Only businessmen can afford tickets for Tet flights

The national air carrier Vietnam Airlines has announced it plans to launch tens of thousands air tickets into the market. However, booking agents say they still have not seen the tickets.Earlier this month Vietnam Airlines announced that it will provide 11,000 more tickets for Tet flights in the first stage. However, booking agents have affirmed that no air route has seen additional flights.Nhung, the owner of a booking agent in...

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Six provinces and cities selected for national tourism years

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan agreed to organize the National Tourism Year in some locations from 2012 to 2017. Thua Thien - Hue will host the National Tourism Year 2012. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has chosen six provinces and cities to host the National Tourism Year, including Thua Thien – Hue in 2012, Hai Phong in 2013, Lam Dong in 2014,...

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Southern tourism triangle in the offing

HCMC has reached agreement with two other provinces to develop what will become a southern tourism triangle through a variety of joint product development and marketing projects from now to 2012. In the signing ceremony in the city’s coastal district of Can Gio late last week, the three parties – HCMC, Lam Dong and Binh Thuan – will initially link their key tourist destinations. They will also organize conferences along the way to call for investors to diversify tourism products while issuing joint marketing brochures...

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Soc Trang: traditional boat race attracts visitors

Hundreds of thousands of people flocked to the southern province of Soc Trang to witness the annual ghe ngo (Khmer boat) race on November 21. This is the traditional boat race that is held annually in Soc Trang during the Ooc Om Boc festival of the Khmer people in southern Vietnam. The event attracted nearly 2000 rowers from southern provinces, who competed in four categories: men’s 1200m and 800m and women’s 1000m and 600m. The race took...

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Soc Trang: traditional boat race attracts visitors

Hundreds of thousands of people flocked to the southern province of Soc Trang to witness the annual ghe ngo (Khmer boat) race on November 21. This is the traditional boat race that is held annually in Soc Trang during the Ooc Om Boc festival of the Khmer people in southern Vietnam. The event attracted nearly 2000 rowers from southern provinces, who competed in four categories: men’s 1200m and 800m and women’s 1000m and 600m. The race took...

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Tourist paths often cross in 'Hello again' Hanoi, Vietnam

ChinapostThese days it's hard to feel like an independent traveler on the road from Hanoi to Saigon.Anyone who tackles the around 1,145 kilometers from north to south, or in the other direction, will find themselves running into the same people at the pagodas, hostels, bars and restaurants recommended by the same leading travel guides.“Hello again” might easily be the motto of the trip, although fortunately the familiarity of the travel companions underway does not detract from the many things this part of Vietnam has to offer.Most tourists...

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Nhan Tower – witness of time

Nha Trang City is famous for its ancient Cham icon - Ba Tower that looks over Xom Bong Bridge, but Tuy Hoa City in Phu Yen Province is equally proud of its own piece of ancient Cham architecture on top of the legendary Nhan Mountain. Nhan Tower at nightime in Tuy Hoa City, Phu Yen Province. (Photo: SGT)...

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Vietnam emerges as one of the top travel destinations: survey

Vietnam has emerged as one of the top destinations for travelers from Thailand, Australia, Japan and Singapore, according to a recent survey compiled by Visa and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).Halong Bay, VietnamThe survey included 6,714 respondents from 13 countries and territories and showed that among all the future travelers who are most likely to visit Vietnam in the next two years, 17 percent are from Thailand. Meanwhile,...

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$2 bil casino to be built in border province

- The Lang Son International Joint stock Company Wednesday announced plans to build a 186-hectare casino “city” in Lang Son City in the northern mountains. The complex will have a 50,000 sq.m. international shopping center, three hotel blocks, 10 apartment and office blocks, 300 villas, an 18-hole golf course, and a casino, all built to five-star standards. The investor will first sell 240 semi-detached villas designed in European style. Already, 20 have been sold at VND4 billion-6 billion (US$204,000-306,000) each,...

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Quang Binh’s bird island

About 70 kilometers from Quang Binh Province’s Dong Hoi City, there is a deserted island called Chim (Bird) or Gio (Wind) Island that is home to many sea birds. Two different boat services are available from Dong Hoi City to the island. A four-hour boat leaves from Nhat Le-Dong Hoi seaport and there is a two-hour service from Canh Duong seaport in Quang Trach District. The sky above the rocky island is always full of birds that nest there. Standing on the highest rock, the view goes forever in every direction, just miles of...

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Cat Ba Island

The Spectacular Home of the Cat Ba Langur Cat Ba Island is situated in Ha Long Bay, 50 km to the east of Hai Phong City, in Northern Vietnam. It is the largest of 366 islands in the Cat Ba Archipelago, and has a surface area of about 140 square km. The Cat Ba Archipelago shares the distinctive rugged appearance and scenic beauty of the Ha Long Bay Area that was declared a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, in 1994. The area is one of the best...

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Vietnam travel - Top 10 destinations by boat

RuetersFor those who want to try a more adventurous holiday in 2011, but do not want to leave their home comforts behind, a cruise could provide the solution.Cruise Critic - a leading online source of cruise reviews and information - offers its top 10 destinations by boat. Reuters has not endorsed this list:1. AustraliaAustralia is a huge country and most of the popular tourist spots Down Under are hundreds of miles apart.However, you can avoid long coach tours, time-consuming drives and expensive internal flights, by sailing lazily along...

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New tour to Sa Pa terraced fields

The Sa Pa terraced fields in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai are expected to attract more tourists since a local tour company designed a new itinerary. Sa Pa's terraced fields. The tour will offer visitors the chance to absorb the poetic landscape and learn about the difference between terraced fields among different...

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Hunting for air tickets for Tet days

– Only 2.5 months left until the lunar new year, but people already rush to book air tickets now fearing they will run out soon. Anticipating the difficulties in booking air tickets for Tet, Duong Van Quang already decided to book his flight fromHCM City to Da Nang several days ago. However, he was told by the booking agent that no ticket was available for this route. Quang decided to book standby tickets, hoping that...

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Raising the bar

Tourist numbers are recovering but Vietnam’s hospitality sector must be fully prepared for the more choosy tourist created by the financial crisisThe performance of Vietnam’s hotels and resorts has begun to stabilise over the last few months as tourist arrivals increase and business visitors return. According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, total international arrivals in the first seven...

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Strange foods - why don’t you try?

Western culture considers that eating a dog is not good, but there will be no problem with other sorts of animals, as long as they are not called pets. However, for the vast majority of people on Earth, cultural values are very different. Some strange foods are considered a delicacy in some Asian cultures including China, Korea, Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar. Indeed, these food are very tasty and protein rich. May...

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Ha Giang Vietnam

Ha Giang is the province located in the North East of Vietnam, next to China. Ha Giang Vietnam is the home of many different hill tribe groups and Ha Giang is also the province which owns amazing natural landscapes in Vietnam. Ha Giang province in Vietnam has amazing, picturesque mountain ranges, rock plateau and spectacular river of Gam and Nho Que. Ha Giang in Vietnam is known for its harsh nature as major area of Ha Giang...

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Get Ready Adventures in Vietnam’s Best Eco Lodges

Renowned for hiking, highly qualified local guides, stunning backdrops and a rich cultural heritage, Vietnam’s northwestern highlands are a prime destination for travelers looking for an off-the-beaten-path adventure like no other. Making the region even more attractive are the spectacular eco-friendly accommodations built on a vision of community sustainability.Mai Chau Valley, VietnamMai Chau LodgeNestled in the stunningly beautiful mountainous...

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ACTIVETRAVEL ASIA joins Cartitas Switzerland in Project Officer Pro-Poor Tourism in Ha Giang, Viet Nam.

ACTIVETRAVEL ASIA takes part in the new Project Officer for the Pro-Poor Tourism (PPT) project named “Quan Ba District Integrated Community Development Project, Ha Giang province”Ha Giang, Viet NamCaritas Switzerland in Vietnam, together with the local authorities, aims to develop an alternative source of income for the local people with tourism. It will assist the village(r)s through capacity building and awareness raising to become conscientious...

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Tourism is to ride on the back of recovery

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) Hoang Tuan Anh last week reported that Vietnam in 2010 would receive more than five million foreign tourists and the number of local travellers would reach over 28 million. The industry expects to turn over VND85 trillion ($4.47 billion). The figure would also represent an annualised 76 per cent rise in the number of international visitors to Vietnam. Meanwhile, the World Tourism Organization forecast that world tourism would grow by only 5 to 10 per cent this...

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Picturesque lake attracts day trippers from Ha Noi

Relaxing: An young woman enjoys the poetic landscape at Tien Sa Lake. – The romantic name attracts a lot of visitors to Tien Sa (The Fairy Descends) Lake, located about 60km from Ha Noi at the base of Tan Vien Mountain in Ba Vi District. It's an ideal destination for a relaxing day...

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Thang Long royal citadel archaeological site closed

– As of November 3, the archaeological site at 18 Hoang Dieu, Hanoi, has been closed to preserve the relics. Since early October, when the site was opened for public on the occasion of Hanoi’s 1000th anniversary, it welcomed nearly 500,000 visitors. Nguyen Van Son, director of the Centre for Preservation of Co Loa and Hanoi Citadels, said that on average around 30,000 people a day visited the relic during the 10-day anniversary....

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Qatar Airways launches Hanoi-Doha route

All flights will transit in Bangkok, Thailand every Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. This is Qatar Airways’s second route from Doha to Vietnam. The first route to Ho Chi Minh City was launched in 2007. With Hanoi, Qatar Airways has increased its destinations in the Asia-Pacific region to 18. At present, Qatar Airways has a fleet of 90 planes flying to 94 destinations...

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Getting lost in Hanoi, Vietnam

October 31, 2010By Judy McEuenTravel Writer - Troy Media It is easy to feel overwhelmed and lost amidst the Hanoi’s bustling streets and the countless mopeds and bicycles moving around. But don’t get discouraged, even if you want to immediately hop on the nearest van and set off to the more tranquil and eerily beautiful Halong Bay. While not at first glance obvious, Hanoi has several attractions that are worth seeing and its charm will grow...

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Ha Noi comes alive in autumn

by Cong Thanh Peaceful: Hoan Kiem (Returned Sword) Lake is the most visited destination in Ha Noi. — VNA/VNS Photo Trong DatHa Noi will celebrate its 1,000th anniversary and 56th Liberation Day on October 10, making it an ideal time for tourists to explore the city. Sai Gon Tourist Company is offering typical tours to favourite destinations...

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Timeless M'lieng Village

– M’lieng village beside Lak Lake in Daklak Province is still the same as it was a hundred years. The old houses and paths make it one of the rare villages that preserves the highland’s tangible and intangible cultural values. The village children bathe in the stream. To get to the village from Buon Ma...

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Ho Chi Minh City's potential for tourism

World travelers agree that Vietnam has become a superb travel destination. Having overcome years of colonization and wars, it has arisen as a vibrant and exciting part of Southeast Asia . So as you plan for your journey, consider the beautiful city of Ho Chi Minh. Many still call it Saigon. Tourists refer to it as “the pearl of the orient.” “Energetic” would be another way to describe Ho Chi Minh City. When it comes to enjoying life, the Vietnamese...

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