Vietnam Travel Guide

A farmer from northern mountainous province of Hoa Binh has devoted seven years to growing and bending 1,000 bamboo trees into the shape of flying dragons to present them for Hanoi on its millennium anniversary scheduled for October this year.

Nguyen Van Nam, said he had driven to Soc Son district, where legend puts it that Saint Giong pulled off bamboo bushes to fight against Chinese aggressors, to buy “golden” bamboo saplings to grow them at home.

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The Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade in coordination with the ABIX Joint Stock Company will host Arts and Handicrafts Week 2010 at the Friendship Cultural Palace in the city from August 4-9.

To promote the traditional culture of Hanoi’s craft villages, this annual event will include an exhibition of arts and handicrafts, art performances, a seminar on craft villages, a competition of gift designs for the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi and tours to Bat Trang pottery village, Ha Thai lacquer village and Phu Vinh rattan village. (more…)

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung told Da Nang authorities to temporarily close the casino ran by Silvershore Hoang Dat JV Company to address the firm’s violations.

The casino can only reopen once Silvershore Hoang Dat meets the conditions requested by the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MoPI).

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Hanoians will be entertained with a series of cultural and arts performances in early July, 100 days before the capital city is celebrating its millennial founding anniversary.

In addition to dance and singing and amateur theatre festivals, 34 outdoor art shows will be held in all the city’s districts and towns to serve local people, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said at a press briefing on June 23.

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A ceremony was held in Kien Giang Province on June 24 to announce its world biosphere reserve and receive UNESCO certificate.

The Kien Giang world biosphere reserve was recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) on October 27, 2006.

Located on more than 1,000ha, the biosphere covers sea, island and land, including U Minh Thuong and Phu Quoc National Parks, Kien Luong-Ha Tien protective forests and mangrove forests.

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Con Dao is an island of Vung Tau province which is still untouched and natural. The island is endowed with favorable climate and beautiful scenery. It is also a famous historical site dating since French colonial period. Photos: Pham Quoc Vinh.

Prisoners’ statutes (more…)

Vietnam will host the World Food Festival for the first time in the southern coastal city of Vung Tau in July, providing a great opportunity for the country to promote its traditional cuisine.

The festival, co-organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the People’s Committee of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, are expecting more than 80 countries and territories to attend the festival which will feature cuisine, culture, festival, shopping and entertainment.

Vietnam will spotlight a range of special dishes from all three regions. Being a nation with many diverse cultural identities, Vietnam is known as an “eating and drinking heaven”. Philip Kotler, the father of modern marketing, said that food may be Vietnam’s national trademark after he visited the country and enjoyed numerous traditional dishes.

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The Thang Long-Hanoi International Tourism Festival will run from October 2-5 at the Bao Son Paradise Theme Park.

At a meeting with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on June 10, Vice Chair of the Hanoi People’s Committee Ngo Thi Thanh Hang said that the event is not only part of National Tourism Year but will also celebrate the 1,000 th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.
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Hanoi ’s Department of Industry and Trade is putting together five tours of the city’s traditional craft villages to mark the 1,000 th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.

The tours, which are scheduled to start this month, include a one-day tour to the Chuon Ngo pearl inlay village, Thang Loi embroidery village, Ha Thai lacquer village, Phu Vinh bamboo and rattan village and an extended tour to Van Phuc silk and Son Dong sculpture villages.

A tour of Bat Trang ceramic and Kieu Ky gold-leaf villages is also planned. The department has also selected a number of typical workshops and old houses of architectural interest to be visited during the tours.

A six-day gastronomy festival will be held at the Ho Tay (West Lake) Water Park in Hanoi from October 5 to celebrate the 1,000th founding anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.

Do Dinh Hong, Head of the Hanoi People’s Committee Office said that under a plan on the festival organisation, the event will include the presentation of traditional gastronomy, art performances and folk games.

The festival area will accommodate 130 booths, including 60 ones with images of Hanoi now and then, 50 of other regions in the country and 10 of foreign countries.