Hue offers tourism promotional programs

A special tourism promotion program Golden Tourism Week celebrating the Hue Festival 2014 will take place from March 26 to April 1.

The program is part of Golden Tourism Month celebrating National Day September 2-30 and Golden Tourism Week on December 24-30 for the New Year, according to Hue Monuments Conservation Center.

Visitors will receive free admission and a discount of 50 percent on entrance tickets of attractions such as Hue Imperial Citadel, mausoleums of Kings  Khai Dinh,  Minh Mang, Thieu Tri and Tu Duc, Nha Nhac music performance, and exhibitions.

The local authorities expect to attract more domestic and international tourists to Hue during promotional programs.

Journey to return Original places opened

Vietnam celebrates the 39th anniversary of Reunification Day on April 30 and the 60th anniversary of Dien Bien Phu Victory on May 7. Viettravel is designing tours to visit famous historical sites to hornor the predecessors.

Experienced tour guides will be leading the tours with extensive historical information.

Special tours will visit Cao Bang with Pac Po historical site.  Pac Po is the source of the local language and is the place where Ho Chi Minh stayed after traveling to other countries. The special tours booked will also visit Quang Tri Ancient Citadel and Truong Son Martyr Cemetery.

Another tour promotion is to Con Dao Island. Tourists will visit Con Dao Museum, Phu Hai prison, Hang Duong cemetery and historical sites.

A five-day tour to Ha Noi-Cao Bang- Ban Gioc –Lang Son costs VND 8,190,000. It departs every Wednesday.

A six-day tour to Ha Noi – Tu Le – Mu Cang Chai- Sapa- Dien Bien-Son La-Moc Chau costs VND 9,590,000 and departs every Tuesday

A five-day tour to Da Nang –Lang Co – Hue- Thien Duong Cave-Ba Na-Hoi An costs VND 5,990,000. It departs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

A four-day tour to Da Nang –Hue –Phong Nha –Ba Na- Hoi An costs VND 5,390,000 and departs every day.

A three-day tour to Con Dao costs VND 5, 990,000.

A three-day tour to Phu Quoc costs VND 4,290,000. Tours depart Wednesdays through Saturdays.

Saigontourist is launching the exciting tours to celebrate Reunification Day on April 30.

Saigontourist, in coordination with Vietjet Air, will launch tours with comfortable flight time and a discount of VND 3 million per person.

Ban Gioc Falls in Cao Bang Province

Saigontourist introduces tours departing in HCMC on April 30 and May 1:

•Hanoi-Ninh Bnh-Ha Long: 4 days costing VND 7,350,000 per person

•Hanoi-Bac Kan-Ba Be Lake- Cao Bang- Nguon Ngao Cave- Ban Gioc Falls: 5 days costing VND 8,550,000 per person

•Da Nang-Hoi An-Phong Nha Cave-Hue: 4 days costing VND 6,300,000

•Da Nang-Hoi An-Thien Duong Cave- Vung Chua-Hue: 5 days costing VND 7,800,000

•Hue Da Nang-Hoi An- Ba Na: 4 days costing VND 6,740,000 per person

•Phu Quoc: 3 days costing VND 5,100,000 per person

•Vinpearland: VND 6,700,000 per person

•Nha Trang-Hon Tam-Havana Hotel: VND 9,210,000 per person

For tours designed for the northern provinces, tourists will visit Bai Dinh Pagoda, Trang An, and Ba Be Lake. Saigontourist also designed tours to Vincom Mega Mall. Tours visiting the central provinces will be popular during the holiday.

Tourists can also book tours to Da Lat, Nha Trang, Phan Thiet via Saigontourist with low-costs such as: 4 day tour to Da Lat costs VND 3,390,000; 4 day tour to Nha Trang –Hon Lao-Doc Let, costing VND 3,920,000; 3 day tour to Phan Thiet-Mui Ne, costs VND 3,490,000; 5 day tour to Nha Trang or Da Lat, costing VND 5,450,000.

Tours to Mekong Delta provinces are still popular for Vietnamese and international tourists, according to Saigontourist. The company will be launching tours to the region including a four-day tour to Cai Be-Can Tho-Chau Doc-Ha Tien, costing VND 3,490,000 per person.

This tour will take visitors to local fruit garden, Cai Rang floating market, Ba Chua Xu Temple and beauty sites in Ha Tien. A new tour visiting Can Tho-Ca Mau will spend 4 days with costing VND 3,590,000.

Tourists will get free of charge tourism security fee worth up to VND 100 million per person per tour. Visit the website www.dulichtietkiem.com to win a chance for a free tour to Abu Dhabi and Japan.

The Bluffs Ho Tram Strip opens for preview play

The Bluffs Ho Tram Strip golf course in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province along Vietnam’s southern coast is now open for preview play.

Designed by legendary golfer Greg Norman, who spent 331 consecutive weeks atop the world golf rankings, “The Bluffs Ho Tram Strip trades on geographical traits that course architects dream of,” says a statement from the golf course.

“This is one of only two pieces of land of this quality and character that I have ever been given to work with, the other being Doonbeg in the south of Ireland,” said Norman, who also conceived the award-winning Dunes Course at Danang Golf Club, on Vietnam’s central coast.

During the preview phase, golfers are invited to play the course for US$100, about half of what the greens fee is likely to be by the time Norman visits for the grand opening later this year.

When finished, The Bluffs Ho Tram Strip will include a 2,300-square-meter clubhouse housing an array of dining outlets and a PGA-staffed driving range with more than 3,000 square meters worth of practice and training facilities.

Limited golf membership opportunities will be rolled out later in March.

More details can be found at www.thebluffshotram.com, which is scheduled to go live later this month. For bookings, email to bookings@thebluffshotram.com.

Binh Chau and Ho Coc put on big sales promotions

Binh Chau Hot Springs and Saigon Ho Coc Beach resorts in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province are offering promotion programs to lure more tourists.

About 150 kilometers from HCMC and 70 kilometers from Vung Tau City, the four-star Binh Chau Hot Springs Resort covers 33 hectares amidst a primeval forest of Binh Chau Phuoc Buu Nature Reserve. The resort boasts more than 70 hot spring points having different temperatures, with the highest at 82 degrees Celsius as a giant “boiler”. Tourists to the resort can enjoy the comfort and relax in a swimming pool with mineral water of 40 degrees Celsius or take a mud bath with massage and medicinal herb.

According to scientists, hot spring water and mud combined with medical therapies can help people recover their health and cure neurologic diseases, digestion problems and fatigue.

With 15 hectares of greenery, the resort has 117 well-furnished hotel rooms and villas with windows and balconies. Its meeting rooms and conference halls have more than 150 seats while its restaurant with a seating capacity of 400 people serves Vietnamese specialties and select dishes made in Western, Asian and Chinese styles. Guests can also choose private rooms to have food with their partners and families.

Entertainment services include a hot spring water pool with more than 700 square meters, about 40 hot spring water bathrooms, personal mud bath tubs, VIP spa and massage, egg boiling pools with temperatures reaching 82 degrees Celcius, horse cart renting service, tennis courts, crocodile fishing, and fitness center.

Saigon Ho Coc Beach Resort covers 30 hectares and has 162 well-equipped rooms and villas with seaview windows and balconies. The resort also has Ho Coc Beach stretching over 1,500 meters.

Its meeting and conference rooms have nearly 1,000 seats and its three restaurants with capacity of 500 seats each are the venues for diners to have seafood, traditional Vietnamese dishes, Chinese specialties and signature Asian and Western dishes.

The resort has karaoke bars, two swimming pools (one with fresh water and the other with sea water), spa and massage, crocodile fishing for fun, visiting the resort by horse cart, and tennis courts.

In the Group Vacation program, which applies from Sunday to Friday to groups staying in at least five rooms, guests pay VND570,000 for a Superior/Deluxe room, VND950,000 for a Suite room, and VND1.29 million for a Villa room at Binh Chau Hot Springs. Also, the Sai Gon Ho Coc Resort charges VND950,000 for a Suite room and VND1.29 million for a Villa/Apartment.

Groups booking 11 rooms get one free.

The price includes a double or twin room, breakfast buffet, a 15% discount on menus, and free access to spring water and swimming pools.

In the Late Check In program, guests check in after 8 p.m. to get a 50% discount on room rates. The price includes breakfast buffet, and free access to spring water and swimming pools. Check-out time is 4 p.m.

In the two-day and one-night Sweet Hideaway program from Sunday until Friday, guests pay just VND790,000 per night for two guests, VND1.1 million per night for a Suite room, and VND1.5 million per night for a villa/apartment.

Guests should check in after 8 p.m. and a VND120,000 discount applies to all rooms. The room rate includes entrance to Binh Chau and Ho Coc, four-star room for two, and six dishes for Vietnamese-American or Continental breakfast with fruit juice, tea and coffee.

Guests can freely relax on the beach or in the swimming pool at Ho Coc, take a spring water bath at Binh Chau, play tennis or go kayaking in a lake at Ho Coc. Preferential prices will be offered for customers that use services such as private mud bathing, spa, body massage, foot massage, and karaoke.

In the 03 Nights – Free 01 program, the Binh Chau Hot Springs offers a room rate of VND1.59 million for a Superior/Deluxe room, VND2.05 million for a Suite room and VND2.9 million for a villa/apartment. The price includes a double or twin room, breakfast buffet, access to spring water pool or swimming pool at Binh Chau and Ho Coc, a glass of cocktail for each person, a massage ticket for one, free laundry for one set of clothes/person/day, and a 15% discount on the menu.

In the Early Bird program, guests can book rooms seven days in advance to get discounted in the Binh Chau Hot Springs at VND570,000 for a Superior/Deluxe room, VND990,000 for a Suite room and VND1.29 million for a villa. Room rates at Saigon Ho Coc Beach Resort are VND990,000 for a Suite room and VND1.29 million for a villa/apartment. The price includes a double or twin room, a glass of cocktail for each person, breakfast buffet, and a 15% discount for menu dishes.

Saigon Ho Coc Beach Resort is located on National Highway 55, Bung Rieng, Xuyen Moc District, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, tel: 064 379 1036, 0919 040 877, email: totasm@saigonbinhchau.com.

Binh Chau Hot Springs is located on National Highway 55, Binh Chau, Xuyen Moc District, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, tel: 064 387 1131, 0946 881 488, email: corpsm@saigonbinhchau.com.