Saigontourist offers tours to caves

Saigontourist Travel Service Co. has introduced a cluster of tours to explore the beauty of Thien Duong (Heaven) Cave in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in the central province of Quang Binh, which is regarded as the world's longest cave.
Discovered in 2005 and only opened to tourists last year, the cave is reported to be more attractive than Phong Nha or Tien Son caves in the same national park.

According to the British Cave Research Association, Thien Duong Cave lies on a complex area of limestone mountains at a height of 191 metres and is surrounded by the primeval forest of the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. The 31.4km cave has splendid geological tectonics which are large and diverse. Stalactites in the cave are very beautiful and the maximum height of the cave is 100m.

The four-star Sai Gon-Quang Binh Hotel in Dong Hoi City also offers tours to Thien Duong Cave for tourists from Quang Binh.

HCM City to pilot maritime tourism

Since 2008, HCM City has been developing waterway tourism but the plan has been hindered due to shortages of stations, fleets and sight-seeing points, according to the HCM City Department for Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Few travellers have used the waterway tourism route linking Bach Dang Wharf in District 1 with Ham Long Traditional Craft Village in District 2. The city is considering opening a new route to Can Gio District, a tourist attraction with an ecosystem of mangrove areas.

Experts have applauded the idea of providing services of kayaking or travelling with express cruises. They believe the services will help attract many travellers.

Travel firms have joined forces with the city Department for Agriculture and Rural Development to survey gardens and craft villages along the rivers in the city.

The city has also planned to join forces with Binh Duong Province to set up routes from Bach Dang Wharf to Cu Chi Tunnels and Thu Dau Mot Town in Binh Duong.

Binh Thuan prepares for festival

Provincial authorities in Binh Thuan are preparing for the Cham Ka Te Festival set to take place at Po Sah Inu Tower in the coastal city of Phan Thiet between September 24 and 26.

The festival, which aims to preserve traditional values of the ethnic Cham culture, will feature a procession of palanquins and costumes of Po Sah Inu Goddess, a ceremony to open the tower's gate and the washing of the altar for lingo and yon ceremonies as well as performances of traditional music, pottery and cake making, and folk games.

Bird's-eye tourism takes flight

Hon Tam Resort in cooperation with Mai Linh Express Corporation has launched a new service – flying on two kites – in the central coastal city of Nha Trang.

The Hon Tam Resort's new exclusive service, operated with motor-run kites flying at a height of 150m, offers tourists an opportunity to have a birds-eye view of the entire Nha Trang Bay.

Each flight, lasting 15 minutes, costs VND600,000 (US$28.9) per person. The flight is accompanied by a tour guide.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News