29/3/20
23/3/20
Ben Tre Tourism: Coconut's a glimpse of the city
With a rich history of more than 100 years, Ben Tre city has witnessed many ups and downs through periods that have been close-knit to generations of Coconut Land. Today, Ben Tre city’s appearance has changed in the direction of modern civilization but it still retains its simple and rustic features. Ben Tre has become a safe, friendly and attractive tourist destination, especially for international tourists.
On February 13, 2019, the Prime Minister signed Decision No. 174 to recognize Ben Tre city as a grade-II city belonging to Ben Tre province. This is a great joy for the Communist Party, local authoritiy and the people in the province, in general, and those in Ben Tre city in particular. It is the economic, cultural and social center of the province, located on the Bao island, including Giong Trom, Ba Tri and Ben Tre city with an area of 71.11 km2.
According to statistics, the number of tourists visiting Ben Tre city is increasing and gradually gaining the affection of many domestic and foreign tourists from the its safety, the freshness of its landscape, the environment, enthusiasm, and the friendly and hospitable people of Coconut Land. In 2017, tourism in Ben Tre city attracted 323,750 visitors and the total revenue from tourists was nearly 264,250 billion VND; the number of passengers increased by 21% per year on average; average revenue increase of 25% / year compared to the same period last year. In 2019, the number of visitors to Ben Tre city reached 409,312 visitors and the total revenue from tourists was nearly 334 billion. This has been very impressive figure and shown that the tourism potential in Ben Tre city is plentifu.
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| The 3-star Viet - Uc Hotel in Ben Tre (Photo: XTDLBT) |
At the same time, Ben Tre city is also promoting the development of a ecotourism in the land of Coconut with many interesting experience activities such as boating, fish catching, ... Typically, the famous tourist destinations such as Lan Vuong, Phu An Khang, Ha Thao, Vuon Xanh, ... have attracted a lot of tourists.
Currently, Tourists from Europe and North America always choose Ben Tre city in particular and Ben Tre province in general as a safe and quality destination in their travel itineraries tour to be known as “The ecoutourism of Coconut Land”
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| Slapping ditches for fishing (Photo: PAK) |
Tourists can visit traditional craft villages (mat weaving, coconut candy processing village, coconut handicraft, etc.) and visit cultural and historical architectural works (Dong Khoi monument, Tran Van On monument, Ben Tre museum - relics and residence of the hero of the Revolutionary armed forces Colonel Pham Ngoc Thao (national monument), victory monument on the Ben Tre river at Hoang Lam park, ...
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| Truc Giang Lake (Photo: Collection) |
In addition, domestic and foreign tourists can buy a lot of specialties here as gifts for family and friends such as green skin pomelo - a fruit that has been granted by the national office of intellectual property of Vietnam since 2005. Ben Tre green skin pomelo and green siam coconuts have also been granted the certificate of geographical indications by the national office of intellectual property since 2018. Coconut cakes, coconut candy, cosmetics from coconut, handicrafts made of coconut of Ben Tre are sold at many markets or tourist stops. Currently, the situation of covid-19 epidemic has seriously affected many sectors of the economy including tourism. In Ben Tre city - in particular and Ben Tre province - in general, hotels, resorts, tourist attractions, restaurants, bars, ...always actively implement many measures to prevent and control epidemic to ensure safety for locals and visitors. According to the Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Ben Tre, Mr. Truong Quoc Phong, “All the natural features as well as the strict epidemic prevention solutions of our country are the basis for proving Vietnamese tourism, including Ben Tre” is a safe destination for visitors. Ben Tre with the featured products of eco-tourism and association with organic agriculture is a reliable choice of travelers. The tourism industry together with tourism business, join together in implementing safe epidemic prevention solutions and stimulus solutions to create trust for tourists."
Therefore, the tourist destinations and businesses in Ben Tre have simultaneously implemented many programs to stimulate and promote, tourism, ... Hope, tourism in Ben Tre city in particular and province in general will grow more and more after the epidemic season because it is always a safe and quality destination for domestic and foreign tourists./.
Author: Tuong Vi
Translator: Phuong Thy
100th Anniversary of Nguyen Thi Dinh's birthday
“The Deputy Commander of the Southern Liberation Armed Forces is Madame Nguyen Thi Ðinh. Our country alone in the whole world has such a woman in general. This is a glorious thing for the South and our entire nation.” That’s what President Ho Chi Minh said at the meeting commemorating the twentieth anniversary of the founding of the Vietnamese Women’s Union (20/10/1930 - 20/10/1950).
Madame Nguyen Thi Dinh was born on March 15th, 1920 in a revolutionary family in Luong Hoa village, Giong Trom district, Ben Tre province. At the age of 16, she took part in the revolutionary army and became a member of the Indochinese Communist Party when she turned 18.
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| Madame Nguyen Thi Dinh and other female delegates The Second Congress of Heroes of Emulation Soldiers in the South (9/1967) (image from public source) |
In 1946, at the age of 26, she was a member of a cadre group of zone 8 coming to the North to meet Uncle Ho and reported the resistance situation of Ben Tre and the South to look for weapons. She commanded and brought back a replete ship weapon to the South safely, supported for all the provinces in the South. This was the first ship and also one of a 70-ships-group in the “No number ships” in the Ho Chi Minh street on the sea.
In 1960, she was Ben Tre Provincial Communist Party Secretary and one of the local people’s revolution commanders. She was the direct leader of the first Dong Khoi Movement (17/01/1960) with the main force was women. The victory of Dong Khoi Movement opened a new way for Ben Tre province and Vietnam Revolution later. Then, Uncle Ho has given them the name: “Long-haired communist group/troop”.
She was given different roles by the Communist Party and Government of Vietnam: Ben Tre Provincial Party Secretary, chairwoman of the South Vietnam Women’s Liberation Association, Deputy Commander of the People's Liberation Armed Forces of South Vietnam,… She was given the rank of Major General in 1974.
After the war and the reunification of Vietnam, she kept a lot of roles: Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalid and Social Affair, Chair Women of Vietnamese Women’s Union, Vice President of State Council.
She died on 26/8/1992. In 1995, she was posthumously awarded the heroic title of the People's Armed Forces. To be rewarded for services rendered to Vietnamese country, Ben Tre has built the Nguyen Thi Dinh Temple in her hometown - Luong Hoa village, Giong Trom district. This is an artistic architecture and a place to remind people of her huge merit. This culture structure attracts a lot of tourists coming to visit, retrieve the past, and thank Madame Dinh and lots of other heroes.
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| Nguyen Thi Dinh Temple (image from public source) |
In the evening of 16/01/2020, Ben Tre solemnly celebrated 60th anniversary of Ben Tre Movement (17/01/1960 - 17/01/2020) and 100th anniversary of the Hero of the People’s Armed Forces - Nguyen Thi Dinh’s birthday (15/03/1920 - 15/03/2020).
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| Recreate the scene of Dong Khoi Movement 60 years ago (image from public source) |
In this ceremony, President of Vietnamese Congress - Madame Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan emphasized that: With 60th anniversary of Ben Tre Movement, Ben Tre local people and Committee Party celebrated solemnly 100th anniversary of the People’s Armed Forces, former Vice President of State Council, Nguyen Thi Dinh - an excellent person in Ben Tre - where Dong Khoi Movement began.
Mr. Phan Van Mai - Provincial Communist Party Secretary, member of Central Communist Party gave a speech to remind everyone of our tradition, he continuously emphasized on the historical value of Dong Khoi Movement and our gratefulness for Madame Nguyen Thi Dinh: “Every time mentioning about Dong Khoi Movement in 1960, we can’t forget Madame Nguyen Thi Dinh, one of the leaders as well as the soul of Dong Khoi Movement in Ben Tre and also the South. Since this movement, Madame Dinh became more and more famous by her unique revolution method: The three attack spearheads (military and politics and enemy, propaganda), especially in her political fighting, military skills of women, of the long-haired warriors. They associated with our guerrilla warfare in American - Vietnam War.”
Ben Tre Communist Party is proud of our heroine of the People’s Armed Forces, Vice President of State Council, Deputy Commander of the Southern Liberation Armed Forces, the leader of Dong Khoi Movement - Madame Nguyen Thi Dinh in 1960. Her life and her revolutionary achievement have been embedded into our Vietnamese golden history and always be remembered.
Author: Phuong Thy
Translator: Minh Thuy
Coconut floating market: A beautiful tourist destination on the Thom River
The Thom River is a historic river that has been embedded in the memory of many generations of people in Ben Tre. From a small canal, the Thom River today has gradually changed its look with the busy trading scene of coconut products on the river; the two riversides are villages processing coconut fiber stretching over 3 km. Since then, the Coconut floating market on the Thom River is like a unique tourism brand of Ben Tre that is different from any other floating markets in the Mekong Delta provinces and the whole country. The operation of the Coconut floating market helps local people develop not only the economy and trade but also the field of tourism.
During the French colonial period, the French dug Thom canal in Mo Cay district to connect the Ham Luong river with Co Chien river for colonial exploitation. In the two wars of resistance to liberate the people from oppressive foreign reign, the Thom River was a place which marked many victories of our army and people, also attached to the childhood of many generations of people in this Land of Coconuts.
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| Coconut Floating market on Thom River (image from public source) |
For a long time, the Coconut floating market on the Thom River has been dubbed it a unique floating market of the West because of its main products such as coconut and other products from coconut. Floating markets are a cultural beauty in the Southwestern region because it is the gift of nature with a system of rivers and canals, so the scene of trading and exchanging goods often takes place on the boat and thrills tourists to enjoy and want to experience it. If Can Tho city has Cai Rang floating market, Tien Giang has Cai Be floating market, Hau Giang used to have Nga Bay floating market, An Giang has Long Xuyen floating market... then Ben Tre has its Coconut floating market on Thom river as a pride of the people of Mo Cay Nam in particular and of Ben Tre in general.
The Coconut floating market originates from the Thom river connecting the Co Chien and Ham Luong rivers, which is the central waterway of Cu Lao Minh coconut forest. Many coconut processing enterprises have been built with a lot of buyers and sellers exchanging and trading, the area has gradually became what is now known as "the floating Coconut market". Every day, there are hundreds of boats from both inside and outside the province (Soc Trang, Vinh Long, Tra Vinh, and neighboring districts in the province) flocking there to buy and sell coconuts. Visitors will have the opportunity to see for themselves: the workers work from early in the morning to the evening doing familiar jobs such as peeling coconut, making coconut meat, separating and drying coconut fiber... Thereby, visitors can empathize with the hard work in the lives of the people here, with the joy and smiles that are always radiant on their faces. It is because coconut, which is the typical tree of the homeland, has been attached to generations so the works which related to planting, exploiting and processing coconut in Ben Tre have always been a beautiful characteristic that needs to be preserved and promoted.
Currently, on the two banks of the Thom River, there are many establishments operating overnight to promptly supply goods to businesses in the province in order to make various unique products from coconut such as dried powder coconut, coconut fiber, coconut charcoal, clean coconut soil, coconut oil, coconut candy, coconut fiber nets, coconut handicraft products... Notably, craft villages along the Thom River in An Thanh commune, Mo Cay Nam district, Khanh Thanh commune Tan, Mo Cay Bac district... have created jobs for thousands of workers, helped local people to settle down and be a part of this unique tourism brand in Ben Tre.
The tourism industry will become a key economic sector of Ben Tre province in the future, be characterized by thousands of coconut forests, lush orchards, and many tourist products from this Land of Coconuts. The brand of "Land of Coconuts’ River Ecotourism" has been promoted more and more recently. Capturing the potential and beauty in tourism at the Coconut floating market on the Thom river, in recent years, many travels and tour companies have included this product in tours and routes to offer tourists visiting the Coconut floating market, combined with many other tourism products of Ben Tre and other provinces in Viet Nam.
From Ben Tre city, visitors can walk to the town of Mo Cay Nam and take boat, along the Thom River or travel from the piers in the center of Ben Tre city to Ham Luong River, connecting to the Thom river. Currently, Ben Tre has many ecotour programs for visitors to freely explore this floating market from tourist agencies in Ben Tre.
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| Tourist visitors visit the Thome River by boat (image from C2T tourism) |
When experiencing this river in the Land of Coconuts, visitors will be seated on a boat and listened to information from the tourist guide and enjoyed the poetic scenery of the rows of coconut trees on the banks of the Thom River. After that, the tour guide will take tourists to visit craft villages so that they can learn about the work of the local people such as peeling coconut, making coconut meat, making coconut candy... and take souvenir photos. Next, visitors will move to Thanh Long island to visit the extremely sacred Thuy Tuong temple and dine at local’s houses with many rustic dishes such as sour snakehead fish soup, coconut fried shrimp, chicken porridge. In addition, this 1-day journey also takes visitors to Ben Tre special national historical sites, Dong Khoi Movement to study about the historic years of heroic resistance war in the Dong Khoi movement in 1960 in Mo Cay Nam district...
Having experienced many ups and downs of history, the Thom River that has become a legendary river and the Coconut floating market on it always brings an extremely simple, rustic cultural beauty and is one of the hidden charms with a lot of potential for the tourism industry in the Land of Coconuts. Hopefully, in the near future, tours, trips, and experiences in Ben Tre will be increasingly promoted so that domestic and foreign tourists and they have the opportunity to experience interesting and unique activities at the Coconut floating market on the Thom river./.
Author: Tường Vi
Translator: Phương Thy
17 of the best things to do in Vietnam
Vietnam offers adventure at every turn. Here are our favourite things to do in the dazzling Halong Bay, vibrant cities Hoi An, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City, the rural north and beyond...
1. Light a lantern in Hoi An
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| Lanterns in Hoi An (Dreamstime) |
Every Tết (Vietnamese New Year), Hoi An is transformed into a kaleidoscope of colour and light for its Lantern Festival. The celebration lasts for seven days, with the road from Hoi An Bridge to the Hoai River Square adorned with thousands of colourful lanterns.
Over 50 workshops take part in the event, each trying to create the prettiest lantern. The colours are bright and the designs are strictly traditional.
The heart of the festivities is in the old town, between the Japanese Covered Bridge and the Cau An Hoi Bridge. It’s crowded, chaotic and festive, with spontaneous singing and food stalls at every turn. It is as much a celebration for locals as it is for visitors.
The most breathtaking sight is thousands of lanterns floating on the river; hire a sampan boat to get a closer look. For a small sum, you can buy a lantern and set it afloat too.
Don’t worry if you can’t make it to Hoi An for New Year: smaller lantern festivals are held every full moon. In 2020, Vietnamese New Year fell on 25 January. In 2021, it will be celebrated on 12 February, and on 1 February in 2022.
2. Visit Halong Bay and its equally spectacular neighbour
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| Halong Bay (Dreamstime) |
With 1,600 limestone towers rising from its turquoise waters, Halong Bay is rightly considered one of Vietnam’s most beautiful spots. As a result, it’s on every visitor's list - and hundreds of boats offer cruise trips every day. The bay is huge, but it can still feel crowded.
Bai Tu Long Bay, just a few miles away, offers the same jaw-dropping scenery but sees only a fraction of the visitors. Here, you can explore uncrowded caves and tiny beaches, and feast on super-fresh succulent seafood.
Boat trips to Bai Tu Long Bay leave from the crowded dock at Halong City, just like the ones to Halong Bay. But you'll head off in the opposite direction, to where the islands are a little less taller and a little more spread out - but, according to locals, are just like what those in Halong Bay used to be like.
3. Hike through Cat Ba Island
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| Ngu Lam Peak, the end point of a popular Cat Ba hiking trail (Shutterstock) |
You can't go wrong with a visit to Cat Ba Island. The views are spectacular, and the nearby Lan Ha Bay is a brilliant Halong alternative - another breathtakingly beautiful bay, without the tourist masses.
It's USP? The hiking, says Wanderlust's Rosie Fitzgerald. Enjoy trekking through the pristine rainforest that makes up the vast national park. The Lookout Tower Trail is a popular and fairly easy hike. Walk upwards for around an hour, until you come out at a rusted shelter, from where you can appreciate just how untouched Cat Ba really is.
If you want more, venture up a little further to reach the stunning Ngu Lam Peak. It's worth the effort to look out over the jagged, green mountains that blur out into the distance.
For more of a challenge, book a guide and embark on the Cang Viet Hai Trail - an 18km, undulating trail that requires a good fitness level. Prepare to climb steep, slippery paths and scramble over thick knots of tree routes that block the path.
4. Cruise the Mekong Delta
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| The Mekong River's famous floating markets (Shutterstock) |
After travelling over 4,000km from the Tibetan Himalaya, the Mekong hits Vietnam and slows down to a more languid pace. With islands, rice paddies, stilted villages and a way of life that hasn’t changed for centuries, it’s as if the river wants to take it easy and soak up the view.
Hitch a ride with a cargo boat and you can do exactly that. Simply find a shady spot to hitch your hammock and gaze at faraway riverbanks as your boat, weighed down with fruit and rice sacks, ploughs the treacly brown flow.
Or, take one of the many commercial cruises that ply parts of the river. The cruise from Cai Be to Can Tho is a great way to experience a night on the river. As you travel southwards along the Mang Thit River linking the Tien Giang and Bassac systems, the channel becomes so narrow that you can peer into the riverbank’s rickety stilted houses.
5. Drop into the world’s largest cave in Phong Nha National Park
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| Hang Son Doong Cave (Shutterstock) |
Quang Binh province is a wild region of barely penetrable jungle in Vietnam’s skinny middle, close to the border with Laos. The area is riddled with hundreds of deep caves, including one of the largest in the world - Hang Son Doong. It contains a cavern so tall that a skyscraper could fit inside it.
The small town of Phong Nha is the epicentre for the area’s caving adventures, its eponymous cave another UNESCO-listed wonder well worth exploring. Here, you can hire both the guides and the gear you’ll need to descend into the caves.
If going underground doesn’t appeal, the area is also famous for trekking. The surrounding jungle is peppered with stunning waterfalls and an active (and noisy) population of monkeys and flying foxes.
6. Visit the coffee-making heartland, Buon Ma Thuot
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| The World Coffee Museum in Buon Ma Thuot (Shutterstock) |
Buon Ma Thuot is the regional capital of the central highlands of Vietnam, a gorgeous area of thundering waterfalls and the traditional villages of the local Ede people. Look out for stilted structures reached by a ladder and marked by carved breasts. In this fiercely matriarchal area, they can only be used by the women of the house.
Buon Ma Thuot is also the heart of Vietnam’s thriving coffee industry. The Trung Nguyen coffee company is the big player here, and there’s not a corner of paddy field or industrial zone in the area that doesn’t bear their logo.
In the city itself, there are plenty of coffee-related attractions. Visitors can learn about the country's and the world's coffee industries in the World Coffee Museum year-round. In March 2021 and March 2023, the city's various coffee venues will be offering freebies to celebrate the local produce, during the biennial Coffee Festival.
You'll probably come across 'weasel' coffee during your visit, also known as kopi luwak or civet coffee, which aficionados claim is the best in the world. While many believe its unique taste is excellent, it's worth knowing that recent investigations have found unethical animal welfare practices on coffee farms across the region.
7. Search for Vietnam’s best pho in Hanoi
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| Vietnamese pho (Dreamstime) |
Pho is a Vietnamese staple - a quick, tasty meal made from four simple ingredients: clear stock, boiled beef, rice noodles and herbs or green onions. In Vietnam, you’ll find it served on street corners and in upscale restaurants, as well as in every family home.
Hanoi has gained a reputation as the pho capital of Vietnam. Every restaurant here boasts a secret recipe. Take your time searching for the best - that's part of the fun! But if you want our advice? Head to Lo Duc in theFrench Quarter and sit yourself down at Pho Thin.
This unassuming pho house, with wooden benches and laminated tables, does things a little differently - such as stir-frying the beef in garlic before adding it to the soup. Local foodies insist it gives the pho an unusual smokiness, one you won't found in other restaurants. Pho Thin is always packed, but once you're inside, you'll know it was worth the wait.
8. Understand Vietnam’s bloody past in Ho Chi Minh City
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| Ho Chi Minh City Museum, located in the Gia Long Palace (Shutterstock) |
More than 60% of Vietnam’s population was born after the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. But that doesn’t mean its war-torn history is ignored. As a nation, Vietnam has moved on, but the sacrifices made by both sides of the conflict are still remembered all over the country, particularly in Ho Chi Minh City.
Ho Chi Minh City Museum has many informative exhibitions, and explains the country's bloody past through photographs, artefacts and memorabilia. It's sensitively done, without glossing over the atrocities, and (rather ironically) is housed in the Gia Long Palace, where Ngo Dinh Diem spent his final hours in power before his assassination in 1963.
The War Remnants Museum is a more grisly - but equally essential - reminder of local atrocities. From eerie bomb remnants and first-person accounts by war veterans to a bloodied guillotine and photographs of horrific napalm burns, this is a chilling reminder of life not-too-long ago.
9. Go to church, Vietnamese-style
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| Worshippers inside Cao Dai temple (Shutterstock) |
Tây Ninh, a busy town on the Mekong Delta, is perhaps the most unlikely holy city on the planet. Here, amongst the busy streets stalls and noisy traffic sits Cao Dai Temple, the Holy See of the Cao Dai religion.
Caodaism is a Vietnamese hybrid religion founded in the 1920s. It fuses Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism, occult and Islam with the ultimate aim to break free of the cycle of life and death. The sect reveres, among others: Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed and even French novelist Victor Hugo.
From a distance, the temple’s towers resemble a parochial church. But closer inspection reveals an eclectic facade with sword-brandishing gods, swastikas, a Communist red star and an Orwellian all-seeing eye.
Prayers are conducted four times a day, with the one at noon popular with day-trippers from Ho Chi Minh City.
10. Cycle around Hue
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| Cyclo drivers in Hue (Dreamstime) |
Halfway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Hue marked the divide between the north and the south during the Vietnam War. Set upon the pretty Perfume River, it has always played an important part in Vietnamese history and is dotted with important historical sites.
It is also a great place to cycle. Set off in the cool of the morning and head three kilometres out of town to the Tiger Fighting arena. It was Vietnam’s version of the Colosseum, a place where elephants and tigers would fight to honour the strength of the monarchy. Next, head to Tu Duc Tomb before reaching Vong Canh Hill - the best spot for panoramic views of the Perfume River.
From Vong Canh Hill, it’s downhill to one of Hue's most atmospheric pagodas, Tu Hieu, which is located in a tranquil and picturesque pine forest. Swing by the tomb of Minh Mang, the second emperor of the Nguyen dynasty, before heading back to town.
Upon reaching the walled fortress of the Imperial Citadel, you have two choices: take a leisurely cycle through the UNESCO World Heritage Site and Vietnam's version of the Forbidden City, or enjoy a relaxing drink next to the Perfume River.
Sound too much like hard work? You find any number of cyclo drivers nearby to do all the effort for you.
11. Find romance at Sapa’s love market
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| H'mong women at a market in Sapa (Dreamstime) |
The market town of Sapa, in Vietnam’s mountainous north, first became popular as a French hill station in the 1930s. Set on a 1,650m-high mountain ridge, the town boasts fabulous views of the Hoang Lien Mountains and a colourful market attended by hill tribes from the surrounding countryside every Saturday.
The town has become increasingly popular with tourists, but there are still old traditions hidden in its secret corners. One of those is the Love Market, where Dao (and H’mong) men and women come from miles around to sing songs of love to each other. It was originally held at the end of trading at the Saturday markets, but over-zealous visitors taking intrusive photos has driven the tradition underground.
The Love Market still exists, but now it takes place in secret locations in the dead of night, well away from the gaze of visitors. But if your interest is genuine and you can find a local willing to trust you, the romance can still be found.
12. Sail past the Tam Coc rice fields
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| The Ngo Dong River and rice fields in Ninh Binh (Shutterstock) |
In 2014, the Tràng An Scenic Landscape Complex in the northern Vietnam's Ninh Binh province was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. No wonder to anyone who has seen it with their own eyes: dramatic limestone karsts and sweeping, deep green valleys, often with boats floating along the Red River Delta.
The village of Tam Cốc-Bích Động (often referred to simple as 'Tam Coc') falls under this complex, and its famous rice paddies enjoy the same UNESCO-listed status. Undoubtedly, the best way to experience them to take a slow, languorous boat ride along the Ngo Dong River, admiring the otherworldly view as you go.
Getting to Tam Coc is easier than ever. Admittedly, the area has become more popular with visitors in recent years - for good reason. Buses and trains from Hanoi to Ninh Binh take about three hours, while organised day tours and two-day trips are available, if you'd prefer to take the pressure off planning your excursion.
13. Spot rare primates in Cat Tien National Park
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| Primates hanging out in Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam (Shutterstock) |
Cat Tien National Park in southern Vietnam is a wildlife lover's dream: a 720 sq km biosphere reserve, comprised of botanical gardens and lowland forest, offering an abundance of rare creatures and birdlife, all kept safe and sheltered in a number of sanctuaries and rescue centres.
Golden-cheeked gibbons, silvered langurs and native pygmy lorsies are among the rare primates to be spotted in Dao Tien Endangered Primate Species Centre. Cat Tien Bear Sanctuary homes tens of sun bears.
Asian elephants and clouded leopards are also among the rare sightings wildlife watchers have recorded in Cat Tien. Birders will have their hands full, too, with Asian barred owlet, blue-rumped and bar-bellied pittas, and orange-necked partridge sightings - just to name a few - very possible.
Some of the park's animal residents come alive when the sky goes dark, so if you're hoping for a unique wildlife encounter in Vietnam, consider staying the night in one of Cat Tien's homestays or hotel accommodation, and embark on a nighttime drive.
An added bonus? Those on a day trip will be zipping back to Ho Chi Minh City by then, which is approximately three hours and 30 minutes away by car, so you'll have more of the park to yourself.
14. Marvel at Ban Gioc Waterfall
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| The magnificent Ban Gioc Waterfall (Shutterstock) |
Ban Gioc is the name of not one, but two colliding waterfalls along the Quay Son River - an iconic way to mark the Vietnam-China border, in the Trung Khanh District, Cao Bang on Vietnam's side, and Daxin County, Guangxi on China's.
Here, you'll be taking in one of South-East Asia's most breathtaking natural sights. Its sheer size (70m tall, and 208m wide) is marvel-worthy in itself, but the way the falls cascade down its rocky, limestone face is most eyecatching. If you're up for a climb, it is possible to trek up to the 'falls high points, as long as you're equipped with the appropriate walking gear.
Once you've soaked up the immense views, there's plenty to see and do in the Cao Bang region, which sits high up in the mountainous north-east of the country. Caves to explore, local homestays to experience, and more majestic waterfalls beckon.
15. Admire the Golden Hands Bridge in Da Nang
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| The Golden Hands Bridge in the Ba Na Hills, Da Nang (Shutterstock) |
Have you ever seen a bridge quite like this one? The Golden Bridge (or Golden Hands Bridge, or Giant Hands Bridge) in the Da Nang province is one of a kind.
Pedestrians can stroll across the 150m-long pathway, high above the gorgeous greenery of the seemingly-endless Ba Na Hills, and feel like they're being held in the sky by two humongous, God-like stone hands. As it happens, the stone hands are not held up by God himself, but by a sturdy steel frame and fibreglass.
The reality-warping structure was created to attract more visitors to the Da Nang region, and surely no-one can refute its social media success. There are well over 108,000 images of the bridge on the #GoldenBridge hashtag alone.
If you went to Vietnam and you didn't post a picture of the Golden Hands Bridge on your Instagram page, did your trip even happen at all?!
16. Embrace tranquility on Phu Quoc Island
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| A peaceful beach on Phu Quoc Island (Shutterstock) |
Off the coast of Cambodia lies the idyllic Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc: a haven for travellers hoping to get away from the hustle and bustle of Vietnam's cities.
There's no shortage of things to see and do on Phu Quoc. Wildlife lovers can head to Vinpearl Safari Care and Conservation Park, to meet, elephants, white Bengal tigers, macaques and silver langurs, among others. Head out into nature, with a hike through the dense forests of Phu Quoc National Park, and admiring the gentle trickle of Suoi Tranh Waterfall.
Once you're all walked out, ride in the incredibly long cable car to Hon Thom Nature Park, or sit back and relax on the pristine white sands of Sao Beach, Ong Lang or remote Khem Beach. Surrounded by palm trees and forest, you'll feel like you're sitting on the edge of paradise.
17. Live with the locals in Mai Chau
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| A local in the Mai Chau Valley village of Lac (Shutterstock) |
Go beyond the tourist trail to the rural north-western province of Hòa Bình. Here, you'll have the opportunity to explore the Mai Chau Valley, enclosed in mountains and skirted by rice fields. A 'hidden gem', if we ever saw one.
To get a small sense of everyday life in this part of the country, stay with a local, White Tai family in a homestay. Your best bet is one of two villages: Lac or Poom Coong. Whichever you choose, you'll be waking up to the site of rice paddies and the unbelievably-green Vietnamese countryside each morning. The Vietnamese Tourist Board highly recommends choosing your homestay near Hieu, for its idyllic scenery.
Once you're settled, it's time to appreciate the White Tai community's way of life. Cycle through Mai Chau on a rented bike, or pop to the markets to purchase exquisitely-bright, locally-woven textiles. If you can take your eyes off your village's natural wonders, a day trip to the glistening, under-appreciated Hoa Binh Lake makes for an excellent trek.
https://www.wanderlust.co.uk/content/top-10-things-to-do-in-vietnam/
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