Thứ Ba, 3 tháng 4, 2012

Danang fireworks expects to attract 400,000 tourists

Danang fireworks expects to attract 400,000 tourists

Every year, more tourists are coming to the annual Danang international fireworks competition, which has helped the city develop its tourism trademark.

Around 300,000 tourists visited Danang in 2011, ten times more than in 2008, when the first international fireworks competition was held.

The organizers forecast that the fifth fireworks competition on April 29-30 this year will attract 400,000 local and foreign tourists. They have already sold 40,000 tickets to the festival goers and mobilized 2,000 logistics and security personnel.

A number of travel operators have prepared short tours for visitors from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to visit the local sites and adjacent provinces.

A culture, cuisine and tourism festival will also be held north of the Han River Bridge from April 28 to May 2.

Located in central Vietnam, Danang is the third largest centrally-run city after Hanoi and HCM City.

Sa Pa aims to capture international tourists

Sa Pa town in the northern province of Lao Cai is set to become an international standard tourist site able to receive 3-4 million visitors annually by 2030.

Under a plan recently announced by Lao Cai People’s Committee, Sa Pa is expected to record an average growth rate of 7.2 percent annually, becoming an economic and cultural centre of the province.

The plan is the outcome of cooperation between the Lao Cai People’s Committee and experts of the Aquitaine region of France .

The town will work as a cultural bridge for ethnic minorities in the northern region and a key trade hub in the north-western mountainous region and the Vietnam-China border area.

According to the plan, Sa Pa and its adjacent localities will be divided into five major tourist areas which will be developed on the basis of tourism themes including heritage tourism, in combination with agricultural ecological landscapes, primeval tourism, and tourism exploring the cultures of ethnic minorities.

Sa Pa town will be developed into nine sub-divisions, including a 363ha core urban area with an expected population of 13,000 people.

During the development process, attention will be paid to issues regarding technological infrastructure and environmental pollution.

VOV/VNA

Thứ Hai, 2 tháng 4, 2012

In Asia, a boom in low-cost flights

02 April 2012|By Nick Easen

A Japan Airlines aircraft taxis at Haneda airport in Tokyo. (Yuriko Nakao/Reuters)

The large Asian population, combined with a rapidly developing middle class in a period of economic growth, is spurring demand for more and cheaper flights. This year Asia will see a sizable increase in the number of low-cost carriers flying around the region, offering travellers more options.

March alone saw the announcement of three budget carriers in Japan with Peach Aviation, AirAsia Japan and Jetstar Japan, an offshoot off Qantas’ low-budget Jetstar, all spreading their wings.

The Centre for Asia-Pacific Aviation estimates that an additional 200 million air passengers (from the roughly 650 million Asia-Pacific air travellers currently flying), could be travelling in north Asia each year if the Japan-South Korea-northern China triangle continues to liberalise its airspace.

Don’t expect to see a complete deregulating of Asia’ skies anytime soon however, with the kind of bargain basement pricing seen in Europe and North America. The main issue in Asia, when compared to these regions, is that there are no multilateral open-sky agreements.

The low-cost model is currently more prevalent in the South Asia market place than the North Asia one, according to the Centre for Asia-Pacific Aviation. In northeast Asia low-cost carriers only account for 7% of capacity, while in Southeast Asia they account for one third, and in South Asia it’s close to a half. (Expect to see those percentages increase in the coming months.)

However, Japan’s aviation market, one of the most regulated in the region in terms of restrictions on access to the number of airport gates and airline ownership , is in the process of embracing the low-cost model of air travel popular in other regions.

All Nippon Airways is backing Peach Aviation, which has already started flying from Osaka’s Kansai Airport to Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Nagasaki and Sapporo and is offering fares about one-half those of major airlines. In July, the airline will add Okinawa and international routes to Hong Kong, Seoul and Taipei will be launched later.

From August, AirAsia Japan plans to operate domestic flights from Tokyo's Narita Airport and international flights in 2013. It has the muscle of the region’s biggest low-cost carrier Kuala-Lumpur based AirAsia, which now dominates this sector in Southeast Asia.

Come the end of 2012, Jetstar Japan, which is a budget venture between Japan Airlines and Qantas’ low-fare unit, will connect Tokyo and Osaka. Expect keen fares going forwards, as Jetstar Japan’s CEO has already made promises to local media not to lose a price war. China Eastern Airlines and Qantas are also joining hands to launch a low-cost carrier called Jetstar Hong Kong. This follows in the path of other carriers from the same group, such as Jetstar Pacific, which has setup in Vietnam. But in China, where Spring Airlines is currently the only mainland low-cost carrier operating international destinations including Hong Kong and Japan, none of the big four mainland operators has a budget airline at present.

The current high-priced buses and trains to and from airports is still an issue in Japan and could dampen enthusiasm for any budget air travel. A one-way train fare from central Tokyo to Narita airport by train could cost the same price as a one way budget airline ticket to Hokkaido – roughly 3,000 Yen.

Elsewhere across Asia, Singapore Airlines has launched Scoot, which will begin operations later in 2012, flying long-haul across the region from Singapore to Sydney and Australia’s Gold Coast. Other budget airlines are expanding, including Cebu Air, a dominant player in the Philippines. Along with Malaysia’s AirAsia, Singapore’s Tiger Airways and Indonesia’sLion Air are all taking delivery of new planes within the next year.

Pedal along the backroads

Biking through Viet Nam's central coastal provinces on backroads is an interesting way to explore beautiful landscapes and traditional life during the summer holidays.

It's a fascinating and enjoyable tour programme, which allows tourists to free themselves from crowds and traffic and wind through the villages along more isolated routes.

"We want to create a trip that highlights the natural landscapes of Viet Nam. Foreign tourists can take their time and really experience country life, since they can stop as often as they like on the quiet backroads," said Ngo Quang Nam, manager of Viet Nam Cycling.

"Tourists feel more carefree on cycling vacations because they don't have to worry about traffic, which is nervewracking for other foreigners who try to drive," Nam said.

He designed the routes for the tours, and said that a trip from Hue to Hoi An would take at least five days with different stages. He suggested that a team of 15 travellers was a comfortable number.

Starting point

Nam has selected King Khai Dinh Tomb and Duc Son Pagoda near the Huong River as the departure points for the bike tour.

Travellers can stop to snap photos of farmers planting vegetables near Huong Canh Village.

After visiting Thien Mu Pagoda, tourists will cruise on the Huong River and tour the royal palaces. A lunch in Hue will help the group refresh themselves after a 30km ride in the morning.

"We also have a van and a truck to carry passengers and bicycles if they need help. If someone on the team is exhausted from biking, they can get in the van," Nam explained.

The travel agent said he sometimes guides the tours as well.

In the afternoon, the cyclists travel 20km from the Hue suburbs along the Nhu Y River and wind through Thanh Thuy Village, the most-visited fishing village in the area.

The second day from Hue to Lang Co will be a coastal trip as riders cycle along pristine beach of Thuan An, home to fishermen and dotted with aquaculture centres.

Fresh seafood will be on the menu for lunch in Lang Co Town, and tourists will be invited to join in the cooking and preparation with their hosts.

"It's very interesting because tourists are excited by new cuisine that they have never seen before. Yet they also feel like they are at home," said tour guide Nguyen Van Quan.

A night stay in the beach town will ease a full day of riding, before they take on the next challenge.

The third day will test their skills and power as they cross the 24km Hai Van mountain pass that links Hue and Da Nang.

The climb is made worth it by the sweeping vistas at the top, where riders can gaze down at a train snaking past the foot of the mountain.

During the 30-minute break on the top of the mountain, tourists can touch clouds and breath fresh air for an unforgettable experience.

Nam O Village in the suburbs of Da Nang will be the second stop for lunch.

Travellers will keep riding from Da Nang to Hoi An where they will spend the night.

The fourth and fifth days of the tour are left open for travellers to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hoi An.

"We arrange a 50-km route for each individual group, depending on their desires and fitness level. Hoi An is the most popular destination for domestic and foreign visitors because of its historic architecture and culture," Quan explained.

He said the cycling agency also organised routes in other provinces such as Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Nha Trang and the Mekong Delta region.

VNS

Thứ Bảy, 31 tháng 3, 2012

Hanoi in top ten Asian cities for hawker food

VietNamNet Bridge – CNN Go, CNN’s travel website, has selected Hanoi as one of the Asia's 10 greatest street food cities. The list also has Penang of Malaysia, Seoul of South Korea, Bangkok of Thailand, Fukuoka of Japan, Taipei of Taiwan, Singapore, Manila of Philippines, Phnom Penh of Cambodia and Xian of China.

CNN Go describes Hanoi as “the birthplace of many quintessential Vietnamese dishes, such as pho and bun cha, and the city is often cited as one of the world's great food capitals.”

According to CNN Go, Hanoi is also a street-eater's paradise, with a plethora of options for those who want to eat like a local. In fact, many swear that the best food in Hanoi is found on the sidewalk, with dishes that often feature fish sauce, lemongrass, chilies, and cilantro and other fresh herbs.

“The city, which celebrated its 1,000th birthday last year, has put those centuries to good use perfecting its curbside nibbles. Although vendors often cook in small shop fronts, they serve their wares on the sidewalk, on small plastic tables and chairs that can seem woefully inadequate for overgrown foreigners,” CNN Go comments.

Below are the ten special cuisines of Hanoi:

1. Bun cha

Possibly the most delicious food available to man, bun cha is the lunch of choice all over Hanoi. Pork patties and slices of pork belly are grilled over hot coals and served with fish sauce, tangy vinegar, sugar and lime, which, when combined, creates a sort of barbecue soup that is eaten with rice vermicelli and fresh herbs. Accompanied by deep-fried spring rolls, this calorically rich dish is served with garlic and chilies on the side for an extra kick.

2. Pho

As the birthplace of pho, Hanoi is ground zero for the fragrant rice noodle soup served with fresh herbs that has become popular all over the world. It's no surprise, then, that Hanoi's pho is outstanding. Two variations are most popular: pho ga (with chicken) and pho bo (with beef). Pho is traditionally served as a breakfast food, so you'll find pho sellers all over town from before dawn to mid-morning.

3. Bun rieu cua
Freshwater crabs flavor this tangy tomato soup that's made with round rice vermicelli and topped with pounded crabmeat, deep-fried tofu and, often, congealed blood. An odoriferous purple shrimp paste is offered on the side, but don't be afraid -- it tastes delicious. Chilies and fresh herbs are the finishing touches for a complete one-dish meal.

4. Barbecue chicken

Ly Van Phuc is its official name, but the place is colloquially known as "Chicken Street" in honor of the tasty poultry being barbecued up and down this crowded alley. Grilled chicken wings and feet, sweet potatoes and bread that's been brushed with honey before being grilled are served with chili sauce and pickled cucumbers in sweet vinegar. The simple, enticing menu is nearly identical for all the vendors on the street.

5. Sticky rice

In the morning you'll find the sticky rice vendors out hawking their wares. Sticky rice is a hugely popular carb-rich breakfast food that comes wrapped in a banana leaf. There are dozens of variations on the dish. One is served with crushed peanuts and sesame salt, another involves white corn and deep-fried shallots.

6. Iced coffee

Coffee was brought to Vietnam by the French and is, along with baguettes, one of their lasting culinary legacies. Beans are grown in Vietnam and roasted, often with lard, before being ground and served in single-serving metal filters. Drinking a cup of cafe nau da, iced coffee with condensed milk, on a busy side street is one of Hanoi's great pleasures.

7. Nem cua be

You can find many types of excellent spring rolls all over Vietnam, but nem cua be, made with fresh crab meat, are particularly good. Unlike regular spring rolls, they are wrapped into a square shape before being fried. Nem cua be are a specialty of Hai Phong, a seaside town not far away, but are fantastic in Hanoi as well.

8. Chao ca

Toast has nothing on chao ca, so if you're looking for a satisfying breakfast in Hanoi, why not try a steaming bowl of fish porridge? Like Chinese congee, it's a rice gruel made by cooking down the grains until they are nearly liquid. In Hanoi, it's most often served with green onion, sprigs of dill and slivers of ginger.

9. Banh cuon

Banh cuon is a Northern Vietnamese dish that migrated to Hanoi. Thin steamed rice flour pancakes filled with minced pork and cloud ear mushrooms are served with nuoc cham, a fish-sauce-based dipping sauce, fried shallots and fresh herbs. Slightly goopy in texture, banh cuon are often eaten for breakfast or as an evening pick-me-up.

10. Muc nuong

There's no greater pleasure than drinking on a busy Hanoi sidewalk, and what better to nosh on while you do--than muc nuong? Dried squid is grilled over hot coals before being shredded and served with a spicy sauce. It's a chewy treat that is best washed down with shots of rice wine.

PV

Thứ Năm, 29 tháng 3, 2012

Derawan Island and the Sangalaki Archipelago

29 March 2012|By Richard Waters, Lonely Planet

The desert islands of the Sangalaki Archipelago lie off the east coast of Borneo. (Richard Waters)

With a new international terminal at Kalimantan’s Berau airport in Indonesian Borneo opening in April 2012, newly proposed routes from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore may soon make the Sangalaki Archipelago – a group of desert islands off the east coast of Borneo – easier to access.

Related article: Novice diving off Sabah's coast

Located in the Sulawesi Sea on the coastal shelf of East Kalimantan, these islands have powder-fine beaches, lush interiors and mysterious lagoons with stingless jellyfish. Explore this hidden paradise before the inevitable rush of tourists.

Derawan Island
Derawan is a fishing island about three hours by speedboat from Berau that has developed as a dive resort. Stilted guesthouses suspended over turquoise water, manta rays with seven-metre wingspans and friendly locals are all part of its charm: this is an island that time forgot.

The pace of life here is bucolic and unhurried, and four days can easily turn into a week. Wander the tear-shaped island’s sandy streets and mix with the genuinely welcoming and curious locals over some ikan bakar(grilled fish), before stepping over a six-foot monitor lizard to watch the sky ignite with a spectacular sunset.

Take a room at any of the basic, wooden guesthouses, and head straight to the sea. The reef has been decimated in parts by dynamite fishing, but you will still find a huge amount of underwater life, with a smorgasbord of cuttlefish, octopus, pygmy seahorse, scorpion fish, clownfish and giant green turtles.

Savvy divers head here from all corners of the world, lured by the extraordinarily rich marine life. Derawan Dive School offers diving around the island, as well as diving and snorkelling forays to the nearby islands of Maratua, Sangalaki and Kakaban. The budget traveller should try guesthouse and dive outfit Losmen Danakan (west coast of Derawan Island; 086-8121-6143) who run cheaper, local dives. Not to worry if you are not diving with a tank; free diving down a reef wall beside giant green turtles and manta rays is just as much fun.

Multi-coloured Pelangi Guesthouse (west coast Derawan Island; 081-347-807-078) has basic rooms with balconies jutting out into the Sulawesi Sea for around 183,000 rupiah a night, and can organize diving boats or lend you snorkels and fins. If you are looking for something more upmarket, Derawan Dive School has several high luxe cabanas with polished wood floors and air conditioning for around 300,000 rupiah.

Conservation programs
Up until 2002, the vast majority of turtle eggs laid on the island were collected by locals to sell, representing a major source of income outside of fishing. But thanks to the World Wildlife Federation partnering with the islanders, the beaches where hawksbill and green turtles lay their eggs are now fully protected.

Over the last 10 years, turtles have been tagged, and the volume of eggs they lay has been carefully monitored. If you want to get involved during your stay, head to Losmen Danakan, where the Turtle Conservation Group is based.

You will be able to accompany the wardens and other volunteers on their evening vigil for poachers – and if it is full moon, you will be able to watch mother turtles lumbering from the shallows and up the beach. This new eco initiative is already paying dividends, with turtle populations stabilizing and providing a steady income for islanders through low-impact tourism.

The Sangalaki ArchipealgoFifty minutes away by boat is the uninhabited and stunningly beautiful Sangalaki Island, where manta rays flock in numbers for the plankton-rich waters. As they flap and soar through the sea, these giants of the deep are as mysterious as they are alien, often staying for a week before vanishing. Alleged cyanide fishing has depleted their numbers, but reports of seeing them are regular.

If manta rays do not pique your interest, a 10-minute boat ride away from Sangalaki Island is Kakaban Island, where a brief walk from the jetty to its interior brings you out by a lagoon where you can swim with non-poisonous jellyfish. With no direct predators, over thousands of years these creatures have lost their sting.

Thứ Tư, 28 tháng 3, 2012

Despite big economic difficulties, Vietnamese still spend money on traveling

VietNamNet Bridge – Though the May holiday will come in only one month, a lot of domestic and outbound tours have been fully booked.

The forecasts that the demand for traveling would decrease as people have to fasten their belt in the context of high inflation have not come true. Vietnamese people still spend big money on traveling and entertainment services. While the Ministry of Planning and Investment reported that more than 3000 businesses halted operation just in the first two months of the year, travel firms still have reported the sharp increases of the tourists in groups.

May holiday tours fully booked

The May holiday is believed to be a busy season for travel firms, as employees would have four days off. Therefore, though the holiday would come only in one month, travel firms now do not receive more travelers for some tours.

Quoc, an officer of a bank branch in Thu Duc district in HCM City, said that he booked the tour for the bank’s staff to the central city of Da Nang on the May holiday in February already. Now he wants to book the tour for some more officers, but the travel firm has refused to serve.

Not only the tours to Da Nang, where the international firework festival will take place, but other tourism sites also have also become the destinations of people on the May holiday. Dan tri newspaper has reported that the demand on the May holiday has increased by 15-20 percent, despite the big difficulties and high inflation.

Nguyen Minh Man, a senior executive of Vietravel said that a lot of tours for the May holiday have run out, while other tours have seen the occupancy rate of over 70 percent. He said that the travel firm expects to serve 25,000 travelers who take domestic and outbound tours this May holiday, an increase of 20 percent in comparison with the same period of 2011.

Saigontourist has reported that it has sold 65 percent of the total 16,000 seats offered for the May holiday, an increase of 10-15 percent over the last year. Fiditour, which has received bookings for the last two weeks only, has also reported that 40 percent have been booked.

Especially, travel firms all have reported the sharp increase of the travelers in groups this year. In general, businesses do not organize tours for their staffs on big holidays, because they fear the overcrowded tourism sites and low quality of services. However, things seem to be quite different this year.

A representative of Hanoi Redtours said on Lao dong newspaper that the 4 day and 3 night Da Nang – Hoi An – Ba Na tour proves to be the most favored one this year, because travelers would have the chance to attend the 2012 international firework festival.

Demand for outbound tours on the rise

Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai, a senior executive of Fiditour, said that the travel firm now has to contact airlines to ask for more flights to Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia because of the increasing demand. Vietnamese travelers not only choose near destinations with low fees, but they tend to go to farer markets this year.

Besides the familiar tours to South East Asia countries, travelers have booked the tours to Japan, South Korea, the US and Europe. A travel firm has revealed that the number of travelers booking tours to the US for April increased by two folds in comparison with the same period of the last year.

Travel firms have said that the number of travelers keeps rising steadily, because they have been trying to keep the tour fees unchanged, or the tour fees have increased very slightly by five percent, because travel firms signed contracts before with service providers at fixed prices.

C. V

Thứ Ba, 27 tháng 3, 2012