Hue - Imperial City

Still remaining its form of City underMiddle Age and the constructions of monarchic, a invaluable museum of Vietnam, this is Imperial City - the last remaining section of 19th-century Hue, and it is now a modern experiment in recreating traditional Vietnam. The Imperial City was recognized as a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO on December 1993. Let’s take a trip through the most  important historical and cultural monument of Vietnam.

 

Dominating the skyline is the 37m (120ft) high Cot Co or Flag Tower, first erected in 1809. Cot Co achieved international renown on the morning of 31 January 1968, when communist forces seized the Citadel and ran their yellow-starred banner up its tall mast.

The lower part of the gate is stone, while on top is the "Belvedere of the Five Phoenixes" where the emperor appeared on important occasions, and where the last emperor abdicated to Ho Chi Minh's Revolutionary Government in 1945.

Just inside the gate is a lotus pond with a bridge once reserved for the emperor's private use. Across the bridge is the Thai Hoa Palace used for official receptions and other important court ceremonies. The columns supporting the roof are lacquered and inlaid with gold.

Thai Hoa Palace

 Behind the Thai Hoa Palace are a pair of smaller halls used by mandarins to prepare for court ceremonies. The halls form a courtyard, the fourth side of which was once a wall dividing the more public area of the citadel from the emperor's private residence, the "Forbidden Purple City." The name conjures up images of grand palaces like Beijing. Unfortunately, it takes quite a bit of imagination to picture the buildings that once occupied what is now a grassy expanse. What wasn't destroyed by a fire in 1947 was bombed in the 1968 Tet Offensive. The picture at above left was taken from the upper-most level looking back at the Thai Hoa palace and the Flag tower.

Off to one side of the central axis of the forbidden city, about midway, is the Thai Binh Lau or Royal Library. This small building stands in a garden and is fronted by small pond mostly taken up by a mountain-island well-grown with moss and bonsai. You will find similar ponds, fountains or even large bowls of water in many structures all over Vietnam.

Although you must enter the citadel through the main gate, you can exit it at several other points. Between the Thai Hoa palace and the halls of the mandarins, a path leads to the Hien Nhon gate (left). Leaving by this gate is the shortest route to get from the forbidden city to the museum at Long An palace. Along the path are a couple of buildings worth a look. 

A visit to Hue might be considered incomplete without a boat trip on the outstandingly lovely Perfume River. Boats are readily available for hire, either for an exploratory trip in the vicinity of Hue, or for a longer journey upstream to the tombs of Minh Mang and Gia Long.

Perfume River

It's hard to explain the uncanny beauty of the river, though doubtless the irridescent, aquamarine waters, together with the profusion of colourful craft and boat women sporting non la--the ubiquitous cream-coloured conical hat of Vietnam--all contribute to the effect. On a clear, sunny day the Perfume River can indeed be magical.

My Khe Beach - a beautiful beach in Da Nang

My Khe Beach is recognised as one of the most ideal beach of Da Nang City, international tourists came here for convalescence and relaxation...

 

Da Nang has a coastline of 30 kilometres long, famous for many beautiful seashores stretching from the north to the south such as My Khe, Nam O, Xuan Thieu, Thanh Binh, Tien Sa, Son Tra, Bac My An, Non Nuoc. They are calm seas with green water during four seasons, not being polluted with 60% salination and high safety. With 900 meters in length, My Khe Beach is the most crowded of Da Nang beaches and popular to local people.

My Khe Beach is located about 6km east of Da Nang and about 24km north of Hoi An. It is a nine-kilometre stretch of smooth sand with an average width between 50m and 70m. The gradient is gentle, and its sheltered position in the lee of the Son Tra peninsula softens the autumn winds that restrict swimming further down the coast.

It is an ideal and huge beach with smooth sand and a slight slope. Behind the beach is a dark green poplar forest, and beside, the Kinh River carries crystal water to the sea. The beach has coral, abundant plants and creatures along bankside and under sea. Especially, the beach is next to the city centre, in roads easy to come and by various means of transport. Sea water in My Khe is cool with little wave so you can bath all year's round, especialy in summer from May to August. The lack of large waves, less than average pollution, and an annual mean temperature around 25^oC, makes it a safe place to swim for adults and children alike.

The beach has hotels, pleasure-houses and various abundant services, creating favourable conditions for tourists to relax on the seashores. There are 50 well-equipped and comfortable bedrooms and lots of services in My Khe hotel. Many luxurious seaside villas with over 100 rooms are available for families. You can come here to play and rest at weekend. Around the hotel area, there is plenty of seafood restaurants and stalls, and large numbers of local vendors traverse the beach selling all kinds of foods and drinks. Coastal specialties like shrimps, crabs, fish, cuttles, etc. in hundreds of small shops are at reasonable price. They can be irritating sometimes – if they are too persistent, you should ignore the nuisance since that is the best strategy.

American soldiers occupied a part of the beach before 1975. They established some premises for their relaxation and recreations. With some enabling conditions such as being near the city’s center, large space, beautiful landscapes, and qualified services (hotels, restaurants, vehicles keeping site, fresh water bathing, sunshade and buoy lease), My Khe Beach is now convenient for developing kinds of services such as fishing, water-skiing, diving, yatch race and so on.

Moreover, the safeguard team of Da Nang seashore work from 5 a.m to 8 p.m every day to guarantee safety for visitors to bath and relax on the beach. There has been a steady increase in the number of tourists visiting the beach.

Han River suspension bridge was completed, it links the east to the west area, making transportation possible. As a result, My Khe Beach becomes an attractive resort, a really very good beach!

Do Son Beach, a worth-visiting place

If you are staying in Hai Phong Province, a visit to Do Son Beach is worthwhile. It is a great privilege of Haiphong to be given by nature the beautiful beach of Do Son.

 

Being is one of the well-known beaches in  the north of Vietnam, Do Son is a small peninsular formed by the stretch of Rong Mountain to the sea. Ranges of mountains and hills with forests of pine trees cover this lovely beach. In addition to that natural beauty, the human-made infrastructure here is admirable with restaurants, hotels, houses, roads and water supply as well as a perfect electricity supplying system. The zigzag roads along the mountains, and pine forests make the beach a rare beauty in the tropical region.

It is considered "a tourist resort", only 20 kilometres away from Hai Phong City and 123 kilometres from Hanoi capital. The sea resort town is composed of tree zones, each having bathing beaches, hills and forests. Around the hills are French-style constructions looking towards the sea. Since 1975, many large hotels and guest houses have been set up over the town and Do Son has become a weekend sea resort for Vietnamese and foreigners.

Immediately upon setting foot in Hai Phong, the French turned Do Son into a summer resort for their expatriate community and the Vietnamese upper class. On summer days, Do Son is alive with tourists from all over the world. They mainly come here to spend time on the beach, relax, and hike. From Do Son, tourists can conveniently sail to Cat Ba Island, to Ha Long Bay, to Dien Bien, Long Chau, and Hon Dat Island.

Ghenh Da Dia

With natural stones, strangely structured rocks, columns or obliques of frozen mineral flows, Ghenh Da Dia (Rapids of Stone Plates)is considered as a masterpiece of stone gifted by the nature.

 Located in An Ninh Dong Commune , Tuy An District, Phu Yen Province, Ghenh Da Dia is strangely structured rocks include large upright stones equally arranged in a star pattern. Being a riddle of nature, like a giant jigsaw, the rapids is irritatingly made of the same shaped pieces, and forms a solidified structure that has proved more than just a curiosity for thousands.

A strange geological phenomenon

Millions of years ago, during volcano eruption, mineral flows melting will be frozen when they encounter water and then the solid breaks into columns or obliques. That created the beautiful landscape of Ghenh Da Dia for the present time. Time over time, the landscape is rearranged as an artistic work by the hand of nature. Ghenh Da Dia is about 1km2 large, half in the sea and half above sea level.

Looking down on it, visitors often liken it to a gigantic beehive, others as a pile of stone plates. For despite a lengthy series of historical, archeological and scientific probes of the cliff’s square kilometer, its formation remains a mystery.

The stones in Ghenh Da Dia are bazan stones of dark black and light yellow. There exists large stones of tons and small stones with different shapes: round, pentagon, polygon and so on. The stones take the right column or a settlement close to each other like disks arranged on couples together. Even counting the stone columns has failed to yield an exact figure as exhausted researchers usually call a halt at around 35,000. The stones are 60-80cm in visible height and 20-30cm across and cluster round a small fresh water pond that is fed by underground rivers and never dries up.

and a wild beauty...

In Ghenh Da Dia, there only remains the unique scenery of the sea and stones, so everything is still primary, environment is so pure, air is fresh and comfortable.

Besides Ghenh Da Dia is Bang beach, with rocks “lie” quiet under the shadow of trees. This is quite ideal for relaxation, camping and extra activities. Ghenh Da Dia and the beach are closed with a famous tourist attraction which is "Hòn đá lực lượng" - a deep and wide grotto that saves the legendary people in a war period. In the war, our main force sheltered in the cave at night, waiting to the day to go on a sortie and dealt enemy thunderstruck blows.

Visiting Ghenh Da Dia, you have a chance to view many species of marine creatures, especially “Mứt” seaweed - a type of kelp which is salty and sticks to the stones, looking like a network.

Have been listed as a National Heritage Site by the Ministry of Culture and Information, Ghenh Da Dia is a potential tourist attraction to both domestic and foreign visitors. And a visit to the rapids, you will be certainly worth it...

Can wine ( Rượu cần)- A famous wine in the Tay Nguyen region

Rượu cần (Can wine) is typically drunk for special celebrations or ceremonies such as weddings, festivals, or harvest feasts. It is often drunk by in a nhà rông, a fire, or community house. People often dance and play music (in Tay Nguyen region) after drinking.

Can Wine (also called tube wine) is a fermented rice wine produced in Vietnam, in particular in mountainous areas like Tay Nguyen area.

How to make the wine?

It is made of cooked glutinous rice (nếp) mixed with some kinds of herbs in the local forests. The types and amount of herbs added differs according to ethnic group and area. This mixture is then put into a large earthenware jug, and allowed to ferment for at least one month. Can wine's strength is typically 15 to 25 percent alcohol by volume.

Simple available local materials are altogether fermented by wild herb in a pottery jar for day. Its taste is total different from rice alcohol or any kind of wine - so bitter or strong that may lead you dizziness. Its sweet taste would make you drunk  without any predictable consciousness.

When ís the wine served?

Can Wine (rượu cần) is typically drunk for special celebrations or ceremonies such as weddings, festivals, or harvest feasts. It is often drunk by in a nhà rông, a fire, or community house. People oftens dance and play music (in Tay Nguyen) after drinking. When you are invited to drink rượu cần by the locals, it means that you are seen as distinguished guest.

Long An's climate - average temperature is 27.4ºC

Long An is on tropical monsoon climate. The rain season lasts from May to October and the dry season lasts from November to April next year. Annual average temperature is 27.4ºC.

Located on the Mekong Delta, Long An is more than 50km from Ho Chi Minh city, the largest city of Viet Nam.

 Long An is divided into smaller areas by a complex network of rives and canals. Silt from Vam Co Dong and Vam Co Tay rives has raised the level of the field of Long An. and it maked a good condition for agriculture. Topographically, it is quite flat except some hills and mounds on the north. The western area belongs to the Plain of Reeds.

 Long An has tropical monsoon climate. The rain season lasts between May and October and the dry season lasts from November to April next year. Annual average temperature is 27.4ºC. Annual average rainfall is 1,620mm.

Travelers are attracted to Long An by value of Oc Eo culture that develops on the Mekong Delta from 1st BC to 6th century BC. Besides, Long An preserves valuable sites including House with Hundred Columns, Ton Thanh Pagoda, Rach Coc Fort. In Dong Thap Muoi Eco-tourist Site, visitors can discover many special flora and fauna and try typical dishes of the South.

Hoi An Old Town

The Old Town of Hoi An is comprised of narrow streets, brick alleys, and ancient structures that have been partially restored. At night the streets are dimly lit only by lantern, lending a warm, pleasant atmosphere as tourists stroll around. Numerous restaurants and cafes line the narrow Thu Bon River which overran its banks during a massive flood in 2009.

The Hoi An Old Town - a UNESCO World Heritage Site - is interesting enough just to stroll around. An archaic coupon system allows visitors to enter into five of the 18 museums, communal houses, temples, and other attractions such as the Tan Ky House. For around $5 you receive a coupon which grants access to your choice of five sites - some are small and not-so-interesting unless you have a Chinese background. It may be possible to visit extra sites with one coupon; many times no one is present to check for tickets!

• Read more about Southeast Asia's Ten UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Two legitimate ticketing offices for the Old Town exist. Buy your tickets either from the office on Hai Ba Trung Street or Hoang Dieu Street - both are at opposing ends of the Old Town.

• Read about the sites of Hoi An Old Town.
• 

Shopping in Hoi An

• Clothes: Aside from wandering the Old Town, shopping is the number one draw for tourists to Hoi An. The town is famous for custom clothing; numerous tailor shops make suits, shoes, and other fashion goods to order. The prices in tailor shops are very open to negotiation: read more about how to haggle prices in Southeast Asia.
• Lanterns: The thousands of colorful lanterns which make Hoi An so enjoyable at night are perfect gifts for people at home. Cross the footbridge to the peninsula and turn left to find a large cluster of lantern shops.
• Artwork: Both modern and tradition artwork is widely available around Hoi An. To really appreciate the number of galleries, cross the Japanese Bridge and stroll down Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street.
• Woodworking: The historic woodworking village of Kim Bong has been crafting fine wooden sculpture since the 16th century. Emperors, colonial masters, and Communist Party leaders have benefited from the town artisans' mastery of the woodworking craft. Today, you can visit the village (about 30 minutes' boat ride from the Old Town) and purchase the town's unique wooden sculptures and knick-knacks. Read more: Kim Bong Village.

A new outdoor market contains a chaotic mix of animals, produce, and cheap souvenirs. Known as the "New Market", walk on Bach Dang Street along the river to the eastern edge of town for shopping.

Eating and Drinking in Hoi An

Aside from a small number of wine bars and fine dining establishments, food in Hoi An is fairly simple. Most budget eateries have the same, tired menus however a handful excel with great vegetarian options. Restaurants along the river tend to be the cheapest; many have pleasant upstairs seating with a view. As usual, tasty Vietnamese pho is easy to find.

Give these delicious local specialties a try:

• Cao Lau: This Vietnamese noodle dish is only available in Hoi An as it reputedly has to be made by water from a local well. Nearly every restaurant advertises Cao Lau, however many interpret the dish differently. Expect narrow, firm noodles with a tasty broth, salad, and thinly-sliced pork. Read our article on Cao Lau noodles to find out more.
• White Rose: The name for this popular appetizer comes from the shape when presented properly. White Rose is a plate of inverted dumplings; the noodle is folded neatly below the ingredients - usually shrimp and pork - in the shape of a rose.
• Hoi An Pancakes: Delicious and filling, this appetizer is a kit! Expect to receive sheets of firm rice paper, salad greens, a bowl of water, and an egg omelet. With a little friendly instruction from the staff you will be folding tasty springroll-like pancakes to enjoy before a meal.
• Hoi An Beer: Popular with the backpacking crowd, a special blend of light beer brewed locally in Hoi An is available in many restaurants for only 25 cents a glass.

Getting to Hoi An

Hoi An is located near the coast between Nha Trang and Da Nang. If moving north from Nha Trang, plan on a long bus ride - around 11 hours - to reach Hoi An. Buses from Hue take around four hours to reach Hoi An.

The nearest airport and train station are both located within the urban sprawl of Da Nang - around one hour north of Hoi An by bus.

Dalat City

Dalat City

Area: 390.5 sq. kmPopulation: 197 thousand habitants (2007)Administrative divisions:-Wards:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 -Communes:Xuan Tho, Xuan Truong, Ta Nung, Tram HanhEthnic groups: M'nong, Ma, Co Ho...

Dalat, capital of Lam Dong Province, is located approximately 308km northeast of Ho Chi Minh City. At an elevation of 1,500m, Dalat bears the look of an Old French city. It was founded in 1897 when Doctor Alexandre Yersin recommended that the area be developed as a resort town. Dalat has many natural and artificial lakes such as Ho Xuan Huong, Than Tho, Da Thien, and Tuyen Lam bordered by lines of pine trees, which are a well-known feature of Dalat. A trip to Dalat is not complete until one goes to the Dalat Flower Gardens. Pine hills of Da Lat Cam Ly Waterfall The temperate climate of Dalat is suitable for flowers such as orchids, roses, lilies, and camellias. Nowadays, tourists not only limit themselves to Dalat; they also visit the area of Langbian Highland and the ethnic minorities. Langbian Mountain's highest peak at 2,165m is very tempting for climbers. From Lom Bieng Klo peak, one can see endless green mountains reflecting the silver rays of the sun. Many tours are organized in the area, including parachuting and climbing.

Khanh Hoa Province

Nha Trang City

Area: 251 sq. km Population: 362 thousand people (2008) Administrative division: - Wards: Vinh Hoa, Vinh Hai, Vinh Phuoc, Vinh Tho, Ngoc Hiep, Van Thang, Phuong Son, Xuong Huan, Van Thanh, Phuong Sai, Phuoc Tan, Phuoc Tien, Phuoc Hai, Phuoc Long, Loc Tho, Phuoc Hoa, Tan Lap, Vinh Nguyen, Vinh Truong. - Communes: Vinh Luong, Vinh Phuong, Vinh Ngoc, Vinh Thanh, Vinh Hiep, Vinh Trung, Vinh Thai, Phuoc Dong. Ethnic groups: Mainly the Viet (or Kinh).

The coastal city of Nha Trang in Khanh Hoa province, Central Vietnam, lies on the trans-Vietnam highway, 1,278km from Hanoi, and 448km from Ho Chi Minh City. Nha Trang is endowed by nature with deep, quiet and warm waters all the year round, surrounded by archipelagoes, islands, mountains and white sand beaches - a wonderful and attractive tourist resort. Nha Trang City Po Nagar Cham Tower To the north of Nha Trang stands the Chong mount which looks like a wide open hand over the sea. Far offshore, the Yen (Swallow) Island appears with lush green colours where salangane nests have been harvested for years to make the traditional "bird's nest" tonic and food. The 7km white sand beach of Nha Trang is often called Vietnam's Mediterranean Area, considered one of the jewel along Vietnam's long stretching coast line. Nha Trang is sunny all year round, with an average temperature of 23?C due to northern winds. The rainfall is less than anywhere else in the country and the area is not threatened by storms since it is protected by the Truong Son Mountains and Ca Pass. From Ca Pass, one can see Ro Bay (Vung Ro), Hon Do... Hon Tre Island is 36km? and belongs to a group of islands located southwest of Nha Trang. It takes two hours to reach Hon Tre Island by rowboat and only 20 minutes by ferry.Nha Trang benefits from topographical advantages of the sea, islands, mountains, and deltas. West of Nha Trang, there are endless mountain ranges where a wide variety of animals and birds live. Thap Ba Hot Spring Center Tam Island (Hon Tam) Nha Trang has many specialties. Especially, bird's nest soup, or swallow's nest soup is very famous in Nha Trang and round Vietnam. The magnificent coral seabed in Nha Trang makes it ideal for scubadiving and snorkeling.  Nha Trang Bay is recognised as one of 29 most beautiful bays in the world.

Danang City

Danang City

Area: 1,283.4 sq. km Population: 926 thousand habitants (2010) Administrative divisions:- Districs: Hai Chau, Thanh Khe, Son Tra, Ngu Hanh Son, Lien Chieu, Cam Le. - Rural districts: Hoa Vang, Hoang Sa. Ethnic groups: Viet (Kinh), Hoa, Co Tu, Tay...

Geography Danang City is located in middle of Central Vietnam, between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, separated from Laos by the western Truong Son Mountains. It is surrounded by Thua Thien-Hue along the northern border and Quang Nam on the southern border. It is embraced by the East Sea with 150km of seacoast.Topography is rather complex. The south is impressive Hai Van Pass with Mang Mountain 1,708m, Ba Na Mountain 1,487m. The east is Son Tra Peninsula, an ideal site of yellow sand beaches, historical remains, and rare bird and animal species. The south is Ngu Hanh Son (Marble Mountains). The seashore is Hoang Sa archipelago with a large fishery. Ba Na Resort Son Tra Peninsula Climate:Danang is located in the zone of typical tropical monsoon, temperate and equable climate. The city's weather bears the combination of the north and the south climate characters with the inclination to the former. There are two seasons: the wet from August to December and the dry season from January to July, cold waves are occasional but they are of average and short lasting. Average humidity is 83.4%. Average temperature is about 260C, the highest is 28-300C in June, July, August, the lowest is 18-230C in December, January, February. In Ba Na Mountain, the temperature is 200C. Average rainfall is 2,505mm per year that concentrates during October and November. Tourism Danang is an ancient land, closely related with the Sa Huynh cultural traditions. Many imposing, palaces, towers, temples, citadels and ramparts, the vestiges from 1st to 13th are still to be seen in Cham MuseumDanang has other various interesting attractions as Ba Na Tourist Resort, Ngu Hanh Son (Marble Mountains) as well as the Linh Ung Pagoda, Han River, and My An, Non Nuoc beaches, stretching on dozens of kilometers... My Khe Beach Champa Sculpture Art Museum Transportation Road: Danang is 108km from Hue, 130km from Quang Ngai, 763km from Hanoi, and 947km from Ho Chi Minh City. Air: The Danang International Airport is 2.5km south-west of the city center. There are domestic flights to some cities. There are direct flight from Bangkok, Hong Kong, Siem Riep, Taipei and Singapore to Danang City by Vietnam Airlines, PB Air, Siem Riep Air way, Far Transportasion and Sil Airway. Train:Thong Nhat Express train, which connects Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, stop in Danang. Water: There are marine routes to international and domestic ports. Tien Sa and Han River ports are located in a very wonderful position.