Japan tourism features the music of Noo Phuoc Thinh

Singer Noo Phuoc Thinh.

Singer Noo Phuoc Thinh’s new music video Really Love You will take centre stage at a Discover Japan tourism festival this coming January 16-17 at the Aeon Mall in Long Bien, Hanoi.

The video was produced last October solely as a promotional music video for Japan’s tourism industry, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), which is sponsoring the festival.

Admission is free. The event starts daily at 10:00 am.

The video can be previewed at http://www.camnhannhatban.vn/special/noo-really-love-you/index.html.

DJ Mari Ferrari to judge ‘Remix’

A new variety competition show – The Remix – has unveiled the ever popular Russian DJ Mari Ferrari will serve as a guest judge for the third episode to be aired on Vietnam Television channel 3 (VTV3) on January 17 at 9 pm.

The Remix is a live music variety show where DJs and singing contestants pair up and compete over 11 weeks.

There are different themes to mix for every week, such as hip-hop, rock or ethnic music.

Mongolian, Lao, Vietnamese circus artists begin festival

Circus artists from Vietnam, Mongolia and Laos jointly launched a fantastic performance on the night of January 14 to commence their festival celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Vietnam Circus Federation.

The festival will be staged everyday from January 14 to 17 at the National Circus of Vietnam at No. 67-69 Tran Nhan Tong Street.

According to Director of the Vietnam Circus Federation Ta Duy Anh, the performances are expected to dazzle the spectators with award-winning items, including children’s favorite’s “Animal Festival”.

Founded in January 1956 with only 17 artists, the Vietnam Circus Federation has earned recognition on international stages arenas with numerous prestigious medals from many countries including Spain, France, Italy, Russia, Bulgaria, China, and Cuba.

Thrillist recommends Vietnam

Thrillist, a leading US food, drink and travel website, has cited the best countries in Southeast Asia to visit, including Viet Nam.

Viet Nam is famous for pho (Vietnamese noodle soup), bun cha (grilled fatty pork with fried spring rolls over vermicelli noodles with tangy fish sauce) as well as dishes from north to south. It also has many wonderful and charming landscapes like Ha Long bay, Phong Nha-Ke Bang, Son Doong Cave and others.

It is also the perfect destination for tourists who love street food, shopping and buying traditional clothes.

Other countries in the top 5 list were Laos, Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia.

Yang Bay park opens bird garden

The ecotourism site Yang Bay in Khanh Hoa Province has just opened a bird garden for sightseeing.

Covering over 2,000sq.m, the garden features caves, plants, lakes, streams, and flowers and has more than 1,000 birds collected from various regions, including canary, magpie, Chinese laughing-thrush, peacock, zebra finch, red-billed Leiothrix, blackbird, golden-fronted leafbird, spectacled laughing-thrush, French pigeon and others.

Located in Khanh Vinh District and about 45km from Nha Trang city, the eco tourist park covers over 570ha of beautiful jungle.

Many domestic and foreign visitors travel to the area, with its primeval forest landscapes, waterfalls, animal reservation area, crocodile farm and orchid garden.

Visitors can participate in traditional games such as pig racing and chicken fights as well as enjoy the unique cuisine.

Fiditour names winners of video making contest

Fiditour have recently announced winners of its “Beautiful time” video making contest.

Nguyen Ba Duy from Hanoi won first prize of a Korea trip for his video featuring 36 beautiful streets in Hanoi and the capital’s culture and people. Two second prizes of a Singapore tour went to Nguyen Thuy Ngan Trang with “A journey at age 20” and Nguyen Quoc Phong with “Singapore: a beauty of time.”

 Two third prize winners were Do Dinh Trung with “Summer Trip” and Mai Thu Hang with “Hanoi and friends.” Mai Thu Hang also won the audience’s choice prize. The 80-year-old Doan Gia Le won a prize for a contestant with the most entries.

Fiditour is located at 129 Nguyen Hue Boulevard, District 1, HCMC, website: www.fiditour.com

Winners of photo competition on Buddhist

Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and Giac Ngo newspaper, a newspaper about Buddhist, yesterday gave 12 prizes to winners of the third photo competition “Monument, beautiful spots and Buddhist festivals”.

Photographer Tran The Phong with the work “Peace” captured the first prize, Vu Duc Loi with “Praying for peace: and Khanh Hung with “Hoi Khanh Pagoda” grasped the second prize. Additionally, the organizer gave 3 third prizes and 6 encouragement prizes to other photographers.

The photo competition takes place on the occasion of 40th anniversary of the first edition of Giac Ngo newspaper (January 1, 1976 - January 1, 2016)

Speaking at the ceremony, Ms Nguyen Thi Le from the municipal Party Committee highly appreciated the contribution of the newspaper in the city’s development wishing that the newspaper will grow more and better its role in informing residents the government’s policies. In addition, Ms. Le  lauded the newspaper’s charity activities to help taking care of low-income families in the city and in the country for years.

Vietcombank funds 3 billion VND for 2016 Hue Festival

The Commercial Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (Vietcombank) will fund 3 billion VND (136,000 USD) to the 2016 Hue Festival which is to be held from April 29 – May 4.

With the sum as agreed in a sponsorship signing ceremony in the central province of Thua Thien –Hue on January 8, Vietcombank will be the sponsor for the event together with the Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Agribank).

The other sponsor is the Vietnam Bank for Industry and Trade (Vietinbank) with 5 billion VND (227,000 USD).

Themed: “Cultural Heritage with Integration and Development”, the event is part of celebrations for the 710th anniversary of the region, Thua Thien-Hue (formerly known as Thuan Hoa, and then Phu Xuan). The festival will showcase art troupes from countries on five continents.

Vietnamese and foreign artists will join together in performances in the Hue Citadel, An Dinh Palace and at other places in the Complex of Hue Monuments.

The “Dem Hoang Cung” (Royal Night) and “Huyen thoai Phuong Dong” (Orient legendary) will be held in the Ngo Mon-Ky Dai Square, enacting original royal activities.

There will also be exhibitions, kite and calligraphy displays, scientific workshops, street music and arts performances, together with sports, cuisine and tourism events.

Veteran, wartime photographer Mai Nam dies

Veteran photographer and journalist Mai Nam, who took hundreds of photos of President Ho Chi Minh and the American War, died on Thursday at the age of 85.

Born as Nguyen Huu Thong in 1931 in the northern province of Bac Ninh, he joined the revolution against the French at the age of 14. In 1949, he worked as a youth union staff member at the Viet Bac Revolutionary Base, where he first picked up a camera. He then worked as a journalist at Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper.

During the American War, he worked as a war journalist for the newspaper and captured many fierce clashes on the battlefield, including the central province of Quang Tri. His famed photos, including Di Truc Chien (Guarding the Battlefield) and Du Kich (Guerillas) were taken during this time.

During the 1960s, he was assigned to take photos of President Ho Chi Minh. He left behind a collection of nearly 200 photos of the president.

Mai Nam was awarded the Honorary Member of Viet Nam Association of Photographic Artist and Especial Artist of Viet Nam Association of Photographic Artist. His collection of three photos featuring Vietnamese soldiers during the American War, namely Canh Giac (High Alert), Chay Dau Cho Thoat (No Escape) and Di Truc Chien (Guarding the Battlefield), was awarded the State Prize in Literature and Arts in 2007.

HCM City holds monthly fashion show for children

Ngoi Nha Tuoi Tho (Childhood Home), the company that specialises in organising events for youth, will launch its monthly Kids Fashion Show at Crystal Palace in HCM City's District 7 on January 17.

The show will feature fashion as well as art performances, including a flash mob, modern dance and singing.

MC Truc Thy, director of the company, said the show was a chance for kids to demonstrate their soft skills and show their passion about fashion and knowledge about the catwalk.

It is expected to be the biggest-ever fashion playground for kids in Viet Nam, she added.

HCM City welcomes ASEAN Friendship Caravan

The ASEAN Friendship Caravan with around 50 travel agents and media from Thailand and other ASEAN countries arrived in HCM City on Wednesday.

The 10-day, 3,400-kilometre road trip aims to strengthen regional co-operation and promote overland connectivity.

The caravan started on January 7 in Thailand and then travelled through Laos, Viet Nam and Cambodia, and will return to Thailand.

During five days in Viet Nam, the Caravan group visited HCM City, Phan Thiet City, Lam Dong and Gia Lai provinces.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in co-operation with Toyota Motor Thailand Company organised the trip as part of its strategy to promote greater intra-regional travel within ASEAN countries.

Pullman Vung Tau to hold fair on wedding design

The Design Your Wedding Journey wedding fair will take place at Pullman Vung Tau this weekend, bringing together fashion, travel and lifestyle.

The two-day fair will include more than 15 wedding professionals from Vung Tau and HCM City who specialise in wedding concepts, culinary delights, bridal gowns, bridal beauty, wedding favours and honeymoon destinations.

Experts include Jenny Wedding, lecuoihoi.com.vn, Lekchi Bridal, Moc Nguyen Productions, Stella Bridal, Adam Store, D'Art Chocolate and others.

Pullman Vung Tau can accommodate weddings with 800 guests for sit-down banquets and up to 1,300 guests for grand cocktail receptions. The hotel also offers exclusive wedding perks when the couple book their wedding banquet on the weekend.