Hanoi, Hoi An among Asian top ten best destinations

Hanoi and Hoi An's Old Town are rated among the top ten best destinations in Asia for 2011, according to an online poll conducted by Smart Travel Asia magazine. Hanoi is ranked sixth, while Hoi An in Quang Nam Province was jointly rated seventh, according to votes by millions of voters in the poll organised by the magazine which is regarded as a leading authority on the regional travel industry. The Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi and the Nam Hai in Hoi An shared top billing as Asia's best leisure properties for 2011. The destination shortlist was compiled by travel journalists. Hanoi Hue Da Nang | Da Nang Hoi An | Hoi An Hue | Du Lich Hue | Du Lich Hoi An | Du Lich Da Nang | Du Lich Sapa | Du Lich Da Lat | Du Lich Phu Quoc | Du Lich Lao | Du Lich Cambodia | Du Lich Thai Lan |Du Lich Singapore | Du Lich Malaysia | Du Lich Trung Quoc
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Co To offers pristine beach getaway for weary tourists

If you are tired of crowded beaches like Do Son in Hai Phong city or Sam Son in Thanh Hoa province, the beaches of Co To Island may offer you an ideal destination for your holidays. Co To Island Co To, one of the farthest inhabited islands from the mainland, is over 100km from Ha Long city in the northern province of Quang Ninh. Still far off the beaten tourist path, the island retains its natural beauty. A 1.5-hour journey on high-speed boat will bring you there. On the northeast of the island is Hong Van. It's hard to put into words. White sandbanks stretch away to the horizon. Coral reefs are easily to be seen in the limpid water. With an islet nearby blocking winds from the sea, the water is as calm as a clear pond. Tourists visit this expansive beach to swim as well as to see locals catching oysters. Van Chai Beach on the west of the island, appeals' to visitors with rocks of different shapes at either end of the beach. The middle of the beach is flat, the sand clean and smooth, and it offers the best place on the island to watch the sunset. To get another panorama of Co To Island, visitors should go to a lighthouse built in the 19th centur, from which one could see nearby Little Co To and Thanh Lan islands. At the centre of town, standsthe statue of President Ho Chi Minh built in 1968 to commemorate the day he visited the island. This is the only place the late president gave permission to erect a statue of himself while he was alive. A temple was built in 2005 on the occasion of his 115th birthday and to mark the 50th anniversary of his visit, and the site was recognised as a national historical and cultural vestige by the culture ministry. Some tourists visit the site and light incense to the late president when they first set foot on the island. Co To Island is one of the best choices for a getaway from noisy and crowded city life, suited to people looking to enjoy a holiday swimming, taking photographs, walking along the beach, cooking a beach BBQ and singing karaoke with friends. Spending three days on the island, Vu Thu Ha of Hanoi said it was a place worth visiting but the site could be promoted better. "It's a paradise for backpackers but tough for people who want to relax in comfort," she said. "They need to develop infrastructure here such as hotels and entertainment areas. I know that natural beauty is good, but most tourists want hotels with modern conveniences." Island resident Nguyen Khanh Linh said tourism on Co To has developed over the past two years. "Co To received hundreds of visitors over the summer, especially during the busiest times – national holidays and weekends," he said. "In 2010, there were only two guesthouses on the island and most of the tourists had to stay in local people's houses. This year, five new guesthouses have been opened to better meet the demands of tourists." Hue Da Nang | Da Nang Hoi An | Hoi An Hue | Du Lich Hue | Du Lich Hoi An | Du Lich Da Nang | Du Lich Sapa | Du Lich Da Lat | Du Lich Phu Quoc | Du Lich Lao | Du Lich Cambodia | Du Lich Thai Lan |Du Lich Singapore | Du Lich Malaysia | Du Lich Trung Quoc
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Khát vọng cùng nghề vươn xa

Cái nắng chói chang lẫn những cơn mưa bay lãng đãng bao phủ kinh thành Huế vào dịp lễ hội Festival vẫn còn hừng hực trên đất Thần kinh cổ kính. Thả mắt ngắm nhìn sông Hương huyền thoại, anh Trần Quang Hào - Giám đốc Huetourist chân tình trao đổi cùng phóng viên tạp chí Du lịch & Giải trí! Khiêm tốn và nhỏ nhẹ, Hào kể cho tôi nghe về cái nghiệp làm du lịch mà anh đã có hơn 13 gắn bó. Tốt nghiệp chuyên ngành ngoại ngữ, Hào bắt đầu đến với nghề bằng công việc của một hướng dẫn viên cho các du khách quốc tế. Có làm việc với người nước ngoài, Hào thường chợt "ớ" ra vì luôn gặp phải những câu hỏi rất bình thường nhưng vô cùng hóc hiểm của họ về văn hóa lịch sử và kiến trúc xưa của Huế. Nỗi ấm ức "ú ớ" ấy được anh biến thành quyết tâm học, học từ thực tế đến lí thuyết chuyên môn, học càng nhiều càng tốt. Nghĩ và làm, Hào quyết tâm trui rèn bản thân bằng cách lăn xả tìm tư liệu trong các thư viện và gặp các nhà văn hóa Huế để học hỏi. Với khối kiến thức được tích lũy ngay từ thời ngồi trên giảng đường cùng sự cần cù khám phá thực tế cùng cơ hội xuất ngoại Du học ở Pháp 3 năm đã trui rèn cho anh một số vốn tri thức kha khá. Năm 2006 Hào đã tự tin chính thức khai sinh Huetourist - đứa con cưng mà anh vô cùng kỳ vọng! Trải qua nhiều khó khăn, biến cố giờ đây Huế Tourist đã cứng cáp và gây được lòng tin với khách hàng. Hiện nay, ngoài công việc điều hành anh còn tham gia công tác giảng dạy. Với cái nhìn của một nhà sư phạm, anh giám đốc trẻ tự đặt cho mình một mục tiêu: "làm du lịch phải có trách nhiệm với quê hương và cộng đồng"! Đây cũng chính là động cơ khiến anh mạnh dạn xây dựng kế hoạch nghiên cứu và lập những dự án du lịch kết hợp bảo tồn, du lịch sinh thái cộng đồng để phát huy những gia trị truyền thống dân gian, qua đó người dân sẽ có thêm thu nhập và việc quy hoạch bài bản này sẽ giúp cho ngành du lịch Việt luôn có được những cái mới hay và lạ để thu hút du khách gần xa khi viếng thăm Huế. Tôi bị Hào cuốn hút khi lắng nghe câu chuyện về những dự án du lịch giúp cộng đồng người dân tộc Cơ tu và Tà ôi mà anh đang thực hiện, dần dà câu chuyện được anh bắt qua dự án mới tại cầu ngói Thanh Toàn cổ kính mà anh đang dày công khảo cứu và chuẩn bị xây dựng trong tương lai… Qua anh, người ta hiểu được, người làm nghề du lịch chân chính cần phải có "lửa" nghề mãnh liệt, thì mới thường trăn trở và tự mình lăn lộn tìm một con đường đúng để doanh nghiệp thực hiện song hành hai nhiệm vụ: quảng bá hình ảnh quê hương và thực hiện việc kinh doanh du lịch một cách trọn vẹn. "Làm du lịch cần phải có một chiến lược và học hỏi mỗi ngày để tự làm mới mình", qua đó việc đào tạo con người được anh chú trọng hàng đầu! vì với anh, yếu tố "Nhân hòa" là quan trọng nhất! Tạm biệt anh giám đốc 7X đầy tâm huyết và luôn cầu tiến của Sông Hương Núi Ngự, trước khi chia tay, anh chia sẻ thêm: "những việc tôi làm chưa phải là nhiều lắm, chỉ mong trong tương lai tôi vẫn còn sức để phát triển nghề nghiệp ổn định, đảm bảo Huetourist là mái nhà ấm cúng mà bao đồng nghiệp đã cùng tôi xây dựng ngày càng vững chắc và vững tiến đi lên! Hơn thế nữa tôi ước ao sẽ truyền nghề cho các em sinh viên chuyên ngành để họ là những thế hệ kế tiếp sẽ phát huy du lịch Việt trở thành chim đại bàng vươn cánh trên vùng trời Châu Á"! Với cái nhìn của một nhà sư phạm, anh giám đốc trẻ tự đặt cho mình một mục tiêu: "làm du lịch phải có trách nhiệm với quê hương và cộng đồng"! Đây cũng chính là động cơ khiến anh mạnh dạn xây dựng kế hoạch nghiên cứu và lập những dự án du lịch kết hợp bảo tồn, du lịch sinh thái cộng đồng để phát huy những gia trị truyền thống dân gian, qua đó người dân sẽ có thêm thu nhập và việc quy hoạch bài bản này sẽ giúp cho ngành du lịch Việt luôn có được những cái mới hay và lạ để thu hút du khách gần xa khi viếng thăm Huế. Hue Da Nang | Da Nang Hoi An | Hoi An Hue | Du Lich Hue | Du Lich Hoi An | Du Lich Da Nang | Du Lich Sapa | Du Lich Da Lat | Du Lich Phu Quoc | Du Lich Lao | Du Lich Cambodia | Du Lich Thai Lan |Du Lich Singapore | Du Lich Malaysia | Du Lich Trung Quoc
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Discovering the mysteries inside Tham Nam Caves

Tham Nam Caves have wowed visitors who make the journey with its magnificent features and stunning sights. The caves are located inside Pha Chang Limestone Mountain by Nam Non River, Huu Khuong Commune, Tuong Duong District, Nghe An Province. Tham Nam's caves cover thousands of square metres and are filled with unique stalactites and stalagmites in various shapes. How they look can vary depending on the imagination of visitors. Discovering the mysteries of these caves followed by enjoying fish caught fresh from the river that runs through it, is a delightful experience for those who visit Tham Nam. However, not many locals realise its value in terms of culture and tourism partly because of its geographical location. Many years ago, the journey would take about a week, forcing those brave enough cross the Nam Non River and then over 150 waterfalls and rapids, trekking their way through jungles to get there. But nowadays, it's easy to get to Tham Nam. Civilians said that they have found many ancient artifacts there such as daggers and statues of female dancers. There are places inside the caves which have enough space for hundreds of people to relax and enjoy fascinating cave formations developed over thousands of years and sparkling quartz scattered all over the caves roof. There is also a stream running through the cave with cool, clean water that has an abundance of shrimp and fish. In the past, several cultural activities were often held in Tham Nam and other neighbouring caves. However, these activities are no longer organised and the caves remain rarely visited. Vi Tan Hoi, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Tuong Duong District shared, "In the near future, Tham Nam will be an attractive and enchanting destination for tourists. They will have an unforgettable experience." Cross over Nam Non River to get to Tham Nam caves Soaking in the scenary on a boat Trekking through the jungle to reach the caves Entrance to the cave Discovering the natural scenery Wonderful stalactites and stalagmites Flashlights are needed in the caves Cool off on hot summer days Stalactites and stalagmites in the caves are natural masterpieces A cool stream flows the caves Tham Nam caves from afar Hue Da Nang | Da Nang Hoi An | Hoi An Hue | Du Lich Hue | Du Lich Hoi An | Du Lich Da Nang | Du Lich Sapa | Du Lich Da Lat | Du Lich Phu Quoc | Du Lich Lao | Du Lich Cambodia | Du Lich Thai Lan |Du Lich Singapore | Du Lich Malaysia | Du Lich Trung Quoc
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Famous Ca Na fish sauce of Ninh Thuan Province

Vietnam's central province of Ninh Thuan not only attracts tourists with its beautiful beaches but also with its high quality fish sauce called Ca Na. The place where fish sauce is made is called nha thung (house of barrels) because of the large wooden barrels in which the sauce is prepared (Photo: Ngoc Anh) Fishermen in the province each year catch more than 31,000 tons of fish, mainly anchovies, an important ingredient in making fish sauce. Over 60 fish sauce manufacturers from Ca Na Ward supply about ten million bottles of fish sauce to stores across the country. This fish sauce industry has been a boon for fishermen in the ward who are netting in the money. Pham Dung, an experienced fisherman said he started from scratch when he moved to the ward 30 years ago, but today is a rich man, just by catching anchovies. Dung added that not only him but also many other fishermen such as Nguyen Van Bong, Truong Van Ton, Trieu Ba and Pham Bo in the ward have become billionaires in the trade. Fisherman Dinh Van Giac expressed his delight, saying that recently he has earned ten million dong per day, as this is peak time for catching anchovies. Others in the trade, such as Le Hong Van, owner of Nhat Tan fish sauce enterprise, said his family has been making this special product for the last 30 years. Ca Na fish sauce from the central province of Ninh Thuan is very famous for its excellent taste. However, it is sold in retail outlets without any brand name and hence difficult to distinguish from other products in the country. Many fish sauce manufacturers in the province are try to establish a brand name for their product. The fish sauce manufacturing trade has been prevalent in Ca Na since the French colonial rule. Ninh Thuan Agricultural Products Export Joint Stock Company tried to register a brand name for Ca Na fish sauce in 2007, causing much public concern. The government now needs to aid manufacturers in the province to register their own brand name for this excellent product. Hue Da Nang | Da Nang Hoi An | Hoi An Hue | Du Lich Hue | Du Lich Hoi An | Du Lich Da Nang | Du Lich Sapa | Du Lich Da Lat | Du Lich Phu Quoc | Du Lich Lao | Du Lich Cambodia | Du Lich Thai Lan |Du Lich Singapore | Du Lich Malaysia | Du Lich Trung Quoc
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Ke Ga Lighthouse - Binh Thuan treasure

Ke Ga Lighthouse, located on Ke Ga Island about 30 kilometres south of Phan Thiet City, is a must-see attraction in Binh Thuan Province where visitors can experience a fabulous panoramic view of the open sea. Built in 1899, the lighthouse is not only an historical relic but also an attractive destination for visitors. To reach the lighthouse, tourists can travel by bus or motorbike along the coast to Ke Ga Island or take a canoe from Phan Thiet City or from Vinh Hy Bay, Nha Trang City. At the lighthouse, tourists can hire a fishing boat priced at VND100,000 (USD4.8) with a capacity for four people. Visitors can also stay on the island overnight for a spot of fishing which is an unforgettable experience. The lighthouse with its unique architecture is about 60m tall. From that height, visitors are able to see a vast expanse of sea and sky, as well as enjoy cool ocean winds. The most beautiful moment to visit the lighthouse is at sunset. Hue Da Nang | Da Nang Hoi An | Hoi An Hue | Du Lich Hue | Du Lich Hoi An | Du Lich Da Nang | Du Lich Sapa | Du Lich Da Lat | Du Lich Phu Quoc | Du Lich Lao | Du Lich Cambodia | Du Lich Thai Lan |Du Lich Singapore | Du Lich Malaysia | Du Lich Trung Quoc
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Equality and the family dilemma

I've always thought Vietnamese women were strong. In the U.S., you rarely see women carrying a basket full of bricks on their heads, or pushing around carts full of garbage. Those difficult jobs are left for men back home. In Vietnam I see it all the time. I've heard many stories about Vietnamese women war heroes. The new generation of women have not lost this strength, I'm sure because I have seen it. But it seems that in modern society it shows up in different ways. _______________________ I've taught in Hanoi, as so many other foreigners have. And also learned a few things from my students. One of the things I learned is the difference between the roles between sexes. In one way, they seem to be much more strict than what I'm used to. For example, yesterday a female friend of met me at my house for coffee. As we were leaving my house we decided that it would be best to take one motorbike. Since mine was already parked inside, we took hers. She drove. I was on the back. As we approached the street, the woman who sells tea near my house made fun of me for being driven on the back of a motorbike by a girl. But my feeling is that the attitudes towards such things are changing quickly. While I was teaching, I met a number of bright, capable, strong-minded young ladies. I'm sure many of them will become very successful. I wouldn't doubt that one of them could be Prime Minister one day. This is a great thing, in my opinion. On the other hand, as women start to become more financially successful, more independent and more self-assured, it will inevitably change Vietnamese society. Some of these changes will not be welcomed by everyone. For example, it is a simple historical fact that around the world, once women begin to make more of their own money - maybe even more than their husbands - the divorce rate will go up. A woman who is financially independent is much less likely to put up with a husband who does not treat her right. If she feels that she has the option to leave, she is much more likely to do so. I know that The Family is, and has been, the cornerstone of Vietnamese society. But it seems to me that progress and development, things that everybody seems to want, will change the Vietnamese Family. ____________________ One of the most intelligent, young students I've ever had once told me that, although she loved her family, she also felt it was like a prison. Now I'm not saying that all, or even most, women feel this way. But as the economic realities change in Vietnam, it will definitely have an effect on the Vietnamese family. "Economic Development" and "Women's Equality": both sound good. I doubt many people would argue with that. But, unless this country is different than every other nation in the world, the "Vietnamese Family" will ultimately change along with the first two. Of these three, which is most important? Hue Da Nang | Da Nang Hoi An | Hoi An Hue | Du Lich Hue | Du Lich Hoi An | Du Lich Da Nang | Du Lich Sapa | Du Lich Da Lat | Du Lich Phu Quoc | Du Lich Lao | Du Lich Cambodia | Du Lich Thai Lan |Du Lich Singapore | Du Lich Malaysia | Du Lich Trung Quoc
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