The central city of Hue is gearing up for its biennial festival, which promises a diverse programme of performances and activities across a week of celebrations.

Held from April 7-15 this year, the festival will be the city’s biggest cultural event, said vice chairman of Thua Thien-Hue Province People’s Committee and head of the festival organising committee Ngo Hoa.

“This year will mark the 7th festival that the province has held every two years since 2000,” said Hoa. “It has become known as one of the biggest cultural events not only for Hue , but for the whole country.

“The festival is also an opportunity to promote tourism in the province and let the world know more about the city of Hue . It’s also an event to honour historical and cultural monuments of the former Royal Capital city as well its intangible heritage.”

A main stage will be built in the Royal Citadel, which will host the opening ceremony that features a music and dance art performance titled Royal Citadel Night.

A series of stages will be installed outside the Royal Citadel soon for community arts performances.

According to the organising committee, a music and dance performance named Oriental Night, which was introduced in 2010, will be staged again at the Thai Hoa Palace .

The ao dai (Vietnamese traditional long dress) show will again be a major event at the festival. New shows were created to keep the festival fresh.”

The city will also host the Nam Giao religious ritual, which was held during the Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945), on April 8 as part of the Hue Festival.

Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street along the Huong (Perfume) River bank will be reserved as a pedestrian street featuring a range of cuisine.

The city’s hotels, with a capacity of 10,000 rooms, are bracing for a large number of tourist arrivals.

Thua Thien-Hue Province plans to host around 2.5 million foreign and domestic tourists this year, generating a total revenue of 2,500 billion VND (over 113 million USD) for the provincial tourism sector.

According to the festival organising committee, 36 art troupes from 22 countries have registered to take part in the festival.

The Vietnamese Ethnic Group Cultural Festival with the theme “Opportunities in the Year of Dragon” will be held at the Viet Nam National Village for Ethnic, Culture and Tourism (Dong Mo, Son Tay Town, Ha Noi) for 2 days (18 and 19 April 2012) under the direction of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the National Assembly’s Ethnic Council; Central Public Relations Committee, Propaganda and Training Committee; Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs; Viet Nam Television Station; Voice of Viet Nam.

The Management Board of the Viet Nam National Village for Ethnic, Culture and Tourism will preside and coordinate with the Ethnic Culture Department, the departments under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the related-units from ministries, provinces to organize the festival.

This event aims to celebrate 65th anniversary of the day President Ho Chi Minh sent his letter to the Congress of Southern Ethnic Minority Groups in Pleiku (19/4/1947-19/4/2012); honour the culture of Vietnamese ethnic groups; boost cultural exchanges and strengthen national unity of Vietnamese ethnic groups. This is also an opportunity to promote and introduce the Viet Nam National Village for Ethnic, Culture and Tourism to visitors.

The festival consists of 8 main contents: preliminary conference to review 03 years of implementing Decision 1668/QD-TTg on 17/11/2008 of the Prime Minister on “Viet Nam Ethnic Group Cultural Day” on 19 April; conference on promotion and investment to develop culture-tourism products; a gala night to honour the culture of Vietnamese ethnic groups; northern mountain markets; activity programs of representatives of 13 ethnic community groups at the Viet Nam National Village for Ethnic, Culture and Tourism; traditional craft village exhibition; performance of traditional games, sports; and camping festival of Ho Chi Minh Youth Union of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Highlight of the festival is the Gala Night to honour the culture of Vietnamese ethnic groups with the participation of 13 ethnic groups from 08 provinces. It will take place from 20h00 to 22h00 on 19 April 2012 at the floating stage in the Ethnic Villages Area of the Viet Nam National Village for Ethnic, Culture and Tourism.

The festival will let cultural subjects speak for themselves at the “common house” of 54 ethnic groups in Viet Nam. All activities are carefully selected with cultural identities of ethnic minorities and regions, to ensure its quality, art content, characters of ethnicity, modernity, community, diversity, richness, and unique to contribute to honoring the Vietnamese ethnic culture. In addition, the programs will be associated with other tourism and sports activities to facilitate exchanges between ethnic groups, provinces, domestic and international visitors.

Within the framework of festival, the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism will guide travel enterprises to connect their tours and tourist destinations with cultural tourism programs at the Viet Nam National Village for Ethnic, Culture and Tourism; coordinate to hold Conference on promotion and investment to develop culture-tourism products; cooperate with press agencies to introduce the event and tourism products of the Viet Nam National Village for Ethnic, Culture and Tourism.

A ceremony to announce Ha Long Bay as one of the world’s seven new wonders of nature will be held in Hanoi on April 27 and in northern coastal Quang Ninh province on May 1.

In Hanoi on March 30, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said that the New 7 Wonders Foundation will bring two steles with the name of Ha Long Bay to the event to be installed in Hanoi and Quang Ninh province.

The ceremony will be attended by ambassadors of six countries who are the owners of the world’s other six new wonders of nature.

They are the Amazon in South America, Iguazu Falls of Argentina and Brazil , Jeju Island of the Republic of Korea , Komodo National Park of Indonesia, Puerto Princesa Underground River of the Philippines , and Table Mountain of South Africa.

Ha Long Bay in northern Quang Ninh Province has been recognised twice as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, notable for its breathtaking landscape and geographical values.

The 1,553-sq.km bay is dotted with 1,969 islands, which collectively offer an exquisite example of karst formation in tropical and humid conditions. The long evolution and erosion of the bay has produced pyramid-shaped karst towers that gave the bay its unique beauty.

One distinctive feature of Ha Long Bay is its abundant cave system formed between 11,000 to two million years ago.

The bay accommodates temperate ecosystems suitable for many species of marine animals, in addition to its great cultural and historical value.

Scientists have shown that Ha Long was inhabited by three successive cultures between 3,000 and 18,000 years ago: the Soi Nhu, Cai Beo and Ha Long groups.

In a programme designed by Khoa Tran Hoi An Eco-Tour company, a group of Australian tourists recently joined local farmers in Cam Thanh village to plough the fields, grind rice to make pancakes and learn to cook rice.

Paul Lenehan said he was very excited by having a chance to enjoy the delicious dishes of local people, while Barbara Machony said she could feel the hardship of the farmers through their work.

According to tour company director Tran Van Khoa, the company designed the tour to help foreign visitors understand Vietnam ’s rice cultivation culture.

Foreign tourists are interested in the tour as they have a chance to engage in new experiences, he said, adding that many of them said they will return to Hoi An some day

Thien Duong (Paradise) Cave in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, a UNESCO-recognised world natural heritage site in the central province of Quang Binh, has become a favourite destination of domestic and foreign tourists.

After visiting the cave, many people recognised its irresistible magic, saying that this is really the most beautiful wonder of the Creator on earth.

Thien Duong was labelled the world’s most beautiful and magnificent cave when it was discovered by scientists from the British Cave Research Association in 2005.

Located in the middle of the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, about 4 km west of the Ho Chi Minh Road, the cave, which is believed to be formed hundreds of millions of years ago, is surrounded by underground streams and rocky mountains.

Thien Duong Cave is 30-100m wide, with the widest point measuring 150m. With a length of over 36 km, it is considered the longest dry cave in Asia.

After crossing an old forest, visitors see the entrance to the cave shaded by century-old trees and are then dazzled by the mysterious beauty of stalactite pillars, each dozens of metres in diameter, and grandiose rock arches, which are works made by the enchantment and sudden inspiration of the Creator over the past millions of years.

Vo Minh Tuan from Mai Dich, Hanoi , said that despite visiting many landscapes in the country and the world as well, he was still amazed at the magnetic beauty of Thien Duong Cave.

“I am also impressed with the professional and careful way of serving visitors here,” he said, adding that in the coming summer, he will surely take his family to the site.

Andy, a 30-year-old woman from the Netherlands, said she was really contented with the pure and natural beauty of the wonderful cave and also the highly professional services.

Visiting Thien Duong Cave was a great experience, Andy confided, adding that she will share her feelings with friends after returning to the Netherlands.

The Truong Thinh Group, the operator of Thien Duong Cave, the group has invested tens of billions of VND in a tourist project that aims to “draw visitors from all over the world”.

Quang Binh provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said that since the beginning of this year, Thien Duong Cave has attracted more than 10,000 domestic and international visitors.

“Being a fisherman at Vam Sat for one day” is the name of an eco-tour that gives travelers interesting experiences on their visit to Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City. The tour is served by Vam Sat Ecological Resort.

Located by the East Sea coast and 50 kilometers southeast of the downtown of Ho Chi Minh City, Can Gio District has many things for tourists to discover, from rivers to mangrove forests and the life of locals, especially fishermen.

To visit Can Gio from the city center, tourists can choose to take either a car or a speedboat at Bach Dang Quay in District 1. If they go by car, they will stop to take a speedboat at the quay at Dan Xay Bridge. The speedboat will bring them to sightsee the riverscape, the typical flora of salinity-intruded forests and to study fishing methods of Can Gio fishermen. During the tour, visitors will have opportunities to discover diverse things and participate in different activities of locals.

First, travelers together with local fishermen will row a boat to place traps under the water for catching sea-crabs. While waiting to collect the traps, they will row a smaller boat around in the mangrove forest to visit Doi Nghe Conservation Park and return to the former place to collect the traps after 30 minutes. Local fishermen will show tourists how to choose crabs with good flesh and tell them about the world of crabs. Tourists can grill the crabs to eat on the spot or enjoy dishes from these crabs at lunch.

To continue the journey, tourists must get on board a wooden boat to go for studying how fishermen of Vam Sat, an area in Can Gio, dive to catch oysters. Diving to catch oysters is among the characteristic fishing methods of local fishermen. Tourists will also see how oysters are raised, catch and grill oysters to eat on the spot. They can of course join the farmers to catch the oysters.

Emptying a pond to catch fish by draining its water is also an interesting activity for tourists to experience. To join the work, they are provided a set of bà ba (a traditional southern-style costume) and a nm (a fishing instrument made of bamboo). They step down into the pond and use a tin can to empty the water before catching the fish.

Another way of catching fish is to cover an area with nets. About four people walk into a pond, use a net to surround an area with fish, and pull the net ashore to catch the fish.

Tourists can also join local people in producing salt from seawater. They can roll up their trousers and step into the salt field to rake the salt and shoulder the salt to cottages on the shore. In addition, tourists can join in planting mangroves to expand the coverage for forests. Employees of Vam Sat Ecological Resort will instruct tourists how to plant the trees.

To experience strong sensations, vacationers can feed crocodiles in challenge. They fix a bait to the fishing line and stand on the boat in midstream to hold the rod and “fish” crocodiles. If they stay overnight at the resort, they can join local people to hunt for ba khia (a species of crab with three stripes on their back), grill fish to eat and sing songs by a camp fire.

Do Hoang Anh Tuan, deputy minister of Finance believes in raising Vietnam’s image by offering refund on Value Added Tax (VAT) on commodities purchased in Vietnam by foreign travellers at point of departure at Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat International Airports from July 2012 till June 2013.

The deputy minister mentioned this at a conference in Ho Chi Minh City recently to implement the new pilot scheme that will offer a VAT refund to foreigners leaving the country with purchases made during their stay.

Tuan said the pilot scheme will help promote tourism and leave a good impression on foreign visitors, so officials at airports must provide and facilitate easy procedures for the same.

The pilot scheme will be improved gradually in accordance with international practices, but for now VAT refund formalities must be made simple, clear and transparent, Tuan said.

Foreigners will now receive a Value Added Tax (VAT) refund on commodities purchased while in Vietnam and which they carry back when leaving the country.

According to the General Department of Taxation, 154 enterprises in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are eligible for participating in the new scheme. Purchases made by foreign visitors during their stay in Vietnam, will receive VAT refund at point of departure, provided all criteria is met.

These enterprises are eager to join the pilot scheme as this is an excellent opportunity for them to promote their products in other countries of the world.

Relevant agencies such as tax and customs departments will release the addresses and names of participating enterprises on their websites. They will also be allowed to advertise the scheme on billboards and posters on their shops, so as to inform foreign clientele.

Tax and customs departments should also inform travel agents of the enterprises listed in the VAT refund scheme, so as to curb corruption.

Enterprises also raised the idea that there should be one common logo for the VAT refund scheme for easy recognition by foreign tourists. This idea met with approval from the deputy minister.

The General Department of Taxation has been asked to think of a common logo to be used by shops offering VAT refund in the country.

It’s a big mistake to travel to Phu Quoc without visiting Dinh Cau (Cau Temple) which is known as the island’s symbol, especially when the sun gets ready to set on the sea.

It will be an unforgettable memory of your trip to the Pearl Island.

From the center of Duong Dong Town, tourists stroll on April 30 Street then turn left to Bach Dang Street for about 200 meters to get to the temple, where the sea, sand, sunlight and stones mingle into a romantic landscape.

The holy temple, which was established in the 17th century, is located on the unique location of a majestic stone edge overlooking the sea where waves lap high making for a spectacular view. There is a balcony where tourists can admire numerous large rocks in monstrous shapes that people can imagine in anyway they want.

Once arriving at the foot of the stone edge, tourists should walk the 29 steps to get to the temple which worships Cau a deity who apparently controls the sea and helps fishermen and their boats out of storms. That’s why fishermen usually come here to pray for peace and success prior to their trips. From the temple tourists can close their eyes listening to the waves or admiring a beautiful sky sparkling on the sea surface. Looking to the right side tourists can watch an animated Duong Dong Port where hundreds of boats are anchoring or a peaceful beach with yellow, soft sand and pure water on the left side.

From the temple tourists can even see a busy Duong Dong Market far, far away. When the sun is setting it’s time for squid-catching junks to get to work. Dozens of lights bobbing on the sea make a fanciful scene to many people.

Each year on big holidays and Lunar New Year, local people and fishermen gather at the temple especially on the 15th and 16th day of the lunar October for a huge festival.

The temple opens daily with entrance free.

It was a beautiful clear day when Long and his friends visited the Cham Islands hoping to see the World Biosphere Reserve, the pearl of Vietnam recognised by UNESCO in 2009.

Although the islands can be seen from the land, it takes over 25 minutes to canoe to them from Cua Dai beach in Hoi An City of the central province of Quang Nam. The Cham Islands are made up of eight small islands, Hon Lao being the largest with fishermen living there and the three biggest beaches: Huong, Lang and Ong.

When Long’s group first stepped onto Huong beach, everyone was eager to take in the natural landscape and the local lifestyle.

“There are about 100 fisherman living on Huong beach. They used to run fisheries but when the Reserve was set up, most of them switched to the tourism sector,” the Reserve’s director Tran Thi Thuy says.

After listening to their guide Nguyen Van Thanh introduce the beach, Long and his friends set out on a fishing tour. “It is really an enjoyable feeling to sit on a small boat, bobbing along with sea waves and waiting to draw up the net,” Long
says.

Thuy says that Cham Islands are home to 135 species of coral and about 950 other marine species, many of which are listed on Viet Nam’s and the World’s Red Book of endangered species.

She specified that the sea has grouper, lobster, oc vu nang (a kind of conical-shape snails), cuttle-fish, cua da (stone crab). Fishermen here all sign a commitment with the local authorities to not fish around shore areas to protect the marine system.

From Huong beach, tourists take a three-minute boat ride to Xep beach, where they have a chance to swim in clear sea water and dive to see coral and marine life, says Thanh

In the evening Long and his group joined a small dinner and camp-fire with local fishermen. Islander Nguyen Thi Nhi, 50, says when there are tour groups they are pleased, particularly the children.

Thuy said the cooks are local, “They go to Hoi An City to learn cooking and after that they return to serve tourism activities on the island.”

At present, the Cham Islands don’t have hotels and in the evening, visitors often stay in the fishermen’s homes. “The islands used to have no electricity, but that changed thanks to a solar powered system and petrol-run-electric generators, which operate alternately everyday from 8am to 11pm,” Thuy says.

Thanh says that Huong beach is not only well-known for its white sand, but also for many salangane caves here. He says these caves are protected by those who live in small tents nearby. He also says that visitors aren’t allowed to set foot in these caves.

Keepers often harvest salangane nests in April and August, which bring an income from the exports.

During the feudal period, the Cham Islands’ salangane nests were presented to kings. Today there remains a temple to worship ancestors of the salangane nest trade with a festival in March, Thanh adds.

Leaving Huong beach the next day, the group moved to Lang beach in Tan Hiep Commune’s administrative centre.

The first impression visitors get is the slogan: “Don’t use plastic bags” at the harbour. Thuy says that the sign dates from 2009 with the goal to protect the Islands’ environment.

At Lang beach, there are many historical sites, such as the Hai Tang pagoda, which was built nearly 250 years ago. According to Thanh, the pagoda’s impressive feature is the worshipping of Gods from three different religions, Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. “The pagoda is a very holy cultural site for islanders,” Thanh says.

Tourists also have the chance to visit an ancient well of the Cham ethnic minority as well as a small museum that displays ancient pottery products.

“I very much admire the way the local authority and people here respect the World Biosphere Reserve’s values when developing tourism. It creates a harmony between protecting nature and enhancing the islanders’ life here,” Long says.—

The plaques, 1.2m high and 1m wide, weighing around 100kg each will be sent to Vietnam before the holding of ceremonies in Hanoi on April 27 and in Ha Long City on May 1 with special art performances.

They will be placed in Hanoi and at the Bai Chay tourism site in Ha Long.

The NewOpenWorld Organisation has sent a sample of the plaque to Vietnam for consideration, hoping that Vietnam will invite representatives from 6 other countries which have wonders of nature to attend the ceremonies to share experience in protecting and preserving wonders of nature.

Ha Long Bay was officially recorgnised as one of five new world wonders of nature but two wonders of Indonesia and South Africa have remained to be crosschecked.

Source: VOV