Vietnam Travel & Tourism

Some 70 per cent of Vietnam’s population is engaged in agriculture, which uses over 20 per cent of the country’s area and produces 15 per cent of its GDP.

Vietnamese Cultivates Wet Rice

Vietnam has two huge deltas: the Mekong in the south and the Red River in the north. From time immemorial the Vietnamese have known how to build dykes and avoid flooding, creating more land for wet –rice cultivation. Thousands of kilometres of dykes have been built along the Red River to protect this vast fertile delta and its population.

Recently my friend Huong Do and I visited her uncle, who is a farmer in Hai Duong province in the very heart of the Red River delta. The host, Mr. Hien, was very enthusiastic about showing us rural life.

Generally they cultivate two types, sticky rice and ordinary rice. The first is used for special events and ceremonies such as Tet ( lunar New Year) and weddings.

Talking about wet-rice-cultivation, Mr. Hien recites a Vietnamese proverb:’Nhat nuoc, nhi phan, tam can, tu giong’. This translates as ‘First one needs water,then manure,then diligence, and finally high quality seed’. ‘In the north we have two rice crops and one subsidiary one, according to the weather’, he said.

The winter –spring crop begins in the 12th lunar month and finishes in the fourth. The summer –autumn one lasts from the sixth to the 10th lunar month. After these crops there is time for the land to heal and we plant maize,taro, potato and sweet potato’.

To Start a crop we have to prepare the land. We empty the water from each field. Then we plough deep and rake it carefully with the help of the buffalo. The buffalo is well cared for and respected in the same way that many foreigners care about dogs’.

There are three things that are critical to every Vietnamese farmer’s life: purchasing a buffalo, getting married and building a house.

‘In order to prepare the land we put down fertiliser, either natural or chemical.water is constantly needed too’.’Different varieties of rice are very important.

Normally we select the best species from previous crops, using techniques passed down through generations. “In order to germinate it we put the paddy in a jute sack and soack it in water for 24 hours. We then take it out of the water and arrange it in a dark, damp place to facilitate germination. After 12 hours we repeat the process.

In cool winter weather straw ash is mixed with the paddy in order to keep it warm. When the roots reach two to three centimetres you can sow rice in a small prepared area.

During this period the young rice plants need water, but not too much. After one month you pick the young shoots and transplant the rice seedling to another field. ‘Working the fields requires diligence, During the three- and-a- half months of rice development you have to constandy watch your field! You need to pull out any weeds growing with the rice. This work is normally reserved for women.

There has to be water in time for each period of development of the rice’.

The ethnic minorities in mountainous areas practice wte- rice-cultivation on terraces.

It is not until you actually take off your shoes, roll up your trousers and muck in that you really appreciate the skill and energy required to harvest rice.

As Mr Hien says,’when the rice is mature the whole family has to work. We cut the rice with sickles and bring it home by ox cart.

Fortunately, machines are now used for separating the paddy and straw. Last year we had a big harvest. This year we have had to work very hard due to floods’.

With a trace of sadness Hien adds that the farmer’s life is till difficult. ‘We depend on rice but if the price is too low there is no profit. The government should pay more attention to our life, to build processing zones for agricultural products and find markets for us’.

Famers in the south harvest three crops a year and the wet-rice-cultivation technique is also different.

Source: thingsasian

Recommendation in Vietnam:
- Travel Guide in Vietnam
- Trekking tour in Vietnam
- Adventure travel in Vietnam

So you’ve got your motorbike, and you’re ready to explore Phú Quốc. While few travelers to Vietnam run into any problems on the island, keep in mind that much of the land is still undeveloped. Here are a few tips:

1. Bring at least 2 liters of water. It gets quite hot during the day, and snack stands are sometimes hard to find. Dehydration can be a serious issue, so come prepared.

2. Keep off military property. The Vietnamese government is very protective of Phú Quốc, and there are military bases (marked by signs) around the island. Although some travelers to Vietnam claim they’ve slipped through unnoticed, it is unwise to intrude upon military property. Irate officers can make your life unpleasant. [...Read more]

What could be a great option for someone have retired like you, who’d like to try something different, something more fun and exciting maybe? How about going for an active travel experience?

“Boy, when I retire, all I’m going to do is lie around in a hammock all day” – this is probably what you have said and thought about all these years while working your way through life, but now that you have retired or planning to retire, do you really find the concept that satisfying? The answer could be no.

So what could be a great option for someone like you, who’d like to try something different, something more fun and exciting maybe? How about going for an active travel experience?

Traveling in Twilight

Whoever said you need to be an on-the-go person to sign up for an active vacation after retirement could not have been more mistaken. From adventurous kayaking in Halong Bay or historical trips on Ho Chi Minh Trail and Angkor Wat explorer- there is something for everyone out there.

Just that you may need to hit your nearby gym at least twice a week, or ask your yoga teacher for classes immediately.

Here are some more options to help you plan a perfect active travel vacation:

Fitness boot camps in Luang prabang, Lao or Ha Giang, Vietnam
- Golf vacations in Vietnam & Cambodia
- Kayaking in World Heritage sites such as Halong and Nha Trang bay, Vietnam
- Cycling trips through the countryside in Mekong Delta or Hoi An of Vietnam, Luang Prabang of Laos or Angkor Wat of Cambodia
- Hiking vacations on the top of Fanispan Mountain, Vietnam
- Walking tours of various World Heritage or historic sites of the world like Angkor Wat of Cambodia
- Museum trips in Hanoi, Capital of Vietnamand especially in Phnom Penh of Cambodia

Travel Agencies

Travel experts prefer classifying adventure tourism in two categories- “soft” or “hard” (also called “gentle” or “demanding”); but don’t get caught up in these jargons. Make up your mind as to whether you would like to go kayaking, mountain climbing, biking, motorcycling or would you prefer enjoying the blue ocean in an obscure island in Phu Quoc, Vietnam.

Once you’ve made your choice, you can begin your research by browsing through websites and on-line travel agencies that will help you pick the right tour package.
Here are some of the names you might find handy

ActiveTravel Asia ( http://www.activetravel.asia )
Walking the World
50plus Expeditions
SeniorsSearch
Seniors Go Travel
Forty Plus Adventure
ActiveTravel Asia is one of names that has been organized more adventure trips for American Veterans travel to Vietnam war in the past from 2006. From motorcycling tours on Ho Chi Minh Trail to trekking trips in some ethnic villages of Sapa, Vietnam, they offer tour packages in Indochina.

Ready to Leave?

Here are some tips to help you organize your trip:
Confirm the legitimacy of your travel agency with associations like-American Society Of Travel Agents (ASTA) and United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA)
Check if they can customize your tour per your requirements
Find out whether your budget covers all the expenses
Remember to carry your travel and health insurance papers with the other entire document

A Few Words on Outdoor Safety

Find out as much as you can about the place you are traveling to Carry things like waterproof reflective survival blanket, Global Positioning System (GPS) units and mobile phones Check if your medical kit is well stocked with all the necessary drugs and first-aid supplies
For more tips on how to stay fit on the move, you can browse through the TravMed website

Be a Fit and Healthy Globe Trotter

There is nothing like traveling with an agile body and mind. To ensure this:
Eat healthy and drink plenty of water
Carry ginger pills to abate motion sickness
Stop and stretch every alternative hour while driving for long hours

Chinapost

These days it’s hard to feel like an independent traveler on the road from Hanoi to Saigon.

Anyone who tackles the around 1,145 kilometers from north to south, or in the other direction, will find themselves running into the same people at the pagodas, hostels, bars and restaurants recommended by the same leading travel guides.

“Hello again” might easily be the motto of the trip, although fortunately the familiarity of the travel companions underway does not detract from the many things this part of Vietnam has to offer.

Most tourists in Hanoi check into a hotel in the old part of the city where swarms of clattering mopeds roam the congested streets. Visitors allow themselves to be pedaled around in rickshaws and amid the chaos the odd chicken still manages to hop unscathed from one side of the narrow carriageway to the other. [...Read more]

October 31, 2010
By Judy McEuen
Travel Writer – Troy Media

It is easy to feel overwhelmed and lost amidst the Hanoi’s bustling streets and the countless mopeds and bicycles moving around.

But don’t get discouraged, even if you want to immediately hop on the nearest van and set off to the more tranquil and eerily beautiful Halong Bay. While not at first glance obvious, Hanoi has several attractions that are worth seeing and its charm will grow on you if you give it a chance. So, rather than escape the hubbub straight away, don’t be afraid to get lost in the city for a while: I guarantee you will enjoy what it has to offer. [...Read more]

Vietnam…..intriguing history and mesmerizing culture!!

Vietnam is an astonishing amalgamation of diverse culture, natural beauty and captivating historical events. All these combined together makes Vietnam a perfect tourist destination. A tour to Vietnam is desirable by all age group with varying interests and liking. Bestowed with a never ending coastline of 3200kms, Vietnam is full of scenic beauty and cultural feasts.

Vietnam Motorcycling Tours

An expedition from “Rice Bowl” in Mekong Delta to the hustle bustle of Vietnam’s happening city Ho Chi Minh prior to heading the eye catching beaches of Nha Trang, Ca Na and Ninh Chu captivates you with the unexploited beauty of this country. [...Read more]

1. We’re already out of date.

After more than a week in $5-a-night hostels in Peru, Caitlin Childs was looking forward to a hot shower and a comfortable bed. But when she got to the Hotel Paracas, there was no hot shower, no bed – and no hotel. “It had been leveled in an earthquake the year before,” says Childs, a graphic designer and frequent traveler. It turned out her Footprint Peru Handbook – the latest edition – had been published a year and a half before her July 2008 trip.

Even without earthquakes, much of the information covered by guidebooks changes too fast for book publishers to keep up. Restaurants close, quaint markets lose their cachet, and trains change their schedules. If it’s essential to your trip, make a phone call before you go, says Peggy Goldman, the president of Friendly Planet Travel, a tour operator. Never rely on a guidebook for key information like whether you’ll need a visa to enter a country and how much it will cost, or what vaccinations you might need, Goldman says, because those facts can change rapidly. Although the guidebook’s web site may have more up-to-date information, travelers should still check with the consulate and look for CDC alerts for the latest information.

2. No news is bad news.

There’s simply not space in most guidebooks to include negative reviews – so a hotel or restaurant that isn’t in the book might not have made the cut for a reason, says Thomas Kohnstamm, a former Lonely Planet guidebook writer and the author of the memoir, “Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?” Guidebooks are also trying not just to inform but to sell potential travelers on the idea of a particular destination, he says. The end result: Every beach is beautiful, and the people of every country are “some of the nicest people in the world.” “It’s supposed to be an unvarnished take on places but you have to be pretty PC about everything,” Kohnstamm says. [...Read more]

From: news.com.au

FOR a pursuit with such a faithful and passionate following, travel can sometimes be a cruel master.

One mistake, one lapse in concentration, one act of carelessness, one poor decision can destroy a holiday and all of its memories. But many mistakes can be avoided by adequate preparation and research before you take off.

Here, then, are some of the most common mistakes and some commonsense ways to avoid them. [...Read more]

Located in Lao Cai province, 9km southwest of Sapa Township in Northwest of Vietnam,, Fansipan is the highest peak of Indochina with the height of 3143m above sea level. Fansipan or Fan-si-Pan (Phan Xi Pang) is dubbed “the Roof of Indochina”, it is approved as one of the very few eco-tourist spots of Vietnam, with about 2,024 floral varieties and 327 faunal species.

Those looking to climb it should be in good shape and prepared to have muddy wet feet. The scenery is incredible remember to bring a camera. The trails around Sapa are a lot of fun. You will get the chance to go through some minority villages if you have the time to explore. The people in Sapa are extremely nice. Explore the restaurants that are not on the main strip, you will get great food at a fraction of the cost. Hanoi beer is available in local restaurants for around 30 cents a liter. The food there is great!

HOW TO GET THERE

To get to the mountain you need to take a train from Hanoi to Lao Cai. From there you will take a mini bus up in to the town of Sapa. Transportation from Hanoi to Sapa can be arrange for a reasonable price. You might also be able to take a bus but it takes much longer.

When getting into town, make reservations for transportation go to the Hotel in Sapa – 2-way transportation can be hired. However, hiring a guide (English speaking?) is highly recommended you will get meals, a porter, 2-way transportation, accommodations in a hut, and waived permit and entrance fees.

HOW TO CLIMB

Fansipan Tour Operators in the area will arrange hikes to the summit taking from one to three days. Most will recommend taking the two – or three – day options and guides who will take tourists on the round trip in a single day are few and far between.

A very small village is located at around 1 500 m where accommodation and food is offered. Further up, at 2 800 m, is an overnight camp. Most booked trips will include the use of these facilities in their price should they be required.

THE POPULAR TRAIL

Day 1: You start going through several different valleys with a lot of lush jungle. The first day entails 2-4 hours of hiking. There is typically a lot of mud so come prepared. You might have the option of moving up to a high camp but the camp right by the river is beautiful. Enjoy the river to clean off ( it is a bit nippy)

Day 2: From the camp you pretty much go straight up the mountain side. It is a mixture of light 3rd class rock, root and tree climbing. The trail can be very slick and there are a lot of spots where the trail drops off. If you have trouble with heights you might not want to consider this hike. From the camp it takes 2-5 hours to reach the summit. Going up is not to bad but if it rained recently the trial can be very slick. Coming down is where you want to be careful.

Day 3: From the camp it takes about 3 hours to get down, be careful about grabbing on to the grass if the trail is slick it will tear up you hands. When you reach the bottom you will end up in a beautiful hill tribe village.

WHEN TO CLIMB

The prime time to climb the mountain is between October and April. During the summer it is very rainy but is still climbable if the weather holds.

TRAVEL GEARS

If you have your own tent and sleeping bags you can arrange to camp on the mountain. Tents and sleeping bags can be hired from Active Travel Vietnam. If you can you should bring a sleeping bag that is rated to at least 40 degrees. It can get a bit cold at night.

Tags: Fansipan Tours, Fansipan mountain Vietnam, Sapa Vietnam, Sapa trekking tours, Vietnam travel guide, Vietnam tours

The so-called Ho Chi Minh Trail is one of the most renowned legends of the Vietnam War. So far, there have been many people outside Vietnam who have only superficial knowledge on the road system winding along the Truong Son Range, that facilitated movement of soldiers and war supplies from North Vietnam to battlefields in South Vietnam. The Trail was playing the key role in the Communist victory over South Vietnam.

In the early 2000, the Communist government in Hanoi decided to construct a highway, the Ho Chi Minh Highway, along the Truong Son Range to connect North Vietnam with South Vietnam, parallel to the existing Highway 1 in the coastal areas of Central Vietnam. The construction is going on, and would be completed in four years if everything goes as planned.

Prompted by tales of the formidable Ho Chi Minh Trail, many journalists and observers outside Vietnam quickly adopt the false notion that the new highway is built on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, or the Trail is reborn and rebuilt as Ho Chi Minh Highway, without giving it a second thought.

In fact, the old trail and the new highway ARE NOT AT THE SAME LOCATION BUT MILES APART.

The Ho Chi Minh Trail was a complex of parallel truck routes and foot paths.

Most truck routes were dirt roads, some important portions were paved with rock and pebbles. All of them were in the territory of Laos and not a bit of it touched the Vietnamese soil except for the first part of about 50 kilometers from the starting points. [...Read more]