Italian architects help preserve Hanoi’s old quarter

The Italian embassy in Vietnam and the Genoa Architects Association held a conference in Hanoi on June 3 to introduce Genoa’s experience in preserving its old city after it was recognised by UNESCO as World Heritage site.

The event, one of the activities to mark Italy Independence Day (June 2), said the Italian ambassador, Lorenzo Angeloni.

Architecture is one of the major issues of concern for the Italian embassy in Vietnam. The Genoa Architects Association and the Hanoi Architects Association have signed a cooperation agreement in the field.

Mirco Grassi, Head of the Genoa City Design Office said that Genoa has a population of 600,000 people living in an area of 30km2. The old city covering 3km2 was built in the 11th century with different lines of walls, narrow streets and some habours on the sea.

In the 13-14th centuries, the city was expanded to meet the demand for developing these habours.

Around 200 tall buildings were constructed in Genoa in 1900 to receive important guests to the city.

Today, 80 have been were selected for restoration and preservation and have also been recognised by UNESCO.

After restoration, some of the buildings will be inhabited and others have become cultural exhibition centres which attract a large number of tourists.

Giuliano Peirano, a representative from the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, said that Italian architects are always ready to help Hanoi preserve its old quarter.

He proposed that the Vietnamese capital should decide which constructions in the old quarter need to be preserved. Hanoi should also focus on new technologies and solutions for preservation. The preservation work should be implemented gradually so it will not interfere with the lives of the people living there.

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A quiet side of Hanoi

Hanoi is often seen by visitors as a bustling city but there is a more secluded and quiet side to it that not many people discover. Life is happening right here and right now in many dark small alleys in the Old Quarter, where serenity represents the quiet endurance of the local people living around the area.

This, in fact, has added a charm, one that is indispensable to make the 36 streets of Old Hanoi a beautiful and ancient place.

The narrow space and complicated daily-life routines found year round in lowly lit alleys are normal parts of the age-old and crowded city of Hanoi.

Time has turned street corners into a green mossy colour. It connects and bonds people together, but does not make the worries go away for the people who live in these alleys.

Below are a series of pictures that were captured from the many corners and alleys of Hanoi.

In the Old Quarter, alleys often become a playground for children.

Notice board used by the locals living in one alley.

Ten households are currently living in Alley No.47 on Hang Bac Street.

...living space is shared among different households.

...A recent fire has turned the residents lives upside down.

A rare corner where light is able to shine through is used to dry clothes.

A stylised entrance gate to one of the alleys.

Each alley has a communal area where daily living takes place.

Despite having to live with extremely narrow alleys, many people don't want to move as they have gotten used to it.

Every possible inch is used for something.

Natural lighting is hardly found in some alleys.

Some would like to settle somewhere else.

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

Chinapost

These 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 in Hanoi check into a hotel in the old part of the city where swarms of clattering mopeds roam the congested streets. Visitors allow themselves to be pedaled around in rickshaws and amid the chaos the odd chicken still manages to hop unscathed from one side of the narrow carriageway to the other.

Everyday tourism remains unaffected by Socialism, the only outward signs of which are the prominent red flag with the yellow star. Vietnam's national colors hang from almost every house, and not just in Hanoi either. Former Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh is also omnipresent. His embalmed body lies in state in a glass coffin at a mausoleum dedicated to his memory.

This grand example of Soviet-style monumental architecture is an essential stop on any Hanoi tour, just like Halong Bay. Getting there is straightforward, even if the only method on offer for tourists without a hire car is to board one of the numerous air-conditioned minibuses bound for the coast.

Halong Bay is one of the most photographed places in the whole of Vietnam and the images convey an accurate impression of a truly splendid coastal panorama. The limestone pinnacles rise up almost perpendicularly from the shimmering blue water. The bay can get crowded though. The harbor is packed tightly with the numerous tourist boats which ply the sights and the eye is offended by discarded pieces of rubbish bobbing on the waves.

The next stop on a classic Vietnam tour is the relaxing city of Hue. During a cruise on the Perfume river tourists glide past magnificent pagodas and tombs. The old fortified citadel with the Forbidden City was badly damaged during the 1968 Tet offensive by U.S. troops but still lives up to its status as a UNESCO world heritage site.

From Hue a bus goes to Hoi An, a shopper's heaven where it is possible to order made-to-measure versions of suits and outfits from the collections of world famous designers for a fraction of the usual cost. There are dozens of tailor shops here and some visitors bring along from home photos of garments they would like made.

Once the final stitches have been carefully applied it is time to head for Saigon. The city has a western feel to it with neon advertising hoardings, dubious-looking bars and rows of boutiques selling expensive clothes.

The prices are generally still lower than those in western Europe and many other parts of the world and so Saigon is ideal for those seeking some bargains before they board the plane for home.

In the Mekong Delta travelers can recover from the rush around the retailers on one of the river cruises which usually call in at a local coconut candy factory. Naturally guests have the chance here to buy some tasty souvenirs and say “hello again” to some of the old acquaintances they are certain to bump into.

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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 or weekend in the fresh air in a quiet atmosphere that's hard to find in the city.

There is much to see around this lake where, according to local legend, fairies once descended to earth to bathe. When they returned to heaven, one hurriedly followed them, leaving her scarf blowing in the wind. The scarf then turned into a white cloud above Tan Vien.

Due to the topographical and geologic conditions, the lake is clear all year round. The surrounding mountains and forests, along with the floating houses on the lake, create a dreamlike and idyllic landscape.

Monkey time: A monkey sits on a tree near Tien Sa Lake. The area has diverse flora and fauna.

The green forests covering part of the mountain and surrounding the lake have created a cool, pleasant and romantic atmosphere, said Banh Thanh Ban, head of the area's management board.

"Many young couples visit on the weekends where they relax and enjoy the quiet atmosphere together," Ban said.

The couples can explore the lake by boat, enjoy a leisurely walk around the hills or sit in the shade of a tree to read a book, he said.

In the summer, tourists enjoy bathing at Nhi Long Waterfall nearby or at the water park, which has three pools and nine water slides, as well as recreating facilities for tennis, football, volleyball and badminton. An amusement area includes electric cars and rides, and a resident troupe of monkeys.

Pham Hung Anh and his friends have come to the site many times to enjoy it at different seasons of the year.

"I prefer visiting the lake in summer," Anh said. "I can swim at the waterfall, which is dry in the winter. I can also check out the lake by boat and enjoy the cool air. After driving in the dust and heat, reaching the lake is a wonderful feeling."

Cool water: In summer, Nhi Long Waterfall creates a natural swimming pool. — File Photo

In winter, the weather is fairly cold, but tourists from Ha Noi still choose Tien Sa Lake for weekend getaways because they love the cosy atmosphere. Sauna and massage services are available featuring herbal remedies of Dao ethnic people, which help relax and refresh the muscles after a long day of climbing and trekking.

Folk dances

At night, visitors can enjoy folk dances and songs by the Muong ethnic people, or join in a bonfire and try such local specialities as baked maize and sweet potatoes.

In addition to the natural beauty, the tourism site features architecture built in a traditional style with rich detail and harmonised colours. A hotel with a red roof sits among green leaves beneath the blue sky, and the surrounding structures are given romantic names like Ngu Phuc (Five Good Fortunes) Gate, Thuan Thien (Following God's Order) Bridge, Lien Hoa (Lotus) House, Uyen Uong (Inseparable Couple) Pavilion, and Vien Son (Mountain's Garden)

"We intend to invest more and increase services to lure more tourists to stay longer," Ban said. "This is a wonderful place to rest. Tourists can live in harmony with nature and enjoy our entertainment services away from work and ordinary worries."

At 400m above sea level, the Tien Sa Lake tourism area has a total area of 150ha, including 120ha of forest and 20ha of water. The tourism site was developed in 2003 by the Cuong Thinh Company with a total investment of VND60 billion (US$3 million) over ten years.

Last year, the site attracted more than 90,000 visitors, according to the director's statistics.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News

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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 1000^th 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. After that, the site hosted 2000-3000 people a day.

Because of the mass number of people visiting the site, some works need repairs, Son said.

The archaeological site at 18 Hoang Dieu closed on November 3, but the royal citadel will still be opened for visitors until the end of 2010.

During the Hanoi’s 1000^th anniversary, visitors had a chance to see some of the relics which are preserved status quo at 18 Hoang Dieu and many outstanding archaeological objects.

UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee on August 1 recognized the Thang Long Royal Citadel as a World Heritage.

The citadel was recognized because of its three outstanding characteristics: the length of its cultural history, the continuity of the citadel as a center of power, and the variety of relics it contains.

Relics found in the center of the citadel show that it was influenced by many different cultures, theories, and systems of thought.

The center of the citadel embodies the enduring cultural tradition of the people of Vietnam’s Red River Delta, a tradition which has existed for 13 centuries

Restoration of the Royal Citadel began in 2006 when it was officially recognized as a special national relic.

PV

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Getting lost in Hanoi, Vietnam

October 31, 2010
By Judy McEuen
Travel 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 on you if you give it a chance. So, rather than escape the hubbub straight away, don’t be afraid to get lost in the city for a while: I guarantee you will enjoy what it has to offer.

Rich cultural heritage
Its modern developments may be completely devoid of beauty and allure but the charm of Hanoi’s rich cultural and historical heritage more than make up for it.

Check out the city’s Old Quarter and experience what it was like to live in the 13th century in this part of the world. Its narrow and winding roads were not simply ordinary thoroughfares; they are also representative of the social status of its residents. Merchants were grouped with merchants, carpenters with their fellow carpenters and sculptors with the other sculptors. Check out the street names and you will have a pretty good idea of the guild it was specially designated for.

Walk around the compact area and you will discover wonderful enclosed markets and ancient structures which now house charming cafes, boutiques and shops. Take a moment to notice how the shops are very narrow at the entrance but seem to go on and on in length. That is how merchants tried to escape taxes. But these shops are not just for show now: there is actually plenty of interesting and lovely merchandise for sale, from intricately designed jewellery to exquisite silk textiles to superb handicrafts among others.

Visit Ho Chi Minh
Walking south from the Old Quarter you will soon discover the laid-back calm of Hoan Kiem Lake which is right at the nucleus of the city centre. This is a perfect place to get your bearing while you enjoy the picturesque view of the placid waters and lakeside atmosphere.

For a bit of history, visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. His remains are encased in glass and are open to the public. Note that he is an esteemed and beloved hero so expect rigid security measures and a non-negotiable dress code. If you don’t care for mausoleums, you can just visit the nearby Ho Chi Min Museum.

Another popular attraction in Hanoi is the One Pillar Pagoda in the Ba Dinh District. It was built in honour of Emperor Ly Thai Tong. The pagoda is artistically built to resemble the shape of a lotus flower. Also a major historical and religious landmark in the city is the Temple of Literature. It has served disciples of Confucius for centuries and still continues to be a major pilgrimage site for believers. It dates back to the 11th century but it has retained its grandeur and splendour to this day.

The major attractions of Halong Bay, Sa Pa and Bac Ha are just hours away from Hanoi. So, you can easily be on your way after your short tour of the city

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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 Dat

Ha 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 in the north including the Ha Noi-Autumn season, Ancient citadels of Viet Nam, Sa Pa and Ha Long in Autumn.

Annually, the HCM City-based travel agency organises seasonal tours – Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter – to tourism sites throughout the northern provinces.

But this year, the Ha Noi-Autumn season is seen as the most attractive programme as it coincides with the city's millennium celebrations.

"We hope tourists will have more chances to witness numerous cultural festivities in Ha Noi during autumn. It's a special time," said a marketing staff of the company, Hoang Thuy Linh.

"The Ha Noi-Autumn programme has hosted around 12,000 tourists since early this year and hundreds of foreigners have flocked to the city this season," Linh added.

She also said the capital had lured tourists with the season of fruits, com (young sticky rice) flake and cool weather.

Autumn tour

Old style: Touring Ha Noi's Old Quarter by xich lo (a peddle-powered vehicle) is a relaxing way to spend the day during the autumn, a time that many Hanoians say is the most beautiful season of the year. — VNA/VNS Photo Anh Tuan

The travel agency began preparing the tour last year to meet the increasing demand to visit Ha Noi.

The four days and three nights tour will depart from HCM City and wind through the Trang An tourism site in Ninh Binh Province, Ha Noi and Ha Long Bay.

It costs VND4.2 million (US$215) per person.

After arriving in the capital, tourists will visit the four historic temples of Bach Ma (White Horse); Linh Lang, or Voi Phuc (Crouching Elephant); Tran Vu and Kim Lien – the homes of the four gods of the former royal capital – before touring part of the Royal Thang Long Citadel and the Temple of Literature.

A pedestrian route from the Quan Chuong Gate and exploring the city's Old Quarter will close the first tour day.

"Tourists will go shopping at the biggest whole sale market of Dong Xuan in the middle of the Old Quarter, which is a symbol of the ancient capital," said head of the agency's Ha Noi office Nguyet Nga.

The centre of Ha Noi will be the main visit for the tour second day with a visit to sites around Hoan Kiem (Returned Sword) Lake such as Ngoc Son Temple and turtle tower.

"The lake is also the heart of Ha Noi and visitors can experience a quiet moment as they walk around the lake and see the trees in the autumn.

The most visited places during the day are buildings dating back to the French colonial times including 1902-built Long Bien Bridge; the Opera House built in 1911 and 1931-constructed Museum of Vietnamese history.

The existence of buildings provides real samples of the capital's varied history.

Travellers can ask tour guides to take them to the night market, which opens at 7pm and closes at midnight in Hang Ngang and Hang Dao streets, which were the former silk trading centre of ancient town.

The third day will start with a two-hour visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and One Pillar Pagoda before going to Ha Long Bay – the World Natural Heritage Site.

Ancient capitals

The seasonal programme also includes the vestiges of ancient imperial cities in a trip to the ancient capitals.

According Sai Gon Tourist's marketing section, Doan Thi Thanh Tra, the tour offers visits to the former capitals of Hue, Hoa Lu in Ninh Binh, Co Loa and the UNESCO recognised Thang Long Royal citadel in Ha Noi.

"We have intentionally arranged destinations in a combined tour, to help tourists gain a deeper understanding of Vietnamese history," Tra explained.

"The destinations are quite well-known to Vietnamese people, but we link a string of citadels that were built from the country's foundation to the current capital."

Arriving in Ha Noi on the morning flight, tourists will take a visit to Co Loa spiral Citadel, which was built in the third century BC.

From Thang Long Royal Citadel in Ha Noi, visitors will return to country's former capital of Hoa Lu in Ninh Binh Province – 100km south of Ha Noi – in 968-1010.

"Hoa Lu was a capital nearly half century before it was moved to Ha Noi by King Ly Thai To. The route will provide a real historical story of the former capital at Hoa Lu and Ha Noi today," Tra explained.

The former imperial capital of Hue will be the last place visited on the fourth day.

A night cruise on the Huong River with folk music will help people relax prior to their departure for peaceful mind for HCM City.

Visit www.saigontourist.net for more information. — VNS

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Vietnam joins ranks of Asia’s finest hotels and resorts

Conde Nast Traveler, a renowned luxury travel magazine, has placed five Vietnamese hotels and resorts atop its list of Readers’ Choice Awards.

Vietnamese resorts that made the top 20 list for best resorts in Asia included, Life Heritage Resort-Hoi An, The Nam Hai, and Evason Ana Mandara & Six Senses Spa.

The Sofitel Legend Metropole-Hanoi and the Park Hyatt-Saigon, each won top spots in the survey of the 100 top hotels in Asia.

While readers lodged three Vietnam resorts onto the list, they also sung the praises of five resorts from Bali and five resorts from Thailand.

Hotel Metropole Hanoi

“Both Bali and Thailand have tremendous reputations as resort destinations,” said John Blanco, the new general manager at The Nam Hai. “So, for Vietnam to make this kind of impression on readers of such a distinguished travel magazine is indeed remarkable.”

The Readers’ Choice Awards polled 25,916 responses from readers who rated resorts and hotels across these five categories: food/dining, location, overall design, rooms and service. Resort ratings were also based on activities/facilities.

According to Conde Nast, only candidates that received a required minimum number of responses were deemed eligible for an award.

None of Vietnam’s islands made the Readers’ Choice Awards. Bali and Phuket were among the top three island destinations in Asia, which makes Vietnam’s resort standings all the more impressive.

Similarly, Vietnam’s top cities failed to make the top-ten cut. Bangkok and Chiang Mai came in at number 1 and 2, while Bali’s Ubud ranked fifth.

Source: Vietnam joins ranks of Asia’s finest hotels and resorts

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101 reasons to love living in Hanoi

In 2001, Mark Rapoport and his family left New York to settle in Hanoi. The long-time expat and his Vietnamese partner run 54 Traditions, a gallery that sells handicrafts produced by ethnic minorities from all over the country. Almost every year, Rapaport’s two sons visit their parents and travel throughout the city.

Sword lake, Hanoi

“Over the last nine years, my wife, Alison, and I (with some help from our two children Robert and Jane Hughes) have put together a list of 101 reasons why we love living in Hanoi,” Rapaport said. “We presented it as a book, entitled 101 reasons to love living in Hanoi, which we published last July to celebrate the 1,000th year anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi.”

Thanh Nien Weekly has selected our favorite items from the list.

1. The people – the hardest-working, least-complaining, most optimistic folks anywhere.

2. The city – an extremely safe place, where foreign teenagers can go walking and make their own adventures, without their parents getting (more) gray hairs worrying about them.

3. The lakes – Hanoi is a city of lakes, dozens of them, many surrounded by parks and walks.

4. Our indoor gecko lizards, skittering across walls and ceilings. It takes a little getting used to (especially when they croak at night), but they do keep the house almost insect-free. Kinda like a good “mouser” cat.

5. Early morning flower parades. If you can manage to get yourself up before 6 a.m. (it cannot be that hard; everyone else in Vietnam seems to be able to do it), you can see dozens of flower-sellers. These women (in simple clothes, bandanas and conical hats) ride into town on their bicycles, ready for market.

Morning flowers

6. Men as active parents. Nowhere have I seen so many fathers taking care of their kids (without any complaining) as I do here. And this applies to their daughters as well as their sons!

7. “The Yelling at Your Kid” Test. This assesses frequency of parents yelling at their kids. The total I see in a week is about the same as I would see in Manhattan in an hour.

8. “The Your-Kickstand-is-Down” Test. This measures the amount of time an obviously foreign person can ride in the street after having forgotten to retract his/her motorbike kickstand before a total stranger shouts, points or honks to alert the cyclist to his/her potential risk. In Vietnam, it is about 19 seconds, an excellent score.

9. Our neighborhood People’s Committee security post – at the end of the lane, staffed by two older folks who wave every time we pass. They absolutely will not let you take their picture – unless the portrait of Uncle Ho is in the center of the photo.

10. The street cleaners of Hanoi. Virtually all women, in Day-Glo vests, wheeling small dumpsters all around their assigned bailiwick while ringing a bell to signal people to bring out their trash. They are part of what makes Hanoi much cleaner than many cities in the developing world and more than a few in the developed world.

11. The airport road – a wide road through rice paddies but passing new industrial parks. Not manicured or “gussied up”, it is both a gateway and an honest introduction to the country.

12. The Vietnamese Museum of Ethnology – a little like the anthropology part of The American Museum of Natural History in New York, USA. Great museum for exhibits on the 54 “ethnic groups” of Vietnam. In 2002, the Discovery Room for kids was re-done with 200 objects that we donated from our collection.

13. The Thirty-six Streets – the oldest part of the old city of Hanoi, with no new or tall construction, by dint of government decree. Each street named after the craft that was (and in some cases still is) practiced there.

14. Eating out – nowhere else can you eat at the top national restaurants (with white-glove service from traditionally dressed men and women) for so little money.

15. The Water Puppet Theater – a unique, funky northern Vietnamese folk entertainment – for at least the last 500 years one hundred different puppets, in a few dozen folk tales, gliding over a pool of water, guided by hidden (and sodden) puppeteers, moving to the beat of a raucous live orchestra.

16. Hanoi traffic – like no other place in the world. Guaranteed to make every daily commute worthy of inclusion in “French Connection 3” or the theme for a hair-raising video game. As far as I can tell, the speed limit is the only law that many drivers DO choose to follow.

17. Local painting galleries-there are many really talented artists in Hanoi who do paintings of every size - from wall-size to postcard-size. They portray life in Hanoi and in the countryside and mountains as they see it. Or else a copy of your favorite Old Master. Great to browse.

18. The quintessential mixed-income neighborhood pattern. Since the land under you is believed to have a lot to do with how lucky you are, financially successful people do not move to a “better” neighborhood the moment they make some money. Rather, they build up (and up) and fancy up their traditional house on their traditional street. The juxtaposition of pastel “Victorian follies” and centuries-old hovels is startling and also revealing.

19. Birdcages - the birds are nothing to write home about, but the cages themselves come in an extraordinary range of materials and styles; most notable are those in the shape of pagodas, made for female birds. Many of them are truly elegant items. No bird necessary.

20. The new four-kilometer-long mosaic mural installed along the Yen Phu dam-road in honor of 1,000th anniversary of Hanoi. A variety of styles, artists, themes, and techniques - but together saying that Hanoi is proud of its first 1,000 years, and Hanoi will be just as proud of its next 1,000 years.

Recommendation:

101 Reasons to Love Living in Hanoi is presented in both English and Vietnamese.( Price: US$5 )

Available at:
- 54 Traditions Gallery, 30 Hang Bun St.
- Bookworm, 44 Chau Long St.

All proceeds go to Operation Smile and other children’s charities in Vietnam.

Source: TNs

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Travel firms offer Hanoi-discovery tours

Hanoi’s tourism companies have launched many tours to discover Hanoi’s culture on the occasion of the capital city’s 1000^th anniversary.

The Dong Xuan JS Company introduces five tours to the Old Quarter on tramcars. Tourists will discover relics inside craft houses and artisans, learn about the spiritual culture of Hanoians at Buddhist temples, sample the famous cuisine of Hanoi and shop at Dong Xuan market.

The most special tour among these is a tour through 19 old streets. Tourists are allowed to choose three sites from the below list to stop over for 30 minutes each: 48 Hang Ngang, Dong Xuan market, Huyen Thuyen pagoda, Bach Ma temple, O Quan Chuong gate, old house at 87 Ma May, the Great Church, King Le Thai To statue, King Ly Cong Uan statue and Ngoc Son temple.

Vietran Tour offers “Hunting Ly Dynasty’s Secrets” which allows tourists to discover the history of Thang Long-Hanoi and a special tour to some martial arts clubs in Hanoi. Tourists will watch a Binh Dinh Gia martial arts show at the Tram pagoda, Vo Dang Thai Cuc Chinh Tong martial arts at Phap Van pagoda and Shaolin martial arts at Bao Long club.

“1000-year journey of Thang Long – Dong Do – Hanoi” is a collection of tours designed by Vietravel, including four tours: Hanoi – Ha Long – Trang An – old capital Hoa Lu (4 days); Hanoi – Yen Tu – Ha Long – Ninh Binh (4 days); Hanoi – Phu Tho – Ninh Binh – Ha Long (6 days), Hanoi – Yen Tu – Ha Long – Sapa (6 days).

Joining these tours, tourists will visit historical and cultural relics in these provinces and cities and participate in activities to celebrate Hanoi’s 1000^th anniversary.

pv

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Thang Long royal citadel opens for visitors

VietNamNet Bridge – Eight years since it was excavated, the royal citadel opened to the public the first time on October 2 at 18 Hoang Dieu, Hanoi.

The opening ceremony took place with a welcome speech by Do Hoai Nam, Director of the Vietnam Institute for Social Sciences. According to Nam, visitors would see outstanding parts of the Thang Long Royal Citadel and evidence of 1000 years as Vietnam’s capital city, through the dynasties of Dai La, Dinh, Le, Ly, Tran, Mac, Nguyen to the Ho Chi Minh age.

Tong Trung Tin, Director of the Vietnam Institute for Archaeology, explained that the organizing board chose more than 150 outstanding items to introduce. “Visitors will see layers of culture through vestiges of foundations, roads, wells, ponds, etc. All are typical examples that make the citadel a world cultural heritage site,” Tin stated.

However, Tin worried that large numbers of visitors may harm this site. “I recommend visitors to follow instructions to protect the relics. This is also a request of the World Heritage Committee,” he added.

Eight zones opened for public inside the Thang Long Royal Citadel:

1. Flagpole: A relic built in the Nguyen Dynasty in 1804.
2. Doan Mon: The major gate to the citadel, built in the Le Dynasty (15^th century).
3. Hau Lau: Built in the early 20^th century, this was home for the imperial maids.
4. The grounds of Kinh Thien palace where the Le kings held audiences. This palace was built on the ground of the Can Nguyen Palace of the Ly Dynasty and Thien An palace of the Ly and Tran eras.
5. Bac Mon: The northern gate of the Hanoi citadel in the Nguyen dynasty.
6. House D67 and trench D67, both built in 1967 as offices for General Vo Nguyen Giap and General Van Tien Dung.
7. The exhibition room with 150 outstanding items excavated in the Thang Long Royal Citadel and photos and mock-ups of the citadel.
8. House N32 exhibits more than 700 objects excavated in the Thang Long Royal citadel, including construction materials, reliefs, and daily instruments from the Dai La to Ly, Tran, Le dynasties.

The citadel will open until November 2, from 8am to 12pm and 1pm to 5pm. The 18 Hoang Dieu relic will open form October 2 to 11 and October 14 to November 2. From October 24 to November 2, the relic will open only on Wednesday and Sunday. The relic will close as of November 3 for preservation and research.

Hanoi’s 1000-year history at Thang Long citadel’s grounds:

Ancient wells.

Ancient tiles.

Ancient wate pipes.

PV

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Hanoi hotels during celebrations: fully-booked or no?

VietNamNet Bridge – During its 1000^th anniversary, Hanoi will receive an estimated 800,000 domestic and international travelers. Some hotels in the capital city claim that there will be vacancies, others warn it will be difficult to find a room during the festivities.

Some hotel representatives pointed out that it’s the low season for tourism in the city and that, in the last few years, the number of clients has decreased considerably. Therefore, hotels have improved their ‘faces’ to prepare for great numbers of travelers during the celebration, including new wifi systems, free tourist maps, and updated room designs.

A Hoa Binh Hotel staff member commented that it is very difficult to guess how many travelers will come, but he does not think hotel rooms will be lacking. “We still have a lot of rooms,” he admitted.

A Melia Hotel representative some days ago met with officials from the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) and Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism on preparing rooms. “We affirmed that the hotel will not lack rooms for the occasion,” he claimed.

According to Doan Thi Thanh Tra, Head of the Marketing Division of Saigontourist, it is really difficult to book hotel rooms now. The travel firm has travelers who book tours late, just several days before the great festival. The solution has been to open tours to Ninh Binh and other areas to avoid “overloading” Hanoi.

“We have nearly 3000 international and domestic travelers, including 640 foreign travelers. They booked tours a long time ago, so we are not worried about room shortages,” Tra noted.

Duong Mai Lan, a senior executive of Vietravel Hanoi, maintained: “Though the great anniversary attracts a large number of travelers, we have not met any difficulties in booking hotel rooms and necessary services for travelers.”

“To date, 270 clients have booked tours with the firm so far. Everything is ready to provide travelers with the most attractive trips to Hanoi,” Lan maintained.

According to some travel firms, tourists will be affected because vehicles are banned on some routes. For example, people who want to visit President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum must walk a long distance, because of the ban in the area.

Meanwhile, tourists in the Old Quarter will also have to walk. The vehicle ban may also cause difficulties for people in traffic, causing congestion and affecting scheduled excursions.

The Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has forecast that the capital city will receive 700,000 - 800,000 tourists. Therefore, travel firms have not only designed tours in Hanoi, but also to neighbouring areas like Phu Tho, Ninh Binh, Bac Ninh, Ha Long Bay, as well as Sapa. The tours are believed to help Hanoi avoid overcrowding and also create favourable conditions for travelers to visit beautiful the region’s most famous landscapes and tourist sites.

Source: Dan tri

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Ha Noi invests in developing trade villages

VietNamNet Bridge – Ha Noi will focus on training management skills and professionalism, constructing infrastructure, improving the environment and co-ordinating with tourism agencies to preserve and develop trade villages, Dao Thu Vinh, Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade, said.

A tourist visits a shop specialising in cushions made from seagrass at Thuan Viet trade village in An Phu Commune, Cu Chi District, HCM City. The Government will help trade villages across the country to improve their businesses. (Photo: VNS)

"Besides renovating temples, pagodas and amusement parks, trade villages will develop traditional products which have great cultural and economic value," said Vinh.

Villagers will be taught about business management, marketing and product packaging to improve sales.

According to the Ha Noi Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, it is providing vocational training for 5,000 labourers in rural areas and trade villages.

Developing trade villages in groups will also be a focus, Vinh said. Hoai Duc, the processing agricultural group, proves the model is a success. Tapioca processing enterprises throughout Duong Lieu, Cat Que and Minh Khai communes bring an annual production value of VND211.5 billion (US$10.8 million) and provide jobs for 15,650 labourers.

Statistics show that each labourer makes an average of VND13.5 million ($692) per year, improving living conditions in rural areas. The proportion of poor households in trade villages stands at only 3.7 per cent, much lower than the national average of 10.4 per cent.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Ho Xuan Hung recognised the great contribution of trade villages in the economic and social development of the city. On average, the villages attract more than 600,000 labourers, making VND7,650 billion ($392 million) per year. The money accounts for 26 per cent of the city’s non-state industrial production and 8.4 per cent of industrial production.

Trade villages have a 15 per cent annual development rate, 5 per cent higher than in 2000, and contribute VND19.5 billion ($1 billion) to national export turnover each year, said Hung.

There are 1,350 trade villages within the city and out of the 224 traditional villages, 54 are more than 100 years old.

But a study by Ha Noi University of Culture shows that few trade villagers are considered appealing to visitors and that, in fact, numbers have even started to decline.

The study found that some, including Chuong My village (rattan and bamboo), Quat Dong (embroidery), and Ha Thai (lacquerwork) are rarely visited by tourists despite being promoted for several years.

Artisan Nguyen Huu Chinh from Van Phuc silk village in Ha Dong town said that villagers did not have essential knowledge about marketing, welcoming visitors or how to produce low-price products to meet their demands.

Falling numbers

The study found that tourism agencies had difficulty in introducing trade village tours to tourists.

Luong Xuan Hong, manager of A Chau Tourism Agency on Ma May Street, said that about 35 per cent of its customers once booked tours to Ha Noi trade villages, but the number had fallen in the past two years.

"Around Ha Noi, tourists want to see the Old Quarter or places of natural beauty, such as the Huong pagoda," he said. "They consider that the trade villages are not attractive enough."

"There’s no need to go to villages because we can buy those products anywhere, in the Old Quarter, for example," said Adrian Brookes, an English tourist. "We have little time to spend and visits to trade village are time-consuming and offer few services."

The Ha Noi Department of Tourism analysis shows that the more creative the villagers, the more attractive they are to visitors.

Van Phuc creates made-to-measure clothing. The village delights tourists with high-quality dresses and hand-made clothing.

The renowned Bat Trang pottery village uses buffalo carriages to take visitors around the kilns, showrooms and local temples and pagodas. They even encourage tourists to make their own pottery - and paint it.

"Visitors are happy taking home products they make with their own hands," said one villager.

Bat Trang welcomes hundreds of visitors during the tourist season.

Vinh is adamant that, properly managed, the potential of traditional trade villages is enormous.

"If we could organise tours professionally, Ha Noi would not only receive economic and cultural profits, but also help keep alive its 1,000-year-old heritage," she said.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News

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Without the Old Quarter, visitors would not linger

VietNamNet Bridge – “One of Hanoi’s attractions is its old streets, not its high-rise buildings. Without the Old Quarter, foreign visitors would not stay in Hanoi more than one day because they have nothing to see. The Old Quarter makes Hanoi different from other cities,” remarked an Italian diplomat.

At a seminar on how to preserve Hanoi’s Old Quarter on September 10, Cesara Bieller from the Italian Embassy in Hanoi shared that he was very sad whenever he returned to Hanoi and saw old buildings had been ruined. If Hanoians don’t preserve these ancient houses, the city will have to build ancient-style houses in the next 20 years in the suburbs.

Dao Ngoc Nghiem, former director of Hanoi Department of Planning and Architecture, observed that 15 countries were willing to help Hanoi’s Old Quarter, but it seemed that Hanoi authorities and the people had neglected these expressions of goodwill.

After many years, only four out of 200 old houses in Hanoi have been restored with State and foreign assistance, including houses at 38 Hang Dao, 51 Hang Bac, 87 Ma May and 28 Hang Buom. These houses have become attractive destinations.

Many houses in the Old Quarter are disappearing because of repairs by owners. Nguyen Thi Hanh, who lives at 116 Hang Gai street, noted that many well-educated residents have moved to other places or lease their homes for others to do business. The new residents don’t have an awareness of preserving old houses. Some even tore down the old houses to build modern hotels.

Hanoi Old Quarter management board has issued regulations on architecture in case residents want to repair their houses.

PV

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Vietnam’s four hotels and resorts listed as most ideal destinations

Four of hotels and resorts in Vietnam have been chosen as the most ideal destinations in 2010 in the sixth annual poll of the online travel magazine Smart Travel Asia.

Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi

Accordingly, the Nam Hai, Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, Sofitel Palace Da Lat and Princess d’Annam are among the 25 leading hotels and resorts.

The Nam Hai and Metropole Hanoi have been on the list earlier while it is the first time for the two remainings.

The poll attracted participation of over one million online readers this year. The voters are frequent travelers with annual average income of US$165,000, according to the website

www.SmartTravelAsia.com.

About 60 percent of them are from Asian, 20 percent from Europe and 20 percent from North America.

Source: Saigon giai phong

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