Halong Bay Vietnam

Geographical locationHalong bay is in northeastern Vietnam, from E106°56' to E107°37' and from N20°43' to N21°09'. The bay stretches from Yên Hưng district, past Hạ Long city, Cẩm Phả town to Vân Đồn district, bordered on the south and southeast by the Gulf of Tonkin, on the north by China and on the west and southwest by Cát Bà island. The bay has a 120 kilometre long coastline and is approximately 1,553 square kilometres in size with 1969 islets. The area designated by UNESCO as the World Natural Heritage Site includes 434 km² with 775 islets, of which the core zone is delimited by 69 points: Đầu Gỗ island on the west, Ba Hầm lake on the south and Cống Tây island on the east. The protected area is from the Cái Dăm petrol store to Quang Hanh commune, Cẩm Phả town and the surrounding giants zone.ClimateThe bay is a sea islands in tropical wet with 2 seasons: hot and moist summer, dry and cold winter. Average temperature is from 15°C- 25°C. Annual rainfall is between 2000mm and 2200mm. Halong bay has the typical diurnal tide system (tide amplitude ranges from 3.5-4m). The salinity is from 31 to 34.5MT in dry season and lower in rainy season.HistorySoi Nhụ culture (16000- 5000 BCE)Located in Hạ Long and Bái Tử Long, there are symbolic archaeological sites such as Mê Cung and Thiên Long. There are mounds of remains of mountain shellfishes (Cyclophorus) and spring shellfishes (Melania), some fresh water mollusk and some rudimentary labour tools. The main living procedures of Soi Nhụ's habitants were catching shellfish and fish, collecting fruits and digging for bulbs and roots. Their living environment is coastal area unlike other Vietnamese cultures, for example those found in Hoà Bình, Bắc Sơn, etc.Cái Bèo culture (5000- 3000BCE)Located in Hạ Long and Cát Bà island, its habitants developed to the level of sea exploitation.History shows that Halong Bay has been the setting for local naval battles against Vietnam's coastal neighbours. On three occasions in the labyrinth of channels in Bach Dang river near the islands the Vietnamese army stopped the Chinese from landing. In 1288 General Tran Hung Dao stopped Mongol ships from sailing up the nearby Bach Dang River by placing steel-tipped wooden stakes at high tide, sinking the Mongol Dubhai Khan's fleet.During the Vietnam War, many of the channels between the islands were heavily mined by the navy of the United States, some of which pose a threat to shipping to this day.System of isles and cavesThien Cung grottoThien Cung grottoThe bay consists of a dense cluster of 1,969 limestone monolithic islands, each topped with thick jungle vegetation, which rise spectacularly from the ocean. Several of the islands are hollow, with enormous caves. Hang Đầu Gỗ (Wooden stakes Cave) is the largest grotto in the Halong area. French tourists visited in the late 19th century, and named the cave Grotte des Merveilles. Its three large chambers contain large numerous stalactites and stalagmites (as well as 19th century French graffiti). There are two bigger islands, Tuan Chau and Cat Ba, that have permanent inhabitants. Both of them have tourist facilities, including hotels and beaches. There are a number of wonderful beaches on the smaller islands.Some of the islands support floating villages of fishermen, who ply the shallow waters for 200 species of fish and 450 different kinds of mollusks. Many of the islands have acquired their names as a result of interpretation of their unusual shapes: such names include Voi Islet (elephant), Ga Choi Islet (fighting cock), and Mai Nha Islet (roof). 989 of the islands have been given names. Birds and animals including bantams, antelopes, monkeys, and iguanas also live on some of the islands.CivilizationFloating fishing villageFloating fishing villageA community of around 1600 people live on Halong bay in four fishing villages: Cửa Vạn, Ba Hang, Cống Tàu and Vông Viêng in Hùng Thắng commune, Hạ Long city. They live on floating houses and are sustained by capture fishing and marine aquaculture (cultivating marine biota).Originally in Ha Long Bay there was only one fishing village. Now there are about ten.Honourable nameIn 1962, Vietnam Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism arranged Halong Bay as National Renowned Lanscape Vestige.The bay was World's Natural Heritage listed by UNESCO at the 18th meeting of the Committee of the World Heritages of UNESCO (in Phuket, Thailand on December 17th, 1994) for its outstanding universal aesthetic value according to the criteria explained in the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention. On December 2nd, 2000 at the 24th meeting of Committee of the World Heritages in Cairns, Australia, Halong bay was admitted as a World Heritage Site for its outstanding geological and geomorphological value according to the criteria of that Convention.[1]Halong bay was introduced to nominate by New Open World Foundation as World's 7 Natural Wonder having result on 08/08/2008.[1]The Kissing RocksThe Kissing RocksGeology and geomorphologyHistory of tectonicsScientists say that Halong bay has experienced at least 500 million years in the various geological states of orogeny, marine transgression and marine regression. During the Ordovician and Silurian periods (500-410 million years ago), Halong bay was deep sea. During the Carboniferous and Permian periods (340-250 million years ago), Halong Bay was at shallow sea level.Karst geomorphology valueAs of simultaneous combination of factors like thick limestone layer, hot and moist climate and slow tectonic process in whole, Ha Long bay has had a complete karst evolutionary for 20 million years. There are many of karst topography kind in Ha Long such as karst field.BiodiversityHa Long Bay is host to two ecosystems: a tropical, moist, evergreen rainforest ecosystem and a marine & coastal ecosystem. The bay is home to seven endemic species.Endemic species * Livistona halongensis * Impatiens halongensis * Chirieta halongensis * Chirieta hiepii * Chirieta modesta * Paraboea halongensis * Alpinia calcicolaThe many islands that dot the bay are home to a great many other species, including (but likely not limited to): 477 magnoliales, 12 pteris, 20 salt marsh flora and 4 amphibia, 10 reptilia, 40 aves, and 4 mammalia.EconomyTourismHa Long Bay is perhaps the most popular travel destination of the country. Foreigners and natives alike are attracted to its natural, universal appeal, not to mention the shopping and dining prospects located close by.CuisineSeafood in Ha Long is diversifying. Cuttle-fish- mực, oyester- hà, cyclinae- ngán, prawn (penaeidea- tôm he, panulirus- tôm hùm, parapenaeopsis- tôm sắt...), spunculoideas- sá sùng, nerita- ốc đĩa, charonia tritonis- ốc tù và, cà sáy... are popular in many famous delicious dishes.In literatureNguyễn Trãi wrote about Halong bay: "This wonder is ground raises up in the middle of the high sky". Xuân Diệu utter a praise: "Here is the unfinished works of the Beings...Here is the stones which the Giant played and threw away". Nguyên Ngọc summarized: "...to form this first- rate wonder, nature only uses: Stone and Water...There is just only two materials themselves chosen from as much as materials, in order to write, to draw, to sculpture, to create everything...It is quite possible that here is the image of the future world". Ho Chi Minh remarks: "It is the wonder that one cannot impart to others". Pham Van Dong embarrassed: "Is it one scenery or many seceneries? Is it the scenery in the world or somewhere?". Nguyễn Tuân recognized that:"Only mountains accept to be old, but Ha Long sea and wave is young for ever".Che Lan Vien sensed:"Hạ Long, Bái Tử Long- Dragons were hidden, only stones still remainOn the moonlight night, stones meditate as men..."Lord Trịnh Cương overflowed with emotion: "Mountains are glistend by water shadow, water spill all over the sky".Huy Cận was agitated: "Night breathes, stars wave Ha Long's water".

Stories from Hanoi

As with Laos, Vietnam has a history of French colonialism that is strongly reflected in its current culture. European style buildings are filled with Vietnamese musical instruments for sale, old men wear berets and again, baguettes and pastries are available everywhere. What I was surprised to see was the influence of Chinese culture on Vietnam's northern capital, though in hindsight, it makes perfect sense.We could immediately see the difference from Thailand and Laos. The plump, jolly Chinese Buddha had replaced the reverent (and thin) Thai and Laotian Buddha images. Chinese-style, red pagodas were common and Confucian philosophy had been taught and is still revered at the ancient University.Religion does not seem to play nearly as large of a role in Hanoi as in Thailand and Laos, which are packed with Buddhist temples, monks and family shrines. Though many Vietnamese practice various forms of Buddhism, we did not see any monks. I'm not sure if this has anything to do with religious suppression by Communist rule, or that Confucian and Taoist theology are also very prevalent in Vietnam.Most of the buildings in Hanoi are tall, deep and thin, multiple-storied (usually 3-5), concrete structures. Picture a flat, anorexic, communist San Francisco on speed. They are ornately decorated on the front, but have starkly bare, unpainted side walls. No need to waste paint! Another traveller told us that property is leased from the government for 99 years before it must be returned. Families pay higher rent for the first story of the building than the rest and as a result of this, many open shops on the first floor to help cover the costs. The families usually reside in the upper stories of the building, or in the case of hotels, sometimes on the roofs, which are decorated with hanging laundry drying in the sun. The Vietnamese are very family oriented and often times one home will be packed with many related family units. I'm not sure how deep many of the buildings go. Occasionally, we catch glimpses of dark hallways between structures resembling deep tunnels, often, motorbikes are parked near the end. We haven't figured out if they ever open into courtyards.The sidewalks and streets in front of Hanoi's homes seem to carry the most important social activities. Before meals, mothers will set up their temporary propane or pressed charcoal stoves on the sidewalk, shield them from the wind with a metal pipe, and set their pot or frying pan on top. Other family members bust out plastic child-sized chairs and take a seat nearby. Dad puffs on his smokes or tobacco fed bamboo-bong, while sister gets busy chopping up fish or pork on a thick, wooden block and scrapes the scraps with his knife into the gutter nearby. Numerous dishes are prepared including mustard greens, fried tofu, pig, fish, other misc. meaty unmentionables, things that look like larvae, steamed bean sprouts, potatoes, etc. Each person dishes rice into their small bowl and communally shares the rest of the dishes. Using their chopsticks they grab mouthfuls of the side dishes then follow each bite with another of rice. One would normally associate cooking and eating on the street with poverty, but you would be pressed to find an unkempt, dirty individual sit down to these meals. I believe it is more of a cultural norm. More than anywhere else I have been, life here for everyone is literally lived on the streets (with no bad connotation).As for the scraps of pig in the gutter, don't worry, every morning, residents sweep the sidewalks in front of their homes, creating little garbage piles on the streets. City workers then come by to pick up the trash. As you can reason, this practice of casually tossing garbage can turn into a major problem outside the bounds of these regimented disposal collection programs.Because everyone is hanging out on the sidewalks and any remaining space is filled with vendors and parked scooters, pedestrians are forced onto the street. In Hanoi for newcomers this can be particularly harrowing. Many streets are small, luxury vehicles, thousands of motorbikes, bicycles and conical-capped women balancing produce-filled baskets from sticks on their shoulders all try to navigate the same paths. Now throw in some plump, fumbling tourists to disrupt the delicate balance and it becomes comical madness!Though people in general are not as openly warm and welcoming to foreigners here in Hanoi (maybe its the classic city brush-off?), we a little effort we were able to break through some of the tourist barriers. What we were very impressed with people's open affection towards one another. Old friends, both male and females commonly strolled with their arms linked or draped over eachother's shoulders and everyone joked and laughed with eachother.It has been an amazing experience to get an inside look (though brief) at such a culturally rich, historically tragic and tight-knit city. Unfortunately, we were unable to experience more on this trip, but we will definitely have much to bring home with us.

Vietnam Dining and Shopping

Shop Hours: Shops run from 7 or 8am to 11 or 11:30pm. Some are open from 1 or 2pm to 4 or 5pm.generic items and local handicrafts: Local specialities include lacquer painting, reed mats, embroidery, tailor-made ao dais (female national costume) & mother-of-pearl inlay on ornaments & furniture, not to mention the local conical hats. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) has the best buys for modern goods like CDs and clothing.Antiques: The best place for shopping for antiques or replicas is in Hanoi. Export of antiques restricted by Vietnamese law, but laws on the subject vague & unevenly enforced. Antique objects can be subject to inspection & seizure by customs authorities with no compensation made to owners.Determining whether something is antique is arbitrary. Purchasers of non-antique items of value should retain receipts & confirmation from shop owners &/or Ministry of Culture & Customs Department to prevent seizure upon departure. Prior to purchasing antiques, travellers may wish to determine from Ministry of Culture whether object can be exported & amount of duty. Process of exporting antiques can be difficult & time consuming; however, travellers could insist that sellers obtain all necessary permits from Ministry of Culture & Customs Department before final purchase. DININGVietnamese food varies from region to region and is a total taste sensation everywhere you go. Almost 500 traditional dishes have been recorded. Rice and noodles are the staple foods and are served with nearly all meals. The most popular dishes are spring rolls, noodles with sliced pork, eggs, shredded chicken and shrimp, shellfish steamed with ginger and sea crabs fried with salt. Among common ingredients used are: shark fin, duck, pork paste, fish, spices, fruits, vegetables, crabmeat, lobster and oysters.Rice wine is very popular, and there are many brands available. There are a variety of fruit wines such as apricot, orange or lemon. Soft drinks are processed from the many varieties of tropical fruits available. Water from the tap should be avoided, even though it has already been filtered and sterilized. If you must drink it, boil the water first.Eating in Vietnam ranges from the cheap noodle soup for a quarter of a dollar eaten on the street to a banquet in one of the luxury hotels.Restaurants: Government-run restaurants catering to tourists add a 10% service charge to the bill.Tipping: Tipping is not customary in Vietnam, but it is enormously appreciated. A 5-10% tip for a meal is a very small amount of money for most tourists but to the average Vietnamese, it can easily equal a day's wages. Please avoid tipping too much, as it will set a precedent for others.The different local foods:Pho: The most typical Vietnamese food is Pho, the noodle soup with meat in it. It is very cheap (you can get a bowl for about VND 2000 - 3000) and usually well spiced. The main pho are: Pho Bo, with beef, Pho Bo Tai, with fish and Pho Ga, with chicken. Com: Boiled rice is eaten for lunch and dinner. There are many different kinds of rice. Typically, fragrant rice is used, like Tam Thom or Nahg Huong. Grilled rice is served in autumn. It is eaten with eggs, bananas and sapodillas.Banh Chung: The traditional sticky rice cakes are made of glutinous rice, pork and green bean paste and sometimes with onion, wrapped in bamboo or banana leaves. They are made by soaking the rice in water for an entire day. Wrapped in the fresh bamboo leaves, the rice turns slightly green. There is a legend attached to the creation of this traditional dish: Prince Lang Lieu created and presented the rice cakes to his father, winning high acclaim and thus securing the throne.Nuoc mam: This fermented fish sauce is used to spice anything.Baguettes: A legacy of the French is the small white bread loaves, resembling baguettes. You can get them for as little as VND 500. Sometimes they are combined with well-spiced meat, vegetables and salad to form an excellent sandwich.Seafood: Along the coast you get excellent fresh seafood almost everywhere.Cha ca: The fried fish slices are a specialty of the north. Snake: In the Mekong delta you are able to get cheap snake. This different, but delicious meat, is prepared in a variety of ways and is well worth trying...you will be pleasantly surprised. Beer: Imported beer is available in Vietnam, although a number of domestic beers are brewed.Duck eggs: This popular dish is another worth trying but if you feel squeemish...don't as it consists of an already partly developed foetus, complete with feathers, limbs and beak.

Our Three-Day Tour

Upon arrival at our hotel in Hanoi (Vinh Quanh) we were immediately questioned about tours. We knew we wanted to visit Halong Bay and had been told and read that a tour from Hanoi was the most economical way to go. "Go now, weather is good" they said, which we also knew as we had been watching the weather keenly for the past week. Our hotel also told us that we could lock up our stuff while we were at Halong, "lockers in back, no problem," which would be great. Thinking we were now savvy to the game we declined this initial offer and went around town checking prices and asking questions. We got our low bids and went back to our hotel to see if they would match it. After a "serious" bargaining session, we got our 3 day small group tour, with kayaking and one night on the boat for $38, down from $45. With low expectations but a good price, we were satisfied with our dealings and excited to get out on the water.The morning of our trip we went down to the lobby to lock up our stuff and low and behold they didn't actually have the keys to open the lockers. But we were told we could leave our stuff in the back room. The back room was scattered with other travellers bags and two beds for the hotel workers. Seemed sketchy, but what most others were doing and the people at the hotel were very nice. Kelley said forget it and brought all of her things with her on the trip and I took out the important items from my bag and left a bit of clothes and a rain jacket. The whole situation was quite disappointing due to the fact that this was the reason to book the tour from our hotel. Anyway, our van showed up and we were carted off around town picking up our fellow travellers.The Old Quarter of Hanoi was very interesting in the fact that it seemed to get things going very late as compared to the other places we had been. At 7:30am, the relatively few vehicles in the streets were dominated by white and silver mini buses picking up people to cart them off to their varied destinations. Shops were still mostly closed up and it was even difficult to find food. Quite different than the streets of Lao and Thailand.The 3.5 hour drive form Hanoi to Halong was fine, we stopped for lunch then boarded our "Junk." The Junk, as with 95% of the boats in the bay, were more like ferries with little decorative sails. And that was if they were even to put the sails up, which none bothered.Unlike the "sailing," the bay itself was spectacular! Steep, pitted limestone islands covered with tangles of lush forest vegetation. The distant views were reminiscent of jagged mountain peaks in the Sierras, though they were surrounded by water. We motored through the bay islands, checked out some caves (more like Disneyland than natural caves, but they did have amazing formations), and were dropped off at a floating village to wait for our sleeping vessel. Twenty minutes later a much nicer boat showed up and we joined a new group of people for the evening. We cruised to a beautiful cove and anchored there for the night. The evening was great and we woke the next morning to sunrise on the water and another beautiful day.We came to port on Cat Ba Island and did a bit of hiking up to a peak and clambered up a rickety old tower for a great view. Once to Cat Ba town we started to realize our plight when the tour guide split us off from the group at lunch. We were told that we would be eating at a different restaurant for lunch and would stay at a different hotel than the rest of the group. We would also be having "free time" while the rest of the group went kayaking. It turned out, after persistently asking our guide, that our hotel actually booked us for a completely different, inferior tour and overcharged us for it as well!Lesson numbers 23, 24 and 25:Don't bargain for services, the people selling them to you are smarter than you are and you do not speak their native language; make a copy of your receipt as the tour company will take it from you when you get on the bus; and finally, go over your itinerary with your tour guide and travel agent before you leave, this is difficult to do, but if you don't you will probably get screwed at some point (ask almost anyone) and it is easy for them to pass blame on each other.So, we took the low budget meals and hotel in stride, that is what we had been doing anyway. We did however, (along with the help of the rest of the people on our trip) force the tour company to take us kayaking, which was great. We also got to stop at some devil monkey island that was nice, but the aggressive, tourist-trained monkeys were far from an appealing sight (the guide had gotten bitten the week before chasing a monkey off a stupid woman with cookies strapped to her back). We called our hotel back in Hanoi to let them know that we were upset that they had screwed us, only to have them hang up once they realized we were mad.The next day we split off from our tour and it was fantastic! We got the most beautiful room we have had over our entire trip, met some great local people (read Unlikely Teachers journal entry) and had some great food! We joined our group the next morning back to Hanoi on the "crappy bus" and with the "cheap food" and with a little forceful instance, they dropped us off grudgingly at our hotel.The throw down at the hotel also proved a mixed bag. We did get some money back our our tour "mistake" but, after 20 intense minutes of searching for my bag, I found it under the slats of a bed in the back room with two shirts missing. The hotel blamed the theft on other travellers, of course! We left them with heaps of bad karma and told everyone in the hotel not to book trips or store bags. They were pretty mad as well and we were happy to leave.We found a great hotel a few blocks away with a comedic employee who frantically yelled "Chicken Flu" everytime he sneezed. It was hilarious and a much needed break from our earlier stresses of the day.The next day we tooled around Hanoi trying to figure out trip planning. Everyone we talked to said southern Vietnam was pissin' rain and thus literally, no one had had a good time. We decided to bag the bad weather of Southern Vietnam and booked a cheap flight back to Bangkok for the next day! Sad to leave Vietnam after such a short time, but we couldn't justify heading into bad weather in hopes of a lucky break. We flew back to Bangkok on the 22nd of December with little idea on where to head from there.

Halong Bay Vietnam

Geographical locationHalong bay is in northeastern Vietnam, from E106°56' to E107°37' and from N20°43' to N21°09'. The bay stretches from Yên Hưng district, past Hạ Long city, Cẩm Phả town to Vân Đồn district, bordered on the south and southeast by the Gulf of Tonkin, on the north by China and on the west and southwest by Cát Bà island. The bay has a 120 kilometre long coastline and is approximately 1,553 square kilometres in size with 1969 islets. The area designated by UNESCO as the World Natural Heritage Site includes 434 km² with 775 islets, of which the core zone is delimited by 69 points: Đầu Gỗ island on the west, Ba Hầm lake on the south and Cống Tây island on the east. The protected area is from the Cái Dăm petrol store to Quang Hanh commune, Cẩm Phả town and the surrounding giants zone.ClimateThe bay is a sea islands in tropical wet with 2 seasons: hot and moist summer, dry and cold winter. Average temperature is from 15°C- 25°C. Annual rainfall is between 2000mm and 2200mm. Halong bay has the typical diurnal tide system (tide amplitude ranges from 3.5-4m). The salinity is from 31 to 34.5MT in dry season and lower in rainy season.HistorySoi Nhụ culture (16000- 5000 BCE)Located in Hạ Long and Bái Tử Long, there are symbolic archaeological sites such as Mê Cung and Thiên Long. There are mounds of remains of mountain shellfishes (Cyclophorus) and spring shellfishes (Melania), some fresh water mollusk and some rudimentary labour tools. The main living procedures of Soi Nhụ's habitants were catching shellfish and fish, collecting fruits and digging for bulbs and roots. Their living environment is coastal area unlike other Vietnamese cultures, for example those found in Hoà Bình, Bắc Sơn, etc.Cái Bèo culture (5000- 3000BCE)Located in Hạ Long and Cát Bà island, its habitants developed to the level of sea exploitation.History shows that Halong Bay has been the setting for local naval battles against Vietnam's coastal neighbours. On three occasions in the labyrinth of channels in Bach Dang river near the islands the Vietnamese army stopped the Chinese from landing. In 1288 General Tran Hung Dao stopped Mongol ships from sailing up the nearby Bach Dang River by placing steel-tipped wooden stakes at high tide, sinking the Mongol Dubhai Khan's fleet.During the Vietnam War, many of the channels between the islands were heavily mined by the navy of the United States, some of which pose a threat to shipping to this day.System of isles and cavesThien Cung grottoThien Cung grottoThe bay consists of a dense cluster of 1,969 limestone monolithic islands, each topped with thick jungle vegetation, which rise spectacularly from the ocean. Several of the islands are hollow, with enormous caves. Hang Đầu Gỗ (Wooden stakes Cave) is the largest grotto in the Halong area. French tourists visited in the late 19th century, and named the cave Grotte des Merveilles. Its three large chambers contain large numerous stalactites and stalagmites (as well as 19th century French graffiti). There are two bigger islands, Tuan Chau and Cat Ba, that have permanent inhabitants. Both of them have tourist facilities, including hotels and beaches. There are a number of wonderful beaches on the smaller islands.Some of the islands support floating villages of fishermen, who ply the shallow waters for 200 species of fish and 450 different kinds of mollusks. Many of the islands have acquired their names as a result of interpretation of their unusual shapes: such names include Voi Islet (elephant), Ga Choi Islet (fighting cock), and Mai Nha Islet (roof). 989 of the islands have been given names. Birds and animals including bantams, antelopes, monkeys, and iguanas also live on some of the islands.CivilizationFloating fishing villageFloating fishing villageA community of around 1600 people live on Halong bay in four fishing villages: Cửa Vạn, Ba Hang, Cống Tàu and Vông Viêng in Hùng Thắng commune, Hạ Long city. They live on floating houses and are sustained by capture fishing and marine aquaculture (cultivating marine biota).Originally in Ha Long Bay there was only one fishing village. Now there are about ten.Honourable nameIn 1962, Vietnam Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism arranged Halong Bay as National Renowned Lanscape Vestige.The bay was World's Natural Heritage listed by UNESCO at the 18th meeting of the Committee of the World Heritages of UNESCO (in Phuket, Thailand on December 17th, 1994) for its outstanding universal aesthetic value according to the criteria explained in the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention. On December 2nd, 2000 at the 24th meeting of Committee of the World Heritages in Cairns, Australia, Halong bay was admitted as a World Heritage Site for its outstanding geological and geomorphological value according to the criteria of that Convention.[1]Halong bay was introduced to nominate by New Open World Foundation as World's 7 Natural Wonder having result on 08/08/2008.[1]The Kissing RocksThe Kissing RocksGeology and geomorphologyHistory of tectonicsScientists say that Halong bay has experienced at least 500 million years in the various geological states of orogeny, marine transgression and marine regression. During the Ordovician and Silurian periods (500-410 million years ago), Halong bay was deep sea. During the Carboniferous and Permian periods (340-250 million years ago), Halong Bay was at shallow sea level.Karst geomorphology valueAs of simultaneous combination of factors like thick limestone layer, hot and moist climate and slow tectonic process in whole, Ha Long bay has had a complete karst evolutionary for 20 million years. There are many of karst topography kind in Ha Long such as karst field.BiodiversityHa Long Bay is host to two ecosystems: a tropical, moist, evergreen rainforest ecosystem and a marine & coastal ecosystem. The bay is home to seven endemic species.Endemic species * Livistona halongensis * Impatiens halongensis * Chirieta halongensis * Chirieta hiepii * Chirieta modesta * Paraboea halongensis * Alpinia calcicolaThe many islands that dot the bay are home to a great many other species, including (but likely not limited to): 477 magnoliales, 12 pteris, 20 salt marsh flora and 4 amphibia, 10 reptilia, 40 aves, and 4 mammalia.EconomyTourismHa Long Bay is perhaps the most popular travel destination of the country. Foreigners and natives alike are attracted to its natural, universal appeal, not to mention the shopping and dining prospects located close by.CuisineSeafood in Ha Long is diversifying. Cuttle-fish- mực, oyester- hà, cyclinae- ngán, prawn (penaeidea- tôm he, panulirus- tôm hùm, parapenaeopsis- tôm sắt...), spunculoideas- sá sùng, nerita- ốc đĩa, charonia tritonis- ốc tù và, cà sáy... are popular in many famous delicious dishes.In literatureNguyễn Trãi wrote about Halong bay: "This wonder is ground raises up in the middle of the high sky". Xuân Diệu utter a praise: "Here is the unfinished works of the Beings...Here is the stones which the Giant played and threw away". Nguyên Ngọc summarized: "...to form this first- rate wonder, nature only uses: Stone and Water...There is just only two materials themselves chosen from as much as materials, in order to write, to draw, to sculpture, to create everything...It is quite possible that here is the image of the future world". Ho Chi Minh remarks: "It is the wonder that one cannot impart to others". Pham Van Dong embarrassed: "Is it one scenery or many seceneries? Is it the scenery in the world or somewhere?". Nguyễn Tuân recognized that:"Only mountains accept to be old, but Ha Long sea and wave is young for ever".Che Lan Vien sensed:"Hạ Long, Bái Tử Long- Dragons were hidden, only stones still remainOn the moonlight night, stones meditate as men..."Lord Trịnh Cương overflowed with emotion: "Mountains are glistend by water shadow, water spill all over the sky".Huy Cận was agitated: "Night breathes, stars wave Ha Long's water".

Halong Bay Vietnam

Geographical locationHalong bay is in northeastern Vietnam, from E106°56' to E107°37' and from N20°43' to N21°09'. The bay stretches from Yên Hưng district, past Hạ Long city, Cẩm Phả town to Vân Đồn district, bordered on the south and southeast by the Gulf of Tonkin, on the north by China and on the west and southwest by Cát Bà island. The bay has a 120 kilometre long coastline and is approximately 1,553 square kilometres in size with 1969 islets. The area designated by UNESCO as the World Natural Heritage Site includes 434 km² with 775 islets, of which the core zone is delimited by 69 points: Đầu Gỗ island on the west, Ba Hầm lake on the south and Cống Tây island on the east. The protected area is from the Cái Dăm petrol store to Quang Hanh commune, Cẩm Phả town and the surrounding giants zone.ClimateThe bay is a sea islands in tropical wet with 2 seasons: hot and moist summer, dry and cold winter. Average temperature is from 15°C- 25°C. Annual rainfall is between 2000mm and 2200mm. Halong bay has the typical diurnal tide system (tide amplitude ranges from 3.5-4m). The salinity is from 31 to 34.5MT in dry season and lower in rainy season.HistorySoi Nhụ culture (16000- 5000 BCE)Located in Hạ Long and Bái Tử Long, there are symbolic archaeological sites such as Mê Cung and Thiên Long. There are mounds of remains of mountain shellfishes (Cyclophorus) and spring shellfishes (Melania), some fresh water mollusk and some rudimentary labour tools. The main living procedures of Soi Nhụ's habitants were catching shellfish and fish, collecting fruits and digging for bulbs and roots. Their living environment is coastal area unlike other Vietnamese cultures, for example those found in Hoà Bình, Bắc Sơn, etc.Cái Bèo culture (5000- 3000BCE)Located in Hạ Long and Cát Bà island, its habitants developed to the level of sea exploitation.History shows that Halong Bay has been the setting for local naval battles against Vietnam's coastal neighbours. On three occasions in the labyrinth of channels in Bach Dang river near the islands the Vietnamese army stopped the Chinese from landing. In 1288 General Tran Hung Dao stopped Mongol ships from sailing up the nearby Bach Dang River by placing steel-tipped wooden stakes at high tide, sinking the Mongol Dubhai Khan's fleet.During the Vietnam War, many of the channels between the islands were heavily mined by the navy of the United States, some of which pose a threat to shipping to this day.System of isles and cavesThien Cung grottoThien Cung grottoThe bay consists of a dense cluster of 1,969 limestone monolithic islands, each topped with thick jungle vegetation, which rise spectacularly from the ocean. Several of the islands are hollow, with enormous caves. Hang Đầu Gỗ (Wooden stakes Cave) is the largest grotto in the Halong area. French tourists visited in the late 19th century, and named the cave Grotte des Merveilles. Its three large chambers contain large numerous stalactites and stalagmites (as well as 19th century French graffiti). There are two bigger islands, Tuan Chau and Cat Ba, that have permanent inhabitants. Both of them have tourist facilities, including hotels and beaches. There are a number of wonderful beaches on the smaller islands.Some of the islands support floating villages of fishermen, who ply the shallow waters for 200 species of fish and 450 different kinds of mollusks. Many of the islands have acquired their names as a result of interpretation of their unusual shapes: such names include Voi Islet (elephant), Ga Choi Islet (fighting cock), and Mai Nha Islet (roof). 989 of the islands have been given names. Birds and animals including bantams, antelopes, monkeys, and iguanas also live on some of the islands.CivilizationFloating fishing villageFloating fishing villageA community of around 1600 people live on Halong bay in four fishing villages: Cửa Vạn, Ba Hang, Cống Tàu and Vông Viêng in Hùng Thắng commune, Hạ Long city. They live on floating houses and are sustained by capture fishing and marine aquaculture (cultivating marine biota).Originally in Ha Long Bay there was only one fishing village. Now there are about ten.Honourable nameIn 1962, Vietnam Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism arranged Halong Bay as National Renowned Lanscape Vestige.The bay was World's Natural Heritage listed by UNESCO at the 18th meeting of the Committee of the World Heritages of UNESCO (in Phuket, Thailand on December 17th, 1994) for its outstanding universal aesthetic value according to the criteria explained in the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention. On December 2nd, 2000 at the 24th meeting of Committee of the World Heritages in Cairns, Australia, Halong bay was admitted as a World Heritage Site for its outstanding geological and geomorphological value according to the criteria of that Convention.[1]Halong bay was introduced to nominate by New Open World Foundation as World's 7 Natural Wonder having result on 08/08/2008.[1]The Kissing RocksThe Kissing RocksGeology and geomorphologyHistory of tectonicsScientists say that Halong bay has experienced at least 500 million years in the various geological states of orogeny, marine transgression and marine regression. During the Ordovician and Silurian periods (500-410 million years ago), Halong bay was deep sea. During the Carboniferous and Permian periods (340-250 million years ago), Halong Bay was at shallow sea level.Karst geomorphology valueAs of simultaneous combination of factors like thick limestone layer, hot and moist climate and slow tectonic process in whole, Ha Long bay has had a complete karst evolutionary for 20 million years. There are many of karst topography kind in Ha Long such as karst field.BiodiversityHa Long Bay is host to two ecosystems: a tropical, moist, evergreen rainforest ecosystem and a marine & coastal ecosystem. The bay is home to seven endemic species.Endemic species * Livistona halongensis * Impatiens halongensis * Chirieta halongensis * Chirieta hiepii * Chirieta modesta * Paraboea halongensis * Alpinia calcicolaThe many islands that dot the bay are home to a great many other species, including (but likely not limited to): 477 magnoliales, 12 pteris, 20 salt marsh flora and 4 amphibia, 10 reptilia, 40 aves, and 4 mammalia.EconomyTourismHa Long Bay is perhaps the most popular travel destination of the country. Foreigners and natives alike are attracted to its natural, universal appeal, not to mention the shopping and dining prospects located close by.CuisineSeafood in Ha Long is diversifying. Cuttle-fish- mực, oyester- hà, cyclinae- ngán, prawn (penaeidea- tôm he, panulirus- tôm hùm, parapenaeopsis- tôm sắt...), spunculoideas- sá sùng, nerita- ốc đĩa, charonia tritonis- ốc tù và, cà sáy... are popular in many famous delicious dishes.In literatureNguyễn Trãi wrote about Halong bay: "This wonder is ground raises up in the middle of the high sky". Xuân Diệu utter a praise: "Here is the unfinished works of the Beings...Here is the stones which the Giant played and threw away". Nguyên Ngọc summarized: "...to form this first- rate wonder, nature only uses: Stone and Water...There is just only two materials themselves chosen from as much as materials, in order to write, to draw, to sculpture, to create everything...It is quite possible that here is the image of the future world". Ho Chi Minh remarks: "It is the wonder that one cannot impart to others". Pham Van Dong embarrassed: "Is it one scenery or many seceneries? Is it the scenery in the world or somewhere?". Nguyễn Tuân recognized that:"Only mountains accept to be old, but Ha Long sea and wave is young for ever".Che Lan Vien sensed:"Hạ Long, Bái Tử Long- Dragons were hidden, only stones still remainOn the moonlight night, stones meditate as men..."Lord Trịnh Cương overflowed with emotion: "Mountains are glistend by water shadow, water spill all over the sky".Huy Cận was agitated: "Night breathes, stars wave Ha Long's water".

Our Three-Day Tour

Upon arrival at our hotel in Hanoi (Vinh Quanh) we were immediately questioned about tours. We knew we wanted to visit Halong Bay and had been told and read that a tour from Hanoi was the most economical way to go. "Go now, weather is good" they said, which we also knew as we had been watching the weather keenly for the past week. Our hotel also told us that we could lock up our stuff while we were at Halong, "lockers in back, no problem," which would be great. Thinking we were now savvy to the game we declined this initial offer and went around town checking prices and asking questions. We got our low bids and went back to our hotel to see if they would match it. After a "serious" bargaining session, we got our 3 day small group tour, with kayaking and one night on the boat for $38, down from $45. With low expectations but a good price, we were satisfied with our dealings and excited to get out on the water.The morning of our trip we went down to the lobby to lock up our stuff and low and behold they didn't actually have the keys to open the lockers. But we were told we could leave our stuff in the back room. The back room was scattered with other travellers bags and two beds for the hotel workers. Seemed sketchy, but what most others were doing and the people at the hotel were very nice. Kelley said forget it and brought all of her things with her on the trip and I took out the important items from my bag and left a bit of clothes and a rain jacket. The whole situation was quite disappointing due to the fact that this was the reason to book the tour from our hotel. Anyway, our van showed up and we were carted off around town picking up our fellow travellers.The Old Quarter of Hanoi was very interesting in the fact that it seemed to get things going very late as compared to the other places we had been. At 7:30am, the relatively few vehicles in the streets were dominated by white and silver mini buses picking up people to cart them off to their varied destinations. Shops were still mostly closed up and it was even difficult to find food. Quite different than the streets of Lao and Thailand.The 3.5 hour drive form Hanoi to Halong was fine, we stopped for lunch then boarded our "Junk." The Junk, as with 95% of the boats in the bay, were more like ferries with little decorative sails. And that was if they were even to put the sails up, which none bothered.Unlike the "sailing," the bay itself was spectacular! Steep, pitted limestone islands covered with tangles of lush forest vegetation. The distant views were reminiscent of jagged mountain peaks in the Sierras, though they were surrounded by water. We motored through the bay islands, checked out some caves (more like Disneyland than natural caves, but they did have amazing formations), and were dropped off at a floating village to wait for our sleeping vessel. Twenty minutes later a much nicer boat showed up and we joined a new group of people for the evening. We cruised to a beautiful cove and anchored there for the night. The evening was great and we woke the next morning to sunrise on the water and another beautiful day.We came to port on Cat Ba Island and did a bit of hiking up to a peak and clambered up a rickety old tower for a great view. Once to Cat Ba town we started to realize our plight when the tour guide split us off from the group at lunch. We were told that we would be eating at a different restaurant for lunch and would stay at a different hotel than the rest of the group. We would also be having "free time" while the rest of the group went kayaking. It turned out, after persistently asking our guide, that our hotel actually booked us for a completely different, inferior tour and overcharged us for it as well!Lesson numbers 23, 24 and 25:Don't bargain for services, the people selling them to you are smarter than you are and you do not speak their native language; make a copy of your receipt as the tour company will take it from you when you get on the bus; and finally, go over your itinerary with your tour guide and travel agent before you leave, this is difficult to do, but if you don't you will probably get screwed at some point (ask almost anyone) and it is easy for them to pass blame on each other.So, we took the low budget meals and hotel in stride, that is what we had been doing anyway. We did however, (along with the help of the rest of the people on our trip) force the tour company to take us kayaking, which was great. We also got to stop at some devil monkey island that was nice, but the aggressive, tourist-trained monkeys were far from an appealing sight (the guide had gotten bitten the week before chasing a monkey off a stupid woman with cookies strapped to her back). We called our hotel back in Hanoi to let them know that we were upset that they had screwed us, only to have them hang up once they realized we were mad.The next day we split off from our tour and it was fantastic! We got the most beautiful room we have had over our entire trip, met some great local people (read Unlikely Teachers journal entry) and had some great food! We joined our group the next morning back to Hanoi on the "crappy bus" and with the "cheap food" and with a little forceful instance, they dropped us off grudgingly at our hotel.The throw down at the hotel also proved a mixed bag. We did get some money back our our tour "mistake" but, after 20 intense minutes of searching for my bag, I found it under the slats of a bed in the back room with two shirts missing. The hotel blamed the theft on other travellers, of course! We left them with heaps of bad karma and told everyone in the hotel not to book trips or store bags. They were pretty mad as well and we were happy to leave.We found a great hotel a few blocks away with a comedic employee who frantically yelled "Chicken Flu" everytime he sneezed. It was hilarious and a much needed break from our earlier stresses of the day.The next day we tooled around Hanoi trying to figure out trip planning. Everyone we talked to said southern Vietnam was pissin' rain and thus literally, no one had had a good time. We decided to bag the bad weather of Southern Vietnam and booked a cheap flight back to Bangkok for the next day! Sad to leave Vietnam after such a short time, but we couldn't justify heading into bad weather in hopes of a lucky break. We flew back to Bangkok on the 22nd of December with little idea on where to head from there.

The March To Ho Chi Minh

This bus ride then, was a monster. Hoi An straight through to Ho Chi Minh, 25 hours, a new record...Fortunately sleeping wasn't a problem for me at this time as my health was still very mediocre at best. The prospect of 25 hours on a bus though, was rather demoralising and I needed help. It promptly arrived in the form of a weathered old man who walked down the aisle as if he'd just seen off both the French and the Americans single handed, and was now heading home for a brew. He saw the empty seat next to me and marched over. Giving me a stern and purposeful stare, he sat down and shook my hand. He knew what lay ahead and proceeded to give me a reassuring pat on the thigh as if to say "don't worry son, i'm here now, it'll all be ok". He didn't speak any English but immediately I felt better and was ready to take on the 25 hour marathon. Nothing could shake him, and he was on my side, there was nothing to worry about.With 24 hours and 50 minutes still to go then, he cracked. Barking orders down the bus he turned to me again, his face still solemn and serious. He shook my hand a second time, stood up and instructed a young local girl to take his place whilst he strode off down the aisle, presumably to sit somewhere else. This was a blow, particularly as in what appears to be a very Vietnamese trait, the local girl then fell asleep on me... Only one man could get me through this ordeal now - I sat back, closed my eyes, and listened to the wise words of the great John Denver for as long as the battery would last.25 hours later, via Mue Nui and Natrang, we crawled into Ho Chi Minh, tired and rather sick of buses. The big city straight after Hoi An was all a bit much for me in my fragile state, and although I liked the gritty, busy and French colonial feel, I was happy to stay just a couple of days before moving on again. After browsing another art gallery, I strolled around the Reunification Palace where the first North Vietnamese tanks headed to end the Vietnam War. A rather strange decor for a palace, it seemed more like the set from a 70's sit-com, although I was very pleased to find a copy of The Sports Almanac 1965 still on the shelf. The amusement I felt at the palace quickly vanished at the excellent, graphic, sobering and shocking War Museum, definitely worth a look for the many tragic tales and pictures of war time anguish which continue to this day.Tired and in dire need of a beach to relax on, I had at least made it down Vietnam with enough time to enjoy Cambodia and still make it to Malaysia, although southern Thailand would have to be sacrificed. This seemed a good plan as I thought it through over a drink with new friends Julie from Belgium, and Pete The Irish Drunk. Partying in Southern Thailand would be a bad idea given my woeful state of health, and certainly didn't appeal I decided, as I finished my second bottle of wine... Suddenly it was 5:30am, I'd accidently got hammered and my bus to Cambodia left in only 3 hours. Pleasant company, but a bad move, a very bad move...

Hoa Lu - Tam Coc- full day

Hoa Lu, 100 km south of Hanoi, was the capital city of Vietnam under the Dinh Dynasty between AD 968 and AD 980. Some of the sanctuaries and tombs have survived the countless years and can still be visited today. Apart from the historical aspects, the area is also one of astounding natural beauty with limestone peaks whose splendor is often said to surpass that of Ha Long Bay. It is true that this area is often referred to as the Ha Long Bay on land. The tour includes being rowed along the Boi River, which makes for a truly unforgettable experience, passing between towering limestone peaks.Price: Joined group tour : Daily - U$ 20/ personIncludes: Transport, boat trip, entrance fee, lunch and guide.ITINERARY:Hoa Lu used to be one of the many old capitals of Vietnam before Thang Long – presently Hanoi – take its historical role. From an exciting town and centre of cultural and military activities of the Dai Co Viet Kingdom in 10th century, the area now is more wellknown for its landscape since almost relics of the urban excitement had been collapsed, except in the Temples of King Dinh and King Le. A trip to Hoa Lu should be started from Tam Coc ("three caves"), which takes more than two hours driving from Hanoi, and visitors may say that distance is not a matter after seating in a boat rowed by one or two local persons in Hoang Long river and see the first limestone mountains, which will run along their riverway for several kilometers. The boat will run, sorry, will be rowed, through three caves on the river, all created by wind and water from a legend time, while the sea had occupied this area. The tide-mark is still on the rock about 2m above the water, and in higher mountainwall the erosion have carved some strange shapes that now filled of green grass, delicious foods of the goats that local people breed everywhere. If you are lucky, sometimes you can see mischievous monkeys. The river trip is wonderful for photo hunters, especially when local people come to harvest the water rice planted along the river, or when they transplant some seedling for the next crops. The tourists often compare the place with Guilin – China, or more closely, to the limestone islets of Halong Bay in the Tonkin Gulf for their similar geological structures and shapes. Thus Tam Coc is also called Halong-Bay-On-Land.From the wharf of Tam Coc you can go further till reaching Bich Dong Pagoda, a combination of three pagodas on the Lower, Middle and Upper levels of a pretty mountain. You will need to climb a little bit till you get to the top of the Upper pagoda and your eyes catch the overall panorama of the paddy fields between Truong Yen mountain. All the pagodas, or lean upon a cliff, or simply have some statues inside a large grotto, deserve the name "Bich Dong" (emerald-like grotto). A scene of the popular French movie "Indochine" had been completed here in 1991, remarking a rush of the French-speaking tourists to Vietnam, who usually do not skip Halong Bay and Tam Coc-Bich Dong where the leading actress Catherine Deneuve left her footprints. On the way back from Tam Coc – Bich Dong to Hanoi you can pay a visit to the last relics of the ancient capital Hoa Lu – the Temples dedicated to King Dinh and King Le, the two heroes who lived in 10th century and chose Hoa Lu to build the citadel of the capital city. From time to time, archaeologists have excavated buried parts of this citadel with rusty weapons and ceramics. The temples are said to be built on the old foundation of their original palaces in 11-12th centuries and restored in 17th century. Though the temples are not maintained entirely some precious antiques are still preserved well like the whole-stone dragon thrones, wooden bas-relieves and lacquered statues of King Dinh, Kinh Le, Queen Duong Van Nga who in turn got married both of the kings, and the princes of the two dynasties Low Season (5th May - 31st August)Size of Group 1 2 3 4 - 5 6 - 7 8 pax upCost/pax (USD) 180 120 95 80 65 50High Season (1st Sep - 4th May)Size of Group 1 2 3 4 - 5 6 - 7 8 pax upCost/pax (USD) 198 132 105 88 72 55Tour type: PrivateDeparture: Every dayInclusive: Transportation (private car/mini van), Boat, Entrance fees, Speaking guide (English or French), LunchExclusive: Drinks, Insurance, Personal expenses, Tips

Nha Trang

We caught the overnight bus from Saigon to Nha Trang, which turned out to be quite an experience. Besides the fact that the bus was not the most comfortable of buses ever, we had a very dodgy character on the bus who deprived us of most of our sleep. He had been acting really strangely the whole way on the bus, changing seats a number of times, lying down on the back seats and even lying in the aisle. Luckily South America taught me a thing or two about guarding your possessions on a bus, so I had one foot on Warren's bag, and the other one on my bag. So when he pulled Warren's bag backwards, I immediately felt it and moved it back towards the front. It didn't take long for him to try again, but we caught him at it again and moved Warren's bag right to the front, out of harm's way and facing forwards. A few minutes later, he was fishing around at my bag, but as I felt my bag moving, I kicked really hard backwards, and caught him on the hand. Realising that he had been caught out, he tried to cover up by pretending to look for something that he had dropped on the floor, and even had the cheek to ask us if he could borrow our torch so that he could have a look! Anyway, when he had no luck with our bags, he changed seats yet again. Even though we were both keeping an eye on him, neither of us noticed when he finally hit the jackpot. About 5 minutes after he got off the bus, the girl that was sitting in the seat in front of the last seat he had sat in noticed that 150 Euros was missing out of her wallet...The weather in Nha Trang was miserable. Rainy, and really windy. As it is a coastal resort, there was not much else for us to do, so we decided to spend only one night there, and head out on the overnight bus the next night. There was a huge storm on the first night that we spent there. The wind was so strong that it was blowing potplants over, and our windows rattled so badly all night that we didn't manage to get much sleep. When we wanted to leave the next day, we were told that there were no buses as there had been a landslide, so we decided to take the overnight train instead.Vietnam Travel Directory: http://www.VietnamTravelDirectory.com

Our Three-Day Tour

Upon arrival at our hotel in Hanoi (Vinh Quanh) we were immediately questioned about tours. We knew we wanted to visit Halong Bay and had been told and read that a tour from Hanoi was the most economical way to go. "Go now, weather is good" they said, which we also knew as we had been watching the weather keenly for the past week. Our hotel also told us that we could lock up our stuff while we were at Halong, "lockers in back, no problem," which would be great. Thinking we were now savvy to the game we declined this initial offer and went around town checking prices and asking questions. We got our low bids and went back to our hotel to see if they would match it. After a "serious" bargaining session, we got our 3 day small group tour, with kayaking and one night on the boat for $38, down from $45. With low expectations but a good price, we were satisfied with our dealings and excited to get out on the water.The morning of our trip we went down to the lobby to lock up our stuff and low and behold they didn't actually have the keys to open the lockers. But we were told we could leave our stuff in the back room. The back room was scattered with other travellers bags and two beds for the hotel workers. Seemed sketchy, but what most others were doing and the people at the hotel were very nice. Kelley said forget it and brought all of her things with her on the trip and I took out the important items from my bag and left a bit of clothes and a rain jacket. The whole situation was quite disappointing due to the fact that this was the reason to book the tour from our hotel. Anyway, our van showed up and we were carted off around town picking up our fellow travellers.The Old Quarter of Hanoi was very interesting in the fact that it seemed to get things going very late as compared to the other places we had been. At 7:30am, the relatively few vehicles in the streets were dominated by white and silver mini buses picking up people to cart them off to their varied destinations. Shops were still mostly closed up and it was even difficult to find food. Quite different than the streets of Lao and Thailand.The 3.5 hour drive form Hanoi to Halong was fine, we stopped for lunch then boarded our "Junk." The Junk, as with 95% of the boats in the bay, were more like ferries with little decorative sails. And that was if they were even to put the sails up, which none bothered.Unlike the "sailing," the bay itself was spectacular! Steep, pitted limestone islands covered with tangles of lush forest vegetation. The distant views were reminiscent of jagged mountain peaks in the Sierras, though they were surrounded by water. We motored through the bay islands, checked out some caves (more like Disneyland than natural caves, but they did have amazing formations), and were dropped off at a floating village to wait for our sleeping vessel. Twenty minutes later a much nicer boat showed up and we joined a new group of people for the evening. We cruised to a beautiful cove and anchored there for the night. The evening was great and we woke the next morning to sunrise on the water and another beautiful day.We came to port on Cat Ba Island and did a bit of hiking up to a peak and clambered up a rickety old tower for a great view. Once to Cat Ba town we started to realize our plight when the tour guide split us off from the group at lunch. We were told that we would be eating at a different restaurant for lunch and would stay at a different hotel than the rest of the group. We would also be having "free time" while the rest of the group went kayaking. It turned out, after persistently asking our guide, that our hotel actually booked us for a completely different, inferior tour and overcharged us for it as well!Lesson numbers 23, 24 and 25:Don't bargain for services, the people selling them to you are smarter than you are and you do not speak their native language; make a copy of your receipt as the tour company will take it from you when you get on the bus; and finally, go over your itinerary with your tour guide and travel agent before you leave, this is difficult to do, but if you don't you will probably get screwed at some point (ask almost anyone) and it is easy for them to pass blame on each other.So, we took the low budget meals and hotel in stride, that is what we had been doing anyway. We did however, (along with the help of the rest of the people on our trip) force the tour company to take us kayaking, which was great. We also got to stop at some devil monkey island that was nice, but the aggressive, tourist-trained monkeys were far from an appealing sight (the guide had gotten bitten the week before chasing a monkey off a stupid woman with cookies strapped to her back). We called our hotel back in Hanoi to let them know that we were upset that they had screwed us, only to have them hang up once they realized we were mad.The next day we split off from our tour and it was fantastic! We got the most beautiful room we have had over our entire trip, met some great local people (read Unlikely Teachers journal entry) and had some great food! We joined our group the next morning back to Hanoi on the "crappy bus" and with the "cheap food" and with a little forceful instance, they dropped us off grudgingly at our hotel.The throw down at the hotel also proved a mixed bag. We did get some money back our our tour "mistake" but, after 20 intense minutes of searching for my bag, I found it under the slats of a bed in the back room with two shirts missing. The hotel blamed the theft on other travellers, of course! We left them with heaps of bad karma and told everyone in the hotel not to book trips or store bags. They were pretty mad as well and we were happy to leave.We found a great hotel a few blocks away with a comedic employee who frantically yelled "Chicken Flu" everytime he sneezed. It was hilarious and a much needed break from our earlier stresses of the day.The next day we tooled around Hanoi trying to figure out trip planning. Everyone we talked to said southern Vietnam was pissin' rain and thus literally, no one had had a good time. We decided to bag the bad weather of Southern Vietnam and booked a cheap flight back to Bangkok for the next day! Sad to leave Vietnam after such a short time, but we couldn't justify heading into bad weather in hopes of a lucky break. We flew back to Bangkok on the 22nd of December with little idea on where to head from there.

Vietnam Dining and Shopping

Shop Hours: Shops run from 7 or 8am to 11 or 11:30pm. Some are open from 1 or 2pm to 4 or 5pm.generic items and local handicrafts: Local specialities include lacquer painting, reed mats, embroidery, tailor-made ao dais (female national costume) & mother-of-pearl inlay on ornaments & furniture, not to mention the local conical hats. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) has the best buys for modern goods like CDs and clothing.Antiques: The best place for shopping for antiques or replicas is in Hanoi. Export of antiques restricted by Vietnamese law, but laws on the subject vague & unevenly enforced. Antique objects can be subject to inspection & seizure by customs authorities with no compensation made to owners.Determining whether something is antique is arbitrary. Purchasers of non-antique items of value should retain receipts & confirmation from shop owners &/or Ministry of Culture & Customs Department to prevent seizure upon departure. Prior to purchasing antiques, travellers may wish to determine from Ministry of Culture whether object can be exported & amount of duty. Process of exporting antiques can be difficult & time consuming; however, travellers could insist that sellers obtain all necessary permits from Ministry of Culture & Customs Department before final purchase. DININGVietnamese food varies from region to region and is a total taste sensation everywhere you go. Almost 500 traditional dishes have been recorded. Rice and noodles are the staple foods and are served with nearly all meals. The most popular dishes are spring rolls, noodles with sliced pork, eggs, shredded chicken and shrimp, shellfish steamed with ginger and sea crabs fried with salt. Among common ingredients used are: shark fin, duck, pork paste, fish, spices, fruits, vegetables, crabmeat, lobster and oysters.Rice wine is very popular, and there are many brands available. There are a variety of fruit wines such as apricot, orange or lemon. Soft drinks are processed from the many varieties of tropical fruits available. Water from the tap should be avoided, even though it has already been filtered and sterilized. If you must drink it, boil the water first.Eating in Vietnam ranges from the cheap noodle soup for a quarter of a dollar eaten on the street to a banquet in one of the luxury hotels.Restaurants: Government-run restaurants catering to tourists add a 10% service charge to the bill.Tipping: Tipping is not customary in Vietnam, but it is enormously appreciated. A 5-10% tip for a meal is a very small amount of money for most tourists but to the average Vietnamese, it can easily equal a day's wages. Please avoid tipping too much, as it will set a precedent for others.The different local foods:Pho: The most typical Vietnamese food is Pho, the noodle soup with meat in it. It is very cheap (you can get a bowl for about VND 2000 - 3000) and usually well spiced. The main pho are: Pho Bo, with beef, Pho Bo Tai, with fish and Pho Ga, with chicken. Com: Boiled rice is eaten for lunch and dinner. There are many different kinds of rice. Typically, fragrant rice is used, like Tam Thom or Nahg Huong. Grilled rice is served in autumn. It is eaten with eggs, bananas and sapodillas.Banh Chung: The traditional sticky rice cakes are made of glutinous rice, pork and green bean paste and sometimes with onion, wrapped in bamboo or banana leaves. They are made by soaking the rice in water for an entire day. Wrapped in the fresh bamboo leaves, the rice turns slightly green. There is a legend attached to the creation of this traditional dish: Prince Lang Lieu created and presented the rice cakes to his father, winning high acclaim and thus securing the throne.Nuoc mam: This fermented fish sauce is used to spice anything.Baguettes: A legacy of the French is the small white bread loaves, resembling baguettes. You can get them for as little as VND 500. Sometimes they are combined with well-spiced meat, vegetables and salad to form an excellent sandwich.Seafood: Along the coast you get excellent fresh seafood almost everywhere.Cha ca: The fried fish slices are a specialty of the north. Snake: In the Mekong delta you are able to get cheap snake. This different, but delicious meat, is prepared in a variety of ways and is well worth trying...you will be pleasantly surprised. Beer: Imported beer is available in Vietnam, although a number of domestic beers are brewed.Duck eggs: This popular dish is another worth trying but if you feel squeemish...don't as it consists of an already partly developed foetus, complete with feathers, limbs and beak.

Vietnam Travel Directory

Vietnam travel directory, provides you Vietnam travel links, hotels Directory, directory listings, add travel url! Vietnam Travel Directory You can add to more sub directory for free at: DestinationsHalong Bay Destination, Sapa Destination,... Hotelshalong_hotels, Hanoi Hotels, SaPa Hotels, ... ToursCycling Tours, Trekking Tours, Kayaking Tours, ... Tour OperatorsHalong Tour Operators, Sapa Tour Operators, ... TransportationHanoi Transportation, Ho Chi Minh Transportation, ... Travel AgentsHanoi Travel Agents, Ho Chi Minh Travel Agents, Hoi An Travel Agents, ... Travel GuidesMaps, Weather Travel HealthHanoi Travel Health, Ho Chi Minh Travel Health

Vietnam Travel Directory and Resources - DirectRooms

Vietnam travel directory compiled by DirectRooms. A comprehensive resource centre of the best travel websites for Vietnam, all graded by our human editorslink: http://www.directrooms.com/travel-directory/asia/vietnam/index.htm

Halong Bay Tours

Bai Tu Long Cruise 2 daysBai Tu Long Cruise tour 2 days On Footprint Red Dragon traditional junk, we aim to get off the beaten track but still at as leisurely pace. The size of the new vessel will allow the passengers to get much closer to Halong Bay’s natural wonders, pocket lagoons, and its small fishing communities.Depart, 8:00 am, from your hotel to Halong city. After 3.5 hours driving and viewing simple, country side, rice paddy life, we arrive at the at port. At 12.00, the junk crews welcome guests on board at Hon Gai WharfHalong Tours
Halong Cruise 2 days Halong Bay tours, Halong Cruise 2 days A great way to see spectacular Halong Bay is on a slow cruise through the seemingly never-ending bay of islands. Lay in the sun, enjoy a selection of the freshest seafood, and capture photograph after photograph.Later take a more intense look of one of the islands, "get off the beaten track” at a more leisurely pace. Finish the day with an amazing night's swim in the phosphorescent water. On board the Chinese Junk take part in boat-watching, sunset and sunrise. Actually be a part of the magic
Halong Cruise & Kayak 3 daysTravel to Halong Bay, Halong Cruise & Kayak 3 daysHaLong Bay is spectacular! The best way to visit all the hidden inlets and islands is via kayak. You will have 3 days on the water to explore this World Heritage Site with the support of our helpful experts and an authentic liveaboard Chinese Junk. Sleep on board under the stars and endulge in selections of the freshest seafood seved at lunch and dinner. On your kayak discover the magic as you paddle your way through narrow caves and secret interior lakes. Touch the untouched, name the unnamed
Day 1: Hanoi – HalongHalong Cruise tour, travel to halongDepart 8:00 am to Halong. After a 3.5 hours drive we will board our private vessel, an authentic Chinese Junk, for a relaxing cruise to the bay. After lunch on the boat we will stop at a small floating fishing village where our kayaks will be waiting. Then take advantage of the afternoon (2-3 hours) by kayaking amidst the magic of Halong. Tonight's dinner will include a selection of the freshest sea food. Retire to your quarters on the boat or sleep under the stars on the top deck.(L,D)Day 2: Lost, let's sea what happens...book Halong kayaking tours in VietnamA full day of kayaking follows breakfast on the boat. This is the day to discover the hidden Halong and uncover the secrets of this World Heritage Site. Paddle through the emerald water to magnificent caves and deserted lagoons. Explore every nook and cranny of this specticle of towering limestone and ocean, kayak to places some have never been to.
The day we will be fully supported by our boat. We will not have any designated route, we just paddle to the places you wish to go. Our only concern will be the weather's possible heavy rain or too much sun. If this is the case, we can easily go back to the boat for lunch, a short rest, more water or swimming. For those who are not feeling up to a full day of kayaking, cruising on the boat capturing photograph after photograph or sun bathing are some alternatives. As the sun sets, take pleasure in knowing that our second night will be spent on the water as well. (B,L,D)Day 3: More kayaking then onto HanoiHalong kayaking tour, travel to Halong VietnamBreakfast, then more cruising and kayaking. Then we return to Halong City. We will see a little bit of the town as we will have lunch at a local restaurant here, then we will begin our return to Hanoi. You should be back in your hotel around 5:00 pm where your smile, tan and stories of adventure on the water will be the envy of others. (B,L)

Sapa Tours in Vietnam

Sapa Tours
Sapa Trek & Bac Ha Sunday Market
Sapa Trek with Sunday Market Bac Ha - 3 daysSapa Trek with Sunday Market Bac HaThis 3-day 4-night tour is a wonderful offer from Footprint. Including not only trekking to the hidden villages and staying at their home, but also a visit to one of the most colorful tribal markets in Vietnam. Bac Ha is a rainbow of culture and local trading activities. Different tribes and villages all congregate here only on Sunday to do their business. Please schedule your departure from Hanoi on Thursday night so you too can participate in this renowned market...

Sapa Easy Trek - 3 days
Sapa Easy Trek tour - Vietnam trekkingThis is a perfect combination of trek and culture while visiting the hill tribes’ villages at a pace and style that compliments you. Journey away from the crowds and homestay a traditional Dao home. Learn and participate in village life and truly feel the warmth and hospitality of these incredible people. This is an unforgettable soft adventure to Sapa that should be part of everyone’s time in Vietnam, yet probably only offered by Footprint.
Sapa is a special place with an energy like no other. Take advantage of the secret spots we take you to, and make this an adventure you will never forget. This is the way travel truly should be...

Conquer the top of Mt. Fansipan - 4 days
Fansipan Sapa adventure trek in VietnamSapa is a beautiful former French hill-station. At an altitude of 1,650 m Sapa boasts warm days and cool evenings and all day fresh air. Nowadays, Sapa has become a favorite destination due to its inspiring scenery of mounatin ranges and terraced valley floors dotted with small ethnic villages. Sapa is home to several of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic minority groups, each with their own distinctive dress, customs and dialects making it a colorful mosaic of culture.
Sapa is also renowned for its trekking. With South East Asia's highest peak, Mt. Fansipan (3,143 m) providing the perfect backdrop for some great trekking routes. This 3 day trek with outdoor camping offers all of the challenges and rewards of any hike. And, at the summit you be one of the few to have reached up and touched the clouds marking the roof of Indochina...

Sapa Moderate Trek - 4 daysSapa Moderate Trek Tour - trekking in VietnamCombing a mix of adventure and culture in this multi-day trek suites those who have a little extra time, are willing to get a little dirty, and want to explore . We will travel South of Sapa along the inspiring Muong Hoa valley and mountain streams, visiting villages of Hmong, Zay, Dao and Tay ethnic minorities.
Sources: Sapa Tours
http://www.footprintsvietnam.com/Tours/Sapa/

This trek can be difficult at times but is worth the effort as you will be taken off the beaten path, away from the crowds, and into the unspoiled Vietnam. Visit and stay with a Zay and Tay family and learn about village life. We promise that this trip will be unforgettable, educational, rewarding with a healthy dose of fun...

Vietnam tours listing

NORTHERN PRIVATE TOURS ( NPT )
NPT 01: Hanoi City Tour ( Full day )
NPT 02: Perfume Pagoda ( Full day )
NPT 03: Hoa Lu- Tam Coc ( Full day )
NPT 04: Cuc Phuong National Park ( Full day )
NPT 05: Halong Bay ( Full day )
NPT 06: Cuc Phuong- Van Long Area- Kenh Ga Geyser ( 02 days/ 01 night )
NPT 07: Halong Bay ( 02 days/ 01 night )
NPT 08: Halong Bay- Cat Ba island- Hai Phong ( 02 days/ 01 night )
NPT 09: Mai Chau ( 2 days/ 1 night )
NPT 10: Hai Phong- Cat Ba- Halong ( 03 days/ 02 nights )
NPT 11: Traditional Villages and Pagoda around Hanoi ( Full day )
NPT 12: Mai Chau Trekking ( 3 days )
NPT 13: Ninh Binh- Hoa Lu- Tam Coc- Mai Chau- Xa Linh (3 days/ 2 nights)
NPT 14: Phong Tho Trekking ( 3 days/ 2 nights )
NPT 15: Ninh Binh- Cuc Phuong National Park- Mai Chau (3 days/ 2 nights)
NPT 16: Hanoi- Ha Long- Ninh Binh ( 5 days/ 4 nights )
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CENTRAL PRIVATE TOURS ( CPT )
CPT 01: Hue Tours
CPT 02: Hoi An Tours
CPT 03: Nha Trang Tours
CPT 04: Nha Trang- Dak Lak Highland- Buon Me Thuot- Lak Lake- Dalat- Lang Biang Highland ( 4 days / 3 nights )
CPT 05: Dalat- Tuyen Lam Lake- Fairy Rock- Mount Elephant ( 02 days )
CPT 06: Hoi An- Qui Nhon- Nha Trang- Dak Lak- Buon Me Thuot- Lak Lake- Dalat- Lang Biang ( 7 days )
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOUTHERN PRIVATE TOURS ( SPT )
SPT 01: Ho Chi Minh City Tour ( Full day )
SPT 02: Ho Chi Minh City Tour- Cu Chi Tunnel ( Full day )
SPT 03: Cu Chi Tunnel- Cao Dai Temple ( Full day )
SPT 04: Cu Chi Tunnel ( Half day )
SPT 05: Mekong Delta: Saigon- My Tho- Ben Tre ( Full day )
SPT 06: Mekong Delta: Sai Gon- Cai Be- Vinh Long- Can Tho- Cai Rang- Phong Dien- My Tho ( 2 days/ 1 night )
SPT 07: Mekong Delta: Sai Gon- Cai Be- Vinh Long- Can Tho- Cai Rang- Phong Dien- Long Xuyen- Chau Doc ( 3 days/ 2 nights )
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SPECIAL TOURS ( ST )
ST 01: Sapa Trekking Tours
ST 02: Kayaking Tours on Halong Bay
ST 03: Adventure Tours
ST 04: Beach Breaks
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRANS- VIETNAM TOURS ( T-VT )
T-VT 01: Beaches along Vietnam ( 8 days )
T-VT 02: Hanoi- Saigon Discovery ( 10 days/ 09 nights )
T-VT 03: Trans- Vietnam Open Tour ( 12 days )
T-VT 04: Trans- Vietnam Open Tour ( 13 days )
T-VT 05: Hanoi- Saigon ( 14 days )
T-VT 06: Saigon- Hanoi by train ( 13 days )
T-VT 07: 17 Days Vietnam Discovery
T-VT 08: Trans- Vietnam Open Tour ( 18 days )
T-VT 09: Trans- Vietnam Open Tour ( 22 days )
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NORTHERN BUDGET TOURS ( NBT )
NBT 01: Hanoi City Tour ( Full day )
NBT 02: Perfume Pagoda ( Full day )
NBT 03: Hoa Lu- Tam Coc ( Full day )
NBT 04: Cuc Phuong National Park ( Full day )
NBT 05: Mai Chau ( 2 days/ 1 night )
NBT 06: Halong Bay ( Full day )
NBT 07: Halong- Catba ( 2 days/ 1 night )
NBT 08: Halong- Catba ( 3 days/ 2 nights )
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CENTRAL BUDGET TOURS ( CBT )
CBT 01: Hue Tours
CBT 02: Hoi An City Tours
CBT 03: Nha Trang
CBT 04: Da Lat
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOUTHERN BUDGET TOURS ( SBT )
SBT 01: Ho Chi Minh City Tours
SBT 02: Mekong Delta Tours

Travel Information of Vietnam

1. GENERAL INFORMATION
Vietnam borders with China in the north, Laos and Kampuchea in the West, and the Pacific Ocean in the east. Its lies in the centre of South-East Asia. Vietnam's territory stretches from Lung Cu village (Ha Tuyen province) in the north to Rach Tau hamlet (Minh Hai province) in the south. It is a S-shaped pennisula, with thousands of off-shore islands and archipelagoes; the biggest of which are the Hoang SA (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelagoes. Vietnam's mainland covers 331,689 square kilometres .
According to archaeological discoveries made at Do Mountain, it is believed that life in Vietnam began as far back as 300,000 years ago. Officially, the history of Vietnam stretches back 4,000 years when it was founded by the Hung Kings. It was then named Van Lang.
When speaking upon the history of Vietnam, it is important to note the large role played by the French in Vietnam. It began in 1858, when the French took over Danang in southern Vietnam. Over time, more and more territory was won over by the French. It wasn't until 1954, when the French surrendered to to the Viet Minh, ending the French Indochina War, that the French colonial control in Vietnam ended.
The immediate image in the minds of most people at the mention of Vietnam is that of the war fought against the United States some twenty years ago. Most people think of the country only in terms of the American conflict in Indochina. The war ended nearly twenty years ago, and today, despite lingering signs of past American involvement, the situation in Vietnam is markedly different. People have finally begun to look at the country from another perspective, now that travelers and tourists from the West are being welcomed into what was once a forbidden country. It may take a bit more effort and tenacity to plan an excursion into Vietnam than it would for another Southeast Asian country, but Vietnam has much to offer in terms of culture and sights.
Top
2. WEATHER CONDITIONS
The weather in the southern part of Vietnam is tropical. It is monsoonal in the north, bringing a hot, rainy season from mid-May to mid-September and a warm, dry season from mid-October to mid-March. Occasional typhoons from May to January bring extensive flooding to the middle regions of Vietnam.
Top3. PEOPLE AND CULTURE
The vast majority of the population is Vietnamese with minute percentages of Chinese. The Viet culture originated on the delta of the Red River and the Ma River where the Viet people cultivated paddy fields. They led a simple farming life in small villages, usually living around a communal house. Today the people living in the countryside follow this lifestyle. The Viet people are influenced by Confucianism, in particular the principle of respect for their elders.
In spite of the immense suffering of the Vietnamese and the somewhat ruined state of the country, they are generally warm and friendly, and surprisingly, the Vietnamese bear little if any resentment or bitterness toward Americans. Children in the streets will commonly greet visitors with the name Lien Xo, which means Russian, but they will easily be corrected if you respond, "Hello!" or "Good morning" and explain you are an American, European or Australian, etc.
Ethnic Groups: The country is predominantly 85-90% Vietnamese, 3% Chinese, ethnic minorities include Muong, Thai, Meo, Khmer, Man, Cham, and other mountain tribes.
Languages: Vietnamese is the official language; French, Chinese, English, Khmer and tribal dialects (Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian) are also spoken.
Religion: Buddhist, Confucian, Taoist, Roman Catholic, indigenous beliefs, Islamic and Protestant.
Top4. LOCAL CUSTOMS
Be firm, yet diplomatic when dealing with officials who will often be very rigid. In the case of misunderstanding, patience is the best policy.
Small gifts such as cigarette lighters, pens, foreign cigarettes, liquor, perfume and even shampoo are greatly appreciated by anyone you wish to make friends with in Vietnam.
Out of politeness, always ask permission before taking photos of people. The same rule of thumb also applies to photos taken in places of worship. Permission will almost always be granted.
A gentle handshake is the most appropriate manner of greeting.
Be very discrete about giving anything to beggars frequently encountered in Ho Chi Minh City. If anyone is seen giving handouts to a beggar, he or she may end up being pursued by a mob of other beggars. This does not help create a good image for foreigners; it gives them instead the reputation of being easy to hit up for money.
Beware of pickpockets. Keep your ID and passport in a safe place and carry only photocopies of those items.
Remove your shoes before entering Buddhist pagodas. Small donations placed in the boxes found in temples are appreciated. It is acceptable to keep your shoes on within Chinese pagodas.
Never let the soles of your feet face other people or any sacred monument, such as a statue of Buddha.
Top5. CURRENCY
The Dong (D) is the official currency in Vietnam. Exchange rate is approximatley 1 USD = 15,000 Dong (Sep 01)
Bank notes currently in circulation are in denominations of 100 / 200 / 500 / 1,000 / 2,000 / 5,000 / 10,000 / 20,000 and 50,000 Dong
Notes under 200 Dong have little value and are rarely used.
The U.S. dollar is more or less a second currency in Vietnam. Other foreign currencies are not readily accepted. A large supply of US$1, US$5 and US$10 are almost essential for tipping, for small expenses and for hotel bills. U.S. money is so common that change will frequently be given in dollars.
You may bring in an unlimited amount of foreign currency as long as it is declared on the forms provided by customs officers. Foreign currency can be exchanged for dong at your hotel or at the State Bank of Vietnam.
Top6. THINGS TO KNOW
Population: About 78 Million People Capital: Hanoi Flag: The flag of Vietman is red with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center. Shop Hours: Shops run from 7 or 8am to 11 or 11:30pm. Some are open from 1 or 2pm to 4 or 5pm. Bank Hours: Most banks are opened from 7am or 8am to 11am or 11:30am Some are open from 1pm or 2pm to 4pm or 5pm. Holidays January 1 Solar New Year's Day January/February Tet (Tet Nguyen Dan). The most important Vietnamese annual festival. This marks the new lunar year and the advent of spring. This is a three-day holiday, usually at the end of January or the beginning of February (according to the solar calendar) February 3 Anniversary of the Foundation of the Communist Party of Vietnam April 30 Liberation Day, the day on which Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) fell to Hanoi in 1975. This holiday is commemorated nationwide. May 1 Labour Day May 19 Birthday of President Ho Chi Minh September 2 National Day of Vietnam
Time: +7:00, Vietnam is 11 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time and 14 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time.
Tipping: Tipping is not customary in Vietnam, but it is enormously appreciated. A 5-10% tip for a meal is a very small amount of money, but to the average Vietnamese, it could easily equal a day's wages. Avoid tipping too much, as it will set a precedent for others.
Restaurants: Government-run restaurants catering to tourists add a 10% service charge to the bill.
Porters: Porters, if they are available, can be tipped with American coins.
Hotel maids: Government-run hotels catering to tourists charge an automatic 10% service fee.
Taxis: Generous tips are not necessary. A small gratuity, however, is expected by cab drivers.
Top7. VISAS AND PASSPORT
Passports and visas are required for entry into Vietnam. The best place to obtain a visa for Vietnam is Bangkok. The visa will specify where you will be arriving and where you will be leaving, in addition to how long you can stay.
Formerly, tours had to be booked to obtain a visa, but this is no longer the situation. Potential visitors to Vietnam must fill out three applications for entry and exit visas, accompanied by three passport photos 4cm x 6cm. One of the applications must be sent to the most convenient diplomatic or consular mission of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The other two applications/photos are carried with you and handed in at the first point of entry.
If you require Asia Travel to assist you in the application, please send an email with the following information to:asiatrav@asiatravel.com:
Surname and first name Date and place of birth Nationality Present place of residence Profession Time and point of entry and exit
Some Embassies of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam:
Australia 6 Timbarra Crescent O'Malley ACT 2603 Tel (062) 866059
France 62, rue Boileau 75016 Paris Tel 4524-5063 or 4527-6255
Mexico Sierra Ventana 255 11000 Mexico, DF Tel 540-1612
Thailand 83/1 Wireless Road Bankok Tel (02) 251-7201
United Kingdom 12-14 Victoria Road London W8 5RD Tel 937-1912
Top8. CUSTOMS REGULATIONS
Duty-Free Items Visitors may import 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco, 1 liter of wine, 1 liter of liquor and an unlimited amount of film. Commercial goods and items of high value being taken out of Vietnam require export permits from the Customs Service. Antiques may be confiscated permanently. No local currency may be taken out of the country.
The Customs Service Headquarters 21 Ton Duc Thang St. Ho Chi Minh City Tel 90095
Top9. TRAVEL TO THE COUNTRY
Airports Noi Bai International Airport Hanoi Tan Son Nhat Airport Ho Chi Minh City Fares are significantly lower for those flying to Ho Chi Minh City. Although flights are available from the capitals of most Southeast Asian countries as well as from Sydney and Melbourne, the best place is from Bangkok as visas are easiest to obtain there.
Airlines Vietnam Airlines (International) 116-118 Nguyen Hue Blvd. Ho Chi Minh City Tel (08) 292118 Vietnam Airlines (Domestic) 27b Nguyen Dinh Chieu St. Ho Chi Minh City Tel (08) 299980 Air France Dong Khoi and Le Loi St. (Caravelle Hotel) Ho Chi Minh City Tel (08) 241278 Aeroflot 4H Le Loi St. Ho Chi Minh City Tel (08) 93489 Thai Airways 116 Nguyen Hue Blvd. Ho Chi Minh City Tel (08) 292118 Philippine Airlines Ho Chi Minh City Tel (08) 292200 MAS 116 Nguyen Hue Blvd. Ho Chi Minh City Tel (08) 30695
Trains There are currently no train lines running between Vietnam and its neighboring countries.
Buses Traveling by road from Cambodia is a slow and expensive alternative to flying. It is highly advisable that travelers fly in instead.
Ships and Ferries There are no official passenger services. Travelers may be able to ride on a cargo ship to Ho Chi Minh City, Danang or Haiphong from Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, Singapore and France. Check with the local shipping and travel agencies for rates and availability. A ferry service runs from Cambodia to Chau Doc in the Mekong Delta.
Top10. TRAVEL WITHIN THE COUNTRY
Cars Car rentals are currently not in existence. Cabs, which are unmarked cars without meters, can typically be rented for the day for US$30 to US$40. Trains The Vietnamese railway system runs from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi along the coast and links with Haiphong and the regions further north. Odd-numbered trains travel South, and even-numbered trains travel north. The fastest trains take at least 36 hours from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi. Reservations should be made a day or more in advance. The major setback to the railways is that tourists are charged many times more than Vietnamese people in the form of an outrageously high surcharge. For long distance traveling, it is best to fly. Buses The bus system runs almost everywhere within the country, with stations built around the country dividing the territory into regions. Buses tend to be slow and unreliable.
Top11. SIGHTSEEING
Ho Chi Minh City This is the largest city in Vietnam. It is the industrial, commercial and cultural center of the country. The central city area is still called Saigon.
WAR CRIME MUSEUM This museum exhibit crimes committed by the Americans during the war. Photographs of the famous My Lai massacre, human embryos, genetically deformed babies and innocent civilians being tortured can be seen on display. An array of US armored vehicles, artillery pieces, bombs and infantry weapons are displayed in the courtyard. You can also see a guillotine used by the French to de itate troublemakers in the riots of the 1920s and a model of the famous tiger cages used by the South Vietnamese to house VC prisoners on Con Son island. The War Crime Museum basically reveals a different side of the stories about wars - the innocent victims of modern warfare. HISTORICAL MUSEUM Built in 1929 by the Societe des Etudes Indochinioses, it was formerly named Blanchard dels Brosse. A big statute of President HoChiMinh stands in the main lounge of the museum. The museum has an excellent collection of artifacts illustrating the primitive age, bronze age, the Tran dynasty and the Le Dynasty. Take a look at the array of musical instrument especially the special monocord of the one string musical instruments. There are many valuable relics taken from Cambodia's Angkor Wat. REUNIFICATION PALACE In 1868, the Norodom Palace (original name) was built for the French Governor-General of Indochina. A striking modern architecture was built when the original buildings were damaged by bombs. Rebuilt in 1962, it comprises of a ground floor, 3 main floors, two mezzanines and a terrace for helicopter landing. The palace includes many tastefully decorated rooms such as the reception room, the cabinet reference room, the study rooms, the credentials presentation room and the banquet room. It also has a basement with a network of tunnels connecting to the telecom centre and war room and one of the longest tunnels which stretch all the way to the Revolutionary Museum. The grounds outside contain one of the first tanks to burst through the gates of the palace to signify the end of the Vietnam War as well as the fighter plane which dropped further bombs towards the end of the war. Independence Palace was renamed the Unification Palace to denote the spirit and strong will for national independence and reunification Ben Thanh Market The Ben Thanh Market, formerly the main railway terminal, is the largest of the markets scattered throughout the city. A wide variety of goods are available, from imported electronics to imported perfumes. Notre Dame Cathedral This Catholic church was constructed in 1883 and is located near the Tu Do (Dong Khoi) Street, the former red-light district. Presidential Palace This building is now called the Reunification Hall. The center was built as a modern administration center and is where the war and the American involvement in Vietnam ended in April 1975, with tanks invading the compound. Guided tours will take visitors through the various rooms within the complex. Cholon Ho Chi Minh City's Chinatown. Sights include the Binh Tay Market, the An Quang Pagoda (District 5) and the scenic Thien Hau Temple. Vinh Nghiem Pagoda A modern Japanese-style Buddhist temple, easily one of the largest and most impressive in Ho Chi Minh City.
Tay Ninh
Cu Chi Tunnels An extensive network of nearly 200 miles (322mi) of Viet Cong tunnels used in the French Indochina war and American war. The tunnels have complete facilities, from kitchens to printing presses and even street signs, all of which were used to aid the NLF (National Liberation Front) military. Tours involve a description of the tunnels, after which tourists are allowed to crawl about the maze. Located in Tay Ninh (suburb of Ho Chi Minh City), 24 miles (39km) northwest of central Ho Chi Minh City. CAO DAI TEMPLE Cao Daism seeks to create the ultimate religion by fusing Buddhist, Taoist, Confucianist and Catholic beliefs into a synthesis of its own. Witness the solemn ceremony of the unique religion - Caodaism at Caodai Holly See at its noon tide prayer service with followers dressed in red, blue, yellow and white robes. There is the divine eye above the altar, the religion's official symbol. The temple has nine levels which signify the nine steps to heaven, each level marked by a pair of multicoloured dragons.
MEKONG DELTA One of the world's largest delta, the Delta Region is formed by the various tributaries of the mighty Mekong River which begins its journey to the sea in Tibet and winds its way for 4500 km through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Southern Vietnam. The vietnamese name for the Mekong is Cuu Long which means "nine dragons" and this is represented by the nine exit points of the Mekong River as it flows into the sea. The land of the Mekong Delta is renowned for its richness. Known as Vietnam's breadbasket, it produces enough rice to feed the entire country with a sizeable surplus leftover. Take a sampan ride that meanders through small villages and experience the simple lives of the Mekong people
Vung Tau Beach Located at the mouth of the Saigon River is the popular Vung Tau beach resort. Pineapple Beach is probably the most pleasant, with its villas and generally tranquil atmosphere. The temples are a definite must-see. The Niet Ban Tinh Xa is the largest temple in Vietnam. Tourist accommodations are available at the Hoa Binh Hotel, as well as the Thang Loi, Thang Thai and Tho Nguyet.
Nha Trang The central region near Nha Trang features some of the most beautiful beaches in Asia. The ocean waters are transparent, and the sands immaculate, attracting more and more visitors in recent times. Tours cover the Cham Ponagar complex, the north tower of which was built in 817 A.D. Ruins of the long-deceased Champa still stand as a testament to this once prominent kingdom.
Dalat The mountain resort among the Central Highlands has scenic surroundings as well as remnants of the French colonial era. The Ethnic Minority Museum is certainly worth visiting for those interested in the costumes, gongs, ornaments and other artifacts collected by locals from the Lam Dong province. As another point of interest, there is even an old abandoned nuclear power plant.
Danang City Known as Tourane under the French, Danang is a seaport of endless stretches of unspoiled sandy beach midway between Ha Noi to the north and Ho Chi Minh City to the South. The city was also the center of civilization of the Champa Kingdom, a kingdom which flourished In the area as early as the 2nd century A.D. Appealing stone sculptures (from the 4th-14th centuries) of Vishnu , Shiva and other Gods of this Kingdom can still be found in the Cham museum located in the center of the city Towards the coast south of Danang are five large hills known as the Marble Mountain. Mysterious caves within the mountains shelter altars delicated to Buddha, Bodhisattvas and The different genies arising from the popular beliefs of the area's inhabitants. With its own international and domestic airport, Danang provides an ideal stopover based for excursions to the ancient town of Hoi An, the imperial city of Hue and My Son-site of the Ruins from the Cham civilization.
Cham Ruins For those interested in seeing all that these fifteen towers have to offer, plan on spending a minimum of one day. These towers are located at My Son in the Duy Xuyen district. Cham Museum The Cham Museum built in 1915, expanded in 1935 , completed in 1936, is in a lovely setting And has large, open well lighted rooms with around 296 statues and artifacts of the Cham People dated back to the 7th century. Marble Mountains Consisting of five limestone peaks, about five (8km) miles south of town. They can be explored by following the paths leading to the peaks. Non Nuoc Beach China Beach, one the most wonderful beaches of Vietnam , was once an in country rest and Recreation centre for the US military during the Vietnam War.
Hoi An Ancient Town Forty-five minutes by land south-east of Da Nang is the ancient town of Hoi An, which was one of the most important trading ports in Southeast Asia for merchants from China, Japan and afar for a couple of centuries ago. Originally a seaport in the Champa Kingdom, by the 15th century It had become a coastal town under the Tran dynasty. Also served as the hub of East-West c ultural exchange, Hoi An's ancient past is superbly preserved in its fascinating temples, pagoda, shop houses and home which make up the town's old quarter. Walking in the streets of this ancient town, one can observe the influence of the architecture, Sculpture and decorative styles of China and Japan and the skill of former Vietnamese architects Who have absorbed their influences and created something similar yet somehow uniquely different.
HUE Hue, the imperial city, the citadel-city of Phu Xuan was originally built up during the end of 17th Century and became a political capital as well as the Imperial City of Nguyen Dynasty from 1802 till 2nd September 1945 when the Communist Party, leaded by President Ho Chi Minh had declared the Independent of the Nation and took over the power from the defeated Japanese Governor. Nowadays, this small & poetical city of 280.000 habitants becomes one of the main tourism site of Vietnam destination by its splendid tombs of the Nguyen emperors, several notable pagodas especially the Thien Mu Pagoda, the remains of Citadel as well as the romantic Perfume River where a cruise tour with Hue music performance in the moonlight was always provided since long time ago. Normally, visiting Hue within a day is a bit rush but still enough time to cover the main attractive sites such as The Citadel, The museum of antique, the tombs of Khai Dinh and Tu Duc emperors and a 02 hours cruise with stop over at Thien Mu pagoda.
Citadel & Forbidden City This forbidden city of 10km. perimeter has 4 main entrance gates and well defended by kilometers of rampart was built in 1804 by the first emperor Nguyen Anh on a site chosen by geomancers and look likes a Chinese forbidden city in Beijin. Some parts of this forbidden city were totally destroyed during the war where now are under reconstruction providing UNESCO & Japanese non-government associations' fund. Lucky thing is most of the main area such as the citadel (the Imperial Enclosure), Flag Tower were remain intact where received hundred of visitors daily. The Museum of Antique (Imperial museum) This beautiful hall which house the Imperial Museum was built in 1845. The most precious artefacts were lost during the war (1954-1973) and the liberation day (1975) but ceramics, furniture and royal relics are remain until the present time. Khai Dinh Emperor's Tomb This is the final monument of the Nguyen Dynasty. The complex features ceiling murals, frescoes and a dragon staircase. Located on the slopes of the Chau E Mountain, six miles (10km) south of town. It takes almost 10 years (1920-1931) to finish this grandiose concrete tomb which is completely unlike the others tombs where there was a mixture of typical Vietnamese & French colonial architecture. After climbing 36 steps passing by rows of elephants, horses, civil & military mandarin you will be reached the main building where a full original artefacts are displayed to the public. Tu Duc Emperor's Tomb The most impressive of the tombs and pagodas at Hue. Located at the tributaries of the Perfume River, seven miles (11km) south of Hue, this complex has beautiful architecture, intricate decor and military statues. This majestic and serene tomb with lake view, grove of pines, temples, living house area is the most expensive tomb which was completely terminated after 5 years by thousands of labor-worker (1863-1868) for this intellectual-poet emperor. Minh Mang Emperor's Tomb The most impressive of the tombs and pagodas at Hue. Located at the tributaries of the Perfume River, seven miles (11km) south of Hue, this complex has beautiful architecture, intricate decor and military statues. Thien Mu Pagoda & Perfume River Cruise Unlike the typical boat used to provide in the past the present Hue cruise is providing a motorized boat which carry a 2 hours cruise along Perfume River including a 30 min stop over Thien Mu pagoda. This pagoda located on the hillock overlooking the Perfume River, built in 1844 by Thieu Tri emperor, 21m-high octagonal tower with seven-storey is one of the most famous structures in all over the country and become an unofficial symbol of Hue until now.
Hanoi
One Pillar Pagoda Built in the 11th century, this pagoda sits on a stone pillar in the middle of a pond. This is one of the more unusual structures in Vietnam. Lenin Park (Thong Nhat Park) Built over a former marsh, this park surrounds a large lake containing a statue of Lenin, often the object of jokes among the locals. The park itself is quite beautiful. Tran Nhan Tong Street. National Preserve of Cuc Phuong This national park is one of the last tropical primeval forest reserves on Earth. There are 64 species of fauna and thousands of species of flora, many of which are extinct everywhere else in the world. Bizarre and fascinating species of animals from flying lizards to monkeys dwell within the park's 61,000 acres. Caves and grottoes, where various artifacts have been discovered, are located in the mountains within. Ha Nam Ninh Province. It is located approximately 62 miles (100 Km.) southwest of Hanoi. Thu Le Park Located northwest of Hanoi in the Thu Le village.
Haiphong
Cat Ba This island is the largest in the Cat Ba archipelago. It is potentially one of the major beach destinations in Southeast Asia. This region has beautiful beaches and pristine waters. Within the mountains are caves and grottos. Located 36 miles (58km) east of Haiphong.
Halong Bay One of Vietnam's most beautiful areas, Halong Bay has fascinating limestone formations, coves for nighttime excursions, sheer cliffs, grottoes, arches and scores of small islets.
Top12. DINING AND DRINKING
Vietnamese food varies from region to region. Almost 500 traditional dishes have been recorded! Rice and noodles are staple foods, served with nearly all meals. The most popular dishes are nema rán (spring rolls), bún thang (noodles with sliced pork, eggs, shredded chicken and shrimp), shellfish steamed with ginger and sea crabs fried with salt. Among common ingredients used are: shark fin, duck, pork paste, fish, spices, fruits, vegetables, crab meat, lobster and oysters.
Imported beer is available in Vietnam, although a number of domestic beers are brewed. Rice wine is very popular, and there are many brands available. There is a variety of fruit wines such as apricot, orange or lemon. Soft drinks are processed from the many varieties of tropical fruits available. Water from the tap should be avoided, even though it has already been filtered and sterilized at 10ºC. If you must drink it, boil the water first.
Top13. ENTERTAINMENT
Vietnam is not the place to go for the latest in nightspots, but a number of large hotels have nightclubs and dance halls. Bars are fairly easy to find, even in smaller hotels. Try asking the locals for the current popular spots.
Top14. EMERGENCY NUMBERS
Police: 03 Ho Chi Minh City Police Station 161 Nguyen Du, Quan 1 Tel 99398 or 97107 Open from 8am-11am and 1pm-4pm Hanoi Police Office for the Registration of Foreign Visitors 63 Tran Hung Dao, Hanoi All visitors must register with the police within 48 hours of arrival. If you are on a tour, this should have been taken care of (but check anyway). Fire Department: 08 First Aid: 05 International Dialing Access: Available at major tourist hotels and post offices Country Code: 84 City Codes: Hanoi: 04 / Ho Chi Minh: 08 When calling from within the same city, delete the city code from the number. When calling to another city from within Vietnam, use the entire city code. When calling from outside Vietnam, delete the first digit (0) from the city code.
Top16. USEFUL PHRASES
* Greetings - Chao ong (ba) * How are you? - Ong (ba) co khoe khong? * Fine, thanks - Cam on rat tot * My name is ... - Tên tôi là ... * I don't understand - Tôi không hiêú * Restaruant - nhà hàng * Telephone - diên thoai * Hotel - khách san