Cu Lao Cham - a wonderful maritime paradise

Cu Lao Cham (Cham Island) is a must-see destination for visitors to Hoi An City in the central region. 

If tourists do not buy a tour at a travel firm, they can depart from the ancient town of Hoi An and head for Cua Dai Beach where they take a 20-minute motor boat ride to Cu Lao Island, or a wooden boat ride which costs less but lasts an hour.

Cu Lao Cham covers 500 hectares and has eight islets – Hon Lao, Hon Dai, Hon Mo, big and small Hon Kho, Hon La, Hon Tai, and Hon Ong. It is home to around 3,000 people.

The two most beautiful beaches on the island are Xep and Chong. If travelling in groups, tourists can set up a camping site, a fire and enjoy barbecued seafood on the beach. At night, the island is very peaceful and safe for visitors.

Those who want to learn about the daily chores of islanders should choose to stay at a local family at a cost of VND50,000 (US$2.23) per person per night. Tourists can get up early in the morning to buy fresh seafood which can be cooked by themselves or the home owner.

Life on Cham Island is tranquil and slow while local people are friendly. Especially, they are aware of environmental protection. 

No nylon bags can be found on the island, so banana leaves, newspaper and carton paper are used for wrapping instead.

The ideal time for visiting Cham Island is summer when tourists can dive and snorkel to admire coral reefs and take a boat tour of beaches and fishing villages around the island.

Another destination that tourists should not miss on Cham Island is Bai Lang archaeological site where tourists can admire pottery and glass artifacts. 

It is an important site in the relic system of Cham ethnic people in Hoi An City and the central region.

Source: saigontimes

Shopping at Hanoi Old Quarter

A trip to the Old Quarter in Hanoi, Vietnam is a must for any first-time visitor to Vietnam’s capital. Set just a few minutes’ walk from Hoan Kiem Lake, the Old Quarter is an intricate warren of streets laid out in a millennium-old plan, selling almost everything under the sun.

The Old Quarter’s narrow streets are packed with family-owned shops selling silks, stuffed toys, artwork, embroidery, food, coffee, watches, and silk ties.

There are plenty of great bargains to be had in the Old Quarter: you simply need to haggle the price down.

The Old Quarter’s shops attract tourists and locals alike, making this place a great destination to see the local color.

The high tourist traffic has also developed a high concentration of travel agencies and hotels as well.

Shopping in the Old Quarter

Silks. Vietnam in general offers great value on silk. Lower prices and cheap labor go hand in hand to offer unbeatable bargains on meticulously-crafted silk dresses, trousers, even shoes.

Hang Gai Street is the best place in the Old Quarter to scratch your silk itch, especially Kenly Silk on 108 Hang Gai (Phone: +84 4 8267236; official website). Its shop in the Old Quarter has three floors offering a wild variety of silk goods, including ao dai, dresses, throw scarves, pajamas, suits, and shoes.

Embroidery. Embroidery is a common cottage industry in Vietnam, which means you’ll find plenty of bad embroidery.

For the absolute best of the craft, I can only recommend you visit Quoc Su on 2C Ly Quoc Su Street. Established in 1958, the company was founded by embroidery artist Nguyen Quoc Su, and now runs with more than 200 skilled embroiderers turning out almost photo-perfect stitched artwork.

Lacquerware. “Son mai” is the art of applying resin coating to wooden or bamboo objects, then polishing them to a deep shine. Many of them are also inlaid with eggshells or mother of pearl. These objects can come in the form of bowls, vases, boxes, and trays.

The streets of the Old Quarter offer plenty of examples of the art, not all of them good – you’ll need a good eye (and nose) to spot excellent handiwork from the abundant dross in the market.

Propaganda Art. The Vietnamese aren’t above capitalizing on Communist propaganda, and several shops in the Old Quarter are particularly renowned for their Red media material. Old propaganda reproductions are sold on Hang Bac Street.

You certainly don’t need to explore all 70-odd streets of the Old District to get the complete shopping experience – you can limit yourself to making a circuit of Hang Be, Hang Bac, Dinh Liet, and Cau Go. If you’re looking for specific merchandise, some Old Quarter streets may specialize in your object of desire:

Hang Can for stationery

Hang Dau for shoes

Hang Buom for candies and wine

Thuoc Bac for tools

Cau Go for women's accessories.

Hang Gai for silk

Hang Hom for lacquerware and bamboo

The Old Quarter’s “36 Streets”

The Old Quarter is a reminder of Hanoi’s storied past – its history has long been tied to the ebb and flow of conquerors and traders over the past thousand years.

When the Emperor Ly Thai To moved his capital to Hanoi in the year 1010, a community of craftsmen followed the imperial entourage to the new city. The craftsmen were organized into guilds, whose members tended to stick together to protect their livelihoods.

Thus the streets of the Old Quarter evolved to reflect the different guilds that called the area home: each guild concentrated their business along an individual street, and the streets’ names reflected the business of the guilds that lived there. Thus are the Old Quarter’s streets named to this day: Hang Bac (Silver Street), Hang Ma (Paper Offerings Street), Hang Nam (Gravestone Street), and Hang Gai (silk and paintings), among others.

Folklore pegs the number of these streets at 36 – therefore you’ll hear about the Old Quarter’s “36 streets”, when there are certainly far more than this number criss-crossing the area. The number “36” may just be a metaphorical way of saying “plenty”, i.e. “plenty of streets here!”

The neighborhood is no stranger to change. Most of the craftsmen have left, leaving the shop spaces to the restaurants, hotels, bazaars, and specialty shops that now line the ancient roads. Other, newer merchandise has taken over, too – the street called Ly Nam De is now the Old Quarter’s de facto “Computer Street”, offering cheap items and repairs.

The shophouses in the Old Quarter are long and narrow, owing to an ancient tax that charged shopowners for the width of their storefronts. Thus homeowners did a work-around – keeping storefronts as narrow as possible, while maximizing space in the back. Today these are called “tube houses” owing to their shape.

Getting to the Old Quarter

If you’re not staying in one of the Old Quarter’s hotels, you can easily get a cab to take you there – you can simply ask to be let down at at Hoan Kiem Lake, preferably close to the red bridge. From there, you can cross the street north to Hang Be, and begin your voyage through the Old Quarter by foot.

Use Hoan Kiem Lake as a point of reference – if you feel lost, ask a local where Hoan Kiem Lake is.

By Michael Aquino - goseasia.about.com

Dong Xam silver village in Thai Binh

Thai Binh Province is not only acknowledged as a rice field in the North, but also as home to traditional craft villages. Dong Xam Silver Village is one of the most famous ones...

Throughout centuries, traditional crafts and craft villages have been existed and developed as an integral part of Thai Binh’s history, for instance: weave fabric in Phuong La, silver carve in Dong Xam, copper casting in An Long, lace embroider in Minh Lang, “cáy” cake making in Nguyen Xa. Of which, Dong Xam is a village whose population is skilled in metal carving and attracts a large number of visitors from other provinces.

Dong Xam Silver Village

Dong Xam Silver Village is located in Hong Thai Commune, the north of Kien Xuong District, Thai Binh Province. Dong Xam is a village whose population is skilled in metal carving. The craft of silver processing in Dong Xam Village has existed since the 17th Century.

As of March 2003, the village has been acknowledged as qualified craft village and has a wide range of consumer’s favorite handicrafts. Dong Xam Silver Village is known not only in the Vietnam, but also overseas. The handicrafts are produced for both domestic use and export to foreign markets, including Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Laos, Thailand, Netherlands, and Spain.

Silver has been used for many centuries, going back to ancient times. Periodically, it enjoys great popularity as it does currently. Silver is the most common of the precious metals. It is working qualities are very similar to gold. In fact, silver shines above all other metals in this respect. Silver carving products of Dong Xam village is so different from the ones of other places. Dong Xam’s products are characterized by strange styles of cube and appearance, by sophisticated and well-proportioned decorations, by delicate and perfect skill. It can be said that the skill and carefulness of Dong Xam artists have been able to satisfy all the demands for using silver carving products of customers who are difficult and knowledgeable about silver carving art. Dong Xam artists always think high of “faithfulness” and “talent”. Therefore, their products, which are always genuine and carefully-made, keep maintaining customers’ confidence.

According to the local people, 300 hundred years ago, there was an artist named Nguyen Kim Lau, who travelled downstream on the Tra Ly River by boat to Dong Xam to make a living. He transferred his silver carving skills to the local people. Over time, silver carving has been Beautiful silver carving products maintained and developed. After his death, the Dong Xam Temple was built in appreciation of his contributions to the village and the festival in the temple is yearly held to mark the anniversary of the progenitor Kim Lau’s death.

Dong Xam Temple Festival

Dong Xam Temple Festival annually takes place from the 1st to the 3rd day of the fourth lunar month and attracts many tourist from everywhere. The most exciting program is the boat racing contest on river with the participation of youth men in the hamlet and neighboring communes. Besides, there remains interesting traditional games and folk cultures like ca tru and cheo singing.

In the days of Dong Xam Temple Festival, a great deal of beautiful silver carving products are displayed and sold as souvenir for tourists.

Dong Xam Silver Village is expected to make a positive contribution into the implementation of provincial socio-economic targets and help Thai Binh Province to make rapid advances on the course of industrialization and modernization.

Source: vietnam-beauty.com

A windy night in Dong Cao highland

I heard my friends raving about a peaceful land not far from Ha  Noi, with green grass, blue skies, wind blowing and clouds up in the sky.

They said it was a perfect location for an overnight camping trip, and that got me tempted.

Without any hesitation, I packed my bags, bringing along food for other four friends who joined me, with tents, sleeping bags, outdoor stove, and battery operated torches. We were determined to head for Dong Cao on a beautiful Saturday afternoon.

The highland, which is nearly 1000m above sea level, is located in Ga Village in Thach Son Commune in the northern province of Bac Giang, about 150km from Ha Noi.

The way from Ha Noi to Chu Town in Bac Giang Province was pretty smooth, but the closer we approached our destination, the more scattered the houses were, and the tougher the path became.

It got darker as we drove deep into the forest, so we had to speed up, as we followed the small concrete road. However, we still had a rough 5km pathway ahead to get over before we reached Dong Cao Highland.

It was not an easy drive at all, as we had to constantly battle against the muddy ground below and thousands of "skinny hands" jutting out from the trees around us. We had to grope our way with the assistance of the lights of our motorcycles to venture through the dark.

After an hour of groping around on the slippery path, we finally saw a flickering light coming from several houses. It is estimated that there are only over 20 households scattering within Dong Cao highland, most of them are poor and lack electricity.

It was a very hot summer day, so our T-shirts were wet with sweat. But as soon as we reached the area of Dong Cao, we were instantly struck with a cold feeling of the typical cool climate of the highland.

We stopped on a flat surface on the highland to erect our tents and started a fire to warm ourselves and prepare for dinner. What an unforgettable night it was to enjoy the freshly grilled meat in the feeble light of the stove with endless, untold stories while contemplating the twinkling lights above.

The wind kept blowing hard through the grass, but I could not visualise the surroundings as it was pitch-dark. We were soon lulled to sleep with the pleasing sound of insects chirping.

Then the moment that we looked forward to most finally arrived. It was when the sun rose to clear the mist and clouds and the overall picture of the highland started to appear clearly in the brilliant sunlight. Dong Cao suddenly woke up to become a charming fairy land, especially attractive to photographers.

The clouds kept floating above us, at times so thin, but at times so dense that we could only see the top of Yen Tu Mountain from afar. We could hear the melodious sound of the flute coming from somewhere close by. However, as soon as we discovered the source of the sound, the horse herding boys who were sitting on huge stones on the highland, giggled and ran away, shying away from our cameras.

"The life here is so peaceful and pleasing," exclaimed one of my friends, adding, "I would rather be a farmer herding cows and cutting grass!"

Each of my friends started to disperse to discover different parts of Dong Cao. Some of them went hunting for photographs, some paid a visit to the surrounding waterfalls or streams while others energetically climbed other green hills.

Dong Cao has an abundance of both grass and breeze. To me, taking a leisure walk on the lush green grass in the early morning and taking a deep breath with the sweet smell of the forest and mountain was pleasing enough. Suddenly, all our worries disappeared with the gentle wind blowing around us.

We rewarded ourselves by moving around at a slow pace, and enjoying every moment of it. We all felt sorry that the next day we would have to return to the normal fast pace of modern life and its many worries. Then Dong Cao Highland would be our peaceful fairly land with starry nights and cloudy mornings that we would all long to return to someday.

Dong Cao Highland is among those rare destinations that are suitable for camping all year round, especially on weekends. It is recommended that you visit the land on Saturday evening and find flat land to erect the tents before it gets dark.

It is also recommended that you should carefully store enough food and water, as the highland is pretty far from any residential areas, and there are no tourist services available. However, it is the isolation and quiet of Dong Cao Highland that attracts visitors, especially young adventurers.

Source: VNS

Discovery Van Long lagoon

About 80km to the south of Ha Noi, Van Long Lagoon (Gia Vien District, Ninh Binh Province) is an attractive tourist site, especially at weekends. To Van Long, visitors will have the opportunity to admire charming natural landscapes and discover the typical wetland ecosystem in the Red River Delta.

With an area of 3,500ha, Van Long is the largest wetland natural reserve in Red River Delta and is considered as “Waveless bay” with tranquil water surface like a giant mirror reflecting spectacular natural sceneries. Here, the boats will take visitors around the lagoon to contemplate limestone mountains named according their shapes as Meo Cao (Cat), Mam Xoi (Glutinous Rice Tray), Hom Sach (Book Trunk), Da Ban (Rook Table), Nghien (Slab), Co Tien (Fairy)… There are 32 beautiful and specific caves inside these limestone mountains, such as Bong, Rua, Chanh, Doi…, of which Ca Cave in Hoang Quyen Mountain Range is the most impressive. The cave is 250m long, 8m high, 10m wide with half floating structure and has many stalactites of various forms.

Going deeper into the lagoon, the riotousness of modern life is gradually replaced by the sounds of oar, fishes, amphibians, hubbub grass in the wind. Under clear water, mosses and algae winding intermittently according to waves make a charming and lively natural picture.

Van Long is home to 39 species of mammals, 72 species of birds, 32 species of reptiles and amphibians, 44 species of fishes, 39 aquatic species and 79 species of insects, many of which are listed in Viet Nam Red Book such as cobra, chamois, iguana… Especially, Van Long has been by Viet Nam Record Book Centre as “The place owns the largest number of delacour’s langur (trachypithecus delacouri) with 100 individuals in danger of extinction. In the dry season (from November to April), Van Long is the wintering place of numerous birds from the North as Bonelli eagle, gray heron, white stork… It is also home to 457 species of high plants and 35 species of aquatic plants, 8 species of which are listed in Viet Nam Red Book, including chukrasia tabularis, drynaria fortunei, melientha suavis, strychnos nux-vomica, dalbergia cochinchinensis…

Along with its beautiful natural scenery, Van Long Wetland Natural Reverse also has many special cultural relics such as Hong Nuong Temple, Mau Temple, Thung La Temple, Thanh Son Pagoda, Dich Long Pagoda...

Put into operation for tourism since 1998, Van Long Wetland Natural Reverse is a specific ecotourism site attracting domestic and international visitors.

According to Thu Giang

Lotus paradise in Long An

For those looking for a short weekend trip, or those who just love travelling, a visit to Tan Lap "floating eco-tourism village" in the southern province of Long An is ideal.

"If you want to visit a wild, natural landscape, visit Tan Lap," a friend who was in Long An recently commented.

"Referring to Long An, everyone often thinks that this province is only the birthplace of the famous nang thom (aromatic rice) and Go Den rice wine, and there is nothing else for tourists to explore," said Nguyen Kim Long, who visited the province earlier this year.

"But in those days, when my friends and I visited Tan Lap, the place really moved me," he said.

Tan Lap floating village eco-tourism area is in Moc Hoa District. The way there is easy. From HCM City, visitors go along National Highway 1 to Tan An District (of Long An Province), then turn right to Highway 62 to Moc Hoa.

When you arrive in Moc Hoa, just ask any resident, and they will enthusiastically show you the way.

The area covers 135ha and has a 500ha surrounding zone. The region has been planned with a budget of more than VND100 billion (about US$4.6 million) to build a tourism area for Long An and the Dong Thap Muoi (Plain of Reeds) wetlands in future. It will include an immigration wildlife area, a natural reserve, an environmental education centre and houses built on stilts.

After more than an hour's travel by car, Long's group arrived in Tan Lap. A few minutes after passing through the gate, a cool and peaceful scene greeted everyone.

"In this place, you can admire the rustic beauty of lush rice fields, pineapple fields and custard-apple gardens in shimmering yellow sunlight," Long said.

Walking a bit farther, they arrived in the bee-keeping area with countless honey barrels whirring.

Upon visiting the floating village, the group was surprised because they had never expected that a place so close to HCM City would have such a beautiful and peaceful landscape.

"Sitting on a canoe on the river to view the floating village under the blue sky and cool air, this landscape is even much more beautiful than many other destinations," said Khanh Van, a young woman in the group.

Previously, Tan Lap was a large mangrove forest of Long An Province, bordering the wetlands of the Plain of Reeds to form one vast forest covering tens of thousands of hectares.

Because the region is located near the border with Cambodia, it was previously under the strict control of border guards. Over time, the place has been renovated into an ecotourism zone with the distinctive name "Tan Lap floating village".

Visiting Tan Lap, guests can relax by fishing, boating past lotus and water lilies, picking wild vegetables to eat with grilled fish, watching birds and visiting the local farm to see how they grow pineapples.

Visitors are guided to explore the forests flooded in alluvial water, which gives it a reddish tint. They enter the vast cajeput forests and ride power-boats to admire the tremendous lotus lagoons.

"Our boat was drifting in the immense forest, and we heard birds chirping," Long said.

On the waterways that curve like silk bands, the visitors' boats weave between cajeput trees that are hundreds of years old and emit subtle scents from white petals.

Since the cajeput forest is submerged year-round, a concrete road has been built over the water, which passes through the lush mangrove forests.

Cajeput trees are protected and have been planted in the last 10 years, creating a vast green space in the region.

In the flooding season, the surrounding fields are underwater.

If you stand high above to look down, Tan Lap floating village resembles a floating raft or a green island over the water. But that is not how the "floating village" got its name.

As explained by the locals, residents are accustomed to "living with floods", and they have built houses on the high wooden poles.

Today, the resort is no longer inhabited. When the province developed the eco-tourism area, they rebuilt these floating homes to serve tourists.

Visitors can bring tents to stay in the tourism area, or stay in guest houses and hotels in Kien Tuong Town, about 5km from the place.

Prices are quite affordable, between VND50,000 and 60,000 per person per night.

"Tan Lap is pretty quiet, suitable for those who want to relax and experience a life close to nature, and to educate children to love nature and protect the wetland ecosystems," Long said.

"Another good point is, the locals are very enthusiastic and hospitable," he added.

Source: VNS

Sinh village painting - a kind of folk painting of Hue

Sinh village in Thua Thien Hue province has made folk paintings for the central region for more than 400 years. The paintings are made by farmers during crop intervals. Sinh village has become a popular tourist destination.

Sinh village, also known as Lai An village, is located in Phu Mau commune, Phu Vang district, about 9 km east of Hue city. Sinh folk paintings are somewhat like the Dong Ho folk paintings of Bac Ninh province and the Hang Trong folk paintings of Hanoi. 

Local elders say that the craft of making folk paintings was first introduced in the region by Mr. Ky Huu Hoa during the Nguyen dynasty. The paintings are used for worshiping and other rituals. Woodblocks are used to make the paintings. 

Huu Phuoc is a famous artisan in Sinh village: “Each place has its own tradition and religion. In Sai Gon, they also have votive papers and paintings but they are smaller. 

Sinh votive paintings are now also popular in Ho Chi Minh City because they are beautiful. Sinh paintings are mostly used during the traditional lunar New Year festival and in some special worshipping ceremonies. 

The peak season of Sinh folk paintings is from the 10th lunar month to the following February”.

The woodblocks are used as moulds for color printing. Some other colors are painted by the artists themselves. Therefore, Sinh paintings are always different. 

Each of them reflects the skills and attributes of its author. The colors used are made from natural ingredients like leaves, flowers, vegetables, ashes of rice straws, and brick powder. 

Phuoc says that while Dong Ho folk paintings have just four or five main colors, Sinh paintings have more, limited only by the artist’s imagination: “Sinh paintings are handmade. After printing, we color the paintings. 

We have to color five times for five colors. The five main colors of Sinh paintings are represent the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth”.

Papers used to make the paintings are made from clam shells taken from Tam Giang lagoon. The shells are ground into powder, mixed with glue, and then pasted on paper to make shell paper. 

Decorative patterns on Sinh papers vary to appeal to different tastes. Folk games and landscapes are among the main themes of Sinh paintings which are often used to make calendars. 

Visitors to Sinh village can make their own painting, from printing to hand coloring. Le Mai Huong is a tourist from Quang Ninh province: “I come here to learn about the traditional crafts of Hue, especially Sinh paintings. Everything is natural. 

The papers, the color powder are made of natural ingredients.  The process of making paintings is also interesting”.

Each painting is rolled up in a bamboo tube to protect it. The names of the village and the artist are engraved on the bamboo tube. Sinh paintings are the favorite souvenirs of tourists who come to Hue.

Source: VOV

Cat Ba cliff and rock-climbing adventurer

The lure of rock-climbing has been bringing several local and foreign visitors to Cat Ba in recent times. It is an ideal place for those who love adventure sports to indulge in their hobby.

Cat Ba is an archipelago of 367 islands of various sizes. The main island, Cat Ba, is about 100sq.m in area, roughly 30km from the northern port city of Hai Phong. Cat Ba Island is linked to Ha Long Bay by a fascinating complex of islands and caves.

There are many beautiful cliffs in Lan Ha Bay, Dau Be and Van Boi Island and the Fish Cave, which are tourist highlights here. They are beautiful, romantic and not so challenging for beginners.

Beo Wharf, one of the main ports of Cat Ba Island, is the starting point of the ship that takes tourists to Lan Ha, adjacent to Cat Ba town. There are five rock-climbing routes here. The quality of the cliff is very good, but it's difficult to climb in summer when it becomes slippery.

Dau Be is a small island in Ha Long Bay, about two hours by ship from Cat Ba. It has cliffs that are as steep as walls, and act as barriers to the large waves that pour into the gulf from the east. The mountains on the island are covered with greenery, create interesting scenery. Safety pitons are needed for climbing here.

Van Boi is located on the small island of Lan Ha, with challenging climbing points. One can use climbing ropes here.

Another popular mountain climbing site is the Fish Cave, also in Lan Ha Bay. It is well known for its three hidden lagoons where people can paddle around in kayaks. Fish Cave is an ideal compromise for a mixed group of climbers and non-climbers. The latter will enjoy kayaking in the lagoons. The routes are near the entrance and the exit of the first lagoon. There are five routes that can be accessed during low tide.

The favourite spot of climbers is possibly Tien Ong Island in Lan Ha Bay. It is a small island cave, along with rocks and large stalactites. This is an ideal spot to climb as there are low cliffs, and the climbing routes are simple and suitable for people who are afraid of adventure sports.

"I've often thought that ‘you are not special' is a terrible thing to say to someone as it trivialises the human experience. But staring up at 30m of the raw Cat Ba Island mountain that you are expected to climb is a humbling experience, one that could make the most rock-strong of our brethren feel a bit trivial or even ‘unspecial'," Matt Bender, a climber, said on wordhcmc.com.

He said Butterfly Valley, a 20-minute motorbike ride from Cat Ba Town, was the easiest place for experienced climbers (going with a trail guide) to venture out to. His favourite are the roots, rock and reggae routes, where the climber can move between the criss-crossing roots of an old tree and thick, palm-sized slabs of limestone.

Hanoian climber Viet Anh, who took part in a tour to explore the Fish Cave, said visitors needed to learn some mountaineering skills, prepare climbing equipment and hire a guide to explore the mountains. They could face risks if they tried to explore it themselves.

"I have trained in indoor rock-climbing for a long time, and so I feel confident and have all skills for outdoor climbing. But I and my friends still hire a tour guide to ensure safety. Adventure climbing needs a good guide. This makes your trip safer," Anh said.

"You should test yourself and get the feeling of overcoming difficulties and steep cliffs, and then you can relax seeing the sunset. It's wonderful," he said.

Anh said adventure climbing was very different from indoor climbing, especially in terms of psychology. If you really want to discover the mountains in Cat Ba, you should try indoor climbing first. With the skills gained from conquering artificial cliffs, you will be ready to conquer the real ones.

The trip to conquer the cliffs in Cat Ba always creates strong feelings and helps visitors experience the challenges and improve their health. Moreover, climbing makes visitors feel the romantic and extraordinary nature of the trip.

With its fresh air, beautiful beaches and primary forests, Cat Ba has become the perfect destination where people can relax and experience the adventure of rock-climbing.

Source: VNS

Only made in Hanoi's bia hoi glasses

A village in a nearby province has been making it for the beer shops and no one else since the 1960s

For fans of Hanoi's famous fresh beer, or bia hoi, the rough looking glasses that are used to serve the beer must be just as fascinating.

Otherwise, beer shop owners will not go all the way to Xoi Tri village in Nam Dinh Province, dozens of kilometers away, to specifically procure these glasses -- a practice believed to date back to the 1960s.

Though Xoi Tri was famous as a glass-making village decades ago when 85 percent of residents did the job, now only three families make glass products, including the bia hoi glasses which they only produce on order.

A huge pile of glass shards in the yard of Pham Ngoc Han's house. Han and his family are among the three last glass makers in Xoi Tri.

Glass shards are broken into smaller pieces of uniform size.

The glass shards are melted in a furnace for around six hours.

 One of the steps after blowing is to cut the glass's rim.

Before the blowing stage, the melted glass is placed in a steel mold.

The glass is kept at a fixed temperature during the stage of rim cutting. .

A specialized gas oven is used to maintain the glass's temperature.

After rim cutting, the glass is moved to room temperature. Then workers use a bottle to refine its shape.

The hot glass is buried under ashes so that it does not cool down quickly, or else it will crack or break.

The glass makers say only Hanoi shop owners order these glasses these days. In the past they wanted 500 ml glasses, but now prefer them smaller.

These rough-looking glasses can only be found in Hanoi bia hoi shops and nowhere else, not even at Xoi Tri village where they are made.

Source: thanhniennews

Seeing the yellow paddy fields in Thanh Hoa

Although they are not as stunning as the terraced rice fields in Mu Cang Chai, Hoang Su Phi and Sa Pa in the northern upland, the rice fields in the north-central province of Thanh Hoa still have their own hidden charms.

Visitors still discover the charm of the fields in the mountainous district of Ba Thuoc in Thanh Hoa. Due to the rough roads leading to Ba Thuoc, which are mostly trodden paths, this locality is little known.

Early in the morning, clouds hang above the mountains and rice fields which turn into the shining yellow color, creating a picturesque painting complete with smoke rising from small stilt houses. Visitors certainly have a feel of peace and tranquility in a cool climate.

Source: vietnamtourism.com

Golden season in Ha Giang

The golden terraced fields in Hoang Su Phi, Ha Giang can be observed for about 2 weeks in September / October.

Hoang Su Phi is a western district of Ha Giang, about 110 km from Ha Giang city. The district lies on the headwater of Chay River – the oldest and biggest one – which is endowed with a great amount of river deposit for agricultural activities on terraced fields. Terraced fields not only represent a special agricultural form, but also contribute to shape a cultural trait of people living in the highland.

Anyone who comes to Hoang Su Phi once cannot forget the colorful picture of terraced fields which  are dubbed by visitors from all over the world the “natural masterpiece” of Ha Giang province, northwest of Vietnam.

Terraced fields were created for a long time ago and tended carefully by the local people. From afar, the whole field looks like a huge hanging garden on the hills. Different from rice fields in delta areas, terraced fields here overlap and wave softly around the hill slopes like ladders to the blue sky.

During the harvest time, tourists can be overwhelmed by the golden space spreading as far as the eye can see. Golden paddy fields resemble the lissome bands of silk opening up before our eyes.

In the water season, the whole field glitters under the sunshine, reflecting the shadows of peasant women and clouds, multiplying the beauty of the landscape.

Hoang Su Phi is also where some different ethnic minorities such as La Chi, Nung and Dao are living unitedly and sharing land, water and road together. Differences in lifestyles, customs and cultures, however, are always found, marking quintessential traits for each group.

The ideal time to visit Hoang Su Phi is from mid September to early October when the fields are lush with ripening rice. Besides, if visitors want to immerse in the hustle and bustle when locals begin to prepare for a new farming season, they should come here in May.

The best point to behold this hanging garden is at the centre of Phung commune. From there, tourists can view every side of the terraced fields to satisfy the eyes, or visit the houses of local people and join their farming activities.

 Source: nacotravel

Exploring the pristine Binh Hung islands

Located nearly the Binh Ba lobster island, Binh Hung is known as a green island of the city of Cam Ranh, Khanh Hoa with wild and glamorous beauty.

Belonging to Cam Binh commune, Cam Ranh town, Binh Hung island nestled at the pass footing  of the Binh Tien - Vinh Hy seaway. It was compared with "rough gem" and there are not many explorations by human.

Kinh beach is a hub of tourists ready coming to the Binh Hung island. It features white sand beaches stretching to the blue sea water and rocks with full size, unique shapes along the ocean as if it embraced and preserved the beauty of the beach.

From Kinh Beach, Binh Hung island is located about 1,000 meters though eye’s view at the mid-bay. The island has a number of seafood cages, providing services such as restaurants, bringing visitors to the island, snorkeling, swimming, fishing, squid fishing, exploring freshwater springs, ...

Cool weather in the morning is suitable for sightseeing and traveling around the island. Discovering  and learning simple dailylife of fishermen in Binh Hung is the thing that visitors not to be missed.

From here, travelers can visit Nom beach where owned many beautiful reefs and learn the community culture through the  Nam Hai tomb, Ba Temple, Binh Hung temple, climb Hon Bu mountain to visit Hon Chut lighthouse,...

Travelers can rent a boat to visit a fishing village, immersing in the sea, snorkeling, exploring the pristine beaches as Egg beach, San beach, Chuoi beach and the cool fresh water springs ...

Besides, tourists can visit a cage to enjoy fresh seafood dishes such as grilled lobster, grilled fresh squid satay, chilli salt grilled cobia, abalone, ‘bong’ snails, garlic snails, ‘giac’ snails, moon snails, mussels ...

Source: cinet

A peaceful day in Con Dao

When I finished my maiden trip to Con Dao five years ago, I dreamt of having an opportunity to return to this beautiful island, and my dream came true last weekend.

I fell in love with Con Dao when I visited it the first time and the love grew ardent when I came back to the island, which is 97 nautical miles off mainland Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province.

Breezes, the pleasing sound of waves lapping gently against the shore and serenity greeted me when it set foot on the island on my second trip. After a tour around the center of Con Dao Town, my friend and I rented a motorbike to ride on a 14-kilometer road that winds its way through the waters on one side and forests on the other side to Dam Trau, a pristine beach near Con Dao National Park.

Surrounded by old trees and boulders of various shapes, Dam Trau is touted as the most beautiful beach on Con Dao. We lied under the shade of trees on the untouched beach to enjoy the breezes from the sea, the sweet sound of waves lapping against the shore and the blue sky.

From Dam Trau, we could see Cau Islet far away. A legend has it that a man named Cau and a woman named Trau fell in love with each other without knowing that they were siblings that share the same father. When learning the truth, Cau left for an islet and led a secluded life until he died, leaving Trau in great misery. Trau committed suicide by jumping into the sea after she had found out the true story.

Later, an areca tree, which means cau in Vietnamese, grew at the place where Cau passed away. This is why local people call the islet Cau and the beach area where Trau died Dam Trau.

An Hai Lake is another destination that visitors to Con Dao should not miss. I was impressed by lotus and water lily flowers in the 31,000-hectare lake located between ranges of mountains and hills.

We came to Dam Port. For me, the road from An Hai Lake to the port is one of the most scenic seaside roads that I have ever seen as the road runs through imposing mountains on one side and the turquoise sea on the other size.

On the way to the port, we stopped by Nhat, which is a stunning beach with smooth sand and beautified by layers of gravels and rocks. A local told us how lucky we were as the beach only appears for several hours of the daytime, usually from 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Our friend on the island said the beauty of Con Dao is so mysterious and special that visitors should to take time to discover and perceive it at different hours of a day and in different weather conditions.

Con Dao is renowned for not only its serenity but also historical sites.

Source: SGT

Rammed earth wall structure of the Pu Peo in Ha Giang

The earthen-wall house is typical of ethnic groups in the mountainous province of Ha Giang, including the Pu Peo. The Pu Peo believe that the success or failure of a family depends greatly on the land and the house they occupy.  

So choosing land and building a house is an important process that consists of several steps. It’s the custom of the Pu Peo to choose small valleys in deep forests to build houses, and form hamlets. 

The natural conditions are suitable for them to grow wet rice, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and keep bees for honey. To choose suitable land, the head of the family puts some grains of rice in a small hole and covers them with a bowl. 

After 3 days he lifts the bowl. If the grains remain there, it’s a good place to live. 

Lu Pa Sau is a Pu Peo man who lives in Dong Van district, Ha Giang province. He said, “We build the main pillar first, then the frame, then the earthen walls. We choose yellow soil because it makes the walls firm. Walls made from black soil are easy to break. The wall frame is made of bamboo strips. It takes us 15 days to finish building a house.”

Old Pu Peo people say that in the past they lived in wooden thatch houses like other tribes. But they had to chop down too many trees in the forests, which are the source of life. So they decided to build earthen houses with a grass roof. 

Luu San Van, a researcher of ethnic groups in Ha Giang province, noted, “A house usually has 3 rooms and 2 roofs made of grass. Now they sometimes use tiles. Some better-off families build 4 rooms. The right wing is the kitchen, which has a stove and a worship stove facing the sunrise direction. The kitchen is an important place in the house and they worship in the kitchen during the house-warming ceremony.”

The house’s foundation is made of stone. Van added, “We use clay because it’s smooth and firm. We mix it with small rocks to make walls. Earthen houses can last hundreds of years.”

It usually takes 7 strong men to build a house. 4 men gather clay. One smashes the clay to make it soft and smooth. And two men construct the walls. A house 5.5 meters tall should have walls 50 centimeters thick. If the house is taller, the walls should be thicker.

Van stressed, “We use 3 wooden plates to make a frame. After finishing the foundation, we put the frame on it and pour the clay mixture into the frame. The harder we ram down the clay, the stronger the wall. We rub the surface to keep rain water from leaking in.”

A house has one main door into the central room and 5 small windows above it. They add a garret for storing corn, rice, and dried meat. The garret serves as a sleeping room for guests.

Before moving into a new house, the Pu Peo worship their ancestors and genies of the forests, land, and kitchen. All preparations must be finished in the early morning. After that relatives and neighbors come to attend a house-warming ceremony. They bring to the party chickens, wine, pork, and money and pray for the family’s health, good luck, and prosperity.

Source: VOV5