What must be seen in one-day Hanoi tour?

Being a historical capital for 1000 years, Hanoi is undoubtedly the cultural venue of Vietnam where a lot of ancient vestiges have been surviving against the ravage of wars and the harshness of the time. Once arriving at Hanoi, travelers may be confused by the diversity of the city’s monuments and may wonder “what are the most famous sites I should visit in this city”? The following suggested itinerary will help you to answer that challenging question.

The first and indispensable monument ones should visit is Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, located in the Centre of Ba Dinh Square, where President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence on 2/9/1945, giving birth to Vietnam. The massive building was built between 1973 and 1975, inspired by Lenin’s mausoleum in Moscow, but cleverly designed with Vietnamese architecture which is a combination of hero worship and modern art.

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is a massive complex with the total area of 14ha. Coming there, ones can not only pay tribute to President Ho Chi Minh, but also have chance to visit a various famous monuments at once: Ho Chi Minh Stilt House, the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh Museum, Mot Cot Pagoda and Dien Huu Pagoda.

Visitors should notice that the mausoleum doesn’t open on Monday and Friday and only opens in the morning, from 8am. Also, guests are requested to wear formal clothes and not allowed to bring cameras inside the mausoleum.

It may take you 2 hours to enjoy everything here so you may still have enough time to visit another famous destination in Hanoi: Van Mieu (Temple of Literature).

You only have to spend no more than 20 minutes walking to witness the most ancient monument of Hanoi and the first university of Vietnam. Van Mieu’s Architecture is the best representative of Vietnamese traditional architecture offering a relaxing glimpse into Vietnam’s past.

Afterward, you should have lunch at some most quintessential Hanoi restaurants like Cha Ca Thang Long, Quan Ngon or Sen.

In the evening, it would be a mistake if ones forget to travel on cyclo around the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake. This unique type of transportation would give you the best view to take some photos while watching Hanoian life. Also, it’s would be flexible if you want to stop by and try out Hanoi’s street-foods or buy souvenirs in the Old Quarter. Visitors should also go in Ngoc Son Temple on Hoan Kiem Lake to explore the legend about the preternatural Turtle who helped Le Loi King won against Chinese invaders.

For diners, keep exploring the diversity of Hanoi and Vietnamese foods at recommended restaurants.

Type of tour: everyone/limited time budget

5 popular drinks for hot summer days in Sai Gon

Walking on the streets of Saigon, if you suddenly feel thirsty, there are plenty of drinks which are delicious, nutritious, cool and cheap waiting for you! Here are 5 most popular selections:

1.Coconut juice

Coconut juice is such a popular refreshment for hot summer days. People love to enjoy both the light sweet taste of coconut juice and also the coconut flesh inside. Visitors can find coconut juice in most of coffee shops in Sai Gon. Its cost is around 2 USD for each coconut. However, one of the most favourite thing to Sai Gon residents is to drink coconut juice from street vendors while chatting with each other and observing the flow of people in a hurry on the streets.

The most famous place standing a lot of coconut street vendors is a small corner at the end of Pasteur road. Best selling items here are coconut juice mixed with kumquat and coconut juice mixed with pineapple jam. Both have one thing in common is sweet and cool. The price of a glass of coconut water here is very cheap, less than 1 USD to have a full of glass.

  

2.Nuoc Sam

Nuoc Sam or herbal tea is a very typical drink in Saigon. It is quite healthy and tonic since Nuoc Sam is made from herbal plants which help to cool down body temperature in hot weather.

Nuoc Sam is made at home easily by boiling the water with some special herbal plants bought at oriental medication shop along Hai Thuong Lan Ong Street, District 5. Just boil for a few minutes, let it cool down in open air, then put in the fridge for later use.

If you do not have time to do so, you can find some pavement stalls for Nuoc Sam on Cach Mang Thang Tam street after passing the Cong Truong Dan Chu roundabout. It has a fairly cheap price, less than 25 cents.

           

3.Artichokes Juice

Besides coconut juice and Nuoc Sam, artichoke juice is one of favorite drinks of Saigon people.



Artichoke juice is a very good beverage for health. It is bitter for the first taste and slightly sweet on the back of tongue. Artichoke juice is made from boiling water with artichoke roots which are found to be highly beneficial in healing lethargic livers and kidney problems.

You can see a lot of pavement stalls in Sai Gon street selling artichoke juice. These shops are designed for stopping-by or take-away. Only with less than 25 cents, you have a glass of cool artichokes juice.

 4.Nuoc Dang (Bitter Juice)

Like the name of the drink, Nuoc Dang is very bitter but extremely good for health. Drinking the bitter juice is not easy for those who just like sweet, but when one gets over bitterness, he/she will enjoy it because of its benefit of detoxification and cooling-down. If you cannot taste bitterness, just moderate the taste by drinking Nuoc Sam afterwards.

Nuoc Dang is available at small shops and pavement stalls in Sai Gon with a cheap price of less than 25 cents/per glass



5.Sugarcane juice

It would be a big mistake if sugarcane juice is not listed as a popular sidewalk beverage in Saigon. A suger cane juice shop does not take up too much space, a typical one only contains a small blending machine and some small chairs and stools where people can sit and talk with theirs friends while having drinks.

Both young teens and adults love to drink suger cane juice since it is a stress-relieving drink that can cure thirsty and low suger situations. A glass of suger cane juice costs you not more than 50 cents. Ben Thanh market is an easy place to find suger cane juice at affordable price.



In summary, it is difficult to draw a conclusion which beverage is the best in Saigon. However, 2 well-knowns shops where sell Nuoc Sam, Bitter Juice, Artichokes for over 10 years are located in the intersection corner between Ding Tien Hoang and Dien Bien Phu, District 3.



 

Fansipan conquering contest is upcoming this November

Information from Lao Cai Provincial People’s Committee revealed that this year’s international contest to conquer Fansipan Mountain named “Conquering Fansipan” is scheduled to occur in the middle of November.

The competition this year involves over 60 non-professional foreign & Vietnamese participants. With the purpose to make this contest more competitive and challenging, the organizers decided to separate it into three stages: the first stage is from Nui Xe Station to the 2,200-meter station; the second stage is from the previous stop to the 2,800-meter station and the final one is from there to the top of the mountain.

Besides encouraging the sport spirit amongst amateur climbers, the event is considered as a golden chance to promote the natural beauty of Lao Cai Province with Hoang Lien Son mountains, Hoang Lien National Park, and the famous Fansipan Mountain.

Additionally, activities to drive the awareness of people in preserving and protecting the environment are supposed to be highlight of the contest.

Hanoi Carnival 2012 to highlight August

The most awaited event of Hanoi’s youngsters namely “Hanoi Carnival” is going to take place in two days: 25 and 26 August. Hanoi Carnival is a hilarious combination of cultural spaces, flea market, cosplay, charity, music, games, love garden, cuisine and many more interesting activities that promise to bring students and youngsters in the city a great night before the new semester begins. Besides enlarging one’s networks, participants would be given chances to integrate with a cultural world of oriental countries of Vietnam, Japan and Korea. A wide range of food-serve store is definitely very attractive for ones who fall in love with cuisine of those countries, while entertaining performances and modern games would help measuring how high your spirits can fly. Cosplay is no doubt the most expected part of the show, especially for manga and anime’s lovers all over the world. Entrance is free for everyone at Indochina Plaza Hanoi, 239 Xuan Thuy Street, Cau Giay District, Hanoi.

Hanoi and Hoi An listed in the top ten destinations in Asia

The leading online travel and trade journal in Hong Kong – Smart Travel Asia has recently revealed the results of its survey on the top ten attractive destinations in Asia in 2012. Surprisingly, Hanoi and Hoi An of Vietnam scored very high in the poll. According to the result, Hanoi takes the 6^th place while Hoi An stands right below at the 7^th place. The most attractive destination is fallen into the hand of the tropical heaven Bali Island in Indonesia, the runner-up is Phuket (Thailand) and the third place is given to Hong Kong. Hanoi and Hoi An are the two most visited cities of Vietnam by international tourists thanks to their convenient locations as major transportation hubs, but more importantly their cultural diversity, long-lasting tradition, unique architecture and great cuisine nowhere can be found in the world.

Hanoi to host 3rd international puppetry festival

From September 2-9, audience in Hanoi is going to have great opportunities to enjoy the 3^rd International Puppetry Festival, which brings to the cities world-class art troupes from all over the world. The participant list of this year’s event is extensive with art troupes from Vietnam and 19 other countries, including Russia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Luxembourg, Belgium, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, UK, China, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and the US. The event is a golden opportunity for Vietnamese artists to introduce to the rest of the world the quintessence of Vietnam’s water puppetry, as well as boosting cooperative relations in culture and art between Vietnam and other nations. In addition, the citizens’ demand for high-quality pieces is promised to be satisfied thanks to such a high-class event. Puppetry art is amongst the prides of Vietnam’s tradition with its thousands years of history. Through the vivid performance of skillful artists, each character in a show seems to be alive which express meaningful folk tales of the high educational values. Water puppetry is more popular than many other kinds of this art in Vietnam like shadow puppetry, wind puppetry, kite puppetry and toy puppetry.

Entertainment service is to be Hanoi tourism focus

Information from Hanoi Department for Culture, Sports and Tourism reveals a new plan to strongly invest on amusement infrastructure with the purpose to attract more international tourists and keep them staying longer.

As proposed, the suburb area which is within 20km away from the city center would be used to build an enormous complex of entertainment center with bars, electronic games center, art show and high-end restaurants and hotels to serve the increasing demands for entertainment from both citizens and international visitors.



In addition, the areas around Hoan Kiem Lake and Hanoi Old Quarter would be transformed into pedestrian streets at nights with enhanced services from bar streets and night-food streets.

Although Hanoi always possesses the densest number of international passengers, most of the tourists consider it is only a transitional place to move to nearby locations or other tourist cities in Vietnam that people don’t stay here for too long.

5 cannot-be-missed restaurants in Hanoi

1.  Quan Ngon

You are a tourist who has read a lots about the deliciousness and diversity of Vietnamese food but hasn’t known where to try them all at once? Let’s visit Quan Ngon Restaurant, which was established specially to satisfy your wish.

Quan Ngon Restaurant is special in its name “ngon” which means delicious in Vietnamese. Only one simple word but still expresses what the restaurant offers you. In here, customers can enjoy almost every Vietnamese dish from the Northern foods to the Central’s and the South’s with the best quality promised by Quan Ngon’s chefs. Additionally, you may be able to see how foods are made thanks to the design of a chain of food-serve stalls like traditional-style market of Vietnam.

The restaurant’s staffs are well trained, enthusiastic and agile in traditional clothes can always deliver best service to you.

Add: 18 Phan Boi Chau, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi.

Tel: (04) 9428162

2. Sen Tay Ho Gastronomic Center

The restaurant is proudly to be one of the biggest buffet restaurant in Vietnam which can serve more than 1200 customers and above 200 dishes of different gastronomical styles from Vietnamese to European and Eastern Asian cuisine.

Sen Tay Ho is a chain three buffet restaurants:

International Buffet Restaurant where you can try excellent foods from well-known cooking styles in the world;

Hanoi Buffet brings you to an ancient corner of Hanoi where you can see traditional food-serving stalls of Vietnam. The menu of Hanoi Buffet bases mainly on high-quality sea-foods with complicated cooking art like Baked Lobster, Tu Hai, So Diep and Tuna and Salmon Shashimi, etc.

Luxury Star Buffet is opened exclusively at weekends provides an distinctive eating experience with rare dishes one can only taste in Vietnam like Grilled Trionychid Turtle, Sake-steamed Crab, Goose Liver and Frog hot-pot. Also, both the menus of International Buffet and Hanoi Buffet restaurant are available here. Additionally, customers may entertain music shows of Vietnamese pop stars while eating .

Add: 614 Lac Long Quan, Tay Ho, Hanoi

Tel: (84-4) 3719-9242

3. Ngoc Mai Buffet Restaurant

The first impression when coming to Ngoc Mai Restaurant is its elegant architecture with the emerald color theme together with refined inferior. Its windows are designed in curve-shape giving people an impression like being traveled on a giant ship.

The quality of dishes in the restaurant is even more taken care of. In order to make it standing out among other restaurants, Ngoc Mai changes its menu day after day with a variety of international foods. The restaurant also put the fresh of foods at the highest priority which one can enjoy the most fresh octopus, salmon or tuna sushi in Hanoi.

Children would keep their parents stay at this restaurant after meals longer than any other one in Hanoi thanks to its luscious desserts like ice-creams, yoghurts  or fresh fruits.

Add: 17^th Floor, Ruby Plaza, 44 Le Ngoc Han, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi

Tel: (04) 2220 6698

4. Highway4

It would be a mistake if you are a fan of Hanoi’s gastronomy but haven’t visited Highway4 Restaurant, which is located in an old quarter of Hanoi.

Opposite to its modern English name, Highway4 posses an ancient architecture with Vietnamese bamboo low tables and chairs. It is also decorated with Thuy Mac pictures and Vietnamese minor ethnic style pictures which provide customer a real Vietnamese space.

The menu of Highway4 could be summarized in one word: “Rare”, because its foods are cooked by the innovation of professional chefs here. Thanks to this, Highway4 really established its own cuisine which is a melting pot of innovation and the quintessence of other countries’ cooking art.

Some delightful dishes of the restaurant are: Chau Sa, Duck Grilled with Lac Mac Leaf or Cricket Meat Roll.

Add: 54 Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi

Tel: (04) 3976 2647

 5. Cha Ca Thang Long Restaurant

Cha Ca – has been a symbol of Hanoi’s 1000 years of gastronomy which any passengers coming here should not miss.

You may notice a dozen of restaurants that can serve Cha Ca but you can never have a more delicious meal of this food after trying once at Cha Ca Thang Long. Cha Ca in this restaurant has a specially taste that cannot be expressed by words that one can only feel by tasting it. From the ingredients, raw material to soup powder are exclusively appear at Cha Ca Thang Long.

When being asked the secret of making such delicious Cha Ca, owner of the restaurant answer that it is the love in cooking, the passion with the job, the will to keep a traditional food live on brightly and an ambition to make Cha Ca becoming well-known to the world like Pho that create Cha Ca Thang Long.

Add: 19-21-31 Duong Thanh, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

Tel: (04) 38245 111

70% discount with Vietnam Airlines

“Hello Summer” is the name of the latest promotional campaign of Vietnam Airlines which offers up to 70% discount for international flights. The national airlines revealed this promotion will last from mid-September to December 31 this year. With this discount, tourists to Bangkok (Thailand) earn the most benefit that ones only have to pay US$60, while flights to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Singapore only cost $79 and $99 respectively. In addition, 20-30% discount are applied for longer route such as fights to Taiwan, China, Japan and other nations in South East Asia. Vietnam Airlines is the biggest airlines in Vietnam with 46 international and 37 domestic routes. In recent year, the focus of the airlines is on Indochina region by operating direct routes to Siem Reap and Phnom Penh (Cambodia); and Vientiane and Luang Prabang (Laos).