Stork Island eco-tourism site gets $66,000 infrastructure upgrade

Authorities in the northern city of Hai Duong have invested VND1.4 billion (US$66,000) in upgrading the Stork Island ecological tourism site.

According to Nguyen Duc Minh, Chairman of People's Committee of Chi Lang Nam Commune, the fund would be spent on building a new concrete road, parking lot and infrastructure upgrades at the site.

"The need of embankment to protect the islands where the storks and night herons reside is a more pressing concern because without embankment large chunks of earth keep falling off the islands bringing down trees, particularly during rainy seasons," he said.

"Yet, there is still nothing in the budget put aside for this purpose."

The land erosion would gradually shrink areas inhabited by the birds, he added.

Stork Island is a popular eco-tourism site in northern Viet Nam, located in the middle of An Duong Lake and spanning across 20ha.

The small islands are also currently home to about 15.000 storks, 5.000 night herons and a wide range of other bird species.

The project is currently underway to prepare for a ceremony to receive the official Certificate of National Relic Site awarded to the site. The event is scheduled to take place at the end of October.

Mekong Delta shimmers as flood season begins

The annual flood season has begun in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta and upstream provinces like Dong Thap and An Giang are waiting for tourists to explore the beauty of the flooded landscape.

The 7,612-ha Tram Chim National Park in Dong Thap and the 850ha Tra Su cajeput forest in An Giang are among the region's most beautiful destinations during the flooding season.

Tram Chim, a world Ramsar site (wetland of international importance), is one of the country's eight most important bird conservation areas. During the floods, it looks stunning with its vast areas of green cajeput trees, beautiful lotuses and water lilies, and 198 species of birds.

Dak Nong cave system could become major destination

The Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) province of Dak Nong has discovered a cave system in the Serepok River basin in Krong No District that appears suitable for developing tourism.

With more than 10 caves of various sizes, it is 25km long and 5km wide and runs from the mouth of a volcano in Buon Choah Commune's Choah Village along the Serepok to D'ray Sap Waterfall.

It was created by the eruption of the volcano, according to researchers.

One of the caves, situated 2km from the waterfall, is 15m wide. Inside, after 50m it divides into two caves each nearly 300m long and 6m high.

The area where the cave system is located has primeval forests and waterfalls and is ideal for developing eco-tourism and cultural and adventure tourism.

Authorities seek ways to popularise hidden gem Vinh Hy Bay

Vinh Hy in the central province of Ninh Thuan, one of the country's four most beautiful bays, is a perfect place for ecological tourism with its clear blue waters, spectacular coral reefs, and beautiful mountains on three sides with rock formations of amazing shapes and sizes.

Located in Ninh Hai District 42km from Phan Rang City, the bay has yet to become popular since its tourism services are not well developed.

The district People's Committee held a seminar on July 29 to discuss ways to develop the bay, including teaching locals about tourism and developing infrastructure.

Vietnamese localities promote tourism in Russia

Ho Chi Minh City and some other provinces in Vietnam will be joining a programme to showcase their tourism products and services at a major tourism event in Russia next month, the Saigon Times Daily reported.

For the first time HCM City has been joining forces with Da Nang city, Phu Yen, Lam Dong, Khanh Hoa, Binh Thuan, Ninh Thuan and Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces and Vietnam Airlines to promote their products and services at the annual travel fair called Otdykh Leisure Moscow, slated to take place from September 16 to 19.

Nguyen Bao Anh, Deputy Director of the HCM City Tourism Promotion Centre, said nearly 30 travel firms of HCM City together with those from other localities will be coming to Moscow to drum up their products and look for business partners.

These localities have already attracted large numbers of Russian tourists or are holding potential to woo Russian holidaymakers, particularly in winter.

The event will take place before HCM City welcomes Russian tourists on board the chartered flights arranged by Anh Duong Tourism Company and its partner Pegas Touristik. Currently, these two companies arrange two daily chartered flights for Russians to visit Khanh Hoa province and Phu Quoc Island.

Hoang Thi Phong Thu, Chairwoman of Anh Duong, said her company has leased four counters at the common pavilion of the tourism event in Russia for Vietnam’s localities.

Thu described Russian travelers’ bookings for winter tours to Vietnam as fine. The number of chartered flights arranged by Anh Duong is forecast to reach 4-5 a day by the end of this year and the company expects to serve 250,000 visitors this year.

The number of Russian arrivals in Vietnam still grew well despite drops in visitors from many markets. The figure reached nearly 194,000 in the first half of 2014, up 25.9 percent from a year earlier.

Vietnam expects to welcome 400,000 Russian tourists this year and 1 million by 2017.

3-star Michelin chef coming to JW Marriott Hanoi

Following the invitation of Vietnam Sturgeon Group, Beluga Co Ltd Vietnam and JW Marriott Hanoi together organised the “Caviar De Đuc Gala Dinner” event under the sponsorship Vietnam Airlines.

Luxurious hotel JW Marriott Hanoi is a great place to welcome 3-star Michelin Chef Christian Le Squer and French Grill – Hanoi’s top ranked French restaurant was selected as the perfect spot in Hanoi to host the “Caviar De Đuc Gala Dinner”.

Monsieur Le Squer exclusively visited Vietnam to participate in the event and opened up this series of national and international culinary culture experience by Vietnam Sturgeon Group to honor high quality seafood products and Vietnam’s agriculture.

Squer personally created dishes with premium Caviar sturgeon eggs along with other famous dishes featuring French Grills’ freshest ingredients and the support of French Grill Chef Raphael Szurek and his professional colleagues.

The honorary guest of this event included French Ambassador Jean-Noël Poirier and other invited guests.

The title Michelin star has a long history and has become a measurement to evaluate the world’s most prestigious chefs and restaurants. Chef Christian Le Squer was awarded with three Michelin stars in a short period of time and therefore is well-known in the French culinary cuisine in particular as well as worldwide.

Park Hyatt Saigon among top city hotels in Asia

Park Hyatt Saigon has been named one of the best 500 hotels in the world in Travel & Leisure’s World’s Best Awards 2014 for four years in a row.

As the world’s highest circulating magazine dedicated to the best hotels, destinations and travel companies, Travel & Leisure conducts an annual survey, polling from more than 17,000 readers. Voters access a secure website to rate resorts and hotels on a five-point scale across five standards, including cuisine, position, architectural space, room design and service quality.

The poll results see Park Hyatt Saigon in the list of Top 30 City Hotels in Asia along with other luxury hotels in the region. Since entering the prestigious chart in 2011, the 244-room hotel has consistently been the readers’ favourite choice for its premium and personalized luxury service, offering guests the most authentic hospitality experience.

“This is truly exciting news for us. We could not have achieved this honourable award without the commitment and dedication of our associates at Park Hyatt Saigon. I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank our united team and especially, our guests who have continually supported us during the past four years. There is no doubt that we will be continuing raising our standards and affirm our status as one of the best hospitality providers in the world,” said Jan-Hendrik Meidinger, general manager at Park Hyatt Saigon.

Two thousands of tourists attend Hon Chen festival

More than two thousands of domestic and international tourists attended in Hon Chen Festival in Thua Thien Hue province from August 3-5.

The ceremony was celebrated on Ngoc Tran Mountain of Huong Tra town in Thua Thien Hue province with attending crowded boats and junks.

The festival aims to honor the Holy Mother Thien Y A Na who is believed to create land, trees, forest, woods, rice, corn and foods.

In addition, Hon Chen festival also expressed cultural beauty of the Vietnamese community on Huong River.

On the same day, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Thua Thien Hue province said that the provincial tourism attracted nearly 1,8 million tourists in the first seven months of this year, including 650,000 international tourists.

National Day tour bookings grow 8-10%

Tourism companies have projected an increase of 8-10% in tour bookings for the National Day holiday on September 2 compared to the same period last year with outbound tours posting higher growth.

Fiditour expected bookings of its outbound tours during the holiday to grow 10%. This year, guests make early bookings for the tours during the National Day holiday and Japan, South Korea, Australia, Europe and Southeast Asian countries are among their destinations of choice.

According to travel agencies, guests often register domestic tours for the upcoming holiday later than outbound tours and many people will make decisions until the end of August. Bookings for the trips within Vietnam are forecast to rise 8% this year.

As this year’s National Day holiday falls on Tuesday, many tourists favor the trips of two to five days, with departures on Thursday or Friday of the previous week, to take advantage of the weekend, according to Saigontourist Travel Service Company.

As for the outbound tours, Saigontourist said customers prefer trips to Southeast Asian countries because of affordable prices and abundant options.

For example, tours to Thailand during the holiday cost VND6 million for guests in HCMC and from VND8 million for those in Hanoi.

For the inbound tours, people in HCMC can book the trips to Dalat, Nha Trang, Phan Thiet or to the Mekong Delta with prices ranging from VND1.85 million to VND3.1 million. The prices of tours to Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Halong, Hue, Ba Na, Hoi An, Phu Quoc Island and Con Dao Island are from VND5.5 million.

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