When April arrives in theHoang LienSon mountain range in Vietnam’s far north, the slopes are covered inazalea flowers of all colors - white, purple, yellow, red andpink - blooming together, stretching all the way to the peak of Fansipan, known as the roof of Indochina (Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia). This native species is deservedly the star of its own show, the Azalea Festival, which will be held annually at Sun World Fansipan Legend, a tourism complex created by Sun Group, the premier developer of luxury tourism and entertainment projects in Vietnam. At the Azalea Festival, tourists can learn more about the cultural traditions of the ethnic minority communities who live in the northern highlands, like the Red Dzao and Hmong. These indigenous tribes have their own ritualistic dances, folk games and traditional forms of music that are vividly depicted at the Sun World Fansipan Legend complex. Visitors, therefore, have a chance todiscover more about the local way of life before they … [Read more...] about Modern theme parks in Vietnam stick to tradition
Most tours served in vietnam
New rules set to put most tour guides out of work
New rules could push thousands of freelance tourist guides out of work next year, creating a serious shortage in the industry, experts warn. A tour guide at Thiên Cung Cave, Hạ Long Bay in northern Quảng Ninh Province They say that the provisions on issuing tourist guide licenses in the Law on Tourism set impractical conditions that freelancers will not be able to meet, pushing them out of work, worsening the current shortage. The Law on Tourism stipulates that tourist guides should have labour contracts with authorized travel agencies, tour operators or firms providing tour-guide services; or be a member of a professional tour guide organisation. In addition, tour guides must have a contract or equivalent document on every trip. Currently, carrying a tour guide card is the only requirement. New rules are needed Officials of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism have said that the tightening of conditions for issuing tour guide licences was … [Read more...] about New rules set to put most tour guides out of work
American veterans return to Vietnam to ‘make things right’
Participants of the Veterans for Peace tour. Wyatt Olson/Stars and Stripes Michael Marceau didn’t leave Vietnam under the best of circumstances in May 1970. Stationed about 30 miles from the Cambodia border in an infantry unit, he “zigged instead of zagged” during an early morning rocket attack and was hit by shrapnel. The metal entered his back, hit a lung, bounced off a rib and lodged in an artery and cluster of nerves in his left shoulder. A buddy hoisted him into an idling jeep and saved him from bleeding to death. He was hospitalized two weeks, then spent months in rehab. This month, Marceau, 63, came back to the country where he once served. “I want to try to make a better exit this time,” Marceau joked as he strolled through the grounds around the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Marceau is one of nine vets who are taking part in the first Veterans for Peace Tour. The 14-day tour was arranged by the only international chapter of Veterans for Peace, … [Read more...] about American veterans return to Vietnam to ‘make things right’
Step back in time in Vietnam
No matter how crowded it gets, a boat trip among the fantastically shaped islands of Halong Bay is a trip you’ll remember all your life. It’s absolutely overrun with tourists. And it doesn’t matter a lick. Every day, hundreds of boats, some designed to look like Chinese sampans with bright, yellow dragons painted on the bow, churn through the waters of Halong Bay, steaming directly for the towering, fantastic limestone formations that rise suddenly and steeply out of the blue-green waters along the north coast of Vietnam. An hour or so later, tour boats packed with Chinese and German and American tourists round a corner and roll into a floating fishing village that will spark a record number of camera clicks in the blink of an eye. A half dozen or more folks — mostly young women in traditional, conical hats — will row furiously to the nearest boat and offer up juicy pineapples or spiky rambutans or maybe a cold drink to the rushing visitors. The … [Read more...] about Step back in time in Vietnam
Charter flights take off in Vietnam
(VEN) - Some 100 charter flights between Vietnam’s southern Can Tho city and major cities in China, Japan, the Republic of Korea (RoK) and other Asian countries will be launched in the coming months as package tour operators increase the use of charter flights to and from Vietnam. A total of 28 charter flights between Can Tho and Thailand’s capital Bangkok will be launched during the June-August period, serving some 5,000 passengers, the World Transportation Services Joint Stock Company (WorldTrans) said. Jetstar Pacific announced that it would operate charter flights to China during the third quarter of this year. In July and August 2018, the airline will offer additional charter flights from Da Nang to Fuzhou twice weekly. Vietjet revenues from leasing air charters have surged from VND412 billion in 2014 to more than VND2.63 trillion in 2016. On average, one in every four of its flights is an air charter. Charterer flight buyers benefit from fast airport check-in and … [Read more...] about Charter flights take off in Vietnam