Quang Nam offers new eco-tours
Two new tourist destinations have opened in the central province of Quang Nam. The 60-ha Tra Nhieu community eco-tourism village in Duy Xuyen District’s Duy Vinh Commune produces traditional crafts like Ban Thach sedge mats and coconut leaf weavings.
The village retains the natural beauty of Viet Nam with 10ha of water coconut forest. During the tour to Tra Nhieu, visitors can learn cultural crafts, join traditional singing performances, and go fishing and sight-seeing on boats around the water-coconut forest. 
Bay Mau Coconut Plantation, some 3km from Hoi An, used to be a military base during the wars against the French and the US and is well-known for diverse flora and fauna. Bay Mau villagers take pride in their traditional crafts, building huts and making utensils using coconut leaves and trees. Visitors can observe Bay Mau artisans at work.
Tours launch for Ha Noi’s big event
Tourist agencies across the country are preparing tours for the milleninum anniversary of capital Ha Noi in October.
ViHOTO/William ettravel is offering four tours lasting from four to six days each, to Trang An, Hoa Lu, Ha Long Bay, Yen Tu Mountain, Tuan Chau Island, Sa Pa, and other tourist destinations in the north. Vietran Tour has designed three tours to the Temple of Literature, Ngoc Son Temple, Ha Noi Opera House and the Viet Nam History Museum.
Hapro Co has seven one-day tours for VND200,000 per person and two two-day tours for VND600,000 per person. These tours are focussed on Ha Noi’s culture and history, such as Ha Noi’s 36 Old Streets, land and people, journeys to craft pottery villages in the Red River region, and craft villages and culinary stops.
Hanoitourist focuses on famous destinations including Ha Long Bay, Cat Ba Island, Tam Coc-Bich Dong, Bat Trang Pottery Village, Hue and Hoi An.
Australia launches new tourist site
The official website of Tourism Australia, Australia.com, is now available in Vietnamese.
The Australia.com home page contains locally relevant content in Vietnamese, according to a press release issued by the Australian Embassy in Ha Noi. For the year ending on March 31, 2010, despite the global financial crisis and outbreaks of H1N1, Australia received more than 37,000 visitors from Viet Nam, an increase of 9 per cent from the previous year.
Hoi An nights get new perk
A night market has opened in Hoi An on the bank of the Hoai River and opposite the famous Chua Cau (Bridge Pagoda).
Stretching 300m along Nguyen Hoang Street, it has 40 shops selling handicrafts, porcelain, lanterns, and traditional foods of Quang Nam Province where Hoi An is situated.
It offers a new attraction for visitors to the city, especially foreign tourists.
White lions roar into HCM City
Two South African white lions, a female and a male, are on exhibit at HCM City Zoological Garden. The lions, named Mi Mi and Mi No, are between 18 and 19 months old and weigh 90-100kg. Found in South Africa and India, white lion males can reach up to 140-150kg when they grow up (around three years old), while females range from 110-120kg.
Hotel Majestic celebrates the big 85
To celebrate its 85th anniversary, Majestic Hotel last week opened the new Cyclo Restaurant and plans to reconstruct the Majestic Club and Spa which are expected to be completed later this year. In 2011, the new luxury will expand towards Nguyen Hue Street and will have 205 rooms and suites. In the first six months of this year, the hotel welcomed 14,451 guests, a year-on-year increase of 14.3 per cent.
VietNamNet/Viet Nam News
