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Jan 24, 2015

Serene Lung Tam Village in Ha Giang province

Nestled under the foot of hills in Quan Ba District in Ha Giang Province, Lung Tam Village attracts many travelers from near and far owing to its astonishing landscape and serenity and Mong ethnic minority women in colorful attire.

The hospitality of ethnic minority children and adults warms visitors who put on three or four jackets and traverse hundreds of kilometers of winding roads and in cold weather to the village. There, they are welcomed by friendly smiles and greetings of locals, particularly lasses.

What surprises visitors to the village is that the Mong women do not need to wear shawls and jackets in such a harsh weather, as their clothes made of linen help keep them warm from the bitter cold in the mountainous region.

“Linen is like an air conditioner as it cools our body in summer and keeps us warm in winter,” a Mong lass says.

She furthers that is why the Mong people have chosen brocade linen as the main material for dresses for many generations and preserved the tradition of weaving this cloth until on January 19.

It takes some 41 steps to weave a piece of cloth. In brief, people have to dry the flax, take out the fiber, crush and boil it in ash and wax water before threading yarn on a loom. A finished cloth needs to be washed for about ten times and rubbed with beeswax until it becomes smooth and silky.

Local women are not only good at weaving but also master in textile dyeing with a unique technique and skills hardly seen in other parts of the country.

The brocade craft tradition at Lung Tam Village used to be on the verge of extinction when the mass production of clothes with much cheaper prices from China flooded the local market. But it has been restored since 2001 and provided job for more than 120 people.

Local women now can diversify their brocade products and make not only dresses but also shirts, skirts, iPad and pillow covers and tablecloth.

With eco-friendly material, unique patterns and colors, the artwork of Lung Tam artists are preferred by foreign tourists, especially Japanese and European visitors.

Rice terraced in Quang Ba - Ha Giang province

Source: SGT

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Hoi An ancient town to offer free admission during Tet holiday

Visitors will be offered free admission to Hoi An ancient town in Quang Nam province and some other related tourism destinations from February 18 to 21, on the occasion of the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet).

The tourism destinations include the Chua Cau (Bridge Pagoda); Cam Pho Temple; Tuy Tien Duong Minh Huong (Minh Huong Communal House); Quan Cong Temple; Old House of Quan Thang, Duc An, Phung Hung, Tan Ky; some club houses and museums, along with the XQ embroidery workshop and tombs of Japanese businessmen Gusokukun, Tani Yajirobei and Banjaro.

Additionally, aiming to create favourable conditions for locals in preparation for the Tet holiday, the ‘Walking Street’ program will stop temporarily from February 8 to 21.

Hoi An ancient town was recognised as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO on December 4, 1999, and presented four awards in heritage management, protection and promotion.

In 2013, Hoi An was ranked first in the world’s top 10 favourite cities by Wanderlust, a leading British tourism magazine. It beat Cusco in Peru, Kyoto in Japan, Copenhagen in Denmark, Italy’s Venice, and even New York and San Francisco in the US.

Source:DT

See more:

Italian daily calls Hoi An intersection of the Far East

Hoi An ancient town

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Vietnam and Namibia among top countries to visit in 2015

Which of the world’s regions will be at the top of travellers’ lists in 2015? Travel websites and guidebook publishers have delivered their rankings and suggestions for travellers in the coming year, and these five destinations stand out from the crowd.

Vietnam

The country has declared 2015 its national year of tourism, meaning that there has never been a better time to visit.

Special events and shows for tourists will be held at the country’s monuments and cultural heritage sites, such as the imperial fortress of Thang Long.

Da Nang, a city located between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh, topped Tripadvisor’s list of the best destinations of 2015. With its Buddhist sanctuaries and beautiful beaches, the destination is winning over more and more members of the website’s travel community.

Namibia

While South Africa has enjoyed growing popularity with tourists in recent years, the neighboring Republic of Namibia now seems to be enjoying a similar boost, in large part thanks to its exceptional natural heritage.

The nation, which will celebrate 25 years of independence in 2015, is known for its abundance of wild animals and nature preserves, including the Etosha National Park and the Kalahari Desert.

Panama and Nicaragua

A recent rise in tourism to nearby Costa Rica seems to be spreading to these two Central American nations as well.

Both are in the process of developing their tourism infrastructure, namely through several hotel construction projects.

This year, Panama celebrated the centenary of its famous canal — its star attraction — while Nicaragua has just begun construction on its own canal linking the two oceans.

Untouched beaches, volcanic mountains and colonial-era towns are also among the attractions shared by the two countries.

Lithuania

The Baltic nation will enter the Euro zone on January 1, making it that much more accessible to foreign tourists.

Vilnius, the capital city, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site where visitors will find Baroque churches, charming pedestrian streets and even remnants of the Soviet era.

But the rest of the country is also worth the trip. Nature enthusiasts can head to the country’s national parks, or admire the landscapes of its Amber Coast and its Courland Isthmus, another site recognised by UNESCO.

Mons, Belgium

Stealing a little of the spotlight from Brussels and Bruges, both perennial favourites among tourists, Mons has been named a European Capital of Culture for 2015.

Mons and the surrounding Hainaut region stand out for their rich cultural heritage, including the Baroque belfry in Mons, the Neolithic flint mines of Spiennes and the more recent coal mines of Grand-Hornu.

In preparation for 2015, the city has renovated its cultural sites and is planning several large exhibitions and events, the most significant of which will be Le Doudou, the ancient traditional festival celebrated on May 31.

Source: AFP-Relaxnews/ Malay Mail Online

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50 gift specialties which were nominated by localities, tourism agencies, domestic and foreign tourists (part 02)

Thai Nguyen tea: Northern Thai Nguyen province is a cradle of Vietnamese tea. The most famous tea from Thai Nguyen is Tan Cuong Tea, whose incredibly delicious taste can bewitch any tea drinkers. A bitter taste comes to you when making the first sip of a cup of hot Tan Cuong tea and then it turns out to be a lasting sweet when you finish it.

Bitter tea is founded in Thach An and Ha Lang districts, the northern province of Cao Bang. The tea is used for the treatment of colds, headaches, eye, nose and throat inflammations, diarrhoea, and other ailments. It also reduces cholesterol level, blood tension, stress, infections and weight problems

Sweetened pan cake of Phu Quang or che lam is made from sticky rice flour, roasted peanuts, ginger liquid, malt, molasses mixed with water taken from a special source in Tay Do. When you take a bite, the sweet flavor gradually melts in your mouth and then heats your body up..

Vang tea: Vang trees are present in Cam Lo and La Vang, central Quang Tri province. Vang tea is a famous medicine for those suffering from digestion disorder and rheumatism.

Bao Loc tea: En route to Dalat, passing Bao Loc Town in Lam Dong Province, tourists will catch sight of immense green tea farms. Bao Loc tea is mellow and fragrant.

San Tuyet tea: Situated at an altitude of nearly 1,400 meters above sea level, through the winding but fascinating road, Suoi Giang (Van Chan district, northern mountainous Yen Bai province) appears in front of visitors. It is where the oldest tea trees in Viet Nam are found.

Green rice flakes - com xanh: young rice grains are harvested, roasted and ground down to become com.

Dried mackerel is a specialty of the southern province of Vung Tau

Palm sugar: Palm trees are very close to the lives of Khmer people in the southern province of An Giang. People produce palm-sugar, a local specialty, from palm flowers.

Cashew nuts: Cashew trees are grown mostly in the southern region, with Binh Phuoc province having the largest cashew cultivation area

Gia Lai honey: it has pleasantly sweet taste, and dark yellow color and often used in traditional medicine

Dried bamboo sprout: The central highlands province of Dak Lak is famous for producing dried bamboo sprout

Bitter bamboo sprouts is well-known as a favorite main ingredient in the northern province of Hoa Binh. Boiled and soaked until turning into sour, it is cooked with chicken or duck to make hot sour sweet soups that are certain to warm you in cold days.

Sesame candy – me xung has become a symbol of Hue's culture. Sesame candy is made from blended malt with peanuts (peanut oil), covered by sesame. It is cut into small pieces and packed in a box.

Chu rice noodles: The northern province of Bac Giang is famous for making rice noodles.

Phan Thiet dired squid: After squid is meticulously cleaned, it will be exposed to sunlight for a day to get dried.

Malabar almond jam: Malabar almond gives a taste like walnut. The fruits are dried for four or five days and then peeled to take the seeds out. The seeds are then fried with either salt or sugar.

Nha Trang fish sauce: the item is commonly used for cooking and making dipping sauce for seafood and many other Vietnamese foods

Phan Thiet fish sauce is unique product made by the southern province of Binh Thuan. The fish sauce is salty and smells fishy

Phu Quoc fish sauce is a specific variety of fish sauce produced in offshore Phu Quoc island in the southwest of Viet Nam.

source: VGP

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Khau Vai love market festival attracts crowds

This special event is held annually, from the late evening of the third Lunar month's 26th day and lasts until the end of next day in Khau Vai Commune, Meo Vac District in the northern most province of Vietnam, Ha Giang.

Khau-Vai-Love-Market-Festival-in-Meo-Vac-district-Ha-Giang-province

Unlike any other markets, Khau Vai Love Market is extraordinary and remarkable because the people coming here do not sell or buy any goods. Instead, it is the dating place for ex-lovers who fell in love but could not have a marriage.

Khau Vai Love Market Festival is legendarily originated from a sad love story: A couple from different tribes deeply fell in love with each other; however, their marriage was forbidden by the girl’s tribe while the boy’s tribe wanted her to be one bride of theirs. A violent conflict later on was occurred between two tribes and caused blood shedding for both of them. To stop the nonsense and fierce battles, the couple decided to fall apart with broken hearts. Still, they promised to see each other once a year on lunar March 26th in Khau Vai. Since then, on every lunar March 26th, Khau Vai Love Market Festival emerges as an occasion for couples of different ages who used to love but could not get married to come and meet each other again. About a century has passed by; still, the festival remains and makes its main claims for a humanity meaning.

On the event, spouses can go to the market together but individually seek their own partners for sharing their innermost feelings. If the wife or the husband cannot go to the market, she or he will not angry or be jealous because the meeting at the market is just only a temporary feeling and cannot influent their normal life. The market also attracts those who excitedly want to find a partner for the first time. This northern love market with unforgettable emotions of its participants has been become a symbol of love and romance.

Khau Vai Love Market Festival is a unique tradition of the northern areas with special and interesting activities. The first day is for the villagers’ ceremony of receiving the great calendar to forecast of rainfall and foresee the crop of that year. This official ceremony is carried out inside the sanctuary where all participants pray for a good yield. Then, young males and females can walk out the pagoda yard and join in fun activities. The second day is devoted for the ceremony of boiling rice and heaping up a sandy mountain for search of happiness and luck. The last ceremony is to wash the Buddha’s statue and Buddhist monks.

This famous festival attracts many local ethnic groups living near and far like Nung, Giay, Mung. Attending the event, tourists have invaluable chances to witness northern mountainous minority’s culture and tradition, including foods and drinks, folk dances performances and games. Also, they can feel experience the power and beauty of love as well as the romance and strong emotions of ex-lovers which is the key factor creating and maintaining this unique market.

Time: 26th and 27th day of the 3rd lunar month

Purpose: for ex-lovers to meet again and recall old memories

Rituals: great calendar receiving, praying, Buddha’s statue cleaning

Entertaining activities: enjoying local foods and drinks, dancing, playing traditional games

Travel Tips: If you plan to travel in Hagiang in 2015. The Khau Vai love market will be in 14/05/2015 ( on 26th third month lunar calendar)