Vietnam Airlines 40% off on domestic fares in 2012

National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines will apply a discount of 40 percent on their domestic air fares for local travel agencies to promote inbound traveling from now until December 31, according to their southern office.

Vietnam Airlines and the Ho Chi Minh City Association of Tourism will pick certain travel agencies to cooperate in setting up discount tours for Vietnamese tourists.

Travel agencies need to book the tickets 30 days in advance and pay a deposit of 50 percent 14 days before departure.

Flights are on limited hours and are not applicable on national holidays like April 30 or May Day.

With the discount air fares, round trips between Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi will cost VND3 million (US$150) per passenger, Ho Chi Minh City-Da Nang VND1.9 million (US$91) and Ho Chi Minh City-Phu Quoc VND1.6 million (US$80).

Tran The Dung, deputy director at the The He Tre tourism company, said this promotional program will make a positive impact on travel agencies, helping them to roll out discount tours to attract domestic travelers.

It is estimated that the fares for tours to central Vietnam and Phu Quoc island will drop by 20 percent compared to current ones.

“Our company will discount a further 8 percent to encourage people to travel inbound,” said Dung.

Bicycling Central Vietnam – Hue to HoiAn

Bicycling Around Hue

Biking through Viet Nam’s central coastal provinces on back roads is an interesting way to explore beautiful landscapes and traditional life during the summer holidays.
It’s a fascinating and enjoyable tour program, 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 back roads,” 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 nerve wrecking 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 travelers 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.

Wheeling and dealing: Cycling has become a favorite for foreign tourists. – Photos Courtesy of Viet Nam Cycling Vacation

Travelers 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 centers.

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.

Travelers 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 travelers 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 organized routes in other provinces such as Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Nha Trang and the Mekong Delta region.

HUE FESTIVAL

Hue Festival 2012 -

26 countries to participate in the arts and entertainment festival. April 7-15, 2012

26 countries will send 36 art troupes to entertain visitors to the 2012 Hue Festival.

America and Europe will send 14 groups, Asia 11, and the rest will come from other continents, according to the Hue Festival organizers.

France continues its roll as the traditional and special partner in the 2012 festival, making the journey will be the Smooth band (hiphop , funk and jazz), Carabosse troupe from Poitou Charentes region, street band Jazz Combo Box, and artist Francois Audrain.

The Piatnisky Song and Dance Ensemble, specialising in Russian folk music, and the Raduga dancing group will represent Russia at the festival.

Participants from the UK, Belgium, Argentina, Cuba, Mexico, Australia, Poland, Japan and the Republic of Korea are expected to give entertaining performances at the festival, said organisers.

More than 300 media representatives have registered to cover the event. There will be 17 official government information sponsors, including Vietnam Television (VTV), Voice of Vietnam (VOV), and Vietnam News Agency (VNA).

The festival will take place from April 7-15, 2012, to mark the National Tourism Year in the north-central coastal region of Vietnam.  If you’re traveling to Vietnam doing this time period, you should include the Hue Festival in your plans

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Vietnam Travel – Vietnam Airlines and VietJetAir Announce Low Fares

Two of Vietnam’s airlines have announced new discounts on local and international flights for the next several months for those interested in bargain Vietnam travel.

National carrier Vietnam Airlines is cutting between 20-70 percent off the prices of many domestic flights purchased between March 8-19, charging VND1,199,000 (US$57) for one-way Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City flights and VND777,000 ($37) for flights between Hanoi/HCMC and Hue/Da Nang.

The reduced airfares for Vietnam travel apply for flights made between April 1-26 and September 5 to October 31.

A Monday report by Thoi bao Kinh te Saigon Online quoted a source from Vietnam Airlines as saying the discounted seats will total more than 100,000, or 17 percent of all tickets sold during the promotional period.

Many two-way flights to 26 destinations in Asia, Europe and Australia, covering more than 80,000 seats, will also be discounted to between $49-499 for Vietnam travel.

Two-way tickets from HCMC to Bangkok/Kuala Lumpur/Singapore will cost $49, and $499 between Hanoi/HCMC to London or Paris.

The promotional international tickets also have to be purchased between March 8-19. They are valid for flights made between April 1-11, April 18-25, May 3-31, and September 5 to October 31.

Just before the Vietnam Airlines promotion was announced Monday, the new private budget airline VietJetAir announced domestic fares of VND299,000 ($14) for Hanoi-HCMC flights, before it launches the new routes HCMC – Da Nang on April 27 and Hanoi – Nha Trang on May 19.

VietJetAir said around 30,000 cheap tickets will be sold randomly until 5 p.m. on April 4, for travel period between April 1 to December 31, except for flights between April 27 and May 2, August 31 and September 3, and December 22-25.

Thanh Nien News

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Mekong Delta, Vietnam  – Rated #9 Destination by Lonely Planet

Can Tho Floating Market - Mekong Delta

Vietnam is always good value, but you can now skip the package trips arranged in Ho Chi Minh City that tread the same worn-out routes. It’s become easier, more rewarding and just as cheap to go on DIY multiday adventures to destinations like Ben Tre, Chau Doc and the floating markets of Vinh Long, and some less-seen ones like Ha Tien or Tra Vinh. Go by air-conditioned bus or hire moto-taxis as you go; the latter know ferry crossings on roads not on any map. Boat trips go for US$5 to US$10, while most guesthouses run US$10 to US$25.

Take a ferry or plane from Rach Gia to the beaches of Phu Quoc Island, then fly back to Ho Chi Minh City. Short flights are cheap – under US$50.

Complete Article Here

Dengue Fever In Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City — The number of patients with dengue fever in Ho Chi Minh City is still on the upward trend, according to the city’s Preventive Medicine Centre.

The city has recorded 10,550 patients with dengue fever since the beginning of this year. Ten cases have been fatal, compared to two during the same period last year.

From November 3-9, the number of dengue fever patients increased to 294. In the previous week, October 27 to November 2, the number was 261.

In previous years, this is a time when the number of patients with the disease decreased, but this year it was heading in the opposite direction, Pham Viet Thanh, head of the Ho Chi Minh City Health Department, told the Giao Duc (Education) newspaper.

Districts 4, 8, 9, 10, 12, Tan Binh, Binh Thanh, Thu Duc and Binh Chanh have all recorded a high number of patients with the disease this year.

Paediatric Hospital No1 has been admitting 60 children with dengue fever each day on average for the last week, with two-thirds of the children from the city.

Thanh said the department had set up 25 teams of inspectors to visit all the districts and check on measures to prevent and control outbreaks of fever dengue and the hand-foot- mouth disease (HFMD).

The inspectors found that many companies, schools and households had not taken steps to have areas with mosquito larvae sprayed with chemicals to kill them. Since the disease is transmitted by mosquitoes, it is inevitable that the number of dengue fever patients will rise.

Thanh said it was important that local authorities co-operate with residents to destroy mosquito larvae.

His department continues to work with the Department of Education and Training to try and control dengue fever outbreaks at schools, especially kindergartens and primary schools.

Read more about the Dengue Fever outbreak through out Vietnam HERE!

VIETNAM wiki travel + for Android

is a useful Vietnam Travel App for everyone loves this S-shape- country. It provides you all information surrounding your trip to discover Vietnam. Written in 3 languages English, Japanese and French supporting you to search easily. Once you click in any one of these three languages, all information about facts, maps, weather, attracted places, historic sites, foods, restaurants, hotels, shopping and transportation will appear in detail..

Attractions: Introduce you many famous places of 3 parts in Vietnam with direction map, and local history… of the place you want to go. Hanoi, the Capital city, is the largest metropolis except for Ho Chi Minh city, and is the center of politics, economy, culture and transportation in Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh city is one of the most bustling cities of Vietnam where you can find the remains of the times to the best five star in the world. And it is also a city of commerce, industry, travel …The Centre of Vietnam is not only known for its 3 World Cultural Heritages ( Imperial Citadel of Hue, Old City of Hoian and Ruins of Myson) but also attractive for its unspoilt beaches.

Foods: provide a full imagine of Vietnamese cusines from North to South. Lists of restaurants and tastes of each part will give a full understanding of the culinary experience of Vietnamese recipes and cuisines. Famous for its lively, fresh flavors and artfully composed meals, Vietnamese food and cooking is the true ‘light cuisine’ of Asia.

Hotels: app helps you find all information of hotel you want to stay quickly; you can reserve/ cancel rooms easily.

App will be great for preparing for your trip, but even better for navigating in Vietnam with exact imformation, beautiful images, and easy access whenever without internet connectioned.

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MAKING BIRD CAGES – VAC VILLAGE, VIETNAM

Vietnam travelers who enjoy handicrafts and craft skills will enjoy a trip to Vac village in the Thanh Oai District near Hanoi. It’s about 35 kilometers from Hanoi City center. Like many Vietnamese villages, Vac village is one of those communities that specializes in one product or craft. Most able members of village families are involved in the building of bird cages – some children as young as 8 years old contribute to the work force. Some successful families in Vac are considered rich by Vietnamese standards.

The selling price of a bird cage can vary depending on size and decoration. Prices go from USD$20 – to $200. One family turns out 10 small cages a day. Most are sold immediately. $200 a day is a lot of money in Vietnam, considering the per capita income for Vietnam is less than USD$1000 a year.

Check more photos here.

Vac Village should be added to any crafts village itinerary  when visiting Hanoi.