Thang Long Citadel bunker opened to the public

Last update 14:38 | 19/12/2017

The underground military operation bunker where the Vietnamese government worked during the American War in Thang Long Imperial Citadel has been opened to visitors for the first time.

The Thang Long Heritage Conservation Centre opened the bunker and exhibition about the general command headquarters on the occasion of 45th anniversary of victorious air defence of Hanoi during the American bombing raids of Christmas 1972.

The bunker was built in early 1965 by military engineers. They demolished the two-storey command building to disguise and cover the bunker. The bunker has three rooms, covering 64 square metres. The roof is 1.5 metres higher than the ground and has three layers to protect officers against falling bombs and rockets. It was supposed to be a shelter even against nuclear or chemical weapons.

Decisions issued during the 1972 air battle and supply routes for the south were from the site. The first sirens warning of US air force attacks were approved in the bunker.

After 1975, the bunker was largely abandoned until it was renovated in 2012.

Some photos of the bunker:

Thang Long Citadel bunker opened to the public,  travel news, Vietnam guide, Vietnam airlines, Vietnam tour, tour Vietnam, Hanoi, ho chi minh city, Saigon, travelling to Vietnam, Vietnam travelling, Vietnam travel, vn news Tiếp tục đọc “Thang Long Citadel bunker opened to the public”

Mu Cang Chai among world’s 19 most beautiful mountains

Last update 00:42 | 18/12/2017

Mu Cang Chai, a rural town in the northern province of Yen Bai lined with mesmerizing terraced rice fields, has been named one of the 19 most picturesque peaks on earth by US travel site Insider.

Mu Cang Chai among world's 19 most beautiful mountains, travel news, Vietnam guide, Vietnam airlines, Vietnam tour, tour Vietnam, Hanoi, ho chi minh city, Saigon, travelling to Vietnam, Vietnam travelling, Vietnam travel, vn news

Also on the list are Japan’s Mount Fuji, Peru’s Rainbow Mountain, Iceland’s Kirkjufell Mountain, which was used to shoot “Game of Thrones”, the world’s longest continental mountain range, the Andes in Bolivia, Europe’s largest mountain chain, the Alps, and the active volcano Mount Rainier in Washington State in the US. Tiếp tục đọc “Mu Cang Chai among world’s 19 most beautiful mountains”

Ancient Chuong pagoda

Last update 23:26 | 17/12/2017

Chuong (Bell) pagoda in Nhan Duc village, Hung Yen province, guards a number of precious historical relics. It is part of the Pho Hien Special National Relic Site.

Built in the 15th century, Chuong pagoda has been upgraded twice, in 1702 and in 1711.

Tour guide Nguyen Thu Lien explains why the pagoda is often called Golden Bell Pagoda: “Legends say that in a huge flood thousands of years ago, a wood plank drifted to the region carrying a golden bell. Nhan Duc residents tried to bring the bell ashore but it wouldn’t move. When the monks of the pagoda came, they managed to bring the bell to the pagoda.” Tiếp tục đọc “Ancient Chuong pagoda”

58 newly-discovered caves in Quảng Bình

vietnamnews Update: December, 14/2017 – 09:00

A cave located in the Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park. — Photo chinhphu.vn
Viet Nam News QUẢNG BÌNH — Authorities of Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park in central Quảng Bình Province on Tuesday announced the discovery of 58 new caves in its territory.

Lê Thanh Tịnh, the park’s director was quoted by local newspapers as saying the newly-discovered caves are in buffer zone of the park in the province’s mountainous Minh Hóa District. Tiếp tục đọc “58 newly-discovered caves in Quảng Bình”

Tour firms may be fined for environmental offenses

Last update 11:00 | 16/12/2017

VietNamNet Bridge –  Madelon Willemsen, head of the Vietnam office of the wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC, said that the wildlife-related tourism activities that have been popular in the country for decades, such as elephant riding, souvenirs made of wild animal parts, the consumption of  bear bile and dishes cooked with wild animal meats, need a radical rethinking.

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Tourists ride elephants in Central Highlands Province of Dak Lak. Elephant riding will be banned as of 2018. – VNA/VNS Photo

When the 2015 version of the Vietnam’s Penal Code takes effect on the first day of 2018, tourism businesses operating programmes that exploit wildlife could be charged with new offenses, she said at a conference for sustainable tourism development held in Hue City on Wednesday.

“The charge will not only result in penalties but also harm the business’s reputation. Certainly, no one could develop sustainably with negative comments from customers,” Willemsen said. Tiếp tục đọc “Tour firms may be fined for environmental offenses”

Coping with success: Managing overcrowding in tourism destinations

Mckinsey

Travel and tourism is a cornerstone of the global economy. It already accounts for 10.2 percent of global GDP, and 292 million jobs. And the sector is growing rapidly, thanks to the expanding global middle class, improved digital and physical connectivity, and human curiosity. If travelers spread out around the world evenly, tourism would be relatively easy to absorb. Of course, that is not the case, now or likely in the future. By 2020, the 20 most popular countries will add more international arrivals than the rest of the world combined (exhibit).

We expect software to account for nearly 30% of total vehicle content by 2030

Similar imbalances occur in cities and at individual sites. Overcrowding is a global problem, with places as diverse as Thailand’s Koh Khai Islands, Peru’s Machu Picchu, and Venice worrying about the side effects of the tourism they depend on. Tiếp tục đọc “Coping with success: Managing overcrowding in tourism destinations”

Xich Dang Temple of Literature

Last update 15:16 | 11/12/2017

Built in 1832 in Xich Dang village, Hung Yen province, Xich Dang Temple of Literature hosted examinations and ceremonies to honor outstanding Confucians during feudal times.

It is one of 6 temples of literature that still exist today and the second oldest after the Temple of Literature in Hanoi. Thu Hoa has a story about this national cultural and historical relic.

Visiting Xich Dang Temple of Literature on a sunny day, Dao Thanh Thuy, who has lived in Germany for nearly 20 years, recalls her childhood memory: “We were born in Hanoi. My grandparents lived in Xich Dang village. When we visited them, we often climbed trees and over the gate of the temple and played around the bells. Previously, local people weaved mattresses here. The temple has been upgraded but its ancient beauty remains.” Tiếp tục đọc “Xich Dang Temple of Literature”

​Saigon old signage: proof of the city’s subtle charm

The southern metropolis is laced with charming subtleties in its antique signage

By Tuoi Tre News

December 10, 2017, 17:04 GMT+7

​Saigon old signage: proof of the city’s subtle charm
A hairdresser’s sign hanging in a coffee shop. Photo: NGHIA COCO

Roaming the street web of Saigon, the nostalgic name many call Ho Chi Minh City, one can easily spot shop front signs and direction signposts that convey the city’s grace.

Alongside the glamorous modernity the city boasts, its graceful touch prevails, predominantly manifest in its age-old signs. Tiếp tục đọc “​Saigon old signage: proof of the city’s subtle charm”

Banh mi Hoi An among world’s Top 10 sandwiches

Last update 09:00 | 09/12/2017

Banh mi Hoi An (Hoi An-style bread rolls) has been listed among the world’s Top 10 sandwiches by Austrian travel website Traveller, together with well-known American cheeseburgers, English bacon butties, and Japanese Katsu Sando.

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Vietnam is the spiritual home of porky goodness and you haven’t eaten a Vietnamese pork roll until you’ve eaten one in the town of Hoi An, according to Traveller. Tiếp tục đọc “Banh mi Hoi An among world’s Top 10 sandwiches”

Bloomberg touts Cha Ca La Vong as a must-try dish for gourmets

Last update 13:00 | 09/12/2017

Bloomberg news agency has recently unfolded a list of 12 restaurants across the world worthy to try at least once in life. Surprisingly, Cha Ca La Vong restaurant in the Vietnamese capital city of Hanoi took pride in securing a spot in the list.

Bloomberg touts Cha Ca La Vong as a must-try dish for gourmets, travel news, Vietnam guide, Vietnam airlines, Vietnam tour, tour Vietnam, Hanoi, ho chi minh city, Saigon, travelling to Vietnam, Vietnam travelling, Vietnam travel, vn news

Cha Ca La Vong in the Vietnamese capital city of Hanoi is recommended as a must-try dish for food lovers

In an article released by Kate Krader and Richard Vines on the news site http://www.bloomberg.com, food connoisseurs are advised to take a tour to the Vietnamese restaurant to taste cha ca (fried fish) with the vibrant and unique flavor of herbs, spices, and chilis. Tiếp tục đọc “Bloomberg touts Cha Ca La Vong as a must-try dish for gourmets”