Mui Ne, Phan Thiet tour

Phan Thiet is a small, provincial town on the Vietnamese coast where the principal activities are fishing and the production of fish oil. Tourism is obviously not yet high on the agenda as there are few concessions made to welcome tourists. Apart from the hustle and bustle and general interest of a local market, there is little to spend the tourist dollar on and it is really quite difficult to find a suitable place to have a beer. Phan Thiet’s harbour is quite fascinating, many of the fishing boats seemingly providing a home as well as a means to earn a living. There are also many shacks lining the river providing rather squalid accommodation and illustrating the real poverty afflicting many of the Vietnamese people.

The beach area at Mui Ne is a few kilometres to the north of Phan Thiet and is quite a contrast as the infrastructure has been put in place in order to develop it into a major tourist area. Several hotels line the beautiful beach and on the other side of the road running behind them, there are now a quite a number of bars, restaurants and shops waiting patiently for the tourists to arrive. Hordes of tourists are, as yet, absent and one has the feeling of being one of the lucky few to have discovered a gem. The resort is quiet and the beach is long, wide, curves around the bay and most times you feel completely alone. We stayed at the Bao Quynh resort which offers very pleasant bungalows spreading along the Mui Ne beach.

Every morning in Mui Ne, just after dawn, the local fishermen return with their catch, paddling ashore in their one man coracles. It is an amazing site as they come ashore one by one like upturned turtles looking to lay their eggs. The wives and children have already long been on the beach casting anxious eyes towards the sea for a glimpse of their husbands and fathers.

Once ashore, the coracles are lifted out of the water and carried up the beach, the fish are weighed and counted, the nets are folded and everything tidily put away while the women take over the task of bartering with the local fish factory agents for a good price. Catches are reviewed and weighed again and eventually deals are struck that in reality offer scant reward to these hardy fishermen in return for a gruelling night at sea in a flimsy vessel.

Not far away but a little inland, there are sand dunes offering a constantly changing landscape of white, yellow, orange and red sand shaped and sculptured by the wind.

Local children, clamour to act as your guide for a few dollars and show you how to surf the dunes on wooden or polystyrene boards. It is great fun but the heat is intense in this desert like environment as the sun glaringly reflects of the hot sand. They are a spectacular sight especially the dunes that rear up from the shore of a lake which at first seems like a shimmering apparition of a desert oasis.

What are you waiting for? Travel and enjoy!

Chinese New Year History

The Chinese New Year Festival is the most significant holiday for Chinese people around the world, regardless of the origin of their ancestors. It is also known as the Lunar New Year Festival because it is based on the lunar calendar as opposed to the Gregorian calendar. The holiday is a very jubilant occasion mainly because it is the time when people take a break from work to get together with family and friends.

The origin of the Chinese New Year Festival can be traced back thousands of years through a continually evolving series of colorful legends and traditions. One of the most famous legends is that of Nien, an extremely cruel and ferocious beast, which the Chinese believe, eats people on New Year’s Eve. To keep Nien away, red-paper couplets are pasted on doors, torches are lit, and firecrackers are set off throughout the night, because Nien is said to fear the color red, the light of fire, and loud noises. Early the next morning, as feelings of triumph and renewal fill the air at successfully keeping Nien away for another year, the most popular greeting heard is kung-hsi, or “congratulations.”

Even though Chinese New Year celebrations generally only last for several days, starting on New Year’s Eve, the festival itself is actually about three weeks long. It begins on the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month, the day, it is believed, when various gods ascend to heaven to pay their respects and report on household affairs to the Jade Emperor, the supreme Taoist deity. According to tradition, households busily honor these gods by burning ritualistic paper money to provide for their traveling expenses. Another ritual is to smear malt sugar on the lips of the Kitchen God, one of the traveling deities, to ensure that he either submits a favorable report to the Jade Emperor or keeps silent.

Next, “spring couplets” are hung up around the house. Spring couplets are paper scrolls and squares inscribed with blessings and auspicious words, such as “good fortune,” “wealth,” “longevity,” and “springtime.” The paper squares are usually pasted upside down, because the Mandarin Chinese word for “upside down,” tao, is a homonym of the word “arrival.” Thus, the paper squares represent the “arrival” of spring and the “coming” of prosperous times.

On lunar New Year’s Eve, family members who are no longer living at home make a special effort to return home for reunion and share in a sumptuous meal. At that time, family members hand out “lucky money” in red envelopes to elders and children and stay up all night to welcome the New Year. Chinese people have long believed that staying awake all night on New Year’s Eve would help their parents to live a longer life. Thus, lights are kept on the entire night–not just to drive away Nien, as in ancient times, but also as an excuse to make the most of the family get-together. Some families even hold religious ceremonies after midnight to welcome the God of the New Year into their homes, a ritual that is often concluded with a huge barrage of firecrackers.

Picnic at Giang Dien waterfall

Many people living in Ho Chi Minh City agree that you have to get out of the busy, polluted atmosphere every now and then to take a breath. But sometimes that is difficult, especially for those who just have one day off or don’t want to stay somewhere overnight.

In this case, here is something for those who want to combine nature and entertainment on their day off: Giang Dien Waterfall Tourist Area, just more than an hour outside the city in Dong Nai province.

Passing the populous and industrial urban landscape on National Highway 1A, you don’t see it coming at all.

Reaching the waterfall, you may be surprised at the abundance of nature and the romantic tourist area although, as a first disclaimer, the site cannot be compared with the famous waterfalls of the Central Highlands.

But then again, it is much closer to Ho Chi Minh City than Dalat and other hilly resort towns. The name reveals the place’s history – Giang Dien means “water field” so that it is likely that the area used to be a field.

Naturally, it’s not all nature anymore since the tourist area has been set up. And be prepared: While the stream is clear and clean in the dry season, silt coming from the upper reaches will turn it yellow and muddy in the rainy season.

But keeping these two aspects in mind, it’s fun. Along the waterfall, you can jump from stone to stone arranged neatly in a long line, possibly reminding you of the childhood game you used to play.

Standing on top of the cascade, the spray underneath you obscures your view, creating a mysterious atmosphere and, on a sunny day, a colourful rainbow.

To take a rest after jumping on the stones, you can lie down comfortably and even sleep on the grassy area among plants and flowers.

Many families and groups of friends also picnic here, spending the day barbecuing, fishing and even swimming in the cool stream.

Alternatively, the surrounding restaurants also offer some good fare and delightful decorations, making you think you are in a Vietnamese village.

Venturing a little farther across the Giang Dien suspension bridge, you will find a 10-hectare fruit garden in the tourist area.

Especially young people and researchers may also be interested in visiting a nearby farm that breeds lizards, scorpions, salamanders and other reptiles.

Le Ky Phung, a well-known breeder of reptiles for export and director of Phu An Ltd., actually set up the Giang Dien Waterfall Tourist Area more than three years ago with a total capital of more than VND 100 billion.

The area’s first 37 hectares are already open to the public. And the getaway will improve further.

Dinh Dung, sales director of the tourist area, says under the second phase, the area will get a swimming pool, tennis court and even some fun fair rides to attract more local and foreign tourists.

New Year 2008

Although Western New Year is not the Vietnamese traditional Tet, which has been mentioned a lot in poetic work with “Cây nêu tràng pháo, bánh chưng xanh” and “thịt mỡ, dưa hành, câu đối đỏ” for thousands of years. Without Yellow Apricot Flowers (Hoa Mai), Cherry Flowers (Hoa Đào) or flavor of incense; a long with the North-easterlly wind (Gió Bấc) in tropical regions such as Viet Nam or cold-to-death snow in Northern regions, outside comes a holiday, the Western New Year holiday. The Western New Year has come and is coming into lives of Vietnamese people as well as of people in many other countries.

Nowadays, Western New Year has become a true international holiday, a chance for people to take a rest, enjoy lives and relax after a hard-working year. In Viet Nam, the tendency of welcoming the Western New Year is widely accepted by young generation. In this spirit, my company has celebrated a party to welcome the Christmas and New Year. Although the party was small and simple, it was a good opportunity for us, the company members, to get close together and everyone seemed to be very happy on that day.

I was also invited the New Year welcoming party celebrated by Toastmaster club. It’s really an enjoyable night. I did have an opportunity to meet my ex colleagues again and to practice English, to join funny games, to enjoy food and drinks…

The coming of Western New Year marks the coming of The Lunar New Year (Tet Nguyên Đán) as well. This is one of the most important holidays in my country, Viet Nam. Below is some information for those who are interested in Vietnamese traditional Tet Holiday.

Please let me take this opportunity to send you and your families all the best wishes in the world.

Tet Nguyen Dan (The Lunar New Year) Tet has become so familiar, so sacred to the Vietnamese that when Spring arrives, the Vietnamese, wherever they may be, are all thrilled and excited with the advent of Tet, and they feel an immense nostalgia, wishing to come back to their homeland for a family reunion and a taste of the particular flavors of the Vietnamese festivities.

Tet starts on the first day of the first lunar month and is the first season of the new year (according to the lunar calendar), and therefore it is also known as the Tet Nguyen Dan, literally meaning Fete of the First Day, or the Tet Tam Nguyen, literally meaning Fete of the Three Firsts.

The Vietnamese, wherever they may be, are all thrilled and excited with the advent of Tet, and they feel an immense nostalgia, wishing to come back to their homeland for a family reunion and a taste of the particular flavours of the Vietnamese festivities. Those who have settled down abroad all turn their thoughts to their home country and try to celebrate the festivities in the same traditional way as their family members and relatives to relieve their nostalgia, never forgetting the fine custom handed down from generation to generation.

The Tet of the New Year is, above all, a fete of the family. This is an opportunity for the household genies to meet, those who have helped during the year, namely the Craft Creator, the Land Genie and the Kitchen God. As the legend goes, each year on December 23 of the lunar calendar, the Kitchen God takes a ride on a carp to the Heavenly Palace to make a report on the affairs of the household on earth and then returns on December 30 to welcome the New Spring.

Tet is also an opportunity to welcome deceased ancestors back for a family reunion with their descendants. Finally, Tet is a good opportunity for family members to meet. This custom has become sacred and secular and, therefore, no matter where they are or whatever the circumstances, family members find ways to come back to meet their loved ones

Vietnamese Tet has quite a few original practices with customs and entertainment that have distinct Vietnamese cultural characteristics. In the framework of this article, a few customs and practices are presented so that readers can better understand the traditional Tet of Vietnam.

Planting the Neu

Long long ago, humans and devils co-inhabited the earth. The devils overwhelmed the former and invaded their land. Buddha told the devils: “I will hang my cassock on top of the bamboo, and wherever the shadow falls is Buddha’s land, and you devils must give it to men.” The devils agreed. So after planting the bamboo, Buddha flung his robe to the top and made the bamboo higher by means of magic; as a result, the cassock overshadowed the whole land and the devils were chased to the East Sea. Then the devils prayed to Buddha for permission to return to the mainland for a three day visit to their ancestors’ tombs on the occasion of Tet. For this reason, Neu is often planted on this occasion. It is a bamboo pole with green leaves, an eight sign amulet and earthen bells hung from its top. Lime powder is scattered round its base to allow the painting of cross-bows and arrows to chase away the devils or keep them at bay.

The “Mam Ngu Qua”

The “five-fruit tray” on the ancestral altar during the Tet Holidays symbolizes the admiration and gratitude of the Vietnamese to Heaven and Earth and their ancestors, and demonstrates their aspiration for a life of plenty. As one theory goes, the five fruits are symbolic of the five basic elements of oriental philosophy: metal,wood, water, fire, and earth. Some people believe that the five fruits are symbols of the five fingers of a man’s hand that is used to produce physical wealth for his own use and to make offerings to his ancestors. However, in a simpler way, the five fruits represent the quintessence that Heaven and Earth bless humans. This is one of the general perceptions of life of the Vietnamese, which is “When taking fruit, you should think of the grower”. Today, the tray may contain five or more fruits, in the form of a pyramid like before or in an different shape. Regardless, it is still called the Mam Ngu Qua, the five-fruit tray.

Dao, Mai, Quat (the Peach, Apricot and Kumquat)

Comin g to Vietnam during the season of the Tet festival, the visitor is engulfed in an ocean of colourful flowers. Visiting flower shows, contemplating the buds and blooms, and purchasing blossoms represents one of the distinct Vietnamese cultural characteristics. Poor or rich, the northern people cannot go without a twig of peach blossom in their homes, while the southerners, a small branch of apricot blossom, together with a pot of Kumquat. The peach and the apricot blossoms are symbols of the Vietnamese Tet. The warm pink of the peach could very well match the dry cold of the North, but the hot South seems to be flourishing in the riot of the yellow of the apricot. The mandarin is symbolic of good fortune and, therefore, people tend to choose the little plants laden with fruit, big and orange, and verdant leaves for a longer display.

The Cau Doi (Parallels)

Composing, challenging and displaying parallels represents an elegant cultural activity of the Vietnamese. On the occasion of Tet, parallels are written on red paper and hung on both sides of the gate, the pillars or the ancestral altar. Each pair of parallels has an equal number of words with contrasting or corresponding meanings and lines of verses. They show a keen intelligence, perception of nature and social life, uphold morality and a yearning for the well-being of all people. The red is symbolic of auspicious and powerful vitality, according to popular belief. Mingling with the green of the banh chung, the pink of the peach blooms, the yellow of the apricot blossoms, and the red of the parallels is sure to make the Spring warmer and cozier.

The Giao Thua (New Year’s Eve)

The Giao Thua is the most sacred point of time, the passage from the old to the new year. It is popularly believed that in Heaven there are twelve Highnesses in charge of monitoring and controlling the affairs on earth, each of them taking charge of one year. The giao thua is the moment of seeing off the old chieftain upon the conclusion of his term and welcoming in the new one upon his assumption of office. For this reason, every home makes offerings in the open air to pray for a good new year.After the giao thua is the start of the new year with many customs and practices, amusements and entertainment, all of a distinct Vietnamese folk culture. If you have an opportunity to visit Vietnam during the Tet Holidays and to welcome the Tet Festivities, together with the Vietnamese people, you will surely be profoundly impressed by the distinct traditional culture that is rich in national identity. During the first three or four days of Tet, the first houseguest to offer Tet greetings is considered the “first visitor of the year” (xong dat). Their luck is considered to have a strong effect on the homeowner’s business success for the upcoming year. The belief of xong dat remains very strong nowadays, especially among business people.

Food specialties for Tet

Like many other people in the world, the Vietnamese people attach special attention to the celebration of Tet (lunar new year holidays). To prepare for this event, beside reconfiguring the interior of their homes to make them look more beautiful, they pay great attention to the preparation of food specialties, so that they can have delicious and flavourfuI meals for their visitors on the occasion of the new year. In the Vietnamese language, there is a special expression An Tet which literally means “eat the Tet”, but which embraces the meaning of celebrating the event with all traditional activities involved, including eating. Eating is important on the new year holidays.On the last day of the old year, the preparation of food to offer to the ancestors is of special significance. Dishes to offer to the ancestors differ in the Northern, Central and Southern parts of the country, depending on their respective weather conditions at the time and on different local agricultural products available. What is common in all regions of the country during Tet holidays are the varieties of soups, and fried, boiled, and stewed dishes. In the North, the menu for the Tet banquet includes pig trotters stewed with dried bamboo shoots, boiled chicken, carp cooked in salted sauce, jellied meat, and kohlrabi, cauliflower or onion fried with pig skin or lean pork. Thus, the menu includes meat, fish and vegetables. In addition, there are two other items that can not be missed: Banh chung (square cake made of glutinous rice, pork and green beans wrapped in the dong leaves and boiled) and pickled onions. As one eats much meat during Tet, one should eat some sour pickled onions to facilitate digestion. In Hue, the ancient imperial city, located in the Central part of the country, the culinary art reached its best in feudal times with hundreds of dishes created for the occasion of Tet for the kings and the royal family. Now during Tet holiday, every family in Hue has Banh tet (round shaped glutinous rice cake), sugarcoated coconut, roasted melon seeds, and different pork dishes. The menu may also include beef cooked with garlic and garligale, various kinds of meat pies such as gio thu (pig’s head meat pies), cha lua (pork bologna), grilled shrimp pies, boned pig’s trotter stuffed with meat, nem chua (fermented pork hash), pickled scallion, unripe banana cooked in sweet and sour sauce. Preserved fruits are also masterpieces of Hue women. Women here make all kinds of preserved fruit such as ginger, waxy pumpkin, apple, orange, lemon and carrot in various shapes and colours. To welcome Tet is to welcome the spring. However, in January, which is spring time, the weather is still cold. It is a good idea to warm up with a cup of hot tea and a slice of preserved ginger. In Hue, ginger is grown on the hills. A ginger root from Hue is not as big as the ones grown in Hanoi, but it has a golden yellow colour and a special flavour. In the South, with Ho Chi Minh City as the centre, every family has a pot of pork cooked in coconut milk with salt. As the coconut tree is very popular in his region, the Southerners are accustomed to making use of its milk or its oil when they prepare food, which gives cooked food a special flavour. Pork cooked in coconut milk should have all the skin, fat and lean sections. When done, the fat section looks transparent and the lean one turns reddish with the flavour of coconut milk. Also, there are pickled green bean sprouts with leeks, sliced carrot and turnip. When you eat pickled bean sprouts with pork cooked in coconut milk, you will enjoy it and never get sick of it. As it is warmer in the South than in the North and the Central region, cooked meat is more popular in the North as it stays unspoiled for a longer time. Another favourite for many people is bitter melon stuffed with meat. It is believed by many older people that bitter melon is antipyretic, nutritious and may treat many diseases. Banh tet and banh trang (rice w affle) are a must on the Tet menu. Vegetables, boiled or cooked meat and pickled bean sprouts wrapped in a thin banh trang make a good dish in hot weather. Banh tet usually goes well with dried turnips soaked in fish sauce. The foods that the Vietnamese eat at Tet are varied and diverse What they have in common is that the people throughout the country all want to have the best and the most beautiful looking food on this occasion to offer their ancestors and to treat their friends and guests.

The Banh Chung

As the legend goes, the Banh Chung came into being under King Hung, the national founder, 3,000 4,000 years ago. Prince Lang Lieu, one of the sons of King Hung, made round and square cakes: the round Banh Day symbolizing the sky, and the square Banh Chung symbolic of the earth (under the ancient Viet’s perception) and offered them to his Father on the occasion of Spring, and ever since the Banh Chung has been a “must” during the Tet holidays. The Banh Chung is very nutritious, has an original tasty flavor and may be kept for a long time. All of its ingredients and materials, from the green wrapping leaves to sticky rice and pork, green peas and pepper inside, are all medicines (according to Oriental Medicine) that act to keep harmony between the positive and the negative, thus helping the blood circulate well and preventing diseases. Certainly, no other cakes could be of such cultural significance and produce such medical effects as the green Banh Chung of Vietnam.

Halloween party on Oct 30, 2007

As you know, Lab3Toastmaster club is not only a good environment for us to improve our English, communication skills but also a good place for us to make friends and to relax after hard-working days. Of this spirit, outdoor activities are one of its indispensable parts. Halloween party, taking place on Oct 30,therefore, marked a very successful beginning of our club’s outdoor activities. On behalf of the leadership board, I would like to send my thanks to the BOD for supporting the club, to all the members and guests who have contributed a lot to the success of the party as well as the club.

The party took place at 6:30 a.m on Oct 30, 2007 on Nhat Chi Mai street, near the E-town2 block. Jimmy Ha, the Toastmaster of that day, started the party with a funny story, which helped everybody really relaxed.

The Toastmaster: Jimmy Ha

After that Nguyen Nguyen introduced some information on Halloween Day. Everyone was attracted by his very native accent as well as the useful information he gave us. While listening to him, we enjoyed the food (some snacks, biscuits, bread,…) and drink.

After that, we continued with the first game of the day: “if-then” game. The game was handled by Phuong Bui. In this game, the audience was divided into 2 small groups: “if” group and “then” group. Each member of “if” group was asked to write down an if clause. Similarly, each member of “then” group was asked to write down a then clause. Finally, the if clauses and then clauses were randomly put together, which created a lot of funny sentences. The game was really interesting thanks to Phuong Bui’s talent and sense of humor.

The 1st game handler: Phuong Bui

will be continued

Thoi Son Island in Tien Giang

Hi all,

Welcome to one of the most beautiful sites in my hometown, the Thoi Son Island.

Thoi Son Island in Tien Giang Thoi Son Island, accessible by a 45-minute boat ride on the Mekong River from My Tho, is located in Tien Giang province.

Since 1990, Thoi Son has been a tourist resort welcoming hundreds of visitors. The tile-roofed houses surrounded by many generations of fruit-bearing trees, the cozy little restaurants in bonsai tree gardens make Thoi Son Island the ideal location for a short rest.

The paths through the island are bordered with fruit trees bearing plums, mangoes, and longans. Visitors will also enjoy Con Phung Island, Vinh Trang Pagoda, and the local coconut sweets and jams.

Tien Giang tourism company has recently invested in a hotel complex capable of accommodating up to 500 visitors.

Vacation dollars breathe new life into Thoi Son Island’s economy

VietNamNet Bridge – Like many villagers on Thoi Son Island, Bay Du and his family used to make their money growing longan. But when the price of the crop plummeted in the 1980s, he was left penniless. Over the next few years, Bay Du bounced between jobs as a carpenter, logger and hair cutter.

All of that changed, however, in the early 1990s when the provincial government decided to remake Thoi Son, located about 70km from HCM City in the southern province of Tien Giang, into a centre for tourism.

Vacation dollars have since breathed new life into the local economy and given people like Bay Du a chance at a second career.

A turning point in my life was when the province’s tourism authority proposed to help me build an eco-tourism site, the first of its kind on the island, he said.

Under the plan, the authorities helped construct an asphalt road, and setup toilets, tables and chairs, transforming the island’s longan gardens into an idyllic spot for tourists.

Visitors could relax, enjoy a drink and listen to local music.

I strive to provide a hospitable, warm atmosphere for guests, he said.

Bay Du’s daughter, Tu Hoang, also helps him by serving food.

Fruits are fresh and some of the southern region’s traditional cakes are served at reasonable prices, she said.

Business here has been booming; visitors to the oasis have jumped from 40-50 daily at the outset to 350-500 now.

Island renewal

Thoi Son’s transformation began in the early 1990s, when visitors, mainly from Eastern Europe, started arriving on the island. Farmers adapted and became tour guides, prompting the Tien Giang provincial tourism authority to invest in a pleasure boat to ply the Tien River.

Bay Du, who was an accomplished dan ca tai tu (a musician who plays a combination of ancient southern tunes, Binh Dinh classical opera and ceremonial songs from Hue) was invited to entertain the visitors. He earned a living regaling tourists, something that would have been unthinkable 10 years earlier.

That success prompted Bay Du to open his eco-tourism site, move that opened doors for all of Thoi Son’s residents. The island was chosen to be the main tourist site in Tien Giang. The province invested in a transport system, electricity and water works.

Now, along the 11km-road in the centre of Thoi Son, rows of stalls sell handicrafts and souvenirs and everything from entertainment venues to fishing tours have mushroomed.

Tu Dang, owner of a 1-hectare resort, said people who go into tourism had advantages that did not exist before.

We have opportunities to meet foreigners that help our farmers further understand many interesting matters, he said.

Deputy director of Tien Giang Province’s Trade and Tourism Department, Doan Van Phuong, said Thoi Son had become the most attractive tourist site in the region.

Tien Giang was expected to receive 600 visitors and earn VND60bil this year, compared to 518,000 visitors and VND50bil last year, he said.

The province now has three eco-tourism zones (Tan Thanh, Cai Be and Thoi Son Island) and Vinh Long, Ben Tre, Can Tho and Soc Trang provinces are following the model of Thoi Son.

(Source: Viet Nam News)

Ha Long Bay

Situated in the North-East region of Vietnam, Halong Bay is a bay in the Gulf of Tonkin comprised of regions of Halong City, the township of Cam Pha, and a part of the island district of Van Don. Halong Bay borders Cat Ba Island in the southwest, the East Sea in the east, and the mainland, creating a 120 km coastline.

Halong Bay is made up of 1,969 islands of various sizes, 989 of which have been given names. There are two kinds of islands, limestone and schist, which are concentrated in two main zones: the southeast (belonging to Bai Tu Long Bay), and the southwest (belonging to Halong Bay). This densely concentrated zone of stone islands, world famous for its spectacular scenery of grottoes and caves, forms the central zone of Halong Bay, which has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The bay itself has an area of 43,400 ha, consists of 775 islands, and forms a triangle with the island of Dau Go (Driftwood Grotto) to the west, the lake of Ba Ham (Three Shelter Lake) to the south, and the island of Cong Tay to the east.

Viewed from above, Halong Bay resembles a geographic work of art. While exploring the bay, you feel lost in a legendary world of stone islands. There is Man’s Head Island, which resembles a man standing and looking towards the mainland. Dragon Island looks like a dragon hovering above the turquoise water. La Vong Island resembles an old man fishing. There are also the islands of the Sail, the Pair of Roosters, and the Incense Burner, which all astonishingly resemble their namesakes. The forms of the islands change depending on the angle of the light and from where the islands are viewed. At the core of the islands, there are wonderful caves and grottoes, such as Thien Cung (Heavenly Residence Grotto), Dau Go (Driftwood Grotto), Sung Sot (Surprise Grotto), and Tam Cung (Three Palace Grotto).

Halong Bay has many links to the history of Vietnam. For example, there are such famous geographical sites as Van Don (site of an ancient commercial port), Poem Mountain (with engravings of many poems about emperors and other famous historical figures), and Bach Dang River (the location of two fierce naval battles fought against foreign aggressors).

It has been proven by scientists that Halong was one of the first cradles of human existence in the area at such archeological sites as Dong Mang, Xich Tho, Soi Nhu, and Thoi Gieng. It is also a region of highly-concentrated biological diversity with many ecosystems of salt water-flooded forests, coral reefs, and tropical forests featuring thousands of species of animal and plant life.

With all this in mind, the 18th meeting of the Committee of the World Heritages of UNESCO (in Thailand on December 17th, 1994), officially recognized Halong Bay as a natural heritage site of worldwide importance.

I. Grottoes

Dau Go (Driftwood) Grotto

Dau Go Grotto is found on Driftwood Island, formerly known as Canh Doc Island. The name Driftwood Grotto comes from the popular story of the resistance war against the Nguyen Mong aggressors. In a decisive battle, Tran Hung Dao was given an order to prepare many ironwood stakes to be planted on the riverbed of the Bach Dang River. The remaining wooden pieces were found in the grotto and, as a result, the grotto was given its present name. The entrance is reached via 90 steps up the island. The grotto is divided into three main parts. In the first chamber, many forms can be seen in the rock, depending on the imagination of the observer. In the middle of the chamber, on the top of the pillar, there appears to be a monk draped in a long, dark cloak, with his right hand clasping a cane. Moving into the second chamber, visitors pass through a narrow “door”, naturally formed through erosion. The light here is mysterious, and new images appear in the stone. At the end of the grotto is a well of clear water surrounded by four ancient walls.

In this grotto, there remains an engraved stone stele singing the praises of Halong Bay ordered by Emperor Khai Dinh when he came to visit the grotto in 1917. Dau Go is 40 minutes from Bai Chay. Admission is 15,000 VND per person, 5,000 VND for children under 15, and children under 6 are free.

Trinh Nu (Virgin) Grotto-Trong (Male) Grotto

The Virgin Grotto is situated in the island range of Bo Hon, in the system comprised of the Surprise Grotto, Dong Tien Lake, and Luon Grotto. The grotto is 15 km south of Bai Chay Beach. For some fishermen, the Virgin Grotto is home, while for young lovers it is a popular romantic rendezvous site.

According to legend, there once was a beautiful fisherman’s daughter, whose family was so poor that they were in service of the rich administrator of the fishing zone, who forced the family to give him their daughter as a concubine. However, the fisherman’s daughter already had a lover and refused to marry the administrator. The administrator got angry and exiled her to a wild island where she suffered from hunger and exhaustion. One frightful night she turned to stone. On this same night, her lover, knowing of her danger, rowed his boat in search of her. However, a tempest destroyed his boat, and he floated to a nearby island. In a flash of lightening, he saw his lover in the distance, but his calls were driven away by the wind. In his final exhaustion, he also turned to stone (today’s Male Grotto).

When visiting the Virgin Grotto, you can still see the petrified girl with her long hair hanging down and eyes looking towards the mainland. Opposite the Virgin Grotto, the Male Grotto is still home to the lover whose his face is turned towards his mate. At times, his passionate calls and blows against the walls of the grotto can still be heard.

Thien Cung (Heavenly Palace) Grotto

This recently discovered grotto is one of the most beautiful in Halong Bay. Thien Cung is situated on the southwest side of the bay, 4 km from the wharf outside of Halong City. It is located in a small range of islands that resemble a throne embracing two superb grottoes at its core. The way to Thien Cung is perilous, covered on both sides by thick forest. After entering a narrow gate, the magnificent, 130 m long grotto opens up.

According to legend, a beautiful young lady named May (cloud) caught the eye of the Dragon Prince and he fell in love with her. They were betrothed and got married in the very center of the grotto. All of the scenes of their wedding, which lasted for seven days and seven nights, have been seemingly fossilized in the grotto.

In the center, there are four large pillars supporting the “roof of heaven”. From the base to the top, many strange images seem to exist in the stone, including birds, fish, flowers and even scenes of human life. On the north wall of the grotto, a group of fairies seems to be singing and dancing in honor of the wedding. Under the immeasurably high roof, stalactites form a natural stone curtain. There is also the sound of a beating drum made by the wind blowing through the stone.

In the last chamber of the grotto, a natural gushing stream of water babbles throughout the year. Here there are three small ponds of clear water. One path meanders out of the grotto.

Quang Hanh Grotto

Located 9 km west of Cam Pha, Quang Hanh Grotto is the longest grotto in Halong Bay. It is 1,300 m long, and stretches throughout the stone mountain of Quang Hanh. The French named it “Le Tunnel,” or Tunnel Grotto.

Quang Hanh Grotto is accessible by either boat or car, but the entrance only appears when the tide is out. Ba Co Shrine (shrine of three girls) is in the grotto beside a smooth stone block. Legend tells that three girls, who were once journeying on the sea, came to the grotto to take shelter from the rain. They were so engrossed with the beauty of the grotto, that they did not notice the rising tide. They drowned, only to become water goddesses.

Quang Hanh Grotto is extremely beautiful. A small boat will take you through the stone passageway by flashlight, casting magical colors on the hanging stalactites.

II. Islands

Bai Tho Mountain (Poem Mountain)

Bai Tho Mountain is 106 m high. It runs along the coast, half on land and half in the sea. Sailing in the bay, one or two hundred meters from the mountain, one can see a poem carved on a flat stone cliff.

In 1468, Emperor Le Thanh Tong, who was also a poet, made an inspection tour of the North-East region. He stopped at the foot of the mountain, and inspired by the magnificent beauty of his surroundings, he wrote a poem. Later, he had the poem engraved on the wall of the mountain. It is very interesting to climb the mountain and enjoy the panoramic view of the bay.

Tuan Chau Islet

Situated 3 km west of Dao Go Islet, Tuan Chau Islet has an area of 300 ha. On the islet, there is a very simple bamboo house built by the inhabitants of Quang Ninh for Uncle Ho to rest after visiting Halong Bay. The house is now carefully preserved by the locals.

III. Beaches

Bai Chay

Bai Chay is a resort located along the coast of Halong Bay. This is a windward ocean resort which has a year round average temperature of 20oC (68oF).

Bai Chay is a low gently sloping range of hills that runs along the sea for more than 2 km. Blended in among the pine trees are large hotels and small villas with distinguished architectural styles. Traveling down the asphalt road along the coast, visitors see long white stretches of sand and green rows of Casuarina trees, tucked under which are small family-run restaurants. After swimming at the beach, tourists can enjoy cold drinks and cool off in the breeze that sweeps in from the sea.

Viet Nam: Nation and People

Hi visitors,

I have found that most of you seem to be uninterested in the agenda of “English discussion”. That’s the reason why the there have been few visitors dropping by and few comments posted on to my blog recently. As the blog owner, I can’t stand still. Therefore, after having thought carefully, I decide to change my topic to “Viet Nam: Nation and People” with the hope that it can inspire those who visit my blog and that the image of Viet Nam can be transferred to people from all over the world.

I first start with some overview information on Viet Nam Nation and People and then I will come across some features, such as: people, beautiful sites, foods, drinks, culture, …

Please be kindly aware that information here is not absolutely my own one. I just collect information from the internet and modify it into a form that’s easy for you to absorb. Some of it may come from my own travel. Any information on this topic from you is welcome. Thank you very much for your paying attention.

Tet holiday

Hi all,

Winter goes by and Spring comes, which has become the rule of the nature. Spring traditionally marks the coming of Tet Holiday, so Spring is sometimes used interchangeably with Tết in Vietnamese. It is the time for us to review what we have done in the past year, and to plan for the incoming year. On this occasion, I’d like to send you all the best wishes and hope that myriad things go according to your will. By the way, I’d like to tell you the legend of Tao Quan so that you all are aware of our traditional Tet ceremony.

The origin of Tao Quan, the three kitchen gods

There is a popular belief in Viet Nam that Tao Quan, the Three Kitchen Gods, are present in the kitchen of every home. These gods observe everything that takes place there. At the end of the lunar year, on the twenty-third day of the twelfth month, they depart to make their report to Ngoc Hoang, the Jade Emperor, supreme divinity of the Taoist Heaven. On that day, Tao Quan are offered the best of food and spices and are presented with gifts of money and clothing.

The idea of a threesome is unique to this story. More often the kitchen god or genie is described as a single person and may be called Ong Tao, Ong Lo or Ong Vua Bep.

Long, long ago, when Earth and Sky met in the Valley of Whispers, in the dense, green forest there lived a woodcutter and his wife. They were very poor and oftentimes the man was unable to earn enough to buy their food. Frustration and worry drove him to drink, and he would come staggering home at night in a vile mood. Since there was only his wife to listen to him in their ramshackle cottage, he poured out all manner of abuse on the poor woman. Because she was his wife, she had to accept it. Sometimes he would try to appease his rage by smashing the furniture; but when he took to beating her she could endure it no longer. One night, she fled the cottage and was never seen there again.

For days and weeks, the woman wandered in the forest. She was hungry and her feet were torn and bleeding. Finally, she came to a hunter’s cabin. The owner was an honest man, who gave her food and permitted her to rest in his home. She kept house for him then, and after some time they were married. They lived together in great happiness, and it seemed that the woman had forgotten the terrors of her previous marriage.

One day, when Tet (Vietnamese New Year) was approaching and the hunter was out in the forest looking for game, a beggar knocked at the door of the cottage and asked for alms. He was clad in rags and his hair was matted and unkempt. The compassionate woman prepared a meal for the man; while he was eating, she suddenly recognized him as her former husband.

The beggar was still eating when the woman heard the steps of her returning husband. In her mind’s eyes, she saw rapid end of her newfound happiness and became panic-stricken. Quickly she hid the beggar under a haycock .

The hunter had been very successful that day and was returning home with some excellent game. As soon as he entered the cottage, he prepared to roast it in the haycock quite unaware of the beggar’s presence there.

When the beggar found himself ablaze, his first impulse was to cry out; then, fearing that the hunter might kill the woman on discovering him there, he remained silent.

As tongues of flame consumed the haycock, the poor woman was torn with grief. She realized of course that her former husband was meeting death for her sake and that she did not want. Hesitating for no longer than a moment, she threw herself into the fire in order to die with him.

The hunter cried out in dismay when he saw what his wife had done. He tried to pull her back but was unable to do so. Thinking that some act of his had driven her to such desperation, he too jumped into fire, preferring to die with her rather than to continue to live without her.

When the people learned of this touching story, they bowed their heads out of respect for the noble motives that had brought on the deaths of the woman and the two men. They were later acclaimed as Tao Quan, the Three Kitchen Gods.