starting from VND2,450,000++ per room per night. Surcharge is VND396,000++ per person for breakfast.

Villa Aria Mui Ne

60A Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3741-660 www.villaariamuine.com Villa Aria Mui Ne has a two-night package at VND4,985,000 ($237) per room, including breakfast, dinner and body massage. The pack-

age is applicable only to weekends. It runs till 31 October.

Lotte Legend Hotel Saigon

2A-4A Ton Duc Thang St., Dist 1, HCMC Tel: (84-8) 3823 3333 www.lottehotel.com/saigon Lotte Legend Hotel Saigon has been awarded TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence five years in a row and has also been inducted into the ‘Hall of Fame’. The hotel is offering two room packages: a ‘Luxury Night Package’ at VND4,400,000++ for 2 persons, including dinner buffet; and ‘Deluxe Stay with Business Lunch’ at VND2,970,000++ for 1 person, including set lunch of Japanese specialities at Yoshino Restaurant. The promotion is valid till 30 September.

RESORTS AND SPAS

Anantara Hoi An Resort

1 Pham Hong Thai St, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3914-555 www.hoi-an.anantara.com Anantara Hoi An Resort is running a twonight package: ‘Full Moon Lantern Festival’ for those who stay on the 14th and 15th days of the lunar calendar every month. The price starts from VND4,488,000++ per room per night including breakfast, roundtrip airport transfers, a 60-minute cruise on Thu Bon River, a credit valued at VND1,122,066 for food and beverage and a lantern-making class. The promotion is till 31 December.

River-Beach Resort & Residences Hoi An

5 Cua Dai St, Hoi An Tel: (0510) 3927-888 www.river-beachresort.com River-Beach Resort & Residences Hoi An is offering a 20 per cent discount on room rates till 31 October. The discounted rate stats from VND1,428,000 per room per night in a Deluxe Room.

VALUE FOR MONEY

Tel: (057) 3789-999 www.vietstarresort.com VietStar Resort and Spa is offering a 50 per cent discount on room rates till 30 September.

The discounted prices start from VND2,640,000++ per room per night including a meeting room.

Hoang Ngoc Beach Resort & Spa

152 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3847-858 www.hoangngoc-resort.com Hoang Ngoc Beach Resort & Spa is offering a special rate at VND830,000 per room per night for two in a twin room. The price includes breakfast and body massage. Surcharge is VND100,000 per person per night on weekend (Friday and Saturday). The promotion is valid till 31 October. The price includes service charge and VAT.

Mon Da Chim – Lazi Beach Resort

Ly Thai To St, Tan Tien, Lagi, Binh Thuan Province. Tel: (062) 3874-458 www.lazibeachresort.com Mon Da Chim – Lazi Beach Resort is offering vouchers valued at VND999,000 per night per room in a Superior Room and VND1,111,000 per night per room in a Deluxe Bungalow.

Vouchers include breakfast, free trip to Dinh Thay Thim, a 10 per cent discount on food, a 30 per cent discount on a mud bath and a 30 per cent discount on karaoke. Vouchers are valid till 30 September and applicable from Sunday to Thursday.

Phu Hai Resort

Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Phu Hai Ward, Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3812-799 www.phuhairesort.com

Sunrise Hoi An Beach Resort

Au Co Road, Cua Dai Beach, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3937-777 www.sunrisehoian.vn Sunrise Hoi An Beach Resort is offering a ‘Summer Deluxe Package’ till 30 September. It costs VND3,514,000++ ($165++) per room per night. Those who stay three nights will pay two and those who stay four nights pay three. The price includes breakfast and a bakery class for children.

VietStar Resort and Spa

Nui Thom, An Phu, Tuy Hoa, Phu Yen Province

Phu Hai Resort is offering a 58 per cent discount on room rates for stays from now till 31 October 2015. The discounted rates start from VND1,100,000 per room per night.

Romana Resort and Spa

Phu Hai, Mui Ne Ward, Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3741-289 www.romanaresort.com.vn

VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

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VALUE FOR MONEY

Romana Resort and Spa has a ‘Honeymoon Promotion’ at VND3,800,000 per room per night in a Pool Villa Ocean View with candlelight dinner, massage and gifts. The rate includes service charge and VAT. It is valid till the end of October.

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 Saigon Mui Ne Resort has a ‘Spa Vacation Package’ including one-night’s stay, breakfast, and a 60-minute massage or spa treatment. The prices start from VND2,200,000 ($100) per room per night in a Standard Room. The package runs till the end of October. The price includes service charge and VAT.

Seahorse Resort and Spa

Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3847-507 www.seahorseresortvn.com Seahorse Resort and Spa is offering a twonight package at VND3,699,000 per room in a Deluxe Room with breakfast, a lunch and a dinner. A 5-per-cent discount for stays from Monday to Sunday from now till 31 October. The price includes service charge and VAT. The package is applicable to Vietnamese and expats.

Sea Links Beach Villas

In September, The Cliff Resort & Residences is running a ‘Fantastic Vacation’ at VND1,999,000 per room per night in a Azul Garden View Room. The price includes service charge and VAT.

Binh An Village Dalat Resort

Tuyen Lam Lake, Ward 4, Dalat, Lam Dong Province Tel: (063) 3800-999 www.binhanvillage.com Binh An Village Dalat Resort has a promotion: ‘Last Minute Summer Offer’ till 30 September. The rates start from VND4,200,000++ per room per night including a meeting room.

OTHERS

Mường Thanh Luxury Nhat Le Hotel

121 Truong Phap St, Hai Thanh Ward, Dong Hoi City, Quang Binh Province Tel: (052) 3779-888 Email: info@nhatle.muongthanh.vn www.muongthanh.vn/nhatle

Hotel Nikko Hanoi

84 Tran Nhan Tong St, Hai Ba Trung Dist, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3822-3535 www.hotelnikkohanoi.com.vn Tao Li Restaurant, at the Hotel Nikko Hanoi, on Saturday and Sunday in September, serves ‘All you can eat Dim Sum’ lunch menu with more than 40 dishes. VND350,000++

InterContinental Hanoi West Lake

1 Nghi Tam St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 6270-8888 Cafe Du Lac Restaurant overlooking the West Lake, at the InterContinental Hanoi West Lake, serves Sunday Brunch with live music at VND1,110,000, including food and VND1,700,000, including wines, beers, soft drinks and Martini

Movenpick Hotel Hanoi

Nguyen Thong St, Phu Hai Ward, Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 2220-088 www.sealinksbeachhotel.com Sea Links Beach Villas is offering a onenight package, ‘Summer Madness’ till 31 October. It costs VND2,315,000 per room with breakfast, dinner and two tickets to RDC Wine Cattle. The price includes service charge and VAT. The package is applicable for stays from Sunday to Thursday.

Mường Thanh Luxury Nhat Le Hotel has launched in Quang Binh Province in early September. The hotel has 225 rooms overlooking Nhat Le Beach and the city, two meeting rooms with full facilities, a capacity of 1,000 guests and Le Thuy Restaurant decorated with modern and traditional elements and serving Asia and international cuisine, fitness centre, bar and spa. The hotel is four kilometres away from the centre of the city.

The Cliff Resort & Residences

Quan Bo Tuoi

Zone 5, Phu Hai Ward, Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3719-111 www.thecliffresort.com.vn

Moon cakes are available at Hanoi Daewoo Hotel with four flavours including lotus, young sticky rice, taro and chestnut. Each cake comes with one salted egg. The price ranges from VND660,000 to VND2,460,000. There is a discount from 10 per cent to 35 per cent for orders of ten boxes or more.

165B Phung Hung St, Hanoi Quan Bo Tuoi of the Paradise Hotel & Cruise has opened in Hanoi. The restaurant has a capacity of 100 seats. It is a blend of Vietnamese, Korean and American styles. The menu offers a wide range of beef selections from America and Australia. The restaurant also has open kitchen for diners to watch the preparation of dishes.

FOOD PROMOTIONS

Hanoi Daewoo Hotel 360 Kim Ma St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3831-5000 www.daewoohotel.com 40 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

83A Ly Thuong Kiet St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3822-2800 Lounge 83, at the Movenpick Hotel Hanoi, runs many promotions through the weeks in September, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. A 50 per cent discount on kinds of malt whisky on Monday. Buy a glass of white wine or red wine, get one free on Tuesday. Free flow of Carlberg at VND190,000 on Wednesday. A 50 per cent discount on beers on Thursday. A 50 per cent on cocktails on Friday. A 50 per cent discount on draught beer and wines on weekend.

Pullman Hanoi

40 Cat Linh St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3733-0688

Pullman Hanoi is serving moon cakes with a variety of flavours. Inspired from the flower oil paintings of artist Nguyen Huu Khoa, the hotel designs boxes featuring four seasons.

Spring and Summer are VND550,000 a box of four. Autumn and Winter are VND720,000 a box of six.

Hotel Royal Hoi An – MGallery Collection

39 Dao Duy Tu St, Hoi An Tel: (0510) 3950-777 www.accorhotels.com

Sunrise Nha Trang Beach Hotel & Spa offers ‘Buy one get one free’ in September at Irish Pub from 7.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. and at Sky Lounge from 7.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. Local beer, draft beer, cocktail, soft drink and snacks apply.

Caravelle Saigon

Hotel Royal Hoi An – MGallery Collection is serving an eight-course menu ‘Taste of Hoi An’ including chicken salad, white rose dumpling with crispy shallots, fried wonton with sweet and sour seafood, bánh xèo, sweet corn soup, stuffed baby squid, cao lầu and sweet soup. VND620,000 for two persons.

Sunrise Nha Trang Beach Hotel & Spa 12 -14 Tran Phu Street, Nha Trang Tel: (058) 3820 999 Website: www.sunrisenhatrang.com.vn

19-23 Cong Truong Lam Son St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3823-4999 www.caravellehotel.com Café de l’Opera and Restaurant Nineteen, at the Caravelle Saigon, from 28 September to 4 October, will serve an array of cocktail-size burgers with cheese burgers, prawn burgers, lamb burgers and tandoori chicken burgers.

VND358,000++.

Hotel Equatorial HCMC

242 Tran Binh Trong, Dist.5, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3839-7777 Chit Chat Restaurant, at the Hotel Equatorial Ho Chi Minh City, serves an Italian-themed buffet, 6.30 p.m. to 10 p.m. from 11 to 18 September, including Prosciutto di Parma affettato con melone, Cannelloni farcito con spinaci e formaggio, Vongole brasate al salsa di pomodoro.

VND678,000++. Children under 12 enjoy half

VALUE FOR MONEY

price. There is a 15 per cent discount for Gold card members.

Park Hyatt Saigon

2 Lam Son Square, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3824-1234 Come and discover Italian ravioli specials in September at Opera Restaurant, at the Park Hyatt Saigon. The chefs use plenty of traditional ingredients treated with distinct Vietnamese flavours. There are five special raviolis with five different colours. VND200,000++ per dish for starter and VND300,000++ for main courses.

Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers

88 Dong Khoi St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3827-2828 Saigon Café, at the Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers, serves Vietnamese cuisine buffet dinner, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., every Saturday in September, at VND1,100,000++, including free-flowing house wine, coffee and tea.

Rates may be subject to 5-per-cent service charge and 10-per-cent VAT if there is no statement to the contrary.

VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

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DIRECTIONS SAPA, HALONG, HAI PHONG EMERGENCIES Police: 113 Fire: 114 Ambulance: 115

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 VND735,000 to VND3,780,000 ($35 to $180) Cha Pa Garden Boutique Hotel & Spa 23B Cau May St, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (020) 3872-907 Email: hotelchapagarden@gmail.com

www.chapagarden.com From VND1,470,000 ($70) Chau Long Sapa Hotel

Topas Ecolodge Thanh Kim Ward, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (04) 3715-1005 reservation@topasecolodge.com www.topasecolodge.com From VND2,300,000 ($110) Victoria Sapa Resort and Spa Xuan Vien St, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (020) 3871-522 Email: resa.sapa@victoriahotels.asia

www.victoriahotels.asia From VND3,657,000 ($172) 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

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 Email: resa@chaulonghotel.com.vn www.chaulonghotel.com.vn From VND2,100,000 ($100) Holiday Sapa Hotel 16 Muong Hoa, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (020) 3873-874 Email: info@holidaysapa.com www.holidaysapa.com VND588,000 to VND2,100,000 ($28 to $100) Mường Thanh Sapa Hotel No 044, Ngu Chi Son, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (020) 3887-766 Email: sales@sapa.muongthanh.vn www.muongthanh.vn From VND900,000 ($43) Royal Hotel 54B Cau May St, Sapa, Lao Cai Province Tel: (020) 3771-131 Email: info@royalsapahotel.com www.royalsapahotel.com

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 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

Asean Halong Hotel Hau Can St, Bai Chay Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3640-034 Email: sm@aseanhalonghotel.com www.aseanhalonghotel.com From VND1,600,000 ($76) Halong Hidden Charm Hotel Block 22D, Tuan Chau Villas, Halong Tel: (033) 3842-360 infor.halonghiddencharmhotel@gmail.com

www.hiddencharmhotel.com.vn From VND350,000 ($17) Halong Palace Hotel 1, Block 20 Dong Hung Thang, Hoang Quoc Viet St, Bai Chay Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3619-819 Email: info@halongpalacehotel.com www.halongpalacehotel.com From VND3,800,000 ($181) Halong Plaza Hotel 8 Ha Long St, Bai Chay Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3845-810 Email: info@halongplaza.com www.halongplaza.com VND1,500,000 to VND3,800,000 ($71 to $179) Heritage Halong Hotel 88 Ha Long St, Bai Chay Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3846-888 Email: saleheritagehl@gmail.com www.heritagehalonghotel.com.vn VND2,310,000 ($110)

equipped rooms, with many breathtaking views of Halong Bay 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

Mường Thanh Halong Hotel No.7, Block 20, East of Hung Thang, Bai Chay Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3812-468/ (033) 3819-777 Email: info@halong.muongthanhhotel.vn www.muongthanhhotel.vn From VND1,400,000 ($67) Novotel Ha Long Bay 160 Ha Long St, Bai Chay Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3848-108 Email: info@novotelhalong.com.vn www.novotelhalongbay.com From VND2,625,000 ($125)

Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily Catba Princes Hotel

Saigon Halong Hotel Ha Long St, Bai Chay Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3845-845 info@saigonhalonghotel.com www.saigonhalonghotel.com From VND950,000 ($45)

303 Nui Ngoc, Cat Ba Island, Hai Phong City Tel: (031) 3888-899 Email: sale@catbaprinceshotel.com www.catbaprinceshotel.com From VND500,000 ($24) Catba Sunrise Resort Cat Ba Island, Hai Phong City Tel: (031) 3887-360 Email: info@catbasunriseresort.com www.catbasunriseresort.com From VND3,045,000 ($145)

StarCity Halong Bay Hotel

168 Halong St, Bai Chay Ward, Halong Tel: (033) 3846-058 Email: sm1.north@och.vn www.starcityhalongbay.com In the centre of Halong, StarCity Halong Bay Hotel offers 152 well-

Avani Hai Phong Harbour View 12 Tran Phu St, Ngo Quyen Dist., Hai Phong Tel: (031) 3827-827 Email: haiphong@avanihotels.com www.avanihotels.com From VND2,772,000 ($132) ENTERTAINMENT

Do Son Casino Zone 3, Do Son town, Hai Phong Tel: (031) 3864-888

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A quare 1. B aD inh S Ba Dinh Square

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2. H oa L oP Hoa Lo Prison rison

E3

3. S ’s Cathedral Cathedral Stt Joseph Joseph’s

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ouse Opera House 4. Hanoi O pera H

F3

Cot Co Tower 5. C ot C oT ower

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Women’s Museum 6. Women’s

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Ho Chi Minh 7. H oC hi M inh Museum

D2

Citadel Thang Long hang L ong 8. IImperial mperial C itadel of T

D1

CENTRE O

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Vietnam History F3 9. V ietnam National National Museum of History Vietnam Military History 10. V ietnam M ilitary H istory Museum D2 illar 11. O ne P One Pillar

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ausoleum 12. H oC hi M inh M Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

D1

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

E1

2

3

An entry in the Directions section is either editorial or advertising To advertise, and be certain that your entry appears, please contact

1 4 14

4

Mr Song Hao Mobile: 0903 476 999

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

OF HA NOI D

E

F

12 1 11

15 8

7 5 10 13 3

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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

6

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

4

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

9

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

(TELEPHONE CODE: 04) EMBASSIES

Finland 31 Hai Ba Trung St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3826-6788

Algeria 13 Phan Chu Trinh St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3825-3865

France 57 Tran Hung Dao St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3944-5782

Argentina 41A Ly Thai To St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3831-5263

Germany 29 Tran Phu St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3845-3836

Australia 8 Dao Tan St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3831-7755 Austria 53 Quang Trung St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3943-3050 Bangladesh Villa D6B 5 – Khu Vuon Dao Ngo 675, Lac Long Quan St, Tay Ho Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3771-6625 Belarus 52 Ho Tay St, Tay Ho Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3829-0494 Belgium Hanoi Tower, 49 Hai Ba Trung St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3934-6179 Brazil T72-14 Thuy Khue St, Tay Ho Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3843-2544 Brunei Villa 8-9 No 44/8-44, 9 Van Bao St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3726-0001 Bulgaria 5 Nui Truc St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3845-2908 Cambodia 71A Tran Hung Dao St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3942-7636 Canada 31 Hung Vuong St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3823-5500 China 46 Hoang Dieu St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi.

Tel: (04) 3845-3736 Cuba 65 Ly Thuong Kiet St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3942-4775 Czech Republic 13 Chu Van An St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi; Tel: (04) 3845-4131 Denmark 19 Dien Bien Phu St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3823-1888 Egypt 63 To Ngoc Van St, Tay Ho Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3829-4999

Hungary 12th floor of Deaha Building, 360 Kim Ma St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3771-5714 India 58-60 Tran Hung Dao St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3824-4990 Indonesia 50 Ngo Quyen St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3825-3353 Iran 54 Tran Phu St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3823-2068 Iraq 66 Tran Hung Dao St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3942-4141 Ireland 8th floor of Vincom Tower B, 191 Ba Trieu St, Ha Dong Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3974-3291 Israel 68 Nguyen Thai Hoc St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3843-3141 Italy 9 Le Phung Hieu St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3825-6256 Japan 27 Lieu Giai St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3846-3000 Laos 22 Tran Binh Trong St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3942-4576 Libya 298B Kim Ma St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3845-3379 Malaysia 43-45 Dien Bien Phu St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3734-3836 Mexico Coco Villa T-11, 14 Thuy Khue St, Tay Ho Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3847-0948 Morocco 9 Chu Van An St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3734-5586 Mongolia 5 Van Phuc, Kim Ma St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3845-3009

46 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

Myanmar 298A Kim Ma St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3845-3369 Netherlands 6th floor of Deaha Building, 360 Kim Ma St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3831-5650 New Zealand 63 Ly Thai To St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3824-1481 North Korea 25 Cao Ba Quat St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3845-3008 Norway 8th Floor, Hanoi Tower, 49 Hai Ba Trung St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3974-8900 Nigeria 44/1 Van Bao St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3726-3610 Palestine 6 Dang Van Ngu St, Dong Da Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3852-4013 Philippines 27B Tran Hung Dao St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3943-7948 Poland 3 Chua Mot Cot St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3845-2027 Romania 5 Le Hong Phong St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3845-2014 Russia 191 La Thanh St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: 3833-6991 South Africa 31 Hai Ba Trung St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3936-2000 South Korea 4th floor of Deaha Building, 360 Kim Ma St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3831-5111 Spain 15th floor of Deaha Building, 360 Kim Ma St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3771-5207 Sweden 2 Nui Truc St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3726-0400 Thailand 63-65 Hoang Dieu St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3823-5092 Turkey 14th Floor, HCO Building, 44B Ly Thuong Kiet St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Tel: (04) 3822-2460 United Kingdom 31 Hai Ba Trung St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3936-0500

United States 7 Lang Ha St, Dong Da Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3772-1500 MEDICAL CENTRES 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 Thuy Tran Otolaryngology Clinic 6 Do Quang St, Cau Giay Dist., Hanoi (6/61 Tran Duy Hung Avenue) Tel: (04) 3556-6124 Mobile 098 368 0276 Email: thuyent12@yahoo.com 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 Email: info@buffalotours.com Exotissmo 3rd Floor, 66A Tran Hung Dao St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3828-2150 www.exotissimo.com Email: go.vietnam@exotravel.com

DIRECTIONS HANOI Topas Travel 52 To Ngoc Van St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3715-1005 Email: sales@topastravel.vn www.topastravel.vn HOTELS Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily Fortuna Hotel Hanoi 6B Lang Ha St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3831-3333 Email: fortunahanoi@fortuna.vn www.fortuna.vn From VND1,920,000 ($91) Hanoi Daewoo Hotel 360 Kim Ma St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3831-5000 Email: sales@daewoohotel.com www.daewoohotel.com Hanoi Emotion Hotel 26 – 28 Hang Bot St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3848-9848 Email: info@hanoi-emotion.com www.hanoi-emotion.com The hotel also provides Vietnamese, Japanese and International cuisine Hilton Hanoi Opera Hotel 1 Le Thanh Tong St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3933-0500 Email: hanoi.opera@hilton.com www.hanoi.hilton.com Hotel de l’Opera 29 Trang Tien St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 6282-5555 Email: H7832-RE@accor.com www.hoteldelopera.com Melia Hanoi Hotel 44B Ly Thuong Kiet St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3934-3343 Email: melia.hanoi@melia.com www.melia.com Mövenpick Hotel Hanoi 83A Ly Thuong Kiet St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3822-2800 hotel.hanoi@moevenpick.com www.moevenpickhotels.com/hanoi From VND3,622,500 ($172.50) Hotel Nikko Hanoi 84 Tran Nhan Tong St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3822-3535 mc.nikko@hotelnikkohanoi.com.vn www.hotelnikkohanoi.com.vn From VND4,620,000 ($220) Pullman Hanoi 40 Cat Linh St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3733-0808 www.pullman-hanoi.com From VND2,448,600 ($115.50) Silk Path Hotel Hanoi 195-199 Hang Bong St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3266-5555 Email: info@silkpathhotel.com www.silkpathhotel.com From VND2,173,500 ($103.50)

Sheraton Hanoi Hotel 11 Xuan Dieu St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3719-9000 reservations.hanoi@sheraton.com www.sheraton.com/hanoi From VND4,956,000 ($236) Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi 15 Ngo Quyen St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3826-6919 Email: h1555@sofitel.com www.sofitel-legend.com From VND6,090,000 ($290) Sunway Hotel Hanoi 19 Pham Dinh Ho St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3971-3888 Email: reservation@sunwayhotel.com.vn www.hanoi.sunwayhotels.com RESTAURANTS Com Chay Nang Tam Restaurant 79A Tran Hung Dao St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3942-4140 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 Email: sach41trangtien@gmail.com 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 Email: craftlink@hn.vnn.vn Ha Dong Silk 102 Hang Gai St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3928-5056 Tan My Embroidery 66 Hang Gai St, Hanoi Email: tanmyhuong@fpt.vn 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 Email: sales@dome.com.vn 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 hoangthanhthanglong@gmail.com 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 216 Tran Quang Khai 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 VND 20,000 ($0.95) 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 Email: btmtvn@vnfam.vn 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) SPA

Elite Fitness & Spa 51 Xuan Dieu St, Tay Ho Dist., Hanoi Tel: (04) 3718-6281 info@elitefitness.com.vn www.elitefitness.com.vn Spa de Palace Fortuna Hotel Hanoi, 6B Lang Ha St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3831-3333

VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

• 47

DIRECTIONS NINH BINH, NGHE AN, QUANG BINH, HUE, DANANG NINH BINH

(TELEPHONE CODE: 030) Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh

UNESCO World Heritage in 1993. Hue is also known for its particular cuisine.

HOTELS, RESORTS Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily

Imperial Hotel 8 Hung Vuong St, Hue Tel: (054) 3882-222 Email: info@imperial-hotel.com.vn www.imperial-hotel.com.vn From VND2,940,000 ($140) Lang Co Beach Resort

Alba Spa Hotel

Email: info@ninhbinhlegendhotel.com

www.ninhbinhlegendhotel.com From VND1,575,000 ($75)

NGHE AN

(TELEPHONE CODE: 038) Mường Thanh Song Lam Hotel 13 Quang Trung St, Quang Trung Ward, Vinh, Nghe An Province Tel: (038) 3737-666 Email: sales@songlam.muongthanh.vn

www.songlam.muongthanh.vn

QUANG BINH

(TELEPHONE CODE: 052) HOTELS, RESORTS

Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily

29 Tran Quang Khai St, Hue Tel: (054) 3828-444 Email: info@albavietnam.com www.albavietnam.com BW Premier Indochine Palace 105A Hung Vuong St, Hue Tel: (054) 3936-666 Email: info@bwp-indochinepalace.com www.bwp-indochinepalace.com From VND2,940,000 ($140) 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. Century Riverside Hotel Hue 49 Le Loi St, Hue Tel: (054) 3823-390 Email: info@centuryriversidehue.com www.centuryriversidehue.com Hotel Saigon Morin

Bao Ninh Beach Resort Ha Duong, Bao Ninh, Dong Hoi City, Quang Binh Province Tel: (052) 3854-866 Email: sales@baoninhbeachresort.com.vn www.baoninhbeachresort.com.vn From VND1,120,000 ($53) Sun Spa Resort My Canh, Bao Ninh Commune, Dong Hoi City, Quang Binh Province Tel: (052) 3842-999 Email: info@sunsparesortvietnam.com www.sunsparesortvietnam.com From VND1,870,000 ($89) TRAVEL

30 Le Loi St, Hue Tel: (054) 3823-526 Email: info@morinhotels.com.vn www.morinhotel.com.vn From VND2,173,500 ($103.50) Hue Riverside Boutique Resort & Spa

Oxalis Adventure Tours Phong Nha Commune, Son Trach Village, Bo Trach Dist., Quang Binh Province Tel: (052)3677-678 www.oxalis.com.vn

463 Lac Long Quan St., Lang Co Town, Phu Loc Dist, Thua Thien Hue Province Tel: (054) 3873-555 Email: langco@dng.vnn.vn www.langcobeachresort.com.vn Pilgrimage Village Boutique Resort & Spa 130 Minh Mang Road, Hue Tel: (054) 3885-461 Email: info@pilgrimagevillage.com www.pilgrimagevillage.com Vedanā Lagoon Resort & Spa Zone 1, Phu Loc Town, Phu Loc Dist., Hue Tel: (054) 3681-688 Email: info@vedanalagoon.com 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

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

Pullman Danang Beach Resort Vo Nguyen Giap St, Khue My Ward, Ngu Hanh Son Dist., Danang Tel: (0511) 3958-888 Email: info@pullman-danang.com www.pullman-danang.com Novotel Danang Premier Han River 36 Bach Dang St, Hai Chau Dist., Danang. Tel: (0511) 3929-999 Email: H8287@accor.com www.novotel-danang-premier.com

Van Long Reserve, Gia Van Commune, Gia Vien Dist., Ninh Binh Province Tel: (030) 3658-333 Email: info@emeraldaresort.com www.emeraldaresort.com Ninh Binh Legend Hotel Tien Dong Zone, Ninh Khanh Ward, Ninh Binh City Tel: (030) 3899-880

Tel: (0511) 3981-234 Email: danang.regency@hyatt.com www.danang.regency.hyatt.com From VND5,225,000 ($243)

588 Bui Thi Xuan St, Thuy Bieu Dist., Hue Tel: (054) 3978-484 Email: sales@hueriversideresort.com www.hueriversideresort.com

48 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

Grand Mercure Danang Lot A1, Green Island, Hoa Cuong Bac, Hai Chau Dist., Danang Tel: (0511) 3797-777 Email: H7821@accor.com www.accorhotels.com/7821 Hyatt Regency Danang Resort & Spa Hoa Hai Ward, Ngu Hanh Son Dist., Danang

Sandy Beach Non Nuoc Resort Danang Vietnam, Managed by Centara

255 Huyen Tran Cong Chua St, Ngu Hanh Son Dist., Danang Tel: (0511) 3961-777 Email: cdv@chr.co.th www.centarahotelsresorts.com/cdv VND1,785,000 to VND5,670,000 ($85 to $270) Ho Chi Minh sales office: 4th Floor, Ben Thanh TSC Building; 186-188 Le Thanh Ton St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3914-7940 Vinpearl Luxury Danang Truong Sa St, Hoa Hai Ward, Ngu Hanh Son Dist., Danang Tel: (0 511) 3968-888 Email: info@vinpearlluxury-danang.com 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

DIRECTIONS HOI AN, QUY NHON, NHA TRANG Tel: (0510) 3914-555 Email: hoian@anantara.com www.hoi-an.anantara.com Golden Sand Resort & Spa Hoi An Thanh Nien Road, Cua Dai Beach Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3927-555 info@goldensandresort-spa.com.vn www.goldensandresort-spa.com.vn VND3,759,000 to VND7,644,000 Ancient House River Resort Hamlet 2, Cam Thanh Village, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3930-777 Email: sales@ancienthouseriver.com www.ancienthouseriver.com From VND2,310,000 ($110) Hoi An Beach Resort 1 Cua Dai St, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3927-011 info@hoianbeachresort.com.vn www.hoianbeachresort.com.vn From VND3,415,500 ($163)

Sunrise Hoi An Beach Resort Au Co Road, Cua Dai Beach, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3937-777 Email: sales@sunrisehoian.vn www.sunrisehoian.vn 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 From VND4,485,000 ($214) River-Beach Resort & Residences Hoi An

5 Cua Dai St, Hoi An Tel: (0510) 3927-888 saleshoian@river-beachresort.com www.river-beachresort.com From VND1,350,000 ($65) ($179 to $364)TRAVEL

Kiman Hotel & Spa

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

Hoi An Historic Hotel

Hotel Royal Hoi An, Mgallery Collection 39 Dao Duy Tu St, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3950-777 reservation@hotelroyalhoian.com www.mgallery.com

MUSEUM

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

Hoi An Riverside Resort & Spa 175 Cua Dai St, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3864-800 reservation@hoianriverresort.com.vn www.hoianriverresort.com From VND1,650,000 ($79)

10 Tran Hung Dao St, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3861-445 Email: reservation@hoianhotel.com.vn www.hoianhotel.com.vn From VND2,127,500 ($101)

Tel: (056) 374-7100 Email: reservation@royalquynhon.com www.royalquynhon.com VND1,155,000 to VND1,365,000 ($55 to $65)

Rose Travel Service co..ltd 37 - 39 Ly Thai To St, Cam Chau Ward, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3917-567 Email: sales@rosetravelservice.com www.rosetravelservice.com.vn

QUY NHON

(TELEPHONE CODE: 056)

reservation@bavicohotelnhatrang.com

www.bavicohotelnhatrang.com.

Best Western Premier Havana Nha Trang Hotel

38 Tran Phu St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3889-999 Email: info@havanahotel.vn www.havanahotel.vn Diamond Bay Resort & Spa Nguyen Tat Thanh Blvd, Phuoc Ha, Phuoc Dong Dist., Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3711-711 Email: info@diamondbayresort.vn www.diamondbayresort.vn Evason Ana Mandara Nha Trang Beachside Tran Phu St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3524-705

Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily

reservations-nhatrang@evasonresorts.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

Galina Hotel and Spa 5 Hung Vuong St, Loc Tho Ward, Nha Trang Tel: (058) 3839-999 Email: info@galinahotel.com.vn www.galinahotel.com.vn

Bavico International Hotel

www.evason-resorts.com

Green World Hotel Nha Trang 44 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3528-666 sales@greenworldhotelnhatrang.com www.greenworldhotelnhatrang.com InterContinental Nha Trang Hotel 32-34 Tran Phu St, Nha Trang Tel: (058) 3887-777 www.intercontinental.com

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.

Tel: (058) 6266-555

02 Phan Boi Chau St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province

Liberty Central Nha Trang Hotel 9 Biet Thu St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3529-555 Email: frondesk.lcn@odysseahotels.com www.odysseahotels.com

HOTELS, RESORTS

Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily 461-463 Hai Ba Trung St, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0510) 3920 430 Email: kimanhoianhotel@gmail.com Website: kimanhoianhotel.com Le Belhamy Hoi An Resort & Spa Ha My Beach, Hoi An Tel: (0510) 3941-888 Email: info@belhamy.com www.belhamy.com

AVANI Quy Nhon Resort & Spa Ghenh Rang, Bai Dai Beach, Quy Nhon, Binh Dinh Province Tel: (056) 3840-132 Email: quynhon@avanihotels.com www.avanihotels.com/quynhon From VND3,024,000 ($144) Royal Hotel and Healthcare Resort Quy Nhon 1 Han Mac Tu St, Quy Nhon, Binh Dinh Province VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

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DIRECTIONS PHAN THIET Michelia Hotel 4 Pasteur St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3820-820 Email: sales@michelia.vn www.michelia.vn From VND2,200,000 ($105) Mường Thanh Grand Nha Trang Hotel 6 Duong Hien Quyen St, Vinh Hoa Ward, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3552-468 Email: info@nhatrang.muongthanh.vn www.nhatrang.muongthanh.vn From VND1,400,000 ($66) Novotel Nha Trang Hotel 50 Tran Phu St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 6256-900 Email: rsvn@novotel-nhatrang.com www.novotel-nhatrang.com From VND2,100,000 ($100) Six Senses Ninh Van Bay Ninh Van bay, Ninh Hoa, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3524-268 reservations-ninhvan@sixsenses.com www.sixsenses.com/resorts/ninh-vanbay/destination From VND18,837,000 ($897)

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.

SHOPPING

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

Allezboo Beach Resort & Spa 8 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien, Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3743-777 Email: info@allezbooresort.com www.allezbooresort.com From VND2,100,000 ($100) Anantara Mui Ne Resort & Spa 12A Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3741-888 Email: res.amui@anantara.com www.mui-ne.anantara.com Bamboo Village Beach Resort & Spa

Ly Thai To St, Tan Tien, Lagi, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3874-458 Email: contact@lazibeachresort.com www.lazibeachresort.com From VND1,900,000 ($90) Muine de Century Beach Resort & Spa 16 Huynh Thuc Khang St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3743-668 reservation@muinedecentury.vn www.muinedecentury.vn From VND1,701,000 ($81) Muine Ocean Resort & Spa 10 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3741-616 Email: sale.muineocean@gmail.com www.muineoceanresort.com From VND1,050,000 ($50)

38 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3847-007 info@bamboovillageresortvn.com www.bamboovillageresortvn.com From VND2,835,000 ($135)

Muine Bay Resort

Km 8, Phu Hai, Mui Ne Ward, Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3741-289 Email: info@romanaresort.com.vn www.romanaresort.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 Saigon Mui Ne Resort 56 - 97 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3741-044 Email: saigonmuineresort@hcm.vnn.vn www.saigonmuineresort.com.vn From VND1,908,000 ($90) Seahorse Resort & Spa

Hoang Ngoc (Oriental Pearl) Beach Resort & Spa Quarter 14, Mui Ne Ward , Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 2220-222 Email: info@muinebayresort.com www.muinebayresort.com VND2,205,000 to VND6,195,000 ($105 to $295) Mui Ne Unique Resort 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 VND1,600,000 to VND6,090,000 ($75 to $287)

20B, Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3741-617 Email: info@muineuniqueresort.com www.muineuniqueresort.com From VND2,898,000 ($138)

Km8, Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Phu Hai Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province

50 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

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 From VND1,680,000 ($80) Sea Links Beach Hotel Km 9, Nguyen Thong St, Phu Hai Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 2220-088 Email: sales@sealinksbeachhotel.com www.sealinksbeachhotel.com From VND1,995,000 ($94)

Phu Hai Resort

MUSEUM

Alexandre Yersin Museum Pasteur Institute, 10 Tran Phu St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3822-406

Romana Resort & Spa

Mom Da Chim - Lazi Beach Resort

Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily

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

www.saigonsuoinhumresort.com From VND1,700,000 ($81)

HOTELS, RESORTS

Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel & Spa 26-28 Tran Phu St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province. Tel: (058) 3880-000 reservations.nhatrang@sheraton.com www.sheratonnhatrang.com Sunrise Nha Trang Beach Hotel & Spa 12-14 Tran Phu St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (058) 3820-999 Email: info@sunrisenhatrang.com.vn www.sunrisenhatrang.com.vn VND2,520,000 to VND4,305,000 ($120 to $205)

Tel: (062) 3812-799 Email: info@phuhairesort.com www.phuhairesort.com

Saigon - Suoi Nhum Resort Thuan Quy, Ham Thuan Nam Ward, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3683-240 info@saigonsuoinhumresort.com

Sunny Beach Resort & Spa

DIRECTIONS DALAT, BINH DUONG, HO CHI MINH CITY 64-66 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3741-355 Email: info@sunnybeach.com.vn www.sunnybeach.com.vn From VND2,940,000 ($140) The Cliff Resort & Residences Zone 5, Phu Hai Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3719-111 reservation@thecliffresort.com.vn www.thecliffresort.com.vn From VND2,667,000 ($127)

HOTELS Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily Dalat Edensee Resort Tuyen Lam Lake, Zone VII.2, Dalat, Lam Dong Province Tel: (063) 3831-515 info@dalatedensee.com www.dalatedensee.com From VND2,450,000 ($117) Ana Mandara Villas Dalat Resort & Spa

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 From VND1,980,000 ($90) Villa Aria Mui Ne

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) Saigon-Dalat Hotel

60A Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province; Tel: (062) 3741-660 Email: info@villaariamuine.com www.villaariamuine.com From VND2,520,000 ($120) White Sands Resort

KM8, Nguyen Thong St, Phu Hai Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (062) 3741-175 Email: frontoffice@whitesandresort.com www.whitesandresort.com From VND1,344,000 VND ($64) 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

180 Ba Thang Hai St, Dalat, Lam Dong Province Tel: (063) 3556-789 Email: hotel@saigondalat.com ; resvn@saigondalat.com www.saigondalathotel.com Located in the heart of Dalat, SaigonDalat Hotel is a four-star-standard hotel, comprised of 160 luxurious and comfortable rooms with air-conditioning throughout and other modern amenities. Four restaurants, two bars, one tennis court, one indoor swimming pool, one fitness centre and one beauty salon and spa help make your getaway experience complete.

BINH DUONG

(TELEPHONE CODE: 0650) An Lam Saigon River

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.

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) CONSULATES

Australia 5B Ton Duc Thang St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3829-6035 Belgium 91 Nguyen Huu Canh St, Ward 22, Binh Thanh Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3512-7968 Cambodia 41 Phung Khac Khoan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3829-2751 Canada Metropolitan, 235 Dong Khoi St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3827-9899 China 175 Hai Ba Trung St, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3829-2457 Cuba 45 Phung Khac Khoan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3829-7350 France 27 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3829-7231 Germany 126 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3829-2455 India 55 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-7853 Indonesia 18 Phung Khac Khoan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3825-1888 Japan 13-17 Nguyen Hue St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City; Tel: (08) 3822-5314 Kuwait 24 Phung Khac Khoan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City, tel: (08) 3827-0555 Laos 93 Pasteur St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3829-7667 Mexico 11 Tra Khuc St, Tan Binh Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3848-6290 Netherlands 29 Le Duan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3823-5932 New Zealand Metropolitan, 235 Dong Khoi St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-6907 Panama 7A Le Thanh Ton St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3825-0334 Russia 40 Ba Huyen Thanh Quan St, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3930-3936

Singapore Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-5173 South Korea 107 Nguyen Du St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-5757 Switzerland 42 Giang Van Minh St, Dist.2, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3744-6996 Thailand 77 Tran Quoc Thao St, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3932-7637 United Kingdom 25 Le Duan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3825-1380, (08) 3829-8433 United States 4 Le Duan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-9433

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 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 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 Emirates Airlines 170-172 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia St, Dist.3,

VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

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DIRECTIONS HO CHI MINH CITY Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3930-2939 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 Qatar Airways 1-5 Le Duan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3827-3888 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

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

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.

Duxton Hotel Saigon 63 Nguyen Hue Blvd, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-2999 enquires@saigon.duxton.com.vn www.duxtonhotels.com First Hotel

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 Northern Hotel Saigon

Hotel Majestic

1 Dong Khoi St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3829-5517 majestic@majesticsaigon.com.vn www.majesticsaigon.com.vn Liberty Central Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City 17 Ton Duc Thang St, Dist.1 Tel: (08) 3827-1717 177-179 Le Thanh Ton St, Dist.1 Tel: (08) 3823-9269 Email: frontdesk.lcc@libertyhotels.com.vn

www.libertycentralhotel.com 18 Hoang Viet St, Ward 4, Tan Binh Dist, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3844-1199 Email: first.hotel@hcm.vnn.vn www.firsthotel.com.vn Grand Hotel Saigon 8 Dong Khoi St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3823-0163 Email: info@grandhotel.vn www.grandhotel.vn Built in 1930, the Ancient Wing of Grand Hotel Saigon offers a cozy and elegant atmosphere. The Luxury Wing, opened in November 2011, adds a modern style. 230 rooms and suites, a ballroom, recreation area, VIP Lounge, Western & Asian restaurants, Bars & Grand Café at Roof Garden Hotel Nikko Saigon 235 Nguyen Van Cu St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City, tel: (08) 3925-7777 reservation@hotelnikkosaigon.com.vn www.hotelnikkosaigon.com.vn From VND4,830,000 ($230) Hotel Equatorial Ho Chi Minh City

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

253 Nguyen Van Troi St, Phu Nhuan Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3844-9222 Email: Info@eastingrandSaigon.com www.eastingrandsaigon.com

Caravelle Saigon 19-23 Cong Truong Lam Son St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3823-4999 www.caravellehotel.com

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

Email: info@hcm.equatorial.com www.equatorial.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/equatorialhcmc Hotel Equatorial Ho Chi Minh City is an international 5-star hotel, located where the borders of the city's four main districts intersect; hence in the heart and true centre of Ho Chi Minh City. Tan Son Nhat International Airport can be reached conveniently within 30 minutes, while the city's major commercial and entertainment area is only a mere 8minute drive.

Kelly Hotel

42-44 Thu Khoa Huan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3823-3364 Email: info@kellyhotel.com.vn www.kellyhotel.com.vn From VND750,000 ($36) 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.

InterContinental Asiana Saigon Corner Hai Ba TrungSt. & Le Duan Blvd, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3520-9999 Email: saigon@ihg.com www.intercontinental.com/Saigon Eastin Grand Hotel Saigon

242 Tran Binh Trong St, Dist.5, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3839-7777

52 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

11A Thi Sach St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3825-1751 reservation@northernhotel.com.vn www.northernhotel.com.vn From VND1,505,000 ($71) Three-star boutique hotel, 99 rooms in Superior, Deluxe and Suite categories, a short walk from major entertainment and shopping venues.

Novotel Saigon Centre 167 Hai Ba Trung St, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3822-4866 Email: H7965@accor.com www.novotel-saigon-centre.com Palace Hotel Saigon 56-66 Nguyen Hue Blvd, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3829-2860 Email: sales@palacesaigon.com www.palacesaigon.com Park Hyatt Saigon 2 Lam Son Square, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3824-1234 Email: saigon.park@hyatt.com www.saigon.park.hyatt.com From VND 7,887,850 ($376) PARKROYAL Saigon 309B – 311 Nguyen Van Troi St,Tan Binh Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3842-1111 enquiry.prsgn@parkroyalhotels.com

www.parkroyalhotels.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 Royal Hotel Saigon 133 Nguyen Hue St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City, tel: (08) 3822-5915 www.royalhotelsaigon.com From VND1,092,000 ($52) Rex Hotel 141 Nguyen Hue St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3829-2185 Email: rexhotel@rex.com.vn www.rexhotelvietnam.com From VND4,620,000 ($220)

DIRECTIONS HO CHI MINH CITY Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers 88 Dong Khoi St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3827-2828 Email: sheratonsaigon@sheraton.com www.sheratonsaigon.com Sofitel Saigon Plaza

pastries and cakes and a cup of coffee from selected premium blends.

Kobe Teppanyaki Restaurant 13A Tu Xuong St, Ward 7, Dist 3, Ho Chi MInh City Tel: (08) 3932-0187 Lemongrass Restaurant 4 Nguyen Thiep St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-0496 www.bongsencorporation.com Mam Son Restaurant 35 Ton That Thiep St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3915-3653

17 Le Duan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3824-1555 Email: h2077@sofitel.com www.sofitel.com From VND3,864,000 ($262)

Tandoor Restaurant

39A-39B Ngo Duc Ke St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3930-4839 www.tandoorvietnam.com

Windsor Plaza Hotel

TeL: (08) 2246-6839 Mobile: 0908 229 708 Email: ngoclongfineart@yahoo.com

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

Apricot Gallery 50 Mac Thi Buoi St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-7962

Dong Gia Enterprise 114 Xuan Thuy St, Thao Dien Ward, Dist.2, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 6296-0147 www.dong-gia.com 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.

Sonnet Saigon Hotel

14 Truong Dinh St., Ward 6, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3930-1999 reservation@sonnetsaigonhotel.com www.sonnetsaigonhotel.com From VND925,000

Minh City Tel: (08) 3823-8811 www.authentiquehome.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

Lu's Handmade 240 Ly Tu Trong St, Ben Thanh Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Facebook: Lu's Handmade Tropic Shop 89 Dong Khoi St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-3714 www.ofcvn.com/tropic SPA

Vspa & Skincare

BARS & CAFÉS

18 An Duong Vuong, Dist.5, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3833-6688 services@windsorplazahotel.com www.windsorplazahotel.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 Email: info@hcm.equatorial.com 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

Sax N’ Art Jazz Club 28 Le Loi St, Dist 1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3822-8472 www.saxnart.com Thao Nguyen Café Floor 7 and Rooftop of Restaurant Ngon 138 138 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3827-9666 Open from 7 a.m. until 10.30 p.m.

SHOPS

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

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

Elle Cafe 45 Ngo Duc Ke St, Bitexco Financial Tower, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 6291-8769 Caffe Molinari 5 Le Duan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3910-6903 Email: molinari@vnn.vn www.caffemolinari.com

Cactus Contemporary Art 17/12 Nguen Huy Tuong St, Ward 6, Binh Thanh Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 7300-1270 info@cactusartgallery.com www.cactusartgallery.com

15B/25 Le Thanh Ton St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3827-9484 Email: reception.vspa@gmail.com www.vspa.com.vn

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.

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 Saigon Cooking Class 74/7 Hai Ba Trung St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (08) 3825-8485 www.saigoncookingclass.com

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.

Artists Long & Ngoc Gallery Grand Hotel (at the lobby), 8 Dong Khoi, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City

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

COOKING CLASSES

GALLERIES

VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

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1. IIndependence ndependence P Palace alace

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2. N Notre otre Dame C Cathedral athedral

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3. V Vietnam ietnam H History istory Museum

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4. F Fine ine A Arts rts M Museum 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 Women omen Museum Southern W

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War Remnants ts Museum 7. Wa ar Remnan

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Ben T hanh M arket 8. Ben Thanh Market

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9. T ao Dan P Tao Park ark

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Post Office 10. P ost O ffice

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Zoo 11. Z oo

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Nha Wharf 12. N ha Rong W harf

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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

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

DIRECTIONS VUNG TAU, LONG HAI, CON DAO, CAN THO, MY THO, CHAU DOC 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

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 Email: sales@grandhotel.com.vn www.grandhotel.com.vn From VND2,058,000 ($98) Mường Thanh Vung Tau Hotel No 09, Thong Nhat St, Ward 1, Vung Tau Tel: (064) 3835-567 sales@vungtau.muongthanh.vn www.vungtau.muongthanh.vn From VND1,890,000 ($90) Kieu Anh Hotel

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

Romeliess Hotel 31 - 33 Thuy Van St, Vung Tau Tel: (064) 3613-366 Email: sales@romeliss.com www.romeliesshotel.com MUSEUM

White Palace 6 Tran Phu St, Ward.1, Vung Tau Tel: (064) 3852-605 Open daily 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

LONG HAI

Long Hai is a beach town, 30km northeast of Vung Tau and 124 km southeast of HCMC. The Grand Ho Tram Strip Phuoc Thuan, Xuyen Moc, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province. Tel: (064) 3788-888 info@thegrandhotramstrip.com www.thegrandhotramstrip.com

CON DAO

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.

257 Le Hong Phong St, Ward 8, Vung Tau Tel: (064) 3584-179 Email: quanly@kieuanhhotel.com www.kieuanhhotel.vn

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.

Palace Hotel 1 Nguyen Trai St, Ward 1, Vung Tau Tel: (064) 3856-411 Email: sales@palacehotel.com.vn www.palacehotel.com.vn From VND2,062,000 ($97)

MY THO

The Island Lodge

390 Ap Thoi Binh, Thoi Son Ward, My Tho City Tel: (073) 6519-000 contact@theislandlodge.com.vn www.theislandlodge.com.vn 12 Truong Cong Dinh St, Ward 2, Vung Tau Tel: (064) 3624-748 Email: sales@petrosetco.com.vn www.petrosetcohotel.vn From VND1,085,700 ($52) Petro House Hotel

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 from HCMC. Sitting on a peninsula

56 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

golf4.cantho@vinagolf.vn www.vinagolf.vn Victoria Can Tho Resort Cai Khe Ward, Ninh Kieu Dist., Can Tho Tel: (0710) 3810-111 Email: resa.cantho@victoriahotels.asia www.victoriahotels.asia From VND3,700,000 ($175) 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) HOTELS

Note: Prices at many hotels depend on occupancy and change daily Victoria Chau Doc Hotel

Six Senses Con Dao Dat Doc Beach, Con Dao Dist., Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province Tel : (064) 3831-222 reservations-condao@sixsenses.com www.sixsenses.com/resorts/ con-dao/destination From VND14,490,000 ($690)

Petrosetco Hotel

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.

63 Tran Hung Dao St, Ward 1, Vung Tau Tel: (064) 3852-014 Email: info@petrohousehotel.vn www.petrohousehotel.vn From VND1,260,000 ($60)

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 Golf Can Tho Hotel 2 Hai Ba Trung St, Tan An Ward, Ninh Kieu Dist., Can Tho Tel: (0710) 3812-210

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)

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.

DIRECTIONS PHU QUOC, OVERSEAS 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 Email: cpv@chr.co.th www.centarahotelsresorts.com From VND3,381,000 ($161) Eden Resort Phu Quoc

Cua Lap Hamlet, Duong To Ward, Phu Quoc District, Kien Giang Province Tel: (077) 3985-598 reservations@edenresort.com.vn 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 VND5,082,000 to VND8,694,000 ($242 to $414) Sai Gon Phu Quoc Resort 1 Tran Hung Dao St, Phu Quoc Island Tel: (077) 3846-999 Email: sgphuquocresort@hcm.vnn.vn www.sgphuquocresort.com.vn VND2,499,000 to VND4,011,000 ($119 to $191)

CANADA

(Telephone code: 1) Xe Lua 254 Spadina Ave, Tonronto, Ontario Canada M5T2C2 Tel: (1-416) 703-8330 Xe Lua has been open since 1996 and serves phở for $6 a bowl Open: 11.30 a.m. to 12 p.m Chau Kitchen and Bar 1500 Robson St. Vancouver, British Columbia Tel: (1-604) 682-8020 www.chaukitchenandbar.com Serves Vietnamese dishes with prices starting at $7 per dish.

FRANCE

(Telephone code: 33)

CLEMONT-FERRAND Kim Anh 6 Bis r Elie Gintrac Tel: (33-4) 7391-9364 Serves traditional Vietnamese food, from €12.80 per dish Open 11.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. (closed on Sundays).

GRENOBLE Kim Ngan 22 r Nicolas Chrier Tel: (33-4) 7649-0847 Serves Vietnamese food with prices starting at €8 per dish

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

(Telephone code: 1) CALIFORNIA-CA Emerald Restaurant Pacific Gateway Plaza 3709 Convoy Street, Ste 101, San Diego, CA 92111 Tel: (1) 858-565-6888 Serves Vietnamese food

514 12th Ave Seattle, WA 98122 Tel: (1) 206-860-8164 Moonlight Café 1919 S Jackson St Seattle, WA 98144 Tel: (1) 206-322-3378 Massachusetts-MA Saigon Hut 305-307 Meridian St. Boston, ] MA 02128; Tel: (1) 617-567-1944 Xinh Xinh 7 Beach St (Washington St.) Boston, MA 02111 Tel: (1) 617-422-0501

UNITED KINGDOM

(Telephone code: 44) Little Saigon Restaurant 6 Bigg Market, Newcastle upon Tyne, England Tel: 01912330766 Vietnamese dishes

AUSTRALIA

(Telephone code: 61) La Mint 62–64 Riley St, East Sydney NSW 2010 Tel: (61) 293-311-818 Email: service@lamint.com.au www.lamint.com.au French and Vietnamese dishes

INDONESIA

(Telephone code: 62) Pho 24 Pondok Indah, Plaza I, Jln. Taman Duta 1Blok UA 35 Jakarta Selatan Tel: (62) 0217-505-909 JIn. Wolter Mongonsidi No. 71, Kebayyoran Baru, Jakarta Selatan Tel: (62) 0217-278-8411 Pacific Place Mall, 5th Floor, SCBD, JIn. Jendral Sudirman Kav. 52-53, Jakarta 12190 Tel: (62) 0215-140-0531

Hung Ky Mi Gia 5237 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego, CA 92115; Tel: (1) 619-229-2188 Serves noodle varieties with prices starting at $5 per dish Open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

International Restaurant 1 4444 – A University Ave, San Diego, CA 92115 Tel: (1) 619-281-9999 Little Saigon 7 Linden Ave (Railroad) South San Francisco, CA 94080 Tel: (1) 650-589-1398 New York-NY Saigon Grill 620 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024 Tel: (1) 212-875-9072 Serves over 100 Vietnamese dishes including vegetarian options Open 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.

Mai Lan Vietnamese 505 N State St Syracuse, NY 13203 Tel: (1) 315-471-6740 www.mailanrestaurant.com L’Annam 121 University Pl New York, NY 10022 Tel: (1) 212-420-1414 VIRGINIA-VA Minh’s Vietnamese 2500 Wilson Blvd Arlington, VA 22201 Tel: (1) 703-525-2828 Prices start at $15 per dish Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (closed on Mondays) WASHINGTON-WC Ho Bac 1314 S Jackson St Seattle, WA 98144 Tel: (1) 206-860-8164 Kieu Nga Lemongrass Restaurant VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

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LAID BACK

Photo: Nguyen Tien Thanh

Photo:Nguyen Quoc Thang

Photo: Vu Quoc Bao

Photo: Nguyen Ngoc Thai

Photo: Tran Phuoc Thinh

Clockwise from top left: At the Ball Scrambling Festival in Thuy Linh Village, Hoang Mai Dist., Hanoi; Potoal means an entertainer in Ba Na language. Hyok, left, a young potoal, at the Gong Festival, Chu Pah Dist., Gia Lai Province; A blacksmith in Hanoi; A Hmong married couple going home from market in Ha Giang Province; A bird taking a sunbath at the dawn, Binh Thuan Province

58 • VIETNAM HERITAGE - SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

CUỘC THI ẢNH Ả DI SẢN VIỆT VIỆT NAM 2015 5 BÌNH THUẬN THUẬN - HỘI TỤ XANH XANH VIE TNAM HERIT VIETNAM HERITAGE TA AGE PHO PHOTO TO A AW AWARDS WARDS 2015 VIETNAM TODAY; VIE TNAM T ODAY; BINH THUAN THUAN PAST PAST AND PRESENT SUBMIT Y YOUR OUR PHO PHOTOS: TOS:

www.photocontest.vietnamheritage.com.vn www.photocontest.vietnamheritage.com.vn Deadline D eadline 25 SSeptember eptember 2015

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