Sapa home stay & market

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Night 1: Hanoi -Laocai (Overnight on the train)
8h30pm Our taxi will pick you up from your hotel in Hanoi to Hanoi Railway Station for the night train at at 9:30 PM to depart for Laocai Station. Sleep on the train.

Day 1: Sapa – Ta Van – Giang Ta Chai – Su Pan – Ban Ho
12 km by jeep then trek down hill to Ta Van village of the Dzay minority. Follow along the side of Muong Hoa stream to Giang Ta Chai village of the red Dzao where we have lunch at a local family. After lunch, we keep hiking to Ban Ho, the village lies in the beautiful valleys, home-stay at the Tay minority house to experience the architecture of their traditional house on stilts and spend time beside them to exchange the cultures and knowledge.
- B, L, D
- Home-stay at the Tay local house
Day 2: Around Ban Ho – Sapa
2km walking to a very nice waterfall discovered and named “the Lavie” by the French during the colonial time in Vietnam. Enjoy swimming then picnic-lunch on the bank. In the afternoon trek 4 km up to the main road o get the jeep to return to Sapa.
- B, L, D

Day 3: Bac Ha market (on Sunday only)
Located at 110km from Sapa, Bac Ha mountain town is well-known by travelers with the most colorful market of the hill tribes in the North of Vietnam. This every-Sunday-market attended by at least 8 ethnic groups and last from 9:00 AM until 2:00 PM. It is also chance for tourists to discover the H’mong King’s palace (old building built by the French & Chinese).
In the afternoon, we go for a light trek to visit Ban Pho, the village is home to flower H’mong minority. We are invited to enter several local houses to have some green tea, corn wine, listen to the host talking about their family, talk to them… and then enjoy landscapes on a roundabout way to Bac Ha for get back to Lao Cai to catch the train to Hanoi or continue up to Sapa
- B, L,
– Bus to Lao cai Station

Day 4 : Hanoi.
Arrive in Hanoi round 5:00 AM. Tour ends

For more information, you can find at :http://vietnamtouronsale.com

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Ham Rong Mountain – where heaven meets earth

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It is an ideal destination for those who want to conquer a height and contemplate the wild and beautiful nature of a mountainous region with the clouds flowing gently above and the peaches blossoming everywhere. To me, a southerner who made her first trip to this mountain, Ham Rong had a different beauty in my eyes on these sunny April days of summer with warm sunlight and a slightly cool breeze covering me all the way to the mountain despite the absence of clouds, cold air and cherry blossoms.
A panoramic view of Sapa Town vaporous in mist seen from Ham Rong Mountain.

Legend says that long ago when Sapa was part of the ocean two dragons who were brothers came here to play. When their father called them back home, only the older dragon made it back while the younger lost his way because the gate of heaven was closed. This dragon had to stay forever in the earth and his body turned into the mountain with his head towards the sky where his family was. That’s why the mountain, at a height of over 1,700 meters above sea level, was named Ham Rong.

“Come on, move your feet, there are many interesting things ahead,” my fellow traveler wakes me up by his voice while I am standing for a while breathless from climbing the stone stairs leading to the mountain. He lends me his hands and drags me to catch up with our troupe. We pass many rows of trees when suddenly my eyes are overwhelmed by bright sunlight and a barrage of colors from a flowered plain. All of this space is covered with flowers including orchids, hydrangeas (hoa cam tu cau), daisies, gladioli (hoa lay on) and azaleas (hoa do quyen) among others with bees and butterflies and bugs alighting on them and birds singing melodious in the trees. At that moment, all my tiredness vaporized and I thought myself lost in a fairyland while my hands were busy snapping as many photos as possible as if it would all disappear if I was late capturing the images.
Being so absorbed in the landscape, I was left behind by my troupe. Then, I tried to move fast but was interrupted by the imposing scene of hundreds of stone poles in diversified shapes and heights standing in front of me, a collection called Thach Lam, or Stone Forest. If travelers come to Ham Rong in the spring, they will be treated to Stone Forest covered with beautiful cherry blossoms.
“Here you are! What took you so long?” my friend gives me a radiant smile and we come together with our troupe to get to cong troi, or heaven gate, but the path is now narrower, wide enough for only one person. We wait for each other, and one by one, get through to the gate to contemplate the endless blue sky above.
Once passing there, all 15 of us stand still and admire the panoramic view of Sapa Town below and the impressive mountains far away at the horizon. The place where we stand is called san may, or cloud yard, where there is a small tower for people to see all of Sapa from a height of 1,600 meters, so magical and fanciful.
At that moment my heart was overwhelmed with an indescribable feeling. It could have been my cheerfulness at conquering the mountain as I am not a wealthy girl and this was my first time at Ham Rong, the mountain I have long dreamed of seeing.
I had heard about Sapa, read about it and seen it on TV and the internet, but none of it compares to actually having seen this famous landscape, Ham Rong Mountain in particular, with my own eyes. Ham Rong, with its own beauty of flowers, of stone, of air, contributes to the seductive appeal of Sapa. Why don’t you come and discover Ham Rong Mountain as well as Sapa for yourself? It’s worth it, I promise!

H’mong women sell brocade products along the way to the mountain.

A tourist passes through the heaven gate.

Wild white daisy blossoms in the mountain.

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Cat cat village

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Visitors to Cat Cat have an opportunity to admire a lively and colorful picture. That is the image of young women sitting by looms with colorful pieces of brocade decorated with designs of flowers and birds. When these pieces of brocade are finished, they are dyed and embroidered with beautiful designs. A noteworthy is that H’Mong women use plants and leaves to dye these brocade fabrics. And then they roll a round and smooth section of wood covered with wax on fabrics to polish them, making their colors durable.

In addition to the brocade weaving craft, many residents in Cat Cat are good at manipulating gold and silver jewelry. Their products are fairly sophisticated, especially jewelry for women.

Tourists to Cat Cat are most attracted by its unique customs, including the custom of “pulling wife”. A man can ask his friends to lure a girl he likes to his house and keeps her there in three days. During these days, if the girl agrees to become his wife, a wedding will be held. However, the girl can happily go home after three days if she does not like him.

Traditional houses of H’Mong people in Cat Cat have three rooms with three doors and covered with po mu wood roof. In the house there are three columns that stand in round or square stones. The walls are made from sawn timber. The main door is always closed and only opens when people in the house organize important events. Altar, inlaid floor containing food, places for sleeping, kitchen and receiving guests are indispensable parts of the houses.

Visitors to Cat Cat Village can discover countless unique features of H’Mong.

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Transportation in Ho Chi Minh City

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Ho Chi Minh City is the main junction for trains, roads, water, and air transportation systems for domestic trips and for foreign destination.
- Roads: Ho Chi Minh City is 1,730km from Hanoi, 99km from Tay Ninh, 30km from Bien Hoa (Dong Nai), 70km from My Tho, 125km from Vung Tau, 168km from Can Tho, 308km from Dalat, and 375km from Buon Ma Thuot. The City has National Highway 13 which connects Vietnam with the rest of Indochina.
- Train: Thong Nhat express train connects Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, vie many provinces in Vietnam.
- Air: Tan Son Nhat International Airport, 7km from center of city, is the biggest airport with many domestic and international routes. There are flights from Hanoi and Danang to Ho Chi Minh City and between ?the City to many regions as well a lot of countries on over the world.

Cheers !
Cinnamon Hotel Hanoi

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To stay in HCMC

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Featured hotels in Ho Chi Minh City (IDD Code: 84-8)

Category Deluxe A


Park Hyatt (Deluxe AA)

2 Lam Son Square, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 824 1234 Fax (84 8) 823 7569
Website: www.saigon.park.hyatt.com

Sheraton Saigon (Deluxe AA)
88 Dong Khoi, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 827 2828 Fax (84 8) 827 2929
Website: www.sheraton.com/saigon

Caravelle Saigon
19 Lam Son Square Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 823 4999 Fax (84 8) 824 3999
http://vietnamvisasupport.com

Sofitel Plaza
17 Le Duan, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 824 1555 Fax (84 8) 824 1666
http://vietnamvisasupport.com

Renaissance Riverside

8-15 Ton Duc Thang, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 822 0033 Fax (84 8) 823 5666
Website: www.renaissancehotels.com/sgnbr

Legend Saigon

2A-4A Ton Duc Thang, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 823 3333 Fax (84 8) 823 2333
http://vietnamvisasupport.com

Category Deluxe B

Equatorial hotel saigon
242 Tran Binh Trong, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 839 7777 Fax (84 8) 839 0011
http://vietnamvisasupport.com

New World hotel
76 Le Lai, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 822 8888 Fax (84 8) 824 3694
Website: www.newworldvietnam.com

Duxton hotel
63 Nguyen Hue Blvd, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 822 2999 Fax (84 8) 824 1888
http://vietnamvisasupport.com

Windsor Plaza
18 An Duong Vuong, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 835 3604 Fax (84 8) 833 6888
http://vietnamvisasupport.com

Category First

Majestic hotel Saigon
01 Dong Khoi, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 829 5517 Fax (84 8) 829 5510
http://vietnamvisasupport.com

Novotel Garden Plaza
309B-311 Nguyen Van Troi Precinct, Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh
Tel. (84 8) 842 1111 Fax (84 8) 842 4370
http://vietnamvisasupport.com

Omni hote
l
251 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 844 9222 Fax (84 8) 844 9200
http://vietnamvisasupport.com

Rex hotel
141 Nguyen Hue Blvd., Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 829 2185 Fax (84 8) 829 6536
http://vietnamvisasupport.com

Grand hotel Saigon
08 Dong Khoi Street, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 823 0163 Fax (84 8) 823 5781
http://grandhotelsaigon.com/

Amara hotel
323 Le Van Sy, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 843 9999 Fax (84 8) 843 8888
http://saigon.amarahotels.com/

Category Superior

Chancery Saigon
196 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 930 4088 Fax (84 8) 930 3988
http://vietnamvisasupport.com

Bong Sen hotel
117-123 Dong Khoi , District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 829 1516 Fax (84 8) 829 8076
http://vietnamvisasupport.com

Continental hotel
132 ?134 Dong Khoi, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 829 9201 Fax (84 8) 829 0936
http://vietnamvisasupport.com

Empress Saigon

136 Bui thi Xuan, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 832 2888 Fax (84 8) 835 8215
http://vietnamvisasupport.com

Metropole hotel
148 Tran Hung Dao Ave, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 920 1939 Fax (84 8) 920 1960

Kim Do hotel
133 Nguyen Hue Ave, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 822 5914 Fax (84 8) 822 5913
Website: www.kimdohotel.com

Liberty 4 hotel group
265 Pham Ngu Lao, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 836 4556 Fax (84 8) 836 5435
http://vietnamvisasupport.com

Category Tourist

New Epoch hotel
120 Cach mang Thang 8, district 3, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 932 6169 Fax (84 8) 932 5556
Website: coming soon

Bong Sen 2 hotel
61-63 Hai Ba Trung, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 823 5818 Fax (84 8) 823 5816
http://vietnamvisasupport.com

Riverside Saigon

No 18-19-20 Ton Duc Thang, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 829 7492 Fax (84 8) 825 7417

www.saigonriversidehotel.com

Liberty 1 hotel
167 Hai Ba Trung, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 829 4227 Fax (84 8) 829 0919
Website: www.libertyhotels.com.vn

Liberty 3 hotel
187 Pham Ngu Lao, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 836 9522 Fax (84 8) 835 4557

http://vietnamvisasupport.com

Liberty 4 Hotel
Address: 265 Pham Ngu Lao St., Dist.1, HCM City
Tel: 8364556 Fax: 8365435

www.libertyhotels.com.vn

Saigon Star hotel
204 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 930 6290 Fax (84 8) 930 6300
http://vietnamvisasupport.com

Vien Dong hotel
275 A Pham Ngu Lao Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel. (84 8) 836 8941 Fax (84 8) 836 8812

Oscar Saigon Hotel
Address: 68A Nguyen Hue St., Dist.1. HCM City
Tel: 8292959 Fax: 8222958
E-mail: oscarsaigonhotel@oscar-saigonhotel.com
Website: www.oscar-saigonhotel.com

Other Category -Budget Hotels

Du Na Hotel
Address: 167 Pham Ngu Lao St., Dist.1, HCM City
Tel: 8373699 Fax: 8376606
E-mail: dunahotel@hcm.vnn.vn

Le Le Hotel
Address: 171 Pham Ngu Lao St., Dist.1, HCM City
Tel: 8368686 Fax: 8368787
E-mail: lelehotel@hcm.fpt.vn

Liberty 2 Hotel
Address: 129-133 Ham Nghi St., Dist.1, HCM City
Tel: 8224922 Fax: 8230776
E-mail: liberty2@libertyhotels.com.vn
Website: www.libertyhotels.com.vn

Liberty 3 Hotel
Address: 187 Pham Ngu Lao St., Dist.1, HCM City
Tel: 8369522 Fax: 8364557
E-mail: liberty3@libertyhotels.com.vn
Website: libertyhotels.com.vn

Ngoc Lan Hotel
Address: 293 Ly Thuong Kiet St., Dist.11, HCM City
Tel: 8655928 Fax: 8655927
E-mail: ngoclanhotel@hcm.vnn.vn
Website: www.ngoclanhotel.com.vn

Phoenix 74 Hotel
Address: 74 Bui Vien St., Dist.1, HCM City
Tel: 8370538/ 8370568 Fax: 8369591
E-mail: phoenix74hotel@hcm.vnn.vn

Phu Tho Hotel
Address: 915 Ba Thang Hai St., Dist.11, HCM City
Tel: 8551310 Fax: 8551255
E-mail: phuthohotel@hcm.vnn.vn
Website: www.phuthohotel.com.vn

Thien Tung Hotel
Address: 70-72-74 Pho Duc Chinh St., Dist. 1, HCM City
Tel: 8212329 Fax: 8243577
E-mail: tranthanhtung@hcm.fpt.vn
http://www.vietnamhomestay.net/engli…rs/tostay.html

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China town in hochiminh city

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Duc Hanh wanders through Ho Chi Minh City’s Chinatown in search of temples, pagodas and a large bowl of noodles
Each time I visit Ho Chi Minh City, I like to spend a day in a different part of town. In such a vast city, it’s taken me a lot longer than intended to visit Cholon, Ho Chi Minh City’s Chinatown, which is foolish. Like the Chinese district in New York, San Francisco or Bangkok, Cholon is one of the oldest and most mysterious parts of the city.
With a few tourist spots scribbled down on a piece of paper as well as one hot-tip for a tasty restaurant, I jump on a motorbike and cruise towards Cholon. I know I’m on the right track (you can’t really go wrong) as I spot more and more Chinese characters along Tran Hung Dao street as I drive towards District 5.
I stop at Quynh Phu clubhouse, which you might also call a communal house or a temple, at 276 Tran Hung Dao street. Located in front of a secondary school, the temple’s front yard is noisy and crowded with a throng of students in white uniforms running around. Despite the din outside the temple still has a solemn and mysterious air.
Built in 1824 by fishermen from Hainan island of China, the temple was set up as a place of cultural exchange for Chinese and Vietnamese communities. In the temple, besides various wooden carvings made by Chinese craftsmen, there are six ancient lacquer paintings depicting the story of Luc Van Tien, a 19th-century Vietnamese epic poem penned by the blind scholar Nguyen Dinh Chieu.
It’s considered one of the most recognisable and influential epic poems in Vietnamese history, second perhaps only to Nguyen Du’s The Tale of Kieu. The poem praises the power of true love, applauds bravery and extols justice (it could be compared to Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe).
On the way to the national examinations, student Luc Van Tien meets a group of wicked robbers pillaging a palaquin in which a beautiful girl called Kieu Nguyet Nga is travelling. The heroic Tien dispatches the robbers and owing him her life, the girl swears to be faithful only to him. But then Nga’s parents demand she marries another man, who is extremely rich.
Nga refuses and rather than betray her promise to Tien she jumps into a river along with a portrait of Luc Van Tien she painted. At the time, Luc Van Tien is sightless and faces troubles of his own but both Tien and Nga survive and are eventually reunited (Tien even recovers his eyesight!) and live happily ever after.
Created with perfect traditional techniques these paintings at Quynh Phu clubhouse are small but most vivid. “The set of lacquer paintings was offered [to the clubhouse] in 1953 by an international restaurant in old Saigon. Many Chinese people love the story of Luc Van Tien because it signifies the dutiful and loyal moralities of man. So we hung the story here to advise our young generations,” says Tran Van Kiem, from the clubhouse’s managing board.
After leaving Quynh Phu I drive for about five minutes to Minh Huong Gia Thanh Temple at 380 Tran Hung Dao street. A large temple with no yard, it is dedicated to four saints, Tran Thuong Xuyen, Nguyen Huu Canh, Trinh Hoai Duc and Ngo Nhan Tinh, who were all generals and mandarins that reclaimed and developed the land of Saigon-Gia Dinh (now known as the area of Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai province) in the past. The temple was built in 1789 by 81 ancestors of the Chinese Ming dynasty.
Over 3,000 Chinese people who pledged loyalty to the Ming dynasty in China, fled when the Qing dynasty came to power. The refugees came to Vietnam by boat after 1679 and settled in an area known as Gia Thanh, around Tran Hung Dao street today. When I arrive the main gate of the temple is almost closed so I go inside through a small gate by a café (several households have encroached on this ancient site in modern times).
The word ‘Minh Huong’ in Chinese means the village of Ming people or ‘Bright village’. The temple is vivid evidence that this is the oldest village in Chinatown. Besides a wide range of ancient objects and sacred items, the temple still keeps over 3,000 invaluable pages of documentation in Chinese and ancient Vietnamese scripts about the lifestyle, culture and trading activities of people in the past.
Continuing down the street, I find a few old shops selling red ribbons, dragon and lion heads as well as costumes and masks for traditional Chinese opera. These shops easily stand out from the neighbouring shops selling jeans, western style dresses and electrical appliances. “We still live off our traditional job – making costumes for traditional dances and performances though it’s rather hard to earn money now,” says Thien, the owner of Phuc Thuan shop. “Our family has been doing this for four generations and I don’t want to stop!”
Stepping off the main street, ducking down smaller roads and narrow alleys, I come to Nguyen Trai street, which runs parallel with Tran Hung Dao. I find Thien Hau Pagoda, one of the most popular tourist destinations around. The pagoda is well-known for its wonderful examples of Chinese architecture.
Cantonese Vietnamese residents built the temple dedicated to the protector-goddess of seafarers – Mazu (in Mandarin Chinese or Ma-tsu) who is also known in Cantonese as Thien Hau (Tianhou in Mandarin Chinese, literally ‘Queen of Heaven’) in 1760.
Mazu is a popular goddess among the Chinese living on the southeastern shore of China. She is worshiped along the Fujian and Guangdong coastline and the island of Hainan in China and also in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
The Mazu statue with a darkened face sits solemnly in the middle of the temple. She is dressed like a Chinese empress with an imperial robe with a dragon motif and seated on a throne in a formal position while holding an official placard. Local worshippers come in and out in great numbers. All of them have a decent and dignified carriage. Their faces are serious and respectful when moving towards the altar laden with food offerings and fresh flowers. However, I am most impressed with the large incense-coils which hang over my head and create a swirling fog of incense.
After wandering around so many temples my stomach starts to rumble. Thankfully there is exquisite Chinese food everywhere in Cholon so I head off to enjoy a large bowl of noodles and a basket of fried wonton at Hung Ky restaurant on Tran Hung Dao street, which is the perfect end to my trip through Cholon.

HANOIPEACETOUR – VIETNAM TOUR OPERATOR
www.hanoipeacetour.vn
www.vietnamhotelindex.com
www.halongbayvietnam.org
www.sapavietnam.org

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Emperor Jade Pagoda (Phuoc Hai Tu or Chua Ngoc Hoang

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Emperor Jade Pagoda (Phuoc Hai Tu or Chua Ngoc Hoang)
This is a place of worship and an excellent example of a Chinese temple. The temple is an ancient architectural extravaganza with elaborate woodcarvings and sculptures depicting local deities.

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China town in hochiminh city

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Duc Hanh wanders through Ho Chi Minh City’s Chinatown in search of temples, pagodas and a large bowl of noodles
Each time I visit Ho Chi Minh City, I like to spend a day in a different part of town. In such a vast city, it’s taken me a lot longer than intended to visit Cholon, Ho Chi Minh City’s Chinatown, which is foolish. Like the Chinese district in New York, San Francisco or Bangkok, Cholon is one of the oldest and most mysterious parts of the city.
With a few tourist spots scribbled down on a piece of paper as well as one hot-tip for a tasty restaurant, I jump on a motorbike and cruise towards Cholon. I know I’m on the right track (you can’t really go wrong) as I spot more and more Chinese characters along Tran Hung Dao street as I drive towards District 5.
I stop at Quynh Phu clubhouse, which you might also call a communal house or a temple, at 276 Tran Hung Dao street. Located in front of a secondary school, the temple’s front yard is noisy and crowded with a throng of students in white uniforms running around. Despite the din outside the temple still has a solemn and mysterious air.
Built in 1824 by fishermen from Hainan island of China, the temple was set up as a place of cultural exchange for Chinese and Vietnamese communities. In the temple, besides various wooden carvings made by Chinese craftsmen, there are six ancient lacquer paintings depicting the story of Luc Van Tien, a 19th-century Vietnamese epic poem penned by the blind scholar Nguyen Dinh Chieu.
It’s considered one of the most recognisable and influential epic poems in Vietnamese history, second perhaps only to Nguyen Du’s The Tale of Kieu. The poem praises the power of true love, applauds bravery and extols justice (it could be compared to Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe).
On the way to the national examinations, student Luc Van Tien meets a group of wicked robbers pillaging a palaquin in which a beautiful girl called Kieu Nguyet Nga is travelling. The heroic Tien dispatches the robbers and owing him her life, the girl swears to be faithful only to him. But then Nga’s parents demand she marries another man, who is extremely rich.
Nga refuses and rather than betray her promise to Tien she jumps into a river along with a portrait of Luc Van Tien she painted. At the time, Luc Van Tien is sightless and faces troubles of his own but both Tien and Nga survive and are eventually reunited (Tien even recovers his eyesight!) and live happily ever after.
Created with perfect traditional techniques these paintings at Quynh Phu clubhouse are small but most vivid. “The set of lacquer paintings was offered [to the clubhouse] in 1953 by an international restaurant in old Saigon. Many Chinese people love the story of Luc Van Tien because it signifies the dutiful and loyal moralities of man. So we hung the story here to advise our young generations,” says Tran Van Kiem, from the clubhouse’s managing board.
After leaving Quynh Phu I drive for about five minutes to Minh Huong Gia Thanh Temple at 380 Tran Hung Dao street. A large temple with no yard, it is dedicated to four saints, Tran Thuong Xuyen, Nguyen Huu Canh, Trinh Hoai Duc and Ngo Nhan Tinh, who were all generals and mandarins that reclaimed and developed the land of Saigon-Gia Dinh (now known as the area of Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai province) in the past. The temple was built in 1789 by 81 ancestors of the Chinese Ming dynasty.
Over 3,000 Chinese people who pledged loyalty to the Ming dynasty in China, fled when the Qing dynasty came to power. The refugees came to Vietnam by boat after 1679 and settled in an area known as Gia Thanh, around Tran Hung Dao street today. When I arrive the main gate of the temple is almost closed so I go inside through a small gate by a café (several households have encroached on this ancient site in modern times).
The word ‘Minh Huong’ in Chinese means the village of Ming people or ‘Bright village’. The temple is vivid evidence that this is the oldest village in Chinatown. Besides a wide range of ancient objects and sacred items, the temple still keeps over 3,000 invaluable pages of documentation in Chinese and ancient Vietnamese scripts about the lifestyle, culture and trading activities of people in the past.
Continuing down the street, I find a few old shops selling red ribbons, dragon and lion heads as well as costumes and masks for traditional Chinese opera. These shops easily stand out from the neighbouring shops selling jeans, western style dresses and electrical appliances. “We still live off our traditional job – making costumes for traditional dances and performances though it’s rather hard to earn money now,” says Thien, the owner of Phuc Thuan shop. “Our family has been doing this for four generations and I don’t want to stop!”
Stepping off the main street, ducking down smaller roads and narrow alleys, I come to Nguyen Trai street, which runs parallel with Tran Hung Dao. I find Thien Hau Pagoda, one of the most popular tourist destinations around. The pagoda is well-known for its wonderful examples of Chinese architecture.
Cantonese Vietnamese residents built the temple dedicated to the protector-goddess of seafarers – Mazu (in Mandarin Chinese or Ma-tsu) who is also known in Cantonese as Thien Hau (Tianhou in Mandarin Chinese, literally ‘Queen of Heaven’) in 1760.
Mazu is a popular goddess among the Chinese living on the southeastern shore of China. She is worshiped along the Fujian and Guangdong coastline and the island of Hainan in China and also in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
The Mazu statue with a darkened face sits solemnly in the middle of the temple. She is dressed like a Chinese empress with an imperial robe with a dragon motif and seated on a throne in a formal position while holding an official placard. Local worshippers come in and out in great numbers. All of them have a decent and dignified carriage. Their faces are serious and respectful when moving towards the altar laden with food offerings and fresh flowers. However, I am most impressed with the large incense-coils which hang over my head and create a swirling fog of incense.
After wandering around so many temples my stomach starts to rumble. Thankfully there is exquisite Chinese food everywhere in Cholon so I head off to enjoy a large bowl of noodles and a basket of fried wonton at Hung Ky restaurant on Tran Hung Dao street, which is the perfect end to my trip through Cholon.

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Where to Stay

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Saigon Morin
30 Le loi, Hue
Tel. (84 54) 823 526 Fax (84 54) 825 155
(127 rooms, cost from US$ 75 – US$ 500)
http://vietnamvisasupport.com

La Residence Hotel & Spa
5 Le Loi, Hue
Tel. (84 54) 837 475 Fax (84 54) 837 476
(122 rooms, price )
http://www.la-residence-hue.com

Huong Giang hotel
51 Le Lo, Hue
Tel. (84 54) 822 122 Fax (84 54) 823 102
(160 rooms, cost US$70 – US$ 200)
http://vietnamvisasupport.com

Century riverside
49 Le Loi, Hue
Tel. (84 54) 823 390 Fax (84 33) 823 399
http://vietnamvisasupport.com

Abalone Resort & Spa
Thuan An Town, Phu Vang, Hue
Tel. (84 54) 856 967 Fax (84 33) 866 033
http://vietnamvisasupport.com

Pilgrimage Village
Minh Mang Road, Hue
Tel. (84 54) 885 461 Fax (84 54) 887 057

Category Superior (S)

Asia hotel
17 Pham Ngu Lao, Hue
Tel. (84 54) 830 283 Fax (84 54) 828 972
(60R, price: $US 50- $US 170)
www.asiahotel.com.vn

Ngoc Huong hotel
8-10 Chu Van An, Hue
Tel. (84 54) 830 111 Fax (84 54) 829 316

Festival hotel
15 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hue
Tel. (84 54) 823 071 Fax (84 54) 823 204

Heritage hotel

9 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hue
Tel. (84 54) 838 888 Fax (84 54) 838 999

Category Tourist (T)


Dong Da

15 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hue
Tel. (84 54) 823 071 Fax (84 54) 823 204

Hoa Hong hotel

1 Pham Ngu Lao, Hue
Tel. (84 54) 824 377 Fax (84 54) 826 949

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Enjoy traditional signing and dances in Hue

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Hue royal music
On November 7, 2003, UNESCO bestowed world heritage status on 28 relics of nations as masterpieces of oral and intangible heritage of humanity. Among the 11 masterpieces of Asia, nha nhac (royal music) represents the first intangible legacy of Vietnam to have been put on this list… For details – click here

Festival in Hue

Hon Chen temple festival

The festival takes places on the third day of the third lunar month and the first two days of the seventh lunar month in Hai Cat village Huong Tho commune, Huong Tra district). Visitors can reach the site by street or by boat to take part in the festival. The festival is a solemn accasion for the gong sounds. Later these participants make offerings to their ancestors and take part in the holy mother procession. At the end of the festival, the jubilant participants return to their boats.

Cau Ngu festival

The festival is held in early spring in two locations: in Thai Duong Ha village (Hai Duong commune, Huong Tra distirct) on the ninth and tenth days of the first lunar month, and in Thai Duong hamlet (Thuan An township) on the eleventh and twelfth days of the first lunar month. The festival takes places once every three years (in the years of the rat, the horse, the cat, and the chicken) and pays honor to Truong Thieu, who came from the north to found the village and introduce fishing in the area. Festivities often start in the afternoon the day before, with villagers joining a procession to carry deities from shrines and hermitages to large temples. The next day, the festival is opened in the early morning (around 2 a.m., for brave visitors) with a full range of traditional rituals. Around 6 a.m., villagers take part in ocean games and activities like net spreading, cuttle fishing, fishing trading and later a boating completition. Fishermen and visitors revel in the festival, which is said to bring good luck in the new year.

Sinh village festival

Sinh village, also known as Lai An village, is located in Phu Mau commune, Phu Vang district, about 8km northeast of central Hue city. The village lies along the lower section of the southern bank of the Perfume river. The festival often takes place on the ninth and tenth days of the first lunar month. A wrestling competition is a major part of the event, often taking place in the temple’s yard. The competition lasts from morning to afternoon with competitors of different ages. To enter the semi-final round, each wrestler must beat three competitors. In the exciting semi-final round, losing wrestlers are immediately out of the competition, which attracts wrestlers from neighboring villages and Hue city.

Gia Lac spring fair

The fair was started in the middle of the nineteenth century by Dinh Vien Cong, the sixth prince of king Gia Long, as entertainment and food for the traditional Tet holidays (from the first to the third days of the first lunar month). The name of the fair means ‘the great pleasure’. Initially, the fair was held on a small scale, but later, people from neighboring villages brought specialty products and toys to sell at the market, creating a lively atmosphere. Traditional games also take place during the fair, which is held at a street corner connecting Nam Pho, Lai The, and Ngoc Anh villages (now Phu Thuong commune, Phu Vang district, some 4km away from city). The Gia Lac spring fair reflects the beauty of Hue’s culture, from the air of attire to language.

Boating competition

Boats that take part in the competition are often made of three long planks and can carry up to 14 people. The boating competition was closely associated with traditional festivals of fishermen to pray for rains or good fishing seasons in the past. Each year, in front of Phu Van Lau harbor on the Perfume river, the Nguyen dynasty often hosted a boating competition to welcome the traditional lunar new year. A mandarin, on behalf of the royal court, paid worship to ancestors and deitied before signaling the start of the competition. The competition reflects the skills anf the sense of solidarity between team members as well as the seafaring experience.
Thuan An beach

The beach is adjacent to the Tam Giang lagoon, 15km from Hue city. It sprawls over 8km and with sparkling, caml water and smooth white sand. In summer, many residents of Hue city escape to the beach to swim and relax. Close to the beach are popular local temples, such as the Thai Duong (sun) temple, which worships the Whale God, a supernatural animal for coastal people.

Lang Co beach

The beach stretches of 8km of national highways 1A, close to the foot of the Hai Van mountain pass and

24km from the Bach Ma national park. The beach slopes gently to the sea where there are medium to large waves and white sand. Tides rise and fall 0.7-0.8m, which is ideal for swmming, diving and relaxing. Behind the Lang Co beach are the Hai Van mountain pass, Lap An lagoon, and Bach Ma mountain, which are famous landscapes in Vietnam. Coral, lobster, and other sea lifeforms also abound.

Canh Duong beach

45km southeast of Hue city, Canh Duong also spans almost 8km and has an arch shape, bounded by Chan May Tay and Chan May Dong capes. The beach slopes gently to the sea and has smooth, white sand and calm water, making it just rihgt for water sports. Canh Duong lies along Tu Hien estuary along Cau Hai lagoon, Bu Lu estuary, and Thuy Van pagoda that have been popular for a long time by visitors in the know.

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