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Friday 21 December 2012

National Culture and Historical Heritage of Tuyen Linh Pagoda

Traveling to Ben Tre province, tourists joining tours in Vietnam should not ignore to visit Tuyen Linh Pagoda which was recognized cultural and historical heritage at the national level on July 20, 1994. The pagoda is also the place where a temple festival takes place many cultural exchange activities and celebrates the anniversary of Uncle Ho’s birthday on May 19 annually.

It was built in Tan Rooster (1861), the reign of Tu Duc in the 14th. Firstly, Tuyen Linh pagoda named Tien Phong Khanh Linh by the venerable abbot, and is made of bamboo and leaves Sam to her church.

In 1907, the Le Khanh Hoa, legal name is Thich Nhu Tri, in Phu Le Commune; Ba Tri district, wh has become the guardian of this temple. He is a very respectful Buddhist master; a venerable scholar Le Khanh Hoa has preached the Buddhist doctrine, training students. 

With a lot of knowledge, he makes more than 90% of local people following Buddhism which made by the venerable Le Khanh Hoa the founder of the Southern Buddhist and Luong Xuyen Buddhist associations.

Tuyen linh Pagoda
Tuyen Linh pagoda (before and after restoration)

Nguyen Sinh Sac, Uncle Ho's father had several dozen remained excluded in Tuyen Linh pagoda. He has been here for a very long time, from 1927 to 1929. During his stay at the temple, he set up teaching classes, medicine room to cure for people. 

This is also the place where Mr Nguyen Sinh Sac had met Tran Van An, Huynh Khac Man, Le Van Phat, and the number of people they later became first class members of the Party Committee of Ben Tre

In 1929, he was being sick and people found the way taking him to Dong Thap. Tuyen Linh pagoda is also the place where a lot of Vietnamese soldiers have been hidden. It was twice destroyed by boom of enemy. The pagoda has been restored several times and the latest renovation was in 1999. 

However, many historical objects have been lost. The chairman of Minh Duc commune Viet Hung said they were planning to build the museum in that pagoda. Firstly, they would collect the ancient objects, restore the pagoda and after that they would reconstruct the transportation system for visitors in Vietnam tourism easily traveling to Tuyen Linh Pagoda.

Thanks to the recognition of the nation as cultural and historical heritage site, Tuyen Linh pagoda of Ben Tre province surely will attract more and more travelers, making great contributions to the development of the regional tourism.

Friday 14 December 2012

Nam Dinh - A beautiful landscape along with hiden charming and cultural value

Nam Dinh is a region with long history, culture, festival and nature, with Pho Minh, Co Le temple, Cat Dang lacquer village, Xuan Thuy national park, special soft green – lentil cake...

Nam Dinh is a region with long history and culture involved in such relics as Pho Minh temple and Co Le temple. The festival as Phu Giay, Ha Ky and Bao Loc have always happened yearly in here. 

It is at the Kiep Bac – gio Cha pilgrimage, we will be beheld a huge arge of river Luc Dau with brimful of vitality to the water, then at Phu Giay – gio Me, you should be able to contemplate a blue – immenes sea of vitality to the earth. In Viet people’s mind inner feeling at the Red river was still maintained a mass of temples, churches located around Phu Giay area as Gieng temple, Goi temple and Kham Sai temple and so on.

Cat Dang lacquer village in Nam Dinh

Talking about home village where has been got famous in lacquer of the North, we must mention about Cat Dang lacquer village in Nam Dinh, where has longest life of history. Someone said that lacquer was still be chosen to decorate for mausoleums and imperial palaces, which made by talented hands of Cat Dang’s artisan.

Xuan Thuy national park in Nam Dinh province

Nam Dinh people are always proud of their land, where has biggest bird zoo in Vietnam. Located in Xuan Thuy’s flooded earth reserve, Ramsar is only place in Viet Nam, aside from a swamped area with 3.000 hectare of mangrove forest. This is very important in estuary’s ecosystem of the littortal. Xuan Thuy had recognized was a platform international birds for migration with more than 200 species, included nearly 100 spceies, for migration and over 50 species for migration and over 50 species of water birds by international ornithologist.

Soft green – lentil cake

Beside, Nam Dinh is also famous in their traditional specialist with soft green – lentil cake (che kho). It could keep longer 10 – 15 days but still get good smell if we cook in strict accordance with recipes. This reason makes Nam Dinh people are unforgettable the soft green – lentil cake in festovals and New Year to their family.

Friday 16 November 2012

Vietnam’s best ecological destination

Cu Lao Cau island is one of the spots that has Vietnam’s best ecological environment, which has the beautiful neglected beach, presently, it is has been planned to be a marine life preservation zone and an eco tourist site. This island will promisingly become an ideal ecological tourist attraction.
The small and young island rising in the middle of the sea, located in Tuy Phong District, Binh Thuan province, about 9 km away from the seashore, tourists can spend about 40 minutes to get Cu Lao Cau island by boat. This island stays about 119km away from Phan Thiet City to the Northeast. 
Binh Thuan Province is rich in human and natural potentialities that are good advantages for developing tourism and services. The province has the coastal line of nearly 200km with many beautiful beaches such as Mui Ne, Ca Na, Cu Lao Cau, etc.
Cu Lao Cau island

Cu Lao Cau island is characterised by rocky outcrops, with sandy beaches on the north and south sides. With the highest point on the island is 27m, the island covers a long distance of over 1.500m with the widest area of nearly 700m and the highest one of 7m above sea level. Surrounded by tens of thousands of cliff blocks of different colors and shapes. It is really interesting when having a condition to observe the whole island carefully.  The water is always clean and blue year-round, and when the tide goes down, on the seashore we can see numerous beautiful shells and corals pleasing the tourists’eyes.
There are many kinds of sea creatures living around this island. It would be very amazing if travelers bring a fishing rod and some preys to fish. On the island, there is a fresh water well, which is called a Fairy Well from an old book. Although the water amount is small, the well is the sort of permanent leaking water.
Fringing coral reefs can be found around the island and platform reefs on submerged banks. The reefs are pristine, with an average cover of 43%. This site supports the highest diversity of hermatypic corals known in Vietnam. There are over 65 genera of coral known here, including Acropora, Goniopora, Montipora,betc. Sea currents from the north and south converge near Hon Cau-Vinh Hao, with strong upwelling. The area has high productivity, with 175 phytoplankton species, 163 seaweed species, 147 coral species, 80 mollusc species, 26 echinoderm species and 211 fish species so far recorded here.

Wednesday 31 October 2012

Vung Tau, a favorite beach of Southern people

Southern Vietnam people are fond of Vung Tau beach for its marvelous length and magnificent sea-view.

Location. About 125km Southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, there appears Vung Tau City, which is located in Vung Tau peninsula, the curved point of ‘S’ letter (map of Vietnam). This is the border of  the South and the West of Vietland, where we can see the sun on the East Sea (or South China sea), both rising and setting.

Its absorption. To most tourists, Vung Tau is most interesting and loved for its extensive beaches. Tourists always prefer sightseeing at Front Beach (Bai Truoc) to go swimming in Back Beach (Bai Sau).

The first beach is Bai Truoc (translated as “front beach” in Vietnamese), in the West of the city, where the sun goes down. Bai Truoc is considered the façade of Vung Tau city. It is also called by other names such as Tam Duong beach or Hang Dua bay. Besides the best location, the beach is also preferred for having many restaurants and elegant hotels. Sparking, colorful and bright light boulevard make Bai Truoc more beautiful.

Opposite to Bai Truoc is Bai Sau, Back beach (or Thuy Van beach). Back Beach is well-known for its over 10 km of fine sand seaside. The beach is always excited and busy with almost tourists both from the city itself and the world. At weekends or on holidays, there are thousands of people coming here for swimming and entertainment. In Bai Sau, there is a popular kind of entertainment: Paradis, the upgraded swimming and relaxing area, and a system of modern hotels, welcoming all tourists. Other beautiful beaches are Bai Dua and Bai Dau.

From Bai Truoc, Halong street curls to Bai Dua, pineapple beach. The reason for placing that name dated a long time ago, when the beach had many pineapple trees, thus it was called Bai Dua (or Pineapple garden). Many Vung Tau people also call the beach Lang Du, which originated from the local’s first restaurant’s name.
Right in here, the sea goes far into the land and the rock mountain goes from the land to the sea establishing romantic and hidden small beaches. The beach attracts a big amount of tourists. Nearby, the Temple of Southern sea Saint and Tinh Xa nirvana are tourist-attractive sites, which were built on one of these rock mountains.

Bai Dau, Mudberry Beach, is at the foot of Nui Lon, in the North of the city. There used to be a lot of mudberry and ratten so it is also named Ratten beach. Nevertheless, today, there is no longer any mudberry and ratten. So now, instead, when mentioning about Bai Dau, people think of a windless and rocky beach. Tourists should walk on about a few meters to see a 30m-high statue of Mother Maria shining in the green picturesque forest and sea landscape.

As not so far from Ho Chi Minh City, it is a favorite resort & entertainment destination for those who wish to hide away from the busy city and entertain themselves in a real way.

If you are interested in exploring Vietnam travel, you can visit Vietnam travel guide, Vietnam travel company, Halong cruise, Halong Bay, Halong tours site to know further attractive places. 
 

Monday 22 October 2012

Green Excursions around Hanoi

The city of Hanoi recently approved the use of electric vehicles to transport tourists around the Old Quarter and to other famous sites, offering visitors a green and more convenient way to get acquainted with Vietnam’s capital city.
  
Operated by the Dong Xuan Share-Holding Company, the electric vehicles, looking like oversized golf carts, can accommodate 12 passengers. The customers can choose from two different routes, with each costing between 10,000 and 30,000 VND per person and are available daily from 8:30am to 11:00pm. 

Electric cars take visitors around Ho Guom for sight-seeing.

A stop at Dinh Tien Hoang Street.

The electric car passes Quan Chuong City Gate.

Children take a ride by electric cars around the Old Quarter.

The electric car is a convenient means of transport for visitors to tour Hanoi during the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi.

Green tours around Hanoi streets.

Passing Hanoi Post Office.

Foreign tourists enjoy a tour around Hanoi's Old Quarter by electric car.


A stop at Dong Xuan Market.

All the tour guides are well versed in the cultural and gastronomy habits of Hanoi, past and present, and foreign language audio CD’s are available for those unfamiliar with Vietnamese. For the local people these tours are an ideal way for the elders to travel down memory road while the young people have a great opportunity to learn more about the ancient craft streets and famous sites. Each tour takes about 40 minutes.

Jend Oldham, an Australian tourist on her first visit to Hanoi, said that she was very surprised seeing many people, even Hanoians, using the electric vehicles. "The electric car is a means of transport that is very friendly to the environment. I feel totally relaxed when travelling along the ancient streets, and further more I am introduced to Hanoi's history and its long-standing culture. Next time, on my trip to Hanoi, I'll take the electric car again," she said.

The Dong Xuan Share-Holding Company plans to help local people in the old streets to restore typical crafts, such as goldsmith, forge, drum making, etc., in co-ordination with introducing and selling handicraft art articles to visitors. This will be very useful for visitors, especially foreigners, who want to learn more about Hanoi's sophisticated crafts.

If you are interested in exploring Vietnam travel you can visit Vietnam travel company, Halong cruise, Halong Bay, Halong tours site to know further attractive places.

Friday 12 October 2012

Marvelous Beauty of Ham Rong Mountain in Sapa


 

Ham Rong in spring is filled with colorful flowers blooming along the way through. The poetic and grandiose Ham Rong mountain is considered as a fairy land of Sapa for its natural beauty as well as rich cultural value.


Ham Rong Mountain, situated in the center of Sapa town, is a impressive tourist attraction. According to Legend, once upon a time there were a couple of dragons so mad in love that while a biblical flood was rising but they didn't know.

When they awoke, it was too late for them to escape from the flood so they were washed away separately. Even now, turned into stone, but due to be natural instinct, the female (Ham Rong Mountain) always looks toward her lover in the west (the Hoang Lien Son mountain range).



Shaped like a dragon’s head in the clouds, Ham Rong Mountain is approximately  2000 meters high with green trees and colorful flowers almost all year round. Most tourists in Vietnam travel  visiting Sapa do the exciting climb up to the mountain. The path leading up to Ham Rong Mountain consists of many stone steps and a winding trail higher up will help to see small streams lazily run through bushy foliages.

About mid­way, travelers will find themselves in an orchid -garden with over 400 species of colorful blooms. Standing on the highest point of Ham Rong Mountain, tourists will have a breathtaking view over the romantic Sapa town.



If visitors in Vietnam tourism come here in spring, the surprise will be greater to see blooming peach, plum and apricot garden. At midway upwards, there are ethnic cutural villages where visitors will enjoy art-performance by Dao, Mong or Sa Pho young locals.


The sound of bamboo flutes by Mong minority boys echo far and wide, their dances, songs, folksongs sound strong and romantic that will leave unforgettable impressions. A little further more will be a mini stone-forest where thousands of stone columns, pillars that surprisingly open visitors’ eyes.

A stroll among these pillars seems to be a walk in the fairyland, thentourists proceed to the heavens gate, a beaten trail leads to the cloud-yard and a TV station. San May (Cloud Yard) is an ideal location to view the whole panorama of Sapa.



If you are interested in exploring Vietnam tours, you can visit Vietnam travel company, Halong cruise, Halong Bay, Halong tours site to know further attractive places.

Tuesday 9 October 2012

An ancient temple of Do Temple

Do Temple - An ancient temple with unique architecture with Buddhists in the Le Dynasty to be compare with history of Thang Long. Its attracted many tourists because of ancient beauty.

Formerly, the Do Temple was famous for its architecture, highly praised through the verses:

"The architecture of the Do Temple is marvelous,
Worthy to the thousand-year-old history of Thang Long"

 

Do Temple was built during the Le Dynasty and has been altered several times since. The major reconstruction took place under the reign of Le Trung Hung, in the 17th century.
In front of the Temple lies a semi-circular lake, with clear and full water all the year round. The lake is connected with two ponds at both ends of the village, with the Tieu Tuong River in front of the village. In the center of the lake stands a square house reserved for water puppetry performances with two beautiful tiered roofs. To the south of the lake, there is a huge pavilion to preserve stone slabs inscribed with the merits of the eight kings of Ly Dynasty, and to the north of the lake, a 5-compartment floating house for visitors to take a rest. 



The Temple's gate includes five doors made of hard wooden plates assembled together and carved on top images of dragons waiting upon the moon. When the door opens, its two leaves are wide apart, and the two dragons on top of the doors seem to be soaring. On day, the dragons' eyes when catching the light shine like gemstones. Along the three-step staircase, are carved two stone dragons with clouds around, on a green stone floor, symbolizing the Thang Long (Soaring Dragon) Capital.

Passing the gate and a large yard, a green stone paved road leads visitors to a square house, with eight tiered roofs and three compartments, 70m² in area. Then there is a 7-compartment front worship house, 220m² in area, whose front walls are hung with two big posters displaying capital letters: "Eight Kings together brightening" and "Co Phap Commune - a foundation of the Ly Dynasty".

Then a three-compartment house, 80m² in area, with eight tiered roofs. These three compartments are spacious and ventilated and on the axis leading to the Co Phap ancient back pavilion, 180m² in area, and with the floor space in the shape of a Cong letter... 



Different parts of the Do Temple are being restored one after another by skilful craftsmen. A rolling of drumbeats was suddenly heard, signaling the start of a procession to bring the tablet of King Ly Thai To from the Do Temple to the Ung Tam Pagoda where the King's mother was worshipped for a reunion of the King and his mother. The procession was attended by a thousand of people, who expressed the spirit of the Vietnamese, i.e. "when drinking the water, think of its source". 



If you are interested in exploring Vietnam tourism, you can visit Vietnam travel agency, Halong cruises, Halong Bay, Halong travel site to know further information.